“I’ll have a better idea of what’s going on later today, after the arraignment. You guys need to go back to your normal lives. Hope, go to work, Angela, go to school. You can’t do anything right now and worrying all day isn’t going to help anyone.”
****
Catrina sat at her desk in her home office, working on the computer. Just out of the shower, she was stark naked, with a towel wrapped around her hair.
She promised herself that she wouldn’t do this. How fair was it to research a boyfriend before he even had a chance to tell her about his life? Then again, Harvey was a rich and powerful man. He probably had his lackeys build a dossier on Catrina for him. She was just leveling the playing field.
Drops of water still ran down her neck as she brought up NetDective.com, her favorite snooping website. Thank God for Higuera. He not only kept the systems at the office humming, he set up her home network too. Maybe this computer age wasn’t as bad as she thought.
She typed in “Harvey Bernstein, lawyer, Seattle” in the search box. The little arrow spun in a circle for a moment then an answer screen popped up.
She had her choice of five Harvey Bernsteins in the Seattle area.
She chose the Harvey Bernstein who lived on Mercer Island, on the Bellevue side of Lake Washington. Mercer Island was one of the area’s most expensive neighborhoods. It would be just like Harvey to buy a house there.
Sure enough, the Mercer Island Harvey Bernstein was a partner in Hardwick, Bernstein & Johnson, Attorneys at Law.
Let’s see.
Harvey was fifty-seven, a couple of years older than Harry. Son of an attorney, he was a legacy student at UW Law. Clerked for Judge Hackett for two years. Opened HB&J with Harry and Ben Johnson.
Must have had some good connections.
Divorced. Two kids, a son and a daughter, both grown and out of the house. Wifey got a big settlement in the divorce. Harvey kept the house and boat, wifey got the condo in Vail and the house on Long Island.
Long successful career. His wealth and power seemed to grow every year.
That’s not bad is it? I’ve always wanted to be a kept woman.
Catrina laughed at her little joke.
She looked at the list of his prominent cases. He represented one big corporation or another. He almost never lost. Like Harry, he wasn’t interested in winning the case, he wanted to destroy the opposition.
Feel better now? You know a little bit about the man.
She smiled when she thought of their first date. He can sure handle himself in bed.
Catrina left the office and walked across the hall to her bedroom. She stepped into her walk-in closet and started pulling out clothes.
Tight white jeans would fill the bill for a date on Harvey’s yacht. A chemise and a tight Navy sweater would work. It may be May, but it was still cool out. Tennis shoes were best for walking around on a boat.
Now to pack an overnight bag. How about a sexy nightie, a change of clothes, her makeup and hair dryer? That was about all she needed for a weekend on the water. That and her Glock 17.
She pulled her Explorer into the drive of the McMansion at the water’s edge. It was typical Northwest architecture. Stone and cedar-shake siding with a slate roof. The house sprawled over the lot which was covered in a manicured lawn. Large firs and cedars separated Harvey’s property from his neighbors. The rhododendrons in front of Harvey’s house were just coming into bloom. They looked like giant scoops of gelato.
Catrina got out of the SUV, grabbed her overnight bag and walked up to the door. She reached for the door bell, but before she could push it, Harvey opened the door.
“I saw you coming on the security cameras,” he said.
Catrina rolled up onto her toes and kissed the man. He looked so good in jeans, a UW sweatshirt and boat shoes.
“Good morning, sailor.”
“Come on in. Welcome to Casa Bernstein.”
Catrina followed Harvey into the entrance-way. To her right was a formal dining room; in front of her was the great room. The house was constructed with open rafters and a tongue and groove ceiling. Everything looked jumbo sized. A framework of varnished beams at the tops of the walls supported the roof.
Nothing like a little conspicuous consumption.
Catrina liked nice things, but enough was enough. How much did a single man need?
“Let’s go right through to the boat. I’ve got her warmed up and ready to go.” Harvey took her bag and led to the French doors on the other side of the great room.
