Keepers of the Cave (37 page)
Read Keepers of the Cave Online
Authors: Gerri Hill
“It’s like when we went to the grocery store that first day,” Paige told CJ. “We didn’t see a soul, yet we felt eyes on us.”
“Avery said the same thing.”
“Okay, we’re just speculating now,” Howley said. “But yeah, I’m a little freaked out too. Let’s close this up. We’ll let the forensics team in. We probably don’t need to be up here anyway.”
“Good call,” Ice said. “I’ll meet you guys at the bottom.”
They turned to follow, but Howley stopped them.
“Oh, and Don? We’re going to need you to come with us to Houston,” he said. “Your debriefing will take several days. If not weeks.”
“I understand.”
Paige touched his shoulder. “We’ll be there with you.”
“Thank you. It’ll be a little bit out of my comfort zone, to say the least.”
CJ laughed. “Yeah. Kinda like this whole thing was for us.”
Before closing the door, Paige took one last look inside. She let out a loud gasp. Ester Hogan’s eyes were open.
“What is it?”
“Look,” she said, holding her light on Ester’s face, her dull, lifeless eyes staring at nothing.
“They were closed earlier,” CJ whispered.
“I know.”
“What are you guys doing?” Howley asked as he waited at the top of the stairs.
“Nothing,” they said in unison.
CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
Ice leaned back in his chair, rolling tiny pieces of paper between his fingers into balls, then tossing them for strikes into the trash can. CJ was tapping away on her keyboard, a smile on her face. Paige was twirling a pen between her fingers, her gaze alternating between her monitor and CJ. Ice flicked his eyes to Billy, who sat watching them both.
“So, CJ, you’re in a good mood this morning. Smiling and everything,” he said.
She glanced up. “I’m always in a good mood. Besides, when we turn in these reports, we get three days off.” She held up three fingers. “Three. While you guys get to stay here and sort through all the mess.”
“So that’s all it is? I thought maybe you’d gotten laid or something.”
“Don’t smell tequila on her, and she’s wearing clean clothes,” Billy said. “No bar last night.”
“Like I have to go to the bar to get laid,” she said.
Paige looked over at her. “So you
did
get laid?”
Ice was shocked to see a blush cross CJ’s face, but she shook it off. “You know, I’m very charming,” she said.
“Really?”
“Yeah. And persuasive too.”
“Is that so?”
“Absolutely. That’s why I can get laid and I don’t have to go to the bar.”
Paige leaned closer. “So you got laid then?”
Ice couldn’t take his eyes off of them. Sure, they were doing their normal thing with the flirting. But something was different. It was their eyes. Their words were teasing, but the look they exchanged was not. He felt the temperature in the room rise, and he shifted uncomfortably in his chair.
“Is that your assumption? That I had sex?”
“Well, since you’re so charming and all.” Paige finally leaned back. “I never knew that about you. You know, charming and persuasive.”
CJ laughed. “See? You learn something new every day.”
The door opened to Howley’s office, and he and Don came out. Don looked like he’d been beaten.
“Somebody take him to lunch,” Howley said. “He needs a break.”
“How’d it go?” Paige asked when Howley walked away.
“I don’t think he believes me,” Don said.
“If we hadn’t spent nearly two months there, I wouldn’t believe you either,” CJ said. “But don’t worry. We’ve got it all in our reports. Including everything that Fiona told us.”
“How’s the hotel?” Paige asked.
He grinned. “Nice. I can’t seem to get away from the television. There are so many things to watch.”
“So what are you going to do?” CJ asked. “You know, when this is over with.”
He shrugged. “I guess I’ll have to get a job. Although, I’m not sure who would hire me. I have no skills. And if a background check was done?” His eyes widened playfully. “Yikes.”
They all laughed, including Don.
“You have a medical background. You could always go back to college,” Paige suggested. “I might know of a scholarship fund.”
CJ arched an eyebrow. “Oh?”
“Well, by all accounts,” Ice said, “you’re the sole remaining Hogan heir. You have some property you could always sell.”
Don laughed at this. “Yes, I could open it up as an amusement park.”
“Seriously, what are you going to do with it?” Billy asked. “I mean, it was pretty and all. If you can get past the thing in the woods.”
“Mr. Howley said they were considering closing the school,” Don said. “Is that true?”
“Two teachers died—Fiona and Ella,” CJ said. “He said four others resigned. I’m sure there will be more.”
“Well, as long as they think that...that
thing
lives out there, I’m sure they’ll all resign,” Ice said. “I know I would.”
“They’ve found no trace of it,” Billy added. “Are you
sure
you saw something?”
“It’s there,” CJ said.
“They’re going into the cave tomorrow,” Ice said. “I’m sure glad I’m not on that team.”
“You and me both, baldy.”
Paige pushed away from her desk and neatly rolled her chair against it. “I’m taking off,” she said. “I’ve submitted my report.”
“I’ve got a little bit more yet,” CJ said.
Paige handed Don her business card. “If you need anything in the next few days, don’t hesitate to call me. I’m going to take advantage of Howley’s offer of three days off, but I’ll be around.”
“Thank you. I’ll try to stay out of trouble.”
“We’ll take care of him,” Billy said.
Ice watched as Paige glanced once more at CJ, who was pretending to ignore her.
“Okay then. I guess I’ll see you guys later.”
“Yeah. Later,” CJ said, never taking her eyes from her computer monitor.
Billy shot him a look, but Ice only shrugged. A mere two minutes later, CJ got up, a smile still stuck on her face.
