Chapter Seven
Jake paced back and forth in the cabin as time seemed to crawl by. He was going nuts, wanting to jump in and help Gabby figure out her clue, but she’d used that slightly snooty British accent to politely decline his offer.
Maybe he should come clean with her and explain that he could help because solving clues was what he did for a living. She was bound to figure out he was a cop sooner or later. Especially if she googled Dani or Annalisa. But then what if she bolted? Nope, better to maintain cover as long as he could.
So, rather than sitting around, he’d help her with her disguise. Gabby’s bodyguards should be arriving soon according to her calculations, and they’d be bound to stop at the grocery store to ask about her. There weren’t that many businesses in town.
He called out to Gabby, who was at the kitchen table, frowning at her computer screen. “I’m going to run to the store for that hair dye. What color did you decide on?” While there, he’d ask if anyone had seen any bodybuilding-size strangers.
Maybe he’d get a big box of condoms, too. His blood had already been humming for Gabby, but after that kiss, it roared in his ears. He hoped to God she decided to sleep with him. If not, then maybe she’d consider hanging out with him as just friends. He genuinely liked her.
She glanced up from the screen and blinked. “Um. Light brown, I guess. Two boxes for my long hair. And could you pick up some tea? I’m not a coffee drinker.”
Not surprising, being raised in England. “Sure. Anything else?” He shrugged into his coat.
“No, thanks.” She shook her head and went back to studying copies of maps, searching for clues about the shard they’d found. And what its placement could mean. She’d been at it for over an hour and didn’t appear to be making any progress deciphering Dean’s hidden message.
“Oh, wait.” Gabby jumped up and disappeared into the bedroom. A moment later she came back with a fistful of cash. “Please buy yourself a new phone. Is this enough for the best one they have?”
She’d handed him eighteen hundred bucks. He handed most of it back. “Plenty. Thanks. Don’t leave the cabin without me, Red.” He was going to have to stop calling her Red after she dyed her hair. He’d miss that.
She lifted a hand in absent acknowledgment and then got back to work.
He shook his head in wonder at her determination over a hunk of gold that purportedly could start wars. What a load of BS. But to each their own.
He climbed into his truck and drove down the lane to the highway. The bright sun had taken care of most of the remaining snow, leaving slick mud behind. After he had hit the pavement, he headed for the store. It’d be the first place he’d stop if he were looking for someone in the small town, or possibly the gas station. He’d ask around there next.
When he arrived at the edge of the tiny town, the aroma of roasting green chile wafting from his favorite little burger place cemented his plans for the way home. He’d pick up a couple of green-chile cheeseburgers for lunch. Red needed to experience one of the best things New Mexico was known for—its kick-ass chile.
He parked and then made his way into the store, hoping it was Shelly’s day off. He wasn’t in the mood to spar with the kid.
A quick glance showed he was the only customer, and Shelly’s father was manning the register for a change. Maybe it was his lucky day.
George lifted a hand. “Hey, Detective. Heard you were in town. Can I help you find anything? Like an ice pack for your face? What happened?”
Jake joined the owner at the counter. “It’s nothing. ATV accident. The tree looks worse than me. What I really need is a new phone.” He scanned the display behind George. There were only four, so he picked the newest version of what he had before. “That one will do.”
“Betcha. You want the same number?”
“Yep.” Jake left George to do the setup and download all his contacts from the cloud.
Weaving through the aisles, he grabbed tea for Gabby, and then he looked for women’s hair stuff. He finally found the small display. There were three shades of brown. Which one should he choose?
“I doubt the tree looks worse than your face. Thinking of dying that pretty blond hair of yours, Detective?” Shelly said from behind him.
He couldn’t say it wasn’t for him and possibly blow Gabby’s whereabouts. Shelly couldn’t be trusted if Gabby’s guards asked questions. What the hell else would someone do with hair dye? Stain something? His brain quickly ran through possibilities.
