JUDGING ELLIE Page 7

  Kurt scaled the ladder and poked his head through the trap door. A large crawl space lay above packed with neatly labeled boxes. In the far corner there was an old black steamer trunk with brass trim and a small, sturdy padlock. It was battered and scratched, like it had been hauled around the world and back. Jess removed boxes stored on top of it and stacked them to the side. When it was cleared off, he grabbed one handle and dragged it to the opening.

  "By the way, Vera, you remember Kurt Duncan." Jess shuffled the end of the trunk within Kurt’s grasp. "He works with me on base."

  Flashing another of her glowing smiles, Vera nodded Kurt a greeting and continued to rearrange boxes that were in Jess’ way.

  Once the trunk was in place near the trap door, Jess stood up as far as the sloping roof allowed and rubbed the small of his back. "Damn thing must have bowling balls inside."

  Vera sank beside the trunk and fanned her hot face with one of her billowing sleeves. "Why do you need to haul this leviathan of yours downstairs anyway?"

  He squatted down for extra leverage as he angled the trunk toward the hole. "It’s actually my stepdaughter Rowan’s trunk. She asked me to come get it. She and her sister-in-law Claudia are both expecting, and both expecting little girls. They want to sort through everything lock, stock, and barrel before Christmas. I guess they’re going to divvy it up." He sighed and shook his head. "Women."

  Kurt backed down the ladder, balancing the end of the trunk against his chest with one hand while grabbing the ladder’s edge with the other. "Sounds like you’re getting screwed on this deal. I still think you should have made Phillip and Zach come get the thing."

  Jess slowly backed down the ladder, maintaining a tight grip on the trunk’s handle in order to keep the weight from smashing down on top of Kurt’s head. "I know, I know. Emma forbid the two of them to come bumbling up here. Didn’t want them hurt. Me? I’m just the work-horse. The things I do for the women I love," he said with a chuckle.

  "Love?" Kurt made a sound between a laugh and a snort as he eased his way down the last few rungs. "Love is a dinner companion and a quick snuggle on the living room couch. This is indentured servitude, pure and simple." He took the last step to the floor and held the trunk steady so Jess could finish his descent.

  "Son, you don’t know diddley squat about women if that’s your idea of love." Jess set his end of the enormous trunk down on the kitchen linoleum.

  "Maybe he’d have better success with a Barbie doll." Severance’s sarcastic voice crawled to him from the doorway. "A real flesh-and-blood woman would be too much trouble for Mr. Duncan. He doesn’t seem to handle imperfection very well."

  She shifted her gaze to Vera, who looked down into the kitchen from the top of the ladder. "I’ll see you Monday evening, Vera." Head high, she turned and breezed from the kitchen.

  The heavy denim skirt flared out to reveal rather shapely calves and trim ankles. Kurt’s interest stirred. Actually, it was more like it did a double-take, then craned its neck for a closer look. He ordered it down, but the thing had a mind of its own. For the life of him, Kurt didn’t understand. The woman was a plain Jane harridan and yet he got turned on with one glimpse of her ankles like a green boy? He refocused his attention on putting the trunk down upon the floor, not on his toes.

  "Well, you two certainly hit it off." Vera closed the trap door and picked her way down the ladder. "What’s next, pistols at dawn? Mud wrestling?"

  Considering his flash of interest, the last suggestion hit too close to home. The very image brought things perking up again.

  He rubbed his neck and looked over Vera’s shoulder to the far wall. "Not my type. Too granola. I like my women looking feminine and pretty, not like Marines."

  He shot a look at the smug expression on Jess’ craggy face and raised an eyebrow. "In fact, I need to hurry this weightlifting session up. I have to call a certain woman about a date we’ve got planned for tomorrow."

  Jess glanced at his watch. "I’ve got an appointment to keep, too. You get this to Rowan and Claudia. We’ll catch up over an early breakfast."

  Sounded like a plan to Kurt.

  * * *

  Ellie pushed open her door and dragged her armload of packages into the kitchen. With a sigh of relief, she hung her new clothes on a laundry hook behind the door and put two grocery bags on the counter top. She would have to hide the two bottles of Turning Leaf merlot from Bernadette later. Perhaps in the living room behind some of her books. Since Bernadette didn’t read, it would be the perfect stash.

