Margaritas at the Beach House Hotel

by Judith Keim

  “Do you think you need to ask her to stay inside?” Bernie said.

  Vaughn shook his head. “Remember, we live in a gated community in an area where access is limited to the few houses in our cul de sac.”

  “Did you ask Whit how long he wants Lindsay to stay with us?” I asked him.

  “It didn’t come up. Though, it can’t be too long because Nell and the baby are arriving in three days.”

  “Maybe she can move to Jean-Luc’s place temporarily,” I said.

  Bernie gave me a quizzical look.

  “She and Jean-Luc have become friends,” I explained.

  “Oh, I didn’t realize ... I’ve been to his house. It’s set back from the beach and is pretty private,” he said.

  “Why don’t I talk to Debra and see what she and Whit have in mind for protecting Lindsay going forward?”

  “Lindsay was pretty upset by the news of Thomas being around,” said Vaughn.

  “If she needs to, she can always stay with me,” said Rhonda. “It’s a bit hectic, though.”

  “I’ll say,” said Will. “But no one would think to look for her there.”

  I got to my feet. “Rhonda, let’s go speak to Debra now while everybody here is busy with the clean-up and staff party.”

  Loosening his tie, Bernie turned to Vaughn and Will, “I know where some cold beer is.”

  “Sounds good,” Vaughn said, taking off his sport coat.

  “Peace and quiet? I’ll take it,” said Will.

  Rhonda and I left them and Annette and took the hidden path to the guesthouse, being careful no one was around to see us. It bothered me that Thomas had spoken to others. Had he also asked them to keep an eye on our property? If so, it was going to be a tough battle to keep Lindsay safe.

  Debra met us at the door.

  “Ah, the honeymooner,” Rhonda said with a gleam of mischief in her eyes.

  Debra gave her a puzzled look, but the flush on her cheeks gave away her interest.

  I shot a glance at Rhonda. She was beaming at Debra.

  “Come on in,” said Debra. “We need to talk. I got a call from Amelia, and she’s very concerned.”

  “So are we,” I said, stepping inside the entry hall.

  Debra waved us into the living room. We sat in a group—Rhonda and me on the couch, Debra in a chair beside it.

  “When we got the news that Thomas was around, Lindsay became hysterical. She’s doing well on her recovery and dealing with the therapist, but she’s not ready to face him.” Debra gave me a worried look. “I’ve seen other people afraid, but this was terrible. I’m not sure what he did to her, but it was more than physical.”

  “I admit he scared me to death, and I talked with him for only a few minutes,” I said. “There’s something so predatory about him, it’s frightening.”

  “Lindsay didn’t want to leave, but I convinced her it was best,” said Debra. “I explained we thought it wise for me to stay here in case Brock or Thomas came here.”

  “Do you think she’ll want to move away from Florida?” asked Rhonda.

  Debra shook her head firmly. “No. She loves her therapist, and frankly, she loves her time with Jean-Luc.”

  “Would she ever consider moving in with him until we all feel she’s safe here?” I asked.

  “As much as she likes Jean-Luc and considers him a friend, she wouldn’t entertain the idea of moving there alone,” said Debra. “Not for some time. Amelia has spoken with her and promised her that Whit and I would stay here with her.”

  Rhonda and I exchanged glances. Somehow, we’d make everything work. But at the moment, I was afraid something awful was about to happen. There were too many loose ends to make me feel comfortable.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  Later, after sharing information with Bernie about hotel protocol, I headed home with Vaughn, anxious to see what awaited us there.

  Before Vaughn pulled into the garage, he let me out by the back door, and I hurried inside. It was quiet. I walked out to the lanai and found Lindsay, Whit, and Elena talking softly while sitting in the pool with Robbie.

  “Hi, Mom!” cried Robbie upon seeing me. “We have secret company.”

  “Yes, I know.” I walked over to the edge of the pool and gazed down at Lindsay. “How’s it going?”

  She glanced at Robbie and back to me. “Can we talk privately?”

  “Of course.” I faced the others. “How are you?”

  Whit smiled pleasantly and nodded.

