Unauthorised Passion/Intimate Knowledge

by Amanda Stevens

  “What about him?” she asked.

  Ariadne bit her lip. “He wants to quit the band.”

  “Why? I thought he loved performing as much as you do.”

  Ariadne’s eyes were suddenly brimming with tears. “I thought so, too. But now he says…he says he wants more out of life than just one gig after another. He’s talking about getting a regular job. Buying a house. He’s even mentioned having a kid lately.” Ariadne closed her eyes on a shudder. “We’re on the verge of getting a record deal, everything we’ve worked so hard for all these years, and he wants to throw it all away.”

  “Has he met someone?” Penelope tried to ask tactfully.

  “No, I don’t think so. I mean…we’ve both seen other people since the breakup, but I don’t think he’s serious about anyone.” She started to pace. “In fact, I think it’s just the opposite. I think…he wants us to get back together.”

  “But wasn’t it his idea to break up in the first place?” Penelope asked in surprise.

  Ariadne nodded. “That’s just it. He wanted to do his own thing, sow his wild oats, whatever you want to call it. Now that he has, he’s ready to settle down. But I’m not. I haven’t seen anything of the world. Not really. Only the places Mom and Dad used to take us to on vacation, and that hardly counts. I want to really travel, live in exotic places. I’m too young to settle down. I haven’t done half the things I want to do.” She was getting more and more worked up as she talked. “Do you realize that by the time Helen was my age, she’d already traveled all over the world? And look at Cassandra. My God, can you imagine a more exciting life?”

  “Some people would say the same about you,” Penelope said. “You’re in a rock band, Addie. You’re living out everyone’s fantasy.”

  “I guess,” she said doubtfully. “I just never thought I’d have to make a choice between Ethan and my career. I thought we’d make it to the top together, and then some day, when were older, we’d find our way back to each other, you know, as a couple. Only now…”

  “What?”

  She put a hand to her mouth. “What if he doesn’t want to wait for me, Pen? What if he meets someone while I’m out there finding myself?”

  “I guess that’s a chance you’ll just have to take. But you can’t make a commitment feeling this way. It wouldn’t be fair to either of you.”

  “I know. But sometimes it’s just so hard to let go.” She wiped her eyes with her fingertips. “Thanks for letting me unload on you like this. I’d better get going. I’ve got someone waiting for me. I’ll call you in a few days, okay?”

  Penelope walked her to the door. “Will I see you tomorrow night?”

  Ariadne frowned. “What’s tomorrow night?”

  “The auction at the museum.”

  “Oh, right. Yeah, sure, you count on me.” Her smile still seemed wan. “I’ll be there with bells on.”

  With anyone else, that would have been a figure of speech. With Ariadne, Penelope never knew.

  She closed and locked the door, then hurried back into the bedroom. Simon was gone, leaving her to wonder how much of her conversation with Ariadne he’d overheard before he’d decided to cut and run.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Penelope tried not to think about Simon at all, but as busy as she was at work the next day, he persistently crept into her head. Like the proverbial bad penny, he kept turning up, screwing with her life and with her emotions. She should have sent him away the moment she saw him in her bedroom last night, but instead she’d let down her guard.

  She wasn’t going to make excuses for her behavior, but it was all water under the bridge now, she tried to tell herself. A mistake she wasn’t going to agonize over much less repeat, even though it had been the best sex of her life. Mind-blowing sex, actually. A term she’d always considered hyperbole, but now she felt as if she’d been initiated into some exclusive club. But membership hadn’t come without a price. She would have had a hard enough time getting over Simon when she’d merely been in love with him. Now she also had to contend with her lust.

  Okay, just stop thinking about him, she told herself firmly as she threw herself into her work.

  The museum’s regular operating hours were from ten to six, Tuesday through Saturday and twelve to six on Sundays. The doors had opened at the normal time that morning, but had closed four hours early in order to give the staff sufficient time to prepare for the night’s events. By the time the last tour ended, the place was already a beehive of activity.

