A Perfect Storm(60)

"The Hispanic kid?" Dare thought about it and then shook his head. "I don't recall seeing him, no."

"Isn't that odd?" Forget subtlety; she needed to know. "I mean, he was there that night. He served me."

"He probably split the second he heard the sirens," Jackson said. "Maybe  he's an illegal. Bastard traffickers convince them they'll be arrested  if they're caught."

"Is there a reason you're worried about him, specifically?" Trace asked.

"No, not really." Her thoughts churned a little more. To make her lie  more convincing and throw them off the scent, she asked, "What about  that goofy little artist, Joel Pitts?"

Dare shrugged. "I don't know the names of the people, but I can find out if it's that important to you."

No, it wouldn't matter. She knew Quin was free because he'd called her,  so why put Dare to the trouble of gathering info? "That's okay. I was  just curious."

"Why?" Spencer asked quietly.

She slanted him a look. "Quin and Joel were the two I talked with most. I  spotted Quin right off as a victim and then, since Joel drew pictures  of me … " She shrugged. "I feel like I sort of know them both."

"What do you mean, he drew pictures of you?" Priscilla asked. "What kind of pictures?"

"I was going to ask the same thing," Alani said.

"I'll show you. They should still be in my purse." To give herself a  moment, Arizona went inside and hunted for them. They were now badly  creased and smudged a little, but she brought them back outside anyway.

As she rolled them out on the table, she explained. "I was pretty  hammered when we left there, or I'd have thought to take them out before  they got messed up."

Everyone gathered around. "Wow." Priss admired the drawing. "He's really talented."

A different topic was to her advantage, so Arizona kept it going. "Even  without me posing or anything, the drawings look like me, except  better."

"Not true," Dare said.

"Hard to imagine that's even possible," Jackson told her. "You looking like you do and all."

"You really are beautiful," Alani agreed. "There's nothing to improve on."

"Yeah, well … thanks." Uncomfortable with the compliments, Arizona gave  her attention back to Trace and Dare. "I was hoping to see them both  again. Just to see how they're doing."

She glanced at Spencer. He was far too quiet as he scrutinized her with piercing interest.

While trailing his fingertips up and down his wife's arm, Trace asked, "You're worried for them?"

Ignoring Spencer's watchful gaze wasn't easy. When Trace picked up one  of the drawings to study it, she tried for a shrug. "They both seemed  pretty lost, that's all. It'd make me feel better to know they're okay."

"Arizona?"

She tried not to wince at Spencer's tone. "Hmm?"

"Why are you asking about Quin and Joel?"

"I told you." She didn't want to lie to him-but neither could she tell  him the truth. As she again rolled up the drawings, she settled on a  partial truth. "Curiosity, that's all."

"Uh-huh." Spencer caught her gaze and held it. "What else?"

As if they only then felt the tension, everyone went still, watching them, waiting.

Arizona pressed the drawings back into her purse. She'd just gotten done  being the center of attention; damned if she'd let Spencer put her back  there again. "Why does there need to be any other reason?"

"With you, there are always ulterior motives."

She thrust up her chin. "Bull. I didn't have an ulterior motive when I  asked you to spar with me. I just wanted to hone my skills. And still  you refused."

His eyes darkened, maybe with irritation. "Because I don't want you using yourself as bait."

"Why not? That's the easiest way to catch a man." Her voice dripped with  sugary sweetness. "It apparently works for Marla." And then to the  group at large, she explained, "That's his neighbor."

Spencer sawed his teeth together.

Jackson pulled back. "What does his neighbor have to do with anything?"

Arizona said, "She wants him."

At the same time, Spencer said, "It's Arizona's way of deflecting."

Wow. He saw right through that, huh? So he wasn't a mental slug. She'd already known and admired that about him.                       
       
           



       

She said to the group, "I wanted to work out with Spencer." She gave her  attention back to him. "But I guess that's one more thing I'm supposed  to do with the next guy, right?"

Spencer went rigid, his jaw flexing, his gaze cold.

