[Desert Roses 03] - Beneath A Harvest Sky (14 page)

“But we’re generally a team,” Sonny threw out.

“Why didn’t you talk this over with me?”

Rainy realized how inconsiderate she’d been. “I’m sorry, Gabe,” she said, reverting to his given name. “I didn’t think. I just figured you’d want us to take the job.”

Sonny shook his head. “No, I don’t want to take the job. I didn’t want to take the last two jobs, but I let

Sam sweet-talk me into it. I need the time away more than I need the extra money. I have plans and things to prepare for.”

Rainy had no idea what could possibly be so pressing. “Look, it’s just for a couple of weeks. They couldn’t promise me that they could reschedule the time off immediately following this tour arrangement, but we’d get the time off before June for sure.”

“I need the time now, Rainy,” Sonny replied. “And I’m taking it. I already figured you’d respond exactly this way. I’ve asked Duncan to be your driver for what I thought was only going to be a day or two, but I’m sure he’ll drive you the entire two-week period if necessary.”

“You arranged it without asking me first?” Rainy questioned.

“Just like you accepted the Blythe/Vance tour without asking me.”

Rainy calmed at this and saw the logic of his reasoning. She couldn’t argue with the truth. “Well, I suppose Duncan is safe enough.”

“I trust him to take care of you and keep you out of trouble,” Sonny said, stepping forward. He took hold of Rainy and sighed. “This time off is important to me. My friends Jess and Richard are in town and . . .”

“Sonny! I hate to interrupt you, but Sam told me to talk to you before I left for the day,” Duncan Hartford stated as he emerged from La Fonda. “I’ve been looking all over for you.”

“Seems everyone is looking for someone,” Rainy muttered. She noted that Duncan carried the driver uniform. Ten-gallon hat, khaki jodhpurs, plaid shirt, and silk neckerchief were neatly stacked in the bundle Duncan held. “So you’re going to be my driver,” Rainy added before her brother could respond.

“He told you, huh? Hope you don’t mind,” he said, smiling rather nervously.

Rainy laughed. “Of course I don’t mind. I was surprised, but Sonny deserves to take the time off.”

Duncan watched her, almost as if studying her for some further response. Rainy grew a bit uncomfortable under the scrutiny. She knew if she looked deep into his eyes, she’d probably lose herself just as she had with Phillip Vance.

Maybe I’m just in love with the idea of being in love,
she reasoned and moved her gaze to Sonny, where she knew she’d be safe. But the worried expression on Sonny’s face did little to settle her nerves. Why was he so upset with her? And what was it that was making him suddenly act the part of the worried brother?

CHAPTER TEN

D
uncan felt rather apprehensive as he waited for the tour group to gather. He knew the route to Taos but was less familiar with the side roads of the touring sights and Indian dwellings. He studied the map Sonny had given him and read the little notes that Sonny had penciled in.

Watch for the turn at this point.
Sand is bad on the left-hand side.
Got stuck twice in this area
.

All the notes were given as little warnings to keep Duncan from putting the dudes in danger, but it all seemed a bit overwhelming. After all, he wasn’t here to be a driver—he was a spy. Duncan’s mind went to Rainy as he glanced over the top of the map. She stood only about ten feet away, explaining something to one of Jennetta’s friends. The woman seemed quite disturbed, and Rainy was doing her best to calm the situation.

She’s really a remarkable woman,
he thought.
She’s so
good with people and tolerates their moods with ease. How
could she possibly be a suspect in a crime?
It just didn’t fit the woman he thought he knew.

Still, the information given him just that morning left little doubt that there was still a big chance that Rainy and her brother were responsible for at least some of the thefts. The Hopis were missing several important pieces, and the artifacts hadn’t gone missing until after Rainy’s tour group pulled out only days ago.

Duncan had been on that trip, but he’d had no way to watch everyone at the same time. He couldn’t help but wonder how the thieves could have spirited the pieces away. They would have had to load them onto the touring car, yet Duncan had checked and rechecked the luggage and storage areas. There had been no sign of anything out of place.

