by Mia Dymond
“He’d had to shop the black market for the scorpions too,” he agreed, “but he could’ve rounded up the rats in the swamp.”
Chaos shook his head, as if that wasn’t the case. “He doesn’t strike me as the type who likes to get his hands dirty.”
“Me either.” Rebel nodded. “But there’s always a chance he’s not working alone.”
Thunder tapped the table with his index finger. “Pull a background on everyone associated with the port. He’s got to have help.”
“What do we really know about him?” Chaos lifted a hand to stroke his chin.
Rebel spouted facts. “Only child. Grew up in an affluent neighborhood in Everglade Springs right next door to the Kensworths, like Carley confirmed. Educated at the University of Florida and majored in Business Administration. Received his MBA and then acquired the role of President of EF Chemicals. No criminal background, no wife or ex-wife, and he doesn’t date frequently. Everything I’ve found on his social background indicates he keeps his nose buried in business.”
“Remington volunteered to give me a tour of the facilities,” Ace told them. “I think we should poke around.”
Thunder nodded. “0800 tomorrow. Don’t bother scheduling an appointment; we’ll exercise a surprise attack.”
“I’ll keep a close eye on my email.” Rebel lowered the computer screen. “What about Liv?”
“What about her?”
“She’s the only one without twenty four hour security.”
“She’s fine.”
“Are you sure?”
Ace raised an eyebrow at Rebel’s challenge and hoped like crazy that his friend knew what he was doing. Chaos sucked in a quick breath beside him.
Thunder cocked his head to one side. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Absolutely nothing.” Rebel spit out the denial quickly. “I just know she spends a lot of time alone.”
“She’s fine.”
“Okay, then.” Rebel stood and headed toward the doorway. “I’ll see you in the a.m.”
Ace followed suit, relieved that Rebel ended the discussion. “I’ll be here too.”
“Come loaded for bear.” Chaos grinned from his chair.
“Always.”
***
Tucked into a soft-as-butter, cream colored, leather chair in Liv’s second office inside the Melbourne Palm Resort, Carley sipped coffee from her mug while Liv clicked keys on her computer. Thank goodness for the three women who occupied the furniture next to her; without them, the last week would’ve been unbearable. And thanks to Liv’s brain they were able to be proactive rather than simply waiting for the sky to fall.
She released a soft sigh, desperate to solve the whole sordid mystery behind who was determined to ruin her business. “Do you really think we’ll find something in your database?”
“It’s worth a shot.” Liv shrugged. “I require a lot of personal information on my clients and we may just get lucky.”
Kat grinned. “We’re bound to find something, even if it’s dirt.”
“Once we get a name, we can run it through my background searching system.” Liv continued to click. “But each of you must swear on your first born child that no one will leak anything we find. My system is highly intellectual and it is extremely unethical for me to share with all of you.”
Carley frowned. “Maybe this isn’t such a good idea.”
“You can’t keep a secret?” Liv stopped typing and grinned while she looked up.
“Of course I can.”
“Then it’s a good idea.”
“I think it’s brilliant,” Kat drawled.
Sophie nodded. “Me too. I think it’s a good starting place.”
“Then let’s get to it.” Liv moved her fingers back over the keys. “I started by searching names associated with the port and I’ve got several. Torres, Harrington, Beachwood, and Remington. Any of those ring a bell with you?”
“Remington, of course. If that’s Christopher, I’m shocked his name is included.”
Liv gave a big smile. “I put him in there just for giggles. Serves him right for thumbing his nose at my suggestion.”
“Seriously, though.” Kat raised one fine eyebrow. “Do you suppose he has something to do with the sabotage?”
“I don’t know why,” she answered truthfully. “He and I have been friends for too many years for me to make that assumption.”
“You don’t think he’s upset that your family hasn’t backed his project?” Kat prompted.
“He has no reason to be. There are others who could carry the project without us.”
“My father hasn’t committed either.”
Sophie nodded. “Neither has mine.”
“My family has yet to throw their hats in the ring as well.” Liv pointed out. “Doesn’t make a whole lot of sense that Christopher would single you out. What about any of the other names?”
“Beachwood. Is that Harris Beachwood?”
Liv nodded.
“I know him from social circles. I just didn’t expect him to be in your database.”
Her friend smirked. “Any particular reason why?”
“I thought he preferred the company of men.”
“He does.”
“Really?” She frowned. “You provide him female companionship?”
“Yes. He’s not ready to announce his preference to the public.”
“Wow.” Sophie shook her head. “I had no idea.”
Kat snorted. “I had my suspicions.”
“In any case,” Carley said, “I’ve never had any kind of personal dealings with him. Professional or otherwise.”
“Anyone else on the list?”
“No.”
Liv began typing again. “Common sense tells me those scorpions came from outside of Florida – way outside. I’m searching those with international business connections. Here we go: Gomez, Marsailles, Brentwood, Pennington, Caldwell, Taylor, Moore, and Raines.”
