Can't Keep a Brunette Down (36 page)

Marion remained wide-eyed, slack-jawed, and motionless behind her.

"What are you two doing here?" Gilda asked.

"Our jobs." Thayer, Gilda's former boyfriend, had cheated on her more often than the tide came and went. Even after they'd been forced to work together to solve a series of murders, he still couldn't seem to give her a straight answer without a couple snide ones first. "We were hired to serve and protect, weren't we?"

She snorted. "Well, it doesn't look like you're doing much serving or protecting. Did you see that guy?"

Fabio, who resembled a hunched stone gargoyle, nudged Thayer. "We got a call about some lunatic waving a sword on the beach. I thought it would be Mick. Clearly, I lost the bet and have to buy lunch."

"Nope, that's definitely not Mick," Marion sputtered. "That guy's gorgeous. Not that Mick isn't, I mean, he's hot, but…this guy…wow."

The long blond hair and mahogany surfer tan, enhanced by his white board shorts, set the stranger on the beach far apart in appearance from Mick Williams. Even the thought of Mick, with his dark hair and lightly bronzed skin, was enough to make Gilda's face warm. Or maybe the sudden heat came from watching the rippling muscles of the Adonis, who seemed so focused on his training he didn't appear to notice any of them.

Gilda averted her gaze, blew out a breath, and rubbed sand off her arms and legs. "Yup, clearly not Mick."

"Water?" Fabio handed her a plastic bottle. "You both look like you might need some. You'll have to share."

"Honestly, Gilda," Thayer snorted. "What is it with you and athletic types, anyway?"

Gilda made a face but returned her gaze to Mr. Tall, Blond, and Well-Armed. Even after being a big part of the local martial arts community for the past two years, she'd never seen him before. "Do either of you guys know who he is?"

"He does look familiar." Fabio crumpled his sandwich wrapper and stuffed it into a bag. "My guess is he's a friend of Mick's or Razi's. Are you sure he's not here to help with the new martial arts school?"

"He could be. If he is, he's one of the instructors I haven't met yet." Gilda folded her arms.

Mick had mentioned he was bringing in new instructors, but she hadn't actually met many of them yet. Of course, she hadn't seen Mick a lot lately either. The day Yoshida Martial Arts closed, he and Razi had scrambled to create a new school out of the remains of the old one and planned the one day MMA tournament to celebrate. They'd even borrowed an octagon from a school in Buffalo just to give the tournament a more authentic feel.

Phoenix Martial Arts was set to officially open in two days, six blocks up the street from the former Yoshida Martial Arts School. She was glad Mick and Razi had pooled their resources to buy a new building. No amount of fresh paint, new mats, or shiny mirrors could mask the chills she got whenever she walked into the old building to move out files and her office equipment.

Thayer ran a hand through his sand-colored hair and grinned, apparently taking her silence for anger. "I told you not to trust Mick Williams, but you wouldn't listen."

"Shut up, Thayer," Marion said. "You don't exactly have a great track record when it comes to Gilda, or any woman, for that matter."

"Oh, that's why you brought Marion." Thayer flared his nostrils. "So she could do the talking for you. Seriously, Gilda, you could have worked anywhere in town instead of holding out for the new karate school," he reminded her. Again. For about the sixth time that week.

Before Yoshida Martial Arts closed, Gilda was receptionist, accountant, and cleaning staff all rolled into one five-foot-six-inch bundle. Its closure had pushed her into the arms of Mick Williams, her boss and one of Sandstone Cove's most eligible bachelors. The fact she hadn't been able to spend much alone time with him much lately, combined with Thayer's negativity, only fueled the tiny doubts that sprouted in the back of her mind.

Marion wiped her forehead. "The girls at work will never believe this. I should snap a few pictures of that hunk of beef. Look at the way the sun gleams off those biceps and lights up his hair like a halo. Wow." She sighed. "He looks like a Greek god."

Gilda looked. With the man's image burned into her brain, she blew out a slow breath and turned to Thayer. "So, are you going to ask the guy with the big pointy sword who he is and what he's doing here on our beach?"

