"John Vinto is what," Gene said worriedly. He gazed at Rex keenly. "I'm glad you came up to me alone, Rex. Vinto has called her mother, her cousin, and me--three times. He insists he has to see Alexi. He's determined to make an appointment to talk to her." He looked down the dock and lowered his voice, even though Alexi was still nowhere in sight. "I think he's going to show up at the Brandy wine house. He knows she's there."
"I think he's already shown up at the Brandywine house a few times," Rex muttered.
"Maybe. Maybe not. Amy--that's Alexi's mother—is certain she saw him nosing around Alexi's apartment in New York just last week."
"One can come and go easily these days," Rex insisted, "let transportation. And between here and New York there are nights just about every hour."
"I don't know," Gene said. "I just don't know. And since I don't know quite what happened between them, I didn't know how worried I should be."
"I'll be there with her," Rex said grimly. "And Samson will be there, too." He didn't want to say any more to Gene. He wasn't sure whether John Vinto was a dangerous man or had just been dangerous to Alexi because she hadn't been as physically strong as he.
He thought of how she had screamed that night in the car in front of the house and what a trauma it had been for her to tell him what had happened. John Vinto had hurt her in many ways. She had stood up to him after that--but then she had run away. Rex wasn't sure Alexi should see him again.
"I'm going to take her to my house," Rex said. "I'll leave her there with Samson, and I'll meet John Vinto, see just what it is he wants from her."
"Good," Gene said,- indicating with a nod something slightly past Rex's shoulder. "She's on her way over to us."
"Alexi!" Gene stepped past Rex and threw his arms out for a big hug. Alexi returned the hug and kissed his cheek.
She was in white shorts and a red-white-and-blue halter top, with her hair pulled up into a high ponytail. She had on very little makeup, and her cheeks were tinged from the sun. Rex thought that she seemed exceptionally appealing, fresh and young and innocent and stunning all at once.
And delicate, slim--and vulnerable.
He tensed, thinking again that he did love her, thinking of the things he'd said to her and the things that she'd whispered to him. He was falling in love--hard. Like a rock. And he could even begin to believe in a future for them.
He couldn't let her face Vinto again. Not without him there. Because if Vinto so much as touched her...
"Gene, what are you doing here?" Alexi asked him, smiling, and quickly added, "not that I'm not glad to see you, but it's so awfully hot out here!"
"I, uh--lunch! I knew you were coming in, and I thought I'd meet the two of you for lunch again."
Alexi cocked her head, watching him suspiciously. "What's up?"
"Nothing." Rex, safe behind Alexi's back, arched a brow as Gene flatly lied to her. "Well," Gene hedged, "I was just hoping that you weren't mad at me, after the way you left and all. I mean, Rex there was acting just like a caveman and I didn't do anything to help you."
"You both have atrocious manners, and neither of you seems to be aware that women did earn the vote," Alexi told him sternly. She was smiling, though, and Rex breathed a little sigh of relief. She had fallen for it. Rex knew Gene. He wasn't a bit sorry for letting Rex stride out with her over his shoulder. Gene had decided that the two of them were good for each other. When he made a decision, that was it. Good or bad, he never regretted it. "Can't go back," he always told Rex. "That leaves you with forward, boy. No other way to go."
"Why don't you two go ahead and have lunch?" Rex suggested. Alexi swung around, ready to insist that they all have lunch together. Rex caught her shoulders, dazzled by her smile, and shook his head regretfully. "Seriously. You're both dressed, and I'm a mess and I want to hose down the Tatiana."
"But, Rex--"
"Please, Alexi." He lowered his lips to whisper in her ear. "It's too hot for Gene to stand around out here. Go on in with him! I'll join you a little later."
"Oh!" she murmured quickly. She turned around and slipped her arm through Gene's. "Let's have lunch, then. How are their Bloody Marys?"
"Wonderful. Tall and cool and wonderful." "Oh, Gene!" Alexi told him, full of bright-eyed enthusiasm. "I've been reading Eugenia's diary. Oh, it's so sad, the way she would wait for Pierre, wait and wait and watch the beach! It's been wonderful, Gene. I feel like I know her--and Pierre through her. She loved him so much!"
Rex waited until they had disappeared into the yacht club restaurant; then he hurried down to the pay phone by the ice and soda machines and put a quick call through to Mark Eliot. Mark came on the line and started a long dissertation about the latest mystery he had read. Rex tried to listen politely, but he had to cut Mark off.
"Mark, great, we'll get together soon and talk. Right now I need some help."
Mark told him he'd be happy to do anything he could. Rex explained that he wanted to know anything that Mark could find out about John Vinto. Was he in town? Had he been in town? Anything Mark could get.
Mark whistled. "That's a tall order, but I'll see what I can do. Where are you now?"
Mark told him he was at the public phone at the dock and that he'd be around there for at least a half an hour. "Then I'll be in the club, then back out at my house." Rex thought grimly that it made good sense to keep Alexi away from the Brandy wine house until he'd had a chance to see Vinto. He thanked Mark for his help then and hung up.
He hurried back down the deck and got a hose to start rinsing down the Tatiana. He'd barely started, though, when he heard the public phone he'd used ringing down at the other end of the deck. He dropped the hose, ran toward it and answered it.
"Rex?" Mark said.
"That was quick."
"I didn't have to go that far. I checked the airlines. Your friend Vinto is around here somewhere. He flew into Jacksonville yesterday morning."
"I see," Rex murmured. "Thanks, Mark."
"I'm still checking on the rest of his activities."
"Thanks. I really appreciate it."
"I'll call you tonight, at your house."
"Great."
Rex hung up. Vinto was very near--he could feel it. And he didn't want the guy anywhere near Alexi. He was growing more certain that Vinto had been in the Brandywine house. Rex didn't know what the man's motives were, but he was sure Vinto had stalked her--had even struck her down.
And none of it was going to happen again.
He hurried down the dock and hastily finished rinsing down the boat. Then he went down into the cabin, changed into street clothes and joined Gene and Alexi in the restaurant.
He gave Alexi a kiss on the cheek and slid into the chair beside her, smiled broadly and asked them what they'd eaten.
Rex studied the menu quickly, noting that Alexi was watching him, then smiled at her and ordered.
He was acting very strange even for Rex, Alexi decided, and she couldn't quite put her finger on the problem. He was being very sweet and charming--he just seemed tense.
"So," Gene said to her, "it's all starting to look really good, huh, young lady?"
Alexi nodded eagerly. "I do love that house, Gene. And the window seat came out perfectly. Why don't you come out with us now and see it?" Alexi suggested.
"What?" Gene murmured uneasily.
"He can't!" Rex told Alexi quickly.
"Oh?" Alexi leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms over her chest. "Why can't he?"
"Chess championships," Rex supplied. Alexi gazed at him skeptically. He'd already drunk half of his Bloody Mary, and he was merely picking at his food. She looked over at Gene. "Do you really have chess championships today?"