"OH, THIS IS adorable." Kerry looked around their small room approvingly. "I'm glad they didn't have room in the big resort, Dar-this is much, much more quaint." They were staying in the small inn that circled the tavern, with a view that overlooked the harbor. Kerry walked over to the plush, four-poster bed and sat down on it, bouncing a little, then falling back and spreading out her arms. "Whoof."

Dar set her pack down and put her hands on her hips as she inspected their a.s.signed quarters. "Nice," she agreed, with a smile.

"Tell you what. You hang out here and relax, and I'll run down to the boat and pick up a change of clothes for the both of us," she said. "Order up some hot tea and enjoy the view."

Kerry considered arguing, then her better sense took hold and she waggled her fingers at Dar in peaceful acquiescence. "You rock."

With a pleased smile, Dar waved back, and then she turned and slipped out the door and closed it behind her.

"Ahh." Kerry exhaled, glad to be lying still. As the day had progressed, her body had protested more strenuously, though she'd enjoyed their shopping trip. Now she had a quiet night in this cute, snug little room to look forward to. It had a small balcony with a table, and she suspected a light dinner, a bottle of wine, and the two of them were just the right size to fit there.

A nice end to Dar's birthday, she decided. A smile crossed her face as she thought about her partner, and how much she'd enjoyed their day rambling around together. Maybe if she felt better tomorrow, she'd fulfill her half of their bargain, and they'd go horseback riding up in the hills. She'd seen advertis.e.m.e.nts for a nice looking stable at the hotel's check in desk.

Yeah. A nice ride, maybe a picnic together. Maybe we'll find a nice quiet spot and I'll write a poem about it. Kerry imagined a patch of green, fragrant forest, with birds singing around her. She could almost smell the rich scent of the earth. Yeah.

With a yawn, she rolled over and crawled to the edge of the bed, retrieving the leather-covered room service menu and opening it. "Ah." She spotted the tea section, pleased at having more than one choice. "Mango. Let's try that." She picked up the room phone and dialed.*199 DAR DECIDED TO forgo a cab, preferring to jog down to the boat instead. The crowds were thinning out as sunset approached, and the cafes she pa.s.sed were starting to gear up for dinner. The air held hints of an eclectic mix of foods- hickory smoke mixed with a dash of tomato and garlic, crossed with a jolt of jerk spices. Dar took an appreciative breath of it, and acknowledged she was d.a.m.n glad they'd decided to cut out and leave Bob and his family problems behind.

DeSalliers had annoyed her, true, Dar admitted privately. It wouldn't have bothered her to knock him off his pedestal. But the man had been hired to do a job, and while she didn't particularly like his style or his att.i.tude, his methods were efficient and very business oriented. And, Dar, admit it- that's how almost everyone describes you, isn't it? She chuckled a little in wry self-knowledge.

Bob's story had seemed a little too pat to her, she decided, as her path took her down a fairly steep incline toward the dock. Did she really buy that convenient emergence of a clue after all this time? It seemed a lot more likely to her that Bob had run out of cash, and had gotten together with all the other family wannahaves and cooked up a plot to cause trouble. He was probably banking on a settlement of some kind, if he could stir up enough chaos.

Of course, Dar dodged a man on a moped, it could also be that I don't like Bob because he tried to hit on Kerry. She wondered briefly if he had simply seen a cute girl he was interested in, or if he was interested in Kerry because of her obvious financial resources.

She turned a corner and jogged between two buildings. As she pa.s.sed a garbage dumpster, a flash of motion made her turn her head, but before she could react, a body hit hers and drove her into the wall. "Hey!"

Hands grabbed her and threw her against the wall again, and then a heavy weight pinned her and she got a blast of not very nice breath in her face. "All right, you b.i.t.c.h. Don't move."

Dar blinked, and a heavy, pockmarked face swam into focus.

Her attacker had his forearm pressed against her throat and his weight holding her against the wall. Her senses, shocked at first, recovered, and she felt her wits settle back into place. "Who the h.e.l.l are you?" she asked.

"Shut up." The man shoved against her throat, cutting off her air. "I ask, you answer."

A wash of red swam unexpectedly over her vision, and Dar felt her temper snap before she could get a handle on it. A low snarl erupted from her throat and her body convulsed, shoving against the wall and arching with all her strength. She got her hands up against the man's chest and pushed hard, getting him off her long enough for her to take a bouncing step forward.

He cursed and grappled with her, grabbing her throat with 200*

both hands, but made the mistake of letting Dar lean forward at the same time as he was spreading his legs for balance. Dar immediately brought her knee up with explosive force, slamming her kneecap into the pit of his groin.

