A/N: Thank you for the reviews, Jackie and Virtute! I love reading your comments! The "rose left behind for the victim" is so cliche (especially in campy 70s TV shows), that I wanted to have a little fun with it and take it in a different direction. And now...the serious stuff begins. Hope you enjoy it! Thanks to everyone reading!

Chapter 35

Joe entered the Bayport Museum right after lunch the next day. He stopped at the front desk and gave Kim a questioning look. She smiled.

"She's in a meeting, but she said she'd be headed to her office after that. I'm sure she wouldn't mind if you waited for her there."

Joe grinned his thanks and headed downstairs. Kim sighed as she watched him walk away. That boy can sure wear a pair of jeans. The phone jangled on her desk and she picked it up. "Bayport Art Museum."

"Is this Kim?"

"Yes, is this Duncan?"

"Yes. Kim, listen to me very carefully. How badly do you want to keep your job?"

OOOOOoooooOOOOO

Joe sat in Emily's chair and put his feet up on her desk while he waited for her to return. He stacked his hands behind his head and leaned back against the headrest, thinking he might catch a quick nap. He had just closed his eyes when her phone began to ring. Joe smiled as he heard Emily's voice asking the caller to please leave a message. The beep sounded and a deep male voice speaking in a distinctive Scottish brogue was heard on the other end. "Hey baby, are you there?" Joe quickly sat up and stared at the phone. "Damn, I must have missed you. And speaking of missing you, I cannot wait to see you tonight. I've been thinking about you all day. You and that hot little number you were wearing last week. I'm thinking I ripped it off you too fast to get a really good look at it." The voice chuckled. "Great idea you had about stringing that Hardy kid along for a little while. He seems to have fallen for it." His voice became low and throaty. "Of course, how could he resist you?" He sighed. "I know I really shouldn't be leaving this message on your voice mail. I don't want anyone finding out about us." He paused. "Listen, just use your key to get into the house this afternoon. We'll have dinner and then spend the whole evening in bed. I can't wait." The phone clicked and the line went dead.

Joe was reeling. His chest was contracting so hard he didn't think he could breathe. She's using me. She's using me to cover up an affair with Duncan. How could I be so stupid? Her reluctance to get involved with me? It's because she's really with him, not because she had problems with her previous boyfriend. I'm just her cover. It's him she wants. Joe began pacing the floor. He was shaking. How could she do this? She's making a fool out of me. He shook his head. Well, that ends now.

As if on cue, the office door opened and Emily entered. A look of surprise crossed her face. "Hi, Joe. I didn't expect to see you here."

He turned and Emily stepped back when she saw the look in his eyes. He straightened up fully as he pinned her with his gaze. "No kidding."

"Joe?"

"How long were you going to do this? How long were you going to keep playing me for a fool?" His voice was tight with tension.

Emily seemed completely confused. "I-is something wrong?"

"Is something wrong?" Joe snorted. "Oh, that's priceless. I heard the message from your boyfriend."

"My boyfriend?" She moved toward him and he stepped out of her reach. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't. I'm not as stupid as I apparently look." He exhaled forcefully, struggling to suppress the hurt that was threatening to overwhelm him. "I heard every word. All about how you and Duncan had such a hot night together. What you were wearing. What he's got planned for you two tonight." He shook his head and looked up at the ceiling. "I must be the dumbest guy in the world."

"I really don't what's going on..." Emily began. "But if you'd just–."

"No. Just stop it. Okay?" He moved across the room trying to distance himself from her physically so he could think. "I guess I must have seemed like the most logical cover for an affair with your professor, huh?" He laughed harshly. "Yep, I admit it. I was an easy mark."

"Joe, please–"

"That's why you were so reluctant to get involved with me, wasn't it?" He shook his head. "It all makes sense now. You weren't afraid of a relationship with me. You already had one…with Duncan."

Emily looked stunned.

Joe took another unsteady breath as he met her gaze. The pain in his chest was crushing him, making it hard for him to breathe. Hard for him to think. "You know…I thought you liked me. I thought we might have something really special together." He closed his eyes briefly. "Turns out it was all a lie."

"If you'd just tell me what's going on, I'm sure I can explain." She moved next to him, lightly touching his arm. He yanked it away as if he'd been burned. "Please, Joe. There's obviously been a terrible misunderstanding."

"Yeah, there has. And apparently it's all been on my part." He glanced at her. "I know what I heard. I don't know what you can say that could possibly explain it away."

