Nashville Rebel by Sheri WhiteFeather

Author:Sheri WhiteFeather
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2018-09-17T15:40:01+00:00

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The ball was being held at an elaborate Gothic revival mansion, with architecture that mimicked the icing on top of a wedding cake. Sophie was in awe and thought it was the perfect setting for a masquerade-themed art auction. The proceeds from the fund-raiser were being donated to a wildlife foundation, which factored into the building’s motif, as well. Not only was the mansion’s decor punctuated with animal prints and faux furs, but the pieces being sold also depicted rare and exotic animals.

Sophie and Tommy wandered the grand halls, trying to hunt down the artwork. All of the pieces were hidden within the house, and there was a treasure map of where to find them. Sophie thought it was a clever tactic, enticing people to uncover whatever they wanted to buy. A security guard was stationed at every treasure site, and to place a bid, guests were required to use a specially designed app they’d downloaded onto their phones.

Other activities included sipping Southern cocktails on the veranda, eating delectable appetizers in the dining room and waltzing to elegant music in the ballroom. There were people everywhere, doing whatever struck their fancies.

Tommy checked the map and pointed in the direction of a narrow staircase that led to the attic. “There’s supposed to be a jeweled tiger up there.”

Curious, she asked, “What is it, exactly? A painting, a sculpture, a piece of jewelry?”

“I don’t know. That’s the only description. But the opening bid is pretty high.”

She followed him up the staircase, the wood creaking from years of wear.

They entered the attic, which was a steeple-shaped room, cluttered with furniture. They weren’t the only people poking around up there. Another masked couple was searching for the tiger, too. But it didn’t matter who found it first. Even if they all wanted it, only the highest bidder would win.

The attic was staged to seem as authentic as possible, even if there wasn’t a speck of dust in it. The floors were spotless. But you couldn’t expect people at a sophisticated ball to crawl around and get dirty.

While Tommy went through some old boxes, Sophie rummaged through a trunk filled with ladies’ clothing from the era of the house. If the tiger was a brooch, maybe it would be pinned to one of these dresses.

“I already looked in there,” the other woman said to her. “We’ve been searching everywhere.”

Sophie glanced up. Her competitor was a young, slim blonde in a green sequined gown and butterfly-shaped mask.

Sophie politely said, “It’s supposed to be in this room.”

The blonde knelt beside her. “Maybe he has it on him.” She nodded toward the security guard. “Should I frisk him and check?”

Sophie glanced his way. The man was tall and broad, as strong and thick as a live oak. “That’s probably not a good idea. He doesn’t seem as if he would be receptive to that.”

When the guard shot them a stern look, both women clammed up. A second later, they put their masked heads together and giggled like a couple of school-aged kids.

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