He choked and released her, reaching down in pure reflex to protect himself. Dar took the opportunity to duck past him and whirl, then turn sideways and kick out, catching him in the b.u.t.tocks and sending him hurtling into the wall head first. She whirled as she sensed someone else coming, and her hands came up into fists at shoulder level as she spotted another man close by.

He held up his hands, but they were palm out. "Whoa, tiger."

Dar glared at him. "Don't you know when the f.u.c.k to leave people alone?" she asked. "What the h.e.l.l does it take, DeSalliers? A d.a.m.n court order?"

"Well, d.a.m.n it, Roberts. You keep showing up in my business; what the h.e.l.l am I supposed to do?" DeSalliers answered. "If you'd mind your own, and get the h.e.l.l out of my way, I'd be glad to never set eyes on you again!"

Dar put her hands on her hips. "You're nuts," she stated flatly.

"You wanted your spot on the ocean? Fine. We left. We came over here, and haven't thought about you all the d.a.m.n day long. So what are you talking about?"

DeSalliers eyed her suspiciously. "You're searching the shops for what I'm after."

Dar rolled her eyes. "We were searching the shops for pearl earrings. You into that? I never woulda guessed." She backed a step to keep her attacker in her sight, since he was now getting to his feet.

"You're lying."

"You're a jerk. I guess we're even," Dar shot back. "Now get the h.e.l.l out of my way before I call the cops." She pointed at him.

"We don't want any part of whatever the h.e.l.l you're after."

"How much did he offer you?" DeSalliers countered, as though he hadn't heard a word she'd said. "I'll double it."

Dar glared at him. "You're really p.i.s.sing me off," she warned.

"Triple it. What will it take?"

It got to the point where it became, oddly, funny. "Okay." Dar held up her hands. "I give."

DeSalliers folded his arms. "I knew I could find your price."

"English isn't working," Dar went on. "What language would you like me to tell you to f.u.c.k off in next, one you'll understand?"she asked. "Sprechen Sie Deutsch? Habla Espanol?

Parlez-vous Francais?" She held up her left hand, middle finger extended. "American Sign Language? What?"

With a sudden motion, she closed on him and grabbed his shirt, twisting her hands in it before he could jerk away. She lifted up and*201 pushed him against the garbage dumpster, surprising him with her strength. "I DO NOT WANT ANYTHING TO DO WITH YOU OR YOUR BUSINESS!" she bellowed at the top of her lungs. "DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME, MISTER??"

His eyes were as big as saucers, Carvel flying saucers, in fact.

"Roberts, I don't think you want to do this."

"All I want to do," Dar's voice dropped to a low rumble, "is go get some clothes, go back to my hotel, and spend the night necking in the moonlight with my partner." She got nose to nose with him.

"And you, mister, are all that's between me and what I want." She shook him. "You...are the one who doesn't want to do this. Trust me."

"Boss, you want me to shoot her?" The thug behind her spoke in a voice that was a touch hoa.r.s.e.

"Put that away, you idiot," DeSalliers snapped nervously. "She can probably catch the bullet."

Dar snorted. She released the man's shirt and let him up off the dumpster. She looked over her shoulder at the thug, who was uncertainly juggling a small handgun. With a shake of her head, she returned her eyes to DeSalliers. "What will it take to convince you I don't want any part of this?" she asked in a normal tone. "We got involved by accident; I got uninvolved on purpose."

He studied her. "All right," he said. "Explain why you had your people jump my men out on St. Richard last night, and maybe I'll believe you."

"My people?" Dar stared at him.

"Pity we had to hurt them." DeSalliers gave her a thin smile.

"They didn't get what they were after. Maybe you," his long finger poked Dar in the chest, "should take a lesson from that." Now his tone turned dark. "You listen to me, Roberts. Keep out of my way.

If you get in it again, I'll take you out. Permanently." With that, he turned and stalked off, his thug trotting behind him.

Dar stared after him. "My people?" she whispered. "What in the he..." Her mind went back to an empty restaurant and a quiet, still home that morning. She pulled out her cell phone and recalled Bud and Charlie's number from memory, then dialed it. It rang three times, then went to voice mail. Dar waited for the beep, then spoke. "Hey. It's Dar. Give me a ring when you get this. I need to talk to you guys." She hesitated, then hung up, closing the phone and tapping it against her chest. "This is getting to be like a bad episode of Twilight Zone," she muttered. After a moment of indecision, she headed toward the boat. She'd pick up their clothes, then go back to the hotel and let Kerry in on what had happened.

And then? Christ. Dar shook her head in honest bewilderment.

Who the h.e.l.l knows what then?

