“That’s the one. He’s still dodging me. I think he’s going to need a bit more persuasion.”
“Not a problem. You have his home address this time? I remember you were working on it.” Larry asked.
“Yes, I do. I’ll send it over when we hang up. Obviously, the same rules apply. I don’t need anything too serious yet. Just give him a good scare, but make sure when it’s all said and done, he knows why you’re there. Tell him if he doesn’t do what needs to be done, things are going to get worse,” Bob instructed. “A lot worse. He owes me a sizeable amount, and I want to start getting back what I’m owed.”
Larry nodded and then, realizing that Bob couldn’t see him, said, “Sure. Not a problem.”
“You may need to visit the guy at work again. Guy’s not home often. He’s slippery, but not all that bright. You shouldn’t have too much trouble with him. I’m going to have my guys keep trying to dig up some information on him, just in case. I’ll check back with you in a few days if I haven’t heard anything from you,” Bob said.
“Sounds good. Thanks,” Larry said before ending the call. Moments later his cell phone buzzed with a text from Bob containing Mark’s home address. He looked at the name and address he’d written on a napkin. Mark didn’t exactly live in the richest neighborhood in town. Poor guy was probably just down on his luck, but now it was up to Larry to convince him to pay up. Hopefully the guy owed a lot, that way Larry’s take from the percentage would be bigger than it had been before. That’s the way Bob worked. The more you could get paid off for Bob, the more he’d have to pay you.
Larry figured he’d check out Mark’s place first. See if he could catch him coming or going. Maybe he could sneak up on him and surprise the guy. Let him know he’s being watched. That would have to be a huge incentive to make someone pay off their gambling debts. After all, who wouldn’t want to take care of what they owed if they thought someone was sitting outside their house watching them and just might want to hurt them.
Plan B would be to show up at Mark’s workplace, this time while he was working. It wasn’t a prospect that Larry really looked forward to, but if it got the job done, so be it. Last time he’d found out when Mark would be getting off work and had waited outside. He’d tried talking to him man to man without being too intimidating. Bob hadn’t been too concerned about the urgency of getting his money, so a sort of soft approach had worked. Now it looked like things had changed.
He folded the napkin with Mark’s address on it and tucked it in his jeans pocket. He’d find out exactly where the place was tomorrow morning. Then, depending on where Mark lived, he’d plan accordingly. There was no way Larry was going to pass up this opportunity to make some extra cash. He needed to put the fear of God in this Mark guy and get him to pay up and pay up fast. That way he’d get his percentage cut from Bob sooner rather than later.
Even if it meant he had to use a little more of a threat than just his presence to do it. He considered the possibility of using the pistol he kept in his nightstand for added emphasis. It was a little extreme, but it might be necessary in order to speed things up.
Heading back out to the main bar area he wondered if taking his gun would help or make things worse. On one hand, a gun showed you were serious. On the other hand, Bob had specifically instructed him to not get too crazy, otherwise the cops could get involved, and that was bad for business. A couple sitting at the bar waved to get his attention, and he decided he’d worry about Mark later, when he was off work. Then he’d decide how he should handle him.
When he approached the couple, he flashed them his most winning smile and leaned across the bar. “Hey, how’s it going? What can I get for you two tonight?” He still had a long night ahead of him. He couldn’t afford to be distracted. He pushed Mark, the gun, and his job as an enforcer to the back of his mind and focused on taking the couple’s drink order.
CHAPTER 5
Brigid woke up the next morning wrapped in Linc’s arms. The sun was filtering through the sheers behind the deep red curtains, giving the room a soft, yet ethereal, glow. She smiled as his arm pulled her closer when he felt her stir. She smelled a faint trace of his cologne on his skin, and she breathed it in. The scent still made her feel a slight flutter in her stomach.
“Good morning, Mrs. Olson,” he mumbled into her hair. He kissed the back of her head and groaned in contentment. “How’d you sleep?”
