Page 19 of Wrong Turn

“Ha,” Lei said aloud. “Yes.” The day was getting better and better.

The phone rang by her bed and she picked it up. “Hello?”

“It’s Harry. Come have coffee with me. Cruz has taken Kelly out for a crash course in self-defense, so the baby and I want company.”

“Sure. Meet you by the pool?”

“Perfect.” The woman hung up.

Lei looked at herself in the mirror. Her eyes were bright, her cheeks flushed, and with a little gel in her hair, her curls were behaving. She’d never looked better.

Something inside her had shifted—she was ready.

Ready to open her heart to someone—perhaps a dog. She smiled at that idea.

Lei dressed in the bikini Kelly had bought her when she purchased Harry’s dress yesterday. She liked the sporty two-piece, cut high on the hip but more modest than the skimpy triangles Kelly was fond of. The bronzy color splashed with flowers complemented Lei’s olive skin tone and brown locks. She tied the matching pareo around her hips, slid her feet into slippers, and left the room.

Harry was already in the pool, swimming laps with that fluid way she had of moving, and no one else was around yet. The baby lay peacefully in her carrier, gazing up at the tree overhead, a tiny fist that had escaped from her blanket waving. Kona, vigilant beside the carrier, got up to greet Lei with a nose to the crotch and a bump to her hand, asking for scritches.

A waiter came by, and Lei ordered a pot of coffee and some fruit for their table and made herself comfortable beside the child and the dog.

Why hadn’t Harry done something about finding a placement for the baby? She frowned, concerned—surely someone was alive who knew about this child and would want her back!

She gazed down into the little girl’s face. So sweet—the baby’s eyes were round and brown under the tracery of her tiny brows, and her round cheeks seemed to press in on the plump rosebud of her mouth. She had straight black hair, a lot of it.

Lei glanced over at Harry’s sleek dark head. Harry could easily pass as her mother, in looks at least.

No one else had joined them at the pool yet, so Lei stood up and began doing some of the slow, graceful movements she’d learned from Cruz last night. Kona, watching, lolled his tongue at her in a happy grin.

Harry swam to the side of the pool and grinned up at Lei. “Cruz taught you a few moves, I see.”

A blush heated Lei’s cheeks. She bent over to touch her toes, hiding it. “I’m sure I’m getting this wholetai chithing wrong, but I want to learn. It seems like a great stress reliever, a moving meditation.” She straightened up when she was fairly sure that her face had cooled. “I checked the news. Looks like the cops bought the cover story of an accidental fire.”

Harry hoisted herself out of the pool with an easy boost of her toned arms. She shook her hair, spraying Lei playfully with droplets. “Told you they would. Lazy and corrupt can be a good thing at times. Let’s have some coffee, then I’ll show you a simpletai chiroutine for daily use.” Harry led Lei back to their loungers, where a thermal carafe had arrived and rested on a small table between cups, saucers, and bowls of fruit. “Man. It’s going to be tough to go back to the RV after this.”

“Kinda enjoying living like the one percent, myself. My aunt and I aren’t anywhere in Kelly’s economic bracket.” Lei accepted the cup of coffee Harry handed her.

“So, how’d you girls meet?”

Lei filled her in. “I know we seem like an odd couple, but Kelly’s good for me—and I think I’m good for her, too.”

“After our recent adventure, I’d agree. What did you think of him? Cruz?”

Lei splashed hot coffee on her hand and muttered a curse. “He was fine. Very helpful.” She slurped the beverage, gathering her composure. Harry was sure to know something was up if she kept getting flustered at every mention of his name. Truth was, she had no romantic interest in Cruz, nor he in her from what she could tell. What they’d shared was simply a healing experience, if an extremely enjoyable one. She clung to that thought as she sorted through what to tell her new friend. “I actually had a bad situation going on with that blond guy I was dancing with. He was getting overly friendly, and Cruz helped me get rid of him. We took a walk on the beach after, and he showed me some moves to help me relax.”

“I gotta say, Lei, you’re a magnet for trouble.” Harry eyed Lei over the rim of her coffee cup. “It’s weird how that kind of perp seems to be drawn to you.”

Lei sighed. “My therapist in San Rafael told me that research shows that, for some reason, women who are sexually abused as children often end up being victimized later, too.”

“So that’s what’s wrong.” Harry set her cup down. “I’m sorry that happened to you, Lei. That sucks.” The baby began fussing, and Harry leaned over to pluck the infant out of the carrier with a movement that seemed entirely natural. She cuddled the tiny girl against her towel-clad body, cooing to her, then removed a full bottle from a thermal bag and fed the infant.

Lei watched in fascination. Harry seemed to be handling the child like a natural. “I’m done with all that stuff from my past. If this road trip showed me anything, it’s that I want to be in control of my body. No one’s going to mess with me ever again.” She said it like a vow, each word a statement. “I wish I had more time to work with you and Cruz, learn more techniques. But I’m hoping my application to the police academy is accepted, and I can get those skills another way.”

“Well, you look better, today. All bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.” Harry rocked the baby gently as she fed her. “That’s Cruz’s specialty. He’s all about being in the now and using your mind to control your reactions.”

“I definitely need work on that. It feels good to have some things to try.” Lei waved her coffee cup toward Harry and the baby. “What are you going to do about her?”

Harry gazed into the child’s face. “I think I’ll keep her.”

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