by Mia Dymond
“Sure. Let’s go in here.” She gestured at a nearby room with one hand.
Once he and Steele sat cross-legged on a soft, bright yellow mat opposite Holly, Ranger began to very seriously question his decision. His original plan was to breeze right on in and watch Steele turn on his husbandly charm to get the information they needed. In and out, maybe a total of fifteen minutes.
Turned out, Steele knew his wife extremely well.
Holly had to have known the plan, otherwise they wouldn’t have been stuck in the yoga studio like caged animals. He didn’t know about Steele, but yoga wasn’t even in his vocabulary.
Holly took a deep breath, exhaled, and then smiled. “I have information you need, huh?”
“Ranger seems to think so,” Steele answered.
Ranger narrowed his gaze at his friend. Whatever happened to never leave a man behind?
“Information about a woman,” she added.
He raised both eyebrows. How the hell could she have possibly known that?
Holly giggled. “Your eyebrows gave you away. It’s an expression of disbelief, intrigue or curiosity. The woman part was strictly a wild guess.”
“Told ya,” Steele muttered under his breath.
Ranger took a deep breath, determined to find an answer. “Holly, do you happen to know Tess Michaels?”
“You like her.” Her blue eyes sparkled as she raised her hands over her head with a wide smile.
Holy hell, was he that transparent?
“Not exactly.” Holly answered his unvoiced question while she unfolded her legs and stretched them in front of her. “You’re glowing bright red, which tells me your sense of lust is heightened.”
“Geezus, Ranger,” Steele drawled. “You just met her.”
“Not just lust, Brett,” Holly scolded. “His heart is wrapped in bright pink, which tells me he cares for her.”
“Thanks, Holly.” He attempted to get the conversation back on tract, ignoring her accusation of lusting for Tess – even if it was true. “Do you know her?”
“Maybe. Why?”
“So far she’s our only suspect in Jack’s robbery,” Steele explained.
Holly lowered her chest over her legs and he worked overtime to keep his gaze trained on hers. Steele would not be amused if he knew another man, especially a teammate, checked out his wife’s cleavage.
“She’s not guilty.”
“We’ve pretty much come to that conclusion.” Holly’s analysis gave him great relief – even if there wasn’t an explanation behind it. “It would just make things a whole lot easier if we could get an alibi for her whereabouts this afternoon.”
“And how would I know?”
“We believe she was here.”
“Correction,” Steele interrupted. “You believe she was here.”
“Okay yes, I have reason to believe she was here.”
“And I can clear her name?”
“Yes.”
She studied him again for several seconds before she spoke. “You’re white as a ghost, Ranger. I don’t know if it’s honesty or fear.”
He released a half-laugh. “A little of both.”
“Yes, I know Tess. I asked her to review my financials and consider doing bookkeeping for the gym.”
“So you know her in a professional capacity?”
“Yes.”
“Is she a member of your gym?”
“I don’t disclose information about my members. However, if it will help Tess, the only thing I’ll tell you is that yes, she was here at the gym this afternoon.”
“Can you tell me what time?”
“Before she went to work.”
Thankfully, Steele jumped in. “Holly, he’s not asking what she was doing. It’s okay to tell him the time.”
“No it’s not.” She narrowed her eyes on her husband. “You know that today is Wednesday. You also know what classes are scheduled today by heart, dear husband.” She turned her gaze back on him. “What time was the robbery?”
“That would guide your answer. How about this, what time did she arrive?”
“About 11:00 a.m.”
“And approximately how long did she stay?”
“A couple hours.”
He released a mental sigh of relief. “Thanks, Holly.”
“You’re welcome. I’m glad you’re moving on.”
“I’m not –“He stopped in mid-sentence. It wouldn’t do any good to deny Holly’s conclusion, especially when she would see his lie before he even told it.
“I’m taking another stab at it,” he said instead.
