| Treasure By Ladybug |
| Chapter 2 “Thanks for the tumble, babe.” Tanner winked as he tucked his shirt in and zipped up his jeans. He dumped the used condom in the wastebasket by the instructor’s desk. The blonde frowned as she scooted off the surface of the desk that he had propped her on. “That’s it?” she asked. Tanner turned away from her and headed to the door of the classroom where he had brought her. “It’s all I have time for, Allison. Be sure to lock up in here before you leave, huh?” Allison fixed her clothing and glared at Tanner’s retreating back. “You are such a bastard, Tanner.” He turned back to her as he opened the door. “You know the rules of the game, Allison, and you chose to play,” he said softly. “Yes, well, I didn’t know you were going to be so cold about it,” she sniffed. “Cold?” Tanner raised an eyebrow in amusement. “Tell me, Allison, was I so cold when you were moaning my name and telling me not to stop or when I brought you to your third orgasm?” “Go to hell, Tanner!” Tanner shrugged with a chuckle. “That’s what I thought. See you around, Allison.” Tanner headed down the hall to where his office was. He had already forgotten about Allison by the time he got there, his mind set on the things he had to do that day. He had phone calls to make, he needed to get some scuba equipment in for repair and his new scuba diving class was to begin on Saturday. As he entered the waiting area of his office, he noticed several people sitting, waiting to see him. Ignoring them, he proceeded to his office, passing his secretary and shut the door behind him. He was just settling at his desk when he heard the expected rap at his door. “Come in, Mary,” Tanner called out as he picked up his phone and began dialing. Mary Engle, Tanner’s secretary stepped into his office and shut the door behind her. She was a pretty older woman of fifty-plus years and she had a tendency to mother Tanner. He didn’t mind so much. She was a feisty old lady and was one of the few that Tanner held respect for. “Bruce,” Tanner spoke into the phone. “Hey dude, I got some tanks that need repair, can you get to them this afternoon?” He motioned for Mary to sit. “Great, I’ll have one of the guys bring the stuff down now.” Tanner laughed at something Bruce said. “No, no, no, I’m not that stupid.” He playfully winked at Mary. “Besides Mary would kill me if she thought I was trying to juggle three women at once.” Mary frowned at him disapprovingly, making Tanner grin. “Okay, dude, I’ll get those tanks to you. Talk to you later.” “Tanner Graves, I ought to take you over my knee,” Mary chided him as he hung up the phone. “Now Mary, you know me,” he laughed. “I’m not as bad as all that.” And he really wasn’t. Not in his opinion, anyway. Tanner liked women, but he gave the impression that he was more of a playboy than he really was. His little tumble with Allison earlier had been the first in almost a month, but no one would have suspected it by watching him. He always seemed to have a beautiful woman on his arm. “Maybe not, Tanner, but you are bad enough. You are thirty-five years old. It’s time you settled down and stop playing the field. Besides, with all those diseases being passed around nowadays, I would think you’d be more careful.” Tanner’s smile faded slightly. “I am careful, Mary and I’ll settle down when I am ready.” Tanner took the sting out of his words by winking at her. “Now tell me who all is out there and do they really need to see me?” Mary sighed, knowing that she had pushed Tanner as far as she dared. “Okay, there is Mr. Fredrickson from the PADI office in Washington. A Stuart Williams, who is here to interview for that part-time position and lastly, Larry Town, from Shep’s Plumbing, here to fix the leak in the shower stalls in the men’s room.” Tanner leaned back in his chair. “Okay, bring in Mr. Fredrickson, send Stuart Williams down to Mike and call Mike and let him know I want him to do a pre-interview for me. If he thinks the guy will do for the job, then set up another interview with me later, and direct Mr. Town to the men’s room.” Mary nodded and stood up to go do as Tanner had requested. A few hours later, Tanner opened his door and escorted Mr. Fredrickson out of his office. “Glad you could make it out here, John,” Tanner stated as they shook hands. “Take some time to tour the facility. Mary can arrange for someone to guide you around.” “Thanks, Tanner, I think I might do that.” “Mary, could you arrange that please? I’m going to lunch now.” Tanner started to turn back to go into his office when his attention was caught by a woman standing by the window, staring out. She was a pretty woman, tall, slender and wore a simple cotton floral print summer dress. Her brown hair hung down straight about her shoulders and she had a wistful look on her face that was both sad and happy. There was something vaguely familiar about her as she turned towards him. Gabby blinked several times as if trying to focus then her heart skipped a beat as she looked upon probably the most gorgeous man she’d ever seen. Good lord! she thought to herself. That’s Tanner? He watched as recognition lit her blue eyes and his breath caught in his throat as she suddenly smiled at him. “Tanner!” Jesus, this woman was breathtaking! he thought. He blinked several times, then frowned when he realized that she had called him by name. Quickly, he ran through the list of women he’d been involved with over the last fifteen years and mentally shook his head. No, he didn’t know her; he would have remembered her. She was moving towards him now and still he had the feeling he knew her. “I’m sorry, have we met?” She stopped before him and looked up into his handsome face. “You don’t recognize me, Tanner?” She waited patiently as he studied her face. After all, it had been fifteen years since they last saw each other and she had changed