“Her father collects them?”
She nodded. “Every one. Sometimes he writes the magazines or the newspapers and gets a copy of the original. Sometimes he just cuts them out. He’s had to take down a lot.” She laughed, her voice sounding more youthful than her years. “We don’t have enough room for all of them.”
Jake looked back at the wall, his eyes riveted to one particular black-and-white photo. In it, a young woman stared at the camera. The picture was an extreme close-up—just her face. Her eyes were haunted, deeply shadowed. She had dark hair, curving around her features like a frame. Her cheeks were hollow, gaunt to the point of starvation.
The lines around her eyes and mouth spoke of sadness—the kind that didn’t go away; the kind of grief someone that beautiful shouldn’t know anything about.
“That’s the Pulitzer,” Amalinaú said.
“What?” he asked, unable to take his eyes off the girl’s face. Her eyes would haunt his dreams.
“Samantha won the Pulitzer for that one.” Amalinaú touched the photo gently. “Sammy was so proud of her. But then...” Her words trailed off as she shrugged.
“Then what?” He had a vague recollection of seeing the picture in the paper but his memory didn’t serve him well. No wonder, after the drinking binges he’d indulged in back then.
Amalinaú’s smile was tinged with sadness. “It’s hard to be the eyes of the world when the world doesn’t want to see.”
He wanted to ask her what she meant, but she held out a manila envelope. He took it and noticed that it had been opened. He looked inside and saw a roll of professional color film wrapped in a folded piece of paper. He pulled out the note and read Sam’s small, neat handwriting.
Please keep this for me. It’s important.
Samantha
“You will help Samantha, won’t you?” Amalinaú’s dark eyes, full of wisdom, stared up him.
Jake nodded and tried not to feel guilty for going behind Sam’s back. He reminded himself that he hardly knew her. And even if he didn’t think she was capable of murder, he had no reason to trust her. His only reason for being here was to clear himself. “I’ll do my best.”
“Make sure Samantha comes back tomorrow. It will break Sammy’s heart to know she was here and didn’t come to see him.”
“We’ll be back,” Jake promised. Something bumped against his leg and he looked down. “What the hell is that?”
A large greenish-brown reptile nudged him again, its long tongue snaking out to taste Jake’s jeans. Fletcher edged away from the beast, letting out a low whine. The fat lizard waddled toward Fletcher, its sharp claws rasping against the tile floor.
Amalinaú smiled and leaned down to pet the creature. “This is Rover.”
Sure enough, around his neck was a bright yellow collar with a tag that said Rover. Jake took a guess. “Monitor lizard?”
She nodded. “And a wonderful pet.”
Used to the unpredictable ways of alligators, Jake wasn’t so sure. But this guy seemed docile enough. “Why’d he push me?”
She shrugged. “He’s just like a dog. Loves to be scratched.” She demonstrated by rubbing her fingertips down Rover’s snout. “He’s Sammy’s best buddy.”
Jake shook his head. “Some pet.” He tugged at Fletcher’s leash, and the frightened dog followed him to the door. “C’mon Fletcher.” To Amalinaú he said, “Thanks. You’ve been a big help.”
She put her hand on his arm before he left. “Don’t forget. Tomorrow.”
“We’ll be here. When will Mr. Martin be back?”
“Around nine, I should think. He will be so happy to see Samantha.”
Jake wanted to ask why he hadn’t bothered to “see” her for the past twenty years, but figured it was better to stay out of it. He’d already gotten more involved in Sam’s life than he needed to be. It was hard to believe, considering he’d only known her for a day. He chalked it up to the situation. He wasn’t going to get any closer than he had to.
He walked down the street, the film tucked safely in his pocket, mulling over the most recent events. Now that he had the film, he could find out who was after them. But that couldn’t begin to answer all his questions. Not by a long shot.
