“You’re certainly promoting us joining him. Did he promise you a fee for snagging Matt for his stable, as he calls it?” Jade felt a little irritated that Matt might be simply a commodity for sale, to Lee.
“Not at all. He bought me and I thought it would be fun for us all to work together.”
Jade felt her mouth drop open and closed it. “You’ve signed on with him? Don’t tell me you’ve had an affair with Delta. Henry will be crushed.”
“Don’t be silly. She’s too tall for me. He wanted me to join him as his agent for all things Asian since Bin Lao left him and he introduced me to his new acquisition. A blond pixie named Stella who sings like an angel, even Asian songs.”
“Does she call herself his latest acquisition? I’d hate feeling like a commodity or a pet.” Jade felt a ball of anger curl up in her stomach. She wasn’t sure why she felt so hostile about what someone else chose to do.
“Calm down, girl! I didn’t mean it as an insult. She’s really got a good voice and Rafael treats her like a queen. It’s a good thing Miss Chin is on her way out the door. She seems to hate her.
“I wonder if that bothers Delta. I know she’s spending the week with Henry.”
Lee shook his head and waved the notion away. “She’s too happy with her mad affair with that cowboy. Her latest sculpture is a dazzler and Rafael has plans to put it on special display at his new place.”
“He’s building another estate? Where this time?” Matt looked skeptical.
“It’s a big secret. I don’t know what he’s up to but he’s already sold the place in Scottsdale to some Arab guy. He’s up on Vashon Island, right now, conducting some kind of business. He’s been very cagey lately.”
“Lee, doesn’t that worry you? He may expect you to live there and you don’t know where it’s going to be,” Jade said.
“Who cares? He’s picking up the tab. I’m not.”
That remark didn’t seem to make Jade feel better. It was a good thing she had decided on the small plate of her favorite combination. She had trouble eating that.
When Lee said his goodbyes and left for Half Moon Bay, Matt and Jade headed back to their hotel and the hot tub which was part of their bathroom.
Jade found a romantic music station on the radio and they turned off all the wall lamps except the low one near the controls. She used pineapple juice, lemon juice, and strawberry slices to make a fruit punch which they sipped while they played footsie in the warm swirling water. Low blue lights glowed on the bottom. She wasn’t surprised when they ended up drying each other and racing for the bed but it was a night she would never forget.
They woke up at dawn, hungry as bears.
“I’ll let you have the shower while I shave and brush my teeth out here. Then let’s have a serious breakfast. We have a long drive ahead of us after we get back to Eugene and we’ll be having lunch on the plane.”
They managed to get a window table down in the little coffee shop and Jade was enjoying the flowers in the window boxes until she realized two rough looking Asian men seemed to be watching them. “Matt, don’t look out the window until I look down but there are a couple of Asian guys out there who seem to be too interested in us for my comfort. I’m probably being paranoid but--.”
“No, you’re not. I’ve been keeping an eye on them since we came down to breakfast. I recognized them from last night. They were watching us when we headed into the hotel. They might have seen us at Kan’s, with Lee. I don’t like this. If they’re still out there, when we’re finished, we’re going out the back way.”
“Agreed.” Jade had trouble eating her muffin after that so she tucked half of it in a napkin and put it in her purse for later.
When the waitress came with the check, Matt touched her hand. “We’ve been seeing two men watching us while we’re in here. I’d like you to look out the window and slowly check out the street for two Asians wearing dark P coats and knit caps. We want to use the back door if they’re still out there.”
The waitress looked skeptical but then did as she was told. “I think you’re talking about Chan and Lin. They’re out there every morning, waiting to be picked up for odd jobs. I think they’re pretty harmless. I don’t see them today, though. It’s all clear.”
Jade let out her breath while Matt paid the bill. They hurried out to the street, into the hotel lobby two doors down, and caught the elevator to the third floor. “Let’s just take the shuttle early and hang out in the bookstore at the airport,” Matt said.
