2 Queenie Baby - Out of Office (6 page)

"I'm not sure what time we're going," Mark said, trying to extricate us from a two-hour car ride with a pirate. "We need to stop by the police station, so I can get my phone."

I wasn't sure I wanted be trapped in a car with Carlos any more than Mark did. However, I was here to get my song back, and I wasn't about to miss an opportunity to ambush Roger and Phil.

I gave Carlos my phone number and asked him to call me in the morning. I could feel Mark's eyes boring into my back.

I glanced over at him. "I need to get to the bottom of this."

"I know, but I don't know how much more pirate I can take. Not to mention spending time with yet another of your old boyfriends."

I could see his point, but I wasn't going to admit it.

Andre was standing duty by the door. "Just heard back from my contact at the station. They got three of the guys that came out to villa today. The ringleader got away."

"Damn it! Tyrell." Mark stared moodily off. That muscle was ticking in his cheek again.

"The two local thugs rolled over on the Miami guys. Looks like Tyrell and Freddie came here on a boat to collect the data file from Charles. So Tyrell will probably try to get off the island the same way. Freddie's not talking. Just keeps asking for his lawyer. On the bright side, they got your phone back."

Mark gave him a nod. "Thanks for your help with everything."

"Don't mention it," Andre replied. "Glad to help. I know what a full-time job it is keeping her out of trouble."

"Hey!" I gave him a dirty look.

"Amen," Mark agreed.

I walked ahead of them. "Good night, Andre," I called.

"Pleasant dreams, Queenie Baby."

My shoes clacked on the sidewalk. I left Mark struggling to catch up. It was good to have long legs.

"Hey," Mark said, taking my elbow. "No need to run off. Not when I've finally got you all to myself."

He spun me around and wrapped his arms around my waist. His lips were on mine before I could protest. Not that I wanted too. I drank him in like he was the perfect martini. Cool, refreshing, energizing, and relaxing all at once. His hand crept down from my waist and lifted the thin material of my dress until he touched bare skin.

"We are in the middle of the street, you know," I murmured against his lips.

"Kind of exciting, don't you think?" He smacked my rear-end and pulled me closer.

"Yep, but I would prefer that big bed back at your hotel."

"Done," he said dropping my skirt. "But we've got to stop by the police station first."

I rolled my eyes. How romantic.

I started to doze as I waited in the parking lot of the police station for Mark to return with his phone. A patrol car whisked by me, startling me awake with its siren. Once again my engine had gone from red hot to stone cold. All I wanted now was to climb into a nice warm bed. Alone.

My phone buzzed. I glanced at the number. Perfect.

"What's up, Ashley? Up kinda late aren't you?"

"Your dog gave my dog a box of laxatives. I just got back from the animal emergency room," she shrieked.

I pinched the bridge of my nose. "I'm in Puerto Rico, and it's eleven thirty," I said with a sigh. "Couldn't this have waited? And anyway, he doesn't have hands so how do you figure he gave Sally something?"

"Oh, believe me, I know you're in Puerto Rico. Diana is always somewhere exciting."

"I'm sitting in the parking lot of a police station. Not exactly livin' the life here."

"What are you doing at the police station?" Ashley asked.

I heard Granddaddy Hacker yell, "Tol' you she would get in trouble!"

"Why is Granddaddy with you? I thought he was at The Meadows in the rehab wing for his hip."

"No, they released him two days ago. They said he's made a miraculous recovery considering his age. He's using a walker but moving around fine. He's staying with me," she ground out, "because he had yet another fight with Grover."

"Huh." I was starting to feel sorry for my sister. The last fight between Uncle Grover and Granddaddy had escalated into a game of lawnmower chicken ending with a three-car accident and Granddaddy in the hospital.

"How's my Queenie Baby?" Granddaddy asked, grabbing the phone from my sister.

"I'm fine," I said, smiling despite myself. "It doesn't sound like you're behaving."

"Well, don' sound like yer behavin' yourself neither," he replied with a cackle. "Ask that man of yours to get me more deer jerky when you get back."

"I don't see Rick anymore, Granddaddy." Technically I hadn't been 'seeing' Rick for over a decade, but I wasn't going to get into all that with Granddaddy.

"Dagnabit! He was a keeper!" he replied. "Gotta go, yer sister's givin' me the evil eye."

She was good at that, I thought. "So things aren't going so well, huh?" I asked when my sister was back on the phone.

"Yes." I could hear tension mounting in her voice as she got riled up all over again, "While you're relaxing in the tropics, I am cleaning up poop and dealing with Granddaddy."