“Nope. Not for me. This is for . . . the carpet. I spilled something in the bedroom. Dani is a freak about stains, so I hope this fixes it.” He really had stained her carpet the last time he’d been there.
Shelly frowned. “We have carpet cleaner over there by the rental machines. You should try that first.” Her face softened, and she leaned closer. “I could come up and show you how it all works if you’d like.” Her hand landed on his forearm, and she gave a squeeze. It made him cringe. “I’m good at using machines in bedrooms. You might enjoy watching.”
Seriously?
He slowly moved her hand off his arm and whispered, “Talking to men like that could get you in a world of trouble you aren’t ready for, kid.”
“Whatever.” Shelly shrugged and stepped back, out of his personal space. “But you should use the stain remover first. That dye might make an even bigger mess.”
“Dani already tried to get the stain out. This is the last resort before I have to buy her a new carpet.” He grabbed two boxes of the lightest of the brown dyes. How was he going to buy condoms with Shelly dogging him?
Shelly said, “Oh. I saw Dani drive through town yesterday. Did she and Michael have a fight? You two getting back together?”
“You never know.” He couldn’t help his grin. There was his excuse to buy condoms. Dani would kill him if she knew he’d implied that, but he’d take his chances.
“Either way, I think Michael is hot, too. Dani has good taste in men.” Shelly popped her gum.
“That’s debatable.” He walked down the next aisle toward the condoms. Maybe if she thought he and Dani were getting back together, Shelly would give up on him and go back to work. “I should probably be prepared in case Dani changes her mind about taking me back, right?”
He knelt and picked up the largest box of condoms they had so he wouldn’t have to endure any more of Shelly’s torture for the rest of the month.
She leaned over his shoulder. “If you want to please a woman, those aren’t the best we’ve got.”
Dammit! You’re the last person I want to have a condom discussion with.
Dropping everything and driving a hundred miles to the next town for the condoms tempted him. But then, he wanted to give Gabby all the pleasure he could, if she decided to let him do that. “Which would you suggest?” He refused to think about how barely legal Shelly had gained her condom knowledge.
“Those.” She pointed with a bubble-gum-pink-tipped fingernail. “The ridges can make a lousy lover into an amazing one. Well, along with massive amounts of alcohol. Wes—”
“Stop. Fine. Sold.” He grabbed three of the little boxes and jogged to the front counter, hoping Shelly wouldn’t continue her lesson about amazing lovers in front of her father.
He laid all the boxes on the counter and pulled out his wallet. “How’s the phone coming?”
George, tall and thin as a scarecrow, beamed a big smile as he handed it over. “All set. Wait. Let me get the box for it, too.” He turned around and stuffed instructions back into a cardboard cell phone box.
The first thing Jake planned to do with his new cell was to set up a tracking app on Gabby’s phone to keep an extra eye on her. “Anything interesting going on in town? I want to stave off boredom for the next few weeks.”
Shelly whispered, “You wouldn’t be bored with me and those condoms.”
He gave her the side eye and then smiled at George, waiting to hear the local gossip. If Gabby’s guards had been in, the owner would spill. The people in the small resort town lived for gossip, drama, and interesting strangers.
George shook his head as he finished ringing up Jake’s purchases. “February’s our slow time. Most are waiting for the weather to warm a bit. We’ll have another rush come spring break for the kids.”
So Gabby’s men probably hadn’t arrived yet. “Well, I’m here for the rest of the month. And you have my number now, so if you decide you’d like to show me the secret to fly-fishing, I’d be grateful.”
Shelly piped up, “I can show you anytime you’d—”
“Go finish stocking those shelves, Shelly. Now!” George barked. He shook his head as she walked away. “Kids. Tough to get a full day’s work out of ’em. All they want to do is mess with their phones, texting their friends, right?”
Probably hooking up with guys. But it wasn’t Jake’s place to tell. “Yep. See you around.”
