Hothouse Orchid (Holly Barker 6)

Holly sat up in bed and noticed that the TV was still on. Then she noticed that Lance’s face had appeared on the screen.

“I didn’t know you slept naked,” Lance said.

“Beast,” she said, pulling the covers up to her chin. “What do you want?”

“Just checking to be sure you made it in all right. Do you like our improvements to your place?”

“Very impressive,” she said.

“We also did some strengthening of the structure and slated the roof with double fasteners. You have hurricanes down there, you know.”

“I seem to remember.”

“Go back to sleep,” he said. “All is well here.” The phone went dead, and the TV returned to CNN.

She was almost asleep when the phone rang again. She yanked the covers over her breasts, grabbed the phone and looked at the TV. This time, it was just CNN. “Hello?”

“Holly? It’s Hurd Wallace.”

Holly had retired from the army with the rank of major after twenty years and as the commander of a military police company. An old army buddy of Ham’s, Chet Marley, had been chief of police in Orchid Beach, and he had offered her a job as his deputy chief, which she had jumped at. Hurd Wallace had been the man she had displaced when she was hired.

Chet Marley had been murdered, and Holly had become chief, with Hurd as her deputy. After a rocky beginning they had established a good, even warm working relationship, and by the time she had left to join the CIA, they had become friends. Hurd was now chief of police in Orchid Beach.

“Hey, Hurd,” she said.

“Too early for you?”

“Nah, I’m wide awake,” she lied. “What’s up?”

“Just wanted to welcome you back; Ham told me you were coming. Can I buy you some lunch today? There’s something I’d like to talk to you about.”

“Sure.”

“Ocean Grill at one o’clock?”

“Sure. See you there.

” She hung up, and by that time she was wide awake. She struggled out of bed and into a shower.

3

Holly walked into the Ocean Grill in nearby Vero Beach, a barnlike, old-fashioned Florida seafood restaurant, and found Hurd Wallace waiting for her. Hurd was still tall and thin, but his black hair was half gray now. They hugged.

“Long time,” she said.

“Too long.”

They were shown to a table and given menus.

“What brings you back to Orchid Beach?” Hurd asked.

“Something really weird,” Holly replied. “A vacation.”

Hurd laughed. “You haven’t changed; you always worked too hard.”

“Well, there’s always too much work and never enough time to do it,” she said.

“Are you enjoying your work?”