Chapter Three

The next two days passed feverishly as George was in contact with various agencies in the UK and the US. Jessica had a lot of information to pass on and now others were doing it so she could focus on the coming and going of both RVs as well as the occupants. They seemed to have accepted them as typical campers. She knew they had investigated JB Fletcher. She had twenty-two books published. She just hoped there wasn't much snooping into her affairs assisting the police with cases. She knew most people thought they were publicity stunts and she tried to keep her contributions to solving murders out of the public eye.

Jessica was thrilled to see the change in George. His spirits were lifted. It was probable that there would be arrests and indictments. He was being very affectionate as well. She loved his kisses, caresses, and smiles. He spent a lot of time monitoring what was happening around them, sometimes by sitting outside with a book or with his fishing tackle making lures. Other times he was inside staring at the computer.

Being together so much was comfortable. Sure, George was a lot freer with himself than normally. Oh, he wasn't walking around in his boxers or anything but he was more open with his expressions and didn't shy away from discussing his feelings. She was less open but she kept things honest. If she was uncomfortable, she spoke up. He wanted to know how she kept her legs so smooth when he didn't see a razor in the bathroom so she had to explain waxing to him and a few other grooming tips women suffered through. She told him he might want to go to a salon and get a wax job somewhere to see what it was like but he was adamantly opposed to that idea which had her laughing.

They began walking in the early morning hours and returning to shower and clean up to spend a few hours indoors investigating the neighbors. Their RV and car were no longer breached while they were out shopping or exploring. They greeted them when they ran into each other but mostly when they were sitting outside in the evening.

They had just come inside to head to bed when they heard loud voices. Jason and Mark were arguing. Jessica peeked out once but closed the curtain at George's urging.

"Darling, this might be a distraction. I want you to watch the monitor to see if the women appear. I'm going to pretend I'm loading up the car with our fishing gear." He stepped outside through the driver's door and went to the car.

The arguing continued but Jessica thought it was telling that Todd and Regina's RV was silent. They were inside though and her sons and their wives were inside the tents in front of the RV but they didn't peek out to see what was happening either. She also watched George. She didn't want anyone sneaking up on him. Twenty minutes later, George returned inside. The women, Sarah and Marnie, hadn't appeared.

"I locked everything up tight in the car and here too," remarked George. "Anything happen on the monitor?"

Jessica shook her head. "Do you believe it was a real disagreement? No one else peeked out or paid attention to them."

"They may have been doing something and they needed noise to drown it out," mused George. "Or they wanted us to pay attention to them and not somewhere else. Let me see the monitor for a minute."

He fiddled with the camera controls for a minute. He rewound it half an hour and began watching. He split the screen so she could watch in real time.

"Jessie, look," he whispered. "There on the screen was the camera facing the road behind them. A car appeared and drove slowly with the lights off. They parked alongside Todd and Regina's RV, on the driver's side so it wasn't visible to the other RVs. The interior light came on briefly but they could see two men before the door closed and the light went off. They went inside the RV and presumably were still inside.

"George, go and turn off the lights so they think we're going to bed." suggested Jessica. She turned on the television set in the bedroom so they would see the flickering light through the curtains and think they were watching TV in bed.

George continued to watch the monitor and forty minutes or so later, they turned off the tv. George took his laptop into the bathroom for a few minutes longer then turned off the bathroom light.

"I have it recording so we can watch in the morning," he whispered. He started removing his clothes in the darkened room. "You don't plan on sleeping in your clothes, do you?"

"I forgot," she admitted sheepishly. She got off the bed and began undressing in the dark. George came over and hugged her. They were both in their underwear and he was careful not to pull her too close.

"Jessie," he breathed.

Jessica felt him tremble. His face came closer and he kissed her with a ferocity that took her breath away. He stepped back, putting distance between them.

"Goodnight, love." He turned to leave the room. "I'll sleep on the sectional tonight." He left.

Jessica was torn. Emotions were rising and there was tension in the air, not just physical attraction but the heightened awareness that comes from investigations. She finished dressing in her nightgown and crawled into bed. Lying there in the dark, she couldn't help feeling alone. She had gotten used to sleeping in the bed with George.

She didn't sleep as well as she normally did and rose early. She put on her robe and walked out of the bedroom. George was still asleep on the sectional. His chest was bare and his lower half was covered by a sheet but she couldn't tell if he was wearing anything.

She started the coffee and went back inside the bedroom to shower. She came out wearing her robe just as George entered the bedroom.

