It Happens in Threes

by Denise Robbins

  “Why’d you do that?” he asked with the impatience of a child.

  “All’s fair in love and spying. Try to remember that, Shugah,” she told him in an exaggerated drawl, hand fisted on hip.

  His hand still covering his eyes, Jake tossed her the towel and turned his back on her. “Cover up before you catch a cold.”

  Wrapping it around her, she turned in the direction of the dresser and heard yelling. The voice from the phone yelled. She halted, stared at the receiver in her hand. He yelled again and she flinched. Her first instinct was to run, but then she remembered she was pissed.

  Her chin sprung up. Her spine straightened. “Michael, is that you?” she asked with all the sweetness of the Sugar Plum Fairy.

  “Yes, it’s me. Why do you have Jake’s phone? Put him on.”

  She winced at the intensity of his growl. “I told him I wanted to speak with you so I stole the phone from him. I want an explanation, Michael. And I’d like it now, please.”

  “An explanation? An explanation for what?” Smooth. He knew what she was talking about. “Cat, I don’t have time for this at the moment. Put Jake…”

  “Don’t, Cat me. Calling me by my pet name will get you nothing and nowhere. Michael, you owe me an explanation and I won’t give up the phone until I get it.”

  “You may not want me calling you by your nickname but you damn well better start calling me by mine. We have a cover to maintain. If you want to be a part of this team and operation then you start calling me Mickey.”

  “Fine, M-i-c-k-e-y,” she sung. “Whatever you say, M-i-c-k-e-y.” Mouse.

  Uh-oh. She was submissive and obedient—even if there was sarcasm, which meant one thing. She was pissed. Ruby inhaled audibly, and closing his eyes, he waited for what he knew was coming, Hurricane Ruby.

  “What gives you the right to go behind my back? What makes you think you can make a decision about me without my consent? Or go against my wishes just because you’re an overbearing, manipulative, pain in the ass?” She hadn’t disappointed him.

  “Ruby,” he interrupted in a soothing, even-toned voice. But she wouldn’t stop. She was on a roll.

  “I want to know what the hell is going on and I want to know all of it. First you sic your Neanderthal bodyguard on me, then some maniac and your bodyguard crash through the lanai screen door. After that Jacob all but scared the bejeezes out of me when he tried dragging me into the house. Where I might add, I accidentally, on purpose, nailed him in his very private parts. I’m under house arrest in my own home. And now, Thomas is emailing pictures of me, naked in the bathroom.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “I said first you sic your Neanderthal-”

  “Shut up,” he ground out. “Not that. The part about two people crashing through the lanai screen door. The part about Jacob hauling you inside for protection. Damn it, Ruby, tell me what happened.”

  “I...uh...just what I told you. There was somebody outside the house who spied or watched me take a dip in the pool.” She hurried on. “But Jacob chased the guy away.”

  “Ruby, put Jake on the phone and then you and I can talk, please,” Michael asked in a calm voice, despite his feelings.

  Jacob’s southern drawl was the next sound he heard. “Yeah?”

  “Did you get a look at the peeper? Could you identify him?” His questions were rushed, but he was worried.

  “No, I only got relative height and weight of the shadow, but I never got a look at the face.”

  “Shit! We’ve got a big problem.”

  “What?”

  “Before I say, have you checked the phones? Are we secure?”

  “Yeah, no problem there.”

  “It’s Alex.”

  “What?” The skepticism in Jake’s voice was obvious. “What are you talking about?”

  “Did you get an email?”

  “Ruby did.”

  “Was there a picture attached?”

  Michael heard Jake swallow. “Yeah. She told you Thomas sent pictures.”

  “Did you see it? Is it the same one I received? I’d qualify it as an eyeful and very revealing. Yours?” The icy chill of Michael’s voice revealed his feelings. Too damn bad. He was furious and scared.

  “Shit.”

  “Exactly. Right now I don’t give a damn about that sleazy ex-fiancé. We have two priorities and that’s it for now. One is to make Ruby safe. The other is to find Alex.”

  “But how do you know it’s him?”

  “By the message sent with the picture. Didn’t you get a message? What did it say?”

