Virgo's Vice (15 page)

Chapter 25

Riaan Marais lay back in the chair and stared at his new wife. Her eyes were closed and she was breathing the deep breaths of sleep. She already had a good all over tan, but he had slathered sunscreen all over her gorgeous amazing body and he knew she was enjoying the warmth of the sun on her naked skin. He wanted to touch her all over again but he decided to let her sleep a little longer. They hadn’t done much sleeping these past two days or nights and she probably needed it.

He smiled at the thought of what he would do to her when she awoke and they went back to their cabana. He was thinking the Jacuzzi would be a great place to make love again, with the candles and champagne he had ordered secretly that morning. Right now, as soon as she woke up, he was gonna do it out here in the open.

There wasn’t another soul anywhere around.

This sure beat working. Flying people around the African bush and camping with them was an okay job, though, and there was usually a nice spirit of camaraderie when he sat around a campfire with the sound of a lion grunting in the distance. He loved the wild parts of Africa and being in the bush, but honeymooning in Kenya with these incredible private stretches of white sand beaches and the turquoise water was something he could get used to. Not to mention his amazing new wife and the delights of exploring her body. She was the one who had picked Kenya and it was a great choice. Neither of them had ever been there before, even though they were both born and raised in Africa.

He thought about that group he had taken out to the boondocks a couple of days ago—three to be exact. He wondered how they were doing. That producer seemed to be more than a little crazy. Making those people jump dressed like that was nuts. They could have been badly injured. Some of them didn’t even have shoes on. When he had realized they weren’t going to change their clothes he had tried to reason with the old guy, but he wouldn’t bend. Said it was part of the challenge, and they had all agreed to it.

“I sent you copies of the contracts and release of liability forms they signed, didn’t you read them?” he had said. “They agreed that they believed they had exceptional survival and endurance skills and indemnified me, you, and anyone else. The contract clearly states that they will be asked to perform tasks that are out of the norm and may be dangerous.”

Dockery had also assured him they had all done some training, but that little camera girl definitely wasn’t expecting to have to jump, and it sounded like she hadn’t had any instruction at all. He had been about to intervene when the old guy had pushed her. He didn’t think any of the others had seen it, because Dockery’s body had blocked their view. But he had.

If it wasn’t for the fact that he was getting married the next day, Riaan would have flown back there to make certain everyone had made it okay.

He would also have liked to have been the one who flew that producer and his crew to join them tomorrow, but Hendrik would handle that just fine.

Kendall stirred and moaned, then opened her eyes. She smiled at him and his body stirred as his hands slid over her buttocks. Four more days of bliss, and he was going to make every second count.

Chapter 26

“We’ll have to have two people on watch at all times,” Billy said as he scraped his bowl.

“I’ll go first then,” Sam, who was sitting across the fire from him, said. “And I won’t fall asleep.” She glared at Trip. “Who will stand watch with me?”

“I will,” Maria volunteered.

“I think we should have a man and a woman each watch. Period,” Billy said, wondering if he was going to get slammed by one of them. “No offense. I’m sure you ladies could handle an intruder. It makes more sense to have someone who’s physically strong with you.”

Maria stared at the fire. “You think it could get close up and personal like that?”

Billy shrugged. He didn’t know what to think. Eve’s tracks had not left the camp and he had not seen any stranger’s footprints. And there was the dog.

“I’ll stand guard with you, then, Sam,” Stretch said. “It probably would make more sense. We don’t know what we’re dealing with here.”

Sam stared at him and opened her mouth to say something, but she closed it again. Billy figured she thought she was as tough as any man, since she worked in a man’s world. Maybe Stretch’s size was something that made her realize she could possibly be weaker than him.

“I’ll relieve you.” Billy glanced across at Lexie, hoping she would want to sit with him. She was watching Trip with that same haunted expression on her face. He managed to catch her eye after a few seconds. He winked and smiled at her. She gave him a half-hearted smile. “Want to take the watch with me?”

“Sure. You can wake me. I’ll watch with you.”

