Connections: Conexiones (Mercenaries Book 3)

by Tony Lavely

  “I concur, though with little pleasure. How do you plan to profit—” He stopped short.

  Did he figure it out?

  “The shed does not contain the videos.”

  “Yeah, that’d be too easy. But how many places could they be? I think you hit it when you said Talos got arrested before he could put the gold away… and get the videos. Makes sense it’d be close to where we found the gold, then.” She caught her breath, hoping Ian would agree. Or at least, allow the possibility.

  After a couple moments, Ian laughed. “Very well. Look for anything we can apply to either Talos or Goldfarb as recompense for their attacks on us. Again I say, be careful and keep in touch.”

  “We will. I love you.”

  As the sun disappeared behind Sud Cay, Beckie walked over to the deVeel’s home. Shalin happily invited her to share their dinner; as she ate, Beckie explained she would take Amy north with her in the morning, to visit Eilís O’Bannon in Boston, and then a short trek to New York.

  Before turning in, Beckie talked to Dan, still watching the terminal at Fort Lauderdale, hoping, she thought, he’d find the man who’d hassled them three weeks before. All was quiet, and he’d buy them breakfast before their flight. By nine that night, she was dreaming about Ian.

  Saturday morning, the air taxi arrived to ferry them to Fort Lauderdale, where they would enter the US and meet Dan for coffee and muffins. Then they’d proceed to Boston, where Eilís was waiting with open arms if the phone conversation Beckie’d had with her was to be believed.

  So it was. Beckie led Amy out of the concourse into the expanse of Logan Airport’s Terminal C where the younger girl’s height advantage allowed her to spot Eilís first. The woman was running from the foot of the huge escalator toward them. With the meeting and greeting done, Eilís brought them to her car.

  “We’ll stop at my place, then head down to the Cape, to Chatham. You’ll be able to leave from there Monday morning.”

  “Sounds wonderful,” Beckie said. “But it also sounds like it’s screwing up your weekend—”

  “Believe me, it’s not. I had nothing planned for today or tomorrow; and I needed to get down there anyway. You guys can help clean up.” She paused. Beckie looked at her; the pause was unexpected. “I think there are a few things Jo left, too, besides the car.” She brightened. “Since the title’s in her ‘work’ name, I suppose we’ll need to practice some to get the signature right. But that’ll be the easiest way to do it.”

  “Uh-huh,” Beckie said, not happy about forging names but not seeing any better way to transfer the title to Amy, either.

  “Where will you keep it?” Eilís asked.

  “For now, since the kid’s too young to drive, and even on Bon Secours, there’s no room, or road either, we’ll dump it at my place in Coral Gables. If that’s okay with you, kid?”

  Amy continued the face she’d been making through Beckie’s speech, evoking laughter from Eilís. “I suppose. I don’t think there’s any gas at home, either.”

  Beckie nodded. “Yeah. Just AV gas at the hangar. Well, except for the boats.”

  “That’ll be a fun drive,” Eilís said as she drove into the tunnel headed toward the city. “Boston to Miami.”

  “Yeah. Maybe we’ll stop in Orlando.”

  “Ooo!”

  “Or maybe not!” Beckie said with a laugh. “Depends on how you behave.”

  “I didn’t think that letter meant you had to act like Mom.”

  Eilís drove into the parking garage and found her spot. Thirty minutes to freshen up after the four hour flight and they were on the way again. Saturday afternoon traffic was moderate for an October weekend; in less than two hours, Eilís parked next to a red and blue MINI.

  Beckie opened the door and got out. She glanced at her phone as Amy stretched beside her; it was just after four. The sun was headed down over the houses to the left.

  “This way,” Eilís called. Beckie pushed Amy ahead of her, but then stopped as she finally noticed the house, a saltbox cape. While she couldn’t call it a mansion, it was a beautiful example of traditional architecture, with classic weathered-to-grey shingles and white trim. Facing the ocean, the front stood two stories high while the back dropped almost to the ground. This has gotta be a million dollars sitting here! “My god, that’s beautiful! And big! Does the whole town stay here in storms or something?”