“I’ll give you a holler next week if I can squeeze out some fishing time. Say hi to Dani for me.”
“Will do.” The bell above the glass doors tinkled, and two guys the size of linebackers walked in. They were dressed in jeans and leather jackets and had matching scowls.
Gabby’s guards? If so, Gabby had been spot-on in her travel-time calculations. She had the oddest combination of smarts and naivety he’d ever seen.
Maybe he’d linger over the magazines for just a bit.
The men approached George. After he greeted them with his usual smile, they pulled out a picture. The bigger one asked, “Have you seen this woman? She’s driving a Jeep.”
Of course, that got Shelly’s attention, and she ran to the front counter, not to be left out of the action.
George took the picture, studied it, and then shook his head. “Nope. Haven’t seen her.”
Shelly snatched the photo from her father. “Red hair. Yeah. I saw a woman in a Wrangler drive by a few days ago. It could’ve been her.” She looked up at Brute Number One. “Why? What’s she done?”
Brute Number Two took the picture back. “Nothing. We’re her brothers, and we’re worried about her. Which way was she headed?”
Shelly pointed. “Up the mountain. Hey, Jake. Your cabin is that way. Have you seen this woman?”
Shelly and her big freakin’ mouth.
He strolled over with his bag of tea, hair dye, and condoms, and accepted the picture of Gabby. He pretended to study it closely. “Nope. Not out my way. The only tracks in the snow I’ve seen have been mine and Dani’s.” He handed the picture back while studying the goons. Both brown on brown, early thirties, one six-two, the other just under six feet, the shorter one two twenty, the other two fifty. Both all muscle, the short one had a scar above his eyebrow. “But I think I saw a Jeep with a redhead heading south just a few minutes ago. I was behind it at the stop light.” He pointed out the window. There was only one stop light, and it was right outside. The highway ran through the middle of town, so no one could drive through without passing in front of the store.
The men nodded their thanks and hurried out the door.
Were they the same men who’d been at the dig site? Why send out a new contingent if Gabby’s father already had people in New Mexico? Or was Dean working on his own? But then, why leave Gabby a clue? It didn’t make sense.
He’d have to ask Gabby how her security worked.
George and Shelly stood beside Jake at the plate glass window, watching the SUV pull out of the parking lot. Shelly said, “Those guys gave me the creeps.”
George nodded. “Yep. Up to no good, those two. Good riddance. What do you think, Detective?”
“If they come back, be sure to text me. But don’t call me ‘Detective’ in front of them, okay? Better if they don’t know I’m a cop.” He plastered on a smile. “Have a good day.”
He hurried out to his truck and tossed the bag onto the passenger seat beside him. The men were headed for the next town a hundred miles away, it was after one o’clock, and he still needed that burger.
The sound of boots stomping on the front porch made Gabby glance up from her laptop. Her hand slipped closer to her gun, just in case. But she doubted her father’s men would take the time to clean off their boots. They never had at home.
The key scraped in the lock, and then the door swung open to reveal a grinning Jake. He looked like a kid with a big secret he couldn’t wait to tell. It made her smile. “Hey there.”
“Hey back. I have some news, but not until you taste this.” Jake tossed a plastic grocery bag onto the counter, then laid a white paper sack in front of her with the words “Burger Barn” and lots of small grease stains. It wafted the lovely aroma of cheeseburger, fries, and something fruity yet smoky.
“You brought us lunch?”
“Not just lunch, Red. I brought you an unforgettable culinary experience. According to the banner on the wall inside the Burger Barn, women have claimed these green-chile cheeseburgers are better than sex. Not any women I’ve slept with, mind you.”
“Of course not.” She dug into the bag and pulled out two wrapped burgers and a large bag of fries. “I imagine you think you rank up there with chocolate truffles and soufflés, right?”