"Good morning, Jessie." He went over and kissed her cheek. "You're up early."

"I think I was too excited to sleep very long," admitted Jessica. She pulled underwear out of the dresser and turned to find an outfit in the closet. Turning back she found George standing there looking at her underwear on the bed. She couldn't help her blush. It wasn't sexy lingerie but she wasn't used to anyone staring at her more intimate items of clothing. "George?"

"You're one of those women that has her underwear matching?" he asked.

"Well, for the most part but sometimes I buy separates on sale," she explained softly.

"It took me a long time to fall asleep without you, lass."

"George…"

"And now I'm thinking you aren't wearing anything underneath your robe," he said, staring at the belt of her robe.

He turned suddenly and went into the bathroom and a moment later the shower started.

Jessica took a deep breath and began dressing.

She was flipping an omelet out of a pan when George appeared.

"I'm sorry, lass," he said contritely. "I don't want you to feel uncomfortable in your own home."

She looked at him. "I know there's sexual tension at times, George." She looked away. "Thanks for being patient with me."

Jessica's cell phone rang. "Goodness, who is calling this early?" She answered and it was her brother, Martin. She walked back into the bedroom while speaking.

She returned a little while later and popped a couple slices of bread in the toaster.

"Lass, what is it?"

"Martin has to cancel their trip out here for the Fourth of July. They were going to rent an RV and they were given the "fourth" slot since it was only for three days. It's the spot in the front that blocks the view of the road and makes us a 's only used on weekends when the limits are increased." She sighed. "I haven't seen him in nearly three years."

"Will he be able to get a refund on his reservation?" Ever practical George asked.

"Yes, apparently there's a waiting list so they filled the vacancy immediately. Now there'll be strangers blocking our view for three days," answered Jessica.

George knew Jessica was disappointed and he squeezed her shoulder as he passed her.

George spent several hours emailing and speaking on the phone. He stayed in the bedroom with the television on so it would be hard to overhear him. Jessica did some research but also took notes for her new book. She looked out the window every now and again to keep watch on the neighbors. There was a lot of movement but no one was leaving which wasn't normal. Perhaps it was a day of relaxation but it seemed to her that they were paying attention to her. She knew they could see her through the window and she spent a lot of time typing. She would rub her head or stretch her neck as though frustrated with what she had written so far.

She got up to pour a glass of iced tea and took it back to the desk. George had watched last night's cameras and it appeared as though the two men were still inside. Maybe they were trying to figure out how to get them away without notice? She rose again and went into the bedroom.

George was watching the monitor so he must have had the same idea.

"Are the doors locked?" he asked.

"Yes," answered Jessica. They agreed to keep all doors and windows locked when they were inside. "Now that I'm not up front, do you think the men will try to sneak away?"

They hoped the men would leave soon but after an hour it didn't seem likely. The noise of an RV parking in the fourth slot had Jessica moving up front to see who was moving in but George stayed in the bedroom keeping an eye on the cameras.

Their newest neighbors drove a rented RV according to the advertising on the side panel that stretched the length of the camper. It didn't take very long for them to park and hook up to the utilities so they must be experienced set out chairs and an umbrella and table next to the door of the RV and three men sat down looking around. Jessica noted they were dressed in shorts and T-shirts and sandals. Their clothing looked brand new. Taking in their clean cut appearances and stiff demeanor, she thought they didn't look very relaxed at all. In fact, under different circumstances she would think they were FBI or at the very least some type of government agency.

She went into the back room to speak with George. He came up front to have a look at the men and nearly laughed out loud.

"I would say they are almost the stereotypical government employees common the whole world over." he smiled. "Now that they've been clued in I think we'll see arrests soon or at the very least some departures."

Jessica shut down her computer and went to look in the fridge for something to nibble on. George made his world famous popcorn. Jessica smiled when she saw it was popcorn flavored with seasoned salt and parmesan cheese from a shaker can. They took the bowl of popcorn, some fruit, and glasses of lemonade outside. The other two RVs appeared deserted although Jessica knew they were inside.

Jessica waved at the three men, one barely waved back, the other two just nodded. They spent a desultory hour just enjoying the fresh air and the occasional breeze that swept through. Jessica looked at George and lifted her eyebrows. George lifted her hand and kissed it. Jessica smiled at him then nodded her head toward the RV. George stood quickly and picked up both glasses to carry inside. Jessica followed with the empty popcorn bowl and remnants of the fruit. Setting everything on the counter, they headed to the bedroom.

