When Alex had finished showering and dressing, he flew down the stairs and made his way to the door of the Veranda Room and rapped lightly. Alex's heart skipped a beat when Catherine answered with her hair still wet from showering. She was dressed in a green sweater that brought out the green in her eyes, and he got a faint hint of her cologne that he had grown accustomed to. She had answered the door with a smile but, Alex noticed it had faded slightly. Then she asked him to step inside for a minute.
"Alex, I was wanted to ask you something."
Alex's heart sank for a minute, concerned about what she was about to say.
Catherine walked over to the chair of the dressing table and picked up his flannel shirt.
"I was wondering if I could keep your shirt," she said smiling, "I've gotten kind of attached to it, and I would like to have it to remember the time we spent together on The Lady Droxell."
Alex smiled and walked over to her and kissed her gently on the forehead. "Of course, you may have it! Come on, let's eat. I'm starving, and I know you must be, too!"
When they got downstairs James wanted to fill Alex in on what had been happening at the lodge, but Alex politely told him it could wait. They made their way over to the dining room entrance. Rose was serving lunch today. She immediately approached Alex.
"Well, if it isn't my new boss! I'm going to have to treat you especially good now, Mr. Alex!"
"You have always treated me good, Rose, no need to change!"
Rose looked over at Catherine somewhat confused.
"Are you here on business again, Ms. Wellin?"
"No, I'm here on vacation this week."
Rose seemed only slightly less confused. But said, "Well, follow me, the corner table just opened."
Alex and Catherine had sat at this table many times before. But this time, it was different. They were beginning a new chapter in their lives. How it would read and end was still unknown. But they would write the story together.
"Do you still want those bacon and eggs you were longing for this morning on the boat?" Alex asked. "If you do, I'll see that the cook makes it for you."
Catherine was studying the menu. "I'm so hungry; I want everything!"
"Well, that can be arranged, too!" Alex said laughing.
"What are you having, Alex?"
"The special today is the chicken pot pie. I know it's delicious. I think I'll have that and a side salad."
"That sounds good to me, too."
"And if we are still hungry after that," Alex added, "we'll order something else. Seriously, Catherine, I'm concerned that you didn't have enough healthy food yesterday. You need to eat healthy right now."
"I'm sure that fish was healthy, but I know what you mean. It has been difficult to focus on my pregnancy with all that has been happening."
"How far along are you, Catherine?"
"I've just entered my fourth month."
"And have you been feeling well?"
"For the most part I have. In the beginning, I was getting lightheaded and somewhat nauseous. That is actually how I realized I was pregnant. I was in the middle of a staff meeting presentation the first time I became lightheaded. I had to stop the presentation and go home. I went to the doctor the next day thinking I had a virus or flu. That's when I found out I was pregnant."
"I'm sure it must have been a shock."
"It was. When I returned from our business meeting here at the lodge, Doug had become a different person. He moved into the spare room, and we were living separate lives until he disappeared. So when the doctor told me I was pregnant, it was a shock. I apparently got pregnant in Saint Martin."
"So you've come here this week to sort things out. You mentioned that Michael wants you to move back to Chicago. How do you feel about that?"
"Mixed feelings -- I like the idea of my child growing up in my family home. It is a beautiful place, Alex. My grandfather built the estate. The house is large like your family home. There would be plenty of privacy for me to live there with Michael. It was wonderful to grow up there. So I can see the advantage of moving back. I also don't have anyone in New York anymore that I am close to. My best friends, Emma and Will, recently moved to Texas. If I stay in New York I will have to hire a nanny. If I move in with Michael, his cook and housekeeper could help with my child.
"Your situation sounds much like mine with Libby. I moved back to my parents' house for the same reason -- so they and the staff could help with her."
Rose came back to their table ready to place their order.
"So have you both decided?"
"I think we'll both have the special today, Rose, both with side salads. I'll have iced tea. What would you like to drink, Catherine?"
"Hot tea for me, please."
"Would you ask the kitchen, Rose, to put the tea in one of the special tea pots we usually use on the porch?" Alex added.
Rose looked puzzled at the request, but smiled and said, "Sure, Mr. Alex. I'll be right back with it."
Catherine smiled, "That was thoughtful of you, Alex."
"Well, it won't be as pretty as the vintage one you bought in Davenport, but you deserve to enjoy this meal."
And Catherine did enjoy her lunch as did Alex. After lunch, Alex suggested they go out to the porch and have dessert. Rose refilled the English teapot and carried it out to the porch along with a pitcher of iced tea for Alex. She also brought a tiered tray of pastries. It was a pleasant autumn day still warm enough to enjoy the outdoors. The cove looked like a lovely painting -- full of the colorful reflections of the autumn leaves.
"So you have told me the practical reasons for moving back to Chicago and living with your brother and the problems with staying in New York. Do you know what you want to do?"
"What I want to do? That is a good question. I guess my analytical mind has pushed aside what I want to do for what I feel is best for the baby."
"What if you had a third choice?"
