Treasure Tides Part 7

Playing along, Trevor asked, "Do I need to beat him up for you?" He didn't really want to press her, but he needed to know. "Give me a name and address; I'll take care of him."

"Just someone I met. I don't have any idea what Royce's address is and truthfully don't care."

So her companion at the seawall had been Royce St. John. s.h.i.t! Trevor would have to alert the others and then figure out how to keep Becki off the radar. The coin must be nearby if ART was swarming the city.

"Go faster! Please Trevor," she suddenly pleaded. "Make my heart race."

"Always happy to oblige, Darlin'," he grinned as he punched the gas pedal to send them flying.

"Ahhh, yessss," Becki breathed as the wind whipped around her and the scenery turned into a blur of color.

He blinked once, and a stealth-cloak settled over the car. No need to risk getting pulled over. Fortunately, it was a quick and easy spell that Becki couldn't detect from inside the car.

"G.o.d, this is great," Becki said with a laugh as they raced down the open road. Trevor swerved at the last minute to avoid a car that suddenly pulled onto the road in front of them. Swerving was not necessary. They could have just driven right through the other vehicle with another bit a magic, but where was the fun in that?

"Ahh!" Becki screamed and then turned toward Trevor laughing. "Trev, you are a very bad boy. You'll be the death of me."

"Not a chance doll," Trevor said in sudden seriousness as he slowed the vehicle to a more reasonable speed.

Becki wrinkled her nose at him, "Kidding Trev, just kidding."

Pulling her hair up to secure it in a pony-tail, she said regretfully, "I have strict orders to be at my uncle's house tonight. Can I have a rain check for dinner and the beach?

I do have to admit that I would sooo rather walk on the beach tonight. I love my family, but I'm not in the mood for a crowd tonight. Surf and starlight sound like heaven."

"I could kidnap you," Trevor offered.

"My uncle and Landon would hunt you down," she laughed. "We'll do it sometime soon. I promise."

"I'll sweep you off your feet yet, sugar. Just wait," he threatened.

"You don't have a big enough broom, Trev. These feet are firmly planted," Becki said lifting her leg to put one foot on the dashboard and wiggle her painted toenails.

"Doll;" Trevor drawled, "my 'broom' is more than big enough. I'll be glad to demonstrate--anytime you say the word."

Laughing Becki straightened in her seat and said regretfully, "You had better take me back Trev, I still have to get ready. I haven't seen the girls for a few days, so I want to spend some time with them before dinner. Since they always seem to run away somewhere right after we eat, I need to corner them before the food is ready. I guess hanging with us is just not cool enough anymore. Oh, to be that age again."

"Yes, because you are soooo old," Trevor teased.

Leaning her head back and turning to watch the scenery outside the pa.s.senger window, Becki said softly, "Some days I feel old, Trev, old and tired."

"Come on doll, what's up? Talk to me."

"Nothing really. Today has been one of those days. I just--" Becki took a deep breath, and heaved a heavy sigh. "I don't understand it, so I can't begin to explain it to anyone else. I just seriously wish I didn't have to put on my happy face and do this thing tonight with my family."

When he had spotted Becki with one of the ART members earlier, his heart sank. How in the h.e.l.l had she managed to get hooked up with St. John? They had seemed pretty cozy, but Trevor was willing to place money on the fact that Becki's melancholy mood was directly related to the scene earlier. He had been surprised when she asked him to give her lift and even more surprised when she had practically jumped into the car.

Becki embodied everything a man could ever wish for: an enthusiastic zeal for life, ingrained honesty, goodness, and s.e.xy as h.e.l.l. Becki was the type of woman who made a guy believe in white picket fences.

Trevor loved to hear her laugh, and see her eyes sparkle with joy at the simplest things. In contrast, those things had no place in his life; he merely existed. His life was a lie. He wasn't honorable. Truthfully, he did not deserve to breathe the same air as Becki. He hoped that he could track down the coin, keep her from getting hurt in this tangled mess, and get out of town before she found out how undeserving he was of her friendship. The coin was his main concern, and he needed to get on with it.

Trevor had just missed the coin in Savannah, but had managed to stumble onto evidence pointing toward Charleston as the new location of the coin. He had scouted around the city for a while and then decided to take a drive to blow the cobwebs away. A few miles from town, he had stopped at a local pub for a sandwich and drink.

