The Legacy (16 page)

In town doing some shopping. They wont be back for a few hours. A sly smile turned the corners of her mouth. Why?

I just wondered.

As Cole sat down, Nicki tucked her ankles beneath herself and rested her knees against his thigh. You need a haircut, she said, brushing his bangs from his eyes.

Cole noticed a faint trace of perfume as her wrist moved past his face. It smelled wonderful. So how are you? he asked.

Im okay. She continued combing his hair. Still sad, she murmured after a short time. I got close to Maria over the last six months, which is unusual for me. Im usually such a loner.

I know. He and Nicki were very much alike in that way.

Other than you and my parents, I was closer to Maria than anyone else in the world, Nicki continued. She really kept my spirits up in New York when things werent looking good in the modeling world. She would tell me that I didnt need to worry when I was receiving all those rejection letters from the agencies. Shed tell me that I had what it took and that if I kept at it, sooner or later Id catch on, and she turned out to be right. I owe her a lot, and I miss her.

Nicki, I

And thats enough of that, Nicki said forcefully, interrupting Cole. I dont want to think about sad things anymore. Ive spent enough time being sad. Now I want to be happy. She kissed him on the cheek, her lips lingering too long for him to mistake the kiss as simply a friendly gesture. Tell me about your trip to the Lassiter. Did you enjoy yourself?

Very much. He smiled. I learned a lot.

A strange expression came to Nickis face. What does that mean?

Cole gazed into her eyes. My father died.

Oh, God. She put her arm around his neck and hugged him gently. Im so sorry, Cole.

Thanks. He could feel her heart beating against his chest. Its okay, though. He had come to grips with the fact that his father was gone.

How did you find out about his death? she asked, pulling back slightly.

I met an old friend of Dads on the Lassiter. His name was Bennett Smith and he told me all about my father.

Thats kind of strange, isnt it? That you found this man up on the Lassiter, I mean.

Bennett found me, Cole said softly.

Oh. Well, did it turn out that your father lived in this area the whole time? You always told me that you didnt know where he was.

Cole didnt answer right away. Instead he kissed Nickis soft cheek as she gazed at him, sadness at the news that he had lost his father filling her emerald eyes. Suddenly he wanted her very badly, physically and emotionally. Suddenly he wanted to find out how it would feel to become truly close to her and allow her inside the protective barriers he had built up around himself for so long. He wanted to learn to depend on her and let her depend on him. Perhaps this new attitude was born of the realization that beyond all doubt he was alone in the worldthat both of his parents were dead. Or perhaps he had realized, after staring down the barrel of that womans gun on Thirty-ninth Street, that there had to be more to life than keeping yourself from being hurt emotionally. Whatever the reason, he wanted her more now than he ever had.

It turns out that my father was an intelligence agent for the United States government, he said, caressing her cheek with the backs of his fingers. Apparently he was involved in many top secret operations.

Youre kidding. Nickis eyes opened wide. She slipped her fingers into his and pressed his palm against her lips. Thats wild.

It is, isnt it? The grin spread across Coles face even as he attempted to control it. But why should he try to control it? he asked himself. Why shouldnt he let Nicki see how proud he was of his father? Why shouldnt he show her that hed missed his father a great deal but was happy that hed finally found out the truth about him? Bennett Smith told me a lot about my father. My father was a brave man. He accomplished a great deal.

That doesnt surprise me at all, Nicki said quickly.

Why not?

Because I know his son, she whispered.

For several seconds they gazed into each others eyes, then their lips locked and they kissed deeply. As their tongues came together, Cole pulled Nicki onto him so that her knees straddled his hips. While she struggled with the top few buttons of his shirt, he slid his hands beneath her sweater, running his fingers slowly up the velvet-soft skin of her belly until he reached her breasts. She wasnt wearing a bra, and as he cupped her breasts in his large hands, she moaned and pushed her tongue savagely into his mouth. He pulled the sweater up over her neck, then took one of her long pink nipples into his mouth, swirling his tongue around and around.

Oh, God, she sighed, wrapping her arms around his head and kissing his jet-black hair as he took her nipple deeper. That feels so good, Cole.

He eased her onto her back on the couch. He tore open the top button of her jeans, then pulled the jeans and her thong down to her knees. Instantly he was on top of her with her nipple in his mouth again, then he was past her breasts and licking his way downward.

Cole! She caught his face in her hands.

What? He glanced up, afraid that she was going to stop him, afraid she had suffered a sudden case of the guilts.

Theres a very comfortable full-size bed waiting for us upstairs in my room. She giggled nervously. Why are we wasting time on the couch?

He sat up as Nicki swung her feet to the floor, pulled off her jeans and thong, then stood in front of him. He swallowed hard. Youre incredible. He had seen her in a bikini, but never this way, and it was enough to take his breath away. Her breasts were full and firm, her waist almost nonexistent and her hips taut and shapely. Really.

Well, stop gawking and come with me, she said softly. She picked up her clothes, then took him by the hand and led him upstairs to her bedroom. Once inside, she dropped the clothes on the floor and moved to him, taking his tongue in her mouth again.

Cole picked her up, moved to the bed and placed her gently on top of it, then knelt on the mattress as they continued to kiss.

As he knelt above her, she finished undoing the buttons and pulled the shirt roughly out of his jeans, then moved her hands down, caressing him through the denim.

Nicki. Her hands were like magic, even through the jeans. He couldnt imagine how incredible it would feel when her fingers finally reached him.

Ive wanted you for so long, Cole, Nicki murmured.