a lot. She knew the instant that he recognized her. His brown eyes grew large and his breath sucked in between his slightly parted lips. “Gabrielle?” Her smile nearly blinded him as his gaze swept over her from head to toe. “My god, you’ve grown up,” he breathed softly. Gabby laughed. “And you got more handsome, if that is at all possible!” Tanner Graves was what masculinity was all about. He was tall and muscular. His jeans hugged his well-defined thighs and narrow hips. A black tee shirt stretched across his torso, showing off the broadness of his shoulders. He had that rugged look about his face that most women swooned over. His hair was dark, almost black. It was long and naturally curly, brushed back from his face and falling in ringlets past his shoulders. He had high cheekbones, a straight nose and brown eyes that were the most intense, expressive brown eyes she’d ever seen. He had a dangerous look about him, but she guessed it had to do with the style of beard he chose to wear. It looked more like a goatee, framing his full lips, but he took it further by growing a line of beard that hugged the length of his jaw back to his sideburns. The last time she had seen him, his hair was much shorter and he had just started growing the beard. Tanner grinned as he suddenly reached out to draw her into his arms. “Damn, Gabby it’s good to see you!” Gabby wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face against his chest. “It’s good to see you too, Tanner. I just wish it was under better circumstances.” Tanner frowned as he released her and took her hand in his. He led her into his office and shut the door. “Yes, just why are you here?” he asked as they turned to face each other. Tears suddenly filled Gabby’s eyes and spilled down her cheeks. “Hey, babydoll,” Tanner began as he moved towards her. “Daddy is dead, Tanner.” Tanner froze, his face a mask of confusion. “What?” “Three weeks ago. It was a car accident. A tire blew and he lost control and slammed head-on into a wall.” Gabby’s hand flew to her mouth to muffle a sob that tried to escape. “My god, Gabby,” Tanner whispered as he closed the distance between them and once again wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. He brushed his lips across the top of her head then laid his cheek against it. He felt her shudder as she drew in a deep breath. “I had no idea. Why didn’t anyone tell me?” Jacob Krinard had been the closest thing to a father that Tanner had ever had. When he had returned to Miami about six months ago, he had contacted Jake again and they had begun meeting several times a week. Jake had always treated Tanner like a son, having taken him under his wing at the tender age of thirteen, when a boy really needed a father and Tanner’s was nowhere to be found. Tanner always believed that Jacob Krinard had saved his life. He had been heading down a path that was filled with violence and most likely death when Jake had caught him trying to break into his car. Rather than turning him over to the police, he had taken him home and made him a part of his family. And now he was gone. Gabby pulled her head back to look up at him. She saw the tears that were forming in his eyes. “I would have told you, Tanner, but I didn’t know where you were. I had no clue that you were back in Miami. Daddy never told me. I only learned you were here yesterday.” Tanner took a deep breath, feeling a tremor rack through his large frame. “I didn’t get to attend the funeral,” he whispered softly, more to himself than to Gabby. “Oh Tanner, I’m so sorry.” Gabby hugged him tight as the tears began to flow again. “I know how much you loved him and he always thought of you as a son.” “Have you had lunch yet?” he asked suddenly as he released her and swiped at the tears that threatened to spill from his eyes. He pushed his emotions down. He couldn’t deal with this now. He needed to be strong for Gabby; she would need him now. She was all alone with no family and he had made a promise to Jake several months ago when Jake had first told him about his suspicions that if anything ever happened to him, that Tanner would take care of Gabby. “No,” Gabby answered wiping at her cheeks, wondering at the sudden change. She knew this had to be a shock to Tanner. “Tanner, I-” “Come on, we can talk over some fish tacos,” he said, cutting her off as he took her hand. “I know of a great place. It was Jake’s favorite place to go when we would meet.” Twenty minutes later, they were seated at a small booth at the back of a popular seafood stand. They had both ordered and now waited for their number to be called. Tanner reached across the table and covered Gabby’s hand with his own. “So how are you doing, Geek?” Tanner asked with a smile. Gabby laughed at the old nickname Tanner had given her when she was a kid. He had dubbed her “Geek” when he found out her full name was Gabrielle Elizabeth Krinard, her initials spelling “G.E.K.” “I’m hanging in there, Tanner. It’s hard, though, I miss him terribly.” Tanner squeezed her hand gently. “I know. God, I wish I had known, I would have helped you with the funeral arrangements.” His deep voice broke on the last part and he withdrew his hand to cover his face and rub roughly. “I can’t believe he is gone,” he said softly. “I always thought he was invincible. What the hell happened, Gabby?” Gabby understood the anger mixed with the grief. She had already been going through it and still was. “The police investigated the accident and said that’s exactly what it was, an accident. The front passenger tire blew. They said it was bald.” Tanner’s hands slammed down on the table, making Gabby jump. His face was tense, his eyes narrowed with anger. “That’s bullshit!” he growled. “Your father was a stickler for keeping his vehicles in top condition. He was religious about getting the oil changed and having the tires rotated or