Carley’s eyes widened at the sound of the last four names. Her friend obviously did have an intelligent database. She tossed the decision to ask about Ace round and round in her brain for several seconds. Did she really want to know his secrets? Did she dare? In all reality, she couldn’t help but feel like she was eavesdropping on his past. Finally, curiosity got the best of her.
She cleared her throat. “So, what do you have on Moore?”
“Sure you want to know?” Liv’s eyes sparkled with something close to mischief. “Perhaps you’d rather find out on your own.”
“No, tell me.”
“I’m just teasing.” Liv giggled. “I only put them in there to test the accuracy of my search. Believe me, their backgrounds are locked up tightly.”
Kat raised both eyebrows this time. “Oh, really? And you know this how?”
“You can’t blame a girl for trying,” Liv mumbled. “Thunder is so secretive.”
“They all are,” Sophie agreed. “I’m still learning things about Rebel.”
Kat smirked. “I have to bribe Chaos.”
Carley agreed. “Yes, but Liv has a point. At least Rebel, Chaos and Ace talk about themselves. Thunder hardly says a word.”
“I think Liv can change that,” Kat pressed.
“This is about Carley.” Liv boldly redirected the conversation. “Do you recognize any of the other names?”
“No.” Carley released a hard sigh, tipped her mug, swallowed the remaining coffee there, and then placed the cup on the table beside her. “I think we’re back to square one.”
“What about criminal connections?” Kat suggested.
Liv tilted her head to one side. “According to my friend at the FBI, my system could pick up on that.”
“I’m impressed, Liv.” Kat crossed her legs. “You have quite a system.”
Liv shrugged. “I deal with single women; I have to be careful.”
What bothers me the most is the fact that someone seems to have easy access to each party.” Sophie frown
ed. “You’re sure none of your employees have an issue with you?”
Carley shook her head. “Not as far as I can tell. As you already know, most of them have worked for me for quite awhile and I don’t really have to be the boss anymore. I simply sign off on things.”
“Your staff is impressive,” Kat agreed.
“It’s a baffling mystery.” Liv pressed a few more keys. “Let’s look at anyone involved in the hospitality industry. Maybe it’s a personal attack on the venues to push you to use one particular place.”
“There aren’t too many left, but it’s worth a shot.”
Liv paused a brief second before she spoke again. “I’ve got several hits. Berringer, Rogers, Henderson, and Faulkner.” She glanced up from the screen. “All associated with major hotels in the Everglade Springs area.”
“I recognize all of them,” she admitted, “but they seem to welcome my business. In fact, Timothy Rogers and Roger Faulkner use my services exclusively.”
“Geez, Liv.” Kat grinned. “You have a wealth of single, prominent men at your disposal.”
Their friend giggled. “Believe it or not, I don’t mix business with pleasure.”
“Especially since Thunder came along,” Sophie mumbled.
Liv closed the lid on her computer and on the discussion of Thunder, Carley assumed. “I’ll keep digging later.”
“Let’s talk about your wedding, Sophie.” Carley welcomed the change in subject to happier things. “Have you decided where you’d like to have the ceremony?”
Sophie smiled. “St. Bartholomew’s, as expected. Father Thomas already has us penciled in.”
“We’ve got the ballroom here at the Melbourne reserved for the reception,” Liv added.
Carley giggled. “Are you sure you need me? Sounds like you’ve got it under control.”
“Hardly.” Sophie narrowed her eyes. “You’re not trying to get out of this, are you?”
“Of course not! I want to help you make this day perfect.”
“I’d like to do something a little different,” her friend added. “We’ll have the traditional ceremony but I’d like a themed reception.”
“What kind of theme?”
“Red, white and blue.”
“I think that’s wonderful!” Carley began to toss around ideas in her head, thankful to push the dark thoughts to the side.
“Mum’s the word, though,” Sophie cautioned. “I want to surprise Rebel.”
“Got it.”
“Speaking of surprises,” Liv drawled, “you’re about to get one of your own, Carley.”
“Another one?” She groaned. “I’ve had all the surprises I can stand.”
The other woman nodded and gestured with her head at the TV screen on the edge of her desk. “Don’t worry, this one is a good one. Ace is getting ready to knock on the door.”
Ace couldn’t help but feel a little uneasy as he stood outside the door of the hotel room where Liv met her clients. Although he knew the whole set-up looked shady from the outside, research told him that her business was perfectly legitimate and he considered himself an open-minded kind of guy. Still, he felt like his comfort zone had been sorely compromised.
He shifted his weight to one side and raised his hand to knock when the door opened and caused his anxiety to skyrocket. In fact, the only thing that stopped him from drawing his weapon was Carley’s smirk.
“You need a date?” she drawled.
“Depends. Are you available?”
“Yes,” three voices answered in unison from behind the door.
He grinned. Kat, Liv and Sophie were on the other side, no doubt.
“Sure. When?”
“Right now.”
“Now?”
“Yes, now.” He chuckled to cover his momentary concern. “Is that a subtle no?”
“Not, not at all. I just haven’t had a chance to plan for it.”
“That’s the point. It’s a spur of the moment idea.”
“Okay, where are we going?”
He shrugged. “I have no idea. Let’s just play it by ear.”
