Hot Stuff (17 page)

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Authors: Flo Fitzpatrick

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“Yo! Slow this thing down, Miss-Soon-to-Be-Married-to-Alpha-Male-Type. We need to find a garage. I think we've hit parade central for the Ganesh festival. Isn't this where Jake is shooting today?”
Chapter 21
Jake Roshan wanted to film one scene in the middle of a religious parade. Jake had decided the smart course of action would be to use an existing set at a real locale. He could climb up on a platform somewhere and shoot a few rolls of film and make everyone happy. Paradegoers would be thrilled to find themselves up on the screen. Jake's accountants would be thrilled Jake hadn't had to borrow money or go bankrupt building new scenery.
The Ganesh Chaturthi, a festival honoring the elephantheaded god of wisdom and prosperity, was a ten-day bash that had started nine days ago. Asha told me Jake had left the yacht before dawn to set up location cameras throughout the parade route. This last day promised to be the grandaddy of parades, outdoing Mr. Macy's annual Thanksgiving pageantry, the Rose Bowl march in California, and a New Orleans Mardi Gras all rolled into one.
I was still ticked that those first nine days of the festival were over, unattended in any capacity by Miss Tempe Walsh, whose mind had not been focused on a religious festival. The party atmosphere and general feeling of excitement that accompanies a festival of this magnitude lingered in the very air. But Asha, Brig, and I had been hiding out away from major or crowded thoroughfares each time we'd come into the city.
Asha parked in a garage across from Chowpatty Beach where the largest elephant replicas would be dumped later. As far as pollution was concerned, it was nothing short of dreadful. As far as the spectacle maintained from one year to the next, it was glorious.
I turned to Asha as we exited the blue convertible and grimly stated, “You know, I'd been looking forward to watching this parade from the sidelines as a good ol' American tourist just here to enjoy the sights. Now those dogs hounding us about the statue have just about ruined my even wanting to see the festival.”
Asha slammed the door on her side. “Forget them, Tempe. Hey! If this hadn't happened, you wouldn't have met me, and let me tell you, I am the ultimate guide for this kind of stuff. Not to mention Jake can get shots of us leaping down the street and turning cartwheels in front of one of the Ganesh idols resting on the shoulders of paradegoers. Which Jake is apt to do. Be prepared for anything.”
We walked over to a street already crowded with musicians and dancers and jugglers. Flashes from hundreds of cameras lit the area from every direction. Sounds of bells jangling and voices chanting added to the party atmosphere.
Asha and I bought some of the sweet carrot pastries called
gajar halwa
from one of the many vendors vying for attention. “Superb” didn't half cover it. And cheap. I went back for three more and would have gotten a dozen if Asha hadn't stopped me with the promise of a real lunch at a real restaurant within the next hour.
We spotted Jake standing on a platform high above the street. He waved at us to join him. We weaved through the crowd, then climbed the ladder leading to Jake's niche. Two cameramen flanked him, but Jake also held his own Panaflex to shoot footage.
Everyone nodded pleasantly to Asha and me. Jake motioned to the director's chairs placed around the platform; then we sat back and prepared to enjoy the festival. Thankfully I have no problem with heights. The ladder had been rickety at best, and the platform moved every time a small wind blew by. I ignored the swing and sway even though this perch made the Ferris wheel I'd been stuck on for the Day One shoot seem firm and secure. At least today I had my butt in a real chair instead of balanced over my head while I balanced on my hands.
“Tempe!”
I turned to look at Asha. She and Jake were both staring down at a sight I couldn't see from my seat.
“Yeah?”
“It's Brig! Look! I can't believe this.”
“What? Where?”
I rose, then joined Asha and peered over the edge of the platform.
Briggan O'Brien, the Irish American from Dublin, Ireland, and Riverdale, New York, was riding through the Ganesh festival parade atop an elephant. A real one. Not a Ganesh statue borne above the shoulders of honest worshippers. My first thought was Dumbo. Complete with tasseled saddle blanket and pink hat.
I blinked. And blinked again. The vision didn't change. “It's Brig.”
Asha glanced back at me. “I said that. You okay?”
