Wild Nights
Page 18
Voices outside the office pulled Sax from his chair to the door to listen. She joined him, and he slid his arm over her collarbone from behind and rested his chin atop her head. She had to fight a sigh as she leaned back into him.
Darius’s voice was smooth, controlled. “If the staff acts normal, no one will think anything happened. Only if someone asks about the noises do you tell them that I was hosting a party and set off fireworks. They didn’t see them because of distance and angle.”
“I should be in there when you question those two.” Oscar’s voice was barely controlled, and she imagined that his teeth were gritted. “I want to know what the hell is going on. I run this place.”
“Then you should be making sure no one is asking too many questions. Seeing the resort manager strolling around with a smile will assure them that all is well. Remember, I own this place. I decide how things are handled.”
“Remember? How could I forget with you shoving it in my face all the time? You take credit when we turn a large profit, and you blame me when we don’t.”
“Resentment. Good motive for sabotaging his brother,” Sax whispered. “Or at the least, be willing to risk his reputation. And freedom.”
“You were always whiny,” Darius said. “Just go do what I pay you to do and make sure the guests are none the wiser.”
“Guns were fired! We should be calling in the authorities. Willie said those two were meeting a drug dealer. We didn’t find any drugs, but it makes sense with them meeting that boat on the far side of the resort at this hour. One of our guests could have been shot.”
“How much do you trust Willie?” Darius asked.
“I have no reason to distrust him.”
“What was he doing out there?”
“He said this couple has been acting strange. He followed them to the Point, suspecting they were up to something.”
Jennessy’s eyes widened, even though it really shouldn’t have surprised her. From his accusation the moment security had arrived, he’d been pointing at them. And it did look suspicious, with Sax clearly having been in the water. She was going to let him handle the questioning because she didn’t want to compromise his investigation.
“Keep Willie in your office,” Darius said. “Tell him I’m anxious to get his account, but say nothing more. I will do the questioning.”
“What? You don’t trust me?”
“I simply wish to conduct this as a one-on-one discussion, to put him at ease.”
She hoped Oscar and Willie talked anyway, and in the office where the bug would capture it all.
There was a moment of silence, and then a distant door slammed shut. Probably the massive front door. Another male voice whispered as footsteps clomped down the wooden hallway toward the office. Sax led her back to the chairs, where they were seated when Darius and Malcolm entered.
Darius was far more handsome and refined than his brother, probably adding to that resentment she’d picked up. His skin was smooth, other than a small scar at his jaw. He took his place behind his desk, the picture of calm. But she saw the careful hold he had on it in his brown eyes, as hard as granite. Malcolm leaned back against the front edge of the desk, his arms crossed in front of him.
Darius steepled his hands and rested his chin atop his fingers. “Before I have you arrested, tell me what the hell you were doing out there.”
“You have nothing on us,” Sax said.
Obviously Sax wasn’t imagining some primitive prison and illegal interrogations. Not that she’d ever heard anything bad about the Bahamian justice system, but her imagination was going a little wild lately.
Fortunately, Sax wasn’t going to engage Darius in a pissing contest. He gave him the gist of his failure at connecting with women and Willie’s “sure thing.” “It piqued my curiosity. Then he brings me Jennessy, who was clearly not in her right mind. Of course, I didn’t touch her.” He shot Malcolm a hard look, then wrapped his hand around hers. “The idea of someone like Jennessy being delivered to some guy who would have sex with her without her consent incensed me. We started investigating together. She found another woman who’d probably been drugged. It all points to Willie, who has access to the unattached guests’ information through Connections. It sounds like he has a date rape operation going on here. We started following him, gathering information. Your PI here has been spending more time dogging us than he has Willie. He admitted to letting his ‘sure thing’ start to go down on him, which I find disgusting for someone who’s a supposed professional.”
Malcolm shot up straight. “I only implied that to…to…”
“Sound like an asshole?” Sax asked, his eyebrow raised.
Malcolm started to respond, faltered. Then his eyes narrowed in suspicion. “Hey. Your eyes are a different color.”
“No, they’re not.” Sax turned back to Darius. “I knew Willie was meeting his dealer at the Point. I wanted to eyeball the dealer and gather info.”
“Why didn’t you go to Oscar and report your suspicions?” Darius asked.
“I did report that I’d been drugged,” Jennessy said. “He dismissed me.”
“And we weren’t sure who was involved,” Sax put in. “I wanted to find out what I could before deciding whom to approach.” He nodded toward Malcolm. “What has he told you about the situation?”
“He confirmed that Willie is running a date rape operation here,” Darius said, cutting off Malcolm’s attempt to answer. “I’d heard some complaints and hired him to investigate.”
“What kind of drugs is he using?” Sax asked Malcolm.
“Roofies,” Malcolm said. “At least, I’m pretty sure of it.”
Sax couldn’t let on that he had the kits, Jennessy was sure. “Sax has done research,” she said. “He’s sure it’s ketamine, which doesn’t render a woman unconscious but breaks down her will.”
Darius leaned back in his chair. “How did you know Willie was meeting the dealer at the Point?”
“I overheard Willie talking to him,” Sax fibbed.
