“Fawn, breakfast is ready!” June called from the hall. She didn’t answer her, but went about dressing like a robot then joined the two women in the kitchen.
“Does it ever stop raining here?” June asked Brisby.
“Oh, yes, it’s quite lovely most of the time. Every place has its spells of inclement weather. As do people, I’m sure. Take our Miss here, she’s feeling the worst of her situation at the moment, but time heals all wounds. She’ll be fit as a fiddle before you know it!”
“Are you sure about that?” Fawn sighed as she sipped her coffee.
“Indeed, my girl. I was in your boat ten years ago. Of course, I was fifty then, and due for the change anyway, so it is a bit different.”
“You were Taury’s nanny.”
“Yes, took care of him from the second he came home from the hospital.”
“Then, you know he wasn’t Elizabeth’s child?”
June was shocked. “Fawn, really, what a thing to ask!”
“But it’s true. And Brisby must have been aware of it.”
Brisby rose from her seat; took a strawberry muffin from a plate on the butcher block counter.
“Yes, you’re quite right. It wasn’t spoken of, certainly, but I knew. I assumed the Trahern’s had adopted the boy, until I saw her blue eyes staring up at me from the babe’s sweet face.”
“Her? You mean Inger?”
Brisby eased back into her seat. “Yes. Inger Sjostrom.”
“How did you know her?”
“I met her at the employment agency. We sort of hit it off, I suppose, because we were both new to America, and somewhat frightened of our surroundings. It was through her that I came to know Jim Trahern. He said she’d suggested me for the child’s nanny.”
“What happened to her?” June wondered.
“Yes, do you know where she went after Taury was born, and why?”
“I can’t say, Miss. I’ve often worried over those questions.”
“Did Elizabeth have some hold over her? Some past mistake she could blackmail her with?”
“Again, I can’t say.”
“Do you have any information about her then; where she was born or the names of her relations?”
“I thought she told me once she was from a town called Lund or Lind. I can’t be certain of the spelling.”
“Why all the questions, Fawn? What are you planning?”
“I need to find her, Mom. Taury thinks she abandoned him for money, but I’ve read her diary, and I know better. She was thrilled when she realized she was pregnant. She loved him terribly. I’ve got to call Stephanie! She’s looking into it for me!”
Fawn inched her way to her room, reached for the cell phone. It rang before she could pick it up.
“Hello?”
“Babe, it’s me! I’m so sorry I hung up on you last night! I didn’t get a minute of sleep worrying about you but I was afraid I’d wake you if I called back. Are we okay? You still love me?”
“Of course I do. I realize you’re under a lot of stress right now. I was only adding to it.”
“No, no, you couldn’t stress me out, unless you stopped loving me.”
“I will never stop loving you, Taury Trahern. I promise!”
“I’m going to hold you to that promise for as long as I live!”
“Sounds like a marriage proposal, but we already went through that.”
“Yeah, but when do we get to the ceremony?”
“Why can’t we have it here?”
He paused for a moment, thinking.
“I don’t know of any reason why we couldn’t! The license and everything else is in order. This is a great idea, Fawn! I’ll grab your dad and a preacher and be up there tomorrow!”
“Can’t you make it sooner?”
“No, we’ve got a big meeting today with some legal types your dad knows. Hopefully they’re going to dig us out of this hellhole. But what about our friends? Do you think any of them could make it?”
“I’ll call the Finches and the De Paolos. They might be able to fly up. But Stephanie is still in London. I was going to call her anyway, about another matter. I’ll see if she’s okay with not being here.”
“I can send the private plane for George and Molly and the guys. Let me contact them and set that up.”
“Okay. Oh, Taury, what on Earth will I wear?”
“How about we go as Adam and Eve?”
She laughed. “God no! I want my wedding to be memorable but not for THAT!”
“Right. I’ll bring a dress or two with me. Libby is in town, you know, my sister? She’s done with the royal routine, is divorcing the duke. I’ll let her pick something out for you.”