Billy couldn’t help the warmth that rushed through him. He had only known Lexie for three days now, and yet sometimes it was almost like they had been friends forever. In some ways. In others, she was very much a stranger to him. He wished he knew what caused her moods to swing like that. Was it the thing with Trip, or was it something else? She said Trip had hurt her. What did that mean? He wished she would talk to him about it, but since Eve’s body had been found she’d been distant and moody.

It seemed like nobody wanted to turn in that night. Everyone was too nervous, but eventually Kelli said she was going to bed and Andy followed her. The others stood up and followed, one by one.

Billy wanted to take Lexie’s hand. He petted Jake instead. “Come on,” he said. “It’s been a heck of a day. We need to sleep a little.” He knew he wouldn’t be able to sleep for long, but he would probably be able to get a little rest at least.

They left Stretch and Sam sitting by the fire. Sam had the knife on her belt in its holster.

Billy waited for Lexie to lie down and he slid in beside her, but he was careful not to touch her. After the terrible events of the day, she had made it clear that she didn’t want him to get too close. The last thing he wanted was to scare her. The kisses had been real enough. She had kissed him back. He hadn’t imagined that. She had enjoyed him touching her, caressing her breast and hell, he wanted to touch it again so badly. What was it about boobs that could drive a man wild? He put his hand out and gently stroked her arm. She moaned and turned over on her side with her back to him. He wanted to cuddle her. To spoon with her, but that wouldn’t work tonight. He sighed.

It felt as though he had just fallen asleep when Stretch gripped his foot. He kicked out, dreaming it was leopard.

“Sorry, man,” he stage-whispered.

“No problem.” Stretch yawned.

“Everything okay?”

“Yeah, everything’s real quiet.”

Billy reached out to touch Lexie. He held his hand above her for a moment before he laid it on her leg and shook her a little. She felt warm and soft. He could clearly see her silhouette in the bright moonlight that spilled in through the doorway. She rubbed her eyes and sat up, and slid off the edge of the bed. She slipped her shoes on and dug into her backpack and dragged out a fleece sweater.

Sam nodded to Billy and climbed up onto the space Lexie had vacated.

Billy threw a couple more logs on the fire and the two of them sat side by side on the big log. For a few moments neither of them said anything, both apparently mesmerized by the flames.

“The knife had blood on it today,” Lexie said so quietly he almost didn’t hear her. She picked up some dry leaves off the ground and crumbled them in her hand. “When we took it to Andy and Kelli.”

“What do you mean? Blood. Like red blood?” Billy leaned forward and held his hands out over the flames to warm them.

“Like a person’s blood,” Lexie said.

“Shit. You think one of us?” Billy said, careful to keep his voice down. His shoulder brushed hers as he leaned back. It sent a shower of sparks and an instant burning desire rushed through him.

Lexie lifted her knees and hugged them. “I don’t know what to think. Trip was on watch. He could kill. You don’t know how evil . . .”

“Yeah, you told me he hurt you, but you didn’t say how.”

“I . . .” She sucked in a deep breath.

“Murder is pretty serious shit. Why do you think he did it?” Billy slid his arm around her shoulders. He couldn’t help himself. He wanted to feel her. He half expected her to pull away, but she leaned into him.

“I can’t talk about it.”

She was actually resting her head on his shoulder. It felt so good. Billy wanted to pull her closer into him. He wanted her to press her body into his. He knew it could scare her off, though.

“He’s dangerous. A monster.” She snuggled into him.

“I wish you’d tell me more so I could understand who we’re dealing with. You said he hurt you. So are you saying he’s some kind of a psycho?”

“Yeah. Something like that.” She sat up and moved away from him. He let his arm drop. Did he say something wrong?

As he thought about the way Trip stared at her, it wasn’t hard to guess the only thing on that sicko’s mind was sex, and whatever he’d done to Lexie, it had been sexual. Billy’s gut tightened, and he stroked her hair without knowing he was doing it at first.

“I don’t know anything about you, Billy. For all I know you could have killed her.”

