Wolf to the Rescue, page 8
Kim laughed. “Now you’re going to have to make it up to Stacey tonight. Speaking of which, I guess the place that Garcia booked has enough rooms for all of us? But I snore, so Stacey will have to sleep elsewhere if she wants to get any sleep before we head back home.”
Kim did not snore! Stacey couldn’t believe she’d say that, but she realized her friend was trying to ensure that Stacey could stay with Andrew. She supposed she should have told her that already.
“Stacey and I are getting our own place so we can stay a little longer after we’re finished with this mission,” Andrew said.
“Aww.” Kim smiled. “I’m so glad the two of you are going to have some fun after this is all over with. I’m staying with Garcia then?”
“If that’s all right with you,” Andrew said. “He’s already talked to his wife and she’s fine with it, as long as I’ve got a new girlfriend. She’s been trying to set me up with a friend of hers forever, before and after my girlfriend and I split.”
Kim frowned. “This isn’t a case of rebound, is it? If you hurt Stacey, I’ll be all over your ass.”
Andrew laughed. “No. That was a year ago, and this is definitely not a case of rebound.”
Kim sighed. “Okay, good. I’ll tell my brother he lost out.”
“Don’t you dare,” Stacey said. “He cares about his girlfriend.”
“Not enough to marry her.”
Stacey smiled. “Hey, it’s about time for dinner, and then we’ll need to go to the airport. But we need to change into our clothes first.”
They all went up to their rooms, dressed, packed their bags, and took them down to their vehicles. Then they ate at the café for dinner. Afterward, they drove to the airport, eager to find Rizzo and take him into custody so after that, Andrew and Stacey could start their real get-to-know-each-other time.
Chapter 9
On the flight to Grand Cayman, Andrew and Stacey sat together, while Garcia and Kim took their seats. Stacey’s eyes were half-closed, and Andrew offered his travel pillow to her, but she declined his offer. “Do you want to put your head on my lap so you can sleep? I don’t offer my lap to just anyone, you know.”
“I thought you’d never ask.” She smiled. “What about you?”
“I can lean against the window and sleep just fine.”
“That’s why you wanted the window seat.”
“It’s the only way that I can sleep.” But he wanted her nice and rested so they could catch up to Rizzo and take him into custody.
“Thanks. This is great.” She resettled herself so she could lie on her side, her head resting against his lap.
He felt like they were a couple already, homey and comfortable with each other, and he hoped the way he was feeling toward Stacey was shared by the she-wolf. She moved a couple of times, trying to get comfortable, and then she finally fell asleep. Before they knew it, they were landing and catching another flight, all four of them running to make their connection, Garcia carrying Kim’s bag, and Andrew hoped it didn’t mean she was feeling bad again. He offered to take Stacey’s carry-on bag, but she just shook her head, practically out of breath. The flight was already boarding the last couple of people when they arrived at the gate, and they hurried to get their seats, glad they still had them.
“That’s the way to get the adrenaline going,” Stacey said after they took off and she could lift her armrest and cuddle next to him.
“Yeah, and some exercise in.”
“But we’re still getting our exercise in when we reach the island.”
He chuckled. “Yeah, whatever your heart desires.”
“Good. As soon as Rizzo is history, I have a huge list of things I want to do.”
They napped again but then were landing and had to put their armrests back in place and bring their seat backs upright. They landed again, but this time, the gate was closer and they had some time to make a pit stop and then board the next plane.
Kim was practically sleepwalking to the restroom while Stacey kept her from entering the men’s room, to Andrew and Garcia’s amusement. Then they caught the last flight to Grand Cayman and were glad they wouldn’t be making any more stops.
The sound of the air rushing past the plane and the engines’ roar blocked out conversation between passengers sitting near them, all but a baby’s shrill cry that could be heard over anything.
And then they were landing in paradise, the time now nearly noon, and they could see the clear, aqua waters below and the white sand beaches growing closer.
