Unveiled Treasures (18 page)

Ed slumped back into the chair with his eyes rolling back in his head. Barely hanging on to consciousness, he thought he heard Mr. Vee speaking to him. He tried to focus as his boss paced the floor in front of him. “I hired you to get me the Star. I do so hate to get my hands dirty, Edward. I have an image that must be protected. This is also why I can not allow you live. You are the only living soul who could incriminate me in this little affair. I am afraid you know too much. Now, I must retire for the evening,” he said, crouching down in front of Ed. “Tomorrow we will go and reclaim my Star.”

* * * *

Rachel and Jessica were standing in the living room wondering where to start. “I’m going to change clothes. I’ll be right back,” Rachel said, heading towards her room.

“Can I borrow a pair of jeans and a shirt too?” Jessica asked, coming up behind her. “These shoes are killing me.”

“Sure, help yourself,” Rachel said sarcastically as she pointed to the clothing scattered on the floor.

“He’s going to get caught, Rachel. He’s getting desperate and is going to make a mistake. Todd and Mike will catch him. I just know it.”

“I’m tired of it all, Jessica. I’m thinking about going home for a while. Maybe until this mess blows over.”

“You’re running away? I thought this was your home now?”

Rachel turned and gave her a quizzical look. “It sounds like it, doesn’t it? I don’t know what I am going to do.” Frustrated, she fell back on her bed.

“I’ll tell you what you’re going to do. You’re going to get up off your ass and we are going to put your house back together. Tomorrow is soon enough for you to decide what to do next.”

“You’re right. I hope he didn’t trash my coffee maker.” Rachel went out to the kitchen to make coffee while Jessica got dressed.

“You have some amazing clothes, Rachel. I hung some of them up as I was hunting for something to put on.”

“Thanks, you want some coffee? He didn’t break it,” Rachel said with a small smile ghosting her pale face.

“Sure, I’m going to start on your living room. I don’t think the damage is really all that bad. You haven’t unpacked much yet. He really just emptied boxes for you.”

“I’ll remember to thank him when we meet,” Rachel said cynically.

* * * *

Mike was driving Todd back to Rachel’s cabin and was doing some serious thinking on the way. “Todd, do you really think I should ask her out? I mean, you’re my best friend and she’s your kid sister. I’ve known her since I was seven and she was four.”

Todd laughed. “I cringed when I heard it but she said you were, and I quote ‘Yummy’.”

Mike looked over at him with his mouth hanging open. Turning his attention back to the road, he swerved back into his own lane. “Sorry. Did you just say, yummy? I’ve been called a lot of things, but never that. So, how do you feel about it?”

“I don’t really think that’s as important as how do you feel about it. The only thing I ask is you try not to hurt her.”

“I would never intentionally hurt her, Todd. You have to know that.”

“Yeah, I do. But you can’t wear the big brother badge of honor if you don’t scrutinize your little sister’s suitors,” he said laughing.

Pulling up in Rachel’s drive, Todd asked, “You want me to call her out here for you? Maybe pass her a note in English class?”

“Get out of my truck, smart ass.” Mike laughed. “I’ll see you tomorrow if there’s anything left of you. Rachel was pretty pissed when we left.”

Todd knocked on the door of the cabin and heard the frenzied barking of Brutus before he saw his sister peek out the window. She opened the door with an evil grin. “Is the slime ball with you or did he drop you off?”

“If you are talking about Mike, he dropped me off.” Grinning, he walked inside.

“Damn, I’ve been rehearsing how I wanted to tell him off.”

“I’m afraid it’ll l have to wait. The living room looks back to normal. You guys have been busy.”

“The casualty count was low in here. One lamp, a candle holder and some picture frames he dumped out of a box. There really wasn’t a lot of damage, more of a really big mess.”

“I’ll take over now, Jessica, you can head on home if you’re ready.”

“Yeah,” she yawned, “I’m ready to go home and get some sleep. Good luck stopping her any time soon. I’m not sure if it’s the coffee or adrenaline, but she’s blowing through this place like a hurricane.”

“Thanks again, Jessica. I really mean it.”

