If You Know Her: A Novel of Romantic Suspense

for the next few days.
    This commitment and compromise stuff was a headache. Tapping out a message to him to let him know where she was, she sent it off before slipping through the marked doorway.
    Roz’s office was empty.
    Hope started to head back—the kitchen was on the other side of the house, but she heard a familiar voice, one that sounded a lot like Lena’s. Rather weird, because Lena shouldn’t be working today. Curious, she headed down the hallway.
    She passed by a set of glass doors that opened out onto a private patio, one she hadn’t seen before. Glancing outside, she saw Roz. Carter was with her, his head bent close to hers, nodding.
    Roz leaned against him, her shoulders trembling, shaking.
    Embarrassed, Hope looked away and headed down the hallway, following what had sounded like Lena’s voice.
    She came to a kitchen—a smaller, trendier version of the kitchen where Lena did all of her cooking. But Lena wasn’t hard at work on anything. She was standing with her hips against an island, her eyes shaded by the lenses of her glasses and head downcast.
    “Hey.”
    Lena jumped, startled. “What the …” She listed to the side and slammed a hand against the island to get her balance.
    Puck growled, responding to Lena, liquid eyes focused on Hope’s face, lip curled to show those very impressive teeth.
    “Hey, it’s just me—Hope.” Her heart banged against her ribs.
    Puck barked at her.
    Nervously, Hope backed away a step.
    “Down, Puck,” Lena snapped, righting herself. “Fuck. Damn it, Hope. I’m sorry. I’m just a little freaked out right now and anytime I’m afraid, he does this.” She licked her lips and then said, “Ah … are you alone right now?”
    Automatically, Hope glanced around. “Yeah. Why wouldn’t I be?”
    “Don’t ask.” She laughed sourly and then sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. “Did Roz send you back here?”
    “No. I was looking for her—thinking about asking her to help coordinate the wedding even if we don’t get married here. But I heard you.” She shrugged nervously, smoothing a hand down her jeans as she wandered into the kitchen. “I thought maybe you were in here talking to her, but I saw her outside on my way back here.”
    “I was talking to Puck,” Lena said. She bent over, scratching the dog’s head. “Did you say you saw Roz?”
    “Yeah. Outside talking to her husband.”
    Lena’s hand faltered. Then her fingers curled convulsively in the dog’s silky fur. “Carter. You saw her talking to Carter,” she said quietly.
    “Yeah.” Okay, something about Lena’s tone had a cold chill running down Hope’s spine.
    Behind her, she heard a door shut … and voices.
    Slowly, Lena straightened. “Hope,” she said, keeping her voice low, all but soundless. “Come on.
Now
.”
    A very large part of her was dying to know what in the hell was going on.
    But Hope understood fear. She understood the survival instinct. Without saying a word, she headed for Lena as the voices behind them drew closer. They slipped out of the kitchen, with Lena easing the door shut so it didn’t swing and betray their presence.
    Seconds later, they heard Roz calling out, “Lena, you in there?”
    Lena turned her face to Hope, one finger lifted and pressed against her lips.
    They moved down the hallway, Hope wincing as she moved along next to Lena, her steps sounding unbelievablyloud, at least to her own ears. After a few seconds, Lena said in a quiet voice, “We’re going to the other kitchen. The day staff is in there. Just don’t say anything—don’t ask. Ezra’s on his way.”
    Ezra—
    Hope slid a hand into her pocket and tugged out her phone.
    Up ahead, a door opened.
    Puck stopped in his tracks, growling low in his throat.
    Even before he moved out from behind the door, Hope knew who it was.
    Carter Jennings stood there. Behind the lenses of his glasses, she couldn’t see his eyes. That bothered her, a lot.
    She could see his smile, though.
    And the smile really freaked her out.
    “Hello, ladies.”
    “Carter.” Lena sounded calm and cool.
    Hope wondered if Carter could tell that Lena was shaking—oh so slightly. Edging in a little closer, Hope stared at the other man.
    Where was Roz?
    Where was Ezra?
    And what in the hell was going on?
    Puck growled again, low and rough, deep in his chest. Lena gripped his leash tighter. “Easy, boy,” she murmured. “Easy.
    “He’s antsy today,” Lena said. “I guess a lot of us