Of All the Luck! (14 page)

“He isn’t picky, and he is looking forward to having something special for dinner.  I don’t cook much, but I can follow orders if you boss me around?” she offered.

“Well, then, I order you to place pillows on the chairs that you and I will be using,” Victoria said with as straight a face as possible, trying not to giggle when she saw the look on Liz’s face.  “I think that is a good project,” she stated calmly.

“Are you trying to get me spanked again?” Liz asked, and when she saw the glint of humor in Victoria’s eyes, she laughed.

“No, the last thing I want is for you to get another spanking that is my fault!” Victoria said as she carefully got off the bed.

“It wasn’t your fault, Victoria; I am the one who acted like a spoiled brat.  Now, come on and let’s go and feed these men.”

As they were leaving the bedroom, they heard gunfire…

Xavier lied to General Weatherby, but just as he knew he would, he passed the lie detector test.  He watched as the elderly, dying man transferred ten million dollars into an account in the Caymans.  “I am impressed, old foe, but I can’t stick around to discuss old times.  I’m sure you understand.”

Xavier was almost giddy with relief when General Weatherby and his men left, leaving him alone to make his way to the airport and go into hiding as quickly as possible.  It was a sign of how desperately Weatherby wanted to find Victoria Conway that he was grateful enough for the information to leave Xavier alive.  Not at all like General Weatherby, but he’d generously paid off the nurse who’d cared for him, and killed one of his own men for thinking of killing the young woman.  Even a year ago that wouldn’t have been the case.  Xavier didn’t waste time going home; even if Weatherby didn’t discover his deception, Victoria and Griffin Conway would, and so would Jacobson.  They would come after him; of course, he wasn’t named head of the agency without a reason.  He was a damn good agent, and he knew how to disappear.  He was going to do just that, and hope that General Weatherby died before he got to Victoria.  He might not like the bitch, but he did respect Griff, and Griff loved the annoying woman.  He didn’t really want anything to happen to Ian, either.

* * *

The gunshots continued, and Victoria reacted immediately.  “Keep down, Liz.”  Liz immediately dropped to the floor, just as Cal burst through the doorway.  “We’re fine in here, Cal.  Griff and Jacobson?” she demanded.

“They’re fine.  Liz, honey, stay down.  I’ll do everything in my power to keep you safe, babe.”

“Hand me a gun, Cal; I know how to use it.”  He didn’t argue, but immediately gave the woman he loved the gun he was carrying and then pulled another from his waistband.

“Don’t shoot unless you have to, Liz, and if you do shoot, shoot to kill.  If these are mercenaries after Victoria, then they won’t hesitate to kill any of us.”

“I understand, Cal.  I’m not afraid,” she said, giving him a smile as the shots continued.  “The shots sound like they are coming from hunters,” she suddenly announced.  “There are only two guns.”  When he looked at her in surprise and admiration, she said, “I’m not a novice around guns, darling.”

“We are going to have to have a serious talk,” Cal told her, and with a final warning to stay down, he left the room to consult with Griffin and Jacobson.  “Liz thinks it’s hunters; only two guns fired.”

“I agree with her,” Jacobson announced, relieved.  “However, they could want us to think that while they get closer.  The girls all right?”

“They’re fine,” Cal replied.

Twenty or thirty minutes later Griffin rose from his position beside the door and said, “I think we’re in the clear.”

“I agree,” Jacobson rose, too.  “I really don’t relish the idea of having to run again with Victoria in the car.”

Rather than take offense, Griffin laughed.  “I don’t blame you, man.  That woman can be a handful when she is on a tear, and she’s had her panties in a twist for days now.”

“Amen,” the younger man said.  “She’s a great cook, though, and I sure hope she takes pity on us and fixes one of her great meals tonight.”

“I was planning to do just that when those shots were fired,” Victoria said with a smile.  “Do you think it safe to start something now?”

“Should be, honey,” Griff spoke to her.  “Do you want some help?” he offered.