She began to pull down the zipper of Coles pants, but he stopped her and lay down beside her. I need to tell you something first, he whispered. It was all he could do to stop her at this point, but he had to tell her. They had known each other too long and he cared about her too much to let her go any further without saying something.

What, Cole? What is it? Fear showed in her wide emerald eyes. Are youill or something?

Im fine, Cole assured her. Its nothing like that.

Thank God. What is it, then?

Its about the other night in New York, he began slowly.

What about it?

He hesitated. Remember when you said how it looked like Id been through a war when I first sat down at the table at Emilios?

Yes. Her eyes were searching Coles for the meaning of all this. You told me youd been mugged.

Right. He closed his eyes for a second. This was even harder than he had thought it would be. That wasnt what happened.

What do you mean? Nicki rose to one elbow. What really happened?

For the next five minutes Cole told Nicki about the Dealey Tape and what had happened in Manhattan before he met her at Emilios that evening.

When he finished, she stared at him for a long time. Finally she asked the obvious question. Why didnt you tell me about this at Emilios?

Cole took a deep breath. I didnt want to alarm you unnecessarily. I wasnt sure at that point that anyone was really after me. And I didnt see any reason to upset you if the whole thing was a figment of my imagination. He looked away from her eyes. And I didnt want to confuse the Dealey Tape with what was going on between you and me. I cant tell you how good I felt after we kissed outside the restaurant. I didnt want the possibility that I was going to come into a lot of money to influence your feelings for me. The explanation had come to him at that instant and he had simply blurted it out without thinking it through.

What do you mean by that? She reached down to the end of the bed and pulled a blanket over herself.

Instantly he wished he could take back the words. I mean, its just that, well

Are you saying that I might have told you I cared for you more than I did because you suddenly had a lot of money? she asked, her voice cracking slightly.

I didnt mean it that way, I swear. Cole backpedaled quickly, trying to think of some way out of this.

But thats what you said. She rose from the bed, wrapping the blanket tightly around herself. I cant believe you.

I know thats what I said, but it came out wrong. Its not what I meant.

Are you that insecure?

Nicki, Im

Ive always loved you, Cole. Ive never cared what youve had or havent had. When I kissed you outside Emilios, I thought you didnt have anything. She was talking quickly now, upset with him. I didnt care. I was just happy that we were finally being honest with each other.

As Cole rose to a sitting position on the side of the bed, Nicki took a step back.

Listen to me, he pleaded.

And because of some stupid insecurity, Maria is dead! Nicki cried, tears welling in her eyes. If you had told me what was going on, I might have had time to stop her from going up to the apartment.

Im so sorry. Cole stood up and moved toward her.

But Nicki backed up against the wall, sobbing now. Dont come any closer.

Please, Nicki.

Get out!

For a few moments he gazed at her, then he turned and walked slowly out the door.

The other night the man had paid the blonde in Hubbard to drug Cole Egan and search his belongings. Now he sat in a car in Coles blue-collar Duluth neighborhood, one eye on a newspaper and the other on the Andersons front door. When the door burst open, the man hunched down behind the newspaper, then peered around it as Cole slammed the front door and stalked away. He watched Cole move down the street, then started the car and eased it forward.

NICKI HAD EVERY right to hate him, Cole thought to himself as he studied the computer screens in front of him. After a long flight back from Minnesota, Cole had trudged into Gilchrist this morning from the hotel where he was staying while his apartment was being repaired. The repairs and the hotel bill would be paid for with the insurance money that had come to his mailbox in the apartment building lobby while he was away.

He was back after just a week, but Nicki had remained in Minnesota. She had no desire to return to Manhattan. She had perked up for a while, then suddenly and mysteriously become inconsolable again. This information had come from Nickis mother, who seemed embarrassed that Nicki had refused to answer any of Coles phone messages. Cole pounded the desk with his fist. Think of something else, he told himself. Dont dwell on how close you came to having what you really wanted.

Cole thought of Bennett Smith hauling him to the bathroom of the cabin in Hubbard and managed a smile. Bennett was a character if there ever was one, a man Cole had enjoyed getting to know. Not only had Bennett made him feel a good deal better about his father, but he and Bennett had personally clicked. What had begun with a mutual threadJim Eganhad solidified on a more basic level as they found they shared a common approach to life: Dont let life control you, control it. And they had also found they shared many opinions and views on the worldpolitical and otherwise. They were both fiscally conservative and socially liberal, believing that people should work for what they received but sometimes also needed a hand getting started. They found common ground on every major issue they discussed. And they shared an affinity for the game of pool, even though Bennett had exaggerated his proficiency at it, as Cole had understated his. Cole chuckled again, recalling Bennetts expression as he realized at the beginning of the fourth game he was being hustled. But Bennett had enjoyed the last and best laugh as he had watched Cole struggle with the cabins porcelain princess for half an hour. And Cole had to admit he had felt much better after the struggle was over.

What the hell are you smiling about? Lewis Gebauer was in a foul mood. His portfolio had lost four million dollars during the morning trading session.

Nothing, Lewis, Cole said. It was almost noon and the trading room had finally settled down after a chaotic few hours.

Did you have a nice vacation? Gebauer asked insincerely. Where did you go? Wait, let me guess. You were traveling around the country visiting relatives to see if any of them would lend you money to help you out of your mortgage jam.

How the hell did you find out about my mortgage? Cole asked quietly, leaning toward the fat man to make certain no one else heard.

A smile of satisfaction spread across Gebauers puffy face. I have my ways.

One of Coles telephone lines began blinking. He considered pushing Gebauer harder on how he had come by his information, but it was obvious the man had no intention of revealing his sources. Cole Egan, he barked into the receiver.