by Donna Hill
“Virginia, you will handle the research. Go through all our data and pull up everything we have. Mike and Eric, you two work together on any chatter. Then we can compare what you find to what Virginia is able to pull up. Also, Eric check with our people at the Mexican border. Get updates.”
They all scribbled furiously. Virginia looked up from her notes.
“And what will you be doing”
Lenora put her hand on her waist. “Coordinating,” she said with a smug look of superiority on her chiseled face.
Mike chuckled and ducked his head.
“Am I missing something” Eric asked.
“Nothing of importance, I assure you,” Lenora said. “If there are no more questions, we can get started. I’ll expect daily updates and a full report each week.”
They groaned as they got up from their seats. Mike lagged behind after the other two left.
“Yes, Mike Problem”
“I just wanted to say that I’m glad to finally be working with you.”
Her suspicion alert went to code red. “Why”
He shuffled the papers in his hands. “As much as I may razz you, I know you’re good at what you do.”
She wasn’t sure how to take it and was waiting for the sexist punch line.
“Anyway, that’s all I wanted to say.” He turned and left the room.
Lenora stood there for a few minutes, not sure what to make of Mike’s admission. She picked up her file folder and tucked it under her arm. Bottom line: she didn’t trust anyone. Her goal for the time being was to keep them so busy, they wouldn’t have time to pay any attention to what she was doing.
* * *
The crew landed in Rio de Janeiro and went to the motel Jinx had scoped out. It was located on the outskirts of the city, in the poorest section. The slums and ghettos of New York had nothing on this place.
Eva cringed when she walked into the shabby lobby of the motel. The heat was unbearable. Flies and mosquitoes apparently ran the joint, and the air reeked of sweat, poor sanitary conditions, old food, and who knew what else. On a hard wooden bench perched precariously against the wall, two derelicts slept.
“You can’t be serious about this place” she whispered to Jake as they approached the front desk.
“I know it’s not much, babe, but we need to be as low-key as possible until it’s time to board the ship.”
She swatted a mosquito away from her neck. “You owe me, Jake, big time,” she said from between her teeth.
Rita stepped up to the clerk, who dozed noisily behind the desk.
“Excuse me.” She leaned in close, got a whiff of his unwashed body, and quickly stepped back.
In almost slow motion, he opened bleary bloodshot eyes. Sweat ran in a steady stream from his bald head. His shirt was so stained, the original color was lost.
“Olá.” He grinned, exhibiting a missing front tooth.
“We need two rooms, por favor.”
“Sim, sim.” He rolled off his high stool and wobbled over to a row of keys behind him. He took two sets of keys from the hook and handed them to Rita.
“Obrigada,” Rita thanked him in Portuguese. She looked at the keys.
“You pay now,” he stated more than asked.
Jake stepped up, confirmed the price, and paid him in U.S. dollars. The clerk grinned in snaggletoothed delight.
“Paolo, he take you,” he said with a thick accent. “Paolo! Paolo!”
One of the men asleep on the bench stirred.
The clerk shouted something at him in Portuguese. Paolo pulled himself to his feet and shuffled toward them. Rita held out the keys at arm’s length. He took the keys without a word and walked outside. Reluctantly the crew followed. Eva punched Jake in the arm.
They followed Paolo across what was once a courtyard and up a flight of weatherbeaten stairs that creaked and groaned under their weight. On the upper level were rows of rooms. Paolo walked halfway down, stopped in front of one, checked the room key, and opened the door.
A cool breeze blew out to greet them. Paolo turned on the light, and a small but immaculately clean room greeted them. A mosquito net hung over a queen-size bed. A ceiling fan whirred silently.
Eva stepped inside and looked around. She walked toward the bathroom and found that to be just as spotless, with relatively modern fixtures, a stack of clean towels, and even those miniature soaps and shampoos they supply at big hotels.
She stepped back out, and Jake was grinning like he’d won something. He pulled their bags inside. He turned to Paolo and handed him five dollars in American money. His eyes brightened, and he muttered his thanks over and over as he backed out the door to take Rita and Jinx to the next room.
“Maybe Jinx isn’t such a screwup after all,” Eva conceded, sitting down to test out the bed.
“This is one of the hidden treasures. No one with any good intentions or good sense would think twice about stopping here from the look on the outside. If you don’t want to be found but still need some creature comforts, this is where you come.”
“So I see.” She smiled up at her husband and reached for him. He crossed the room, took her hand, and sat beside her. “I’m sorry for being such a bitch lately.”
He stroked her hair. “We’re all under a lot of strain. It’s okay.”
“I just want you to know that I’m sorry.”
He kissed her lightly on the lips.
“Jake…”
“Yeah, baby.”
“I need you to tell me the truth.”
“Sure.”
“Have you figured out the security system for the safe”
He hesitated. “No.” Eva groaned. “Not completely,” he continued. “It’s titanium with a double switch that’s programmed by computer. The code changes daily. That much I have figured out.”
She shut her eyes for a moment. “Oh, no. So what are we going to do”
“If the goods are in the safe, I won’t know if I can get in there until the day of.”
