“Fine, Alice, just fine. Mr. Lazarro and I are nearly done here.” Rossi waved a nonchalant hand and gave Alice a grin that slipped easily over his jowls to his chin. The silence that followed was palpable as both men waited until they were alone again.
“Lies are part of life, Mr. Lazarro,” Rossi said quietly as he backed away and returned to his side of the desk. “Some lies we wear like badges; others we hide away in our closets. But let me ask you this: a lie like this, a lie to protect someone we both love, how can that be wrong?” His tone had changed.
For a second, Zach thought he could hear a note of guilt in the man’s voice. Rossi suddenly looked old and tired.
Sebastian Rossi leaned back in his chair, relieved that the quack psychiatrist had never helped his daughter figure out her dreams. Neither he nor Rena had realized that Avalon had snuck out of her bed that night and hid out of sight at the top of the stairs, giving her a front-row seat to his wife’s ugly accusations about his many infidelities. Rena had brandished a gun and shot him without hesitation. Thankfully, she’d had bad aim and only nicked his shoulder; the second shot had gone wild, shattering a chandelier over Avalon’s head and raining glass down on her. Avalon had screamed and fainted, and when she woke up, her only memory was of loud words. Sebastian had lied and told her that her parents had kissed and made up.
“I do love Avalon,” Zach said. “I guess we’re both looking out for her. It’s just that your methods suck, Mr. Rossi. It stops here. No more lies. From now on, it will be up to me to protect your daughter. You stay out of our lives.”
“You have my word on that, Mr. Lazarro.” Rossi reached across the desk to shake hands. Arrogant ass, he thought. He had no intention of staying out of Avalon’s life, and there wasn’t anything this upstart could do about it. He’d find that out soon enough.
Zach did not reciprocate the gesture; instead, he turned and headed for the door. He needed to think things over — all of it: Phillips, Baker, lies, life, and sudden, brutal death. But most of all, he needed to get back to Avalon. What he would do then, he wasn’t sure, but he was certain that whatever it was, it would involve sex and a damned good spanking.
Chapter Twenty-One
“I love you, too, sweetheart. See you soon.” Avalon clicked the disconnect button on her phone and slipped it into the pocket of her shorts. “That was Zach,” she called, heading down the beach towards the barbecue. “He was delayed, but he’s on his way back now.”
Slice turned and saw the look of resigned frustration on her face. He grabbed a beer from the cooler and pulled the ring. “Come and have a beer, hon. You look like you could use one.”
Avalon took the cold can and held it against her forehead.
Cable turned from the grill and waved. “Good timing,” he said with a huge, hungry grin. “Burgers are just about done.”
“Sounds good, Cable; I’m famished. Nice to hear you got your baritone back. Soprano really didn’t suit you.” Avalon stuck her tongue out at Cable and smiled when he laughed, turned back to the grill, and flicked her his middle finger, all at the same time. “Damn, but it’s hot today.”
“It’s global warming,” Lark piped up. She sat cross-legged, playing a game of tic-tac-toe with Slice, each of them taking turns drawing with their fingers in the sand.
“I’m happy that all of us could get together.” Avalon smiled.
These late-afternoon barbecues had become a regular fixture for the ZSI team, a chance for them to relax and discuss recent cases –– or not, depending on how the mood took them. But this was the first time Lark had shown up, despite their constant invitations.
“Yeah, well, my date canceled, and there I was, all dressed up with nowhere to go,” Lark explained. She took a sip of Slice’s beer.
Slice appeared to scowl briefly, and Avalon couldn’t tell if it was because Lark had stolen his beer or because she had mentioned a date. “Why haven’t we heard about him? We need to check him out,” he barked.
“I didn’t know you were seeing someone.” Avalon sat on a small outcrop of smooth, curved rock that jutted out of the sand.
“About time she was,” Cable called from the grill, flipping burgers with his oversized Bowie knife. “Someone has to make an honest woman of her someday.” He grinned.
“Let her be, Cable. Lark is doing fine on her own,” Slice said. He marked an X in the sand. “Besides, she’s in love with Fish,” he added, and Lark blushed a deep, dark red.
