Page 86 of Shadow of Death
“Me?”
“Well, of course. I used to work with that auburn-haired agent, and Ida was sure there was something special between us, and here I am today...with you.”
“That’s wonderful!”
“What? That she thinks I’m a louse?”
Amy laughed. “No, it’s wonderful my disguise works!”
In the car, Amy watched the road as they moved along Route 27 to merge onto I-75.
There was so much land that was rich with waterways, marshes, hammocks, many different towering trees, saw grass, and so much more.
They passed areas where housing developments had become communities—stretching out into the Everglades.
The I-75 took them onto the I-595 and soon they were back at the hotel. Amy put through a call to Aidan, discussing their movement for the morning.
Hunter, Sean, Ryan, and other teams would move into the area of the Everglades, find cover in the expanse of thick grasses and trees and wait.
She and Aidan would come by airboat, stroll along and talk.
And see what happened.
When she finished her phone conversation, she looked at Hunter who was talking to someone on his own cell. She sat at the foot of the bed and waited. Eventually he hung up the phone and took a seat beside her.
“Rabbi Goldstein. And I had a brief conversation with Father Brennan. Amazing what good friends that group manages to be, trying to look for the similarities instead of all the differences in what they do. Kind of kills me—it’s a small area where all this is taking place and should be a great one. Sorry, that’s neither here nor there as the saying goes. But, anyway, they haven’t had newcomers attend any of their services, but both told me there are members of their flocks who have talked about strange things happening. Father Brennan told me one of the sugar growers in his flock asked to come to confession—which he never does—because he was convinced he heard the song of banshees coming from the trees. Rabbi Goldstein said one of his son’s friends told him he thought there were strange people running in the saw grass, but he didn’t investigate because he was frightened. He thought he’d heard shots.” He paused and looked at her. “I am going to be near you every second, but any of us can fall to a bullet.”
“I’m more worried about Aidan than me. They prefer female sacrifices.”
He nodded.
Then he stood suddenly, striding to her. He smiled, swept her up in a dramatic stance and said, “My dark-haired beauty, we’ve but a night...a night before the day.”
“I think you usually just get one night before the day,” she said, laughing.
“True! But we have this night. Hey, no chocolate or flowers for you! Where’s the ridiculousness of romance in your soul?” he teased.
“I don’t like flowers inside—they die. And I’m particular and don’t like most of the chocolates they put in thoseromanticbundle things,” she told him.
“Alas, no romance.”
She shook her head. “I’m extremely romantic! All I require is a gentle touch and... Well, not always gentle, you know. Your eyes. Just your eyes. And waking up beside you, feeling your arms around me when I fall to sleep.”
“I take it all back,” he told her. His leaned closer, his lips covering hers, his touch a sweet and truly gentle tease at first, and then something so much more.
“But shower, shower,” she murmured against his lips.
“Oh, yeah.”
Discarding their clothes on the way, they headed into the bath where Hunter played with the spigot while still trying to keep his lips locked with hers. They laughed, broke apart, stepped into the spray, and felt the steam surround them. For a few moments, they held each other close. Amy leaned her head against his chest, just loving the feel of his heartbeat against her cheek and the heat and fall of the water all around them.
Then she broke away. They scrubbed and soaped gently, laughing and teasing before simultaneously deciding it was time to step out. Still laughing, they dried off, then fell back on the clean sheets and encompassing softness of the bed.
She wondered later if he had been worried about the day to come, worried this night would become the day, and the day might lead to a nightmare rather than the rest of their lives.
He was hungry, passionate, urgent. His touch was sensuous and then wild, sweeping her senses to new heights, holding her all the while, as she held him.
They lay together at last, just curled around each other.
