“Wait just a second. I want to place wax on a couple areas, the type that peels off kindly, to protect certain body parts from the spray tan. I’m going to remove your towel and cover your nipples and your coochie area.” She did the task efficiently. “Now, I’ll wrap your hair in a special hair towel.” She also did this fast. “Do you want to keep your eyes closed, or do you want protection on them?”
“Just close your eyes, Sparky. You won’t be in that cubical very long and it’s only a fine mist of air you’ll feel.” Jenna stood next to Bella.
“I’ll just close my eyes.”
“Okay, let me lead you to the spray can. It’s what we call our tanning capsule.” She opened the clear door, explained how to stand and that the floor would be moving ultra-slow beneath my feet, allowing for an even finish.
The air-like mist warmed my body. I never felt the floor move, nor did the mist ever feel wet. When the mist stopped, I opened my eyes and the door released.
“I can peel the wax spots from you, or you can if you feel more comfortable doing it yourself.” Bella stood to the side with my drink goblet. She handed it to me. “Have another sip.”
I did, and it went down smooth. I swallowed a few more.
“Shall I peel off the little wax bits?” Bella held her hand in the ready position.
I swallowed more drink. “Sure.” I had dressed and undressed in front of Jenna, and my family in the past, but I wasn’t used to standing naked in front of others.
She didn’t make me lay back on the table, she simply came over and popped the wax pieces off from me. “I wanted you to take a peek at my shaved-artwork on your coochie.” She pointed for me to look downward at myself.
I gasped. All of the body hair in that area was gone, with the exception of a small heart that had been dyed purple. “Oh, my gods.”
Jenna laughed so hard I could barely understand her words. “I. Knew. You’d…love it.”
“When can I dress?” The urge overwhelmed me to cover myself.
Bella arched a brow. “You don’t like it?”
“I just want to get dressed.” I headed toward my clothes.
“Honey, I can shave it off if you don’t like it.”
Jenna squeezed her lips together, an attempt to keep from non-stop laughter. “You could go hairless down there.” She broke into a quick belly-laugh, then pulled it together enough for, “Bet you’ve never done that before.” More laughing.
Not nice. “And you’d be right.” Oops, I said that out loud.
Bella snapped to attention like I’d offended her.
“Everything is fine, Bella. Thank you. I’d really like to get dressed though.” I drank every drop in the goblet.
“Your spray is dry. Go ahead and dress. And, I’m glad you appreciate the artwork.” She grabbed the goblet from my hand and went to work on mixing another drink while I got dressed.
I must have slept like a coma patient to not sense her tending my most vulnerable body part.
“You got a purple heart.” Jenna grinned and I was sure she’d start in with a bout of laughter again. Instead, she wiggled her brows. “That can be a sweet addition to your next novel. Note to self, get a little slutty with your star character.”
A big exhale shot out of my mouth on a deep sigh.
“Here, Honey. Drink this. It’s like an elixir, get you happy.” Bella handed me the goblet and waved me over to a hair styling station snuggled away in the corner.
I followed her, drinking all the way. My mood definitely lightened, from the extra sleep or the extra drinks. At this point, I didn’t care which. I wanted to buffer myself in preparation for tonight, and also for the changed way Tressa, Ray, and Luke would now look at me. Not from the changes in my appearance, but from the new information about me they’d just received from Derek. They would never think of me the same again.
Bella showed me a few pictures from a book, and Jenna picked out a style. My hair left brunette, long and curly, with a few different bright shades of blonde streaks. They both thought it would look nice with my tanned body.
It took another hour and a half for the hair, and about forty-five minutes for the face makeover, which to my surprise required only a minimum amount of make-up. Jenna told me to go more natural, with neutral colors. I was grateful Bella stayed away from purple.
When Bella finished, she said, “I’m supposed to call this number for your ride back to the hotel. Why don’t you enjoy the rest of your cocktail and the soft music in this room and I’ll come and get you when your ride arrives.”
