Page 70 of The Lighthouse on Plum Island
“Get this vicious mutt off me!” Vanessa yelled angrily.
Her driver and Caroline looked at each other in disbelief before springing into action. Caroline battled to pull Sandy away from Vanessa. The dog didn’t like the woman, which made Brad frown as a troubling thought rushed through his mind, but he pushed it aside.
No, why would Vanessa have stolen Caroline’s laptop?Brad gave himself a mental shake and went to help Caroline pull Sandy off Vanessa so her driver could help her up. She was spitting mad as she dusted off her soft yellow flowing cotton pants and cream top, now smeared with dirt. Her driver pickedup her one yellow sandal she’d lost when she’d fallen, which Vanessa snatched from his hand.
“Is this how you greet all your visitors?” Vanessa looked down her nose at Caroline.
“I’m sorry, they don’t usually do this,” Caroline apologized, turning to see Brad holding a snarling Sandy. “I’ll put her away.”
“I’ll put her in the house,” Brad offered. He reached down, ran his hand over Sandy’s soft fur, and felt the echo of her growls rumble through her body. “It’s okay. I know how you feel, though. Vanessa does have that effect on alotof people.“ He cooed as he managed to get Sandy into the house and close the back door.
“Where’s Dingle?” Vanessa’s voice was filled with urgency when Brad turned to see her snatching her purse from the driver’s hand and frantically looking for her dog. “Dingle!”
A squawk caught their attention, and they turned to find the little dog cowering beneath a bush on the side of the driveway with Blue Beard perched on a branch, keeping a watchful eye on the dog.
“What is this place?” Vanessa stormed over to the bush, grabbing her shredded hat along the way.
“Don’t!” Caroline and Brad shouted in unison as Vanessa reached down to get her dog.
Blue Beard swooped at Vanessa, who ducked and landed face-first in the Rugosa Rose hedge that lined one side of Caroline’s driveway.
“That’s going hurt!” The driver pulled a face and put a hand to his mouth.
CHAPTER 17
Caroline stood staring at the woman stuck in her rose bush in horror!
What on earth had just happened?Caroline watched as the town car driver and Brad rushed to help the furious woman from the rose bush. Luckily, the woman had shielded her face with her hands, which had taken the brunt of the scratches from the thorns.
“This place is a dangerous hazard of crazed wild animals and prickly bushes!” she raged, pushing the driver aside and throwing herself into Brad’s arms, wailing. “What are you doing here?”
Brad pushed the woman away from him as another car arrived. Caroline was relieved to see it was Jennifer. She pulled into a space and jumped out of the vehicle, hurrying to Caroline’s side.
“What the heck is going on?” Jennifer demanded, her eyes narrowing on the woman in Brad’s arms.
“That woman’s animals and hedge viciously attacked me!” The woman’s eyes pinned Caroline and were brimmed with malice. “I’m going to report you to the police for this abuse.”
“Vanessa!” Brad barked. “You’re on Caroline’s property.” He looked at Caroline questioningly. “And uninvited?”
“Of course, uninvited!” Jennifer chimed. “Who are you?” She frowned at the woman Brad had called Vanessa before looking at Caroline. “Do you know her?”
“No,” Caroline shook her head. “She arrived here just after Brad did.” She swallowed as the memory of their kiss made her breath catch. Caroline forced her mind back to the situation at hand. “Then her car pulled up, and Sandy and Blue Beard pounced on her as she got out.”
“Pounced?” Vanessa spluttered. “They attacked me.” Her voice rose dramatically. “I swear I heard you tell them to.” Her eyes narrowed as she glared at Caroline.
“No, she didn’t!” Brad dropped his hands around Vanessa’s arms and stepped away from the woman. “What are you doing here, Vanessa?”
“I was told you were here checking out the old lighthouse from the script, and I wanted to join you.” Vanessa turned her attention to him and smiled suggestively while purring, “I was hoping you’d ask me as your plus one to Alex’s dinner party tonight.” Her eyes dropped to her hands, and her head shot to Caroline. “Look at my hands.”
“Were you picking roses?” Jennifer asked her innocently.
“No!” Vanessa sneered and pointed a scratched hand at Caroline. “She sicced that … that…” She turned, and her eyes widened as she saw Blue Beard perched near her. “Get it away from me.”
Vanessa launched herself back into Brad’s arms.
“Intruder alert!” Blue Beard squawked. “Intruder alert!”
Brad looked at Caroline as Vanessa clung to him like a vine to a wall. “Please, can you put Blue Beard away?”