  Eilís laughed before saying, “No, and it’s not really that big. Not big enough to get lost in, that’s for sure.” She laughed again, then used the key pad to open the red painted door.

  “I’m going to walk on the beach for a couple minutes,” Amy said once she reached the crest of the ridge the house topped.

  Behind her, Beckie shrugged and followed her as far as the end of the grassy area. Eilís came up behind her and held a can of soda over her shoulder before sitting beside her. Beckie took a long drink and thanked her.

  “So it’s the MINI that’s now Amy’s?”

  “Yeah, once we work over the title.” Eilís drank from her glass. “I had a local kid drive it over to the nearest dealer and have it checked out. Seems to be in fine shape.”

  “Good. I can garage it until Amy needs it. How old is it?”

  “Four or five years old.”

  They sat in companionable silence until Amy, jeans soaked well up her legs, ran back up to them. Laughing, they headed into the house.

  Inside, Eilís pointed toward the back, across from the kitchen. “Bathroom,” she said. “Get out of the wet clothes. I’ll throw a robe in for you.”

  While Eilís directed Amy, then sought a robe, Beckie looked around.

  There were few pieces of furniture downstairs. The floor plan could have been as traditional as the exterior design, but Beckie didn’t know. The whole downstairs was open, except in the center where a staircase wrapped around an exposed brick chimney. To the left of the entry door, there was a bed, ready for use.

  To the right, a pair of side chairs were arrayed behind a leather sofa, guarding the window in that wall. Under the window in the front wall a low table stood.

  Farther back, behind the living room, she could see professional appliances: a stove, refrigerator, microwave oven as well as cabinets set into the low wall. Skylights in the ceiling recovered the illumination lost to the roofline.

  Beckie shook her head and headed out the door. “I’ll bring in our bags.”

  When she came back in, Eilís pointed to the bed immediately off the front door. “You guys get that room. I’ll take the upstairs.” When Beckie protested, Eilís laughed. “Hey, whatever. But the upstairs has only one single bed. The whole rest of it is storage. Not too comfortable for sleeping.”

  She lugged the bags over to the bed and tossed them atop it. “Well… Thanks, Lin—”

  Amy came running around the fireplace, shouting. “You gotta see this bathroom. It’s immense! And the tub… I’ve seen smaller pools! Com’on!”

  As Amy grabbed Beckie’s hand, Eilís laughed. “I’ve seen it. You go ahead.”

  Amy’s robe flared as she spun, first to grin back to Eilís, then around to pull Beckie with her. Lots of well-tanned leg, there, Beckie thought as she allowed herself to be dragged through the kitchen and into the bath. Together, they giggled and marveled over the marble shower and fittings and the eight foot square hot tub. Oooing and aahing done, they returned to the kitchen.

  “I ordered pizza. We have beer or wine… or soda,” Eilís said, looking at Amy, who instantly scowled back.

  “I think she could have a mimosa as long as she’s not driving,” Beckie said. “It’ll give me more leverage.” She grinned as Amy turned the force of her scowl on her.

  “Excellent! Pizza will be here in a half hour.” She waved them back to the front room. Amy dropped to sit on the sofa. Beckie took her place beside the girl. When they had settled, Eilís handed them both tumblers full of orange juice and champagne, then sat on the coffee table in front of them. “Now,” she said, “why are
you really visiting me?”

  Beckie felt a slight blush creep up her neck and cheeks. “Am I that obvious?”

  “Not at all.” Beckie wasn’t reassured. “But since Amy can’t even drive the car, and the holiday was last weekend, and we don’t get much foliage down here…”

  Beckie threw her arms up in mock dismay. “Okay, okay.” She pulled Amy close, put her arm about the girl’s shoulders. “There are a couple or three things. What about that guy in the catch and release program? Ian said you would maybe broker something, if you could.”

  “Ah, yes. Silvio Flores. He slipped back into the woodwork and hasn’t been seen since. Goldfarb professed no knowledge of him, though he offered to make sure he landed safely.” Eilís had an interesting look on her face.

  “Would it do any good to ask Goldfarb about him?”

  “Probably not, but it would remind him we’re still out and about, so to speak. I can do that on Monday.”

