Arctic Fire (34 page)

“Oh, that; I forgot all about it. Come on, I’ll
open it now. Please, sit down, I insist.” Good save, he thought to
himself as she sat down at the table. He quickly cut away the
wrapper with his knife and opened up the shoebox and found a note
inside.

Hey Gabe

I know that crime fighting can be a tough
job, so here are a few things to make your life as a super-hero
easier.

Nate, your faithful sidekick.

“Funny Nate, very funny.” Pike said, shaking his
head.

“Let’s see what’s in here.” K.D. said, smiling.
It was good to see her smiling again, Pike thought. The first thing
he took out of the box was a mask and a pair of glasses with
another note attached.

Every super-hero needs to protect his
identity, so you have a mask like Zorro’s or a pair of glasses like
Clark Kent’s to keep people from seeing who you really are.

Pike and K.D. both grinned as they took out the
next item. A gold rope that looked like it was a pull cord from
some fancy draperies and a pair of two-inch wide gaudy bracelets
that somehow managed to survive the disco age.

Wonder Woman is on vacation so she loaned
these to me. The bracelets will deflect bullets and laser beams and
once you capture the bad guy you can tie him up in the cord. It’s
unbreakable and it makes whoever is tied up in it tell the
truth.

Pike held up the cord. “Boy I sure could have
used this thing on the guy I bought that used Jet Ski from.” They
looked in the box and there were two items left, a key and a pair
of handcuffs.

The key is to Wonder Woman’s invisible air
plane that they tell me is parked on the roof. I think it’s faster
than the Clipper so be careful. And last but not least, if all else
fails, you can use these good old-fashioned handcuffs.

PS, I would have sent your tights but they
weren’t back from the cleaners yet.

“Nate has way too much time on his hands,” Pike
said, smiling as he shook his head.

“Hey, he’s your sidekick,” K.D. shot back.

Just then they heard a knock. “That must be my
dinner,” Pike said as he went to the door. When he opened it,
instead of finding the waiter with his grilled club sandwich and
onion rings, he was surprised to see Tabatha Amies standing in the
doorway. She was wearing a low-cut cashmere sweater and black
leather pants that were so tight they looked like they had been
painted on.

“Hi Gabe, I just came by to…” Tabatha stopped in
mid-sentence when she saw K.D. sitting at the table. “Oh, I didn’t
see you had company,” she completed her sentence then casually
pushed her way in. “I hope I’m interrupting something,” she said
snidely, looking directly at K.D..

“Hi, Tabatha,” Pike said tentatively, not sure
where the evening was going. “I just ordered some dinner,” he told
her, hoping Tabatha would take the hint and leave.

“It looks like you started with dessert first,”
she said, seeing the brownies.

“K.D. made those for me, would you like one?”
Trying to defuse the situation.

“How nice, she can bake.” Before anyone could
say anything, she continued, “Oh look, and party favors too.”
Tabatha said, pulling the handcuffs and gold cord out of the box.
“My, my, Gabe, is there another side of you I don’t know about?”
She looked at Pike then turned to K.D. and winked.

Pike could see that things were spiraling out of
control. K.D. was getting upset and embarrassed and he didn’t know
what to do. Suddenly there was another knock on the door and he
felt like a punch-drunk fighter saved by the bell. He opened the
door just enough to see the corner of the serving cart then he
turned back to Tabatha and K.D. “Food’s here.” He said, continuing
to open the door. He was puzzled by the looks on their faces as the
door swung open. K.D.’s expression was one of dread while Tabatha’s
lips almost curled into a snarl. He couldn’t understand their
reaction to a simple food cart until he turned around and saw that
Marilyn was the one pushing the cart.

“I saw the server outside and told him I’d take
it from here,” Marilyn said. “I see that you started with the
appetizers,” she continued, looking at Tabatha and K.D. “You can
send them home because the main course is here.”

Pike could see the events of last night
repeating themselves all over again like a bad dream. He felt
helpless as the women jockeyed for position.

“Yeah, for the main course if he wants tough
leftovers.” K.D. said.

K.D. statement shut everything down for a
moment, stunning them all; no one expected her to say something
like that, especially Marilyn.

