Glenda stood up from the lounge and looked at her watch then said something to the man and left, going up toward the lobby.

"She's going to that next appointment with Warez I bet." Billy said.

"What about the other guy? I wonder where he is?"

"Let's go and see Mendoza."

"What for?"

"Unless they paid cash every time he'll have their villa numbers. Her being with Hector gives me a funny feeling."

"So maybe a bit of Nancy Drew won't hurt after all?"

"You never know." She moved quickly from the table down to the lower pool court and over to the bar, forcing Miller to run in pursuit.

Hector found himself wracking his brain for a solution to his current situation. He'd spent all night fretting about being exposed. Now here he was breaking all the rules by lounging on the patio and with a guest . . . the Weiss woman! What had he been thinking? He hadn't, that was the whole problem! The Weiss woman was right. If he tried to force the issue she could create any number of scenarios that would crush him. Better the deal you have he thought . . . finally. Arguing with her was too dangerous.

In exchange for her giving him an alibi, he would provide her with the same one. All this trouble and he wasn't even getting paid by Graves any more. Hector's phone rang and he saw that it was Charles and he frantically jumped up, dragging on his pants and top, and hurried down to the security office, answering on the fly.

Charles sat behind his small desk in the security office, chewing on the end of his pen when Hector arrived and he pointed deliberately to the chair in front of the desk. He had arrived back at the resort and immediately called Hector for a report.

"Where have you been?"

"On my rounds, el jefe." Hector prayed he hadn't been seen on the lounge.

"Not today, the other night? And the early morning? Another guest was murdered while you were 'on your rounds'."

Hector's heart stopped and started again. What did Charles know? "My regular duties. I saw nothing of what happened. It is a terrible tragedy."

Charles chewed his pen again. "And those duties included a visit to one of the guest's apartments?"

He felt his stomach turn. "I was checking the front door lock on Senorita Weiss's suite." This was their story and he was now committed.

"And?"

"Uh- it was fine . . . just stuck. I uh- I made a few more visits to that area just to keep her mind at ease. She saw me and was pleased with our vigilance."

"Senor Estrada is not so pleased. The fact that we could provide nothing of value about the killings has left him in a very bad mood."

"But you were away and I had to police the entire grounds alone; you know that is almost impossible, Charles. Besides, Warez and his men were here as well."

Charles frowned. "Tonight is the Festival el Toro and we will need to be more vigilant; there can be no further incidents to discredit the resort's name.

"I thought Captain Warez was having his men police the event."

"He will be of course but the resort security is our responsibility. There will be no further socializing with guests; you will be professional at all times."

"Charles, I was simply being polite. I can't refuse to speak when asked questions."

"I'm referring to your lounging on the patio with the aforementioned, Senorita Weiss."

Hector went pale and his mouth fell open. "How . . . ?"

"I am not head of security for no reason, Hector. Just make very sure you remember that."

Hector blinked and wiped a trickle of sweat from forehead. "It was just for a few moments rest."

"You are not paid to rest, Hector."

"Si, I apologize." His eye fell on a brochure from one of the seminars Charles attended and he forced himself to remain calm. "I will remember, Charles. It will not happen again." He picked up the brochure. "By the way, how did your seminars go?"

Charles stared at him for a second then reached across and took the brochure back. "Fine."

"Would they be something I might benefit from?"

"You would best benefit from getting back to work and remembering our conversation." Charles put the brochure in the desk drawer and dismissed him.

Astrid Montez watched Hector leave and then she slipped into the office and closed the door.

"What are you doing here?" Charles jumped up and checked outside then closed the door again and locked it.

"I think I have good news for you." She sidled over to his desk and sat on the edge. "Senor Ordman wants me to be his alibi for the night the woman was killed."

"Why does he want this?"

"Because he spent the night with her."

"Aiii . . . that's where she went." Charles stroked his chin thoughtfully. "I checked her villa but it was empty. It was morning that I saw her heading down to the beach the back way." Charles relaxed a little and re-seated himself at the desk. "What did you say to this Ordman?"

"He gave me one hundred dollars, what do you think I said?"

"And where were you really?"

"I was cleaning one of the suites after a messy party; I bumped into Senor Ordman near his apartment . . . right after the Burrows woman left." She pouted playfully.

"So now we have a scapegoat should we need one." He chewed his pen again. "Has Hector mentioned anything to you about my being away?"

"Only that things were running a lot smoother." She laughed at his angry look. "He only wondered if it might mean more money or a promotion for you."

"Bah! La culebra. He probably hopes to move up as well. It's too bad we can't pin it all on dear Hector instead."

"He was slinking around the suites that night."

"That worries me. I saw nothing of him up there or anywhere else for that matter."

"Maybe he's telling the truth. Maybe he was with the Senorita Weiss."

"Aah, you mean not just checking her lock?"