  “Good. Next. Somewhere in her travels, Abby, Jolene, came across a safe deposit box key. It’s for World Commerce Bank, in New York. What trouble will we cause trying to open it?”

  Amy had grabbed Beckie’s arm. “It’s World Bank of Commerce.”

  Beckie turned and nodded once she’d heard Amy out. “Right. So that’s another thing. And finally, we were going to look over the place in Brewster. On the phone, you said it was up for sale, right? Maybe I could be looking to buy…”

  Eilís stood, glass in hand. “You ready for another?”

  “When the pizza comes. For her, too.” She tipped her head in Amy’s direction. She didn’t need to look to see the scowl renewed.

  Instead, Amy wiggled out from under Beckie’s arm and trailed Eilís into the kitchen. Beckie smiled.

  Before Eilís finished, Beckie noticed lights on the street, followed by a rap at the door. “Pizza’s here,” she called as she went to the door.

  “Put them on the sideboard,” Eilís called back. “Oh, wait, here’s the…”

  Beckie finished paying and with a “Thank you,” closed the door.

  “You didn’t have to do that. You guys are the guests.”

  “Big deal. I’ll take it out of Amy’s inheritance if you insist.” She came up behind Amy and tried to smack her rear end. “Well,” Beckie said, disappointed, “with the robe, that doesn’t work at all.” She noticed Amy’s incredulous look. “What? You thought I wouldn’t see you guzzling from that bottle?”

  “It was empty!” Amy looked at Eilís.

  “It was, nearly. Not enough for another mimosa.”

  “Then, the padding of the robe is justified. But next time, there will be no next time. Drinking out of the bottle isn’t good even in college. Com’on, let’s eat before the pizza gets cold.”

  As Beckie picked up the last piece she planned to eat, a double rap on the side door warned them just before the lock snicked and the door swung open. A tall man… No, he’s a teen, Beckie realized as she surveyed him, a good-looking one, too. Wearing jeans, sneakers and a windbreaker, the newcomer was not quite six feet tall, she judged, and thin. Windblown brown hair didn’t look long enough to reach his shoulders; his eyes were dark, and questioning until they lit on Eilís.

  “Ms O’Bannon, hi! I thought you weren’t coming down this weekend, otherwise I would have waited.”

  “And if it hadn’t been me, but a robber, what the heck do you think you would have walked into?” She stared at him until he dropped his gaze to carefully examine the floor at his feet. “This young man, trying out for unarmed neighborhood watchman of the year, is Dylan Rees. He’s been our neighbor since Mom bought the place, and as he implied, he does his best to look out for it while I’m up in town.” She walked over and clapped him on the back. “Okay, Dylan, that’s enough pouting. Head up and meet Beckie Sverdupe and Amy Ardan.”

  Amy smiled, though Beckie could see the embarrassment on her face. She clutched Beckie’s arm as she made an excuse and whispered, “Where are my clothes? I can’t sit here in this.”

  “Excuse us,” Beckie said before leading Amy to their bedroom. She stood guard in the open archway while Amy dug through her bag. Beckie smiled internally but otherwise refused to acknowledge Any’s little gasps of dismay, but instead said over her shoulder, “The pizza’s almost gone.”

  After another few seconds of rustling and muttered curses—at least, Beckie was pretty sure they were curses. If it’d been her, they would have been—Amy spun her by the shoulder, obviously wanting approval of her choice. She’d donned short blue shorts and a red tee shirt, both more at home in the warmth of the Bahamas. “Well, you look fine…” She smirked as she noticed Amy’d dispensed with her bra. “… though I’d guess any walks on the beach will be very short,” she said as she pushed the girl back into the living room.

  Beckie smirked again at the changes in Dylan’s expression as he noticed Amy, now unpadded by the terry robe. Once he’d gone from curious through interested to what looked like Wow! when his eye caught her chest and her flimsy shirt, Beckie took his arm and walked him to stand beside the girl. He blushed quite prettily when he realized his ogling had been noticed and mumbled something to Amy that might have been an apology, based on her cheeks’ rapid coloring.

