Gone Tropical (5 page)

“You know what,” he said cheerfully. “You definitely should go home.”

“You’d let me go alone?”

“It might be good to split up for a week. Nobody would connect me with Braxton Island, and as far as anyone knows, you and I split up two years ago. Anyway, who’d know you have family in Laura? Your last address in Australia was your apartment when you attended Sydney Uni. You’ll be safe out there.”

She kissed him. “Thanks, darl.”

“I need to give you a couple of photos of Amy. Just in case she’s with that P.I. I want you to be on the alert. Okay?” He opened his wallet, and then pulled out several photos.

Meg took them, studied them for a moment, and nodded. “No worries. I can take care of myself.” She frowned. “What makes you think she’s in Australia?”

“I called Diana. I dated her in high school. Amy and Diana became friends. Anyway, I pretended I was someone else, another bloke we’d been friends with, told her I thought I’d spotted Amy at the Wellington.”

“Did you see her?

“No, it was a ruse. I pretended I had, to see if she was in the country.”

“Oh. So what’d this Diana woman say?”

“She was flustered.” He held Meg’s elbow, while steering her toward the doors. “I think she was lying. Diana said she’d call if Amy called her.”

“You didn’t give her the number at the hotel, did you?”

Stuart shook his head. “No. I gave her a fake mobile number.”

“If Diana was friends with this other bloke, wouldn’t she know you weren’t him?”

“I knew they’d lost contact years ago.” The doors swung open and Stuart pulled the luggage toward the limousine. “I think the guy’s dead. He disappeared. We always talked about him, and wondered what happened.”

“You took a risk,” Meg said. “I mean, if Amy’s out to do harm to me. To both of us—”

“I had to be certain. Amy was so close a few months ago, back when we were in Paris.”

The driver jumped out of the limo, and then popped the boot.

“We have a change of plans,” Stuart said, and noticed the bulge at the driver’s waistband as he re-buttoned his jacket. The man was packing, yet another thing that bothered him. “We need a rental. Meg will stay in the city for a week. I’ll go to the island alone.”

“There’s a car rental inside the terminal.”

“Great.” Stuart nodded. “Be back in a sec.”

He grabbed Meg’s elbow and dragged her luggage behind him. If Amy was following him, splitting up would cool the trail. He felt happier than he had in months. Life was damn good. Guns and drugs he could do without, but the rest was excellent, if he wanted protection he’d have to accept the guns.

He smirked. It would take someone a lot smarter than his rich, spoiled, chubby ex-wife, and his old high school girlfriend, to track him. Even with an American P.I. on board. Col and his men had his back.

****

In the Sydney boutique store, Outback Fun, Amy checked the rear of the khaki cropped pants. They struck the perfect length on her calf, making her legs look longer, and showing she’d indeed lost twenty-five pounds. Divorce, and chasing an ex-husband, can do that.

“Are they too tight?” she asked Diana.

“No such thing as too tight, love. You look fab.” Diana sank into the corner seat and crossed her long, tanned legs. “And I love the orange hair.”

Amy laughed. She’d taken to wearing sandals with heels; part of her disguise to add more height to her five-five frame. No more modest suits, pantsuits, low-heeled pumps, conservative clothing that aged her. No more sleek short bob, either.

“I’m glad you can take me to the airport,” Amy said. “We can catch up.”

Diana squinted and appraised her again. “If I’d had to pick you up yesterday. I might not have recognized you.”

“Great, that’s what I was hoping for. Tell me exactly what Firth looked like.”

“He’s been dying the hair for years. My guess is he let the gray grow in and got a silver dye job to even it out,” Diana said. “It looks pretty good…beard isn’t so great. He might have had a nose job, maybe an eye lift, there was something different.”

“Hmmm.” She didn’t want to think about the scum-sucker and his hair, or his nose job. Maybe he’d had an ear pinning. He could use one. “Got a suggestion for a purse?”

“Yeah, get a leather backpack. Firth would never imagine you sporting one. Remember, you once said a woman’s claim to fame was the designer purse she had on her arm?”

“I was impossible…a spoiled rich girl.” Amy winced. She’d come a long way in the last two years, and she didn’t want to live that other life again. Not ever.

Diana followed, still talking. “I can’t believe how angular your face is.” She peered into Amy’s face again. “You look so bloody different. So how’s the P.I. bloke…worth jumping?”

