Part 33 (2/2)

”Pity we had to hurt them.” DeSalliers gave her a thin smile.

”They didn't get what they were after. Maybe you,” his long finger poked Dar in the chest, ”should take a lesson from that.” Now his tone turned dark. ”You listen to me, Roberts. Keep out of my way.

If you get in it again, I'll take you out. Permanently.” With that, he turned and stalked off, his thug trotting behind him.

Dar stared after him. ”My people?” she whispered. ”What in the he...” Her mind went back to an empty restaurant and a quiet, still home that morning. She pulled out her cell phone and recalled Bud and Charlie's number from memory, then dialed it. It rang three times, then went to voice mail. Dar waited for the beep, then spoke. ”Hey. It's Dar. Give me a ring when you get this. I need to talk to you guys.” She hesitated, then hung up, closing the phone and tapping it against her chest. ”This is getting to be like a bad episode of Twilight Zone,” she muttered. After a moment of indecision, she headed toward the boat. She'd pick up their clothes, then go back to the hotel and let Kerry in on what had happened.

And then? Christ. Dar shook her head in honest bewilderment.

Who the h.e.l.l knows what then?

202*

KERRY DIDN'T REALLY remember falling asleep. One moment, she was looking at the little area guidebook she'd found in the inn room, the next moment she felt a warm hand on her shoulder. She rolled over and blinked up at Dar. ”Oh, Jesus. Did I conk out?”

Dar sat down on the bed next to her. ”Apparently.” She smoothed Kerry's hair back and felt her forehead. It was cool.

”Might have been better if I'd stayed here and joined you.”

”Uh oh.” Kerry gazed up at her, seeing the turmoil in Dar's expression. ”Now what?

”DeSalliers.”

”Again? What the h.e.l.l is it with that guy?”

Dar collapsed next to Kerry and spread her arms out across the covers. ”He's a self-absorbed, megalomaniacal moron.”

”Well, yeah, but besides that.”

”He and one of his goons chased me down on the way to the boat. He still thinks we're part of this stupid game he's playing.”

”Chased you down?” Kerry sat right up, wide-awake, her eyes going big and round.

”Easy, slugger,” Dar drawled, faintly amused at the always surprising ferociousness Kerry displayed on her behalf. ”Yeah, we yelled at each other, and he left.” She sighed. ”Problem is, he also hinted that he'd run into friends of ours, and they'd gotten hurt.”

She lifted her phone. ”I left a message for Bud, but there's been no answer.”

”Yikes.” Kerry became concerned. ”Dar, this isn't funny. I think it's time we called in the cops.”

Dar nodded. ”Me, too,” she said. ”I stopped by the police station on the way up here.”

”And?” Kerry settled back down next to her.

”It's Christmas Day.” Dar gave her a wry look. ”There was only one man in the place, and he was cleaning it. I think the rest of them are out on patrol.” She paused. ”At least, I hope so.”

”c.r.a.p.” Kerry frowned. ”Is there anyone else we can call?”

”All the US offices are closed.” Dar drummed her fingers on the covers. ”I don't know if there is anything we can do before tomorrow. I wish Bud would call me, though. ”

”Stupid jerk.”

Dar's eyebrows lifted. ”He's not that bad.”

”I meant DeSalliers.” Kerry scowled. ”Should we go back to Bud and Charlie's island? What about Rufus?” She eased over onto her side. ”Dar, this sucks.”

”I know.” Dar gazed at the ceiling, considering. ”We could go back there, but what if they didn't? It's a big ocean, and there's dozens of islands around here.”

Kerry sighed. ”No, it sucks because, d.a.m.n it, I wanted to*203 celebrate your birthday with you tonight,” she complained, plucking at the fabric underneath her. ”G.o.d, that sounds so selfish, doesn't it?” A faint laugh was forced out of her.

Dar reached over and scrubbed Kerry's back with her fingertips. ”Nah.”

”Urmph.” Kerry arched her neck. ”Yes, it does,” she grumbled.

”Well,” Dar snuggled closer and nuzzled the side of Kerry's face, ”it's on my behalf, so you're excused.”

Kerry slid her arms around Dar's body and drew her closer, detecting a hint of wood smoke on her clothes. She tucked her head into Dar's shoulder and exhaled, simply wanting the comfort of her lover's presence.

Dar was more than glad to oblige. She gently rubbed Kerry's lower back while she gazed at the ceiling, trying to figure out what to do next. It was almost dark outside, and with only the dim bed light on, the room settled into a peaceful twilight.

So quiet, that Dar's cell phone going off nearly caused both of them to jump right off the bed. ”s.h.i.+t.” Dar scrabbled for the ringing cell. She flipped it open and held it to her ear. ”Yes?”

Kerry put her head back down on Dar's shoulder, willing her heart to stop trying to climb out her ears. She'd been half asleep, in that hazy place just before you went completely out, and her body was feeling a sense of shock at being jerked so rudely out of it.

”Yes.” Dar's voice was serious. ”All right. We'll be right over.”

She folded up the phone and set it on the bed, letting out a long breath.

”What is it?” Kerry asked.

”Charlie,” Dar murmured after a moment. ”He's in the hospital, here, on St. Thomas.” She turned her head and looked at Kerry. ”It's not pretty.”

Kerry could easily have lived her entire life without seeing another hospital. She gave Dar's side a pat and hitched herself up on an elbow. ”Let's get going, then,” she said. ”Like it or not, we're buying into this, aren't we?”

Dar sat up. ”Looks like it. Yeah.” She got up off the bed and clipped the phone to her waistband. ”You can stay here if you want, Ker. If you're not feeling well, no sense in both of... Ah.”

Kerry had gotten up and was running her brush through her hair. ”Sweetie, if I can't spend the night with you in that bed, then I'll take what I can get.” She tossed the brush to Dar. ”Besides, I like Charlie. I hope he's okay.”

Dar brushed her hair, hoping the very same thing.

Chapter.

Nineteen.

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