A/N: Thank you so much, Caranath, BurnedSpy, max2013, zenfrodo, Kenna, Jackie, Vinsmouse, Future Animator, ILoveMom and Stork Hardy for taking time to comment! I truly appreciate it. There will be a bit of a break before I post the next chapter, as I'm headed out the door on vacation...without any technology along for the ride. LOL I hope to start reposting on Monday, April 8th. And from that point on, it'll be full speed ahead to the end of the story! Thanks for sticking with it! A bit of a fluffy chapter today, because our heroes needed a break. ;) Thanks again to those reading!
Chapter 34
Frank glanced around the suite at the puzzled faces of Kathy's friends as he tried to explain the events of the evening to them. There was just no easy way to tell them that their friend was a total nut job. He cleared his throat.
"So, to make a long story short...er, shorter...Kathy ended up taking Joe to the cathedral at gunpoint to try and force him to marry her. She shot herself in the foot by mistake, and she's now at the local hospital with Louis."
Tammy shifted in her chair. "Okay, so Joe isn't Kathy's boyfriend?"
"Never was," Nancy spoke up.
"And Kathy planned all this...the stalking, the notes, the bonk on the head...to try and get Joe to like her?"
"Apparently." Nancy leaned back into the couch. "I'm not sure you can blame her though. Clearly there are some psychiatric issues at play here."
"I figured Joe wasn't that into her. It was so obvious." Lauren caught Frank's eye. "Does that mean he's available?"
Frank shook his head in disbelief. This girl never gave up. He wondered if all teenage girls were like this, or if it was a recent phenomenon. He didn't remember any of the girls he knew in high school being so boy crazy. Maybe he was naïve. Or maybe they just weren't boy crazy for him.
"Uh, no. He's actually very involved with Emily."
Tammy sat up straight in her chair.
"I knew it!" She glanced over at Lauren with a smug smile on her face. "What did I tell you? I was right. I won."
"You won what?" Nancy asked.
Tammy waved her hand dismissively. "Just a little bet we had. I told Lauren that Joe and Emily were secretly together, but she didn't think so. She doesn't have a knack for these things like I do. I can spot a couple a mile away. Whether they want to be spotted or not. There's just this look that guys get."
And exactly what kind of look was that? Frank wondered. Obviously women discussed things with each other that never even registered on the radar of men. He would definitely be asking Nancy about all of this later on. But right now, he wanted to wrap up this case.
"Aren't you even the least bit concerned about Kathy?"
"No. Why?" Lauren shrugged. "This isn't the first time she's done something like this."
"It's not?" Nancy's eyes grew big.
"It's not even the second time." She turned to Tammy and laughed. "Remember, Mr. O'Brien? Our history teacher? She had us all believing there was something going on between them."
"Oh, yeah. That was ridiculous." Tammy looked at Nancy. "Of course her cover was blown when we met Mr. O'Brien's true paramour...Rick."
"And then there was this intern that worked for her dad," Lauren said. "She made his life miserable for an entire semester."
"Wait, so this isn't a surprise to you?" Frank clarified.
Because if he'd known all this in the beginning he never would have taken this case at all. He was starting to think that maybe the senator was living in a deep state of denial about his daughter. No wonder Louis drank.
"Nope." Tammy stood and walked to the bar, picking up a soda that Bess had poured. "Well, it's the first time she's shot herself, but other than that...same old, same old."
Frank and Nancy exchanged looks of disbelief while Bess leaned toward Tammy. "So, this thing you have for being able to tell if a guy likes a girl? Does it work with everyone?"
Tammy smiled and looked back at Frank.
"Well, it's written all over his face. He's obviously in love with Nancy."
Frank flushed and bent his head. Tonight was just full of interesting revelations. Apparently he was completely transparent to women. Swell.
Bess reached for the phone. "I'm calling Lars. I need to you to take a really good look at us together."
OOOoooOOO
Emily peered up over the edge of her magazine as Joe stepped out of the tiny shower compartment, a towel slung low around his hips and his hair still damp.
He sauntered past her and reached for his suitcase in the overhead bin, flexing his muscles and turning as he brought it down to the ground. She managed to keep her expression impassive, in spite of his very cute rear end.
He rummaged through his belongings, pulling out a pair of boxers.
"I'm still too wet to get dressed. I guess I'll wait for a while."
"Mmmm, yeah. That's probably a good idea."
Emily flipped through the travel magazine the railroad had left in their compartment, trying to appear nonchalant.
Joe allowed his towel to slip lower on his hips as he lifted his duffel bag back onto the overhead shelf.
"Did you want anything in your suitcase?"
"No, I'm fine."