202*

KERRY DIDN'T REALLY remember falling asleep. One moment, she was looking at the little area guidebook she'd found in the inn room, the next moment she felt a warm hand on her shoulder. She rolled over and blinked up at Dar. "Oh, Jesus. Did I conk out?"

Dar sat down on the bed next to her. "Apparently." She smoothed Kerry's hair back and felt her forehead. It was cool.

"Might have been better if I'd stayed here and joined you."

"Uh oh." Kerry gazed up at her, seeing the turmoil in Dar's expression. "Now what?

"DeSalliers."

"Again? What the h.e.l.l is it with that guy?"

Dar collapsed next to Kerry and spread her arms out across the covers. "He's a self-absorbed, megalomaniacal moron."

"Well, yeah, but besides that."

"He and one of his goons chased me down on the way to the boat. He still thinks we're part of this stupid game he's playing."

"Chased you down?" Kerry sat right up, wide-awake, her eyes going big and round.

"Easy, slugger," Dar drawled, faintly amused at the always surprising ferociousness Kerry displayed on her behalf. "Yeah, we yelled at each other, and he left." She sighed. "Problem is, he also hinted that he'd run into friends of ours, and they'd gotten hurt."

She lifted her phone. "I left a message for Bud, but there's been no answer."

"Yikes." Kerry became concerned. "Dar, this isn't funny. I think it's time we called in the cops."

Dar nodded. "Me, too," she said. "I stopped by the police station on the way up here."

"And?" Kerry settled back down next to her.

"It's Christmas Day." Dar gave her a wry look. "There was only one man in the place, and he was cleaning it. I think the rest of them are out on patrol." She paused. "At least, I hope so."

"c.r.a.p." Kerry frowned. "Is there anyone else we can call?"

"All the US offices are closed." Dar drummed her fingers on the covers. "I don't know if there is anything we can do before tomorrow. I wish Bud would call me, though. "

"Stupid jerk."

Dar's eyebrows lifted. "He's not that bad."

"I meant DeSalliers." Kerry scowled. "Should we go back to Bud and Charlie's island? What about Rufus?" She eased over onto her side. "Dar, this sucks."

"I know." Dar gazed at the ceiling, considering. "We could go back there, but what if they didn't? It's a big ocean, and there's dozens of islands around here."

Kerry sighed. "No, it sucks because, d.a.m.n it, I wanted to*203 celebrate your birthday with you tonight," she complained, plucking at the fabric underneath her. "G.o.d, that sounds so selfish, doesn't it?" A faint laugh was forced out of her.

Dar reached over and scrubbed Kerry's back with her fingertips. "Nah."

"Urmph." Kerry arched her neck. "Yes, it does," she grumbled.

"Well," Dar snuggled closer and nuzzled the side of Kerry's face, "it's on my behalf, so you're excused."

Kerry slid her arms around Dar's body and drew her closer, detecting a hint of wood smoke on her clothes. She tucked her head into Dar's shoulder and exhaled, simply wanting the comfort of her lover's presence.

Dar was more than glad to oblige. She gently rubbed Kerry's lower back while she gazed at the ceiling, trying to figure out what to do next. It was almost dark outside, and with only the dim bed light on, the room settled into a peaceful twilight.

So quiet, that Dar's cell phone going off nearly caused both of them to jump right off the bed. "s.h.i.t." Dar scrabbled for the ringing cell. She flipped it open and held it to her ear. "Yes?"

Kerry put her head back down on Dar's shoulder, willing her heart to stop trying to climb out her ears. She'd been half asleep, in that hazy place just before you went completely out, and her body was feeling a sense of shock at being jerked so rudely out of it.

"Yes." Dar's voice was serious. "All right. We'll be right over."

She folded up the phone and set it on the bed, letting out a long breath.

"What is it?" Kerry asked.

"Charlie," Dar murmured after a moment. "He's in the hospital, here, on St. Thomas." She turned her head and looked at Kerry. "It's not pretty."

Kerry could easily have lived her entire life without seeing another hospital. She gave Dar's side a pat and hitched herself up on an elbow. "Let's get going, then," she said. "Like it or not, we're buying into this, aren't we?"

Dar sat up. "Looks like it. Yeah." She got up off the bed and clipped the phone to her waistband. "You can stay here if you want, Ker. If you're not feeling well, no sense in both of... Ah."

Kerry had gotten up and was running her brush through her hair. "Sweetie, if I can't spend the night with you in that bed, then I'll take what I can get." She tossed the brush to Dar. "Besides, I like Charlie. I hope he's okay."

Dar brushed her hair, hoping the very same thing.

Chapter.

Nineteen.