replaced. He would never have allowed a tire to go bald.” Gabby swallowed hard. She had never seen Tanner angry and the look on his face now scared her. “I know, Tanner. I told the police that, but they said that he must have let this one slip by.” “You know he wouldn’t do that, Gabby!” She nodded as they heard their number being called for their lunch. “I’ll go get it,” Tanner said, jumping up from his chair and heading for the counter, giving himself a chance to settle down before he did something rash. A minute later he returned and sat the tray in the middle of the table. They ate their fish tacos in silence, both lost in thought as to what might have really happened to Jacob Krinard. When they were finished, they pushed their empty plates aside and reluctantly went back to the subject at hand. “Yesterday I attended the reading of Daddy’s will,” Gabby began. “He left me everything, including his half of the business.” “Really?” Tanner answered. “I bet Frank Dunlap wasn’t too happy about that.” “No he wasn’t,” Gabby replied with a shudder. Tanner’s eyes narrowed as he caught her reaction. He leaned forward, his arms propped on the table and voiced his suspicions. “Babydoll, has Dunlap ever tried to touch you?” Gabby’s eyes widened at his question, then she looked away quickly. “I just don’t like the way he looks at me.” Tanner reached across and grabbed her chin and turned her to look at him. “That’s not what I asked, Gabby. Has Frank Dunlap ever tried to touch you?” Gabby had never told anyone of that night at her parents’ house party. She had been terrified of Frank after that. Even though he had never threatened her verbally, she knew by the way he looked at her that there would be hell to pay if she ever said anything. “Yes,” Gabby finally answered, her chin quivering. “That son of a bitch, I’ll kill him!” Tanner pulled back and started to rise. “No, Tanner!” Gabby reached forward and grabbed his arm, pulling him back down. Tanner’s dark eyes blazed at her, though his anger was directed elsewhere. “It was long ago.” Tanner sat back down, his hands clenched in tight fists. His breathing had deepened, causing his nostrils to flare. He was truly pissed and Gabby was glad Frank Dunlap was not present, because she had no doubt that Tanner would have killed him. “Please, Tanner, I need your help and you won’t be able to if you are sitting in jail for murder.” Tanner looked at her suspiciously. “Don’t you dare tell me you want to go after that crap that’s sitting at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean,” he growled softly. “Yes, I do,” she answered. She dug through her purse until she found the envelope and handed it to Tanner. “Hugh gave me this yesterday. Said that I was to get it upon Daddy’s death.” Tanner opened the envelope and pulled out the papers. He glanced over the map quickly, then opened the other paper reading it silently. “Ah hell, Jake, what are you trying to do?” he mumbled when he’d finished. “Daddy said you would help me, Tanner.” “Son of a bitch!” He shoved the two folded papers back in the envelope and handed it to Gabby. He shoved one hand roughly into his hair, messing it up. “Gabby, why do you want to stir up trouble with Frank Dunlap?” “Because Daddy obviously suspected him of something, and it was his last wish to have this carried out,” Gabby snapped angrily. They both glared at each other until finally Gabby looked away. That intense stare of his unnerved her. “You are right. Your father did suspect Dunlap of something, though neither one of us could figure out what. We guessed that whatever it was, it was located at the bottom of the ocean where that damn plane crashed,” Tanner informed her. “Frank Dunlap is no one for you to screw with, Gabby. It could very well be the thing that got your father killed and I won’t have Dunlap coming after you next!” “I know, Tanner, I’ve suspected the same thing, and if it’s true, if Frank Dunlap is behind Daddy’s death, then I want him to pay for it and I need your help to prove it. Please,” Gabby pleaded. She reached across and slipped her hand into his. Tanner weakened at her pleading blue eyes. Damn it, he’d always been a sucker when it came to Gabrielle Krinard. When she was eight years old, she had wrapped a thirteen-year-old boy around her little finger and twenty-two years later, Tanner Graves discovered he was still firmly wrapped there. He groaned as he dropped his forehead to his hands in front of him. He felt the softness of her fingers move against his cheek and he sighed heavily. “All right, babydoll, you win.” He raised his head and took a deep breath. “Let me take that map home and study it. I think I can figure out roughly where the plane is and we can get started looking.” “Sure, okay, but there is just one slight problem.” She tensed for the explosion she knew would surely come. “What’s that?” he asked suspiciously. “You are going to have to teach me how to scuba dive.” Gabby winced as she felt his hand tighten on hers almost painfully. “Christ almighty, Gabby,” Tanner growled. “Do you know how long that could take to get you certified?” “Tanner, you’re hurting my hand,” Gabby gasped and Tanner eased his tight grip immediately. “Sorry,” he mumbled as he gently rubbed her aching fingers between his large hands. “I’m a fast learner, Tanner, and from what I’ve heard, you are the best instructor around,” Gabby answered encouragingly. “Yeah, well that still won’t help us if Dunlap gets wind of what we are doing. At best it would take us a good week of classroom and then in the water training,” Tanner said. “Then I suggest we get started.” Tanner stared hard at her, but she met his gaze without flinching. “Are you sure about this, babydoll?” “Yes.” “All right, let’s get out of here. We have a lot to get ready for.” ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Treasure - Chapter 3 |