“S-Scarlet Bay I-Inn,” she said, leaning her head down into her hand and closing her eyes. She jerked her head up when she heard the voice on the other end.
“Lucretia,” the voice whispered, the echoing voice sounding weak as if coming from a great distance. “Come back down. I want to see you … touch you … kill you!”
Lucretia sobbed, banging the receiver down, looking at it as if it were a snake about to strike. Suddenly she heard the little box behind her begin to screech even though there was no connection in the basement. Yet now it screeched, telling her that her father wanted her. Suddenly the room was full of noise. The ringing phone, the screeching box. Faint voices coming from the ventilator. She clamped her hands over her ears. She was going out of her mind. All at once she turned, skirted the desk and ran up to her room. As soon as she opened the door she heard her phone ringing. She looked at it for a long time, listening to the pleasant chime that had suddenly turned hollow and insistent. The sound filled her ears, plundering her eardrum. She had to stop it, so she grabbed at it and picked it up.
“H-hello.”
“Lucretiaaaaa,” the voice hissed. “Coooome baaack.”
She quickly banged the receiver down, only to hear the constant chime again … and again … and again! She couldn’t stand it, she had to stop it, so she yanked the wire out of the wall and welcomed the silence … but not for long.
“Lucretiaaa, I’m waaaaiting.” The hoarse sound of her father’s voice floated in the air.
She whirled around. Where was the voice coming from? Her eyes finally lifted to the ventilator that snaked through the mansion all the way down to the basement. The faint voice kept urging her while she clamped her hands over her ears.
“Shut up, you bastard! Shut up!” she yelled. Then in desperation she picked up pillows, knickknacks, anything she could get her hands on and began throwing them toward the ventilator. But the voice continued, indestructible. She began backing up, shaking her head, trying to escape the rasping voice. After several seconds she couldn’t stand it anymore and became dizzy, everything going black. She slumped to the floor.
* * * *
They all stood looking up at the ventilator, listening to the sudden quiet. Julita, with a sheet wrapped around her, and Garret peering through his sightless eyes. After a while, Shadoe turned around, looked at Garret and winced. “God, Garret, get those things out of your eyes.”
“Oh, yeah.” He leaned over and stretched each eye, managing to pull each lens out, then laid them in his palm. “I forgot they were there. I didn’t know you could see through them.”
“Well … a little. It’s like wearing sunglasses. Especially when you wear the kind Julita had on.” He reached over and took the lenses from each of them, then smiled. “You two surprised the hell out of me.” He looked down at Garret. “What a move that was, Garret. Why the hell didn’t I think of that?” He turned to Julita. “And you. God, I’m proud of you, Julita. I didn’t know if you could go through with it or not, but there you were… uh--” his eyes lowered, devouring her breasts, “--big as life, if you’ll forgive the pun.”
“You’d better stop right there,” Garret said, slightly scowling at him. “How come I wasn’t informed of this? You think I want my daughter parading around naked as the day she was born?”
“She’s come a long way since then.”
“Enough with your insults.”
“Hell, Garret, that wasn’t an insult. This is exactly why I didn’t tell you. You wouldn’t have approved. Appearing on the ridge unsettled Lucretia. She need to be convinced of Julita’s death, putting her in the right frame of mind to accept yours. Besides Julita was only to come out if Lucretia didn’t immediately turn and run. I didn’t know you were going to do a little scene of your own.”
“Well … neither did I. When I knew she was going to touch me I had to think up something, and that … well … it just happened.”
“It was a hell of a good move. And the wheelchair falling over. I almost swallowed my tongue when that happened, but you made it work. I’ve gotta hand it to both of you. You two are pros.” He looked at Julita, reaching over and plucking the seaweed from her hair. “Thanks,” he said, winking while he chucked her under the chin. “You’d better go get dried off and get some clothes on. I think I saw a box of old rags in there before. Not very fashionable maybe, but I’m sure you can find something.”
