Authors: Flo Fitzpatrick
Hot Stuff (16 page)
Chapter 20
Mahindra had called me an intelligent woman, which might have been true once upon a time. I hadn't gotten into a spitting contest with Jake and Brig over scholarships and universities, but I currently boasted Bachelors and Masters degrees in subjects that guaranteed real jobs paying real salaries. I'd earned these degrees while also attending gymnastics competitions. Plus shaking my pom-poms for basketball games. Such activities left little time to study, yet I'd maintained an A average. Some people might call that smart.
In less than a week in India, that intelligence had turned to mush. Oatmeal brain. A nice description of Tempe Walsh. A bright woman would have walked away from Raj's trailer after conversing with a mobster, albeit a refined and polite one, and run to the nearest embassy.
Once there, that clever lady would have flung herself on the mercy of the cutest ambassador, then begged for asylum in a far northern land. Norway. Finland. Sweden. Somewhere with snow and ice cream and tall Viking holdovers. A place where the natives had never heard of Shiva's Diva and were too practical to believe in any curse or blessing not sanctioned by Thor.
She, Tempe Walshâclever girlâmight explain to this ambassador that, yes, she'd loved dressing up in outrageous outfits and performing gymnastic feats. Becoming friends with India's foremost actress had been a kick. Dropping clothes for the boys at C.C. Curry's ladies club and accompanying Robin Hood around town had been exciting.
She'd go on, though, to tell him that she, Tempe Walshâoatmeal brainâwould like to leave now. But she couldn't because one of several possible unfriendly parties had stolen all the goods she'd brought to Bombay. Including her passport.
I doubted it had dropped into Mahindra's possession. If he'd been the one to take it from my hotel room, he'd have returned it to me this evening. He had no reason to keep it. That left Patel or Ray.
Or heck, even Brig might have snatched it. I wouldn't put it past him to have managed to sweet-talk one of the maids into letting him in my room. He had no reason to steal my stuff since he already had Shiva's Diva, but that didn't mean I could rule him out as a suspect. He didn't have a reason for a lot of his actions.
So, did that clever Tempe Walsh opt for any of these intelligent strategies? Nope. I spent the night at the trailer.
Maybe I hoped Brig would come looking for me. Maybe he'd be so reassured to find me where he'd left me, he would throw himself at my feet. Beg me to forget all about goddesses and statues and run off to Pago Pago with him. Or maybe I didn't want to go anywhere near the heart of Bombay since Mahindra and associates were still sorting out who had what and what they planned to do to whoever did not.
The true answer to my staying put might have been that, once again, exhaustion ruled more than the wit to care whether any of the previous associates came bursting through the tiny window over the kitchen sink, guns and knives drawn and blazing, in the next six hours or so.
One of the major, or minor, goddesses did bestow a small blessing on me. I spent the rest of the night in peace, managed a good three hours' sleep, and was dressed and ready when Asha knocked on my door at seven in the morning.
“You don't have to be in costume today, didja know that? You get to watch. Me too.”
“Hi, Asha. Good to see you. How's the yacht?”
“Oh yeah. Hi, Tempe. The yacht? Oh man. Super. Big, ostentatious, and romantic, and Jake and I are on again! So, I see you made it through the night alive?”
I grabbed the little black purse Brig had included in the shopping spree from Kemps Corner and followed Asha out the door. “Barely. I had a visitor.”
“Brig? Is he back?”
I shook my head. “Nope. I have no idea where the elusive Mr. O'Brien is. Or whether he made it through the night either.”
I stared ahead of me. Asha's blue car was parked by the carousel.
“The baby blue bomb is in the open. Aren't you worried it'll be recognized?”
She shrugged. “Hey. If anyone is stupid enough to chase me in the T-Bird, it's his bad luck if he catches me. I'm in no mood to hide from creeps. I have a life. Damned if Patel or Decore or that other clown is going to keep me from it. I'll call my parents and tell them to sic the guys from Tony's bar in Jersey City on 'em. They want to act like mobsters? Ha! I'll show 'em mobsters. So, who was your visitor, if not Brig?”
