"Get a move on, you guys! David's waiting upstairs."
Rhi let her head drop onto Marika's shoulder as the lawyer chuckled ruefully and called, "We're coming."
Satisfied by Marika's assurance, Dana left. Concerned gray eyes searched Rhi's face. "Are you...Will you be all right?" the lawyer asked quietly.
Rhi sat up, her breath still erratic and her pulse racing. "Only if you promise we can pick up this discussion later."
Her emphatic tone made Marika chuckle. "I promise. First opportunity." Then she added teasingly, "Think you can remember where we left off?"
With a little smirk, Rhi accepted the challenge. Leaning forward, she kissed Marika briefly, but passionately. Drawing away, she smiled at the wide-eyed stare she was receiving. "I think, right about there."
"Um, yeah...that would be it." The normally articulate lawyer appeared to be tongue-tied, and Rhi laughed as she knelt beside the bags to discover which was hers.
"I'll grab the shower first. I'll be out in five minutes." Rhi slung the bag over her shoulder, pretending as she left the room that she didn't hear Marika's muttered suggestion that they could share.
Moments later she stood under the hot water, her eyes closed as she contemplated Marika's words. Rhi pictured the lawyer stepping under the hot water with her, that sleek naked body only inches away. Gasping at the violent shiver that image sent through her body, the young woman leaned her head against the shower wall.
It was such an unfamiliar emotion, this powerful desire that surged through her, weakening her knees and hardening her nipples at the mere thought of the woman she loved. She ran a wet finger over her lips, recalling the sensation of warm, soft lips that had parted for her. When her other hand began straying down her belly, she caught herself.
Not now! she scolded inwardly, directing her disobedient hand to the shower control instead. Forcing herself to turn the water temperature down, Rhi squeaked as the blast of cool water hit her. Geez, I always thought this was a myth! Conscious that it was only a temporary remedy, the young woman rapidly washed up and climbed out of the shower, shivering for an entirely different reason now.
Toweling dry, Rhi rummaged in the suitcase, digging out clothes and toiletries. As she dressed, she felt the excitement thrumming just below the surface. She'd barely had her first kiss and already her body was screaming for more. While a part of her feared the intensity of what she was feeling for Marika, a stronger part yearned for the privacy to continue what they'd scarcely begun.
Nervous fingers fumbled to fasten her short-sleeved, blue cotton blouse as her mind contemplated the implications of what they'd started. Her complete inexperience made her apprehensive, but when she recalled the look in Marika's eyes, she felt peace return to her agitated mind. She knew she could trust the other woman completely. No one who gazed at her with such adoration would ever hurt her.
With renewed assurance, Rhi hung up the towel and exited the washroom. Pushing open the bedroom door, she smiled at seeing Marika with her arms crossed behind her head, lying on the made-up bed and staring at the ceiling with a tiny smile on her lips.
Taking a split second to admire the way the oversized t-shirt fell just short of Marika's slender thighs, Rhi called, "Bathroom's all yours. I'll meet you upstairs, okay?"
"Okay." Marika didn't move for a long moment, allowing her eyes to caress the young woman standing in the doorway. Rhi almost groaned aloud at the matching look of desire in the gray eyes, and had to forcibly pull herself away.
Crossing to the stairs on the far wall, the young woman shook her head in self-admonition. Geez! This is getting so out of control. You'd better watch what you say around the others. Despite the inner cautionary, Rhi felt almost delirious with joy and anticipation as she mounted the stairs to the main level.
She entered the kitchen with a broad smile still on her face and was met with a knowing look from Lee, who sat at the table with David. Dana was bustling from the refrigerator to the stove with a carton of eggs in her hand. Rhi slid into a chair opposite Lee, who winked at her.
Mildly disconcerted, Rhi mumbled, "Rika will be up in a few moments. She's just going to take a shower."
"Heck, I thought you'd share one," Lee teased.
Rhi blushed furiously as Dana reproved her mate. "Lee! Behave yourself!"
"What?" Lee protested innocently. "I simply meant to conserve water. Haven't you heard? The Premier made it official last month. There's a drought in our province, and it behooves all of us to do our part."
