by Rose Pressey
Derek scribbled his signature and then asked, “Does this membership come with spandex shorts or are those extra?”
Anger flared in Steve’s eyes. Did Derek have to push Steve’s buttons? It was as if Derek had a death wish.
I pushed the paper across the desk back at Steve. “You didn’t go to the party with Morgan?”
Steve’s face remained hard and unyielding as he stared at me. “I had to get ready for a bodybuilding competition that’s coming up. I don’t have time for a party.”
I knew Derek wouldn’t agree with that statement. He thought there was always time for a party.
“You missed a signature.” Steve pointed and pushed the paper back toward me.
I wasn’t even sure of what I was signing. I could be donating my organs for all I knew. And I didn’t mean after death either.
He snatched the papers up when I finished and examined them. “Let me know if you want a personal trainer. I can set you up with someone. We’ll have those scrawny muscles in shape in no time.”
Why did he look at me when he said that? This guy wasn’t making a friend in me. By the look on his face, I guess he didn’t care though.
I smirked. “I’ll make sure to let you know.”
“Whatever,” Steve said.
“I do yoga,” I whispered to Derek.
“Suit yourself.” Steve shoved the papers into a drawer and pushed to his feet. “No skin off my back.”
This guy had terrible management skills.
Steve marched to the door and motioned for us to follow. “I’ll show you all around the gym.”
Derek and I followed him out of the office and over to the cardio section. It was as if I’d escaped being sealed in a plastic bag and could now breathe again. At least we’d gotten out of there alive and with no broken bones. Of course, I might not make it through a workout session, but I digress.
“Here are the treadmills, elliptical machines, stationary bikes, etc. Use them.” Steve walked away toward the weight area.
Derek and I looked at each other. I had a feeling this would be a quick trip around the gym. It was a good thing I didn’t want a real tour.
Steve stopped in front of the weights. “I guess this is kind of self-explanatory. Those are the weights. You don’t need my help with this.”
Steve didn’t know if I needed help. He just didn’t care if I needed assistance. That was fine with me though. Derek and I were wasting precious time that could be used looking for Morgan. Again, how had I let Derek get me into this? Was it that tilted grin of his? The gorgeous baby blues? Or the way my name rolled off his tongue with that sexy Southern drawl? Nope. None of those things. I was just a pushover. That really needed to stop. When would I learn to take control?
Steve punched Derek in the arm, a pretend-friendly pat that almost knocked him over. “You need the weights. Bulk you up a little bit.” His attention shifted to me. “You could stand some toning up.”
I wasn’t even giving him the satisfaction of a response. “Thanks for the help. Please tell Morgan we said hello when you see her.”
“Let me know if you need anything,” Steve said through gritted teeth.
As he walked away, I called out, “Will do, Steve!”
“I think we’ve made a friend.” Derek lifted a twenty-pound weight and curled it.
“You noticed her staring at us too?” I pointed at the auburn-haired beauty watching us from across the room.
Chapter 7
Derek set the weight down. “I was talking about Steve.”
I picked up a five-pound weight and pretended that I hadn’t noticed the woman who had set her sights on us. If I pretended to work out maybe I’d blend in. “I mean that woman over there watching us. The pretty one over there.”
Derek held his hands up. “I swear I don’t know her.”
“That’s a shocker. What does she want?”
Derek quirked an eyebrow and scanned the room. “Well, you’re not going to have to guess for much longer because she’s headed this way. Maybe she wants that five-pound weight in your hand.” Derek motioned.
I set the dumbbell down. “Try to act casual. I know that’s hard for you.”
Derek winked. “You got it, boss.”
“Excuse me,” the woman said when she grew near. “I couldn’t help but notice that you all look a little lost.”
Did I have a sign on my forehead? She wore black yoga pants and a purple bra top that showcased her generous cleavage. Of course her toned abs were on display too.
“Sometimes I jog too,” I whispered to Derek.
