Darci returned, mustering a friendly smile.
He offered his hand. “I’m Lawrence Tucker, Tucker Transportation.”
“Darci.” She hesitated for a split second, realizing she shouldn’t use her real name. “Lake.”
“Nice to meet you Darci Lake. You’re a supporter of the search-and-rescue program?”
“Very much so. And you?”
His handshake was firm, his attitude forthright. He was a fairly attractive man, tall, with broad shoulders that gave him a powerful stance.
“Tucker Transportation donated twenty containers of freight shipping to anywhere in Europe.” He indicated a long row of tables with silent-auction signage above them.
“You ship to Europe?” She wanted to keep the conversation focused on him and away from her.
“We ship worldwide. Europe, Africa, Asia, Pacific.”
“You’re a large company?”
“You’ve never heard of Tucker Transportation?”
“I’ve definitely heard of you,” she quickly lied. “But I’m afraid I don’t know many details.”
“We’re the third-largest shipping company in the nation.”
“Impressive.” She took another sip of her champagne.
“There you are, Tuck.” A tall, gorgeous blonde woman twined her arm possessively around Lawrence Tucker’s.
“Hello, Petra.” He greeted her with a quick peck on the cheek.
She pouted her deep red lips. “Don’t forget, you promised to come with me on a wine-cellar tour.”
“I haven’t forgotten.”
The woman’s gaze moved to Darci, where it paused, becoming speculative.
“This is Darci Lake,” said Tuck.
“Nice to meet you,” said Petra. She didn’t let go of Tuck. If anything, she pressed closer.
She was several inches taller than Darci and wearing four-inch heels. Darci guessed she was in her late twenties. Her manicure was perfect, as was her hair. And her gown likely cost more than Darci’s. Plus, she probably owned it.
“It was nice to meet you,” Darci said to Tuck, not having the slightest desire to get between Petra and her designs on the man. “Perhaps I’ll see you again later on.”
As she moved toward the back of the house, Darci left the great room behind and found herself in a wide open hall. It had twenty-foot ceilings, marble pillars and gleaming white archways. Antique-style lampposts dotted the perimeter, while an imposing wrought-iron chandelier hung in the center of the room. The decor focused on an equestrian theme, with a big bronze statue of a stallion on a large rough-hewn wood table. Rich oil paintings of rural stables and the countryside hung on the walls, and several red velvet-and-walnut armchairs bordered the room.
After an initial scan of the area, Darci found her attention drawn to a small open doorway. It led to a staircase, tucked in a corner behind a pillar and partially screened by one of the lampposts.
She wandered toward it, pretending to be fascinated by a grandfather clock against the wall. Feeling like a spy, she glanced around to see if anyone was paying attention to her movements.
The crowds were sparser here than out front in the great room. But there were enough people that she blended.
She eased her way behind the lamp.
Then she moved to the pillar.
With another quick check to make sure no one was watching, she scooted to the shadowed staircase and started down.
The stairwell was dim, and she gripped the rail. After what seemed like a long distance, she came out at a narrow white-walled hallway with a blue-and-silver-tiled floor and fluorescent lights along the ceiling.
Her heart began pounding harder as she chose between left and right. Right would take her to the back of the house while left would take her toward the front. It was a toss-up, but it seemed to her that decades-old business records would more likely be at the rear of the house.
She turned right and started along the hall.
She came to a closed door and tried the knob. It was locked. She jiggled it, thinking it was old and it might give way.
“Can I help you with something?” came a deep, accusatory voice.
She quickly twisted around, and her heart sank with a thud.
His face was shadowed, but she instantly recognized him.
She swallowed. “Mr. Colborn.”
He took a step forward, his piercing blue eyes pinning her in place. “Did you take a wrong turn?”
Her mind scrambled for a plausible explanation. “I, uh...I heard you were giving a wine-cellar tour.”
His eyes narrowed. “You did, did you?”
“Petra mentioned it. Petra and Tuck. I was talking to them earlier, and—”
“You know Tuck?”
Darci nodded. She’d known Tuck for all of five minutes. But she wasn’t about to get stuck on that detail.
Shane Colborn seemed to relax a bit. “I haven’t seen him yet tonight.”
“Petra found him. And, well, she didn’t seem to want to share.”
Shane cracked a smile. “She doesn’t. She’s had her sights set on him since we were teenagers.”
He moved closer still, offering his hand. “I’m Shane Colborn, the host of the party. Well, me and my cousin Madeline are the hosts.”
Darci immediately accepted the handshake. “I know who you are. I’m Darci Lake. You have a remarkable home.”
“Remarkable appealing, or remarkable ostentatious?”
“A little of both,” she answered before she thought it through. She realized her words had sounded like a criticism. “I mean, it’s wonderful, of course. It’s just that I can’t imagine—”
“Living here?”
“It is intimidating,” she answered honestly.
His furrowed brow told her she was blowing the entire conversation.
Insulting his home was the last thing she wanted to do. “I didn’t mean it the way it came out.” She gave her head a brief shake. “Can I please start over?”
“Go for it.”
She braced herself. “It’s a phenomenal home. And I’m sure
