Suddenly Sexy

Julie saw the Taser in Mercedes’s manicured hands. Her stomach curled as she remembered the jolt of intense pain. She was tempted to rush and attack the blonde, but the sight of the weapon made her hesitate.

“Tyler is all messed up,” Mercedes complained. “Your boyfriend here just about took his head off.”

Julie glanced at Eric for confirmation. He gave her an I-told-you-so look. “Damn, I miss everything!” she said with a grumble. She would have loved to see Eric in action.

“You’re bleeding all over the carpet,” Julie said to Eric and held his jaw as she studied the cut on his forehead. “Where are we?” she whispered.

He tried to shrug but had to stop halfway. He winced and wrapped an arm around her bruised ribs. “Not far from the hotel.”

“Stop talking,” Mercedes ordered and patted the Taser. “I don’t trust you two.”

“With good reason,” Julie said out of the corner of her mouth. She stood up and wobbled on her stilettos as she took a peek out the windows. She saw Mount Rainier and it was a very similar view from the one at the hotel.

Julie faced Mercedes. “Are we at Boone Studios?”

Mercedes’s eyes widened in surprise and she tilted her face as if she sensed trouble. She didn’t answer and Julie decided that was enough of a confirmation.

“How did you come up with that?” Eric asked.

“I can observe and deduce,” she told him. “I can also add and subtract.”

Eric groaned, lay back down on the floor and closed his eyes. “Are we going to do this again? Do you really think this is the time and place?”

“Long division is still a challenge,” she said as if he hadn’t spoken, “but I can do the math. I can tell that Jeremiah Boone is going to meet us shortly.”

“Huh,” Mercedes said and gave Julie a speculative look. “You’re kind of smart for a party girl.”

Party girl? Where the hell did she get that idea? Julie knew she looked messed up, but not as if she’d been doing men and drugs all night.

She saw Eric slowly open his eyes and they shared a brief look. He didn’t have to say anything or give a signal. She was on the same wavelength as Eric.

Okay, she could do that. Party Girl Julie coming up. She wore the wrong dress and didn’t have the makeup for it, but this was a special circumstance.

She tried to make her eyes look bleary as she tousled her hair. “Mercedes, I am very smart. You should see me when I’m not wasted.”

Mercedes stood to attention. “How do you know my name?” she asked sharply.

Right. Julie tried to look as if she were in a drug-induced fog. She needed to be more careful on sharing what she knew. “It doesn’t matter.” She staggered to a chair in front of the desk and half fell, half slid into the seat. “I need a Vicodin. I have this mother of a hangover.”

“That’s from the Taser.”

She stilled at the unfamiliar male voice. The tension in the room thickened as Jeremiah Boone walked into the room. Julie tossed her hair, allowing it to fall in her face, as she studied the man.

Flashy. That was her first impression of him. His gray suit was tailored to exaggerate his shoulders. His scruffy beard and slicked-back hair were a little too carefully maintained. His bright gold jewelry distracted her. It was blinding as it hung from his ear, neck and wrist. She saw the gold on his hands and the jewelry looked more like brass knuckles than rings.

Appearances definitely mattered to Jeremiah Boone. In his office, in his clothes and in his women. She flicked a look at Mercedes, who stayed at the door.

But Jeremiah was taken in with the appearance of his other guest. He barely gave her a look. His attention was on Eric. Eric might be bloodied and lying on the floor, but Jeremiah saw him as the threat.

She might be able to use it to her advantage. She needed to distract Jeremiah so Eric could take them by surprise. If he could attack? She speculated, noticing Eric’s slow and painful movements.

“I could use a drink,” she declared and leaned back in her chair to spread out her legs. “Have any beer?”

“It’s the morning,” Mercedes said in a withering tone.

Julie tossed her hand in the air as if the time of day didn’t matter. “A Bloody Mary, then? How about a mimosa?”

“I want the cell phone.” Jeremiah’s deep voice cut through her request. He sat down at his desk and waited for Eric to respond.

Eric sat up and Mercedes took a few steps, her weapon aimed at him. Jeremiah had remained seated, but she saw how his body reacted. They were watching Eric very closely.