“You can do it! Seems to me that’s your favorite expression.”
“My arms feel like they’re being pulled out of their sockets. Have you no mercy?” Rosie screamed.
“No! Either you paddle, or we sit here! Move!”
The ensuing dialogue was colorful to the point that Jack had to turn his head so Rosie wouldn’t see him laughing. “C’mon, dip that paddle, put some muscle in it! You want to get back to the house, you have to help. Don’t think this is a joyride down the river. You’re awuss, Rosie! Your husband works out for an hour a day on the rowing machine! You gonna let him beat you?”
Rosie bit down on her tongue, her eyes spewing something that made Jack sit up and take notice.Damn. Maybe I went too far.
“Kiss my ass, Jack Silver. I’ll get back even if I have to swim. I quit!”
Jack laughed. “Yeah, right along with the alligators. You know this river is full of them. Now, paddle and shut up!”
Rosie raised her middle finger. Jack laughed and laughed.
Forty minutes later, Rosie slammed the paddle into the middle of the canoe. “My blisters have blisters. Paddle this damn thing yourself.”
“Then I guess we’re going to sit here. Ten more minutes, Rosie. You can do it. I didn’t think you were a quitter.”
“Jack, please, I can barely move my arms. My hands are full of blisters. Look!”
He hated to look, but he did. He remembered the first time he’d paddled a canoe and the same thing had happened to him. He shook his head. “Pick up the paddle, Rosie, and let’s get home. Otherwise, we sit here. Whatever you do, don’t put your hands in the water.”
“Why?” she snarled.
Jack pointed to the bank of the river, where four monster gators were sunning themselves. Rosie’s eyes widened as she picked up the paddle and dipped it in the water. “Before,” she gasped, “when I said I hate your guts, I was wrong. I hate your guts and everything else about you! Do you hear me, Jack?”
“I hear you! Paddle!”
Rosie paddled.
Jack scanned the edge of the river and the tall grass before he decided it was safe to pull the canoe to the dock. He hopped out and tied the canoe to a piling. He reached down for Rosie’s arm to pull her up.
“I will get out of this damn ship on my own. I do not need your help.”
“Canoe.”
“What?”
“It’s not a ship. It’s not even a boat. It’s a canoe. If you don’t let me help you, you’re going to fall in the water.”
“Then maybe I’ll drown, and I’ll be out of my misery.” Plop. She was in the water, the brackish, smelly water settling over her head. She came up gasping. “Don’t just stand there, help me!”
His eyes sharp, Jack watched for any sign of a gator. “Why should I? You declined my original offer. Did I or did I not say you were going to fall in the water?”
“Okay, you said it. If I was on the ground, I’d be groveling. Now, will you please help me out of this water? Please.”
Jack held out a muscular arm and pulled Rosie to the dock. She smiled and thanked him graciously before she turned around, her foot lashing out. A second later, Jack was in the water. Rosie did her best to run to the house, where she galloped up the steps to her room and the shower, Buddy barking and howling right behind her.
Rosie stepped under the steaming spray, fully clothed. It was a repeat of the first morning she’d gone running with Jack. How, she wondered, as spray billowed out and around her, could one person be in so much pain and still stand up and survive? How?
It was torture to raise her arms to take off her shirt and bra, but somehow she managed. She kicked off her sneakers, then her Capri pants. Her cotton underwear cleaved like glue. She should have gotten the thongs. They would have peeled right off, or she could have ripped the skinny string in the back.
Rosie stepped out of the shower and reached for a huge pink bath sheet that she wrapped around her body. A smaller towel she wrapped around her head. She headed for the bed, pulled down a lemon yellow comforter, and climbed in. She was asleep a moment later.
Buddy whined softly before he hopped on the bed and settled himself in the crook of Rosie’s bent legs. He faced the doorway, his big head on his paws. Buddy jerked to attention an hour later when the door opened quietly. The big dog waited to see what Jack would do. The moment he stepped over the threshold, Buddy bared his teeth, his ears going flat against his head.
Jack backed up a step and closed the door quietly. Rather than wake her for dinner, Jack went to fire up the grill and broil the salmon steaks. Maybe Rosie would like salmon for breakfast tomorrow morning. In the meanwhile, she was in good hands.
