Free The Black Sheep and the Princess by Donna Kauffman Page A

suddenly feeling very inept and not liking it one bit. “I don’t know. I mean, I didn’t know about it, so I’m not sure it’s common knowledge, but then I don’t spend a lot of time in town. I’ve only been down a few times, for supplies and to gather information on the local construction businesses and the like. I haven’t exactly been a presence there.” Yet.
    She wasn’t sure what direction his thoughts were taking, but hers were going in a number of disturbing directions all by themselves. As much as she didn’t want to believe it, it looked as if there was a possibility she was caught up in something a little more serious than she thought. She’d been so focused on getting things done with Shelby, she’d never taken the time to connect everything together. She’d just wanted to get her name in print as owner of the place, then figure out the rest.
    â€œThis isn’t your problem, you know,” she told him at length.
    â€œI’m not going away, if that’s where you’re going with this. One way or the other, I’m here for the duration.”
    Her eyes widened. “The duration of what?”
    â€œThe duration of however long it takes to resolve the problems you’re facing. At the very least, until you get your name on those papers and we make sure you’re not under any kind of serious threat from whoever is vandalizing the place. We should look into the developer end of things, too.”
    â€œWhat could they possibly have to do with vandalizing my property?”
    Mac shrugged. “They want something bad enough and can’t get it through proper channels…”
    â€œI think you’re being paranoid.”
    â€œAnd I think you should find out exactly what Shelby is up to, too. What contact he’s had with them. I’m telling you, it all probably factors in.”
    â€œAnd you know this because…?”
    â€œBecause my instincts tell me so. And they’re rarely wrong. I wouldn’t be sitting here in this truck if I didn’t listen to them.”
    He was so intent, so serious, so certain. It was unnerving, both his mere presence and his focus on what, by rights, was none of his business. She’d be lying if she said there wasn’t a tiny part of her that was grateful for his timely intrusion. But it was that timely part that still had her concerned. Maybe she was the paranoid one. “Exactly what kind of business is it that you three run anyway?”
    Which should have been the first question out of her mouth when the other two names came up. They’d been known as the Unholy Trinity with good reason from the first summer they’d united at camp. If there was trouble brewing, the trail had inevitably led back to one of the three, or, as was more often the case, all three combined.
    Kate hadn’t spent much time out there each summer, but between her brief jaunts and listening to her mother complain about, well, everything, it was no secret that the three of them hadn’t done much to make camp life run smoothly. Each of them was so different, but still a black sheep of sorts in his own way. Donovan was the bastard kid of the camp handyman, Donny Mac, who’d spent a fair share of time in the Ralston drunk tank, when he wasn’t beating up on his only son. Rafe was an inner city kid whose mom worked several jobs, one as a maid for some Wall Street shark who made himself feel better by sending her kid to rich kids’ camp every summer. He’d been a fish out of water with an attitude the size of the Empire State Building. He’d bonded with Donovan immediately.
    Finn was the unexpected addition to the trio. Every bit as wealthy as his camp counterparts, if not more so, he should have fit right in at Camp Winnimocca. He was the stereotypical golden boy, from his blond, bronzed good looks to his big fat trust fund. By all rights, he should have been camp leader.