“Sounds good. Thank you for everything, Bella.”
She bent over and hugged me. “It’s been a pleasure. I hope you come back and see me again.” Then, she stepped out, closing the door behind.
I stared at myself in the mirror. Different from the norm, and I actually liked my hair worn down with the bright shaded streaks. The tan really wasn’t me, but it fits with everything else and would work well with my eveningwear.
Jenna studied me through the mirror. “You look stunning, Sparky. I don’t recall ever seeing you tan.”
“I’m not a sun worshiper. You should know that about me, I never sat in the sun.” I thought about our times at the lake when we were younger. “I found the shady spot under a tree so I could read or write, while you laid in the sun. Ring any bells?”
“Yeah, I remember.”
I drank the rest of the Mimosa, and my entire body relaxed into the moment. I closed my eyes for a minute, and when I opened them, the mirror showed an attractive man standing in the doorway. It took a second to realize he was Derek. I studied him. He’d spent some time at the stylist and got a nice dark tan also. His blue eyes were now a deep green, and his dark brows and hair were blond, cropped closer, no wavy curls. His short-sleeved shirt opened to the middle of his muscular chest, showing a sleek smattering of hair.
His eyes softened as he studied me. “You look amazing. Your eyes are the loveliest shade of violet I’ve ever seen.”
I chuckled. “Now you’re just being silly.”
He strode across the room in his casually-fitted khakis, giving me a hand out of the chair. His eyes turned an even darker shade and my skin tingled as he drew me into his body. “I’ve missed you.”
“You definitely look the part of a loving couple,” Jenna said. “Maybe you should share your purple heart with him.”
I giggled, unable to stop myself from imagining his face likely matching my expression when I first saw it.
“What’s so funny?” With the tips of his fingers, he turned my face toward his. He swallowed my gasp with his lips and then he captured my tongue.
Heat penetrated every part of me, I framed his face with my hands, unwilling to let him go.
He groaned then broke away with a man-breath sigh. “I’m experiencing great difficulty keeping my hands and lips away from you, Kendra.”
I smiled, mostly because I was experiencing the same thing with him. Overpowering. “Call me Kay.”
He chuckled. “Yeah, well, you can call me Dustin, or husband. Fake names, but most definitely not a fake relationship.” He squeezed me into him and then released me. “The team handled your abilities well. Tressa mentioned a close aunt of hers has psychic talents, so she’s familiar with some of them. I guess Tressa lived with her aunt during her teen years. I believe it was easier for Ray and Luke to accept from some of the input Tressa added about psychic abilities. I think she’s excited for you to get back to the room so she can interrogate you regarding Bertellia. She’s pretty pumped about learning more on the Queen B.”
He checked his watch. “It’s already six o’clock. We should probably get back to the hotel. You’ve got to be starving about now. You barely ate any of your lunch. Plus, you need to change your clothes.”
I actually was enjoying the side-effects of the alcohol I’d consumed, low inhibitions, happiness, daring, maybe even sexiness. We did have to go, but I still had deep reservations about tonight, the cruise, and seei
ng the team after they knew the truth about me.
Derek grabbed my hand, guided me from the room, and then we waved at Bella as we walked out of the building.
Chapter Twelve
Derek
Arresting. Stunning. Kendra, the most beautiful, authentic woman I’d ever known, inside and out, walked beside me, our fingers linked. “Before I drop you at your hotel room, we need to talk about how I can protect you and Jenna against this soul-eater, Buster. Give me some knowledge, or at least some ammunition against that thing.” I stopped in front of my hotel room door. “Can we take a minute in here first, before you get bombarded by Tressa?”
“Honestly, there’s not much I can say about how to protect against an entity like Buster. I’ve already told you this is all new to me, just like it is with you, the only difference is that I can see what I’m up against.” Her eyes searched mine. “You can read my grandmother’s journal, but I’m not sure that you’ll understand all of it. Maybe, we can read it together?”
