The Devlin Deception: Book One of The Devlin Quatrology (37 page)

Jake gently touched them with a fingertip, and Pam jerked up, her
right hand curled into a fist, headed toward Jake's face. He grabbed
it with his own hand, bent it down firmly but painlessly, and
tenderly kissed it. Pam's eyes snapped open, flashed over to Jake's
face and then focused.

“Oh, Jake, I'm sorry.” She curled into his arms and
shuddered, tears flowing freely down her cheeks and onto Jake's
shoulder. They stayed that way, Pam cocooned, Jake enveloping and
caressing her as she sobbed, for several minutes.

When her sobbing had finally faded away to nothing, Jake quietly and
ever so gently whispered in her ear, “By the way, I faked that
last one.”

-70-

Monday, January 16, 2012

Various times

Various locations

In London, a woman using the name Dawn met with a man representing a
group of oil traders and speculators, and following the pattern in
the three previously noted meetings, a contract was reached for
another 20 million euros for the Refudiator to take out the same
target.

In Brooklyn, a woman using the name Amelia met with a man
representing five families of organized crime figures, whose ranks of
hit men had been decimated beyond repair, and following the pattern
in the previously noted meetings, a contract was reached for another
20 million euros for the Deleter to take out the same target.

Over the next several weeks, an additional 14 contracts with the same
terms and the same target were reached between these parties:

In Glasgow, a woman using the name Margaret, representing The
Butcher, and a man representing a consortium of international drug
companies (Big Pharma).

In Brighton Beach, a woman using the name Nevaeh, representing The
Asp, and a man representing a group of Russian mobsters.

In Atlanta, a woman using the name Leandra, representing The
Carnivore, and a man representing an anti-abortion group.

In Edinburgh, a woman using the name Rita, representing The Ocelot,
and a man representing a group of political consultants.

In Detroit, a woman using the name Lexie, representing The Adder, and
a man representing an American labor union.

Also in Detroit, a woman using the name Shandale, representing The
Cobra, and a man representing two other American unions, who
apparently had not coordinated with the one who'd hired The Adder.

In Tucson, a woman using the name Retha, representing The Subtractor,
and a man representing a group supporting illegal immigration.

In Chicago, a woman using the name Dakota, representing The
Decimator, and a man representing a group of ex-congressmen.

In Rome, a woman using the name Angie, representing The Hyena, and a
man named Gaetano, whose clients he kept secret, but putting his own
life on the line for the final payment.

In Boston, a woman using the name Azure, representing The Mongoose,
and a man representing a group of health insurance companies.

In Mexico City, a woman using the name Robin, representing The
Liquidator, and a man representing one of Mexico's drug cartels.

In Medellin, Colombia, a woman using the name Anna-Maria,
representing The Separator, and a man representing two Colombian
drug cartels.

In Buenos Aires, a woman using the name Charlie, representing The
Gasser, and a man representing a group of aging ex-Nazis.

In Beijing, a woman using the name Peggy, representing The Gobbler,
and a man representing the Chinese government.

In each case, a deposit of ten million euros was made into an
account, and each of those deposits was transferred multiple times
through multiple accounts, but all of them were finally consolidated
and deposited into one account, which then held a total of 190
million euros. Another 190 million euros was due upon completion of
the contract(s).

-71R-

Five Months Earlier

Sunday, August 14, 2011

2:05 p.m.

A seventh-floor condo

Bonita Beach, Florida

Pam's stomach quivered against Jake's, then shivered, then shook, and
finally sent an almost volcanic eruption of uncontrollable laughter
up and out through her quavering, creamy lips.

After a solid minute, when she was finally able to get it under some
semblance of control, she used those creamy lips to give Jake the
best kiss of the day, and said, “Thank you, Jake. I needed
that.”

Delicately wiping some residual tears from Pam's cheek, Jake said,
“Better?”

Pam rolled over, pulled some tissues from the nightstand and blew her
nose several times. Sniffling, she said, “Better. I'm sorry.”

“Don't worry about it, okay? Take your time.”

After some final blowing and sniffling, Pam tossed the tissues back
onto the nightstand and cuddled up to Jake again. He caressed her
neck and back softly, but stayed silent.

