A Bid for Love by Rachel Ann Nunes Page A

I’d better go make arrangements to pick up my painting.”
    “Yes, you did get your painting, didn’t you?” Jared returned. “An excellent piece.” As promised, he had refrained from that particular bidding war. It had not escaped him that Cassi Mason had bid several times for it before stopping when she recognized Léon’s determination. “A gentleman’s word is always kept,” he added.
    This subtle hint was not lost on Léon. He bowed slightly. “I am also a gentleman, as you will see when you bid for the Buddha.”
    At least with Léon’s promise the morning had not been a complete waste. Jared had also made a few bids that served only to scare some of the other buyers and to evoke feelings of sympathy when he purposely lost. When he bid on the Buddha later in the afternoon, he wanted as little competition as possible. The more items he appeared to let people win now, the more those same people would refrain from bidding for the Buddha later. It was a strange system, but it worked more often than not.
    The Buddha would soon be his, regardless of Cassi Mason.
    When he arrived in his room, he found the note under the door. He had no idea how long it had been there. It was typed in bold black print on a sheet of untraceable white paper: If you want to live, do not bid for it.
    Despite the warmth of his suit coat, Jared shivered.
     

 
     
     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER EIGHT
     
    When it was time to go to the auction again, Renae still looked terrible. Cassi knew the false labor had eased, but she didn’t think her friend was ready to sit for two more hours in a straight-backed chair.
    “You go ahead without me,” Renae agreed.
    “Are you sure you’re all right?”
    “Yes. I just get tired sometimes near the end. It’s not easy to carry around this extra weight. Besides, I think I have a plan to get you your Buddha.”
    “What?”
    Renae grinned. “I’ll make an emergency call to Jared Landine right at three o’clock. The hotel will have to go get him and, pronto, he’s eliminated from the competition.”
    “What if the Buddha isn’t auctioned while he’s gone?”
    “I’ll go down and make sure it is. I’ll be rested by then. The guard won’t let me in, but I bet he’ll tell me what’s being auctioned. Just before it goes, I’ll call the hotel from a pay phone and they’ll go get him. Simple.”
    It did sound simple. Too simple. And also wrong. Or was it? What about that horrid note? Jared might have been the one who sent it. The saying went that all was fair in love and war. And wasn’t this a war? Cassi’s conscience wasn’t so sure.
    “Don’t you think you ought to rest?” She hated how her voice sounded so hopeful.
    “I’ve been resting. I’ll be okay. But you’d better go, or you’ll be late.” Renae made shooing motions from where she sat propped up in her bed.
    “Okay. But I’m not sure about this scheme.”
    “Just go. Leave everything to me, would you? Go! You’re going to be late.”
    Cassi glanced at her watch and flew out the door, leaving Renae behind. I want the Buddha , she reasoned. Besides, Landine was insufferable. This was war.
    The seats were nearly full when she arrived at the auction. Sam Boader waved to her, and she slipped into the empty seat beside him near the inner aisle. With Renae’s insight, Cassi watched him carefully for signs of infatuation. She didn’t see anything overt, but he did seem more attentive than necessary. Maybe he did like her. The thought was novel, and not unpleasant; he was both good-looking and nice.
    “You know,” he said to her, his voice clearly puzzled, “this morning a note was slipped under my door. It said if I wanted to live, I shouldn’t bid on it.”
    Cassi stiffened. “On what?”
    “That’s just it. I don’t know. But it bothers me.”
    Cassi forced a laugh. “It’s some poor fool’s idea of a joke.”
    “You’re probably right.”
    But Cassi noticed he didn’t bid on anything. Was he afraid? Should