A Lover Awaits

by Patricia Rosemoor

  “You’re talking nonsense.”

  He thought about the voodoo doll. Elise. She could have handled the four-by-four, not the gator.

  But Elijah could have.

  Or Bubba...

  Phoebe pushed at him and once freeing herself, rolled over. “Don’t speak to me as if I’m a nitwit.”

  “Then don’t act like one” was out of his mouth before he thought about it.

  Still, he had a point. She wanted to steam ahead blindly, damn the consequences. He wasn’t ready to sacrifice her...or let her sacrifice herself.

  “I think you ought to leave.”

  “I’m not going anywhere.”

  “This is my house.”

  Temper rising, he demanded, “Is that how you solve all your relationship problems? If you can’t win, you take your ball and go home?”

  He wasn’t the only one who was angry. Her hazel eyes blazed at him and her features hardened, sharpening the angles. And talk about body language—while only moments before, her shoulders had been slumped in defeat, her spine now seemed to be made of steel.

  “Who’s talking about a relationship here?” she demanded.

  “I am. Or don’t you ever want to have one with a man?”

  “Not if it means that man gives me orders and expects me to follow them!”

  “Even if it’s in your best interest?”

  “Not even then. I can decide what my own best interest is, thank you so much. I’m nothing like Audra.”

  Is that what she thought? That if she gave in to feelings and let someone have some say in her life that she would be like her sister?

  “Then why do you keep comparing yourself to her?” he asked.

  Her jaw tightened. “You can leave anytime.”

  “Get this straight—you’re not Audra, and I’m not Boone.”

  He read the uncertainty deep in her eyes, bright with new, unshed tears. He thought she might soften.

  But when she said, “Right, he didn’t hide in a swamp because he didn’t want to deal with life,” Simon knew he wasn’t going to win, not tonight.

  Possibly not ever.

  “Then maybe I should disappear back into my swamp and stay there for good,” he muttered, finally choosing to retreat. He slammed out of the house the way he’d come, yelling, “And lock this door behind me!”

  Leaving via the lanai, he waited until he’d rounded the pool before glancing back. She was on the other side of the sliding door, doing as he’d ordered.

  Thank God she had enough sense to realize that was in her best interest!

  Simon was starting down the road toward his car before he cooled off enough to think rationally. If whoever had set up Phoebe with the gator wasn’t still around, the person might be back to check on his handiwork. No matter how mad she made him, he couldn’t leave her unprotected.

  Detouring to the other side of the road, Simon headed straight for the giant old banyan tree, which had dropped dozens of roots that had taken in the soil and thickened. He could easily lose himself within the shelter of its maze and have a clear view of her place.

  No matter that Phoebe thought she could take care of herself, he wouldn’t abandon her until this matter was settled one way or the other. Someone had killed his twin and her half-sister. Someone obviously not averse to doubling his crime. Simon wouldn’t rest until he saw justice done.

  Making himself as comfortable as he could, he waited for the killer to return or for the sun to rise.

  Whichever came first.

  PHOEBE SPENT WHAT had to be the longest night in her life tossing and turning, getting out of bed and touring the house, checking the windows and doors—doing everything but sleep.

  Well, maybe she slept a little. A few minutes here and there. Every time she drifted off, however, another ghost crashed her dreams.

  A four-by-four vehicle on a rampage.

  An alligator with a grudge.

  Audra floating face down in a swimming pool.

  Simon vowing to lose himself in a swamp.

  Better to stay awake than to chance more nightmares.

  If only she could make her mind stop playing tricks on her while awake. She kept seeing Simon in all his moods, kept feeling things best ignored, no matter how hard she tried to vanquish the memories.

  Lack of sleep caught up to Phoebe at work the next day, when she seated the lunch crowd with as much enthusiasm as a zombie. Her lack of joie de vivre did not go unnoticed.