Derek flashed that sexy smile at her. “We’ve just joined.”
Did he have to be so charming?
She pointed at me. “Haven’t I seen you before?”
Had she seen my performance as Marilyn? Since I wore a wig, I doubted she would recognize me. Or did she think I looked like Morgan too?
I shook my head. “I don’t think we’ve met.”
She touched Derek’s arm. “If you need help, I’m a personal trainer. I work here and I can show you around.”
I just bet she could show Derek around. Was I invisible?
“I think we’ll be okay.” Was the frustration evident in my tone?
“You know, maybe it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have someone show us the ropes.” Derek smiled.
I would get him back for this.
The redhead clapped her hands together. “Great. We can set something up. I’ll get you my card and we can schedule something.” She looked me up and down. “I’ll be right back.”
When she strolled away I asked, “What are you doing? Can’t you be professional and not hit on her?”
Derek raked his hand through his hair. “I did nothing wrong. And if you’ll give me a second, I’ll explain. She works here. We need an in. She can give us information.”
I stared at him. Damn it. He was right. Never would I admit that to him though.
“Okay, but I’m not wearing workout gear like hers.”
A sly smile spread across his face. “Too bad.” Derek gestured toward the front desk. “Look, she’s talking to Steve now.”
Steve and the trainer glanced our way and I quickly averted my attention.
After a couple seconds, the woman bounced back. “My name’s Tabitha Gibson.” She handed Derek a card. “I have Wednesday evening available if that will work for you.”
Why did she not look at me when she spoke? Her attention was solely on Derek. He was good-looking, I got it. And evening? This wasn’t a date.
“That sounds great.” Derek took the card and looked around. I knew he was about to make his move. “This is a great gym. Do you own it?” Derek asked.
Tabitha chuckled. “No, he does.” She pointed toward Steve. “I mean, Morgan owns it, but Steve does all the work.”
I cast a look at Derek, but he was now watching Steve.
“Morgan is another trainer here?” Derek asked.
I hoped she didn’t get suspicious of Derek’s questions.
Tabitha frowned. “No, she just owns the place.”
“Sorry, we haven’t met her,” I said.
“She’s not around right now anyway.” Tabitha crossed her arms in front of her tiny waist.
I smiled. “Oh, maybe we can meet her soon.”
She scoffed. “I wouldn’t count on it.”
This time Derek looked at me.
“Why is that?” I asked.
“She’s busy, I guess. I’m not sure when she’ll be around again.” Tabitha glanced toward the front of the club again.
It sounded as if she knew more than Steve was telling us. She also seemed tired of answering our questions.
“Is she out of town?” I tried to sound casual.
Derek shifted from one foot to the other, looking uncomfortable, as if I was asking too many questions.
Tabitha slid her gaze toward Steve again. He was watching us. “I’m not sure where she is.” Tabitha fidgeted.
“It looks as if Steve has everything under control though,” Derek said.
Tabitha forced a smile. “Yes, he’s great. Anyway, I have to go. Call me.”
With that, she sashayed away. Her eyes had lit up every time she’d spoken Steve’s name. Apparently, he was a lot nicer to her than to us.
“We’re probably not going to get more info today. We should leave,” I said and took off toward the front of the gym.
Derek hurried beside me. “What’s going on in your head now? I can tell by the look in your eyes that you have another plan already.”
“I always have a plan.”
Chapter 8
Of course I didn’t have a plan, but Derek didn’t need to know that.
Steve and Tabitha stood behind the counter when we reached the front of the gym.
“Thanks again.” Derek gave a little salute as we walked by.
“Why are you pushing that guy? He already looks like he wants to rip our heads off.” I needed to cast a spell that would make Steve less cranky.
“Never mind the meathead. Are you my workout partner now?” Derek said when we walked across the parking lot.
“I think you should pay for my membership,” I said.
“What makes you say that?” he asked.
