Guilty Pleasures (46 page)

“No, I can only see you when you go in. Once inside, you take out your box and go to a private area.”

“Oh.” She smiled brightly. “Not that I don't trust you, but everyone who sits here is not you.”

He blushed. “Well, unless something happens to me, this is my spot for the duration of the trip. We're kind of short-handed.”

“That's wonderful. Now I know I'm in good hands.” She made sure she got a good image of the card she signed before giving it back.

He took the card and ran it through the scanner. He turned the computer monitor around to face her. “See, here's the signature from the card.” He keyed in some code. Rita made sure to capture his every move. “And here is your signature when you signed up for your box in the vault.”

The screen flashed, showing that it was a match.

He turned to her, smiling with pride. “See, foolproof.”

“All this technology goes right over my head.” She laughed. “As long as it works. Right
”

“It does, I can assure you.” He processed a card key and pushed it to her through the opening in the Plexiglas, then pressed a button, and the door to the right of him buzzed open. “Come through this door and walk straight down the corridor. Your box number is on the card, and all of the boxes are numbered. Use it the same way you would an ATM card. Once you insert it in your box slot, then it will open. You can take your box to the room that will be on your right.”

Rita took the card and stepped through the door. She gave him a finger wave as she passed his glass booth.

Inside the corridor, she held her purse against her chest, letting the camera roll to include each of the boxes that she passed, passing hers intentionally until she'd covered them all, then retraced her steps.

“Oh, here it is,” she murmured for his benefit, knowing that she was being watched. She inserted the card, and the door to the box popped open. She took out the metal box and proceeded to the room on her right. She stepped inside and drew the curtain.

She let the camera pan the room, paying special attention to the corners, where surveillance cameras could be hidden, even though Vincent said otherwise. One couldn't be too careful. She opened her box and checked her winnings, staying a reasonable amount of time, and then left. The door buzzed again when she approached. She walked out to the other side.

“Thank you so much, Vincent. Quite impressive. I feel totally confident that my valuables are safe.”

“As long as I'm on duty, you have nothing to worry about.”

She smiled brightly. “Have a good day. Maybe I'll see you again—off duty.” Her brow arched in invitation, matched by a slow smile.

He licked his lips and adjusted his tie. “I get off at ten.”

“I'll keep that in mind.” She waved again and walked away, being sure to give him a good look at her swaying hips.

“Worked like a charm,” Jinx said as he and Jake watched the scenario unfold on their television monitor.

“I'll download all the video and photographs onto the computer and analyze them. Make sure all the bases are covered, and see what flaws are in their system.”

“Doesn't seem like there are any,” Jinx said.

“Every system has a flaw. It's only a matter of finding it and manipulating it.”

“Well if Suarez's stuff isn't in his room, we better find that flaw.”

Jake studied the screen. “Yeah,” he muttered. “We'd better.”

 

27

Rita headed back to Jake's cabin, taking a circuitous route, hoping to catch a glimpse of Eva somewhere along the way. She was worried about her cousin. It wasn't like Eva to disappear in the middle of a job. It was clear that there was trouble between her and Jake, but they couldn't let that interfere with the job they were there to do.

The whole baby thing was messing with Eva's head, she had to remember. She'd heard all the stories about biological clocks and whatnot, and she supposed that it must have started its countdown with Eva.

Was she really ready to kick the lifestyle they lived to the curb and become someone's mother
Of the two of them, it was true that Eva was more level-headed, more centered. But at the core of them both was the underlying need to live on the edge, take chances, wreak havoc among the unsuspecting—simply because they could.

She rode the escalator up to the next level. But it was more than that, she reasoned. They were both searching for something, something they hoped to recover—their sense of worth. They both judged their own value by what they were able to attain at the expense of others, the same way it had been done to them.

They'd been victimized since they were kids. Now the world was their victim, and any- and everything were up for grabs. Enough was never enough, almost as if what they acquired couldn't fill the void in their souls.

Could Eva really let that all go
Was this baby a substitute to fill the gap—and would it be enough

She crossed the expanse of the Lido Deck and spotted Xavier in close conversation with a woman. She halted her step, moved to the side to get a better view. She watched as Xavier worked his South American magic.

Her stomach suddenly knotted.

Damn.

She turned and hurried off, going straight to Jake's cabin.

“Where's Eva
” Rita asked the instant she was inside the cabin.

“Why
What's going on
” Jake asked, turning away from the monitor to focus on Rita.

“I just came from the Lido Deck. And Xavier was there.”

“And
” Jinx asked.

“He was with some woman.”

Jinx's features pinched. “Why should that bother you
”