Deadly Vacation (Hardy Brothers Security Book 10) (12 page)

“You’re definitely having a run of bad luck,” Boyd said over breakfast the next morning, studying the photographs James had taken on his cell phone. “And you’re sure nothing was taken?”

James had placed a call to the New Orleans detective early the next morning. Boyd opted to join them at the hotel so everyone could talk before they had to split up for the day.

“Everything is there,” James said. “They just searched the suitcases and tossed things around.”

“We’re obviously not dealing with professionals,” Sophie said, sipping from her mug of coffee. “If they were professionals, they would have been smart enough to search the suitcases without leaving a mess behind.”

Boyd arched an eyebrow. “How do you know that?”

“Let’s just say I’m familiar with the criminal element and leave it at that,” Sophie said.

Grady rubbed her shoulders. “She’s not wrong,” he said. “If we were dealing with a professional, he wouldn’t want us to know anything had been touched.”

“I think we’re dealing with more than one person,” James said. “Even with a half hour, one person wouldn’t have enough time to be sure we were out of our rooms, toss all three of them, and then get out with plenty of time to be assured they wouldn’t run into us in the hallway.”

“Well, there are three rooms,” Sophie said. “And Mandy had a run-in with three … tools … at the wax museum last night. That seems convenient.”

“I was just thinking that,” James said, rubbing the back of his neck as he leaned back in his chair.

“What three tools?” Emma asked.

“Our three friends who keep popping up,” Sophie said. “Shane and … I can’t remember the other two’s names.”

“Philip and Kent,” Mandy said.

Emma’s eyes widened. “You saw them last night?”

“They were in the wax museum.”

“They isolated her in one of the horror rooms downstairs,” James said. “They didn’t approach until she was alone. I think that means they were watching us.”

“They asked where Emma was, though,” Mandy said.

“Which means they knew she wasn’t with you.”

“Did they hurt you?” Boyd asked, his eyes serious.

“No,” Mandy said. “It was more like they wanted to … scare me.”

“Did they say anything before I found you?” James asked. “We never really talked about what happened before … well … we got distracted back in the room.”

Grady snorted. “Is that what you’re calling it now?”

James shot him a look. “Don’t dampen my wife’s enthusiasm.”

Boyd’s eyes were lit with amusement. “Run me through what happened.”

Mandy shrugged. “I was just looking at one of the horror tableaus. I was in one of those small rooms off to the side, and there was a madman with a knife and he was killing a woman on a table. It was really cool, and there was all this blood.”

“Baby, I don’t think he needs a recap of the exhibit,” James said.

Mandy shot him a narrow-eyed look.

“I’ll be happy to listen to you describe it for hours tonight, if that helps,” James offered, conciliatory.

“Do you promise?”

“As long as you’re naked, yes.”

Mandy sighed. “Anyway, I was just looking around, and they came in behind me. They asked where Emma was, and then they kind of … acted weird.”

“Be more specific,” Boyd instructed.

“I don’t know,” Mandy said. “I said I wasn’t alone, and that I was there with my husband. They said they didn’t believe I had a husband and then they offered to walk me back to the hotel.”

“Did they specify which hotel?”

“No.”

“That could either indicate they didn’t know what hotel you were staying in, or that they were purposely being coy,” Boyd said. “What happened when you talked to them, James?”

“They were boastful, especially when they thought it was just me,” he said. “I told Mandy to come to me, and when she tried, one of them kind of blocked her off.”

“What did you do?”

“I told him I would beat his ass if he touched her.”

Boyd nodded. “Did they seem scared?”

“No,” James said. “It was more like they were … wary. They let Mandy come to me, though. Then they said they were just talking to her. They were pretty full of themselves until Grady showed up.”

“That’s because I’m manly and intimidating,” Grady said, puffing out his chest.

“I think it was more that they were sure three of them could take me,” James said. “Three on two was different odds, especially when they had Sophie and Mandy to contend with, too.”

“No offense to the ladies,” Boyd said. “They don’t look particularly vicious.”

“They can take care of themselves,” Grady said. “Even if the guys didn’t know that, though, there were still four of us and only three of them.”

“How did you leave it?” Boyd asked.

“I told them if they saw us – any of us – they’d better walk the other way,” James said.

“And then Grady told them to stay away from his woman,” Sophie added.

“Oh, get over it,” Grady said. “You are my woman.”

Boyd snickered. “I love watching young men in love. You say the stupidest things. So, you’re still sure you haven’t picked up anything – or bought anything – that would garner interest from someone?”

“Nothing,” James said. “We’ve been through everything. Multiple times. There’s just … nothing.”

“Even the mask?” Emma asked.

“What mask?” Mandy asked. “Who bought a mask?”

“James did,” Emma replied, pointing. “He bought that mask you were looking at the first night we were here. Didn’t you give it to her?”