"That bad?"

"She ate a whole box of laxatives. She has pooped on everything and everybody."

"Everybody?" I asked.

"Everybody," replied Ashley.

"Yep," Granddaddy chimed in behind her. "That crazy dog got me while I was sleepin' on the couch. Shit right on my feet, she did."

"Yes, and the kids' beds. Everything!"

"Wow, sorry to hear about all this." My eye followed what looked like two prostitutes arguing over a can of beer near the entrance to the police station.

"I don't need 'sorry,'" she yelled. "I need restitution, or I'm taking your dog to the SPCA."

Too much drama. "I still don't see how it's Max's fault. Your dog got into laxatives that you or the kids left down."

"Oh, no!" Ashley shrieked. "Your conniving little circus mutt got onto the bathroom counter, opened the medicine cabinet, and knocked them onto the floor."

"I suppose he opened the bottle too?" I asked wryly.

"They were in packets. Sally ate the packets whole."

It still seemed highly unlikely. "I know my dog is smart, but obviously one of the kids found the laxatives and fed them to the dog. Luckily, my dog was smart enough to know not to eat them."

"Except the kids were with me," Ashley said triumphantly. "It was just Granddaddy and the dogs."

Mark was walking towards me, talking on his phone.

"I don't have any more time to discuss this Ashley. What do you want?"

There was a pause. "I want you to take Sally for a week when you get back."

"Out of the question," I replied automatically.

"Fine!" my sister spat. "Your dog will be waiting for you at the pound!"

Mark finished his call and then climbed in the car. I held up a finger.

"Okay, I'll take Sally." I decided I might just pay to board her somewhere and consider that restitution enough for Max's misdeeds.

"You'd better not change your mind when you get back, or I'll tell Mom," she warned.

"Real mature. Run and tell Mom." I rolled my eyes.

"Don't push me. She's not exactly happy with you or your dog right now. Who do you think cleaned up the poop while I was at the vet?"

"Goodbye, Ashley," I said and hung up.

Mark raised his brow. "Everything okay at home?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary," I replied.

Mark shook his head and started the car. "What
would
be with your family?"

"So who were you talking to?"

"Are you ready for this?" he asked, turning to face me. "It was Charles."

I gasped. "What did he say?"

"He said, 'I know the data file is worthless. Tell Ed and Marcie if they want to see David again there'd better be something behind door number two.'"

Psychopath! What a horrible thing for a father to say about his son. "So what did you say?"

"I offered him the half million to just walk away. And he agreed. Said he's sick of David's whining."

"I can't stand the thought of handing that crook anything," I grumbled. "But this gives you a chance to let David see Charles for who he is."

Mark nodded. "My thought exactly. They're in Aguadilla, but once I know the location of the exchange, I'll call Marcie and have her tip off David that the deal is going down without him. Hopefully, he'll get there in time to see it with his own eyes. And once David's safe, I'm going to make sure Charles doesn't have a chance to spend one dime of Ed's money. The San Juan police asked me to let them know as soon as Charles makes contact so they can bring him in for questioning. Hopefully, they can grab him right after the exchange."

I sighed. And the intrigues just kept coming. Why couldn't I have a normal relationship?

"Why not ride up with Carlos? Kill two birds with one stone?" I tried again as we pulled up to the hotel.

"I'd rather someone just use the stone on me so I didn't have to ride with Carlos," Mark replied.

I let the topic drop, but I'd already decided that my best shot at Roger and Phil was to stick close to Carlos. Didn't need them trying to change his mind about giving me my share of the booty.

We left the car with the valet and made our way to Mark's suite. The room was dark except for a few dimmed wall sconces. I could hear the sound of the ocean through the gently blowing curtains. I kicked off my shoes and walked out onto the balcony.

"It's perfect," I said softly.

"Yes." Mark came up behind and started kissing my neck.

I leaned back against him with a sigh.

"You must be exhausted," he murmured.

I yawned and nodded. "And I probably stink. It feels like days since this morning. But don't stop." I pressed back against him.

"You make it sound so tempting," he chuckled against my neck. His breath sent shivers up my back and curled my toes.

"There's a Jacuzzi on the patio," he pointed out.

"How about I jump in the shower and then meet you there." I turned towards him. He groaned as I rubbed against him. "Unless you're too tired, of course," I teased.

His lips met mine in answer.

