Grand Passion (30 page)

“You mean they were fakes?” Cleo demanded.

“Excellent fakes, Ms. Robbins.” Spark contrived to look offended. “Max can tell you that when I deal in forgeries, I make certain I deal in only first-class forgeries. Ninety-nine percent of the time no one can tell the difference between a good Spark forgery and the original.”

“Except Max?” Cleo asked.

Spark sighed. “Unfortunately, yes. Max has what amounts to a preternatural talent for telling the real from the fake. At times it was an extremely useful skill. At other times, it was rather annoying.”

“You mean you used Max's talent to make certain you didn't get burned yourself,” Cleo concluded. “But you worried that when you burned others, he might spill the beans?”

“Precisely, Ms. Robbins.” Spark's eyes glittered. “To my knowledge, however, he experienced an attack of integrity only once during the course of our association. That was when he delivered a certain painting to Jason Curzon. In retrospect I'm inclined to believe that it was not integrity but sheer opportunism that overcame him. Max saw a chance to better himself, didn't you, Max?”

Max kept his gaze steady. “We had a deal, Spark. I told you I wouldn't lie about a painting if one of your clients asked my opinion. Jason asked.”

“And shortly thereafter Max resigned his position as my odd-job man to accept a more lucrative offer with Curzon.” Spark smiled thinly at Cleo. “Once again I advise you to be cautious around Fortune, Ms. Robbins. Once he has his hands on those Luttrells, he'll be gone.”

“That's enough, Spark. I think we understand each other, don't we?” Max got to his feet.

Spark lifted one shoulder in an elegant shrug. “We always did understand each other rather well, Fortune.”

“One more thing. Make sure that you notify Nolan Hildebrand that you are no longer in the market for the Luttrells.”

“If you insist.”

Max folded his hands on top of the hawk and looked at Cleo. The deep sense of foreboding was eating him alive. “Let's go, Cleo.”

Without a word, she rose from the chair and walked toward the door. Max followed.

“Fortune,” Spark murmured softly behind him.

Max glanced back over his shoulder. “What is it, Spark?”

“I urge you to reconsider. I have a client who will pay a quarter of a million for those Luttrells. I'll split it with you, fifty-fifty. Think about it.”

“They're not for sale,” Max said.

“I was afraid you'd say that.” Spark raised a hand. “Take yourself off. I trust we won't run into each other again any time soon.”

“That will be just fine with me. By the way, you probably ought to know that my attorney has a sealed letter which is only to be opened if I suffer an unfortunate accident. The letter contains a short list of the more prominent forgeries that are presently hanging on the walls of some of your clients' homes.”

“You always were an ungrateful wretch.” Spark's mouth twisted wryly. “Never fear. I shall light candles for your continued good health.”

“Thank you. The deal we made still stands, as far as I'm concerned, Spark. You stay out of my way, and I'll stay out of yours.”

Spark looked at him. “It's going to be interesting to see how you adjust to married life.”

Cleo turned at the door. “He's going to do just fine, Mr. Spark.”

Max saw the warmth in her eyes. The tension inside him evaporated at last. It was going to be all right. Cleo was not going to hold his past against him.

Max followed her out into the hall and closed the door of Spark's room. Without a word he took Cleo's arm. Together they walked out of the motel and into the cold, misty rain.

“Well, that's that,” Cleo said as Max opened the door of the Jaguar. “What do you think?”

“About Spark?” Max watched her intently. “I think the same thing I thought before. He's not the one behind the incidents. But if I'm wrong and he is the one who's been harassing you, or if he put Hildebrand up to doing it, it will stop now.”

“You're sure?”

“Yes. Spark and I understand each other. He knows I'll destroy him if he gets in my way. But he also knows that I'll leave him alone if he leaves me alone.”

Cleo shuddered. “Why on earth did you go to work for that man in the first place?”

“I needed a job.”

Max shut her door and went around the nose of the Jaguar. He got in behind the wheel and turned to look at Cleo. He didn't know what to say.

