It All Started...

by David W. Smith

  Knowing her a little better, as he now did, he knew she was getting more and more excited by the search they were on, perhaps more so than he since this was all so new to her. But he also knew that she was stressed and pondered on all that she was going through. A lot had happened in a short period of time: Her father had brought a stranger into their home and declared that he might be the next Guardian. Her father had suddenly died from his heart problem. She had the emotional tasks of privately interring him next to her mother at Forest Lawn and then illegally spreading some of his ashes as he had requested. There was the ongoing pressure being exerted by her uncle, Daniel Crain, to be her father’s successor. She had started proceedings to have Daniel removed from her property and her life. They had to locate and retrieve two clues hidden within Disneyland with the chance of being caught—and who knows what the consequences of that could have been. Yet, the intensity of those situations, and the subsequent success they so far had enjoyed, seemed to be creating an emotional bond between them. To Lance, it was a bond that was as unique as it was potent and he sincerely hoped it wouldn’t end as quickly as it had begun.

  Never had he been so drawn to a woman. It wasn’t just the physical attraction—though he couldn’t deny the sensual, yet innocent allure Kimberly’s entire being seemed to radiate. It seemed a lifetime ago that he was chasing—and catching—potential conquests. Kimberly presented a challenge that he had never before encountered in a woman. He seriously felt that he had experienced an emotional epiphany. And his concern for Kimberly was not just sensitive, but truly sincere. Lance also thought about the night they had just spent in the Treehouse. While it was innocent—certainly as harmless as anyone could describe spending a night hiding out at Disneyland could possibly be—Lance also had the memory of her gentle kiss still on his mind and on his lips.

  Looking away from her profile on the bed, he gave a small smile. He liked the kissing part just fine. And, he had the feeling she liked it just fine, too. Quietly shutting her door, he walked back downstairs to the kitchen.

  Two hours later, awakened by the comforting smell of bacon sizzling in the kitchen, Kimberly was momentarily transported back in time. Feeling like she was daddy’s little girl again, she used to awaken on Saturday mornings to the smell of bacon and the delight of knowing she didn’t have to go to school. Treading silently down the stairs, Kimberly peered into the kitchen and smiled as she spied Lance frying up some bacon and eggs. He had bread propped up in the toaster, ready to toast, and two glasses of orange juice sitting on the table.

  Realizing that she had fallen asleep in the same clothes she had worn the entire day and night before and had not showered for more than twenty-four hours, she felt the immediate need to clean up before announcing her presence. After a quick shower, she fixed her hair, and slipped into a summer dress that matched her current mood: Flirty.

  Throughout her life, Kimberly had led a sheltered existence. Her father protected her, to the point of arranging dates for her; his deep-seated fear of who might discover their ‘Family Secret’ made such situations unavoidable. Yet, Kimberly made her father’s decisions easier as her interest in boys was not only minimal, but her greater quest for knowledge and information seemed to dictate her interests. While many boys at the private school in Orange she attended paid her many compliments, her shy personality made her appear aloof—if not disinterested—-in any of them.

  When she turned twenty, the cruise that her father planned—one of the few vacations of any duration—introduced her to the feelings of affection and even romance. For some reason, the combination of being on a ship, cut off from the world and cut off from her father’s responsibilities, plus the tropical romantic setting—brilliant sunsets across infinite ocean horizons, enticing music and exotic foods—made her discover and explore a different side of her personality that she hadn’t even known existed.

