by Regina Duke
“I’m sorry you were sent out on a wild goose chase. My grandmother is all right. She’s resting upstairs. The excitement was too much for her.” He tried to pretend that he wasn’t bothered by his grandmother’s apparent weakness and her mental confusion. He pressed on. “But my fiancée and I know this man.”
Darius took a step back and gaped at Jason, then shifted his gaze to Vicky. “Fiancée? Since when?”
Jason pushed steel into his voice. “Our private lives are none of your business.” Then he had an idea. “By the way, officers, I believe this man was going to deliver my fiancée’s computer to her. Isn’t that right, dear?” He glanced back at Vicky and winked, then continued, “Certainly delivering her computer would be viewed as an act of good faith. Right, Darius?”
Darius’ eyes narrowed and his lips compressed. He was reduced to short answers. “Her computer.”
“Right,” said Jason, “the laptop you retrieved for her from San Francisco. Remember?”
Jason could almost see the wheels turning in Darius’ head.
The officers stood by, ready to release Darius once Jason confirmed his decision.
At last, Darius’ features settled into a twisted smirk. “Oh, that computer. Yes, of course. It’s in my car.”
“Great. Vicky, darling? Describe it for the officers. I’m sure they won’t mind going with Darius to his vehicle.”
Vicky cleared her throat. “It’s a white MacBook with a Hello Kitty sticker in one corner.”
The senior officer nodded. “We’d be happy to do that, Mr. Darby.” He made eye contact with Vicky. “Very nice to meet you, ma’am. You’re marrying into a wonderful family.” He unfastened the cuffs but took hold of Darius’ elbow. “Watch your step out front, Mr. Blaine. Let’s go get the lady’s computer.”
Once Darius was outside, Vicky came the rest of the way down the stairs.
“He really frightens you, doesn’t he?”
She nodded and cast her eyes to the floor.
Then Jason let one corner of his mouth curl up in a smile. “Hello Kitty?”
Vicky’s expression lightened and she tapped him playfully with the back of her hand. “It’s a girl thing.”
Jason put his arm around her shoulders and they moved outside. Darius reached into his sedan and held the MacBook aloft, making sure they could see the Hello Kitty sticker. He started toward them, but the senior officer stopped him with one hand and took the computer to deliver himself.
As he handed the MacBook to Vicky, he spoke quietly. “He wants to know if he can hang around for his appointment.”
“No.” Jason’s response was automatic. “He’s got a phone, I’m sure. Let him reschedule. In fact—” He paused. “Wait here, dear. I have a question for Mr. Blaine.”
He crossed the driveway to Darius.
“Question for you. Why didn’t you call grandmother’s secretary and let her know you were waiting outside the house?”
Darius looked innocent. “I tried, but she didn’t pick up. Honestly, I expected to find her inside wondering where I was.”
Jason wasn’t sure he believed the man, but if his motives were nefarious, the next time he’d let them take him to jail. “When you reschedule your appointment, meet her somewhere other than my grandmother’s house.” He frowned. “So what’s your business with her?”
“If you don’t mind, considering these unsettling circumstances, I’d rather not say.” He glanced at the policemen who were standing next to their vehicle. “It’s a personal matter.”
The senior officer shrugged and tipped his head in Jason’s direction. “Mr. Darby? We’ll follow him off the property, sir.”
“Thanks, guys.”
Jason returned to Vicky and planted a possessive arm around her shoulders. He made sure Darius saw them together before he gently nudged her inside.
Once the door was closed, Jason asked, “How’s Dolores?”
“I’m pretty sure she fell asleep right away. I covered her up and tucked her in. Poor thing. She was really rattled.”
Jason took an uneven breath. “Yes, I saw that. I’m not used to seeing her this way. Would you like a cup of coffee? Maybe some tea? Come on, I’ll show you the kitchen.”
“Okay. Sounds good. This house is huge.”
“You can get lost without a map, trust me. I don’t understand why grandmother is here all alone. She was always careful about wages and such, but she never went without staff.”
