Mayan Gods in the Yucatan (Peyton Brooks, FBI Book 5)
Page 12
“What kind of watch, Danté, do you know?” asked Peyton.
Danté looked over at her. “Yes, ma’am, I recognized it. A Movado.”
“Woowee,” said Abe, shaking his dreads. “That’ll set you back four or five Benjamins, Angel.”
“He’s right, Captain,” said Danté. “The pawnshop guy wanted $450 for it, even with the engraving.”
Marco glanced at Peyton. “So we need a warrant.”
Danté shifted on the couch. “Captain, there’s more.”
Marco’s attention snapped back to him.
“He was Russian, or Chechen maybe.”
“How do you know?”
“He was talking into his phone when we got there and he was speaking Russian.”
“Kept saying nét,” offered Bartlet. “Just nét, nét, nét.”
“That’ll do her,” said Abe. “Quickest way to determine a Russian.”
“Idiot,” grumbled Tag.
Suddenly the front door opened and Jake stepped inside, a kiss the cook apron around his waist, a wire brush in hand. “Hey, Jimmy, Danté,” he said.
“Hey, Jake,” said Jimmy without breaking his concentration.
“Mr. Ryder,” Danté said, nodding at him.
Jake frowned down at the kid, pausing by the couch, then he nudged Marco with the back of his hand. “I got the grill all cleaned. Where’s the briquettes and lighter fluid, Adonis?”
“Why do you think I know?” he grumbled.
“Because barbecuing’s man’s work.”
“Word,” said Jimmy.
“So I figured you ought to know that at least.”
“Well, I don’t.”
“It’s under the sink in the kitchen, Jake,” said Peyton to head off an argument.
Jake nudged Marco again. “Was that so hard?”
“Hit me again, Ryder, and you’ll pull back a stub,” he growled.
Jake rolled his eyes. “He’s all bark, no bite,” he told Danté.
“Well, maybe a little bite,” said Peyton, smiling at Marco.
He winked at her, but Jake made a face. “God, don’t scar the kid,” he scolded.
“Actually, I want to hear about the bite,” called Abe.
“I don’t. Don’t you go talking about sex with my captain, Fluffy,” said Tag.
Peyton laughed. Marco knew she liked having the house full of people again. And for his part, Danté looked amused, not scandalized. He was gonna do all right at the precinct, Marco figured, especially if he could navigate this insanity.
* * *
Peyton climbed onto the bed, wearing his 49er’s jersey and rubbing lotion onto her hands. She had her hair up in a ponytail and she smelled of her lilac scented soap. Marco closed the book he’d been trying to read and leaned back against the pillows, running his hand down her back. Since the previous night, she’d moved back into the master bedroom with him. After waking up wrapped around each other, it had seemed silly to keep sleeping in separate rooms.
“Danté’s quite a young man, isn’t he?”
Marco smiled, shifting the pillow behind him. “He’s pretty impressive. I can’t believe they found the watch.”
“What are you going to do? Are you going to get a warrant?”
“Yeah, it’s evidence.”
“What’s this Russian or Chechen connection?”
Marco thought about that for a moment. “I don’t know. It bothers me.” He released his breath and met Peyton’s gaze. “There’s something I need to tell you.”
“Okay?” He could feel her tense and he smoothed his hand down her back again to get her to relax.
“Remember that picture of the two of us that was sent to my phone anonymously?”
“The one on the precinct steps with the red x over me?”
“Yeah.”
“I remember.”
“Stan traced it back to Eduard Zonov.”
“Eduard Zonov, the guy Carol Peterson killed?”
“That was his nephew, Demetri. Eduard was Brad Peterson’s bookie.”
“Wait. I’m confused. Why would Eduard Zonov take a picture of us?”
“No idea, remember I told you Danté read the graffiti outside the mayor’s house, on his perimeter wall.”
“No traitors. I remember.”
“That was written in Russian, and now the watch shows up in a pawn shop run by a Russian.”