“Don’t get all soft and mushy on me. You know I can’t handle it when you get sentimental.” She feigned tears and sniffled. “Tell Rachel I said goodnight. Goodnight, Brutus, I am so proud of you. I know you would’ve kicked his ass if he hadn’t locked you away.” She crouched down to kiss his face and scratch his ears on her way out the door.

“Jessica, I need…oh, it’s you.”

“What do you need, Rachel?”

“Nothing, what are you doing back here?” Disdain dripped from every word.

“I’m staying here with you tonight.”

“Like hell you are! I want you to leave.”

“Nope, either I stay here with you or you are coming home with me, your choice, baby.”

Her eyes narrowed in to tiny slits as she willed daggers to shoot out of them. “Fine, I’ll get you a blanket, you can have the couch.”

“Look, lady, you can be angry with me all you want,” he said as he grabbed her arm and spun her around to look at him. Gray eyes burned in to blue ones as they stared at each other. “I know who it is. He’s getting more desperate by the minute and he’s on the run.”

The color drained from her face. “You know? Who is it?”

“We pulled Ed Templeton’s prints off of the paintings found in your garage. They’re a perfect match to the prints we picked up from inside your house tonight. Mike and I went to his house to pick him up but he wasn’t there. He’s running, Rachel, which makes him all the more dangerous.”

“That doesn’t change the fact that I called you when I thought I might have found the stolen paintings and art pieces. You didn’t feel it necessary to tell me about the necklace. I found out about it from another source. My house gets turned upside down because it is obviously still here. Brutus was locked away in my office and you have the audacity to ask me if I have the fucking necklace!” She finished yelling at him, yanked her arm free of his grasp and walked in to the kitchen.

“I asked you a simple question. You believe I don’t trust you because I didn’t tell you about the necklace. I didn’t want to frighten you. I didn’t know if it was here or somewhere else. We’re talking about something you could palm in your hand. He could have hidden it anywhere. I’m sorry if I offended you. I seem to be really good at it.”

She wanted to stay mad at him and run into his arms at the same time. The mad drained away. She gave in and wrapped her arms around his waist. “Apology accepted, but don’t take me for granted, Todd. I don’t need to be locked in a glass tower and protected. You should have been honest with me.” Snuggling in closer, she felt secure and safe as his arms closed around her.

“You need to get some sleep, you look worn out,” he said still holding her close.

“I’m not tired, but I would like to go to bed,” she said, winding her arms up around his neck.

Todd scooped her off her feet and carried her down the hallway into her bedroom. He noticed she had cleaned it up while he was gone. The piles of clothing were back in the closet, the boxes of personal treasures were stacked neatly in the corner as if nothing had ever happened. Brutus was sleeping soundly on his bed next to Rachel’s. Gently, he lay her down on the bed, his gray eyes fixated on her blue ones. He pulled the strap holding her braid loose and finger combed it free. Slowly, he lowered his head and kissed her lips, feeling them heat and yield to him, he urged her for more. She responded openly, gentle caresses became more desperate as they shed each other’s clothing. Todd ran his hands over her ribcage and cupped her breasts. He licked and suckled each one in turn as Rachel bucked and arched under his touch.

Abruptly, she sat up. With a wild look in her eyes, she grabbed his shoulders and pushed him down on the bed. “You offer exquisite torture, lover, but now it’s my turn.” She spun around on her knees so she was straddling him backwards. She began to nip and graze a trail from his ankle up his inner thigh. Every time he reached for her, she would pull away. “No, no, no I told you it’s my turn.” She continued to spread kisses across his stomach while her hands wrapped around his hardened shaft. Slowly she slid him into her mouth and sucked on him.

Todd reached out and grabbed for her again. This time, she was unable to move quickly enough to avoid his hands. He coiled his hands around her hips and pulled her up so she was sitting on his face. Lapping at her juices, he opened her velvety lips and delved his tongue deep inside. Rachel moaned and sucked his rock hard shaft even deeper in her mouth. He moved on to tease her sensitive bud with the tip of his tongue as he slid two fingers deep inside her wet heat. Feeling her vaginal muscles contract against his fingers turned his hard-on from rock to steel.