“Like a baby,” Brigid sighed as she snuggled down deeper into his embrace. “I swear, normally I can never sleep when I’m not in my own bed, but this one is different. I think we need an annulment, because I want to marry this bed instead,” she teased.
“Nope, it can’t have you. I’ve already staked my claim,” Linc said playfully. “But if you did, I’d like to see you try to get it on the airplane to take it home. That could be entertaining.”
“Then I guess I’ll just have to enjoy the time I have left with it,” she said as she turned around to face him. “Although I have to say, I’m more than a little heartbroken.” She pressed her lips to his. “What’s on the agenda for the day?”
“I don’t know. We can do a little shopping. We definitely need to get souvenirs for everyone,” Linc suggested. “Maybe we should go ahead and get that out of the way before we forget?”
“I like that idea. Tomorrow I think I’d like to head to the beach. I’m looking forward to sitting on the sand with an ocean view,” she said. “I want to feel the sea spray on my skin. It feels like it’s been forever since I felt the sand between my toes.”
“We can head that way today if you’d prefer,” Linc said as he propped himself up on his arm. He began to brush back her hair with his fingers. “It’s not a big deal. Shopping can wait for another day.”
“No, I watched the weatherman for a couple of minutes before we went to bed last night, and there’s a chance for rain this afternoon. Tomorrow’s supposed to be clear all day. I like your idea. We can wing it like we did at the River Walk yesterday. I don’t know when I’ve had such a wonderful lazy evening. It’s going to be hard to top that.”
“Well, we’ll have to see what we can do about that. Maybe we should hide from the world and stay in bed all day,” he suggested as he began to kiss her neck. “I can think of a few things we could do to entertain ourselves.”
Brigid giggled. “I don’t know if you’d have the energy. Heck, I’m not sure I would!”
Linc smiled before inhaling deeply. He lifted his nose and said, “Do you smell that?”
“Smell what?” Brigid asked. She inhaled deeply but couldn’t smell anything out of the ordinary. Only the smell of her husband and the comfortable sheets they were cuddled beneath, which smelled a little like roses.
“I think I smell food cooking,” Linc said. “I wonder if John’s making breakfast. It smells amazing.” As he finished his sentence, his stomach grumbled loudly.
“Sounds like your stomach agrees. Come on, let’s get dressed and go downstairs,” Brigid suggested.
She threw back the blankets and climbed out of the bed. The area rug covering the dark wood floor felt soft under her bare feet. She reached for the clothes she’d laid out for the day and began to get dressed.
“I may have to find out his recipe. Whatever that is, it smells heavenly,” Linc commented as he pulled on his shirt.
“I’m trying to figure out why your stomach is growling so loud after that big dinner we had last night,” Brigid marveled. “Are we going to go bankrupt trying to keep you fed?”
“Hey, I’m an active guy with a healthy appetite. Don’t blame me,” he said as he held his hands up in a sign of mock surrender. “Besides, I’m telling you it really smells good.”
They put on their shoes and Brigid quickly ran a brush through her hair before they stepped out into the hall.
“You’re right,” Brigid said, turning to Linc. “It does smell amazing.” As they descended the stairs, they gave their tell-tale creak, letting John and Charlie know that someone wa
s coming down the stairs. When they got to the bottom of the stairs Charlie came trotting into the main room, his tongue hanging out and tail wagging.
“Hey there boy,” Brigid said as she bent down to greet him. “How are you this morning?”
John emerged through the kitchen’s swinging door with a bright smile. “Well good morning! Would you care for some breakfast? I was just making something for Charlie and me. I can make some for you too, if you’d like to join us.” He looked happy to see them, his hair still a wild mop on top of his head.
“That would be great, if you don’t mind,” Linc said happily. “Whatever you’re making, it smells phenomenal. It’s actually what got me out of bed this morning.”
John signaled for them to follow him as he turned back through the door. “I’m making southwest omelets. You can sit at the counter while I whip up a couple more.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever had one of those before,” Brigid said as she looked at the ingredients on the counter. “What’s in it?”
