Key West (16 page)

“Either you tell the folks that I’m doing fine, or I’ll talk about Las Vegas,” Sonnie said, being sure to keep emotion out of her voice.

“You’d never do that.”

“You mean I’d never tell them how I found you—”

“You don’t have to say it.”

“Flat broke and dancing topless at some sleazy nightclub?” Billy blushed.

“They wouldn’t believe you.”

“Want to try it out?”

“No.”

“You’re desperate for money again. That’s what this is all about, isn’t it?”

Billy wouldn’t look at her. “No one in this family lets me forget that I made some unfortunate choices. I lived too high when I was married.”

“Both times,” Sonnie commented. “Twice you let immature men send you on the road to broke. Do you need a loan?”

“No.” Billy narrowed her eyes. “You love being Mrs. Bountiful, don’t you? Just because you’ve always been a dried-up, passionless woman. Well, you can have it. And you can choke on your money. What good does it do you? You don’t get any pleasure out of being rich; you never have.

“You’re afraid to let me take charge here. Just the thought of that scares you. You were Goody Two-shoes all our lives, weren’t you? Each time I messed up, there you were enjoying the comparisons the folks made between us. Well, there was no way to outpriss you. But I was the athlete. I was the one people paid to see. A little more luck and I’d have gone a long way.”

Sonnie smoothed the tabletop and weighed her choices. “It wasn’t too little luck that ruined your tennis career.” Avoiding the truth had never helped Billy before and it wouldn’t now. “Alcohol and drugs—and bad company—that’s what ended it.”

“Damn you,” Billy said, thrusting her face across the table. “You’re jealous of me. That’s why you enjoy dragging up my old problems. It’s the only way you can feel better than me. I think you can even forget it was me who introduced you to Frank and Romano. I brought them home. They were my friends because we had so much in common. I could have married either of them. They both asked me. Frank only asked you because I wasn’t ready to settle down.”

Sonnie had long ago decided that whatever she did or didn’t feel would always be a mystery to Billy. “Maybe you’re right—about everything. Let’s drop this before Chris gets back.”

“Why are you bothering with him? He may be a stud, but he’s nothing. And he’s the kind you can’t trust. Open your eyes, Sonnie. A man like that isn’t interested in...
subtle
women. Stick around with him and he’ll eat you up.”

Sonnie looked at her lap and thought there could be worse ways to go.

“What is he, other than a bloodsucker living on, what? His brother? You? Sonnie, are you giving that man money?”

“You can be so insulting, Billy. You don’t even know Chris and you’re making assumptions about him.”

“A womanizer. Take it from me. He whips off that shirt and flashes his muscles and that disgusting tattoo, for God’s sake, and women flock to get some.”

“Don’t
you
be disgusting.”

“Still as prissy as ever. That’s something else that makes no sense. Miss Priss and the local heartthrob. He probably collects women’s panties.”

“Stop it.” She’d had enough. “Υou’re working for Daddy and you hate it. You’ve always hated it when he could make you come to heel. That’s when you turn on me. Why don’t you marry some man who’ll roll you in money and give you everything you want? You know you could come up with a dozen in twenty-four hours.”

Billy had heard more than enough about her shortcomings. Sonnie was a boor, had always been a boor, but she never missed an opportunity to wield a little power. “Your lover’s coming back,” she said, taking in Talon’s loose-limbed walk, the swing of his broad shoulders, the way his jeans fit narrow hips and long, muscular legs. All that with mousy little Baby? She didn’t think so. Not without a real good motive, and it wouldn’t be sex.

When he drew close, two glasses in one hand and one in the other, she waited for him to notice she was watching him, then sent him the kind of smile no man failed to interpret. She hooked an elbow over the back of her chair and crossed her legs.

He nodded.

Nodded.

Baby had found herself a thickheaded bike jockey who was too busy thinking about the way he looked to notice anyone else.

He arrived, set down the glasses, and passed them out. Billy put her fingers over his on her glass and said, “Thank you, Chris. Are you here every night?”

“Oh, yeah,” he said, and drank what looked like single-malt whiskey. “How’s the sherry, Sonnie?”

“Good, thanks.”