Party revelers were already coming out of the woodwork and the sun hadn’t even begun to go down Jake moved through the crowds, the smell of conch fritters and beer filling the air. He ducked into one of the many quickie photo labs and dropped the film off, only to be told he’d have to wait until the next morning to pick it up because they were so busy.
Convinced that nothing was going to get done until tomorrow, Jake slipped back out into the street. “Let’s go, Fletch. We have to buy some clothes.”
The thought of Sam back at the inn, practically naked, made Jake’s mouth go dry. For the first time in a long time, he wanted a drink. Badly.
Sam took a long, cool shower, standing under the spray until she felt the tension ebbing away. Grateful for the little bottles of shampoo and conditioner the hotel provided, she scrubbed her hair until it squeaked. After being cooped up in the van, it felt nice to be clean again.
She stepped out of the shower and towel-dried her hair, wishing for a blow dryer. It would take hours to air-dry her thick hair.
Sam wrapped herself in another fluffy towel and returned to the bedroom. She wished Jake had thought to bring up the bags before leaving. She’d have to sit around in a damp towel until he got back. The thought of being half naked when he returned did terrible things to her senses.
A shiver glided over her skin at the memory of their kiss back in Miami. A flush spread through her, undermining the cold shower. She suddenly felt very warm.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, she turned on the television. She flipped through the channels until she found the evening news and sat through the local and state news. When the sportscaster came on, she sighed in relief. They hadn’t made the headlines here—yet.
Sam felt the first real hunger pang she’d felt in weeks. It felt good to be hungry; normal, even. She realized the drugs were working their way out of her system. The dizzy spells and light-headedness still plagued her, but the hallucinations hadn’t come back. She was beginning to feel more like her old self.
Sam stared at the television screen, hardly aware of the weather report or the dapper weatherman promising sunny days ahead. She was somewhere else, in a time before all the madness had started.
She rubbed at her hair with the towel. The damp tendrils trailing down her back made her shiver. How had this happened to her? She’d left New York because she was tired of the danger, the pressure, the constant demands. Somehow, this wasn’t what she’d had in mind.
A rap on the door startled her out of her dark thoughts. Cautiously, she crossed to the door. “Who is it?”
“Jake.”
She opened the door and was nearly flattened by Fletcher. “Hey, get off me!” She pushed at the exuberant dog with one hand, keeping a tight grip on her towel with the other.
With his hands full of luggage, Jake had Fletcher’s leash looped around his wrist. He dropped the bags and pulled Fletcher back so he could unsnap his leash “He missed you.” His expression was unreadable as he took in her too-short towel and damp hair. “That the best you could do?”
“What did you expect? For me to make an outfit out of the curtains?” she snapped, yanking the plastic boutique bag from the pile of luggage. “I assume this is for me?”
A long, slow smile crossed his face. “All yours,” he drawled.
Sam peeked inside the bag and frowned. “Are you sure there’s an outfit in here? Looks like you left part of it back at the store.”
“Try it on,” he urged. “The store closes in twenty minutes, so if it’s too small I can exchange it.”
Too small. He couldn’t have said too big. Sam stomped off to the bathroom without a backward glance and slammed the door. She dumped the contents of the bag on the bathroom floor. He’d bought her some kind of sundress, it lo
oked like. She picked it up and marveled at the softness of the deep green material. It would never fit, though. It looked barely large enough to clothe a Barbie doll.
Sam shook her head. What had he been thinking? The only other thing in the bag was a pair of tan leather sandals. Those, at least, looked like they would fit.
“Well? Does it fit?” Jake’s impatient voice drifted through the door.
“I don’t think so.” She frowned at her reflection in the mirror. She wasn’t about to tell him that it was too small. “I think it’s a little too big.”
Jake rattled the doorknob. “Let me see.”
“Will you wait a second?” Exasperated, Sam knew he wasn’t going to leave her alone until she showed him the dress. Or told him the truth—that the damn thing was meant for Kate Moss, not her.
“Let me see,” he said again.
