At the very least he could call one of those names in Thomass black book and introduce himself. Maybe he could convince one of them to share some birthday cake with him.
His sex-deprived body jumped at a hazy image of a sexy naked lady licking frosting off his fingers. But as he squeezed his eyes shut and tried to bring the image into sharp focus, it faded in a puff of smoke. His eyes shot open and focused on the mounds of paperwork instead. Damn, his imagination stunk.
Maybe hed do better to buy a six-pack and a Playboy and ease his frustrations that way.
With that much of a plan made, Sean rolled down the sleeves of his shirt and buttoned the cuffs. He was crossing the room to get his jacket when the door burst open.
Hall. Maddox.
Chief? The only man in the building who worked longer hours than Sean himself was Deputy Chief John Dillon. And judging by the scowl that creased his mahogany skin, his long hours were just getting started. Whats up?
Chief Dillon scoped the office. Hall leave already?
It is after five.
Then you take a look at this. He thrust a fax into Seans hands and started pacing. That just came off the wire. The ambassador from San Isidro, Ramon Vargas, was found dead in his Washington, D.C., hotel suite this morning.
Sean scanned the report for pertinent facts. The local cops suspect foul play?
The San Isidrans are already on the horn demanding answers. Supposedly, he drowned in his bathtub, but there are bruises on his forearms and the back of his neck that indicate a struggle.
Isnt this a case for the locals or the embassy police to handle? Why bring it to our attention? Then he read the last line in the second to last paragraph. Son of a bitch. Is this information accurate?
From a reliable informer. Chief Dillon was shaking his head when Sean looked up. I dont believe in coincidence, either.
Vargas just returned from vacation on Pleasure Cove Island?
Sound familiar?
With the thrill of the chase on again, Sean circled behind his desk and leafed through the scattered pile of papers. Bingo. He pulled out Judge Rossinis itinerary for the past two weeks and compared it to the dates on Dillons report. They were both on Pleasure Cove Island last weekend.
He set the papers down side by side and searched for another piece of evidence. He pulled out the photocopy of a high-class, lowbrow invitation and read it out loud.
You are cordially invited for a weekend of fun and frolic on Pleasure Cove Island. Security guaranteed.
Meet at the New Harbor dock at 5:00 p.m. to be ferried across Muscongus Bay to my island home.
Leave your wildest fantasies to us.
All will be discreetly provided for you.
Your host,
Douglas Fairchild.
Its a perfect setup, the chief said. Word is, if you have the money and the power, you can go there and do the nasty however and to whomever you want. Fairchild promises anonymity. There are no telephone communications to the island. Hes never allowed the press there. For medical emergencies, theres a nurse on the premises. No one goes in once the partys started. No one comes out until its done.
A regular playground for the rich and self-indulgent. You think Fairchild is blackmailing his guests?
Or maybe the guest list isnt as anonymous as Fairchild wants it to be.
Adrenaline pumped through Seans veins. He wasnt out of the Reyes kidnapping case yet. If he could find something to prove Judge Rossini had been coerced into resigning, hed have a whole new angle to pursue to keep Marquez behind bars. Can I go check it out?
Dillon grinned. I was hoping youd ask. Take tomorrow off. Make it a three-day weekend. The ferry to the island leaves promptly at five oclock. He was already backing out the door. Ill finagle you an invitation and a high-profile cover so you can go in as a guest. You get yourself the date.
The adrenaline burned out in Seans veins. Youre not assigning a female agent?
Youve got fewer than twenty-four hours, Maddox. Dillon talked as if he thought Sean was too thickheaded to figure out the obvious. Take a girlfriend. Tell her you won a free vacation. Tell her youre celebrating your birthday. Itll be easier to behave as a couple with someone youre already familiar with. And since this is strictly a fact-finding mission, I dont see it as high risk. Call your girl. Ill fill in Hall tomorrow morning so he can monitor your progress. The clock is ticking.
Yes, sir, he called out to Dillons back, but the chief was already striding down the hallway.
Sean stood for a moment alone in the silence.
Who the hell could he call to spend a weekend at a sexual playtime resort like Pleasure Cove? Elise was out of the picture. Maybewhat was her name? Or else that blonde? Damn.
This was a sad testament to his workaholic lifestyle.
And he couldnt exactly go to a bar or the produce aisle and try to pick up someone for more than a get-acquainted date.
Fear of failure warred with duty.
As always, duty won.
Sean snatched up the black book Thomas had given him for his birthday. Hed said these women were willing to meet him.
Maybe one of them would be willing to do a little bit more.
2
CAITLIN MCCORMICK TOOK one look inside her apartment door and knew she was in trouble.
Cassie? She thunked her overnight bag onto the tiled floor beside her and listened to her voice echo in the silence. Come out, come out, wherever you are, she recited in a sing-songy voice, and then listened again. Cass, are you all right?
She added the last out of polite courtesy, just in case the disorder of dishes, dust bunnies and dirty clothes strewn from room to room wasnt anything more sinister than a testament to her roommates housekeeping skills.
Maybe aliens snatched her up. Just to be on the safe side, Caitlin quickly verified that all the rooms were empty. Leave it to Cassie to have a close encounter of the third kind while Caitlin was away. Her roomie could be off exploring brand-new worlds while she got stuck on the home planet doing housework.
Just like in one of Caitlins Star Trek books, it would be Cassies luck to get beamed aboard a starship to hang with the hunky captain while she got left on the surface to deal with a villainous Klingon.
Hmm. Caitlin raised her eyebrows and considered the possibilities. There was a definite appeal to the idea of saving the day. I could just tame that bad boy and take over the planet myself. She growled in her throat, imitating the imagined villain who would be at her mercy. Hed be my consort. A warrior to serve my every need. She closed her eyes and licked her lips, savoring an imaginary kiss as the rough-edged warrior took her to his bed.
The cool air that brushed across her wet, wanting mouth brought her back to reality. Her eyes popped open. No warrior. No lover.
No roommate, either.
But a very real mess to clean up.
You shouldnt have. She waved off the imaginary audience that was cheering her dumb luck. Im so thrilled youve given me something meaningful to do with my life. Shed learned to weed sarcasm out of her teaching, but the rest of her life was fair game for a loaded remark.