Outside the doors they crossed a flagstone patio with an outdoor kitchen to a river stone path leading through the lush lawn to the dock at water’s edge.
Catrina had been on several luxury yachts before. Harvey’s Swift 44 didn’t look exceptional. It was a long white trawler with a house located forward that ran all the way back to the cockpit. There was a flying bridge with an RIB, a rigid inflatable boat, with a large outboard sitting on the aft end of the deck. Name boards on her stern read Emily Jean.
Doing a quick bit of calculation in her head, Catrina surmised that the boat must be worth at least a million dollars.
Nice work if you can get it.
“Is Emily Jean your daughter or ex?” Catrina asked.
“She’s my daughter. She’s a resident at Johns Hopkins right now.” Harvey jumped over to the swim step. “Let me help you aboard.” Harvey extended his hand.
Catrina stepped down onto the wide swim step with no problems. Harvey opened the door on the aft end of the cockpit to allow them in.
He opened the double sliding doors on the rear of the house. “Come in, let me show you around.” He stood by for Catrina to enter first.
She had been on several yachts before, but nothing like this. The cabin was drenched in rich, highly-polished teak. Soft leather sofas flanked each side of the cabin with a polished-teak table between. Everywhere she saw polished brass.
“Harvey, this looks like it could be sitting in a showroom somewhere.”
Harvey took her pea coat. She noticed him staring for an instant at her heavy chest in the tight sweater. “I have a service that keeps it shiny and polished. They always keep the mechanical stuff ready so I can take off at a moment’s notice.”
And how much does that cost?
“Ready to go?” he asked.
She nodded.
“Let’s cast off. We have a long way to go. Across the lake, through the ship canal, a trip through the locks, then a long cruise up the Sound.”
He turned and stepped out of the cabin. While she watched, he unhooked his mooring lines and tossed them on the dock. As the boat drifted away from the dock, he lifted the fenders and put them in the racks along the bow railings.
When the deck was clear, he climbed the ladder to the flying bridge. The boat started to gain speed and move forward.
Catrina put her coat back on and followed Harvey up the ladder.
By the time she reached the flying bridge, the boat was doing fifteen knots and the wind rustled her hair.
Damn, I forgot a hat.
“This is a beautiful boat.” She sat in the comfy seat across from the pilot’s chair.
“Thank you. She’s one of my little indulgences.”
It took about half an hour to get across the lake. Harvey slowed their speed and entered the Ship Canal. An hour later, they were waiting at the Hiram Chittenden Locks to pass through from fresh water to the Sound.
Lake Washington was more than twenty feet higher than Puget Sound. The locks raised and lowered boats from one body of water to the other.
Locking through was a new experience for Catrina. After the boats rising up to lake level cleared the small lock, Harvey took the Emily Jean into the lock. He threw lines to the attendants on the concrete wall. They pulled the Emily Jean close to the wall and Harvey dropped lines around the bollard and tied them off on the boat. When all the boats were secure, the big steel gates closed behind them.
Catrina was astonished at how
fast the water flowed out and they dropped below the walls. In a few minutes, the steel doors in front of them opened and the boats entered Shileshole Bay.
There was a light breeze and two-foot swells on the Sound. Harvey opened the throttles and the boat cut through the waves on its way north.
“Where are we headed?” Catrina asked. She had to shout over the sound of the engines and wind.
“Port Townsend. It’s around the point up ahead.” Harvey pointed to the piece of land that stuck out into the Sound in the distance.
Three hours later, the Emily Jean rounded the point and entered Port Townsend Bay. Harvey took her into the Port Hudson Marina, where he had reservations.
“Port Hudson Marina, Port Hudson Marina, Port Hudson Marina, this is Emily Jean,” he said into the microphone.
“Emily Jean, Port Hudson,” came the reply.
“Were coming into slip C35. I’m shorthanded and would appreciate it if someone could come down and take a line.”
“No problem, Emily Jean, I’ll have someone down there in a minute.”
