Chasing Glory (16 page)

Chapter Twenty-Two

Tal saw Glory’s face lose
color and her expression of alarm as her eyes widened. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to make it sound like an international spy mission. Odds are, tomorrow being Sunday, we won’t run into anyone at all. If you want to bail, I’m okay with it.”

Her shoulders relaxed even though she didn’t look a hundred percent certain. “No. You’re right. Besides, I pushed you into bringing me along to help. I’m in. What time are we leaving?”

“The rental place doesn’t open until noon on Sundays. We can sleep in or do whatever you want in the morning.”

Glory gave him a soft, funny look that sent blood rushing to one particular extremity. Geez, his feelings for her seemed to change everything he said into a blatant invitation. Had she always looked like that or did he want to skip dinner and have his wild way with her because he’d finally noticed?

“There are a couple of things I’d like to do,” she said. “How about you?”

“Not really. Guess I’d prefer something less touristy.”

“Sold,” she said as the waiter brought their food.

Tal commented on the presentation. “Looks appetizing.”

Glory nodded, dipped her fork into the steaming sauce and speared a chunk of lobster. She blew on it then slipped it in her mouth. “Mmmm, good choice. Yours?”

He dutifully tasted and approved his pasta then took a long pull on his cold beer. “What are the other things you’d like to do?”

She smiled dreamily. “When I was here last, there was a resort I wanted to visit called the Curtain Bluff, but I never made it. It’s on a point of land on the southern coast where the deep blue of the Atlantic and teal green of the Caribbean Seas converge. The view is supposed to be amazing.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Sounds touristy and stuffy.”

She shot right back. “They have a handball court.”

“You play handball?” He was delighted.

Glory looked confused. “No. I never learned. You told me you and Nate Johnsen played …?”

Now he felt stupid. Of course, he’d told her and she had been teasing him. He scrunched up his face. “Got me. The Curtain Bluff it is. Where else?”

She swallowed another bite. “Ever heard of the Megaliths of Greencastle Hill?”

“Real Megaliths?”

Her pretty blue eyes shone with eagerness. “The theory is the early islanders, the Arawak, used them as a seasonal calendar and in worship of the sun god and moon goddess. Others claim they’re natural formations. They could be both. Anyway, I hear it’s a stiff hike to get there, so if you’d rather pass?”

“No, we’ll have time for both.”

She smiled as if he’d given her diamonds instead of agreeing to take her to a couple of scenic spots. “Going to put them in your blog?”

Glory lay down her fork. “I hadn’t planned to, but the megaliths would be an interesting sidebar for the more adventurous tourist. Now, I really do feel selfish. I know you offered, but isn’t there something else you’d like to do?”

Tal concentrated on his pasta, but managed to let his gaze sweep over the tiny buttons of the white top she was wearing. He had a fantasy moment that involved Glory and the big bed in their suite.

“Tal?” She looked at him expectantly.

He shifted in his chair. “Nope. Your ideas are fine.”

A steel drum band started somewhere below. The cheerful rhythms made the restaurant patrons smile.

“You said dinner and maybe dancing,” Glory prompted.

It hadn’t occurred to him the dancing might involve something other than the only dance he knew, the basic two-step.

Glory started laughing in earnest. “You should see your face. I promise not to hold you to the dancing part.”

He loosened a collar that didn’t chafe. “They might have just cause to ban us from the Caribbean altogether. You’d be convicted as a contributing partner.”

“Can’t have that,” she teased. “How about a walk on the beach instead? Then back to the room to turn in early? Today has worn me out.”

“Deal.”
Or I could walk into the ocean as a means to save me from myself
. And how many times was he tempted to do that?

• •

They drove to
Deux
and took the short path down to the water. Glory slipped out of her sandals and headed for the damp sand.

Tal followed. “You’re a born tourist.”

She made a small pirouette. “I love to travel. It’s hard sometimes to convey the feeling to my readers, though. Most places are more than tourist traps. There’s a whole remarkable history right here in Antigua that’s put its stamp on the land. Everything from the original Carib peoples to the British settlements and sugar plantations. Weaving it all together in print is exciting.”

He sensed her passion. A tender smile on her face that he’d never seen before. He wanted to stay in her small, warm orbit, but chose a safer path. “I’ve been to some places you’d like. Miles of nothing and no one but small niches of fishing villages or cacao growers surviving from season to season. Some of my best supplier finds have been in wild and nearly unreachable territory.”