I nodded. “There’s nothing I should know right now? This thing can show up at any time. I’m not comfortable not knowing how to control that situation, how I can best protect.”
“We will be learning that part together, Derek.” She shook her head and her gaze dropped to the floor. “I can take you with me to meet the voodoo priestess. You can hear firsthand what we’ll be up against, and what her take is on how we can be safe.” Her face tilted up, her eyes met mine, and the urge to wrap her in my arms hammered through every muscle of my body. “I always feel safe when I’m with you,” she whispered. Her focus shifted toward my door.
A hit of adrenalin shot into my bloodstream like a bolt of lightning. She’s considering privacy, in my room.
Kendra turned back, a smile spreading her sweet lips. “Jenna said we have to cool it. Apparently, she can see where this is going for us. And she’s not talking about the ‘ghosty’ stuff you’re asking about, more in line with the ‘googley-eye’ stuff, as she likes to reference it.”
An instant weight dropped into my gut. I should have realized Jenna was with us. “Jenna, you sure know how to pick your moments of enlightenment. I’m impressed that you can see into our future.” I wanted to ask her why she hadn’t seen into her own future. She’d still be alive. And how cruel to even think that way.
“I’ll go change, face Tressa, and maybe we can have a bite to eat together before the cruise?” Kendra tilted her face upward, defining her slender neck.
I nodded and sealed it with a kiss to her forehead. “I won’t be long. Need to go over a few things with Luke and Ray.”
Tressa whipped the door open before Kendra knocked. “I just happened to hear you in the hall.” She stopped and openly stared at Kendra. “Man, you are a knockout no matter what you wear, but your hair, that make-up, and the tan. It all brings out the natural violet in your eyes.” She waved Kendra into the room. “Come on, I’ll help you dress. Got some questions for you about what Derek shared earlier.” Tressa smiled at me as their door closed.
I stepped into my room and found Luke and Ray camped out, watching the news. “What’s up?”
Ray pointed to the television. “Looks like another dead girl discovered on shore. Gimbel is making a statement.”
“We are working closely with the FBI on this case and it will be resolved soon.” The picture dropped back to the broadcast anchorman who introduced the weather woman.
“What did he say before this?” I asked.
“The anchorman is the one that said another dead girl discovered on shore this morning, and then it flashed to Gimbel making the statement you just heard. I’m sure no one wants to panic the public in a vacation area like this one,” Ray said.
“Why didn’t Jackson or Gimbel call us? We’re here, on the job right now.” I pulled my cell phone out and dialed Jackson.
“Derek,” Jackson answered on the first ring. “I was just going to call you and check on the newest incident.”
“Yep, that’s why I’m calling you. A dead girl discovered this morning. How come I’m just now finding this out from the television?” I couldn’t keep the tightness from my voice.
“Gimbel called me first thing this morning and told me he would contact you.” Jackson came across a bit defensive. “I’ve been in meetings all morning or I would have checked in to get a status report earlier.”
“Well, something doesn’t feel right about any of this. My suggestion, someone should do a background check on Gimbel. I wonder if he’s being truthful in regards to Tory.”
“I’ve known Gimbel for a long time. We’ve worked cases together in the past, but then with the right leverage, people can turn, at any time. Guess that depends on how it all lines up.” Jackson made a good point.
“Gimbel had acted so smooth last night at our meeting. Then, Vinny showed up at the same restaurant afterward, and it didn’t seem to spook Gimbel. But it spooked me and still does, especially with Tory’s room being trashed so soon after the meeting Kendra and I had with her. I’m talking less than half an hour.” I continued to wonder why no one had contacted Tory. How in the hell would anyone know if she was okay?
“I also talked with Gimbel about Tory this morning. He isn’t concerned for her. The officers he sent in to pull evidence from the hotel room came up empty-handed. They are under the impression it was some petty thief. Could even be hotel staff. Apparently, no surveillance was used in that room.”
“Maybe that’s Tory’s way of covering her tracks with Vinny’s guys should they tail her. No surveillance means she’s not an undercover agent.” I checked my watch, already seven o’clock. “Is the body being transported to the D.C. morgue?”