Mandy shifted toward her husband. “You did?”

“I forgot about it,” James said, rubbing his jaw. “I sent it home. I wanted to surprise you with it up there.”

“You bought that mask? It was so expensive.”

James rubbed his fingers across the top of Mandy’s hand, considering. “I forgot all about that mask. I shipped it home the next morning. I knew if I kept it around, even if I hid it in the safe, you would find it and the surprise would be ruined.”

“I can’t believe you bought that for me,” Mandy said.

“You were in love with it,” James said, his eyes distant. “I wanted you to have it.”

“Tell me about the mask,” Boyd said.

“It was one of those ceramic ones,” James said. “I had to spend a bundle to have it wrapped for shipping. It was white and … gold.”

“It was white, gold and purple,” Mandy corrected. “It had a jester’s hat, and a purple teardrop. It was the teardrop I loved the most.”

“How did you get the mask back to the hotel without your wife seeing it?” Boyd asked.

James shifted his attention to Finn, realization washing over him. “Emma was sick. She and Finn were going back to the hotel early. I asked her to put it in her purse and hide it until the next morning.”

Boyd lifted his eyebrows. “So, she did have it in her possession.”

“She did,” James said. “Anyone watching the mask could have seen me buy it.”

“And then they would have seen you hand it to Emma,” Finn said.

“What day did you send the mask out?”

“Um … Saturday morning,” James said. “I had Grady distract Mandy with cemetery brochures while I took it to the front desk.”

“Did you look at the mask?” Boyd asked. “I mean, did you really look at it?”

James shrugged, helpless. “I plucked it off the rack and had the girl wrap it up. I didn’t even bother looking at it.”

“You must have flipped it over,” Boyd pressed. “Looked at the price tag. Something.”

“No. I didn’t care how much it cost,” James said. “She wanted it. I wanted her to have it. The money didn’t matter.”

Boyd glanced at Mandy. “What about you? Did you look at it?”

“Just the front,” Mandy said. “I never took it off the rack. When I saw how expensive it was, I didn’t want to risk breaking it. I … we were having a sort of
thing
.”

“What kind of thing?” Boyd asked.

“I made a joke about her spending money,” James said. “I shouldn’t have. That’s why she didn’t buy it. I was upset about making the joke, so I decided to buy the mask for her as a surprise. I figured I would ship it up to our house and then spring it on her the next time I pissed her off.”

“So, it could have remained hidden at your house for months,” Boyd mused.

“No way,” Grady said. “He pisses her off like clockwork. She would’ve had it within days.”

“Hey, she still doesn’t have the bracelet I bought her the day before our wedding,” James said.

Mandy perked up. “What bracelet?”

“Never you mind,” James said.

“He bought you a bracelet and hid it in the safe so he would have a present the next time you two blew the stacks off with an argument,” Grady said.

“We’ve fought plenty of times since the wedding.”

“Yeah, and I bought you off with sex,” James said, forcing a wan smile on his face. “You can have the bracelet when we get home. I almost forgot I even had it.”

“Do you think the mask has been delivered to your house yet?” Boyd asked.

“I don’t know,” James said. “I texted my sister and told her to be on the lookout for it. She and her boyfriend have been watching the house. I had to bribe her with the hot tub when she found out she couldn’t go on the trip.”

“Oh, man, we’re going to have to have that thing drained before we can use it,” Mandy said. “Do you have any idea how much sex Ally and Jake are probably having in it? Oh, what if they do it in our bed?”

“I told them if they had sex in my house it had to be in the hot tub or one of the guestrooms,” James said, distracted. “Jake promised to drain, clean, and refill the hot tub before we get back. And don’t talk about my baby sister doing filthy things. You know I don’t like that.”

Mandy made a face. “You have to call them,” she said. “They’re the only ones who can figure out what this is all about.”

“I know,” James said, yanking his cell phone out of his pocket.

Mandy put her hand on his arm to still him. “And then, when that’s done, you have to go to the convention center. You’re going to be late if you’re not careful.”

“I’m not leaving you,” James said.

“Yes, you are,” Mandy argued. “We’ll all stick close to one another. I promise.”

“We’ll stay in the same room,” Sophie agreed. “We’ll be fine. You guys have a job to do. We’ll sit by the phone and wait to hear back from Jake and Ally. It’s going to be okay.”

James growled.

“You know you have to do it,” Mandy said. “Everything is going to be okay. I promise.”

“Fine,” James said. “I’m going to be texting you all day, though, so you’d better have your phone close.”

“I’m ready to come up with a whole new set of filthy suggestions for tonight’s activities,” Mandy said.

Boyd guffawed loudly. “I like her,” he said. “You weren’t lying when you said she was fun.”