Holly nodded. “Good for you. However, the murky pink ring around your shoulders tells me that honesty is the best policy.”
A shiver climbed his spine as he pursed his lips to keep his mouth from falling open. Did she know Tess better than she claimed? Or did she simply read his aura and pick up on his undercover investigation? Suddenly he totally understood Steele’s position.
He cleared his throat and made a drastic decision – one he couldn’t afford to put off any longer. “I’ll take that under advisement. Thanks again, Holly.”
***
From behind the darkened windows of the limousine’s back seat, he watched the scenery crawl by as his driver steered the vehicle to the drop point. Tall buildings on city streets soon turned to modest homes on neighborhood roads, and then finally to abandoned shacks in the sand along the sterile highway that lead to the desert.
“Our usual rendezvous point, Antonio,” he said as he settled back against the leather.
“Yes, sir.”
He continued to gaze out the window, preparing his mind for impending business. He had to admit, he was impressed by his target’s first deposit thus far; his palm had been greased appropriately for the delay. However, now it was time to teach the target a lesson. There were rules for a reason and severe consequences for rule-breakers.
He lifted his hand to rub his chin. Normally he would send a foot soldier to receive a package but this particular circumstance required his personal assistance. This target intrigued him; although others had attempted to negotiate in the past, no one had offered such an enticing incentive.
The tires of the vehicle crunched over gravel as they neared the meeting place. He reached to adjust his shirt cuffs beneath his suit coat, prepared for business as the car came to a stop.
“Do we have company?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Give the signal.”
“Yes, sir.”
He waited patiently until he heard footsteps approach. Antonio exited to issue the required body search and then tapped on the window.
“He is clean, sir.”
The target appeared as he lowered the window.
“Do you have the deposit?”
“Yes, you will find it all present.”
He accepted a stack of bills and fanned them with one thumb. “It appears sufficient. However, I must insist you pay a penalty for your delay.”
“Penalty?” The target lifted both eyebrows, in obvious surprise.
He nodded. “You did not believe I would let you off easily, did you?”
“I assumed the interest I paid would settle my debt.”
“You assumed wrong. You are extremely lucky I extended your deadline and now, you must pay the price.”
“How much more do you require?”
“The original amount you borrowed.”
The target’s hands began to shake. “I’m not sure that’s possible.”
“It must be.”
“How much time will you allow?”
“Twenty-four hours.”
He couldn’t mistake the quivering voice of fear that answered. “I’ll do my best.”
“See that you do. I will accept no less.”
CHAPTER FOUR
As she stood in the doorway of Guardia de Serpiente, Tess glanced around the room, trying to locate the rest of her party. Spicy scents of cumin and chili powder tickled her nostrils as she approached the h
ostess station.
“Buenos Dias, may I seat you?”
Tess smiled at the caramel-skinned, young girl who issued the greeting. “I’m supposed to meet Holly Steele.”
“Oh, yes! You are Tess?”
She nodded.
“I am Bianca. Right this way.”
As Bianca led her through the dining room, Tess noticed a large, glass tank on one wall. She slowed, then stopped in front, curious about what was inside.
“Bianca, what’s in here?”
Her first guess would’ve been fish, except the tank was dry except for a circular pattern of rocks in one corner that held an inch or two of water. Thick, green foliage and several thick logs covered the interior in a dense camouflage.
The hostess stepped beside her. “Beau lives there.”
“Beau?”
Bianca nodded. “Mr. Roberto’s boa constrictor.”
“A snake lives inside?”
“Yes, he has lived here since he was three feet long. He has quite a thing for the ladies. Mr. Roberto lets him visit the guests on Friday evenings.”
Tess swallowed hard, extremely relieved it was Thursday. Still, she was intrigued. No wonder the Spanish name for the restaurant translated as The Serpent’s Den.
“I don’t see him.”
“He’s there, see?” Bianca pointed at a clump of leaves in the back right corner.