  Penelope had just started up the stairs to retrieve her purse and car keys when she collided with Jane, who was already dressed for the evening in a beautiful beaded silk dress. She dropped her evening bag and the contents went flying. Penelope chased a gold tube of lipstick down the hall and brought everything back to her.

  “Sorry about that.”

  “It’s not your fault.” Jane fiddled with her purse. “The clasp is broken. That’s the second time that’s happened to me tonight.”

  “I mean, I’m sorry I bumped into you,” Penelope said.

  “Oh.” Jane glanced up and shrugged. “That probably wasn’t your fault, either. I was reading over my notes and not paying attention to where I was going.”

  Penelope nodded at the clipboard in the woman’s hand. “I don’t think I’ve seen you without that thing for the past two days.”

  Jane grimaced. “I feel like it’s become an appendage. I never realized how much planning and preparation these things take.”

  “But you’ve done a beautiful job,” Penelope said. “And I’m sure this evening will go off without a hitch.”

  “Yes, but I’m already worried about the details I might have overlooked. It’s driving me crazy.” Jane shook her head. “Oh, well. It’s the perfectionist in me, I suppose. By the way, have you seen Avery?”

  Penelope had become fairly adept at avoiding him. “No, why?”

  “He was looking for you earlier.”

  “Really?” Penelope tried not to look alarmed. “Do you know why?”

  “No, but he seemed pretty anxious to find you.”

  That didn’t sound good. “Do you know where he is?”

  “He’s not in his office. I was just up there. I think he must have gone home to change.” Jane put a hand on Penelope’s arm. “Listen, do me a favor. Have a chat with him when he gets back. See if you can calm him down. He’s so wired up about tonight, he’s driving me crazy.”

  The last thing Penelope wanted was a confrontation with Avery Bennett, but if she kept so obviously avoiding him, he was bound to get suspicious. Besides, there were dozens of people all over the museum. Even if Avery suspected that she was on to him, he wouldn’t try anything with so many witnesses around.

  Another thought suddenly occurred to her. If Avery was out of the building, this might be an excellent time to have a look around in his office.

  It was the sort of thing that wouldn’t have crossed Penelope’s mind a week ago, but after everything that had happened with Simon, she no longer felt inclined to sit back and let events happen to her. Searching Avery’s office might not be the smartest thing she’d ever done, but somehow it made her feel a little more in control.

  Glancing over her shoulder to make sure she wasn’t seen, Penelope headed up the back stairwell. Racing up the steps before she could change her mind, she emerged on a silent and deserted third floor. Everyone was either downstairs helping with last-minute preparations, or they’d gone home to change. Penelope tried to be as quiet as she could, but as she made her way down the hall, the creaking floorboards sent shivers up her spine. Even the hum of the air conditioner seemed somehow ominous.

  She approached Avery’s office with growing trepidation. She wasn’t cut out for this sort of thing. Slipping into Fairhaven after hours was one thing, but searching Avery’s private domain was quite another. He could walk in on her at any moment, and for all she knew, he could be armed.

  Taking a deep breath, she stepped quickly inside. His o
ffice was neat and organized and his desk completely cleared off, but several boxes were lined up on his credenza. As Penelope started toward them, her toe hit something on the hardwood floor and sent it rolling underneath the desk.

  Bending, she tried to retrieve what looked to be a small medicine bottle, but it had rolled too far. She had to get on her hands and knees to reach it.

  Just as her hand closed around the tiny plastic cylinder, a voice said from the doorway, “Penelope? What on earth are you doing?”

  Penelope was startled so badly that she bumped her head on the desk as she tried to straighten.

  “Avery!” she said breathlessly. “I—uh, was just looking for you.”

  “Under there?” he asked incredulously.

  Penelope managed to laugh. “No, of course not. I…dropped something. Anyway, I came up here looking for you and when you weren’t here, I figured you must have gone home to change.” She winced inwardly at her babbling, but Avery didn’t seem to notice.

