Chantal, Jillian - Surfer Bride (BookStrand Publishing Romance)

by Jillian Chantal

  “Maybe we need to call off this marriage then. If you’ve decided you don’t like me.” Please God let him agree.

  “Not on your life, darling. This marriage is going to happen. Count on it.” He turned away from her and then turned back. “You’re never getting away from me. Never. You’re mine. Forever.”

  Miguel held the car door open and Avery and Quincy slid in. He shut the door and walked around to the driver’s side. Before he got in, Quincy looked at Avery who had gone white. “Don’t say a word until we are back in the hotel. In the room.”

  Avery nodded, her eyes as huge as charger plates.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “Revenge is kind of a wild justice”

  Francis Bacon, English lawyer and essayist (1561-1626)

  When Miguel let them off in front of the hotel, Avery said, “Dear, God, Quincy. The man is certifiable. He’s nuts.”

  “I know. How I didn’t see it before, I’ll never know.”

  “He was always on his best behavior. You only saw him when he came to see you for a few days or you flew in to see him. Or at the surf competitions where he met you. And you were busy competing then. Who had time to figure out your boyfriend was a psychopath?”

  “Yeah, who?” Quincy’s laugh broke on a sob. “Can’t you see my only chance is to have him go to prison? If I can’t get the goods on him tomorrow, I’ll be forced to marry him the day after.”

  “Speaking of that, I wonder if the guys are all right.”

  “Let’s go in and see if they’re back.”

  They went to the lobby and were thrilled to see their two cohorts there, lolling about on the sofa, drinking something from mugs. Just like they had been when Quincy and Avery left.

  Avery asked the question they were both thinking. “Did you boys even leave those seats tonight?”

  Craig grinned that grin that had wahines on every beach in the world wanting him. “Ah, yes, my dears. We have wandered from these seats this night. We had a very successful wandering indeed.”

  “Cut the crap, and let’s go somewhere private to talk.” Quincy pointed to the elevator.

  When they got to their room, Avery changed into her large T-shirt she liked to sleep in while Quincy waited for her turn to change. When both of them were comfy, Quincy sat in the chair while Craig and Mark reclined on her bed. Avery lolled on her own bed on her stomach with her ankles crossed in the air.

  Quincy started off. “So, what happened? Percy got a call that one of his warehouses was broken in to. That’s why we’re back so early. We were scared to death that they’d caught you.”

  Craig looked at her, incredulous. “You asked Percy to bring you back early so you could check on your friends who were breaking into his warehouse?”

  “No, you ninny. He brought us back because he had to deal with a break in. Do you really think I’d ask him such a boneheaded thing?”

  Craig grinned that sexy grin again. “Na. Just having you on a bit, mate.”

  “Well stop and tell us what you found out. We’re dying here. Spill it already.”

  “Let me cut through the idiocy of my friend over here and tell you what we uncovered,” Mark said.

  “Please do. I think I can feel my hair turning grey,” Avery replied.

  Mark made a face at Avery. “We went into a warehouse, and it was full of cast off furniture and frames like the one you told us about. We roamed around a bit and found a secret door in the floor under an old rug. It had a spring handle, and we opened the door and went into a small room under the floor. It was about ten feet by twelve feet. All that was in there was a desk and a bunch of papers. We lifted a few of them. They’re in our room. We glanced through them, and I think we can get to the storage area for the weapons. There’s an address on some of the papers. Someplace near the Wapping docks. We’re gonna check it out tomorrow.”

  “Then we’re coming, too. We have the rehearsal dinner tomorrow night after the rehearsal itself at five. I want to get this evidence in the morning. Then I don’t have to show for the rehearsal. I can take myself home. We can give what we find to Finn, and he can get the authorities over here to nail Mr. Percy Hicks’s ass to the wall. And I’ll be safe at home.”

  Quincy stood up. “Go back to your room, dudes. Set alarms for six a.m. Meet in the lobby at six-thirty.”

