“We’re leaving now, Brandon. Just remember what I said, and be sure you talk to your friend before he angers the company. And do have a good evening.” And with that, the three men left, closing the door behind them.
Brandon collapsed onto his couch, panic on his face and no idea who these men were or who they were affiliated with. All he did know was that all this had something to do with the break-in at Cat’s, the missing keys at his office, and of course Joey. Anger suddenly replaced the fear and panic as he realized that Joey had involved all of them in one of his hair-brained moneymaking schemes. Just then, there was another knock at the door. Brandon got up to answer it.
“Hey, bro. Thanks for inviting me here for food. It’s been a while, and I’m starved for one of your great meals.” As Brandon stepped back to let Joey in the house, he noticed a strange look on his friend’s face. “Brandon, you okay, man? You look kinda upset, everything okay?”
“NO! Everything is not okay, Joey. Did you catch those guys in the hallway? What have you gotten me involved in? I just had a visit from some thugs . . . that work for whomever you are supposed to be helping in this jewelry appraisal business. And they were not pleasant people, Joey. They threatened me, you, the office! What is going on? And they told me to tell you that you need to finish the job you started for them, or none of us will like the consequences. What have you done this time, Joey? I am not even sure that Sarah and Cat are safe in Belize!”
“Whoa, calm down, man. What do you mean, a visit? Who was here, Brandon?”
“Hell if I know, they did not exactly leave a card and I did not catch their names. But they told me to tell you to finish your contract with them, or you would not like the consequences and neither would I. You need to tell me exactly what you are doing and for whom you are working.”
“Brandon, I swear I thought it was just a jewelry import/export house. That is what they told me, but ever since I had that visit from the guy at Interpol, I have not gone to work at their offices. I have just come to see you. Then you told me about the break-in at Cat’s place, so I have been sort of off the radar. Guess they missed me.” He forced a smile and chuckled nervously.
“Yeah, guess they did. You need to go and do your job, at least until I have time to find out who these people are and what they want with me, you, and the girls. You better act like all is fine while you are at it too. Don’t get us in any more trouble, do you understand me, Joey?”
“Uh, y-yes, Brandon, I get what you are telling me. I’ll do my best to stay calm and appraise the gems they want me to. But you have to get me out of this and help me, bro, I have no one else I can ask or trust but you.”
“Okay, okay. Just don’t act like we are trying to hide things from your new boss; act like it is all fine. I’ll try again to get a hold of this Barbieri guy from Interpol. We can go from there once I see what he has to say. So far he has not returned my calls. Let’s go eat, I need a drink.”
Chapter Twelve
Cat’s Decision
Cat finally had agreed to stay with Patrick soon after she found out that Antonio had invited Sarah to come and stay with him at his villa for the rest of the week. The next few days seemed to go by way too fast. The four of them met daily for lunches and a bit of sightseeing, and the nights they each spent in the company of the wonderful and adoring men who seemed to worship them.
Belize became the most beautiful place on the earth for Cat; she could think of nothing but how wonderful things were here with Patrick. He made her feel special, alive, and free. But the best part was she trusted him, felt loved and safe; it was like she belonged with him.
Days and nights became a blur of time over the last few days of the trip, both Sarah and Cat spending as much time as they could with Patrick and Antonio, knowing the day would soon arrive for them to leave.
On one of the last two days of their trip, the four of them were together seeing some final sights and planning their last night of dinner, dancing and time alone on the beach. But Patrick had other ideas. He wanted Cat to stay with him there until his assignment was over in a month. And he was trying to find a way to get her alone so the two of them could talk, while Antonio and Sarah had been discussing the possibility of his coming to visit her very soon in San Francisco where the girls lived.
“Cat, I’d like to find a few minutes for us to talk, alone. I am sure that Sarah and Antonio won’t mind if we go for a bit of a walk, okay?”
