Once a Marine (28 page)

While BD waited thoughts of her last conversation with Rafi intruded. She hated to admit it, but his frustration with her job was justified. He couldn’t understand why she put up with Shari and her parents. BD wondered about that herself—not that she hadn’t thought about it before—but with the conversation with Shari swimming through her head, Rafi’s comments were right on the money. Maybe her knee-jerk reactions to his remarks were a reflection of her own frustration. She wished he was there so they could talk it over.

“BD? You there?”

She snapped to attention. “Yes.”

“OK, here’s the bottom line. If she terminates the contract, the benefits are as you outlined them. There is no provision for a transfer of the contract from Shari Grayson to any third party. The contract may only be terminated by you or by Shari Grayson. If you, however, terminate the contract, you’d take a much lower payout and the medical benefits would terminate in three months. My advice is for you to tell her the changes are unacceptable to you and are outside the terms of your contract. Let her take the next step. Protect your interests. I advise you not be the terminating party.”

* * *

Kelly answered on the second ring. “Hello? Is that you, BD?”

She pictured Kelly’s happy smile from the quality of her voice. “Yes, it’s me. What’s your wonderful news?”

“Oh, we’re so excited. Jack has been invited as a visiting musician for the Summer Music Festival in Jackson, Wyoming. We’ll get a free vacation in one of the most beautiful spots on the planet.”

They weren’t pregnant—they were going on vacation.

“That is wonderful news. Jack and I went there when we were kids. Our parents took us to the JY Dude Ranch right near Phelps Lake. That was the best time we ever had as a family. How long is the festival?”

“Six whole weeks! The invited musicians are sponsored by local residents during the festival, and a local physician is loaning us a condo for the entire time. Do you believe it? We’re going to drive up so we’ll have a car. Jack won’t pay the airfare. You know your brother.”

BD smiled. “You mean Old Skinflint? That Jack?”

Kelly laughed. “That’s the one.”

“I’m just remembering something. Didn’t Jack apply for that a couple of years ago?”

“Yes, he did. Musicians from all over the world get invited. It’s very competitive. Who wouldn’t want to go there? We’re leaving on Friday. If you’re coming back soon is there any possibility you could take some vacation time and join us? It’s a two-bedroom condo.”

BD sighed. “I have nothing but vacation time on the horizon. As of today, I’m no longer employed. I’ll be flying home Thursday.”

“What? BD, what happened?”

“It’s a long, boring story. I’ll fill you in later.”

“Are you OK, honey?”

“I’m fine. In fact, I’m better than fine.”

“Does Rafi know?”

“Not yet. With his travels and mine, we might as well be living on two separate planets. I’ll try him again tomorrow, but I’ve got to buy some shipping boxes and get my stuff packed. I won’t be returning to this apartment once I leave here.”

“I wish you’d come to Jackson Hole with us.”

“I’d love to join you, but I have to take care of some business before I leave LA.”

* * *

Rafi slammed down the phone with disgust. “What a piece of work that woman is!”

Joe entered the office as Rafi terminated the phone call. He raised his eyes from the work order he was reviewing. “BD?”

“No. Shari Grayson.” He dragged his fingers through his hair and refilled his coffee cup. “Want some?”

“No, I’ve had my quota. I take it BD wasn’t there?”

“No, she was out.” He emitted a snort of disgust. “Every time I call she’s either out of the office, out of the apartment, or out of town.”

Joe gave Rafi a look of mock surprise. “Golly gee, cap. That has a familiar ring.”

Rafi smirked. “Very funny, wise guy.” He reached for Joe’s clipboard. “One of us is going to have to light somewhere for a while or we’ll never get together. Did she say anything to you about quitting her job?”

Joe’s head went up, surprise on his face. “She quit?”

Rafi sat again and shrugged. “That’s what Grayson said. She claimed she didn’t know where BD was or when she planned to return to California.”

Joe shook his head and frowned. “That doesn’t make sense. Did you try to reach her on her cell?”

“Yeah.” Rafi sighed, took a swallow of the bitter coffee. “I got a recording. Said it wasn’t a working number. She told me once it was a company BlackBerry. If she doesn’t work there anymore, she probably turned it in.”

“She has a brother in LA, doesn’t she? Did you call him?”

“Nope. That was my next step.”