  “Yeah.” Jake’s uneasiness vibrated through the phone and Michael enjoyed it. “It said she forgot her swimsuit.”

  “What a smartass. Like that wasn’t obvious.”

  “What did your message say?”

  “Trust is deadly. You should know.” Michael spat the words. “Have you figured out yet how he got the damn picture? Do you think you could quit playing ‘the southern seducer’ long enough to find the camera?”

  “But...but I...we never...”

  Before he could finish his stuttering denial, Michael cut him off. “A picture is worth a thousand words.”

  Jake responded, “Sometimes, boss, a picture is southern fried bullshit.”

  “Right now that’s all I have to work with. Prove it otherwise.”

  “We were just discussing the message. I’ve got an idea. Give me a minute.” This time, Michael heard excitement and backbone in Jake’s voice. Then he heard a muffled noise followed by Ruby.

  “Mickey?” she said with what sounded like breathless anticipation. He grinned and wanted to laugh, but bit it back. At least she remembered to use his nickname.

  “Ruby, I don’t believe your message came from Thomas.”

  “Who else would it be?”

  A thunderous crash halted his reply.

  “Jacob. What are you doing in there?” Jiggling his pinky finger in his ear, Michael tried to clear his hearing after Ruby yelled into the handset. “Mickey, what did you tell him to do?”

  “His job,” he bit out. Good, maybe she would see her ‘Neanderthal’, as she referred to him, wasn’t perfect.

  “Who did you say sent the message?”

  He hadn’t and he didn’t want to. “Alex. My missing partner, the one whose place you took. The guy who put bullet holes in me. My friend.”

  “What? You never told me Alex shot you.”

  He heard the concern in her voice and he didn’t want it. What he wanted was to make her aware. He wanted her to be cautious.

  Another clatter reverberated into the phone, followed by a ‘Yeehaw’. He smiled at Jake’s signature holler for triumph.

  “Jacob, if you break anything I’m going to break your ass.”

  Michael laughed, he couldn’t help himself. The vision of a petite blonde Ruby pouncing on Jake’s shoulders trying to bring him to his knees made him smile. Then he sobered. He knew the woman could bring him to his knees in other ways.

  “What’re you laughing at?”

  “Nothing.”

  “So you were saying?”

  “I wasn’t.”

  “You were explaining. You never told me about Alex.” He’d hoped the clatter and Jake’s celebratory call had distracted her. He was wrong. He should have known. Ruby’s mind was like a blade—sharp and unforgiving.

  “You’re right, I never did. If it weren’t for him coming after you, trying to kill you, I probably never would. And I won’t tell you everything, there’s no need.”

  Even as he said the words, he realized what they meant. He’d broken his own code of silence. He would never have told any woman about his work. How could he? It wasn’t something pretty or mundane. What he did was... How could any woman understand? And therefore, how could he expect any woman to love him? Well, he had no choice this time. He hoped this woman, the one woman who’d always been a part of his life, whom he hoped would be there permanently, wouldn’t run from him when he told her.
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br />   “Why would he be after me? Why would he want to kill me? I don’t know this guy. What did I do to him?”

  Michael swallowed his heart in his throat. “Because of me.”

  Ruby heard anger in his voice. And concern. And pain? Or was it hurt? “Why?”

  “Alex believes I took what was his.”

  “Why? What happened?” she asked in a whisper, afraid of what he’d reveal. Not afraid for herself, but for Michael and what this would cost him to tell her.

  “You ask too many damn questions.”

  “Mich…” She stopped herself before it crossed her lips. “Mickey, why? I deserve to know the story.”

  “He wants what I have. At any cost.”

  “I’m not yours. I’m not your wife or your girlfriend. Why me?”

  “You’re important to me and he knows it.”

  “Oh.” The force of his words made her mind whirl with questions.

  “It’s Alex, Ruby. I know it. You’re in danger. And I’m responsible.”

  “You’re not responsible.”

  “I am,” he shot back. “But I’m going to make damn certain he doesn’t get you. You’re out.”

