Free Spirit Page 15

  “Where to?” Dylan asked. She kept eye contact with Rhea in the mirror and waited for directions.

  “Markham Avenue, ten blocks ahead on the right,” Rhea said in clipped tones. She gave Dylan one last glance, then turned her attention to the window and the rain falling outside.

  Dylan made no comment but pulled out into traffic and drove slowly along Marshall Street. The conversational silence was maddening within the confines of the car. The rain hit the roof in a monotonous drumming rhythm, while the windscreen wipers squeaked over the glass in a bizarre symphony with the rain.

  From time to time she cast a glance in the rearview mirror. “You know, Mr Rizzoli is not a bad guy. He could make life for you quite comfortable.”

  “And why do you say that?” Rhea asked ominously.

  “A present here and there would certainly help. I see you didn’t have a problem with wearing the dress,” Dylan commented.

  “What dress?” Rhea was perplexed.

  “The blue sparkly one you wore onstage.”

  “I had no damned choice!” Rhea growled. “That bastard stole my costume and replaced it with that! It was either wear it or go on in this.”

  Dylan gave a cursory glance to see what Rhea was wearing. While it was an acceptable day dress, it certainly wasn’t ideal for singing blues in a speakeasy. “You could have gone on in your underwear,” she offered. Rhea’s jaw dropped. “I was kidding!”

  “Grrrrr.” Rhea was not amused.

  Block after block passed by and she became aware that Rhea’s journey would have been long. “I’ll pick you up for work tomorrow night,” she stated solemnly, making it clear to Rhea that it wasn’t a request.

  “I’m quite capable—”

  “I’m not arguing with you about being capable, Miss Whitman, but walking this distance when you don’t have to is silly.”

  “Silly? Are you saying I’m silly?” Rhea argued.

  Dylan glanced over her shoulder. “Stop putting words in my mouth.”

  “Keep your eyes on the road!” Rhea ordered.

  Dylan returned her attention to driving, allowing the silence to exist for a while. “All I’m saying…,” she started, then stopped. “I’m offering to pick you up so you don’t have to walk. What’s wrong with that?”

  “Nothing, I suppose,” Rhea said suspiciously. “What’s the catch?”

  “There’s no catch.”

  “There’s always a catch.” Rhea’s voice had a hint of world-weariness.

  Another block passed and Dylan wondered how far Rhea had to go. She looked at the odometer and figured that the singer must have walked about two miles.

  “Take the next right.”

  She did as Rhea instructed, turning the car into a quiet side street.

  “Number seventeen.”

  The streetlights were sparse, so finding the house wasn’t easy.

  “That’s it,” Rhea said as she leaned forward, her arm coming over Dylan’s shoulder to show her the right house. “The one with the white picket fence.”

  Dylan didn’t want to point out that nearly every house on the street had a white picket fence. To avoid an argument, she pulled the car over to the curb, where Rhea pointed. Dylan jumped out of the vehicle and opened the back door before Rhea had even moved, then extended her hand into the car to assist the woman from the backseat.

  While it was still raining, it had petered out to a mild shower. Dylan felt the warmth of Rhea’s hand in her own, and it resurrected the feeling she’d had that moment she saw Rhea step out of the club. Once Rhea was firmly on the sidewalk, Dylan pulled her hand away abruptly. “This is it?” she said, looking at the small single-story house Rhea was about to enter.

  “Yes, an old couple wanted a boarder, so here I am.”

  Dylan studied the house front and the garden behind the fence. It was traditional and homey, and seemed like the type of house Rhea would live in. “Nice,” she muttered.

  “I think so,” Rhea replied. “Well, thank you Mr … err … Dylan, for the lift.”

  “You’re welcome, Miss Whitman. Until tomorrow.”

  “You’re making it hard for me to say no,” Rhea complained.

  “That’s what I’m hoping for,” Dylan said. “I’ll pick you up at six.” She walked back to the car and opened the driver’s door. “You really should give Mr Rizzoli another chance. He’d treat you right,” she lied.