"A third choice?"
"What if you postponed choosing between New York and Chicago for the time being? Come with me, I want to show you something."
Catherine was totally confused by what Alex was saying and further confused by where he was taking her. But she followed him. They left the porch and went back into the lodge and up to the third floor. He took Catherine on a tour of each room. Catherine's reaction was much the same as Alex's had been. She loved it.
"Alex, this is as charming as the rest of the lodge. One gets the same feeling here as you do in the rooms below. It is like you stepped back in time. I mean that in a good way -- not that it's outdated."
Alex laughed. "I know exactly what you are trying to say, Catherine, it makes me feel the same way. Sit down over here."
They sat together at the side chairs which had the best view of the cove below.
"This view from the third floor is even more spectacular than anywhere else in the lodge," Catherine said as she took in the view below them.
"Look at the view you get of the Osprey nest," Alex added, "I can't wait for Libby to be able to view it from this angle."
"When will Libby be home again?"
"She'll be home for her break in December," Alex replied.
Catherine could see Alex's mind drift and his expression become somber when he spoke of Libby.
"Is it difficult for you to be away from her?"
"I don't like it at all. I just don't have any choice right now. I had hoped that would change when Rosalind and I married. But let's get back to you, and this third choice I am proposing."
"Yes, tell me about a third choice; I'm listening."
"What if you took a leave of absence at work and stayed here at the lodge for a while? That is, stay here in these living quarters on the third floor. It would give you time to sort things out without burning any bridges. The New York and Chicago option will still be there."
"But this is where you are staying?"
"I can move into one of the rooms on the second floor. In fact, we have two room
s that adjoin that will give me plenty of room. I think you know why I am suggesting this, Catherine. I would like to be able to spend more time with you. The distance between Ottawa and New York is not conducive to getting to know each other better. How about you, do you feel the same?"
Alex's words about wanting to get to know her better caused her emotions to well up. She could think of nothing that would make her happier. But was it practical or rational to do such a thing -- ask for a leave and stay at the lodge for a few months?
"Staying here sounds wonderful, Alex. I can think of nothing I would like more than to be here and to spend more time with you. Frankly, I can hardly bear the thought of returning to my empty New York loft. I'm just not sure about the leave of absence. Raynott does have a flexible leave of absence policy. I'm just not sure how Jack would respond to it. I suppose it would sound like a reasonable request after Doug's death and the fact that I am pregnant. Let me think about it, Alex."
Alex smiled at her, "Would you like to go back to the porch?"
"Sure, we haven't had our pastries yet!"
. . .
Friday rolled around more quickly than Alex and Catherine would have liked. They had spent a wonderful week together. One morning they had taken the Mercedes, and Alex had shown Catherine the small town that was closest to the lodge. Catherine had fallen in love with it. It was like Davenport in that it had a historic feel and had lots of interesting antique shops. It had a wonderful bakery where they stopped and bought bread. They also went to the grocery store and bought groceries to prepare a meal in the third-floor kitchen. Catherine cooked a delicious steak dinner for them. It was a special night that neither of them would soon forget. They took The Lady Droxell out several times during the week but stayed only on the lake the lodge was on -- no more trips to Davenport. They did some more fishing and had the cook prepare their catch for dinner. It was even more special this time to have fish served to them that they both had caught. While their week had been filled with activities, there had been plenty of time to talk and get to know each other better.
Thursday night, Alex took Catherine to dinner at one of the restaurants in the nearby town. It was there that Catherine told Alex what she had decided. Catherine, perhaps for the first time in her life, had let her heart and not her head guide her in making a decision.
She was going back to New York tomorrow and would ask Jack for a leave of absence. If he agreed to it, she planned to take whatever time was necessary to transition her work to whomever would be covering for her. Then she would pack up a small amount of her personal things -- mostly clothing -- and return to the lodge.
When Alex said goodbye to Catherine at the airport the next day, the sadness of parting was tempered by the knowledge that their time apart would be short. She would be returning soon.
Her return would signal new beginnings for both of them.
Chapter Thirty-nine
PUERTO VALLARTA
Doug walked out of the dive shop after his first scuba lesson. He was disillusioned. He thought there would be a little more action. He expected it to be a bit more exciting. He wasn't expecting book work and exams. So Doug was already in a bad mood as he exited the shop. What he saw next did not help.
As soon as he opened the door to leave, he saw the dark sedan parked across the street. Before speeding off, Doug saw the driver raise a camera in his direction and snap a picture. Then it quickly took off. Doug got a glimpse of the driver. There was only one person in the car. It was a man. It was not Max.
Doug had concluded after Max and Eva had arrived at the villa in a dark sedan that it must have been them observing the neighborhood because they were thinking of buying a house in it. He was hoping it had been them. But the realization that it was not was more than troubling. Whoever this guy was, he was keeping close tabs on him. Not only was he parking in front of the villa, but he had also followed him to Starbucks the morning he had met Shiela, and now he was here in front of the dive shop.