  “Oh, no, you don’t.” Didn’t he get it yet? Didn’t he pay attention? She needed to remind him. “You can be afraid for me. You can be protective of me. But you won’t control me or what I do. I’m a big, independent girl, Mickey, and I can take care of myself. If you want to offer a little help in that area then do it. But I will not bail out.”

  “Damn it. Don’t you get it? He could kill you.”

  “I get it. So what’re we going to do about it?”

  “If you weren’t so stubborn I’d lock you up in a safe house until I caught the bastard. But I don’t trust you. I’m afraid you’d persuade whomever I assigned to watch you to...”

  She heard the smile in his voice as his words trailed off. He knew she was right. “I’m glad to see you learned your lesson.”

  “Oh, I have.” As a matter of fact, he had no intention of trusting her with any man. He would fly her to him and stick to her like a gecko on a window. “I’ll make arrangements to have Jake escort you to Hawaii. It’ll be safer that way.” And he’d sleep better knowing someone who was damn good at protecting her watched her. Even if it was by a man who wanted her.

  “When do I leave?” Excitement and energy buzzed from her through the phone line. If she’d been a new recruit he’d think it was reasonable, even good.

  “I’ll get a flight set for Wednesday morning. There’s a hotel reservation made at the Outrigger Waikiki. Don’t go anywhere until your itinerary arrives.”

  “Maybe.”

  “Ruby.”

  “Fine.”

  “Promise me.” If she promised she wouldn’t break it.

  “I won’t go anywhere. I’ll pack and be ready. Tell you the truth I’m a little nervous.”

  “Whoa. How nervous? You can back out now and there won’t be any problems. You know I don’t want you doing this. We can change the scenario and still use Illusion.” He wished like hell she’d back out, especially now. Alex wanted her dead.

  “Calm down. It’s not that bad. It’s just nervous energy. Doing something new and different makes me anxious. And I don’t want to let you down.”

  “You won’t let me down unless something happens to that cute butt of yours. I’ll be as close to you as a tight pair of jeans.” Great visual, you dumbass, he chided himself.

  “Don’t worry, I like my butt the way it is.”

  “Okay, put Jake back on the line so we can firm up the details. I’ll see you in two days.”

  “All right. Bye, Mickey.”

  “Ruby.”

  “Hmm?”

  “Listen to Jake. Do what he says. He can’t do his job without your cooperation.” Please, he quietly pleaded.

  “I will. Trust me.”

  He trusted her. Mostly. But he also knew if she didn’t like something she’d figure a way around her promise. And as the email said, ‘Trust was deadly.’ He wasn’t about to let his misplaced trust cost Ruby her life.

  Once again Jake was on the phone.

  “Boss, I found the camera.”

  “And?”

  “It was hidden behind the bathroom mirror. Quite simple to locate. The guy disconnected the defogging electrodes on that part of the mirror in order to get it installed. By doing that, whenever a steamy shower was taken only a part of the mirror was clear while the other part fogged.”

  “Did you get a good look at the device?”

  “Yup. It’s a mini video recorder, small enough to fit in the palm of my hand, and attached to the back of the mirror with suction cups. Pretty near the perfect gadget for surveillance on an unsuspecting target. I don’t recognize the manufacturer. I’ll do some research. It could be government issued or not.”

  “How did it get in the damn house?”

  “I don’t know.” Jake sounded frustrated.

  “Find out.”

  “Okay, Boss.”

  “Any word on Thomas?” Michael asked.

  “Nope. No sign of him yet.”

  “What do you mean no sign of him?” Michael half shouted.

  “None of my contacts have heard anything.”

  “Did you check his office? How can a man who owns and operates his own business just disappear without a trace?” Michael asked, not expecting an answer.

  “When he does return, we’re ready. A tracking device has been attached to his car,” Jake said.

  “Jake, that tracking device I found in Ruby’s laptop was government issued?”

  “Yup, it sure as hell was. I see where you’re going with this. We’ll do a trace on the make, model, and purchaser, but we’ll be damn lucky to find anything. Any creep can buy these types of surveillance tools right off the internet.”

  “Get someone else to keep tabs on this while you’re gone,” he ordered. “You’re flying Ruby to Hawaii. The sooner the better.” Her life depended on it.