David was chuckling quietly as he sipped his coffee, and Dana just rolled her eyes before saying, "Ignore her, Rhi. How do you like your eggs?"
Grateful for the diversion, Rhi answered, "Um, scrambled, I guess. But Dana, I could just make some toast..."
"Nonsense. You've got a full day ahead of you, and you're not starting it without a good breakfast. Lee, grab the orange juice out of the fridge."
Lee leaned back and opened the refrigerator as Dana decisively cracked some eggs into a hot frying pan, briskly stirring them around. Rhi grinned. She had a feeling she was hearing what Danny did on a regular basis, but she didn't object when Lee poured a large glass of juice and set it in front of her.
"So what's happening today?" Rhi asked as she sipped her juice and peered at her companions curiously.
"Why don't we wait for Rika and then I only have to run through this once," Lee suggested, refilling her and David's coffee mugs.
"Okay," Rhi agreed amiably, gratefully accepting the plate of sausages and toast that Dana had pulled out of the warm oven. When the eggs were added, she tucked into her breakfast, only now conscious of how hungry she was.
She was cleaning up the final bites when she felt a pair of hands settle onto her shoulders. Glancing up, she grinned at Marika, who smiled back before taking the chair next to her. Spooky padded in from the living room and promptly jumped up on his mistress' lap, complaining loudly about the upheaval in his living arrangements. Marika soothed him with voice and hands, and he finally settled in a contented heap.
"Over easy, Rika?" Dana asked, placing a mug before the new arrival.
Before Marika could say anything, Rhi piped up, "Don't even bother." In dead on mimicry, she said sternly, "You have a full day ahead of you, and you're not starting it without a good breakfast!"
Everyone laughed, even Dana as she shook her head and cracked two eggs into the pan. "Someone's feeling her oats," the stocky nurse chided amiably. Rhi grinned and pushed the orange juice container in front of Marika, who shook her head.
"No, thanks. Coffee's good."
Rhi was about to expound on the health benefits of juice over coffee, when she caught the knowing amusement in Lee's eyes and decided the last bite of sausage required her close attention. She'd hoped her feelings for the lawyer weren't as apparent as she suspected, but judging by the looks on her friends' faces, she wasn't fooling anyone.
How could I? My whole body sings when she's near. Rhi shivered as Marika brushed against her reaching to accept the plate that Dana offered. Clearing her throat, she tried for a neutral tone. "So now that Rika's here, can you fill us in on what's happening?"
Lee's face sobered and she tapped one finger on the table for emphasis as she began. "After you two are done with breakfast, we're going to the police station to file formal reports on what happened last night. Once that's done, you two are leaving town immediately until everything is resolved. David will tell you what we've arranged."
David pulled a key out of one pocket and a homemade map out of the other. Unfolding it in front of the women, he explained, "I called my friend, Conor, this morning. His family has a cabin out at Shuswap Lakes. It's nothing really fancy, but it'll give you a place to go where no one would ever think of looking for you. Conor's sister's family just left there last weekend, so it's all opened up and ready. You'll just have to buy your food supplies. Make sure you pick them up in town before you head out to the cabin, because it's on the far side of the lake and not ea
sily accessible."
"Are you sure it's okay with him that two strangers stay there?" Marika asked with concern.
David smiled. "You're not strangers to me, and that's good enough for him."
"What about work?" Rhi pointed out. "How long are we going to be there? We can't just not show up on Monday."
"I already called Daniel Cohen and explained the situation," Lee told her. "Both of you are officially on three weeks holiday, starting now, and he'll have a temp man your office and rearrange appointments. I've also rented a car under our corporate card so there'll be no connection to you. You'll be taking it to the Shuswaps."
Rhi stared at her, somewhat stunned at how thoroughly her big friend had organized things. "Are you sure this is all necessary, Lee? I mean, Cass wouldn't be stupid enough to try again, would she?"