“Sometimes ...” She choked and snuggled deeper into
Jake's neck and said, “Just hold me, please.” He did,
gently hugging her closer as she pulled herself even tighter to him,
rolling her right leg over both of his.

A moment later, she giggled. “Feels like Stevie Bruce is ready
to play again.”

“I think he really likes Ginny May.”

“And she likes him … a lot.”

Pam reached between the pillows and pressed a remote.

As Ravel's “Bolero” (the 17-minute version) began to play
for the third time, Stevie Bruce and Ginny May began having a very
deep and intimate conversation, which began slowly and gently, as
many conversations do, then ebbed and flowed as they delved deeper
and ever more intimately into each other's secret places and the
hidden secrets to be found in them, gradually evolving into a more
intense discussion, sliding in and out of many differing subjects, an
assertion here, resistance there, an advance, a retreat, a moment of
agreement, followed by a retrenchment, a further gentle assault, a
quiet surrender, a re-engagement, a new discovery, an exploration
leading to even more new discoveries, further and deeper exploration,
a welcoming acceptance, a subtle shift of power and control, a
slightly different angle of attack, an assertive envelopment of the
argument, a brief pause to reflect on one's position, a slight
adjustment, then a renewed depth of discussion, a momentary break in
concentration, a sidetrack of introspection, a renewed focus on the
main agenda, a slowly rising intensity, a shared moment of agreement
again, a clever twist, a slightly increased acceleration, then
building ever more rapidly and ever more intensely to a final
volcanic eruption of complete, frenzied and simultaneous agreement,
just as “Bolero” came to its crescendo.

“Oh, geez,” Jake gasped, looking weakly up at Pam's
contorted face, surrounded and partially obscured by a halo of damp
blonde hair, as Pam alternately quivered and writhed, and then cried,
“Oh … my … GOD!!!!!” and collapsed onto his
chest.

Three floors above, that cry was echoed, albeit with some small bit
of self-control, by a raspy, choking voice.

On the beach, the Mimosa twins pulled their earbuds out and headed
for the water for the fourth time that day. A few moments later,
neck deep in the light chop, they each stifled similar cries.

Norm and Janet, who had each come to the same conclusion as to Jake
and Pam's absence, smirked and nodded at each other.

Up on the seventh floor, Pam lifted her head and looked deeply into
Jake's minimally open eyes.

“I don't think you faked it that time.”

“I don't think I have the energy to fake anything. I'm
completely wiped out.” He exhaled and let his eyes close
completely. “Geez.”

“Thank you again, Jake. I really really needed that.”

Jake mumbled, “Welcome.”

Pam inhaled deeply, an inward gasp. “I'm really going to miss
this.”

Jake's eyes fluttered, but stayed closed, and he muttered, “Hm?”

“We just got to this point and I'm … I'm going to miss
it.”

Jake's eyes fluttered again, finally opening. “Whadya mean?”

Pam rolled off of Jake and onto her back beside him. Ginny May and
Stevie Bruce reluctantly shared a quick goodbye kiss.

“I didn't know how to tell you, but now I have to. I accepted
the offer from the private security firm.”

“Um … congratulations?”

“Thanks. I start a month of orientation and screening a week
from tomorrow. I really wasn't sure I wanted to take it, but I
looked at my pension and everything, figured I'd have to do something
sooner or later. So sooner it is.”

“Not the forensic accounting place?”

“Nope; boring. And the same for going for my master's.”

“So it's a good offer?”

“Oh, yeah. Bodyguard work, some investigation, surveillance
and undercover stuff. And they pay well.”

“Really?”

“Yup; fifty thou a year draw just to be on call, then between a
thousand and five thousand a day, plus expenses, when I take an
assignment.”

“Wow; fifty K just to be on call?”

“Yup.”

“Wow. Definitely congratulations.”

“Thanks, I think.”

“Any more openings there?”

“You want to apply?”

“Hey, fifty K is fifty K.”

“Oh, Jake, I don't know.”

“My age?”

“Maybe; I don't know if they have an age limit. You could
check their web site.”

“Yeah? What is it?”

“Um … Optimum dash Protection dot com, I think.”