  It was while she washed her hair, letting the soothing aloe fragrance clear her mind, that Kimberly remembered those romantic feelings she had first experienced on that cruise ten years earlier. She felt a tug at her heart as she thought about Antonio. Handsome Antonio. Leaning against the side of the shower, she let the warm memories flow over her, mixing with the warm water that flowed from the showerhead. She hadn’t thought about him in years. Antonio was one of the officers that she had met while dining at the Captain’s Table. His offer to go dancing after dinner had been shyly, yet eagerly accepted. It was in one of the smaller lounges, a more private and quieter setting for dancing and talking. They had found a lot in common as they talked over a bottle of fine Italian wine that Antonio had brought from his cabin. Their dancing continued into the small hours of the morning, extending down the Esplanade and into the moonlit night overlooking the ever-moving ocean, her hair a halo of silver in the moonlight. That was when they had kissed for the first time—a kiss as soft and warm as the tropical breeze that surrounded them. Antonio promised to meet her again the following evening after he had finished his duties. It was a heavenly week for Kimberly, torn at the end by the inevitable pain of parting that they had both known was coming. Still, the remembrance of their special passion was there, safe and warm in her memory.

  What that cruise had done for her when she was twenty, she now realized Lance was doing for her at thirty. And, even though she missed her father so much, she also felt a compelling sense of freedom that she had never felt before.

  “Well, if it isn’t Julia Child in my own house!” Kimberly had a twinkle in her eye as she strode into the kitchen and stopped at the large granite-topped island in the middle of the room. Lance, holding a spatula in one hand and a pan with a folded omelet in the other, turned from the stove and nearly dropped the spatula upon seeing her.

  For a moment, he could only stare at Kimberly, the spatula dangling at his fingertips. The sun radiating in through the large bay windows that surrounded the kitchen angled across Kimberly like a spotlight. The radiance of Kimberly’s blond hair accented her tan arms and legs, framed within the thin straps and short, flared hem of the white dress she wore. Recovering his voice, he affected with a high-pitched French accent, “Your breakfast will be done in a moment, my dear.”

  Kimberly laughed. “I sincerely hope that your cooking is better than your accent!” She noticed a strand of his brown hair had fallen across his forehead while he had cooked their breakfast. Walking up to him, she reached out a tentative hand toward his face. Some of her latent shyness rushed through her and she started to lower her fingers. At his inquisitive look, she mentally told herself to knock it off, and reached back and smoothed his errant hair back in place. His warm smile made her stomach flutter. And she knew it wasn’t from being ravenously hungry. “You’re going to spoil me.” She turned away from his intent look and indicated the fine meal he had taken the effort to prepare for her.

  Lance had to turn back to the food which was in serious danger of burning if he didn’t snap out of his trance. “Well, we all could use a little spoiling now and then.”

  “Now and then, huh? So, I shouldn’t get used to this, is that what you’re telling me?” She had snitched a piece of bacon from the ones drying on a paper towel. “Where is Kevin, by the way?”

  Lance tried to swat her hand with the back of the spatula, but she’d been too quick. “I gave him the morning off. It’s just you and me.”

  “Well, I guess we’ll just have to get by the best we can. Shall I set the table? Where do you want to eat? Here or in the dining room?”

  Lance looked back at her, a little surprised. “Dining room? That’s a little too formal for my tastes for breakfast. Have you been talking to my mother?”

  Kimberly appeared to be deep in thought. “Your mother? Hmmm, not a bad idea. She might be able to give me some wonderful insights into your soul.”

  Lance gave a fake shudder. “Let’s not and just say we did….”

  With a twinkling laugh, Kimberly took out some woven placemats from the pantry and set a friendly table for two at
the family table.

  It was one of the most enjoyable breakfasts Lance had ever had. And, Kimberly discovered that the food was indeed much better than his accent.

  “So, have you been up all morning thinking about the clue?” Finished with the meal, Kimberly wiped the corner of her mouth with a cloth napkin.

  “Yes. I even spent time on the Internet this morning, looking up and cross-referencing the clues with anything Walt had done or that might be remotely connected to him in any way.”

  “Nothing yet, I assume?”

  “Nada. Zilch,” Lance replied, finishing a bite of his omelet.

  “Well, it has to connect somehow.” Deep in thought, Kimberly pushed her chair out from the table and walked over to Lance. Without thinking, she leaned down to kiss him. “Thank you for a wonderful breakfast.” She gazed into his eyes, and Lance noticed that something was different. There was a sparkle in her green eyes indicative of someone who was very excited about life. He hadn’t seen that in her eyes before.