  Eilís was grinning like a madwoman, but after exchanging a glance with Beckie, she waved toward the sofa and chairs. The four spent several minutes in greeting and exchanging information they were comfortable with; Dylan had more to share than the girls. Beckie sat back, enjoying watching the Amy-Dylan dynamic ebb and flow. She wondered if Eilís intended them to meet, but the continuing conversation didn’t support that. The boy had arrived home from a basketball game and noticed the lights on. Beckie discreetly shook her head; what had he been thinking?

  By ten o’clock, the seating arrangements had shifted slightly, leaving Dylan on the table, his knees and Amy’s occasionally touching, still casting surreptitious glances at her legs and… and other things, Beckie thought with a grin. While she was still beside Amy on the couch, Eilís had pulled a tall stool in from the kitchen and was comfortable there.

  Beckie felt only minor disappointment that no further discussion of her goals had been possible, except she and Eilís agreed there was no point in leaving the next day, Sunday. Even Monday was doubtful if they wanted Eilís to find assistance in New York.

  Dylan offered to take Amy and Beckie to the nearest mall, in Hyannis, to shop for more appropriate clothes. Beckie was sure he’d included her as camouflage, or perhaps in the hope she’d refuse, but she couldn’t do that. As sure as she was Dylan was not acting for Big Evil in any way, she still couldn’t allow the girl to be that far out of sight.

  After the third time Amy yawned, Beckie pulled her up while Eilís showed Dylan the door. “We’ll be here tomorrow,” she told him.

  “You think he’s… interested? Dylan?”

  They were tucked into the big bed just off the front door, a pillow between them. Beckie laughed, not a guffaw which would embarrass Amy, but a meek little chuckle type of laugh. It was enough for Amy. “I mean, in me?” Beckie killed her humor; she recalled too vividly how she’d felt when Ian sent her home. Amy seemed not to notice. “I’m not sure… I mean, like, what do I do?”

  Beckie reached to caress Amy’s cheek. “Just relax. Be yourself.”

  “And, you’re not gonna let me outta your sight anyway, are you?”

  “We are joined at the hip. Be glad I’m a girl, so we can go to the ladies together. And we can’t take him back with us, so consider the commuting that’ll be involved.”

  Amy rolled over to lie on her back and blew out her breath. “Eilís is kinda funny, you know.”

  “Yeah, but we need her help.”

  “You think she had Dylan…”

  “What? Show up for you?” Beckie rolled her head over to watch Amy nodding. “No. He wandered in out of the goodness of his heart. And maybe a bit of lust for Eilís…” Amy gasped, but shared no other reaction. “And found you and me here.
My signals were pretty clear. While he’s cute, I’m not in the market. Leaving you as an unknown. A pleasant, attractive unknown.”

  “You think he and Eilís—”

  “I have no idea. But he seemed familiar with everything. Just like a friend of the family would be.” Beckie sighed. “That should be at the bottom of your list of things to worry about. Sleep. We have to talk to Eilís in the morning before Dylan gets here.”

  Amy lay still, feigning sleep until Beckie’s breathing steadied. She slipped out of the bed and padded to the window in the east-facing wall. Lights from a boat—fisherman?—were visible and she could faintly hear the waves, a long way away.

  Don’t hide, she told herself. You’re not sleeping because you’re… you’re guilty! I did come on to him pretty quick. Like you and Abby did, too. She blushed and ran her hand over her belly, trying to recapture the feeling. Doesn’t work, she thought. He’s really nice. Com’on, girl! You met him what, three hours ago? He’s good-looking; he’s a guy. He acts interested in me. That might be ‘cause you pointed your boobs at him! She blushed. I did, didn’t I? Well… She straightened her night-shirt. Abby wouldn’t mind, I’m sure. I’ll see what he’s like tomorrow.

  Back in the bed, she snuggled up to Beckie’s back; her pillow’d gone somewhere and she wasn’t interested in finding it.

  Beckie blinked twice before holding her hand in front of her eyes. The sun was glaring off the smooth water and staring in through the immense window in the front wall. She tried to bury her head, only to find Amy in the way. They were again spooned the way she’d described to Ian. She elected not to breathe on Amy’s neck the way Ian had hers. Discretion: the better part of valor, she rationalized.