Darius’s jaw clenched as he looked at Malcolm. “So these unlicensed people have discovered more than you have?”
“They got lucky,” Malcolm sputtered.
“All I want to know is if Willie is working alone or with someone else here.” Darius took in all of them. “I’m willing to pay for that information, as well as your vow of silence on this matter. I cannot—will not—go through another scandal. The press would crucify me.” He pinned Sax and Jennessy with his gaze. “Do I have your word?”
She nodded. “I promise.” Too bad Darius hadn’t hired The Justiss Alliance to investigate in the first place. Though it sounded as though the agency kept their profile low-key.
“What about justice?” Sax asked. “You’re not going to shove this under the carpet, are you? Let these scumbags get away with this?”
“Of course not. As soon as I have the information I need, I will handle it…quietly. Trust me when I say that the responsible parties will no longer be doing this.”
Sax held out his hand. “I will not disclose this to the press or the public.”
Darius eyed Sax’s outstretched hand. “Or the authorities.”
“Or the authorities.”
The two shook hands. She knew Sax meant it. She also knew he would keep to the terms of his original investigation. His boss would be the one reporting to the authorities as soon as they had some evidence.
“May the best man solve my problem.” Darius handed Sax a business card. “Here is my contact information. Good day.”
Malcolm narrowed his eyes at Sax, his mouth so tight that his lips were white and thin. The moment they had stepped off the front steps of the mansion, he shoved Sax’s shoulder. “Butt out of my investigation. I need this job.”
Sax automatically grabbed Malcolm’s hand, crushing it in his hold by the grimace on his face. “Do not touch me. Understand?”
Malcolm’s knees buckled as he tried to pull away. “Yes,” he wheezed.
Malcolm gasped, his knees hitting the ground. “I won’t.”
“Do not follow me or Jennessy.”
He shook his head, grimacing.
Sax released him. “Glad we could come to an understanding. To be clear, I think you’re a scumbag. Scratch that. I know you’re one. You took advantage of an innocent woman—”
“She wasn’t innocent!” Malcolm said, shoring up his shoulders as he tried to regain his pride. “You should have seen her at the bar earlier—”
Sax had his shirt wound around his fist as he jerked the guy to within inches of his face. “She was not yours to touch. If you touch another woman in that state of mind, I will kick your ass all over this island.”
A sound from the front porch drew their attention to both Darius and his manservant. Sax released him, looped his arm around hers, and led her to the golf cart.
Chapter 15
Sax kept a hold on Jennessy’s hand as the cart whisked them down the path through the forest, deep in thought as he rubbed her fingers. His thumb traced the lines across her palm as he stared at it with a somber expression.
She leaned closer. “Do I have a short lifeline? Or are you looking at my love line?”
He ran his finger along one of the lines. “This line says that you helping me is dangerous. That my heart would shrivel up if something happened to you. That you should go back to your life in Illinois and be safe.” His green eyes shifted to her, no trace of the humor she’d tried to bring out.
She slid her fingers through his. “I need to see this through.” She shifted her gaze to the driver, who didn’t seem to be listening. But still, she lowered her voice. “I can’t go home until this is resolved.”
The golf cart came to a stop at the gate leading from the resort. The driver unlocked it and gestured for them to return. Once they’d passed through, she glanced back at the driver, who was already locking the gate. Signs warned guests that the property beyond that gate was private and restricted. In the distance, Darius drove a cart that looked like a hot rod, Malcolm talking in earnest beside him.
Sax’s hand squeezed hers. “You were almost grabbed by slavers. Willie was going to let you be taken to pay his debt.” Sax’s eyes had gone as brittle as glass when she’d told him that.
“That’s why we have to stop this. Him. All of them. Do we have enough for your boss to notify the authorities?”
“We have our eyewitness accounts, but no tangible evidence. And we’d be pointing at Willie while he pointed at us. He didn’t get the K, if that’s what the baggie you saw meant. Though the authorities will also find the bag I hid in his attic when I replaced his stash. Still, possession is only one part of this. I need to put that patch on the dealers’ boat. Once we can point the authorities in their direction, they’ll no doubt turn on Willie and testify to how often they’re delivering the K. That’s the second part. Once we identify his partner, we’ll have all three parts.”
“Willie won’t be easy to track or interfere with now that he knows we’re on to him.”
It was late, but the resort was still hopping. People drinking and laughing and going on with their fun, ignorant of the sinister side of this beautiful place.
Sax pulled her closer, slinging his arm over her shoulder and making them look like any of the other couples here who were in love. She even felt a swelling in her heart. A coiling in her stomach, and lower, when she thought about letting her wild side explore more of Sax’s delicious body. Yes, they were putting on an excellent representation of being in love, even though this was only about sex.
Except it wasn’t. And the way he was looking at her, as though he would wrap her in his arms and keep her safe forever—and the way that made her feel, all warm and gushy—oh, hell. She was falling for him. He was right; she wasn’t a one-night-stand or one-weekend-stand girl.
She felt herself slipping as she soaked in the feel of his body against hers. I can’t let on. Not even a tiny, teeny bit. He’s looking for a reason to cut you out so he doesn’t hurt you, and that would do it. Because he’s a good guy.