He placed two glasses of water and the bottle of ketchup on the table before he sat down. “No food can compare with the way I make love to a woman. Now, there are a few dessert foods I like to use on occasion to give my partner an optimal experience—”
“Stop.” She unwrapped her burger and then squirted ketchup onto the paper. “I’d like to get through my entrée before I think about dessert.”
“You should always have dessert in mind. The anticipation is half the fun.” He hitched his brows before he took a big bite and moaned as he chewed.
She’d been contemplating having sex with him ever since he’d kissed her. But she hadn’t made up her mind, so she’d keep their conversation food related.
After a big bite, a slow-growing heat filled her mouth. The burger was juicy, the cheese melty, but the chile had a sweet, smoky, and hot flavor that made the taste buds on her tongue stand up and dance. It was the best burger she’d ever had.
Gabby opened her bun to investigate where the awesome combination of flavors had come from. “Wow! Avocados, too? This actually might be better than sex.”
Jake grinned as he swiped his fry through her ketchup. “Gives me a goal to beat, now doesn’t it.” He locked gazes with her as he slowly stuck the fry into his mouth.
She had to look away. Other parts of her were beginning to dance, too. “Seriously, Jake? You can’t even eat a burger without making it about sex?”
“I didn’t start it. The banner did.” He paused for a long drink of water. “I saw your bodyguards in town.”
“Way to save the important stuff for last. What did they look like?” Her stomach cramped as she laid her burger down.
Jake rattled off features. With each new fact, her stomach grew tighter. When he mentioned the scar, that did it. “Was it jagged and right here?” She pointed to her forehead, right above her brow.
He nodded as he continued to eat, seemingly unaffected. Most people were scared of her bodyguards. Why wasn’t Jake?
“That’s most likely Sal and Louie.” As great as the burger was, she wasn’t sure she could continue eating with her stomach tied up in knots. “The one with the scar, Louie, usually drives me to work.”
Jake wiped his chin, then asked, “How many people usually guard you?”
“Eight. Always in sets of two. They work different shifts.” And they couldn’t possibly know she was in this particular cabin, so she picked up her burger again and forced herself to eat. She needed to eat when she could in case they had to make a sudden run for it.
“What does Louie do all day while you work?” He swiped more fries through the last of her ketchup.
She grabbed the bottle and squirted out more ketchup for him on his paper wrapper and then replaced what he’d stolen from hers. “I have no idea what he does, but he’s never far away. I text him when I need a ride, and he’s always there by the time I get out to the steps. Can you imagine how bored those guys must get?”
“I bet.” Jake nodded as he chewed. “So what are the chances they were already here? And are the ones who left the prints at the dig site?”
“None.” Shaking her head, she grabbed some more fries before Jake could eat them all. “My security detail only guards me and my aunt. Have forever. They never get transferred to other duties like my father’s other security teams, so fewer people know about our existence.”
“They told the people in the store they were your brothers, and they were worried about you.”
“Most of my guards have been with me since college and aren’t much older than me, so that makes sense. I’ve only had to ask my dad to replace one of them over the years because he was too mean. My father does most anything I ask of him.”
“Except let you have a life.” Jake finished off his burger and then the rest of the fries.
He was right about that. What was the point of living if it had to always be like a caged animal? It made her even more determined to make a permanent change. After she found the statue.
She quickly finished off her lunch so she could get back to the hunt. “That was the best burger I’ve ever had. Thank you. Did you get the hair dye?”
“Yep. It’s in the bag over there.” He pointed to the sack on the counter.
She threw their lunch paper away and then opened the bag. Just as her hand dived inside, Jake called out, “Wait. Some of that is . . .”
Too late. Her hand drew out a box of ribbed condoms. She peeked inside the bag and found two other boxes, along with a cell phone box, tea, and her boxes of dye. She studied the condom box, intrigued by the claims it made to satisfy women. She hadn’t agreed to sleep with him. Maybe Jake planned to satisfy all the single women in town. He certainly had enough condoms for the job.
