by Nash, M. G.
“We’ve got most of the rooms reserved now. There are always some last minute calls. We’ll be busy. Will you be coming down for the weekend?”
“I don’t think so, my friend. I waited too late to get plane tickets. I bet the flights are sold out already. Give my regards to Alfredo when you see him. The two of you should think about the charges you want to bring against Miguel and Pedro. He has been an accomplice, you know, we can scare him with that.”
By the time Carrie finished her work for the day, it was time to say good-bye to Mary who had rented a car to return to San Diego so she could continue her painting. Carrie helped her load her canvases into the back seat before giving her a hug, “We promise to call you when we know how everything goes, Mary. Please call when your boxes arrive.”
Bob and Carrie waved good-bye and turned back toward the house. When they were inside, Bob pulled Carrie into his arms kissing her gently, “I’m taking you out for a romantic dinner just the two of us,” he said stroking his hand through her hair. “You were so good with Mary. I want to thank you for your help.”
Carrie stood on tiptoe to kiss Bob. She put her arms around his neck saying sweetly, “Just part of the give and take, baby, I love helping you.” She kissed him again and lingered this time stroking her tongue over his lips. His arms tightened and he deepened their kiss. Carrie ended it with a quick breath, “I’m so happy to have you to myself, we might not get out of this house unless I go change.”
Pulling her closer, Bob touched his nose to hers, “I promise you will be my dessert," he whispered. Grabbing her buttocks, he rubbed himself against her, “And maybe my appetizer, too." He kissed his way down her neck murmuring, “You’re right; we do need a few moments alone. I want you.”
Lifting his hand, he slowly moved it over her breast molding the fabric so her nipple was highlighted. “Look at your nipple asking for attention. I think it wants it now,” he added as his head lowered to take the very tip into his mouth.
“Geez, that’s nice, but it wants more. Can you take it all in your mouth?” she whimpered. Bob obeyed and opened to capture her breast with a sucking motion. Her back arched immediately responding to his touch. Her arms brought his head closer and she moaned as the sensations shot down her body to begin a throb in her core. “Oh, I’ve got to touch you, too,” she cried as she moved her hands around to cup his ass and bring his closer.
Lifting his head he gave her a devilish smile, “I’m starving for you. Let me have you now, and I swear I’ll worship you after dinner with a long, slow loving.”
“Only if you take me on your desk,” Carrie walked her fingers up his chest. “I’ve watched you at work and fantasized about spreading myself across your papers.”
Taking her other breast into his mouth, he suckled while lifting her legs and carrying her to his office. He laid Carrie right on top of everything as he bent over her. She grabbed his body with her legs pulling him to her. He brought his head up to kiss her passionately. Caressing his hands down her body, he whispered, “You are more important than some papers, Carrie.”
Carrie sighed and lay back to let him undress her quickly. Each touch hummed along her skin arousing her. These days together had heightened her senses to him. She was so easily turned on from having him near. She felt her own wetness spread inside her. “You get to me every time,” she gasped when he bent to taste her wetness.
“You’re delicious, Carrie,” then his head shifted to kiss her upper thighs. He moaned at her musky smell and lifted her legs over his shoulder so he had full access to her core.
When his tongue danced over her labia, Carrie thrust her hips begging him for more. He smiled and brought his finger up to join his tongue so both were thrusting into her. She squirmed and tossed her head as her passion grew.
“Oh, Bob, what you do to me,” she cried as her climax ran like a crescendo through her. He continued nipping and kissing her mound as she quivered from the orgasm. “I want your cock, now,” Carrie pleaded as she tugged on Bob’s hand.
Bob opened his pants and quickly thrust his penis into her hot core. “Ah-h, fill me, baby, I want it all,” encouraged Carrie as she lifted her hips to meet his thrust. She brought her legs around his waist and her hands rose to grasp her own breasts so she could rub them together. Bob leaned down and wet her nipples with his tongue. She squeezed his legs to encourage his thrusts. With his hands on her shoulders and his mouth buried on her breast, Bob took Carrie till the rustling papers began slipping off the desk. As groans came out of his throat, he stilled and pulled her fully against his exploding cock.