“It’s an omelet filled with chili and cheese,” the older man said as he returned to the stove. Brigid looked around the spacious kitchen with envy. It was big enough to have a breakfast counter along one side with an island in the middle. There were cabinets everywhere, and they were all painted a bright white which made the kitchen look as if it was brand new. How he managed to keep them so clean and gleaming was a mystery to her. She was fairly sure if she tried to have white cabinets in her kitchen at home, they’d never be clean.
“Chili for breakfast?” Linc said surprised. “I’ve never heard of anything like that.”
“Neither had I,” John admitted. “But one time my wife and I stopped for the night in Gallup, New Mexico, while we were on a road trip. The next morning we went into a little diner that was attached to the hotel, and I saw it on the menu. I love chili, and I love breakfast, so I was eager to give it a try. I’ve been hooked ever since. If you don’t like chili, I can put something else in yours,” he began.
“No, that’s fine,” Brigid said as she turned to Linc who was nodding affirmatively. “It sounds odd, but we’re more than willing to give it a try.”
“Excellent!” John said with a wide smile. “The chili is my family recipe, so you won’t find anything like it in any restaurant,” he said proudly.
“Then I definitely want to give it a shot,” Linc said. “I love trying new things and secret family recipes are always delicious. I don’t think I’ve come across one yet that didn’t make me wish I was a part of the family.”
“My kind of man,” John said as he began cooking their omelets. “I used to be the same way, but anymore food doesn’t like me as much as I like it. I always make an exception for chili, though. It’s my one weakness. If you put chili on it, I’ll probably eat it,” he said with a hearty laugh.
Soon the omelets were done, and he set the plates in front of Linc and Brigid. The chili was oozing out from the omelets and there was plenty of cheese melting on top and inside. He’d garnished them with chopped green onions. The smell coming from the plates had their mouths watering.
“I like to put a little sour cream on mine,” John said as he pulled out a bowl and sat it before them. “Help yourself if you’re so inclined.”
Both Brigid and Linc took a spoonful of the sour cream and topped their omelets with it before finally digging in. Brigid wasn’t sure what to expect when she took her first bite, but she was pleasantly surprised. The flavors of the omelet, along with the robust chili, was a pairing she never would have thought of.
“Is that clove I taste in the chili?” Linc asked after a few bites.
“Sure is,” John said approvingly as he joined them. “You must be a cook yourself.”
“I am,” Linc admitted. “Although I specialize more in Italian dishes than anything else.”
Brigid nodded. “He even makes his own pasta on occasion,” she bragged. “But this is really good. I’m going to have to make something like this for Holly when we get back home,” she said turning to Linc who nodded in agreement.
“Is Holly your daughter?” John asked.
Brigid thought about explaining everything, but decided not to for the sake of time. “Yes. She’s visiting family in Missouri while we’re on our honeymoon.”
“That’s great,” he said. “My kids are grown and have moved away. They come and visit occasionally, but usually it’s just me and Charlie here.” He looked down at the dog who was staring at him expectantly. “You’re just going to have to wait, boy. I have things to do.” He said as he leaned back and began to eat.
“Does he want to go for a walk?” Brigid asked.
“Yeah, he likes to take a trip around the block every morning, but I have a few things I need to get done first before we can go,” John admitted.
“We could take him for you, if you don’t mind,” Linc offered.
“I’m sure you have plenty of things you want to do while you’re on your honeymoon. We don’t want to interfere with what you had planned for the day,” John said.
“It’s no trouble at all,” Brigid interjected. “I kind of miss taking my dog for his morning walk, so taking Charlie would make me feel good.
John chuckled. “If you don’t mind, you won’t hear me complain. I was always taught that if someone offers you help, you’re a fool if you don’t accept.”
Once they’d finished their breakfast and thoroughly thanked John for it, Brigid got Charlie’s leash and clipped it on his collar. They promised John they’d take good care of Charlie before they left the kitchen, leaving John to clean up. She and Linc led the dog outside and onto the sidewalk.
