“Alex, I—”
“Shh,” Alexandria said, placing one finger over Delta’s lips. “I need to say this in case we never get to work together again.” Alexandria inched closer. “Don’t you ever get tired of always doing the right thing? Don’t you ever just want to throw caution to the wind and see where fate takes you?”
Delta knew the question did not require a response. “Alex—”
“Well, I do. Defense attorneys pay witnesses off, and then reach into their dirty bag of tricks to beat me. I have to play strictly by the rules. And look where that’s led me. Well, I’m sick of it. I’m no angel or saint, Delta, and tonight, I’m going to do exactly what I feel like doing, come high or hellwater.”
“And what would that be?”
Pulling Delta closer, Alexandria whispered, “That would be to seduce you, Delta Stevens.”
Now Delta was convinced this was the wine talking; Alexandria was so out of character, it remained the only logical explanation. Delta gently took both Alexandria’s hands in hers. Gazing deeply into Alexandria’s troubled gray eyes, Delta smiled warmly and reached up a hand to brush Alexandria’s hair over her shoulder. There was no doubt about it; Alexandria Pendleton was one of the most strikingly beautiful women Delta had ever had the fortune of meeting. She was brilliant, sexy, and, right now, extremely sensuous as she sat here with her pajamas revealing too much cleavage. Anyone would be a fool to pass up an opportunity to spend just one night with this incredibly gorgeous creature. One night was all she was asking, and Megan was thousands of miles away. She wouldn’t even know.
Slowly rising, Delta pulled Alexandria to her feet. “Which way?”
With only her eyes, Alexandria directed Delta to the hallway leading to the large, light pink bedroom. Like a picture of a Victorian bed-and-breakfast, the bedroom was decorated with white lace, a fluffy pink comforter, and tiny rose wallpaper. Not one thing appeared out of place. The four-poster, mahogany bed stood majestically in the center of the room, and Delta could only imagine the sights and sounds it had seen. “You have incredible taste,” Delta said, releasing her hold on the other woman’s hand and moving to the bed with sure strides, to toss the comforter back.
“Thanks. I’ve always loved the Victorian period. It’s so romantic.”
“Yes, it was.” Delta straightened and turned to Alexandria, reaching for her and pulling her into a comforting hug. “Don’t worry, Alex. You’re not going to lose all of this; not if I have anything to say about it.” Delta gestured to the bed before laying down and scooting over, before looking up at Alex and patted her own shoulder. “Lay your head here for a minute.”
“What about your clothes?” Alex said, slurring ‘clothes.’ Crawling beside Delta, Alexandria laid down and snuggled into the crook of Delta’s arm.
“Right now, let me just hold you, okay?” Wrapping her arms around Alexandria, Delta gently stroked Alexandria’s long, auburn hair. Almost immediately, Delta felt Alexandria’s weight go slack against her chest.
“Thank you,” Alexandria mumbled before her right leg twitched. Delta smiled and kissed the top of Alexandria’s head before pulling
the comforter over them with her free hand. “That’s what friends are for,” Delta whispered, closing her eyes and drifting off into a light sleep.
The following morning, when Delta drove into her driveway, Connie was just getting out of her car. The look she gave was definitely not her typical “good morning” face.
“Where in the hell have you been?” Connie demanded, ripping open Delta’s truck door before she had even turned the engine off. “And if you say ‘Alex’s house,’ I’m gonna kick your ass. No—worse than that, I’m gonna beat your butt so hard, you’ll feel it in another life!”
Delta looked into the fiery eyes glaring at her and knew Connie meant every word. “Hold on, Chief, I can explain.”
Connie crossed her arms and stepped back to let Delta out of the truck. “This had better be the explanation of a lifetime, sister, or I’ll crawl all over your case like a catfish cleaning an aquarium.”
Stepping from the truck, Delta held her hands out, posturing her innocence. “Nothing happened. I swear.”
Connie stepped forward and got right in Delta’s face. “Right. You roll home in the a.m. after spending all night at a drop-dead good-looking woman’s house, and I’m supposed to believe nothing happened? What happened? Did you check your brains at the door?”