He watched her attempt to hide her near-fear at his suggestion, but her eyes gave her away. He waited patiently for her to process and analyze things in her mind, hoping she could work through them enough to trust him.
“Okay,” she said finally. “I’m game.”
“Hi, Ace,” Kat said from behind the door.
Carley opened the door further so he could see inside.
“Hi, Ladies.”
“You guys have fun.” Liv gave him a smile and he intercepted what he interpreted to be approval in the depths.
Carley left the door for a quick moment, gave each of her friends a hug, and then returned. “Lead on, soldier.”
Once they were seated in his truck, he released a breath of relief when she appeared to relax. He was so damn proud of her for stepping out of her comfort zone.
“If this is a date,” she said as he left the parking lot and then turned onto the main street through the city. “I need to know more about you.”
He released a low chuckle. “It is a date. What would you like to know?”
“Are you an only child?”
“No, I have three sisters and two brothers.”
“Wow! Seriously? Where do you fall in the lineup?”
“Right in the middle. My sisters are older and my brothers are younger.”
“Do you see them frequently?”
He nodded. “Our family is tight. Sometimes it’s a couple months in between visits, but I talk to someone at least once a day.”
“No one lives around here?”
“No, they’re spread out all over the place.”
“You already know I’m an only child. Sometimes I miss not having siblings, but I have Sophie, Kat and Liv.”
She was absolutely right about his knowledge. He also knew that those four women were stuck like glue. Every one of them was fiercely loyal; he pitied anyone who attempted to penetrate the bond.
“Believe me, there were times I wished I was an only child.”
“How long were you in the Army?”
“Ten years.”
“Were you always with Rebel, Chaos and Thunder?”
He nodded. “Right out of Basic.” He turned on his left blinker and then parked in another parking lot.
“Batting cages?” She turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow. “Do I look like an athletic kind of girl to you?”
He grinned. He really didn’t care if she were athletic or not. He only wanted her to grasp the spontaneity of the experience.
“You’ll be a pro before the day is finished.”
“If you say so,” she mumbled. “Good thing I wore jeans today.”
He left the driver’s seat, rounded the truck, and then extended a hand when he opened the passenger door.
“I say so,” he said as she accepted his hand and stepped from the truck.
They walked silently, hand-in-hand, until they reached the counter and he requested the necessary equipment. Reluctantly, he released her to pay the fee and carry the equipment to the appropriate cage they rented.
He grabbed the smaller of the two helmets, placed it on her head, and then buckled the strap under her chin.
She frowned. “Don’t I need body armor or something?”
“What for?”
“In case I get hit. Don’t the balls shoot out at fifty miles an hour or something?”
He bit his lip, amused by her lack of experience. “Only if you’re a pro.”
“I’m not a pro.”
“Relax, short stuff, we can program the speed.”
“Okay, good.”
“And you won’t get hit as long as you keep your eye on the ball.”
She frowned again when he handed her a bat. “You go first so I can get a feel for it.”
“Nuh-huh. Ladies first.”
“Seriously?”
“As a heart attack.” He positioned her over the base
and then adjusted the bat in her grip. “Just watch the ball and swing when it comes toward you.”
He didn’t give her a chance to talk him out of it and jogged to the pitching machine. Once he programmed it to the slowest setting and loaded the ball feeder, he stepped to one side.
“Ready?”
She gave a small nod in response.
In the three seconds that followed, a baseball shot from the machine. He had just enough time to process the metal ping from her bat before he laid spread eagle on the ground. The red and white missile whizzed overhead.
“Ace!”
He lifted his head enough to see that she threw the bat to the ground and ran toward him.
“I’m so sorry!”
“Press the red button on the machine.” He rolled to his back and took several deep breaths before he allowed a grin to split his lips. “Are you sure you haven’t done this before?”
“Never. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” he said as he stood. “And impressed.”
“Don’t be. Beginner’s luck, I’m sure.”
He placed a hand to the small of her back, reset the machine, and then urged her to return to home base. “Well, whatever it is, I’m going to watch it from here this time.”
“It’s your turn.”
“Not yet. The ball feeder has nine more balls, then we’ll reload it for me.”
He watched, proud as hell while her bat connected with each and every ball out of the machine. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, Carley was a pro at winging it. And, her swing wasn’t half bad either.
“Now you,” she told him as she loosened the strap on her helmet.
“Stand in that corner just in case I miss one.”
Carley stood in the corner to the right of Ace, thoroughly enjoying the view while baseballs flew from the pitching machine. The very distinct, very chiseled muscles of his back worked in tandem to move his body as he swung the bat and sent each ball back from where it came. And lower, his lean hips and long legs swiveled with the movement, reminding her just how strong he truly was. The man was one fine specimen – and all hers.
What attracted her most, though, was his mind. He had amazing self-control, both over his thoughts and his actions. Never once had she seen him lose concentration on any task at hand, even if the method changed in the process. Maybe it was his sniper’s training or simply discipline, but he didn’t even bat an eyelash at change – something she truly admired. Maybe he could teach her something besides baseball.