“Good idea. I’ll feel better once we’re out of this neighborhood.”
When they got to their room she put her few scattered items into her overnight bag, grabbed her purse, and led the way, only to be shoved back into their hotel room by one of the thugs they had seen on the street.
He was holding a large revolver and his eyes looked full of anger or hatred. Jade couldn’t tell for sure and his face terrified her. There was a younger, thinner one behind him. They both looked dirty and smelled of sour socks.
“Hand over the jewels and your cash and then we’ll let you go. Hurry it up if you want the girl to live.” His face was only inches from hers. The way he loomed over her made her feel like a trapped mouse.
“I have to set these down and get them out of my case. Give me a minute.”
Suddenly, Jade felt herself shoved to the floor and there was a shot above her head. It nearly deafened her. “Matt! My God, Matt!”
Someone shouted obscenities and ran out of the room.
“Stay down and use the phone to call the police.” Matt’s voice was above her. He seemed to be leaning over her as if he could protect her with his own body.
“You bastard! You shot me. I’m bleeding to death. Get me a doctor!” The rest of the words sounded garbled.
She realized they were probably profanities from another language.
Before she could get the dispatcher on the line there was another gun pointed over her head, at Matt. “Okay, buddy. Lay the gun down where you are and put your hands up. Nice and slow now.”
Jade’s heart jumped into her throat when she saw a policeman pointing his revolver at Matt.
“Hey, he’s doing your job! If it hadn’t been for him I’d be dead now. The creep on the floor is the bad guy, dummy!”
“I’ve got him, Jake. Stay still, creep.”
“Look, lady, you just do as you’re told. I’ll tell you when you can talk. Until then, just shut up!”
Matt laid the gun on the floor and raised his hands. Then he sat on a nearby chair. “We were only protecting ourselves from a robber.”
“All right, buddy, out of that chair! You, too, sister. We’ll just cuff you together while we—.”
“Damn it, Jake! Knock it off! Go get the paramedics. I’ve got this guy covered.”
Jake looked like he wanted to kill somebody but he mumbled something and hurried out.
Another young cop dashed into the room. “We got the other one, Sergeant. Henderson’s got him in the unit. Well, if it isn’t Dirty Luie. You didn’t get away with it this time, creep.” The young cop sneered at the squirming man lying on the floor and nudged his foot.
“Stop socializing, Parks, and get some shots of these people and the gun on the floor. Then bag it and pull out your labels. I need to see your IDs, both of you. Do you have a permit for this firearm?”
Matt nodded and pulled his wallet out. The younger officer took photos of the permit and the wounded man with his gun lying near him in a marked bag.
“My name is Sergeant Miller and my partner is brand new. Try to understand. A guy is pretty nervous on his first few days on the job.”
Matt nodded at the sergeant but Jade could feel her eyes glaring at all three policemen, when Jake came back into the room.
Two men in white uniforms rushed in with a stretcher while a third checked the patient for vital signs. “Well, you’re lucky, Luie. It’s only a little flesh wound and I’m going to give you a shot to kill all those nasty germs you�
�ve got from never taking a bath. When are you going to get smart and get a real job?”
Luie swore at the paramedic, who only laughed and told the other two to take him away after he bandaged him.
The rest of the morning was a blur to Jade. She was grateful when she heard that the desk clerk at the hotel had called the police the minute he saw the thugs slip up the stairway. The thought of watching the man bleed while they waited for the police would have panicked her. Her first moment of relief came at the station when the sergeant told them the robber with the gun was going to be okay because the bullet went through the fleshy part of his underarm. The best part was when she heard the assistant prosecutor tell the sergeant that the robber and his accomplice had pled guilty to the charges of attempted robbery in an effort to plea bargain.
