Stranger's Game

by Colleen Coble

  “You told Mom, didn’t you?” When her aunt looked away, Torie knew she was right.

  What about the note she’d found that Lisbeth had hidden in the safe? Was it truly from her mother? It was computer generated, not handwritten.

  “You’ve always said she killed herself. Why are you so sure?” Torie asked.

  “She was wild with grief about it. Lily was always volatile. I always thought she’d walk into the ocean one day and not come back.”

  “I never saw her act in a crazy way.”

  “You were a child. Of course she wouldn’t show that side to you.”

  Torie was done with this conversation. She rose and took Hailey’s hand. “Come with me, honey.” Torie managed to keep the tears at bay until they stood outside her aunt’s closed door.

  She drew in a shaky breath. “Sorry you had to hear that.”

  “I’m sorry she was mean to you.”

  Torie squeezed the little girl’s hand. “Thank you.”

  A security guard headed her direction, and she turned to face him. “Anything?” she asked when he drew near. He reeked of her mom’s perfume.

  The older man shrugged. “We found the broken perfume bottle, so someone must have been in there while you were. The apartment was empty though.”

  “Any clues to who he was or where he was hiding?”

  “I found a couple of caved-in boxes in the closet, so he might have been sitting on them listening to you in the bedroom. No way to know for sure though. You didn’t open any closet doors. There’s one for coats in the living room too. Could have been in either of those places or even the pantry.”

  True enough. “Thanks for checking.”

  “Of course, Ms. Bergstrom. Glad to be of service.” He looked past her shoulder. “I’d better tell Ms. Hallston what we discovered.”

  When he stepped into her aunt’s office and closed the door behind him, Torie took Hailey’s hand. “It’s nearly noon. How about some lunch?”

  Hailey nodded and pointed. “And there’s Daddy. He can come with us. Maybe he’ll buy us ice cream.”

  Torie turned to see Joe’s long-limbed figure loping toward them down the nearly empty hall, past the seating area with its fireplace. Her pulse stuttered at the grim expression on his face. That couldn’t be good.

  She started to ask him what was wrong, but he gave a slight shake to his head, and she held back her question. “We’re about to go to lunch. You hungry?”

  “Famished.”

  “We’ve got a Mexican buffet special going on today in the dining room,” she said.

  “I’m in,” he said.

  Hailey slipped her hand into his as they started for the Grand Dining Room. “Torie got yelled at.”

  Torie’s face went hot, and she looked away from Joe’s probing gaze. “My aunt’s always been a little difficult. And she’s never liked me.”

  “She’s always been so good to Hailey and me.” Joe took her hand and squeezed it. “What’s not to like?”

  The warmth in his words made her shoot a glance his way, but she found it hard to accept the admiration in his green eyes. Was it only admiration or something a little stronger? She wasn’t used to reading emotional undercurrents. All of the subtext went right over her head. Why couldn’t people say what they mean and mean what they said?

  But maybe Joe was one who did. She’d seen no evidence of him twisting his words. He was only guilty of twisting her insides into a knot. And her heart.

  “My dad says she’s jealous. That Genevieve has been angry ever since he dated her, then dumped her when he met Mom. I can’t remember our relationship ever being anything except how it is right now.”

  They walked toward the dining room, and Hailey waited until they were seated to announce her second bombshell. “Someone was in Torie’s old apartment. He busted up her mom’s perfume bottle. And Torie cried when we were there. You should get her some ice cream to make her smile again.”

  Torie went from a flinch to a full-bodied laugh. She leaned over and tickled Hailey. “Don’t pull me into your little schemes, girlfriend. You’re the one who wants the ice cream.”

  “I thought you liked ice cream,” Joe said.

  His deadpan voice didn’t fool her. He might not be interrogating her right this minute, but he’d be firing questions her way the moment they were alone.

  But she’d do the same. She hadn’t missed the stress around his mouth and the worry in his eyes. Something had happened this morning.