“Shit,” she whispered.
“Exactly.” He paused. “Somehow I’m going to have to get access to the ship’s computer system, hack in, and find the code.”
“Can you”
“If it comes down to it, I’ll get in.”
She rested her head on his shoulder. “Thanks for being honest with me. I knew something was wrong.”
“Wish I had better news.”
“It’ll be all right. You’re the best.” She looked into his eyes. “Right”
He winked and grinned. “Yeah, I am, ain’t I” He ran his hand down her damp back. “Why don’t we try out the shower” he said, his voice thick with desire.
She smiled, slow and inviting. “Hmmm, I like the sound of that.”
“I hoped that’s what you’d say.” He stood and pulled her to her feet. “Why don’t I help you get undressed” He nibbled her neck.
“One good turn deserves another,” she murmured, unfastening his belt.
He pulled her T-shirt over her head. He loved the fact that she rarely wore a bra. The idea that he could simply flash her a look and he could see her nipples harden right in front of him was an exquisite turn-on. He held her breasts in his hands, the fullness of them flowing over his palms. She moaned softly against his ear, her warm breath like butterfly wings against his skin. God, he could never get enough of her. It made him crazy, he thought, pulling her shorts down over her hips. He brushed fingers against her clit. Wet and welcoming, just the way he liked it. He felt her thighs tremble.
They never made it to the shower.
* * *
Jake held his wife close, listened to her easy, rhythmic breathing. He stroked her hair. She stirred ever so slightly.
He would do anything for her—just about anything. Eva wanted to get out of the game, settle down. He knew what that meant. She wanted a family.
The thought terrified him. It was the one thing he had to deny her, yet he knew if he did, he’d lose her. Was that a risk he was wi
lling to take
16
“Got everything” Jake asked in a pseudo-whisper as they moved toward the ship’s gangplank the following morning.
Eva, Rita, and Jinx murmured their assent.
“Once we get on board, we won’t be able to meet. The only communication should be via cell or your headset. Any updates will be on your PDAs. I have the cell from Ingram. I’ll let you all know when she makes contact.”
“What about her husband” Rita asked as they inched forward.
“We’ll deal with him when the time comes. For now, eyes on the prize.” Jake handed the crew member his boarding pass.
“You’re on the fourth level, sir. Follow the path to your left. Enjoy your trip.”
Jake took Eva’s hand and helped her on board. She squeezed his fingers. They looked at each other. “Let’s get this party started,” Jake said.
“Let’s.”
* * *
With each step they took into the enormous ship, Jake felt unsteady, his legs becoming spaghetti-like beneath him. He tightened his hold on Eva’s hand. She turned to him and smiled. His jaw clenched. He could feel perspiration begin to form along his back. They took an escalator to the upper level and followed the corridor around to their cabin.
Jake and Eva had an inside cabin, which was fine with Jake. At least he wouldn’t have to look at the misleading calm of the water that would keep them afloat. It was a terror, this phobia he’d never shared with anyone—not with Eva, not with Jinx. He’d never been back to a beach since childhood, since that unforgettable day. He stayed as far away from boats as possible. If there were some other way to pull off this job, he’d do it.
They stepped into their room. He was short of breath.
“Babe, you okay” Eva asked, staring at him, concern tightening the corners of her eyes. “You’re sweating.”
An old familiar shudder seized his spine. “I’m fine. Turn on the air,” he said, dumping the bag with the laptop on the bed. He unbuttoned a second button on his shirt. “Kinda warm in here.”
She gave him a short look then went to the wall panel and turned up the air-conditioning. “Should cool off in a few minutes.” She faced him, her head dipped to the side. “You want to tell me what’s wrong Is it the safe”
He rocked his neck left, right then rolled his shoulders. “Naw, just feel cramped.” He focused his gaze on the patterns on the carpet.
The ship shifted ever so slightly. Jake drew in a sharp breath.
Eva reached out, clasped his shoulder. “Baby what’s wrong You look ill, and you’re sweating like crazy.”
Jake slowly backed away, sucking in air. He reached behind him and felt for the bed, slowly sat down. Eva sat next to him. She felt his forehead.
“You’re clammy. Did you eat something” She thought about the hurried breakfast of eggs and coffee they’d gobbled down at a rest stop. Maybe that was the trouble.
“I’ll be all right. Just felt a little weird for a minute.” The corners of his mouth flickered into an imitation of a smile.
“Lie down for a few. I’ll unpack.”
“Yeah, yeah, I think I will.” He leaned back against the pillows, threw his left arm across his eyes.
Eva watched him from the other side of the cabin. Jake didn’t get sick. He was healthy as a horse. She couldn’t remember the last time he’d gotten a simple cold. It was she who usually had to be nursed to health. Her gut told her the sudden symptoms were more psychological than physical. He was afraid—of what, she had no clue. She was pretty sure it wasn’t the job. As difficult as manipulating the codes for the safe was, that wasn’t something that would make Jake Kelly look as if someone had walked over his grave.
