Lying Eyes (7 page)

He wedged the protection rod beneath her door handle and stomped into his room.

"Who put a bee in his boxers?" Marsha glumly asked.

"Unless I miss my guess, the realization two ladies are preparing to undress in an adjoining room," Allison whispered with a delighted grin.

Marsha's eye grew round. "You know what? You're good for Carlo. You have him pulling out and examining feelings he's kept to himself for far too long."

Allison filed that comment, too, not yet ready to put faith in Marsha's assessment of Carlo's current mind set.

In the meantime, I can hope.

*****

W
eary to the bones, Carlo straightened the covers, expecting to quickly fall asleep.

Hours passed before he heaved a frustrated sigh and flopped onto his back.

Long hours of forced alertness and unwanted but ever present sexual tension had him strung tight as a base drum.

Every time I close my eyes I see Allison's bewitching smile.

No wonder he couldn't sleep.

How could one exasperating woman pack so much sensual allure into such a slim package? Her dainty hands and shiny crimson nails drew his eyes like magnets.

No way am I ever going to fall asleep, not after thinking about the feel of Allison's long nails scoring my back.

He couldn't remember ever desiring a woman the way he did Allison.

It must be the close quarters we're forced to share.

He'd bet his next day off she was fully aware his gaze often followed her mince away. The hypnotic sway of her hips always increased exponentially, like waves against the banks of a landlocked lake.

No matter where she went the reporter attracted attention.

Damn tease.

But was she? Or was Allison totally unaware of her innate sexuality?

Her awareness doesn't count. I have enough unwelcome awareness of her for both of us.

Painful
awareness.

Turning on his side, Carlo punched his pillow and closed his eyes.

The image of Allison stretched out on the bed beside him, her sensual curves revealed for his taking, brought him upright and muttering words unfit for her innocent ears.

Dollars to donuts the woman driving me to distraction next door is sleeping soundly, an innocent smile on her pretty face.

––––––––

D
reaming of new ways to melt Carlo's uptight reserve, Allison grew warm. Too warm.

Hot.

She woke murmuring, "Darn mule-headed cop," and yanked off her now-damp sleep shirt. Tossing it aside, she promptly fell back asleep.

Her room was still dark when her cell phone vibrated, ending her hope of more sleep. In one smooth motion she lifted her cell off the bedside table and pressed it to her ear. "Allison," she whispered.

"Morning, sleepy head."

Carlo sounded delighted he'd awakened her. "Drop dead."

"Not until I get your schedule for today."

"Arrggg," she growled. "Hold on."

"No rush."

"Apparently there is, or you wouldn't have called before sunrise. There. I just sent it to your phone."

"Efficient, aren't you? Let me check—"

He came back on the line with, "You're attending
my
workshop?"

"Of course. You'll be attending mine. What better way to find out what makes you tick?"

He didn't respond for so long she asked, "Carlo, are you still there?"

"Yes. What time do you want to eat? And where?"

"Workshops begin at half-past eight. Why don't you order room service? The pancakes with eggs special for me, sausage, and gallons of coffee. While we eat we can discuss any details about today's events causing you heartburn."

"Good idea. I still have to write a bio for the room hostess introducing me. I promised I'd send it to her a week ago, but had no idea what to say. Would you mind helping me crank it out?"

Is your bio the real reason you woke me?

"Sure. How about I knock on your door in an hour? Or when I hear the food arrive, whichever comes first."

"Right."

He ended the call just as Marsha stirred. "I see you're an early riser, too," she said.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you. Carlo's call woke me long before I was ready to get up."

"Anything going on I need to know about?"

"No. He said he needed today's schedule, but I suspect he couldn't sleep and didn't want me to, either."

*****

"D
emetri."

Carlo put his phone on speaker and continued straightening his room while he listened to the Captain and answered his questions.

"Did you get Allison's schedule?"