“Because if not for your snooping and getting us caught, I wouldn’t have had to make up that story about joining this gym.” I opened the car door and slid in.
Derek climbed behind the wheel. “You’ll thank me later. Do you believe what he said about Morgan?”
I leaned my head back against the seat. “I don’t know. If Morgan takes off all the time, then why are we looking for her? Doesn’t her best friend know this about her?”
“I’ll call Paige and ask her what the deal is.” Derek pulled out his phone and dialed her number.
Steve was looking out the window at us. Was he always this aggressive or was it just the extra testosterone? He seemed as if he had something to hide. Maybe it was a good idea after all that we’d gotten that gym membership. We’d have an excuse to go in anytime we wanted. Why did Derek have to be right?
“She didn’t answer, so I left a message.” Derek clicked off the call.
“Let’s get out of here.” I gestured toward the road.
Derek pointed the car in the direction of our office. As we drove down the street, I saw someone I thought I recognized.
“Is that George?” Derek asked.
Apparently we’d seen George at the same time.
“I’d recognize him anywhere. With that black hair he looks like a shriveled-up version of Wayne Newton. I thought he was staying at the office? Pull over and see what he’s doing.” I gestured.
Derek steered the car to the side of the street. I pushed the button, bringing the window down. “George?”
He didn’t hear me and continued his trek down the sidewalk.
“George,” I called out again.
George finally snapped to attention and looked over at us. He gave a little wave and shuffled over.
“What are you doing? I thought I left you at the office,” I said.
George leaned down and rested his arms against the car’s door. The smell of Bengay filled the car. “I had to get out of there.” His brown eyes narrowed and his tiny mouth tipped down into a frown. I’d never seen George this shaken. Even his bow tie was a little lopsided.
I touched his arm. “What happened?”
“I just stepped out for a moment to get coffee. When I came back, someone had broken into the office. I didn’t want to stay there.” He shook his head.
My heart sped up. “Did you call the police?”
“Hop in, George.” Derek pushed the button, unlocking the back door.
George opened the back door and climbed in. Derek pulled away from the curb in a hurry and headed toward our office.
I looked back at George. “What makes you think someone broke in?”
George brushed hair off his forehead. “Papers on my desk were all moved around. That wasn’t how I left them. There was nothing on Derek’s desk for anyone to move around.”
I quirked an eyebrow. “Okay. Don’t worry. We’ll figure out what’s going on.” I wasn’t sure about that, but at least it would make George feel better.
After driving entirely too fast, Derek whipped the car into a spot by the main entrance of our building.
“Your driving skills are highly questionable,” I said as we walked toward the main glass doors leading inside the building.
“Glad you like them.” Derek opened the door and motioned for me to enter.
When we reached the office door, I shoved the key in and unlocked it. So far nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
I stepped forward to go inside, but Derek shoved his arm in front of me, blocking my entrance. “Maybe you should let me go first.” He puffed out his chest.
I rolled my eyes, pushed his arm out of the way, and then stepped inside. George and Derek followed me.
As I stood in the middle of the room, I looked around and said, “George, nothing seems to be out of place. What makes you think someone was here?”
He marched over to his desk and pointed. “All of the papers have been moved.”
I stepped closer. The papers looked a little shuffled around, but nothing major. George was meticulous about his stacks though, so I figured he hadn’t left them that way. “Maybe it was the wind?”
“There is no wind here,” George pointed out.
“Did you lock the door?” I asked.
A tiny frown appeared on his face. “I think so, but I may have forgotten.”
“Do you remember unlocking it when you came back?” Derek asked.
George shrugged his narrow shoulders. “I just don’t remember. I was daydreaming and just going through the motions. I’m sorry.”
I hugged George. “That’s okay. Everything’s fine.”
Derek patted George’s back. “It’s okay, buddy.”
