Devlin's Defiance: Book Two of the Devlin Quatrology (17 page)

“
Wow. That's
incredibly, uh, graphic. You do write well.”

“
Thanks. But is
that sort of what you were thinking about?”

“
Pretty close,
but maybe without the goat.”

“
Oh, geez; forgot
that was in there. Easy to edit that out.”

“
But I don't have
the – oh, what's the word?”

“
Balls?”

Gordy looked at her,
eyebrows raised, and said, “Well, that, too, but I was thinking
more of the writing skills in that genre, some word like that. Like
maybe talent?”

“
Or maybe
experience?”

Gordy's eyebrows shot
up again. “Or that.”

“
They say, 'Write
what you know,' you know.”

“
I know. Maybe
that's it.”

“
Look, while
you've been reading, I've been thinking. If you'd like to use that
piece or something like it, one I could probably do in a couple of
hours, or maybe we could even write one together, I'd be happy to do
that, as long as I can stay anonymous.”

“
Wow. Really?”

“
Yup, really.
And no cost.”

“
Wow. What can I
say?”

“
How about 'Yes,
thank you,' and 'I'd like that'?”

“
Okay. Yes,
thank you; I'd like that.”

Dallas held out her
hand and Gordy took it.

“
Deal,”
Dallas said, smiling and picking up her beach chair. “We'll
work out the details. Here's my number; call me.”

“
I'll owe you.
Thanks.”

“
We'll work that
out sometime.”

“
You are a born
writer – the word, not the acronym.”

“
Thanks. Glad I
don't write police stuff. Then I'd be under the jurisdiction of the
Commission on Police Stories, and they keep their writers much more
under their thumb. Much worse penalties than writing clopfic.”

“
What? Reading
it?”

Dallas laughed heartily
and said, “You may be right, Gordy,” and headed off to
her appointment.

- 43 -

November
18, 2012
11:39
a.m. local time

Aboard
Defiance

In the Gulf of Aden

“
So how can it be
a bad thing?”

“
Simple
economics. When demand outstrips supply, either prices have to go up
or there are shortages. So when it comes down to our business, we've
got only a limited number of qualified people, and with all the new
demand for our services, we're getting close to having to turn down
new jobs or put dufuses like Derek in and hope they don't screw up.”

“
At least you
gave him backup. Uh, what was her name again?”

“
Kim Li.”

“
They got the job
done, didn't they?”

“
Yeah, with just
a minor screwup. But he really messed up in Manila last month, and
one of our best operatives got shot. Luckily, it was just a flesh
wound in her shoulder, but she'll be out of commission for at least
three more months.”

“
That's about
right. When I got shot, it took me out for five solid months, and
that was a shoulder wound, too.”

He leaned over and
kissed her scar. “That had to be a tough five months.”

“
Hated it. I got
so antsy to be back out in the field, and I had to fight really hard
to avoid getting addicted to the painkillers they kept forcing into
me.”

“
Been there, done
that, got the T-shirt.”

“
This one?”
She reached down and ran her fingertips along the scar on his left
thigh. “The one you told me you got from an umbrella on the
beach?”

“
You saw through
that, didn't you?”

“
Yeah, I knew it
had to be from a knife, but I didn't call you on that then.”

“
But I knew you
knew how flimsy a story that was.”

“
Really? I
thought you thought you got away with it.”

“
No, I knew you
knew.”

“
You sure didn't
show it.”

“
Training and
experience, kiddo, training and experience.”

“
I bow to your
training and experience, old man.”

“
And I to yours,
Pam.”

“
Even though you
knew I knew.”

“
Even though I
knew you knew.”

“
So how did you
get that scar?”

“
Sydney, '72.
Long story; another time, okay?”

“
Okay.”

“
Ah, that sun
feels good.”

“
And no tan
lines. I'm glad you thought of this.”

“
Had it built for
a sheik who leased the boat for a couple of months back in 2010. He
wanted a place where he could have his harem sunbathe without the
crew ogling, and right above the bridge here was the obvious spot to
put it.”

“
Well, I love
it.”

“
So did JJ.”

Pam chuckled. “Yeah,
she liked standing up and showing off for the crew.”

“
Yeah, she sure
did. It helped with morale, that's for sure.”

Pam laughed. “I
know.”

“
So did she.”

“
Yeah.”
Pam sighed. “I kinda miss her already.”

“
Me, too; she
sure livened things up, didn't she?”

