Back on Solid Ground

by Debra Trueman

  Chapter 14

  Niki woke up just after 6:00 a.m. The rain was no longer torrential, but it was coming down steadily. Stacy was still asleep, and Niki leaned over her and felt her forehead. She was still feverish. He laid back down and stared at the ceiling.

  After a while, Stacy turned over and opened her eyes. She smiled when she saw Niki.

  “Hi,” she said in a hoarse voice.

  “Good morning,” he said, trying to ignore his feelings for her. “How do you feel?”

  “Maybe a little better.” She sounded worse. She reached over and tentatively touched Niki’s hand.

  “You’re burning up,” he told her.

  “Did you stay here all night?” she asked.

  “Yeah,” Niki said. “You snore,” he said smiling.

  “I do not,” she said, in a weak voice. “What time is it?”

  “After six. Eli will be on to your accounts. You can stay up here and sleep if you want, he shouldn’t need you.” Niki got off the bed and stretched.

  Stacy sat up. “Today’s my birthday.”

  “Is it? How old are you?”

  “Twenty-nine,” she said. She sounded like she was losing her voice.

  He sat back down beside her. “You sound terrible,” he said.

  “I sound worse than I feel,” she said.

  “Well you look good, if that’s any consolation,” he said. He turned her face back and forth looking for wrinkles, but there weren’t any. “Not a day over 40,” he concluded.

  “Very funny,” Stacy said, pushing his hand away. “I want to go with you,” she said, getting up and pulling the blanket with her. “Wait while I brush my teeth.”

  “Okay, Linus,” he said.

  They went downstairs and stopped in Niki’s living quarters so he could shower and get Stacy some medicine. She laid down on Niki’s couch and looked around the room that he had so unceremoniously kicked her out of. There were works of art all over the room. The guy had expensive taste and the room reflected it.

  Niki came out of his bedroom and Stacy dragged herself off the couch. His shirt was unbuttoned and she couldn’t help staring at his beautiful chest. You are the sexiest damn thing I’ve ever seen.

  “How much are you charging me for your assistance?”

  “Don’t worry about it,” he said, dismissively. “Let’s just get it done and we’ll take it from there.” He held out his hand, “Here’s your medicine.”

  Stacy took the pills and put them in her pocket, then she couldn’t resist the urge so she reached out and touched Niki’s chest. Her hand was hot, and her touch sent a shudder through his body. He wanted badly to kiss her again.

  Stacy opened Niki’s shirt and ran her hands slowly over his chest and up to his shoulders. He was beautiful. “You smell good,” she said, putting her face up to his neck and breathing deeply.

  Niki couldn’t handle it. If he broke down now, there would be no turning back. He took Stacy’s hands and removed them from his shoulders. “Don’t, Stacy,” he said.

  “Why not?” she asked, and she moved her hands back to his shoulders.

  “Because,” Niki said harshly. He removed her hands again and she moved in closer and put them right back. Niki took Stacy by her wrists and pushed her back.

  “Because why?” Stacy asked, struggling to free herself. Niki backed her up against the wall, and pinned her arms up against it. He looked almost dangerous and she stopped struggling.

  “It’s not a good idea,” he said, staring down at her angrily. He wanted her so badly he could taste it. His eyes were fixated on hers, and they were sucking him in. Niki couldn’t help himself and he forced a kiss on her.

  Stacy tried to turn her head. “You’ll get sick,” she said.

  “I don’t care,” he said, moving his mouth to find hers. He kissed her hard, then he pulled away but he was still holding her arms against the wall, staring at her.

  “You’re hurting me.”

  That snapped him out of it. Niki dropped her arms and turned away, but Stacy caught him and pulled him back. She opened his shirt again and put her hands back on his chest, then she moved them back up to his shoulders.

  “Why can’t I do this?” she asked him, fixing her eyes on his. She pulled his head down and kissed him softly on the lips. “Why can’t I touch you?”

  Niki knew he didn’t stand a chance. “Goddammit, Stacy!” He leaned his forehead against hers and closed his eyes, breathing in heavily. He knew it was wrong. He knew it could never work. But he had never wanted anything more in his life.

