Free The Troublesome Angel by Valerie Hansen Page A

Right?”
    “Yes. How’d you know?”
    “I assumed as much, judging by her past choices.” Stacy took the stuffed toy and held it for Lewis to sniff while she asked, “Where was she last seen?”
    “Inside. But mother’s had the staff search the house already. I’m not as worried as I’d be if Missy were lost in the woods again, but I didn’t know where else to look. That’s why I called you.”
    “You mean you had your executive assistant call me, don’t you?” Stacy couldn’t help the rancor that crept into her voice.
    “That’s the same thing.”
    “Hardly.” she said flatly. “I’d been up all night. When the phone rang and woke me, I didn’t recognize her voice so I figured she was probably selling something. I almost hung up on her.”
    Gray lifted an eyebrow and regarded her with curiosity. “And you wouldn’t have hung up if it had been me?”
    “I didn’t say that.”
    “No, but you insinuated it. What were you doing up all night? Have a hot date?”
    “Not that it’s any of your business, but I was having puppies.”
    He cast her a lopsided grin. “My, my. Did it hurt?”
    Stacy glowered at him. “Very funny.”
    “I thought it was. Where’s your sense of humor?”
    She recalled the experience of near hysteria she’d had on her way there. “I gave it up this side of Norfork. Shall we get down to business? We have a lost child to find.”

Chapter Six
    S tacy let Lewis take the lead while she guided him in ever wider circles around the perimeter of the Payne house. She’d tried to convince Graydon to let her work alone, to no avail. He was sticking close the same way her dogs guarded a favorite chew toy.
    That analogy made Stacy smile in spite of herself. Unfortunately, he noticed.
    “What’s so funny?” he asked.
    “Oh, nothing. You wouldn’t understand.”
    “Try me.”
    “Not a chance.”
    He snorted with derision. “I take it your flash of good humor was sarcasm at the expense of my family, then?”
    Amazed at how close he’d come to her earlier thoughts, Stacy whipped around to look up at him.The appealing sparkle in his dark eyes sent a shiver zinging up her spine and made the hair on the nape of her neck tingle. Rather than lie, she decided to refrain from offering any rebuttal.
    Gray nodded. “I figured as much. Know what? You have a real problem, lady.”
    “I beg your pardon?”
    “You’re a snob.”
    “I’m a what? ” She couldn’t believe he was serious.
    “A snob,” he said, accentuating the words. “You think that just because you grew up with less than I did and became a success in spite of your rough childhood, you’re somehow better than the rest of us.”
    “I do not.”
    “Oh? You could have fooled me.”
    “I…” Stacy’s conscience refused to let her continue the denial. Warmth flowed up to color her cheeks. Surely he couldn’t be right about her. Or could he?
    “See? I knew it.”
    “Oh, stop looking so smug,” she told him. “I had no idea I was doing that…assuming I actually was.”
    “You were. Admit it.”
    She pulled a face. “Okay. Maybe I was. So I’m not a saint yet. But the Lord’s working on me. Give Him time.” It galled her to admit that God might use a man like Graydon Payne to point out her faults.
    “Gladly. As long as you’ll give me the benefit of the same treatment. Remember, I can’t help how I grew up any more than you can. Or any more than Missy can. All we can do is take each day God gives us and try to do our best with what we have.”
    “Or don’t have,” Stacy added. “You’re right. I apologize for letting my personal feelings interfere with my work.” Looking down at her dog she shook her head slowly. “Speaking of which… Lewis hasn’t found any kind of a trail and we’ve been at it for nearly half an hour. I think we’re wasting our time out here.”
    “If you say so. What now?”
    She glanced toward the house. “You need to search inside again.”
    “Okay. Come on.”
    Stacy