Becki was waiting tables that day, and he immediately fell in love with her big chocolate brown eyes, dimpled smile, and infectious laugh. She had walked over to take his order and whispered that the 'Reuben was the safest bet' because their cook had called in sick that day.

Trevor had closed his menu and immediately ordered the Reuben. They had ended up having a drink at the close of her shift, and she was now the closest thing to a friend he had ever known. Still, his mission was to recover the coin, and he had orders to eliminate anyone who got in the way-- friend or foe. Not that he would personally take care of the deed. Trevor drew the line at taking a life, human or otherwise.

"So, your mystery man is just pa.s.sing through?" Trevor prompted.

"Here on business, something about finding missing coins. He acts like it is such a big important thing; he's so secretive about it. Do you remember hearing about a coin collection that got stolen a few years ago?"

"No," Trevor said blandly.

"I figured I would Google it tonight. You can find anything on the net. Want to treasure hunt with me? Maybe we could find it and collect a reward," Becki said with a laugh.

Trevor forced a smile and choked out a reply, "I can think of many more interesting things to do together, sweets. Let's leave treasure hunting to the experts."

As they pulled into the parking garage, Becki leaned over and kissed Trevor on the cheek. "Thanks for everything Trev. I really needed to blow off some steam."

"The offer still stands, doll face, dinner, dancing, moonlight and a little magic?" he tempted.

Becki kissed him again, a smacking kiss on the lips. "Magic, my a.s.s," she grinned.

"If only you knew," he answered with a grin of his own.

Climbing out to walk toward her car, she looked back and promised, "Some other time for dinner, my treat."

"You got it doll face, but I buy. Let me know when."

"Ok, I'll see you at the Pub later this week."

"Yea, you can let me do a body shot," Trevor said with a wink, and then he roared out of the parking garage at full speed.

Becki laughed shaking her head; he was a trip. Too bad she didn't feel the same attraction to him that she felt for Royce.

Great, where had that thought come from? Hadn't she just spent the last couple hours getting him out of her head? She checked her phone, and she saw a missed call from Nat undoubtedly reminding her of their dinner plans. She would talk to her at Kurt's house. There was just enough time to run home, shower, change clothes, and stop at the market. Becki didn't want to be late.

"Got him," Sean said. They had rigged a receptor module in the parking garage close to Becki's car, knowing that Trevor would bring Becki back to pick up the little yellow thing sooner or later. The security camera had shown them entering the garage, and Sean had been able to remotely verify the DNA capture.

Sean had wisely kept any and all thoughts to himself, appearing to be busy with very technical computer stuff, when the camera captured Becki kissing Trevor. Sean had expected Royce to explode, but actually the opposite occurred. Royce had observed the situation in deadly silence, which in Sean's opinion spoke volumes.

When Becki kissed Trevor for the second time, Sean had quickly turned off the video feed from the garage. Royce had not moved, as if he were glued to the spot.

Sean concentrated on importing the DNA capture into his new tracking program. He then created alerts, based on certain locations, and radiuses surrounding Becki's home and other previously identified points of concern.

Finally Royce spoke, "I want to know where he lives, where he goes, and with whom. I want to know if he gets within one mile of her."

"Yes, Boss."

Royce continued, "I want to know if he makes any phone calls; I want to know if he sleeps with the lights on; I even want to know if he takes cream in his coffee. In case I'm not being clear, if he takes a p.i.s.s, I want to know."

Royce headed to the refrigerator. He needed a beer. He also needed to get this coin business wrapped up. They were getting closer; he had a sixth sense about it.

Once this job was done, he would be giving serious consideration to a desk job. h.e.l.l, he was already giving it semi-serious consideration.

There was going to have to be some serious sucking-up where Becki was concerned. If she ever spoke to him again, it would be a miracle. He drained the bottle of beer, and then patted his shirt pocket looking for smokes again.

"Go buy me a pack of smokes."

"No can do boss," Sean responded without taking his eyes off the computer screen.

"I'm your boss," Royce reminded him.

"Yes," Sean agreed, "but I'm more frightened of Joanna than I am of you."

"I understand; me, too. Forget it."