  “Fuck it.” He took her face in his hands and kissed her with an urgency that told them both just how far gone he was. When he pulled back, he looked into her eyes. Maybe Carlos was right; maybe she was his soul mate.

  “This is so fucked up,” Niki said, shaking his head.

  “I know. And I don’t care.”

  Stacy kissed his chest, then rested her cheek against him, running her hands up over his back. She brought her hands back to his stomach, then up his chest and shoulders and down his arms, taking his shirt off in the process. Niki pulled Stacy’s shirt off over her head.

  “Damn, you’re beautiful, Stacy. But I can’t do this to you.”

  Stacy smiled and touched his cheek. “Let’s not try to make sense of this; let’s just go with it.”

  And with that, Niki gave up the pretense that he had any choice in the matter, and he picked her up and carried her to his bed. Afterwards, Stacy was lying in Niki’s arms doodling on his chest with her finger. The girl was killing him. His heart literally ached, and the more that he got of her, the more he wanted. He had a major dilemma. Niki raised himself up on his elbow and leaned over and kissed her.

  “What am I going to do with you?” Niki asked her.

  “I don’t know,” she said hoarsely. She reached over and ran her hand through his hair. “But stop worrying. We’ll sort things out.”

  They heard the door and Niki covered Stacy with the sheet as Eli walked into the bedroom.

  “Oops,” he said, backing out of the room. “Sorry.”

  “It’s okay,” said Niki, calling Eli back inside. “What’s up?” Niki asked.

  “I’m transferring Stacy’s accounts. I’m just letting you know.”

  “Good,” said Niki.

  “Good morning, Stacy,” said Eli. “You feeling better?”

  “I think,” she croaked.

  “You sound terrible,” Eli said.

  Niki reached over and felt Stacy’s forehead. “You need to take those pills,” he said, then he leaned down and kissed her before he got up and went into the bathroom.

  Eli came over and sat on the bed beside Stacy. He couldn’t contain his smile. “So, am I going to be an uncle?”

  “Shut up, Eli,” Stacy said.

  He picked up Stacy’s hand and looked at her wrist. “Did he do that to you?”

  “Not on purpose,” Stacy said, looking at the red marks.

  “Hey, Niki,” Eli yelled across the room, “Don’t be so rough with her!” He walked into the bathroom and met Niki coming out. “I’m leaving,” Eli said.

  “Good riddance,” said Niki.

  “’Bye, Stacy,” Eli said.

  Stacy got dressed and laid back down on Niki’s couch while he finished getting ready. She had taken the pills, but they hadn’t kicked in.

  Niki came out of the bedroom and found Stacy asleep on the couch. She opened her eyes when she heard him come in.

  “Why don’t you stay here and sleep?” Niki suggested, nuzzling into her neck and kissing her behind the ear.

  Stacy wrapped her arms around him. “Why don’t you stay here and sleep with me?” she said.

  Niki kissed her. The girl was truly dangerous; he just couldn’t get enough of her. “You could drive me crazy if I let you,” he said.

  Stacy laughed. “Come on,” she said, trying to get up. “I don’t want to be accused of being a bad influence.” Niki helped her to her feet and they we
nt downstairs, with Stacy dragging her blanket behind her. She laid down on the couch in the living room and fell asleep.

  It was past noon when Eli and Jason finished with Stacy’s accounts. She had been asleep on the couch for five hours. When she woke up, the TV was on, but there was no one in the room. The national news was on and the grim-faced anchor was telling about a jeweler who had been found beheaded behind a dumpster in downtown San Antonio. The victim’s photo flashed on the screen and Stacy’s mouth dropped. It was the man from the bank. She flashed back to the scene: one of the gunmen had reached down and taken an envelope out of his pocket. The diamonds.

  “Niki!” she yelled. “Somebody!” She moved right up to the TV so she could get a closer look. She was certain it was the same man.

  Jason came running into the room, then Niki and Eli.

  “What’s the matter?” Jason exclaimed.