  The desert wind started to gust outside. A winter storm was sliding into the area, and that usually meant high winds and power outages. Sometimes a light dusting of snow, or so she’d been told. She was glad she’d stopped at the grocery store on her way home and picked up some staples.

  Hades stalked into the kitchen, winding his way around and through her legs.

  "I’m going to trip over you if you don’t stop that." She laughed and bent down to stroke his soft, silky fur. A deep purring rumble rewarded her attentions. Forgiven again for leaving the master of the castle alone for a day by himself.

  The new cell phone lay on the kitchen counter, still nestled in its leather carrying case. She picked it up and gingerly turned on the ringer. Kurt had mentioned he would call late in the evening, around nine-thirty. It was just about nine o’clock, so she had time to have a glass of wine and microwave herself a dinner. Although with the butterflies dancing in her stomach, she doubted she’d eat much; it was hard enough to concentrate.

  It wasn’t until she heard Hades’ angry grumble that Ellie realized she’d put her microwaved eggplant parmesan into his cat bowl and a scoop of dry cat chow onto her own plate.

  "Oh, no! Oh, Hades, I’m sorry." The apology earned her another feline glare as she quickly put the cat chow into another bowl and removed the offending food from his sight.

  Ellie looked at her meal cooling in the cat’s dish and decided that she’d skip dinner for the evening, just have a glass of wine and nibble on a few crackers. She scooped up the cell phone and went into the living room to wait for his call.

  The minutes ticked by. She paced the Oriental rug in front of the fireplace, checking the clock and taking small sips of the full-bodied wine. Hades watched from his favorite perch on the bench seat beneath the big bay window, tail flicking in time with her steps.

  The ringer trilled and Ellie jumped. Wine sloshed over the lip of the glass and a small purple stain dotted the coffee table. Her hand trembled as she scooped the phone off of the table and pressed the receive button.

  "Hello?" Her voice came out a choked whisper.

  "Where have you been?" Her mother screeched. "I’ve tried to reach you all afternoon! I thought having a cell phone would make you more reachable. I should’ve known better. You leave me to the mercy of that answering machine, and now you ignore the cell phone.

  "I could only imagine what had happened to you. God only knows what all those randy Marines out there do when they’ve been living in such an isolated area without any women around. They could get desperate and go after you for sexual favors."

  Desperate? Ellie sighed and tried remain calm. "Mother, I can’t talk right now. I’m expecting a very important telephone call."

  "Are you hustling me off the telephone so you can take a call from your father?" her mother shrieked, Savannah accent more apparent in her fury. "That son of a bitch can drive three hours and see you any time he pleases, but does he let me have one uninterrupted telephone call? No!"

  "Mother. It’s not Dad I’m expecting." Her protests fell on deaf ears.

  "Don’t you lie to me, young lady! I bought you this phone and I expect…"

  Ellie couldn’t take the shrill accusations any longer. She took another deep breath, bit her lip, and pressed down on the disconnect button. Her mother’s angry voice cut off in mid-sentence.

  There would be hell to pay later. Mona White-Severance wasn’t the type of woman who took rejection lightl
y—from anyone. Ellie couldn’t believe she’d actually gotten up the nerve to hang up on her mother during one of the patented Mona tirades.

  "Hades, I think I’m a little crazy today." She hardly recognized herself. First she arranged for a date with a virtual stranger, then she verbally insulted an annoying NCIS agent…twice. Finally, the pièce de résistance—hanging up on her mother.

  "The new Eleanor Severance has arrived."

  She grinned, pleased with herself and wandered over to her answering machine. Sure enough, ten messages waited. She deleted them all. A burst from the telephone made her jump. Most probably her mother again. Although, with any luck her mother was having such convulsions from Ellie’s daring disconnection that she’d be unable to call back.

  Ellie yanked up the receiver. "What."

  "It’s me…Jeremy." Her flighty young friend sounded subdued. "I need to talk to you. Do you have some time tonight? Can I come over?"