“So what happened to your date?” Avalon asked to fill the awkward pause in the conversation.
Lark looked relieved. “Weirdest thing.” She got up to fetch her own beer from the cooler. “He left for the North Pole this morning.”
Avalon cringed, and the hand holding the can stopped halfway to her mouth. “Where?”
“Yeah, seems his father got a job at some kind of research station. Like really suddenly. Toby said it would be a great opportunity to study Ursus Maritimus.”
“Say again?” Avalon asked, curious and wary.
“Polar bears. And Toby — that’s my guy, or he was — he’s into saving wildlife and stuff. Guess that’s why I liked him so much. I should tell you about Bufo someday.”
Avalon didn’t care about the Latin name for polar bears, and she didn’t want to know about Bufo, whoever the hell he was. Right now, she had other things on her mind. She downed the rest of the can and got herself another.
Slice stood up and wandered across to the barbecue, leaving the women to talk about Lark’s love life. His phone beeped and he jerked it out of his pocket, breathing a sigh when he opened the message. It was a picture of Cassie and her grandmother sharing cotton candy. He looked forward to her daily messages, which often included pictures. When Elena had answered the door and immediately enveloped Cassie in her arms, Slice knew he’d done the right thing locating the woman; she was the kind of grandmother every kid wanted. Over chocolate brownie cookies and milk, Cassie and Elena had negotiated an agreement: Cassie could stay as long as she wanted, but if she ever wanted to leave, she could call Slice.
“Lark,” Avalon said, sitting down in the sand next to her. “What’s Toby’s last name?”
Lark frowned and searched her memory. “Beecham,” she said at last. “But I think that’s his mother’s maiden name. Toby mentioned he’d taken it after his parents got divorced. Why?”
“Because…” Avalon said slowly, lowering her voice so the two men could not overhear. “You remember I said I would take care of Dr. Phillips in my own way?”
Lark nodded. “I don’t know what you did, but I’m sure it was appropriate, considering what he did to you.” Avalon’s intense gaze was beginning to unsettle her, and she shivered despite the warm breeze.
Avalon looked away, took a deep breath, and then turned back to Lark. “Look, I can’t say too much, and whatever I do say stays between us. Okay?”
Lark nodded.
“My father is a powerful man. He — uh — arranges things,” Avalon began hesitantly. “I don’t know how; he just does. And he’s very good at it.”
“Go on.” Lark leaned forward to catch Avalon’s whisper over the sound of the surf.
“I told him about my problem with Phillips. Not the details, but enough for him to understand that the bastard was a huge threat to me personally. I asked him to send Phillips away for a long, long time.” She stopped and looked across at the barbecue.
It was only after Cable and Slice wiped Phillips’ computer that she realized it wasn’t sufficient. He was still a threat. And she couldn’t ask either of the guys to silence him any more than she could ask Zach. They were just as protective, just as likely to kill him. Her father was her only option for dealing with Phillips without violence.
Cable and Slice were arguing about how to make the best burger dressing. The words “chili” and “mustard” and “ketchup” came floating across on the breeze, accompanied by the delicious aroma of ready-to-eat meat and followed by pretend barfing noises from Sl
ice.
Avalon didn’t have much time. She turned to Lark and came to the point. “My father arranged for Phillips to be… recruited is the best word I can think of, to join a five-year research project.”
Lark looked at Avalon with wide, staring eyes. Her mouth worked soundlessly as she tried to formulate the fearful question that was perched on her lips but hardly dared to go any farther. She swallowed, took a deep breath, and then asked anyway. “Where?”
“The North Pole!” Avalon said and looked away, out across the ocean.
It took a moment for Lark to absorb the full impact of Avalon’s words. The idea that Toby was Phillips’ son was absurd, even ridiculous. But was it? Was it really too surreal to be true? She told herself yes, but she knew the facts matched up too well to be a coincidence: Toby’s pervert of a father, Toby changing his name, Toby’s inability to positively connect with women — it all fit together like some kind of strange jigsaw puzzle.