  Mark and Craig stood. “Yes, sir, boss.” Craig pulled his forelock and grabbed Mark by the hand. They left the room, and Avery and Quincy each got in their own bed. Quincy turned out the bedside light.

  As they lay in the dark, Avery said, “You really think this is going to work? Or should we just make a break for it? Get you safely away?”

  “If we don’t find something in the morning, I’ll get to Gatwick and fly home to Finn. Percy really terrified me tonight. He was creepy right before we got in the car. He also told me at lunch he was taking me to the cliffs of the North Sea for our honeymoon. Since he said he doesn’t like my attitude, I’m scared he’s going to push me over. Be the grieving widower who lost his bride on his honeymoon. What would that do for his image? Make him the man all the women want to comfort?”

  “You really think he could do that?”

  “After tonight, yeah. He freaked me out more than once.”

  “Go to sleep, hon. We’re gonna get you out of this.”

  Quincy spent a while looking at the ceiling, wishing she had Finn with her. He’d be able to protect her.

  * * * *

  The alarm at six came too soon. Once they were dressed in their trusty khakis again, Quincy and Avery made their way down to the lobby. The four of them walked out to the parking lot and to the car Mark had rented. Quincy looked up as she slid into the back seat and thought she saw Finn. It must be my imagination. I’m wanting him here so bad, I’ve imagined him.

  She shut the car door. Mark started to back out, and another car backed out at the same time. Quincy recognized the driver of that car. It was a man she’d seen at the auction house. She tapped on the back of Mark’s seat. “Stop the car. I think I need to stay here.”

  Craig whipped around and stared at her. “Huh? What?”

  “See that car? No, don’t look. There’s a car behind us. There’s a man in it that I recognize from Percy’s place. I think Percy must have him following me. I can’t risk going. If the man is tailing me, you’ll be safe to go. He’ll have to stay with me.” She opened the car door and slipped out.

  Avery yelled out the still open door, “Stay here at the hotel. We’ll be back as soon as we can.”

  “I will.” Quincy shut the car door. She turned and walked back into the hotel. She stopped to fix her hair in the reflection on the plate glass and used the glass as a mirror to view the man in the car. Good. He’s not following them.

  The man got out of his car and stood beside it, smoking a cigarette. Looks like I was right. Damn Percy. Sure glad the guy’s an incompetent and that I saw him.

  She went back to her room and settled down to read a magazine she had left from the plane. She knew she’d never be able to concentrate, but she had to do something.

  * * * *

  In a couple of minutes, someone banged at the door. Quincy’s heart leapt. Is it the man from downstairs? She giggled a little. Of course not. He was a tail. He wouldn’t come to the door. It was probably the maid. It was early, but maybe she’d seen them leave and wanted to knock the room off her cleaning schedule.

  She walked over to the door. She peered through the peep hole and saw nothing. There was no one there. She opened the door a fraction, and Finn shoved past the door. It bounced off the jamb on the other side. Dear God, it was him I saw. Quincy backed up a few steps until her knees hit the cushion of the chair under the reading lamp.

  Finn kept coming. He grabbed her upper arms in a vise like grip. “What the hell kind of game are you playing?”

  She looked up at his enraged face. “Why are you here? What are you ranting about?” She stared down at her arms where he held her. “You’re hurtin
g me. Let go.”

  He squeezed harder. “No. I won’t let go. You think this hurts? How bad do you think you’re gonna hurt when your fiancé, the firearms exporter, gets his hands on you?”

  “I don’t know what you mean.”

  He shook her a bit. “Don’t lie to me, Quincy Holt. I know what you’re doing, and it’s a boneheaded, stupid idea. Dangerous.”

  “Finn. I know what I’m doing.”

  “The hell you do. This man you’re messing with is very, very dangerous, and he could kill you if he finds out what you’re up to. Kill you.”

  “Kill me? You really think that?” Oh my God, I was afraid of the very thing last night and now Finn is saying it. Maybe Percy really is as evil as I think he is.