“Beautiful,” Stacey said, leaning over Andrew to get a good look.
“Yeah,” he said, but he didn’t mean the island or the water. Stacey’s sweet scent tantalized him, her fingers skating over his arm, heating his blood, her pheromones teasing his.
She turned to smile at him. “You are one hot wolf.” She kissed his nose, then sat back in her seat.
“Did you want to change places?”
“No way. I get off the plane quicker this way.”
He laughed. “I would be a gentleman and move out of your way so you could go ahead of me.”
She smiled and rested her head against his shoulder. “Did we agree that we would take Rizzo into custody?”
“You mean the FWS agents?”
She smiled. “Yeah.”
“Uh, I think we agreed on the FBI agents getting credit for this one.”
“Are you sure?”
“Is this a trick question?” He suspected if he told her he’d let her have Rizzo, that would give him more brownie points with her. Unless she thought less of him for being too easy. Garcia would tell him he had fallen hard for the woman if Andrew told him they had to give Rizzo up to the other agents.
She just smiled again. And then they were landing, and he was glad they were finally here and eager to learn where Rizzo was now.
* * *
When they arrived at the airport in Grand Cayman, Stacey and Kim were in awe. It was warm and the sky was a brilliant blue, a smattering of white, fluffy clouds drifting across the sky. No snow here, and Stacey and Kim were delighted.
They rented two separate cars so that Garcia and Kim could use one to look for Rizzo and Stacey and Andrew would use the other. Their cabanas were right next to each other. Garcia and Kim didn’t plan to stay at the resort beyond capturing Rizzo and taking him back to the States. Stacey and Andrew wanted to go to the grocery store to set up housekeeping for the week.
They gathered in the living room of Stacey and Andrew’s cabana, all done in white and blues, with pictures of rose hibiscus on the walls and large windows that looked out on the sugar-white beaches, palm trees swaying in the breeze, and the aqua-blue waters.
Garcia called the local police to see if they had located Rizzo yet. They’d hoped the police hadn’t alerted Rizzo that they were on to him, but they needed their help in extraditing him.
When Garcia got off the phone, he shook his head. “The local police haven’t seen him. The island’s small though. Twenty-two miles long, about four miles wide, totaling seventy-six square miles. The police checked to see if he’d left for the sister islands, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, but they don’t believe he’s left this island.”
“But they know he’s here for sure?” Stacey asked.
“Yeah. A man fitting his description arrived here. They were too late in arresting him, but when they talked to the staff at the airport, several had witnessed him. He was carrying a briefcase, chained to his wrist, no other luggage, and that’s what everyone noticed,” Garcia said.
“I can’t go with you to the grocery store,” Stacey said to Andrew with great regret. “He’s seen me. Even if he doesn’t recognize me, like if I wore a big, floppy hat and sunglasses, we can’t risk it.” She hated not being able to go with Andrew and to be stuck in the cabana for the time being, but she couldn’t jeopardize the mission. “Once we have the groceries, we can make sandwiches here.” She gave Andrew a hastily scrawled grocery list. “By the way, did he see any of the rest of you when we tried to apprehend him? Garcia? You tried to chase him down.”
“No. Just my vehicle, and we have different ones here.”
“He didn’t see me either,” Kim said. “I was indisposed.”
“He didn’t see me,” Andrew said. “I’m going to run to the grocery store and pick up the food. Sliced ham, turkey, roast beef, and corned beef, cheese, lettuce, mayonnaise, mustard, anything else?”
“How about bread? Oh, and Coke and chips,” Kim said. “Um, and chocolate chip cookies. Got to have my chocolate with my meal.”
“I’ll second that,” Andrew said, smiling.
“Do you want me to go with you?” Kim asked.
“Sure, why don’t you come along.”
“Great. I’ve been so cooped up after being sick that I just want to get out and see things, especially since I won’t be here long. That is, if we can catch this guy soon.”