“Sure, just let me go and tell Sarah I’ll be back in an hour. Wait here, I’ll be right back. They are over by the fountain.” Cat kissed Patrick on the cheek and disappeared over to where the other two were sitting. “Hey, you two. Patrick and I are going to go for a walk before dinner. We will meet you in the lobby at around seven and then we can all go to dinner as planned, so go have some fun while you’re on your own, and we’ll see you soon, okay?”
“Sure thing, Cat. Enjoy your walk. We will see you both at seven.”
Cat hugged Sarah and turned her attention back to Patrick, who seems to be lost in his thoughts just a few feet away. He doesn’t even notice that she has returned until Cat reached out to hug him.
“Is everything okay? Are we on our own for a little while?” Patrick asked.
“Yep, all set. We will meet back at the lobby before dinner at seven o’clock. So in the meantime, you have me all to yourself and my undivided attention. What did you want to talk about?”
“Let’s go back to my suite and have a drink and talk a while. Is that okay with you, Cat?”
“Sure, Patrick, sounds great. Is something wrong? I think a nice afternoon margarita and your company is all a girl could want? Lead the way.”
“Nothing for you to worry about. No, nothing is wrong, just want to have some alone time with you is all. Can’t blame a guy for that now, can you?”
Patrick took Cat’s hand and off they went down the beach toward the hotel and his suite. Cat’s curiosity was beginning to get the better of her. Patrick has been a bit mysterious all day, but maybe it was just the fact that it was her last full day there with him and he was a bit on edge. No matter, she knew she would soon find out what was on his mind. Happy to be with him, she walked quietly by his side toward the suite in comfortable silence.
Once they reached the cabana bar, Patrick stopped to order each of them a margarita to take back to his suite. With one arm around Cat and the other leaning on the bar, he signaled for Tom to come to their end of the bar.
“Hi, Tom. Can we get two of your famous double strawberry margaritas to go please?”
“Comin’ right up. Hey, Patrick, how long you here for this time—at the resort, I mean? Cat, I see you managed to find our most eligible bachelor.”
“My assignments are up in about twenty-five more days, Tom, and then I am not sure where they are sending me. Life in the FBI is never a certain thing, but at least it is never boring.”
“How has the resort treated you, Cat? Are you enjoying your first time here?”
“ Oh, yes, of course, Tom. It’s a lovely resort, and I am enjoying every moment of my time here. I have Patrick to thank for that; he has been the perfect host, sightseeing guide, and dance partner. He has also shown me a few things here I had no idea existed.” Giggling slightly, she looked at Patrick, and the two of them exchanged guilty looks and smiles.
“Well, glad that everyone is having a good time. Here you go, Patrick. Two of my special double strawberry margaritas for two of my favorite guests. Enjoy, and Patrick, they’re on the house.”
“Thanks, Tom. We’ll catch you a little later on then. Cheers, and thanks for the hospitality. Goodbye, Tom.”
“Don’t mention it. You two go and have some fun. Goodbye.”
Chapter Thirteen
Confessions
Patrick and Cat took their drinks and went off in the direction of his suite, which was not far from the cabana area and had an entrance that you could go in from the beach, rather accommodating and private. Once there, Patrick op
ened the double door entry, and he and Cat went inside.
Sitting her drink down and lounging on the loveseat that faced the ocean, Cat motioned to Patrick. “Why don’t you come and join me? We can watch the dolphins playing out in the surf.”
Patrick walked over to her and sat down, putting his free arm around her while she snuggled up to him.
“So, what was it you wanted to talk about, Patrick? You sounded so mysterious out there.”
“ I want to talk about us, Cat. You have become very important to me over these last two weeks, and don’t roll your eye at me, I know. I know it’s only been a short time, but the truth is I love you, Cat. I couldn’t be more sure of anything in my life. I wanted to find out how you felt about me too. And I have a question I want to ask you as well.”
