Avery didn’t so much as leave a twenty-dollar bill on the counter when the cleaning ladies were due at her condo. Perhaps there was a lesson in Petrov’s thinking.
She set the pen aside and kept searching for a key.
Nothing.
She dropped to her knees to look on the underside. It wasn’t uncommon to have hidden doors in desks, especially if the desk was as ornate and heavy as the one she was probing.
She considered running her fingers along the edges that she couldn’t see, but she doubted the maids had dusted away the cobwebs. Making do without a flashlight, Avery used a lamp and plugged it in close to the desk before climbing back underneath.
The desk had been cleaned on the underside, at least at some point. She peered closer when she noticed a color difference in the pattern of the wood. “How can someone spill liquid on the underside of a desk?” Avery no sooner asked the question to the universe when her mind cleared and she realized what she was looking at.
A cold chill raced up her spine and had her scrambling out from under the desk and to her feet.
Apparently the cleaning crew missed a few spots after they removed Fedor’s body.
Avery scrambled into the office bathroom and scrubbed her hands. Even then, she looked at the soap dispenser and wondered if the last person to use it was a dead guy.
Yeah, she was officially creeped out.
She gathered up the pens and left the office with a slam of the door.
The rest could wait until Trina came back, and even then, maybe they should elicit someone with a stronger backbone to deal with that room.
Chapter Fifteen
Trina had frequented enough Texas barbeques to know the event wasn’t a formal affair. She donned a pair of tight jeans and a button-up silk blouse. Her cowboy boots were at home, so her two-inch wedges would have to do. A hat would have been overkill, not that she had one.
She spent a little extra time messing with her hair and added another layer of eyeliner to help her best feature pop out. Even though it had taken her some time to fall asleep the night before, she still felt more rested than she had in a couple of weeks. Being in the Hamptons home had placed more stress on her shoulders than she’d thought it would.
Thinking about New York prompted her to give Avery a quick call.
She answered on the second ring.
“Hey . . . how is Texas?”
“Am I on a speakerphone?”
“I’m in the car on the way into the city.”
“I thought that wasn’t until this afternoon?” Trina glanced at the clock on the wall: it was just after nine in Texas, and ten in New York.
“I found some pens in Fedor’s desk that I’m taking in to have checked out before I go to the watch guy.”
Trina stepped out onto the balcony of her room. “You went into the office.”
“Yeah. I didn’t think you wanted to tackle it. Actually, I’m glad you didn’t.”
“Oh?”
“I’ll leave out the details. Let’s just say the cleaning crew didn’t do a perfect job . . . after.”
Trina squeezed her eyes shut. “No.”
“Yes. No worries. After a little mental breakdown, I’m all good and en route to Manhattan.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.”
“Has Cindy called back? I’ll have her bring in a better crew.”
“I haven’t heard a thing.”
“I’ll try calling her again.”
“How is the party?” Avery asked.
“It hasn’t started yet.”
“And Wade?” she said his name like it hurt.
“Give the guy a break, Avery. He’s being a complete gentleman.” She paused. “His mom doesn’t like me, though.”
“What? How can any mom not like you? You’re perfect. Sweet, beautiful . . . not to mention the zillion dollar part.”
Avery was good for Trina’s ego. “Sweet and beautiful wasn’t a winning point, and I doubt she knows about Everson Oil. Doesn’t matter, I’m here for Wade, not her.”
“Thanks for cutting me off, asshole!” Avery shouted. “Sorry. Everyone complains about LA drivers, but they hold nothing on these nutjobs.”
Trina laughed. “I’ll leave you to it, then. I’ll call you tomorrow when I’m on my way to Houston.”
“Still planning on coming back here on Monday?”
“Yeah, we have the art auction people coming. Reed is sending one of their guys out to keep an eye on things Monday, too.” Reed was part of the security firm that worked with Alliance and many of their rich clients. They monitored the security system at her ranch in Texas and had wired the Hamptons home as well. Although, the camera system in New York was limited to the front and back doors and a burglar alarm. No need for them to go overboard when no one was living there.