“Or Chechen?”
“Right.”
Peyton blew out air. “What’s the connection with the mayor?”
“I don’t know. Not yet.”
Peyton settled her hands in her lap. “You’re gonna have to bring the mayor in for questioning, D’Angelo. You can’t keep putting it off.”
“I need something more. If we move too fast, he’ll slap a gag order on us and I’ve lost him.”
Peyton considered that.
He wanted to change the subject. This one made him anxious. “So was Maria upset that we took off last night?”
Peyton’s eyes rose to his face. “A little, but she was pretty hung-over today.” She snuggled up next to him, laying her head on his chest. “We have dinner at Mama D’s tomorrow, don’t we?”
“Yep.”
“What’s the theme this time?”
“Korean barbecue.”
“We just had barbecue tonight,” she protested.
“Why do you think that is? Abe was prepping for tomorrow. This was a dry run.”
Peyton lifted her head and looked at him. “Seriously?”
Marco shrugged.
“Why does your mother go along with this?”
“She’s crazy about Abe, and I think it’s fun for her to plan a menu around his next looney scheme.”
Peyton snuggled against him again and sighed, her muscles loosening. “I can’t believe how tired I am.”
He stroked a hand down her back and over her hip. “Really, really tired?”
She shifted, looking up at him. “Seriously? After last night?”
He tilted her chin with his free hand. “Do you know how long you were sleeping in the other room?”
“Less than a week.”
“And before that, it was months in the rehab facility.”
“Three weeks.”
“And before that…”
She eased up and kissed him, her hand curling around the back of his neck to hold him to her. “Shut up, will you, D’Angelo!” she said against his mouth and deepened the kiss.
CHAPTER 9
Rosa leaned her head against the glass, staring at the bioluminescent jellyfish in the tank. They undulated up and down in a graceful dance, their translucent bodies glowing in pale blues and pinks, their tentacles waving in the gentle current. Adrian stood beside her, frowning, his hand cupped over his chin.
“They’re oddly beautiful, aren’t they?” he said, his voice nearly reverent.
“They are,” said Rosa softly. Something about the peacefulness of the scene made her hush her voice.
“And yet they still freak me out.”
“Why?” she asked, smiling at him.
“They’re so alien. Are they fish or animal? Or something else entirely?”
“Something else entirely,” she said, motioning to the sign that explained what jellyfish were.
“You shouldn’t be able to see through a living thing. It’s not right.” He shuddered. “Why do you like them so much?”
“I don’t know. They’re ethereal, otherworldly. I like the thought of something that beautiful being in the world. It makes the world seem just a little bit magical.”
She felt his attention shift to her. He studied her profile without speaking for a moment. She tried not to get uncomfortable with his scrutiny.
“That seems so out of character for you,” he said gently.
She watched one jellyfish in particular undulate up to the top of the enclosure. “Why?”
“You’re one of the most grounded, practical people I know. You’re dependable and predicta
ble.”
It was her turn to frown. “Predictable? That’s awful. Is that what I am?”
His eyes grew smoky in the dim light. “Well, not in bed, if that’s what you mean,” he said, moving closer to her.
She laughed and pushed him off. “I didn’t mean in bed, but you make me sound like a stuffy old woman.”
“No, I like the fact that you don’t get all emotional and pop off. I like the fact that you always stay level-headed. It makes you a good SAC.” He smoothed back a strand of her straight black hair, his fingers trailing over her cheek. “But I also like this side of you, this wonder and pleasure at something so insubstantial.”
She smiled and his eyes lowered to her lips. Moving forward, he bent to kiss her, but her phone suddenly rang in the holder on her belt. He exhaled in frustration and backed up.
Rosa itched to answer it, but he’d asked her for this weekend, for her undivided attention. She had to respect that. She pressed the button and sent the call to voicemail, then she slid her arms around Adrian’s waist and tucked her hands in the back pockets on his jeans.