  Finn let go of her, ran his hand through his hair, and paced the room. “Yes. I really think that. He has a multimillion dollar a year business. He’s not going to just let you destroy that because he’s engaged to you.”

  “Finn. Please stop pacing. Stop and talk to me rationally.”

  Taking up the distance between them in two strides, he grabbed her again and hugged her to him. “I can’t bear the thought of losing you. I already lost you once and almost lost you a second time. This may be the last chance we have. You have to let this go. Go home. Go back to Miami and let the professionals take care of Percy.”

  She pulled back and looked in his face. “I can’t let this go. I’m closer to him than anyone, and I think I almost have this solved. I can’t just walk away.” She stopped and thought about what he’d just said. “What do you mean, you almost lost me a second time?”

  “In Bali. You really have no idea how close you came to not getting out of Bali, do you?”

  Confused, she said, “Huh? Looked to me like you were able to walk in and get me out.” She snapped her fingers. “Just like that.”

  “Not so easy as that, Q. First, I had to go to my superiors, and they had to go to the State Department. My bosses had to practically guarantee that you’d cooperate with our investigation. Favors were called in. And I mean from the highest levels of our government.”

  “Really? I had no idea.”

  “I know you didn’t. And then, when I finally got there. There was that interrogator. He had a gut instinct that something was wrong. You almost slipped up and called me by name. He didn’t want to let you go. He almost won that battle. I trust my cop instincts, and I could tell he did, too. He was adamant that something was up.”

  Finn paused and looked at her for a full minute. “Remember when I slapped you on the plane?”

  She put her hand to her cheek. “Of course, I’ll never forget it. That was just mean.”

  “No, it wasn’t. I did you the biggest favor of your life. I heard that interrogator whisper to the warden for him to call ahead to the air security team. He wanted them instructed to take you off that plane for any reason they could think of. Any reason. You’re hysteria was something they would have used to haul you off, and I may have never been able to get to you again. I was terrified, so I slapped you, hoping it would calm you down.”

  “Oh, Finn, I had no idea. Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I couldn’t. I had to be the cop. Had to make them think you were my prisoner. It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. Not to comfort you, I mean.”

  “Sorry I was such a pill. I was terrified, too, and thought you were taking joy in seeing me abased.”

  “Never, sweetheart, never.” He hugged her to him, kissed the top of her head, leaned back, and searched her face. “But back to now. Tonight’s your rehearsal dinner. Are you going to marry him or are you just pretending so you can try to bring him down? Is that worth your life?”

  Quincy pulled him over to the bed and sat. She tugged on his hand until he sat beside her. “I’m not risking my life. I’m merely trying to find his cache, his warehouse.”

  Finn turned to face her. He cupped her cheek in his palm. “Baby, you are risking your life. You might not think so, but if he catches you, you’re dead. I mean that. He’s ruthless.”

  She patted his hand. “I don’t think he’d kill me, Finn. I just don’t.” Yeah, I really do, but I can’t say it. Not to Finn.

  He leapt up again and started to pace. “Then you are stupid. Naive.”

  She stood up herself. “Get out of here, Fennimore Smith. I’ll not stand here and let you call me stupid.”

  He rushed back over to her and stood right in front of her, close enough to touch, but he left his hands at his sides. “I love you, you imbecile, and I’m scared to death I’m going to lose you.”

  She pointed to the door. Her hand shook. “Now I’m an imbecile? Get the hell out of here. Now.”

  He grabbed her in a bear hug. “I didn’t mean that. I just want you to think about what you’re doing. I love you. You love me.” He pulled back and stared into her rage filled face. “I know you do. You can’t deny it. Even furious at me, you know you love me. Please, I’m begging you, don’t do this.”

  She stared at him for what seemed like five minutes, stood stiff in his arms. She finally, through gritted teeth, said, “Please leave. I have a rehearsal dinner to get ready for.”

  He let her go, and she walked over to the door. “So, you going to marry him tomorrow if you don’t have the goods on him? Are you going to sleep with him to get the information?”

  “So, we’re back to that, huh?”

  “Back to what?” Puzzled, he gaped at her.