“I’m out, girls,” she said with a wink. “Don’t call me. I won’t answer my phone.”
She was actually whistling as she walked away.
“What the hell is wrong with them?” Billy murmured.
“What do you mean?” Don asked.
Ice pulled out his visitor’s chair with his foot and shoved it toward Don. “Sit down. Gonna be a few minutes before we can split for lunch.”
“Thank you,” he said. “I really like them. They’re nice. Paige more so than CJ, but still.”
“Yeah. Paige is a sweetheart,” Billy said. “CJ grows on you.”
“They play this game with us, see,” Ice explained. “They pretend to flirt and tease with each other, but I’m not sure they even like each other.”
Don frowned. “What are you talking about? They’re together, aren’t they?”
“Together?”
“You know...a couple.”
“Oh, that. Well, this assignment, yeah. They were posing as a couple, sure. But neither of them wanted to do it,” he said.
“That’s odd. Fiona said they were...
lovers
,” he said in a whisper.
Ice and Billy looked at each other, eyebrows raised. Then Ice shook his head. “No. No way.”
“But they’ve been acting strange,” Billy said.
“No. They’re just messing with us.”
Don looked at them thoughtfully but said nothing. A few minutes later, just as Ice was about to submit his report, the elevator opened and an attractive woman with a younger man in tow got off.
Ice frowned, wondering who’d given them the okay to come up. “Can I help you?”
“Yes, please. I’m looking for Paige Riley,” she said.
He shook his head. “You just missed her.”
“I was told she was back. Do you know where she is?”
“Excuse me, but who are you?”
The woman held out a nicely manicured hand to him. “Elana Riley. I’m her mother.”
“Oh, well, pleased to meet you,” he said as he shook her hand. He glanced at the man beside her, waiting for him to speak.
“This is Seth Buchanan, Paige’s fiancé,” she said. “Do you know where we can find her?”
“Fiancé?”
“Yes. I’m sure she’s told you about him.”
Billy walked over, sizing him up. “Don’t think she’s mentioned you,” he said. “But I think she went home. She’s got time off the next few days.”
Ice glared at him as the woman nodded curtly and spun on her heels. Seth gave a slight nod, then followed. As soon as the elevator door closed, Ice punched him in the arm.
“What’s wrong with you, man?”
“What do you mean?” Billy said as he rubbed his arm.
“Fiancé? Come on.”
***
“I love your place,” CJ said as she grabbed Paige, pulling her closer. “Really. But now I want to see your bedroom.”
Paige laughed. “How long did you wait before you left?”
“A couple of minutes.”
“I’m surprised you made it that long,” she murmured as she closed the distance between them, kissing her hard. “Bedroom.”
“Absolutely.”
She kicked the bedroom door closed behind them, then reached for CJ’s shirt, pulling it over her head in one motion. “God, when did you lose your bra?” she asked as she cupped her bare breasts.
“In the car,” CJ said, her own hands busy with Paige’s blouse.
Pants followed and Paige moved to the bed, pulling CJ down with her. She moaned with pleasure as CJ settled between her legs. “I missed this last night.”
“You and me both, baby,” CJ said as her mouth closed over one aching nipple.
Paige held her closer, her fingers threading through her hair, her hips beginning a slow roll. The sound of the doorbell made her groan in frustration.
“No, no, no,” CJ said as she left her breast. “Don’t answer it.”
“It’s probably my neighbor. She was keeping my mail for me.”
“She’ll come back.”
The doorbell sound again. “She knows I’m here.”
CJ rolled off her, her eyes dark with desire. “You have one minute.”
Paige smiled. “Thirty seconds. You don’t move.”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
Paige grabbed her robe and slipped it on, then tried to smooth her hair as she walked barefoot through the house. She opened the door without thinking, expecting her neighbor. Her mouth dropped open instead.
“Hello, darling.”
“Mother? What are you doing here?” She turned slowly, eyeing the handsome man by her side. “And with Seth, no less.”
“What are you doing in a robe?” her mother asked as she pushed inside. “It’s the middle of the day.”
“Oh, God,” Paige whispered. “
Seriously?
” She glanced down the hallway, toward her bedroom...and to where a very naked woman waited for her.
“You looked flushed, my love,” Seth said quietly. “Are we interrupting?”
She let out a short laugh. “Oh, you have no idea.”
She closed the front door, silently watching as her mother headed into the kitchen and Seth made himself comfortable on her sofa. Paige stood rooted to the spot, her robe covering her nakedness.
Could it get any worse?
She turned as she heard shuffling down the hallway. CJ came sauntering in, a sheet wrapped adorably around her body, her hair still disheveled from Paige’s fingers.
“Paige? Everything okay?”
Paige covered her mouth to hide her smile, then laughed outright. “Okay?” She bit her lip. “Yes, everything is...perfect.” She held her hand out. “Come meet my mother. And Seth.”
CJ’s eyes widened as her gaze slid past Paige and landed on a very amused looking man lounging on her sofa. “Oh...
fuck
,” CJ whispered.
Seth stood and came closer, a grin on his face. “Yes, I suppose that
is
what we interrupted.” He leaned toward Paige. “She’s hot.”
“You knew?”
“Of course. Only a lesbian could resist this,” he said, motioning at himself in his usual arrogant manner.
Her mother returned holding three glasses of wine. “You knew what, darling?” Her glance moved from Paige to Seth, finally landing on CJ. She looked her up and down, from her bare feet sticking out below the sheet to her tousled hair. “Who in the world...are
you
?”
Oh, this isn’t going to end well.
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