Billy swung her leg and sized Talon up from head to foot. He could be a problem. As of now she was certain he was the obstacle standing in her way of making sure Sonnie did whatever she was told to do.

“The Grand Marnier’s good, too, thanks,” Billy said, checking her watch, “but I’ve got to go. I’ve had the car waiting all this time and I didn’t realize how late it had gotten. Chris, it’s a real pleasure to get to know you better. Thank you for taking care of Sonnie. She isn’t good on her own.”

If Talon noticed the abrupt change in her attitude toward him, he didn’t show it. She got up and retied the scarf more tightly. Then she kissed Sonnie’s cheek. Passing Talon’s chair, she put a hand on each of his very nice shoulders and bent to whisper in his ear, “I like a kind man.” She
really
liked a man who smelled like the wind and looked—and felt—as if he were made of steel. “You don’t have to spend time with a victim and we both know it. But I’m thanking you for that. I’d like to talk to you about how you think she is. I’ll call you.”

Without giving him a chance to respond, she waved to them both and hurried a block outside to the Cadillac with its black tinted windows. The driver pushed open the door and she slid into the buttery ivory leather interior and into open arms.

Twelve

Chris anticipated Sonnie’s next question, and she didn’t disappoint him. “What did Billy just say to you?”

He raised a brow. “Your sister wanted to thank me for spending time with you.” The anger he saw in Sonnie didn’t disappoint him.

She said, “Billy has trouble with her bitch factor.”

He laughed, delighted at her show of spirit. “ I’d say that’s an understatement. You two are sure different.”

“l’m  like my mother. Billy’s like hers. Daddy’s been married twice. Actually Billy and I are both like Daddy in a way. Why didn’t you want me to let Billy know I’ve found out about Jim Lesley?”

He lifted her glass from the table and held it to her lips, raising it until she was forced to take a sip.

“Medicinal,” he said, passing the pad of his forefinger along her bottom lip, then placing it between his own lips and mumbling, “Tastes nice—nice medicine.”

She started to speak, but seemed to forget what she’d been about to say. lnstead she looked from his eyes to his mouth, then down to his chest where his shirt rested open for a long way.

Sonnie made his belly grow tight—and other parts of him equally tight. Ms. Billy Keith thought she knew all about sex appeal. She’d missed just about every wonderful subtlety that had all the power over anything obvious. Her sister used them unconsciously.

“Sonnie?”

“Yes?” She raised her face and looked at him fully.

“Do you understand me when I say I think we’d better try to stay focused?”

“I do,” she said quietly. “None of the rest of it’s appropriate, is it?”

“Maybe not. But maybe. We’ll have to find out—won’t we?”

She passed a hand beneath her collar. “I don’t know.”

Slim she might be, but when the bush shirt pulled tight over a breast, there was no doubt that a small, shapely body could be the kind of turn-on that made concentration a feat.

“You didn’t answer me about Jim Lesley.”

He looked around and got a sudden, uneasy feeling that he was getting sloppy about where he said what. “I think we should go somewhere we can be sure we won’t be overheard.”

Sonnie frowned.

“Don’t get scared. It’s just a precaution. We could go to my place if you’re okay with that.”

For several seconds a battery of expressions passed through her eyes. She wasn’t sure she should be okay with going to his place with him, alone. She also wasn’t sure she didn’t like the idea quite a lot—or maybe he was stretching a bit there.

“Sure,” she said finally. “Of course. That’ll be fine.”

He got up at once and held her chair while she joined him. When he ushered Sonnie ahead of him toward the back door, the patrons were sunk deep into a philosophical moment—mumbling comments about nothing in particular. But both Roy and Bo looked at Sonnie and Chris—while they tried not to look.

Chris reached around Sonnie and pushed open the door. She stepped outside and he followed her into a night with a rising wind, and moisture in the air.

“I like it here at this time of year,” he said conversationally. “You’re never sure of anything—except the heat.”

“I’ve already told you I find it exciting.”

“Watch where you step. There’s not much light. Hold my hand.”

Her cool fingers slipped against his palm and he gripped them.

He unlocked the guest house, flipped on an overhead light inside, and pulled her in behind him. Once he’d shot home the bolt behind them, he replaced the glaring ceiling light with a lamp that stood on the floor.

