ICE PRINCESS, page 5
As Claudia planned the menu, she waited to pull into the light flow of traffic. Too late, she saw the blue car cutting into the lot. There was nothing she could do to avoid collision. She forced herself to keep her eyes open, to record every detail.
The other driver jerked his wheel to one side. Tires squealed, then he smacked into her, crumpling her car fender like it was paper. He jumped from his car, and ran to her door. Another individual with a crew cut made indistinguishable by his uniform. His nametag identified him as Hanson, his rank, captain.
"Ma’am, I’m so sorry. It’s all my fault. I was just so preoccupied, I didn’t see you."
The door to NCIS swung open before she could reply. Zach hurried over, Brownell close behind.
"Are you hurt?" Zach called out.
"I’m fine. Which is more than I can say for my car."
He grabbed the handle and jerked it open. She ignored Zach’s outstretched hand and stepped out to survey the damage.
Busted headlight, crumpled fender, front-end alignment shot to hell. Total cost twenty-five hundred, three thousand, minimum. Her brand new, metallic green, made just for her Saturn was ruined. It didn’t even have a thousand miles on it.
The culprit fumbled for his wallet. "All my fault. My insurance will cover everything."
"I sincerely hope so." Claudia refused to look his way. She was angry enough as it was. Anything she said would make matters worse. The man admitted fault, that should be enough.
But it wasn’t. He babbled on incessantly, apologizing over and over again, until she longed to scream at him to shut up.
Long fingers curled around her elbow. Claudia looked up at Zach. Good, he was as angry as she. They were allies once more.
"If you want to leave, I’ll take care of this. You can use my jeep. I’ll come over tonight and get it." He smiled, but it did not reach his eyes. "Think of it as one of the benefits of having a husband."
"One of the few, I’m sure," she quietly replied, and slipped from his grasp. "You can bring the papers with you tonight then."
"My pleasure…Mrs. Taylor."
Claudia didn’t know who she wanted to slap more—that blithering idiot Hanson, or Zach. Each time he showed redeeming qualities, he ruined everything by behaving, well, like himself. She would have refused his offer, if not for the opportunity it presented to rid herself of him more quickly.
"This is your wife?" Hanson’s face flushed with the question. "Now I’m even more embarrassed."
He caught her hand, and for one brief, horrifying moment, Claudia thought he was actually going to kiss her knuckles.
Zach slipped her fingers from his grasp. "That’ll be enough, Captain."
With Claudia tucked protectively under his arm, Zach escorted her to his Jeep. "Jerk. Reminds me of something that crawled out from under a rock." He opened the door and helped her climb inside.
"For a minute I thought you were going to punch him in the nose."
"For a minute I almost did, Princess." As an afterthought he smiled.
Claudia’s heart quickened once more. The fact that he appeared ready to champion her appealed to her feminine nature…probably more than Claudia was willing to admit. This was the Zach other women saw—the knight rushing to the aid of the maiden in distress. No wonder they melted in his arms. Heroics were a powerful aphrodisiac.
"I’ll see you tonight."
He leaned toward her as if to kiss her, as if it were a commonplace occurrence. What surprised her was that she found her lips parting of their own accord. Whatever spell possessed them was broken with the arrival of the military police.
Claudia watched Zach return to the accident site, admiring him for his physical traits. No boasting swagger marked his step. Instead, she found it was a confident, determined stride. One that made others aware he was a man who knew his own mind. Lethal, if you opposed him. Strong, powerful.
Her breath caught. It was definitely too dangerous for her to let her mind wander. Zach Taylor was not a man to settle on one woman for long. He was heartbreak waiting to happen. Never again. Once burned was plenty for Claudia.
Any joy she might have derived from shopping was gone. Other thoughts intruded—the accident, the discovery of the body, and Zach. Each time she banished him from her mind, he shouldered his way back in. His consideration, his protectiveness, his kiss, that blasted cocky grin of his.
