WindSwept Narrows: #17 Pepper Ambrose

by Diroll-Nichols, Karen

  “I don’t want your stuff,” she told him, refusing to look at anything but the closed elevator doors.

  “Alright.” He leaned forward, brows arched at the stoic expression on her face, arms up and crossed over her chest. “I guess losing our clothes in the room is out of the question?”

  “Damn straight,” she said with a nod, foot tapping on the floor. Then she cracked, her head falling forward on the stainless doors before they opened. Laughter bubbled out as they wandered down the hall. “Room service will be here in….” she lifted his wrist and tipped it up so she could see it. “Eighteen minutes…we’ll have to save lose the clothes until after dinner.”

  “Spoilsport.” He slid the card into the door and pushed it wide for her. “I believe we could beat the time…”

  “Oh? And who answers the door wrapped in a towel when room service delivers?”

  “I’m sure they’ve seen worse,” he chuckled and pulled her into his arms inside the room, his back against the door. He decided he definitely needed to work on his reaction time when she ducked and pivoted out of range. He couldn’t wait to see her in some of the items he’d bought tonight.

  Pepper dropped the wrap in her hand on the back of the sofa, her hand out and snagging his palm and pulling him to lean against the cushions. He spread his feet, waiting patiently while she fit between them. His pulse quickened when her fingers played with the tie at his throat.

  “You know what…I think maybe I like you…” she watched the corner of his mouth lift slightly. “Hmm…no, I’m pretty sure I like you…so maybe…” She leaned in and kissed him softly, moving closer when his palms smoothed over her hips and onto her behind, pulling her closer still. “Maybe a little preview…”

  Chapter Eight

  “Preview?” Chase felt the heat begin to boil in his blood, his tie freed and dangling as she opened the top few buttons of his shirt and slid her hands inside to stroke over his chest.

  “Hmm…but not too much…you can go change into comfortable clothes. I’ll have them set up the table and then I’ll change…then after dinner…” She moved her mouth up to his ear, nibbling and whispering suggestively before swiping her tongue down his throat and stepping back two steps.

  “A preview…” He pushed the air between his teeth and stood up, his head shaking as he disappeared into the bedroom, mumbling to himself. “You’re cruel…”

  Pepper laughed and opened the drapes that looked out over Elliott Bay, the tapping on the door had her crossing the room minutes later at the same time Chase came out dressed in jeans and a tee shirt. He took over while she ran to change clothes.

  Pepper tossed her shoes into the small case she’d brought and dug out the tap set in royal blue, dropping the tank top over her head and shimmying into the ankle length pants. She heard the door click, the lock turn as she came out of the bathroom. She could smell the food and she was starving.

  Chase wasn’t sure which was growling more, the male in him or his stomach when she jogged lightly across the room to the waiting chair. He opened the wine and poured before sitting across from her and lifting the lids on the plates and moving them around.

  “It looks delicious…” She picked up her fork and stabbed a prawn, biting down hungrily.

  “So tell me what’s on the agenda for tomorrow?” He asked, taking a taste of the wine and nodding to himself before taking a bite of the creamy pasta.

  “Hmm…Saturday…well…usually I do my laundry…maybe go have my toes painted…”

  “Good thing I snatched up the spa package for you,” he said with another bite.

  “I…” Pepper frowned over at him. “We’re going to fight about this, Chase.”

  “Over dinner?” He winced dramatically. “Not good for the digestion…”

  “I’m serious. You should have…you should have listened to me,” she said firmly.

  “I did. And I bought things anyway,” he said with a casual shrug.

  “I don’t want…” She closed her eyes. “You don’t have to give me things.”

  “I know, Pepper…that’s why I want to,” he took another drink of his wine. “You don’t think a guy should be allowed to give his girl gifts? Just because?”

  “Do you have to put it like that?” She said after a few silent minutes. Damn his patience.

  “Like what?”

  “Like it makes me feel bad if I don’t…don’t accept…”

  “So I have to induce guilt before you’ll accept a present from me?” Chase closed one eye and looked over at the frustration building on her features, the prawn on the end of her fork bit in half as she considered it.