"Explain what away?" Emily tried again to move closer to him, but Joe walked toward the office door. She stopped. "Joe, I don't know what you think you heard, but it's not true." She looked at him pleadingly. "I'm not seeing anyone else but you."

He reached for the door handle and swung it open. "Emily…" He sighed heavily. "I can't do this right now. I need some air. I need some space." He looked back to see her standing there, her eyes filled with tears and her expression one of total shock. "I can't talk to you right now. I just can't," he said as he walked into the hall, closing the door behind him.

She heard him smash his fist against the wall as he moved down the corridor. Her breath was coming in gasps and she had to sit down. As she collapsed into her chair, she spotted the phone with the message light still blinking. With shaking hands, she pushed the "replay" button. As Duncan's voice came over the speaker, she gasped. By the time his message was over, she was furious. With tears streaming down her face, she reached for the receiver to call Duncan. No, she thought. I'm going to take care of this in person.

OOOOOoooooOOOOO

Joe's mind was swimming as Duncan's message replayed over and over in his head. He couldn't sort out the facts from his own emotions and the searing pain in his chest felt like his heart was being ripped out. Why would Duncan leave that message if it wasn't true? He paused at the bottom of the staircase and looked back toward Emily's office. It felt so real. The way she kissed me. The way we talked together. It didn't feel like she was faking it. He closed his eyes and Duncan's voice invaded his thoughts again. "You're just too sexy, babe. It's impossible for me to keep my hands off you…I'm glad you came up with the idea of stringing that Hardy kid along for a little while. He seems to have fallen for it."

Joe shook his head. I need to get away from here. I can't deal with this right now. I can't think clearly when I'm around her. He sighed and looked backwards again. I want to believe her. Maybe after I get some air I can make sense of this. He dashed up the steps. Because nothing makes sense right now.

OOOOOoooooOOOOO

Kim bit her lip as she saw Joe storm up the steps from the museum basement. You can't lose your job. Steeling herself, she rushed over to him. "Joe, wait up."

"I don't have time right now." His expression was sullen and his eyes were fixed on the museum's main doors.

"This is important." Kim positioned herself in front of him and Joe stopped short.

"What?"

She hesitated. "I-I'm not sure how to say this..."

"How about you just spit it out, because I have to get out of here."

Kim nodded. "That's probably the best way. Joe, I'm sorry to have to be the one to tell you, but Emily is two-timing you."

He looked into Kim's eyes for the first time. "What do you know?"

"She's seeing Duncan. She has been all along." Kim started wringing her hands and she swallowed hard. "It's a secret, because...well, because he's a professor and he could get in real trouble." She stole a glance at Joe's stormy face. "I'm sorry. She felt that pretending to date you would be the perfect cover, but I just can't let this go on. You're too nice of a guy, Joe."

He shook his head. "Yeah. Thanks, but I already know. Apparently Duncan wasn't as discreet as he should have been."

"Oh. Well, good, I guess." Kim shifted nervously. "I mean, it's better that you know."

Before Joe could reply, Emily emerged at the top of the staircase. She'd clearly been crying. She gave Joe a pleading look and started toward him, but he turned and began to walk in the opposite direction, his emotions too raw to even be in the same room with her. Emily paused, then reached into her purse for her car keys and headed through the main doors. Joe watched her through the floor to ceiling windows as she made her way to the parking lot. He looked at Kim. "Thanks for your honesty. I appreciate it."

She couldn't meet his eyes. She went back to the reception desk, while Joe left the building. As he crossed the sidewalk, he could see Emily climbing into Stacey's Subaru and putting the keys in the ignition.

"Time for me to do some detective work of my own," he said in a grim whisper as he headed out the door towards his own vehicle.

OOOOOoooooOOOOO

Joe watched as Emily parked the Subaru in front of Duncan's house. He slammed his hand against the steering wheel as she got out and hurried up the front steps. He watched her knock and wait, rubbing her hands up and down her arms to try and stay warm in the chilly afternoon air. The door opened and Duncan appeared. Emily stepped past him and Duncan quickly shut the door. Joe closed his eyes tightly against the searing pain that ripped through him again. Yeah, you're some detective, Hardy. Can't even tell when you're being played. He shook his head. Man, she is some piece of work. She had everyone fooled. He made a u-turn in the middle of the street and headed home.

OOOOOoooooOOOOO

"So, what brings you here, Emily?" Duncan asked as he made his way across his living room.

"You've got to be kidding me!" She tossed her purse onto his sofa and put both hands on her hips as she gave him an icy glare. "Let's start with the phone message. What in the world was that all about?"