  Rhea said nothing, instead lifting her hand and waving goodbye. Dylan stood outside the car, leaning her arms on the roof and watching Rhea until she entered the house safely. She climbed back into the car and drove back to her own one-room apartment.

  The whole situation stank. She had thought it was a bad idea when Rocco suggested that she look after Rhea, but now having to lie to her about how good Rocco was just stuck in her craw….

  Dylan sighed. What a ride it had been. Her only regret was that she didn’t have longer to know Rhea, just as they were discovering a new facet of their relationship. She realized she was being watched and put on her best intimidatory face. “She was nuthin’ but trouble.”

  “Were you?”

  “I was not. I didn’t know who she was. She could have been a masher.”

  “Did you realize she wasn’t a man?”

  Rhea looked at Priory. “She was so damned cute in the suit and hat. When I realized what was going on, I knew I was in for trouble. Not that it made a bit of difference. But that time I was caught, hook, line, and sinker.”

  “Yeah?” Dylan moved closer. “But you didn’t say nuthin’.”

  “We were trying to stop it, remember? We both knew the stakes. I, for one, didn’t want to be on the wrong end of Rocco’s wrath.”

  “I didn’t want him mad, either. It was one big mess.”

  “Why didn’t you just take off?” Priory asked.

  “And go where?” Rhea answered. “He was a gangster. He had connections. We couldn’t remain anonymous for long.”

  “Amon … anymon…. Yeah, what she said.”

  “You could have walked away,” Priory suggested.

  “Can you?” Rhea gave Priory a direct stare.

  Priory sighed in defeat. “No. I can’t.”

  “Then get off your keister and get her back!”

  It was the first thing Dylan had said that make actual sense.

  “Short of knocking down the door, I’m out of ideas.”

  “Beg her to come back.”

  “I already tried that.”

  “You’re not trying hard enough. What are you doing at work?”

  “Looking for the piece of paper that caused this mess.”

  “And?”

  “And nothing. If it exists, we don’t have it.”

  “Then tell her that.” Rhea popped out of the room, ending the conversation.

  Was it that easy?

  Chapter Seventeen

  On Monday morning Priory was sitting behind her desk when a knock on the door broke her concentration. She immediately eliminated Eddles because he would have just burst in. “Come!” she called absently. The last person she expected stood in the doorway. A smile graced Priory’s lips. “Ahh.”

  “Can I come in?”

  “You don’t have to ask, you know that.”

  “Yeah, I know.”

  Priory wasn’t sure what to do. She was tempted to throw herself at her visitor and hug the life out of her. Instead, she said, “Take a seat.” She was surprised at how calmly she had asked the woman in.

  That all fell apart, though, once the door was closed. “Aww, hell, Jace. It’s great to see you.”

  Jacey took the offered seat. “I nearly didn’t come.”

  “Why did you?”

  “I think you know why.”

  Priory heard Jacey’s voice falter. Just as she would have done in Jacey’s place. The emotions surrounding the breakup were too raw to say more. But she knew. “Yeah.”

  “What have you found out?”

  Priory accepted the change
of conversation. “Nothing. Zilch. It’s got to be some sort of trap. What I don’t understand is why he’s doing it.” She looked across the table and couldn’t care less about her mangy boss, instead intensely excited to see Jacey.

  “Is there some major event coming up?”

  “Besides the Christmas thing, you mean?”

  “What’s so special about the party?”

  “I haven’t had an update on that, so it’s what I told you before. Some guys are coming in from Australia. Something about a push into the Asian market. They want me to represent the company because they think I’m conservative.”

  “You?” Jacey exclaimed. “Sorry, that didn’t come out right.”

  “No, it’s okay. I said the same thing to Edwards. I have no idea what he’s thinking. The only thing I do know is that he’s expecting a party in four weeks and I’ve got nothing.”

  “And Mr Eddles is muddying the water?”

  “Could be.” Priory thought about that.

  “Is there some sort of promotion in this?”