"There isn't any movement at all from the other two RVs. How do they keep the kids quiet for so long?" asked Jessica. George had settled in front of the computer and logged on to watch the cameras. She walked behind him and put her hands on his shoulders. "They probably think we came inside to have a nooner."

"What's a nooner?" asked George.

"Never mind," answered Jessica quickly, coloring slightly. She moved away and sat on the bed.

George laughed and waggled his eyebrows. He pushed back his chair and sat beside her on the bed. "We can make appropriate noises if you'd like." He gave her a small tickle with his fingers and she gave a yelp.

"Don't you dare, George," she laughed. Looking into his eyes she could see the fire lurking in the depths, waiting to ignite.

He leaned closer and reached for her again. This time to place a gentle kiss on her lips and then her shoulder. He moved to her neck and then her cheeks, placing his kisses as he moved.

"George," she breathed. She let him capture her lips again and she enjoyed his kisses for a few minutes. They were lying lengthwise on the bed, hands were moving, touching, caressing when noises outside interrupted the quiet. George groaned but he got up and looked at the cameras. Todd and Regina's two sons were having a fistfight. While the fight was going on, the two men that had entered the RV last night, scurried out the driver's door and got into their car and drove off.

Jessica was pressed into his back and gasped but George assured her there were others watching and would probably pick them up outside of the camp site.

"Do we know who they are?" she asked.

"Low men on the totem pole, probably mules transporting items or other errands," replied George. He was enjoying the feel of her pressing into his back.

Jessica was disappointed that they were interrupted but it was probably just as well. She wasn't certain how far they would go or if she would stop him. George had his headphones on so he was probably listening to information from one of the agencies investigating their neighbors. She decided to start making dinner. It might be a busy night.

Jessica sat at the desk staring out the window again. She was working on her notes and doing research. The G-men, as she called them, were inside their RV. Jason, Mark, Sarah, and Marnie were inside theirs and had been the entire day. Todd and Regina and grandkids had taken a walk and hadn't returned yet. It was nearly dark so they would probably return soon. Their two sons and daughters-in-law had assembled the pup tents but were inside the RV at the moment.

George had already put up the outside table and chairs for the night. The doors and windows were locked and he took an early shower.

"Lass, tomorrow we're going into town early. I want to lock things up tightly and spend the day enjoying being with you." George arrived rubbing a towel through his hair. He was bare chested with a pair of shorts hanging dangerously low on his hips. He closed the curtains on the window in front of her. "Let's watch a movie."

She left her work on the desk but she powered down her laptop and closed it. Moving over to the sectional, she sat down on one end and reclined the seat. It was a double seat so George joined her and turned on the tv. It was nice snuggled together watching tv. Jessica felt her eyes drifting closed and decided to rest them for a few minutes. She woke up when she felt George kissing her brow.

"Lass, it's time for bed." he whispered softly. He helped her up and she trudged to the bedroom with her eyes closed. George pulled back the covers and slipped inside. Jessica slid her pants down and reached for her nightgown. She was suddenly wide awake. George was lying in bed watching her. She removed her blouse and hesitated. Lighting was dim in the room but visibility was clear. She unhooked her bra, removed it, and picked up her nightgown. She knew her face was red and she didn't dare look at George.

Tossing her clothes in the hamper, she walked around to the other side of the bed and got in.

George pulled her into his arms and rubbed her back. "My brave lass," he murmured in her ear. He could feel how fast her heart was beating. He didn't belittle how difficult it was for Jessica to move forward so he was pleased they were making progress.

Jessica tried to will herself to calm down. It was no big deal, right? A glimpse of her breasts was surely inconsequential, only it didn't feel that way. It had been so long since she was with Frank. She wondered if George liked them. Not that it mattered since she wasn't changing them. She didn't dare look at him. She grew tense worrying until he kissed the side of her head.

"Darling?" He turned her face in his direction. She couldn't meet his eyes. He moved his hands to her front and gently caressed her chest. "You're lovely." She relaxed slightly. "Try to sleep, lass. We've done enough for now."

Slowly Jessica's heart rate lowered and she was able to sleep. George kept her in his arms. He was surprised and elated at this turn of events. He felt they had crossed a huge hurdle. Not in the slightest did it mean she was ready for something more physical but she was becoming more comfortable with him and it pleased him. Of course, another part of him was doing somersaults. He couldn't wait until she allowed him the opportunity to pleasure her. Those breasts! Wowsers!