Doug got in his Corvette and sped home to the villa. He was now convinced the sedan meant trouble. It was evident now that the driver was not a tourist admiring the villa. Doug broke out in a cold sweat. His heart started pounding. So many thoughts were running through his mind at the same time, it was hard to keep them from colliding. Had the real owner of the diamonds tracked him down? How could they have discovered that it was him that had gotten to the safe deposit boxes? And if they had, hadn't he covered his tracks by staging his death? The world thought he was dead. But did they? One thought dominated all the rest -- were the diamonds safe at the villa now?
Doug could not get home fast enough. He flew up the driveway and into the garage bay. He quickly made his way into the villa and went directly to the library, and then to the safe. He entered the code and sighed a sigh of relief to see that the diamonds were still there. He locked the safe back up and sat down at the desk to think.
There was no question in his mind. He had to move the diamonds and fast.
Isabella rapped on the library door, "Are you ready for some lunch, Mr. Castlebury?"
"No thank you, Isabella, I'm not hungry. I'll be going out again shortly. Isabella, I don't want you to answer the door for anyone and don't answer the phone. Keep your eyes open for that dark sedan while I am gone. If you see it, call me on my cell phone. Do you understand?"
"Yes, sir, is there something wrong?"
"Everything is fine -- we just need to be cautious until we find out what he is up to."
"Okay, Mr. Castlebury, I'll do what you say."
Isabella went back to the kitchen and left Doug deep in thought in the library.
Doug decided the safest place for the diamonds would be another safe deposit box. He started calling local banks inquiring about safe deposit boxes. He did not have any success finding a local bank that had one. He finally was directed to a bank in another town some hours away. He looked at his watch. It was too late to head there today. He would leave first thing in the morning.
Doug recognized that driving in Mexico with the diamonds in the Corvette that distance was risky. But what choice did he have? It was clear someone was following him. So he would have to take precautions. He went up to his bedroom and got out the specially designed carry-on bag he had used to get the diamonds through airport security. He began to load it with clothes. He would add the diamonds to the secret compartments tomorrow just before leaving. He also planned to take enough cash with him, so that if a robbery attempt was made, the cash would keep them from looking further. There was still a risk, but it was the best he could come up with. He had to act fast.
. . .
Max and Eva decided to spend the day around the pool at the hotel discussing their next move. Max had a good hunch after viewing the library that there was a safe somewhere behind the paneled walls. They needed to figure out a way to get Max in the house when they knew Doug and Isabella were not home. Max had an idea how to get Doug out of the house, but Isabella was going to be more difficult.
"So what have you come up with so far, Max," Eva asked, "I can see the wheels spinning in that ingenious mind of yours?"
"Well, here's what I think we should do. We phone Doug and ask him to join us for dinner -- a little appreciation dinner for his hospitality the other day. We both noticed the reaction he had toward you. His love affair with the Corvette is also obvious. I want you to work with that and see if you can get him to offer to take you out in the Corvette. I can get in the villa easily; I just need to be sure Isabella is not there. That's what I'm struggling with -- how to find out when she is not there."
"I think the Corvette ride is a good idea. I can handle that with no problem. As far as Isabella, I think we need to watch to see when she leaves each day. Let's plan on doing a little surveillance this afternoon and see if we can spot her leaving."
"Well, I can't think of anything better, let's do it."
Max and Eva spent the day between the beach and the pool and planned to head over to the vil
la late afternoon.
. . .
After Doug got the bag filled with enough clothes to give it the appearance of someone traveling, he sought out Isabella in the kitchen.
"Isabella, I won't be going out this afternoon after all. I will be leaving early tomorrow morning and be gone all day. So if you've got anything for lunch, I could go for some now."
"Sure, Mr. Castlebury, give me a few minutes and I'll have something ready for you."
Doug was fidgety. He paced back and forth from room to room in the villa. Getting the diamonds to safety was the first step, but what about after that? Did he have to fear for his life? What kind of people were the thieves that put the diamonds in the safe deposit boxes? Would they kill to get them back? All these thoughts were racing through Doug's mind. He decided if he was forced to, he would leave Puerto Vallarta and start fresh somewhere else. First, he would get the diamonds safe, then he would take it one day at a time and do whatever he felt he needed to do. He just hoped that whoever was stalking him in the dark sedan would not see him leave in the morning and follow him. He would keep a close check to be sure he was not being followed. He decided to get to bed early and leave right at daybreak. He did not want to travel in the dark.
"Here you are, Mr. Castlebury, I hope you like it," Isabella said as she placed a plate of tamales, rice, and beans in front of him."
"You're going to get me fat, Isabella, with all this good cooking. It looks great! Thank you."
"You're welcome, I hope you enjoy it."
After he ate, Doug went up to his room to take a nap. When he woke up, it was nearly 4:00 PM. He decided to put on his suit and go for a swim. He needed to relax. He was still nervous and tense thinking about the events of the morning. Isabella intercepted him coming down the stairs.
Return to Osprey Cove Page 19
