by Quinn, Lucy
Luke ended his call and leaned across the counter to tip Dora’s chin up so he could gaze into her eyes. “You need to eat.”
“I know.” She let out a breath as tears threatened to come. “I’m just—”
“Scared,” Luke said.
She nodded, and he grabbed her hand to squeeze her fingers.
He said, “It’s okay to be scared, but food will help keep you alert. Today we’re going to rescue Billy, and I’m going to send you on your way to New Orleans safe and sound. Got it?”
Dora nodded again, and this time she almost meant it. She scooped up a forkful of eggs and put them in her mouth in an attempt to get some protein in her body. She believed Luke could and would do what he said. It was a sobering thought, though, because it meant she might not see him again for a long time.
“Can I have more bacon?” Evie asked over a mouthful of food as if Dora and Luke were discussing a shopping list. “And don’t you think those scones might be done, Romeo?”
Luke shook his head and rescued the scones before shoveling more eggs and bacon onto Evie’s plate. He reached over and grabbed a scone with a pair of tongs and placed it on Dora’s plate. The butter dish scraped across the counter, and he pushed it at her with a smile. Then he said, “Can you believe I finally get the nerve to ask Dora out and she’s going to skip town on me?”
“I know, right?” Evie replied, trying to help him lighten the mood. But then she looked at Dora and got serious. “It’s not going to be forever. You and I have two great men who live here. We’re coming back to clear your name as soon as we can.”
Dora smiled, because while she and Luke hadn’t even kissed, the way he’d rescued them and put himself in danger for her told her she had found a great man. She was just as determined to return to Luke as Evie was to come back to Trace. She smeared butter on her scone and bit into the steamy goodness. The flavor did more than warm her insides. It warmed her heart. Maybe it was the power of food, or maybe, she dared to hope, it was the power of love, because she had new confidence everything was going to turn out okay.
“Ugh,” exclaimed Dora as she pinched her nose. Florida heat and humidity, combined with the alligator-filled swampy waters, gave off a ripe stench that made her eyes water. She and Evie, along with Luke, were checking out the gator park where they suspected Billy was being kept. After a quick trip to Target, Dora and Evie were decked out in shorts, or a short skirt in Evie’s case, T-shirts, and practical shoes like a typical tourist. They were there as visitors so they could come up with a plan for after hours when they returned to set Billy free.
Dora glanced over at Evie and checked the bag she was carrying. Sunshine was not allowed into the alligator park, so they’d hidden her in a backpack Luke had. But Dora wasn’t so sure Sunshine had an awareness of how important it was to stay hidden. As if to validate her fear, Sunshine poked her nose out of the top of the bag. Dora glared at the little pup, and she ducked her head back down in fear.
“Evie, you’ve got to keep your dog in check,” she hissed at her friend.
“She’s fine.” Evie’s paper map rustled as she unfolded it, and she hammed it up playing her role as a tourist. “Look at this! Oh, my. So many gators. So little time.” She glanced at a man walking toward them. “Can you believe this place?”
He smiled at her, which only opened the door for more of Evie’s dramatics. She grabbed his arm and suddenly had a southern accent. “My friends and I are here on vacation from Tennessee,” she drawled. “What’s the best part of this park, would you say?”
“Well, I’m a big fan of the gator wrestling.” He turned and pointed off to the left. “It’s right over there.”
“Oh, my,” Evie said, her accent getting thicker as she rubbed his forearm. “I bet you’d be really good at that, too.”
“Oh—” The man’s face blushed a nice shade of Florida sunburn. “Well, I’m not sure—”
“Oh, pshaw!” Evie giggled. “I don’t suppose you’d mind taking our picture, would you?”
“Uh, I—I’m not that good with cameras.” He started backing away, and Dora thought Evie might have overdone it.
But Evie had no intention of letting the man get away. She cried out, “Great!” and shoved her phone into the guy’s hands. “Make sure you take a bunch from all angles. We wouldn’t want any unfortunate double chins or tummy rolls when we post to Insta, right?”
“Insta?” the older man asked, confusion swimming in his eyes.