When Matt insisted they make a copy of his special permit to carry a firearm and then let them catch their flight back to Oregon, Jade broke down and cried. “Thank God, you’ve got that thing. You cops just want to put the victims in jail because you’re not afraid of us. I hate this state and its lousy gun control. You’re all on the side of the crooks.”
“Easy, love. It’s not their fault.” Matt looked ten years older and pale as a ghost.
The watch commander tried to reassure Jade they were just doing their job but she did not feel better until she and Matt were in their seats for the flight back to Eugene.
Lunch on the plane turned out to be hot ham and cheese sandwiches with a mixed fruit cup and a patch of lettuce with a wedge of tomato and a slice of cucumber. She gave her sandwich to a teenager in front of them and picked at the fruit cup. The coffee made her feel a little better but she didn’t like the way her hands shook when she held the cup.
She couldn’t seem to relax and Matt didn’t say much. “Do you have to do anything about the metals in Newport?”
He looked at her and sighed. “I’ll sign for that shipment and drop it off with the rest of the stuff. Then we’re out of there.”
She nodded and tried to stop shaking. Finally, she gulped the coffee and tossed the cup. When she glanced at Matt he took her in his arms and held her tight against him. He was shaking as much as she was.
They were so tired by the time they got to Newport and finished Matt’s business at the freight security office that they picked up several items at the local delicatessen and had dinner in the motel room. Neither one of them felt like talking and they picked at their food until Matt glanced at her and noticed she was crying.
“Hey, love. This is no good.” He held her close and stroked her hair. “What can I do to cheer you up?”
“Why should you cheer me up? You were just as much in danger as I was. I’m just being a big baby. That’s all.”
“No. We were both scared and we still are. We have to figure out how we can protect ourselves and still enjoy our trip. One good thing is that no one’s going to hassle us because I’ve got a gun to protect us with. I have a regular permit for here and for Washington so I can deliver this stuff in either state. Next time we’ll make arrangements to get the stuff up here before we distribute it.”
“That’s not good enough for me, Matt. I’m sorry but I don’t want you running around with this stuff in your pocket or delivering gold and silver to sculptors anymore. It’s too scary. I’ll figure out how to make arrangements and if it costs the sculptor more, well, that’s their problem. They probably have to protect their stuff where they live. They ought to understand.”
“Okay. You’re right. I don’t want to go through that again, especially with you there. See what you can find out and I’ll work with you. When I thought you were going to be killed by some lowlife for that handful of gems I was sorry I ever agreed to deal in this stuff. In fact, I’m hoping we can get married before summer. I want to hang onto every day we have together. I know my mom’s been lonely ever since Dad died and I don’t want to waste any time we could be together.”
Jade nodded and held him with all of her strength.
It was late when she brushed her teeth and she was so exhausted she was asleep the minute she crawled into bed by her snoring lover.
The next morning she decided she was going to start better security for them on that very day. While Matt showered, she called the La Grande Sheriff’s office and asked for the officer in charge at the station. She told the deputy that she and Matt would be picking up a small amount of gold and silver for delivery to sculptors in Joseph and wanted to hire highly recommended body guards to accompany them. He gave her some names and phone numbers and offered to post an officer to witness the pickup of the shipment. She thanked him and called the agency they had recommended. By the time they were ready to leave she felt a lot better.
After they settled in his pickup Matt handed her a cardboard tray stuffed with two cups of coffee and two cartons of orange juice. “I suggest we drink this juice and coffee on the way and have breakfast at Big Bertha’s after we hit the freeway.”
“Fine with me. My stomach still hasn’t settled down from yesterday. I would love to come here another time, when we don’t have to handle anything valuable. It looks like a great place to relax and see the sights.” Jade placed the tray in her lap and steadied it while they headed down the highway toward the I-5 freeway.
“Put it down for our honeymoon.”
Jade smiled and caught him grinning at her. “Are you really in a hurry to get saddled with a wife? I have some pretty weird ways about me.”
“Other than trying to live on fruit and salad, talking to geese, and never wearing a dress I think you’re perfectly normal. If all women were like you there would be very few single women.”