"Nope." Thayer clutched his paper coffee cup. "He's got a sword. He could be crazy and dangerous."

"Could be?" Gilda raised one eyebrow and eyed the blond man as he swung the blade and gave a loud yell, a kiai, that made her flinch and sent a shudder through her. "Good guess."

"You have a gun and a badge, and we already know you're dangerous." Fabio tapped his partner's arm. "I think you'll be fine."

Thayer's eyes bulged. "What? Are you kidding me? I can't shoot him. What if I miss?"

"Then we'll both know for certain you shouldn't be a cop." Fabio grunted and picked a long stick up off the sand and limped toward the sword swinger. Always prepared. He'd probably brought the stick from elsewhere when he heard about the sword. After being knifed in the back while on duty in Detroit, he always seemed to be prepared.

"Maybe I should go too." Thayer hesitated. "As backup."

"You think so? He is your partner, after all." Gilda clambered to her feet, not wanting to miss anything when the detectives confronted the swordsman.

Thayer paused then met her gaze. "Wish me luck?"

Gilda snorted. While she wished him a lot of things, luck wasn't among them. With a quick glance back at Marion, she followed Fabio and Thayer toward the armed man, who paused and narrowed his eyes as he lowered his sword.

Sweat cascaded off his long, dark lashes, dripping in front of his eyes like waterfalls before rolling down his shiny chest. "Hm. Suit and tie on the beach, eh, mate. You've got to be cops." His accent hinted at Australia.

"You're smarter than you look," Thayer muttered.

Fabio stopped well within poking distance of the sword. "That's a beautiful weapon you have. Is it Japanese?"

The man's eyebrows rose. "This old thing? It's just a training sword, mate."

"Are you a kendoka?" Fabio leaned closer to examine the sword.

"A what?" Thayer stepped back.

"A kendoka." The blond man rolled his eyes. "A student of kendo, Japanese fencing." He turned to Fabio and bowed then spoke in what sounded to Gilda like fluent Japanese.

Fabio gave him a blank stare then winced. "Sorry, mate, I'm out of practice."

"No sweat." He nodded. "Am I under arrest then?"

Thayer's nostrils flared. "Not yet, but the more you keep talking and waving that thing around, though, the odds increase."

Fabio grunted and extended a hand. "Detective John Fabio."

"No kidding." The sweaty man's pale green eyes widened as he lowered his weapon. "You're John Fabio? Holy crap. It's an honor. I've heard a lot about you from Mick Williams, mate." He stuck out a hand, his arm heavily veined and more muscular than both Gilda's legs combined. "Kane Garrick."

"The Kane Garrick? I've seen you fight a few times." Fabio chuckled. "You're gushing about me and here you are an MMA legend in the flesh. I thought you retired. What are you doing kicking around Sandstone Cove?"

"I came to hang out with my buddy Razi Mauli." Kane grinned. "You know him?"

Marion leaned on Gilda's shoulder. "Uh-oh, he knows Razi. This could get awkward."

Considering Razi hadn't even seemed to notice Marion yet, Gilda doubted that.

"Know him?" Thayer snorted. "Boy, do we."

Kane examined him and smirked. "You're Thayer, right?"

"He is, unfortunately." Gilda elbowed Thayer in the ribs, knocking him aside. "I work with Razi. He's a good friend. By default, you must know Mick Williams."

Kane raised his eyebrows as he studied her. "Ah, the elusive Gilda Wright. Mick told me about you over pints last night, but he's held off introducing us. Now I see why, love. He's afraid to lose you to the likes of me."

Warmth spread from Gilda's cheeks down over every curve to her toes. Marion was right about things becoming awkward.

With a sly wink, Kane grinned. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Gilda. It sounds like we may be working together soon. Mick wants me to teach a few classes at the new school, and rumor has it you're the best and the prettiest receptionist in town, love."

If her cheeks got any warmer, she might spontaneously combust. With her luck, Kane would probably gladly help to smother the flames. Stop, drop, and roll on the beach with a guy like Kane wasn't exactly what she had in mind when she woke up that morning.

