Peril in Pensacola

by Lucy Quinn

  Dora glanced over her shoulder at the screen that was across from the desk where Evie was seated. “It’s not on.”

  “No, but the remote for it is on the desk.” Evie winked at Sunshine. “Are you limbered up?”

  Sunshine let out a little growl as a yes.

  The controls were on the desk. Neither of them could reach it, and Sunshine couldn’t jump up on it because she was tied to the table leg. Dora shook her head, unable to fathom how Evie expected to get to the remote. “But—"

  “Mountain pose,” Evie commanded. The dog lifted her front legs up to extend like a standing human. “Very good, Sunshine. Someone’s been practicing. Dora, can you see this?”

  “Evie, please.” Dora pleaded.

  “Right. Sorry.” She returned her gaze to the dog, who wasn’t tall enough to see the top of the desk. “Reach for the sky and hit that remote.”

  The dog lifted her front paws up over her little head and dropped them down onto the desk. One hit the remote, and Dora noticed the word audio pop up on the screen before the dog landed back on all fours and the controls went skittering across the room.

  “Darn it,” Evie said.

  But Dora heard something else clatter and shook her head. “Shhh.”

  Brian’s voice came through the television speaker. “—Miss Morris. This is getting ridiculous.”

  Jock said, “You know I don’t do animal cruelty. It’s in the contract.”

  Brian let out a noise of disgust. “That’s something. A goon with morals.”

  “You got a problem with that?” Jock challenged.

  Brian sighed. “No, you jackass. But you get to keep the dog. I already have enough to deal with.”

  Evie’s wide eyes told Dora they were thinking the same thing. Jock may be keeping the dog because Dora and Evie would no longer be able to. And she didn’t think it was because they were going to be out of town.

  For a moment, Dora wondered who Miss Morris was, but she didn’t have time to ponder it because Brian said, “I’ll stake out Evie’s house for Monday’s mail. We’ll keep them alive until I get the flash drive… just in case.”

  “Whattaya want me to do with the mailman?”

  “Billy?” Brian chuckled. “The gator will run out of food Sunday night, and come Monday there won’t be a scrap of him left.”

  Evie’s lower lip trembled as she and Dora stared at each other in fear for Billy, the kind mail carrier. And it occurred to Dora that she now knew where the mailman was. An alligator park was one of the businesses that had been in Marco’s files of cooked books. But a fat lot of good it did them if they couldn’t escape in time to save him. Or themselves.

  15

  At some point in the night, Dora and Evie dozed off, and Evie woke to the sound of someone rustling around in the main lobby of the dry cleaners. She determined Brian and Jock were gone when she heard the new girl, who must have taken her place, talking to herself as she ran through the opening checklist.

  “Lights on,” the girl said. Evie looked over and noticed Dora was awake too. She heard the girl also say, “Unlock the clerk safe for my cash drawer.” Fred had a small safe for the clerks to keep the register drawer. The deposit at the end of the day went into a slot in a bigger safe that only Fred had access to.

  The girl continued, “One to the right, two to the left and… Wait. What’s the next number? Darn it. One, two…?” There was silence for a moment, and it made Dora want to shout ‘three’ to her. But then the girl giggled. “Brain fart. Where was I?” She blew out a long breath, apparently trying again. “One to the right, two to the left, and three to the right. Yes!” They heard rattling that was likely change in the plastic drawer, and then the girl said, “Unlock the door. Huh? What’s this? I guess I’m supposed to read Fred’s note. Hmpf. That’s not on my opening check list.” She let out a big sigh as if reading a note was a burden. Which Evie assumed might be for her. “Dear New Girl. Really? Fred doesn’t even know my name?” She huffed. “Personality disorder therapy has begun in the office next door. Ignore anything you hear.”

  Dora gasped. “She’s not going to believe that bull, is she?”

  Evie raised her eyebrows. “Her safe combination is one, two, three, and she couldn’t remember it.”

  “Good point,” Dora conceded. “There goes the calling-for-help idea.”

  Evie watched as Dora’s eyes filled with tears, and her heart ached for her friend, who seemed to be giving up hope.