Before she could comment, Jake was beside her, tugging the box and bag from her hands. “Clearly, I’m an optimistic man.” He dug out the dye and handed it over. “Why don’t you go transform yourself? Then after, maybe you could fill me in on what you’ve figured out about the clue? I have a few ideas . . .”
Jake dragged her toward the bedroom while babbling about the shard. It made her smile. He was trying to change the subject because he was embarrassed. She didn’t think Jake got embarrassed about anything. “I didn’t get to finish reading about how those fancy condoms will give me orgasms at a whole new height of pleasure. But wait! Are you actually a gigolo like you suggested yesterday? Are those for your clients? Maybe that’s why you haven’t mentioned what you do for a living now?”
“I’m not a gigolo.” He stopped in his tracks and ran a hand down his face. “What I am is someone on a mandatory leave from a very stressful job, and I don’t want to talk about it because it’s embarrassing, okay?”
The sudden sadness in his eyes was real. He seemed to be telling the truth about that much, at least.
She placed her hand on his stubbly cheek, and he flinched only a little. “Bottling up all these things inside isn’t good for you, Jake. Talking about them might help.” She leaned closer and gave him a quick kiss. “Thanks for the fancy condoms. They might make the decision to sleep with you an easier one. If only for experimentation and curiosity’s sake.” She gave his cheek a quick tap and then headed for the bathroom with her dye, eager to see anything close to her natural hair color for the first time in twelve years. But if they had to go back out to the site, or other places, would the new color be enough to buy her the time she needed now that her bodyguards were close on her tail?
After she’d combed the dye through her hair and wrapped her head in the plastic bag for heat retention, she waited twenty minutes like the box instructed. When the time was up, she stepped into the steamy shower, eager to see the transformation.
After a few minutes, the water finally ran clear instead of a murky brown, so she turned off the tap and wrapped herself in two fluffy white towels. She stepped out of the shower, still worked up about finding the statue before her bodyguards found her, and the price she’d pay because of it.
She wiped a circle in the foggy bathroom mirror with her hand. Then she freed her hair from its towel and rubbed most of the moisture away. When she was done, she blinked at her reflection.
A younger version of her mother stared back at her. Emotion clogged her throat as she studied her image. All the love for her mother came rushing back. It was like being hit in the gut with a wrecking ball. She looked so different, and yet the same. Older, maybe, but in a good way.
Would Jake think so?
She shook her head. Who cared what Jake thought? She was probably just a convenient female, one who would scratch his itch before he moved on and went back to whatever job he’d been banned from. Speaking of that, in all the confusion she hadn’t thought to google him. Feeling like an idiot, she lifted her phone and started to type in his name but then stopped. She called out, “Jake? What’s your last name?” He’d never mentioned it. But he was once married to Dani Botelli, so it shouldn’t be too hard to figure out. It’d be interesting to see if he would lie to her about his name or tell her the truth.
He appeared in the bathroom doorway, and his jaw dropped. “Damn, Red. You look amazing.”
Well, that answered the question of whether he thought she still looked good, at least. She shouldn’t enjoy the little burst of relief the hungry expression on his face brought her, but she was a little hungry for him, too. But back to business. “I can’t sleep with a guy if I don’t know his last name. I need to google you.” She lifted her chin, trying to look indignant while standing before Jake in just a towel. Maybe she should have rethought the outfit choice.
He stepped closer and tucked stray locks of hair behind her ear. The light brush of his fingertips made her shiver. “It’s Morris. And if you do that, you’ll see I’m a cop. A detective, actually. But I was stripped of my badge and gun the other day, so I’m without a job at the moment.”
A cop?
Her knees buckled so hard her hand flew to the counter to hold herself up.
Holy crap. She’d told him things about her father she’d never told anyone. She’d trusted Jake enough to do that.
But he’d just been playing her.