“Sure. I'm not even surprised that after leaving me to wonder where he'd gone, whether he'd been murdered or tortured or kidnapped or eloped, he should suddenly appear on an elephant in the middle of the biggest event of the year in downtown Bombay. Think there's any way I can jump off this platform onto Dumbo so I can kill him without breaking every bone in my body or hurting the elephant?”
Asha glanced at me, then at Jake. Sympathy showed in both faces.
Asha sighed. “She's hungry. All she had was that pastry. Well, four of them, but that isn't working. This is a girl who gets crazy notions when she's not regularly fed.”
I scowled at her. “This has nothing to do with food.”
She shook her head, and I muttered, “Well, maybe a little. But I really do just want to pounce on the back of that pachyderm down there and throttle the, uh, rider. What the hell does he think he's doing?”
Jake lowered the camera off of his shoulder. “Tempe. It's fine. This is my idea. I asked him to ride the beast. I need this for several shots. I talked to one of the organizers of the festival weeks ago and asked if I could get one of my actors in there. I wanted our stunt man Jervi to do it, but he has a bad fear of elephants.”
“And Brig volunteered.”
“Exactly.”
I let out my breath. “Okay. I can buy that. But Jake, where's he been? Do you know? And damn the idiot, what happens if he's seen? It's not too easy to escape bullets from the top of a jungle beast.”
Jake patted my hand. “I don't know where he's been. He was asleep at my place this morning when I left. But don't worry about him. No one is going to recognize him up there. I doubt that any of your thugs will be watching this parade. They're all too busy hunting through the city for where they think Brig might have hidden your statue.”
“Not my statue,” I quickly stated. “Brig's maybe. I don't want anything to do with the lady. Except to get her to whoever should own her, then wish them well.”
Brig had seen us. He waved so vigorously from his perch it was merely by the grace of Ganesh he didn't topple to the ground. The elephant reached up and tapped him with her trunk. Brig caressed the snout with pure affection.
I sighed. “Must be female. He's obviously won her over with his charm. I wouldn't be surprised if she speaks Gaelic.”
Asha and Jake both stifled their laughter, but glee remained in their eyes. I looked back down at O'Brien and his new friend. Brig pointed to the beast, then at me.
“He's either comparing me to Madam Dumbo there or asking me to join him. I think I prefer the first.”
Asha nudged me. “Go. Get down there. I think it's very romantic. You and Brig riding through the streets of Bombay together. Jake'll get it all on film. You can show home movies back in Manhattan and impress your friends.”
I fluttered my lashes. “If it's all that romantic, why don't you and the director give it a whirl?”
She grinned. “I'm right up there with Jervi the stunt man. Terrified of elephants. I love snakes and tigers and llamas, but these guys are just too big. Can't even feed the critters peanuts at the Bronx Zoo. Can't get that close to the cage. This is the perfect distance for me to admire them without interacting.”
Jake held my hand for a moment and looked into my eyes. His held a twinkle, plus an entreaty. “Tempe? I had not planned this, but it's truly perfect for the movie. You and Brig have been dancing partners for several scenes. It would be fitting to continue that relationship in the parade. Will you do it for me? For
Carnival of Lust?
”
How could I resist a man who gave me those big sad brown eyes? He'd just delivered the film equivalent of “the show must go on.” Besides, I would never tell anyone, but my pulse raced with delight that Jake had asked me to hop into the parade. Riding that animal with Brig had been a serious itch in my brain since the pair first came marching into view. This was much better than just having my photo snapped next to an elephant.
I scurried down the ladder, then tried to dodge through the crowd that merged around me. A group of dancers swirled and shimmied and shook and raised arms and tiny idols of Ganesh over their heads.
There were too many people in the street. I couldn't see over the heads of most of them, since they had statues of Ganesh held high. I bumped between dancers and clowns and men clad in robes who chanted in Hindi. I couldn't even see Brig. My breath started coming in spurts.
One of the clowns knocked me to the ground. Great. This was it. Death by Bozo in an elephant parade in Bombay. Couldn't wait to see my obit back in Manhattan. I tried to ooze through the legs and feet pressing in on me but made no progress.
A hand reached down and hoisted me over the crowd.
“Bit of a press, isn't it, luv?”
“Brig! Nice of you to grab me before the guy on stilts over there put permanent holes in my side. I appreciate it.”
“Not a problem. Ready to meet Bambi?”