Jake smiled. “Really? Maybe I'll check that out sometime.”

“I'm still ambivalent. But I had to go with the numbers.”

“Well, I hope it works out for you. Really.”

“But I will miss this town … and you … and …
this.”

“That wasn't what got to you before, was it?”

“Oh, no, no. That was --” She paused and gazed up at
the ceiling. “That was some old memories that just popped up.
I'm sorry.”

“Hey, Pam, no apology needed. Most people have memories that
pop up from time to time.”

“Most people haven't seen – I'm sorry.” Her eyes
welled up again.

“It's okay, Pam.” Jake watched her, but stayed silent.

After another moment, still staring at the ceiling, Pam said, “This
is just between us, Jake, okay?”

“Sure.”

“I mean it, Jake. Just between us.”

“Okay; absolutely. I promise.”

“Okay. How can I --”

“I find just blurting it out works sometimes.”

“Okay. I saw my husband get shot and die, right in front of
me.”

“Oh, geez.”

“It was twenty years ago, but it still haunts me and pops up at
all the wrong times. I'm sorry.”

“Oh, Pam; I'm so sorry. I had no idea. I thought it was about
that guy with Alzheimer's and your – oops; sorry. Sometimes
blurting ain't the best idea. I'm sorry.”

“No problem, Jake, really. That's something I love about you …
how you just say what's on your mind.”

“Some of the time.”

“Most, I think.”

Jake shrugged. “Okay.”

“And in a way, you're right. But it was mostly about that
image of Zach getting --”

“Zach?”

“My husband. He was shot in the head, right in front of me;
awful thing to see. Same op where I got this.” She pointed to
the scar on her left shoulder.

“Oh, geez. I'm sorry, Pam.” He rolled onto his side and
kissed her scar. She reached over and caressed his cheek.

“Thinking back about Dooley and all the locals I've had to –
well, that triggered the memory again, and the loss was – was –
and it was sort of the same with George and Marion, how she's lost
him already.”

“That was the couple at the … um … Seafood
Shack?”

“Yup; and he looked a lot like my dad. So all the loss stuff
just popped up and sort of overwhelmed me back then. Guess I was
feeling pretty vulnerable. And just now … well, obviously I
was pretty emotional, and it overwhelmed me again.” She turned
her head and looked at Jake. “I'm sorry.”

“Hey, Pam, it's okay. I've got some demons, too. I can
relate, even if I can't totally get inside your head.”

Pam glanced at Jake and then giggled.

“What? C'mon, Pam, what?”

“Stevie Bruce got pretty close a few minutes ago.”

“Well, Ginny May sure helped. Where did you ever learn to do
that?”

“Do what?” Pam asked, smiling innocently.

“You know. That thing you did right near the end.”

“Now, now, Mr. Devlin, a girl has to have a few secrets.”

“Okay, okay. But I'd bet you could make a fortune giving
classes on that, never have to work again. Maybe sell franchises.”

“But then it wouldn't be a secret. Naw, I think I'll keep that
to myself – well, just between us.”

“I like that. The world will never know what it's missing.”

Pam put her finger to her lips. “Shhh.”

Jake ran his thumb and index finger across his lips. “Zipped.”

“Oh,” Pam said, “what time is it?”

Jake looked over her to the clock on the oven. “I think that
says 2:42.”

“God, we've been here a long time. We probably should get back
before people start to talk.”

“I'm sure they already are. But who cares?”

“You know, you're right. Who cares?” She lifted her head
a little, looked down and said, “Think he's ready for another
round?”

“Oh, god, Pam, again? You ARE insatiable.”

“I've got a lot more tricks up my … sleeve, Jake.”

“An-ti-ci-pa-ay-tion,” Jake sang quietly, knowing it was
gratingly off-key, then smiled and said, “So does Stevie Bruce.
But next time.”

“Mmmmm. Okay, okay. I'll wait. But if we're gonna head back
over there, I've gotta take a quick shower. Can you scrub my back?”

“Sure; I'll give you a minute first.”

He watched her exotic … um … shoulder blades as she
rolled out of the bed and headed for the bathroom.

After the commode flushed, he joined her in the shower. A minute
after that, he joined her in the shower.