Traveling Bug

by Curry, Edna

  "Just how do you plan on getting that home?" asked Diane, laughing at him.

  "On my head, I guess," Jeff admitted.

  "You're going to take a lot of ribbing for that."

  "I know. But I couldn't talk Joey out of it. That's the only thing he wanted." Jeff said. "Aren't you going to take back any souvenirs? This may be your last chance to shop, you know."

  "Yes, but I think mine will be a bit more manageable than that."

  "Oh yeah? Well, we'll see!"

  But in the end he had to admit she was right. She got Paula the silver charm in the shape of a Mexican hat that she had asked for and her mother a silver and turquoise thimble to add to her collection from all over the world. For Bill she got a small chess set in brown and white onyx.

  When she admired a lovely silver and turquoise necklace, Jeff insisted on buying it for her.

  "But you mustn't," she cried.

  "Why ever not?" That eyebrow went up again in that maddening way of his. "I can afford it, if you're worried about cost."

  "I didn't mean that."

  "Consider it a thank you for my taking advantage of you to keep Dad and I apart on this trip, if that makes you feel better," he said, obviously annoyed at her again.

  She smiled a thank you then, knowing that once again she had goofed. She seemed always to do the wrong thing with him. On the one hand she felt guilty taking a gift that she felt she hadn't earned, yet on the other she was secretly thrilled to have something just from him. Some memento of their trip together, to remember when these few days were over and he returned to Banning Corporation as she was sure now that he would. It was inevitable, she reasoned. Arlene was right. No man would resist that opportunity. Arlene would win just as she had said she would.

  They saw a large supermarket, and went in to explore.

  It was good to know about buying food supplies, she reasoned, for those people who asked questions about renting a condominium here and doing their own cooking.

  She found it similar to the ones at home, although this one was certainly a long way from neat. She wondered if they ever dusted, or removed broken packages from the shelves.

  "I certainly would never have gotten away with that when I was a stock-boy," Jeff commented, pointing to a row of cake mixes, which were in disarray. Several broken boxes with contents spilling out onto the floor had been pushed aside.

  "You were a stock-boy?" Diane asked in surprise.

  "Sure, back in high school. Why not?"

  "I guess I always thought rich kids just got huge allowances and spent their time playing."

  "Well, it's not always true. My Dad believes in kids earning their own spending money. Otherwise how would they learn the relationship between money and work? They might grow up thinking money grows on trees."

  "You mean it doesn't?" she kidded, making him laugh too.

  "Oh look, bulk eggs." She stopped to watch a young girl putting them in plastic bags and weighing them before writing a price on each bag with a felt-tip pen.

  "How do the women get them home in just a plastic bag without breaking them?"

  "Very carefully," Jeff grinned. "Come on, have you seen enough? Let's go."

  "Wait a minute. I want one of these lovely red apples."

  "But we've no place to wash it. You'll get Montezuma's Revenge."

  "I brought some pills, same as everyone else. I take my own advice, you know."

  "Suit yourself. Though how you stay so skinny, when you're always eating, is beyond me."

  They walked about, admiring an artist at work, and taking pictures of each other standing under the arches by the sea. Diane teased Jeff saying he took pictures of everything.

  "I guess I do take a lot of them, he admitted. This is my tenth roll of film. Habit, I guess. I have a collection of photo albums from wherever I've been."

  "Really? That's terrific," she said, impressed.

  "In fact," he said, "I'd better buy some more film. The costumes that the dancers wear at the Mexican Fiesta tonight are supposed to be really colorful. And speaking of the Fiesta, we'd better be getting back. We have to assemble the troops for that, you know."

  "I suppose we have been out of reach most of the day," she agreed. "And it would be nice to relax for an hour before the evening."

  He hailed a cab. Just as one pulled up, someone called to them from another cab. It pulled to the curb and stopped.

  They went over to talk, wondering what was wrong now. Diane recognized Arthur Harris, one of the men from their group who had been drinking too much on the bus tour the other day.

