“Noel.” Eden’s voice sounded throaty as she pressed against him.
Needing no further invitation, he lowered her onto the couch, covering her body with his. His hands roamed the smooth expanse of her chest, crested the hills, found the valleys, and plucked at the buds her nipples had become. He used his tongue to lave them, then moved his hands downward to caress her taut stomach. With the tips of his fingers, he explored the crevice of her belly button.
“God, Noel.”
“What, honey?”
“We shouldn’t be doing this. I was so mad at you.”
He focused on the was. Must mean she’d forgiven him. “And you’re not anymore.” It wasn’t a question.
“No. How could I be? You saved my life.”
He didn’t want gratitude. He wanted her love. Yet common sense flew out the window as it always did. He would willingly take her on any terms.
“I want to make love to you,” he said, kissing the corners of her mouth.
“Then make love to me.”
She was willing to give him another chance. He yanked at the robe’s belt quicker than it took to blink an eye.
As he’d suspected, underneath the heavy dressing gown she was completely naked. He expelled his breath in an audible sigh, feasting his eyes on all of her: Firm breasts that were definitely more than a mouthful, a trim waist, curly apex, and long, long legs. Perfection, if such a thing was possible. When he felt himself grow harder, he covered her hand with his own and let their joined hands touch his aching need. Eden quivered. Easing off her, he loosened his belt and quickly lowered his zipper.
The doorbell rang.
Rotten timing. “Don’t answer it.”
“What if it’s important?”
“Nothing’s that important.”
The bell chimed again. This time for a longer period.
“Why don’t I look out the window and see who it is?” Eden said.
Noel groaned as Eden fastened her robe and pushed off the couch. He watched her pad to a nearby window, shift the blinds, and peer outside. Turning back, she mouthed, “Federal Express. Might be urgent.”
His erection now history, he muttered an oath then zipped his pants.
As Eden approached the door with some trepidation, sanity returned. She’d had a close brush with death. Capsizing had been a traumatic experience, so who could blame her for losing her head? And emotions had continued to run high after she and Noel were safely on land. He’d held her, hugging her close, telling her a dozen times or so how much he loved her. She’d obviously let those three little words go to her head, allowing them to color her judgment.
Her focus needed to be on the investigation. She approached the door with purpose. “Who is it?”
“FedEx.”
“Can I see some ID?”
Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Noel’s nod of approval.
As she raised the blinds, the man in the gray walking shorts and light blue cotton shirt fished out his identification and held it to the windowpane. Eden pressed her nose against the glass, making sure the face in the picture matched the guy holding the square plastic badge. Noel come up behind her. He imprisoned her with his arms, body pressed closely against hers.
“Looks authentic.”
“Yes it does. Be with you in a second,” she yelled.
Noel left behind, she moved toward the front door, opened it quickly and accepted the envelope. Hurriedly scribbling her name, she stepped back inside.
Who’s it from?” Noel asked.
For the first time Eden glanced at the return address. Her eyes met his and held. “My job. They probably want me back at work.”
Days later, Eden spotted the sign for the mall and made a quick right. She circled the parking lot, eventually finding space in the very last row. It had been a grueling morning so far. She’d been forced to leave the relative safety of her home to take care of things like replacing her driver’s license. Her purse, containing credit cards and other essential documents, had been lost when the Zodiac capsized.
It had taken her two full days to get up the courage go out. A driver’s license was a necessity and something she needed. Calls to various financial institutions had taken care of replacing credit cards, but a driver’s license and Social Security card meant appearing in person, standing in line, and dealing with bureaucracy. Things she hated.
She’d left early that morning, avoiding having to explain her whereabouts to Noel. But as the day wore on, she regretted her impulsive decision to head out alone. Noel’s presence would have made the long wait in line bearable. Much as she hated to admit it, she missed him.
Eden pushed the button on the remote key ring. Reassured to hear the click of the automobile lock, she headed into the mall to purchase a pocketbook and wallet. Next she would head home.
Inside, cool air conditioning greeted her. She ignored the signs for Nordstrom and headed for Mon Caché.
“Can I help you?” an overly cheery voice inquired from behind the counter. A saleswoman peered at her through a maze of expensive-looking leather bags. The woman wore huge glasses and an oversize smile.
“I’m looking for a great big leather bag that will accommodate both my makeup and appointment book. Maybe something by Coach or Michael Kors.”
The woman’s eyes twinkled. She crouched down and reached into the display case. “I’ve got just the thing. How about this?” Standing up, she held out a bucket bag.
“Perfect.”
Removing the cash, she’d gotten from the bank, Eden held the cash out.
The saleswoman’s eyes widened. So seldom did anyone pay with cash these days.
“Can I get you anything else?” she asked.
“Yes, a wallet, please. I’d like the same manufacturer if at all possible.”
After looking at what appeared to be the entire collection, Eden finally made her choice and handed her cash.
When the saleswoman attempted to wrap her purchases, Eden declined. “It’s okay, just give me the receipt and I’ll put the wallet in my bag.”
Impulsively she made a slight detour through the lingerie section and then decided it was a waste of time. Why would she need lingerie? Who would she wear that little black teddy for? Noel? She was being ridiculous.