“Your bike’s pretty,” she said, surprising him. “Or elegant, I guess I should say.”

“Thanks. We were partners a long time. Made us pretty close. You left most of your sherry. I think I’ve got something close. Like some?”

She hunched her shoulders and hesitation furrowed her brow.

“Good,” he said. “Coming up.” He poured a small quantity of cherry brandy. He’d have to make sure he had sherry next time.

That thought wasn’t something he cared to analyze beyond the fact that he liked the lady, had begun to feel comfortable with her, and would be more than happy if she stopped by for a drink from time to time.

Oh, right.
Maybe he should find out if it was too late to become a Boy Scout, too.

He gave her the drink and swallowed some of his own whiskey.

She hovered. “You hover a lot,” he said. “Do you know that?”

Sonnie stood still. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be. Take the best chair, please.”

“It’s the only chair—apart from the stool in front of the computer.”

‘Exactly, the best chair, and it’s yours.’’ He patted the back.

She sat down, looked up at him. “Thank you.”

They studied each other a little longer than was necessary. He shouldn’t be allowing any of this to happen. She wasn’t the type to be comfortable with getting close to another man while she didn’t know what had happened to her husband. Boy, would he love to ask her about him. Mostly he wanted to know if theirs had been a good, happy marriage.

She looked away first and tasted the cherry brandy. “Hmm. That’s lovely.”

“Glad you like it.” He took his customary spot on the corner of the Murphy bed. “I may have to think about hiring an interior designer for this place.”

She laughed aloud at that, then sputtered and put a hand over her mouth.

“It’s okay,” he told her. “That was meant to be a joke. But I may have to at least make things a little more inviting.” He was grateful she didn’t immediately ask why.

“Okay, let’s get to business. I stopped you from letting Billy know I found out about Jim Lesley. The simplest explanation is that I don’t believe in playing any potential winning cards too soon.”

She bowed her head, then looked sideways and up at him with her so very dark blue eyes.

And Chris remembered his hand on her breast while she slept. When he’d realized what he’d done he’d been disoriented, and intensely excited at the same time. He could remember the texture of her skin, the way her nipple had been hard against his palm. Her skin was soft; her flesh was firm—and as far as he was concerned, the quantity of that flesh was perfect.

His jeans weren’t comfortable anymore.

“What is it?” she asked.

“I owe you an apology. While you were sleeping and I was sitting beside you, I ended up with my hand on...on your breast. Instinct, I suppose. I didn’t mean to take advantage of you.”

Her lips parted and he saw her struggle for breath.

“I must have done it in my sleep, and you felt so right, I stayed right there.”

“Yes,” she murmured. Her neck and face had turned red. “I’m sure those things can happen.”

“I’m sorry, Sonnie.”

“It’s okay.” She cleared her throat. “You think Billy’s the one whose doing bad things to me. I don’t. I think she’s too obvious a suspect. The whole setup would be too obvious. And I don’t think she’d really try to hurt me—not so vindictively— not when the chips were down.”

“Well, well, you beat me to the punch. I’m thinking along the same lines. I wasn’t sure how to approach it with you in case you panicked because we don’t have much else yet.”

“We,” she said, cocking her head on one side.

He didn’t respond to that.

“Billy has money troubles,” she continued. “She went through her trust and she’s had to go to work in the family business, which she hates. She’s just angry because Ι haven’t had her problems in that direction.”

“Maybe she’s angry enough to be figuring out a way to get her hands on your money. I’m just playing devil’s advocate here.”

“She might think about it,” Sonnie said, “but she wouldn’t do it.”

“So how would you explain her boyfriend?”

She considered before saying, “Just as a boyfriend. He’s attractive, and she’s always been drawn to men who are well connected. Men with good positions. She married duds twice, but she’s dated a lot of potential winners. The fact that he’s a psychiatrist could be just a coincidence.”

“Maybe. We’re going to have to keep an open mind until something else happens, anyway.”

Sonnie looked at him sharply. Her pupils dilated. He’d spooked her again.

“Try to keep calm. You aren’t on your own.”

Her eyes softened a little. “Do you mean you will help me officially?”