“Con—”
“What happened?” Connie pressed, leaning against Delta now. In all the years they’d been friends, Delta had never seen Connie angry like this.
“Nothing happened.”
Both women stood locked in defiant postures. “I swear to God, Delta Stevens, if you went over there and did something foolish, you’d better come clean now, or—”
“Nothing happened, Connie!”
Connie held her gaze to Delta’s for a short while longer before finally backing off. “Nothing?”
“Not a damn thing.”
Connie studied Delta for a moment before sighing heavily. Visibly relieved, she threw her arms around Delta and hugged her. “I called and called all morning, and when you didn’t answer, I thought...well...”
“You thought I’d fallen into bed with her.” Delta pulled away, stung by Connie’s implications. “How could you?”
Connie bowed her head. “I don’t know. Maybe you were lonely, or—”
“Well it’s a damn good thing we’re not together, then, isn’t it? I can’t believe how suspicious you are.”
Connie shrugged. “What would you have thought?”
“I don’t know, but I can’t believe you thought I’d cheat on Megan. You know better than that. I tho—”
“Okay, okay, I jumped the gun. I’m sorry.”
Delta’s scowl slowly turned into a half-grin. “Comes with the territory, I suppose.”
“What if it had been me out all night?”
Delta grinned. “I’d have reacted the same way if I thought you were messing around on Gina.”
“But you’re not? Messing around, I mean.”
“Not even remotely.”
Connie sighed loudly. “Thank God.”
“Have you been waiting out here long? Why didn’t you just use your key?”
“Fear. I was afraid Megan would call and there I’d be...trying to find a way to tell her you hadn’t come home. No thanks.”
Delta smiled as she unlocked the front door. “Well, you could have kept my private rent-a-pig company.” Walking into the house, Delta waved to the uniformed officer sitting on the couch. “If you ask me where I was all night, I’m going to poison your lunch.”
The officer smiled back, yawned, and strode past Delta to the bathroom.
“He’s a barrel of laughs, huh?” Delta whispered to Connie as they walked into the kitchen.
“I’ll say.”
“What were you calling me about, anyway?”
Connie hoisted herself onto a barstool that was too tall for her. “I have a friend who owns a pet store a few blocks from Van Cleef & Arpels. She has a macaw and is willing to give us a deal.”
Delta stopped and turned to Connie. “You called and called just to tell me that?”
Grinning slyly, Connie shook her head. “Not really. I just wanted to make sure you came home.”
Opening a bag of day-old bagels, Delta offered one to Connie. “Look, I got there, she was hammered, scared about losing the election, and on the verge of a very big cry. I held her while she slept. End of story.”
“What did she say when she woke up and found you laying in her bed?”
Delta checked her phone messages and mail before starting out the door. “She opened her eyes, took one look at me, and then buried her face in the pillow.”
“You look that bad in the morning?”
“Only if you’ve forgotten I was there the night before.”
Connie bit into her bagel as she opened her car door for Delta. “How
awkward.”
“No kidding.” Delta leaned over and unlocked Connie’s door. “When she put her head in the pillow, I walked over and whispered that nothing happened. She didn’t believe me, so I said, ‘Look.’ When she peeked out from the pillow, she saw that I still had my clothes on. The look of relief on her face was worth a thousand bucks.”
“I’ll bet. What a crappy way to ruin a really good friendship.”
“Not to mention my relationship.”
“How did she take it after you told her what happened?”
“She was relieved and, I think, a little disappointed.”
“Disappointed? Is there a little piece you’re leaving out?” Delta grinned. “Okay, so she put a few moves on, so wh—”
“Ah-ha! I suspected she had a thing for you.”
“Her thing, Inspector Clueless, is friendship. Period.”
“Uh-huh.” Connie shifted and stared straight ahead. “You had her vulnerable, drunk, and in bed, yet you passed on a golden opportunity. Don’t you think she may be feeling even lower than before?”
