How the hell they were going to get out of this mess, was another question. But they had to get out of it. She had to get him home to Scotland. If it meant dealing with Warren, so be it.
Warren's room faced a different direction from theirs. After admitting Lori, Warren went in the bedroom for a few minutes. Lori stood before the windows inspecting the view from this new direction. Wide streets and plenty of palm trees surrounded the hotel complex. She wondered where their two truckloads of gear were being stored.
Perhaps the police were keeping everything as it had been that night. That was an interesting thought. She would have to make some inquires. It would be nice to get some things from her supplies. This could get boring if it went on much longer.
Her impatience as also fueled by the knowledge that her career was starting to take off. Lori wanted the money to add to their collective pot. It would help free Hamish. But, she needed to get into a studio to get the ideas onto canvas.
"Could I interest you in a drink?" Warren asked from behind her.
"Do you have any decent scotch?" Lori asked without turning away from the window.
"With H.M. around? Of course! How do you want it?"
"I'm fully corrupt. Scotch and ginger ale would be nice. If you don't have the ginger ale, anything lemon-limeish will do."
Lori noticed the cadre of media people had greatly decreased. She also noticed two police cars patrolling around the block at regularly spaced intervals. That didn't surprise her as she had expected to see them.
It brought home the fact that they were all suspects in Vincent's murder. Somehow, during all the hours she and Hamish concentrated on finding the killer, she had almost lost sight of their first and most immediate problem, that of clearing H.M. and herself. Warren came to stand beside her. The older man handed her a tall glass.
"You noticed the local boys in blue I gather."
Lori took a drink. "Mumm. Pretty good. Couldn't help but notice them. I wonder how their investigation is going. I wish I knew for certain H.M.'s theory is correct and none of the band was involved. It's difficult enough dealing with Vincent having been murdered. Having to speculate on who-done-it complicates matters especially with the band being a kind of family, or brotherhood. Who and why? Two nasty question to have to ask of people one has been living intimately with for years." Lori took another sip of her drink.
Warren tapped her on the arm. "Come and sit down. I know how you feel. I've known these guys for years. Now the cops want me to believe one of them is a killer. I find it a difficult transition to make. Impossible perhaps."
He sat down at one end of the couch that faced the window. Lori walked around the coffee table. She took a seat at the far end of the same couch.
Turning sideways, with her back against the upholstered arm, the small woman sat with her legs crossed on the cushions. "Sometimes I think Hamish must try to find out who was responsible for Vincent's death. I'm afraid it could get to be an obsession with him. Maybe he feels he should have tried to help Vincent more."
She took another swallow of the whiskey and ginger ale. "He found out several things this afternoon which bothered him, made him see things in a different light. This isn't as simple as he thought it was. I hope he doesn't find something which hurts him more than he thinks it will."
Warren swirled his own drink around in the glass, his eyes on the ice cubes. "I take it you think any one of us could be guilty."
Lori laughed. "Don't try to get me to confide in you any further because I have no intention of doing any such thing. My loyalty lies with my husband. If you want to know what he found out this afternoon, ask him yourself, don't try pumping me."
Warren looked up from the glass in his hand with a smile. "Mrs. MacGrough, I will refrain from any attempts to pump you. Looks as if my effort was wasted on you anyway. I do want to tell you something. As long as we are having this conversation, we don't get too much chance to discuss things alone. I only tried to keep the news of your marriage from the press. I never tried to come between you and H.M. I frankly thought you were good together. But, I did realize once you arrived, Hamish was on his way out of the band."
Lori started to protest. Warren reached out and patted her knee. "Don't launch the protest that he was on the way out already, I am aware of it. Your presence escalated the process. I was sorry to see it happen, yes. There's no reason for you to feel guilty. Vincent was in a destructive phase nothing could have halted. He was the real problem. As a loner, he was unable to get along with a group. Vincent shattered the band beyond repair on his own. I wanted you to know this. If you need to tell Hamish what I've said, feel free."