Cleo looked thoughtful. “I think I know now why you didn't want me to come along with you this morning.”

“I used to pride myself on never screwing up,” Max said quietly. “But now when I look back, it seems to me my whole life was a screwup.”

“Nah,” Cleo said. “You're just feeling a little depressed this morning. You'll get over it.”

“You think so?”

“I'm sure of it,” Cleo said. She leaned across the seat and kissed him.

“I give up.” Ben grimaced at his image in the mirror. “I can't figure out how to tie this stupid bow tie. I've never tied one of these things before in my life.”

“Hang on a second, I'll get to you as soon as I've finished with Sammy.” Max concentrated on adjusting Sammy's tie. “Hold your chin up, kid. That's it.”

Sammy lifted his chin obediently as Max tied the black bow tie that complemented his tiny tuxedo. “Can I take Lucky Ducky?”

“You won't have any place to put him during the ceremony. You're supposed to be guarding the rings, remember?” Max finished his task and surveyed his work with a critical eye.

Sammy was wearing a perfect miniature version of the black and white formal attire that he and Ben were wearing. Max was well aware that this was the first time either Ben or Sammy had been exposed to the fine art of wearing a tux. He had told them it was never too soon to start.

“You look good, kid.” Max nodded once, satisfied with the effect. “Your mom isn't going to recognize you.”

Sammy studied himself in the mirror. “I look just like you and Ben, huh, Max?”

“You sure do.” Max picked up the little black jacket and stuffed Sammy's arms gently into it. He straightened the tiny cummerbund. “Now, whatever you do, don't get any dirt on this outfit until after the ceremony, understand?”

“Sure, Max. I'll be careful. Do you think O'Reilly will be here in time?” Sammy looked worried. He had been fretting about O'Reilly's belated arrival for the past hour.

“He said he'd be here,” Max reminded him. “If O'Reilly says something, you can count on it.”

The truth was, Max was beginning to fret a bit, himself, although he had no intention of revealing the fact. O'Reilly was normally close to compulsive when it came to matters of punctuality. There was no denying he was pushing the limits today. Max glanced at his watch for the fourth time in the past twenty minutes. The ceremony at Cosmic Harmony was scheduled to begin in an hour.

Ben fiddled with the ends of his tie. “Maybe he had a flat tire.” His eyes met Max's in the mirror, reflecting a trace of the unease Max was feeling.

“Could be,” Max agreed. “But he's got a car phone. He'd have called if he were going to be late. Here, let me take care of that tie. If you keep fooling with it, we'll have to get it ironed again.”

“I don't know why we had to get all gussied up like this,” Ben muttered. “Waste of time. I feel like an idiot in this suit.”

“It'll be worth it when you see the look in Trisha's eyes. Women are suckers for men in tuxes.”

“Yeah?” Ben looked intrigued by that notion. “You really think Trisha will like it?”

“Trust me.” Max took charge of the black tie, expertly shaping a perfect bow. “She's going to be swept off her feet.”

Ben fingered his starched white shirt. “I'm not sure about these little pleats. You don't think they look like something a girl would wear, do you?”

“Men have been wearing little pleats like this for nearly two hundred years. You're in good company.”

“You sure I don't look like a waiter in a fancy restaurant?” Ben asked doubtfully.

“You look like James Bond,” Max assured him.

Ben scowled. “I'd rather look like you,” he said gruffly. “That way I'd know I don't look like an idiot. You always look like you're supposed to look, y'know?” He groped for words. “You always look right.”

Max felt a peculiar twist of emotion. He could not recall anyone ever wanting to emulate him. “Just remember to wear the clothes with an attitude that says you're a lot sharper than they are.”

“If you say so.” Ben watched in the mirror as Max worked on the tie. “Where'd you learn to do this?”

“Jason taught me.”