For a while, she and Avalon sat side by side in the sand. Neither spoke. They avoided each other’s eyes, each lost in her own thoughts. Silently, Avalon reached out, took hold of Lark’s hand, and squeezed. Lark squeezed back.
“Guess I won’t be seeing Toby again.” Lark sniffed. She held her breath to hold back her tears.
“Sorry about that.” Avalon swiped her eyes with her fingers.
Lark sighed. “Not your fault. There comes a time when we all have to take one for the team, right?”
Avalon smiled. “Right.”
Cable called from the barbecue, “Ladies, dinner is served.” He brandished an enormous plate of burgers in their direction.
Lark and Avalon stood up in unison, both of them wiping their eyes with their fingers. They looked at each other. Lark smiled first. And then so did Avalon.
“Come on,” Lark said. “I’m starving.”
“You got a plate for me?” Zach called, crossing the beach.
Avalon squealed and ran, jumping into his open arms. “I missed you.”
Zach wrapped her in a bear hug.
“I can’t breathe,” she murmured. He relaxed his hold, and she stepped back. Her smile rapidly disappeared. “What…” She reached out her hand and stopped halfway to his head. “What happened?” she asked in a soft voice.
Zach wanted to look away but didn’t; he’d make her understand that it was better to tell her in person about the case and his injuries, rather than in a phone call. “I got shot, but I’m fine.”
The compassion and tenderness in her eyes was rapidly replaced by full-blown anger. She turned on her heel, hands on her hips. “Why in the hell didn’t you tell me, you bastards?” She stabbed her finger at Cable and Slice.
Slice threw out his hands. “I didn’t know.”
Cable turned his attention to the barbeque and smiled, happy he wouldn’t be doing the explaining. Too many secrets, and for his part, there wouldn’t be any more. If you couldn’t trust your partners with the truth, no matter how bad, you weren’t much of a unit.
Zach wrapped his arms around Avalon, drawing her firmly back against his chest. “I’m fine,” he whispered in her ear. “I’ll give you all the gory details later, in bed. After…” He nibbled on her ear.
Avalon twisted around in his arms, looking up at him. “But I would’ve—”
“I know.” He brushed her lips with his. “You would’ve flown to my side, and that’s why I love you so much.”
Avalon felt the adrenaline rush leave her body. She pressed her face into his chest, hugging him hard. “You’re sure you’re okay?
“You can decide for yourself when we get back to the beach house after dinner.”
“Eat fast.” She chuckled.
“You know how much you mean to me? I plan to show you later.” He grabbed her hand and pulled her over to the barbeque. “That smells damn good,” he told Cable, then nodded at Slice. “Nice job with the jewelry store contract, by the way.”
“Thanks, Boss. It was nothing, really.” Slice shrugged and tried to appear modest, but failed.
Avalon shook her head. “It’s wasn’t nothing, Slice. Who would have guessed that Stella Smith owns an entire chain of stores all across the country? That’s a huge contract.” She settled next to Zach on one of the large picnic blankets, took a huge knife from her beach bag, and started to slice a pile of bread rolls for the burgers. The smell of onions wafted from the grill, and the circling gulls squealed their approval.
“So, how are we going to manage security for all those stores, Boss?” Lark asked. “With just the four of us, I mean.”
Zach took a long sip of beer. “We’ll have to outsource.”
Lark eyed him suspiciously. “You mean let someone else do all the work while we rake in the profits? That stinks of capitalism.”
Slice burst out laughing, spluttering beer down his naked chest. “Well, duh! Welcome to America, Comrade Lark.”
“Don’t worry,” Zach cut in with a benevolent look in his eyes. “We’ll share the wealth.”
“Like Robin Hood? Cool. That I can live with.” Lark gave him a sweet smile. “Let’s eat!”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Avalon drifted while staring at the fire. No more secrets, she thought, except this last one. Her father had stopped by her office at the courthouse, catching her off guard. He’d never done that before.