  “Edwards didn’t mention it, although I suspect there might be some sort of reward. I’ve got no idea what the board’s plans are. It would certainly be plausible. Maybe he’s trying to waste my time on the contract instead of concentrating on the party arrangements. Can you check this out?”

  “Me?” Jacey squeaked.

  “They’re not likely to talk to me, or at least tell the truth. You know the staff around here. Can you check out the cooler gossip? Maybe talk to Eddles’s secretary?”

  “I don’t know how helpful I’ll be, but I’ll see what I can do.”

  “Damn, it’s good to see you again, Jace. I am really sorry about what happened.”

  “Yeah, well. Let’s see what the next few days reveal and we’ll go from there.”

  It was better than she could hope for, so she nodded in agreement. “Damn Eddles. Maybe I could let Dylan loose on his sorry ass.”

  Jacey laughed.

  “What?”

  “You finally said the right name, and she’s not even here to hear it.”

  “Don’t tell her, okay? It’ll give her ideas that I don’t hate her after all.”

  Jacey crossed her chest and held up her right hand. “What do I tell the people out there? They’re going to ask.”

  What could Jacey say? Priory continued. “I told them you were having a few days off. You can elaborate from there.”

  “With what? I haven’t got a clue what to tell them.”

  “Family emergency? Or maybe plumbing problems in the apartment?”

  “Hmmm,” Jacey hummed but remained silent after that.

  “Then let’s get to work….”

  Jacey stood to leave. “Jace?” Priory said quietly. “Thanks for trusting me. I’m so sorry I wasn’t quicker on the uptake when Eddles fired you. The last thing I wanted was for you to get hurt.”

  A moment’s silence sent Priory’s heart racing. Was her apology enough? “Okay.”

  That was all she said before she left. Was “okay” enough? It would have to be, at least for now.

  †

  “Why is she still here!” the bass voice yelled from the doorway to her office.

  Keep your voice down! Priory’s mind screamed. It had been hard to keep the firing quiet from the rest of the floor, and Eddles was not doing her any favors. Priory stepped aside and extended her hand to invite her boss into her office. She glanced at Jacey and gave her an apologetic look.

  Eddles waddled through the door, forcing Priory to move back. Why didn’t the man lose some damned weight!

  “Take a seat.” For a moment Eddles looked like he was considering taking her seat, but he settled himself, barely, in the armchair on the other side of her table. Priory sat and ordered her thoughts. She decided he wouldn’t get the drop on her again.

  “I thought I made it clear to fire her,” he stated.

  “Yes, you did. However, Silas Edwards had other ideas.”

  “He knows?” For the first time in her life, she saw fear in Eddles’s eyes.

  She was so tempted to say yes. It would serve the bastard right. “No, but he has enlisted my PA’s assistance in preparing for the staff Christmas party.” She looked him right in the eye. “Do you want me to tell him that you fired her?”

  “She admitted to losing that contract,” he said firmly.

  “You and I both know she didn’t. She was protecting me.” Priory held back a smile. It was very satisfying to see Eddles sweat, at least with something more than exertion. “Why is this so important to you? It’s just as easy to print another contract. Surely you must have a copy because, sure as hell, we don’t have it.”

  What was he thinking? Priory looked for all the physical signs to tell her what she suspected. “What is it you want, Hudson?” His gaze went unfocused and she knew he was considering his options. “Let’s stop these games.”

  “As far as I can see, she admitted to an error. She should pay.”

  “Okay, then I suppose she’ll sue the company, and you, for wrongful dismissal.”

  “You wouldn’t dare,” he yelled.

  “I wouldn’t, but she would, and I would be obliged to make a statement to the effect that she was dismissed for what I can see as no valid reason. I doubt the board, or your future prospects, would tolerate that.” He was turning a nice shade of heat-attack crimson. “So, what’s the bottom line?”

  “Just stay out of my way!” he growled and stood.

  “Ah, a promotion,” she surmised. “Would it surprise you if I said I wasn’t interested?”