Glory laced her fingers and stretched. “That sounds heavenly. Or I could easily become a beach bum right here. They claim Antigua has a beach for every day of the year, three-hundred-sixty-five of them.”

Tal could think of lots worse things than nights under tropical stars with Glory. He stopped walking. “Reality check. What about your friends and family, your goals?”

That seemed to sadden her. The light that had shone in her eyes faded. “My mother’s gone. Dad fell apart, then withdrew almost completely in order to deal with it. He stays in touch, but I remind him so much of her he stays away.

“Friends drift in and out with the changes in their lives. I’ve decided the best thing is to go forward for myself and stick to what I love to do. No ties, no heartaches.” She shook her head. “Sounds serious and lonely, doesn’t it? How about you? All your goals still in place despite our side trip?”

He searched her face, wanting to bring back the light. To fix it. And his own similar goals now appeared serious and lonely, too. Carefully orchestrated days at Kingston Limited and a private life composed of sterile surroundings and boring social climbers. His stomach clinched and he answered carefully. “I don’t know. Everything is cast in a different light when your livelihood is at stake.”

He could repurpose his spreadsheet; changing the aforementioned goals to include falling in love with a woman who wants no
ties.

“When all this is settled,” she said. “I hope good things happen for you.”

Tal smiled. “Patience and persistence, remember? That’s me.”

• •

Glory changed the subject back to the original topic. “Do you think any of these wild places would be good candidates for a book on getting away from it all?”

“A few might qualify,” Tal said. “Is this the book you told Patti about in the airport?”

“Yes. The idea is to preview remote spots that afford the tourist a challenge in getting there. Once they arrive, they have the option of exploring or doing absolutely nothing. The working title is
The Last Place on
Earth
.”

Tal studied her. “Sounds like you plan to travel a lot.”

She nodded, realizing travel meant less free time and that meant less time to dwell on Tal and Alyssia. She faced the water, the setting sun turning it to liquid gold. “When I can afford to.”

“We should get back,” Tal said.

Glory looked at the nearly empty stretch of beach. They’d come farther than she thought and it would be dark soon. Not a good idea for tourists to be out alone. “Yes.”

The closer they got to
Deux
, the more nervous she became. There had been a change in the way they reacted to one another since this morning and it made her edgy. If Samson stepped out of the shadows and demanded a picture, she’d do something desperate. They got to the suite without incident. A suite that now seemed too small.

Glory jumped when Tal reached past her and turned on a light.

“You okay?” he asked.

She smiled and told a white lie. “I’m a little anxious about the bike trip. My mind was wandering.”

Tal put his hands in his pockets. “Don’t let it get to you. I figure the building won’t be too far back from the road. Besides, the whole thing could be a figment of my over-active imagination.”

“Sorry you have to reassure me so often. Everything you say makes perfect sense. Guess I’m not cut out to be a member of a crack reconnaissance team.”

He smiled a lazy, but sincere smile. “Maybe not, but you’re a great traveling companion. I haven’t enjoyed myself so much in a long time.”

The warmth of his compliment went right to her heart. “It’s been fun for me, too.”

“Long day tomorrow. I’m going to turn in,” he said, heading for the couch.

Glory cleared her throat. “Um, I think we agreed it’s my turn to sleep there.”

Tal slid her a gaze. “You are. I thought I’d help make it up.”

The pillows along the back were loose, and he started pulling them off and stacking them on the floor. “We’re only here for three nights and I intend to get at least one good night’s sleep. You want to bring the linens?”

Glory felt silly thinking he was going to argue with her.

Easy to make decisions about relationships in the light of day, she reflected. Not standing in the half-light next to Tal when he was making her
bed
.

“Sure,” she said.

He tucked the sheet into the sofa cushions as she stood clutching the pillow to her stomach. The top sheet finally floated into place.

“Will you be warm enough?” he asked.

Warm?
She was hot enough to spontaneously combust and she hated her traitorous voice as it croaked out, “Plenty.”

“I’ll brush my teeth then it’s all yours,” he said.

Glory grabbed her sleep shirt then sat on the edge of the couch/bed until he finished. When he opened the door she no longer had to imagine his thighs. Or his chest. He wore only loose athletic shorts. Heaven have mercy. She kept her gaze on the bathroom door and started for it. She’d made it about halfway when the heel of her sandal slid out from under her and she sat down hard.

Tal was beside her in an instant. “Hey, what happened? Are you all right?”

Wow. She’d managed to present herself as a klutz twice in one
day.

She ran her hand over the floor to see what had caused her fall. She felt some slippery oil. “I’m fine. The masseuse must’ve had a leaky bottle.”

