something so small could pack such a strong wallop.
She was feisty, yes, but he also sensed a vulnerable side to her, and that vulnerability brought out a protective side in him.
His eyes caught hers, and she gave him a peculiar look. He realized he’d been holding her hand too long. Quickly, he shook then released it.
“All right,” he agreed. “I’ll work with you.”
He only hoped he didn’t live to regret this decision.
Chapter 4
Shrugging into the collar of his Versace shirt, Cecil hurried from his rented van toward the payphones outside the Publix grocery store. Throwing a quick glance over both shoulders gave him a modicum of relief. For a while, he’d thought the blue Neon had been following him, but now that he no longer saw it, he knew that wasn’t the case.
Thank God. The town of Kendall was a good thirty minutes from Miami Beach, which was where he normally spent most of his time, and he hoped to have anonymity here.
Cecil paused to let a woman and two small children cross his path before stepping onto the concrete sidewalk. A couple long strides and he was at one of the payphones lining the building’s wall. He lifted the receiver and brought it to his ear. Seconds later, he had an operator on the line.
“MCI operator. How may I help you?”
“I’d like to make a collect call,” Cecil told the woman, then gave her the number to his brother’s home in Orlando.
Cecil waited while the operator dialed Darrell’s line. It rang and rang, then the answering machine picked up.
“Sorry, sir. I’m getting a machine.”
“Try this number,” Cecil quickly said. “Make this one a person-to-person call to Darrell Montford.” He gave the operator the number to Sleep Well, the bed and breakfast his brother owned and operated.
A minute later, the operator told him, “I couldn’t reach Darrell Montford.”
Damn. “All right.” Cecil moaned softly. “Thanks anyway.”
The operator disconnected, and Cecil hung up the phone. What was he supposed to do now? And where the hell was his brother? He’d been trying to reach him for a couple days, but to no avail. If there was one thing he could count on, it was being able to reach Darrell when he needed him. Darrell was reliable that way. If he wasn’t at work, then he was at home.
So where was he?
Cecil frowned at the phone. Darrell hadn’t been around for a couple days. If this were any of his male friends, he’d figure they were off with some honey somewhere. But Darrell wasn’t the type of guy to run off and leave his business for a rendezvous with a woman, at least not since his ex-fiancée Jessica.
But who knew? Life had a way of surprising you. Cecil certainly never expected to be in the predicament he was in now. So it wasn’t impossible that Darrell had finally fallen for someone else.
Cecil could almost be happy for him—if his disappearance hadn’t come at the most inopportune time. Given the fact that he couldn’t reach Eddie, Darrell was the only one who could possibly help him now.
Gritting his teeth, Cecil dug some change out of his pocket. He’d try Eddie once again. He hoped to hell that he was home now, and that he had the answers he needed. Eddie might not like having to deal with this situation, but the way Cecil saw it, Eddie owed him. If it wasn’t for him, Cecil wouldn’t be in this whole mess.
“C’mon, Eddie. Pick up the damn phone.” But one ring turned to two, then to three. Then to four. And it kept ringing. God, didn’t he even have his machine on now?
Cecil disconnected, gathered his change, then dialed Eddie’s cell phone number. If Eddie was on the road, he’d be sure to have his cell with him.
But after four rings, his voicemail came on. “I’m busy. Leave a message.”
“Yo, Eddie,” Cecil said, his tone urgent. “You know who this is. Look, I need to talk to you. You have to let me know if you got that jewelry back, man. My ass is on the line here. For real. If I don’t get that
She was feisty, yes, but he also sensed a vulnerable side to her, and that vulnerability brought out a protective side in him.
His eyes caught hers, and she gave him a peculiar look. He realized he’d been holding her hand too long. Quickly, he shook then released it.
“All right,” he agreed. “I’ll work with you.”
He only hoped he didn’t live to regret this decision.
Chapter 4
Shrugging into the collar of his Versace shirt, Cecil hurried from his rented van toward the payphones outside the Publix grocery store. Throwing a quick glance over both shoulders gave him a modicum of relief. For a while, he’d thought the blue Neon had been following him, but now that he no longer saw it, he knew that wasn’t the case.
Thank God. The town of Kendall was a good thirty minutes from Miami Beach, which was where he normally spent most of his time, and he hoped to have anonymity here.
Cecil paused to let a woman and two small children cross his path before stepping onto the concrete sidewalk. A couple long strides and he was at one of the payphones lining the building’s wall. He lifted the receiver and brought it to his ear. Seconds later, he had an operator on the line.
“MCI operator. How may I help you?”
“I’d like to make a collect call,” Cecil told the woman, then gave her the number to his brother’s home in Orlando.
Cecil waited while the operator dialed Darrell’s line. It rang and rang, then the answering machine picked up.
“Sorry, sir. I’m getting a machine.”
“Try this number,” Cecil quickly said. “Make this one a person-to-person call to Darrell Montford.” He gave the operator the number to Sleep Well, the bed and breakfast his brother owned and operated.
A minute later, the operator told him, “I couldn’t reach Darrell Montford.”
Damn. “All right.” Cecil moaned softly. “Thanks anyway.”
The operator disconnected, and Cecil hung up the phone. What was he supposed to do now? And where the hell was his brother? He’d been trying to reach him for a couple days, but to no avail. If there was one thing he could count on, it was being able to reach Darrell when he needed him. Darrell was reliable that way. If he wasn’t at work, then he was at home.
So where was he?
Cecil frowned at the phone. Darrell hadn’t been around for a couple days. If this were any of his male friends, he’d figure they were off with some honey somewhere. But Darrell wasn’t the type of guy to run off and leave his business for a rendezvous with a woman, at least not since his ex-fiancée Jessica.
But who knew? Life had a way of surprising you. Cecil certainly never expected to be in the predicament he was in now. So it wasn’t impossible that Darrell had finally fallen for someone else.
Cecil could almost be happy for him—if his disappearance hadn’t come at the most inopportune time. Given the fact that he couldn’t reach Eddie, Darrell was the only one who could possibly help him now.
Gritting his teeth, Cecil dug some change out of his pocket. He’d try Eddie once again. He hoped to hell that he was home now, and that he had the answers he needed. Eddie might not like having to deal with this situation, but the way Cecil saw it, Eddie owed him. If it wasn’t for him, Cecil wouldn’t be in this whole mess.
“C’mon, Eddie. Pick up the damn phone.” But one ring turned to two, then to three. Then to four. And it kept ringing. God, didn’t he even have his machine on now?
Cecil disconnected, gathered his change, then dialed Eddie’s cell phone number. If Eddie was on the road, he’d be sure to have his cell with him.
But after four rings, his voicemail came on. “I’m busy. Leave a message.”
“Yo, Eddie,” Cecil said, his tone urgent. “You know who this is. Look, I need to talk to you. You have to let me know if you got that jewelry back, man. My ass is on the line here. For real. If I don’t get that
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