Twenty minutes later, I was feeling refreshed and relaxed as I walked out onto the patio to join him. I'd decided against washing my hair in favor of getting naked with him before one of us fell asleep. But I'd brushed my teeth and piled my hair on top of my head in what I thought was an artful arrangement. I doubted his eyes would be on my hair anyway when I dropped my towel.

Mark was sitting in the Jacuzzi facing the ocean. His head was tilted up, star gazing. I came up behind him quietly and bent over to kiss his forehead.

"Are you trying to be sneaky?" he asked, looking up at me.

"I was testing your secret agent skills."

His hand whipped out and snatched my towel from me. I stared in surprise as he flung it across the patio.

"How's that for skill?" he asked, grabbing me around the waist and pulling me down into the water with him. No easy feat given my gangly size.

I gasped as the warm water enveloped me. His lips touched mine, and his tongue flicked into my mouth. I pulled away trying to gain my balance in the tub. He pulled me back, settling me on his lap.

"I've finally got you naked and alone." He gave me a wolfish grin.

"You do," I agreed. "What
are
you going to do with me?"

"Whatever I want," he whispered against my lips. He kissed me, his hands finding my slick breasts and squeezing gently. I moaned, biting at his lips. The breeze ruffled the strands of hair framing my face.

I slid around, turning so I faced him. He adjusted himself and grabbed me around the waist pulling me down against all of him. All systems go, except for the location. This wasn't my first rodeo. Sex in a hot tub wasn't as fun as it sounded.

He surprised me by locking his arms around my legs and standing up in Jacuzzi. "Ready for the bed?" he asked.

Evidently not his first rodeo either. I nodded and slid down his body. Our breath came fast and furious as he pulled me towards him. I rubbed wickedly against him, my tongue tracing the outline of his lips. The sexual tension was mounting with each passing second.

I stepped out of the tub and onto the cool concrete of the patio. Water pooled at my feet as Mark draped a thick towel around my shoulders and rubbed me down, stopping at all the good parts.

"You look like The Goddess Diana with your hair like that," he mused.

"I've actually heard that before," I replied with a grin.

"I'm sure you've heard all the lines." He grabbed me around the waist and pulled me against him.

Warmth spread throughout my body as my nipples brushed his chest. "A few, but I'm open to more," I teased.

"Sure you're not too tired," he asked, kissing his way up my body.

I gasped when he reached just the right spot. "No. Are you?"

He pressed himself against me.

"Looks like you're wide awake to me."

He led me back to the beautiful, giant, comfy bed. I sighed contentedly as I sunk down into its downy sheets. "Finally," I murmured.

"Finally what?" he asked, slipping in next to me.

"I'm finally getting to try out your big bed," I laughed.

"Just interested in my bed, huh?" He ran his hands down my body.

I groaned and wiggled closer to him. My lips found his. "Maybe not just the bed."

Suddenly, he flipped me over so I was straddling him. His hands grasped my breasts, and he pulled me down closer. I rubbed tentatively against him and he groaned.

I answered by arching my body and sliding down to meet his.

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

Red lights flashed obscenely in the darkened room.

Startled, I jumped off of Mark, jabbing him with my elbow in the process.

"What the hell!" he swore. "Not again!"

I grabbed a bathrobe and slipped on the complimentary terry cloth slippers. "Come on. It's a fire!"

Mark rolled his eyes. "Probably just some drunk pulled the alarm." He sat up on one elbow and looked around.

I walked out onto the balcony to have a look. Uh-oh! Flames were shooting out of one of the lower rooms. Black smoke was billowing through the air. This was not a drill. "It's a real fire! Hurry!"

Mark was by my side in an instant. It took me a second to realize he was still naked and a couple of seconds to take my eyes off of him once I noticed.

He shook his head in disbelief. "Come on. Let's get dressed and get outta here."

It took about two minutes to gather our essentials and make it down the stairs. It appeared that most of the guests had just rolled out of bed and run outside. It was almost one. I was going on twenty-four hours without sleep. I leaned against Mark's shoulder as we watched the fire trucks descend upon the scene.

"If I thought we'd have a chance, I'd try to talk you into getting in the back seat of the rental car with me," he whispered against my ear. "But I'm sure a tsunami or some other freak of nature would strike the second I got you naked."

I nodded in agreement. This was getting ridiculous.

"Maybe it'll be over soon," I said as yet another fire truck pulled up.

He shook his head. "Not a chance. We'll be lucky if we get back in tonight," he said, kicking at some rocks.

"Want to go for a walk on the beach?" I asked, slipping my hand into his.