“Perfect. Maybe we can get whoever shows up to do some of the dirty work in the office if we can’t get ahold of your maid.”
“Thanks for the visual.”
“Sorry. Okay, I’m going. This drive requires my full attention.”
“Talk tomorrow.”
“Ciao.” Avery hung up.
Trina went ahead and plugged her phone in by her bed before she left the room.
She found Wade in the kitchen with a cup of coffee in his hands.
“I thought I slept late,” he said when he saw her.
“I was up at five,” she teased. “I’m still not sleeping right since Italy.”
“I tossed and turned a lot myself.” His eyes traveled her frame and he grinned. “Good morning.”
She stepped closer.
With a sly smile, she reached for his cup and tilted it to her lips. “Mmm.”
He chuckled. “I can get you your own.”
Trina shook her head. “Yours tastes better.” It felt good to flirt.
Wade reached for his cup and moved it aside. He stepped even closer and lifted her chin with one finger. “Good morning, little lady.”
She licked her lips. “Good morning.”
He kissed her, just like the night before . . . slowly, sweetly. The taste of coffee on his lips and the scent of the soap he used was a lethal combination.
“Goooood morning,” she said again, slowly.
“I could get used to that,” he said, only inches from her face.
That made two of them.
“Coffee?” he asked.
“Please.”
He crossed the kitchen and poured her a cup. “Anything in it?”
“Black is fine.” She took a sip. “When does this party get started?”
“The caterers will be here in an hour, food goes on the grill by noon, and people will start showing up anytime.”
“Am I dressed okay?” She opened her arms and invited his comments.
“You show those curves off any more and I might have to fight off a few of my friends.”
She took that as a yes. “You’ll have to point out the people I should know but probably don’t.”
“The only one you should know is me. I’ll introduce you to the rest. Ike and Jeb, you’ve already met, and they are the men to go to if you can’t find me and feel overwhelmed. Not that I plan on leaving your side.”
“It’s a party. I do know how to mingle.”
“I have no doubt you’ll hold your own, but people can be a bit possessive and downright nosy. Possessive about me and my time and nosy about you.”
“You mean us,” she said.
“Probably,” he agreed. “I don’t expect anyone to step out of line, but if they do, come right to me, and I’ll take care of it.”
“Like the ex?”
He frowned. “I wouldn’t be surprised if she takes one look at us and leaves.”
Trina could hope. “I’ve been warned.”
He set his empty cup aside and slid a little closer. “How do you feel about public displays of affection?”
She blushed. Damn if he didn’t notice and brush the back of his hand against her cheek. “As long as the people displaying their affection don’t look like they need a room . . .”
He slid the hand from her cheek to her shoulder. “Darlin’, every time I look at you, I feel the need for a room.”
Okay, yeah . . . the heat factor leveled up with the sparkle in his blue eyes.
They stared, Trina with heat tingling up her spine and Wade emitting some kind of pheromone, willing her to step closer.
“There you are!” Vicki’s words broke the spell.
Trina stepped back.
Wade chuckled.
“Mornin’, Mama.”
Vicki bounced in, wearing a black midcalf western skirt, a tank top that barely covered her breasts, and a fringed light jacket. She ended the ensemble with blinged out cowboy boots. Trina was fairly certain a hat would adorn the woman’s head by the time the guests arrived.
Wade greeted his mother with a kiss to the cheek.
“So good to have you home.” Vicki turned to Trina. “Did you sleep well?”
“I did, thank you.”
Vicki’s smile matched Wade’s. “I don’t think we got off to the right start, and I wanted to apologize if I came off as standoffish. It’s just that I wasn’t expecting Wade to bring a friend.”
An apology with a but was never sincere. I’m sorry, but I have a reason.
“I didn’t take offense.”
“Any friend of Wade’s is a friend of mine.”
That sounded a little better.
“Thank you, Vicki.”