Astrid shrugged coyly. "Of course that would mean he has an alibi anyway."

"Except he can't use it now. It is good that you have been keeping an eye on him. You should have seen his face when I mentioned he'd been lounging on the patio." Charles grinned unkindly.

"Perhaps we should see that Senor Ordman could be blamed for both now before things get too complicated."

"Let's wait and see what our famous police captain does first; if things become worrisome we can always go to your plan."

Astrid fiddled with a stapler, her fingers caressing the metal frame as she waited for Charles to either end their meeting or pursue the fact that they were alone in his locked office. Charles tossed his pen on the desk and they sat staring at one another.

"You really don't understand the seriousness of this operation do you, Astrid?"

"I know that you have been hiding in my bed instead of going to this seminar, except to pick up folders. That you killed both those people and soon will be muy rico and I will have a share when this is all done."

Charles smirked and nodded. As long as she tasted the money he was safe. "Everything depends on our not being caught, Astrid. We cannot let our guard down for a moment. Once the police release Grave's villa I can retrieve the money and nobody will know it ever existed. Only then can we rejoice in our wealth."

"How did you find it?" She stood and strolled idly around the desk.

"Only by pure chance," he admitted. "I was in the next villa discussing the loss of a wallet by one of the occupants and I saw Graves through the window. He didn't know he could be seen and I saw him place the cash inside. It is a clever piece of design."

"For such a deception he must have been hiding much money, no?"

"There is much money. I haven't touched it yet but I have seen a considerable amount when he opened it."

"Tell me how cleverly it is hidden." She stopped and leaned forward, her hands on the arms of his chair and her hair hanging down over her chest.

Charles smiled and bared his teeth. "I think I will keep that little secret to myself, Astrid. You are too interested by half."

"Charles, mi jefe. Do you not trust Astrid?" She leaned forward until her chest was flat against his and her arms snaked about his neck for support. The chair squeaked under the additional weight and Charles grasped her bottom with both hands, pulling her up onto his lap.

"Trust is a fleeting thing, my love. We must learn to share openly and freely but carefully." The uniform skirt slid up and Astrid buried her face in his neck.

********

Miller swallowed the last of the nachos with a large dollop of salsa and quickly swigged water from his bottle to quell the fire. Billy was busy setting out her clothes for the festival and chattering on about how they would sneak up and take a look at the rooms of the couple from the bar. She held up a top to the mirror then turned and looked to him for an opinion. Miller gave a thumbs up and it was discarded for a different style.

"Glad my opinion is valued so highly."

"I find that men usually cheer for anything that leans toward the trashy side."

"Thank you so much. Might I remind you that you bought the thing in the first place."

"My business demands I cater to some of those men."

He brightened. "You mean I'm not really one?" She smirked and rolled her head. "Thanks again," he said. He enjoyed her ritual of holding things up, turning this way and that, sometimes holding the skirt tight around her hips or bust and checking her backside critically. "If you need a reference for that . . ." he teased.

"I'll be sure to ask." She selected a top and a skirt then moved on to shoes.

"Will this take long?"

"You going someplace?"

"Well hopefully, to the festival . . . tonight."

Billy pulled a face and carried her things to the bathroom. "You should go and get yourself ready," she called.

Miller looked at his shirt and pants and pouted. "I thought I was." He called back.

"Not if you're taking me."

He gaped at the bathroom door. Was she kidding? Was she really expecting to go with him? "What about your date?"

"He was murdered, remember?"

"Aw geez, Billy. That's cold." He stood and paced about. "Was he the only one this trip?"

"I don't rent out by the hour, Miller," she said coming back into the room and did a twirl in front of him. "How do I look?"

He stared in awe. "I don't have words."

"Well that could be good or bad." She went to the mirror and poked at her hair.

"No . . . it could never be bad . . ." He went to her and placed his hands on her hips, kissing her neck.

"Down boy. You do need to change, Miller. Fiesta el Toro is not a shorts and t-shirt kind of gathering."

"Fine, I'll go back to my leaning tower and sort through the many outfits I brought down."

She went to a dresser and opened the drawer. "Here, I picked this up the other day. Thought you might like it." Her face was pink as she handed him a new, stylish shirt that he knew would be perfect with his good pants . . . same as she did. Miller was speechless and he took her hand and pulled her close.

"You do know that I've fallen in love with you?"

"Why Mister Miller, how you do make a girl blush." She dropped his hand and went to the door. "You just hurry on and get changed now and give me some time to recover." The exaggerated southern lilt made him smile and rather than spoil her little performance, he took his leave like a true gentleman. When the door closed he began yelling for Miguel as he broke into a run for the resort, causing passing couples to jump to safety.

A/N: This is the last chapter I had ready for posting. Be a couple of days before the next. Sorry to break the rhythm of one a day - need some rest.