Tess moved closer to the tank and squinted. Just then she saw what appeared to be a rubber tire lying behind the foliage.
“I see him!” Although squeamish around reptiles, she felt relatively safe on the opposite side of the glass. While the animal lay docile, she noticed his skin reflected more of a dark grey tone. Black diamonds with a simple, yellow dot in the middle patterned his length. As if he felt her presence, he raised his flat, triangular head and his forked tongue left his mouth to taste the air.
“His markings are really very pretty.”
“He is a handsome boy,” Bianca agreed as they began walking.
Soon they stood in front of a corner booth in the back of the room.
“You made it!” Holly smiled as Tess sat next to her.
“Thanks for inviting me.” Still mesmerized by her discovery, she felt the need to share. “Did you know there’s a boa constrictor in the tank against the wall?”
Her friend nodded. “Beau is the resident mascot.”
“Bianca said the owner takes him out on Friday evenings.”
“Brett and I don’t come anywhere near on Fridays.”
“You don’t like snakes?”
“I don’t have a problem with them, Brett does.” She smiled and pointed to the attractive brunette seated on her other side. “You know Rachel Hawke, right?”
“Yes.”
“We’re glad you came,” Rachel told her.
“I needed a break from all the excitement at the club. You’ve heard about it, I’m sure.”
“Holly filled us in.” Rachel nodded. “And we’re sorry you’ve been put in that position.”
“I’m Claire Windsor.” The very noticeably pregnant woman beside Rachel smiled. “I know you’re not responsible.” She rubbed a hand over her protruding belly as if it were a crystal ball. “Unfortunately, how I know doesn’t make much sense.”
“Same here,” Holly mumbled. “In fact, I told Ranger and Brett as much when they came to the gym yesterday afternoon.”
Tess widened her eyes. Had she heard Holly correctly? “Who came to see you?”
“Brett and Ranger, the new team member.”
Team member? Suddenly, she realized she’d been scammed and she had fallen for it, head over heels. Obviously, Ranger was not Jack’s new bouncer.
She took a deep breath and attempted not to give away her shock. “They asked you about me?”
“Obviously no one told you Jack asked our husbands to investigate.” Holly glanced at the tank. “Maybe we should sic Beau on them.”
Tess gave a half laugh. “So Ranger is a member of SEALs, Inc.?”
“Don’t worry.” Holly patted her shoulder. “I only gave them enough information to clear you. I didn’t tell them what you were doing.” She gestured at the last remaining woman. “This is Cameron Sterling.”
Cameron leaned forward and grinned. “Wednesdays are class days. Which one were you in?”
Although Holly had filled her in on her friends and their unique personalities, Tess couldn’t help but feel a little nervous. She swallowed hard and moved her gaze to Claire. To her credit, the other woman simply smirked, as if waiting for her to divulge information she already knew.
“Sensual dance,” she mumbled.
Cameron giggled and reached to pat her hand across the table. “Good for you! That’s such a fun class.”
“She’s really good at it too,” Holly added.
“Anyone in particular you’d like to practice on?”
“No, I only do it for exercise.”
Claire raised an eyebrow. “I don’t think so. The pictures in your mind are downright erotic.”
Tess gasped and felt her cheeks heat.
“Holly.” Cameron glanced at her friend. “What color is she now?”
Holly giggled. “Iridescent pink. She really likes him.”
“Creepy, huh?” Cameron shrugged. “You just have to get used to it if you hang out with us.”
Tess giggled at Cameron’s brutal honesty, relaxed by her acceptance of her friend’s ability.
“It comes in handy,” the other woman added. “When Captain Sterling gets a little too alpha, I do one of two things: I make up an imaginary meeting and sic the babies on him or, I call Claire and Holly and corner him with the psychic big guns. Works every time.”
“So now tell us who you’d really like to practice with.” Rachel’s brown eyes sparkled.
Tess hesitated, not exactly sure why.
