Luke tied his red bow tie—he hated tying the things—checked his tux jacket for lint, brushed it and finished dressing. He’d forgotten his vow that he wouldn’t squire another of Martha Armstrong’s celebrities. During the winter season, she’d roped him in seven times, and he hadn’t once enjoyed himself. Add to that Kate’s flippancy and cool pretense about the matter, and he wouldn’t mind getting one of Jessye’s convenient headaches. He laughed. Imagine canceling a date because of a headache! Well, that would certainly whittle away his reputation as a ladies’ man.
It hadn’t occurred to him to wonder what she’d look like, and he realized with a laugh of self-derision that he didn’t care. Age had its virtues. However, Mrs. Commonwealth of Virginia proved to be a forty-five-year-old knockout.
He took the elevator to the S level of the Renaissance Hotel and rang the bell at number S-110.
“I’m Detective Captain Luke Hickson.”
She looked him up and down, and he wondered about the Mrs. The lady had a roving eye. “When we’re alone,” she drawled, “call me Kendra. Otherwise you have to use this silly title.”
He was having none of it. “Surely you have a last name,” he chided.
She looked at him through slightly lowered lashes. “Rodgers. Are we going to fight all evening, or are you going to be…er…cooperative?”
He looked down at her and grinned. She was one audacious woman, and if she pushed him, he’d enjoy telling her so. “Mrs. Armstrong asks me to escort her celebrity guests.” He made a show of rubbing the back of his neck as though searching for an answer. “She hooked me seven times last winter, because she claims she can trust me to keep my hands off them.”
Her eyelids raised slowly. “And can she?”
He guided her toward the limousine he’d rented for the evening. “I don’t get paid for it, but I consider it a night’s work, nonetheless. All of these occasions are held for charitable purpose. I believe in supporting charity.”
“You didn’t answer my question,” she said, adjusting her crown after he’d helped her straighten her white silhouette-style evening gown.
He joined her in the limo and offered her a glass of cold wine, which she accepted without hesitation. “I thought I did. But if you want it more bluntly, beauty is ephemeral and often doesn’t go below the surface. Furthermore, I don’t consort with other men’s wives.”
“You’re very sure of yourself.”
“Let’s just say I’ve lived long enough, hard enough and well enough to know who I am.”
“And you like yourself, don’t you?”
So she was disappointed with the rules he’d laid out. He turned to face her. “Damn straight I like myself. Don’t you? Where’s your husband?”
“He’s at home.”
“Take my advice and ask him to travel with you. Keep you out of mischief.”
“You have a point. Friends?”
He made himself smile. “Sure. Friends.”
When they arrived, Luke greeted Mrs. Armstrong and let his gaze sweep the room while she gave Kendra her effusive thanks. He caught sight of—It couldn’t be! What the devil was she doing with her arm linked with Axel Strange?
“Something wrong?” Kendra asked.
He couldn’t believe what he saw. No wonder she hadn’t complained when he told her he’d agreed to escort Martha Armstrong’s guest.
“Who is she?” Kendra asked, obviously having followed his gaze. “She’s stunning in that dress.”
“She’s stunning, period,” he said without weighing his words. He knew he wouldn’t have a long wait for Axel’s triumphant smile. And the man guided Kate directly to him, all but ignoring the guest of honor.
“Up to your old tricks, I see,” Axel said. Turning to Kate, he added, “Trust this fellow to be where the action is.”
“Ms. Middleton, this is Kendra Rodgers, the guest of honor,” Luke said, ignoring Axel. And with what he hoped was his most steely expression, he said to Kendra, “Mrs. Rodgers, this gentleman is Lieutenant Strange, my deputy.”
The queen of Virginia matrons raised an eyebrow. “Hmm. That must be some office. How do you do, Lieutenant?” She winked at Luke. “I teach elementary school, and when my kids get out of line, I send them to the blackboard and make them write one hundred times: I am ashamed of myself. I don’t suppose you can do that.”
Luke let himself enjoy a good laugh. “By the time they get to me, it’s too late.”