“We can ask her when she wakes up. It looks like you returned home just in time. She may need you more and more as she gets older.”
Jason led the way into an expansive kitchen filled with stainless steel appliances in redundancy. Two big stoves, three ovens, three refrigerators, and a long island work station with dozens of pots and pans hanging from an overhead rotating rack.
“Wow,” said Vicky. “This is like something out of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. But it looks like no one has used it recently.”
Jason frowned. “That’s odd. And this looks new. Or rather, it wasn’t here six months ago when I came to visit.” He ran his hand along the top of a black microwave oven. He popped the door open. There was someone’s cup of coffee inside, cold now. He closed it. “I think I’m going to have a few questions for this personal secretary.”
“And what could Darius possibly want with her?” She found a tea kettle and felt a tiny thrill as she turned on the gas burner on one of the industrial stoves. She wondered if her new job would include getting to play with all the lovely devices the kitchen had to offer. Then she had a glum thought.
“Please tell me your grandmother has a cook and a dishwasher.”
“She has a cook who also does the cleanup. Or she had a cook. I don’t know why she’s not here.”
A faint clack-clack-clack preceded the arrival of a woman who looked like she’d be more comfortable on Wall Street than in Colorado. She wore a gray skirt and tailored jacket over a green blouse. Her green heels matched her belt. Her voice was as chilly and controlled as the rest of her.
“She’s not here because she no longer lives in.”
Jason straightened his shoulders and turned at the sound of the woman’s voice. A flash of confusion, then recognition, and finally displeasure crossed his features. “Gloria Mercer. You are Gran’s personal secretary? Now I really am worried about her judgment. You missed an appointment.”
Gloria thumbed at her Blackberry. “Oh. So I did. Couldn’t be helped. It’s good to see you, Jason.” She showed teeth, so it seemed that she smiled, but her eyes were at odds with her mouth.
Jason said to Vicky, “Gloria’s family used to visit here when we were children. I was always saddled with having to entertain her while the grownups had fun.”
“You were ten when I saw you last,” said Gloria. Then she added with unnecessary coldness, “At your parents’ funeral as I recall.”
Vicky knew at once that she and Gloria would never be friends. The woman was only a couple of years older than she, but her carriage made her seem older. She had short dark hair, a jaw line that was almost too long, a nose that was just slightly too big for her face, and dark eyes that were just a quarter of an inch too close together. If she wore a genuine smile, thought Vicky, she’d be pretty. But the tiny lines around her eyes and mouth made it clear that her usual expression was a grim one. And that moved her into the realm of a handsome woman rather than a pretty one.
Gloria’s smile lasted only a second. Vicky could feel the woman’s eyes on her, moving up and down like a scanner at airport security.
“Who is this woman and why is she here?”
Vicky stepped forward and extended a hand. “Victoria Winn. How do you do?”
Gloria flinched, but managed a half-hearted handshake. She spoke to Jason, effectively cutting Vicky out of the loop.
“That doesn’t answer the rest of my question, Jason.”
“Well, let’s start with a few of mine.”
Vicky ignored Gloria’s snu
b and admired the way Jason took control of the conversation. After all, this was his house, his and his grandmother’s, and Gloria, for all her self-importance, was the hired help.
Gloria’s expression softened a bit. She set her Blackberry and her briefcase on a work table against the wall and sat on the white ladderback chair and crossed her legs. “All right, question away.” She let her green high heel dangle off her toe.
The kettle began to whistle. Vicky busied herself with making tea, but listened to every word.
“First of all,” said Jason, “who decided the cook should live out?”
“Why, your grandmother, of course.”
“She’s never been without a cook, twenty-four hours a day. What about the gardeners? There’s no one on the property today.”
“Gardeners only come twice a week now.”
“And why is that?”
“For one thing, it saves a ton of money.”
“And guarantees sloppy service,” said Jason. “When I drove in, I noticed that the shrubs are looking shabby, and there are weeds in the flower beds. What about Dolores’ maids? She always had two, so one could be available in the evening.”
