Jingle of Coins

by C. D. Ledbetter

  A muscle in his cheek twitched. Kate’s panic intensified with every second. Just when she thought her thumping heart would explode, he spoke. “Go upstairs and get ready,” he said in a voice tinged with menace. “We leave in thirty minutes.”

  Overwhelming relief washed over her. She’d made it! Weak-kneed, she turned to leave, but winced as he grabbed a handful of hair.

  Jubilation turned to panic. Oh God. Please. Please don’t let him kill me!

  Mike pulled her backward until they were inches apart, then wrapped one hand around the front of her throat and squeezed. “Nothing better go wrong, Kate,” he threatened. “You better make sure my guest stays happy. If you don’t, you can say goodbye to that pretty face of yours.”

  Kate gasped for air. Her lungs felt as if they would burst, and her vision blurred. Terrified beyond measure, she slumped forward as the light in the room dimmed to a tiny pinpoint.

  Mike released his grip on her throat, and she sucked in a lungful of air. Clasping her throat with her hands, she took several short, painful breaths to force oxygen into her air-starved lungs.

  Mike jerked her closer. “Remember what I can do to you, Kate. One false step is all it will take.”

  Unchecked tears flowed down her cheeks, into her mouth. She licked them away. “I’ll…remember.”

  He shoved her to the floor. She remained there, curled at his feet in a fetal position, shaking.

  “Get up.”

  Unable to comply, Kate flung out a shaky hand to ward off further abuse. A searing, mind-jolting pain exploded throughout her body when the toe of Mike’s boot contacted with the soft flesh on her lower back. She screamed, a low, guttural sound that carried through the room.

  “Get up, or I’ll make you get up.”

  It was all Kate could do to pull herself onto her knees. She crouched on all fours for a brief moment, rocking back and forth, and prayed that Mike wouldn’t kick her again. When his boot moved toward her once more, she scrambled into a standing position. Terror, intermixed with willpower, gave her the strength to walk out of the room. The door slammed shut behind her, and she collapsed against it, trying to gather her shattered courage. This situation was getting out of hand. This was not how the scenario was supposed to play out.

  As she wearily climbed the stairs, Kate promised herself that no matter what the cost, Mike would pay for what he’d done. Resolve stiffened her spine and her courage as she hurried to her room. That bastard would pay for manhandling her. Oh, how he would pay.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Emily stuck the last carnation into the basket and stepped back to view her efforts. The colorful arrangement, housed in vertically tiered beige wicker rectangles, brought a smile to her lips. “Not bad,” she said out loud. “Not bad at all.”

  A slow whistle broke the quiet of the workroom. “Geeze, Em. That arrangement’s gorgeous,” Sara announced from the doorway. “When you told me you were going to put tulips, irises, roses, and carnations together, I thought you were nuts.” She stuck out her tongue and laughed. “But now, however, I take it all back.” She bent down, laughing, then raised up and stretched out her arms. “I hereby dub thee Emily, Queen of All Arrangements.”

  “Thanks.” Emily’s gaze shifted to the workroom’s oversized black clock. “Since I’m caught up with the orders, I think I’ll go ahead and leave for my doctor’s appointment.”

  “You’ve been antsy all morning. What’s up?”

  Emily shrugged. “I just hate going to the doctor. It’s only a checkup. I’ll be back as soon as it’s over.”

  Sara nodded in sympathy. “Me, too. Don’t rush on my account. Why don’t you take an early lunch and grab something to eat after you’re done?”

  Emily paused on her way out. “I might do that. It’s been a slow day, and I do have a few errands to run.”

  “Go ahead. As hard as you’ve been working, you deserve an hour or two off. See you when you get back.”

  “Everything go okay?” Sara asked as Emily strode through the door, laden with packages. “Looks like you took my advice.” She peered into the garment bag. “Okay, show me what you got.”

  “Nothing special. It’s just an outfit.” Emily shoved her purse and two small packages under the counter, withdrew the dress from its protective wrapper, and held it out for Sara’s inspection.

