Page 12
Story: Capture the Rainbow
FOUR
THE STUCCO HOUSEin front of which Billie pulled up looked identical to all the others on the hard-packed dirt street. It was small, white-washed, and had the flat roof and arched windows she had noticed in most of the other houses around Marasef. The door was painted bright scarlet, and leaning against it was a dusty and perspiring Dave Balding. He straightened slowly, his warm smile of welcome swiftly fading as he caught sight of the bruised and bleeding giant in the backseat.
He hugged Kendra absentmindedly when she got out of the jeep and turned to Billie with a scowl. “I was wondering what took you so long. Joel was about to send a search party to try to locate you. We might have known you’d find some trouble to keep you interested.”
“That’s not fair,” Billie said indignantly. “I couldn’t help—”
“I know, I know,” Dave interrupted with a resigned sigh. “You never can, Billie. But I haven’t got time to listen to the story right now. Joel stationed me here to wait for Kendra and bring her over to his trailer the minute she showed up.”
Kendra tensed and then forced herself to relax. She had known she’d have to face him sometime. Why should she feel this sudden sense of panic?
“But I have to see Joel right away,” Billie protested. “I have to explain about Yusef and get Joel to find him a place to stay.”
“You’re keeping him?” Dave asked, gazing at the Arab warily. “He looks a little dangerous for a house pet.” He shrugged. “But so was the baby lion you bought in the bazaar last week. Joel probably won’t let you keep this one either.”
“This is different. I can’t let Yusef go back to Marasef,” Billie said, worriedly gnawing at her lip.
“She’s right, Dave,” Kendra said. “Billie’s discussion with Joel is much more important than anything he’d want to say to me. He’s probably just being polite and wants to welcome a new member of the team to Marasef.” She was relieved she had an excuse to postpone that first interview with Joel. “I’ll just wash off the travel grime, change clothes, and report to him later. Where is his trailer located?”
“Two streets over,” Dave answered, “on the edge of the village. Everyone except Billie is quartered in house trailers. She opted for inconvenience and atmosphere instead.” He was frowning uncertainly. “And I don’t think you’re right in believing Joel will give Billie’s wild man a higher priority than you. He’s just likely to tear a strip off me for not obeying his instructions.”
“Nonsense,” Kendra said briskly. “Help me take my bags inside and then you can go with Billie and Yusef to get their problem solved. It’s a much more sensible plan.” She reached for the large suitcase beside Yusef and suddenly found the Arab beside her, a bag under each massive arm and one in each hand. He nodded commandingly toward the door and Kendra found herself obediently opening it and stepping aside for him to enter.
He strode briskly through the central living area and through the beaded curtains that served as a door to the room at the rear of the house. He plopped the suitcases down beside one of two beds that was more a narrow couch with a multitude of colorful cushions scattered upon it. He turned to look at her impassively, his bulk appearing even more intimidating in the small room.
“Thank you,” she said faintly, her eyes wide in surprise. He seemed to understand though. His dark face remained expressionless as he nodded curtly, brushed by her, and strode back through the house out the front door where Dave and Billie hovered.
Kendra followed in his wake. “I can see what you mean by him being overprotective,” she told Billie dryly. “I don’t think I’ve ever had such a forceful bellhop.”
Billie was beaming at her charge like a proud mother. “I told you everything would work out. Yusef will adjust to the situation in no time at all. Come on, Dave, let’s take him to see Joel.”
But would the rest of the film company adjust to Yusef, Kendra wondered in amusement as she watched the jeep disappear around the corner at the end of the street. She was still smiling as she walked back into the house and closed the door.
Her smile slowly faded as she once more crossed the large room and pushed aside the curtain of amber beads to enter the sleeping area. She could feel the familiar cold lassitude flooding every muscle now that she had let down her guard. More than anything she wanted to lie down on one of those scrumptious-looking couches and sleep for a week. Surely it wouldn’t hurt to rest for just fifteen minutes? She gazed wistfully at the couch’s inviting spread. Then, reluctantly shook her head, picked up one of the suitcases, and placed it on the bed. She knew better by now than to pamper herself with a nap. Her bone-weariness had been growing steadily of late; that fifteen minutes probably would stretch to the entire evening if she fell asleep as she had done a lot recently.
Panic raced through her, but she quickly suppressed it. There was nothing wrong with her that a week’s rest couldn’t put right. She assured herself staunchly that the only reason she was feeling so exhausted was because of the grueling experience of finishing that picture Bodine directed. Skip was right. Bodine was an incompetent ass of a stunt corrdinator. As soon as she finishedVentureand had the most monstrous bills paid, she’d be able to take a month or so off and relax. But not now. She mustn’t give in now.