"Yes, Captain. I don't see anything in particular we need to—"

"Whatever you do, don't let down your guard. Allison is not ready to admit it, but I could see she's depending on you."

"Not that I can tell."

"Forget what she says. Strong women always resent being forced to depend on someone else. I'd never go along with this outrageous plan if I wasn't convinced you can pull this off without her getting hurt."

Carlo nearly swallowed his tongue.

"By the way, Sergeant Knox came to see me. All but demanded I reassign you to his team, starting today. Something about his task force being shorthanded. A family problem with one of his men."

"I'm sorry Link put you on the spot. My troublesome mentor can be persistent. What did you tell him?"

"The truth. You are on special assignment and I didn't know when you'd be available again. Once this case breaks I intend for you to take some much-deserved time off."

Carlo chuckled. "Good to know."

"Why do you call Link your mentor?"

"It's Link's term, not mine. Like a lost puppy, he took me under his wing when I transferred from Hollywood Division. He used to live in my neighborhood, and was in the same room in fourth grade. Then he moved away and I didn't see him again until our paths crossed at the Academy."

"I wasn't aware—"

"Neither of us considered those days anything worth bragging about. When I made detective, Link announced he was going to show me the ropes. He never liked to be crossed so I agreed, but all this buddy-buddy stuff is becoming tiresome."

"Do you want me to speak to him?"

"No, I can handle it, and don't worry. I don't let anybody influence my work decisions."

Carlos glanced at the connecting door as it opened and Allison peered around it. He waved her in.

"Allison is ready to start our busy day. I'll let you know how things go."

"Good. Did she sleep well? I can tell you didn't."

"If looks truly are revealing, she had a restful night. I'll keep you posted."

Allison preened.

"That was the Captain, checking in. Breakfast hasn't—"

A sharp knock interrupted him.

She grinned. "Hopefully it's here. I'm starved."

While the waiter pushed the covered table in and placed a chair on either side of it, Alison glanced around.

"Looking for something?"

She shook her head. "Just verifying there's not a single item out of place, which doesn't surprise me. A buttoned-up officer like you wouldn't have it any other way. The neatly pressed creases in your uniform trousers speak volumes about the man wearing them."

Carlo signed the tab, double-locked his door, and turned to her without comment. "Shall we?"

She sat opposite him and smiled in anticipation. "Coffee, first, if you please. Then business."

He grinned. "You'd fit right in at Central."

"Did the Captain change our plans?" she asked, pouring cream in her coffee.

"No, we're all set. The team has your schedule. All we have to do is show up at each of the scheduled venues, where at least two undercover cops and two from hotel security will always arrive ahead of us."

She spread softened butter on her pancakes. "Then why the deep frown?"

"I was puzzling over something the Captain said."

"Does it involve us?"

"No, my mentor, Sergeant Lincoln Knox. He requested I be temporarily assigned to his team. My specialty is drug enforcement. Link's is homicide. Why would be ask for me?"

"Because you're good at whatever you're asked to do."

"Humph. Not always."

"Why do you need a mentor?"

"I don't, but Link apparently thinks I do."

"Maybe he wants you indebted to him."

Carlo was silent a moment and said, "You may be right, but I don't let anyone turn my head when it comes to police work."

She chuckled. "I don't have to be told that, Detective Get-out-of-my-way I-have-a-job-to-do Demetri."

Carlo chuckled, too. "You're getting damn good at reading me."

"Too bad you don't as readily read me."

"How about we not argue until we finish eating? How are your eggs?"

"Better than I expected, and still hot."

"And the pancakes?"

"To die for, made with crunchy pecans."

Carlo winced.

"What?"

"I wish you wouldn't use that phrase so often."

"To die for? That's the way women talk."

"Not when their life is in danger."

Allison shrugged. "Sorry."

"Did you sleep?"

"The deep slumber of the dead. Oops. Sorry. Again. How about you?"

"Not much. My body stilled, but I couldn't put the brakes on my thoughts. And I owe you an apology. I didn't realize I was calling you before the break of dawn until you answered."

