Paradise Burning by Blair Bancroft

Author:Blair Bancroft
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: mystery, wildfire, forest fire, romantic suspense, florida jungle, romance, suspense, trafficking, thriller
Publisher: Blair Bancroft

From his third-floor office with the wraparound view Peter watched Mandy’s car disappear into the parking area under the house. It was now or never, he supposed. Rejection Nine Hundred Ninety Nine coming up. Well . . . maybe not. She wanted her very own Bubba or Bubette, and he was only too willing to cooperate. Since when had Peter Pennington been above the oblique approach, or even a bit of skullduggery, to achieve his goals?

With carefully contrived nonchalance he arrived in Mandy’s office just as she was tossing her cardigan sweater into a corner of the counter. “I’ve stopped counting birthdays,” he said, hoping he didn’t sound as awkward and defensive as he felt, “but I don’t mind celebrating. How about joining me for dinner tomorrow? I was thinking The Pelican. Great view of the gulf.”

Mandy looked him over from head to toe, slow and penetrating as an X-ray. “Not too bad for a day short of thirty-seven,” she pronounced. “How does it feel, old man?”

“Like one more word and you may have to run for it.”

Mandy flashed a smirk. “Okay, big boy, you asked of it. I’ll cook. My RV, seven o’clock.”

Not even Peter’s surge of pleasure at Mandy’s invitation could dull his shock. “Uh, that’s okay, Mouse. No need to fuss. You’ll, uh, love the view at The Pelican,” he stammered. Mandy gave him Eleanor’s glassy stare. Damn!

“I took a course,” she informed him stonily. “I’ll go easy on the arsenic. No gulf view, but we can walk down to the river after supper.”

Thumb over his big mouth, Peter eyed his wife warily. “You learned to cook?”

“Scared you won’t make it to thirty-seven plus one?”

“Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why did you learn to cook? I presume AKA hasn’t started starving its employees.”

Mandy shrugged and swung her chair around, presenting her back.

“Mandy?”

She ducked her head, her words little more than a defiant whisper. “You . . . you used to make fun of me. Said I wasn’t a real woman—”

Oh, shit! “I was only teasing, Mouse.”

“But you were right. I was about as one-dimensional as a girl could get. Mega computer nerd. Learning to cook seemed a good place to start branching out.”

Why was he standing here questioning his good fortune? Mandy had just invited him to her RV. Even if the food was inedible, she’d opened a crack in her armor. He was in.

Peter made a formal bow. “Mrs. Pennington, may I say that I would be delighted to accept your invitation to dinner tomorrow night.”

The doorbell rang.

No need to look at the wallet badge being held up by the man standing outside Peter’s front door. Dark suit and tie, the face of the boy-next-door turned forty, serene blue eyes only slightly dimmed by the weariness of the world, a physique only an eighteen-year-old might challenge in a foot race. The FBI had arrived.

“Special Agent Doug Chalmers,” the visitor said, his face lighting in a remarkably attractive smile as Peter invited him in. Several minutes later, coffee cups in hand, the three sat in the living room, the air alive with speculation.

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