Tal picked her up and carried her to the couch. He kneeled in front of her and rotated each foot. “Both ankles seem to work okay. You feel pain anywhere else?”

She flushed. “Just my pride. And I’m going to have a doozy of a bruise on my hip. Good thing I’m padded there.”

He bent his head and removed her sandals, his long strong fingers massaging the instep of her right foot. She gripped the edge of the couch. He had to know that was charring a path right up her leg. “You have about ten seconds to stop that or I’m planting my other foot on your chest, knocking you flat and having my way with you.”

Tal’s head snapped up, his lips parted in surprise. “What?”

Glory clamped her mouth shut, pulled her foot back gently, stood, and walked carefully toward the bathroom. “I’ll wipe the oil up later.”

When she came back out, the light from the bathroom showed the slick area on the tiles had been cleaned and Tal was nowhere in the room. Maybe he’d gone to the lobby for something, or maybe he’d stepped out to save her the embarrassment of explaining herself. She climbed into her makeshift bed and fell asleep almost instantly.

Glory woke sometime around dawn. Tal hadn’t exaggerated the comfort level of the couch. She glanced wistfully at the bed, surprised to find it empty; the sheets twisted and kicked across the surface. Where was he?

Chapter Twenty-Three

Glory saw him, then. Sitting
on the veranda, staring at the ocean. She stood and stretched, moving past the screen toward him. The torches were out and the shadows blended into the darkness so she made her way carefully. Cool garden scents surrounded her and fronds whisking against each other sounded overhead.

When she reached Tal, she hesitated. After last night she welcomed the semi-darkness. Unsure of what his feelings toward her would be. She laid her hand lightly on his arm. “Want a little company?”

He gave a low chuckle. “Thanks. I already have one.”

“Excuse me?”

He looked up but she could barely distinguish his features. “Punchline to the old joke about the woman who owned her own business. She went into a lounge one night after work. A man comes over and asks if she wants a little company. She responds, ‘Thanks. I already have one.’”

Glory tried to sort out his answer. “I’m still fuzzy from sleep. You’re going to have to explain.”

“It’s not general knowledge,” Tal said. “And I’d like to keep it that way, but I own controlling interest in Kingston Limited. Essentially, it’s my company.”

Her heart started a trip hammer beat. He was trusting her with something important. Something she was sure was a well-kept secret at Kingston. He was also letting her get her balance back in their relationship after last night.

“What are you thinking?” he asked.

“That you should be very proud,” Glory answered.
And keep that little tidbit of information a whopping big secret from Alyssia
Hartford.

Morning light had crept in to show his expression turned serious. “Now you know why this weekend is so important.”

The enormity of his statement hit her and Glory blew out a breath. “I know I already said this, but knowing that, I’m even less sure I’m the right person to help you.”

“You’re the perfect person to help me,” Tal said. “Promise not to tell anyone I’m a mogul, like you?”

Glory picked up his hand. “Promise.”

His teeth gleamed as he smiled. “Can’t ask for more than that.”

Between last night and Tal’s revelation a minute ago, they had reached and eased over a sizeable plateau in their relationship. She didn’t think he realized that, as owner of Kingston, Alyssia was the type of wife he needed. She shuddered. Not Alyssia, of course. But someone in that sphere.

Glory let go of his hand reluctantly. “Ready to get started?”

• •

They pulled into the parking lot of the Curtain Bluff and stared, wide-eyed. The point of land on which the resort sat offered a breathtaking view on three sides.

“Nice choice,” Tal said.

“I heard it was beautiful,” Glory managed. “But this is amazing.”

The convergence of the two bodies of water produced a refreshing breeze. They left the Jeep and took advantage of the relaxed atmosphere to roam the gardens in full bloom.

Before they left, she wanted to take in the view again. “I could watch all day,” she said. “This is one of the reasons I need to write my book. There are places in the world where things are so beautiful or peaceful they have the power to change your life.”

Tal looked at her with a bemused expression, his mouth curved up slightly. “Not many people left with your slant on things. Hold onto it.”

Glory sighed. “Everyone deserves to dream.”

“I agree,” he said. This time his glance imparted a mixture of sadness and something else, not quite translatable.

• •

“According to the brochure,” Glory read aloud as they headed north, “Greencastle Hill is the core of a volcano. The pictures show it’s pretty desolate. No shade trees or lemonade stands. Still want to go?”

“Why not? We have the time,” Tal shouted over the road noise.