  “Good, thanks,” said Elena. “Just keeping things quiet here.”

  Lindsay climbed out of the pool, wrapped a towel around herself, and followed me inside. “Thanks for taking us in,” she said as we headed into the guest wing.

  “We couldn’t let you continue to stay at the guesthouse while Thomas was around,” I said. “He’s now in custody for creating a disturbance at the party. Someone will fly up to Washington with him tomorrow. I’m sorry to say he got totally wasted.”

  “It only makes things worse,” Lindsay said. “When he’s like that, he doesn’t remember the things he says or does.” A shudder crossed her shoulders as she took a seat on the private patio off the guest room. “At least that’s what he says.”

  I sat opposite Lindsay and studied her. Her brown hair was streaked blond in places from the sun. Her blue eyes, almost opaque when we first met, were alive now with interest. A thinner version of her sister, her features were more delicate than Amelia’s. Her hunched shoulders had straightened a bit, and I realized with a pang of sorrow how much someone could hurt another and how a sense of safety could help.

  “I’m sorry you’ve had to go through this scare,” I said, taking her hand in mine.

  “Me, too. I wonder if it’ll ever end.” She looked out at the water.

  “As long as you’re here or at the hotel, we’ll keep you as safe as we can. Debra and Whit seem very good at their jobs.”

  A smile crossed Lindsay’s face, softening the lines of it. “I think they’re falling in love all over again.”

  “Really? That would make Rhonda very happy. She claims she’s an excellent matchmaker. Believe me, if it does happen, she’ll come up with some reason she helped them along.”

  “They’re so sweet together,” said Lindsay. “I didn’t realize you were married to the Vaughn Sanders. How do you handle him being in the spotlight?”

  I took my time to answer, thinking of all the embarrassment I’d had to endure because of the lies Roger Sloan had spread about Vaughn and Lily being together. “It can be difficult,” I said. “But Vaughn is a good man, and we live a pretty quiet life.”

  “I envy you that. Especially now with all the furor over my divorcing Thomas while his brother, a Roman Catholic, is president.” A long sigh escaped her. “Thomas never could get beyond envying his brother. He always felt cheated out of a life he wanted for himself.”

  “Maybe that’s part of why he is the way he is,” I said.

  “Definitely,” said Lindsay. “When we first met, he was charming. And loving. I was the one person he said he’d ever truly loved.”

  “What changed?”

  “The election,” Lindsay said. “The attention Edward was getting and the way people disregarded Thomas broke him in some way. He became someone I didn’t know, and as he sank into addiction, tearing our life apart, I grew to hate him.”

  “I’ve met him now, and he scared me,” I admitted to her. “I don’t know how you managed to stay alive. He looked as if he were capable of murder even when he gave me a disingenuous smile.”

  “Almost like dual personalities,” Lindsay said. “It was bizarre. Totally scary.”

  “What can we do for you here?” I asked, squeezing her hand.

  “Just be yourselves. Debra said she’d come to spend the night with me if I needed her to. But with Thomas in custody, I’d like to allow Debra and Whit to have the house to themselves.”

  “Sounds like a plan. Does Jean-Luc know you’re here?”
r />   “Yes. I called him.”

  “Would you like to have him join us for dinner? The hotel restaurants are closed today because of the brunch.”

  Lindsay’s face lit up. “That would be great. He’s become such a dear friend.”

  “I’ll call him and ask him to join us. Dinner will be something simple. Hamburgers or chicken on the grill.”

  “Sounds delicious,” Lindsay said. “Guess I’ll change my clothes.”

  Jean-Luc was pleased with the invitation when I phoned him, even after I warned him about the food. And Whit, reluctant at first, agreed that Lindsay would be safe with us with Thomas out of the picture. He’d seen how secure the neighborhood was.

  ###

  It was interesting to see Jean-Luc in a different setting. At the hotel, he was a man on a mission, definitely in charge. With us and beside Lindsay, he was a comparatively gentle soul, quite willing to listen to others before adding to the conversation. From the way he gazed at Lindsay, he was obviously falling for her. Hopefully, he realized it was much too soon for her to consider him more than a friend.