  “What do I get if I fix lunch and dinner too?” asked Lance with a smile.

  “Don’t get greedy, Brentwood.” With that mild chide, Kimberly picked up their plates and started cleaning up.

  “Hey, I’ll do that,” Lance offered. “Why don’t you have a go at the clues while I clean up the kitchen. Then I’ll head home to get cleaned up and changed. I have a feeling there’s quite a lot of work ahead of us.”

  “Okay.” Kimberly seemed to have gone into slow motion. “But please don’t be gone too long.” Her bright mood faded as a worried look seeped into her eyes.

  “Keep the alarm on.” When he saw the sparkle suddenly vanish, he knew what she was thinking. “I don’t think Crain’ll be coming around here since we changed the locks and alarm codes. Besides, you gave him plenty of money. It was more than fair. Hopefully he’ll find a nice place to stay and figure out what he is going to do with his life.”

  “I know…,” Kimberly was hesitant, not wanting to state her fears out loud.

  “Kimberly, listen, I don’t trust him either. But, I’m sure if he thinks about it, he’s getting a lot from you…and your father.” Lance leaned back against the kitchen chair to hopefully give her a feeling of casualness.

  “I guess so.” Not buying it, her look of concern still visible.

  “I’ll be quick.” Lance gave his promise as he started to load the dishwasher and clear the stove. “I want you to relax and enjoy the rest of the morning. After all we went through at Disneyland, you deserve a little R and R.”

  As she looked at him, Kimberly gave a small smile. She walked over to Lance who was rinsing off a plate at the sink. She stood behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist, leaning against his back. “You make me feel very safe.”

  Lance turned his head at her whispered words and silently kissed her cheek.

  It was six o’clock that evening when Lance tossed his Disney research book aside. He and Kimberly had been cloistered in her father’s office, searching every book, magazine, and Internet site that could have been remotely associated with hearts, windows and Disney.

  “I’m going stir crazy.” Lance rubbed his tired eyes and his temples. They had only taken the time to stop for a quick lunch of frozen lasagna and some tea. Comparing notes, they had discussed and then dismissed items when they found each new lead led to a dead end.

  Her golden head shot up at his sudden voice. Deeply into the hunt, she sat in front of the computer, trying to research the ‘heart’ portion of their last clue. The 1948 movie So Dear to My Heart kept coming up, but she could find no correlation between the movie and the rest of the clue. She was getting frustrated and actually welcomed Lance’s distraction—whatever it was. “Yes?” she slowly drawled out.

  “Let’s go grab dinner. I’m starving.”

  Just about to say, “You’re always starving,” she was astonished to realize it had been almost six hours since lunch. Kimberly readily agreed, her stomach rumbling from neglect. After setting the alarm and locking up the mansion, they headed off to El Toro, a Mexican restaurant in Anaheim that was a regular eating and drinking joint for many Disneyland cast members after they finished their shifts. Both Kimberly and Lance knew several of the diners, stopping to chat with a few of them. They spotted a private booth near the back of the place and sat down.

  “How about a margarita?” Lance eyed the bar menu while Kimberly handled the food.

  “Sounds good right about now.” Chips and salsa were promptly delivered to their table and drink orders taken.

  Kimberly dove into the chips with gusto, earning an appreciative chuckle from Lance. Their server delivered their Margaritas in cute little glasses shaped like cactus. Taking her glass, she licked a little salt from the edge, and sipped the frozen lime-colored mixture.

  Televisions were mounted in each of the four corners of the back room where they were seated. Lance took a sip of his drink and glanced up at the screen behind Kimberly. A basketball game was being featured on ESPN. It was the commercial that came on that caught his eye. “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.”

  Lance got an idea.

  “Uh, Kimberly,” Lance started, bringing his brown eyes to meet hers.

  “Uh Lance.” Kimberly mimicked Lance’s serious tone. The tequila in the margarita was taking effect on Kimberly; her empty stomach was no match for the alcohol. It took an extra effort just to keep from giggling at him.