“You okay?” he asked, turning his head so that his cheek brushed against hers. “You’re breathing kind of funny.”
She straightened and calmed her breathing. “I’m fine. Just tired.”
He brushed his hand across her cheek. “You’ve had a hell of a day. Why don’t you grab some sleep?”
The thought of going back to her room alone churned her stomach. But wait. She didn’t have to. “I want to come back to your room.” Something crossed his face, so fast that she couldn’t identify it. “If you don’t want me to—”
“I wouldn’t leave you alone after everything you’ve been through.” He gave her an adorable lopsided grin. “Besides, I’m at your beck and call.” He pushed her hair back over her shoulders. “You sleep. I’m going to listen to the surveillance devices and see if I can find out anything new.”
She followed him into his room. He settled her on the bed, and fatigue pulled at her eyelids as he tucked the sheets around her. “Aren’t you tired?”
“I’ll grab a couple of hours once I get a handle on everyone’s state of mind. I need to update my boss, too. He may decide to start the wheels of authority.” He brushed his fingers across her cheek. “Sleep, darlin’.” He dipped low to press his mouth on her forehead, a gesture so sweet that it twisted her stomach.
“Can I listen, too? For as long as I’m awake, anyway?”
“Sure.” He took the box from his safe, sat at the table, and opened his laptop. “I’ll try Oscar’s office first.” He forwarded through a lot of silence, and when there was conversation, it was clear that only Willie and Darius were present. Darius had kept Oscar out of the meeting?
“Those two have been acting strange ever since they arrived,” Willie said. “Cole asked about drugs, wanted to buy something to warm the ladies up. The guy has no finesse. I don’t know how Ms. Shaw fits into this, but they’re in it together. Where are they now?”
“I released them, for lack of evidence. It seems they have a different story than you. He suspected you were buying drugs and followed you to the drop.”
“I followed him!” Willie said, his voice pitching higher.
Willie stuck to his story, and the two came to an impasse. Of course, Darius knew that Willie was involved in the date rape scenario, even as he said, “I believe you. You’ve been a trusted employee for four years now, and I know you’d never do anything to jeopardize my reputation or the resort’s.”
“No, of course not, sir. Never,” Willie said.
“We’ll find out what they’re up to, or make sure they take their trouble elsewhere.” Darius concluded the meeting.
“We need to kick this investigation into gear. It’s not just date rape drugs anymore,” Sax said.
“The people he buys drugs from are involved in slavery.”
Sax met her gaze on the vehement way she’d said those words. “They almost took you.” Rage flashed in his eyes. “When are you scheduled to fly back to California?”
“Day after tomorrow. But—”
“No buts. You’re going. You’ve been a huge help, but—”
“Wait a minute.” She sat up. “How come you get a but, and I don’t?”
“Because it’s getting dangerous. Because this is my investigation. And because if something happened to you, I’d go out of my mind.”
He cared. She saw it in the tightening of his jaw and the fear that filled his eyes. He leaned closer and bracketed her face with his hands. “We’re getting in way too deep in more than just the investigation.”
“I’m not falling for you, if that’s what you mean. I have perfect control over my emotions. I like you, sure, and obviously I’m extremely attracted to you. But it’s just physical.” She gave him a smile she hoped was
more convincing than her words. “No chance of me getting hurt that way.”
“It’s not you I’m worried about, darlin’,” he said, dropping his hands.
“What does that mean?”
A tone dinged on his computer, and he scooted away and pulled up a screen. Her heart was still pounding from the implication as she came up next to him. This time he definitely wasn’t being casual about using the “falling for you” expression, as she’d wondered after their Sea-Doo encounter. He was talking about protecting his heart. Was he falling for her? Sax, who had never met a woman who’d made him want to commit?
“Forget I said anything,” he said, now focused on the computer. “Willie’s at his cottage.” He backed up the recording, and Willie’s voice came from the speakers.
“Hey, it’s me. I stuck with my story, and Darius believed me…He has no reason to suspect me of doing anything wrong. And really, how wrong is it? These women come here to get laid, and I provide them that.”
“He’s justifying it!”
Sax shook his head, his teeth gritted. “Son of a bitch.”
Willie continued. “I should have known those two were up to something. They were following me, knocking the drugged shots off my tray. She made sure the bottle of treated water spilled all over, and then even what was left was nothing but plain ol’ water. And now I remember seeing him there too, so he must have switched the bottle. Hell, I bet they did something to the K, and that’s why it was useless…I connected her to Cole, and he wouldn’t let me take her back to her room. He musta got emotionally involved with her, probably has some savior complex…Yeah, I know, I’m going to have to insist that the women go back to their room from now on.
“She’s scheduled to leave Monday, but he’s here for another four days. We have to lay low until they’re gone. I can’t wait too long, though. My sister’s gonna need money for her next round of chemo. Bernard’s okay, but he don’t want to do business with me for a while…No, he’ll get over it. I’m a good customer. He’s just skittish. And I had to ditch what I just bought, so I got nothing…Okay, see you later.”