She let the soggy towel fall to the floor, her skin prickling with goose flesh. Funny, it didn’t feel cold in here. Reluctantly she pulled the dress over her head, hoping the garment wouldn’t burst at the seams. But she was surprised when it slid down her body and swirled around her hips. Looking into the mirror again, she caught her breath.
Instead of making her look pasty, the deep green color complemented her pale skin tone. The spaghetti straps caressed her shoulders, while the dipping neckline hinted at her ample attributes in a way she never could have imagined. The dress was a little snug across the bust, but not uncomfortably so, and the waist seemed to fit her perfectly. The hem was mid-thigh—the same length as the towel she’d been wearing, but much more flattering. She had to admit, she looked good. Damn good.
“Well?” It sounded like Jake was leaning against the bathroom door.
“Ready or not,” she muttered under her breath. She opened the door and stepped out into the room.
Jake didn’t say anything. He didn’t even blink. He just stared.
“What do you think?” she asked him, taking a tremendous amount of pleasure from his stricken expression.
Jake still didn’t speak, but the look in his eyes told her enough. She stepped back into the bathroom to get the sandals. “Thanks,” she murmured, brushing past him on the way to the bed.
He caught her by the arm and pulled her around, staring into her eyes. “You look great,” he said hoarsely.
“I could use a little makeup.” He was making her self-conscious, staring at her like that.
“You don’t need it.”
She felt the warmth in her cheeks spiraling downward. “It’s a little young for me.” She tugged at the low neckline, suddenly wishing she’d never put the dress on at all.
He pulled her hand away from her chest and gave her a long look that sent a shiver down her back even as his gaze trailed over her body. “It’s perfect for you. You’re perfect.”
His eyes came up to her face. When they focused on her mouth, she knew he was thinking about the kiss. Suddenly the temperature in the room shot up. He dropped her hand and stepped back, his jaw tightening with some emotion she couldn’t begin to decipher.
Sam sat on the edge of the bed and concentrated on figuring out how to put the sandals on. They were the softest leather she’d ever felt, with long laces that wrapped around her ankles and calves. She got them on and wrapped the laces, tying them securely. It hardly felt like she had shoes on at all. They were gorgeous and comfortable, but hardly appropriate under the circumstances These sandals were made for leisurely strolls on the beach, not for running from bad guys.
She looked up and met Jake’s intense gaze. Her words froze in her throat as his eyes burned into her. Ducking her head, she said, “Thanks for the clothes. But this is a little fancier than I expected.”
“Well, it’s better than what you were wearing,” he answered gruffly. He turned his attention to his own bag, pulling out a pair of faded jeans and a white oxford-cloth shirt.
Sam stared as he undid the button of his jeans. Her pulse fluttered erratically as she watched his masculine hands at his waistband. For a fleeting moment she wondered if he intended to strip in front of her, but then he crossed to the bathroom and closed the door firmly without another word.
Something was on Jake’s mind. And she wondered if it was her.
Fifteen minutes later, he came out of the steamy bathroom, his shirt unbuttoned. She could see the muscles of his flat stomach bunch under her gaze. He exuded a masculine strength that would have made her toes curl if she’d been the kind of woman to fall for that whole macho thing. As it was, she had to remind herself to breathe. He ran a hand through his damp hair and then buttoned his shirt and tucked it into his jeans.
“Are we going somewhere?” she asked finally, uncomfortable with the silence.
“I figured you might be hungry.”
Her stomach growled in answer. “Good guess.”
“Then let’s go.” He opened the door for her and she stepped around him, more than a little conscious of his eyes on her.
“What about Fletcher?”
At hearing his name, the dog pricked up his ears. He sat by the bed, wagging his tale earnestly.
Jake shook his head. “Sorry, buddy. Adults’ night out.”
As if understanding, Fletcher stretched out by the bed and flopped over on his side.
“He’ll be fine,” Jake said. “Besides, I don’t want any of our friends to be waiting for us when we come back.”
Sam turned wide eyes on him. “Do you think they know we’re here?”