Gloria’s voice was dismissive. “Oh, you know how young women are today. Nobody wants to do a full day’s work, much less be a live-in maid.”
Vicky carried a cup of tea to Jason. “Oh, really? My friend Madlyn’s mother thought it made a lovely career.” She cocked her head to one side. “Tea, Gloria?”
“No, thank you.” The temperature in the room dropped ten degrees with the look she gave Vicky.
Jason blew on his tea, then sipped. “Mmm, perfect.” He flashed a half smile at Vicky. Then to Gloria, “The situation here is unacceptable. My grandmother cannot be left alone in this big house to fend for herself. What if she were to fall?”
Gloria flopped a wrist in dismissal. “She’s a warhorse. Are you kidding me? She’s fine.”
“She wasn’t fine when we got here,” said Jason grimly. “She was frightened and confused. Thank goodness Vicky was here to help. I want the cook back here tonight.”
“Well, I can’t guarantee that she’ll come. When we cut her wages—”
“Cut her wages?” Now Jason was angry. “She barely made a living wage to begin with. It was only having free room and board here that made it a good job.”
“Your grandmother wanted me to help her tighten the purse strings, and that’s what I’ve done. I work for her, Jason. I can’t reverse these decisions without her approval.”
“We’ll see about that.” He worked his jaw.
Vicky could tell he was angry and upset. She started to speak, but Gloria shot daggers at her, and she dropped her eyes to the floor.
“Hey,” snapped Jason. “Ms. Mercer, I don’t like your attitude. Do you or do you not receive a salary from this family?”
Gloria softened her gaze, but she didn’t back down. “I am employed by Dolores Darby, and I am obligated to carry out her wishes. She told me you arrived yesterday, but that your visit was quite short. Perhaps you weren’t here long enough for her to share with you the changes she has been making.”
Vicky was wary. She could see that Gloria was far too cocky for a mere employee. She wanted to get Jason’s ear and warn him that Gloria must think she had an ace in the hole when it came to dealing with him.
Jason was still perturbed.
“Fine. I’ll be staying here at the house from now on. I’ll be taking care of my grandmother. I need a list from you of her employees’ names and phone numbers.”
“Very well. I’ll print that out for you when I return from my meeting in town.”
“No. You’ll do it before you leave.”
Gloria started to snap back, but at the last moment, appeared to think better of it. “Very well. I’ll do that right now.” She got up and slowly gathered her things. “You know, Jason, I appreciate powerful men. I can see that your grandmother was right.” She made sure her hips swayed lazily from side to side as she exited the kitchen. At the door, she paused and added, “You and I are going to be the perfect team to run the Darby family fortune.” She flicked her tongue over her top lip and slipped away.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Jason set his tea cup down hard on the metal counter. The china rattled a warning. He turned to the window and leaned against the counter.
“What a mess.”
Vicky approached and rescued the china. “She is not a nice person.”
Jason shook his head. “You can say that again. And the really bad news? It sounds like that’s the woman my grandmother hand-picked for me to marry.”
Vicky’s brow crinkled in confusion. “I thought we had an agreement.”
“Oh, we do. Don’t worry. But instead of driving to Pueblo, I need to make some phone calls. I need to circle the wagons, get all the lawyers together for a meeting of the minds. I was just here six months ago and Dolores was doing well. She had a full staff, she was giving orders just like in the old days. The woman we found here today is not the same. And that worries me a lot.”
“Everyone gets old,” said Vicky. “Maybe she’s just aging very fast.”
“Maybe.” Jason straightened up.
“I wonder who Gloria is meeting in town.” Vicky tugged at her bottom lip.
“Probably Darius.”
Vicky spread her hands. “What is he doing here? I mean, it’s not like I really believed he followed me here to make up. What a joke. But why check up on me at all? And what on Earth does he have to do with your mother’s personal assistant? This worries me a lot.”
“Me, too. But you just keep up the good work with Dolores. You were a natural with her. I could tell that she was comfortable with you. I’ll start digging for information at my end.” He stopped abruptly as Gloria reentered the kitchen with a sheet of paper in her hand.