“Patrick, what a beautiful thing to say. I am speechless. I had no idea that was what you wanted to talk about. In a way, I’m so glad you have brought this up. I had so much I wanted to tell you before we have to leave tomorrow, I was not even sure how to approach the subject. Now I feel as though I can tell you anything. I never would have believed it: a week ago, if someone had told me I’d find the perfect man and fall in love, I would have laughed like a loon at the prospect. But in all honesty, here we are. You have told me you love me and asked how I feel about you. To be honest, I couldn’t be happier. I feel safe, content, loved, and able to be myself with you. I can’t think of another person I would want to spend my time with or share my thoughts with more than you. But . . . Patrick, I’m scared. I’ve been down the love road before only to be burned, hurt and manipulated, left, and alone. Not to mention you’re in such a dangerous profession, and I am not sure how I feel about that yet. I know what I feel for you is love, care, and concern. I adore you and our time together. I want more, much more with you. I am almost in a depression knowing I have to leave you tomorrow and not wanting to. Yes, Patrick, I love you and want to be with you, but I need some time to rid myself of these insecurities and doubts, just a little time to absorb all these feelings and sort them out. Does this make any sense to you? Do you understand what I am saying?”
“Yes, Cat, I do understand. What I had wanted to ask you is to stay with me here for the rest of my assignment. It is only twenty-five more days, and then I can accompany you to San Francisco. I have a house there, one I have not visited in quite some time, and it will be nice to go there to be there with you.”
“Patrick, much as I would love to forget that the rest of the world exists outside of Belize and stay here with you, I can’t. I have a job and people who depend on me. I can’t let them all down on a selfish whim that is just not fair to them. But I’ll tell you what I will do. I’ll go back and take a leave from my job for a month, tie up the loose ends, get with my family and let them know what is happening. After that, I’ll come back here for the last week of your assignment time and we can spend some time just the two of us. How does that sound to you for a compromise?”
“Cat, I hate the thought of you leaving, but it is a fair compromise. I understand that you do have to talk to your family and your boss if you want more time here. I completely understand and, well, if that is what you want and have to do, then I will just have to wait here patiently for you to return in fourteen days. I will be calling you and I have video conferencing on my laptop and my phone, we can keep in touch daily. I am concerned for your safety, however, especially since Sarah told me about the break-in and the stolen jewelry. I wish you had told me. You know the division I am with at the FBI is the Violent Crimes, Jewel, Art, Theft, and Forgeries division. The guy that Antonio and I arrested the other day here in Belize was fencing stolen gems from the States.”
“No, I had no idea. We have not covered your work status recently.” Cat laughed at the thought. “But come to think of it, I had completely forgotten about the necklace and the weird coincidence of my appraisal paperwork being out at my office the day before we left. I had thought it odd but was just going to ask Brandon about it when I got home. Now that we are talking and I am thinking about it all over again, it still seems really strange to me that the appraisal was out of my personal files at all. Brandon had arranged for me to have the piece appraised for my homeowner’s insurance over four months ago. That paper should not have been on his desk. I am sure there is a reasonable explanation and I am just obsessing over it because of the coincidence of the break-in the day before.”
“Maybe and maybe not, Cat. I think it is time that I bring in Antonio on this. Too many coincidences for my liking. I mean, just the other day you told me that the keys to your office were missing and that a friend of your boss had the appraisals done for you, and now you tell me that the paperwork was out of its place the day after the break-in. Cat, I have to ask you, do you think that Brandon might be involved in this?”
“No! No way could he be involved in something on the wrong side of the law. Brandon has too much integrity and respect for what is right legally to be mixed up in this. However, his friend Joey, I am not so sure about him, and you would have to ask Sarah. She has known Joey since they were kids. And maybe Antonio can shed some light on this subject as well. Let’s ask them at dinner tonight, okay?”
“Sure thing, Cat. And besides, we can talk daily when you return, and we will get to the bottom of the disappearance of your necklace and who is responsible for that as well. I’ll help find the ones who took it for you and try to return it to you. Do you have any photos of this family necklace?”