"And this pretty little lady must be your partner in crime." Kane turned and bowed. "Marion, isn't it? You're not what I expected."

Marion, for the first time Gilda had ever heard, giggled.

Thayer snorted, stepping between Gilda and Kane, as if to shield her from further smoldering leers. "Do you have a license for that thing?"

Kane winked at Gilda. "If you mean the sword, I don't need a license. It's a training sword." To prove his point, he poked Thayer in the chest with the tip then winked at Gilda. "Other parts of me are much more lethal."

"I think I need a drink." Marion fanned her face and sat on the sand.

"Dull." Fabio grabbed the blade with one hand. "The worst thing this sword would do is leave a nasty welt. It's still sharper than you though, Thayer."

Kane handed his katana to Thayer and held his hands up at his sides. "Go ahead, mate, take the first swing. I'll even let you strike me."

Thayer reddened and held out the hilt of the sword. "I believe you. I don't need to slash you to prove anything."

"Not even to Gilda?" Kane asked.

Thayer flared his nostrils and lowered his eyebrows. "No."

Kane grinned. "Then you don't need to know she thinks you're a fool, mate."

"You know I could arrest you for slander." Thayer stuck his fists on his hips.

"You could. But only if it isn't true." Kane glanced at Gilda. "Is it, love?"

Gilda shook her head and lowered her voice. "No, he's just trying to make you incriminate yourself."

"Aww, and you think I'm innocent of all charges." Kane patted her hand. "That's so cute."

She grimaced. "You know he's itching to snap those handcuffs on you for no reason."

Kane flashed a smile. "And right when I'm about to give him a good reason to, love, here you are protecting me."

Yes, she was. "What was I thinking?"

Kane chuckled. "You were probably thinking about putting those cuffs on me yourself."

Gilda's face burned. She forced her gaze toward the lake, away from Kane's bare, broad chest and damp hair. What woman wouldn't?

"Hand me your sword." Fabio cleared his throat and broke into the conversation. He set aside the stick and took the katana. "I'll give it a try."

Kane picked up the stick and blocked Fabio's swing without much obvious effort. "So how are things? Last I heard you got shot, mate. Mick said you made a solid recovery though."

"Mick's lousy at keeping secrets." Fabio took another swing.

Kane blocked again, glancing at Gilda with a sly grin. "Especially about women."

Gilda gritted her teeth and glared. Suddenly she itched to take a swipe at him with the training sword, dull or not.

Marion leaped to her feet and pushed her way between Kane and Gilda. "You leave her alone. She's Mick's girlfriend, and you don't stand a chance." She tossed her hair. "On the other hand, I'm single."

While Marion seemed smitten, Gilda's gut churned. She already had mixed emotions about Kane. Handsome and built like a bodybuilder, he seemed to make himself a little too comfortable—particularly as he draped his arm across her tanned shoulders to lead them all to Phoenix Martial Arts.

Before they'd walked up the beach five feet, a lean woman dressed in black yoga pants and a short purple tank top stormed toward them. Her long chestnut hair glistened with golden stripes and fluttered around her face in the breeze coming off Lake Erie.

"Uh-oh." Kane sidled over until Gilda was in front of him.

The woman stopped in front of them and folded her arms, enhancing the already impressive cleavage that threatened to spill out of her low-cut top. Her dark pink lips jutted out in a dramatic pout. "Kane, what on earth did you do this time?"

Thayer came to an abrupt halt. His mouth dropped open as he stared and stammered. "I...we...this guy..."

Kane leaned down until his face was near Gilda's and he peered over her shoulder. "Aww, crap. Protect me from this one, will ya, mates? This is the rare Tasmanian She-devil."

The woman huffed. "Is that what you're calling me these days?"

Gilda tried to shrug Kane off. "Are you crazy?"

"Well, I don't have the market cornered on crazy," Kane said. "I'm just an innocent by-product, although I am doing everything I can to perpetuate the myth. If you can get me away from her, I'll be indebted to you forever, love."

Gilda inched away. "You are crazy."