"You are a genuinely nice person Warren, I'm surprised." Lori put her drink down on the coffee table.
"Not really. I'm a businessman. It was in my best interests to know my boys, good points and bad, as well as I could. Now, to the business at hand, I believe you have come for the girl's number and address." He reached over to pick up a piece of paper from the coffee table.
"She must have a name! I get tired of the way all of you, H.M. included, talk about her as if she was a piece of Vincent's equipment." Lori picked up the glass then took a swallow, ignoring the paper in Warren's out stretched hand.
Putting his glass down, the older man took a look at the paper. "I believe she does have a name. Evie Morgan. We did tend to dehumanize all of Vincent's girls. After Francie, I suppose it was a type of defense mechanism. We all liked Francie. I thought she was the best thing that ever happened to Vince. I've never been quite sure why he turned on her. It was all so quick. One minute they were inseparable, almost like you and H.M., the next Francie was with Glen. Of course, I was glad for Glen. He mooned over Francie for months, followed her around like a puppy. Speaking of Glen, He called shortly before you did."
Warren picked up the glass to drain the last of the liquor. "Want another?" He gestured toward her nearly finished drink with his own empty glass.
Lori shook her head. "One is enough for me. I've already had a couple of beers earlier. I want to be awake when H.M. gets up from his nap. I'm sure he will want to do something, even if it's just going out to dinner."
"Glen's message for H.M. might be just the thing. He said to give him the other name and address on this paper. It's the address of a friend of his who lives up a canyon near here. The guy has a small home studio. Glen thought H.M. might like to go to a jam session they are putting together tonight. It would be something to do to take their minds off....well." Warren groped for the right words.
"Off the murder you mean?" Lori stated.
Warren laughed as he shook his head. "You always did come straight to the point. That's exactly what I did mean. Years of playing the diplomat have taken their toll. I may be unable to just come out and say things. Anyway, the jam is supposed to start around ten or elevenish. Just take the paper. Tell H.M. about it and do whatever you both want to do. Glen said he would enjoy playing with H.M. while they still had a chance."
Lori took the piece of paper from Warren. "Thanks. I'll give Hamish the message. He might enjoy a break."
She looked down at her watch. "I should be getting back to the room. It's been about an hour, Hamish might be ready to get up."
Rising from the couch, she waved in Warren's direction as she headed for the door. "Thanks for the drink. I'll give you a call or Hamish will tomorrow. Night."
Quietly closing the door behind her, Lori left Warren still on the couch. Their room was silent when she entered. A quick glance at the bed reassured her Hamish was still asleep. Lori went into the living room where she lay down on one of the couches. Placing the piece of paper with both addresses on top of the coffee table, she weighed it down with the hotel key.
Being alone with Warren made her slightly uncomfortable. He reminded her of a huge spider in its web, pulling strings which controlled lots of helpless little insects. He was genuinely concerned about 'his boys', that was apparent. Lori just didn't like people who had enough power
to control the destiny of others. They frightened her actually when she thought about it.
It was one of the things she had disliked about Vincent. He had the power without any of the conscience necessary to nurture his captives. Lori found she was tired. Rather than take a chance on waking H.M., she decided to take a nap on the couch.
When H.M. awoke, the first thing he did was glance over to Lori's side of the bed. Finding it empty, he lay quietly for a moment listening. He didn't hear the normal small sounds that would mean she was drawing in the other room.
Kicking off the sheet, he quietly padded into the living room, looking for his wife. H.M. found her asleep on the couch. A glance at the paper she had tucked beneath the door key, revealed Lori had seen Warren. He pushed the items on the table to one side before sitting down on the coffee table. H.M. watched Lori sleep.
Her eyelashes fluttered as a dream of some sort caused her to sigh faintly. With one finger he lifted a wisp of hair from the corner of her mouth. As a surge of lustful need swept through him, he rose, picked up the table and moved it out of the way.
Sinking to his knees, H.M. lowered himself onto the floor next to the couch. Carefully, he unbuttoned the bodice of the sundress. The lacy cups of the bra were easily slipped downward allowing him access to her breasts. Nibbling gently on one, he cupped the other.