  “See, this is what happens when I take an unscheduled night off,” Kevin cheerfully chided her as she joined him during the late afternoon lull. “You work yourself so hard you become a basket case.”

  Her partner was sitting at a table between the ocean and the bar just in case he had to jump up to fill an order. Phoebe dumped herself in a chair opposite. She probably ought to tell him why she hadn’t slept, but she didn’t feel like going into it. Didn’t want to hear another lecture like the one she’d had from Simon.

  She gave a grin her best shot but figured it looked forced. “I look that good, huh?”

  “You’re letting the stress get to you, Pheebs.” Kevin reached across the table and patted her hand. “But don’t worry, no more advice from me.”

  “Not even of the romantic sort?”

  “Did the word ‘romantic’ just pass your lips? Alert the media!” His expression knowing, he said, “So Simon Calderon got to you.”

  Phoebe ignored the obvious. She’d like to skip this discussion altogether. Then, again, Kevin was a good sounding board. She switched to a related topic that had been bugging her more and more lately.

  “Do you think I’m like Audra?”

  She hadn’t thought so herself—not until she’d started reading her sister’s diary and imagining herself with Boone’s brother.

  “I don’t see much resemblance.”

  “Not looks. The kind of women we are.” She frowned. “Or were, I guess.”.

  Kevin’s intense scrutiny made her shift in her seat. She wondered why the question bothered him so much, which it must considering he took his sweet time answering.

  “That what Calderon thinks?” he finally asked.

  She shook her head. “It’s me. All me. I’m afraid of falling into the same traps that Audra did.”

  “I’m hearing it’s already too late. Poor Pheebs. Just another besotted mortal.”

  Knowing that he was right—that Simon had too quickly become more than an object of lust to her, she groaned. “Oh, Kev, what am I going to do?”

  “Chill out, for one. You’ll survive.”

  “How?”

  “A clear head will help you sort it out. Getting some rest would be a good start.”

  “You mean now?” she asked incredulously. “I’m not bowing out on you again tonight.”

  “We won’t get busy for a while. My place is your place, so to speak, so get your butt upstairs. Take a nap.”

  “Forget my trying to sleep.”

  “Then just veg out. Watch television. Relax. C’mon, you really do look like hell.”

  Not knowing what else to do, having all the energy of a turnip, Phoebe nodded. “It couldn’t hurt.”

  “Good girl.”

  Once upstairs, she stretched out on Kevin’s couch and tuned the television to the evening news. Oh, Lord, a couch had never felt so good.

  She tried to concentrate on the anchorman’s voice, but he seemed to drone on and on and on...

  PHOEBE AWOKE to a room dark but for the square of blazing, moving light that, once she was able to focus properly, proved to be the television. She tried to concentrate on some comedy bit that, in the end, didn’t seem in the least funny to her. Maybe she’d lost her sense of humor.

  At first she didn’t remember where she was. Then realization set in and she sat up with a jerk.

  Kevin!

  She’d left the burden of their business on him for yet another night. Several hours had passed. Why hadn’t he sent someone to wake her up? At least she w
as feeling better—no doubt his purpose in leaving her alone. He was always looking out for her. A woman couldn’t have a better friend.

  Wanting to turn off the television, she looked for the controller, but it seemed to have disappeared. She snapped on a table lamp and searched all around. When the controller didn’t surface, she figured the couch ate it while she was sleeping. Hopefully, Kevin could get the cushions to burp the dam thing up.

  Phoebe stretched luxuriously and realized how much better she felt as she crossed to the entertainment center so she could turn off the set manually. She swore her partner had every electronic gadget around. In addition to equipment, he owned an amazing collection of CDs and videotapes. She automatically scanned them to see if he’d bought anything interesting.

  A few X-rated video titles made her grin. And a few black boxes with names she recognized penciled in. Tourists he’d dated. Lovely “magnetic” girls to stand in when he couldn’t get a live one to keep him company? As if that ever happened.