She reveled in his praise as she turned to go back into the other part of the basement. Before she turned the corner she hesitated, looked back, and saw his eyes following her. She put a hand up on the small width of the arch, and looked at him, her lids almost closed, her lashes making a tangled shadow across her beautiful cheeks.
Shadoe saw the invitation and felt a melting heat gather in his groin. When she disappeared behind the wall, Shadoe cast an angled glance down at her father, wondering how he was going to wait until the old man went to sleep. He looked back up at the arch, remembering her naked silhouette beneath the sheet. Julita was ready. He knew it. His hands opened and closed, burning with the imagined feel of her body. He knew his savage side would emerge the minute he laid a hand on her. He looked down at the old man again and wondered if he could count on Garret’s hearing to be as bad as he needed it to be.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
The old man began getting ready for bed. “So what’s our next move?”
“No next move, yet,” Shadoe said. “We’ve got to build up your strength before we go to the next step. You’re weak, both you and Julita. We’ve got Lucretia off our backs, so we can afford to just lay low for a while. Eat, drink and be merry until I decide what’s next.”
“Sounds like a plan,” the old man said, tiredly.
Shadoe helped him into bed and fussed over him until he was comfortable.
“I’ll say good night now,” he said, looking up at Shadoe through tired eyes. “Julita must be asleep by now. Why don’t you go on upstairs? We’ll be all right until we see you in the morning.”
“I’ll leave as soon as I check on Julita.”
The old man nodded, then turned his head, nestling it into the pillow.
Instead of leaving, Shadoe silently crept into a chair and sat for a few moments. Leaning forward with his elbows resting on his thighs, his eyes never left the old man, but waited in the darkness for him to fall asleep. He felt a certain guilt spread through him, knowing he was waiting to seduce the old man’s daughter. What would Garret think if he knew? Would he like the idea of Shadoe and his daughter getting together, or would he somehow object? Shadoe wrung his hands, then put them up to his face and rubbed as if trying to rub the guilt away. The longer he sat there watching the old man, the more restless he became, his eyes darting past the arch in the wall where he knew Julita was waiting. Finally he leaned back, trying to relax. He knew he might as well get comfortable because it would be a while before the old man was fast asleep.
As he sat, slowly his eyes drifted to a close. He told himself that he wouldn’t fall asleep as he listened to the soothing night sounds of cicadas chirping, night birds calling, and the surf pounding just outside the high windows. Before he knew it Garret was shaking him awake.
“What the hell? Did you stay down here all night?”
Shadoe lunged forward, looking around. He immediately knew what had happened. In waiting for the old man to go to sleep he had drifted off himself, his night with Julita never happening. He raked his hand through his hair while trying to quickly think up an excuse. “I … well, I … was worried.”
“About what? That witch upstairs? Don’t bother. We scared the pants off her, that’s for sure. She won’t be back down here. Hell, you said so yourself.”
“Yeah,” he gave a soft, sheepish laugh. “I did, didn’t I.”
He quickly rose from the chair and stretched. “Is Julita up yet?”
“I don’t think so, I haven’t seen her.”
“Are you hungry?”
The old man angled a frowning look
up at him. “Is the Pope Catholic?”
Shadoe laughed. “Okay,” he replied, punching his escaping shirt back down into his trousers. “I’ll get us all some breakfast.”
Snatching up the picnic basket, he made his way through the arch to the back door, taking a small detour to the little nook he’d fixed up for Julita, far back in a secluded corner. Boxes were stacked on both sides of the old water-stained mattress, erected to give her some privacy. Looking in he saw her sleeping, using little cover since the basement was pretty warm. Her hair spread wide over the mattress, and her naked body beneath the thin sheet taunted him. The play of light and shadow over her form had his mouth watering.