  He laughed.

  “No, really. I have more than enough on my plate at present, so the last thing I need is more work.”

  “And pigs might fly.”

  “Hmm,” Priory considered. “I thought I saw one pass by this morning.” His expression grew darker and she knew she had pushed him to his limit. “I really don’t care about a promotion at the moment, so stop worrying. Now,” she said as she stood, “why don’t you let us do our jobs?” She moved around the desk and opened the door, taking back the momentum of the conflict. Had she overstepped her bounds? She was so sick of his mind games that at that moment she didn’t care. Not that her opinion wouldn’t change once the door closed, but she was happy to see she had won this round, even if it was a momentary aberration.

  He left without another word, although he did give Jacey a venomous stare when passing her. Jacey turned her gaze to Priory.

  “Jacey, two coffees if you please.”

  Jacey raised one eyebrow and Priory shook her head, indicating that the second coffee was for her. Jacey left silently.

  Priory walked back into her office and closed the door. She took her seat and waited. Her thoughts were everywhere. Why did life have to be so … so…? Aww, hell, she couldn’t even order the thoughts in her mind. She let her head drop back against the headrest and closed her eyes. Maybe the day would disappear if she willed it.

  A knock at the door drew her back to reality. Had she dozed off for a minute? “Come in,” she said wearily.

  As expected, Jacey entered and deposited the tray on her desk before slumping into the visitor’s chair. Silence reigned for a full minute.

  “Well?” Jacey finally said.

  “Two sugars,” Priory croaked.

  “Two?”

  “Yeah, I need two. One’s not going to cut it.” She doubted two would do the job either, but she didn’t want to frighten Jacey.

  “What happened?”

  “With who?” She couldn’t help but tweak Jacey’s patience. She got a thunderous look for her trouble. “Oh … him.”

  Jacey rolled her eyes.

  “Sorry, I’m feeling a little silly. I hope I’m not getting diabetes and having an ‘episode’.”

  Jacey’s panicked look forced Priory to retract her words. “Oh no, I’m not. Here, give me a biscuit.” She grabbed one off the offered plate and bit into it. The sugar took a while to kick in. She s
ipped her coffee until she felt more like herself. “Sorry about that. I … errr….”

  “Grabbed your balls and stood up for yourself?”

  Priory’s mouth fell open at the eloquent explanation. “Yeah, something like that.”

  “About time,” Jacey mumbled.

  Her mouth fell open a little more. Did she hear what she thought she heard?

  “What? I could have said you grabbed his balls. I thought your balls were more important than his … and a lot prettier.”

  “Boy, have you ever lightened up.” But Priory took it as a good sign. Jacey felt relaxed enough around her to speak her mind. Either that, or she was really pissed and didn’t care. Priory’s mind chose the first option for the sake of their relationship. To ease the tension she laughed; not a belly laugh but a mild titter. She didn’t want to scare the woman with a hysterical reaction.

  “So what happens now?” There was a tremor in Jacey’s voice.

  “Now we concentrate on the party. I told Eddles if he fired you, you’d sue his ass.”

  “What?” It was enough of a surprise for Jacey to put her mug on the table. “I can’t afford that!”

  “It was enough for him to back off. Stop worrying.”

  “And if I have to make good?”

  “Then I suppose I’ll be footing the bill.” Jacey didn’t look convinced. “Relax. I told him I wasn’t interested in playing his games.”

  “And he believed you?”

  “Well … for the moment, at least.” Priory put her now-empty mug on the tray. “We have a party to plan.”

  “What’s first?”

  “Caterers. Can you contact a couple of local ones for a quote? I’ll give you the details.”

  “Er, sure. What about the contracts?”

  “Contracts? Oh, you mean actual work?” Priory smirked. “I’m sure we can fit that in somewhere.”

  †

  It was not the weekend she had planned, but Priory’s puppy-dog eyes and breathless pleading trapped her like an insect on flypaper. She was well and truly stuck on the woman. Hence the weekend at Priory’s place.