Garden of Dreams (39 page)

Her small balloon of hope spiked, Nina collapsed inside. She knew how to take care of herself. She could go home, tend her garden, go back to school, live day-to-day as she always had. It wasn't a bad life. She still had to contend with her mother. Maybe she could work something out. She should have had someone check on her geranium seedlings.

“Nina!”

JD's sharp voice startled Nina out of her reverie. He never spoke sharply. She must have been daydreaming. Not looking at him, she slid down from the cabinet and searched for a glass. “What?” she asked with irritation, filling the glass with water.

“Explain to Jimmy about Astro's finances.”

“Their last big game program bombed when your firm released the new edition of Monster House. Quicken's new banking program made their personal finance software obsolete. They've lost money for three consecutive quarters, a disaster for any highly leveraged firm. Which Marshall Enterprises is,” Nina reminded them. “Not as badly as Astro, but you're in risky waters.”

JD shrugged, took the glass of water she'd poured, and drained half of it before speaking. “Jimmy and I are the ones taking risks. We'd be the only ones hurt. We're not a public company.”

“But Astro is. The stockholders are screaming. Banks are unloading their shares. From the printouts JD gave me, it looks as if they're overdue on several loans. They're teetering on the brink of disaster. One report says there's a demand for a new board of directors. I don't know where your Dillon stands amid all of this, but DiFrancesco is on the board, which undoubtedly means he holds a substantial block of potentially worthless shares.”

Timidly, Nancy broke into the temporary lull following Nina's speech. “From what Jimmy and I can tell, the money Marshall Enterprises borrowed came from a consortium of Astro's stockholders. Jimmy's friend at the bank is searching the files, trying to follow the money trail. Dillon borrowed against his law firm to contribute part of the sum. I imagine that means he owns stock in Astro.”

“Thank God we haven't gone public yet,” Jimmy muttered.

“Dillon wanted us to,” JD pointed out. “He and his friends probably would have bought us lock, stock, and barrel if we had.”

“That's irrelevant now. Astro has your program, their sales are soaring on the basis of it, and their stock prices have just recently turned around. Without that program, you're stable, but jerk that program from Astro, and they crumble.” Nina refilled the glass and sipped.

“I've already notified a contact at the Wall Street Journal that we're pressing a copyright-infringement suit against Astro. If this lawyer you've found is any good, he can have theft charges pressed. The news should break soon. I've already put it on the Internet. Astro's stock should start tumbling in the morning,” JD announced with satisfaction.

Jimmy shouted in glee, and Nina lifted her glass in salute. JD would never stay down long. She'd be wise to follow his example. She just wished her heart were in it.

“If you announce your intention to go public with your stock, couldn't you borrow sufficient money to start production of your own program?” she asked.

“You're wasted teaching high school, Miss Toon,” JD admonished. “You have a wickedly clever mind. However, I'm taking your earlier suggestion. Astro has production facilities that we don't. They've already sold the program across the country with a sales force we don't have. When Astro's stock plummets, I'm personally buying up every share that hits the market. I've notified my broker to buy when it hits the price I've designated. And I've given him a list of major stockholders to contact. My bet is that when the news of our suit hits tomorrow, the rats will scurry to flee the sinking ship.”

“I want in on some of that action.” Jimmy crossed to the telephone and began punching in numbers. “I've not squirreled away as much as you have, but I can manage enough. Hell, I'll sell the Corvettes if I have to.”

“You have a Corvette?” Nancy asked in surprise. “We've been driving around in my little box, and you own a Corvette?”

JD handed her a peanut butter cracker. “A new Corvette, three antique Corvettes, a Cadillac STS, and the worst collection of Chevy trucks you'll ever find. He's certifiable.”

“Never drove a Geo,” Jimmy mumbled through a cracker as he waited for someone to answer the phone on the other end. “Foreign cars, hate 'em. But if Chevy—” He turned back to speak into the phone.

“Well, then,” Nina said brightly, “sounds as if everything will end happily ever after. I guess I'd better go back to my geraniums.”

“Good idea,” JD said, capturing her against the counter with one hand on either side of her. “Only one little problem.”

Breathless at the close contact, Nina tried to make herself smaller. “Oh, and what is that?”

“I called the cops and had a long talk with them about DiFrancesco and my uncle. They should be searching his house for a weapon right about now. Guess who will be gunning for me when he finds out?”

“If they find the gun, they'll lock DiFrancesco up, JD. There's nothing to worry about.” Nina eased away from him, pretending to examine a bush she'd already thoroughly examined earlier. It was easier than standing close to JD in the midnight garden.

It was impossible to escape JD. He came up behind her, catching her waist and pulling her back against him. Her head rested on his shoulder, and his encompassing arms offered the strength she'd never possessed. It would be so easy to pretend she could count on that welcome embrace forever. But she'd never had much success lying to herself.

“I just don't think going back to Madrid right now is the safest thing for you to do.” JD's hand wandered, caressing lightly. “Staying with me is probably wrong, too. I could send you to San Diego. You could visit the zoo. Anything to keep you out of DiFrancesco's range until this is all over.”

Nina shivered as the hand on her breast pulled erotic chords. She would never feel his caress again once she left here, she knew. He would immerse himself in his own world. He'd never have time to visit an out-of-the-way place like Madrid, Kentucky. The nearest airport was well over an hour away. But if she would never see him again, wouldn't it be easier to make the break now, before she fell any deeper?

“You said you talked to Hoyt and the Mercedes is gone. I'll be safe enough. Coming after me won't save DiFrancesco's stock from plummeting or keep the police from finding the gun if he truly did murder your uncle. He'll probably be in jail by the time I get home. I think it's best if I leave now, JD.”

