Hidden Talents

you,” Caleb pointed out grimly. “The guy couldn't have been much of a friend.”
    “I considered Ambrose a friend,” Serenity said quietly. “And that's the way I prefer to remember him.”
    “Regardless of the fact that he might have been the one behind the blackmail attempt?”
    “If Ambrose was the blackmailer, he must have had his reasons. He was probably driven to it by desperation.”
    “Desperation for what?” Caleb demanded. “Hell, I don't believe this. You're inventing excuses for a blackmailer?”
    “We don't know that he was the blackmailer.”
    “Okay, let's pursue that avenue of inquiry. Who else had access to those photos?”
    Serenity sighed. The logic was inescapable. “No one, as far as I know. I can't see Ambrose giving them to anyone else. There was no reason for him to do so.”
    “The blackmailer wanted you to call off your business discussions with me,” Caleb said. “Who would want to see your plans shot down?”
    “I don't know.” Serenity was getting impatient with the inquisition. The man was like a locomotive. Once he started moving, it was difficult to stop him. “Furthermore, it's none of your affair.”
    “I disagree. I'm your consultant, remember?”
    “I'd prefer to forget.”
    “I'm not going to let it slip your mind,” Caleb said. “But we can talk about some of this stuff later.”
    “Gee, thanks.”
    “The first item on my agenda is to find a place to stay tonight. I didn't notice a motel anywhere in Witt's End.”
    “The closest one is thirty miles back down the road in Bullington,” she said helpfully.
    “That's going to be a little inconvenient.” Caleb glanced out the window. “The fog has gotten worse. I'd have to be crazy to try to drive thirty miles down that mountain road in this soup.”
    “Don't look at me,” Serenity said, alarmed by the direction the conversation seemed to be taking. “I don't do bed and breakfast.”
    Caleb examined the book-lined living room of the cottage with a considering expression. “I could sleep on your sofa.”
    “No.”
    “It's big enough.”
    “No.”
    Caleb's brows rose. “Not even for one night?”
    “No.”
    “What's the matter, Serenity? Do I make you nervous?”
    “Yes.”
    “It's all right.” His gaze was intent. “I'm not going to jump on top of you.”
    “I can't be certain of that, can I? After all, you think I'm a slut. No telling what you might do.”
    “I don't think you're a slut,” Caleb said wearily. “I think you're naive. Having gotten to know you during the past three weeks, I can understand how Asterley might have talked you into posing for him. He probably fed you a line of bull about doing it for art.”
    “How very generous of you,” Serenity said. “But I should probably warn you that I don't care for your second opinion of me any more than I cared for your first. You make me sound like a mindless nitwit.”
    “I'm trying to take a tolerant, open-minded view of the situation,” he said tightly.
    “Gosh, I'll bet that's really hard for you.”
    “You're in a hell of a mood, aren't you?”
    “Can you blame me? I've had a rough day.”
    “I know,” Caleb said. “Like I said, I'm sorry.”
    “Tell you what. You can work on your tolerance and practice your new open-minded attitudes while you look for a motel.” Serenity glanced pointedly at her watch.
    Caleb looked at her. “You're not really going to force me to find my way back down an unfamiliar mountain road in this fog, are you?”
    “Well, you certainly aren't staying here.” She was determined to stand her ground. Unfortunately, she also knew that he was right. And she did not want the responsibility for his safety on her shoulders. “I suppose you could spend the night at Julius's house. He wouldn't mind.”
    “Who's Julius?”
    “Julius Makepeace. He's my father. Sort of.”
    “Your father .” Caleb looked taken aback. “I'm not so sure that's a good idea.”
    “Don't worry about it.” Serenity got to her feet, relieved at having found a reasonable answer to her dilemma. “Julius and Bethanne are out of town.”
    “Where are they?” Caleb stood up, looking wary.
    “On their honeymoon.”
    “Their honeymoon?”
    Serenity plucked the keys to Julius's cabin out of a small ceramic bowl. “It was love at first sight, if you ask me. Bethanne roared into town on a Harley-Davidson one afternoon fifteen years ago. Julius took one look at her and he was a goner. They've been together ever