“Wow, I’ll bet Elizabeth is pitching fits!”
“I wouldn’t know. I haven’t seen her since she chose sides, and I don’t care to! I’ll get back to you later with details! I can’t wait to be near you again! It’s like I’m missing a part of my soul when you’re not here.”
“I know the feeling. Taury come tonight! Please? We can work everything out tomorrow.”
“I can’t, honestly. But I’ll see you first thing in the morning. Maybe I can get there before you wake up and bring you breakfast in bed. Stay safe till then!”
“I’ll try,” she said quietly.
After he hung up Fawn had a sudden chill. She looked out the window, watched a ghostly swell of clouds smother the sky. She should have been ecstatic; finally they were going to be married! But instead she was overwhelmed with a sense of dread so stifling it constricted her heart. She clasped her chest, slumped to the bed and began to cry.
SEVENTEEN
“Married? Here? Tomorrow?” June Brennan was a bit shaky. “Won’t there be lots of people? And so many things to be done! Can we pull it off on such short notice?”
“I guess so. Taury’s flying our friends in from Malibu. And he said he’ll arrange it all, so don’t get on edge about it. I know you’ve been under a strain, and sudden changes can seem frightening. I’ve been down that road myself. But it’s going to be a simple ceremony. You can sit back and enjoy yourself.”
“Well, I have to admit my heart is booming at the thought of it. I’ve had panic attacks over less excitement. What will you wear? Have you any ideas?”
“Taury’s sister is bringing me a dress.”
“His sister?” Brisby seemed disturbed. “Miss Libra is in San Francisco?”
“Yes. Apparently she’s getting a divorce.”
Brisby’s face turned a paler shade of ivory. She was silent for a few minutes.
“You okay, Brisby?”
“Yes, Miss, I suppose one gets so wrapped up in one’s charges that you start to feel a mother’s worry about them after awhile. Libra was always such a dear child, obeying Mrs. Trahern’s every whim. I can’t fathom why she would do this now.”
“Maybe she doesn’t really love the Duke.”
“Well, that’s something I don’t feel free to discuss. I have some chores to do upstairs. Will you be needing me before tea?”
“No, go right ahead.”
Once she left the room, Fawn leaned towards June.
“I’ll bet she’s calling the Queen.”
They listened, could hear her voice very faintly.
“You’re right. So she’s loyal to Mrs. Trahern.”
“Apparently. Do you like her, Mom?”
“I suppose. I can’t really get her if you know what I mean. She seems sincere but there’s something underneath the scruffy British persona. It’s almost like she’s acting a part in a play.”
“I felt that, too. But Taury thinks the world of her. He’s usually very good at reading people.”
“If she was his nanny, he probably clung to her and was blind to any suspicious behavior. Especially since his adoptive mother is such a … what’s the word I’m looking for?”
“Bitch?”
“I was searching for something a bit kinder, but I guess that’ll do. Is there anything I can help yo
u with, Fawn? Should I bake a wedding cake, or make some candies or appetizers? The kitchen is fully stocked with all sorts of fruits and things.”
“No, I figure Taury will handle that, too, since he owns a candy factory. He’ll probably bring a truckload of chocolates!”
“Can’t go wrong with chocolate!”
They laughed.
“I wouldn’t mind if you’d come with me into the study, Mom. I want to go through all the books, to see if Inger hid anything else that might help me find her.”
“Sounds intriguing.”
They spent the rest of the afternoon digging through the bookshelves, and came up empty-handed. Fawn was disappointed.
“I thought sure there’d be something.”
“Maybe she hid things in other places. What about the desk? Those old roll-tops used to have secret compartments. At least my grandmother’s did. She used to hide dirty books in hers.”
“And how do you know that?”
“I saw her hide them there when Connie and Beau took me to visit her one summer.”
“And then you waited until she was outside or wherever, and sneaked one out to read?”
“Ha! Exactly!”
