Part 23 (1/2)
”I have not heard a peep, dear. No sign of him. I think you were right. He must have been no more than a common criminal and is certainly not worth my expending any more thought about. Did I tell you I met a nice man at the gym?”
”Um, no.”
”He's a research librarian at a university in Chicago, but he's here on sabbatical while he takes care of his aging mother after she had a fall.”
I wondered if the aging mother was real or if this was another one of her ways to work herself into a conversation. ”That's sweet.”
”He is. So smart. We're going to a book club together tomorrow night, and the Rosemonts are coming over for dinner Friday. His mother's in bed asleep by seven every night. Can you believe that? So he's free every night of the week.”
”That sounds great, Mom. Just take it slow, okay?”
”Oh, I'm taking it very slow. Don't worry. I've only let him kiss me so far.”
”Mom!” I really did not want to hear about her s.e.x life.
”Honestly, Karina, you'd think your generation had invented dating.”
”I'm just saying if you're seeing him every night of the week, that doesn't sound like going slow to me.”
She was silent a moment, and I heard the clack of the curling iron being put down. She picked up the phone then. ”Karina, I know you want the best for me, but let's get one thing straight. You've made it completely clear to me I don't get to pick your boyfriends. Well, you don't get to pick mine.”
”Okay! Okay, Mom, yes, I totally agree with that. I wasn't trying to criticize your choice. He sounds great. It's just, you know, after what happened, I get worried.”
”Well, now you know how I felt after you and your sister moved to New York City,” she said smugly. ”Stop worrying. I admit I may have done some unwise, maybe even nonsensical, things in the past. G.o.d forbid you should be alone when you're older, Karina. I don't wish this lesson on anyone, even if I do wish you'd understand me better.”
”Okay. I'm sorry, Mom. I guess I just didn't think. You know, I always think of you as so self-sufficient. You did such a great job raising us as a single mom. We certainly never felt you needed a man around.”
”There's a big difference between needing a man and wanting a man,” my mother said.
”Yeah. Well, keep me and Jill posted about how it goes.”
”I will, darling. Speaking of Jill, she told me you're in Las Vegas? I thought you were going to rewrite your thesis.”
”I am, but I have a couple of months to do it and this chance to be in a dance production came up.”
”You didn't tell me you had started dancing again! Karina, that's wonderful!”
”Well, I just found out today that I got the part.”
”Even more wonderful! Should I start making plans to come see this show?”
”Oh, maybe! I'll get the dates and details and send them to you.”
”And what about your own man situation? You haven't even mentioned him yet. Does that mean you're quits now, and off to Vegas like a showgirl?”
”Goodness, no, Mom. We're getting along pretty well now. I mean, it's not all smooth sailing, and right now he's got this crazy ex trying to make our lives difficult, but I think it's going to work out eventually. He's here, too...” I heard a knock and went to look through the peephole, but I didn't see anyone in the hallway.
”So glad to hear it. Was there anything else you needed, Karina? My hair's done and I have to go soon.”
”No, that was it. Bye, Mom. Have fun.”
”Give your fella a kiss on the cheek from me, then, dear. Bye.”
I hung up the phone. My mother had gotten really direct after that blow to the head. I think I liked her this way, but it was going to take some getting used to.
The knock came again and I realized it was coming from the connecting door. I opened it and Stefan came in with two men from hotel security. ”We're checking for spy devices,” he said. His expression was as serious as I'd ever seen it. All trace of his usual baby-faced look was gone.
”Spy devices?”
”Bugs, cameras, that sort of thing. Just in case.” He was trying to sound light, but he failed.
James spoke to him from the doorway. ”Have you heard from your contact with the local police?”
”Oh, yes.” Now Stefan cracked a small smile. ”They'd be all ears, if we were to involve them.”
One of the two suited men with Stefan spoke up. ”We'd prefer to handle it internally, of course.”
”As would we,” James said. ”But I like to know where we stand. Good work, Stefan.”
I followed James back into the suite. He shed the robe and slipped back into bed.
I crawled across the bedspread to kiss him on the cheek. ”There. That's from my mother. She says everything's fine.”
”Excellent,” he said with another yawn. ”Stefan told me that in Ohio he suspected you were being tailed.”
”He told me it wasn't unusual for your car to be followed.”
”No, no. I mean he suspected you were the one being tailed. And it's too much of a coincidence for Betancourt to show up here right after Ferrara spoke to you. He and Ferrara must be working together.”
”Ohhh. And you think that's how they met? He was following me while she was following you?”
”Something like that. Perhaps he had your mother's house staked out. Anyway. If he fled here to report to her, Ferrara probably knows by now that her bid to get you to leave me didn't work.” He yawned again and closed his eyes.
”Tsk. Here we are in one of the most exciting cities in the world, and you're falling asleep,” I teased.
”You try getting by on four hours of sleep in the last forty-eight,” he said. ”No one's heard from Ferrara or seen her since her visit to you. And her things are gone from her room downstairs. I wonder if she has withdrawn from the field of battle.” He yawned again. ”I'll have to worry about her later. How about you? Want a nap?”
”I suppose a little rest couldn't hurt.”
”Excellent. Get undressed and come under the covers.”
I looked behind me at the door connecting to my room. The men were still in there, poking around. I slid under the covers and undressed while under them, flinging my clothes off the bed one item at a time.
James was in satin pajama bottoms and nothing else. He groaned as I pressed myself against him.
”You'd think I'd be completely sated,” he complained.
I slid my hand up his leg to find him hard and needy again. ”Here.” I slipped my hand under his waistband and stroked him gently. ”Bet I can make you come in under two minutes. And then you can nap in peace.”
”You bet? What do you wager if you fail?”