“I love you and would have come to you sooner had I known about the bad dreams. I hope you can forgive me.” He enveloped her in a bear hug and told her that he believed her dreams stemmed from the loud, raucous fight he’d had with her mother over his failings as a husband. “Just don’t hate me.”
Avalon squeezed him tight, and told him, “Oh Daddy, of course not. My only memories of a good parent are of you. You were there for me.” Then she told him that she hadn’t had the dream since she told him about the therapist and he promised to take care of the problem. Leave it to him to find a job opening at the North Pole.
When her father stood to leave, he’d said, “Promise me you won’t tell anyone about our conversation. This is family business — you and me only.”
Avalon had readily agreed, though she’d flinched inwardly as Zach’s face flashed before her. This was the last time, she swore.
Zach nudged Avalon’s shoulder, bringing her back to the present. “The partiers are all ready to go home. We have a lot to talk about.”
They shouted their good-byes, and Cable and Slice walked Lark to her car.
Zach grabbed Avalon’s hand and they walked down to the water. The tide was out, so they had to stick to the sand or walk over the large boulders that the tide covered when it rolled back in. Avalon stopped and rolled up her jeans to just under her knees.
“Why do I feel like you’re not eager to get back to the house?” Zach stared into Avalon’s troubled face.
“I, uh… I’m being selfish.” She looked up at Zach, a little embarrassed. His eyebrows went up in question. “I fantasized on the drive over from the office about ripping your clothes off, tying your wrists to the headboard, and well…” She broke off, her cheeks a bright red. “And now you’re injured. We could watch TV.”
The look of disappointment on her face almost had him laughing. He clasped her head between his hands. “How did I get so lucky? I love you.” He added in a stern voice, “There will be no television for you, young lady.”
“I’m certain I can’t wait.”
He wrapped his arms around her and dragged her down to the sand.
The waves lapped gently against the shore. The sky was clear, the stars so close that Avalon almost felt as though she need just reach out to touch them. The setting was so beautiful that she felt as if she were in a dream.
“You’re quiet, babe.” Zach’s hand, warm and firm, took hers. “Cold?”
“Just happy.”
Her non-answer made him smile. “Good. Did you miss me?”
“Maybe,” she teased. “Were you gone?”
“Minx.” He pulled her close, looking d
own into her warm, dark eyes. His breath caught in his throat; his Avalon was a beauty, inside and out. “Love you,” he husked.
She leaned into him, soaking up the warmth radiating from his strong, lean physique. She was intensely aware of him: hard yet gentle, fierce yet cradling her with tenderness. The combination set her heart racing. Zach always had that effect on her.
“Oh wait, isn’t this where we parked once and…?” He laughed suggestively.
At the memory, her heart skipped a beat, and then she laughed. “Maybe.”
“Maybe? Maybe I should remind you?”
He dipped his head and kissed her. His lips were soft and firm, his tongue sliding sweetly over her lips, teasing, exploring, and then insistent. He smelled of lime and salt: fresh and clean, yet rich, like the ocean that washed on the shore.
“How about here and now?” Zach’s blue eyes were glinting mischievously. “A refresher. To remind you.”
“What if someone hears? Or sees?”
Zach stood and tugged her along, heading to a small dune. “We’ll pretend to be seagulls.”
Giggling, Avalon let herself be led into the sandy hollow. She could see the ocean and the flickering lights of the houses in the distance, but the rest was breezy, salty silence.
Zach stripped off his shirt, placing it on the sand and patting it. “Love nest.”
Laughing, they settled into the sand like teenagers. His hands were all over her, warm, firm, and oh, so knowing. Avalon felt the breath catch in her throat as the beat in her body began to pulse in earnest.
He took off her top, his hands reaching for the clasp of her bra. “I love the way you smell,” he whispered. “Like vanilla and flowers.”
His breath in her neck, the tip of his tongue teasing the soft flesh under her ear, triggered sweet shivers of delicious, ticklish pleasure.
“Sweet.” He dipped his head, flicking his tongue over her tender flesh. At his touch, she gasped. Then her hands were in his hair, tangling there, while her knees turned to liquid. His voice, roughened by want, made her giggle.
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