Lee's amiable features hardened at the mention of their captor's name. "I'm not sure what that woman would be crazy enough to do, but I'm not taking any chances." Leaning forward, she gazed intently at Rhi and Marika. "There's a lot more going on here than we know about, and I get the feeling we're only grazing the tip of the iceberg. Luckily we caught a break yesterday. Pike and Eddie will be transported back to Calgary this afternoon, and Marc has agreed to let me sit in on questioning them. I'm pretty sure we can crack this whole matter open once we put a little pressure on those weasels. There's also Gao to consider."
"Surely he'd have taken off," Marika protested. "He wouldn't be foolish enough to hang around when we can identify him, would he?"
"Dunno where he went," Lee admitted. "I was talking to Marc earlier and Gao never went back to his apartment, but that doesn't mean he isn't still around, and he's definitely a loose end that we have to take into consideration."
"Look at it this way," David said helpfully, "you're getting an unexpected vacation in one of the prettiest places around. All you have to do is relax and have fun."
Marika and Rhi looked at each other, then both blushed and looked away. Rhi decided suddenly that going to the cabin at the Lakes wasn't such a bad idea after all, and she had the very strong feeling that the lawyer wouldn't object either.
Oblivious to the byplay, David went on, "Besides, after all I had to do to find this key, you have to accept the offer."
Gratefully for the diversion, Rhi asked, "Why couldn't you find it?"
"I still haven't unpacked all my boxes from moving here, and I knew it was in one of them. After I talked to Conor, it took me almost an hour of searching before I found it. I even dragged poor Tupper in to help me. You should have seen the both of us in the basement rummaging through a ton of boxes." He shook his head ruefully. "I think Tupper was about to shoot me when I finally found it in one of the first boxes we'd gone through."
Turning to Marika, David asked, "Have you been to the Shuswaps before?"
The lawyer shook her head. "No, but I've driven that highway on the way to the coast, so I don't expect I'll have any problems finding our way."
David reviewed his homemade map as Marika finished her breakfast. Rhi leaned forward to examine the map, conscious that her arm was resting lightly against the lawyer's as she did so. She felt like her whole body was being drawn inexorably towards the woman, and she had to force herself to pay attention to the priest's directions.
Once David was satisfied that they understood his map, he pushed it and the key across the table. "There's a canoe stored in the wood hut. Feel free to use it or anything else that's there. You'll have to check to see if fire conditions allow you to have a bonfire, but everything you need should be there." He smiled warmly at the women. "Have fun, and put everything else out of your mind."
Lee broke in. "Just make sure you take your cell phone so I can reach you to keep you updated."
Marika nodded. "I'll check in with you every evening before we go to bed."
Before we go to bed. We...bed. Rhi was amazed at how such a simple phrase had taken her breath away, but she couldn't help wondering how many bedrooms the cabin had and whether they'd be using more than one. She knew what she wanted...she was pretty sure she knew what Marika wanted...but there was still an underlying anxiety to taking this step. Taking a deep breath, she decided to concentrate on the here and now, and let the evening take care of itself.
"Let's get moving then," Lee suggested as Marika downed the last of her coffee. "The sooner we get your statements filed, the sooner you two can get out of here." The big woman pushed her chair back and stood. "I'm just going to take a quick look around outside."
Marika followed suit. "I'll go grab our bags, Rhi. Be back up in a moment."
Rhi started to clear the table, but Dana brushed her off. "I've got that. Why don't you walk David to his car?"
"I parked in the back alley," David explained as he led the way to the rear door. "Thought it might be less conspicuous that way."
Chuckling, Rhi agreed. "Yeah, that old tank of yours sticks out like a sore thumb."
"Hey!" The priest's good-natured protest was short-lived, and as they emerged into the sunshine, he looked at his young friend seriously. "Are you okay, Rhi? You've been through an awful lot in a very short span of time."
Rhi considered that as they walked slowly through the yard. She didn't say anything until they reached the back gate, and then in a low voice, she admitted, "I feel like I've been on a roller coaster, Ichabod. I mean, parts of the ride have been incredible, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. But I also feel like my whole world has been shaken up and I'm stumbling around dizzily, trying to get my bearings." She looked up at him anxiously. "Does that make sense?"