Duncan poured himself a drink of Scotch and smiled at her. "I take it Joe heard?"

"You know he did." Her tone was accusatory as she walked toward him. "What's the big idea? What were you trying to accomplish with that? Don't you like Joe?"

Duncan shrugged. "I have nothing against him personally."

"Then why?"

"He would have ruined my plans."

"What plans? What are you talking about?"

Duncan set his drink down and beckoned to Emily. "Come with me and I'll show you."

She paused. "No. I'm not interested. What I want you to do is go see Joe and explain that the phone call was your idea of a sick joke. And I want you to do it immediately."

He laughed harshly. "That won't be happening."

She picked up her purse and turned toward the door. "Fine. Then you leave me no choice. I'll have to report you to Mr. Perriton and everyone else above him. You won't get away with this."

Duncan crossed the room and grabbed Emily by the arm so quickly, she had no time to react. He stared down at her with eyes so full of anger, she gasped out loud.

"You won't be doing any of that, Emily Elizabeth Campbell."

"Let go of me," she protested, trying to pull away. "And what are you talking about? My last name is Clark."

Duncan shook his head and reached down with his free hand, for her student internship application on the coffee table. He shoved it at her. "You are a Campbell. It's right here in black and white under your mother's maiden name. Don't try to deny it. You were named after her, Emily Elizabeth."

"I was named after my grandmother. My father's mother. Not after some girl in an ancient Scottish legend."

"Don't you be calling my family's history a legend. Elizabeth Campbell tried to destroy my clan." Duncan's eyes took on a wild look and Emily again tried to pull away from him, but he held her even more tightly. "And now she's doing it again...through you. It's you, isn't it, Emily? You're the one bringing all the trouble on the museum. You're the one who's been cursing me. You're trying to finish off what Elizabeth started, aren't you?"

He dragged her across the floor and she stumbled against him as she fought to break his hold on her. He pressed her into a door and reached down to turn the knob. "It's not going to work. Not this time." He shoved her into the room and Emily gasped at what she saw. The room had been transformed into a replica of a great hall in an old Scottish castle. She turned swiftly as she heard the turning of a tumbler and saw Duncan removing a key from a substantial deadbolt lock.

"What is this? What are you doing?"

"Don't you see, Miss Campbell? My clan's history is about to change. We are finally going to be avenged." He smiled as he moved toward the large table taking up most of the room and reached for a decanter in the middle of it. His eyes met Emily's as he held up an ox horn and began to pour the garnet colored contents of the decanter into it.

"That's Rory Mor's horn!" Emily gasped. "You took it? You're the one who stole the artifacts?"

"No, my dear, I did not steal the artifacts." Duncan stepped around the table. "I merely took them into custody from the person who did."

"You know who did this?"

"Yes, and he will be punished, as will anyone who tries to ruin me. Yourself included." He raised the horn and said loudly, before bringing it to his lips. "I now proclaim myself King of Scotland and Lord of the Isles."

Emily watched as he downed the contents of the horn. Maybe that will make him drunk off his rocker and I can find a way out of this lunatic asylum.

Duncan set the ox horn on the table, then reached for something white and lacy and tossed it at her. "Here, put this on."

"I'm not putting anything on. I'm leaving."

He laughed, loud and long. "You still don't get it, do you? You're not going anywhere. You're part of my plan." He pulled a handgun from his pocket and clicked off the safety. "Put it on. Or you die...and then Joe does."

With shaking hands, Emily reached for the fabric. It turned out to be a long white wedding dress. She looked at Duncan questioningly.

"Put. It. On."

Hastily, she removed her jeans and sweater and stepped into the dress while he watched her with a leisurely grin on his face. "Very nice body, Emily. I'll bet Joe's been enjoying it. Must make him sick to think you were only whoring around with him."

She glared at Duncan as she adjusted the shoulders and reached around to zip up the garment.

"I'll get that for you."

Duncan moved behind her and Emily swallowed hard while he zipped up the dress, letting his fingers trail over her bare skin. He held her hair to his face and inhaled deeply while she tried to quell the bile that was rising from her stomach. He stepped back and handed her a pair of silken slippers. "Put these on, too. Then we'll be ready to go."

"Go where?"

A lurid grin turned up the corners of his mouth. "To where I can avenge my clan and Lachlan MacLean once and for all. I will do what he was stopped from doing. No Campbell bitch is going to ruin us again."

He's crazy, she thought. He's a stark, raving, lunatic and there's nothing I can do about it. Nobody even knows where I am. And he's made it so that Joe won't care. What am I going to do? How am I going to get away?