Billy felt like she’d slapped him in the face. So that was it. She thought he could be the killer. But why? He had never done anything to make her think that. She couldn’t know about . . . anything about him.

She blew out a loud breath. “I was a child, Billy. Just a little girl and Trip . . .”

Billy held his breath and waited for her to continue. She was breathing hard and fast. She buried her face in his chest and let out a ragged breath.

“I can’t,” she said.

“That’s okay. You don’t have to tell me the details. I’ll keep an eye on him and if he does anything, anything at all you don’t like, you let me know.” He stared into her face. “Promise me.”

Lexie sighed and turned her gaze to the sky. “Tell me more about the stars,” she whispered.

He got it. She didn’t want to talk about it anymore. His eyes lingered on her face a little while before he looked up. “Okay, do you see that bright white light up there? It’s moving across the sky.” He leaned into her and pointed. Their arms touched and she didn’t pull away.

Billy almost gasped at the ridiculous rush of joy. That, and physical excitement. God he wanted her.

“Yeah. I see it.”

“That’s the ISS. You know, the International Space Station. Have you seen it up there before?”

“How do you know that’s it? I’ve heard it can be seen sometimes, but isn’t that an airplane?”

“Airplanes have flashing lights, and they’re usually red. That’s the space station. I’m sure.”

She turned her face toward him. He couldn’t stop himself. He gently leaned his hands on her shoulders and bent down to brush her lips with his. She didn’t pull away. He slid his mouth down to the pulse point on her throat and heard her moan softly. He lifted his head and stared at her. Her face was turned up to his. She wanted his kiss. He laid his mouth over hers and tasted her. Her lips parted and her tongue met his, eagerly now. He drew her into him. He wanted her closer. He stifled a moan, and slid his hand under her sweater and T-shirt until he found her breast. He pushed down her bra and for one sweet second, her nipple was in his fingers and, oh God, he wanted to taste it.

“Hey, sorry to interrupt,” Jared said. “I couldn’t sleep. I keep thinking of her, you know.”

Billy slid his hand out of Lexie’s blouse, doing everything he could to calm his beating heart. He hoped Jared couldn’t hear his breathing. He kept his arm around Lexie and felt her tremble. A fire raged through his body. He didn’t know how to make it stop. He didn’t want to.

“You okay?” he whispered into her ear. He could hear the trembling in his own voice.

“Yeah.”

Jared threw another log on the fire. “I mean, what if one of us did do that to Eve? But who? It’s not as if any of us has ever been in trouble with the law.”

Billy felt himself jerk.

Jared was staring at him like . . . No, Jared couldn’t know about that. He shrugged and took a couple of deep breaths. “The whole thing is crazy.”

“I could use a double vodka right now,” Jared said.

“A beer would be nice,” Billy agreed. “You should probably not talk so loudly.” He chin-cocked the shelter.

“Do you think the . . . Old Man Dockery will cancel the show?” Jared lowered his voice and addressed the question to Lexie. Billy still had his arm around her shoulder and he gave her a squeeze. His heart was still racing. He couldn’t keep his thoughts from going back to the softness of her breast and to the other parts of her he so desperately wanted to touch.

“I wish I knew, but I don’t know anything more than you guys.” I think about his financial problems. Surely he wouldn’t ignore the fact that Eve was murdered.

Chapter 27

The others crawl off the sleeping platform and arrive one at a time, stretching and rubbing their eyes.

The smell of Mark’s coffee fills the air and something on the fire is making me hungry. The pot is bubbling. Faith stands up and says, “Anyone want some breakfast?”

“What is it?” Jared says.

I wrinkle my nose. “It smells kind of like yams, or squash,” I say.

Maria grins at me. “It’s breakfast. Cassava, or Yucca. It’s good, and it’s also a good food source.” “Isn’t it poison? I thought someone said that.”

“No,” Maria says. “You have to know how to handle it. We did it right.”

Faith lifts the pot off the fire. I notice she has Sam’s knife sitting beside her on the log she’s using as a seat. I guess she and Maria must have used it to peel the roots.