By the time she returned to her brother’s house, her nerves were barely holding on. Claudia forced a look of cheerful bravado and walked inside, juggling presents and fixings for dinner.
Smiles were the first thing that greeted her—ten-year-old Ian’s, Rowan’s. They wrapped her in love, unconditionally. Then she looked at Phillip—grim as he talked on the phone.
He held the receiver out to her. "It’s Ed from your news station."
Claudia shifted the grocery bag to Phillip, and reluctantly took the phone. There could really be no doubt what the call was about—Franklin had made good his threat.
"Surprise me, Ed. Don’t tell me you let him bully you." She heard her boss sigh through the phone.
"Sorry, kid. I don’t like it any more than you, but he’s got us over a barrel."
"Let me guess. He threatened to quit."
"Bingo. You or him. That was his ultimatum to the owner. Our ratings are the highest they’ve ever been with him as anchorman. Demographics show—"
"Women love him."
"Sorry, Claudia. I hate to lose you."
She squeezed back a sudden flood of tears. "Look, Ed. I’m working an angle down here. It could be something huge."
"It would have to be to change the big guy’s mind. You know how he can be. Can you give me anything at all to interest him?"
It was a long shot at best. "It has to do with the military. That’s all I can say without compromising the case. Tell him…" Claudia bit the inside of her cheek. She was treading on dangerous ground. "Tell him the marriage was a ruse to get inside. I didn’t let Franklin know because he has a big mouth. I don’t want to jeopardize anything."
"No shit?"
"No shit." A lot of shit…all bull. "I’ll keep you posted." She hung up the phone, and started to unpack the groceries.
"Not so fast." Phillip caught her arm, forcing her to look at him. "Is that what this is all about?"
"Well…it is now. I just have to figure a way to convince Zach."
"So the original story is still the true one. Any chance we could have a more elaborate version?"
"None." She flashed a false smile and returned to her task.
* * *
"Captain Taylor, my office…now."
Zach trailed Colonel Scott down the corridor, wondering what could have possible riled him this time. The wait wasn’t long. They had barely cleared the door, when the colonel shut it. He wasted no time on preliminaries.
"Imagine my surprise in learning that the main witness to Sunline’s death is your wife. Hell, I didn’t even know you were married!"
"It was very recently, sir."
"And I presume you have a reason for not sharing the information with me when I assigned you as IO?"
"Sir, I didn’t know Claudia was a witness."
"Good God, man, don’t you talk at night?"
Zach felt the heat rise to his collar. "Sir, it isn’t what you think. The marriage was a mistake. We’re planning to dissolve it immediately."
Scott launched into a lecture about duty, responsibility, and youth, then zeroed back to the issue. "You’re removed as IO. Go back to your regular duties."
"Sir, you can’t."
"The hell I can’t."
Zach searched for the right words to salvage the situation. Nothing golden came to mind. "Sir, I’m afraid there might be a little more to this case than we thought. I’m only in the preliminary stages, but each time I turn around I come to the same point. Allison Sinclair."
"Colonel Sinclair’s wife?"
Zach nodded. "I believe she may have been having an affair with Sunline."
"Are you talking crime of passion here?"
"Yes, sir."
The colonel laughed. "Martin Sinclair is top-notch material. He’s up for general this year. Most people believe he’ll make it. He wouldn’t kill—"
"Not Colonel Sinclair…his wife. I think she may have killed Teddy Sunline."
Scott stared at Zach for a full minute, then burst out with a laugh. "Allison? Captain, have you ever met Allison Sinclair?"
"Sir, Claudia told me that with his last breath, Sunline spoke her name and the word ‘secret.’ I’d say that deserves delving into a little more closely."
The colonel sank into his chair. "Does NCIS know this?"
Zach shook his head. "Not yet." He braced himself over the edge of the desk. "Take me off as IO if you have to, but I want to pursue this. Maybe work with NCIS undercover."
"You’ll never be able to get close to Allison. She’s a very private woman."
