The Con Artist: (Formally Published as Playing The Millionaire)

by Lynn, Sandi

  “I’m not a fan of yours, Mr. Quinn,” he spoke.

  “I’m sure Kate told you everything.”

  “She did.” He nodded as he took a seat at the rectangular table.

  “I need to know where she is. It’s important.”

  “You hurt my baby girl in the worst way possible. Even if I knew where she was, I wouldn’t tell you.”

  “Are you saying you don’t know where she is?”

  “That’s right. She wouldn’t tell me where she was going. She’s trying to put the pieces of her life back together, Mr. Quinn, and you’re not a part of that. In fact, you’re the reason my little girl left in the first place. Had you just trusted her, you wouldn’t be sitting across from me right now.”

  I wanted to shout obscenities at him and tell him what a lousy father he was, but I remained calm and let him say what he had to.

  “I was wrong, and I need to make things right with her.”

  “I’m afraid it’s too late for that.”

  “People deserve a second chance, Henry.”

  “You’re right, they do. You should have thought about that yourself before doing and saying what you did to Kate. She’s a very strong woman and she knows how to take care of herself. Look at the risk she took to prove her innocence to you. Move on with your life, Mr. Quinn, ” he got up from his seat, “and forget about Kate.”

  “I’m afraid I can’t do that. I love her. I’m in love with her.”

  “If that’s true and you really do love her, then you have to let her go. Let her find her way and get back on track with her life. I have. I’m not perfect and I may not have been the best father, but I did what I had to do to support her.”

  “By moving her around her whole life and exposing her to your cons?” I spoke.

  “I regret that, but I couldn’t let them take her away from me. She was all I had left in this world after her mother died.”

  “You couldn’t let who take her away from you?”

  “Her grandparents. They always hated me and threatened to take her away because they thought I couldn’t support her. They told me that I’d be better off giving her up to them because a loser and a con like me could never love or take care of her the way they could. I did what I had to do to keep her.”

  “Does Kate know any of this?” I asked.

  “No. I never told her. Have a good day, Mr. Quinn.”

  He walked to the door, summoned the guard, and left. As I was leaving, my phone rang and it was Giles, my attorney.

  “Giles,” I answered.

  “I wanted to let you know that Thaddeus and Marcel are under investigation by the feds and the press is having a field day with this. The judge ordered a restraint on Marcel’s building of the hotel until the investigation is completed. It’s up to you if you want Thaddeus arrested for theft and espionage.”

  “Yes. I want him to pay for what he did.”

  “Very well. I’ll be in touch, my friend.”

  I sighed as I climbed into the limo and headed home. I poured myself a drink and paced around the room, trying to figure out where the hell she could have gone.

  “Did she ever mention somewhere she’d like to go?” Grace asked as she saw me in deep thought.

  “Not that I can recall.”

  “Why don’t you hire a private investigator to find her?”

  “I’m going to have to because I need to talk to her. Even if she doesn’t forgive me, I need to apologize.”

  Chapter 38

  Kate

  Rose and her husband, Bobby, were wonderful people. They made me feel so welcome in the two days I had already been there. I spent an entire day exploring downtown Mystic, meeting the people in town and shopping in the cute little boutiques they had to offer. It kept my mind off Gabriel, at least for a while. The hurt hadn’t even begun to lessen, and my heart was still shattered into tiny pieces. My first heartbreak ever and I had no clue how to heal from it.

  The gazebo had become my favorite spot to sit in and reflect on my life. As I was sitting there, staring at the beautiful garden, Rose came along and took a seat beside me.

  “How are you liking Mystic so far?”

  “I love it here. This place is exactly what I needed.”

  She placed her hand on top of mine and gave it a gentle squeeze.

  “What brought you to Mystic? Somehow I get the feeling you’re running from someone or something.”

  “How did you know?”

  “I can tell these things.”

