Blue Velvet Read Free Page A

close on his heels with his unwieldy burden. The streetlight on the corner cast a shadowy illumination over the man and Beau pursed his lips in a soundless whistle. Julio had to be six feet five at least and built like a tackle for the Rams.
    “There’s an alley about a block down,” Kate said. “We can stay there until the coast is clear.” She was turning left and leading the way. “Oh, hurry, Julio!”
    Beau answered. “We’re right behind you.”
    “Not you.” She cast him an exasperated glance over her shoulder. “Go away!”
    “I can’t do that,” Beau said lightly. “How do I know what you’re planning on doing to our friend here? You might be thinking of throwing him off the dock and then I’d be an accompliceto murder.” He shook his head. “No, I really think I’d better tag along and protect my interests.”
    “We’re not going to do any such thing,” Kate said indignantly. “Can’t you see we’re rescuing him?”
    “Was that what you were doing?” Beau’s brow arched quizzically. “It was all a little muddled back there. The only obvious victim appeared to be our friend Ralph.” There was a touch of tiger in his smile. “Not that I’m objecting to his disposal, you understand. I was planning on taking him out anyway.”
    “Well, I did it for you,” Kate answered as she turned into a pitch-dark alley that stank of garbage and wet cardboard boxes. “But Despard may remember you when he wakes up so you’d be wise to leave Castellano before he does. He’s not going to be at all pleased with any of us.”
    “How unfortunate,” Beau murmured. “And I was hoping for such a pleasant relationship.”
    They’d reached the end of the alley and Kate motioned for Julio to put his burden down in an alcove formed by a deeply recessed side door.“You’re very amused by all this, aren’t you? You may not find it so entertaining if Despard realizes that you helped us. He’s a very dangerous man.”
    “I must admit your little play certainly livened up a boring evening,” he said coolly. “Would you care to tell me why this Despard is such a threat?”
    “He’s a drug runner,” Kate said. “One of the biggest in the Caribbean and he has contacts high up in the government of Castellano. Your American citizenship might protect you from the government, but not from Despard’s men.” She paused uncertainly. “You
are
American, aren’t you? You have a very odd accent.”
    “I’m from Virginia.” There was a thread of indignation in his voice. “And there’s nothing odd about a Southern accent. It’s Yankees who talk funny.”
    “Is that what it is?” she asked as she knelt beside the man Julio had propped against the alcove wall. She fumbled in the pocket of her jeans and suddenly there was the flickering flame of a lighter illuminating the darkness. “I’ve never heard one before.”
    Never heard a Southern accent before? Yet she herself sounded as American as apple pie. “Where are you from?”
    “All around,” she said vaguely, lifting the unconscious man’s eyelid. “He’s dead to the world, Julio. There’s no way we can get him all the way through town and into the forest without you carrying him.” She sat back on her heels. “And someone’s bound to notice and report back to Despard. He owns almost everyone in town.”
    Julio dropped to his knees beside her. “So what do we do?”
    She pressed a hand to her temple. “How do I know? Let me think a minute.”
    “Perhaps I could offer a suggestion or two,” Beau said. “I take it your unconscious friend here is now on the run from both the local authorities and this Despard and you’re looking for a place to hide him until you can get him off the island. Is that correct?” When she nodded, he continued. “I have a safe place not two blocks from here. I can also guarantee to get both him and the two of you off Castellano and as far away as Trinidad if you like.” He arched an eyebrow inquiringly.