And he withdrew. Arizona felt it, saw it, and it wasn't pleasant.

Uh … yeah. So maybe she'd pushed him just a little too far with that jibe.  But seeing his set features, she didn't know how to regroup.

"Speaking of computer work … " Chris cleared his throat. "I wanted to show  you a new program, Spencer. I'm thinking it'd be pretty valuable to a  bounty hunter."

Spencer slowly pushed away from the table and stood. Without a word, he walked away with Chris.

Holy cow. Ice could have formed in his wake. He left behind so much tension, the air crackled. Talk about awkward …

She might have felt more uncomfortable, but damn it, instead she felt guilty.

The urge to go after him left her fidgeting in her seat. Even if she  did, what would she say? I'm sorry you don't want to keep me around for  the long haul? She snorted and didn't even care that the others gave her  funny looks. She knew zilch about this relationship crap, what was the  right thing and the wrong thing to do.

And damn it, she had few choices now. Given that she'd meet with Quin  tomorrow, what could she say that'd make a difference anyway?

Dare stepped away from the patio table. "I'll go with you."

Not understanding, Arizona glanced back at him, then did a double take  at his expression. Molly beamed with pleasure, confusing her more. "Go  where?"

"Head to head." All business now, he beckoned her from her seat. "Come on. Let's see what you've got."

Trace sat back with a smile. "I have to admit, I'm curious."

Jackson groaned.

Arizona couldn't believe her luck. Dare Macintosh wanted to spar with  her? No way. "Do you mean … ?" She waved a hand between them. "Me and you?  Seriously?"

He gave a sharp nod. "Let's grapple."

Despite the circumstances, anticipation bubbled up. But she didn't trust the offer. Narrowing her eyes, she asked, "Why?"

"Why not?"

Trace sided with Dare. "All things considered, Arizona, you need to know how to fight."

She didn't point out that she already knew how to fight. "What things?"

"Being around us," he said. "Working with Jackson."

And Dare added, "Poking your little nose where it doesn't belong."

Now that she couldn't let pass. "Who says it doesn't belong?" She had as  much right as they did, maybe more, to work at bringing down  traffickers.

Jackson opened his mouth, but Dare interrupted whatever he planned to say. "Are we sparring or not?"

Her heart beat rapidly. "Oh, definitely, we are." She left her seat and strode toward him.

"You mind the others watching?"

"In most bar fights, there's a crowd." She shrugged. "I've never let an audience get in my way."

"Oh, my God," Priss said. "You actually fight in bars?"

"I keep my knife on me," Arizona explained. "It's a great equalizer."

The men said nothing, but the women couldn't hide their disbelief-probably disapproval, too. Not that she gave a flip.

Only … she kind of did.

No, screw that. She shook out her arms and took a stance across from him.

"Now that I know you like knives … " Dare picked up a sturdy twig about as  thick around as his index finger. He broke it until it was close to ten  inches long. "We'll pretend this is your favorite blade." He flipped it  over once and then held it out to her.

A stick? Okay, she'd play along. After tossing it from hand to hand,  Arizona worked her fingers around it until it felt right. She nodded.

"Try not to poke out my eye, okay?"

Satisfaction filled her smile. "Don't worry," she taunted him. "I won't hurt you."

Dare didn't take the bait, but then she already knew he had a cool, controlled temperament.

They stood in the yard. It wasn't flat but instead sloped down gently  toward the lake. No problem; real fights seldom occurred under ideal  situations. Dare adjusted for the terrain, so she would, too.

She felt the sun on the top of her head and bare shoulders, but it didn't blind her.

She felt the rapt stares of the others and dismissed them from her mind.

Drawing a calming breath, she braced her feet. "Ready when you are."

Probably hoping to startle her, Dare lunged forward in a head-on attack.  Reacting automatically, Arizona released the twig with the same deadly  accuracy she utilized with her knife. Like an arrow, it struck Dare  solidly in the chest-right where his heart would be.