He felt like a king-sized jerk. The flashy beast falls asleep with a woman, hot and ready, waiting for him just a few feet away. If the guys back at the precinct knew this, he’d never hear the end of it. His male ego, and his sexual prowess had definitely taken a nosedive. The worst part was, he might not get the chance again. Looking at her now, so innocent, he wondered if it had even been an invitation. Maybe he’d placed too much emphasis on the look. Hell, she was young, had lived a sheltered life. She hadn’t been schooled in the ways of the world. And yet the look she had given him last night had all the earmarks of a woman who knew exactly what she was doing. It had him sizzling in his boots. Only a fool would have fallen asleep after a look like that.
* * * *
Following a quick shower, a change of clothes, and a big breakfast order, Shadoe came slamming through the basement door with the picnic basket. He could see the anticipation on the faces of both Garret and Julita. He opened the basket and brought out eggs, bacon, hash brown potatoes, and pancakes. “I’m sure the kitchen help thinks I have a tapeworm,” Shadoe remarked, passing everything around. “I just hope no one gets suspicious. The odd thing is, they’ve never asked about the picnic basket. I think they forgot that I still have it.”
“Well, don’t go trying to explain,” Garret said, digging in and shoveling the food into his mouth. “Nothing makes a man look guiltier than when he’s stumbling through an explanation that nobody’s asked for, or cares about.”
“Yeah, you’re right. The only one I really have to worry about is Lucretia. As long as she’s in the dark, to hell with everyone else.” While making Julita comfortable, and then settling down with his own breakfast, he continued. “I suppose I ought to put in an appearance upstairs, though. Other than the wine we shared the other day I haven’t been around. Since I was a royal pain in the ass up until then she might think it’s a little strange. It sure as hell wouldn’t do for her to start looking around.”
“Be careful,” Garret said, looking at Shadoe with his well-known scowl in place. “She’s a tricky one. If she finds out you tricked her, she’ll have you for breakfast.”
“Thanks for the tip,” Shadoe said, barely listening while gobbling down food.
Following breakfast, Garret settled back with a cigarette and a cup of strong, hot coffee. Patting his stomach, he said, “Hell, I’m supposed to be a corpse. Whoever heard of a corpse gaining weight?”
“I know what you mean, I’m....” Shadoe’s words faded when Julita rose and excused herself to go to the back.
Garret watched Shadoe’s eyes follow her. Besides the surge of jealousy it brought forth, it also reminded him of his plan. In an effort to distract him, he said, “I’m feeling so damned good I’m looking forward to the day I can get out of this damned basement. A stroll outside would be just the ticket.”
“Hey,” Shadoe said, putting up his hand as if to slow Garret down. “That’s a whole new ballgame. I want you out of here too, but I can’t just go wheeling you around outside. We’d be seen.”
“Hell, Shadoe, just let me sit out in it. Breathe in the fresh air, feel the wind.”
Shadoe thought for a few minutes, then went to take a look outside to see what he could do. The most he manage right now was to roll him out in the little square where the steps were and let him bask in the sunshine when it was overhead. But he had to limit his time since he had to watch for the guests who streamed down the trodden path to the beach. One thing was to his advantage. He had learned that the guest rooms lined the back of the inn, giving them a view of the ocean, and Lucretia’s room was on the other side. Knowing that she spent most of her time at the desk anyway, there would be little chance she would see them.
When Shadoe came back in, Garret said, “What about tonight? Think we can venture out on the ridge? Take a stroll along the beach?”
“The best time would be late, after the inn shuts down for the night. It makes me nervous just thinking about it, but I guess we can give it a try.”
That night, knowing that he shouldn’t, Shadoe took the chance and wheeled the old man out, managed to get him up the stairs, then out onto the ridge, letting him sit a while, taking in the moon on the ocean.
“This’ll have to be it, Garret. I don’t want to have to wheel you down that incline to the beach. We’d never get back up.”
“Hey, this is fine,” the old man said, looking with awe out at the moon on the water. “God, this is beautiful,” he said, listening at the crashing waves. “The wind, the spray … I never realized how much I missed it.”