  “Well…no…I mean…this…the room and dinner…that’s a gift…”

  “Alright. But other things aren’t allowed?”

  “Eat your dinner. I’m thinking,” she said with a little pout.

  “Hmm…usually your arguments are a little more…potent…” Chase set down his fork, shaking his head slowly.

  “I’m working on it…” but she stopped, looking up and frowning. “Chase? What’s wrong?” She was up and around the table, her hand touching his forehead, suddenly covered with sweat.

  “I don’t know…be right back…” he was up and out of the room, tossing his glasses to the table as he went.

  Pepper looked at his plate, then towards the bathroom. He was sick. She paced the floor, listening and thinking before finding her phone and making a call.

  “Mariah? Are you still in the hotel? Can you come up…please…something’s wrong with Chase…I…fourteenth floor, Suite A…thank you…”

  Pepper was on the door almost with the second knock, her hands twisting frantically. “I don’t know what to do…I helped him into the bedroom, but…he’s so pale, Mariah,” she heard fear and anguish in her own whisper, barely noticing Mac and Cassidy following, all four of them dressed in nice evening clothes. “I’m so sorry…the party…”

  “Hey, don’t talk crazy,” Cassidy caught the look from Mariah and took Pepper to the chair, sinking her into it. “What happened?”

  “I…I need to go in there…”

  “No…let Mariah do her job…she’s the doctor…” Cassidy looked around the room. “You were having dinner?”

  “Yes…he ordered it from home…from my apartment this morning. Asked me if I liked creamy fettuccine with prawns…”

  “From your apartment?” Mac repeated with a frown.

  “Yes. About…I guess it was just before six-thirty,” Pepper looked from one to the other. “Then we went off to work.”

  “Who eats the tomatoes?” Cassidy looked over the table.

  “Chase.”

  “How much did he eat?”

  “I…” Pepper got up and paced the room, glancing now and then at the closed door. “I don’t know…let me think…not much…six...seven bites…we were arguing about the stuff he bought at the benefit…so we weren’t eating very quickly.”

  “Was the wine opened here?” Cassidy picked up the seal and the cork.

  “Yes…I think…I saw him open it…I drank mine…”

  “And you’re fine,” she said thoughtfully. “I need a plastic bag…something…”

  “A bag?” Pepper stopped moving and looked from Cassidy to the plate she was carefully examining. “Oh my god…you think…”

  Eli moved to the small closet and pulled a brand new laundry bag free, crossing and handing it to her before gripping Pepper firmly and pressing her into the chair.

  “You’re looking a little pale…” he went into the kitchen and found a bottle of water in the fridge. “Drink.”

  All of them looked toward the door when it opened. Mariah closed it behind her and went to sit across from Pepper. “He’s okay. And he’s going to be okay. In a couple days.”

  Pepper nodded slowly, her mouth closed, breathing slow and eyes dry.

  “You think he was poisoned,” she said softly, looking at Cassidy and then the others. “You know…you all know…I tried to tell
him…I tried to make him listen,” she was up before anyone could stop her, pacing to the door and back. “I thought all this time…maybe he’d leave me alone…how did he know? How did this happen? It’s not food poisoning, is it?”

  “I don’t think so,” Mariah had glanced at the table quickly, watching Cassidy empty one plate into the bag.

  “How did you register, Pepper?” Cassidy asked abruptly. “Mac…could you check the elevator for security cams?”

  “I…I didn’t…Chase did. I was…” she stopped, closed her eyes, pressed her palms tightly to her eyes. “I was looking in the shop windows. I don’t know.”

  “Call down and ask,” Eli said firmly, handing her the in room phone.

  “He’s alright…” She looked pleadingly at Mariah.

  “I gave him something for the cramping and nausea. He’s thrown up most of what he ate,” she said with a nod. “He’ll be uncomfortable for a day or two…I left some stuff on the nightstand for him to repeat in a few hours.”

  “Thank you…thank you…yes, this is suite A on the fourteenth floor…can you tell me how we registered?” She pressed the speaker button.