The law officials had been convinced he was mistaken. They’d chided him for not being observant enough or for overlooking something. But Duncan knew how closely he’d watched Rainy and Sonny. Neither one seemed at all interested in sneaking around or keeping him from knowing their business. In fact, they seemed only too happy to have Duncan tag along and often included him.

“No, we can’t do it that way,” Rainy protested.

Duncan again raised his eyes to peer over the map.

“There are rules we have to abide by, ma’am. That’s just one of the many.”

“Well, I find it very inconvenient,” the woman huffed, then stormed off to where Jennetta stood arguing with one of her other friends.

Duncan smiled as Rainy looked his way. She took the smile as an invitation and joined him.

“The tourists are misbehaving, I take it?”

Rainy gazed heavenward. “You have no idea how silly they’re being. First, one wants to be allowed to sit up front. Then another wants to bring her parrot.”

“Her what?” Duncan began folding the map, but his gaze was fixed on Rainy’s rosy cheeks.

“Her parrot. Seems the woman’s best friend in the world is a parrot and she never travels without him. I told her I couldn’t have a parrot traveling with us, that sometimes special provisions were made for dogs— small dogs—but that a parrot was not going to be allowed.” She motioned over her shoulder. “And that one wanted us to take a different route to Taos so that she could stop by her housekeeper’s mother’s house, where she’s been promised a large bundle of herbs.”

Duncan grinned. “But you’ve managed to keep them all in line. I’m proud of you. It couldn’t have been easy.”

Rainy took off her hat and fanned herself with it.

“I’m really getting tired of it all. I almost wish I hadn’t promised Phillip that I’d be their courier.”

“Speaking of Mr. Vance, where is he?”

Rainy shrugged. “I have no idea. Jennetta said something about an herbal cleansing. I’m not at all sure what exactly that means, but I’m hoping it won’t delay us past eight.”

Duncan looked at his watch. “That gives him two minutes.” He glanced around the gathered group.

“Say, weren’t there supposed to be six guests joining us?”

Rainy grinned and leaned forward. “Mrs. Dupree has her moon in the seventh house or maybe it was the fifth house and one of the planets is not aligning as it should with her . . . hmmm . . . I forget.”

Duncan laughed out loud, causing the entire group to look at him momentarily. He ignored them and looked back to Rainy. “And all of this means . . .”

“She isn’t coming,” Rainy replied rather conspiratorially. “She’s not going anywhere until her moon straightens out.”

“I’m sure that’s for the best.” Duncan couldn’t help but be amused by the entire situation. “Ah, here comes the elusive Mr. Vance. Perhaps his moons were out of order as well.”

Rainy giggled. “Let’s hope not, for the sake of the tour.”

Duncan watched as Phillip greeted his sister and her friends, then made his way to Rainy. “I apologize if I’ve held the party up. My sister insisted I partake of an herbal steam bath, and I must say it did much to refresh me.”

As Rainy began complimenting the color and texture of Phillip’s blue cotton blazer, Duncan glanced down at his uniform and knew how ridiculous he looked. He couldn’t believe the Harvey Company had ever started such a uniform. There were rumors that Clarkson planned to tone down the outfit, but it wouldn’t matter to Duncan. Right now he had to wear the outlandish gear in order to fit his role as driver.

“Phillip, can you help me get everyone into the courier car?” Rainy asked sweetly. “We really need to be on our way. This isn’t our usual trip to Taos, and if we’re going to make it to Chimayo and then the Puye ruins by lunchtime, we’re going to have to be going.”

“But of course.” He raised her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers.

Duncan wanted to punch him and tell him to keep his hands to himself, but he knew Rainy was enjoying the attention by the look of pleasure on her face. She followed Phillip as he went to announce to the other ladies that it was time to go, while Duncan stood stock-still and watched the entire situation.