Stacey gave Kim a look that told her not to question what was going on with her and Andrew, but Kim only smiled back at her. Stacey knew Kim would ignore her warning look.
Then the two of them took off, and Garcia went out to the back patio and looked at the clear, shallow, reef-protected lagoon. “Beautiful. When my son gets older, I plan to bring the family here. Maria would love it.”
“Andrew said you have a three-year-old son.”
“I do.” Garcia turned to look at her as she leaned over the railing on the patio, watching the seabirds in flight. “He got really sick a month ago, and I wasn’t able to be Andrew’s backup. Did Andrew tell you he died?”
“Yeah, during the mission where he was transporting his charges to jail. We have that we died in common.” She explained what had happened to her.
“Damn. Sounds like a cosmic connection sort of thing between the two of you. Am I going to lose my partner?”
“Who says anything is going to come of this?”
“My wife always says I don’t ever notice what’s going on with people and relationships, even when it’s happening right in front of my face, but even I know that he’s not giving you up for anything.”
She smiled. “I might just feel the same way about him.”
“Then I’m losing a partner.” Garcia looked down at her, frowning.
“Only if I move to Alaska and he decides to join FWS.” She wasn’t sure what a rigamarole it would be to join the FBI, but she really loved her job and wanted to continue to try to do what she could for wildlife. She didn’t even know if she could find a position in Anchorage. But she’d check into it.
“Hot damn. Well, not the part about him leaving the FBI to join your organization, but moving to Anchorage? That sounds great.”
“It’s pure speculation. Nothing may come of it.” She spied a couple jogging on the beach and wanted to do that with Andrew as a wolf while they were here.
“No way. He’s not giving you up. You and his ex-girlfriend are the difference between stormy weather and clear skies.”
“Oh?”
Garcia smiled. “Yeah. I was glad he didn’t marry her. She wanted him to quit the FBI. Go fishing like her father, and she was volatile about it. I think he kept hoping that she’d reconsider, but when he was injured, that was the last straw for her. Andrew’s good at what he does, and he worked too hard to get where he’s at. I’d hate to see him give it up. Not to mention he’s the best partner I’ve had. He has a natural instinct for knowing when danger’s near. Like a sixth sense. He’s gotten us out of more binds by warning me when we’ve got trouble. The first couple of times, I didn’t believe him, but it soon made a believer out of me.”
That was the wolf equation working for him, she’d bet. Smelling the scent of the perp—anger, fear, intense dislike—could clue him in when outward signs didn’t give an inkling of what the guy was up to.
“I’m not going to try to convince him to leave the FBI. That’s totally his choice. You know, we haven’t even talked about any of this.”
“You will.”
She smiled at Garcia. She liked him, but she would hate having to give up her job in Houston and she’d miss Kim if she left. Then again, what if her pre-honeymoon on the island turned out to be a disaster? She would be considering a move and there wouldn’t be any need.
* * *
“I’ve never seen Stacey fall for a guy that fast. You’d better not be toying with her heart,” Kim told Andrew as they picked up groceries.
“We’re enjoying each other’s company,” Andrew said. Of course it was more than that, but not that a human could understand.
“I think you’re good for her. She never likes any of the guys I try to match her up with. She’s really picky. But you seem to have just what she needs in her life.” Kim threw a package of chips into the basket. “Will you move to Houston if you can get a position with the FBI there?”
“It’s something to consider.”
“That sounds suspiciously like that’s something you don’t want to consider.” Kim sounded distrustful of him as she put a supersize bag of chocolates in the cart. “That’s for both you and me,” she said when she saw him looking at the size of the package.
He laughed.
When they arrived back at the cabana, they made sandwiches and plans of what to do next.
Garcia smeared mustard and mayonnaise on his bread and then added lettuce, roast beef, cheese, and tomato. “Man-size,” he said when he saw everyone watching him stack up his fixings.