They giggled like schoolgirls. It was the first time Fawn really felt close to her mother in years. She took advantage of the camaraderie, began to stroll down memory lane. June was willing to go along, recollecting all manner of scenes involving Connie and Beau at the beach house. It surprised her that she actually had good memories of her parents. And that reality gave her and Fawn a base to build upon, to become friends instead of merely mother and child.
They examined the desk, jiggling drawers and sliding their palms over any edges that might reveal a latch. Fawn’s hand nudged a lever on the back of a drawer, pricking her skin till it bled and opening a secret chamber below.
“Ouch! What is this?”
They peered round, made sure Brisby wasn’t about. She had come downstairs an hour or so earlier with her purse, and announced her intention of walking to Bodega Bay. She had muttered something about needing more flour, but once she’d gone they checked the larder and found an ample supply.
“What do you think she’s up to?” June had questioned as they watched her stomp away.
“I have no clue, but it worries me. I’m going to call Taury.”
She went looking for her cell phone, couldn’t find it. Then, when she tried to use June’s, it was dead. Now they were waiting for it to charge as they made their search of the study.
“Are you cut badly?”
“No, it’s fine. But, look, Mom! This compartment is full of papers!”
She held out several documents. They scanned them with excited eyes, hoping to find something useful.
“Oh my God! This is a will!” Fawn exclaimed. “It’s James Trahern’s will, dated three days before he died!”
“What does it say?”
“As far as I can understand it, he left everything to Taury, Libby and Inger! The only mention of Elizabeth is a seething paragraph about her mistreatment of him, their children, and anyone else that came across her path. He must’ve hated her! It particularly mentions the shares of his company, and how he wanted Taury, his sister, and Inger to take control of them.”
“Fawn, can this change what’s going on in San Francisco?”
Fawn looked at her, hopeful, and began to think. Then a frown darkened her face.
“Oh, I don’t see how it could after so long. He’s been dead four years. An older will must have been probated. I doubt this one has any merit at all.”
“As soon as my phone charges up, I’m calling Kent! He’ll know whether it does or not!”
Fawn folded the will, placed it safely within the pocket of her lavender robe.
Brisby hadn’t returned by teatime. They fretted over her disappearance but could do nothing. June’s phone was not cooperating. Either it was accidentally damaged somehow or deliberately sabotaged. And Fawn’s phone was still missing. Things were adding up to make Brisby a suspect in isolating the two women. For what reason, they couldn’t decipher.
“Maybe I should walk to town, Fawn. I can borrow a phone there, and bring someone out to get you. The police, or whoever. But I don’t feel right leaving you here on your own.”
“I’d be more afraid having you wandering around out there by yourself in unfamiliar territory. I’m not sure which direction you should go. Brisby headed north, but at this point I’m questioning whether she was going to Bodega Bay or had some accomplice waiting for her down the road. I wish we had brought a laptop! But then again I don’t know if there’s a wireless connection here. I’m starting to get a bit scared.”
“I won’t let harm come to you. As long as I have a skillet or a small table to whack someone over the head with, we’ll be all right!”
They skipped tea, played gin rummy until dinnertime. Then they huddled in the warm kitchen, cooking up a batch of old fashioned chicken noodle soup with cornbread muffins.
“I remember when you’d make this for me after I caught a cold, or had the flu. It always gave me a good, homey feeling.”
“I loved cooking for you. Still do. Fawn, I have to admit this whole situation is wrecking my nerves. Do you think anyone would be brazen enough to try to hurt us?”
“It would be a stupid move, since Dad and Taury will be here by morning. But then Brisby knows that, and if she tells someone…”
“I think we both know who that someone is.”
“Yeah, I just didn’t want to speak her name.”
“Maybe I should try to find the town.”
“No, it’ll be night soon. We’re better off staying put. We can lock all the doors up tight, and be on our guard till dawn. I guess I won’t be the first bride to have dark circles from lack of sleep.”