This trip was important. If artifacts disappeared on this trip, then it would be determined that Rainy had something to do with the thefts. Still, Duncan thought, if anything of value goes missing, there’s also the fact that Jennetta and Phillip are on the tour. They were on the last tour as well. Of course, he didn’t suppose they’d been on the previous tours when pieces had been stolen. But it was food for thought.

Desert flowers were blooming in their bold, vibrant shades. Flowers elsewhere might well delight the landscape with pastels, but here the shades were brilliant, almost as if they were competing for attention. Overhead, the sky was a deep blue without so much as a hint of a cloud. The day couldn’t have been more perfect.

As they set out, Duncan tried to keep his gaze fixed to the road, but his mind kept wandering as they made their way north to Chimayo. From time to time he couldn’t help glancing at Rainy, who told the travelers tidbits and tales from her Har vey Company monologue.

The guests were less than interested. Most talked as though the area had been their home for several years, leaving Duncan to wonder why they’d bothered to pay good money for the trip via the Clarkson Detours when cheaper modes of transportation could have been found. In fact, it made him wonder a lot, but he’d known the wealthy to do even more ridiculous things than take expensive tours. When he’d lived in Las Vegas, he’d heard of a wealthy woman who had huge quantities of ice brought in by train on a daily basis during the hot summer months. It was said she had a penchant for ice baths and filled her tub several times a day with ice and water for relief from the heat.

His mother also mentioned a woman who lived in Albuquerque who paid for the upkeep of seven automobiles so that she wouldn’t have to ride in any one car but once a week. He supposed the wealthy were given over to all kinds of quirks and idiosyncrasies.

Maybe taking this tour was just their way of being eccentric and lavish.

They arrived at Chimayo a little before ten. The road had been perfect and Sonny’s instructions proved to be accurate. Duncan allowed Rainy to direct him to where he might park the touring car.

“Just head up this road,” she told him, “then turn left at the first intersection, then turn immediately to your right.”

The dirt street was lined with small whitewashed homes. Long strings of chilies hung from poles on the porches, drying in the sunshine until they were needed for cooking. Here and there a dark-skinned woman sat before a loom, a riot of color woven upon its frame. The colors reminded Duncan of the desert flowers.

Warm, spicy aromas drifted through the air, causing Duncan to wish he’d eaten a more substantial breakfast. He stopped the car and secured the brake before looking to Rainy for further instruction.

“As you know, Chimayo is famous for weaving.

We’ll watch several weavers as they work on foot looms, and you’ll have an opportunity to purchase blankets or other woven goods,” Rainy announced.

She opened the car door and nodded to Duncan. “Go ahead and open their side door,” she told him.

Duncan had forgotten that Sonny generally did this task. It was such a well-established routine with Sonny and Rainy that he hadn’t given it much thought.

Duncan opened the door and helped the first two ladies from the car. Both were very thin and seemed intent on exploring. He stepped back to allow Phillip Vance to emerge. The man smiled at him and nodded as if they shared some special secret; then Phillip made his way to Rainy and took hold of her arm.

Duncan refused to let the situation defeat his true purpose, reminding himself that he needed to keep an eye open for anything out of the ordinary. The only problem was, he wasn’t really sure what was ordinary and what wasn’t.

Rainy led the group along a short cactus-lined path. Not knowing what else to do, Duncan followed.

He felt rather out of place and remained silent. Perhaps he’d go wait back at the car after he found out whether or not Rainy would need him for anything else. He didn’t want anyone trying to sneak something back to the car in his absence.

Rainy introduced the group of tourists to a short, plump Mexican woman named Maria, then stepped back as Maria began discussing the woolen yarn they used and the plants they procured for dying the various colors. Duncan noticed Phillip’s interest in the information and took the opportunity to separate his hold on Rainy.

“If you’ll excuse us for a moment,” he said to Phillip, “I need to speak with Miss Gordon.”