  “That man!” Stacy pointed to the TV just before the photo disappeared from the screen. “He was in the bank,” she said.

  “I missed it,” said Eli.

  “So did I,” said Niki.

  Stacy turned to Jason. “Did you see him?”

  “Yeah, but just for a second,” Jason said. “Why?”

  “You said there were diamonds involved in that bank robbery,” Stacy said.

  Jason nodded in acknowledgment.

  “Well, I saw one of you take an envelope out of that man’s pocket. Were the diamonds in an envelope?” She looked from Niki to Eli to Jason.

  “Yeah, they were,” Niki said apprehensively. “Why?”

  “Because someone decapitated the guy you took them from,” she said.

  There was silence while her words sank in, then Jason asked, “Are you sure it’s the same guy from the bank?”

  “He opened the door for me right before one of you shot me,” Stacy said, irritated. “It was the same guy.” She looked over at Niki thinking he might be more inclined to believe her. “It was the same guy.”

  “Okay.”

  Niki went to the bar and poured himself a drink. “Jason, you and I are flying out as soon as the storm lets up. We need to pay our client that visit.”

  “All right,” said Jason.

  “Good work, Stacy,” Eli said, putting his arm around her. “You feel any better?”

  “Not really.”

  “I probably shouldn’t get close to you,” he said, removing his arm. “Where’s Carlos and why isn’t he taking care of you?”

  Niki called Eli over. “Why don’t you take Stacy out of here for a while so Jayce and I can get organized.”

  Eli went back over to Stacy. “You need to eat something. You haven’t eaten all day,” he said, leading her out of the room.

  Chapter 15

  Niki had emptied the contents of the envelope onto the table, and he and Jason had been discussing strategy for their meeting for over an hour. Stacy walked into the room so the men quit talking.

  “Hi,” Niki said, breaking into a big smile. “How are you feeling?”

  “Better.”

  Niki moved next to her. He was itching to touch her. He put his lips to her ear, and whispered, “I want you back in my bed.” Stacy got goose bumps all over her body. She looked over at Jason and he looked antsy.

  “I’m not staying,” she told him. Then back to Niki, “I’m going upstairs to shower.”

  “I’ll come find you when we’re finished here.”

  She turned to leave and stopped cold. “How did you get those?” she asked, snapping her head around to look at Niki. She looked like she had seen a ghost. Stacy could feel the blood leaving her head, and she reached out and picked up a necklace and bracelet that were lying on the table and held them to her chest. Her eyes filled with tears, but she was fighting to keep from crying.

  “How did you get these?” she repeated, but she knew the answer.

  “Goddammit,” Niki said, knowing what was coming. “Please tell me those are not yours,” he said, devastated.

  “They were my mother’s,” she said, and the tears rolled down her cheeks.

  “Fuck,” Niki said under his breath.

  “I am so sorry, Stacy. I swear, I didn’t know,” Niki said. He hooked his arm around her neck and she buried her head against him.

  “How could he do that?” she asked, choking back tears.

  Niki looked over at Jason and shook his head. He was going to get even with Stacy’s father if it was the last thing he did.

  “I am not going to cry,” Stacy said with determination. She wiped her eyes on her sleeve and sat down on the couch to think. “So that means that my father had the guy in the bank murdered,” she said after a while.

  “Yeah, most likely,” Niki said.

  “Do you think he was responsible for the bomb in your boat?” she asked.

  “I don’t know,” said Niki.

  “The question is,” said Jason, “who did your father hire to decapitate that guy? Because if it’s not our client - if our client is just a middle man - then he’s in just as much danger as the guy who had his head chopped off. Someone’s cleaning house and getting rid of witnesses.”

  “Why would someone stage our deaths and then try to blow us up?” Niki asked, then he answered his own question. “Because someone wants Stacy alive,” he suggested. “She would have had no reason to be on the boat.”

  “So he wants her alive, but he wants her father and the world to think she’s dead,” Jason said. “Maybe he’s a sicko and he wants her for himself?”

  “Hey, I want her for myself. Does that make me a sicko?” Niki asked, and Stacy couldn’t help but laugh.