They parked beside another rental Jeep and a minivan at the trailhead. Glory reached into the footwell and grabbed her net bag. She hopped out and walked around to Tal. He looked at her feet.

“What?” she asked following his gaze to her light ankle boots with modified lug soles. She’d changed at the Curtain Bluff.

“Nothing,” he said. “Just checking out your shoes. It looks like a rough trail and I don’t want you to turn an ankle.”

Glory narrowed her eyes. “If that’s a reference to last night’s unfortunate incident, well, you can eat my dust, mister.”

Tal backed up a step, laughing. “Not at all. I was reminded of a recent outing where a woman had inappropriate shoes. And since you brought it up, how’s your, uh, bruise?”

She elbowed his ribs lightly. “Purple, thank you. Don’t go judging all women by one ninny who’s unprepared.”

“Ninny?”

Glory felt her face warm. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean to bad mouth a friend of yours.”

“You didn’t,” he said. Not offering more of an explanation.

She ducked her head and turned, almost missing the emblem on the side of the van. “Look,” she pointed. “The University of the West Indies, Trinidad.” She peeked inside. “Students. This is great.”

“It is?”

Glory took his hand, tugging. “Yes. They love to spout off about their subjects. You can learn a lot from them that’s almost never in the brochures. Come on.”

• •

Tal let Glory take the lead. He needn’t have worried about how prepared she’d be. She wore a Panama hat, loose, long-sleeved shirt, and shorts. She was also as sure-footed as a mountain goat.

The terrain wasn’t too steep, but poorly cleared and strewn with all shapes and sizes of rocks. He did, indeed, eat her dust, but didn’t mind since his position afforded him a view of her very nice legs and backside.

His comment about her footwear and the image it brought to mind of Alyssia solidified a decision that had been forming for a few days. Despite his worries over the bootlegging of Kingston products, he had to sit down with Glory and make it clear he wanted to amend his spreadsheet to include her and delete his pursuit of Alyssia.

This was a step he needed to take, and soon. He could overcome her monastic goals for her future, he was sure of it. As soon as he turned over his information to the authorities here and in the states, he’d talk to her–without a spreadsheet. Talk to her, then start kissing her, then … The morning air had warmed considerably.

The megaliths, when he and Glory reached the site, were an unimpressive collection of boulders.

Glory walked over to a group of college-age kids wearing backpacks. “Hi. You guys here on a field trip?”

A dark-haired woman of about thirty holding a field guide and binoculars, with camera around her neck, turned and gave her an open appraisal. “This is a study group.”

“Pre-Columbian culture? Astronomy? Archeology?”

The woman smiled. “All of the above. Are you here to do post-graduate work?”

“Unfortunately not,” Glory held out her camera. “I write a travel blog. I thought an article about Greencastle Hill would be an interesting sidebar to a piece on Antigua.”

An eyebrow peaked beneath a dark fringe of bangs on the other woman. “Just what we need. More tourists tromping around an historic religious site.”

Tal gave Glory credit. Her smile stayed in place.

“More tourist money means a better economy,” she said. “Some of which trickles into the education system.”

The woman’s laughter greeted Glory’s comeback. “You’re a shrewd interviewer. I guess I’d rather you got the facts straight. If you promise not to make it sound too fascinating.” Her arms full, the woman raised a few fingers. “Dr. Teresa Verde.”

Glory returned the gesture. “Glory Danvers. And this is my friend, Tal Kingston.”

Tal nodded as Glory dropped her lens cap into her bag and brought out a tablet and pencil. “I promise,” she said. “And I can personally attest that it isn’t all that easy to get here. Now, could you give me the highlights of what you consider important?”

He looked on in admiration as Glory cajoled the group leader. He also didn’t miss the lustful glances several of the male students sent to his lovely partner. He didn’t blame them. She was intelligent, charming, and the glow of color the sun had coaxed across her cheeks.

Dr. Verde had started talking as Tal refocused.

“. . . eighteen stones involved in the calendaring and worship theory. The most notable being the male and female generative symbols. They align during several significant celestial events each year. The number of occurrences is too many to attribute to natural formations.”

Tal pressed his lips together. It was evident from her expression that Glory had no idea the primary megaliths were so blatantly evocative. Her cheeks pinkened as Dr. Verde rambled on, pointing to two stones that formed a V through which could be sighted a tall, straight-sided rock with a rounded top.

He had to resort to biting the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing as she became aware of the symbolism of the stones. For all the world-traveling Glory had done and the cultures she’d been exposed to, she was still susceptible to girlish embarrassment at the suggestive lie of the stones. He folded his arms and leaned forward so only she could hear. “I could take pictures while you’re taking notes.”