  Chapter 32

  A siren blared, and Joe jumped, sure the MPs were after him.

  Once it screamed past his building, he relaxed. Just a state trooper. Perspiration beaded on his forehead in the warm humidity near the sea lion enclosure. They’d talked Hailey out of ice cream with the lure of seeing the newly arrived group of sea lions.

  The sun shone on the water and steel fencing where his four sea mammals frolicked and barked. One of the sea lions flopped out of the water onto the decking and clapped his flippers until Hailey tossed him crab.

  “He’s glad to see you,” Joe said.

  A perfect day if it weren’t that he’d just quit the best job he’d ever had.

  Hailey was ten feet away talking to a sea lion. Far enough away he could talk without her overhearing, especially since she was chattering away.

  “What about the intruder in your old apartment? You see or hear anything?”

  Torie shook her head. “I had a funny feeling when I saw the closet door was standing open. I was sure we’d shut it.”

  “You didn’t go in, did you?”

  If she’d interrupted that guy . . . He suppressed a shudder.

  “I should have, but I couldn’t make myself take one step that way.”

  At the shame in her voice, he gripped her by the shoulders. “Never apologize for using the good sense God gave you. Only an idiot would make a move to surprise an intruder. Especially when you were responsible for a child.”

  The shame fled her brown eyes, and she smiled up at him. “How do you always know the right thing to say?”

  “Do I? That’s the first time anyone’s ever told me that. I’m usually accused of being too blunt.”

  “I like a man who says what he means and means what he says.”

  “That’s good because I don’t think I could change if I wanted to. And I want you to like me. More than like me.”

  The sparkle in her eyes at his confession made his heart skitter in his chest. Maybe they were starting to get somewhere.

  “I found Lisbeth’s missing pages—at least some of them.” She reached into her bag and pulled out some journal pages. “I haven’t had a chance to read them yet.” She handed some to him. “You take a look and I will too.”

  He began to leaf through the pages. “These seem different from the others you showed me. Choppier. Look.”

  She leaned over to read where he pointed. “‘Tell Torie? Can’t decide. Wish I’d never found it. Genevieve saw it on my desk and we argued about it. Why would she do something like that to her sister?’” Torie frowned. “What was Lisbeth struggling with telling me?”

  “I don’t know.”

  Torie went back to her pages. “Here’s something. This page isn’t from her journal. It’s a Xerox of my mother’s suicide note: ‘You’ll only have yourself to blame at my funeral. Lily.’” Torie put her finger at the bottom of the page. “This is Lisbeth’s handwriting here. ‘Found this tucked into a Bible in a nightstand in the master bedroom. Did Anton hide this to protect Torie?’”

  He read it and whistled. “We should ask him if Lisbeth called him to ask about it.”

  “I wondered if Mom even wrote the note since it wasn’t handwritten. But I never heard of a suicide note being found at the crime scene, so that must be why Lisbeth wondered if Dad hid it.”

  Speculation wouldn’t get them anywhere. “What happened today with your aunt?”

  Torie’s smile faded, and she laid down the pages. “She always finds some
thing hurtful to say. Today it was that I was pretentious in using Latin quotes and that I should do something to hide my l-large feet.”

  Something in Joe’s heart broke at the pained expression on her face. “Only a genius knows Latin, so that’s a moot point. But a personal attack like the size of your feet? They’re proportionate to your height. You’re six feet tall. Did she even stop to think how ridiculous you’d look if your feet were a size five? I hope you jumped right back down her throat.”

  “I’m ashamed to say I did. I tried to keep my temper, but she was just so mean. I dislike meanness.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind.” He reached out and stroked a strand of hair that had escaped her crown of braids. “Your mom was beautiful.”

  She nodded. “She was gorgeous.”

  “I bet she wore a size twelve shoe.”

  She arched a brow. “How would you know that?”

  “I saw a picture of her at your cottage. You look so much like her, and her feet are in the same proportion. But you’re even more gorgeous.”