I nodded as I stared at my rescuer, who escorted me back toward Bambi. He was dressed in tight black silk trousers and a vest. Nothing else. Most of his chest was bare, as were his feet. A bracelet that had to be pure gold encircled his wrist. He was the definition of gorgeous.
The elephant knelt at his command. Brig leaned over and gave her a light kiss between the top of her trunk and her head. He then helped me up onto the back of the beast. He grabbed a fist of blanket and hoisted himself up beside me in a single, graceful move, then tapped Bambi with a stick. She slowly rose to a standing position.
She lifted me higher and higher above the crowds until the music, the voices, the laughter, and the prayers seemed far away. I held on to Brig's waist as tightly as I could, then peered around him.
“This is so cool! I can't believe I'm riding an elephant in a parade in India in the middle of the biggest festival of the year. And I'll be able to prove it since Jake is filming every bit. Although I hope he didn't get that view of my rear end as I climbed onto your new buddy here. Wow! Look! We're even higher than that tree with the idiot tourist leaning out.”
We both waved at the idiot tourist who was now clinging in panic to a branch that seemed unable to hold his weight. Then Brig turned around, leaned in, and kissed me between my nose and forehead. Rather like he'd done with Bambi, who seemed to need steering. He leaned back over the elephant's head and whispered to her.
I forgot the crowds and the excitement. I nudged his shoulder and growled, “Where in the hell have you been?”
Chapter 22
The minute I asked where he'd been, he turned again. The gleam in his eyes made it obvious he was hatching a good Irish tale to distract me from my question.
I let out a woof of breath, then stated, “Wait. Don't answer. I don't want to know. Whatever you think up will have more holes than a tattoo artist's model. I do have a news flash for ya though, Mr. O'Brien.”
“Yes? And what might that be? By the way, it's more than lovely to see ya today, Tempe. You're lookin' fair and fine, if ya don't mind my sayin' so. The crowds below are thinkin' the same. Blow them a kiss, okay?”
“No! I am not some cheerleader riding a float in the homecoming parade.”
“Ach, you're prettier than any homecoming queen ever had a right to be. I must tell ya, I missed ya.”
“ ‘Lovely.' ‘Pretty.' ‘Missed me.' ”
I forgot trying to be tough. I smiled and blew kisses to a crowd of teens waving flowers at this trio of boy, girl, and pachyderm.
“Ta, Briggan. I do appreciate the compliments. But there are important things to tell you. Ready to hear with whom I had a delightful little chat last night?”
“Kirk Mahindra.”
I removed my other hand from his waist then put both back within milliseconds. Elephant riding requires a different balance I hadn't mastered yet. Until I did, I'd rather keep company with the all-knowing Brig O' Brien than tumble onto the street below to land in elephant goo.
“Brig. How did you know that?”
“Saw you. Very cozy you looked, too, sitting on the bench under the stars. Smoke floating around you both. Nasty habit, that. But I was jealous, I have to admit it.”
“Why were you sneaking around anyway? Why didn't you just come to the trailer?”
Brig patted the elephant, who continued to wave her trunk, consequently knocking down small idols of Ganesh from the shoulders of three dancers below. “Hush, now.”
I didn't know if he'd aimed that at the elephant or me. I poked him in the ribs. “So?”
“So let me quiet Bambi down and I'll tell you.”
“Is she really named Bambi?”
Brig twisted in the saddle and smiled at me. “I think her real name is Bamnechokramurti or something like that. But she's Bambi to me. Just look at those sweet eyes.”
No surprise. The elephant was female and she was preening under the gaze and touch of Briggan O'Brien. I patted the closest part of Bambi that felt like Bambi and not the blanket, then nudged Brig again. “You
do
realize that the original Bambi was a boy? Come to think of it, so was Lassie. Never mind. How do you know how to ride one of these beasts, anyway?”
I had visions of Brig at age fourteen or so running off to join a traveling circus. Or perhaps bribing the keepers at the Bronx Zoo to let him come inside and sing lullabies to the animals, elephants included.
Brig didn't answer, which was no great surprise. I patted Bambi again.
“Well, Mr. O'Brien, now that your darlin' lass is calm, can we get back to last night?”
“Sorry. Where did I leave off?”
“Spying on me.”