She opened the two carry-on bags they’d brought on board and started to unpack. A gentle knock interrupted her. She peered through the peephole then opened the door.
A young man, a member of the ship’s staff, stood with a rolling cart containing the rest of their luggage.
“Thank you. Please bring them right in. You can put them in that corner,” she added, pointing to an empty space on the far side of the cabin. She stepped back and let him push the cart into the room. He unloaded the luggage and left.
She glanced at Jake, who still lay supine on the bed as she closed and locked the door. He barely stirred. Concern wrinkled her brow. What wasn’t he telling her If it was something that was going to have an impact on this job, she had a right to know.
She crossed the room and sat next to him. He mumbled something but didn’t take his arm from in front of his eyes.
Eva gently shook his shoulder. “Jake. Wake up.”
“I’m not asleep.”
“Then look at me.”
He moved his arm away as if it weighed a ton, letting it flop to his side. He blinked several times to get her in focus. “What’s up”
“That’s what I want you to tell me. And don’t give me any bullshit about feeling cramped. We’ve been locked in closer quarters than this, and it never bothered you before. Like the time when we lifted that jewelry and had to hide in the mark’s closet for two hours when his son came home.”
That ugly incident had turned them forever off of burglary. They’d nearly gotten caught. It was the one time they veered off their regular plan. Instead of their usual picture scam, they’d decided that they would use the information they’d gathered on the mark and lift a few choice items from his house, especially since he couldn’t stop telling Eva how much he had and how much he was worth. Breaking in had been a cinch for Jake. But the one thing they didn’t count on was the unexpected arrival of the son who’d come home from college two days early. They were stuck in the bedroom closet for two hot, unbearable hours until the son finally went out. They’d barely escaped. Their car actually passed the mark’s on their way out on the two-lane road.
During the entire ordeal, Jake was the epitome of cool; he was calm and in control. So this behavior made no sense.
Jake stared up at the ceiling.
“Is whatever it is that’s happening with you going to affect this job”
He turned his head to look at her. “No.”
Eva pressed her palm against his chest. “This is me, Jake. Whatever it is, you can tell me.”
He looked away. “It was a long time ago,” he murmured.
“What was”
He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment. “I was around nine. Me and Jinx and Earl.”
Eva tried to recall someone named Earl. She couldn’t. Jake never mentioned anyone named Earl.
“One minute we were playing tag on the shoreline and the next…” He sighed heavily, ran his tongue across his lips.
“What happened”
“He was just gone. Disappeared, right in front of our eyes as if he never existed. The water took him.”
Eva put together the jagged pieces of the puzzle. Jake had watched his childhood friend Earl get sucked away by a wave, probably a riptide. No wonder he never wanted to go swimming or sailing.
“I never got over it, not really. Had nightmares for years. Thought I’d pretty much gotten it out of my system … until we got on the ship.” In his child’s mind, he’d connected water with loss, having the ability to engulf someone you cared about and take them away forever. And that connection had lain dormant—until today.
“Jake,” she said as gentle as she could. “Why didn’t you ever tell me”
He shook his head. “Ego thing, I guess.”
“Ego”
“Didn’t want you to see me weak or afraid.” He sputtered a laugh.
“I would have seen you as a human being who experienced a traumatic event. We all have stuff that messes with our head.”
He challenged her with a hard look. “What messes with your head, Eva”
She thought for a moment. She wanted to be honest. “I have a constant fear that I’ll lose everything, including you.”
He turned on his side and propped himself up on his elbow. “Why” he asked,
his voice rising an octave.
“You know some of my life growing up.” She looked at him. He nodded for her to go on. “When my mother walked out on me and me never knowing my father, then Rita’s mom dying on us and my grandmother not wanting to be bothered with either of us left me feeling like you can’t put your feelings into anyone, because if you do, they can be taken away or, worse, not share those same feelings for you.” She looked at him.
The sadness he saw in her twisted his stomach with a pain that he very well understood. He sat up, gathered her close. “You’ll never lose me, Eva,” he breathed into her ear. “Never. I swear that to you.”
She held on for a moment before easing back. “How can I ever be sure” Her dark eyes danced over his face, searching for the truth.
“There are no guarantees in life, but as long as I have a breath in my body and the ability to do so, I’ll be with you.” He stroked her cheek. “I’ve never broken a promise to you. Never.”
She lowered her head. “Guess we’re two pretty messed-up individuals, huh”
“More like kindred spirits.” A half smile softened the lines of his face. He tucked his finger beneath her chin and lifted her head. “Let’s make a deal.”
She twisted her lips to the side, eyeing him with suspicion. “What kind of deal”
“You keep me from flipping out on this ship, and I promise to make sure that you’re never alone. How’s that”
When she grinned, the corners of her eyes crinkled. “I like the sound of that.”
“Good. I have to be honest.”
“What”
“This safe thing is bugging me. But I’m going to nail it. I need to play around with the encryption program some more. I’m close—I can feel it.”
“You’ll pull it off. You always do.”
He pushed up from the bed.
A blast from the ship’s horn signaled their departure.