"Whynot?"
"Hmmm? Why not, what?" hereplied.
I groaned, pausing to watch him fiddle with his phone. Texas did the same, but he was likely playing his game. Marv wasn't even payingattention!
"Why don't I just dye my hair pink and become a flamingo?" I saidblandly.
"You would be a beautiful flamingo, Sunshine," he stated. "But we quite need you in human form rightnow."
Bellamy chuckled. I shot him a seething glare which only led to morelaughter.
"This is stupid," Isnapped.
Marv looked up, dropping his phone in his lap. "What'sstupid?"
"Just tell me what this party is! I need to know. How am I supposed to help you if you won't even tell me what it is that I'm supposed to bedoing?"
"You're not supposed to be doing anything yet, Harlow." Marv leaned forward. Texas glanced up from his screen. "This is just a preliminary meet and greet. We just want to show you off. If we show up with you in tow at the last moment, it will besuspicious."
"Who are you showing me offto?"
Marv grunted. "Talk to Knix," he said, then returned to hisphone.
I decided that the first chance I got, I would do justthat.
* * *
Knix was sittingon the couch watching an old rerun of a 90s TV show when we returned. I made a beeline for him, intent on getting some answers. He looked up, lines of happiness forming at the edges of each eye, his lipstwitching.
"How'd it go?" heasked.
I opened my mouth to ward off his question and start my own interrogation when Bellamy cut me off. "She's beautiful." I sputtered, rounding back on him. He moved past me, grinning with the garment bag clutched in his hands. "You wouldn’t believe someone could look thisgorgeous."
Texas headed out of the living room, head down on his phone, and I had to wonder if he was playing his game at all or doing somethingelse.
"Knix," I said, standing in the middle of the livingroom.
His head jerked up. "Yea?"
"What is this party about?" I asked. "Who is going to be there? What do you need mefor?"
He arched a brow, sliding a look to both Bellamy and Marv, who stood a little behind me, holding the shoebox containing the silver heels that had bewitched them. Marv shrugged as Texas returned to the living room, sans phone, taking up position against the wall next to the kitchen’s entrance. The flat screen television cut off and Knix motioned for me to move closer. I did so hesitantly. He gestured for me to sit on the coffee table directly in front ofhim.
"You want to know?" It seemed a silly question considering how long I had been asking, but I nodded anyway. "Okay."
"Okay?" I said. "You're just going to tellme?"
"We've received some intel that there might be a scam going on in the area. It's on the wealthier side of town – near where Marv's parents live. Apparently, someone sends out free couples’ retreat invitations to specific people. When the couple arrives, they spend two days at a small private resort on an island just off the coast. The couples that have gone complain about things being stolen – family heirlooms, expensive jewelry, money from wallets,etcetera.”
“Officers haven't been able to catch anyone in the act. No one is allowed to leave the island the entire time that the couples remain there, and the staff changes every time. There's no way to know how the items are being stolen or how they are getting off theisland."
Marv coughed to get Knix's attention and I turned towards him. "My parents received an invitation about a month ago to go to this couples’ retreat. The company that owns the retreat and island are very good at keeping what has happened on the down low, so they didn't know. Fortunately, they won't be able to make it. Since the invitation is not specifically addressed to them as a couple but to the Carters, we decided it would be beneficial if I were to take theirplace."
It clicked. "You need me to act as yourcover."
He nodded. "The invitation is not for singles and this company is owned by very traditional, old, southern businessmen. Therefore, I can't go in with say Texas or Bellamy as a gaycouple."
"Why methough?"