  Later, after a simple meal of grilled chicken, tossed green salad, and garlic bread, I rose. “Time to tuck Robbie in for the night.”

  “May I join you?” Lindsay asked.

  “Sure. He’d love it. Robbie has school tomorrow, so we keep to a schedule.”

  While Robbie brushed his teeth and got ready for bed, Lindsay spoke softly. “One of the reasons I was attracted to Thomas was that he wanted children. How quickly all that changed. But I love kids and hope to have a family of my own someday.”

  “Robbie has been a blessing to Vaughn and me,” I said. “Liz, my daughter, is trying to have a child. I’m hoping it happens soon.”

  After Robbie was settled beneath the covers, I said, “Tonight, Ms. Lindsay and I will share reading a book. Just one story, though, because we have special guests.”

  “Okay,” said Robbie, smiling shyly at Lindsay.

  It was touching to hear Lindsay’s lilting voice as she finished reading aloud a picture book about sailing.

  After Robbie’s eyelids closed, I stood and stared down at the little boy with such a complicated past. He’d found his way into my heart.

  “So sweet,” Lindsay murmured before tiptoeing out of the room with me and joining Jean-Luc and Vaughn out on the lanai.

  A short time later, Jean-Luc rose. “I’d better go. Thank you for a delightful evening.”

  Vaughn stood and shook his hand. “I’m pleased that you could come.”

  “Yes. I’m glad you were able to join us,” said Lindsay, smiling at him from her seat on the couch.

  “I’ll walk you out,” I said, wanting to make sure he was okay. He’d been upset to learn why Lindsay was staying with us.

  Outside, he turned to me. “Thank you, again, for a pleasant evening. It’s always good to see you and Vaughn away from the hotel.” His brow furrowed. “Is Lindsay going to be all right? It’s frightening that her ex-husband was actually at the hotel. How did that happen?”

  “He used a pseudonym to get a reservation. But don’t worry, he’s in custody and will be on a plane out of here tomorrow. A security guard is accompanying him back to D. C.”

  “Let’s hope he stays there,” said Jean-Luc.

  We stood a moment, each having something to say but keeping quiet, letting our affection for one another speak for us.

  ###

  The next morning when I parked behind the hotel, I noticed Darla and Meredith on the beach and decided to say hello. I slipped off my sandals and walked out onto the sand, loving the feel of the warm, soft mixture between my toes. When I’d lived on the hotel property, I’d spent a lot of time on the beach and still loved the liberating feeling it gave me.

  They saw me coming and strolled toward me, happiness lighting their faces.

  “Good morning, you two! How are you?”

  “Good. I’m getting some rest and thinking things through,” said Darla. She looked up at Meredith and turned to me. “As much as Mere and I love one another, we’ve decided to keep it quiet for now. Not out of shame, but out of the necessity for me to keep my job.”

  “We’re not hiding anything,” said Meredith. “We’re just discreet.”

  “Allowing me to nail Simon for his harassment,” said Darla. “I’ve had my agent draw up a complaint, and she’ll present it to them next week. Is it possible for us to stay here for a few extra days in the suite? I don’t want to be in the City when she tackles the situation at work. I will, of course, testify if needed.”

  “Sure, we’d love to have you. I’m glad you’ve taken steps to put an end to your harassment, Darla. It’s important not only for you but for women and men everywhere.”

  “He’s a creep,” said Meredith. “Speaking of which, who were the two creeps at your party yesterday?”

  “The one looked an awful lot like Thomas Thaxton,” said Darla.

  “Yes. And the other one I saw talking to Meredith at one point is Brock Goodwin, a neighbor of ours.”

  “He told me he was the president of the Neighborhood Association,” said Meredith. “He made it sound like a big deal.”

  “Oh, it is. To him, but nobody else. I’m sorry I couldn’t bail you out,” I said.

  Meredith grinned. “No problem. I shook him off as fast as I could. He was still talking as I left.”

  I grinned at the thought. Brock was such a bore.

  “See you later!” said Darla. “Thanks for your help. I’ll speak to the office to have them change our reservations.”