  Red swept up her neck. “Now you’ve gone from truth to fiction.”

  “Ask any man, and he’d tell you the same thing. You didn’t see the admiring glances Craig was sending your way when he met you. You’re one of those rare women who have no idea of the feminine power they have. Let’s keep it that way, okay?”

  An uneasy chuckle escaped her, and she shook her head. “That’s an easy request since I don’t believe a word of your blather.” Her smile vanished. “And what happened to you today? I saw how upset you were when you showed up at the hotel.”

  “I broke ties with the Navy today.”

  She held her hand to her mouth. “But you love working with the sea lions!”

  “I didn’t have any choice.”

  He told her what had happened, and her eyes grew bigger and rounder when she heard about the hostile swimmer killing himself with cyanide.

  “It had to have been a very serious plot for him to kill himself rather than be taken alive and interrogated. That’s the kind of thing a foreign power might have their soldiers do.”

  “I’ve been thinking the same thing. I’m sure the Navy will figure out what power is behind this, but it escalated everything along the Eastern Seaboard.”

  She shivered and hugged herself. “Scary stuff. What are you going to do about a job?”

  “I don’t know yet. I could work full-time at the hotel instead of part-time. Or maybe I’ll find one wherever you’re heading when you’re through here.” The words popped out before he’d even realized that thought had been simmering for the past few hours.

  Her eyes widened and her mouth curved into a huge smile. “I’d vote for that idea, but I’ll have to give it some thought. Dad’s been wanting me to go to Costa Rica and turn around a resort there, but I’m not sure what I want to do. I’m not even sure I want to be in the hospitality business. Ever since that thought bloomed in my head, I haven’t been able to get rid of it. What would I want to do if I could do anything at all? I don’t even know.”

  “When you figure it out, let me know and I’ll do what I can to help.”

  He dropped his arm around her, and they strolled along the decking to join Hailey. It was too soon to push Torie, but he hoped he’d planted the thought of what life might be like if they were in close proximity.

  * * *

  Her aunt always managed to ruin a pleasant moment. Pick up the glass globes from Amelia and hide them. There are fifteen globes.

  In the front seat of Joe’s truck, Torie stared at the text message on her phone. No please or thank you. No apology for the morning’s insults. But had she really expected anything more from her aunt? It was no wonder she had never married. Who could put up with her sharp tongue for long?

  It wasn’t the first time Torie wondered why her dad had let Aunt Genevieve manage the Club Resort. The staff lived in fear of her, and there was a constant turnover of positions.

  Torie could do so much with the hotel. The idea had been slowly forming over her time here. Every time she thought about leaving, she felt a check in her spirit—a conviction it would be wrong to leave this place where she felt so at home. And where she knew she could make a difference.

  She tucked the notion away for further consideration later and turned to Joe, who was turning the truck into the parking lot. “Duty calls. My aunt wants me to collect the glass globes from Amelia and help hide them for the scavenger hunt.”

  “Ooh, can I help?” Hailey asked.

  “I’m terrible at hiding things, so I’d love the help if it’s okay with your dad.” She glanced at Joe.

  “Only if I get to be part of the project.”

  Was he always this good-natured? Her dad rarely raised his voice, but it was mostly because he was distracted and focused on his business. He was rarely fully present. It had been her and her mother most of the time with quick trips in and out from her dad.

  Joe drove them to the glass shop. “I hope Amelia has tubs or something to keep them from rolling.”

  Torie shoved open her door and got out. “I’m sure she has it all planned.”

  “I’ll let Amelia know we’re here,” Joe said.

  His tall figure disappeared into the shop, and Torie marveled at the way he took charge, jumping in and helping wherever he could. He didn’t stand back and make her do the work, even though it was her job. It made her feel cared for in a deeper way than she could remember experiencing. At least not since her mother died.

  Hailey took Torie’s hand. “Daddy likes you. Do you like him?”