“Aren’t you sweet?” Evie giggled and adjusted the phone, showing him where to hit the button. “Remember now, act like a photographer on a mission. Plenty of angles, high and low.”
Evie grabbed Dora, nearly knocking her off her feet as she pulled her to the fence. Dora glanced across the facility, spotting Luke. Evie and Dora were supposed to create enough of a minor distraction so that he could get a feel for where they should be looking for Billy. So far, the plan was right on track, and Dora watched him sneak into a side door that was clearly marked Employees Only.
“Dora!” Evie gave her friend a knowing grin. “Hop up on the fence railing. That will make it a much better shot.”
Dora eyed the enclosure and the lazy gators. None of them were particularly close, but Dora had seen enough zoo snapshots gone wrong that she shook her head. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea, Evie,” she whispered into her friend’s ear. “I think we should be on the safe side and just stand here.”
“Dora.” Evie sucked in an impatient breath. “How is that going to create a distraction?” She pumped her eyebrows. “We need to live a little dangerously. Just hook your feet between the bars. You’re not that clumsy. It’s fine. Come on.”
Dora decided she had a point. If they were doing something that appeared dangerous, people would definitely watch. Dora glanced back at the enclosure one more time, just to reassure herself that none of the gators were looking especially hungry, and then lifted herself up, careful to brace her feet on the bottom railing.
“There you go,” Evie said with a bright smile, her eyes twinkling with mischief. She handed Dora the backpack that housed Sunshine. “Open up the flap so she can stick her head out.”
Dora did as she was told. “Come on, Sunshine. Picture time.”
The pup popped up out of the pack, her hair sticking up all over the place as she swung her head from side to side, getting a good look at her surroundings.
“Sorry about this,” Dora whispered to the dog as she tried to finger comb the pup’s wild hair into submission. “I told your mom we needed a proper puppy purse, the kind with vents that would give you more air.”
“Stop. It’s not like I zipped her in there,” Evie said, climbing up to take her spot next to Dora. She patted Sunshine on the head. “You’re okay, right, baby?”
The dog stuck her tongue out and licked Evie’s hand.
“Okay, that’s enough. We need to hold still so the nice man can take our picture,” Dora said, pulling the pack and Sunshine in close to her body.
“Okay, Mr. Helpful,” Evie said, poking a shoulder forward and leaning down a little to flash the older man a bit of cleavage to go with her flirty smile. “We need plenty of shots to pick from, so go ahead and snap a bunch. ‘Kay?”
“What?” he asked, staring at the phone like it was some alien technology he’d never used before.
“You know, we need to smize and capture all of our best angles.” Evie nudged Dora. “Remember to smize.”
Dora rolled her eyes at the Tyra Banks reference. Evie had watched way too much America’s Next Top Model, which meant Dora knew that smize was the term meaning to smile using your eyes as well as your mouth. She still wasn’t sure how that was possible.
“Do it, Dora,” she whispered under her breath. “You don’t want to be the crabby one when we show these to our kids twenty years from now.”
Kids, Dora thought. She’d always wanted two. A boy and a girl, two years apart, named Brandon and Callie. Both with blond hair and blue
eyes just like Luke. Gah! She shook her head, trying to force the thoughts from her mind. What was she doing? Her stomach started to ache with the knowledge the pretty little picture she’d conjured for herself was likely never to come true. And it sure as heck wouldn’t if they didn’t at least try to get out of the mess she’d gotten both of them into.
“Dora, smize!” Evie elbowed her.
The backpack jostled and nearly slipped right out of Dora’s hands. Sunshine let out a yelp and scrambled up onto Dora’s shoulder. But she overshot and went flying right into the alligator enclosure.
“Sunshine! Oh my god!” Without even a second thought, Dora dropped the pack and followed Sunshine over the fence into the shallow water. The warm water came up to her mid-calf, soaking her tennis shoes, but Dora didn’t give them one extra thought. Sunshine was standing on a small rock, soaked to the bone and completely still as if she was frozen by fear.
“My baby!” Evie called and splashed into the enclosure as well. She let out a shriek and launched herself back at the fence.