It was more than he could say for himself.
12
Kent Bliss leaned back and watched Heather at the grill. He was so damn tired he couldn’t see straight. He was hungry, though. He struggled to keep his eyes open. Why, he didn’t know. All Heather had done was glower at him from the minute they’d set out for the river house. He told himself all he had to do was get through the weekend, then it was bye-bye Heather. Not a minute too soon to suit him. She’d filled what he called a short-term void.
If there was one thing he’d learned during that short-term void, it was that Heather was a whiner, and she was vindictive. It would be just like her to follow and spy on him. Maybe what he needed to do was make his getaway slowly. If he was lucky, she’d get fed up with him and end it herself. Either way, he was going to have to return the Buick and the cell phone. The loan now was something different. He hadn’t signed anything, and the money had been in cash.So prove it and sue me.
He was rather flush at the moment with the money he’d snatched from Rosalie’s jewelry box, and he still had a healthy chunk from the ten thousand Heather had given him. Plus, he had some commission checks coming due. All in all, he was okay for the moment. He needed a plan, though. But more important, he needed to find a way to get hold of Rosalie’s purse.
Kent reared up in the chair when a wave of smoke circled overhead and settled on the terrace. He was about to snap at Heather, telling her she was burning something, when he realized the smoke was coming from behind his chair. “I thought you said no one was on River Road but us.” The accusation was so cold, Heather flinched.
Heather looked up at the swirling smoke the strong breeze was carrying in their direction. “I don’t own those properties, Kent. That means I have no control over who comes and goes. I haven’t seen anyone there for over a year. The last two houses on the row are empty. I guess the Silvers are in residence. I saw the canoe leaving the dock a couple of hours ago. That particular house is the only one with a boathouse and a dock. You know Jack. He owns the gym. He’s got a powerful cabin cruiser in the boathouse. I saw him take it out last year. Since his wife died, my dad told me he never comes here. My dad and his dad are good friends,” Heather said breathlessly.
“Jack Silver owns thatmansion?” Kent asked incredulously.
“Yes. The Silvers are incredibly wealthy. That’s according to my dad. They don’t act like they’re rich, do they? Real down-home people. Their company is on the stock exchange, too. You sound surprised, Kent. I had the impression you and Jack were friends. Jack’s really a nice guy once you get to know him. His father and uncle are just as nice. It was a shame his wife died. I really liked her because she was an incredible person. In fact, she’s the one who showed me how to put makeup on, how to choose the right perfume, and how to dress and walk like a lady. She took a real interest in me because I was a real tomboy when I was a kid. That lady could cook and bake like you wouldn’t believe. They had help, but she liked doing everything herself.
“When Martha got really sick, I came out to see her a few times, but Jack said she wasn’t seeing visitors. I went to the service, though, when they scattered her ashes on the river. I cried for days.”
“That’s more than I wanted to know, Heather,” Kent snapped. “Does he come alone?”
“T
here were two people in the canoe. I really didn’t pay attention. Do you want me to invite them over for a drink?”
“No, Heather, I do not want you to invite them over for a drink. When are we going to eat, for God’s sake?”
“When your steak is done, that’s when. If you don’t change your attitude real quick, you are going to bewearing your dinner.”
Kent waved away Heather’s comment. Just his damn luck that Jack Silver owned the house next door. A house that was a mansion compared to the one he was visiting. As far as he knew, Hillary didn’t have anything half as grand as either one of these houses. Her own mansion was beautiful, but she shared it with a husband. Hmmm. Maybe he could dangle both Hillary and Heather on a string. He was now thinking about classifying both women as sexual predators. He wasn’t sure what that made him. Nor did he care.
He was almost certain the woman in the canoe with Jack Silver was Rosalie. He needed to get Heather drunk enough so she would fall asleep. Then he could mosey over to the bushes and do a little spying. “I’m three glasses ahead of you, sweetie. C’mon, you said you could keep up with me,” he teased lightly. He watched as Heather polished off the wine in her glass and poured another. Her back to Kent, she didn’t see him toss his wine over the railing of the terrace. When she turned around, he held out his glass. She dutifully filled it. He pretended to drink.