He looked at Kate, the personification of elegance. He’d never seen her so lovely, and here she was wasting all that charm and feminine softness on Axel Strange, a man who’d let himself in for a trouncing by a beauty queen.
“Kate, you’re…You look beautiful. Just…You’re lovely.”
He knew Kendra stared from Kate to him, but he fixed his gaze on Axel, who’d begun to sulk, his face sullen and angry.
“You look great, too,” Kate told him, momentarily diverting his attention from Axel.
“Do you have any children, Mrs. Rodgers?” she asked Kendra, in an obvious effort to engage the woman in friendly conversation.
He let the women talk, stepped aside and warned Axel. “If you ever attempt to demean me again—even if no one else is present—you look for another job. If you’d been outside just now, I’d have flattened you in a second. And from now on, stay out of my way. Got it?”
“You sure you’re not jealous because I have Kate with me?”
“Axel, I wouldn’t be jealous of you if I were dying and you were in perfect health. I’ve warned you. Don’t speak to me unless it has to do with your work, and even then, be careful what you say.”
“Look, I’m sorry. I was just—”
He didn’t want to hear more. “Have a good time,” he said to Kate. “I’ll be in touch.”
“You have a good time, too,” Kate said, and she clearly meant it. “I enjoyed meeting you,” she told Kendra, and extended her hand to the woman for a generous shake.
He winked at her and walked on, eager to get out of Axel’s presence. He had angered Kate by agreeing to take another woman to the party, but she had been the epitome of graciousness to him and to Kendra. He couldn’t help wondering whether she’d dress Axel down for having been rude.
Kate didn’t mention Axel’s faux pas; she figured Kendra had done a thorough enough job of putting him in his place. But Axel couldn’t drop the matter.
“That guy thinks he’s the be all and end all.”
She ignored the disparaging remark. “I liked Mrs. Commonwealth of Virginia. Didn’t you?”
“All that business about Mrs. Armstrong asking him to escort the guest of honor. Not a word of it’s true. The guy’s a stud. I told you that. And now maybe you’ll believe me.”
Kate stopped herself before her fists touched her hips. “Lieutenant Strange, if you say one more word about Luke Hickson tonight, I’ll leave at once, and you won’t be going with me. If you hate him so much, why don’t you transfer out of his department?”
“Say, I didn’t mean to upset you. I mean…” He shrugged. “He gets everything I want. But not this time.”
Kate stared at Axel. He had definitely heard what she’d said, but he was so obsessed with Luke that he couldn’t refrain from calling her bluff. She rested a hand on his arm and whispered in his ear.
“Excuse me. I don’t intend to spend the evening listening to you lambaste Luke. Good night, Lieutenant.”
“But we just got here.”
She looked him in the eye. “Stay as long as you like. Good night.”
“You can’t—”
“I warned you. Good night, Axel.”
“Sure.”
He hadn’t believed her, probably still didn’t. She looked around for Luke, and found him in a far corner of the ballroom in a group of five people, but she couldn’t catch his attention. She went to the ladies’ room, dropped a quarter into the pay phone, and called a taxi. She waited until five minutes had elapsed, then slipped out of the lodge, got into th
e taxi and went home.
And for that, she’d bought a five-hundred-dollar dress. She thought about that for a few minutes, and decided it had been more than worth the money. She’d felt the equal of Kendra Rodgers with all her statuesque beauty and regal crown.
“Randy! What are you doing out of bed this time of night?”
“He refused to go to sleep until you came home,” Madge said. “Something about the Lieutenant. I couldn’t figure it out. Well, I’ll see you tomorrow. Better give him a dose of bicarbonate—he’s been eating steadily ever since you left.”
She told Madge good-night and rushed back into the living room to deal with Randy. “Why didn’t you go to bed? If you don’t obey Mrs. Robinson, I’ll get someone else to sit with you.”
Randy’s bottom lip protruded as far as she’d ever seen it. “I don’t like him, and I don’t want you to be friends with him.”
“Lieutenant Strange? And that’s why you stayed up?”