  “I’m running from my life.” I gave her a small smile. “I’ve done some terrible things and I want to start over. It’s never too late for that, right?”

  “Of course not, dear. That’s how we as human beings grow. We make mistakes, learn from them, and then move on.”

  “Can I ask you something, Rose?”

  “Of course you can.”

  “How long does it take for a broken heart to heal?”

  “Well, it depends on the person. This isn’t your first broken heart, is it?”

  I looked down as I clasped my hands.

  “It is. I’ve never let myself get close enough to anyone before. I always played by my own rules. Then, I met this man and as hard as I tried to shield myself from him, I couldn’t. I fell in love when I knew deep in my mind that he could never trust me.”

  “Why’s that?” she asked.

  “Because of the way we met. That’s another story all on its own. Something happened with his company, and instantly, he accused me. Even though I told him I didn’t do it, he didn’t believe me. He said horrible things and told me he never wanted to see me again. When I was with him, my life was normal. A normalcy that I craved my entire life.” A tear ran down my cheek.

  Rose wrapped her arm around me and pulled me into her. Even though I had only known her a couple of days, I felt like she was a mother figure. Something I’d never had.

  “It’s okay to cry, Kate. Getting over a broken heart and relationship is something that takes time. Time will and does heal all wounds.”

  “I never should have let myself get involved with him.”

  “Of course you should have because then you never would have experienced the love you felt for him.”

  “The pain. This pain isn’t worth it. It hurts so much.” I began to cry. “I just want it to stop.”

  “And it will, dear, but you are the only one who can heal yourself. Isn’t that why you came here?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then you’ve already taken the first step. Just keep going. Every day, the pain will lessen until one day you wake up and it won’t hurt anymore.”

  “Thanks, Rose.” I gently smiled.

  “You’re welcome, dear. I’m going to go start dinner. Would you like to help?”

  “I’d love to.”

  * * *

  A few more days passed, and I kept myself as busy as I could. A few more guests checked in and I helped Rose out by cleaning the rooms. She insisted that I stop, but this was my way of thanking her and helping her out like she helped me. At night, I would hang out John’s Mystic River Tavern, where I would have a couple of drinks and play pool with the locals. I really liked it in Mystic and it already felt like home. A couple of the men in town had asked me to go out with them, but I politely turned them down. They were nice and attractive, but they weren’t Gabriel.

  * * *

  Gabriel

  I spent days trying to figure out where the hell Kate went off to. It was affecting my work. I couldn’t stay focused and I didn’t care. Work was no longer my number one priority; finding Kate was. I had just arrived home from the office, and I walked up to the bedroom where she stayed. Sitting down on the bed, I cupped my face in my hands. The best thing that ever happened to me in my life and I threw it away for nothing. I never should have accused her. I should have believed her when she told me she wasn’t the one who told Marcel about the hotel, because I loved her. I sighed as I ran my hands down my face. When I looked up, I st
ared at the painting of the mermaid by the sea she painted. It was beautiful, just like her. Suddenly, something hit me and hit me hard. I jumped up from the bed and ran down the stairs to my office. Opening my laptop, I typed the word mermaid into the search bar. I scrolled and scrolled, looking for something, anything that would lead me to where she was. What was I doing? I laughed at myself for even thinking that I was going to find something. I went to shut my laptop, and something caught my attention. The Mermaid Inn of Mystic, a bed and breakfast in Mystic, Connecticut. Could she have gone there? Or was I just grasping at straws? I shook my head as I closed my laptop, poured myself a bourbon, and went up to bed.

  * * *

  I tossed and turned all night like I did every night after I kicked Kate out. I stumbled out of bed. As I was showering, I couldn’t stop thinking about The Mermaid Inn. It was a longshot, but I didn’t care. The drive was only two and a half hours and something I needed to do. I got dressed, packed a small bag, and headed out the door.

  I reached the bed and breakfast, walked through the door, and found an older woman behind the desk.