“Well, if you must put it that way.” He winked, then turned back in time to steer Bambi away from a frightened vendor below us. “I was not sneaking around, simply making sure that neither Mr. Mahindra nor his acolytes would detect my presence.”
“I suppose that means you were lurking in the bushes?”
His shoulders shook slightly. I assumed he'd been stricken with a fit of laughter. He sobered a bit.
“It might if there'd been bushes to lurk in. Unfortunately, as you may or may not have noticed during your little chat with Kirk, it's pretty open between that bench and the trailer. Vivek Studios is one big desert.”
“So?”
“So I perched at the top of the roller coaster, which ended up as a nice place
not
to be detected. And Tempe, neither you nor Mr. Mahindra were blessed at birth with quiet tongues. I could hear every word.”
“Did you like the way I sicced him on Ray?”
“I did. Nicely done. Mahindra is not stupid. He knew I had Shiva's Diva in my possession. Trying to pretend you didn't know it as well would have been sheer folly. Dangerous folly. If I had a hat, I'd tip it to you for such a savvy prevaricatin' tale, lass. 'Twas worthy of the wee folk themselves.”
I disliked having to address my questions to his back, but Bambi seemed intent on nosing through the crowd in search of a snack, meaning Brig had to concentrate on steering his latest conquest. It forced me to converse without benefit of seeing his face.
“Why didn't you come to Raj's trailer after he left?”
“Because I followed Kirk and the lads all the way to the Taj Mahal Hotel to have a listen in on his visit to Ray Decore. I imagine having Kirk pop up at his door might have been bit of a shocker for Raymond.”
I saw no point in asking how Brig had managed this without transportation at hand. It didn't matter. Brig hadn't needed to follow Mahindra. He knew right where he'd be going, which was right where I'd sent him.
“What happened? Could you get into the hotel? Well, not the hotel, of course you could, but up to Ray's room? Could you hear anything? Did they fight?”
He did laugh then. A rich laughter echoed by the roar of Bambi. It appeared she thought Brig was talking to her.
Another round of patting and caressing behind the elephant's ear ensued. I waited patiently for the bonding to halt. Once all was calm, Brig told me what he'd heard. Or not heard.
“I have to grant the Taj high marks for soundproof walls. I hid in the hall behind a large luggage rack and couldn't hear a blessed thing. I did see Mahindra rapping on Ray's door. Ray answered and Mahindra walked in and came out no more than six minutes later. I waited till the man had gone down in the lift, then I knocked on Ray's door and announced room service. To my relief, he answered he hadn't ordered any.”
“Why relief?”
“I knew the man was still alive and well. Mahindra hadn't murdered him.”
This was good and bad news. My conscience felt easier knowing that my fib hadn't caused injury to anyone, even someone as despicable as Ray Decore. But I was worried. Mahindra now knew Miss Tempe Walsh possessed a prevaricating tongue. He also must have surmised Brig still had Shiva's Diva. In which case, Mr. Mild Mellow could turn into Mr. Testy Terror should Kirk care to visit me again.
I sighed. “Okay. Great. We're back where we started. With the whole lot of them on our trail.”
“Now, now. We've made some headway. We know that Ray is alive and one of the villains. We know Patel doesn't know about Ray. We know that Mahindra knows where you're staying and that he fancies you. So does Ray. You've got quite a way with the older men, Tempe. Too bad Seymour is a mite closer to our age. Otherwise you might be able to charm him as well.”
“Huh? Go over that last again. Have you lost all your wits? Breathing in too many high altitudes lately? First the Ferris wheel, then the roller coaster, now Miss Bambi here. It's blunted your brain.”
“It's not the heights, lass. 'Tis your own sweet self that's got me fair not knowin' which way is up or down. If 'twere only Ferris wheels and such, well, you've also been climbin' them. So your brain would be just as befogged.”
Brig halted the elephant. He turned and wrapped his arms around me. “My brain
is
completely befogged, Tempe. And you're the cause.”
Scents of curry and almonds and fried vegetables wafted up from the various vendors who'd entered the parade at this point. Shouts, prayers, and voices raised in song should have been deafening. The blanket on which I sat was rough. At any other time, I'd be complaining about the chafing and itching. But at this moment, every one of my senses was in tune to this man as he ignored the crowds below, leaned down and pressed his lips to mine.