  About to head back downstairs, one of those plain black boxes shoved behind the others, caught her eye.

  Audra was scribbled across the label.

  A weird feeling whispered through her.

  Kevin had known her sister, of course. The three of them had shared dinner several times when Audra had started having trouble with Vance and would come to stay with her for a few days here and there. But why would he have a videotape of her?

  Then it hit her. Jimmy Bob.

  Kevin had promised to talk to the handyman, to straighten him out. She’d forgotten to ask him about it.

  Thinking about Jimmy Bob Dortch taping her sister’s private moments for his amusement made her queasy. Kevin must have confiscated this videotape from the man.

  Feeling somewhat as she had when she’d first opened the diary, Phoebe turned the television back on and put the tape in the recorder for a quick look.

  She had to know for sure...

  Hand trembling, she pushed Start, then sat back on the floor. Her worst fears immediately confirmed, Phoebe averted her gaze from the screen.

  About to stop the tape, she froze when she realized something important. Boone’s hair had been dark, exactly like Simon’s. This man’s hair was fair.

  Unable to help herself, she looked again, her focus going beyond the raw physical actions. The view gave a wide angle of the whole bed. The man’s back was toward the camera. Even so, he was sickeningly familiar.

  He rolled over, bringing Audra up over him, and in that instant, her worst fears were confirmed.

  With a trembling hand, she stopped the tape.

  How could she not have known?

  Heart in her throat, she tore out of the apartment and to her car, instinct driving her to find Simon, even as she heard Kevin call after her.

  “Hey, Pheebs, wait up!”

  She ran blindly and got behind the wheel.

  She drove fast along the side streets of Marco. Her mind spun faster. Recounted an entry in the diary...

  He’s making life miserable for me. Won’t accept that I’ve left him for good. That it’s over. That I have no feelings for him...if I ever did

  She’d assumed Audra had been writing about Vance. That she was talking about her marriage being over.

  Went for drinks with him. One last try to convince him in a civilized manner. He saw it as his chance to woo me back into his bed, into his life.

  A bed she hadn’t known Audra had slept in, Phoebe thought, finding it hard to breathe.

  Why?

  How could she have been so blind? How could Audra have been so secretive? Phoebe didn’t need to hear her sister’s voice to know. Audra had feared that Phoebe would disapprove—again. The same reason she hadn’t said anything about Boone at first. Until she’d been sure of him.

  More of the passage came to mind.

  When I resisted, he turned ugly, acted like he could force me if he wanted to. I told him to go to hell and got home on my own.

  A man capable of violence. But Vance, while psychologically abusive, had never been violent to her sister.

  He doesn’t care about me, really, just doesn’t want to lose a trophy.

  But I don’t want to lose my sanity...or my life.

  No, not Vance Laughlin.

  Kevin Saltis.

  It was her partner who treated women like trophies.

  And unless she was horribly wrong, her partner and best friend was also a murderer.

  SIMON AWOKE with a start. He hadn’t meant to sleep this long, but he’d fought to stay awake all night and for a better part of the day to play guardian to Phoebe. Exhaustion had finally won the battle.

  It had grown dark and the Blue Crab parking lot was nearly deserted. Tension drew him taut when he didn’t immediately see Phoebe’s convertible.

  What he did see was her partner frantically tear down the stairs from his apartment and get into a sports car.

  Saltis was going to leave with Phoebe already gone?

  That didn’t sit well.

  Instinct drove Simon to follow even before Saltis drove out of the lot Not wanting to be obvious, he’d left his truck on the side street and had hunkered down on the porch of a temporarily closed establishment. Fetching the vehicle, he was sorry he’d felt it necessary to stay out of Phoebe’s line of fire.

  Even so, he was able to play catch-up fast enough to spot the sports car zigzagging through traffic on the road back to the mainland. Only when he got there, Kevin Saltis didn’t go north as Simon had expected.

  He turned south.

  Away from civilization.