  “Holy Moly, Emily. It’s gorgeous.”

  “Thanks. I kinda like it myself.” Emily repackaged the garment and moved it to the workroom. When she returned, she automatically checked the glass cooler and noticed that several floral arrangements were gone. “Did I miss anything?”

  “Nah. I sold four arrangements, including the one from this morning, but that was it.” Sara snapped her fingers and reached for a piece of paper taped to the register. “That reminds me. You had a call. Do you know somebody named Glen?”

  Emily spun around. “Did he say what he wanted?” she asked in a deceptively calm voice as she plucked the note from Sara’s fingers.

  Sara smiled enigmatically. “Tell you what. You tell me about Glen, and I’ll tell you what he wanted.”

  Emily remained quiet, and Sara’s smile faded. “Lighten up, Emily. I was only kidding.” She patted Emily’s arm. “He called about noon and asked to speak to you. I told him you were out, and he asked if you’d give him a call him when you returned. His number’s on the paper.” Sara’s eyes twinkled mischievously as she stared at Emily. “He sounds real nice. Just don’t show him to your neighbor and you’ll be okay. Go ahead, Em. Call him,” she dared.

  Emily pulled her cell phone out of her purse and hurried into the workroom. Glen normally didn’t call her work number; something must have happened. She punched in his number. “Glen, it’s Emily,” she breathed into the mouthpiece. “You called?”

  “Yeah. I can’t make it tonight. I just got word that I’m supposed to fly to Reno this afternoon with a couple of other folks from security. There’s some big meeting we have to attend. Nothing like last minute notice. We’re coming back tonight, but I don’t know how late we’re going to be.”

  “That’s okay.”

  “Thanks. Want to meet tomorrow night instead?”

  “Yeah, sure,” she replied. “Tomorrow’s fine.” She stared at the plastic bag hanging on the hook and sighed softly. So much for her new sexy black dress.

  “I was looking forward to tonight, too,” Glen commiserated. He cleared his throat. “Look, I have to go. Somebody’s at the door. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “Yeah, see you.”

  The connection went dead, and she tucked the phone back in her purse. Damn. She’d been looking forward to their dinner date, and now it was postponed. To make matters worse, she’d blown a small fortune on a low-cut black dress and a set of matched spider-web lace undies guaranteed to stop any man dead in his tracks. Hell, she’d even gotten a birth control shot from the doctor’s office. All for nothing. Just my luck, she thought. Here I am, all ready to run the horizontal mambo, and the damn starting gate gets stuck in the closed position. I might as well give up. The way things are going, I’m never going to have sex again.

  As Kate reached the security of her room, the maid hung the last of her dresses in the closet. She waited for the woman to leave, then perched on the edge of the bed. The crippling pain in her back was now a dull ache, but it still hurt. Mike’s blow, although painful, hadn’t been forceful enough to break any ribs. He hadn’t broken any bones because he still needed her to entertain his guest. Kate realized that once his visitor left, Mike would probably issue the order to have her killed. She had to make her escape before that happened.

  She moved to the mirror and lifted her shirt. A large red mark covered the area where Mike’s boot made contact. Sighing softly, she grabbed a tube of body makeup from her suitcase and gingerly applied it until the red tinge disappeared. In the background, a clock chimed once, reminding her that she didn’t have time to dawdle.

  The tiny bathroom filled with steam as she
pulled a fluffy towel off the counter and hung it on the back of the door. That was when she saw it—the tiny camera lens hidden in a small circle cut in the door panel. Fitted snugly into a crevice, it blended perfectly with the wood grain. The only reason she noticed it was because she’d accidentally placed her little finger over the lens and felt the indentation in the wood.

  Warning bells went off inside her head. Crap! Even the bathrooms were bugged! Mike was even more paranoid that she’d imagined. She lifted her hand off the lens and tried to maintain an air of unconcern as she undressed. One thing was obvious. She’d have to check the bedroom for additional cameras before she removed the microphone from its hiding place.