Lori moaned softly. She was stirring beneath him. H.M. watched her eyes open. She smiled at him. Her fingers tugged at his hair as she guided his mouth down to hers. Lori kissed him then took his lower lip between her teeth. Delicately she ran her teeth over his lip.
Rising from the floor, Hamish bent to trail one finger from the middle of her lips down her chest. Face tight, he gathered Lori into his arms and held her against him for a moment before bending down to place her on the carpeted floor.
"Here?" She asked, voice low and soft.
"Aye, tha bed is tae far away." H.M. knelt beside her to finish undoing the buttons on the dress all the way to the hem.
Occasionally he placed a kiss on her bare skin as he proceeded. Pushing the two halves of the dress away from her body, he moved to straddle her. H.M. grasped the waistband of her panties and Lori lifted her hips allowing him to remove them. Leaning back, eyes sparkling, he grinned at her.
"I thought you were in a hurry." She ran a finger across his abdomen. Lori gently tugged on the dark hairs above the throbbing length of him.
"I'm never in so much of ah hurry that I cannae stop an admire tha view." He tossed the panties to one side.
"You may as well have a good look." Lori sat up. She unhooked the bra then threw it in the general direction of the underwear. She rose onto her knees to embrace him.
With a slight twist she rubbed her nipples against his chest. "Forget about the view. Let's have a little action here."
Leaning forward, Lori took his earlobe in her teeth. Her arms crept around his neck as she tugged on the soft flesh.
Hamish put his hands on the carpet. Crawling forward, he began to lower the both of them to the floor. Lori's arms locked around his neck. There was a smile on her lips as she dangled by her arms trusting him not to drop her.
"Wifie, action ye want, action ye get." The big man whispered as he deposited his wife on the floor.
She wrapped her legs around his hips as she rose to meet him. "Good. I was dreaming about you."
They made love on the floor enjoying the novelty. When H.M. rolled over onto his back, he lifted her up on top of him. Lori covered his face with tiny kisses.
"What a lovely way to wake up." She whispered. "Beats an alarm clock."
His laughter rumbled in his chest beneath her hands. "Aye. But, I think we ruined yur dress."
"Not to worry. I'll send it out to the cleaners." Lori rubbed her cheek against his skin. "I've got to move I'm afraid."
She stood, stretched then pointed to the paper on the coffee table. "I'll tell you about that in a moment." Walking into the bedroom, Lori left H.M. sprawled on the floor.
Smiling, he lifted himself on one elbow and watched her lovely tight behind sway, as she walked away. "Will you share tha shower, luv?"
"Only if you hurry and promise to scrub my back."
After following Lori into the bathroom, Hamish waited behind her while she adjusted the showerhead. She entered the shower first and Hamish followed while admiring the line of her naked back. His hands massaged the soft mounds of her buttocks when she bent over to take the top off the shampoo bottle.
"Unless you intend an encore performance, cut it out. I need to tell you something anyway."
She told him about the scheduled jam session and Glen's invitation while he soaped her back, then scrubbed her down with the wash cloth.
"Do you want to go?" Lori asked.
"Aye, Why not? I want tae talk tae Glen. An ah night out jamming, is preferable tae one awake here with nothin tae do."
"I think it's probably too late to call the Morgan girl." Lori closed her eyes before she started to wash her hair. Working up a good lather, she scrubbed her scalp then turned to rinse off. "I'm hungry."
H.M. switched places with her. "Any objection tae ordering somethin from room service?"
Lori poured shampoo into his outstretched palm. "Not at all." Lori replied while she returned the favor by scrubbing down his back.
"I'm finished. I'll go give them a call. Anything in particular you're hungry for?"
He reached back a wet, soapy hand toward her. Lori slipped out of the shower door as she batted his hand away. "Food, MacGrough. What do you want to eat?"
"Steak, potato, an salad. Somethin quick an easy we won't be kept waitin tae long for." He responded.