Joe shook his head. “Tell me something. How is it you can track down drug smugglers and bad guys in the middle of nowhere, but you can’t find your girlfriend?”

Chapter Nineteen

Rafi called Jack’s number and left a message for BD with Kelly. He told her he was leaving on a job the next day and he’d be gone two weeks. “Cell phones don’t work where I’m going.”

“She’ll hate that she missed your call, Rafi. Jack and I are leaving tomorrow too. BD’s traveling today and doesn’t have a new cell phone yet. You should be able to catch her here in the next few days, though.”

He shook his head with frustration. “We’re having a problem connecting. Tell her to be sure to check your phone for my messages. I might have a good number for her by tomorrow night. If we don’t connect, she’ll be able to find me through Joe. She has the number for my office.”

“Where are you going that doesn’t have cell service?”

“I can’t say—it’s confidential. But it’s the geography that’s the problem. Tell her I’m not going anywhere dangerous or doing anything dangerous.”

He heard Kelly’s chuckle. “She’ll be glad to hear that. I know she frets and fumes when she doesn’t know where you are.”

Rafi nodded. “Yeah, I’m trying to do a better job at keeping in touch.”

He went back to packing for his trip to the Rockies. He’d take his good hiking boots, a down vest for cool evenings, several of his best fishing rods and his waders. During the day he’d dress like a local. He’d only wear a suit when they needed him in the escort detail. The escort detail stuck out like a sore thumb in their dark suits and dark glasses. They weren’t fooling anybody. That was the idea.

He would be flying commercial this time, and one of Faysal’s traveling security men would pick him up at the Jackson airport. They’d have a four-wheel drive available for him and a helicopter parked at the airport for his use.

He’d look forward to this cushy and lucrative assignment a lot more if he could touch base with Beautiful before leaving town.

* * *

BD scowled in the gritty wind gusts stirred up by cars, vans, and busses at LAX. She waited at curbside for the airport shuttle to the long-term parking lot where she’d left her car.

Checking her watch she calculated when she’d arrive at her brother’s home. At the rate things were moving in the crush of cars and traffic in LA this time of the evening, it would be past eight.

Jack and Kelly probably planned to pull out before dawn for their drive to Wyoming. She knew Jack would push all the way to the far side of Salt Lake City before he’d look for a Super 8 or Motel 6 for the night. Poor Kelly and Chase, she didn’t envy them the grueling drive.

She’d fly to join them in a few days. Jack or Kelly would pick her up at the airport, only ten minutes north of the town of Jackson.

Once she got to Jack’s tonight and settled into the bedroom she shared with Chase, she had to get out and shop for a new cell phone, update her résumé, and work with the family’s lawyer on the demand for her contract fulfillment from Grayson Design. That would take her into next week.

First thing she’d do when she got to Jack’s house—use their phone to locate Rafi. He’d know by now she’d tried to contact him. She hoped he’d been thinking of her while she’d been unreachable for the past few days.

Stealthily she opened the door of the house and tiptoed inside with her suitcases and briefcase. Their living room was in disarray with partially packed luggage on the couch and coffee table. The boxes she’d shipped were in the middle of the floor, adding to the general chaos.

She chuckled at the sight of Kelly sprawled in a chair, her head resting on the back, eyes closed. She looked comical with her arms hanging over the arms of the chair and her legs splayed. “Kelly, you look like you’re in a state of collapse.”

Kelly opened her eyes. “You’re home! I’d get up, but this is the first moment I’ve had to take a breather. Chase is finally off to bed, so whatever you do, please, please don’t wake him.”

BD looked around. “Where’s my little brother?”

Kelly pointed in the direction of the kitchen. “He just went out to the garage to get his golf clubs. It’s been so long since he played they’re probably under a ton of dust.”

BD removed a stack of folded clothes from a chair and sat down. “Looks like you’re almost ready to go.”

Kelly nodded. “I’m waiting for the last dryer load. I’m so glad we don’t have to take every stitch we own. Our host told us everybody in town wears jeans and T-shirts seven days a week.

“Yes, I remember. Mom and I overheard a couple of local women while shopping in a western store there. They were talking about what they were going to wear to a fancy party. One of the women said her formal wear consisted of clean jeans and a T-shirt without a logo.”

Kelly chuckled. “I’ll feel right at home then.”