David smiled at her gently, his homely features awash with compassion. "Very much so, my friend."
Rhi leaned on the gate, staring at the priest's Volvo in the alley and idly aware that the patch of peeling paint on the fender seemed to grow larger every time she saw it. "For so long...as long as I can remember...all I've been focused on is saving up enough to leave here." With growing intensity and a hint of defiance, she told him, "Nothing ever distracted me from my goal. I worked all the overtime I could get, took odd jobs, paid off my education loan within a year, never spent a single cent that I could avoid, and finally, I'm almost there."
David joined her in leaning on the gate, saying nothing, but lending her the comfort of his uncritical presence.
"I could go today if I wanted. Just take a cab to the airport and be gone." Rhi shook her head wonderingly. "But..."
"But?" David prompted mildly.
"But I didn't figure her into my computations." Rhi turned her head and stared at him. "How could I? Nothing in my life prepared me for what I'm feeling now."
David cocked his head and returned the young woman's gaze. "Oh, I don't know about that, Rhi. Wouldn't you say that for the first ten years of your life your parents gave you a daily example of love? Didn't they live that love, between themselves and for you, every moment of your childhood? I know that it's been pretty bleak since you came to live with Hettie, but maybe it's time to let that old dream go because you don't need it any more."
"I'm not sure I can do that, Ichabod. It's kept me going through some pretty tough times."
"It was a crutch, Rhi, and a good one at that, but when we heal, we throw away our crutches."
Rhi sighed, and they were silent until David asked quietly, "Do you love her?"
"Yes."
"Does she love you?"
The young woman smiled, her dark eyes brimming with emotion. In a voice filled with awe, she said, "I think she does. I really think she does."
"Then you have to decide if she's worth throwing away that crutch for, because you can't have both, Rhi."
David smiled and stood up, unlatching the gate. Rhi stepped back, allowing him room to exit. He stopped on the other side of the gate and faced her with a little grin. "Nervous?"
Rhi blushed and blurted, "God, yes!"
He laughed and looked at her fondly. "I suspect it wouldn't do any good to give you my premarital counseling c
ourse in a nutshell, eh?" When Rhi rolled her eyes, he chuckled. "Didn't think so." Placing one large hand over hers where it rested on the top of the gate, he said softly, "Just follow your heart, little one. It won't steer you wrong."
As Rhi watched the tall, gangly priest walk around his car, she was overcome with a wave of affection. This outwardly unprepossessing man had been the first to breach her ironclad emotional defences with his gentle, unrelenting compassion. Without him, she might never have been open to the love that now suffused her heart and soul. As he unlocked his door, he smiled across the roof of the car at her, and she mouthed, 'Thank you.'
He nodded his understanding and waved, before folding himself into the car and starting the ignition. She watched him drive off, and then turned back to the house. As Rhi crossed the yard, she saw Marika standing at the glass doors watching her. She grinned at the woman and was answered with a smile.
Marika opened the door for her and as she stepped inside, asked, "Everything all right?"
"Mmm hmm," Rhi assured her. "We were just talking about...life."
The lawyer raised one amused eyebrow. "Oh, was that all?"
Rhi chuckled and lightly bumped against her as they walked together to the front door where their friends were waiting.
"Okay, let's get going," Lee said briskly. "I didn't see anyone out there, and your bags are in the trunk. We'll pick up your rental at the office once we're done with the police. I called Marc and he'll be waiting for us, along with a friend of his from Major Crimes."
The women walked quickly to the blue Taurus and piled inside. Rhi noticed Lee watching their surroundings closely as Dana backed out of the driveway. She glanced around too, but didn't see anything out of the ordinary for a sunny, summer Saturday morning. Then she was distracted as a warm hand slid over hers. She glanced at Marika and found the woman gazing at her, a mixture of hope and love in gray eyes. Knowing exactly how the lawyer was feeling, Rhi squeezed the slender fingers entwined with hers.
Lost in staring at each other, they barely noticed when they reached downtown. It was only when Dana pulled into the parking garage under Lee's offices, that they recalled themselves to the present.
Broken Faith Page 43