I returned the soft pressure. I let my hands roam under the vest across his bare back and let my tongue explore his mouth and let my body shiver in anticipation of where this moment had to lead.
I could dimly hear shouts coming from somewhere to our left.
“Brig! Tempe! That's really nice! Can you keep it up for another minute or two?”
Jake and his Panaflex were following us. Brig and I drew apart. Brig's eyes took on a wicked gleam as he waved his hand to the omnipresent director and again pressed me close to him and kissed me with an intensity no camera would ever catch.
We might have continued the activity to an X-rated level had Bambi not been jostled by another elephant who let out a large roar of dissatisfaction. Or greeting. Perhaps mating. I'm not up on elephantspeak.
I adjusted my seating so as not to end up in the street if Bambi decided to play bumper cars with the other pachyderm. I tapped Brig on the shoulder after he turned to calm the girl.
“Brig? Any idea where Jake wants us to end up? Uh, geographically, that is.”
“Chowpatty Beach. Jake wants to film the ecological disaster when the seventy-foot statue of Ganesh gets dipped into the water. I've heard that the good people of India have started using recyclable materials to build the statues that get baptized at the end of the festival. Then again, I wouldn't want to go snorkeling down there for a few years yet.”
For some ridiculous reason I assumed the dunking place would be in, say, another hour or so. Tops.
Six hours later, we rode up to Chowpatty Beach. The actual dunking of the statue wasn't due until late evening, but by that time, it wouldn't matter to me if the EPA itself came storming in to protest. Excuse the crudity, but my butt hurt. I wanted off the elephant. Now.
Bambi's trainer, or keeper, or significant other was waiting for his darling at the beach. Brig climbed down, then helped me off the elephant's back. We gave Bambi a few fond hugs, pats, and peanuts, then looked around for Jake and Asha.
Jake waved to us from a terraced café. Great. Perhaps the restaurant would have more than tea snacks. I needed a hot meal and a glass of wine. Or more. Asha had promised me a decent lunch hours ago.
“Hi, Jake. Where's Asha?”
“She'll join us soon. She saw some snake charmer doing a hootchy-kootchy dance behind that clown with the cymbals.” (And he meant clown literally.) “She ran off to see if she could entice him to do a scene in
Carnival of Lust
or lend her the serpents so she might perform herself. She wants to outdo the tiger scene from
Pirate Princess
.”
Brig made a wry face. “Just make sure I'm back on the Ferris wheel or roller coaster or something way above the ground for that shoot. Snakes and I do not get along.”
I saluted Brig with my glass of pineapple soda. I decided to let thirst win out over the need to relax. Perching on an elephant's back all day makes one hungry, thirsty, and smelly. I avoided thinking about the latter.
I smiled. “What's this? The intrepid Briggan O'Brien, jujitsu expert, rival of Michael Flatley for the lead in the next installment of
Riverdance
, victorious in battle over villains, and charmer of beasts and beauties throughout the world, is scared of a little old cobra?”
“Yep.”
“Ah.”
I turned to Jake. “Whatcha think? Can we hire a few anacondas or copperheads as extras in the film? Then just sit back and watch Mr. O'Brien dance a few steps not originally choreographed?”
Jake didn't answer.
“Jake?”
“What? Oh, sorry, guys. I haven't been listening. What did you say?”
I glanced at Brig. Other than the time Jake had been pouring hot water into his cup sans tea bag, he'd never appeared distracted. He was always on. Always sharp.
“Jake? What's wrong?”
He glanced at his watch. “Asha should have been here by now. She knows this place. The crowds are thinning, at least where the bulk of the festival has been held. There are so many different statues of Ganesh thrown into so many different venues of water. Chowpatty Beach is just one. The biggest, but still just one. And Asha is good at maneuvering through crowds.”
He tapped his watch again. “She should be here.”
Brig offered, “Maybe she decided to take the car?”
I shook my head. “Not in this mess. We parked here this morning specifically so she wouldn't have to deal with it later.”
I glanced at Jake. He'd bit clean through his lower lip. Blood dripped onto his shirt. He ignored it.
“Jake. I bet she's engaged in a very prolonged discussion with the snake guy. Or she's autographing headshots of herself from
Pirate Princess
. I swear everyone I've met in Bombay has seen it four hundred times.”

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