Pike didn’t know if was a full moon or what
because he didn’t know why everyone was acting so crazy, but what
he did know was that he knew a lynching when he saw one and for
some reason, they were stringing up the rope for K.D., and he’d had
enough. But before he could circle the wagons around her, there was
another knock on the door. Pike rolled his eyes; could this night
get any worse? He was grateful for the short reprieve but swore
that if it was Mallory at the door, he was going to jump overboard.
Pike opened the door and was relieved to see that it was Tony
Roberts.

“Hi Gabe, I was wondering…” Tony started to say
then slowed down as he saw the room full of women. “…if you wanted
to go out for a drink and see what was happening, but it looks like
you’ve got all the action you can handle right here,” he said,
seeing K.D. holding the rope and Tabatha twirling the handcuffs and
Marilyn standing to one side.

Pike just frowned at him. “K.D., would you like
to go for a walk?” He said it more as a statement than a questions
and she stood right away. “Whoever is the last one out, please turn
off the lights.” And Pike and K.D. left, slamming the door.

“Come on,” he said as he half pulled her down
the hallway, “I’m hungry; let’s get something to eat.” When they
reached the end of the hall, she touched him on the shoulder.

“Thanks Gabe, but I’m not really in the mood to
eat right now.”

“I’m sorry, K.D.”

“Don’t worry about it; I know it’s not your
fault.”

“But it is my fault. Everybody thinks I’m this
big super hero.”

“Not a super hero, just an ordinary one.” She
reached up and gently gave him a small kiss on the cheek. “I’m
going back to my room. See you in the morning.” She walked down the
corridor to her room then turned and looked at him as she rounded
the corner. “Thanks again, Hot Shot,” and then she disappeared.

Pike rubbed the bridge of his nose out of
frustration then headed toward the casino. The bright lights and
cheery noise did little to lift his mood, which was bordering
between anger, frustration, and self-pity. Surprisingly he was
still hungry but he decided to skip the Crystal Palace and all its
crowds and instead went into the diner. He wasn’t sure if it was
anger that fueled his appetite but he devoured his French Dip
sandwich like a castaway rescued from a deserted island.

His stomach was settled but his mind was still
restless so he decided to go up to the observation lounge. When he
arrived, he was happy to find that he had the entire room to
himself. He stepped over to the bay windows and examined their
little moving island. He saw the
Yankee Clipper
perched on
the stern, lit up with spotlights like a trophy on display. Next,
he followed the stern to the left, passed the drained pool that
looked like a giant sand trap next to the driving range and passed
the brightly lit pavilion; that too was deserted.

His vision followed up through the colorful
casino lights, sweeping to the bow of the berg to Cain’s monolithic
tower to the bobbing lights marking the locations of the attending
tugs. This man-made monstrosity was huge by man’s standard, but as
he stared out past the tugs to the open ocean, he was overwhelmed
by its vastness. Suddenly he felt incredibly small and his petty
problems were terribly insignificant in the grand scheme of things.
He was just getting a perspective on things when he felt two hands
gently caress his shoulders and he heard his name whispered low and
sexy.

At first he jumped because it startled him then,
he shook his head and slowly turned around. “Listen I don’t know
what…” He stopped in mid-sentence as his eyes flew open wide seeing
who was there.

“Beth!”

Silently she briefly looked into his eyes, then
burst out laughing.

“Large, man-made ice berg, $81.3 million
dollars. Three tugs and crew to tow it, $1.9 million dollars. The
look on your face just then, priceless.”

Pike just stood there speechless, not sure what
was going on.

“Sorry Gabe,” Mallory continued, “but I heard
what happened in your room and I just couldn’t resist.”

Pike blinked his eyes. “You already heard what
happened down in my room, less than an hour ago?”

Mallory smiled. “It’s a small iceberg full of
busybodies; besides, it’s my job to know everything that happens on
this tub.”

“I know, but still.”

“Are you all right? Is all this Love Boat drama
going to affect you or your inspection schedule?”

“Pike shook his head. “No, it is a little
distracting I’ll admit, but I can handle it, It’s K.D. I’m worried
about.”

Mallory smiled. “I heard what she said to
Marilyn. I think she can handle things by herself, but if it will
make you feel any better, I can talk to her if you’d like.”