  “Welcome to The Mermaid Inn.” She smiled.

  “Thank you. I’m hoping you can help me. I’m looking for someone.”

  “I can try to be of some help,” she spoke.

  “I’m looking for a woman who’s about five foot seven, long blonde hair, and beautiful blue eyes. Her name is Kate Harper. She would have stayed here within the past week.”

  “No, I’m sorry. No one by that name or description has stayed here.”

  “Do you know everyone who stays here?” I asked.

  “Of course. My bed and breakfast only have four rooms available to stay in. I know each and every guest that walks through that door.”

  “It was longshot. Thank you. Do you by chance have any rooms available for tonight?”

  “Unfortunately, every room is booked right now.”

  “I see. Have a good day,” I spoke.

  “You too.”

  I climbed into the car and followed the sign that pointed to Downtown Mystic. I was here and it seemed nice, so I decided to stay the night. Maybe getting away, even for a night, would do me some good. I pulled into The Whaler’s Inn to see if they had any rooms. Luckily for me, they had their junior suite available.

  “We hope you enjoy your stay, Mr. Quinn.”

  “Thank you. I’m sure I will.”

  I set my bag on the bed and looked around the nautical-themed room. Pulling my phone from my pocket, I called Caleb.

  “Hey, bro,” he answered.

  “Hey. I just wanted you to know that I’m in Mystic, Connecticut. I’ll be staying a couple of days and I’m turning my phone off.”

  “Why are you in Mystic?” he asked with a surprised tone.

  “There was this inn called The Mermaid Inn of Mystic. I took a wild chance that maybe Kate would be there, but the owner said she wasn’t. It’s pretty nice here and I need a couple of days to myself.”

  “I get it. Okay. Try to relax while you’re there.”

  “I’ll call you when I get back to New York.”

  “Talk to you soon, Gabriel.”

  I turned off my phone and placed it in my pocket. Maybe a change of scenery would help get Kate off my mind. I took a stroll through the downtown area, grabbed some dinner, and headed back to the hotel for the night. As I was walking up the stairs to my room, I saw a young couple standing there, holding hands and smiling at each other as they talked. It hit a spot in my heart because that was what Kate and I used to do. I saw the same look in that woman’s eyes that Kate always had when she smiled. Fuck. I wasn’t supposed to be thinking about her.

  The next morning, I got up early and went for a run along the river. It was a chilly start to the day and perfect running weather. I ran for what seemed like miles, trying to run away from all my problems. I needed a clear head before I headed back to New York, but I wasn’t so sure that was going to happen. As I was running back to the hotel, I saw a woman standing outside a boutique looking in the window. Her hair, her height, and her body frame. My heart started pounding. It was Kate. I ran towards her, and as I approached, I placed my hand on her shoulder.

  “Kate, thank god I found you.”

  She turned around, and instantly, I froze. It wasn’t her.

  “Excuse me?” she spoke.

  “I’m so sorry. I thought you were someone else. I’m sorry.” I continued my run to the hotel.

  Now I had gone and completely lost it, thinking that every woman I saw with long blonde hair was her. I decided that after breakfast, I would head back to New York, but first, I needed to stop at a small boutique I passed yesterday. Grace collected crystal birds and I saw a unique one displayed in the window. Her birthday was coming up and I thought it would be a little something extra to give along with a bonus. After I made the purchase, I stopped at a small coffee house to have a cup of coffee before I headed home.

  “How may I help you?” the young barista asked.

  “I’ll have a medium coffee and a scone,” I replied.

  “Will that be for here or to go?”

  “To go. On second thought, for here.”