"Sounding like a sleepyhead." She lowered her fork and shoved aside her now empty plate. "I didn't mind. I was ready to rise and shine."

"Good."

"You must have enjoyed your lobster omelet, there's nothing left."

He shrugged. "Who knows where we'll eat our next meal."

"In the ballroom along with two thousand other women and a sprinkling of men."

Carlo's winced again. "That's what scares me."

*****

"T
his bio will have to do, Allison," Carlo said, pushing his iPhone across the table. "Would you mind emailing this introduction to the address I've highlighted while I use your phone to see if Marsha, Susan, and Earl Akin have anything to report?"

Allison sent the email and retired to her room to brush her teeth and load her tote bag for a morning of conference workshops and lunch. She closed her laptop and slid it in the closet behind her suitcase.

No sense lugging it around all morning. My PowerPoint presentation isn't until after lunch.

"What's this?" Carlo asked, bursting into her room and scowling at the screen of her cell.

She glanced at the message. "Confirmation of receipt of a story I filed. Why?"

"What kind of story? Please tell me it's not about this sting."

She tapped her foot and narrowed her eyes at him. "Do you think I'm an airhead?"

"I don't know what to think. Are you?" he asked, lowering his voice as if to intimidate her.

Fat chance. "
I heard what the Captain said and would never get the press involved in this sting. On the train coming here I had a long conversation with a recent survivor of breast cancer. She had such a great outlook on life I emailed a human interest story about her to a friend at the San Diego Union Tribune."

His stiff stance marginally relaxed. "You've done this before?"

"Sure. I freelance for several publications." She scooped her phone out of his hand and replaced it with his. "Now, can we go?"

Carlo notified everyone Allison was leaving the room and waited for her to step into the hall.

Once he'd secured both rooms and hung the Do Not Disturb sign on her door handle, the three women moved out ahead. "Morning, ladies. Have a fun night?"

Susan laughed. "I watched 'Wild' on pay TV, at the Captain's expense. It's good."

Stopping, Allison stamped her foot. "You should have invited us. Someday I plan to hike the John Muir Trail."

Carlo's eyebrows peaked. "You? Hike wearing platform shoes?"

"No, silly. I bought these shoes to wear for my presentations. My hiking boots set me back three-hundred bucks."

He pushed the elevator call button without comment. "Where to?"

"Most of the workshops are located in the basement conference center."

The Down elevator was empty. She stepped inside.

Carlo stared at her, looking surprised. "How the hell have you learned your way around this hotel without leaving the room? Do they teach that in TV reporting class?"

"No, I familiarized myself with the map in the conference schedule. You have one, too. Have you glanced at anything in your conference packet besides your badge?"

"Why should I? You take such pleasure in telling me where to go."

Marsha stifled a laugh.

In case Allison's overconfident shadow was as good at reading people as he thought, she glanced away to keep him from seeing precisely where she'd like to lead the hunky detective.

Straight to her bed.

She sighed.

Who knows when that will be?

Carlo pulled out his cell phone and studied the screen. From his pained expression he wanted to ask about their first workshop, "Writing Virgin Loves Scenes" but didn't dare.

She grinned. She'd added it to her schedule, certain she'd get to watch him squirm.

When her group stepped out of the elevator she guided them to the correct room without a single wrong turn, and poured herself a cup of coffee before finding three seats together near the front.

Marsha wandered around outside the room and leaned against the rear wall as the room host introduced the virginal-looking speaker.

Allison grinned.
Here we go.

She pulled out her trusty notebook and began taking notes.

––––––––

"I
couldn't get Detective Demetri released from hotel duty. The conference he's attending must be a public relations thing. He's the biggest kisser-upper we have on the force. Has the woman stirred yet?"

"I heard female laughter coming from his room as I paced the hall. The cop is probably—"

"Stop right there. You have a job to do and not much more time in which to do it. Right?"

He sighed. "Right."