“Here you are. The names and phone numbers of your grandmother’s employees. Is there anything else you need before I go?”
“No. That’s all. Thank you.”
Gloria lingered long enough to grace them with another mysterious smile, then she turned and did her hip-swinging walk out of the room.
Vicky said, “Oh, brother.”
Jason flashed her a grin. “Pretty obnoxious, isn’t she? Come on. Let’s check on my grandmother. She has a sitting room next to her bedroom. I can start making phone calls there. I want to work from the land line so these people will know who’s calling.” He led the way to the elevator under the grand staircase, but before they ascended, he went to the window by the front doors and made sure that Gloria was getting in her car and driving away.
“You don’t trust her,” said Vicky.
“Not even a little bit.”
Upstairs, Vicky opened Dolores’ door and tiptoed in, just long enough to make sure she was still sleeping soundly. Then Jason led her through a connecting door to his grandmother’s sitting room. Just as he remembered, she had a compact little library there, as well as a fully modern collection of electronic gadgets. He frowned because it was obvious the computer had not been on. It was cold to the touch.
“She used to fire it up first thing. She had to keep her fingers in everything.” He flipped it on and waited for the screen to light up. “I’ll email my lawyers and let them know they’ll need to come to the house tomorrow.” A few minutes later, he turned to the paper with names and numbers.
“Do you know them all personally?” asked Vicky.
“When I was a kid, I knew all the family retainers. I’ve known the butler all my life, and I recognize the cook’s name. She’s been with mother for five years or so. The head gardener has been around for twenty years. My parents hired him, in fact. Mina, from the boutique, used to be my mother’s personal maid. She and Madlyn’s mother were the two who were on call all the time. Mina lived in, helped my mother during the day, then answered Gran’s calls at night. I wish she wasn’t busy with her business. I could use someone I know and trust to help out.”
“In that case, she’s in for a surprise. It was her idea to bring me back to Eagle’s Toe. She’s the one who threatened to disinherit me if I didn’t get married right away. Well, I am back, you and I are getting married, and if I’m here, I’m not going to let that she-wolf Gloria run the place.”
Vicky sat on a chair by the desk. “You two have a history, don’t you?”
Jason had picked up the handset to make his first call. When Vicky spoke, he put it down. “Dolores said she’d picked someone for me, someone with old money, someone who could help run the family enterprises. It never occurred to me that it was Gloria. Before my parents died, her family would bring her to the house. They were friends with my parents. Business associates. Gloria was a brat from day one. She made my life miserable every time she came to visit. I remember my dad trying to talk her father out of a business deal, but before the issue was resolved, my parents died. Later, at school, after my Aunt Grace and Uncle Jerry moved to San Rafael to be near me, I remember them talking about what a shame it was about the Mercers. I guess her dad made too many bad decisions. That’s why Gloria is working for my grandmother.”
“But why?” asked Vicky. “Surely she had enough connections to get a top rate education, and if her father was a big financier, why didn’t he pull in some favors and get her a cushy job on Wall Street or something? Why would she work as a personal secretary?”
Jason blinked at her. “You know, that is a very good question. It makes me distrust her all the more.” He picked up the phone and began calling the list of numbers.
“I’m going to sit in Dolores’ room, in case she wakes,” said Vicky.
After forty-five minutes, Jason leaned back in the chair and stretched. Vicky appeared at the door.
Jason said, “That’s all of them. I left a message on the butler’s phone. Cook was thrilled when I told her she could have her old rooms back and I’d restore her wages to their previous level and even include a raise. She said she could be here in time to fix grandmother’s dinner. The head gardener said he’d return this afternoon, as well. He’s been trying to draw unemployment and look for other full-time work. He was very happy to be coming back. And I offered to make up the difference for the three months he’s been on part-time. He’ll have to look for new assistants, because one of the other fellows started his own lawn-mowing business and hired his helpers. The lawyers already emailed me that they can be here tomorrow. I don’t know who to call about the maid situation.”