"Not me, sir. My wife. She knows what to look for. She’s an investigative reporter. I think she can get information out of Allison Sinclair that NCIS never could."
Colonel Scott groaned and rolled his gaze toward the ceiling.
"Please, sir. We can do this. You get us assigned to military housing near the Sinclairs and we’ll do the rest."
The colonel shook his head, pushed up his glasses, and massaged his eyes. "All right. Let’s see what the two of you can dig up. But listen to me, Taylor, at the first sign of anything remotely resembling solid evidence, I want your wife out of the picture and this case turned over to NCIS."
"Yes, sir." Now all I have to do is convince Claudia.
Dinner? Flowers? Sweet talk? Zach dismissed them all. She would settle for nothing less than the truth.
* * *
Claudia tried not to race to the door when she heard Zach pull up. He mustn’t misunderstand her intent. She needed his good will. After all, she wouldn’t be in this predicament if it hadn’t been for that ill-fated drive to Las Vegas. Yes, she was as much at fault for the aftermath as he, but the last thing they needed right now was to rehash that issue.
Phillip opened the door to let him in. Just as quickly he disappeared, leaving them alone in the dining room.
They stood across from one another, each waiting for the other to speak. Claudia took the initiative.
"I was fired today."
Zach wanted to laugh at the irony of the situation. Here he needed her expertise to crack this case. Now there was nothing to give her the incentive.
"I didn’t have such a great afternoon myself. Colonel Scott found out you’re my wife and dismissed me from the case."
Claudia’s resolve crumbled. It was her last chance. Without Zach’s help and a spouse’s identification card, she couldn’t get onto the Marine Corps base in order to investigate.
"Let’s sit down." He pulled out a chair and motioned her toward it. They sat much as they had at NCIS Headquarters, knee to knee.
"I have a plan, but I need your help."
With each phase he detailed, Claudia’s spirits soared. Everything was working perfectly, and she didn’t have to beg for his help. He’d never need know what she was gaining by helping him.
Claudia pretended to think it over, nodding at appropriate intervals.
"I know you don’t owe me anything, but—"
"Cut the crap," Phillip snapped.
They jerked upright and found him lounging in the doorway, listening to every word. "Claudia, obviously you understand Zach’s position so I’ll tell him yours. She needs the scoop on this murder to keep her job. End of story time. If the two of you would quit trying to dance around each other, you might find you have more in common than you realize."
He ducked around the corner and left them alone.
Zach’s gaze caught hers, steady, appraising, and strangely unaccusing. "Do we have a deal?"
"Yes."
"Good, tomorrow we can set up base housing, get you an ID card and put our winnings in the bank. All that happily married stuff. I’ll pick you up in the morning."
She stood up with him. "Wrong. I’m going with you now. I believe we have a meeting at a bar in town. This is my game now, counselor. Let me do what I do best."
"Fine, but I’m front man…always, or we end this now. I don’t care whose job is in jeopardy."
"I don’t like having things out of my control, Zach."
"Neither do I." Zach smiled. "Well, looks like we actually do have something in common after all."
Chapter 5
* * *
Rock music blasted Claudia’s eardrums as she and Zach crossed the threshold of one of the town’s many bars. It wasn’t as crowded as she had expected. A few couples jostled against each other on the dance floor. Most people chose to huddle at tables, drinking and talking. The decibel level of the music gave them an extra excuse to be close together.
Claudia likened the scene to a tribal watering hole. Here the locals gathered to socialize and find mates. She had never cared to indulge in either activity. It was the lure of the music that drew her. She loved music, lived to dance. The lack of a male partner never stopped her. She and her girlfriends weren’t afraid to step out on that dance floor and cut loose.
Claudia smiled to herself. That would be a scene to make Zach’s jaw drop.
While she stood in the doorway waiting for Zach to do a visual scan of the room, she tapped her foot in time to the music, longing for the chance to join the others. Tonight was business, though, and that’s what she had to concentrate on. She would save her dancing for another time or, failing that, the privacy of her own home was always a reasonable alternative.