Large puffy clouds were moving in, giving them some intermittent shade. A slight breeze ruffled Brigid’s hair and made her close her eyes for a moment, soaking it all in. It was a beautiful morning, and she was glad Charlie had wanted to take a little walk. Brigid and Linc strolled in companionable silence, allowing Charlie to guide them on their route.
“He seems to know this route by heart,” Brigid said as Charlie automatically turned the corner and continued around the block.
“Well, who knows how many times he’s walked this way,” Linc said. “You can tell he’s much older than Jett. He probably knows every smell and sight along the way, too.”
Linc and Brigid simply enjoyed the morning and their short bit of exercise before returning to the B & B. By the time they got back, Charlie and Brigid had become fast friends. It wasn’t that he rejected Linc, he just seemed to prefer Brigid. At times he’d stop and encourage her to pet him. When they entered the B & B and she unhooked his leash, he stayed by her side like a faithful friend.
“Okay, Charlie. I’ve got other things to do now, but maybe we can go for a walk again soon,” she told her new four-legged friend. He gave her hand a lick before trotting off to find John.
CHAPTER 6
Zoey Hill hadn’t been working in the gift shop at the Alamo for very long. She was taking a little time off before she started college. She was completely over writing essays, taking exams, studying, and generally doing things she didn’t want to do. Besides, she was making decent enough money for now, and she had an opportunity to meet people from all over the world, so in her book it was a bit of a win-win situation. She and her roommate were able to make ends meet, so there really wasn’t much to complain about.
When Zoey had met Mark, a fellow employee at the Alamo, she couldn’t believe that an older man could be interested in her. He seemed like such a nice guy, sweet, attentive, and kind. They’d spent a little time together outside of work, but for the most part they snuck in a few private moments throughout the day while they were at work. It was nice having someone she looked forward to seeing every day. It definitely made it easier to get up and come to work on those days she’d rather stay in bed.
“Hey, beautiful,” Mark said as he came up behind her. She was sitting at one of the tables in the small break room munching on a bag of potato chips she’d gotten f
rom the vending machine.
“Hey, yourself,” she said with a smile. “What are you doing?” He circled around her, pulled out a chair, and sat beside her.
“Coming to spend some time with you,” he said with a sly smile. “I just finished with a tour and thought I’d go to the gift shop and see you, but you weren’t there.”
“No, I had to open this morning, so I came in early,” she explained. “That means my breaks are a little earlier today.”
Mark nodded. “I see. What are you doing tonight?” he asked as he leaned over and gave her a kiss on the neck.
“I have a couple of friends coming over for a movie night,” she said with a smile. “What are you doing?”
“Not sure. I was going to see if you wanted to do something but I didn’t realize you had plans,” he stuck his lip out as if he were pouting and Zoey couldn’t help but feel bad.
“I’m sorry. Can I take a raincheck? I’ve had this planned for over a week, and it’s a little too late to back out now.” She really liked Mark and didn’t want to give him the impression she wasn’t interested.
“Sure, that’s not a problem,” he said easily. “Anything for you.” He gently tapped her on the end of her nose, making her blush.
“I heard Miguel is retiring soon. Do you think Celine will choose you as the lead tour guide?” Zoey asked.
“Sure would be nice,” Mark admitted. “I could really use the pay increase.”
She nodded. “I think we all could. They aren’t exactly paying us top dollar here, although I’ve had worse. Don’t ever work in retail, especially in the mall.”
Mark turned his focus intently on Zoey. “Have you heard anything about when she’ll make a decision?”
Zoey felt herself shrink under his intense scrutiny. “No. Why would I? I barely even talk to the woman. She’s your boss, not mine.”
Mark nodded. “Right, right. I forget sometimes. Well, if you hear anything, will you let me know?”
“Sure, but you’d probably hear something before I would,” she said distractedly. She pulled her phone out of her pocket so she could text her roommate. There was something she was supposed to get at the store after work, but she couldn’t remember what it was.
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