“She’s … everything,” James said, punching in a few numbers and then pressing his phone to his ear. “She’s everything.”

“So, what are we looking for?” Ally asked, sitting on one of the stools next to the counter in James and Mandy’s kitchen.

“We don’t know,” Jake said, pulling his pocketknife out and carefully opening the package. It had arrived the day before, and he’d left it on the kitchen counter until he could move it to the upstairs safe like James had instructed.

“What’s in it, though?”

“James bought Mandy some mask she was looking at,” Jake said, flipping the cardboard open and slowly starting to remove the bubble wrap that encased the mask. “I guess he wanted to surprise her when he got home.”

“Why didn’t she just buy it if she wanted it?” Ally asked.

“I’m not up on Mandy’s shopping habits,” Jake replied, his tone dry. “You’ll have to ask her.”

“You’re the worst gossip ever sometimes,” Ally said. “You never get the good dirt.”

“I didn’t gossip at all until you came into my life,” Jake said. “Now I’m forced to gossip against my will. It’s a little depressing.”

“Oh, you enjoy it and you know it,” Ally teased.

“I enjoy you,” Jake said. “That’s enough for me.”

“You say the sweetest things,” Ally said. She leaned forward so Jake could give her a quick kiss. “You’re handsome, too.”

Jake arched an eyebrow. “Are you trying to seduce me?”

“When I want to seduce you, you’ll know it,” Ally said.

“How will I know it?”

“I’ll be naked.”

Jake smirked. “Well, I’m looking forward to that.” He pulled the remaining bubble wrap off the mask and studied it for a moment. “This thing is ugly.”

“It’s beautiful,” Ally said, gazing at it adoringly. “I want it.”

“I think your brother bought it for Mandy,” Jake said. “You can’t have it.”

“But I want it.”

“Maybe they’ll bring you up one of your own,” Jake said, studying the front of the mask carefully. “It looks like a normal mask.” He tipped up the price tag, which was hanging from one of the jester prongs, and made a sound in the back of his throat. “Your brother spent a ton on this ugly thing.”

“That’s because Mandy wanted it,” Ally said. “If Mandy wanted the moon, he’d find a way to buy it for her.”

“He does like to dote on her,” Jake said. He flipped the mask over and studied the back. After a few moments of staring, he rested the mask against the bubble wrap on the counter and slipped the knife-edge under a piece of fabric that was affixed to the back.

“Don’t break it,” Ally said. “Mandy will be crushed if you do.”

“I’m not going to break it,” Jake said. “I’m … .” He broke off when he managed to dislodge something from beneath the strip of fabric. He lifted it up so he could study it under better lighting.

“What is that?” Ally asked.

“It’s a computer chip,” Jake said.

“That means someone hid it on purpose,” Ally said.

“And your brother just happened to buy it.”

“Can you tell what’s on it?”

Jake sucked in a steadying breath. Ally’s enthusiasm was one of the things he loved most about her. At times like this, though – times when silence would be welcome – he had to fight the urge to gag her. “I have no idea, angel. I think we’re going to need help reading it.”

Ally arched an eyebrow. “Maverick?”

Jake nodded. “Maverick.”

JAKE
found Ally lounging in the hot tub thirty minutes later. She had the bubbles churning, and a blissed-out look on her face as she reclined her head against the hard edge of the cement.

“Did you get in touch with him?” Ally asked.

“He just got up,” Jake said. “He’ll be here in about an hour. In Maverick time, though, that means he’ll really be here in two hours.”

“Well, at least he’s coming,” Ally said. “I think it’s cute that he sleeps until noon every day.”

“I think that’s a good way to waste time,” Jake said. He studied Ally’s face for a moment. “Have you considered getting a hot tub for your house? You love this one so much, it seems like it would be a natural fit.”

“I have,” Ally said. “I just don’t know if that’s the house I want to stay in forever.”

“I thought you loved your house?”

“I like it,” Ally said. “I’m just not sure I can see myself there in ten years. I don’t want to buy a hot tub and then have to move it. James can just share his.”

Jake smiled, and then his eyes caught something he’d missed. Her clothes were piled in a heap a few feet away, and her undergarments were on top of the pile. “Are you naked?”

“I didn’t want to ruin my bra and panties,” Ally said. “They’re new, and they’re cute.”

Jake pressed his lips together, torn. “You stripped naked out here in broad daylight?”

“We’ve been in this thing naked every night since they left,” Ally pointed out. “You didn’t have a problem with that.”

“Yeah, but that was when it was dark out,” Jake said. “No one could see you.”

“They have a six-foot privacy fence,” Ally said. “No one saw me.”

“What if someone did, though?”

“Then they got quite the show,” Ally replied, nonplussed. “I’m not ashamed of my body.”