“That would be great, thanks.”

“No problem. I have it on good authority that
your room is clear now so I suggest you go back and get some sleep.
Nigel is expecting a full report in the morning.”

“Okay. Thanks again.” Pike smiled, and returned
to his room.

Chapter Thirty
Six

K.D. jumped when she heard the knock on the
door. She’d been lying on her bed, half-thinking, half-dozing. Part
of her wanted it to be Gabe so they could talk, but another part
was hoping it wasn’t him because she was afraid to talk to him.
With some hesitation, she got up and answered the door. When she
opened the door, neither part was happy.

“Hello K.D.,” Tabatha Amies said, “may I come
in?” pushing her way in without waiting for her to answer.

“What do you want?” K.D. asked, her voice barely
civil.

“We need to have little talk, you and I.”

“Really, about what?”

“About Gabriel.”

“What about him?”

“Oh come on now K.D., don’t play dumb with me,
you know we both want Gabe.” Tabatha walked over to the table and
flipped open the box that had the brownies in it. “How sweet.” She
said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “I suppose you make a pretty
mean meatloaf too? Trying the old ploy of the way to a man’s heart
is through his stomach ?” she leered.

“And your version to his heart is through his
pants?” K.D. shot back.

“Ohhhh.” Tabatha replied, as she pretended to
pull an imaginary arrow out of her heart. “Nice one, but you’re
still no match for me. I lead an exciting life, I’ve traveled all
over the world, covered important stories and met dozens of world
leaders; can you say the same? What can you offer him, hmm?
Exciting nights of Scrabble, Saturday afternoons at the local
market watching them throw fish, or visiting the local strawberry
festival?”

Tabatha walked over to the closet and began
thumbing through the clothes. “These flannel shirts and sweats are
attractive; did you pick them up on sale at Wal-Mart?” She spun
around and faced her. “Come on K.D., face it, there was a time when
you might have had a chance with Gabe but you didn’t take it. The
Gabe you once knew is gone. He’s no longer the hometown boy; he’s
an international celebrity now. He’s outgrown that old life style
and he’s outgrown you.”

Sticks and stones may break my bones but words
will never hurt me, is the biggest lie we tell our children, K.D.
thought as she heard Tabatha’s words. They cut deeper into her
heart than any surgeon’s blade ever could, especially if she was
right. Had Gabe outgrown his old life, out grown her?

Tabatha could tell she struck a nerve by the
expression on K.D.’s face. “If you really care about him, then step
aside and let him go.”

“Do you love him?” K.D. asked quietly.

“Do you
love
him or are you like so many
women who are just in love with the idea of being in love?” Tabatha
walked over and sat down at the table and grabbed one of the
brownies.

“Although all this drama makes great press, I
prefer to keep things a little more quiet. Bow out gracefully now
and there will be no harm, no foul. If you continue with your silly
pipe dream that you actually think you have a chance with Gabe,
I’ll be forced to take other measures.”

“Take other measures? Are you threatening me?”
K.D. glared at her.

Tabatha smiled. “Let’s just say that as a
reporter I have certain skills and ways of bringing things to light
that most people want to stay buried.”

“Like what?” K.D. scowled.

“If you want to play hardball, like when you
were caught stealing as a teenager.”

“I was thirteen and I didn’t steal anything. The
friend I was with put a pair of shorts in my bag when I wasn’t
looking. Besides, there was never any police report or charges
filed.”

“True, but that doesn’t matter. Headlines will
read ‘Girlfriend of the Blast from the Past was involved in a
teenage shoplifting ring.’ Because of his association with Mr.
Cain, Gabe will be forced to distance himself from you, causing all
the more pain, and publicity, I might add.”

Up until that point, K.D. was seriously
considering Tabatha’s words, how she might be right and how it
might be best for Gabe if she quietly went away. But not now she
thought, I won’t be challenged, I won’t be threatened and I won’t
be told what to do. K.D.’s anger had just gone from simmer to the
boiling point. Her adrenaline had kicked in and the fight or flight
mode had taken over, and she wasn’t going anywhere. She was about
to explode when it suddenly came to her.