She opened the suitcases and pulled out fresh underthings, a pair of khaki slacks, and a loose tunic top in a dull army green. When she entered the bathroom, she discovered what Dave had meant by Billie opting for atmosphere rather than convenience. The little alcove adjoining the bedroom contained only a toilet, basin, and a chipped, clawfooted bathtub that must have been fifty years old. Would it be too much to hope for hot water, she wondered morosely. She made a face as the cold brownish water poured from the curved nozzle. On second thought she would take a sponge bath and explore the possibility of a hot shower later. There had to be someone who had decent bath facilities on this location.
She had completed her bath, slipped on the khakis and tunic and was putting her hair up in a high ponytail when she heard the front door open and then close with a decisive slam.
“Kendra!”
The voice was rough and angry and undeniably that of Joel Damon. She sighed resignedly. So much for her plan of confronting him in the businesslike atmosphere of his office. She called, “I’ll be out in a minute.” Perhaps she could keep him out of the bedroom.
She should have realized how futile that hope was. When she came out of the bathroom, it was to see him pushing impatiently through the beaded curtains, a dark scowl on his face.
She tried to ignore the sudden jump of her pulse at the sight of him. It wasn’t joy; it was a mere chemical reaction to an attractive male, she assured herself quickly. Dressed in dark jeans that hugged the strong line of his thighs and a cream sweatshirt that complemented his darkness, he looked virile enough to excite any woman.
“Hello, Joel,” she said coolly. “You needn’t have taken the trouble to come and see me. I told Dave I’d report to you as soon as I changed. I realize how busy you are.”
“Report?” Joel asked caustically. “You sound like a private talking to his CO. Dave gave me your message and you’ll be happy to know that it annoyed me just as much as you intended it to. Why the devil didn’t you come as soon as you arrived, blast it?”
“Youaremy CO in a manner of speaking,” Kendra said quietly. “And Billie’s business was more important than my strictly perfunctory courtesy call.” She lifted an inquiring brow. “Where is she, by the way?”
“At the first aid tent repairing the damage to her newest acquisition.”
“You’re going to let Yusef stay?”
THE STUCCO HOUSEin front of which Billie pulled up looked identical to all the others on the hard-packed dirt street. It was small, white-washed, and had the flat roof and arched windows she had noticed in most of the other houses around Marasef. The door was painted bright scarlet, and leaning against it was a dusty and perspiring Dave Balding. He straightened slowly, his warm smile of welcome swiftly fading as he caught sight of the bruised and bleeding giant in the backseat.
He hugged Kendra absentmindedly when she got out of the jeep and turned to Billie with a scowl. “I was wondering what took you so long. Joel was about to send a search party to try to locate you. We might have known you’d find some trouble to keep you interested.”
“That’s not fair,” Billie said indignantly. “I couldn’t help—”
“I know, I know,” Dave interrupted with a resigned sigh. “You never can, Billie. But I haven’t got time to listen to the story right now. Joel stationed me here to wait for Kendra and bring her over to his trailer the minute she showed up.”
Kendra tensed and then forced herself to relax. She had known she’d have to face him sometime. Why should she feel this sudden sense of panic?
“But I have to see Joel right away,” Billie protested. “I have to explain about Yusef and get Joel to find him a place to stay.”
“You’re keeping him?” Dave asked, gazing at the Arab warily. “He looks a little dangerous for a house pet.” He shrugged. “But so was the baby lion you bought in the bazaar last week. Joel probably won’t let you keep this one either.”
“This is different. I can’t let Yusef go back to Marasef,” Billie said, worriedly gnawing at her lip.
“She’s right, Dave,” Kendra said. “Billie’s discussion with Joel is much more important than anything he’d want to say to me. He’s probably just being polite and wants to welcome a new member of the team to Marasef.” She was relieved she had an excuse to postpone that first interview with Joel. “I’ll just wash off the travel grime, change clothes, and report to him later. Where is his trailer located?”
“Two streets over,” Dave answered, “on the edge of the village. Everyone except Billie is quartered in house trailers. She opted for inconvenience and atmosphere instead.” He was frowning uncertainly. “And I don’t think you’re right in believing Joel will give Billie’s wild man a higher priority than you. He’s just likely to tear a strip off me for not obeying his instructions.”