“Not at all. I told her this morning that I found her beautiful, strong, talented, and a great friend. She would have done the same thing for me if the roles were reversed, and she agreed.”
“So, there’s absolutely no attraction there?”
Delta turned and looked out the window. “I never said that. I think we’re both aware of the energy between us, but I also told her I am in love with Megan and would never do anything to jeopardize that. In the end, Alex hugged me and thanked me for not letting her indiscretion ruin our friendship.”
“Sometimes, you amaze me.”
Delta returned her gaze to Connie. “Why is that?”
“I’m just really proud of you, that’s all.”
Delta suddenly warmed all over. “You know, Alex asked me if I ever got tired of doing the right thing.”
“And do you?”
“Not yet. I’m sure I will someday, but not quite yet.”
“Thank the goddess. I really would have hated to kick your butt.”
“Would you have?”
Connie grinned wickedly. “What do you think?”
Just as Connie had predicted, the trip to Van Cleef & Arpels yielded nothing.
“Let’s walk to the pet store,” Connie said, linking her arm through Delta’s.
“It’s too damned cold.”
“Stop your whining. The exercise will be good for us.”
A few blocks down, Delta saw the red and blue sign flashing in neon lights. “Your friend is going to cut us a deal?”
Walking past the guinea pigs, snakes, iguanas, and tarantulas, Delta spied a huge wrought iron cage standing in the corner, with a large, blue and gold macaw sitting majestically on a large piece of Manzanita.
“Wow.” Delta murmured, carefully approaching the cage. “He’s beautiful.” Delta studied the gold plumage, running from the chest to the length of the underside of the tail.
When the bird stopped preening, he looked up at her with his eyes dilated and said very clearly, “Hi there.”
Delta’s eyes popped open. “Did you hear that?”
“Clear as a bell.”
Delta inched closer. The bird bobbed his head at her. “I didn’t know they were so big.”
“So is the price tag.” The woman opened the cage door. “Careful. Approach him slowly so you don’t frighten him.”
Carefully putting her forearm up to the macaw’s chest, Delta watched as it took a tentative step onto her arm. “He’s heavy, too.” Delta studied the large hooked beak with the soft, wrinkly skin around it. The bird continually cocked its head from side to side while making little clicking noises with his tongue.
“Hi there,” he said. “Pretty girl.”
Delta laughed. “It must be a girl.”
“I think she’s in love,” Connie said, reaching out to touch the bird’s back feathers.
“So am I. I can see why Megan’s in love with them, too. Look how smart she is.”
Connie stepped up next to Delta as she thumbed through a book on macaws. “The ones Megan is trying to protect are the scarlet ones. This one is a blue and gold. They’re not indigenous to Costa Rica.”
“Wherever they’re from, they’re beautiful.”
Connie continued reading. “This says they have seventy pounds of crushing power per square inch of their beaks.”
Delta pulled her face away from the large, black beak. “Per square inch?”
“Uh-huh. She could rearrange your face in a heartbeat.”
The clerk finally appeared from behind the counter and scratched the bird’s chest. “Not Rikki. He’s very gentle for a macaw.”
Connie and Delta exchanged looks. “He?”
The clerk laughed. “Rikki used to be caged next to an African Gray who used to whistle and say pretty girl as women walked by. Rikki just happened to pick up the catchy phrase.”
“Can he say anything else?”
“Can and will. He says his name, any variation of hello, and he can also wave, roll over, and bow. That’s why he’s on the expensive side. We do have some in the back who—”
“How much?” Delta interrupted.
The freckled clerk grinned. She couldn’t have been older than eighteen. “Two grand.”
Delta stared, slack-jawed. “As in thousands?” Connie snickered.
“But, since you’re a friend of Consuela’s, my boss told me to give him to you for fifteen hundred.”
Delta put Rikki back on his perch, immediately causing him to shriek loudly. “Do people really pay that much for a pet?”
Freckles nodded. Her fiery hair didn’t move. “For exotics, you bet. You’ll pay less for an import, but I don’t touch imports. Dirty business. No thanks.”