“I figured if I was up, he’d leave.”
She didn’t laugh, because Randy needed a reprimand. “That isn’t your business, Randy, and if you ever do this again, I’ll punish you. That’s a promise.”
“I called Amy, and she said he’d kiss you when he brought you home.”
She stared at him. “Randy, Amy is six years old, and that hardly makes her an authority on adult behavior.”
“Yeah, but she knows a lot. She said her daddy’s always kissing her mother. How come he didn’t come in?”
“Stop worrying about that man, Randy. I told you he’s not important in my life.”
“Is Captain Luke important in your life?”
“Randy, go to bed. This minute.”
He hung his head. “All right, but is he, Mom?”
Whatever happened between Luke and her would affect Randy, so she told him the truth. “I care a lot for him, Randy, but anything else is way in the future.”
A weight seemed to drop from his shoulders, as he raised his head and half smiled. “I’m mad at him, but he’s nicer than Lieutenant Strange. He’s real different.”
Didn’t she know it! She kissed his forehead and patted him on the bottom. “Now go to bed and stop worrying.”
She couldn’t banish the notion that Axel was trying to use her in order to hurt Luke. The man’s words suddenly thudded in her head: He gets everything I want. So that was it. Axel wanted to get even. He wanted to possess what he thought Luke craved, and he wanted the victory so much that he’d sacrifice his chances with Jessye. Don’t hold your breath, pal.
Axel leaned against a marble column of the ballroom of the Grand Scenic Lodge and watched the dancers. She’d been gone a while, but who knew why women spent so much time fixing and powdering themselves. He looked at his watch. Forty minutes! He walked around the ballroom and, not finding her, went toward the ladies’ room.
“Did you see a woman in a red dress in there?”
Her smile acknowledged his masculine presence, but his annoyance simmered close to the surface, and he couldn’t appreciate the woman’s interest.
“There’s no one in there, but I’m sure she’s around. She’d have to be stupid to walk out on you.”
Kate’s words came back to him like a blast of arctic air. He hadn’t believed she’d leave, but she’d done it. The heavy pounding of his heart nearly frightened him, and the embarrassment of his suddenly chattering teeth sent him dashing to the men’s room, where he struggled to control the anger that boiled in him. She’ll pay for it. If I do nothing else for the rest of my life, I’ll find a way to make her pay.
Luke took Kendra back to her hotel and declined her invitation for a “nightcap.”
“What’s the matter? If you’re unhappy, try to solve it with your husband. Talk with him and let him know you hurt, but don’t fool around.”
He didn’t let her expression of longing touch him. “You’re right, of course,” she said, her words soft and slow to come. “He’s successful, handsome and charming, and women envy me.” Her eyes glistened with unshed tears. “But, Luke, he’s an absolutely lousy husband. Well, it’s my problem, isn’t it? Have a great life, and tell Kate I think she’s lucky.”
Kate. She and Axel had left early, and he’d spent the last two hours telling himself not to wonder why. It was too much to hope that she’d become fed up and insisted Axel take her home. He left the hotel, got in the limousine and headed for his town house.
After listening to his messages, he made a note to call Marcus in the morning and meet him for lunch. If only he could talk with Kate for one minute, assure himself that she was all right and that the evening hadn’t been a disappointment for her. But he didn’t dare telephone her after midnight.
He slept fitfully, awoke early, did thirty push-ups, showered and dressed. After working a couple of hours at home, he went to work.
Axel greeted him at the watercooler. “Luke, I’m sorry about last night. I must have been out of my mind.”
“You were.”
Luke made a wide path around Axel, giving him plenty of room and, he hoped, sending the message that he’d meant everything he’d said the previous evening. He went back to his office and put on the red light above his door: Do not disturb. Ten o’clock was a long time coming.
“Hello, Kate, this is Luke.”
“Good morning, Luke, how are things?”
He wondered why she sounded breathless. “Fine. You left early. Does that mean you didn’t enjoy the party?”
“Is the antagonism between you and Axel irreparable? It’s becoming a bore.”