As George sat behind his desk, he clearly looked disturbed by the event. I wasn’t sure how papers on his desk being moved would make him think someone had broken in. If a person really had gained entry into the office, then why? It didn’t look as if anything had been taken. Plus, I didn’t have anything of value in the office. As a matter of fact, I didn’t really have anything of value anywhere.
The phone rang and George jumped. He grabbed it and said, “Cash Detective Agency. I mean, Cash and North Detective Agency. No, wait, it’s North and Cash Detective Agency.”
“Oh, for Pete’s sake. See what you’ve done to George.” I looked at Derek. “You’ve confused the man.”
Derek chuckled. “Yes, it’s all my fault.”
“One moment, please,” George said, covering the phone. “It’s Paige.”
“I’ll take the call in my office.” I headed across the room.
“No, she wants to speak with Derek,” George called out.
I stopped in my tracks.
The corner of Derek’s sensual mouth lifted into a lazy half-smile. “In that case, I’ll take the call in my office.”
I smirked. “You don’t have an office.”
“Right.” Derek marched over to his desk and sat down. He picked up the phone and winked at me. “Paige, any news?”
George and I watched Derek. He spun around in the chair, turning his back to us.
“Okay. Yes. I’ll talk with you soon.” Derek turned back around in the chair and placed the phone down.
I crossed my arms in front of my waist. “Well, are you going to share?”
“Paige wanted to remind me that Morgan used to call or text her several times a day. She thinks something has to be wrong. Otherwise, even with the police looking for Morgan, Morgan would text her. Paige went by the gym, but Steve basically kicked her out.”
I leaned against George’s desk. “That’s strange. Why would he do that?”
Derek leaned back in his chair. “I guess he never liked Paige, but she doesn’t know why.�
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“There has to be a reason,” I said.
“Maybe he feels threatened by her relationship with Morgan,” George said.
“Good thinking, George,” Derek said.
I glanced at the clock. Only a couple of hours until my appointment. I just needed to get out of the office without Derek knowing what I was doing.
Chapter 9
Tonight I had a gig for a birthday. It was being held at a conference room in one of the casinos. I was waiting backstage to surprise the birthday boy. Actually, he was turning eighty, but he looked young at heart.
“We’re ready for you,” his daughter said.
Father and daughter had the same crystal-blue eyes and narrow face. Her hair was blonde, her father was mostly bald with a little gray.
I made my way over to the man and began singing Happy Birthday. Of course I used my Marilyn Monroe voice. I wore a long red sequined gown, matching high heels, and bright red lipstick to finish the look. The room watched and the man blushed. Everyone seemed to be having fun with it though. I wrapped my arms around the man’s neck and sang the last of the song into his ear. I knew the room was watching me, but something felt different. Suddenly, I just wanted this to be over.
When I peered across the room, I spotted Derek. What was he doing here? A rush of panic gripped me. Luckily, he hadn’t noticed me. Or maybe he had earlier and was acting as if he hadn’t. This couldn’t be a coincidence, right?
I had to get out of here. I didn’t need him giving me a hard time about this. Unfortunately, people would want to have their pictures taken with me. I couldn’t leave yet. They’d paid for a full hour. Maybe I could blend in with the crowd. Yeah, in a sparkly dress and wig? That was unlikely.
Derek looked right at me. He had that expression on his face that someone got when they were trying to remember where they’d seen you. There was only one thing I could do right now. I had to hide before it finally came to him.
I scanned the room looking for a perfect spot to hide for a few minutes. Just long enough for him to get out of there. This was some big coincidence, although I shouldn’t be surprised to see Derek in a casino.
When no one was paying attention, I slipped across the room and hid behind a tall artificial tree. I peeked out, but Derek was nowhere in sight. Whew. Maybe he’d finally left. Why was he crashing this private party anyway? Apparently he would show up at any party he stumbled upon. I’d wait just another minute and then finish this party. If anyone saw me back here they would think I was wacky.