“Dog number three. Kirk Mahindra.”
“Holy shit! Mahindra came out here?”
I told her about my conversation with the man.
“You told him Brig sold it to Ray? Wow! Talk about gutsy. What are you going to do when he realizes you just cooked up a major whopper? Which might be pretty soon.”
“I did think about that. My reasoning is Mahindra knows Brig has, or had, Shiva's Diva. Even if he and Ray hash it out and figure that neither of them is in possession of the little charmerâthe statue that is, not Brigâthey'll try and find him. Not me. Mahindra seemed quite satisfied that Brig never came near my trailer last night.”
Asha mumbled, “Which is why you're grumpy this
A.M
.”
A.M
.”
“Excuse me?”
“Nothing.”
“I heard that, Asha. First, I am not grumpy. Sleepy, dopey, even sneezy perhaps after all the cigarette smoke Mahindra blew in my face last night. But not grumpy. Second, even if I am grumpy, I don't want to hear your theories as to
why
I'm grumpy if they have anything to do with the fact that Brig is missing and did not spend last night lingering in my arms.”
why
I'm grumpy if they have anything to do with the fact that Brig is missing and did not spend last night lingering in my arms.”
We smiled at each other. I switched topics back to her love life, not my lack of one. “Tell me. What's up with the wedding? You and Jake on again?”
She nodded, licking her lips like a contented cat sitting on a carton of Cool Whip. “I spent the first part of the evening gazing out over the waters with the foxiest man I could find on that yacht. And Jake spent that time glaring, muttering, and following us from stem to stern or whatever those parts of a boat are called.”
“So?”
“So, about midnight, Mr. Jake Roshan decided he'd had enough. He politely told my semidate to take a long swim toward Chowpatty Beach, then he grabbed me and hauled me off to his room. Or suite. I'm not up on nautical terminology. Anyway, I think he's watched too many dailies of
Carnival of Lust
. Very forceful.”
Carnival of Lust
. Very forceful.”
She grinned. “I loved it. There are times the alpha male has his place in the world. Last night was one of them. Anyway, he agreed that using the start of our marriage as a publicity stunt might not be the best idea he's ever had. He's just been really worried about budget for the film and he lost sight of the romance in the all-too-true reality that our wedding would rake in one heck of a lot of media attention, meaning great box office for opening.”
“Yee haw! This is wonderful! So, Woodbridge is it?”
“Yep. I did agree to several massive, disgusting, gaudy, tasteless parties here, though. One to announce the engagement formally, one before we leave for America, and one when we get back, which will be just in time for the gala premiere of
Carnival of Lust
. I happen to adore gaudy tasteless parties. But I want to spend some time in the States before I'm forced to take the seniors bus to Atlantic City for my gambling spree.”
Carnival of Lust
. I happen to adore gaudy tasteless parties. But I want to spend some time in the States before I'm forced to take the seniors bus to Atlantic City for my gambling spree.”
She glanced at me as we hopped into the car. “You have to come back for that, you know. Not the gambling spree. Unless you want to hit A.C. with me. We'd have a hell of a time. I'm as good at blackjack as I am at pool. Anyway. I meant the film opening. Not only since you'll be my maid of honor, and therefore part of this whole party scene, but so you can see the movie.”
“Asha! Of course! Thank you. Believe it or not, I've never been a bridesmaid, much less a maid of honor. Just don't let Reena design the gowns, okay?”
We grinned at each other.
“Tempe? I also want you to get to tour the city when things are a bit less stressful. You haven't seen Bombay at its best, you know, and there are some terrific sites here. Like, the Sassoon Library is beyond cool, and the Prince of Wales Museum is gorgeous.”
I sighed. “Funny. I had that same invite from Kirk last night.”
“Yuck.” She paused, then chuckled. “Although you realize the guy is loaded. Moneywise, that is. You could do worse.”
I grinned at her. “I have. Remind me to tell you about the actor I dated who proved my father's point that men in creative fields are interested in money and sex and that's it. In that order. I'd rather not start another lousy relationship, especially with a man who lists âshooting up saloons' on his résumé under âhobbies'.”
