27
“I thought you were going to make dinner while I showered?”
“I did.” She grinned at him. “Voilà.” Taking a bite of the pizza, she kept her beer steady that she was holding in the center of crossed legs as he jumped and sat down on the bed.
“You’re looking rickety there, old man. You’re neck really is hurting, isn’t it? I thought you were joking.”
“Nope.” He slowly moved a pillow to place it behind his back before settling back with a slice of pizza.
She reached over to her side table to hand him a beer.
“How’s Gavin?” she asked.
He finished his bite of pizza before answering. “Not good. He eats, works out, and sleeps. He barely talks. I’m worried about him. Viper and Ton are constantly there, but it makes no difference; it’s as if he doesn’t see them.”
“I wish there was something I could do.” She chewed thoughtfully trying to think of something that would make a difference. She would go and see him, but thanks to the monitor, she wouldn’t be going anywhere until it was off. “Damn it, I just thought of something. I can’t search more clues until this monitor is off.”
“It’s not like were making any progress anyway. None of the teams have.”
Crazy Bitch stretched her arm out to grab a notebook from the drawer of her nightstand, setting it down next to him on the mattress.
“I started a notebook to keep the clues straight.”
Calder took the notebook, opening it to read the clues, concentrating on the page that had the last clue.
He read it aloud.
“The ground beneath me is frozen. No kings or queens live here. You can enter my gates, but unless you have an invitation, you won’t be allowed to stay and rescue the damsel.”
“We checked every floor of the castle we stayed in. I didn’t see any damsel in distress or how to save her.” Crazy Bitch handed Calder another slice of pizza before taking another for herself.
“Maybe we placed too much trust on the others in being able to recognize the clue. What if they missed it?”
“We could have, too,” Crazy Bitch agreed. “The only way of knowing is if we go back and actually go to the other castles. I’m game for a road trip.” She used her elbow to tap the ankle monitor. “But until it’s off, it will have to wait.”
“Or someone else finds the treasure.”
“Bite your tongue. I refuse to believe anyone else will win it before us.”
Calder stopped chewing. “What if someone else thinks the same thing? We’ve been ahead this whole game. Maybe someone doesn’t want us to get there first. Why would someone plant drugs in the car you were driving? There had to be a reason.”
“I have a reason for you. That sheriff was an asshole. You want another slice of pizza?”
“No thanks. I’m full.”
Crazy Bitch took her last bite, closing the pizza box as she finished her beer. Carrying the box and empty beer bottles into the kitchen, she then went to her bathroom to wash her hands and brush her teeth.
Leaving the water on to get hot, she filled a cup with hot water before turning it off. Opening her bathroom closet, she searched for a vial of massage oil, putting it in the cup of hot water to heat. Carrying it into the bedroom, she set it down on the bedside table next to Calder.
“Alexa, dim my lights.”
Her overhead light went to dim mode.
“If you can do that, why do you ask me to turn the light off?” Calder asked.
“I don’t want you to get lazy.” She gently took the pillow out from his back. “Now lie down on your stomach.” She kissed his cheek when he did. “I thought you would argue with me.”
“Any time you want me to lie down, all you have to do is ask.”
She broke the top off the massage oil, letting it spill into the palms of her hands. Working the oil into his neck muscles and shoulders, she felt the coiled tension under her fingertips.
“Sex Piston took my appointments today. I told her I’d take hers for the next two days. I also told her we would watch the kids if she and Stud want to check out the castles to double-check that we didn’t miss anything.”
“That feels amazing,” he groaned. “I was going to have a talk with Stud tomorrow. It can wait until he gets back.”
“About Star?”
“Yes.”
“I think it’s the right decision.”
“I’m going to talk to him, but I’m going to play it the way he wants.”
Crazy Bitch straddled him on the bed, putting her weight on her knees and not on him. She edged her hands down to his shoulder blades, then his sides, working the knots and tension out of him and letting the room go silent to put him in a peaceful frame of mind. She knew when he had fallen asleep; he sank deeper into the mattress and his body became heavier.