Gloria's Legacy

by Robin Alexander

  “Innocent if they have money, and if they’re broke, they’re screwed.”

  “Put your cynicism aside, girl, and listen.” Colie shot me the look he gave Teddy when he dared to get mouthy. “I’m not taking anything away from Kristen’s or anybody’s ability, but she could be wrong. She told me that she’s not always a hundred percent.”

  “Well, I’d be inclined to agree with you if Stinslin hadn’t shown up with a picture of Kristen and a trumped-up story. Which leads me to my next point—how did he get his hands on that photo?”

  Colie rubbed his chin. “I’m concerned with that, as well. I’d like to check on a couple of things before we bring that up to Kristen.”

  “You suspect he’s been in her home,” Elaine said. “How will you confirm that suspicion?”

  “Iris gave me her address. I’ll make some calls to see if perhaps a break-in was reported.” Colie downed the rest of his coffee and prepared to leave. “My people are all over the inn, some are dressed as employees. They are loyal and diligent, but they are not trained professionals.” He narrowed his gaze on me. “Please use common sense and take extra precaution.”

  I turned to Elaine when Colie left us. “Are you hearing anything? Do you know how Stinslin got his hands on that photo?”

  Elaine shook her head sadly. “I came out here this morning and tried to focus on him, but I didn’t get anything. My thoughts are a jumble as you can imagine.”

  “Yes, I know exactly what you mean.” I turned and looked up at Adrienne. She smiled before she leaned down to kiss me. “I ate the oatmeal, no thanks to you,” she said as she tugged on the front of my T-shirt playfully.

  “I said you were an adult and could choose for yourself.”

  “Do you remember the time you had the flu?” Adrienne raised a brow. Arguing with Iris over food was futile. She honestly believed that all ills could be cured with fruit, protein, and God help us all, cayenne pepper.

  “Good morning, Elaine,” Adrienne said. “I apologize for not speaking to you sooner, but I was being held hostage.”

  “Think nothing of it. I didn’t want to…crowd you, so I just came out here.” Elaine reached up and grabbed a lock of her hair that she began twirling around her finger.

  “Have you always done that?” Adrienne pointed at the obvious nervous habit.

  Elaine dropped her hands in her lap. “Yes, since I was a little girl. My mother said I started doing it as soon as she broke me from sucking my thumb.”

  “I have dozens of questions if you don’t mind.” Adrienne settled in closer to me, making it obvious that I was to stay put.

  “I’ll tell you anything you want to know.” Elaine smiled nervously for a second and reached for the lock of hair that had begun to curl before realizing and tucked her hands under her legs.

  Adrienne wrapped an arm around mine to further root me. “Where are you from and do you still live there now?”

  “I grew up in Richmond Hill, Georgia, but I moved to Brookhaven just north of Atlanta. I own a store that sells craft supplies and decorating odds and ends. My hobby is sculpting.” Elaine shrugged. “I’m not really all that good at it, but it passes the time.”

  “Did you ever marry, if you don’t mind me asking?”

  They were insufferably polite. If I’d have been in Adrienne’s shoes, I would’ve gone right to the heart of the matter and demanded to know why she hadn’t sought me out. To my surprise, they both looked at me as if I’d said what was going through my head aloud. I scooted farther down in my seat. “I guess the volume on my inner dialogue is turned up really loud.”

  Elaine cleared her throat. “It’s an honest question, Hayden. I believe Adrienne was getting around to it, though.” She looked at Adrienne. “May I answer it now?”

  Adrienne nodded and pinched the inside of my arm.

  “To say that I’ve lived every day of my life wondering how and where you were sounds trite, but it’s the truth. There are two sides to our family—those who possess special abilities and those who do not. Those who do not refuse to accept it. I think maybe because they’re afraid that their innermost secrets will be revealed. Then it could come down to simple jealousy. Regardless, I was made to feel like I was insane, or worse, unnatural.”