  “I just got back.” He held out his arms. “How do I look?”

  Penelope struggled to her feet. Her heart was beating so hard she almost felt dizzy, but somehow she managed to smile and say, “Very elegant. Is that a new tux?”

  “I’ve had it for years,” he said as he fastidiously adjusted his cuffs. “But I like to think of it as a classic. By the way, did you find it?”

  “Wh-what?”

  “Whatever you dropped.”

  Her hand had automatically curled around the medicine bottle when she’d heard his voice. Instead of showing it to him, she said, “I, uh, lost an earring back.”

  He came toward her, and for the first time, Penelope realized he wasn’t using his crutches. “You need some help?”

  “No, I found it.” She slipped the pill bottle into the pocket of her skirt. “Avery, where are your crutches?”

  He shrugged. “I left them at home. Foolish, I know, but they ruin the line of my tux.” He came around the desk, and it was all Penelope could do not to back away from him. “You said you came up here looking for me?”

  She nodded. “Jane said that you wanted to see me earlier.”

  He looked blank for a moment, then nodded. “Right. I wanted to let you know that there’s been a slight change in the schedule for tonight.”

  “A change? What kind of change?” she asked anxiously.

  He gave her a curious glance. “Are you okay? You seem a little on edge.”

  “No, I’m fine. It’s just…” She wiped her palms down the sides of her skirt. “I think we’re all a little nervous about tonight. Plus…I’m running late. I still have to go home and change.”

  He gave her a once-over. “Yes, I can see that. Well, don’t worry. This won’t take long.”

  When he made another move toward her, Penelope automatically stepped back. He gave her a puzzled glance. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

  “I’m just…worried about the time.” She checked her watch.

  “Would you relax?” he said impatiently. “You’re as jumpy as a cat. I told you this won’t take long.” He picked up one of the boxes from his credenza and handed it to her. “Have a look inside.”

  Trying not to seem reluctant, Penelope placed the box on the desk and removed a layer of packing material to reveal an ornate ceramic mask. She glanced up. “It’s beautiful, but I don’t recognize it.”

  He smiled. “No, you wouldn’t. They just arrived this morning?”

  “They?”

  “There are six of them, all hand-crafted and painted by Emilio Cervantes. He’s a Juarez artisan whose work is becoming quite collectible. I believe your mother owns a few of his pieces.”

  That was news to Penelope. “This one is magnificent,” she said. “May I?” Carefully, she removed the mask from the box. It was a large piece, made to slip over the entire head rather than cover only the face. But judging by the weight, Penelope surmised that the insides were hollow.

  Her heart fluttered. “You say these just came in?”

  “Yes, I was afraid they wouldn’t make it. But now that they’re here, I’ve decided they’ll make the perfect segue from the slide-show presentation to the auction. I wanted to let you know beforehand because I know how much you hate surprises.”

  Penelope returned the mask to the box, hoping that Avery didn’t notice how badly her hands were suddenly shaking. “Was that all you wanted to see me about?”

  “Yes. Now run along and change.” He made a shooing motion with his hands. “Jane and I can hold the fort until you get back. But make it quick, okay? We’re getting down to the wire.”

  “I won’t be long,” Penelope promised.

  ON HER WAY OUT, Penelope ran into Jane again on the back stairs. Literally. She had just stepped into the stairwell and was looking back over her shoulder, making sure that Avery hadn’t followed her, when she and Jane collided. Still poised on the top step, the older woman grabbed Penelope’s arms to steady herself.

  “We’ve got to stop meeting like this,” she said with a wry laugh.

  “This time, it really was my fault,” Penelope said contritely. “I’m running late and I wasn’t watching where I was going. Are you okay?”

  Jane looked uncharacteristically rattled. “I, uh, just remembered something that I have to do, that’s all. One of those little details that’s been driving me crazy all day.” She shook her head. “This night can’t end soon enough to suit me.”

  “I know what you mean,” Penelope murmured. “Anyway, I’m just on my way out. I still have to go home and change.”