  Ten minutes later, she slipped a skintight Chinese silk dress over her head and walked over to the dressing table. She reached into her suitcase for a pair of lace panties, then paused. The silk dress fit every curve of her body; wearing underwear would only mar its beautiful lines. Sighing softly, she dropped the panties back into the suitcase and reached instead for her blow dryer. Ignoring the feeling of dread that threatened to overwhelm her, she dried her hair, then twisted the long blonde strands into a French Twist. When she was done, she stepped back to view her reflection in the mirror. It was...incomplete. She realized that she needed something to put the finishing touch on the aura she wanted to project. Against her better judgment, she removed two wooden sticks from a zippered pocket on the interior of her suitcase and stuck them into the upper portion of the French twist.

  It was time to go downstairs. Her stomach lurched, and she inhaled deeply to try and steady her nerves. Her hands shook as she descended the opulent staircase, and she clamped them around the banister to stop the trembling.

  Stu waited at the foot of the stairs. His eyes widened when she joined him, but he said nothing. Mike arrived a few minutes later, dressed in a khaki shirt and matching pants. He had a phone stuck to his ear and snapped it shut when he saw her.

  Kate’s throat constricted while she waited for him to pass judgment. One minute ticked by, then two. Unable to stand the suspense, she closed her eyes and swallowed hard, waiting for him to either strike her down where she stood or voice his approval.

  He did neither. Instead, he told Stu to get moving because the plane was landing a few minutes early and stormed out the front door. Kate followed a few steps behind, wondering how she was going to survive the next forty-eight hours.

  Stepping outside, she watched silently as two limousines pulled to a stop in front of the garage.

  “Everything set?” Mike asked one of the drivers.

  “Yeah. Me and the boys are ready to give the cops a run for their money.”

  “Get going.”

  The chauffeur whistled to two of Mike’s guards, then slid behind the wheel of the first limo. The guards eased their sedans to the edge of the garage, and moments later, the trio of decoys disappeared down the drive.

  “Fucking cops,” Mike swore as he climbed into the rear of the second limousine. “When are they going to learn they can’t outsmart me?” He waited a few minutes, then gave Stu the signal to proceed.

  Kate was surprised when they traveled some twenty miles past the exit for the main airport and turned off onto a dirt road. A few minutes later, a small plane approached from the west, circled the area twice, then bumped to a halt. Two men climbed out, armed with automatic weapons.

  “Stay here,” Mike ordered as he eased out of the limo.

  Kate slid over to the tinted window so she could watch what was going on.

  “You alone?” one of the men asked in a thick, guttural voice.

  “There’s a woman in the back.”

  “Tell her to get out.”

  Mike rapped on the door, and Kate nervously exited the vehicle. The two men searched them for weapons, then signaled to the plane. The passenger hatch opened and a third man surveyed the area, then carefully climbed out of the plane.

  Kate studied him from beneath her lashes. He certainly wasn’t what she’d expected. If this man was one of Mike’s drug runner buddies, he certainly didn’t look like any she’d ever seen. This guy was tall, perfectly groomed, and handsome. With his picture-perfect tan, gleaming white teeth, and Armani suit, he looked more like a corporate raider than a drug czar.

  “Who’s the woman?”

  “She’s your…companion for the weekend,” Mike replied.

  Kate flashed her friendliest smile. “Hi. I’m Kate.”

  The stranger acknowledged her introduction with a nod and turned to his bodyguards. “Check the car.”

  “The car’s fine,” Mike interrupted.

  “My men either check the car or I leave. If I leave, the deal’s off. It’s your decision.”

  Mike stepped aside as one bodyguard searched the interior. The other returned to the plane and returned with a hand-held scanning device and a full-grown German shepherd. The dog circled the car, then climbed inside. A few minutes later, he climbed out, wagged his tail, and crouched down at the man’s feet.

  Mike’s visitor nodded, and the dog and equipment went back to the plane. “Let’s go,” he ordered as the plane took off and disappeared into the horizon. “I don’t like standing out in the open. Too easy a target.”