“Evie!” Dora switched direction and headed toward her friend, noting a small four-foot alligator heading for the spot right where Evie had been a few seconds before.
“No! Get Sunshine,” Evie ordered with a sob as she pointed at her baby.
“Right.” With her heart hammering against her breastbone, Dora tried to ignore the fact that at least one gator was nearby and hurried toward Sunshine. The pup was shaking fiercely and breathing hard. “I’ve got you, Sunshine,” she said, reaching out for the pup.
Sunshine let out a yelp and shot forward, right into the water with a splash.
Dora felt rather than saw the movement behind her.
“Watch out!” Evie cried, her voice so high-pitched she’d gone supersonic.
There was no time to assess the situation. If she didn’t grab the dog, Dora was certain she was going to witness the poor thing becoming a gator snack. That was something she’d never let happen. Adrenaline shot her forward, and she reached down, grabbed the small dog, and took off for the fence.
“No! Dora, go right, go right!” Evie screamed.
Dora didn’t hesitate. She immediately turned and lengthened her stride, slogging through the water while clutching Sunshine, who’d buried her head in Dora’s chest. The poor baby was still shaking, but Dora knew without a doubt, she wasn’t going anywhere this time. The fence was only a few feet away when Dora heard a sloshing behind her. Gator!
“Toss Sunshine to me,” Luke ordered after appearing out of nowhere on the other side of the fence.
Dora’s entire body was straining to outrun the gator behind her, and even though she was terrified, she tossed Sunshine and launched herself at the fence. Her fingers latched onto the top rung, and before she could find purchase with her feet, two familiar hands helped yank her over the edge. Dora hit the ground face-first, but she’d never felt so relieved to eat dirt than she did in that moment.
“Dora!” Evie slid to the ground, lying on Dora’s back and wrapping her arms around her friend. “Are you all right? You saved Sunshine. Thank you! Thank you!”
“Oof.” Dora pushed herself and Evie up, spitting the dirt out of her mouth, and frowned at her friend. Evie must have a huge adrenaline spike of her own to be able to yank Dora from the gator pond. She said in relief, “I’m okay.” But she wasn’t. Not really. Her hands were shaking so hard she pressed them together just to try to still them. It didn’t work. And even though it was at least ninety degrees, her skin was cold and clammy, and the world started to spin.
Luke approached and handed Sunshine to Evie. Sunshine let out a yelp, and Evie clutched her dog to her chest, tears streaming down her face.
“I’m so sorry, sweetheart,” Evie said to the dog. “You must be so scared. It’s okay. Mommy has you now.” She pressed her lips to the dog’s head, giving her a kiss, but then blew a raspberry as she wrinkled her nose. “Wow. You smell really bad, little girl. No way you’re sharing my bed until you get a bath.”
“Get them on their feet,” a man barked out.
Cold dread ran through Dora’s veins. The ‘distraction’ they’d staged had turned into a full-fledged nightmare that had drawn the attention of security. This was it. Both of them were going to get arrested, and after all they’d done to avoid it, Dora would still need to think about finding a bitch to protect her in prison. She shuddered.
“No! I’m too pretty for jail,” Evie blurted, scrambling to her feet and backing away, still clutching Sunshine. “Besides, I can’t orphan my dog. She has separation anxiety.”
“Ma’am,” the man in uniform said with exasperation. “We’re not taking you to prison. We’re—”
“It’s not my fault. I was just trying to get a picture,” Evie whined.
“Miss, can you get to your feet?” another man asked Dora, his tone clearly running out of patience.
“I think so.” Dora’s limbs were still wobbly after the adrenaline rush, but she did finally get her feet under her just in time to see one of the security guards raise his weapon. “Don’t shoot!” she yelled as the contents of her stomach lurched dangerously up her throat.
The uniformed man drew his eyebrows together and frowned at her as he handed the weapon off to another officer. “No one is going to shoot you miss. The gun is for the alligators.”