Instead of releasing her, he held her tighter. Above the tangle of palm leaves, a desert sky sprinkled myriad stars, and Nina wanted nothing more than to forget the rest of the world in JD's arms. He could do it so easily, chase away her problems, make the world go away. But she didn't think she could afford the price.

“Was it something I said?” he asked carefully. “I didn't mean to ignore you all day. It's just sometimes I—”

Nina vigorously shook her head. “Don't be silly. You didn't ignore me. You didn't say anything. I just came out here to see that you're safe, and now it looks as if you are. I have my own life, JD.”

He loosened his hold but continued idly rubbing his hand up and down her hip. “All right. You're worried about the garden. I can understand that. Just don't go yet. Wait a little while, until I'm sure it's safe.”

His argument was scarcely persuasive, but his hand was. Nina tried stepping away, but cement encased her feet. The roar of a car engine caught her attention, and she jerked her head in the direction of the gate.

“JD, someone's out there.”

It was well after midnight now. The owner of the house was in France. No one should be out there.

JD shoved Nina toward the house. “Warn Jimmy. Call the police. If anyone tries to breach the gate, it's supposed to notify security, but let's not take chances.”

Nina caught his arm. “Wait! Where are you going?”

JD grabbed her by the waist, planted a hungry kiss on her mouth, and pushed her away again. “Over the wall. If it's DiFrancesco, he wants me. I'll distract him.”

“JD, you impossible idiot...” But he had already disappeared into the shadows of the shrubbery.

***

Slipping down secluded walks, JD hurried in the direction of the gate. He might know more about machinery than people, but instinct drove him to protect what was his. Nina was his. He'd not let anyone touch her.

He shoved through the shrubbery until he reached the base of the wall. He could hear someone fiddling with the gate. Why didn't the security alarm go off?

He hadn't thought DiFrancesco could find him so easily. If he'd thought at all, he would have figured the financier as the sort to run. But, as usual, he hadn't given it any thought. This time, his damned impulsiveness could hurt innocents. He'd never forgive himself if anything happened to Nina. She'd left her safe little world for his sake.

His foot found a grip between blocks of the wall. He could reach DiFrancesco before he broke through the gate. Quietly, he dropped into the darkness beyond the garden wall.

***

Staring uncertainly at the place where JD had disappeared, Nina was startled by the screech of metal. JD had never checked the gate mechanism. It might hold. She could just be indulging in her usual paranoia. But living in a house with erratic electricity had taught her caution.

Throwing a glance over her shoulder, deciding she was closer to the gate than the house, Nina dashed along hidden pathways to an observation point she had discovered earlier. She'd explored for hours this afternoon while JD worked. She put what she'd learned to good use now.

From the fountain wall she could see a low-slung black Porsche revving its engines in front of the gate. Behind it was the Mercedes. The damned Mercedes. Or one just like it. A man stood at the security gate, playing with the buttons that signaled the house. If Jimmy and Nancy hadn't already gone to bed, they'd know they had company now.

The gate creaked again. No security alarms clamored. For a terrifying moment, Nina wondered if the owner had returned from France. Did JD really have permission to use this place?

And then she saw the machine gun.

She didn't know a thing about guns. It could be an Uzi or whatever criminals used these days. She just knew it had a short barrel and a thick stock and didn't resemble any kind of rifle she knew. And JD was out there somewhere.

She thought she saw his shadow darting along the high block wall as the gate creaked open. She heard a shout as the man at the box shoved past the gate with his gun. She didn't hear any gunfire yet, but she wasn't waiting to take chances.

Hitting the control mechanism she'd found earlier by the fountain, Nina shot arrows of water into the air. The sprinkler system roared to life, soaking the guy with the gun. His curses turned the air blue as she dashed for the garage.

“He's over here, boss! I've got him!”

The shout coursed down her spine, but Nina kept running, praying.

“There's more in here. Grab him before they call security!”

More than one man darted through the gate and over the wall. Nina heard an ominous thud that very much sounded like a body landing on metal, hollow metal, like a car. The Porsche was easing through the half-open gate now. Where the devil was JD?

Panting, Nina located the side door into the garage. The Rolls had fascinated her earlier. After a dozen years of driving that tiny, rusty Camry, a luxurious car like this one couldn't have done anything else but fascinate her. It smelled new. The glossy paint glimmered even in the dim light of the garage. She hadn't dared turn on the engine, but she knew where the keys were. They hung on a board right by the door, neatly labeled.

The shouts sounded louder now. Whoever was out there had scattered all through the yard, and the sprinkler system worked overtime to drown them. She'd never heard such cursing since the principal had invaded the boys' bathroom and caught them smoking. Surely, if these men had caught JD, they wouldn't still be out there running around in the water.

That thought exploded when she heard a triumphant cry from the direction of the gate. “He's here, boss! I got him. F—” The curse was cut off in an alarming screech of pain.

Playing harder now, Nina grabbed the keys and, with trembling fingers, swung open the car door. She didn't know a thing about driving a car like this one. She prayed it had an automatic transmission. She should have learned a standard, but Hattie couldn't drive. She'd had to teach herself.

She found the ignition, and the car rumbled to life. To her utter surprise and dismay, the garage door slowly opened of its own accord. She pulled a gear stick she prayed set the car into forward, and the huge automobile rolled in stately grace through the opening doorway.

Someone inside the house had turned on the floodlights. Thank God, Jimmy and Nancy must still be up. Maybe they'd called the police.

A sudden thought curled Nina's toes. What if those goons had cut the telephone wires? That's why the security alarm hadn't gone off when the gate opened. They were out here in the middle of the desert, entirely on their own.