  “I’ve scheduled a private dinner party for tonight with a few of my business associates,” Mike announced as they sped toward the villa.

  “I have no desire to meet your associates,” the man retorted in a cold, deadly voice. “My business is with you. I leave at noon tomorrow.” He held up a hand before Mike could interrupt. “If we complete our agreement, I’ll return to take possession of the merchandise.”

  “We’ll talk after dinner. I’m sure we can work out something mutually beneficial.”

  The stranger turned his attention to Kate. “My name’s Hector, Hector Peruvador,” he began. He lifted a manicured hand and traced a finger down the inside of her arm. “So, Kate,” he began. “Tell me about yourself…”

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Kate breathed a sigh of relief when the limo pulled into the driveway of Mike’s villa. She glanced at Mike out of the corner of her eye, noted the square set to his jaw and the squint to his eyes, and her heart skipped a beat. He was pissed, no doubt about it. A shiver slid down her spine as she envisioned the path Mike’s anger would take and wondered what she could do to divert it.

  Once the guards scanned the group, Mike motioned for them to go inside. Kate hurried to her room and closed the door. Hector’s change in plans made a large hole in the scenario she’d worked out with Dozer. She grabbed a flesh-colored cocktail dress and laid it on the bed while she tried to figure out a way to maneuver Hector into Mike’s office before dinner. At least he was attracted to her. That made things a lot easier. She fingered the sheer material one last time, then stepped into the clingy chemise. Nothing like a little see-through number to get a man’s attention.

  Hector joined her at the foot of the stairs and laced her arm through the crook of his elbow. “You’re too beautiful to share,” he whispered, nuzzling the side of her neck. “Let’s go somewhere private; I don’t want any other man looking at you.”

  “We don’t have to stay long,” she replied. “I know someplace where we can go that’s very, very private.”

  “Hector,” Mike called from the other side of the French doors, “I have some people I’d like you to meet.”

  Kate allowed her lips to curve into a tiny smile. “He won’t give up, you know. You’re better off spending a few minutes with the guests, then meeting me back here.” She kissed the edge of her index and middle finger and placed them against his lips. “Meet me in fifteen minutes.”

  It didn’t take long for Hector to return. He breezed through the doors and crushed her to him. “God, you taste good,” he murmured as he stuck his tongue down her throat and squeezed her breasts. “I can’t wait. I have to have you. Now.” He slid her dress up and unbuckled his pants.

  “Not here,” Kate whispered. “It’s too open.
We might get interrupted. I know somewhere where we can be by ourselves. It’s not far.”

  He grunted, and she smoothed her dress over her hips. “This way,” she said, taking his hand and moving toward Mike’s office.

  Hector instructed his bodyguards to wait outside. Kate flipped off the lights, then slipped over to the window and closed the shade. “Nobody will bother us now,” she whispered as she kissed his hairy chest and backed him toward the conference table. “Relax,” she ordered as she pushed him onto his back. “I’ll do all the work. You just lay back and enjoy.” She climbed onto the table and pulled the straps of her see-thru chemise off her shoulders. The dress fell to her ankles in a whisper, leaving her naked except for her high heels.

  Hector started to rise, but she quickly dropped to her knees and covered his torso with kisses and gentle bites, sucking on his nipples while she removed his pants. Ever so slowly, she moved her mouth toward his thighs, licking his skin and teasing him with gentle nibbles.

  When he couldn’t stand it any longer, she climbed on top and straddled his torso. Moaning in time to his thrusts, she grabbed the back of her hair, loosened the pins, and removed the sticks. Keeping the bugging device clenched in her left hand, she faked an orgasm and flung her arm toward the arrangement.

  Hector thrust harder and grabbed her legs to anchor her more closely. Moaning loudly, Kate leaned to her left and slid the microphone under the bottom of the arrangement. Time after time Hector arched underneath her, then finally cried out in Spanish and lay still.

  Kate rolled to his left and stretched out on the table. Cradling her head in one hand, she traced circles on his ribcage with the other. “Feel better?” she asked as he slid to his feet.