  "What's the matter?" Jeff asked.

  "We just walked most of the way back from 'Chino's", Arthur said, naming the restaurant out in the country they'd gone to on the first day. "Mr. Banning and some others are still there, stranded. We went out there by taxi and the driver promised to come back to pick us up in two hours, but he never came back. It's going to be dark soon. The restaurant closed and the employees don't speak English. There are no phones or anything. Boy, it's scary walking back on those narrow roads between all the tall trees and brush. We met a snake this long!" He spread his arms wide dramatically.

  "Didn't you send a cab back for them?"

  "I tried, but none of these guys speak English. And I know they won't take more than four people in a cab and there are four left out there."

  "Oh for Pete's sake!" Jeff said. "Who is with my father?"

  "Arlene and Harry and Esther Christensen."

  "Go on back to the hotel and get ready for the Mexican Fiesta tonight. I'll take care of it."

  He waved them off in their cab, then turned back to Diane. "Talk to this cabby for me, will you? Make him understand that I need him to take me out there, pick up the others and that there will be five of us coming back."

  She nodded and translated rapidly to their driver. He replied grudgingly, seeming surprised that she could speak his language.

  "He agrees, provided he gets extra pay for the extra person," she told him.

  "It figures." He groaned. "Okay. Do you want me to take you back to the hotel first?"

  "I'll get another cab," she said tightly. "I'm not helpless, you know."

  "Okay, I'll see you at the Fiesta then. I hope Pedro and Lola don't let you down on the travel arrangements. I probably won't be back in time to go with you. Don't wait for us!" And he climbed in and was gone.

  The lovely relaxed mood of the day was gone. Diane hailed another of the endless cruising cabs and went back to the hotel.

  As she walked through the lobby she saw Sandy Jorgenson get up from a table in the bar lounge and hurry toward her.

  "Diane, wait," he called frantically, rushing towards her.

  She stopped in front of the open elevators, wondering what he could be so upset about.

  He shoved a Chicago newspaper at her, pointing at the headlines. "Where has everybody been all day? This arrived this morning on a flight from the States. Banning Corporation's Bulletin Board has been shut down. Computers are down all over the United States because of a virus they've traced to us."

  Diane scanned the article quickly. Sandy wasn't exaggerating. It sounded as though lots of people were furious with Banning Corporation. Diane's heart was hammering with shock and dismay. She had to get away.

  "Where's Mr. Banning?" Sandy demanded. "I'm sure he'll want to go back right away."

  "Vince and some others were stranded at Chino's. Jeff went out to get them. We're to meet them at the Fiesta. Don't worry, I'm sure they left some capable people in charge back in Milwaukee to take care of the problem." She managed a smile as she handed the newspaper back to him.

  Sandy scowled after her as she stepped into the elevator and punched the button for her floor.

  She felt sick as she shot upward. Suddenly the conversation she'd overheard between her father and Jeff popped into her mind and took on a new sinister meaning.

  With a sinking heart she realized that this would be no news to Jeff. This was the "sec
ret project" he had been working on. All the bits and pieces of information fit together and she was sure that this was the reason Bill was to stay off of Banning's Bulletin Board.

  She tried not to think of the innocent people all over the USA who had not been forewarned, and who must be furious with them about the lost time and destroyed programs. How could Jeff have done such a thing?

  Damn Jeff anyway! He had betrayed her. He thought her worthy of a night of passion, but not a confidence. Love to her meant trust and partnership. Obviously, it meant something else to Jeff, or perhaps nothing at all.

  Now she was dreading the evening to which she had looked forward all day. And another suspicion crept into her mind. Had Jeff really wanted to spend the day with her, or had he done so only to keep her away from the other members of their group when they learned the news? Had he been afraid she knew too much and might blurt out something which would reveal his secret?

