She released his hand and hoped he would listen to her. Calling on skills that had come to her a very long time ago, she expertly bounced against the man in the fitted suit. Laughing and shaking her head she apologized to the scowl leveled upon her.
“I am so very sorry,” she told him, using a low, sexy accent. “I was so lost looking at everything, I didn’t see you,” she smiled up at him, gently patting his arm. “So sorry. Isn’t this place just amazing?”
“Yes, amazing,” he answered flatly, stepping away and striding from the lobby.
“Well, well, well,” a familiar voice intoned from the side that had her spinning and teetering with a frantic gulp.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
“Delon! Haven’t seen you in a while,” Natasha said with a bright grin up at the man watching her from the side. His bright, white teeth gleamed when he smiled at her, bouncing off the dark skin and very short cropped hair. She thought he looked like Will Smith and teased him often about being a movie star.
“And you’re as cute and innocent looking as ever, sugar,” he said smoothly, one hand up and closed as he tilted her chin back. “Want to explain what I think I just saw?”
“You saw that? Damn…I am so out of practice,” she grumbled, reaching one hand into her pocket and pulling the long billfold free. “I need a copier, quickly.”
“Behind the registration desk,” he answered, as if it were the most natural thing in the world to ask for. “Should I ask why?”
“You were watching him?”
“Per orders,” he admitted with a nod, striding at her side. He helped with what she was doing, unfolding and copying everything inside the billfold. “I caught him on one of the outside monitors and came up to keep an eye on him. We were told make no contact.”
“Yeah, well…I need information…and if I have to…borrow…it…I will,” she mumbled testily, a shadow falling upon her from the other side. She looked up just long enough to see Dell watching her. “Oh, wow…so hard to explain…”
“Dell Russell,” he said, offering his palm to the tall, lean man.
“Delon Custer, security.”
“He’s my…friend…” Natasha said as she continued pushing buttons and returning everything as it was inside the billfold. “Dang, he carries all kinds of stuff in here…”
“That’s an interesting hobby,” Dell said carefully.
“Misspent youth,” Delon remarked with a sigh. “And when you’re finished…”
“I’m going to be an upstanding citizen and turn it over to security,” she announced with a perky grin, carefully closing it and handing it to him. “Oh, look what I found lying on the floor! This man must be incredibly worried about his wallet, Mr. Security, would you be so kind as to hold it and possibly return it to him?”
“You know, that little miss innocent thing should truly worry me,” Dell remarked when he was positive he wasn’t going to laugh.
“I’ve known her a few years…be concerned,” Delon said with a crooked grin. “Be very concerned.” He held the wallet in his hand. “Why. thank you, honest citizen…”
“Gotta take my guy to lunch,” she folded the pages and tucked them into the pocket of her jacket. “Thanks, Delon. See you around.”
“So tell me which school taught you that little trick,” Dell asked as she led him into the restaurant.
Natasha snuck a little side glance at him but applied a smile when Tory came to greet them. “Hi, Tory…got room for two, please?”
“Tasha…of course. You beat the lunch crowd,” she collected two menus and tried to be discrete but was definitely checking out Dell. “So…you’ve been busy…missing our Thursday game…”
“Oh…out of town on business,” Tasha winced. “I thought I’d sent a note to Faith. Which means I didn’t and she’s going to ground me. Crap.”
“Fortunately for you, we kicked ass…again. East coast guy team challenged her,” Tory rolled her eyes and gestured to the empty table near the window. “The more teams think we’re a cake-walk, the more challenges she gets for the team. It’s great.”
“We have guys on the team,” Natasha said quickly when she sat and took the menu. “Dell, my friend and game mate, Tory.”
“My pleasure,” Dell offered his hand with a friendly shake. “I’m just learning all sorts of things about you this afternoon.”
“Hey, be glad you got her out from behind the desk,” Tory laughed at the face Tasha offered. “I’ll see you later. Have fun, Tasha.”