  “Were you in Avery’s office just now?” Jane asked.

  “Yes, I just left him. Jane—” Penelope resisted the urge to check behind her again, but she couldn’t help lowering her voice. “You haven’t seen the new security guard the agency sent over, have you?”

  “Which one? Avery hired a couple of new ones, although…” Jane lifted her chin. “I don’t think any of them will be able to take Tim’s place.”

  “No, I’m sure you’re right about that,” Penelope agreed automatically. “But Tim will be back on the job in no time. Right now, though, I’m looking for Larry Jones. Have you seen him?”

  “The tall, good-looking one? I don’t think he’s on until later, but I could check with Avery if you like. I was just on my way in to see him—”

  “No! I mean, no, don’t do that,” Penelope said in a calmer voice. “No need to bother Avery with this. He has enough on his mind as it is. I’ll take care of it later.”

  “Take care of what?” Jane asked in confusion.

  “It’s not important. Just…don’t say anything to Avery, okay?”

  Jane threw her hands up. “Even if I wanted to.” She stepped aside so that Penelope could move around her to the stairs. “Go on, get out of here. Go change. And while you’re at it, have a drink to calm your nerves. I thought Avery was a basket case,” she muttered before exiting the stairwell.

  Penelope waited until she was in her car and driving out of the parking lot before calling Simon. Taking out her cell phone, she punched in the number he’d given her two nights ago and told her to memorize.

  “It’s me,” she said in a rush when she recognized his voice. “I think I just found the Nicin.”

  “Don’t say another word,” he said sharply. “Where are you?”

  “I’m on my way home to change.”

  “I’ll meet you at your apartment then. Don’t leave until I get there.”

  “I won’t, but you’ll have to hurry. If I’m late getting back, Avery might get suspicious.”

  Simon paused. “Penelope, don’t leave until I get there. And for God’s sakes, don’t say a word to anyone.”

  PENELOPE LET HERSELF in to her apartment, then hurried into the bathroom, hoping to shower and change before Simon arrived. But when she came out a few minutes later, he was just stepping through the French doors into her bedroom.

  She gasped when she first saw him. He was in his security-guard disguise,
and it took her a moment to recognize him. Even when she did, she clutched the towel tightly around her.

  “I’m never going to get used to that,” she murmured, her heart pounding at the sight of him.

  His attention dropped to the towel, lingered, then moved back up to her face. “I know what you mean.”

  Penelope blushed, wondering if she’d purposely allowed herself to be caught in such a state of undress. If she’d secretly wanted to shock him, the way he’d shocked her last night.

  She couldn’t say that she was all that proud of her lack of restraint the night before, but she wasn’t going to be too hard on herself, either. Because in spite of everything, she still had feelings for Simon. She’d been crazy about him before the truth had come out, and it was unrealistic to think that she could get over him in a matter of days. It did little good to remind herself that the Simon she loved had never really existed, because the man she’d been with last night had the power to make her fall head over heels in love with him again.

  All of that flashed through Penelope’s mind in the blink of an eye, however, and in the next instant, she hitched the towel higher, making sure not to reveal even a hint of cleavage.

  “You said you’d found something,” he prompted.

  Penelope nodded, relieved that they were not going to talk about last night. “I think I know how they’re bringing in the Nicin. And how it’s getting out of the museum.” Quickly she explained about the masks. “If the insides are hollow as I suspect, the clay could have easily been molded around some kind of container or vial. All you’d have to do is break the clay to retrieve it.”

  “You say you saw six of them?”

  Penelope nodded. “That’s how many boxes I saw in Avery’s office. I only actually examined one of the masks, though. He’s putting all of them up for auction right after his slide-show presentation, so if we keep an eye out for the highest bidder…” She trailed off. Maybe she’d been expecting too much, but Simon seemed only mildly interested in her revelation. “Don’t you think it’s at least possible that’s how the Nicin is getting into the country?” she insisted.