“Your body is a work of art,” Jake said. “You shouldn’t be ashamed of it. It’s mine to look at, though. You shouldn’t be showing it off to anyone else.”

“I wasn’t showing it off to anyone else. However, if you want to see it up close and personal under the bright light of day, now is your chance.”

Jake glanced around again. “But … .”

“Strip,” Ally ordered. “It’s going to be at least an hour before Maverick gets here. We’re only going to be able to enjoy this hot tub for a few more days. Do you really want to turn me down and hurt my feelings?” She batted her eyes at him coquettishly.

Jake made up his mind quickly and started stripping. He was already turned on by the time he joined her.

“See, that wasn’t so hard.” Ally was practically purring as she moved through the water and pressed herself against him. “Oh, wait, something is hard.”

Jake’s eyes rolled back in his head as she rubbed him under the water. “You’re totally shameless.”

“Is that bad?”

“No,” Jake said, raising his hand so he could caress her breast under the water. “I like it. I’ve never been that way. You force me to live outside of my comfort zone.”

Ally paused her ministrations. “I do?”

Jake forced his eyes to focus on her. “You’re magic, my angel,” Jake said. “You’re loud and obnoxious when you want to be, but you’re also sweet and … wonderful.”

“You’re sweet and wonderful,” Ally said, returning to her rubbing. She was on her knees, but she managed to edge closer to him. “You make me really happy.”

Jake loved the playful look in her eyes. “Is that so?”

“You have no idea.” Her eyes were full of mischief, but her words were earnest and heartfelt. “I’ve never been this happy.”

“Me either, angel,” Jake said, cupping the back of her head. “In fact, before you, I wasn’t sure I was capable of being happy.”

“You have the potential to be anything you want to be,” Ally said.

“Do you know what I want to be right now?”

“What?”

Jake lowered his mouth to Ally’s ear. “Inside of you.”

Ally giggled. “What’s stopping you?”

“Foreplay.”

“I don’t need foreplay,” Ally said, taking his free hand and bringing it to her hot core. “I’m ready.”

“Who said the foreplay was for you?” Jake teased. He slipped a finger inside of her, causing her to moan. “Maybe I like the foreplay. Have you ever considered that?”

“Not for a second.” Now Ally’s eyes were the ones rolling back. “I … oh … wow.”

Jake grinned and then pressed his mouth to hers. The kiss was long and sensuous, full of tangled tongues and soft moans. Jake wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer as he trailed his tongue down her neck. The water made it easy for him to lift her, and when her breasts surfaced he lowered his head so he could engulf a hard nipple in his warm mouth.

“Jake,” Ally whimpered, her fingers tangling in his hair.

“Shh,” Jake admonished her. “If you make too much noise, the neighbors are definitely going to look over the fence.”

“I don’t care,” Ally said. “Keep doing that.”

Jake returned to his task, enjoying the way her muted cries took over the quiet afternoon. After a few moments, he shifted his attention to her other nipple. When he was done, he pulled her around his waist and lowered her until his ready erection was poised at her opening.

Now, only their shoulders and heads were above the water. Ally’s brown eyes were wide as Jake slid inside of her, and when he gained full entrance, she sighed into his mouth. Jake kissed her again, and then he started to lift her. “Oh, my Ally,” he said. “You’re so beautiful.”

“Hmmm.”

“You fit me, angel,” Jake said, kissing her again. “You’re … perfect.”

“Jake,” Ally murmured. “You’re the one who is perfect. I’m loud. You said it yourself.”

“You’re still perfect,” Jake said, increasing his pace when he felt her body start to stiffen on top of him. “You’re my perfect everything.”

“Jake!” Ally dug her fingernails into his shoulder as she crested. Jake held steady until he was sure she was done, and then he gave himself over to his feelings and followed her into the abyss.

“Ally,” he whispered into her ear, his hand tangling into her hair as they came down together. “Ally the angel.”

Jake kept them joined as he lifted her, carrying her to the bench and then settling them so they could bask in the afterglow together. He was almost disappointed when he softened and fell out. Ally rested her head on his shoulder, and her searching mouth found his in a lazy kiss as they cuddled.

“That was pretty good,” Ally said.

“That was perfect,” he said. “It always is with you.”

“Are you over your embarrassment of stripping outside when the sun is out?” Ally teased.

“Angel, if you never get dressed again, I’ll be a happy man.”

“What about Maverick?” Ally asked, her eyes still shut.

“We have time,” Jake said, shifting so his erection poked her again. “We’re going to have a repeat – maybe even two – before he gets here. You’d better buckle up.”

Ally’s smile was beautiful. “And that’s why you’re the perfect man.”

“Oh, well then,” Jake said, cupping her rounded rear end. “I guess I should live up to my new status. Spread your legs a little wider, angel. I have something I want to give you.”

“Oh, that’s better than a mask any day of the week.”