While the old man sat there, every once in a while his eyes would dart toward Shadoe, until finally he spoke. “I sure as hell hope you don’t have any interest in my daughter, because as soon as possible, I’m going to get her into a school, move up north, and put all this behind me.” Hesitating, he said, “I’m afraid that includes you.”
As soon as he heard it, it all came clear. “Is that what this is all about?” Shadoe said, fuming. “Hell, you didn’t care anything about fresh air and friggin’ sea spray. All you wanted was to get me away from Julita so you could....”
Garret lunged forward in his chair. “All right, so I had an ulterior motive, but you’re wrong about the fresh air and sea spray. I love it. It just gave me the opportunity to do what I knew I had to do. Besides, what choice did I have? I saw something going on between you, and couldn’t talk in front of her.”
“You didn’t need to say a damned word. Sure, there was something between us, but the time to do anything about it is long past. You should be having this talk with Julita, not me.”
“Julita? Why?”
“Because she’s the only one who'll listen to you, that’s why. I don’t give a good goddamn what you say, old man. You might as well know that if she gave me the slightest indication that she was still interested, I’d take it. And to hell with you!”
“Sure you would. You’re a fuckin’ son of a bitch that don’t care that she’s nothing but a baby. Too young for someone like you.”
“I know,” Shadow said, the truth hitting him square between the eyes. “I know.” Hell, he shouldn’t be thinking of Julita in a romantic way. If he had a few more years on him, he’d be old enough to be her father. He looked at Garret, and could understand his worry. “Don’t worry,” he said regretfully. “I’ll stay away from her.”
“Well, thank you for that. Now that we’ve got that settled, how about getting me inside? The wind is beginning to get a little chilly.”
* * * *
That night, once again seeing that Garret was comfortable in his bed, Shadoe sat, thinking about what he said out on the ridge. Mulling it around in his mind, he knew the old man was right. How could he even think about Julita that way ... it was almost … well, hearing Garret say it, it made him feel like a dirty old man. Before he knew it, the old man was breathing easily and Shadoe rose from his chair and walked through the arch into the other half of the shadowed basement. Besides, he had pretty much given up the idea of getting together with Julita. He wasn’t sure she wanted it, plus the opportunity just never came. It was just as well because Shadoe had felt a rising guilt every time he thought of going behind the old man’s back to be with her. Now he carefully crept around the boxes to check on Julita, and saw her sleeping soundly. Seeing that she was all right, he
turned to leave.
“Don’t go,” a deep, silky voice said.
He turned and saw her leaning up on one elbow and clutching the sheet to her breasts with her other hand. “Sorry if I woke you. I just wanted to check and see if you were all right.”
“You didn’t wake me. I’m not sleeping too good. Restless, I guess.”
Julita looked at his solid frame, his dark hair, glowing green eyes, and remembered the first time she’d seen him. How he had excited her. He still did. She didn’t want him to leave, but how did she get him to stay? She wasn’t used to this. She didn’t know what to do, how to perform a seduction. What words should she use? What mannerisms? She saw him waiting for the magic words, the seducing look, that one elusive thing that all men looked for. She didn’t know what they were.
“I … I’m sorry, I don’t know what to say.”
“About what?”
“Well...” she said shyly. “I haven’t been out in the world, so I guess I don’t know how to tell you that I like you.”
Shadoe smiled easily. “You said it the other night. Remember? The Hall of History?”
“What … what did I say?” she asked, curious.
“You called me a flashy beast.”
She smiled when she recalled the incident. “Was that an invitation? I … I’m sorry, I didn’t know.”
“One of the reasons I kissed you.”
She smiled shyly, her eyes raking across his sturdy body beneath his open shirt that exposed his muscled chest. The jewel tucked neatly into his skin made him look even more exotic than he actually was. “You are, you know.”
“I guess I should say thanks … that is if you meant it as a compliment.”
“I guess you could call it a reaction to your--” her eyes continued to rake down his well-muscled body, “--to everything … everything I see.”
“Well, I’ve been called a lot of things, but a flashy beast is not one of them. Very original.”
Pretty Baby Page 17