  What would happen now? Probably this emergency would mean that Jeff and his father and some of their group would return early. Would this be her last night here in this romantic place with Jeff?

  She took a leisurely bath and dressed in one of the evening dresses she had brought with her, realizing she desperately needed to talk about this with Jeff, to have him explain why he had done this. She wanted to be reassured that what he had done was necessary and right, not the despicable act the newspaper had described. Or was it even illegal? But Jeff wasn't here to tell her. Jeff was out rescuing Arlene.

  Once again, she thought, Arlene had managed to come between them.

  She surveyed herself in the mirror, swirling about in the full-skirted black dress. At least, she looked her best.

  Would Jeff notice?

  Chapter 12

  Diane went downstairs, happy to find that Pedro, Lola and most of the others were already there.

  Everyone was buzzing with excitement about the news of the computer virus. Each of them seemed to have a different theory on what had happened. Diane merely listened to the speculation, until Sandy Jorgenson commented, "I don't care what you guys say, I say there's only one guy in our Company who could have done it. That's Jeff Banning. He had to be the S.O.B. who did it!"

  "Jeff? One of our own guys? No way! Somebody in one of our competitors' companies had to have done it," insisted Mr. Errington. "I'll bet my boots on it!"

  Diane bit her lip to keep from defending Jeff. Yet, she wasn't sure herself if he was really innocent. She wanted to believe he was, of course. Oh, why couldn't he just tell her what was really going on? She was so sure he was hiding the truth from her. It showed in his face when he talked to her. She tried to shut her ears to the speculation all around her.

  Then Mr. Errington looked directly at Diane, and said, "Tell Jeff and Vince that my wife and I have gone on ahead. Sue should be about done packing. I got us space on the next flight home as soon as I heard this afternoon. I'm sure they'll be coming in the morning."

  "All right," she said in surprise, watching him bid the others goodbye and disappear back into the elevator.

  Finally, after counting heads, they all piled into vans for the drive downtown. Lola waved them off and went back into the hotel.

  The Fiesta was held in a large open-air restaurant, complete with the largest live Iquana Diane had ever seen.

  They walked gingerly past his cage. He certainly looks as though he could easily bite through the wire fence of his cage with those huge jaws, she thought. He looks more like an alligator than an Iquana.

  They were given front row tables, and Diane found herself with Sara Harris and Cathy Jorgensen and their husbands and another couple she hadn't met before. She was relieved to be with someone she already knew. Although she usually didn't mind meeting new people, tonight she was feeling more than a little tired, and her nerves were on edge over this latest development.

  She tried to ignore Sandy's comments on the subject, determined to reserve judgment until she could talk to Jeff. She kept telling herself he would be able to explain everything, if she just gave him a chance. Certainly he deserved her trust until he proved otherwise to her.

  Drinks were on the house and were served very lavishly. Diane was sure that this party was going to be a loud one.

  A young man in costume came around, putting a very large hat and brightly colored serape on each person in turn, then taking their picture. Later in the evening, she knew, he would return to show each person their picture and attempt to sell it to them. More commercialism. But some of the group would buy them, she knew, and show them with pride as proof that they had been there.

  Dinner was a lavish buffet table spread with a great variety of Mexican foods. Everything from the usual refried beans and barbecued beef to a dozen items Diane hadn't seen before were spread on the long tables. They stood in the long lines chatting, then filled their plates and found their way back to their table.

  "This corn tortilla is absolutely tasteless!" Esther said, pushing it to one side of her plate.

  "Umm," Diane agreed, "but this salad is something special! And the pineapple is delicious!"

  "Why is it," Cathy asked, "that when you get Mexican pineapple back home, it never tastes as good as this?"

  "Everything tastes better on vacation!" Sandy said. "I always gain at least ten pounds!"

  "You don't need any excuse to gain weight, Sandy," Cathy scolded, looking pointedly at her husband's paunchy middle.