She giggled, I giggled, then I stopped when another thought struck me.
“Asha, you know, I might need to face some not-so-pleasant facts. Mahindra may, and I stress
may
, not be after my blood, but that leaves Patel and Ray. Neither of whom believes I'm not lugging the statue around in my purse. And since I don't have the beginnings of an idea where Brig hid the goddess, or himself, that still means I could be in danger.”
may
, not be after my blood, but that leaves Patel and Ray. Neither of whom believes I'm not lugging the statue around in my purse. And since I don't have the beginnings of an idea where Brig hid the goddess, or himself, that still means I could be in danger.”
Asha considered this. “Look. Shall we just whiz by the American Embassy today and see if they can straighten all this out? Which is what you should have done the night Hot Harry's bar got trashed.” She fluttered her lashes. “They've got really cute marines guarding the gates. Always a treat.”
I had to smile. “I thought about it. Really. And it's the sensible course of action. And we should do it right now. This morning. I know this.
But
. . .”
But
. . .”
She swung the car around a sharp turn, missing a large SUV and an airport van by less than a foot each. I didn't even flinch.
“But. Damn, Tempe. I know that âbut.' I've used it more times in my life than I care to remember. It's the
but
associated with a male. And I'm not talking
but
as in rear end.”
but
associated with a male. And I'm not talking
but
as in rear end.”
I nodded. “Brig.”
She nodded. “Brig. You go to the embassy and you set the hounds on the man. And you get a new passport and visa or whatever and fly back to New York and maybe never see him again. And not know where he is or how he is.”
“Or even
if
he is. Still living I mean. Crap! Asha. Where is he?”
if
he is. Still living I mean. Crap! Asha. Where is he?”
“Girl, I wish I knew.”
She swerved again to avoid a rickshaw loaded with tourists, and we both grew silent. Finally, she glanced over at me. “Tempe? I shouldn't say this, but I've never seen Brig act like he's been acting.”
“What do you mean?”
“I met Brig when I first started working with Jake about five years ago. Brig periodically visits Jake, and I got thrown into the old roommate buddy stuff with them. Brig has brought girls out to the studio. I don't know the details of his relationship with any of them, if a relationship even existed. I didn't ask. But I'll tell you this. I never saw him with the same one twice. He'd show them the sights of the city, take them clubbing, whatever. That was it. The original no-commitment man.”
“Well, duh. Why am I not surprised?” I blurted while I tried to choke back a few tears.
“Will you let me finish? You're different. Tempe, he stares at you all the time. And I saw how he looked when Patel grabbed you in the Pool Palace. Totally damn terrified. And it wasn't because you were just any old person he'd gone on the lam with. The man has it bad. With a capital
B
,
A
, and
D
! It's as if he's been looking for you for years and now that he's found you, well, he's not losing you.”
B
,
A
, and
D
! It's as if he's been looking for you for years and now that he's found you, well, he's not losing you.”
I considered this. “Asha. All that doesn't mean anything. Not really. He and I sort of got thrust together with this nutty statue. A few kisses here and there were just the perks of keeping me alive. And his worry about Patel and his bruiser losers extended to you as well. Brig defended us both. And there are good reasons why he freaked over us being at a pool hall.”
Asha nodded. “I know. Jake once told me about Brig's sister. But Brig's reaction at the Pool Palace was more than just fear of history repeating itself. If he doesn't care, why didn't he just take off with Shiva's Diva the first night you met him and leave you in the middle of Bombay? He had the statue. Why drag you around with him?”
“Unless he was afraid I'd report him to the nearest cop as one of the multitude of goons trying to get their hands on Saraswati. And I must point out, he seems to have done just that. Take the statue and leave me. I mean, now he doesn't have to concern himself as much with my safety since I know you and Jake. And crap, it would have taken a complete scum to have left me in that alley behind Hot Harry's.”
“Well. I still think Brig has a thing for you. He looks at you with that look. That alpha male âmy woman' look. The one I saw most of last night from my man.”
That did it. Asha had lost her sanity.
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