“You’re going to shoot them?” Dora asked while still holding her hands in the air. “No. You can’t!” she cried, fearing for the innocent reptiles who hadn’t done anything but be who they were. “We’re safe now. No need to make matters worse. No one is going back in the enclosure. I can promise you that.” Or at least Dora wasn’t. Evie’s gaze was darting around, clearly looking for an escape route.
“Why would we shoot them?” The officer seemed genuinely confused. “That’s only done in extreme cases. If Harry hadn’t gotten in there and distracted those guys, it might’ve been necessary, but luckily, my boy over there”—he held up his hands and managed to do air quotes while holding a gun—“is one with the gators.”
Dora blinked at him. “What?”
His mouth tightened, and he grabbed her by the upper arm, marching her over to the fence. “See those two gators just lying there, unmoving?”
Dora felt a lump form in her throat as she nodded.
“Harry and Pauly got ‘em. There’s tape wrapped around their snouts now until we inspect the enclosure and make sure neither of them will be a danger after their exciting day.” He scowled at her. “You didn’t feed them anything, did you?”
“What? No!” Dora glanced over at Evie and Sunshine. Evie looked like she’d swallowed a canary. What the heck was she up to? Dora narrowed her eyes at her friend. What kind of trouble was coming next? She turned to the man. “I apologize. This was obviously a huge mistake. We just… ah… my friend’s dog has separation anxiety,” she said lamely.
“You and your friend will be escorted out now.” He waved a couple of other security officers over. “Make sure these two make it outside the grounds and put a ban on them at the front gate. They’ve caused enough trouble.”
“We really are sorry,” Dora mumbled as the security guard grabbed her wrist and started leading her toward the park entrance. She noticed another one had grabbed Evie, but Luke was nowhere to be found. Had they messed up so badly that he’d bailed? If he had, she could hardly blame him. Why would he spend his time helping her out? It wasn’t as if they were dating or anything.
A small voice in the back of her head whispered, He’s doing it to help Billy. Not you.
That sounded about right. Luke was a good guy. He wouldn’t let anyone kill Billy. Maybe he hadn’t disappeared without a trace. Maybe he was using this highly effective distraction to get intel on the park. She closed her eyes and sucked in a deep breath, praying that was the truth.
The security guards shoved both Evie and Dora out through the exit of the park. The tall one that had been manhandling Dora said, “Please don’t come back. Ever. This isn
’t a playground. You, your friend, and your dog were lucky today. This could’ve gone down much worse.”
Evie placed a soft hand on his forearm. “We are so sorry, sir. We didn’t mean to slip into the enclosure. Overzealous touristing, I suppose.” She batted her eyelashes at him. “Thank you for keeping my friend and my puppy safe. You and your coworkers are heroes.”
Dora rolled her eyes as she watched the guard give Evie a smile. His eyes raked over her before he said, “Anytime, gorgeous. Just try to stay out of trouble in the future, okay? This world would be a dimmer place without all your sparkle.”
Evie giggled, while Dora resisted the urge to gag. Her friend placed her palm on the guard’s chest, playing her act for all she was worth. “You’re a sweetie, officer…?”
“Matt. You can call me Matt.” He shrugged his shoulders, “And I’m not really a cop.” He practically glowed with pleasure as he smiled down at her.
“You might as well be. Officer Matt,” she cooed. “Would you do me a favor?”
“Sure, anything,” he said with a hitch in his voice as he leaned in expectantly.
Evie glanced away shyly, and when she looked back at him, she’d caught her lower lip between her teeth. “I… ah, well, I was supposed to be home sick today, and if my boss gets wind I was out at a gator park, there’s no telling what she’ll do. I was wondering if you could make sure this stays under wraps. No press and no report to the police? She has ways of finding out these things, and… Well, if they find out I was here, I’ll be unemployed, all because I needed a mental health day.” She let out a dramatic sigh.
Are those tears in Evie’s eyes? Dora wondered. Maybe those acting classes had paid off.
Dora had to give it to her. The woman was finding a way to keep their antics on the down-low so that Brian and any other corrupt cops at the station wouldn’t hear about it. Dora would have to do something nice for her later, like bake her cupcakes or something. If only they had the time for that.