  Dora’s voice was shaky as she asked, “What is your biggest regret in life?”

  “What?” It was worse than Evie had feared. Dora had given up and was sure they were going to die. “No, Dora –”

  “Not having children,” Dora interrupted. “I think I would have been a great mother.”

  Evie took stock of her best friend. Tears were running down her face with streaks of mascara marking the trail. She’d been strong and capable until they’d been restrained last night, but now she was falling apart. Evie knew her friend had cried herself to sleep too. And who could blame her? In the span of three days, Dora had discovered a money laundering scheme, accidently killed her boss, gotten a mailman kidnapped, done a lap dance that would make a real stripper blush, and was now duct taped to a chair. But even so, it was heartbreaking for Evie to see her best friend give up hope.

  Evie said, “You will be a great mother one day. I can just see little number-crunching chefs telling my free-spirited musician kids what to do at playgroup.”

  The bell to the front door jingled, and Evie stopped talking to listen. The new clerk might believe the ridiculous therapy excuse, but maybe a rational customer wouldn’t.

  “Thank god you’re open,” said a familiar voice.

  Dora gasped. “Is that—”

  “Luke,” Evie said as she recognized the voice and listened.

  “Hey!” The clerk yelled. “You can’t—”

  “My chef’s jacket is back here somewhere!”

  “Here!” Dora cried out, hoping her volume was loud enough to lead him to the office.

  The door burst open, and he rushed in and slammed it behind him. He yelled, “Found it! Be out in a minute.”

  “Oh. Okay,” the girl said in a chipper voice as if all was well. “Hey, do you think you could watch the front for me while I run to Starbucks?” Her voice turned dramatic. “I’m just dyyying for a coffee.” Before Luke could answer, she said, “Be right back!”

  Luke rushed over to Dora and grabbed her face. “Are you hurt?”

  Fresh tears were in Dora’s eyes, and Evie suspected they were from relief as her friend shook her head.

  “I’m going to get you out of here. Hold on.” Luke moved over to the desk and yanked open drawers, items clattering as he searched for something to use to release them.

  Evie asked, “How did you know we were here?”

  “I heard the gunshot last night as I was leaving the adult toy shop, and when I noticed the man talking to you, I hid behind a dumpster and watched the whole thing.” Luke grabbed a pair of scissors and went to work cutting at Dora’s restraints. “I’ve been outside waiting for my chance to come get you. Whatever trouble you’re in, Dora…” He paused, and it was a movie moment. At least it felt that way when his voice turned steely as he added, “I’ll get you out of it.”

  Dora’s hands were finally free, and she placed one on Luke’s cheek. “You’re going to save me?”

  While the moment was certainly touching and definitely the kind of thing Evie was happy for her friend to experience, she’d been stuck to her chair for far too long to be patient, and she asked, “Any chance you could save me too?”

  Luke finished cutting Dora free and moved to Evie. She couldn’t help noticing how well he filled out the black T-shirt that hugged his muscular chest in all the right ways as he said, “My car is out back. I’m going to take you to my place where we can regroup and figure out a plan.”

  Evie’s stomach grumbled. Knowing she was going to squeeze int
o the tight red dress to go to the strip club the night before, she hadn’t eaten much dinner, and poor Sunshine was probably starving for breakfast. “Can we hit that Starbucks drive thru on the way?”

  Luke chuckled. “Do you think I’m going to allow that? I’ll make you the best darn cappuccino this side of the ocean once we get to my place.”

  “And scones?” Dora asked. “Please tell me you’ll make those cranberry orange scones I tasted last week because they were soooo good.”

  Evie twirled her hands to make sure her wrists still worked as she watched Dora’s transformation from accepting her impending death to flirting with chef Luke. It was one she was happy to see. Once Luke untied Sunshine, Evie scooped her up, and they followed Dora and her knight out the back door.