  “I do. He’s a very nice man. Do you like living on Jekyll Island?” How would Hailey take it if Joe told her they were moving? She remembered how she felt when her dad had announced they were moving after Mom’s death. He hadn’t consulted her and just packed her things up. Two days later they were in Arizona, which couldn’t be more different from this quaint island.

  “I love the beach and all the sea life. I don’t remember much now about where we lived with Mommy. This is home.”

  Did Torie have the right to disrupt the little girl’s life when she’d already lost so much? And would it really be a sacrifice to stay here and see what the future held with Joe and Hailey? Maybe it wouldn’t work out, but after nearly dying in the ocean, she didn’t want to turn her back on such a delicious possibility.

  He exited the shop with his arms full of boxes. “I’ve got six of them. There are nine more.”

  “I’ll get some. They aren’t heavy,” she added when he frowned.

  “I can carry some,” Hailey said.

  Amelia came out balancing four more boxes. “The others are just inside the door.”

  Torie opened the door and placed one of the boxes in Hailey’s hands. “I can get the other four.” She balanced them in her arms and went out with the little girl.

  Hailey walked in front of Torie back to the truck. “Where can we hide them?”

  “I can answer that,” Amelia said. “We want to highlight the island businesses so hide a few at the shops along here and take some to the Jekyll Island Beach Village. Maybe put one at Jekyll Market and The Collection Boutique. The event kicks off tomorrow night.”

  “What about Driftwood Beach? It’s iconic Jekyll Island,” Joe said.

  Amelia frowned. “It doesn’t highlight any businesses.”

  Why was Amelia taking charge of the locations? This was hotel business, for the club’s guests. She’d been paid handsomely for the beautiful globes, but that was as far as her authority went.

  “I’ll figure it out,” Torie said.

  “I’ve planned all this out with Genevieve,” Amelia said. “I suggest you follow her plans.”

  Amelia’s high-handed behavior made Torie want to dig in her heels. She had seen all of the plans for the weekend’s events. None of the businesses had paid for the privilege of having the visitors search their properties for the globes so this was something she could decide, no matter what her aunt or A
melia had to say about it.

  “My aunt said nothing about following any special plan, but thank you for the advice.” She climbed into the passenger seat of Joe’s truck, and as they drove away, she caught a glimpse of Amelia’s tight lips as she pulled out her phone. She was probably calling Aunt Genevieve.

  Sure enough, moments later, another message flashed on the screen from her aunt. Torie didn’t read it. In that moment she knew what she wanted to do—stay here and bring the hotel back to its full life and beauty. Build up the employees and change the culture here. A year from now she wanted every person working at the resort to talk about how much they loved being a part of it.

  In her bones she knew she could make a difference here. All it would take was commitment to this place and these people. Her gaze slid sideways to Joe. It felt like a huge step but the right one.

  Chapter 33

  What was different about Torie this afternoon?

  Joe sensed a freer spirit, a lightness in her manner. He wanted to hope it was because he’d told her he wanted to be wherever she was, but he might be reading too much into it. With the blue sky overhead and the tang of the sea in his nose, it would take a grinch not to enjoy the perfect afternoon with Hailey and Torie. Maybe she felt the same way.

  Torie sat on a twisted tree on Driftwood Beach and studied the globe in her hands. “This one is beautiful so let’s put it on the beach somewhere. There will be a picnic here at dinner tomorrow, followed by fireworks from a boat out on the water,” Torie said. “The guests will be milling around for hours. I think we should put two here.”

  “I saw your back go up at Rogers Glass,” he teased.

  She flushed. “Was I too unkind?”

  “Never. It’s not Amelia’s business how you use the globes. She was paid for providing them. It’s up to the hotel how to use them.”

  She looked around. “Hailey, you pick out the two you want to hide and figure out where you want to put them. Make the hiding places fairly difficult.”

  The kindness she showed Hailey touched him. She seemed to always be thinking of ways to please his daughter, something no dad could resist. And he had no intention of trying.