She couldn't help smiling then, when she found herself at eye level with his taut abdominal muscles. Her eyes moved over them to the trail of dark blond hair that stretched from his navel until it disappeared under the edge of his towel. Her breath hitched. She cleared her throat to try and disguise it.
"Hey, you never told me what happened when you left the compartment. Was that Simone you saw?"
Joe moved over to the bed and sat on the edge.
"No, I must have been mistaken. I searched the entire train, and I didn't see anyone who even fit her description, let alone her."
"Maybe she went straight to a sleeper car like we did."
He shrugged. "Maybe. I'm sure as hell going to check every passenger who exits this train tomorrow when we pull into the station."
"But do you really think she would be on this train after what happened with Kathy? Wouldn't the senator want her to stay in the hospital with his daughter until he could get there?"
"Well, you'd think so, but who knows. And this train is headed to the same town we found information about in Simone's coded French novel."
Emily set the magazine aside. "Yes, but I'm still having a hard time believing she had anything to do with what happened in the monastery. After we stop in Usanne, the train continues into Paris. I mean, if she is on board, who's to say that she's not just taking it to its final destination. She might want to get some things for Kathy while she's in the hospital."
"That's possible," Joe allowed. "Although I can't imagine she would take such a roundabout route to Paris. I guess we'll just have to see tomorrow."
"So that means we'll have to get up early, huh?"
Joe shrugged. "The train doesn't pull into the station until nine-thirty."
He leaned back on the pillows and stacked his hands underneath his head, while Emily shifted to make more room for him on the small bed.
"The railroad's idea of a double berth is significantly smaller than my idea," she said.
He grinned at her. "We're going to be cozy, that's for sure."
Emily leaned over and brushed a still damp wisp of his hair off his forehead.
"Is that a problem?"
"You have to ask?" Joe ran his hand up and down her arm. "I still think you're too far away."
She moved again and her robe slipped from her shoulder. Joe frowned as he caught a glimpse of her bruise.
"Let me see, baby."
He turned her gently and surveyed her upper back which had now turned every color of the rainbow, but mostly green and yellow. He ran his hand over her skin. "Does this hurt?"
She leaned over him to turn off the light. "No, not unless you press on it. I still can't lie on my back though."
Joe grinned and reached for her, pulling her on top of him so that she straddled his hips while he untied her robe.
"That's okay. This works for me."
OOO
Emily giggled and shifted her weight, adjusting herself against him. Joe tried to hide a grimace as she brushed over his wound, but he could tell she'd noticed.
"You weren't teasing me that time, were you?" She slid away from him. "Honey, you're hurt and I don't think–"
"No, it's fine."
Joe turned on his side and wrapped his arms around Emily, spooning her into him. He buried his face in her hair and inhaled her scent.
All the love, tenderness, and desire he'd been forced to keep bottled up inside him since his case began, bubbled over into an overwhelming need to hold her, touch her, and keep her as close to him as he could.
Joe turned her toward him, and she parted her lips and slid her hands over his shoulders. He closed his eyes and groaned as she placed gentle kisses along his jaw.
"I've missed you so much, Joe."
He pushed her robe open and pulled her against him, a shudder of pure bliss running through him at the feel of her soft, warm skin meeting his. He held her there, kissing the top of her head lightly.
"I missed this. I missed us."
Emily tilted her head and Joe brought his lips to hers tenderly. He moaned low as she threaded her fingers through his hair. Joe tasted her with slow, openmouthed kisses, savoring what he'd been starving for over the past few weeks.
Pulling away, he stroked her cheek with the back of his hand. The moonlight shone through the window of their sleeper car, spilling across their pillows. Joe stared into the green eyes of the woman he loved and his heart swelled in his chest. He watched as she caught his hand and kissed his open palm. Joe swallowed hard and he brought her toward him again.
"I am so glad this case of mine is over."
"Me too," she whispered, running her hands down his arms. "Just think, you would have been spending the first night of your honeymoon with Kathy right now if we hadn't managed to rescue you in time."
And there was the bucket of ice water.
Joe looked at his girlfriend's sly smile and laughed.
"Thanks for that, you little mood killer."
"Sorry, I couldn't resist."
Joe chuckled, pulled her in close, and tickled her ribs. Emily squealed as she struggled to get away from him in the small space.
"I'm sorry! Joe, please!"
"This is payback for all those smartass comments you made to Kathy in the suite, too," he said. "What were you trying to do? Make me into the Hugh Hefner of Bayport?"
"Well, if the silk bathrobe fits…"
Joe grinned at her wickedly. "Fine. Two can play that game. I'll show you exactly how I earned my 'amazing in bed' reputation right now."
Emily's eyes twinkled. "I already know how you got that. But between our injuries and the limited amount of space here, we're going to have to be...creative."