  16

  Dora wrapped the white button-down shirt of Luke’s a little tighter around her body and tucked a leg under her bottom as she perched on a bar stool at Luke’s kitchen island. The best cappuccino she’d ever had warmed her hands as she held the cup. She’d taken a long hot shower at his place and even washed her hair using his shampoo, which meant she now had a lingering woodsy scent she associated with him surrounding her. It was comforting and something she never expected could make her feel so good. Letting a man take care of her wasn’t a luxury Dora was used to.

  Bacon sizzled in a pan, and the scent of cranberry orange scones wafted from the oven as Luke made breakfast for them. Sunshine was chomping on a bowl full of dry dog food Luke had gotten from a neighbor, and Evie was taking her turn in the shower. It gave Dora time to explain the mess she’d gotten them into.

  “It all started with a job that was too good to be true.” She gazed into Luke’s sapphire-blue eyes as she told him how she’d discovered the money laundering scheme and snuck the flash drive of files into Evie’s package just before the accidental shooting that had sent her running in fear.

  She explained how Billy had been intercepted and kidnapped, and that the flash drive was actually in a package on its way to New Orleans. She told him about Brian’s deception. And then she told him a condensed version of searching for Billy at the strip club before running into him at the sex shop. She had just finished her story when Evie emerged from the bathroom in a blue shirt like the one Dora was wearing.

  Luke set two plates down for the women and remained standing on his side of the island to face them. “So, you need to get to New Orleans undetected to get the flash drive,” he said. “Once you have it, you can take it to someone you trust and prove your innocence and uncover the whole scheme.”

  “That sounds about right, but there’s one more thing,” Dora said. “We’ve got to save Billy first.”

  “And we know where he is,” Evie added. She bit into a piece of bacon and let out a moan of satisfaction.

  “He’s at an alligator park the Franklins—well, Marco Franklin—owns, and he’s safe until the gators run out of food tonight,” Dora said.

  Luke pulled a phone out of his back pocket, and Dora had a moment of panic, not sure she could trust him. He was a man she’d just confessed to after all. “Wait!”

  He frowned in question for a second and then seemed to understand. He gave her a reassuring smile. “I’m just calling my assistant to let her know I’m not coming in to work tonight. I think you ladies need my help.”

  Dora relaxed, and warmth filled her heart at his kindness. But then a chill took over. “I can’t let you do that. It would put you in danger too.”

  “I believe rescuing you from the dry cleaners already has.” Luke winked at her and hit Call on his phone.

  He was right, and it made Dora’s stomach knot up. She couldn’t believe she’d managed to involve another person she cared about in her situation. While Dora picked at her eggs, Evie chowed down. She wasn’t quite sure Evie had a grasp on the fact they’d barely escaped losing their lives, but she wasn’t about to ruin her friend’s appetite. At least someone could make use of the energy Luke’s breakfast provided.

  Luke ended his call and leaned across the counter to tip Dora’s chin up so he could gaze into her eyes. “You need to eat.”

  “I know.” She let out a breath as tears threatened to come. “I’m just—”

  “Scared,” Luke said.

  She nodded, and he grabbed her hand to squeeze her fingers.

  He said, “It’s okay to be scared, but food will help keep you alert. Today we’re going to rescue Billy, and I’m going to send you on your way to New Orleans safe and sound. Got it?”

  Dora nodded again, and this time she almost meant it. She scooped up a forkful of eggs and put them in her mouth in an attempt to get some protein in her body. She believed Luke could and would do what he said. It was a sobering thought, though, because it meant she might not see him again for a long time.

  “Can I have more bacon?” Evie asked over a mouthful of food as if Dora and Luke were discussing a shopping list. “And don’t you think those scones might be done, Romeo?”

  Luke shook his head and rescued the scones before shoveling more eggs and bacon onto Evie’s plate. He reached over and grabbed a scone with a pair of tongs and placed it on Dora’s plate. The butter dish scraped across the counter, and he pushed it at her with a smile. Then he said, “Can you believe I finally get the nerve to ask Dora out and she’s going to skip town on me?”

  “I know, right?” Evie replied, trying to help him lighten the mood. But then she looked at Dora and got serious. “It’s not going to be forever. You and I have two great men who live here. We’re coming back to clear your name as soon as we can.”