Just as she imagined, Carrie lay sated and spread across Bob’s desk. She smiled at him and purred like a cat, “I think you like shagging on your desk, Bob.”
He kissed her bellybutton and all the way up to her chin. “I love fucking you on my desk,” he corrected with a smile.
“Now, you have to feed me, I’m starving,” she countered as Bob pulled her up from the desktop. “I’ll be dressed in a flash.” She grabbed her clothes scattered around the office and ran for the bedroom. Bob lingered behind to pick up the papers off the floor.
Carrie came running up the stairs a few minutes later wearing the same halter dress she had worn at the motel. “Oh, what memories that brings back,” Bob said fondly. “Did you rub on the glimmer dust for me? He turned her around admiring her looks. “And the turquoise earrings are perfect,” he kissed her cheek. I’m the luckiest man tonight.”
Chapter 20
Jose and Alfredo walked back into his office after saying good-bye to the banker. “So, what did you think, Jose?” Alfredo began as they sat around his desk.
“I need to go back and study the ledgers to see if we can make the income he shows on his forecast. I do like the idea of paying Bob off and taking the loan from the bank as part of this plan. I should have come to you, first, as family. I took the easy way out.”
“We wouldn’t have gotten this far without Bob,” Alfredo reminded him. “Juanita was his idea and she’s done good work. What else can you have her do before she goes back to California?”
“Bob has her researching the timeshare contacts just so we know more about them in case they keep hounding us. She offered to set up security on the computer so no one at the motel can enter without a special code. She’ll be around for a few more days.”
Checking his watch Jose began gathering his papers but turned to Alfredo to ask, “How is Pedro doing?” He stuffed the bank papers in his briefcase closing it with a snap.
Alfredo smiled and patted Jose on the back, “Your boy is turning into quite the landscaper. My police buddy’s threats scared him so I think he’s doing his penance. I’ve promised to talk to him about a job at the car dealership if he finishes his punishment of hard labor.”
“No need to screw up a boy’s life because he’s gullible,” said Jose. “Now, what do we do with Miguel to get him out of the picture? I’d like to give him a taste of my own punishment.”
“He’s the key to ending this, Jose,” countered Alfredo, “He’s a mouse heading to our mousetrap right now. I’m curious to see what he does now that Pedro’s gone. Pedro was his stooge inside the motel. With Pedro disappearing, I think Miguel will get antsy and contact the timeshare folks. Tell Juanita to keep a close eye on his nightly activities. My buddy is running her photos through the police database. Maybe we’ll get a name from a photo match. He told me there were too many fingerprints on the security badge to get anything definitive.”
Miguel stuffed a flashlight and a water bottle in his dark jacket before he left to scout the motel. He wondered if Pedro was staying there to work the night shift and sleep during the day. He also needed to check the filtration system and see if it was like the one used on the cruise ship where he had worked. He smiled at the jokes they used to make about the gringo tourists running to the bathroom with Montezuma’s revenge. If he could do that at Pleasure Cove, it would bring the motel to its knees and they would be eager to sell.
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Skirting through the mango orchard, Miguel approached the motel grounds from the rear. He wanted the water supply that was past the new construction area at the back. He’d had some beers with the construction workers in the village so he knew what to expect.
Silently he made his way up the path leading to the motel. He stopped when he saw a movement coming out of the construction area. Hitting the ground to conceal his body, Miguel watched a security guard stroll out of the darkened area. He carried a gun on his shoulder which surprised Miguel. “Someone’s expecting trouble,” he thought. He waited until the guard turned and walked past the construction before he lifted himself and headed in the opposite direction.