  No, no, no! "I’m sorry. I can’t talk right now. I’m expecting a really important call and I—"

  "I really need to come over and see you tonight. It’s important. You’re the only one I can talk to about this." He sounded like an eight-year-old, erasing any sympathy he hoped to glean from her.

  "I just can’t tonight," Ellie said quickly before she lost her nerve. "If it’s really important, why don’t you call Susan? She’s a good listener."

  "She’s the last person I’d be calling right now," he replied with a short, bitter laugh.

  Probably another breakup. Each girlfriend was "it" for Jeremy. And each time he was dumped, it was a tragedy of epic proportions. Susan was never sympathetic toward Jeremy’s other girlfriends.

  "Call me tomorrow. Right now is not a good time. I’m hanging up now. Good-bye." She put the receiver down.

  Hades warbled his opinion from his cozy box on the bay window seat.

  "I agree with you, pal. This is getting ridiculous."

  Ring…ring…ring. Her cell phone.

  Nap interrupted again, Hades jumped down from the couch and wandered toward the kitchen.

  "Keep your paws crossed," she told him. "Hello?"

  "Hello there." The deep, smooth tones of Kurt’s voice caressed her ear. "Your line’s been busy or I would have called sooner."

  "I’ve had some…um…business I’ve been taking care of. Had to make a few calls. I’m sorry I kept you waiting."

  "What sort of business?"

  He sounded politely interested. Blowing off Jeremy and hanging up on her screaming mother didn’t sound like good answers. She’d have to make something up.

  "I was discussing an interpersonal relationship with an acquaintance of mine." It was time to change the subject. "So, are we going to get together tomorrow night, or are you calling to bow out?"

  He laughed, a low, warm chuckle that sent a shiver down the back of her neck. "Of course. If you’re not too busy doing…business. I’ll pick you up at seven. We’ll go out for a nice dinner. My treat. We can get to know each other better."

  She took a fortifying sip of wine. That emphasis he put on the last word made her quiver with anticipation. "That sounds wonderful. I’ll see you then. I’ll make sure to leave the porch light on for you. It’s hard to find this place in the dark."

  "You know, Ellie, I don’t even know what your last name is."

  "It’s…"

  A crash and a scream from the kitchen made her stop mid-sentence.

  Bernadette’s furious screech soared over Hades’ high-pitched growl.

  "Oh, my God." Ellie peeked around the door to the kitchen. "I’ve got to go. My cat has gotten into a fight with my landlady."

  "What?"

  "I’ll see you tomorrow night," she said in a rush of breath. And, for the third time that evening, hung up on her caller.

  "Eleanor! Eleanor, get in here and help me. This wretched beast of yours won’t let me down!" Bernadette’s voice crackled with anger and fear.

  Ellie ran into the kitchen. The woman stood on one of Ellie’s antique railback kitchen chairs. Her pink, ostrich-hide ankle boots scuffed the seat’s polished surface as she teetered back and forth, trying to evade Hades’ swiping claws.

  The furious tom crouched, growling. In a blinding blur of speed, he took a swipe at Bernadette’s legs, his claws extended. She wailed and shuffled backwards on the seat.

  "What happened?" Ellie scooped up Hades from his attack position.

  "He scratched me!" Bernadette pointed one manicured finger at her leg.

  Indeed, a long series of bleeding furrows pinpointed where Hades had sliced through the pantyhose.

  Ellie bit her lip and fought hard not to smile. It served Bernadette right if she persisted in using her pass key to visit her tenant’s condo without permission.

  Bernadette huffed. "Your mother called and asked me to come over and check up on you. When I walked in, your cat was lurking beneath the table. He jumped out and mauled my leg for no good reason!"

  Privately, Ellie thought Hades had more than enough reasons to take a swipe or two at Bernadette, but she kept her opinion to herself. The other news churned her stomach.

  "My mother called you? To check up on me?"

  If true, this was an all-time low, even for her mother. Ellie trembled with rage. "So you entered my condo again, without my permission, just because my mother asked you to check up on me?"

  Bernadette slowly descended from the chair, keeping one wary eye on the growling cat in Ellie’s arms.