“You were just about to do something,” she prompted.
He encircled her with his arms. “Yeah,” he said, then lowered his head and kissed her.
Rosa had never been comfortable with public displays of affection, but she couldn’t deny, right now she didn’t care. Adrian’s mouth on hers made her heart speed up and her body strain to get closer to him.
A cough behind them brought them apart. An older woman gave them an arch look, then motioned to the tank at their back. “Do you mind if the rest of us have a turn?”
They both laughed and moved off, their arms around each other’s waist. They wandered through the rest of the displays and Rosa even got Adrian to pet the stingrays. He laughed in delight when one of the gentle creatures splashed him.
Toward noon, they were both getting hungry. He suggested they grab something from the aquarium cafe. Rosa agreed. After ordering their meal, they found a table near the window, overlooking the ocean, and sat down.
“I’m gonna hit the restroom,” Adrian said, kissing her.
She smiled as he walked away, then her smile sobered. What the hell was wrong with her? She was acting like a giddy teenager with her first love, not a grown woman who didn’t believe in relationships. Fixing her chin on her hand, she watched the ocean surging beyond the windows, feeling strangely content with the day.
Her phone rang again.
She wanted to send it to voicemail like the last call, but she figured it wouldn’t hurt to see who it was as long as Adrian didn’t know. Unclipping it, she glanced at the display, then frowned. Celeste Miller, Joe’s wife. Maybe she’d heard from Joe finally. If so, it would alleviate Rosa’s worry. Glancing over her shoulder, she made sure Adrian hadn’t come out of the bathroom.
“Celeste?” she said.
“Rosa, I’m so glad I got a hold of you.”
“Where are you?”
“I’m still in San Francisco, but I have a flight out of SFO at 3:00.”
“Okay?”
“Do you remember the new boyfriend I told you about?”
Rosa glanced around, but no one was listening and Adrian hadn’t yet returned. “Yeah, what about him?”
“We’re sort of on the outs right now and he’s keeping me from making my flight.”
Rosa considered what Celeste said. Who the hell was this guy? His car had no license plate and she couldn’t place his face anywhere. She’d done a quick search of the FBI’s Most Wanted.
“Rosa, I’m getting a little concerned I might miss my flight. It’s important I make it to the airport.” She emphasized the word important.
Adrian took a seat at the table on the opposite side from her and gave her a curious look. Rosa grabbed a napkin, covering the phone’s speaker with her hand. “Do you have a pen?” she whispered to him.
He shook his head, then leaned over to the couple at the seat next to them, asking them for a pen.
“Have you heard from Joe, Celeste?”
“No, have you?”
“I contacted some of our mutual friends, but they haven’t heard anything either.”
The woman at the next table fished a pen out of her purse, handing it to Adrian, and he passed it to Rosa.
“Tell me where you are,” Rosa said.
“The Nob Hill Motor Inn on Pacific, room 214.”
“Remember my friend Peyton,” Rosa said.
“Yeah, the one who’s getting married?”
“That’s the one. Well, she lives pretty close to where you are. I’m gonna call her and have her give you a ride to the airport. Be ready to go when she arrives. She’ll be coming with another friend of mine named Radar.”
“I’d rather you came. We could catch up some more.” She said the last with emphasis.
“I wish I could, but I’m out of town. My friend Peyton, will make sure everything goes smoothly, okay?”
Celeste didn’t answer for a moment. “I can see him in the parking lot. He’s just waiting there.”
“Which is why Radar will be with Peyton. Don’t worry. I’m sending you my best friends. They’ll make sure you get to the airport. I promise.”
“And then what?”
“Then I’m gonna see if we can figure out who your boyfriend is, Celeste, don’t you worry.”
“Thank you,” whispered Celeste, tears in her voice. “I can never repay you for this.”
“Keep an eye out for Peyton, okay?”
“I will.”
“And tell her I said to mind the departure.”
“Got it,” Celeste answered and hung up.