  The last time I drove while drinking a cup of coffee I ended up spilling it all over me and the car. I took a seat at a small table, sitting with my back to the door to take in the view of the river one last time before I left. As I was drinking my coffee, I heard a woman’s voice. A voice that made my heart start to race. I slowly turned around and saw Kate standing at the counter, talking to the barista. She grabbed her coffee to go and headed out the door. I quickly got up and followed her, staying far behind so she didn’t see me. I wasn’t quite sure how to approach her and a nervousness settled inside me. She was just as beautiful as she always was and seeing her again took my breath away. Just like it had many times before.

  I followed her to The Mermaid Inn. What the hell? Had she been there the whole time and that woman lied to me? I waited outside the bed and breakfast while she went inside. After a few moments, I walked through the door and saw the older woman behind the desk.

  “You lied to me,” I spoke as I approached her.

  “Excuse me?” Her brow arched.

  “The woman who just walked through the door, that was Kate. The woman I asked you about yesterday.”

  “I think you should leave, Mr. Quinn. Kate came here to heal a broken heart.”

  “And I came here looking for her to make things right.”

  “Gabriel?” I heard Kate’s voice on the stairs.

  I looked over at her and saw the sadness that resided in her eyes.

  “What are you doing here?” she asked.

  “I came looking for you.” I smiled as I walked towards her.

  “You shouldn’t have.”

  She quickly walked past me and out the door and I ran after her.

  “Kate, I need you to listen to me. Please.”

  “Go back to New York, Gabriel.” She continued walking at a rapid pace.

  “I’m not leaving until I apologize to you. I’m sorry for everything I’ve said and done.”

  “Fine. I accept, now go. Leave me alone!” she shouted.

  I caught up with her and lightly grabbed hold of her arm. She turned and her beautiful blue eyes stared into mine.

  “I’m so sorry. Please let’s go somewhere so we can talk in private.”

  “There’s nothing to talk about. You said everything you needed to back when you accused me of selling you out to Marcel.” She jerked her arm away.

  “Please, sweetheart. I just need you to listen to me.”

  “First of all,” she pointed her finger at me and spoke in an angry tone, “I’m not your sweetheart, and second of all, I don’t care if you need me to listen to you. You didn’t listen to me. All of this could have been avoided if you would have just believed in me!”

  “I know that and I’m sorry. I’m stupid and I turned my back on the only woman I had ever loved. I’m here to m
ake things right. I can’t eat, I can’t sleep, and I can’t focus on my company. What I did was wrong, and I made a terrible mistake. I’m so sorry, Kate. Please, you have to believe me.”

  “Just like you believed me?” she asked in a low and sad voice. “I accept your apology, but that’s all I can give you. Things are different now, Gabriel, and you need to go home.”

  “Kate, please. I need you.” I reached out and grabbed her hand.

  “And I needed you at one time and you turned your back on me.” She pulled her hand away. “Goodbye, Gabriel. Please just leave me alone.” Tears formed in her eyes. “You will never be able to trust me.” She walked away and headed back to the bed and breakfast.

  “You’re wrong, Kate,” I shouted.

  I stood there and watched her walk away from me. The pain I already felt intensified to something so unbearable it sent me to my knees. My eyes began to water and before I knew it, tears started streaming down my face. This wasn’t me. This wasn’t who I was. She changed me, and now, I’d never know what it would be like to love her and spend my life with her.

  Chapter 39

  Kate

  I ran back to The Mystic Inn and found Rose standing on the porch. The uncontrollable tears streamed down my face as I cried in her arms.

  “There, there, dear. It’ll be okay,” she whispered as she held the back of my head with her hand.

  As soon as I calmed down, she walked me over to the gazebo where we always had our little talks. Seeing him again hurt so much. The fact that he searched and found me led me to believe he really was sorry for everything he’d done. But it didn’t matter. I needed to move on with my life because I would never allow myself to go through this again with him. People always say, the way you meet someone is the way things will end. We met under the circumstances of non-trust and we ended the same way. Rose and I sat and talked for hours.

  “Everybody deserves a second chance at least one time in their life,” she spoke. “Things with me and Bobby always weren’t so good.”