  Elaine reclaimed the lock of her hair and began twirling it around her finger. “I don’t know from whom I inherited it. My mother would never say, but when I admitted that I had been hearing things, she didn’t seemed surprised, just disappointed and angry. She said our family had a history of mental illness and that I had succumbed to the curse. I grew up thinking I had mental problems and my mother treated me so. My sister led a normal life going to proms and dating boys, and I was kept away from everyone. My escape came when I met a tall spindly boy in the woods behind our home. His name was Ben Bishop.” Elaine smiled sadly.

  “My father,” Adrienne said.

  Elaine nodded. “We met one day when he sneaked onto our property to fish. He’d come every afternoon with a fishing pole slung over his shoulder. Then one day he left the pole behind, and I knew he was coming just to see me.” Elaine sighed. “I fell head over heels in love with him and him with me. I never told him I could hear his thoughts, but they were so sweet. While everyone our age was going to movies and dances, we spent our time out at the pond unchaperoned, and I got pregnant.”

  Elaine lifted her chin and met our gazes. “That was the first time I stood up to my parents, my mother in particular. I told her I was keeping my baby, and Ben and I were getting married. He was killed a week later in a car accident, going into town for his first day of work.”

  “I’m so sorry,” I said. I was sorry for Elaine’s loss, and Adrienne’s, too, as she learned about the father she would never know.

  Elaine looked away. “I was six months pregnant then. I couldn’t get a job because my mother didn’t want me in town in my ‘condition.’ I had no means of support apart from them, and they could barely afford to feed and clothe me and my sister. At the time, I was financially and I thought mentally unfit, so when the time came,” Elaine looked at Adrienne, “I let you go. My breakdown followed shortly after. I’d lost everything, and I just…didn’t want to go on.” Elaine’s hands trembled slightly as she struggled to keep them in her lap.

  Adrienne and I sat in stunned silence as we absorbed the details.

  “My overdose was unsuccessful, as you can see, and when I got out of the hospital, I was sent to live with a family friend. She and her husband were childless, and I guess they sort of adopted me. I never told them about my ability, nor did my mother, so they treated me like you would any other seventeen-year-old. I finished high school, and because of them, I was able to go to college.”

  “What did you study?” Adrienne asked.

  “Psychology,” Elaine said with a grin. “You would think being able to hear a person’s thoughts would be a huge benefit in that line of work, but for me, it was just too much. I was so deep into my patients’ minds that I began to take on some of their illnesses, so I retired early.” She smiled slightly at Adrienne. “I still haven’t answered your question, but I wanted you to know the background.”

  Adrienne nodded. “That’s okay.”

  “Once I was on my feet financially and had accepted that I was not insane, you were around fifteen. I started and stopped searches often, and one day, I reluctantly accepted that you had lived all this time without me and might not have even known I existed. As bad as I wanted to know you, I thought it wrong to invade your life, so I decided to wait until you were an adult. And I talked myself out of it again. To be perfectly honest, I was afraid…and I still am.”

  Adrienne was unconsciously rubbing her stomach the entire time. “I know,” she said softly.

  Neither of them spoke a word, and it made me uncomfortable. When Teddy burst onto the deck with the cordless phone and handed it to me, I sighed internally with relief.

  “Hayden, the woman traveling with Stinslin is Anna Harris, and she’s he
aded your way. Stinslin is on the move, as well, and I’m covering him. You’re going to have to handle Anna alone.”

  “I’ve got her, Colie, no problem. The woman that’s traveling with Stinslin is on the way over here,” I said when I put down the phone. “I need to go to the bar.”

  “I can go this time, Hayden.” Adrienne was adamant. “This isn’t Stinslin, and there’s plenty of people around to protect us.”

  “What if we both go?” Elaine offered. “Two heads are better than one, especially when they can…” She looked at Adrienne. “Do what we do.”

  Iris stayed behind with Teddy and Kristen while we took the cart to the bar. By the time we got there, all the guests were at the beach or on an outing. “This is good. Big-mouth BJ isn’t around.”

  “I’m sure she didn’t mean any harm, love.” Adrienne squeezed my hand. “BJ probably fell for the story and thought she was being helpful. And we can’t lose sight of the fact Anna is a potential victim.”

  “So, Hayden, how do we handle this?” Elaine asked. “Do we sit at the bar like we did the last time?”