He locked the door and pocketed the key. “I don’t know. But Fletcher will keep them away if they show up.”
Sam inclined her head. “Are you sure? He doesn’t seem so tough to me.”
With his hand firmly on her elbow, Jake guided her down the stairs. “Trust me. When the chips are down, Fletcher knows what to do.”
Chapter 10
“Where are we going?” Sam asked as she fell into step beside Jake. They headed down the street, joining the crowds of people spilling out onto the sidewalk from various stores and cafés.
“You’ll see.”
Jake’s arm draped casually around her shoulders. Her skin warmed under his touch, sending her senses reeling. At her questioning look, he said simply, “I don’t want you to get lost.”
Sam started to argue, but the comfortable pressure of his arm kept her quiet. They followed the stream of people down the narrow street. Everyone seemed to be headed in the same direction.
“Where is everyone going?”
Jake’s arm tightened around her. “To watch the sunset.”
“But—”
“Shh. You’ll see.”
They joined a huge crowd in what looked like a parking lot by the ocean. The sun was dipping low in the sky, casting long shadows across the water. Tourists jockeyed for position at the water’s edge and Jake led Sam to a small dock. The sound of bagpipes filtered through the air as a brawny-looking man in a kilt strolled by.
A woman on a bike offered cookies for sale, while a man with a large snake wrapped around him enthralled a small group of people by swallowing a sword.
“What is this?” Sam asked, taking in the various other attractions, including a magic show and a man with at least a dozen cats
“Mallory Square’s nightly sunset,” Jake said, grinning.
“You mean they do this every night?” Sam watched another magician at the end of the dock pull a rabbit out of a battered top hat.
“Every night like clockwork.”
“But why?”
He winked. “It’s a celebration, Sam. Don’t ask why.”
She felt warmth pool low in her belly when his arm slipped from her shoulders to her waist. A group of tourists walked by and a swaggering teenager bumped into Sam, causing her to lean heavily against Jake before regaining her balance. She pulled away, mumbling, “Sorry.”
His arm tightened around her as he drew her closer. “It’s all right,” he murmured against her hair. She looked up at him, but his attention was on the setting su
n.
Sam had to admit he was doing some strange things to her senses. She would have liked to blame it on the drugs, but she knew better. Of course, she didn’t have to admit it to him. Sneaking a glance at him from under her lashes, she traced the angular planes of his face with her eyes. She’d gotten to know his features almost as well as she knew her own.
“What are you thinking?”
He’d caught her watching him and she blushed, thankful for the deepening shadows. “Just how strange it is to be so comfortable with you.”
His expression was unreadable. “This whole thing is strange, Sam.”
“Yeah.” For one precious moment she’d almost forgotten what had brought them here. She forced a smile. “Thanks for remind-ing me.”
A cheer went up from the crowd and she turned her gaze to the ocean. The sun lit the water like fire as it disappeared from the horizon. She felt Jake’s breath on her cheek a moment before his hand came up to cradle her chin. She looked up into those brooding eyes, losing herself in them. Seconds later, his lips descended on hers.
She melted against him as the kiss deepened into a soul-searing embrace. It reminded her of the sun and ocean coming together. The world fell away and it was just the two of them, standing on the dock, locked on to each other.
“Let’s forget about everything for tonight.” he murmured against her lips.
This whole thing was insane. Jake knew it and he didn’t care. He liked the way Sam felt in his arms. He liked the way she pulled him close, wrapping her arms around him and pressing her gorgeous curves against him. She had him hot and hard and he didn’t care. Crazy or not, he wanted her.
She pulled back from him and he could read the desire in her emerald eyes. And the confusion “What was that all about?” Her breathless voice and pink, inviting lips did nothing to quell his lust.
“Tradition,” he answered, taking a step away from her. It was partly true, but tradition had nothing to do with the way he’d kissed her.
“Oh.” She turned away from him to watch the sun’s final moments. “Tradition,” she repeated.
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