  “Excuse me?”

  “How did we register for the room…our names…”

  “Oh…just a minute…” If she thought it odd, she said nothing. “Mr. and Mrs. Chase Montgomery.”

  “Alright…thank you…” Pepper frowned. “Why in the world would he…”

  “No…that’s good…” Cassidy watched Eli open the door for Mac and saw his grim nod. “Now…call back and request someone from security come to your room immediately.”

  Pepper did as she was told, waiting while she was connected to the main desk. “I need someone from your security office to come to my room, please. As soon as possible.”

  “What’s the problem, maybe I can help you?”

  “I need security and maybe even the manager, please. NOW.” Pepper pressed the speaker button angrily. But uncertain at who. “Can I go in there…please…”

  “Of course…but don’t be surprised that he’s kind of out of it,” Mariah told her gently, sighing thickly. She waited until Pepper was out of the room and looked at Cassidy. “Poison?”

  “I think so…she was eating…drinking…same stuff…nothing…” Cassidy closed her eyes and pushed her head back, long silver hair hanging unevenly down her back. “This wouldn’t be difficult if it was at the resort…”

  “It won’t be difficult here,” Eli told her firmly. “We call the police and let them work it.”

  “Probably…but they wouldn’t be as upfront as she needs to know…we need to see the security footage from the elevator.”

  “She isn’t crying…” Mariah got up and paced over to Eli and back, her head shaking.

  “I don’t think he had time to tell her about this morning,” Mac said quietly.

  Eli and Mariah exchanged glances. “What happened this morning?” Eli asked finally.

  All heads turned when the knock came on the door. Mac opened it at the same time Pepper shot out of the room and down the short hall.

  A woman and man stood in the doorway, Mac stepping back to let them inside.

  “Mrs. Montgomery?” The man asked, looking from one woman to the other.

  “Pepper…” Cassidy looked over at her.

  “Which one of you is security?” She asked quietly, the man nodding to the woman.

  “Ginger Roberts, Mrs. Montgomery, how can we help you?”

  “I can burst out with it, if you want,” Pepper said with a flat look at Cassidy. “But I have to warn you, stable I’m not right now…”

  “Cassidy Parker Lawson,” she stepped forward. “We have reason to believe Mr. Montgomery has been poisoned,” she watched the disbelief register on their faces. “I need to ask if I can look at your security footage of the elevator…what time was dinner brought up, Pepper?”

  “Ten-thirty…we left the benefit at about ten-ten and came back here. Changed clothes…I was in the bedroom when he answered the door and they brought it inside…they were prompt and…mine…anyway…is really good…” She drew in a long breath, something to stop the eruption she felt brewing inside her.

  “Why do you believe…”

  “I ate my food…I drank the wine…I’m not sick…” Pepper let the words burst out, the tiniest bit of fear and despair creeping into her voice.

  “Mariah Peyton, doctor. Chase is sick. Classic poison symptoms…since, as she said, food poisoning is ruled out,” Mariah said quietly. She was worried about Pepper. Hysteria was starting to frame her words.

  “Look…I don’t want to sue you…I don’t want to hurt the hotel…I…we…Cassidy and Eli need to see the security footage. Eli used to be a police officer…we don’t want anything but that, please…” Pepper felt the hint of tears and anger.

  “The elevator is the likely place,” Eli picked up, following Cassidy’s logic. “Stranger waits for food…knows the order…waiter distracted somehow…”

  “How would they know which order to poison?” The manager looked from one to the other in amazement. “I’m not sure I can…”

  “Because they had listening devices in her apartment,” Mac said quietly. “They heard Chase place the order this morning on his cell phone. They knew his would be the one with sliced tomatoes on it.”

  “What?” Pepper spun around furiously, glaring at Mac. “There…you…how…”

  “Can we see the footage? If I turn this over to the police, you’ll have media coverage,” Cassidy told them firmly, she pulled her security ID from her bag. “I understand your job, since I do the same thing, but for the resort in Tacoma. I’m pretty sure you don’t want the media involved in this.”