A cafe worker placed two cheeseburgers and fries in front of them. Adrian gave her a speculative look, stealing one of her fries. “Guess the jellyfishing’s over?”
“I’ll make it up to you.”
One brow lifted over a dark eye. “Really? Does that mean you’re going to quit your job and move back to DC?”
Rosa paused with a fry nearly in her mouth. “What?”
He laughed. “Don’t look so panicked, Rosa. I was just kidding.” He motioned with another fry at her phone. “Don’t you have to call Buttons or something?”
Rosa blinked, then reached for the phone. “Right,” she said.
* * *
Peyton and Marco pulled up in front of the D’Angelos’ home. A number of D’Angelo nieces and nephews were playing basketball in the driveway, but rushed the Charger as soon as Marco turned off the car. Peyton smiled as she got out, hugging little people who smelled of sunshine and fresh marine air. A number of them bounced on the sidewalk, knowing better than to rush into the street, waiting for Uncle Marco to climb out of the driver’s side and crutch his way to the curb.
The moment he made it up on the sidewalk, he was surrounded, little hands patting him, hugging him, little voices asking to be picked up. Peyton shooed them away as Marco crutched his way to the long stairs, leading to his parents’ front door.
He stared up at the stairs as the door opened and Vinnie came out on the landing.
“You want I should carry you up here, little brother?” called Vinne, starting down the stairs.
Marco glared at him. “You try and I’ll shoot your ass.”
“Is that anyway for a police captain to talk?” Vinnie grabbed Peyton’s hand and pulled her up a step, wrapping her in a bear hug. “Hey, cutie pie, how are you?”
“Good,” she said, hugging him in return.
“Can we move this into the house?” Marco grumbled. “Once I get going, I don’t wanna stop.”
Vinnie hooked Peyton around the waist and urged her toward the door. Marco crutched up behind them. The interior of the D’Angelos’ house was crowded with more family members. Bernardo and Franco kissed her on the forehead, then pushed past her to razz their brother as he made his way up.
She left Marco to his brothers and walked over to the recliner, bending to kiss Marco’s father, Leo, on the cheek.
“He’s right behind me.”
“How are you?”
“I’m good, Leo.”
He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed the back of it. “I’m so happy you and Marco are back together again. You belong with each other.”
Patting his hand, she smiled. “So am I, Leo, so am I.” She watched Franco and Bernardo putting him in a headlock. She could imagine how loud and raucous it must have been raising four boys. “I better go say hi to Mona,” she said, kissing Leo’s cheek once more.
“You always smell like the flowers, Bella,” Leo called after her as she moved toward the kitchen. She found Mona, Marco’s mother, and his three sisters-in-law all prepping food in the expansive area.
“Peyton!” shouted Serena, Bernardo’s wife, coming forward to hug her. Then she was hugged by Rosa, Vinnie’s wife, and Sophia, Franco’s wife.
Mona caught her cheeks with her hands and kissed her forehead. “Where’s my boy?” she demanded, releasing Peyton.
“He’s just coming in now. Is Abe here?”
“He’s starting the fire in the backyard. He says we need big flames.”
“Leave it to Abe to know about flames,” quipped Peyton, making the D’Angelo women titter. “I’ll just go say hi.” She moved toward the back door, pulling it open. Just as she did so, flames shot into the air from the barbecue.
Standing behind it was Abe, wearing a black shirt with red apples all over it, and black trousers with embroidered apples along the cuff. His black boots sported a red apple on the toe, and from somewhere, he’d found an apple apron. He looked up, the ends of his dreads bound in red beads, and smiled. “Little soul sista, how are you? Where’s my Angel?”
“Probably being fed by the D’Angelo women.”
Abe frowned. “But I’m making Korean Barbecue. He better not fill up too much. You tell him, sugar, make sure he knows I expect him to try everything…well, except the meat of course.”
“Is Jake here?”
“Nope.”
“Is he coming?”