“I’m going to help, Griffin,” Liz spoke up.  “I’m hoping to learn something.”  She followed Victoria to the kitchen area of the cabin and laid her gun beside Victoria’s on the counter, but where it was still within grabbing distance should the need arise.

Ian kept his eyes on the two women while they quickly prepared a meal.  Neither of them appeared to be particularly worried, not even Victoria.  Ian had a feeling that she would welcome a confrontation with General Weatherby.  He finally took out his cell phone and checked it once again.  It was unlike Xavier to be out of touch for so long and he was growing concerned.  The General wanted Victoria so badly that it was possible he’d managed to take Xavier.

“What is it, friend?” Griffin asked quietly.  The last thing he wanted was another argument with his wife.  Victoria was testy as could be, and even with a sore butt, she wouldn’t hesitate to argue over every little thing if she felt threatened by a decision that he and Jacobson made without her input.

“We should have heard something from Xavier by now, Griff.  I’m thinking of calling him.”

“No.”  Victoria glowered at him and moved closer so she wouldn’t have to speak loudly.  “I think he is responsible for letting General Weatherby find us.”

“That isn’t true, Victoria,” Griffin argued.

“Prove it isn’t true,” she countered.  “Every time we think we are safe, someone shows up.  I might not be the most intelligent woman in the world, but I can’t believe it is pure luck on General Weatherby’s part.  Xavier is not the innocent schoolboy you two want to make him out to be.”

“He sent me to help you, didn’t he?” Ian demanded.  If the stubborn woman wasn’t married to Griffin, he would turn her over his knee and not stop spanking her until she admitted she was wrong!

“Maybe he dislikes you, too…?” Victoria stated, turning up her chin.  “Did you stop to consider that possibility?”

“Victoria, finish cooking and let us handle this.  You have never liked Xavier, and, honey, there is nothing I can do to fix that dislike, but trying to make Jacobson hate Xavier is above and beyond what I will tolerate.”  His eyes met hers and she realized he wanted her to shut up… or else.  That look never boded well for her butt.

“Just remember what I said.  If you talk to Xavier it will put us in danger again.”  Victoria turned her attention back to the stove, although neither Griffin nor Ian thought she wasn’t listening to every word they said.

“I’m going to try his emergency number,” Ian told Griffin, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a disposable phone.  If Xavier didn’t answer it would mean they were on their own.  He punched in the numbers and it went to voice mail.  Xavier was either dead or unable to speak at all.

“Let’s eat,” Victoria said.  “You two can worry about that idiot Xavier later!”

“Do you want another spanking, Victoria?” Griffin demanded, tired of all her smack about Xavier.  He didn’t mind that Cal and Liz were right there, either.  He already knew that Cal was a like-minded man when it came to maintaining order and discipline.  Ian already knew that he spanked Victoria, and would probably applaud him if he spanked her for badmouthing Xavier.

“Spanking me won’t change my mind about Xavier, Griffin Conway!” Victoria told him, meeting his gaze with what could only be considered a challenge in her eyes.   Griffin was never was to turn down a challenge.  He slowly got to his feet and started for the lovely Victoria, fully intending to give her a serious reason to either back down or wish that she had.  “Don’t you come any closer!” Victoria shook the wooden spoon she’d been using at the stove in his direction, and Griff took that as a challenge, too.

“Just remember that you are the one who asked for this, Mrs. Conway!” he threatened, his voice deceptively mild.  He moved quickly, and although she tried to evade him, she was soon backed into the U of the small kitchen.  He tucked her under one arm and lifted her off her feet.  In the next instant, the wooden spoon, that somehow made it into his hand, cracked against the seat of the jeans she was wearing!

“Stop, Griffin!  Please!” Victoria begged, her voice so low it didn’t carry past him.  “I’m sorry!  Please don’t embarrass me further… I’m too sore to tolerate another spanking so soon!  Please…!”