  “You were already a sicko,” Jason said.

  Stacy was examining her mother’s jewelry and Niki sat down on the couch beside her. “What’s the story on the necklace?” Niki asked.

  “It’s priceless.” She turned the necklace over in her hand. “Are you familiar with the Piggott Diamond?”

  “A diamond from India weighted between 47 and 86 carats, acquired by Baron George Piggott in 1775,” Niki said. “It changed hands several times before the ruler of Albania, Ali Pasha, paid something like $150,000 for it around 1818. Supposedly, Ali Pasha carried it around with him in a little bag. According to the story, when Ali Pasha was 80 years old, he was fatally wounded in a battle, and before he died, he ordered his captain to destroy the diamond in front of him. The diamond never resurfaced.”

  “You know your diamonds,” Stacy said impressed.

  Niki shrugged his shoulders.

  “Well, this necklace is supposedly made from the shattered remnants of the Piggott Diamond.”

  “You’re kidding?” Niki said stunned.

  “Whether it’s true or not, who knows, but it’s insured for millions.” Stacy leaned back into the couch. “So, what did he do? He sold the diamonds, but made it look like they were stolen so he could collect on the insurance?”

  “If I were guessing, I’d say he paid for your kidnapping with the diamonds, making it look like they were stolen in the bank robbery, then collected on the insurance for the diamonds and on your life insurance policy,” Niki said. “It’s actually pretty brilliant,” he admitted.

  Eli and Carlos came into the room and it was obvious something was up.

  “What’s going on?” Eli said, looking from Niki to Jason.

  “Those were her mother’s,” Niki said, pointing to the diamonds.

  “No fucking way!” Eli said in disbelief. He turned to Stacy. “Man, your father is a first class asshole.” Then he looked over at Niki. “Someone needs to kill that bastard.”

  It was exactly what Niki was thinking but he didn’t say anything. He went to the balcony doors and looked out towards the ocean. The rain was letting up. They would be able to fly out tomorrow.

  Eli went over and slouched beside Stacy on the couch. He reached over and felt her forehead. “You’re not as hot,” he said.

  “I feel better,” she said.

  “Don’t worry about all
this stuff with your father,” Eli said. “Niki won’t let him get away with it.”

  They looked over at Niki standing in the doorway and Eli cocked his head toward Stacy. “What do you see in him anyway?” Eli said.

  “I don’t know.”

  “Do you have a sister?”

  Stacy laughed and Niki turned around and saw the two looking at him.

  “I’m stealing your girlfriend,” Eli said, and Niki smiled because he liked the sound of the word. “Oh, I forgot!” Eli said jumping up. “Consuela needs us in the kitchen.”

  Stacy was the last one through the door and they were all gathered around the kitchen table when she walked in.

  “Happy Birthday!” they all said in unison.

  Stacy clapped her hands and turned to Consuela. “You made me a cake!”

  Consuela pointed at Niki. “It was his idea.”

  Jason removed a chunky candle from a candelabra and stuck it in the middle of the cake, then he scrounged through the kitchen drawers and found a lighter and lit the candle. Stacy stood in front of her cake waiting.

  “You have to sing,” she said, with a huge smile on her face.

  They sang Happy Birthday and Stacy thought about it before she made a wish. I wish I could live in this bubble all my life. She blew out the candle and everyone clapped.

  “You guys sounded good!” she said.

  “Look, it stopped raining,” said Jason.

  They took the cake out on the veranda, and after they had finished eating, they were all looking out at the mess the storm had left.

  Stacy moved over next to Niki. “Thanks for the cake,” she said.

  “You’re welcome,” he said, pulling her closer and putting his arms around her waist. “What’d you wish for?” he asked.

  “None of your business.”

  “You know what I wish?”

  “I wouldn’t even guess.”

  “I wish you could meet my mother,” Niki said, out of the blue.

  “Excuse me?” Stacy said, laughing.

  “You heard me,” Niki said, and he leaned down and kissed her. Niki looked out at the water. “Want to go for a walk?”

  “Yeah.”