  “Your jealousy and thinking I’m sleeping with every man I meet.”

  “I didn’t say that.”

  “You just accused me of using my body for information.”

  He ran his hands through his hair again. Stood still as a statue and tried to think clearly. He really was screwing this up. “I didn’t mean it. None of it. I’m sorry. I’m just distraught. I can’t stand this. I need to know. Are you going through with the marriage?”

  She exhaled a deep sigh. “Of course not. As soon as I knew Percy was the one to get me arrested in Bali, I began to plan his downfall. I really am not an idiot, stupid, or an imbecile, Finn.”

  Before she could finish, he said, “I know.”

  “I knew I couldn’t tell you anything about my plans or you’d do exactly what you just did. Yell and carry on and try to stop me.”

  “You pegged that right.” He looked at her sternly. “Please promise me one thing.”

  She let out another sigh. “What?”

  “Don’t leave here without me. I mean, without knowing I’m following you. You need backup if you’re going to do this. You need me to help you.”

  “I have backup.”

  This time he sighed. “Let me guess, Avery.”

  “Yes, Avery and Craig. And also Craig’s friend, Mark.”

  “You mean his lover?”

  It was her turn to gape at him. “When did you find out?”

  “I am a detective, you know.”

  “Not anymore. And you weren’t such a good one two years ago either, or we wouldn’t be standing where we are now, would we?”

  He dipped his head. “Touché.”

  “So, when did you find out? That Craig is gay, I mean?”

  “The night we got back to Miami. Coop and I followed you home. To be sure there was no one tailing you.”

  “And you waited to see if Craig was going to stay over?”

  “No. I told you in LA that I was going to trust you. And I did. Still do.”

  She opened the door of the room as he still stood by the bed. “Thanks for that. But now I really need to shower and get ready.”

  He winked. “Need someone to wash your back?”

  “Not yet, but soon. I promise. Soon.”

  At that, he crossed the room in two strides and shut the door. He snatched her into his arms and plunged his tongue into her mouth. She returned his kiss like a drowning woman. She ran her hands through his hair and pulled his head closer to her. His hands ran up and down her back. Her hands trailed down h
is spine and cupped his butt. He groaned and ground his pelvis into hers.

  She leaned back and grinned. “Tonight, after the rehearsal dinner, after I tell Percy it’s over, meet me here. We’ll make love all night.” And I hope Percy is in jail by then, or he’ll follow us.

  He groaned again and held her close. “I can wait till then, my love, but only just.”

  “You won’t be disappointed.” She pushed back against his chest, winked at him and gave his butt a squeeze.

  “You better stop that, sweetheart, or I’ll never leave.”

  “After tonight, you won’t have to, my love.”

  “Your love? I’m your love?”

  She nodded. “Always have been, always will be. Even if you do call me names.”

  He kissed her lightly on the lips. “Sorry about that. I promise only to call you ugly names if you scare me to death, otherwise, they’ll only be nice names.”

  She laughed. “Guess I can live with that.”

  “I hope so, baby. I hope so.”

  She opened the door again and shoved him through it. “Scoot. I have to get ready to break an engagement.”

  He sketched a salute. “Yes, ma’am. Indeed you do.” He took her hand and kissed her knuckles. “See you as soon as you’re free.” He paused and kissed her knuckles again. “Be with you, I mean. I’ll be seeing you the rest of the day as I plan to follow you to the rehearsal dinner, but you won’t see me.”

  “Thanks, Finn. I appreciate it. I’ll feel safer knowing that.”

  “You’ll always be safe with me, sweetheart.”

  “I know. Now, go.” She shut the door to the room and headed to the shower. It was time to free herself of the millstone of Percy Hicks. Once her friends got back with the goods, and after he went down for his crimes, of course.

  * * * *

  Quincy fiddled around the room for a little while and finally decided she’d better get ready for the rehearsal. She’d been hopeful the others would find something quickly and get back before she had to leave for the ordeal. As the day wore on, she realized that was wishful thinking.