Harvey slowed the boat and headed for C dock. His slip was near the end. Catrina saw a young woman in Dockers and a blue golf shirt waiting on the dock.
They pulled into the slip and tied up with no problems.
“It’s getting a little late. Are you hungry?” Harvey asked.
They had shared a bottle of wine with smoked salmon, crackers, grapes and cheese earlier, but Catrina was feeling a little hungry.
“Sure, what did you have in mind?”
“Being the careful planner that I am, I have reservations at the Hudson Point Café in about a half hour.”
“What’s the dress code, Skipper?” Catrina asked. She suddenly realized she hadn’t brought any going out clothes. She thought this would be a weekend on the boat.
“Just what you’re wearing. It’s pretty casual around here.”
Catrina dashed down the ladder and to the head off the main stateroom. She looked in the mirror and laughed.
You’re never going to get all those knots out of your hair, girl.
She worked feverishly with a brush and comb but couldn’t get satisfied.
“The sun’s over the yardarm,” Harvey said, as he handed her a flute of champagne.
Catrina took the glass, looked in the mirror and shrugged. “I guess this is what you get for not telling me we were going out to dinner.”
Harvey pulled her close and touched his lips to hers. “No problem. You’re beautiful just the way you are.”
Catrina looked at the glass and handed it back to Harvey. “Remember, I don’t drink.”
“Oh, it’s just a bottle of Moet & Chandon I had in the liquor locker.”
She smiled at him and pushed the glass away.
Dinner was great for such a small restaurant in an isolated town. The café was in the old lighthouse tender’s house. It had been remodeled into a warm, inviting place. White cloth draped tables and oak chairs with red leather seats filled the room. A fire blazed in the fireplace.
The walls were covered with old time photos of people, ships and boats, and people working at their everyday trades.
The meal was much better than Catrina expected in such an out-of-the-way location. She opted for the alderwood smoked salmon with a honey glaze and Harvey chose the New York steak. Neither had room for desert when they were finished.
After dinner they returned to the boat and Catrina didn’t get to wear her sexy nightie very long.
In the morning, she woke to the smell of coffee and bacon. She sat up in bed and stretched as Harvey came in with a cup in his hands.
Chapter 20
Chris hadn’t talked to Harvey Bernstein since their meeting in the Thai restaurant. The young attorney still went to work every day. He occasionally grabbed a cup of coffee from the break room. Now and again, he saw Harvey in the halls, but Harvey cut him off, never said a word to him.
Nothing.
Chris and Candace decided not to give Harvey their answer yet. Keep him on edge. Let him roast over the coals for a while.
But what would their answer be? Working where they were not wanted was putting a lot of stress on them. Chris knew that Harvey shot down Candace’s pitch for a class action suit. He also knew what Harvey’s answer would be when he told him about his newest client.
He couldn’t put off the discussion. Harvey’s intelligence network was amazing. Nothing happened in the King County Court House that Harvey didn’t know about. It was only a matter of time until Carlito’s case came to his attention. This wasn’t going to be easy.
Chris trudged up the flight of stairs to the sixty-fifth floor. He never took the elevator and usually took the steps two at a time. Today, his mood slowed him down.
“Harvey, may I have a word?”
Harvey continued to stare down at the papers he was reading.
Chris waited nervously at the door.
Finally, after several minutes, Harvey took off his reading glasses, looked up and said, “Yes, Mr. Hardwick. What can I do for you?”
“I want to talk to you about a new case.” Chris entered the Grand Poobah’s office and seated himself in one of the black, roll-armed leather chairs. “This just came up. I got a call in the middle of the night.”
“Yes?”
Chris took a deep breath. “It’s a murder case. Aggravated first-degree murder.”
“What business do you have handling a murder case? You aren’t murder certified.”
The firm required that a junior attorney sit second chair on at least ten murder cases before they could handle one on their own.