“And don’t be shy,” the other woman added. “Believe me, some of us have done some absolutely crazy things to satisfy our wild side.”
“She flashed Max,” Cameron drawled. “And then she had to extract Hawke’s prized possession from his zipper.”
“You flashed him too,” Rachel fired back with a giggle. “And you got your fancy little high heels stuck in a tree. Shame on you for pushing him out when he tried to save you.”
“Holly wore a disguise to dance for Brett,” Claire chimed in. “He had to tackle her on stage when a drunk idiot mauled her. Long story short, she lost her mask.”
“Uh-huh.” Holly folded her arms across her chest. “Claire’s house blew up while she and Shadow were tangled in the bed sheets.”
Tess stared at the women in pleasant shock, amazed by how easily they accepted each other’s gentle teasing. Not to mention, they’d wandered from the subject of sensual dance class. Tension drained from her nerves and she settled in to the comfortable camaraderie.
Claire cleared her throat. “We have room for one more, Tess. We’ve all got issues and without each other they’d be unbearable.”
She frowned. “Issues?”
“Sure.” Rachel shrugged. “Only two percent of the population shares my IQ. Sometimes I’m too much of a brainiac for my own good.”
“In case you haven’t noticed, I’m sarcastic and bossy,” Cameron added. “I’m that friend you want to smack for a healthy dose of brutal honesty. And I love shoes way too much.”
“You know all about me.” Holly giggled. “I see so much color, I’m almost color-blind. And when Claire and I combine our gifts, my brain does some amazing things.”
“I have a hard time minding my own business,” Claire admitted, “but sometimes it comes in handy.”
Tess nodded, now wrapped in a warm blanket of friendship.
Cameron cocked her head to one side. “So what’s your issue?”
“I have an obsession with numbers.”
“How?”
“I can remember equations and figures forever. And, I can calculate at the drop of a hat.”
�
��Amazing! Show us.”
“Okay, well, for example, six months ago on Wednesday the 23rd, the cash deposit at The Cathouse totaled $5041.32.”
“Did you just pull that out of your head?”
“Actually, I did. But if you check the books, you’ll find I’m exactly right.”
“Wow! I could use that talent. Especially when I’m figuring the amount of materials I need for a job. My calculator gets a workout and sometimes I have to figure twice.” She grinned. “How much carpet will I need for an average-sized bedroom?”
“Most bedrooms in this area are 10 x 12,” Rachel added.
“Fifteen square yards.”
“Holy cow!” Cameron squealed. “Can I hire you?”
Tess laughed. “Just give me a call.”
“Has anyone mentioned the Block Party to you?”
“No, I haven’t heard anything.”
“Rachel’s charity, Professionals for People, is having a block party on Saturday to raise money for the new neighborhood she’s designing. Can you come?”
“Sure, sounds fun. Can I help?”
“Glad you asked. We need a ticket-taker who can sell tickets and then tally up donations.”
“Right up my alley. I’d be glad to do that. What are you guys doing?”
“I’m taking applications for new homes at the People booth,” Rachel told her.
“I’m face painting,” Cameron said.
Holly nodded. “She’s an awesome artist. I’m in charge of the three-legged race.”
“Since I’m better on my rear end these days, I’m going to tell fortunes.” Claire grinned. “Madame Claire and her crystal ball.”
Tess smiled. “What about your husbands?”
“Dunk tank.” Cameron’s eyes sparkled. “And I intend to take a shot.”
Rachel giggled. “Hawke’s giving a concert later in the evening to wrap it all up.”
Tess wrapped her hands around her glass, comfortable with this group of women. They’d embraced her without questions and pulled her in as one of their own. Maybe they could help.
“Of course we can.” Claire’s admission brought her out of her internal analysis.
This time, she wasn’t even concerned that her new friend had been inside her head. “Would you and Holly come to The Cathouse? Maybe you can find something.”