“All right. When do you want to get married? March? April? May?”
“How about Valentine’s Day?”
Jade looked at Matt as if he had lost his mind. “That’s only a month away. You really are sure. Geez, I don’t know, Matt. I should invite Martha and my company people and we have to find a person to marry us.” She watched his eyes for a moment.
“I’ll help you do that. I’ll bet even Tilly would help. She’s a real sweetheart. We should send Rafael an invitation, and your dad, too.”
“You don’t think Rafael would really come, do you?”
“No, but he might be hurt if we forget him and Delta will probably come.”
Jade looked at her purse calendar. Valentine’s Day was on Saturday. Maybe it could work. “Tell you what. I’ll start making a list and I’ll make the calls the day after we get home. I can tell you what I think is possible a couple of days after that.”
“Fair enough, Mrs. Dixon.” His voice had a deep sexy quality to it.
It made her tingle all over.
“Why don’t we get your engagement ring in Joseph? They have wonderful jewelry artists there.”
“Who needs an engagement ring for a month? I just want a really sturdy wedding band for each of us. We’re a little hard on our watches with our projects. There’s no use picking out a dainty ring for me. I want it to last for a lifetime.”
“Now you’re talking!” Matt turned on the radio and found a romantic tune.
They were singing along with wonderful old songs by the time they pulled into Big Bertha’s.
CHAPTER NINE
They managed to get through the Portland traffic and make it to Pendleton for a late lunch. They ate little and were back on the highway by two o’clock. In the small town of La Grande they registered at their motel and hurried to the security freight office. Jade was relieved to find an armed deputy waiting for them. While Matt filled out the paperwork to take possession of the small gold and silver bars, the deputy introduced Jade to the two bodyguards the sheriff had recommended to accompany them on their trip to Joseph. The bigger, older guard was named Oscar and the shorter young one was called Nelson.
Oscar shook her hand while the other one tipped his cap. “Horace told me you just want us to follow you in our vehicle and that we’ll be done in Joseph by six o’clock. Is that ri
ght?”
“That’s our plan.” Jade handed the security contract to Matt for his signature and looked at her watch. “I was told it’s only seventy miles to Joseph from here. That should give us enough time.”
The men nodded, grabbed their coats, and followed them out to the parking lot into the biting wind.
As soon as they were on the road Jade began to wonder what she had forgotten. “Do your clients know we’re coming?”
Matt nodded, his mouth tight. “I called Benson while you were in the shower and told him we would meet him at the foundry. He said Beatrice is already planning to be there for a meeting. It’s the safest place we can deliver the stuff. There are some beefy guys working there I’ve known for years and they pay attention to who comes around the place.”
Jade let out a sigh, glanced to the rear to see the jeep the guards were driving, and tried to relax.
The foundry surprised her. It was Sunday afternoon yet there was a team working a bronze pour and the heat radiating from that room gave the receiving area a warm glow which felt wonderful against the chill Jade felt after walking in from the parking lot. The two guards stayed with her and Matt and watched the two sculptors examine the gems and pearls. The shining pleasure in their eyes spoke volumes about the joy they felt in their work.
The tall red-haired sculptress caressed the pearls and seemed to slip the small gold bar and the silver bar into her briefcase as casually as if they were packages of crackers. The pearls were clearly her favorites. “Marvelous! Tell Lee how pleased I am. These are perfect!”
“Okay, Matt. I’m convinced that these semis you brought me are going to work just as well as the rubies I used last time. They’ll probably stand up even better, according to my chemist buddy. But next time--.”
“I’m not going to deliver this stuff anymore. If you want to get this stuff shipped to you after Lee brings it into Frisco then you’ll need to deal with Jade. She’s going to make the arrangements from now on and you’ll have to pick them up in La Grande or Pendleton yourself. Sorry.” Matt held his hands up as if his words were final.
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