Part 39 (2/2)
Dar was already very much on edge. Her temper was at the 232*
breaking point, and for a moment she felt all better sense leave her as she stalked toward the nasty, greasy man. She'd only taken two steps when she felt a hand gripping her s.h.i.+rt from the back, and then an even firmer grip on the back of her shorts.
”He's not worth it.” Kerry spoke in an almost normal tone.
”You'll just get your hands dirty, and it'll take a week to wash off the stench.”
Guido spun and looked at her, then tilted his head up and found Dar's set, angry face confronting him. He looked like he very much wanted to laugh, but a second look convinced him to just walk into the room behind Bud. ”Figures you have girls protecting your pansy a.s.s.”
Bud went stone-faced. ”You got the papers?”
”You got the money?” Guido tossed back at him. Bud looked at Dar. Guido turned. ”Oh, right. Well, chickie, I don't take no friggin'
Platinum cards.”
Dar studied him, then she unhitched the pack from her back and set it on the small table in the room. ”You're right,” she said to Kerry. ”Definitely not worth it.” She pulled out several stacks of hundreds and tossed them at Guido. They hit him in the chest, and he grabbed at them. She pulled out three or four more stacks and chucked them as well.
”Hey!” Guido lost one and it bounced off the floor. ”Cut that out, freak!”
Dar whipped the final two stacks at him. They hit him in the face. She turned her back on him and zipped up her bag, trying to let her raw nerves settle before she had to turn back around and continue the conversation. She heard the rustle as he captured the bound bills.
”Where's the papers?” Bud asked in a toneless voice.
”Hold on to your p.e.c.k.e.r. You should be usta that,” Guido muttered. ”I gotta count this.”
Dar turned and sat down in the nearest chair, her knees finally giving out as the adrenaline stopped pumping. Kerry settled on the arm of the chair and Dar curled a hand around Kerry's knee, the touch soothing her nerves. Guido had given his muscle man most of the stacks, and he was laboriously counting one. The thug was watching Dar with a dour glare.
Bud sat down in one of the other chairs, mostly focusing his gaze on the floor.
Kerry put a hand on Dar's neck, her fingers working gently at the rigid muscles. She could almost feel the vibrating tension in her partner, and though she completely understood Dar's silent rage, she'd been called worse by far better than that little greasy punk.
”If you're going to have to take your shoes off for that, let me know so I can get the window open,” she remarked casually.*233 Guido looked up at her. ”Shut up.”
”Why?” Kerry asked. ”I've talked to animals since I was a kid.
Most of them were better looking than you, though.”
”You looking to get hurt, chickie?”
Kerry smiled charmingly at him. ”The both of you together aren't a quarter of the man it would take to do that.”
Dar chuckled and rubbed the bridge of her nose.
”You got a big mouth,” the thug told Kerry.
”That's all right. You've got a pea brain,” Kerry responded.
”And I can always shut up.”
”Huh?”
”All right.” Guido finished counting one stack. He took another and pressed it down with his thumb and forefinger, matching it against the one in his hand. They were exactly even. He repeated the process with the rest of the stacks, then handed the money back to the thug. ”Sucker girlie. What'd he promise you for this? Don't tell me a good time.” Guido pulled a wad of papers out of his back pocket and threw them at Bud. ”You got real lucky, f.a.g. One more week and we'd have torched that s.h.i.+thole.”
”Guess I did,” Bud answered softly.
”Not nearly as lucky as you did,” Dar remarked flatly, giving Guido a level, cold stare.
Guido snorted. ”Lousy doing business with you. Don't call again.” He stuffed the cash into a plastic bag the lackey had in his pocket and motioned him to leave. They walked out without looking back, heading for the front door to the hotel.
Dar slowly let a breath out. ”That sucked,” she enunciated with precision.
”Mm. Glad it's over,” Kerry agreed, moving her hands around to give Dar's shoulders some serious attention. ”Makes me wish we'd had them embed dye packets in the bills.”
Bud glanced at her. ”You're pretty d.a.m.n funny.”
Kerry grinned back. ”I'm really, really glad we could do this for you,” she told Bud honestly. ”No one should have to deal with a.s.sholes like that.” She felt Dar's muscles unlock under her hands.
Bud looked down at the papers again, slowly shaking his head at them. ”It was a hard choice to have to make,” he admitted. ”I hate taking help from anyone.”
”Yeah.” Dar spoke up at last. ”I know the feeling.” She stretched out her legs and slumped in the chair. ”I can't do it either,” she said. ”Ask for help, I mean.”
Bud glanced at her, then looked at Kerry, who was still industriously kneading. ”Right.”
Dar caught the look. ”She doesn't count,” she said. ”Besides, she doesn't wait to be asked.”
Kerry leaned over and gave Dar a kiss on the top of her head.
234*
”Okay,” she said. ”Now that's over.”
Bud s.h.i.+fted, giving her a wary look.
”Talk to me about pirates,” Dar said. ”At the bank, I spotted the guy running the pirate boat that tried to board us. He was making a deposit.”
Bud chewed his lower lip. ”Can we talk upstairs?” he finally said. ”Charlie's supposed to call any time.”
Upstairs sounded good. Dar felt exhausted. A pot of strong coffee and a nice milkshake were really what she wanted, and she figured room service could probably take care of that for her.
”Sure.” She got up, glancing at Kerry when Kerry took the backpack. ”Hey.”
”It's okay, honey.” Kerry gave her a kiss on the shoulder. ”I can handle it, really.”
Kerry was, Dar realized, handling the entire thing a lot better than she was. She thought about that as they walked up the short flight of stairs to their room. Was she letting the stress get the better of her? Was she too much out of her element? Better get your d.a.m.n head on straight and stop reacting to everything. What the h.e.l.l is wrong with you, Dar?
”Hey, Dar?” Kerry glanced back. ”Are you going to try calling Wharton?”
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