Authors: Jayne Ann Krentz

Running Hot (37 page)

“We’re talking about you getting an assistant, not a wife,” she said soothingly.

There was a long pause on the other end of the line. “I’ll think about it. Oh, by the way, I need you to set up a new identity for Damaris Kemble. She says Craigmore never told the Nightshade board that she existed but I don’t want to take any chances. Bury her deep in the Society’s genealogy files for me, will you?”

“Uh.” Grace stopped. “I thought J&J had people on staff whose job was to invent new IDs.”

“Well, sure, for routine things like giving an agent a temporary cover for a case. But I’m talking about a whole new personal history here. I want it solid all the way back for several generations. Far as I know you’re the best there is at that kind of thing, at least when it comes to creating a phony past within the Society.”

Grace’s mouth went dry. “Excuse me?”

“Hell, the one you did for yourself after you got rid of that son of a bitch Martin Crocker was damn near perfect. If I hadn’t been keeping an eye on Crocker at the time because I had a hunch he was into some illegal business activity, I never would have looked twice at the circumstances of his death, let alone started to wonder about his butler. Have a good trip home.”

The phone went dead in Grace’s ear. She closed it slowly and looked at Luther.

“That’s Fallon for you,” he said. “Mr. Personality.”

“He knows everything,” she whispered. “He has all along. He even knew about the Burnside Clinic.”

“Yeah, that’s also pure Fallon. Now, I don’t know about you, but I’m more than ready to get out of here.” He looked down at the computer sitting on the desk. “What do you say we pull up those reservations and see what time our plane leaves?”

Reality sluiced through Grace, leaving her chilled.

“Okay,” she said quietly.

She got up and crossed the room to the desk. Quickly she entered the address for the travel agency. When it came up, she keyed in the code for Luther’s reservation.

“You’re leaving at two-fifteen,” she said.

“Great.” He collected the cane. “Time for lunch.”

“Not for me.” She straightened slowly. “My flight to Portland leaves at one o’clock.”

Luther looked at her, expressionless.

“Portland,” he said. “Forgot about that part.”

She nodded, afraid to say another word, terrified not to speak.

There was a short, heavy silence.

“I’ve been thinking,” she started carefully.

“What a coincidence,” Luther said. “So have I. What do you say we both go to Portland—”

“I could pack a few things—”

“You could pack everything you own. Then you could fly home to Hawaii with me.”

She smiled, her eyes misting.

“Yes,” she said. “Yes, I could do that.”

His hands settled on her waist. He drew her to him. “You do know where this is going, don’t you?”

She put her arms around his neck, happiness soaring like a glorious operatic aria through her. “I think so, yes.”

“I love you,” he said. “But you probably already know that also, what with you being such a hotshot aura talent and all.”

“I love you, too.” She brushed her mouth lightly against his and drew back slightly “And for your information, no one can see actual love in an aura, not even a high-grade aura profiler like me. That’s why you have to say the words.”

“I can do that,” he promised. “And I will. Often and always.”

“Often and always,” she vowed.

FIFTY-ONE

The knock on the door came just as Grace was wedging a pair of boots that she would probably never wear in Hawaii into a suitcase.

“I’ll get it,” she said to Luther.

He straightened from the box of books he was taping and glanced out the window. “Looks like an old lady in camouflage, dark glasses and a black raincoat. I think she’s carrying.”

“My landlady,” Grace said. “And it’s not a gun, it’s a special camera.”

“Interesting landlady.”

Grace opened the front door. “Hello, Arizona. Come on in. It’s wet out there.”

“You got that right.” Arizona stomped into the small foyer, shaking water off her black raincoat. “I’ve been out doing recon all morning. Days like this I’ve got to stay extra alert. Folks up at the institute like to schedule a lot of clandestine deliveries on rainy days. Probably figure there’s less chance that someone is doing surveillance.”

“I’d like you to meet Luther Malone,” Grace said. “Luther, this is my landlady, Arizona Snow.”

Luther nodded politely and held out his hand. “A pleasure, ma’am.”