“Bye…” Tasha opened the menu with a deep breath. “So…great spaghetti and lasagna and the stuffed shells…to die for if you like cheeses in a buttery sauce.”
“Good suggestion,” Dell said, ignoring the menu. He waited while their server set out silver and goblets of cold water with ice. He indicated they were ready to order and took her menu. He ordered shells for her, spaghetti with meatballs for him and two salads with garlic bread. “Tasha…are you okay?”
“Oh…fine…”
“You’re silent. That’s not fine,” he lifted her hand, quietly examining the long, slim fingers. “Did you expect me to run screaming in fear because you have interesting events in your past?”
“I don’t know. There’s always different standards for girls…I had some good friends who had things rough for a while,” she told him, watching the way he traced lines over the veins on the back of her hand. “I learned a lot about humans.”
Dell heard the sorrow in her voice and tugged on her fingers until she looked up at him. “Does this have any effect on you and me, Tasha? Now…today and tomorrow…and a few weeks from now.”
“No,” she admitted with a little smile.
Somehow Dell managed to have her laughing by the time they finished their meal. He was looking forward to getting her to the ranch and showing her some of the country that lie flat in the basin at the base of Mt. Rainer.
He had his wallet out and was in the process of laying out money for the meal. Tasha had gone to the restroom and was on her way back when she was grabbed and almost lifted off the floor.
“You! You bumped into me and stole my wallet!” He held her up like a doll, shaking her roughly.
Tasha gulped, her glasses slid down her nose and her feet barely touched the floor. Until Dell came from the side and wrapped one hand around one of the man’s wrists. She didn’t know what he did, but the next thing she knew, she was back on the floor again. She stumbled slightly, righting herself and gaping at the pair of them.
“Take your hands off her,” Dell growled, his free hand out to take hers and pull her to his side. He looked up when Delon came toward them at a light jog.
“She’s a thief,” the other man ground out, rubbing his wrist.
“Then make your complaint to security,” Dell ordered firmly. “She hasn’t stolen anything from you.”
Delon had his identification out, dark chocolate eyes going from one to the other with a glare at the suit.
“Is there a problem here?”
“He assaulted my fiancée,” Dell said flatly, not taking his eyes off the man.
“She’s a thief. She did a fake bump into me in the lobby and stole my wallet.”
“Richard Hamilton?” Delon said flatly, taking in the surprised expression on his face. He reached into an inner pocket of his jacket and pulled out the billfold. “One of our guests just turned this in to one of our security people outside in the parking lot. The ID picture looks like you.”
“I…the parking lot?”
“Are you registered here, Mr. Hamiliton?” Delon continued, handing over the wallet.
“No. I was…visiting the casino,” he said, his fingers going quickly through the contents with a satisfied nod. “Everything is here.”
“You owe her an apology,” Dell said, his suggestion sounding more like an order.
“I...made a mistake,” Hamilton shook his head, offering his palm to Tasha. “I really am sorry. I thought…”
“It’s alright
,” Tasha said softly, taking his hand for a very brief shake. “I’m sure I’d be worried if I lost my wallet on vacation, too.”
His gaze shifted and he stuffed his wallet into his jacket before looking at Delon. “Do I need to sign anything?”
“Not a thing, sir, just glad I could help,” Delon tipped his head and watched the man hurry out of the spacious resort lobby. “Fortunate, Tasha. Your guy here knows how to break a hold…nice move.”
“Thanks. I think we’ll be going now,” Dell told him, one hand resting on her hip and guiding her from the resort to where she’d left the car. The mist had stopped and a walk right now would be good for them both, he decided, letting her lead. “Alright?”
“Better. I forgot how angry people can get. Too much time in an office, I think,” she said with a little shake of her head.
“How about if I drive?”
“Really?” Tasha glanced over at him. “You shouldn’t have said that in front of Delon. Now he’s gonna think I have a fiancée.”