His heart was racing when he slipped back into Pedro’s house. “What the hell is going on?” he thought. Taking a beer from Pedro’s fridge, he sat in the dark and tried to figure out what was happening. Pedro’s gone and they have changed the security at the motel. So, did they get to Pedro and he ratted out on me? Or did Pedro just meet a hot chica at the motel and is having a good time? Maybe they changed security to protect the building materials he saw delivered yesterday. He drank his beer and calmed down a little. Nothing ever happens in this place he realized. Maybe I should go over to The Spa and send a message to my man Felix. There are other ways we can ruin the Pleasure Cove business this weekend.
Leaning back in his chair, Miguel closed his eyes and remembered that hot little waitress he had on the boat. She used to joke about loading up the drinks to make more tip money. What if he could do something at the bar that would make everybody sick? He thought back to the times he’d been at Pleasure Cove with Mary. Everybody came for the weekend buffets. “Ah-h, I’ve got it,” he swore tapping his beer on his knee. “I know just the trick to make everybody sick and I can do it myself.”
Juanita sat patiently watching Pedro’s house. She was surprised that Miguel came home so early. Standing to stretch her back, she straightened quickly when she saw Miguel slip out the back door. She followed him past the motel and down to Mary’s house. He used his key to enter quietly. Soon, Juanita saw the flickering of his flashlight in the kitchen. “So, he’s the one who has been flashing lights late at night on the beach,” she whispered to herself.
Miguel was only in the house for a few moments departing quickly. “No backpack, no clothes, I wonder what’s in the bag he’s carrying?” she murmured. Following him back home she waited to see if he had other plans but soon all the lights were out for the night. Walking back toward the motel, Juanita tried to second guess Miguel. He needed something from Mary’s house that Pedro doesn’t have. He didn’t stay long enough to search the house so he’s not suspicious, but he’s acting like someone with a plan. I better go see that locksmith tomorrow. We can’t wait till next week. He needs to be cut off now she realized.
The morning sun had just appeared over the horizon when Miguel pulled on a cowboy hat and boots. He had to look like a local so he borrowed Pedro’s clothes. Grabbing his paper bag he headed for the village. Today, he was just like all the other shoppers who bought food at the Farmer’s Market.
Cutting across the open fields, Miguel took a shortcut to the village. He bought his fruits and vegetables then headed back. This time he intentionally walked the road and kept his eyes peeled for the produce truck that came every Thursday to Pleasure Cove.
When he turned and identified the truck, he waved and stuck his thumb out for a ride. As the driver slowed, Miguel flashed a big smile. He asked if he could hop in the back to Pleasure Cove. As the driver nodded, Miguel ran to the back and vaulted in with the crates of fresh produce. He waited until the truck was moving at full speed before he opened his bag and exchanged five of the tomatoes in one of the crates.
He smiled to himself thinking how pleased Felix would be that he found an easier way to make everyone sick. It was just a matter of time until they would be running the motel.
***
Juanita was setting up the encryption code on Jose’s computer when he walked into the office. Everyone was busy since several guests arrived later in the day for a long weekend. She closed the door for a minute and told Jose about Miguel’s midnight visit to Mary’s house. “Can you call the locksmith for me? He might respond better to a man,” she finished.
“Sure, give me his number and I’ll get him out here this evening. If we offer him extra money for tonight, he’ll take it.”
“We should quietly warn every employee to notice if Miguel is on the grounds, especially the security team. I’m certain he will try something. But, it won’t be the water supply. You should have seen him run when he saw the guard with the gun,” laughed Juanita.
“I’d like to run him out of town with a gun,” retorted Jose. “He’s caused me enough trouble. I'll call the locksmith for you.”
Chapter 21
By Friday afternoon, the café and bar were busy. Jose looked around and out at the palapa. I should turn up the music, he thought. Let’s get this party started. He told the waitress to make sure everyone had chips and salsa. He knew it made them thirsty for more margaritas.
Later that evening Jose was taking a break with his feet up on his desk when an employee came running into the office. “Someone’s sick, you better come to the front desk,” she said. Jose jumped to his feet following her to the young woman standing at the front desk holding her stomach and her face was very pale.