Sean's computer beeped, "Success," he congratulated himself. "Ok, I've already set your cell up with the tracking program. You can pin-point him twenty-four-seven. I've set an alert for your phone and mine if he goes near Kurt's house, Becki's house, or the Pub," Sean said, pointing to a new icon on Royce's screen.

"Nice," Royce said, checking it out.

"I thought so," Sean said with a c.o.c.ky att.i.tude. That was the downside to working with a brainiac. Humility rarely entered into the equation. "What's this one?" Royce asked, pointing to a new smiley-face icon. "Oh, that's Becki's"

"She's going to be p.i.s.sed if she ever finds out."

"Yes," Sean acknowledged, mildly. Glancing at the time on his phone, Sean said, "You need to go get ready. We only have an hour before we have to be there."

"Get ready for what? I'm not going anywhere. There are five more of that six-pack with my name on it, and I'm about to order a thick, greasy pizza to go with it," Royce said, taking a seat on the couch and propping his feet on the coffee table.

He absently tapped his shirt pocket looking for that nonexistent cigarette again.

"d.a.m.n," he muttered.

"Oh, believe me, you will want to go. I guarantee it," Sean said with a devious grin.

Royce did not trust that look one bit. He knew to proceed with caution.

"Ok, I'll bite, where is it that I will want to go?" Royce asked.

Adopting a much too innocent look, Sean casually looked out the living room window toward Charleston Harbor.

"Did I forget to mention that while Natie and I were having coffee, she invited us to dinner? At her uncle's house-- tonight."

Royce's feet hit the floor with a thud, "You're s.h.i.tting me, right? You had better be real careful, Jones. Don't jerk me around on this."

Holding up his cell phone, Sean pointed smugly at the text from Natie, the one she had sent giving them directions to get to Kurt's house.

"No s.h.i.t," he affirmed. "The way I have it figured, 6:30 will make us fashionably late. Another plus is the fact that if we get there late, you can park behind Becki so she won't bolt when she sees you."

With a chuckle, Royce saluted Sean, acknowledging a job well done.

"Hurry up, kid. We have a couple of stops to make on the way."

Royce whistled as he headed for the shower. It was the first glimpse of the old Royce Sean had seen since Tara's death. Sean had missed his old friend.

Jumping off the counter, he headed toward a shower of his own, lifting his fist in the air with a battle cry, "Let the games begin."

CHAPTER FOUR.

"d.a.m.n. Late again," Becki muttered as she zoomed into Kurt's driveway.

She grabbed the grocery bag containing ice cream, chocolate syrup, whipped cream, and nuts, slammed the car door, and headed for the back yard where everyone had gathered.

As she walked through the gate, she heard the inevitable goading. "Glad you could make it before we were finished this time," Kurt called. He was sitting in a lawn chair with his feet propped up on a fivegallon bucket, drinking a beer and monitoring dinner which was currently boiling in a large stock pot over a propane burner.

"Wow, it's still daylight and everything," Landon felt compelled to add.

"Natie, was she late to school every day, too?" Jonah chimed in, though he already knew the answer to that one; he had been in her morning English cla.s.s.

"You can all kiss my a.s.s," Becki answered with a grin and kept right on walking. "I need to get this in the freezer and say 'hi' to the girls. I'll be right back. Nat, pour me a drink, and make it a strong one I need it!"

"Yes, Ma'am," Natie replied, turning away to hide a grin playing at her lips.

If you only knew, she thought, as she added a liberal shot of alcohol to Becki's gla.s.s.

"Hi girls," Becki called to Clarissa, Leann, and Mandy. "What's up?" she asked her cousins as she deposited the bag on the counter.

"Playing on the computer," Mandy, piped up immediately. She was the youngest at 12 years old. Her Mamaw maintained that she had been vaccinated with a victrola needle as a baby.

Leann once told her, in all seriousness, "Mandy, you do love to talk."

To which Mandy nodded her head in agreement and replied, "Ummhm, yes, I know."

Becki had almost fallen off the couch laughing.

Leann, zoned into a game she was playing, absently answered, "Humm... What? Did you say something?" Finally, immerging from cyber fog, Leann noticed Becki standing in the kitchen.

"Oh, hi Becki," she called and the next second returned her attention to the game.