“Not yet, I asked that they allow access for Kendra at the Wilmington City morgue connected to the hospital. Not sure why Gimbel wouldn’t have called you. The body was moved mid-morning.”
That was the last thing I wanted Kendra to do before our search for the trafficked girls on the cruise.
“Do you have enough time before you board the cruise ship?”
“We’ll make it work. If she gets anything I’ll call, if not, you’ll hear from us tomorrow. One more thing, I want to remind you of Ted Delaney. He was a trusted agent with you for years and he turned, just like Gimbel may have. Maybe, that’s why he didn’t call me but led you to believe he would.” None of us had thought Delaney would be disloyal, but it happened.
“Okay. I’ll keep an open mind, but you stay vigilant. If Gimbel is part of this, he knows you and knows why you’re there. From what you reported the last time you checked out the cruise ships, you can’t use surveillance. They have a jammer and they don’t allow cell phones on the boat, but you can make use of your team following along with binoculars. Keeping tabs from the shoreline.”
“Old school, but it sounds better than nothing. Especially if we end up jumping overboard.”
Jackson chuckled, and then hung up.
I wasn’t chuckling at all. Nothing funny about what was coming for Kendra, more like a shit-storm.
I glanced at Luke and Ray. They’d turned off the television and had heard my one-sided cell phone conversation. “I gotta take Kendra to the city morgue. I want both of you with us. In fact, I want you to bring some high-powered binoculars and anything you can find that will pick up audio from a distance. Maybe a couple high-powered weapons also. You’ll be playing old-school surveillance games tonight, following the ship along the shoreline.”
Luke and Ray moved toward the doorway of their room. “We got your back,” Luke said. “I’ll grab the supplies we need.”
“We’ll meet you and Kendra downstairs. Text me and I’ll pull the van around to pick you up,” Ray said.
My thoughts centered on Kendra, what seeing another dead girl would do to her. And afterward, what seeing alive, abused girls would do to her. Being an undercover operative was a whole lot different than being a consultant. It sets her in the direct line of fire.
* * *
Kendra
The tension building in my shoulders on the elevator ride to our floor, totally dropped away with Tressa’s smiling face as she opened our room door and pulled me inside. She guided me straight into the bedroom, enthusiasm crackling in her excited energy. My clothes lay across the bed and, thankfully, I would wear fitted sandals, not stilettoes tonight. I had a feeling we’d be doing a lot of walking aboard the ship.
“Do you mind if I hang-out while you dress?” Tressa grabbed the mid-calf sundress and handed it to me, her big smile contagious.
“Okay.” I grabbed the dress and undergarments, and then rushed into the bathroom to change. “I’ll leave the door open if you want to ask questions.”
“I’m absolutely dying to hear about Bertellia Camilla Gonzales. And Jenna. Do you see them? How often, like right now?” Tressa stood outside the door, her back to me, tapping the heel of her shoe.
I was happy this wasn’t like a first-degree interrogation. She was more like someone acknowledging, accepting, and wanting more of something positive. “I’m not sure what Derek shared, but Bertellia is not a spirit I enjoy seeing. She continues to run a brothel of sorts.” I pulled off my clothes and quickly dressed in the disguise-wear. “Jenna continues to be part of our team. She analyzes people and criminals like she did before. She morphed through the ceiling to see that Tory was gone and the room got trashed. That’s why I told you to let Derek know Tory wasn’t in her room.” I brushed my teeth.
Jenna stood beside me. I watched her through the mirror as she worked a hand signal, opening and closing her fingers against her thumb, implying someone talking too much. “Tell her not to talk smack about me because I’m right here.”
I rinsed my mouth and spit, and then said, “Jenna’s with me now. She says not to talk bad about her.”
Tressa turned around, eyes wide, and stepped into the bathroom. “Where is she?” She glanced around the room.
I pointed. “Right beside me.”
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