  "Your mother is worried you’re getting involved with some elements of which she wouldn’t approve." Bernadette had her composure back, and with it, her venom. "Since Mona and I chat occasionally, she felt confident I’d be able to assess the situation and see what kind of trouble you’ve gotten yourself into. You’re not pregnant, are you?"

  Ellie felt her mouth drop open. The nerve of this woman! "For your information, I am not in any type of trouble. Nor am I pregnant. And furthermore, any elements I’m involved with are my own business—not yours or my mother’s!"

  Bernadette’s sharp-eyed gaze zeroed in on the Bakkman’s garment bags hanging from the hook on the wall. A suspicious look flickered across her face.

  "Shopping at Bakkman’s and you didn’t even ask me for my advice on what to buy? You know I’m well-known for my exquisite fashion sense in the best circles." She sniffed. "I find it very difficult to believe you actually found anything that would fit you at Bakkman’s, given your awkward bosom." She paused and smiled smugly. "They usually cater to the more petite sizes."

  Ellie deliberately gave Hades a gentle squeeze, which caused him to jump and thrash about in her grasp. "I think he’s getting away from me. I’m going to have to put him down."

  She bent over as if to set the Maine Coon on Bernadette’s dainty boots. Hades yowled and struggled. Loose hairs flew around the kitchen, most of them clung to Bernadette’s expensive clothing.

  Bernadette backed quickly toward the kitchen door, brushing cat fur from her suede jacket. "We’ll talk about this tomorrow, Eleanor. Try to keep that thing locked up in the bathroom when I come over. And if I need a rabies shot after being mauled by your mangy beast, I’ll be sure Animal Control comes to have him taken away and gassed."

  With that, she slipped into the garage and slammed the door behind her.

  Ellie stroked Hades’ soft fur. "Good boy. You’re a good judge of character and that earns you a special treat." She reached into the pantry, brought out a small can of Albacore tuna and scooped it into Hades’ bowl. He dissolved into raptures, purring with pleasure as he gulped down the rich treat.

  "Next time, take her leg off at the knee," Ellie said as she watched him eat. "I don’t know why I put up with her, or my mother either for that matter. I guess I’m just in the habit of taking whatever garbage they dish out." She scrubbed her fingers through her curly hair, massaging the scalp. "That needs to stop."

  She locked both doors, turned off the kitchen lights, and took her new clothes upstairs. T
he wind raked the yard’s tamarisk trees against the condo like fingernails on a blackboard.

  Tired to the bone, she placed the new outfits across her bed and pulled off her skirt and sweater.

  Clouds of steam billowed majestically across the small bathroom while she waited for the tub to fill. Ellie stood in front of the mirror in just her bra and panties. Clear gray eyes gazed back, wide and bright, slight shadows beneath, like smudges on porcelain.

  Tomorrow night she was going to date a man she scarcely knew, a man whose caresses made her body tingle. She’d continue her charade, playing a part she wasn’t comfortable with, a persona that wasn’t her own.

  The mirror fogged over and Ellie made no move to wipe it clear.

  Chapter 6

  * * *

  "I told you, Jess, she got interrupted just as she was about to tell me her last name."

  Kurt stirred more cream into his coffee. They were meeting for breakfast in an out-of-the-way diner to discuss the evening’s setup. It was a Mom and Pop operation with the best hash browns Kurt had ever tasted—golden crispy and hot with grease. Both men took advantage of the food. Kurt guessed Emma would have a fit if she knew about the cholesterol-laden treats Jess pumped into his body whenever she was gone.

  "Seems damn convenient to me," Jess grumbled around a forkful of scrambled eggs. He sipped his coffee, then pulled a sheet of paper out of his jacket pocket. "Read this. It’s the results of her residential trace."

  Kurt scanned the paper. Ellie’s address was listed as belonging to a Ms. Bernadette McFee. Apparently, her condo and its adjoining neighbor were owned by this McFee woman. No mention of a tenant. Kurt cursed under his breath and handed it back.

  "What about the telephone number I gave you?"

  "Unlisted. It’s a new type of phone similar to a calling card. Drug dealers use them all the time and they drive law enforcement agencies wild. It may be traceable, but we won’t know anything until next Monday at the earliest. You know those private industry telephone workers. Monday through Friday, nine to five."