  * * * *

  Jake hung up the phone as Ruby returned from throwing on a pair of loose cotton shorts and a T-shirt. She wanted to know more of what occurred between Alex and Michael. And if Michael wasn’t going to tell her, she guessed Jake would. She’d get it from him. Oh, he wouldn’t give up the information without a struggle so she schemed a way to get it.

  She marched into the kitchen, pulled out pots and pans from the cabinets, and then started to gather the ingredients she needed from the refrigerator.

  When Jake walked in, she asked him, “Hungry?”

  He eyeballed her, brow raised in curiosity and distrust. “Yeah, what’re you making?”

  “My famous chili,” she replied, dumping two pounds of ground beef and a pound of bacon into a waiting skillet. Men respected lots of greasy meat. She shook ‘Season-All’ spice over the top and started browning it.

  “You’re a Yankee. You can’t make decent chili,” he told her.

  “Mmm,” she responded, not giving in to his derisive tone. “What else did Mickey have to say?”

  “Just that I’m to get you on a plane in short order and you weren’t to go anywhere.”

  Her back to him, she chopped onions, garlic, green and jalapeno peppers. “Do you know about Alex shooting Mickey?”

  “Yup.”

  Damn. She hated people who didn’t just spill their guts. But then again, she knew she was going to have to smoke it out of him. “That’s it? You’re not going to tell me more?”

  “What did Mickey tell you?”

  “Not much. He was—preoccupied.” She wanted him to believe Michael would’ve told her, but he had too much else going on. It was true. He felt guilty and he was pissed.

  “Then why should I?”

  After draining the grease from the meat, she combined it with the chopped vegetables, poured in crushed tomatoes and stirred. The spices were the final touches. She added chili powder, cayenne pepper, Tabasco, basil, sugar, and a dash of cocoa. When she turned to expl
ain why he should tell her, she chuckled at the look of surprise on his face.

  “If Mickey is right, which I’m not convinced, I have a right to know about the guy. Don’t you agree?”

  “Maybe. This chili you’re making is wimpy? I knew it. No one puts cocoa in chili. It’s a girl thing.”

  Ruby ignored his sarcasm. “Jake, I guarantee this chili will knock your socks off. Do you want it over macaroni or with some cornbread to help absorb some of the kick-ass?”

  “Little lady, the day I need something to help me with spicy chili, especially from a Yankee Girl, is the day I wear pink undies.”

  Spoon in hand, she crossed her arms, leaned against the counter. “Really?” An eyebrow raised, she couldn’t help eyeball the area where his pink undies would be beneath his snug denim jeans. “I guess we’ll see.”

  She got down a white ceramic bowl, scooped her chili into it, and topped it with shredded cheese. Handing him the bowl and a spoon, she filled a glass with ice water and set it in front of him. “You may need this.”

  His first spoonful in his mouth, he mumbled, “Uh-huh.”

  She watched. First, his eyes bulged and watered, little tears of spice ran down his face now a nice shade of red. Beads of sweat gathered on his brow, lip, and nose. He started to croak out some words, but couldn’t. He leaped forward for the glass of water and guzzled. Water dribbled down his chin.

  “Damn,” he gasped and grabbed for more water.

  “What, you didn’t like it?” She smirked.

  “That’s some kick-ass chili, Ruby.”

  “Told you so. Now let’s see those pink skivvies.”

  He sputtered, the bite of chili he’d put in his mouth almost came back out.

  “Ruby, you can’t be serious. I was kidding.”

  “I wasn’t. It’s either that or you tell me the story of what happened between Alex and Michael. The whole story.”

  She had him. He wouldn’t renege, not without giving something in equal value. She touched his arm. “It affects me, Jake. I deserve to know.”

  Resigned, he held up his hands. “I know. You feed me more of this and I’ll tell you.” He nodded for her to pull up a stool at the kitchen bar. Spooning herself a bowl of chili, she sat opposite of Jake.

  “It started in Eastern Europe on a mission with Alex. Alex got involved with a woman named Katya. Mickey never trusted her. He had me do some reconnaissance and he was right. Katya was a spy and planned on killing Alex.