Arizona took off her mirrored glasses and gave Luther a squinty-eyed look. “So you’re the one, huh?”

“The one what?” Luther asked.

Arizona snorted, stripped off her thick leather gloves and shook his hand with great vigor. “No need to play games with me, young man. I recognize another pro when I see one. Minute I spotted you coming up the walk with Grace, I knew you were the one she’s been waiting for all this time while she was lying low here in Eclipse Bay.”

Luther smiled at Grace. “Actually, I think I was the one doing the waiting.”

Arizona winked. “Got it. Going undercover is a real pain, isn’t it? But since you’re here now, I reckon it was mission accomplished, eh?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Luther said.

Grace went into the kitchen. “How about a cup of coffee to warm you up, Arizona? I just made a fresh pot.”

“Thanks. I could use it.” Arizona surveyed the boxes and suitcases. “Well, looks like you two are shipping out together this time.”

“We’re going to get married,” Grace said. “We’re moving to Hawaii.”

“Still working for the agency, though, right?”

Luther raised his brow in silent inquiry. Grace smiled.

“Definitely,” she said smoothly. She handed the filled mug to Arizona. “But we’ll also be running a little restaurant on the side in Waikiki.”

Arizona looked down at where their fingers had brushed. Grace followed her glance and suddenly realized she had felt nothing unusual when she accidentally touched the older woman.

“My little phobia seems to have finally disappeared,” she said.

Arizona nodded, pleased. “Good thing, what with you two getting married and all.”

Luther laughed and took the coffee Grace had poured for him. “A very good thing.”

“Waikiki, eh?” Arizona sipped her coffee and assumed a meditative expression, as though she was looking back into the past. “Knew a couple of folks who retired and moved to Waikiki.”

“That right?” Luther said.

“I seem to recall them talkin’ about maybe buying themselves a restaurant or a bar. Petra and Wayne Groves. I’ll never forget ’em. Best sniper team there ever was. I retired from the agency right after they did. They were a few years younger than me. Probably in their sixties by now. Guess we were all a little burned out.”

Grace stilled. Luther’s mug stopped in midair. He looked at Arizona as if she were a ghost.

“You knew Petra and Wayne?” he asked without inflection.

“Hell, yes. They were like you two in a way.” Arizona tapped the side of her head. “Had a sixth sense. This country owes them more than it knows. Folks like that don’t get ribbons or stars but they sure as hell deserve ’em.”

FIFTY-TWO

The wedding took place in the little cove Luther had discovered and made his own. The bride was barefoot and blissfully pregnant.

They closed down the restaurant for the day and invited the regulars and Milly Okada and Julie Hagstrom and her son. Altogether some eighteen people showed up for the sunset ceremony. Everyone got a lei. The bridal couple got eighteen leis each. The fragrant blossoms were stacked so high around Grace’s throat she had to spit out a few petals when she took her vows.

The guests stood around in the warm sand while the sun went down and everyone paid close attention while the minister conducted the service. Afterward Crazy Ray took out his guitar and launched into “Hawaiian Wedding Song,” sounding just like Elvis.

Later they repaired to Milly Okada’s for udon soup. At the close of the meal Milly surprised everyone with a massive cake emblazoned with the words
Grace and Luther, Happy Ever After.
There was a bottle of champagne and a lot of beer to go with the cake. Milly and Julie shared the champagne. Grace stuck with sparkling water because of the baby. Everyone else went for the beer.

There were a number of toasts, but Wayne delivered the one that made the day perfect.

“Here’s to Grace and Luther,” he said, hoisting his beer. “And to the baby who’s due to arrive in seven months and eight days, not that anyone’s counting. The kid’s going to have himself one hell of a family. We’re gonna take good care of him. Teach him all the stuff he needs to know.”

“Got a feelin’ about that,” Petra said.

They all looked at her

She chuckled. “A good feelin’.”

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Krentz, Jayne Ann.
Running hot / Jayne Ann Krentz.
p. cm.—(Arcane Society; bk. 5)

eISBN : 978-1-440-69719-7

1. Psychic ability—Fiction. I. Title.
PS3561.R44R
813’.54—dc22

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