“Better than calling you my sidepiece,” Dell teased. “And yes, I’ll drive. You want to go over the things you copied so bad, you can taste it. I’m surprised you made it through lunch without pulling them out to read through.”
Tasha pulled the keys from her pocket and handed them over at the same time she slid her thumb into the reader and opened the walk-in gate to the employee parking lot.
“You’re very perceptive,” she complimented mildly.
“No, I think I’m just coming to know my girl a little better,” he pressed the security pad on her key ring and watched the lights flash on the SUV. “Tasha, if his reaction is an indication of the man…” he stopped, uncertain how to phrase his concern without coming across wrong. Possessive was the word that came to mind, but for the moment, he’d hold that one inside him.
“I know,” she said softly, hands crossed over her body and arms rubbing the spots he’d grabbed. She’d have bruises later. “I bruise easy.”
“Is that supposed to prepare me for later, Tasha?”
The edge in his voice made her wince. “No. I hadn’t quite expected that…violent reaction…confrontation, yes,” she admitted in a rushed voice. “But…people are usually a little more civilized than to grab someone up like that…”
Dell arched one brow in her direction, following the signs to the interstate. He could tell she was busily trying to come up something to placate him.
“You’ll be careful,” he said simply, helping her through it and sliding his hand over hers where she clasped them on her thigh.
“I am usually careful,” she frowned slightly. “Some things are just a little difficult to prepare for,” she slipped her hands free and pulled the papers from inside her jacket. She’d brought her laptop…and hoped she could get a little time later to do some digging.
“I’m sure I can find something to occupy myself while you play on the computer, Tasha,” Dell laughed, deep and richly when her head snapped to the side and she stared at him. “You telegraph your emotions, sweet. And right now, you’re itching to research Hamilton and the kid from Utah.”
“He wasn’t exactly a kid…he was over thirty.”
“To me, he was a kid,” Dell answered, setting the cruise control and relaxing. He tapped the radio on and glanced over at the little frown on her lips. “Something?”
“A note…a folded note he had in his wallet. Sometimes it feels weird that people leave notes these days…but I have stickies all over my office, so I guess it’s not really so weird…but this one is signed Charles. I don’t have a Charles in my list…which tells me, perhaps…Harrison isn’t really a Harrison at all…”
“That’s reaching…”
“There hasn’t been another on the scene. Physically, I mean…once I pin down Hamilton, I can find associates and maybe a Charles,” she folded the papers and tucked them away. “I should have stopped to find Molly. At least make sure Jonathon is aware that they haven’t gone away.”
“They’ve tried talking to her?”
“Yeah…” she dragged the word out. “It didn’t go well…”
“I don’t suppose you have any defensive skills,” Dell phrased the question as delicately as he could.
“I was going to kick him,” she returned with her nose tipped in the air.
“That’s a piss off method, Tasha, not a defense.”
“It worked on Jerry Reno when I was six,” she tossed back with her nose wrinkled.
Dell opened his mouth and then just let it close. He patted her thigh and put both hands on the wheel.
“I’m thinking this discussion isn’t over,” Tasha said very slowly, wincing when all she received was one arched eyebrow. “Yeah…I thought so.”
“You’ll talk to your security chief on Monday and let her know about the guy at the resort as well as the kid in Utah,” Dell made the statement as he tapped the cruise control button and guided the SUV from the highway.
“You have your own sign?” Tasha stared at the large sign they passed with an arrow to the Double R Ranch. “That’s you, isn’t it?” Her head swiveled from the sign to his face, her eyes wide when Dell flushed red. Her grin broadened. “Why are you embarrassed, Dell? That’s amazing! Everyone coming along the highway knows about your business! Your life…I think that’s…” she stopped and placed one hand on his on the steering wheel. “It’s something to be so proud of, Dell.”
“I am,” he said quietly, gazing out over the land spread before them as he drove down the long gravel road.
“Who lives near the gates?”
