Part 26 (1/2)

”G'wan.” Dar shooed him off. ”Yes or no, sixty seconds.”

The man snorted, then turned away again and spoke into his shoulder.

”Don't you get a stiff neck after a while like that?” Kerry whispered to Dar.

”You start doing it even when you aren't wearing the d.a.m.n thing,” Dar whispered back. ”Like in the supermarket. There ya are, buying milk next to a guy talking to his arm.”

”Is that like 'talk to the hand, buddy, talk to the hand?'” Kerry snickered as she moved her fingers in a puppet-like motion.

Dar shook her head. ”These guys are like cartoon characters.”

She indicated the guard approaching them again, his bodybuilder's physique flexing like a Macy's balloon.

”Mr. DeSalliers says he doesn't have time to play games with you,” the man announced.

”All right.” Dar lifted a hand. ”Hasta Manana, jacka.s.s.” She turned and started back down the dock. ”If he changes his mind, we're in slip 30.”

”Bye.” Kerry waggled her fingers at the men before she ambled after Dar. She caught up to her partner after a few steps and they strolled along together. ”So,” she commented. ”Now what?”

Dar glanced down at the keychain watch looped through her belt. ”Give it a minute.”

It really was a big game, of sorts. Kerry had gotten used to the delicate and sometimes not so delicate maneuverings of the boardroom. This didn't seem that different.

”Ms. Roberts!”

Kerry clucked her tongue. ”Ooh, you're good.”*155 Dar paused and looked over her shoulder, her eyes hidden behind sungla.s.ses despite the rain. Ah. DeSalliers himself was trotting down the dock after them, his blue blazer getting spotted with rain. Dar turned fully and waited, having gotten what she'd asked for. ”Yes?”

”Ms. Roberts, Ms. Roberts.” DeSalliers sighed. ”You know, I think we really did start off on the wrong foot.” His att.i.tude, completely reversed from the morning's, was almost friendly. ”All we do is keep getting more and more hostile. Can't we turn this around?”

Dar regarded him warily. ”You're giving me bulls.h.i.+t whiplash.”

”Please,” DeSalliers continued, ”let's just go inside, out of this blasted rain, and talk.”

The risk seemed acceptable, Dar reasoned, considering everything. ”All right,” she agreed.

”Great.” He started to lead them back toward his boat. ”I'm sure we can come to a better understanding of each other, if we just put a little effort into it.” Only then did he seem to notice Kerry's continued presence. ”Sorry. I don't think we've met?”

Kerry promptly extended a hand. ”Kerry.”

”Ah.” DeSalliers took it and pressed it briefly. ”And you are?”

”Dar's American Express card,” Kerry replied smoothly. ”She never leaves home without me.”

Dar had to bite the inside of her lip to keep from smiling.

”We're partners,” she supplied succinctly.

They pa.s.sed the two guards, both of whom glared at Dar as she brushed by them. Dar ignored their att.i.tude and followed DeSalliers up the long gangplank to the deck of his boat, stepping neatly down after him onto the vessel.

Kerry eased off after Dar, looking around the deck of the big boat as they moved around toward the cabin. The deck floor was covered in plush-looking, all-weather Astroturf, and there were two more guards who were braced on either side of the deck, hands clasped behind their backs. They were big and healthy looking, and reminded Kerry irresistibly of cattle. ”Moo,” she uttered, under her breath. She saw Dar's shoulders twitch in a silent laugh.

They followed DeSalliers inside the cabin and found a s.p.a.ce as ostentatiously well-appointed as the exterior deck suggested. It was full of dark leather furniture and teak wood, and smelled very masculine. On one side there was a bar, complete with a ceiling- mounted gla.s.s rack with pivots. Across from the bar was an entertainment center with a circular viewing lounge. Toward the rear was a s.p.a.cious galley, and behind that, a closed door that led to the more private areas of the boat's cabin.

The windows were so tinted that light barely penetrated. Most 156*

of the illumination was provided by recessed fixtures near the walls, and one searingly bright beam that splashed over the dining room table, highlighting a crystal vase with a single, perfect red rose in it.

”Please, sit down,” DeSalliers said as he crossed to the bar.

”Can I get you both a drink?”

”No thank you,” Kerry replied. She waited quietly near the door, looking around.

Dar was circling the cabin, examining the oriental-themed, framed mats on the walls. ”Nothing for me, thanks.” She stopped in front of a small painting near the galley, leaning forward a little as she recognized the style. Her eyebrows rose behind her gla.s.ses.

”Nice piece, isn't it?” Their host spoke up behind her. ”I have a much larger one in my home. Truly captures the majesty of the sea.”

Dar straightened. ”Very nice.” She pulled off her sungla.s.ses and turned, chewing on the earpiece as she regarded DeSalliers.

”I'll pa.s.s your compliments on to my mother.”

The man froze in place. His brows contracted fiercely, giving him an almost comical look as he paused in the act of pouring himself a gla.s.s of what appeared to be scotch. ”Excuse me?”

Dar's thumb gestured over her shoulder at the small painting.

”That's my mother's work,” she replied mildly. ”Seascapes are a favorite theme of hers.”

DeSalliers put down the gla.s.s and rested his hands on the bar.

”Well, well,” he murmured. ”You are a veritable Pandora's box of surprises, aren't you, Ms. Roberts?” He picked up his gla.s.s and swirled the contents, circling Dar. ”I send out an inquiry expecting, at best, some rich brat tooling about the Caribbean, and what do I come up with? The CIO of the largest computer services organization in the world.” He paused. ”What a surprise.”

Dar shrugged. ”We're even. I go out tooling about the Caribbean on a simple vacation, and what do I come up with?

a.s.sholes chasing my boat, breaking and entering my hotel room, and vague, useless threats sent by courier,” she countered. ”What a surprise. All I was expecting was reasonable weather and a few spiny lobster.”

DeSalliers sighed. ”I thought we were trying to get on a better footing.”

Dar spread out her hands, both of her eyebrows lifting. ”I come up from a d.a.m.n dive, and the next thing I know, your half-witted goons are chasing my a.s.s down.”

”Now, Ms. Roberts...” The man held a hand up soothingly. ”I realize now we came at you the wrong way.”

”You mean, after the intimidation tricks didn't work, then you decided to find out who you were chasing?” Kerry commented from*157 her spot near the doorway.

DeSalliers shot a glance at her and apparently decided the gracious host scam wasn't working. ”Let's cut to the chase.”