“Are you going to behave?” he demanded, giving her just one more sound crack with the spoon.  Her hasty ‘yes’ did more to make him believe she really was too sore than anything else could have.  He released her, then pulled her close to kiss her.  “Let’s eat before our food gets cold,” he said, and then pulled her over to her seat, which was well cushioned.  He considered pulling the cushions off the chair, but instead, he carefully sat her down, earning such a sweet smile it was worth his restraint.

* * *

General Weatherby cursed loudly when he arrived at the address Xavier gave him.  The place was completely dark, and unless the bitch was in bed with Conway, they weren’t there!  Xavier quickly shot out the security system, opened the door, and marched through the small house.  No one was here!  No one at all!  He fell to the floor, his gun clutched in his hand, and the evil man died cursing Xavier and most of all, Victoria!  It was over now and she’d won!

When the Sheriff arrived to check out the alarm, he found General Weatherby lying dead on the floor.  “Poor Ms. Jones!  Her Grandpa must have come for a visit and then died of a heart attack when she wasn’t here.  Deputy Edwards, you’re the one who saw Ms. Jones last; did she say where she was going on vacation?”

“No sir, Sheriff.  Just that she’d been working real hard and she needed to take some time off.”  He came closer and got a good look at her ‘grandfather’ and then said, “Sheriff, this isn’t Ms. Jones grandpa!  He’s that guy from television that they’ve been looking for.  They let him out of prison so he could die at home; but he decided to kill the woman who sent him to prison; they said he was armed and dangerous.”

“Do you honestly think Ms. Jones is the woman he was looking for?”  The Sheriff looked at his deputy in disbelief.  “Boy, I don’t know why I ever hired you!”

“Sheriff, I know what I’m talking about.  I’ll let the authorities know we have this man.”  The young deputy left the room before he said something that would get him fired.  He was going to have to look for another job, preferably one in the city where people were on top of things, unlike the Sheriff in this small rural county.

It wasn’t long before the county was crawling with FBI and the Sheriff was taking credit that belonged to Edwards.  The agents weren’t so easily fooled, and handed Edwards a card with a number on it and urged him to call for an interview.  Edwards went to bed that night with a smile on his face.  He was on the verge of a new career.

* * *

“I see,” Ian said into his cell phone.  “Still no word of Xavier?”  He waited for a reply, then hung up.

“What is going on, Jacobson?” Griffin asked, his dark eyes studying the younger man.

“It would appear that there is no need to hide any longer.  General Weatherby was found… dead.  The local Sheriff thought he was your grandfather, Victoria.  He set off the alarm system when he broke into your home.”

“My house!  That horrible man was in my house?!” she exclaimed, very unhappy at the idea.  “Damn!  Are they sure he is dead?  If not, I’ll kill him!” she fumed.

“He’s dead.  A deputy by the name of Edwards called it in to the Feds, and they came and took charge.”

“How did Weatherby get Victoria’s address?  I didn’t know where she lived, and the only way Weatherby found her was through me.  This is just crazy.”

“Whatever.  I’m going home and scrubbing the place top to bottom,” Victoria announced.

“I don’t think that is such a good idea, honey.  There might be mercenaries out there who haven’t heard that killing you won’t make them wealthy.”

“Too bad, Griffin.  I’m going home.”  Victoria meant what she said.  She needed a break from the man; she needed time to clear her head and think like a normal person.  Too much had happened in the last few days and she needed to be alone.

“Victoria, I don’t think it wise for you to go back there just yet.  Give it a bit of time so that word of Weatherby’s death becomes general knowledge.”

“I can take care of myself, Griff.  I refuse to debate the matter with you.”

“We’ll discuss this privately, woman.”  When she bared her teeth, Griffin ignored her.  Jacobson was making another call, and then listening intently.  He was frowning when he hung up.  “What is going on, Jacobson?”

“Xavier was on his way to visit General Weatherby’s nurse, but he didn’t arrive.  The limo that took him was found at a warehouse, which was abandoned.  No dead bodies, but there was a lie detector machine.  From the fingerprints, Xavier was in the warehouse.”

“But no body?” Griffin demanded.

“No body; no sign of blood.”