  “I’m thinking we need a break from this whole adventure.” Lance took a chip and dipped it in the small bowl of salsa. He caught Kimberly’s concerned look. “No, really, hear me out.” Lance knew that all this clue-hunting and discovery was new and exciting for her. Yet, at the same time, he understood the frustration they were experiencing because of the lack of progress on the current clue. Added to the mix was the difficulty with Daniel Crain, and all of it coming on the heels of her father’s death. Lance felt they needed to simply get away.

  “I’m listening.”

  “I have a proposition for you.”

  Her eyebrows shot up at the word he had chosen. “Oh?” as her eyes narrowed. “How intriguing.”

  He grinned at the look on her face. “You don’t look intrigued and you haven’t even heard it yet.”

  She sat back in her chair and folded her arms over her chest. “Any time anyone uses the word ‘proposition,’ it has to be intriguing.”

  “I think we need a break.”

  “From each other?” Kimberly sounded incredulous, not understanding the direction Lance was taking. She tried in vain to hide her disappointment.

  “No! No…not that at all.” Lance waved a chip at her and tried to use a more consoling tone. “No, in fact, just the opposite.” Lance held his breath before telling her the rest of his idea. “I am proposing the idea of taking you to Las Vegas.”

  This wasn’t what she expected. “Las Vegas? What would we do there?”

  Get married. The immediate, unplanned thought flashed through Lance’s mind like a thunder bolt. It stunned him. His mouth fell open into an ‘O’ and then he snapped it shut. Where did that come from? His heart started to pound in his chest.

  Kimberly saw his mouth open to answer her, and then it inexplicably closed. The oddest look crossed over his face that was now ashen in color. “Are you all right? Is the salsa too hot for you?” She reached across the table to put her smooth hand on his clammy one.

  His eyes, which stared at the wall behind their booth all this time, darted back to her face. He looked over her delicate features and his glance stopped on her red lips. Those lips curled into a confused smile. “Are you all right?” they repeated.

  A sudden warmth infused Lance. His heart stopped pounding. His shoulders visibly relaxed. A look of contentment overshadowed the look of complete astonishment that had been there moments earlier. Color flooded back into his white face. “Yes, everything is fine.” He even managed s warm smile. “Perfect, actually.”

  “Glad to hear it…. Wow, a pro
position to take me to Las Vegas.” Kimberly was thinking over the possibilities. “But, it doesn’t seem to fit anything that Walt has us searching for.”

  “No. You’re right. I wasn’t thinking of a trip for research or anything,” Lance clarified, and then thought about what ‘anything’ might include. He hurriedly added, “I was wondering if you’d like to take a break and go to dinner and a show with me. I think we both could use the diversion. It might also clear our minds to come up with some other avenue of research we haven’t thought of yet.”

  Kimberly thought about his offer. “Lance, I’ve never even been to Las Vegas.” She was somewhat embarrassed by the fact that she hadn’t, other than the few trips with her father, been outside of California very many times.

  Lance looked at her with a slightly stunned expression. “Really? Everyone goes to Vegas.”

  Kimberly shook her head. “I really haven’t been many places in my life.” She perceived this as a shortcoming on her part.

  Lance now clearly understood. Without another Guardian, it would have been difficult for her father to absolve his responsibilities long enough to travel…with or without Kimberly. He felt another tug on his emotional strings and he felt he would very much like to show her more of the world he knew and share new discoveries together.

  “Well, then it’s decided.” Lance gave an adamant hand-slap on the table. “Tomorrow we lock everything up, set the alarm on the house, fill up the tank on my Jag and head north on I-15.” Lance paused. An awkward moment passed between them and he offered a meek, “Okay?”

  Kimberly, taking another sip of her margarita, was thoughtful. She didn’t want to reveal her excitement.

  Lance watched her eyes; Kimberly’s were glued on his. “Is that a yes?” Lance asked as he lean forward toward her.

  Kimberly pushed her glass away. “You had me at proposition.” She then gave him a stunning smile.