“I know. I know I’ll need a senior attorney on this. I was going to ask Ben Johnson. But the client is a friend. Actually, he’s the brother of a friend.”
Harvey studied Chris for a moment.
“Do we have a chance of winning? At least taking the death penalty off the table?”
Chris looked down at his hands. He felt like he was in the principal’s office in high school. “We’re going to win. My client is innocent. He has an airtight alibi. This will all go away after I get a chance to talk to the DA about it.”
“Who’s the client?”
Chris looked into Harvey’s eyes. “Carlos Higuera. My girl-friend’s brother.”
Harvey chuckled. “You haven’t learned your lesson yet, have you? I’m going to offer you some fatherly advice that Harry should have given you a long time ago. Dump the girl. We don’t want to get our hands dirty with a bunch of bean eaters.”
HOW DARE HE?! Chris wanted to climb over Harvey’s desk and throttle him.
“The kid’s innocent. They can afford a good lawyer.”
“Then let him find one somewhere else. Let him find one of those socially-conscious do-gooders. Preferably a wetback, too, so he can understand the case.”
“No, I won’t let Hope down. He’s Ted’s brother too.”
“Oh, yes, that spic that you hang around with. Do yourself a favor and get rid of the lot of them.”
****
Ted dropped his boxers and slid into bed next to Maria. He loved feeling her smooth, soft body touching his. She was on her side, facing away from him. Popo lay curled in his oversized dog bed on the floor.
He moved in to spoon her; wrapping his right arm around her and bringing his hand to rest on her tiny but firm breast.
She cooed and backed into him.
“Oh, somebody’s ready,” she said as she felt him poke her backside.
“No rush. We have all night.”
Ted gently rolled her over to him and softly caressed her lips with his. His hands found either side of her head.
She parted her lips and snaked her tongue down his mouth.
Damn, her tongue’s almost as long as her legs.
Ted broke off from her lips and began kissing her face, then her ears, then under her chin and down her neck. His lips continued to run down her body, pausing briefly to suck each tiny breast. He ran his tongue arou
nd each nipple again and again and she moaned in delight.
He worked his way down her rib cage and to her firm, smooth belly. His hands roamed farther south, softly caressing her thighs.
He scooted down and rolled between her legs. He used his fingers to part her labia then licked at her moist, warm genitals. He made his way up to her clitoris and sucked and tickled it with his lips.
Maria arched her back and groaned. He continued working, licking her clitoris. Her legs trembled, then tightened. Her head bent back, her whole body shook and she emitted a loud cry, gasping for breath.
Ted smiled. You still got it, hijo.
He crawled forward and lowered himself onto her lithe body. She gasped as he entered her.
Popo jumped onto the bed and licked Ted’s head.
“Down, Popo,” Ted shouted, then started laughing.
Maria joined in. “He doesn’t like to be left out of anything.” She reached up and caressed her dog’s ears. “Popo, get down. Lay in your bed.”
The big Dane slowly turned and dropped back down to the floor. He made a little groan, circled his bed and lay down.
“Talk about bad timing,” Ted said.
Afterwards, they lay on the bed, heads touching on the goose-down pillows. Ted ran his finger up and down her breast bone.
“Mmm . . .” she said. “Oh, Teddy, I love you so much.”
His heart skipped a beat. Maybe two or three. It was what he longed to hear.
He reached under the mattress and felt for the little box. He grabbed it and placed in on Maria’s flat stomach.
“Maria, we’ve been through a lot together. Have you made up your mind yet?”
She abruptly sat up, making no move to cover herself.
“Ted, you can’t . . . you can’t ask me that again.”
Ted inched his way up the backboard to a sitting position. “What? Why not?”
Tears rolled down Maria’s cheeks. She sniffled and tried to suppress her crying.
“Ted . . . I . . . I can’t . . . marry you.”
“WHAT?”
She covered her face with her hands. “I know what I have to do. With Dad gone . . .”
The Cartel Strikes Back: The Ted Higuera Series, Book 5 Page 14