The electronics department was close to the exit leading outside. Why not surprise Noel and replace the radio he’d lost when the Zodiac had gone down? She’d make a fast purchase then head home.
Wending her way through assorted monitors, computers, and printers, she eventually came to a section where small groups gathered around oversize TVs. All were tuned to the same channel showing a baseball game in progress. Eden could tell by the sharp intake of breath and muttered cheers; the home team was winning. She continued, reaching the end of the row.
An uncomfortable feeling made goose bumps pop out. It was that sense again of being followed. Glancing over her shoulder only made her more paranoid. Was that a person hiding behind the floor model to her right? She stared in that direction. Then convinced that it was more a figment of her imagination than anything else, she continued down another aisle filled with even more TVs. Paranoia must be getting the better of her. That’s what almost getting killed did to a person. No, no, those were distinct footsteps behind her, someone was closing in. Her skin crawled as she clutched the strap of her newly purchased pocketbook and darted a furtive glance behind her.
Taking long, slow breaths to calm down, Eden inhaled the scent of the perfumed interior. For an interminable moment, she stood still, gathering her bearings and willing her heartbeat to go back to normal. With purposeful steps, she exited the store, ignoring the beeping sound coming from behind her. A hand clamped down on her shoulder, spinning her around and making her jump.
“May I see your receipt, miss?” asked a long-haired fellow; a Fabio double. The man wore tight jeans and a backward baseball cap. One hand held a walkie-talkie.
“Why?” Eden’s grip on her purse tightened.<
br />
“Just show me and you’ll be on your way.”
Comprehension dawned as she unzipped the purse and found the receipt. Lone black person in a predominantly white store, and the store security immediately assumed she was a thief. Eden gave the detective a scorching look.
Calmly, the man remained with his hand held out.
“Here,” she said, dropping the crumpled receipt into his outstretched palm, and sliding the bag’s zipper closed.
A small crowd gathered around them. Eden could tell from the look on their faces that she’d been tried and found guilty. Catching the eye of a middle-aged mother with a portly teenager in tow, she was surprised to see the animosity flashing from those hazel eyes. The woman’s lip curled, and she knew that she’d already been labeled a thief.
Eden turned her attention back to the store detective. His smirk was gone as he scrutinized the small slip of paper she’d handed him and returned the receipt to her. “Those are some awfully expensive purchases you’ve made,” he said.
Eden crossed her arms and eyeballed him. “And that’s a problem?”
“Sorry, ma’am, no offense meant, just being cautious. You didn’t come in with a bag.”
“Just the money to buy one,” she responded, continuing to glare.
“I’m doing my job,” the detective mumbled. “The salesperson should have removed the security tags for you and there wouldn’t have been a problem.”
No sincere apology. Just a bunch of muttered excuses.
“Do you have a boss?” Eden asked.
“Of course.”
“Then take me to him. I have a good mind to sue you people.”
As the crowd dispersed, Eden followed the man to the back of the store. She emerged a half an hour later, slightly less annoyed than she’d been. Apologies had been made, but that had not compensated for her humiliation. And even though the store had tried to soothe her feathers by giving her a written apology and a fistful of discount coupons, she knew that would be her last shopping excursion in Mon Cache.
On her way out, she passed through the electronics department again. A few hipsters were huddled around the same wall models where the detective had lurked. The tallest of the group held the remote and was busy surfing the channels.
On the screen an announcer’s voice boomed, getting her attention. “Missing going on three weeks is Noah Robbins…” That got Eden’s attention. She made a U-turn. A face flashed on the screen. It was Noel or Noah. “Our station has been flooded with calls from women all over—”
Abruptly the newscaster’s voice cut off as the channel got changed.
Dare she ask the holder of the remote to flip back to the channel? One glance in that direction convinced her that might not be wise, especially given her recent run-in, better to leave well enough alone. Quickly she looked around for another TV, eventually catching the eye of a Native American man and his family.
“Would you mind?” she asked, motioning to the remote he held.
“Not at all.” He handed her the rectangular object.
Immediately she began to surf the channels. But by the time she’d found the station, the reporter had moved on to another topic.
Feeling like she’d been punched in the gut and her innards ripped out, Eden quickly left the store. She’d been right all along. Noel hadn’t been on the up and up from the very beginning. Still, who would have thought he was a fugitive? And what did the reporter mean by, “Our station has been flooded by calls from women...?”
Then the awful thought surfaced. Noah Robbins must be a criminal on the run; a wanted man.
Chapter 13
Replaying the newscaster’s words in her head, Eden ignored the scenery. She drove by rote, turning onto her block, her stomach still lurching.
“Please God,” she whispered, “don’t let Noel—uh—Noah—be out on his deck waiting for me.”
She needed to digest the news and wasn’t ready to face him yet. What had she been thinking of, getting involved with someone she barely knew? No sire. It wasn’t as if she hadn’t known that something about the man didn’t add up. She’d just refused to listen to the little voice in the back of her head, and she’d totally ignored her gut. A confrontation right now was absolutely out of the question. She simply wasn’t up to it. She’d need time to rehearse, plan what she would say.