“Nonsense,” Kendra said briskly. “Help me take my bags inside and then you can go with Billie and Yusef to get their problem solved. It’s a much more sensible plan.” She reached for the large suitcase beside Yusef and suddenly found the Arab beside her, a bag under each massive arm and one in each hand. He nodded commandingly toward the door and Kendra found herself obediently opening it and stepping aside for him to enter.
He strode briskly through the central living area and through the beaded curtains that served as a door to the room at the rear of the house. He plopped the suitcases down beside one of two beds that was more a narrow couch with a multitude of colorful cushions scattered upon it. He turned to look at her impassively, his bulk appearing even more intimidating in the small room.
“Thank you,” she said faintly, her eyes wide in surprise. He seemed to understand though. His dark face remained expressionless as he nodded curtly, brushed by her, and strode back through the house out the front door where Dave and Billie hovered.
Kendra followed in his wake. “I can see what you mean by him being overprotective,” she told Billie dryly. “I don’t think I’ve ever had such a forceful bellhop.”
Billie was beaming at her charge like a proud mother. “I told you everything would work out. Yusef will adjust to the situation in no time at all. Come on, Dave, let’s take him to see Joel.”
But would the rest of the film company adjust to Yusef, Kendra wondered in amusement as she watched the jeep disappear around the corner at the end of the street. She was still smiling as she walked back into the house and closed the door.
Her smile slowly faded as she once more crossed the large room and pushed aside the curtain of amber beads to enter the sleeping area. She could feel the familiar cold lassitude flooding every muscle now that she had let down her guard. More than anything she wanted to lie down on one of those scrumptious-looking couches and sleep for a week. Surely it wouldn’t hurt to rest for just fifteen minutes? She gazed wistfully at the couch’s inviting spread. Then, reluctantly shook her head, picked up one of the suitcases, and placed it on the bed. She knew better by now than to pamper herself with a nap. Her bone-weariness had been growing steadily of late; that fifteen minutes probably would stretch to the entire evening if she fell asleep as she had done a lot recently.
Panic raced through her, but she quickly suppressed it. There was nothing wrong with her that a week’s rest couldn’t put right. She assured herself staunchly that the only reason she was feeling so exhausted was because of the grueling experience of finishing that picture Bodine directed. Skip was right. Bodine was an incompetent ass of a stunt corrdinator. As soon as she finishedVentureand had the most monstrous bills paid, she’d be able to take a month or so off and relax. But not now. She mustn’t give in now.
She opened the suitcases and pulled out fresh underthings, a pair of khaki slacks, and a loose tunic top in a dull army green. When she entered the bathroom, she discovered what Dave had meant by Billie opting for atmosphere rather than convenience. The little alcove adjoining the bedroom contained only a toilet, basin, and a chipped, clawfooted bathtub that must have been fifty years old. Would it be too much to hope for hot water, she wondered morosely. She made a face as the cold brownish water poured from the curved nozzle. On second thought she would take a sponge bath and explore the possibility of a hot shower later. There had to be someone who had decent bath facilities on this location.
She had completed her bath, slipped on the khakis and tunic and was putting her hair up in a high ponytail when she heard the front door open and then close with a decisive slam.
“Kendra!”
The voice was rough and angry and undeniably that of Joel Damon. She sighed resignedly. So much for her plan of confronting him in the businesslike atmosphere of his office. She called, “I’ll be out in a minute.” Perhaps she could keep him out of the bedroom.
She should have realized how futile that hope was. When she came out of the bathroom, it was to see him pushing impatiently through the beaded curtains, a dark scowl on his face.
She tried to ignore the sudden jump of her pulse at the sight of him. It wasn’t joy; it was a mere chemical reaction to an attractive male, she assured herself quickly. Dressed in dark jeans that hugged the strong line of his thighs and a cream sweatshirt that complemented his darkness, he looked virile enough to excite any woman.
“Hello, Joel,” she said coolly. “You needn’t have taken the trouble to come and see me. I told Dave I’d report to you as soon as I changed. I realize how busy you are.”
“Report?” Joel asked caustically. “You sound like a private talking to his CO. Dave gave me your message and you’ll be happy to know that it annoyed me just as much as you intended it to. Why the devil didn’t you come as soon as you arrived, blast it?”
“Youaremy CO in a manner of speaking,” Kendra said quietly. “And Billie’s business was more important than my strictly perfunctory courtesy call.” She lifted an inquiring brow. “Where is she, by the way?”
“At the first aid tent repairing the damage to her newest acquisition.”
“You’re going to let Yusef stay?”