  Thoughts grim, Simon followed Phoebe’s partner straight into the heart of his own territory.

  Chapter Fourteen

  That she was being followed didn’t become obvious until Phoebe turned off the highway and onto the road that would take her to Simon’s place.

  The lights behind her swept low along the pavement.

  A sports car.

  Her heart thudded, but she told herself to calm down, that Kevin couldn’t do anything to her once she found Simon. A little voice reminded her that he’d killed both her sister and Simon’s brother, but she figured that happened only because they hadn’t been forewarned, hadn’t known what was coming.

  But she knew.

  Kevin was set on killing them both.

  Phoebe practically cried for joy when she reached the narrow undeveloped side road that would take her straight in to Simon’s place. And she almost wept real tears when she didn’t see his truck. No vehicle sat parked on the crushed shell pad beneath his home.

  What to do?

  She couldn’t go back. There was only that one way in and out, and Kevin would be right behind her. A convertible with the top down offered no protection, as she’d discovered the night before.

  She cut the engine and lights and left the car. Praying she would remember the path she’d taken with Simon, Phoebe decided to trust her fate to the swamp itself.

  But before she got more than a few yards, the sports car swept in front of her and Kevin stuck his head out the window.

  “Going somewhere?”

  Phoebe froze to the spot as her partner alighted from the car, a gun in hand. He let the weapon hang at his side. For now.

  Where the hell was Simon when she needed him?

  “Why couldn’t you leave well enough alone like I asked you to, Pheebs?”

  Kevin positioned himself between her and the two vehicles. The moon gave her a clear view of his face. He appeared torn, as if he was already regretting what he was about to do. How gratifying.

  “You should have listened to me,” he went on. “I care about you, really. I’ll never find another partner I like better. Then, again, it’s time to sell the business and move on, maybe go solo next time.”

  “The police will track you down wherever you go.”

  Kevin laughed. “They’ve already let me get away with two murders.”

  All the anguish Phoebe had been feeling welle
d up in a single word: “Why?” She swallowed hard against the sickness that threatened her inside. “What did my sister ever do to you?”

  “She used me. When she was still married to that creep Laughlin and she wanted some thrills, she came on to me.”

  “And you just couldn’t resist.”

  “Hey, for once I tried out of respect for you. But Audra knew how to work a man to get what she wanted. She drove me crazy with lust until I would do anything she asked. Every time was better than the last. Her arsenal of tricks was spectacular, I must admit. I couldn’t think about anything else. And then one day she walked away from me straight into Boone Calderon’s arms. Giving her time to get tired of him was my big mistake.”

  As if he could force a woman to love him in return.

  “You’re the one who had her followed and photographed.” Not to mention videotaped. When he merely shrugged in agreement, Phoebe added, “And you started to see that Audra wasn’t going to tire of Boone.”

  “And I couldn’t stop wanting her. You don’t know what it’s like when every waking moment, every dream is filled with one person. Someone you can’t have.”

  “Oh, I have some idea,” she countered, thinking of the way Simon had withheld what she’d thought she wanted from him.

  “Your sister obsessed me, tormented me. And then paraded that swamp boy around like I had no feelings.”

  “Audra wasn’t a cruel person. And she was in love.”

  “She was a selfish bitch!” Kevin insisted. “You asked me if you’re like her. No, Pheebs, you’re everything she wasn’t. It should have been you I fell for, not her. Then none of this would have happened.”

  Or she would have been the dead one, Phoebe thought, since she would never have loved him in return. At least, not the kind of love that led a woman to a man’s bed and made her want to stay there forever. Simon was the only man she’d ever met who’d made her think she was ready to take that chance.

  She did love Simon, Phoebe realized. And if she was brave enough—and lucky enough to remain alive—she would tell him so.

  Maybe then he would bed her.

  But first she had to figure out how to stay alive long enough to find out.

  “I’m not your type, Kevin.”