Todd groaned and fisted his hands on her buttocks. She was going to drive him crazy. He continued to enjoy her ministrations on him until he couldn’t control it any longer. “Rachel, unless you plan to suck me dry, baby, you better turn around and sit your sweet pussy on my cock.”

She spun around and smiled at him. It was a knowing smile. The kind a seductress wears when she knows she has control of her man. Sitting up, she straddled his cock. She wrapped her hand around him and rubbed it against her clit. He couldn’t wait any longer. In the blink of an eye, he flipped her over on her back. Successfully pinning her underneath him, he rammed his full length deep inside her. Breathing hard and fast from what she had already done to him, Todd fought to regain control. Rachel sensed he was holding back and ran her nails down his back. He made a guttural noise, close to growling as he repeatedly thrust himself deep inside her. Rachel met each thrust with equal fervor. She felt herself climbing higher and higher until she climaxed for a second time. Todd never gave her a chance to come down. He continued to drive into her until he emptied himself.

The sheets were wet with sweat and tangled at the foot of the bed. Evidence of their wild lovemaking was strewn across the bedroom floor. Rachel was content to be held in Todd’s arms. Relaxed in the afterglow, she nodded off as Todd stroked her hair down her back. She was soon in a deep sleep.

Todd repositioned her head on her pillow, covered her with a blanket and lay down to sleep beside her.

Chapter 12

“Wake up, Edward. We have work to do,” Mr. Vee said, slapping his face right before he threw a glass of water in Ed’s face. “You have a busy day ahead of you. You are going to turn yourself into the local authorities.”

Ed groggily regained consciousness sputtering and gasping for air. He felt a wave of nausea slam through him. Rolling over on his side, he began to retch violently.

Mr. Vee stood patiently waiting for him to finish. “You cannot die on me, Edward. I need you to get me the Star. I will let you know when it is time for you to die,” he sneered. “Now be a good sport and call the police. If you refuse to cooperate, I will have no choice but to kill you,” he said, shoving the telephone into Ed’s hands.

Ed called the sheriff’s office and spoke with Deputy Logan. “This is Ed Templeton. I want to turn myself in for committing the burglaries in the Oak Creek Canyon area. Yes, sir, I have the necklace with me. I’ll be at the entrance of the Bell Rock State Park at noon. I wish to surrender peacefully.” Hanging up the phone, he looked up at Mr. Vee. He knew he was going to die and soon, what he didn’t know was how.

“Thank you very much, Edward. Now, where did you hide it?”

“I sent Sheriff Bradley and Deputy Logan on a wild goose chase. Bell Rock Park is at the opposite end of town. At least twenty minutes away from the cabin.”

“Where is the cabin?” he screeched in Ed’s face.

“A woman moved in, her name is Rachel Hardy, I thought the place was abandoned. It’s very private and remote and I thought it would be a good place to store everything.”

Mr. Vee began to laugh, a shrill maniacal laugh that chilled Ed to the bone. “Edward, you are brilliant and you did not even know it. I have to admit, this is getting better by the minute.”

“Mr. Vee, how did you find the Irish Star anyway?” Ed asked nervously.

“I suppose I can tell you since we do have some time to spare. It was purely by coincidence, I assure you. My Aunt Regina Vanderhuff is High Chairwoman of the National Red Hat’s Society Council. Every year, they hold countless charity events across the nation, and every year, she insists on showing me photos from the National Conference. It bores me to tears, but I am her favorite nephew. I do what I must to make sure I remain at the top of her will. I recognized the pendant around the neck of a woman in one of those photos.” The tension was visibly rising in Mr. Vee, the light in his eyes becoming maniacal. “That pendant rightfully belongs to me. I am the great, great-great-great-great-great-grandson of King Frederick I and the Duchess Anne Vosterbraun of Brandenburg. Those Irish rebels stole it from her during a raid, claiming it as theirs. Well, justice shall be mine!”

Ed was beyond terrified now. The man was insane; the wild look in his eyes was past reasoning, past any self-control.