Recalling Jake’s closeness earlier, Amy’s skin prickled. Heat swirled through her and she moistened her lips, her cheeks heated up and probably matched the hot-pink T-shirt she wore. She handed her purchases and the credit card to the cashier, remembered Jake’s lecture on leaving no paper trail, and grabbed the card back. “I’ll pay in cash.”

The cashier nodded, and Amy glanced behind her to offer an explanation to Diana. Over Diana’s shoulder, she saw the back of a man. He was out of place in the boutique, had a cell phone raised, and she swore he took a photograph of them. Her eyes widened as he disappeared around a rack of jeans.

“You didn’t?” Diana mouthed.

Amy tried to will away the warnings of danger. There was a brief flash of a bald spot, and lank dark hair pulled into a short ponytail, then the man was swept up by the crowd outside.

“Your change, miss.” The cashier handed over the cash and the receipt.

“Thanks.” Amy grabbed her bag of clothing. Could it be the same man from the hotel? Had he followed her? She glanced at Diana who eyed her with frank curiosity. Amy squirmed. If she told Diana about the man, her friend might talk her out of going alone to Cairns.

“Did you?” Diana asked loudly, and poked her. “Did you and the PI—”

“No.” Amy rubbed at her side. Good, she was still on that subject. “He’s one of those pain-in-the-ass solitary types. Can I get a backpack anywhere close by?”

“Yeah, um, there’s a shop two doors down.”

Diana looked confused about the abrupt change of topic, but Amy ignored the frown. She could have been wrong, could have imagined the man was photographing them. Anyway, she didn’t want to get into a discussion here. In a little while, or on the drive to the airport, she’d tell Diana the truth.

****

Thirty minutes later, Amy zipped up the last of her luggage. Diana would keep the largest suitcase for her until she returned. She’d take only one small bag and the new backpack. “I saw a psychic a couple of months ago.”

Diana was stretched across the hotel bed reading a magazine. She sat up and grinned. “Tell all.”

“Well, this guy channeled spirits.” Amy laughed. “If I’d known that, I don’t think I’d have gone. He said this life journey for me was all about relationships. My choices had been poor so far, but to learn my reason for being here, I had to try again. You know, give love another shot.”

“Wow!”

“Yeah, I know. But I just don’t see me ever committing again.”

“You will. You have to learn to trust.” Diana frowned. “So, what do you mean about the spirits?”

“He spoke to them, listened to them, and then repeated to me what they said.”

“Cool. Well, if the right bloke comes along, promise you’ll remember the psychic’s words? Did he say anything at all about a hot P.I.?”

“Solitary. I said solitary…not hot.” Amy shook her head and tried to look disinterested. Jake Turner had ignited a surprise spark, but she doubted she’d ever see him again. “Not to change the subject or anything, but it’s getting late. How long is Firth’s beard?”

“It was a mo and a little goatee thingy.” Diana glanced up from the magazine.

Amy pulled a head shot of Firth from her wallet, and tossed it onto the bed. “Can you sketch the beard on here?”

“Sure.” Diana pulled a pen out of her purse. She lengthened the hair, sketched in the beard, and then held the photo up to appraise her work. “Not bad. Remember, the hair is silvery gray, and the beard is sort of salt and pepper with a few darkish streaks, and—”

“Okay, great.” Amy shoved the picture into the backpack. She hated that smile. But she’d show the photo to the waiter and find out if he’d seen him, or Meg. All she knew about Meg was she was a willowy redhead. “Anything else you can tell me?”

“He chucked the Mr. Businessman look, wore jeans and an Aussie shirt and joggers.”

“Man, he hated sneakers unless he was working out. It was French cuffs with cufflinks, and loafers with tassels.” Amy frowned.

“Yeah, but that was all an act,” Diana said. “He’d grown up dirt poor. Probably never wore shoes as a kid, except to go to church. As an adult he was all about image.”

Amy turned, frowned deeper. “How come he didn’t see you when you did that stake-out?”

“I wore my black wig, had the Goth look going on. Hotel management thought I was a prostitute. They were getting close to sticking me in a taxi and sending me back to Kings Cross.”

Amy laughed. Diana was medium height, blond, and pretty. She couldn’t quite imagine her in Goth attire. “What tipped you off over the phone, that it was Firth?”