  I hadn’t thought that far ahead. “I guess so. I just don’t want it to appear like we’re waiting for her. We were at the bar when Stinslin came. They might compare notes.”

  Adrienne grabbed me and Elaine by the arms when we heard a car coming up the drive. “You two go into the dining room. I’ll meet her alone at first. It may put her more at ease.”

  I reluctantly followed Adrienne’s instruction, but I peeked around the corner just to make sure it was Anna instead of Stinslin. Adrienne pulled a clipboard from under the bar and pretended to be taking inventory as Anna stepped out of a rental car.

  “Hello, may I help you?” Adrienne said in a friendly tone.

  “Yes, I’m staying at The Cove right now, but I’ve been looking at some of the inns for next year’s vacation. I was hoping someone might give me a tour.”

  “Little liar,” I said under my breath.

  “She thinks she’s helping Stinslin find his sister,” Elaine whispered. “In her mind, she’s lying for a noble cause.”

  Anna Harris looked like she was in her early to mid-forties. She was a plain-looking woman except for her flaming red hair that looked natural to me. I was forced to step out of my hiding place when her darting gaze caught me before I could duck. Elaine followed my lead.

  “Ah, Hayden, you saved me from having to yell. This is…” Adrienne raised her eyebrows, and the woman smiled at us.

  “I’m Anna Harris.”

  “Nice to meet you, Anna.” Elaine put out her hand. “I’m Elaine.”

  Smooth, I thought as they briefly clasped hands.

  “Are you the innkeeper?” Anna asked.

  “Oh, no, I’m Hayden’s…mother-in-law.”

  Adrienne shot me a glance, and I smiled.

  Elaine stepped aside. “This is Hayden. She’s the owner.”

  “Excellent. I’m planning next year’s vacation, and I was hoping to take a look around. I’m staying at The Cove right now, and it really is lovely, but I thought it might be interesting to see other places.”

  The impish side of me wanted to make her dance. Yes, I knew that she’d believed a lie, but I still couldn’t help but feel threatened by her in a way. I pointed to Adrienne. “My wife will be happy to discuss rates and availability. It’s actually her forte.” I suppressed a giggle as her jaw fell slack for half a second. “Our clientele is mostly gay and lesbian, but we don’t discriminate. I just thought it was something you should know beforehand.”

  “Well…thank you,” she said politely. She gestured with her hands nervously. “I’m very open-minded.”

  Adrienne came from behind the bar and joined us. “Would you like to have a look around before we discuss specifics?”

  I wanted to laugh outright when Anna’s eyes widened upon seeing Adrienne’s protruding belly. “Sweetie, you should let me take Anna on the tour. Give your feet a rest.”

  Adrienne rubbed her lower back, something she’d been doing a lot lately. “I’ll take you up on that.”

  “Follow me then, Anna.” I took her first to the dining room and explained that the bar was where we served breakfast and lunch. Then we took to the paths that led to the cottages. I hoped we wouldn’t encounter BJ and Audrey. I was fairly certain that any of the other guests would offer a simple hello and keep going, but BJ was a talker, and she’d most certainly start yapping if prompted.

  “I’d show you the interior of one of our cottages, but they’re all occupied at the moment. I’ll give you a brochure that has views of each one.” I walked along slowly. “We operate sort of like a cruise ship. Your two-week stay is all inclusive, but unlike a ship, all drinks—alcohol and non—are included.”

  Anna wasn’t listening to a word I was saying. Her gaze darted back and forth. It was so obvious that she was looking for someone. “Do you live on the premises?”

  “We do, but our home is private. As you can imagine, we have very little time to ourselves, so you can understand that our home is off-limits. Should you need anything, you can always call the desk, and we or some of our staff will assist you day or night.”

  “Is that water I hear?” She looked toward the trail that led to the bluff.

  “Yes, it is.” I started down the trail. “I think our beach is one of the prettiest on the island.”

  She gasped when the water came into view. “This is absolutely gorgeous.” Her voice trailed off as she looked down on the few guests who were sunning. None of them even came close to matching Kristen’s description. “It’s not all that crowded. They must all be in their cottages sleeping off the free booze,” she said with a smile.