They smiled at him.
“Okay, so Garcia and Kim are going together in their rental car to search for Rizzo?” Andrew asked, making a ham and cheese sandwich.
“I’m thinking I might just walk along the beach, sand in my toes, sandals with me so I can slip into the hotels and check them out.” Kim prepared a corned beef sandwich. “I suspect he won’t be lounging around a lobby, but what if he is? Or eating at one of the cafés. If he doesn’t suspect we know where he is, he won’t be hiding in a room, most likely.”
“That sounds like a terrific idea. I wish I could go with you.” Stacey added tomato slices to her roast beef sandwich, and they all took seats at the dining table.
“I’ll drive around the opposite end of the island, maybe check out the bars,” Andrew said.
“I’ll sure be glad when Rizzo’s in custody,” Stacey said.
Andrew reached over and squeezed her hand. “We’ll let you know when we find him.”
She smiled. “Yeah, I want to be part of taking him down, but really, I’m looking forward to just enjoying the time here with you.”
“Yeah, but if this goes where I’m thinking it will, where will you end up? In Alaska? Houston? Or somewhere else?” Kim asked.
“Alaska,” Stacey said before Andrew had a chance to say anything. “I think it would be the perfect place for us—from everything Andrew has told me about it.”
He hadn’t said a thing to her about Alaska. He suspected she felt he would be safer as an Arctic wolf in Alaska rather than in the Houston area. He appreciated her concern.
“I knew it!” Kim said.
“This isn’t a done deal,” Stacey said.
Kim scoffed. “I know you. You’re totally hooked on Andrew. I can see why though. Will you be staying with FWS?”
“Yes,” Stacey said. “We might be able to work some cases together, but it probably wouldn’t happen. I’d have to apply for a job with FWS in Anchorage. They might not have anything available, or they might not even want to hire me.”
“With your great arrest and conviction record, they’d hire you in a heartbeat.” Kim pointed to Andrew with half of her sandwich. “He’s awfully quiet. Maybe he’s not ready for the ball and chain yet?”
Andrew smiled at her. “If it means being with Stacey, yeah, I’m ready.” It all had to do with being wolves. He was certain if he was just human, he’d want to wait a bit to really get to know her. But wolves had a sixth sense about which wolf was the one for them. They could deny it all they wanted, but the need and want wouldn’t go away. And he knew if he returned to Alaska without confirming this was what they wanted, he wouldn’t be able to stop thinking of her and wanting to be with her—forever, as mated wolves. It wasn’t something humans could understand. They might lust after a person, win them over, then grow tired of them after a short time, or even years, and leave to find someone else. It just wasn’t in the wolf’s nature.
“Not to change the subject, but while you all are looking for this guy, what am I supposed to do?”
“Just relax.” Andrew suspected that wasn’t part of Stacey’s work ethic when she still had a job to do. “You can’t really do anything for the time being. We’ll all check in with each other to let you and everyone else know how we’re faring.”
“All right. I’ll be the guard of the cabanas, watching for anyone who might be suspect snooping around the places.”
“Exactly.” Andrew knew she didn’t feel that would happen, but he was glad she was playing along with it and not all morose about it.
“I’ll clean up everything when you go,” she offered.
“Okay, thanks. Andrew and I picked up some snapper and rum cake for dinner, so we can enjoy that later,” Kim said. “Besides, after your wild shoot-out, you deserve to take some time off.”
“I’d rather help capture this guy—”
“So you can get on with playing with Andrew in the sun and sand,” Kim said. “I totally understand it. We’ll get Rizzo as soon as we can.”
“Absolutely.” Stacey smiled at Andrew.
He wasn’t waiting to have fun with Stacey, however.
Once they were done with lunch, Kim and Garcia went to their cabana next door to take off in his car, and Andrew kissed Stacey goodbye. She gave him a hug and a kiss.