  Dora smiled, because while she and Luke hadn’t even kissed, the way he’d rescued them and put himself in danger for her told her she had found a great man. She was just as determined to return to Luke as Evie was to come back to Trace. She smeared butter on her scone and bit into the steamy goodness. The flavor did more than warm her insides. It warmed her heart. Maybe it was the power of food, or maybe, she dared to hope, it was the power of love, because she had new confidence everything was going to turn out okay.

  “Ugh,” exclaimed Dora as she pinched her nose. Florida heat and humidity, combined with the alligator-filled swampy waters, gave off a ripe stench that made her eyes water. She and Evie, along with Luke, were checking out the gator park where they suspected Billy was being kept. After a quick trip to Target, Dora and Evie were decked out in shorts, or a short skirt in Evie’s case, T-shirts, and practical shoes like a typical tourist. They were there as visitors so they could come up with a plan for after hours when they returned to set Billy free.

  Dora glanced over at Evie and checked the bag she was carrying. Sunshine was not allowed into the alligator park, so they’d hidden her in a backpack Luke had. But Dora wasn’t so sure Sunshine had an awareness of how important it was to stay hidden. As if to validate her fear, Sunshine poked her nose out of the top of the bag. Dora glared at the little pup, and she ducked her head back down in fear.

  “Evie, you’ve got to keep your dog in check,” she hissed at her friend.

  “She’s fine.” Evie’s paper map rustled as she unfolded it, and she hammed it up playing her role as a tourist. “Look at this! Oh, my. So many gators. So little time.” She glanced at a man walking toward them. “Can you believe this place?”

  He smiled at her, which only opened the door for more of Evie’s dramatics. She grabbed his arm and suddenly had a southern accent. “My friends and I are here on vacation from Tennessee,” she drawled. “What’s the best part of this park, would you say?”

  “Well, I’m a big fan of the gator wrestling.” He turned and pointed off to the left. “It’s right over there.”

  “Oh, my,” Evie said, her accent getting thicker as she rubbed his forearm. “I bet you’d be really good at that, too.”

  “Oh—” The man’s face blushed a nice shade of Florida sunburn. “Well, I’m not sure—”

  “Oh, pshaw!” Evie giggled. “I don’t suppose you’d mind taking our picture, would
you?”

  “Uh, I—I’m not that good with cameras.” He started backing away, and Dora thought Evie might have overdone it.

  But Evie had no intention of letting the man get away. She cried out, “Great!” and shoved her phone into the guy’s hands. “Make sure you take a bunch from all angles. We wouldn’t want any unfortunate double chins or tummy rolls when we post to Insta, right?”

  “Insta?” the older man asked, confusion swimming in his eyes.

  “Aren’t you sweet?” Evie giggled and adjusted the phone, showing him where to hit the button. “Remember now, act like a photographer on a mission. Plenty of angles, high and low.”

  Evie grabbed Dora, nearly knocking her off her feet as she pulled her to the fence. Dora glanced across the facility, spotting Luke. Evie and Dora were supposed to create enough of a minor distraction so that he could get a feel for where they should be looking for Billy. So far, the plan was right on track, and Dora watched him sneak into a side door that was clearly marked Employees Only.

  “Dora!” Evie gave her friend a knowing grin. “Hop up on the fence railing. That will make it a much better shot.”

  Dora eyed the enclosure and the lazy gators. None of them were particularly close, but Dora had seen enough zoo snapshots gone wrong that she shook her head. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea, Evie,” she whispered into her friend’s ear. “I think we should be on the safe side and just stand here.”

  “Dora.” Evie sucked in an impatient breath. “How is that going to create a distraction?” She pumped her eyebrows. “We need to live a little dangerously. Just hook your feet between the bars. You’re not that clumsy. It’s fine. Come on.”

  Dora decided she had a point. If they were doing something that appeared dangerous, people would definitely watch. Dora glanced back at the enclosure one more time, just to reassure herself that none of the gators were looking especially hungry, and then lifted herself up, careful to brace her feet on the bottom railing.