Guilty Pleasures (57 page)

She closed her eyes, and images of her and Xavier taunted her throughout the night.

 

32

Jake checked his watch. “The ship should be docking in about a half hour.”

“You think the drug is still working
” Rita asked, clenching and unclenching her hands as she sat on the very edge of the chair.

“Usually twelve hours, give or take thirty minutes,” Eva responded.

“But we aren't taking any chances,” Jake said. “You need to change your look totally. We can't risk either Suarez or one of his boys recognizing you.”

“My thought exactly,” Rita said. She took a curly honey-brown wig from the bag and set it on the table. “And just to be sure.” She stood and put a small pillow on her stomach and secured it with a thin belt, then lowered her billowy flowered top. She grinned at the effect. “They won't be looking for a pregnant woman with curly brown hair.”

Eva absently placed her hand on her stomach. She'd actually look like that in a few months. A moment of panic seized her. What was she thinking
She was not mother material. She'd never had anyone to emulate, had no idea how to care about anyone other than herself—and maybe Jake, but he was grown.

Jake put his arm around her shoulder.

“It's gonna be all right,” he said only to her. “I don't have a clue either.”

She looked up into his easy smile. He always could read her like a book. “The blind leading the blind, huh
”

“Happens all the time.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “Let's get busy.”

*   *   *

When they emerged from the cabin, the ship was a bevy of activity. People swarmed the walkways, and crew members raced around, helping with luggage and directions.

“Stay together,” Jake said, “and keep your eyes open. We need to be one of the first off this ship.”

They made the slow trek to the front of the ship, where they would disembark.

The ship rocked as it approached the dock. Eva squeezed Jake's hand. He looked down at her and winked.

Then behind them was some commotion and pushing.

Jake looked over his shoulder. It was Suarez's two bodyguards. They were shoving their way to the front.

“Oh, damn,” Rita whispered, and then put on a pair of sunglasses.

Grumbles and startled curses rose up and down as passengers were pushed and shoved aside. The two men cut a path between bodies.

“Just be cool,” Jake urged. “We're almost there.”

The gangway opened just as the two men reached the front and practically assaulted the captain, who was at the ready to say his good-byes and thanks to the departing passengers.

They started shouting in Spanish and gesturing, their tanned faces flushed with anger.

“They must have found Suarez,” Eva whispered to Jake.

“Yeah.”

The captain raised his hand, signaling for assistance. Deep creases etched themselves into his forehead, and he listened to the men. Two white-uniformed crew members forced their way through the tight knot of people.

There were a good two hundred people in front of Jake, Eva, Jinx, and Rita.

“Damn, what if he's dead
” Rita whispered.

“He better not be. They'll hold everyone on the ship,” Jake said. He peered over heads to try to get a look at what was happening. The ship's doctor appeared and hurried off with the two men.

The line of departing passengers slowly inched forward.

Finally they were at the head of the departure line.

The captain tipped his hat. “I hope you all had a wonderful trip. Please join us again,” he said in a thick Spanish accent.

“What was all the commotion
” Jinx asked innocently.

The captain pasted on a magnanimous smile. “Oh, a sick passenger. Nothing to worry about.”

They walked down the gangplank and were finally on solid ground. Only to be caught up in the crush of waiting family and friends of the passengers.

“Look for a white Ford Explorer,” Jinx said. “The keys will be inside.”

Finally freeing themselves of the mass of people and luggage, they crossed the dock and hurried over the grass to the side of the street where cars were lined up.

They walked along the rows of cars until they found the Explorer.

“Is this it
” Jake asked.

Jinx walked up and tried the door. It opened. He hopped in and searched under the mat for the key. “Got it.” He climbed out and opened the back doors, and they began loading their bags.

Jake got in and checked his watch. “We're scheduled to make the drop in an hour.”

“We need to get somewhere out of sight so we can change,” Rita said. “And we have to get the other cars.”

“Let's get busy,” Jake said, getting behind the wheel. His cell phone went off. He picked up the phone.

“Yeah.”

“Do you have my merchandise
”

“We have it.”

“Good. We'll be waiting. Look for a dark blue Taurus. And don't try anything. You'll regret it—I promise you.”

The call disconnected.

Jake put the car in gear. He glanced over his shoulder. “You need to make that call now,” he said to Jinx.

*   *   *

Lenora put the phone down on the bed. She'd still been unable to reach Traci. That worried her. Traci was supposed to be her eyes and ears from the airport to the ship, especially where Suarez was concerned. But there wasn't much she could do about it now. Knowing Traci, she'd turn up when it was time for her to get her cut.

They went back a long way, having met in college. For reasons that escaped them both, they clicked. Traci Jennings was gorgeous and knew it. She taught the petite and almost plain-Jane Lenora to make the most of her assets. How to use makeup and what clothes worked for her body. But there was always that gold-digger streak in Traci. Always out to make money, and she saw wealthy men as her avenue to financial freedom. The mechanics of the plan had been her idea, a way to set them free for good.

At first Lenora had balked, not wanting to get her hands that dirty. But the more Traci talked, the more it seemed possible. So they put the plan in place, and Lenora made that first phone call.

She'd had her moments of doubt along the way, but Traci had continued to whisper in her ear that they could pull it off without a hitch. So where was she