Joe arched an eyebrow. "I consider us pretty 'creative' anyway. This will just be an extra challenge."
As Emily's hand slid to his navel and below, Joe groaned deeply and his hold on her tightened.
She smiled. "I accept your challenge."
OOOoooOOO
Nancy walked over to the bar and poured herself a ginger ale.
"Want one?"
"Sure." Frank slid onto a bar stool. "Hey, with Bess out for the evening with the girls, it looks like we might have this place to ourselves."
Nancy smiled up at him as she filled a glass with ice. He was so incredibly handsome. She thought she was just about the luckiest girl on earth. Frank Hardy was all hers.
"Yes, it does."
"How does a nice romantic evening in front of the fireplace sound?"
"It sounds wonderful." She handed him his ginger ale. "I do think Bess and the girls will be back in a few hours though."
Frank sipped his drink. "Yes, but we'll be in bed by then."
"Oh, will we?"
"Mmm, hmm." He set his glass down on the bar, stepped behind it, and pulled Nancy into his arms. "I know that for a fact, because I cannot seem to keep my hands off you."
Nancy closed her eyes as Frank held her and sighed. "You'll hear no objection from me."
"Spoken like the daughter of an attorney."
Frank's laugh rumbled low in his chest and Nancy smiled at the comforting sound of it.
He tilted her chin up. "I also can't seem to keep my mouth off you."
"Mmm, that sounds promising," she whispered as he brought his lips to her and kissed her, softly at first, then deeply.
Frank groaned and he pushed her up against the bar as the kiss intensified.
Nancy melted into his strong body. His muscles flexed in his arms and shoulders as he ran his hands up and down her back.
"Frank?" she whispered as he broke the kiss and moved his mouth to her neck.
"Hmm?"
"Can we just skip that fireplace part and go right to bed?"
"How about we skip the bed part and stay right here?"
He lifted her up onto bar and Nancy bent her head to cover his mouth with hers. His kisses were hot, wet, and aggressive, and she knew she was a goner. In a minute, she wouldn't remember her own name.
Frank slid his hands under her turtleneck and Nancy arched into him while she reached for the buttons of his shirt. She wanted nothing between that rock hard chest of his and her hands. She managed to get most of his shirt buttons undone, when she thought she heard something.
Frank's hands stilled and Nancy moaned in protest. He took a step backwards, and the rush of cold air hitting her warm skin jolted her back into reality.
They weren't alone.
She looked up to find Louis standing in the living room.
Great.
Some detective she was. The senator's aide had managed to unlock the door and enter the suite without her even knowing it.
That's what happened when your partner was sex on a stick.
Louis nodded in their direction and Nancy scrambled to straighten her appearance.
"Sorry for the interruption. I need to get some of Kathy's things."
Nancy wiped her hand across her lips and took a deep breath to steady herself. She was mortified. Frank had almost had her sweater completely off. Nancy shifted her position. Crap. Her bra was undone. Maybe Louis wouldn't notice. Yeah. Right.
Louis chuckled. "Don't look so embarrassed. I work in Washington, remember?"
"Um didn't Simone bring Kathy anything?" Nancy asked, eager to change the subject.
"Simone?" Louis looked confused. "I haven't seen Simone since Kathy had her breakdown. I don't even think she knows about it."
Frank ran his fingers through his hair to comb it, and Nancy couldn't help thinking how sexy that little gesture was. Damn Louis for interrupting.
"You mean you didn't page her at the restaurant tonight to tell her what happened?" Frank asked.
"No, I've been a little tied up at the hospital and on the phone with the senator."
"Oh. The girls mentioned that Simone had gotten a phone call and said she had to leave," Nancy said, crossing her arms in front of her chest.
"Well, maybe the senator called her. I don't know." He sighed and looked at Nancy. "Listen, I have no idea what she might need at the hospital. Could you help me out?"
"Sure," Nancy agreed. "Why don't you grab a suitcase out of the hall closet and I'll meet you in her bedroom."
Louis nodded and rounded the corner.
Nancy turned her back to Frank and lifted her turtleneck. "You need to fix this."
Frank slid his hands onto her ribs and then up over her breasts. He bent forward and whispered in her ear. "That's not what I had in mind."
Nancy's legs felt like wet noodles as she leaned against him. Her mind was going hazy. "Frank…"
He chuckled, adjusted her bra, and secured the closure for her.
A wave of disappointment washed over Nancy as she stepped away from him.
Frank kissed her then ran his thumb over her lower lip. "We will pick up exactly where we left off as soon as you get Louis out of here."
Nancy nodded, still too flustered to speak, and headed toward Kathy's bedroom.
She was about to set the world record time for packing a suitcase.
A/N: See you Monday, April 8th!