“Come and get it,” Faith says.

Maria is the first to hold her plate out for Faith to dish out some of the Yucca for her. It’s steaming hot and she tries to hold it but it burns her fingers. “Ouch!”

“I guess we should have made it a rule that nobody goes off on their own without telling someone,” Stretch says, yawning. “We talked about it, but shouldn’t we do it now?”

“I’m with you,” Maria says. “I wouldn’t want to go anywhere alone anyhow. I think if people do go out anywhere they should tell someone. Whether they’re alone or not.” She glances across at Andy and Kelli.

“I don’t know why you’re looking at me like that,” Andy says. “I totally agree and I did tell someone when Kelli and I left yesterday to go fishing. Faith. She saw us leave, too.”

I let the others get their food first, and am the second to last person to get some on my plate. Others have started eating it by that time and they haven’t keeled over and kicked the bucket yet. It tastes kind of strange, but I’m hungry, starving, really, and it couldn’t possibly satisfy me, but it helps fill a void.

Billy has saved a spot beside him on the big log. He pats it and grins up at me. The kiss is still with me, along with the feel of his hands. I’m not sure how far I would have let him go if Jared hadn’t interrupted us. There’s something edgy about making out with him. I’ve never enjoyed sex with anyone, and yet, and yet . . . Just peeking at his hands right now, and thinking about how one of them felt on my nipple makes me get goose bumps all over. Are they the hands of a killer?

“What are you staring at?” he asks.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to.” I didn’t even know I was doing it. The truth is, he’s growing on me and I’m thinking how much I want to be alone with him again, and I want him to touch me like that again, which is crazy, because I hardly know him, or anything about him.

“What are your plans today, Lexie?” Trip interrupts my thoughts. He is staring at me with
that
look on his face. Suddenly I am reminded of the peril that lurks around the corner and my mood changes. Trip is the killer. It has to be him.

“Nothing that concerns you.” I glare at him and he moves away. My heart is beating too fast and my hands are clammy. “What time do you think the Old Man will come?” I say to Mark.

He scoops the last bit of porridge from his bowl. “I wish I knew. Soon, I hope.”

“I’m gonna ask him if I can go home,” I say.

“You can’t do that,” Billy says. “We’re only just getting to know you.”

I shuffle, uncomfortable under his stare. “I have my reasons.” I resist throwing a glance at Trip. I know he’s gonna do everything he can to separate me from Billy. He’s already shown how jealous he is. If he is the killer, wouldn’t Billy be in danger?

“He’ll cancel the show anyhow,” Mark says, “and we’ll all be leaving.”

He’s probably right, but I can’t meet Billy’s gaze. I set my plate down. “I’m going to the john,” I say.

When I get back, a bunch of them are leaving.

“Trip, Sam, Lela, Andy, Kelli and Faith are going to hunt for food,” Mark says. “Trip said something about exploring a deserted village and everyone got excited. I still don’t know how Kelli is walking on those shoes.” He grimaces.

“I guess her blisters have calmed down by now. Shouldn’t we film it?” I say.

“I’ll catch up with them in a few,” Mark says. “You missed something while you were in the can. Faith was going on at Andy and Kelli. She was yelling and making a big stink about how they want to screw around and aren’t pulling their weight in camp. She was mad. Like crazy mad.” Mark shakes his head.

I shrug. “Maybe she’s right. I’m staying here today in case the Old Man . . . I mean, for when he gets here.”

“He can’t land an airplane right here.” Billy points at the ground. “But I’m sure he has organized some place nearby.”

“The pilot said there’s a bush airfield somewhere not too far away,” Mark says.

“So how come we haven’t found it?” Jared asks.

“I guess we didn’t go in the right direction.” Billy swivels around and gazes into the distance. “That way is the only place that could be level enough. No one from here has gone that way.” He points.

I grin. “I can’t imagine the Old Man hiking through the boondocks up this hill to get to us. He probably thinks we’ll set up camp beside the air field.”