"There’s a good place over there."
She followed the direction in which Zach pointed—a table in a dark corner of the room with a good view of the door. He guided her forward with a gentle touch to her back. Once there, he situated the chairs closer, facing the door. Anyone watching would think they were getting cozy. The strategic position would be missed.
A waitress breezed forward. "Drink?"
"Club soda with a lime twist." The reply came out in unison.
"Please save the comment on the similarity between us," she said. "I never drink when I work, and I’m still trying to recover from the weekend."
"Same here, Princess." He glanced at his watch. "Hanson should be here any minute."
"He’s your contact?" She nestled her arms under her bosom. "Can you trust what he tells you? He seems overly eager to please."
"I noticed that and intend to keep it in mind."
"I’d feel better if you were wired."
Zach unfolded her arms and tugged them to her lap. "And I’d feel better if you stayed at the house. Guess we can’t always have what we want. Besides, I have a recorder in my jacket pocket."
"Then you’d better turn it on because he just walked in."
"Already taken care of." He caught her chin on the tips of his fingers. "A kiss for luck? There is an illusion we’re supposed to keep up."
Before she could reply, Zach dropped a peck to her lips, gave her a wink, and left, snagging his drink from the waitress as he walked by. Simple as his kiss was, he might have just as well licked her with fire.
This was never going to work. They would be in close quarters for who knew how long. With each second she spent in Zach’s presence, a little more of her resolve faded. Common sense and desire battled for possession of her body while Zach Taylor waited on the sidelines to claim her soul.
She found herself wondering just what it would feel like to toss restraint aside and let him love her. What harm could there be in it? She hadn’t allowed her heart to love a man in ten years. Surely she was due. But Claudia knew all too well—the harm came because one day he would leave.
Her hand shook as she lifted her drink. Men like Zach simply weren’t interested in women like her, except for one thing.
No. Her heart was too fragile to risk having it broken a second time, no matter how tempting the prospect.
Still, she couldn’t keep her gaze from straying to the table across the room, to the intensity in his face, to the way his long fingers curled around his glass, the look which drifted her way every so often. And wonder if maybe, just maybe…
A pair of impossibly long female legs blocked her view. Claudia pulled back and looked up. The legs supported a tall woman—at least that was the impression the person meant to give. A short leather skirt came to mid-thigh while the red silk blouse was tied at the waist to accentuate the bosom. Inch-long nails painted flaming red set off the hands. Long chestnut hair with every curl in place. Makeup, perfection. There was just one, small, tiny minor problem.
The visitor waved to the empty seat. "Mind if I join you?"
Claudia couldn’t help but smile. "Not at all."
Extending one hand, she slid into the chair. "Hello there. I’m Kiki LaRue."
"Hello, Kiki LaRue." Claudia slowly shook the proffered hand. There was no doubt now. Laughter bubbled to her throat. "So tell me," she lowered her voice, "what’s your real name?"
Kiki’s smile faded. So did her sultry voice. "Kurt Duncan. You won’t tell anyone, will you?"
Claudia leaned back. "Your secret is safe with me."
"How could you tell? Is it my Adam’s apple?"
A smirk lifted one corner of Claudia’s mouth. "Actually, your Adam’s apple isn’t that noticeable."
He brushed his fingers over his chin. "Did I miss a spot?"
She laughed. "No. Your bosom is…off."
Kiki looked down. "Darn tissues." He tsked. "The things they don’t teach in Theater Arts." After darting a glance from side to side, he dove his hand inside his blouse and made the adjustment. "Better?"
With a small laugh, Claudia nodded. "Perfect. Next time try a plastic bag of birdseed. It will look more natural."
"I won’t ask how you know that."
"We all have our secrets. Let’s just say I used to be twelve and craved a large bust. I take it Theater Arts is your specialty?"