  “Come with us,” the manager decided quickly, exiting the room with Cassidy and Eli behind him.

  “Mac?” Pepper stared at him.

  “Chase came to see me and Cassidy this morning, Pepper. He was worried about you. He was worried about you pushing him out of your life because of what might happen,” Mac explained, his palms sweating as he shoved them into his pockets. “He asked us to sweep for listening or cameras that didn’t belong.”

  “And you found some?” She whispered painfully, stumbling to the sofa and sinking down before her knees gave out beneath her.

  “Three…one in each main room. Listening. Chase didn’t get how…if…”

  “How my father always knew when I made friends,” she said for him, inhaling deeply and pushing away from the sofa, striding to the bedroom without looking back. She perched on the edge of the bed at his side, the cool cloth she’d placed on his eyes and forehead still in place. She refreshed it, swallowing and rubbing her eyes, hard. “Oh, Chase…why didn’t you listen to me…” she leaned over and kissed his cheek. “You should have listened…”

  She was about to rise when his hand came up and gripped her wrist.

  “Don’t go…” his voice was rough, hoarse. His throat sore and bitter tasting.

  “Oh, Chase,” Pepper felt the sting of heat behind her lashes, her body folding against him. “You should have listened…I should have known better…”

  “Pepper…I can’t argue with you now…my head is pounding…”

  “I’ll get Mariah…I’ll be back…just don’t move…” She went into the other room, the heels of her palms pressed into her eyes. “Mariah…he says he’s got a pounding headache…can he take anything?”

  “Let me see what I’ve got…”

  Pepper let her palms fall, blinking her sight back to see Cassidy and Eli had returned. “Did you see anything?”

  “He didn’t even try and hide it,” Cassidy said slowly. “It’s not your father. A young guy. Eli’s going to turn the copy over to some friends see if we can get any kind of ID off it. Pepper…tell me how the evening went.”

  Chapter Nine

  “I…from where?”

  “You left the benefit…”

  Pepper leaned against the sofa and slid to the floor. Knees u
p and head hanging in the middle.

  “We left about ten after ten…I was miffed…he was being charming…we got to the room and he went off to change into his jeans and tee shirt. He came out and I heard the knock on the door when I ran to the bedroom. Tossed my shoes into my case, hung up my dress, went to the bathroom and came running out. I was starving. The plates had covers on them…he lifted them, changed the plates around ‘cause his had tomatoes on it…then he peeled the plastic off the wine…used the curly thing to take the cork out and poured. I slid into the seat and took a big bite. We drank wine…took bites…argued about the stuff he bought…” She lifted her head and stared toward the white cloth covered table. Her appetite had vanished.

  “Umm…he put his fork down…and I looked up and he was sweating…he said he’d be back, tossed his glasses to the table and went into the bathroom. He was sick…god…there wasn’t anything I could do…then I remembered you’d been downstairs…I didn’t know what was wrong with him! He’d been fine! Nothing…no...no complaints…no…nothing…”

  “Pepper,” Mariah dropped to her heels at her side. “He’s going to be alright. Trust me…I’m a doctor,” she hoped to get a little smile and was relieved. “I gave him something for the headache. He should sleep through the night. Stomach’ll be a bit jumpy tomorrow…but I left stuff for the cramping and other side effects. He’s okay,” she repeated firmly.

  “Thank you,” she whispered, nodding and putting her head back down. “It’s all my fault. I told him. I told him it was a mistake…”

  “Now you’re being stupid and I know you aren’t,” Cassidy said firmly. “I don’t know how we can stop him and I don’t know what we can do, but this isn’t your fault.”

  “I want to hit something…” She began angrily. “I want to cry and scream and…and scratch his eyes out! And I can’t do a damn thing!”

  “I know…” Cassidy exhaled slowly.

  “Thank you. All of you.”

  “You going to head back tonight?” Mariah asked carefully.

  “No…no…I’ll call his driver…have him pick us up at about eleven. He should be mobile enough for me to get him to the car,” Pepper tilted her head back and squeezed her eyes closed. “Thank you…again…sorry about messing up your party night.”