“Maybe he’ll make us move there,” Mark says, picking up his camera. “If the game goes on, but like I already said, I don’t think it will.”

“In normal circumstances I would agree with you, but”—I eye Jared—“the Old Man badly needs this to be a success, so I think he’ll find a way to keep it going.”

“We need protein and I want to go see if I can catch more fish,” Billy says. “You gonna come with me?” He’s staring at me.

“I’m serious about staying close so we don’t miss him.”

Mark chuckles. “Lex, if an airplane flies over we’ll all hear it and see it. Besides, where’s the Old Man gonna go if we’re not here? He’ll have the rest of crew with him and they’ll take care of him.”

“Yeah, but he might let me leave right away, with the pilot.” I know Billy is staring at me and I avoid his gaze.

“No, he won’t, he’ll have to find a replacement first and fly him or her out here. And anyhow, the game’s over.” He hefts his camera onto his shoulder. “I’m gonna catch up with Trip and the others.”

“If you want, maybe we could mark this camp, so it can be seen from the air before we go,” Billy says. “I have this.” He holds up the roll of neon pink duct tape. His gaze holds mine and I know he’s searching for something in my eyes and he frowns. He doesn’t understand why I want to leave, and I can’t expect him to understand.

I avoid his gaze. “Yeah. How are we gonna do it?”

Stretch says, “I can put it up high, maybe on some trees.” He holds out his hand and Billy relinquishes the roll. We all stand and stare as Stretch starts unrolling it and sticking it onto high branches and stringing it across from tree to tree.

“Is that good?” he asks after a while.

“Yeah, I think that’ll be noticeable from the air,” Billy says. He raises his eyebrows.

“I guess,” I say.

“We need food,” he says.

“I think I’ve perfected my traps and I’m pretty confident I’ll get us some birds to eat today,” Rodriguez says.

“Dockery will bring food for us,” I say, glancing at the trail Mark took toward the others.

“Not for us,” Jared says with a chuckle. “It’s gonna be weird without you guys competing beside us,” he adds. “If the show goes on.”

“We should go see if we can find the airfield, and after that I’m gonna go catch some more fish,” Billy says. “I also think I’m gonna wash my clothes and take a bath. That pool where we fish is a natural swimming hole.” He lifts his arm and sniffs, and pulls a face.

“What about crocodiles?” I’m thinking how awesome it would be to wash. I haven’t told anyone about my bar of soap.

Billy grimaces. “I haven’t seen any. I’m pretty sure they hang out in the lowlands, where it’s warmer. This water, being a mountain creek, must get pretty cold in winter. Trip says they get frost in this area sometimes.”

I’m torn between waiting for the Old Man and taking a swim and getting clean. “You coming?” Billy says. “We can bring the fishing stuff with us and go see if we can find the air field first. If it is over there,” he points, “then we’ll be quite close to the creek.”

“Er, yeah, okay. Just wait a sec,” I say. I move to the shelter and pick up my bag and my camera. Billy and Jared have the fishing gear in their hands when I come out again.

“I’m gonna come with you guys if that’s okay,” Stretch says. “I’m not bad at catching fish.”

We all turn and stare at Maria, who shakes her head. “I’ll stay with Rafael. We can tell Allan Dockery or one of the crew where to find you when they get here.”

We follow Billy in single file,

Jared is behind him, then me and Jake, and Stretch is behind me.

I’m starting to get hot and tired when Billy stops. We all bunch up close to him. “This must be it,” he says.

I’m breathing hard. “This is the airfield?”

“Yeah, this has to be where Old Man Dockery’s gonna land,” Billy continues. “It should be okay. I think he could land on it. Someone—probably the company that flew us here—maintains it. It looks like they mowed the grass not too long ago, and cut out all the bushes. I don’t see any obvious bumps or holes.”

My stomach is in knots. I hope the Old Man brings a couple of other camera operators. What if the show goes on and I can’t go home?

Billy thinks he can protect me from Trip, but he doesn’t know him.