“Yes, of course I do. I had to have them taken for the insurance and the appraisal. I have them at home—well, that is if the box they were in was not stolen. But then I have a second set of prints in my personal files I keep at work under lock and key in the file room cabinet. So I can get you a copy of it and fax it to you here at the hotel if you want?”
“We will talk about it when you get home, and I’ll tell you what I need then; should not be too difficult. As Brandon is Sarah’s brother, I am sure he is trustworthy, right?”
“Absolutely, I’d be surprised at anything less.”
“Okay then, it’s all settled. You go home with Sarah tomorrow as planned and then come back in fourteen days after you take care of what you need to at home. I’ll keep in touch with you via videophone and chats. But we still have today and tonight, you’re here and all mine till you leave.”
“Patrick, I just can’t get all this out of my head. You know, it’s all just like out of a crime novel, it’s really got me spooked about going home alone.”
“Cat, let’s just talk to Sarah and Antonio when we meet up for dinner. Antonio will have some better ideas; he has been following this stuff for much longer than I have. He knows all the players involved and can answer your questions, okay?”
Cat looked at Patrick with a Cheshire grin. “Mmmmm-hmmm, I can do that. Besides, right now I have other things on my mind.”
“Oh, really, Miss Malley? And what might they be?” Patrick asked Cat. He pulled her close into his embrace without giving her a chance to answer his question and kissed her deeply.
Feeling his passion for her, Cat responded to his kiss, wrapping her arms around him. As his hands wandered freely over her body, a moan of delight and pleasure escaped her lips as she and Patrick became lost in each other, the moment, and their passion.
Chapter Fourteen
Confrontations
On the other side of the island, Antonio and Sarah were talking when her cell phone interrupted them. A quick glance and she realized it was her brother Brandon.
“Antonio, it is my brother, I need to talk to him. If you’ll excuse me just for a few moments, I’ll be right back.” Sarah then walked out on to the back terrace of Antonio’s villa. “Hello, Brandon. What’s happening in good old San Francisco? I am having the time of my life here in Belize.”
“Sarah, are you alone? Can you talk for a bit?”
“Sure, Brandon. You sound a bit odd, are you okay?”
“Yes, for now I am fine, but I’m w
orried for you and for Cat too. Joey’s got himself mixed up in something, Sarah—”
Sarah cuts him off. “Oh, what now! I want no part of his schemes, Brandon.”
“Sarah, you don’t understand. You are involved already. The break-in at Cat’s, I think, is part of this too. I’m not sure if you are in any danger yet or not. I am still looking into this mess he has us in, but I can’t seem to reach the guy that contacted him from Interpol; soon as I do, then I’ll know more. But in the meantime, I have had to change all the locks here at the office, my house, and Cat’s house, and I am on my way to your apartment to do the same thing.”
“Brandon, you said a guy from Interpol . . . contacted Joey. When? What’s his name, Brandon?”
“Yes, Sarah. Ummm, the guys name is . . . ahh, just a second, I need to get out the card he left. Yes, here it is. His name is Antonio Barbieri, Agent, Interpol Gems, Art, and Forgeries Division. I have a number for him in New York, but he has not returned my calls. So until I hear back, I have no idea what Joey is involved in. Or what danger we all could be in.”
“Uh, Brandon. I need to go, and I’ll get back to you in a few hours about this matter. I believe I am safe at the moment and will explain when I call you back. Hugs, bro, talk to you soon. And thanks for changing my locks. Love you B, bye for now.”
“Sarah. Wait, Sarah, there’s more. Sarah . . .” And then he heard the phone click off, Sarah was gone off the line.
Not sure how to proceed with what she knew, Sarah went back inside the villa where she found Antonio fixing the two of them a drink.
“Ah, my Sarah, you are finished with your call from your brother? Is it good with him, or is he worried about you and checking to see that no harm has come to you? Here, I have made you a drink to sit with me out on the terrace. Come tell me about your phone call. Then we will get ready for supper with our friends.”
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