  “Sounds good. If there’s any trouble, let me know.”

  Instead of following them back to the hotel, I walked down to the water’s edge. A salty breeze played with my hair, and I breathed in the scent of it. I closed my eyes and stood facing the water, letting my thoughts unravel. Things would settle down soon, I told myself. Lindsay would be safe, Darla would get her work issues straightened out, and Liz would become pregnant as she wanted. Lately, Rhonda and I had missed our margaritas at the hotel, but I decided as soon as Vaughn went back to work, I’d initiate those times together. One drink in the late afternoon, lots of conversation, and much laughter kept us moving forward, leaving the stress of overseeing the hotel manageable. Thank God we had Bernie.

  I sensed someone approaching me and whipped around to face Brock.

  “Ah, just the person I was hoping to see,” he said smoothly. “I had an interesting conversation with one of your guests yesterday.”

  “Oh?” I said, playing dumb.

  “Yes, Thomas Thaxton and I now have a partnership of sorts. I’ll be doing investigating for him in return for a favor to me.”

  “I can’t imagine what you’re investigating,” I said. “Besides, he left for D. C. this morning.”

  The look of surprise on Brock’s face was telling.

  “I guess you didn’t know that,” I said.

  “Well, I’m sure he’ll call me when he’s back and settled,” said Brock.

  “You left before he was escorted from the party,” I said. “He’s a troubled man. I’d stay away from him if I were you.”

  Brock glared at me. “Are you threatening me?”

  “What? No! Absolutely not. I just believe he’s a problem to everyone with whom he comes in contact.”

  Brock jabbed at his chest with his thumb. “I’ll be the one to decide that. Having contacts in D. C. could prove very beneficial to me and my business.”

  “Good luck with that,” I said, trying to sound sincere. As I moved away from the water and headed back to the hotel, he followed me.

  “I see the gate is going up as we speak. But if you think it’ll keep me and others out of the hotel, you’re wrong. It won’t.”

  “Now it sounds as if you’re threatening me. What’s the problem with providing our guests a sense of privacy?”

  “Nothing, if you have nothing to hide. Thomas thinks his ex-wife might be here or somewhere in the area.”
/>   “And you believed him?”

  “You don’t?” Brock said, surprised.

  “I wouldn’t trust a word that man said,” I replied, watching with satisfaction as the usual self-assured look on Brock’s face slipped a little.

  “Well, I do,” said Brock.

  I walked past the men working on the gate and turned to face him. “See you later.”

  “You can count on it,” he said before turning back to the water.

  I watched him go, worried Brock wouldn’t give up on the idea of watching the hotel in hopes of seeing Lindsay.

  ###

  Inside, I stopped in the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee. Things were back to normal from the party, though not all the staff looked as chipper as they usually did. Their party had been, no doubt, a success. Rhonda and I were happy to allow our people to relax and celebrate another good season at the hotel. Twice a year, they had the chance to do so, with senior management stepping in to give everyone time to join in.

  I knew Rhonda would be late and went to Bernie’s office to check in with him.

  “How are things?” I asked as I met him in the front hall.

  “Interesting,” Bernie answered cryptically. “Let’s talk in my office.”

  We went into it, and he closed the door behind him. “A few minutes ago, I got a call from someone asking if the guesthouse accommodations were available. I explained that the house was booked for the next several months, that it was popular for weddings and honeymooners.”

  I wondered what was so strange about that.

  “The thing is, I recognized Brock Goodwin’s voice,” said Bernie. “I tried to have him give me more information so I could call him if we had a cancellation. But he hung up on me. What’s going on with him now?”

  I filled him in on my recent conversation with Brock. “He’s not going to give up on the idea of exchanging favors even after I told him Thomas was headed back to D. C. It’s why we have to have our staff keep an eye out for him. If it were anyone else, I’d guess they’d give up fairly quickly. But with Brock, I wouldn’t count on it. He’s desperate for an influential D. C. contact.”

  “I’ll bring it up in the staff meeting that he’s someone to be watched,” said Bernie.