“
Yup, and she
always did, even back when we were teens.” She lay back and
sighed again.

After a moment, Jake
said, “I think maybe we're both getting a little antsy just
cruising around waiting for another attack. Think you're ready to
get started on your memoirs?”

“
I'm not sure; I
guess so. But we'll have to be careful not to get into any
classified stuff.”

“
Right. No rush,
no pressure. But it should help fill the time.”

“
Yeah, it would
do that. Tell you what; I'll get started making up some notes.”

“
Cool. But now
I'd better head down to my cabin and get back to that paperwork.”

“
That trust fund
for Cam's son?”

“
Nah, that's all
set up,” he said, suddenly somber. “She was a good
operative; we'll all miss her. I've also got to deal with that guy
she and Becky rescued; something hinky with him.”

“
I thought Greg
and Julie have him somewhere.”

“
They do, but
they want some guidance on what to do with him before we turn him
back over to the client. So I've got some research to check out.”

“
Anything I can
do to help?”

“
Naw, thanks.
I've got Phil and Nadia digging up everything they can get.”

“
Okay. But don't
work too hard, okay?”

“
Promise.”

He rolled over and
kissed her, then started to stand up.

“
Don't forget
your shorts, hon.”

“
Oh, right.
Thanks.”

- 44 -

November
18, 2012
1:38
p.m. local time

Bonita Beach, Florida

Gordy was awakened from
a light nap by a shrill, piercing voice, and he looked up to see a
hawklike nose, a wrinkled face and a huge wide-brimmed floppy black
hat with a band of plastic and fabric flowers and one eight-inch
plastic flamingo standing one-legged in them. He also saw an index
finger shaking no more than two inches from his face. Instantly
awake and alert, he started to reach for the finger, but then held
back as the voice continued.

“
Gordon, I've got
another bone to pick with you.”

“
Wha- –
wha- -- what now, Alice?” he said, pulling himself up to a
sitting position, almost eye to eye with her.

“
You should be
ashamed of yourself, putting all that sex in your book. Disgusting.”

“
Why would you
say that, Alice?”

“
Because …
because people are deeply offended by that kind of filth.”

“
You think so?”

“
I know so. This
is a good Christian community, and that sort of garbage offends our
sensibilities.”

“
Well, Alice,
I've heard from a lot of folks that I didn't put enough sex in
there.”

“
Impossible.
It's disgusting.”

“
In fact, Alice,
I just heard from somebody that I shouldn't have toned it down as
much as I did.”

“
Toned it down?
Pfft. It was disgusting.”

“
Well, one woman
told me I should have done the shower scene with something like 'She
looked deeply into his eyes and saw his intense desire. Then,
glancing down, she gently but firmly grasped his swollen, throbbing
member and” –

Alice gasped.

– “
guided
it into her quivering, quavering moistness, thrilling to the electric
ecstasy that convulsed her entire body.”

“
Stop, stop!”

“
Pulling him
deeper and deeper into the very depths of her being, she'” --

Alice covered her ears
and shrieked, “Enough, enough! Gordon, you are one offensive
and disgusting person. I'm just glad I didn't buy the book.”

“
But you read it,
right?”

“
I, uh, I
borrowed it from a friend.”

“
Did you read the
online alternate epilogue?”

“
The what? No.
No, I did not!”

“
Well, Alice,
here's a piece of advice. You definitely should not read that OR the
sequel.”

“
Well, I never!”
she huffed and stalked away, back to the rest of the Hat Squad, where
Gordy could see her gesticulating angrily in his direction.

He chuckled, made a few
notes in his notebook, lay back down and closed his eyes.

- 45 -

November
18, 2012
1:47
p
.m.
local time

Aboard
Defiance

In the Gulf of Aden

Jake picked up the
satphone in his cabin.

“
Hi, Amber.
What's up? Really? Where? Who's the client? Ah, heard of him.
And he wants what? Sure, we can do that; double the fee, of course.
No, no need; she's just finished that job in Malaysia and needs some
time off. Tell you what. I'll do that one myself, and I'll bring
Pam along. We're both getting a little antsy here, and I haven't
been down there in a few years. What's the name of the city? Two
L's, one R? Got it. We can leave tomorrow. You'll set up transport,
right? Great. Okay; thanks. Talk with you in the morning.”

He finished the
paperwork he'd been working on and headed up to the deck above the
bridge, where Pam was still sunbathing, a notebook and pen lying by
her side.