Eden pushed open her front door to a ringing phone. Kahlua padded across the floor to greet her. While she attempted to block the door and stop the cat from running off, the answering machine clicked on.
A stress-filled female voice inquired, “Eden?”
A stranger had her new number? She waited for the woman to speak.
As the woman stumbled over her words, barely making sense, Eden frowned. “Eden uh…it’s Mrs. Moss. Your mother’s uh…next-door neighbor.”
Forgetting Kahlua, she left the door wide open and grabbed the phone. “Yes, Mrs. Moss.”
“Oh Eden, thank God you picked up.”
“What’s wrong with Mommy?” She hadn’t called her that in years.
“Well uh…that’s why I’m calling. There’s been a slight uh…accident.”
Eden suddenly felt faint. She waited for the room to settle, clutching the nearest chair for support. She rode the first wave of nausea.
“Eden, are you there?”
Taking deep breaths, Eden focused on the ceiling. Now wasn’t the time to fall apart. Her mother needed her. “I’m here, Mrs. Moss. I’m here. Is she all right?”
A beat later. “The doctors say she is, but they’re keeping her overnight for observation.”
“She’s in the hospital?”
“Yes, Downstate Medical. Earlier today she was crossing the street—using the pedestrian crossing if you please—when this white car flew out of nowhere and just about mowed her down. Thank God for quick reflexes, only the edge of the bumper caught her or she’d probably be—look she’s okay. Just bruised up really bad, and the doctors think she might have a slight concussion.”
A white Buick, Eden thought, processing the information. “I’m coming home, Mrs. Moss,” she said before the woman went off on another tangent.
“I thought you would want to. Bill’s flying in as well. He called the apartment when I was getting some of your mother’s things, so I told him what happened. He’s agreed to take the next plane in.”
“My brother’s coming from Germany?” It had to be more serious than Mrs. Moss was letting on. Bill didn’t disrupt his life for anyone.
“Umm hmm. Says he can easily move his vacation up a week or so. He was coming to the States anyway; didn’t you know that? That boy is just so loving. A real devoted son.”
And I’m a cold slab of liver. The words hung unspoken in the air. “Thank you, Mrs. Moss. Thanks for letting me know.”
“Don’t mention it.”
After obtaining the hospital’s number, Eden hung up. She brushed back a tear. Her extended leave had just ended. It was time to go home. It wasn’t like she could have pushed Pelican Air off forever, anyway. Not if she wanted to keep her job.
“Hey, Rob, you ready for this?”
Noah propped the cordless phone between his ear and shoulder, waiting for his buddy to go on.
“I think I found your white Buick.”
“Yeah?”
Excitement coursed through Noah. He suddenly wished Eden were with him to hear the news. After running, he’d stopped by her place and found her gone. Initially he’d been worried. As the hours ticked by, his anxiety grew, and he’d become frantic. Had Eden been there right now, she would have seen Joe Cool dissolve before her eyes and a nervous wreck take his place. Glancing at his hands, he realized they’d fisted. He closed his eyes and imagined his grip around the neck of whomever had hurt her. One twist. One wring. Christ, he could even hear the pop. No, he had to stop his wayward thoughts. He’d never been a violent man, not until someone had deliberately set out to kill him and Eden. Messing with him was one thing. Messing with Eden, anot
her. He planned on doing everything in his power to ensure they stayed alive.
“I ran a check on the license plate just like I promised,” his friend boomed.
“Get to the point.”
“It’s a stolen vehicle.”
Noah let out a long, low whistle, every muscle in his body tensed. His voice was harsh when he responded.
Who’s the owner?”
A beat went by, then two. Drumroll please. His buddy had an annoying habit of dragging out a response.
“Well, that’s the thing. It’s a company-owned vehicle registered to Pelican Air.”
Noah felt another wave of excitement engulf him. It didn’t serve to display too much interest. His bud, who he called Freckles, sensing a rapt audience, only provided trickles of information. “Go on,” Noel said, making his voice deliberately testy.
“Pelican filed a stolen car report several months ago. Kinda strange that the vehicle would show up on the other coast.”
Noah didn’t have time for irrelevant chitchat. “Has the car been impounded?”
Another pause. “Well, that’s the thing. The automobile’s still missing.”
Noah bit back a crude oath and ended the call. Hopes of wringing the vermin’s neck evaporated. He’d even fantasized about doing it publicly. Eden would be there to watch, and he’d be her hero.
Instinct told Noah all the pieces were finally coming together. It would only be a matter of time before he unraveled the puzzle. Right before the end of most cases he was usually pumped, but this time he was angrier than he’d ever been. It had been so easy to attribute the crash to pilot’s error, now he wasn’t so sure. His gut told him something about the way the plane had literally fallen out of the sky stunk. It had felt good to be able to pin Flight 757’s crash on someone. That way he hadn’t felt so helpless about his friend’s death. Ty was the closest he’d come to having a brother.
But why the attempts on his life? Why the threats to Eden? They must be on to something. Somebody undoubtedly had something to hide. The attempts on his life had intensified after he’d been on TV, though he’d, merely been doing his job, just like he always did.
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