Lori held the shower door open for a moment as she admired the view. If anyone looked less like a keyboard player it was Hamish. His eyes were closed as he shampooed his black hair. She could imagine him raiding, swinging a broad sword then carrying off booty. She so wanted to paint a nude of him. Lori knew his Scots Presbyterian soul would absolutely not allow it.
He was big, with broad shoulders. Lovely muscles moved smoothly under the skin of his arms. Legs spread, he stood there. As Lori admired his equipment, she considered how easily she could make him hard again. He was tempting, for a moment she thought about climbing back into the shower.
Long thin fingers were not at all what one expected when looking at his body. And the things those fingers could do. Best of all he was hers, lock, stock and teardrop.
"O.K. Get on with it and get your shaving done. I want the mirror so I can dry my hair when I come back." Lori declared.
H.M. heard the bathroom door close behind her. He began to sing in the shower and belted out a stirring rendition of 'Scots Wa Hae'. A jam session was just what he needed right now. He was glad Glen had extended the invitation.
The taxi driver slowed down to negotiate the narrow street. The road ran deep into the canyon and there were several turns which almost doubled back on themselves completely. Lori was clinging to her seat and H.M. Her stomach felt slightly queasy.
"Driver? Are you sure this is the right road?"
"Yes ma'am. It's a pretty drive during the day. The house should be up around the next bend. Looks like it might be the last one back here."
H.M. chuckled. "This would be quite tha ride on ah bike."
"I understand some of the kids come up here on skateboards." The driver commented.
"That must be ah hairy ride." H.M. had meant motorcycles but didn't bother to mention it to the man. The road reminded him of the Bob Seger song "Hollywood Hills".
"Your friend must have a few bucks. This is the high-rent district." The driver said as he steered through the last curve before slowing to a crawl. A sign displaying the house number was fastened to the trunk of a large live oak tree. The oak stood next to the entrance to the driveway. The man turned into the drive then cautiously eased forward following it. He came to a stop in front of a Spanish style house tucked into a curve of the hillside.
"O.K. folks.
Here you go."
"Wait for ah moment please. I wish tae see if my friend is here before ye leave. It does look like a long walk if no one is tae home."
H.M. left the cab. Ducking under a tree branch, he walked to the door. The bell was a gong affair. A few moments after it was struck, a red light came on above a speaker grill set into the wall beside the thick carved door.
"Who is it please?" Asked a voice from the speaker.
H.M. spoke into the grill when the light became green. "Is Glen there? This is tha individual he invited tae ah jam session."
"Glen will be right there." The voice replied.
A few seconds later the door was opened by Bushmaster's bass player. "H.M. Good to see you. Is Lori in the cab?"
"Hi Glen." Lori waved from the vehicle. "Just a moment." Sliding out of the car, she opened her purse and paid the driver.
"Haven't you got the hang of American money yet?" Glen grinned at H.M. and then frowned.
Taking one step forward, Glen leaned in to get a closer look at Hamish in the pale porch light. "Come in here where I can see you. What did you do?" Glen took H.M.'s arm and tugged him into the hallway.
"Well, well!" Glen's gold earring glinted in the light as he shook his head. His own long straight blonde hair still fell past his shoulders. "You did the whole bit man! You look so square it's unbelievable."
"I shaved an got ah haircut." H.M. growled. "Everyone has ah comment about it. What business of theirs is it what I do?"
"Relax, man." Glen's grin faded. "It's nobody's business, but your own how you dress or look now. I was just taken by surprise. A bit touchy are we? Don't get tweaked out on me, I was just commenting."
H.M. shook his head. "I am gettin a wee bit nervous. 'Tis why I am glad ye invited us tae this jam session. I need tae play."
"Yeah, so do I. In fact, I have a few things I've been working on I want you to listen to. I need your opinion, man. Tell me if I should trash the shit or not."
Lori entered the hall as the cab drove away.
"Hi Lori." Glen gave her a quick hug.
"Hi yourself. How's Francie? Have you heard from her?"
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