“Jack will need his tuxedo for the concerts, but you can get away with nice pants and a silk blouse for even the dressiest occasion.”

Kelly sat forward when she heard the buzzer. “That’s it, the last load. Then I’m off to bed. Jack plans to leave before six in the morning.” She started in the direction of the laundry room and stopped. “Oh, Rafi called. He’s been trying like mad to find you.”

Flooded with relief that she wasn’t alone in attempting to get back together, she grinned. “Great! I’ll call him first thing in the morning.”

Kelly frowned and shook her head. “Nope, he’s on his way out of town again. He said he’d call Joe with a number where you could find him.”

BD sighed. “Oh, God, I hope he’s not off somewhere getting shot at.”

“No. He said to tell you he wasn’t going anywhere dangerous, and he wasn’t doing anything dangerous. So don’t worry. Come out here with me. You can help fold up this last bit of laundry, so I can get some sleep.”

Four days later BD arrived in Jackson. She hadn’t heard from Rafi. Before she left LA she called Joe and gave him her new cell number, but she knew cell phones were next to useless in “The Hole.”

“Joe, give him this phone number for Dr. Gillespie’s condo. That’s where I’ll be for the next couple of weeks.” She recited the number to him.

“He hasn’t called to let me know where I can find him either. Maybe he’s not settled in one spot yet.”

“Are you sure he’s not off being a superhero again?”

“I swear to you. He’s doing a very low-risk protection detail. Frankly it’s more of a holiday for him than a job. I wish I could tell you where he is. Where are you and your brother’s family vacationing?”

“Jackson, Wyoming. Jack is part of the Summer Music Festival Orchestra this year.” Joe didn’t answer, and BD wondered if they’d lost the connection. “Joe?”

“Yes, I’m here. Look, BD. I’ll find him and make sure he knows how to reach you. I’ve got to get the other phone line, so I’ll have to let you go. Don’t worry, OK?”

Don’t worry.
Why was it that when someone told her not to worry, her worry cells cranked into overdrive?

“To heck with it.”

She unpacked and continued filling drawers in the condo bedroom she shared with Chase again. There had to be more in her future than another subdivided bedroom with her nephew.

Jack was rehearsing with the orchestra, so BD and Kelly planned to try a Chinese restaurant the Gillespie family liked. Tomorrow the doctor was leading them on a hike in Death Canyon near Phelps Lake and the JY Dude Ranch. He promised they’d love the flora and fauna. He added with a wink that as far as he knew nobody had ever met their death in Death Canyon.

BD called out. “Kelly? Do you still want to go to the market tonight?”

Chase, whose verbal skills were improving by the day, ran into the room and jumped up on one of the twin beds. “I want go, BD. We go, OK?”

She picked him up and hugged him. “Yes, we go, my man. What should we buy?”

He squirmed out of her arms and bounced up and down. “A horse. I want buy horse.”

Laughing, BD closed her suitcase and pushed it under the bed. “Why don’t we rent one first?”

“Rent one what?” Kelly asked as she entered the room.

“Chase wants to buy a horse at the supermarket. I suggested we rent one first. What do you think?”

Kelly tied Chase’s shoes. “We need to get you a hat, buster. Some sunscreen, some juice, and snacks for our backpack, and bear spray for our hike tomorrow morning. Come on, let’s get a move on. Daddy’s not home tonight and we’re going out for dinner. Yay!”

“Yay!” Chase mimicked her. “BD, come now.” He took his aunt’s hand and pulled her toward the door.

BD turned and called over her shoulder. “Does he like Chinese food?”

Kelly grabbed her purse and car keys. “We’re about to find out.”

* * *

Rafi pulled the Range Rover to a stop in front of the modest villa he shared with the prince’s security detail. Four boys, age nine to fourteen, piled out and headed up the path to the main house.

Rafi yelled. “Hold it right there, boys. You know if you want me to take you fishing, you have to help unload the gear and clean it up. I’m your bodyguard and guide, not your servant. Get your butts back here and help me with this.”

A chorus of groans and complaints went up from the four princelings. They behaved like any adolescents he’d encountered anywhere in the world. They may be the sons of a prince, but Rafi was determined to teach them respect for the expensive fishing gear as well as the accepted etiquette of the fishing experience. It would serve them well in this world to know there were times they were simply individuals with responsibilities.