  “Not this group. We have some kayakers and deep-sea fishermen with us now. They hit the ground running right after breakfast.”

  “Is this more like a couples resort?”

  I nodded. “That’s what we tend to attract. There’s not a lot here for children or young people looking for nightlife beyond a campfire on the beach.”

  Anna seemed to consider this for a moment. “So if I decided I wanted to come alone, I’d be sort of the odd woman out.”

  “Some singles do come here, but not often. We had a young woman visit recently, but it really wasn’t her cup of tea.” I shrugged. “I don’t normally give refunds, but I made an exception in her case. She hadn’t done her homework and booked her stay on impulse.” I turned and started walking slowly back toward the bar hoping she’d follow. “Cat Island, as I’m sure you’ve learned, isn’t for everyone. If you want to bask in the sun and explore an island that is not humming with tourists, then this is heaven.”

  Anna grabbed me by the arm and pulled me to a stop. “I need to be honest with you. I’m really looking for a missing woman who I believe stayed here recently. She’s the sister of...the man I’m dating.”

  “Ah, he came here yesterday.” I raised my brows. “Ronnie something?”

  She looked confused for a second, then shook it off. Apparently, Stinslin didn’t bother to disclose that he used an assumed name.

  “I know you told him she left, but we met a woman who claimed she was staying here. She said she saw her at your house. I’m not trying to cause trouble. I just want to find her.”

  “Anna, we have friends who visit us often. She probably saw one of them and mistook her for your boyfriend’s sister.” I found myself lying as much as she had. “The girl he showed me a picture of left, and I have no idea where she went. If he’s that concerned, I’d suggest talking to the police.”

  “No, he doesn’t want to do that. He doesn’t suspect foul play. He just wants to find his little sister.”

  “Then I’d suggest letting her come home on her own time. She’s an adult and she’s free to go where she wants.” I bit my lip, unsure of whether I should play the next card. “Do you think it’s strange that he’s come all this way looking for her and she obviously doesn’t want to be found? I could understand it if she were undera
ge, but like I said, she’s a grown woman.”

  Anna looked as though she’d already considered this. “He said they’ve never been apart, and her behavior is odd. Kristen’s never done anything this impulsive.”

  I started walking again. “She’s probably already home. You and your boyfriend should relax and enjoy the vacation.”

  Anna didn’t say anything else as I led her back to the bar. I could tell that she truly wanted to help, and it made me feel sorry for her. Part of me wanted to grab her by the front of her shirt and tell her she was traveling with a murderer. But how would I validate that? Show her some drawings? At times, I had my doubts about what Kristen was sketching out, but she had been on the mark when she said Stinslin was coming. And even creepier, she drew the woman who now walked behind me before ever laying an eye on her. The thought that Kristen was making the whole thing up and was being pursued by a jilted lover did cross my mind, but I believed that Adrienne or Elaine would’ve caught that.

  When we arrived at the bar, Elaine and Adrienne were sporting twin looks of guilt. “I’m afraid you have a flat on your car.” Elaine pointed to the front tire on the driver’s side.

  Adrienne piped up. “I hope you don’t mind, but I looked at your rental agreement and called the agency. They don’t have anyone who can come right away.” Adrienne squeezed my upper arm like I had some bulging bicep. “Honey, do you think you could change it for her?”

  “Um, sure.” I had no idea what they were up to, but I went out to the car with Adrienne while Elaine fixed a grateful Anna a drink.

  “Work slowly, sweetie.” Adrienne kept her back to Anna. “She’s finished her errand, and he has no more use for her. Elaine and I heard his thoughts. We can’t let her go back to him.”

  I opened the trunk of the car shielding us from Anna’s gaze. “Okay, so what do we do now? Tell her what we suspect? We can’t kidnap her.”

  “Colie’s working on something at his end. He asked us to buy him some time.”

  I looked down at the spare and grinned. It was in worse shape than the flat that Adrienne and Elaine caused. “Well, she isn’t going anywhere on this. I’ll show it to her and she can wait on someone from the rental place.”