Old memories swept through Max as he finished the bow and adjusted the points of Ben's collar. Twelve years ago he had been as dubious about the whole process of wearing a tux as Ben was today. Jason had tied the tie for him and had even had to show him how to wear the cuff links.

There was something satisfying about handing on the manly art of dressing for a formal occasion to another young man who was just as rough and unsophisticated as he had once been, Max thought.

“There, that does it. Let's take a look.” He stepped back to survey his work. “Perfect. You look like you've been wearing tuxes for years.”

Ben studied himself in the mirror. A pleased expression gleamed in his eyes. He straightened his shoulders. “I look older or something, don't I?”

“Cool,” Sammy proclaimed. “You look cool, Ben.”

“Yeah, I do, don't I?” Ben tugged on the jacket of the tuxedo.

“Just like Max,” Sammy said. He picked up Lucky Ducky and tucked the plastic duck under his arm.

“So, I guess we're ready, huh?” Ben turned away from the mirror. There was a slight but definite swagger in his step.

Sammy was instantly alarmed. “We can't go anywhere until O'Reilly gets here.”

“We'll wait for O'Reilly,” Max assured him. “Go to the window and keep an eye out for him, Sammy.”

“Okay.” Sammy raced for the window.

Max looked at Ben. “There's one more thing we've got to take care of before we leave for Cosmic Harmony.” Max reached into the pocket of his jacket and drew out an airline ticket folder.

“What's that?” Ben asked, momentarily distracted.

“Your honeymoon trip.” Max opened the lapel of Ben's jacket and stuffed the ticket folder into the inside pocket. “You're going to Hawaii for a week. It's a gift from the family.”

Ben's jaw dropped. “
Hawaii
. I thought me and Trisha were going to Seattle.”

“There's been a change in plans. You're driving to Seattle this afternoon, but instead of checking into a hotel downtown, you're going to the airport.” Max's mouth curved. “You'll stay the night at a hotel there. Your plane leaves at seven tomorrow morning.”

“
Hawaii
.” Ben looked dazed. “But we can't afford to go to Hawaii.”

“Like I said, it's a gift from the family.” Max briefly checked his own reflection in the mirror and tweaked the bow of his tie. “Now pay attention, Ben. When you reach Honolulu, there will be a limo waiting. The driver will have a card that has your name on it.”

“A limo. Holy shit. Trisha won't believe this.”

“It's all been paid for in advance. You don't even tip the driver, got that?”

“Yeah, sure. No tip.”

“The limo will take you to the Curzon Paradise. It's right on the beach. You'll have one of the honeymoon suites.”

“A honeymoon suite?” Ben was clearly over-whelmed. “But that must cost a bundle.”

It did, Max reflected, but he had no intention of telling Ben that. “The manager of the hotel is a friend of mine,” he said easily. “He owes me a favor.” What he owed Max was his job, but that was not important. In any event, Max was paying full price for the suite. Now that he was no longer working for Curzon, he wanted no favors from the corporation. “You sign for everything, got that?”

“Everything?”

“The hotel bill, the meals you eat in the hotel, the snorkeling equipment, and the Hawaiian dress you're going to buy for Trisha. Everything.”

“Damn, I can't hardly believe this,” Ben said. “Does Trisha know?”

Max smiled and slowly shook his head. “No. You'll get to tell her all about it on the way to the airport this afternoon.”

“She's gonna freak,” Ben said. “She's gonna be so happy.”

“That's the whole point,” Max said.

“Shit, Max. This is something else.” Ben stared at him. “I don't know how to thank you.”

“I told you this was a gift from the family, not just me. And if you want to thank us you can do it by taking good care of Trisha and the baby.”

“I will,” Ben vowed.

“And by getting back here as soon as the honeymoon's over, so that you can rescue me from whatever home repair disaster I happen to be involved in at the time.”

Ben grinned. “Don't worry, I'm not gonna abandon you to the plumbing. Hot damn, this is too much.
Hawaii
. Man, I hope I don't screw up at the airport or make a fool out of myself in that fancy hotel.”