“Is there a doctor close by?” she asked, “I think I have food poisoning. My head is throbbing.”
“No, we do have a nurse in the village. When did you get sick?” he asked.
“It started about an hour ago. I felt nauseous and started throwing up.”
“Did you drink any local water from the tap?” Jose asked.
“No, I knew to stick with bottled water. I had chips and salsa at the bar along with a margarita. Then I just had a salad for dinner. This has never happened to me in all the years I've come to Pleasure Cove.”
“The nurse can make you a mixture of apple cider vinegar, powdered charcoal and applesauce. It will coat your stomach and stop the retching,” Jose assured her. “We have tried many remedies and this is the one I use with my own children. It will make you feel better within an hour.”
Jose walked to the phone and called Marta to mix up the remedy. He ran to the bar and grabbed a bottle of club soda to get her through the night. Stopping at the buffet table, he threw some saltines in his pocket. In just a few minutes, he had quieted the guest in her room. Now, he had to figure out how this happened.
As he returned to his office, Juanita stopped by to sign out for the night. She had been following Miguel for the past four hours. “Hey, you look bushed,” she said, “Is everything OK?”
“Someone got sick tonight. I don’t think it was from the water, though. You told me Miguel was up to something. Well, it’s happening now.”
Juanita paused and stepped inside the room. “He was nowhere near this motel, Jose. I was watching him all night. We need to trace it back – tell me everything that happened.”
“The guest said that she only drank bottled water. She ate chips and salsa at the bar and drank a margarita before having salad for dinner.”
“Okay, so we have chips and salsa, and we have salad,” repeated Juanita. “What’s common to those dishes? It could be cilantro, tomatoes or onions. Has anyone else gotten sick, yet?”
“No one else has reported problems.” A pounding on the door jolted them both to attention. When Juanita opened it, the bartender stood panting. “I need your help someone is sick in the men’s bathroom.”
“It’s going to be a long night,” Jose sighed and headed down the hall with Juanita following closely.
Acrid smells wafted in the bathroom as Jose entered. A young man was heaving over the sink. Jose waited for him to finish before he approached. “I’m here to take care of you,” he began. While Jose gave him sips of club soda, he questioned him about what he had drank and eaten. The story had a familiar ring – chi
ps and salsa at the bar with a couple of beers. He had followed with some tacos in the palapa.
Juanita casually quizzed people in the bar while she waited for Jose. None of them were feeling badly and most of them had eaten the Mexican buffet. So, it must be something at the bar, she thought. She’d compare notes with Jose when he was done.
As they gathered in the office after the bar closed, both of them agreed the bar seemed to be the common factor. “Is the salsa at the bar the same as the salsa at the buffet?” asked Juanita as she stood by Jose’s desk.
Jose looked up at her sheepishly, “No, just a little difference. I tell them to add more peppers on the weekend so we can sell more liquor. They do keep it separate so the bartender can do refills.”
“Then, we need to pull the salsa made for the bar. Have the cook throw it away after I take a sample. We may need it as evidence later. Food tampering is a felony in the US. I don’t know how the local police would handle it, do you?”
“If more people get sick, they would come out and take the evidence and maybe check fingerprints in the kitchen. I’ll call Alfredo in the morning to see what he thinks. He looked down at his hands before continuing, “I’d consider it a favor to me if you didn’t tell Bob about the extra peppers in the bar salsa.”
Juanita smiled slowly. “I don’t think extra peppers are worth reporting, Jose. You’ve left me alone so I could do my work. This is my way of saying thanks, OK?” She stuck out her hand so they could shake on it and Jose responded quickly.
Lifting the phone shortly after midnight, Jose called Marta to report the third case of food poisoning. This time it was a couple who had chips and salsa at the bar. He decided to sleep at the motel so he would be prepared if another case happened. Juanita was sleeping on a cot in the kitchen so she could stop anyone who tried more food tampering during the night.