By the time the steaks were done, the salad tossed, and the baked potatoes taken out of their foil, Heather was unsteady on her feet. So unsteady, Kent had to help her to the chair.
Kent gobbled his food while Heather picked at hers. He kept filling her glass, tossing his over the railing when she wasn’t looking. “This is delicious, sweetie. You do know how to grill a filet mignon. The salad is scrumptious. Did you see me take two helpings? I just love potatoes on the grill. You sure do know the way to a man’s heart. Since you did all the cooking, I’m going to clean up. You sit right over there, stretch out, and I’ll open this bottle of wine. Good year,” he said, looking at the label.
Heather kicked off her high-heeled sandals and tottered over to the chaise lounge next to Kent’s.
Kent filled two glasses and held out one. “Let’s drink tous.”
“Us? Oh, that’s so nice, Kent. Yes, to us.” Heather brought the glass to her lips, spilling half of it. Kent was Johnny on the spot to refill it.
“Bottoms up, baby.” Kent moved behind her chair, the wine going over the railing. “I have an idea. That dinner was just too, too delicious. Let’s take a little catnap so we can…doother things later.”
“Ooohh, that sounds…wonder—”
She was out. Kent waited a few minutes before he entered the house and exited by the front door. He picked his way carefully out to the road. There was no kind of outside lighting whatsoever. That was good. The moon was gone, hiding behind a thick cloud cover. Heather had told him earlier, in a gleeful voice, that it was supposed to rain over the weekend. Rain meant they would stay in bed. Heather didn’t know what the wordsleep meant.
It was so dark, he could barely make out where he was going. Twice he tripped on the thick gravel that seemed to be scattered in small mountains on the unpaved road. He saw the car then. The silhouette of the house showed him there were no lights on in front of the house. That would make it all right to open the car door even though the light would go on. What he hoped to find, he didn’t know. Some sign that his wife had been in the car, the house, and in the canoe. He heaved a sigh of relief when he opened the car door. He almost fainted when he saw a woman’s purse in the backseat. Rosalie had a habit of tossing her purse in the backseat when she got in a car. Most times she forgot it and her keys. He’d lost track of the number of times she’d locked her keys and purse in the car.
At that moment, he would have parted with his right arm for a flashlight. He smacked at his forehead. Superduper man of the hour Jack Silver would have a flashlight in the glove compartment. He opened it. Sure enough, his hand found a small flashlight. And a gun. He debated for a full minute. Should he take the gun or not? Better not. But it was nice to know where he could get one if the need ever arose. He wondered if Jack had a license to carry a gun.
Kent went through Rosalie’s purse, item by item. He checked her billfold four times but didn’t find the lottery ticket. He did take the $297 that was in it. He tackled the zippered compartments and found another fifty dollars but no lottery ticket. It was a bust. Where in the damn hell had she hidden the ticket? He was so disgusted, he tossed the straw purse on the ground and stomped on it. He felt pleased when he heard the crunch of his wife’s sunglasses. Picking the purse up, he carefully replaced it on the backseat.
Kent was angrier than he’d ever been in his life. For spite, he opened the glove compartment and took Jack Silver’s gun. He shoved it in the waistband of his khaki shorts. When he heard a dog bark in the front part of the house, he eased himself out of the car and headed back to the Daniels house, a murderous look on his face.
What he needed to do, even though he was exhausted, was to get Heather into the car and head back to town. He’d drop her off, go back to his own place, and sleep. He didn’t want to be anywhere near the Silver house when Jack found out his gun was missing.
Rosie woke, her body screaming in protest. She reached out to pull the covers over her, but her arms wouldn’t move. She felt cold and wet. How was that possible? Then she remembered. “Oh God,” she groaned.
The bedroom was totally dark. She had to move to the other side of the bed so she could turn on the lamp. Tears burned her eyes as she inched her way to the edge. She had to struggle to lift her arms, but she managed after several tries. She gasped when she looked down at her blistered hands.