So that was it. “If that’s what you detect, it’s one-sided. I don’t spend my time thinking or worrying about Strange. He’s…well, he’s like he is.”
“Hmm.”
“I didn’t think he’d continue it after I walked away. A smart man doesn’t focus a woman’s attention on another guy. I don’t suppose I’m entitled to know why you went with him.”
“No, you definitely are not, since I didn’t figure into your plans.”
“Ouch! Are you going to forgive me?”
“I’ll think about it.”
“I couldn’t have a kiss, could I?”
“You think you deserve one?”
“I sure do. I didn’t embarrass you by knocking Strange flat on his back last night, and that took some willpower.”
She blew a kiss over the wire. “There. I have to get to work. Bye.”
He told her goodbye and took solace in the fact that she wasn’t angry with him. A bulletin sticking out of his in-basket caught his eye, and he pulled it out. Mutt and Jeff, the code names for the two strangers who spent their days in Portsmouth and their nights elsewhere, had recently been seen in Charleston, South Carolina. He phoned Kate.
“Did you tell me you grew up in South Carolina?”
“Yes, why?”
“No special reason as of now. Where did you grow up?”
“Orangeburg.”
“I’m looking for clues as to who’s after you.”
“Why don’t you believe my in-laws are involved in this?”
“Because they don’t fit the profile of people who’d try to harm the mother of their only grandchild. But not to worry. One slip, and I’ll catch him. You stay sweet.”
He phoned Marcus. “How about a quick lunch?”
“Great. Meet you at the River Café at one.”
The waiter led them to their usual table. “So, what’s going on with you and Kate?” Marcus asked him.
“The same. Why?”
Marcus sipped his lemonade, explaining that he had a tedious job to do after lunch and wouldn’t drink beer. “Why’m I asking? My six-year-old daughter is worried. She said Randy is afraid Strange will kiss Kate, and he doesn’t like Strange. He’s unhappy, and Amy, being the woman she is, doesn’t want her man to be unhappy. She told me to tell you to keep that strange man away from Kate.”
Luke had to cough for several minutes before he could speak. “Tell her Kate’s particul
ar about who she kisses.”
Marcus eyed him straight on. “Is she?”
“If she kisses Strange, I expect it’ll be under duress.”
“Glad to hear it. How is old Strange?”
“Probably somewhere pounding out the dents in his integrity. If he’s an example of the way a rich only child turns out, give me poverty.”
“What’s he after?”
“Right now? Kate. Or whatever else he thinks I want.”
“Do you want Kate?”
He finished his coffee and stood. “Does the sun rise in the east? Let’s go.”
At three o’clock, he steeled himself for another confrontation with Randy. He didn’t expect the boy to enjoy a half hour lecture on altruism. He’d become attached to his clients, as he called the senior citizens to whom he delivered hot food, but he didn’t associate that with helping others in general.
Randy surprised him. “Captain Luke,” he said before the lecture began, his voice filled with warmth as if there had been no enmity between them. “I have a new plan for my group. I’ll get my clients’ phone numbers. Each boy will be responsible for three seniors, and he has to call them twice every day to see if they’re all right.”
I will definitely recover from this, Luke told himself. “Let me see your chart,” he said to Randy. “Looks good to me. Instead of my lecture on this topic, why don’t you explain it to the boys?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Great job,” he told Randy later, and suggested that they talk.
“Sorry, sir, but I have to meet Officer Jenkins now to take the dinners to my clients.”
When he rested his hands lightly on the boy’s shoulders, Randy turned, smiled at him, and ran off. Now, what had happened to cause that turnabout? He rubbed the back of his neck as he watched Randy run off. Marcus’s story flashed into his mind. He could hardly believe it. Randy didn’t want his mother with Axel Strange, and he had concluded that—because he had been rude to Luke—Kate had decided he didn’t like Luke and had gone out with Axel. Randy was now removing himself as an obstacle to his friendship with the boy’s mother. He shook his head. Randy and Amy. What a pair of minds.
Secret Desire Page 15