“He sounded American, even though he was trying to be Aussie. Then there was the fact that he was asking if you were in the country.”

Amy walked over, sat on the edge of the bed, and confided about the strange man she’d seen in the boutique.

“Do you think Firth knows you’re here?” Diana frowned. “I mean, I don’t trust him. He’s screwed over too many nice women.”

“I don’t see how he would.”

“Well, someone is tailing you. That’s bloody obvious.”

“Probably another PI.” Amy rolled her eyes.

“The man is working for Firth. Doubt Jake hired someone to watch you. You’ve got to remember who you’re dealing with. Firth is scum.”

“That man did have a strong creep factor, but I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about.”

“You’ll be fine, love,” Diana said. “Don’t worry about anything, but watch your back. Ring me every day, either at home or at the gallery. Okay?”

“Sure. Let’s go.”

On the drive to the airport, Amy’s head spun with plans. She’d forgotten to call Daddy. Jake had said he didn’t use a cell phone when he went undercover, or a hotel phone, he used a telephone card at a pay phone. Or a disposable cell phone. She’d need to purchase a telephone card at the airport. Sarge had said cells often didn’t work in the rainforest.

“Diana, can I tell Daddy I’m staying with you?”

“No problem, but what if he rings me? What do I tell him?”

Amy rubbed her hands together. “Umm, screen your calls. If I’m not back in four days you can tell him where I’ve gone. He’ll contact Jake and send him to look for me.”

“How old is Jake?”

“I don’t know, my age, I guess.”

“Too old for me. I like ’em young. My last fling was twenty-five.”

Amy laughed and shook her head. She adored Diana and thought their friendship was the best thing she’d gotten from her years with Firth, or whatever the hell his name was.

“What? I’m only thirty-nine. Firth was a few years ahead of me in school. Anyway, hope you run into Jake.” Diana snorted. “You could use some action.”

Amy shook her head. She had to stay on track. No flings for her, even though Jake Turner would have been…nah, she wasn’t going there. She wasn’t into flings, and she forced herself to ignore the warmth that flooded through her body.

Diana cleared her throat. “Your plan is to pick up a car in Cairns, and then take the back way to Cooktown, right?”

“Firth might stay in Cairns. I’ll check there first.”

“Yeah, he’s a city slicker.”

“The waiter gave me a full description of Meg,” Amy said, gazing out the window again, watching the dark clouds roll in. “He said she and Firth acted like they were separate, but every time one turned up, so did the other. He figured they were having an affair.”

“I did some research on Meg.” Diana’s voice softened. “Dunno for sure, but she might be innocent. I don’t mean about shagging your old man, but the stealing the money thing.”

“What? Why would you think that?”

“Firth’s a con man. Always has been.”

Amy thought that over. “You never did tell me much about your connection to him. Just that you’d dated in high school. Until our divorce, I thought you were great friends.”

“Suffice it to say, he scammed a lot of people. He used me to get to my father who was the high school principal. He got his references, and then he dumped me. Nothing tragic, just cold, you know.”

“So why did you hook up again?”

“We had a few friends in common. He got a college study abroad program, and later his first job in the States. He was determined to stay, but he also liked to come home and show off.” She laughed. “You know he used some politician’s daughter to push through his green card.”

“Oh, I didn’t know that,” Amy said.

“Yeah, he’s a user. For some odd reason, guys like him. My Dad has a soft spot for him.”

“I know…he’s a charmer.”

“A bloody snake charmer. I figured he’d changed when he met you. It was the first time he’d married. I liked you, and I was so pissed later when I learned the truth. I should have warned you about his past.”

“It wasn’t your fault,” Amy said. “Nobody knew the depth of his deceits.”

Diana grimaced and shook her head. “About this Meg woman, I did a background check, pretended I was hiring. Her parents are wealthy. Meg’s an only child.”

“What are you saying?”

“I don’t get why she would hook up with an embezzler.”

“Are you saying he conned her, too?”

“Yeah, Firth never goes after the small stuff. Think about it. I smell money.”

“Do you think Firth will try to work for her father, and pull a similar scam?”

“Don’t know. It’s a possibility.”

How much money did the guy need? Wasn’t five million enough?

“Here we are,” Diana said, and pulled into a loading zone at the terminal. She left the motor running, and put the car in park. “We’ll have to be swift, or they’ll ticket me.”