It would be a miracle if she managed to get out of bed and into the shower. Could she do it? She had to do it. She pep talked herself as she wiggled and squirmed into a sitting position. Buddy whined at her feet. “I think I can do it, Buddy,” Rosie whispered. “No, no, that’s all wrong. Iknow I can do it. Ihave to do it.”
Rosie felt like she’d climbed the Himalayas when she made it to the shower and turned it on. As the hot water sluiced over her body, Rosie reveled in it, holding up her face to let it beat at her. It felt better than a massage, better than a multiple orgasm. Not that she’d ever had a multiple orgasm, but she did have an active imagination.
The sun was starting to come up when she finally managed to dress herself. She needed to go out to the car and get some aspirin out of her purse. Maybe coffee would help. She looked down at her feet. She’d pulled on some socks, but her sneakers were soaking wet. That was okay, she’d brought an extra pair, and they were on the floor in the back of the car.
Rosie was by the front door when she sensed a presence.
“Hello!Aren’t you going to say good morning to your host? I see you’re ready for our run. I’ve been waiting. What took you so long, Rosie?”
Rosie whirled around, a look of horror on her face. No sane person was this cheerful so early in the morning. If she’d had a stick in her hand, she would have jammed it down Jack’s throat. “You better not have said what I just think you said,” she snarled.
“No pain, no gain. Those are the rules. Then we’re going canoeing. You said you could do it. Are you telling me you’re going to chicken out? I thought more of you, Rosie.” Jack’s voice no longer sounded cheerful. Rosie felt instant depression.
“Not only do I hate your guts, I’m going to kill you when you fall asleep. As you can see, I have no shoes.”
“You were going out to the car to get them. Probably some aspirin, too.”
“Why do you always know everything? It’s true, I am going for my sneakers and some aspirin, but I am not going running or canoeing. Chew on that, you miserable cretin.”
“I’ll give you ten minutes,” Jack said.
Rosie stared at him. He looked so good this morning in his denim shorts and yellow tee shirt. His sneakers were so beat-up she didn’t know how they stayed on his feet. Her
shoulders slumped as she walked through the doorway, tears rolling down her cheeks. She wondered if they’d put her in one of those fancy, copper Springfield caskets when they carted her dead body back to town.
Somehow Rosie managed to get her sneakers on her feet and two aspirin down her throat. She wanted to shout with glee when she also managed to tie the laces. When she looked up, she saw Jack watching her. She wished she knew what he was thinking. She did her best to square her shoulders.
Jack wondered if he was doing the right thing. His heart and mind said yes. And yet, she looked so miserable. But she looked wonderful to him, with her wet hair plastered against her head and curling about her ears. She was wearing a lime green outfit that looked to be roomy and comfortable.
“Let’s do some stretches to work out the kinks, Rosie.” She nodded, but didn’t say a word. Ten minutes later, he said, “Okay, let’s go! Take the lead. We’ll do it single file today in case you need a cushion when you collapse. Meaning, of course, that I will cushion your fall.” He waited for the sharp, blistering retort he knew was coming. When it didn’t come, he was disappointed. She eyed him stonily before she set off. Jack stayed a good distance behind, Buddy in the middle.
Jack bellowed to be heard. “I want to see those arms move. Pump, pump. Lift those legs. C’mon, you’re running like an old lady with hemorrhoids.”
Tears continued to roll down Rosie’s cheeks. “A pointy stick up your butt is too good for you, Jack Silver,” she muttered. She did as she was told, though, and felt better for it. Why was he always right? Some of the soreness was actually abating.
“All right, let’s move here!” Jack bellowed.“Show me what you got! No pain, no gain!Do it. Rosie!”
Rosie gritted her teeth. “I’ll show you what I have, you son of a bitch!” She picked up her feet and took off. Sweat poured off her body as she ran at full throttle, leaving Jack in her dust. She was far enough ahead to slow suddenly. Then, dancing on one foot, then the other, she slid her sweats halfway down over her rump and mooned the trainer. Buddy barked shrilly, enjoying the strange show. Rosie took a few seconds to look over her shoulder to see Jack at a dead stop. She didn’t want to think about the startled expression on his face. “You said,show me what you got. Now you know,” she bellowed before she took a deep breath and raced off.
Pretty Woman Page 18