“The main house, mine, is out that way,” he pointed off to the right where the road forked from the one they were driving down. The small house and garage near the gate are Hayley’s, my sister. She has her office up near the buildings where we conduct the business. She’s a vet and splits her time between her own private practice and the ranch needs.”
Tasha sat upright as straight as she could, taking in all the buildings and rolling hills coming into view on all sides of them now. The lush green landscape was one of the many reasons she loved the Pacific Northwest. She stared for a long moment straight ahead, the sprawling snow covered mountain, Rainier, lay before her, intermittent sun sparkling off the snow painted sides.
“It’s beautiful here, Dell…” she was perched on the edge of the large seat, holding the seatbelt as she tried taking it all in at once. “You have signs up…just like at the zoo…how fun!”
He stared over at her, a little bounce in her seat as she craned neck, trying to peek over and around things in her way.
“Tasha, sit down…I’ll take you around,” he laughed, pulling the SUV alongside the main offices.
“This is really cool. And you do tours for school kids…do they get to play with the baby animals?” She asked excitedly, spinning to face him with a wide, hopeful grin.
“We might have a few sheep and calves, but they usually remain with their mothers, unless we have some kids coming in,” Dell explained, turning the SUV off and leaving the keys in place. “It can stay here while we look around and I check in with the office.”
“Can I wander around?”
He suddenly had a glimpse of what it would be like to try and deny his daughter. Of anything. Wide pale brown eyes staring at him, waiting anxiously.
“You can wander, just not away from this area, Tasha. I shouldn’t be too long,” he promised, taking his case from the seat behind him and stepping onto the gravel. He was glad the weather was co-operating and even a little warmer than usual for this time of year. She peeled her jacket off and left it lying on the seat before heading off to the left.
He was shaking his head as she went straight in the direction of the chicken enclosures.
“It’s like Easter,” she murmured, glancing back at the laughter from behind her. “Don’t make fun of the city girl.”
“Never,” he promised, striding to her and cupping her chin. Dell let himself stare for a quiet minute into a
curious gaze, the soft smile creasing her lips shooting straight into his heart. “There are baskets beside the gates. Watch your feet. Don’t let them slip into the entry before you open the outer gate. Wash your hands when you come out and leave the basket of eggs in the enclosed cabinet.”
Tasha nodded for each instruction, kissed him quickly and almost ran for the enclosure. There was a stack of baskets, small indents that would hold the eggs stable while people collected them. Signs on the gates and fencing explained about stepping into the first enclosure and making certain it was locked before opening the second set of doors.
She moved slowly, carefully and felt a little over-whelmed as they pecked and walked around her. Evidently they were well used to humans. She wandered across the expanse of grass and dirt, scooping up the occasional egg and continuing to walk around the very large space the chickens had to roam. Flowers and grasses grew around the edges and evidently chickens didn’t really care when it was time to lay an egg, they did.
Tasha took one large basket filled back to the gate and set it inside before lifting another basket and setting off to explore the other side and the back of the very large enclosed pen. She knew nothing about chickens but the woods that were not too far away suggested they were enclosed for their safety.
She had no idea she was so clueless about chickens. Or that they came in so many colors. She knew eggs could be brown or white. No one ever told her about the almost light greenish looking ones. Or how big some of them could get. The chickens were white to black; mixed black and white; some crème colored and some a variety of rust shades, some with golden and red splotches around the necks and heads.
She held warm eggs in her hand, studying the speckles of color splashed over the pale greenish shells. She did feel like it was Easter and she was making the biggest collection ever! She filled the second basket back near the farthest fence, a little sound making her look up and stare toward the woods.
Whatever she couldn’t see, some of the chickens were also disturbed, clucking loudly and moving toward the several small buildings with chicken sized openings. Tasha carried the latest full basket to the front and slid it into the place for the baskets before checking her feet and making sure she was alone when she moved into the exchange gate. She made double sure no one was escaping before leaving the large enclosure.
WindSwept Narrows: #23 Molly & Natasha Page 23