  "Now, kids, don't start in on that subject, tonight." Mr. Harris put in. "I want to enjoy this feast without thinking about what the scale is going to tell me when I get back home. Time enough to diet then."

  "Hear, hear!" Sandy Jorgenson agreed, "I'll drink to that!" He raised his glass in a happy salute.

  Just then Diane saw Jeff and Arlene and the others make their way to the buffet table. Jeff hadn't spotted her and she saw with dismay that his hand rested very familiarly on Arlene's waist. And that her very daring blue evening dress left her back nearly bare under his hand.

  Diane looked away, and tried her best to pay attention to the conversation at her own table. But she found her eyes straying again and again to the table where a dark brown head and a bright red one laughed together.

  At last the entertainment started and she had little trouble keeping her attention on the active dancers in their bright, colorful costumes on the stage in front of her. She winced at the swinging swords in the Mexican hat dance, especially when she saw the bits of ribbon fly, which told her they were indeed really sharp. Those girls certainly had a lot of nerve to skip so deftly over the swinging swords.

  Diane held her breath, sure at any moment one of them would miss time a step, and she would see blood flowing from their feet!

  Then a guitar-playing group took the floor. A small boy stole the show, when he played a small guitar with the others on the stage. An attractive lady who was later revealed as the small boy's mother sang several love songs, then there were more costumed dancers.

  Next they invited all the men to break a piñata, which was jokingly full of very large-sized ladies under things instead of the usual children's candy. Cathy was not pleased when her husband came back laughingly holding high a very large-sized bra.

  "Aw, come on, honey," Sandy coaxed when he saw her scowl. "Can't you take a joke? It's just in fun."

  "It's more embarrassing than funny to me," Cathy whispered fiercely at him. "And you've had too many Martini's already," she added as he waved down a waiter.

  He ignored her, and insisted on dancing as the leader announced that at last it was time for everyone to join in the fun and begin the dance.

  Cathy reluctantly joined him on the dance floor.

  Diane watched them go. Sandy was a well-built stocky man in spite of his paunchy stomach. He danced well, even with too many martinis. His sand colored hair which had earned him his nickname was now disheveled and his face too red under his freckles.

  He grinned and leered at the other girls as they danced, then Diane saw the gri
n fade and a frown appear as Cathy talked earnestly to him. He certainly didn't like whatever it was she was saying.

  When the dance ended and the band switched to a lively polka, he and Cathy came back to their table.

  Sandy was still scowling, and Cathy's face was grim.

  Diane had no wish to get in the middle, and quickly accepted when Vince came by to ask her to dance. Maybe they would have settled their quarrel by the time she got back.

  Vince danced well, considering the speed of the polka, though Diane couldn't help wishing Jeff had asked her instead of his father.

  "Whew," Diane said. "I didn't think they would play this stuff down here!"

  "I think they're playing whatever they think the crowd will dance to. You noticed that they didn't get too many people out there when they played the rock and roll stuff. Most of the people here tonight are of my generation."

  She looked around the sea of faces at the tables under the stars and had to admit he was probably right. Not too many young people could afford these trips.

  "By the way, Vince, Mr. Errington asked me to tell you that he and his wife were taking a night flight back to Milwaukee. He said he was sure you would be flying back in the morning."

  Vince's face looked shocked, then carefully blank. "I'm sorry to hear that."

  Diane swallowed the string of questions that she had been skating around with Jeff for weeks. If she was ever going to have a relationship with Jeff, he was going to have to decide to confide in her himself. She wasn't going to dig for information from his father behind his back.

  "Diane," Vince said as the number ended and they stood to one side waiting for the music to begin again. "I hate to ask you, but would you help Jeff and me with a problem?"

  "Me?" Diane asked surprised. How much did he think she knew? Should she admit she suspected Jeff of planting the virus? The newspaper account was common knowledge now, so she needn't pretend ignorance about that. "But what can I do? I know next to nothing about your bulletin board, and certainly little about computer viruses."