Glory whirled on him, searching for a sign that he was teasing her. She ducked her head. “No thanks. The brochure refers to a website. I’m sure it’ll have pictures.”

Tal looked at his watch. “By the time we get back down and drive to the rental place, they should be open.”

Relief crossed her face. “Sounds about right. I’ve got all the information I need here, anyway.”

He started to say she could always do a sketch, but decided he’d teased her enough. Their working arrangement had slipped into a camaraderie that threatened to become too personal, too soon for comfort, but one that he did not want to turn away from.

The thought sobered him. They’d find out what they could this afternoon, get the message across to the authorities and return to normalcy tomorrow. As normal as things could be with Glory occupying space in the same building, let alone the same city.

Tal added a nod and wave to the study group and Dr. Verde as he and Glory headed back to the Jeep.

• •

They found the bicycle rental place on the northern shore and Tal told the owner they wanted to explore at their own pace, not as part of a tour group. He paid the man a large deposit and put the bikes into the Jeep.

He huffed out a breath. “Ready to do this?”

Glory nodded. “Um, didn’t he wonder why we wanted bicycles when we already had a Jeep?”

Tal cocked his head. “No. But in case anyone asks, I have an old knee injury. It could go out on me at any time. The Jeep’s backup.”

“Oh. That makes sense. What’s next?”

“We go back the way we came and drive past the turnoff on Fig Tree Drive. I’ll let air out of one of your bicycle tires and you pretend to have a flat by the Jeep while I bike down the track. Give me ten minutes. If I’m not back by then, drive to Curtain Bluff and get some help. Do not, under any circumstance, come down the track by yourself. I want your solemn oath on that.”

Glory pressed her lips into a stubborn line. “Why don’t you ask the police to go with you?”

He figured her nerves caused her to bring up the subject they’d already discussed. “Because I don’t have a shred of evidence that O’Mara’s mixed up in this and because he’s local and I’m not. Now make that promise or I’m doing this without you.” He pulled the key out of the ignition.

Her gaze cut to his and he was hard pressed to swallow at the wrinkle of worry between her brows. Fear for him. “I promise. But if you’re maimed, I will never speak to you again.”

“Done,” he said, not holding back his grin. “We can always find another way to communicate.”

She opened her mouth, then snapped it shut, apparently thinking better of her comeback.

Tal had convinced himself this would be no big deal, but as they drew near the turnoff his heart thumped a little harder. He squared his shoulders, telling himself he hadn’t come all this way to back off.

He pulled the Jeep over about twenty yards past the turnoff and unloaded the bikes. Glory watched the road while he let air out of one of her tires. When he was ready to go, she reached out and ran her hand down his arm. “Be careful.”

The parting line from Humphrey Bogart in
Casablanca
escaped him, so he just nodded and peddled away, promising himself a big kiss from Glory if this little spy mission turned out well.

Two things became immediately apparent as Tal made his way down the track. He was right about the building being fairly close to the road, but wrong about the slow pace of islanders on Sunday. Somebody had been very busy here. That was evident in the number of freshly broken and torn plants lining the road. He carefully rode in the wheel marks so a bicycle tread would be obliterated by another vehicle.

The building appeared around a shallow curve. It was a squat, one-story cinder block affair with a narrow garage door and one for people access. There were no vehicles parked nearby.

Tal got off by the door and rehearsed his excuse under his breath. He knocked on the door and no one responded as it swung silently inward. Looking around, he quickly wheeled the bike into the foliage on one side of the building. Maybe they were finished with the place and maybe they were just at lunch. They also had a damn good reason for sticking him with a trespass charge. He walked in. Oh well,
In for a penny
, his Aunt Grace used to say.

The inside was devoid of people and so hot it sucked the air out of his lungs. He let his eyes adjust to the dim light allowed by the fiberglass panels set high on the walls. The place was almost empty, except for some crates stacked in one corner. He walked over to them and felt the sweat pour down his back at what he saw. They were full of fake Kingston products. As his eyes adjusted to the dimness, he also saw pairs of bolt holes in the concrete floors. Some heavy machinery had been taken away and by the smeared drops of fresh machine oil, the removal had been recent.

Had they started emptying the building because he was on the island? He shook his head and in doing so, a tiny flash of color caught his eye. Sticking out from under the corner of a bottom crate was a piece of pink paper. If it were a bill of lading or other evidence, it would go a long way in convincing the authorities and help track those involved.