“You’ll still be beautiful, darling!” Her mother hugged her. Fawn stared out the kitchen window over June’s shoulder, watched the angry sea abuse the shore. The sunset was marred by a mountain of black clouds that refused to release the sun – it seemed tiny and insignificant in their grasp.
Night fell quickly; the two women tried to play cards but neither could concentrate. Fawn flicked on an antique Art Deco radio, the kind that stood tall like a chest of drawers. The reception was terrible; all she could find was an oldies station that played a scratchy rendition of Blue Moon. She turned it off.
“What about the stereo?” June asked. “Maybe that works.”
Fawn shrugged, opened up a 70s stereo console. There were neat stacks of old 45s and albums in a stand nearby. Fawn looked through them; found dozens of smooth jazz tunes to pick from. She settled on a Billie Holiday record, set it on the turntable and switched it on.
“That’s more like it!” June announced. “Her voice can soothe away any trouble.”
“I wish she could soothe away mine!” Fawn began to pace back and forth. Her abdomen was sore; it hurt to walk but she was weary of being weak. “Oh, I wish the night would pass! Why did they build this house way out here? Why didn’t they at least put in a land phone, and a TV? Or satellite internet? What is this, the Middle Ages?”
“Calm down, Fawn. Getting upset won’t help. Maybe you should lie down.”
“I’m afraid to, Mom. I’m sleepy, and I’m scared if I go to sleep something…” There was a banging outside. “Did you hear that? Is Taury here?”
She ran for the front door, almost opened it but once she saw the cause of the noise she stopped. The wind had gathered strength, was tossing unattached tree limbs and garden decorations all about the yard. She clicked on the outdoor lights. They went back out again.
“Great! The power’s out!”
June came trailing behind her with a flashlight.
“Do you think the storm made them go out? I haven’t heard any thunder or seen lightning yet.”
“It must have. What else could have done it?”
“Fawn, let’s go in your room. I’m staying in there with you tonight!”
Fawn nodded. They entered her room, bolted the door. Then they curled up on the bed and tried to read books by the yellow glow of an oil lamp. The noises outside grew louder, more frightening. A sudden bam shook both of them to the core – June screamed.
“Oh my God! I wish we’d never come here! I believe we were safer in San Francisco!”
“I feel like I’m stuck in The Haunting. That’s Taury’s favorite movie. You know, the one where Julie Harris and some other psychic types are investigating a haunted house?”
“Yes, I like that film myself, but if someone besides you takes hold of my hand like they did hers in the movie I’m going to screech like a twelve year old!”
The storm took its cue; hit the sky in a fit of hysterics. Thunder bellowed and lightning crashed. A tree toppled over, slamming through the window, smothering the lamp.
Both women shrieked, sought refuge in the living room.
A blast of lightning revealed a shadow at the front door. June squealed when she saw a man’s face.
“Fawn, block the bedroom door so no one can get in through the window!” she whispered.
“Why? Did you see someone? Maybe it’s Taury!”
“No! It’s a big man. I’ve seen him before.” She paused then gasped. “It’s the man who drove us to the hospital!”
“Are you sure it was Greg?”
“Yes! Oh, God, there’s another one! Look!”
She pointed out the side window, a huge man, illuminated by a series of lightning flares was pouring something around the edge of the house. The potent odor of gasoline filled the air.
“It’s Greg, and Henry! They’re going to burn down the house!” Fawn yelled as she watched the figure drop a match.
It caught the long grass in front of him; a line of golden flames danced through the yard. The wind shifted, the fire captured the man’s pants leg, surged up it like a snake then engulfed him in a hell of his own making. The other man came forward, tried to roll him on the ground. The wind smacked them both, seemed intent on swallowing them. Finally the man smothered the fire on the other one’s clothes and pulled him away.
The track of flames aimed itself towards the house. Once it had a taste of the brittle old wood it savored it, and came back for more. A few burning branches broke loose from the willow trees, fell upon the roof, lighting it.
Losing Control Page 11