Taking a peanut from the bowl in the cage, Delta handed it to Rikki, who swiftly cracked it and began turning the meat of the peanut over in his beak. “Imports? Are those the ones smuggled in?”
The girl winced. “Makes me sick even thinking about it. Those jerks should be shot. Or worse.”
Delta nodded, watching Rikki deftly shave the meat off the peanut. She was beginning to understand Megan’s passion for the birds. “He is incredible.”
She agreed. “You’re getting a healthy, happy, domestically bred bird with this one.” She picked a peanut up and told Rikki to wave. He responded by lifting a foot in the air and waving. “He has the IQ of a five-year-old child.”
“Like my partner,” Delta quipped.
“Rikki will live anywhere from forty to eighty years. You’ll have to will him to a younger family member.”
Delta turned to Connie, who vehemently shook her head. “No way.”
“You can be such a hard ass, sometimes. Come on, Con, Junior would love a pet.”
“Junior?”
Delta grinned. “Juniorette?” Nodding to Freckles, “I’ll take him.”
Connie appeared surprised. “You, the woman who pinches the nickel so tightly that the Indian is riding the buffalo?”
“Very funny.”
“Delta, think about it. Fifteen hundred dollars is a lot of money.”
“Connie, how much did it cost you to visit your friendly neighborhood sperm bank?”
“That’s different.”
“Like hell. You and Gina want an addition to your family. Well, so do I. Just not one I have to put braces on, worry about driving in the dark, or pay for college. This is an investment in our future.”
“Not to mention, Megan will flip when she sees him.”
Delta nodded and scratched Rikki on the head. “Exactly. I want to show her that I do care about the causes that interest her. I don’t see why they can’t be something we both share.”
“That’s sweet,” the girl said.
Studying Rikki, Delta sighed. “I’ve said all the words and talked the talk about being supportive. Now, it’s time I showed her I can walk the walk. Rikki will be my way of saying to her ‘Welcome back. Plea
se stay.’”
“Then I say go for it, Storm. He’ll make her very happy. And, my friend, so will you.”
Turning to the girl, Delta reached into her back pocket for her wallet. “Can you hold him until she gets back from Costa Rica?”
“Sure. If she’s in Costa Rica, you couldn’t get her a better gift.”
After signing for Rikki, Delta took one more extended look at him before leaving the pet store. “He’s something, isn’t he? You really think Megan will love him?”
“Of course she will. And she’ll probably love you even more for caring as much as you do. Money and jokes aside, Del, I think what you’ve done is really sweet.”
Delta stopped walking so she could face Connie. “I miss her so much.”
“I know. I can see it in your eyes.”
“When Megan gets home, I’m going to take a few days off and go to a bed-and-breakfast somewhere up north. Maybe to Monterey or Carmel. Someplace romantic.”
“Speaking of romance,” Connie said, leaning to look inside a window displaying jewelry. “Look at that ring. Gene’s been wanting a pear-shaped stone forever.”
Delta looked up at the small sign that read, “Echavia’s Jewelry”
before peering in the window at the diamond anniversary band. “Wouldn’t you love to put one of those babies on Megan’s finger?” Delta hesitated a moment before pulling Connie into the store.
“What the hell, right? I just spent fifteen hundred on a bird.” Staring into the glass cases, Delta couldn’t find any ring prettier than the simple band displayed in the window “See anything, Con?”
“I love this amethyst with the diamond,” Connie answered, tapping her finger on the case.
The saleswoman, wearing a name tag displaying the name Judy, leaned over the case. “That’s a very lovely ring you’re wearing,” she said, pointing to the turquoise ring on Connie’s index finger.
Connie held her hand up so Judy could see it better. “It’s an heirloom from my grandmother.”
“It’s unique in both design and color. The turquoise must be from the southwestern tip of Mexico.”
Connie nodded. “I’m impressed.”
“And she doesn’t impress easily,” Delta added, moving on to the next case.
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