Mobbed

by Carol Higgins Clark

Like Scott, Regan thought, picturing in her mind the scene at the Chinese restaurant. His proposal to that girl certainly was unexpected. And now Hayley was intent on revenge.

  Regan suddenly felt anxious. If Hayley crosses him, who knows what else “unexpected” he’s capable of?

  2

  Twenty-seven minutes earlier

  I can’t believe my ears!” Karen Fulton wailed.

  Edna Frawley held the phone at arm’s length, her daughter’s noisy hysteria a jarring contrast to the peaceful stillness of the morning air. My little baby sounds as if she’s right here by my side instead of three thousand miles away in California, Edna mused as she patted her coiffed strawberry blond hair. Seventy-eight-year-old Edna was ready for action. Fully made up, dressed in a jumpsuit she’d worn in the sixties, she was relaxing in her backyard gazebo, counting the minutes until the arrival of her garage sale guests. Hopefully a camera crew or two as well.

  “It’s time, darling,” Edna said cheerily as she reached for her coffee. “When opportunity knocks, I answer.”

  “But you answered the door to a total stranger!”

  “The total stranger rang the bell at the gate. The total stranger wants to pay me a respectable sum for this house. At a time when no one is buying.”

  “But you weren’t selling!”

  “Which is even more perfect because I don’t have to pay a Realtor’s commission.”

  “But that’s our shore house,” Karen protested. “It’s where I spent my summers since childhood. It’s where you retired … all those priceless memories.”

  “You were always complaining we were in too ritzy a section. Not close enough to the boardwalk with the bumper cars, not close enough to—”

  “I know, but I was a kid,” Karen interrupted. “We were lucky to have such a beautiful house like that, even though it’s not right on the beach.”

  “Your father was obsessed with erosion. If we lived on the water, he’d have been out there with a ruler every day.” Edna sighed. “Don’t get me wrong, darling. I’ll be sorry to say goodbye to the lovely backyard, the pool, the sense of privacy. This place has charm. But with today’s market, I could be dead and buried before we’d get a buyer who would fork over the priceless sum you think your memories are worth.”

  “I wish you had talked to me about it first.”

  “What’s to talk about? And how often do you visit? Once or twice a year? Ever since your father passed over, six long years ago, I’ve been rumbling around this house by myself. Arnetta was always telling me I should rent my house for at least a month during the summer, make some cash, and stay with her in the retirement village to see how I liked it. I could kiss her feet. Staying with Arnetta at Golden Peaks was a blast. Now I can buy a place there!”

  “I thought Arnetta got on your nerves.”

  “She’s grown on me.”

  “But why can’t you take a little time with this? We’ll go through everything in the house together, then you can have the sale.”

  “The train’s already left the station, sweetie. Besides, this gentleman wants to move in as soon as possible. And I’m so lucky to have the things Cleo Paradise left behind to put on sale. People will show up who would never have dreamt of coming by. Hopefully I’ll get rid of every last bit of junk in our attic and basement. It’s been quite an adventure sorting through everything.”

  “Don’t sell my things!”

  “They’re in quarantine.”

  “Mom, I don’t think you have the right to sell whatever Cleo Paradise left behind. Don’t you have to notify her and give her a certain amount of time to come back and retrieve her possessions?”

  “Another lucky break! She left a letter that I found when I came back here on Sunday. I was hoping to see her but she left a few days early. She apologized for anything out of order, told me to keep the security deposit, and do what I wanted with whatever she forgot. I have it in black and white. She was a little bit of a slob so I call it even steven.”

  “Well, you shouldn’t have put her name in the ad.”

  “Why not?”

  “It doesn’t seem right. I thought you liked her.”

  “She was a sweet girl, even though she refused my invitation to take her to the club for lunch. You know what touched my heart about her?”

  “What?” Karen asked flatly.

  “She said she couldn’t wait to curl up in the gazebo and read a book. Your father and I sat here so many summer nights …” Edna’s voice trailed off.

  “It’s where I had my first kiss,” Karen recalled.

  “Don’t remind me,” Edna retorted. “I never liked that kid. What was his crazy nickname?”

  “Fish.”

  “Oh, that’s right. He liked to swim. His fingers were always wrinkled.” Edna rolled her eyes. “Karen, this is all good news. When I came back Sunday I was feeling a little down in the dumps. On the one hand it was good to come home, and on the other I hated leaving my new friends at Golden Peaks. I was making a cup of tea, which my grandmother said she always did to feel better if the blues hit her before cocktail hour. I was just about to take my first sip when the doorbell rang. It was fate! Later that night, kooks were driving by, honking their horns, shouting Cleo’s name. I was so glad I’d agreed to sell the house. Even though we have the gate and the alarm system, I don’t feel safe here anymore …” Edna paused for a moment to allow that tidbit to sink into her daughter’s brain. “At Golden Peaks, I won’t be so completely alone.”

  “You know I wish I could live closer to you. But Hank’s company is headquartered in San Diego.”

  “He does research on the algae in the Pacific Ocean. What’s wrong with the algae in the Atlantic?” Edna asked for the umpteenth time. “The Atlantic’s right down the block. If you lived with me, he could walk to work.”

  Karen sighed. “Does Frankie know about any of this?”

  “Highly doubtful. What ocean is he in the middle of as we speak? Tinkling the ivories on a cruise ship keeps my son busy. He won’t care. He’s never here, either. I wish I had raised at least one homebody.”

  “Do you have anyone helping you run the sale?”

  “Two lovely young women who have a business called The Garage Sale Gurus. I was lucky to find them.”

  “What about security?”

  “Two young, handsome, muscular men. Oh, to be a girl again …”

  “Who are they?”

  “Bouncers at one of the clubs in Asbury Park. They come highly recommended. Tattoos and all.” Edna stood and surveyed the backyard. The pool was sparkling in the sunlight. The tall hedges that bordered the wrought iron fence were green and lush. And every inch of the lawn was covered with junk. “I’m starting a new life, sweetie. It’s so exciting. I feel young again. And with my aches and pains, that’s not easy.”

  “I’m calling the airlines.”

  “It will be wonderful to see you. And when I do there’s another big surprise I’ll tell you about.”

  “What?” Karen asked hastily.

  “It wouldn’t be a surprise if I told you, now, would it?” Edna asked, then gleefully hung up the phone.

  3

  After Regan checked the train schedule, she hurried into the bedroom. A train was leaving Penn Station in an hour. I’m glad that for once I started packing in advance, she thought as she tossed more clothes into her suitcase.

  Regan couldn’t stop thinking about Hayley and how upset she was. I wish there was some great guy I could introduce her to, Regan thought as she gathered her toiletries. But if there were, Kit would kill me if I didn’t introduce her first.

  Kit was Regan’s best friend, who lived in Hartford and worked for an insurance company. They’d met in junior year of college when they’d spent a semester in England. Kit was still searching for Mr. Right. Since Regan found Jack, she was always on the lookout for someone for Kit.

  So far, the pickings had been slim. Kit had spent the Fourth of July weekend with them in Spring Lake. Regan set Ki
t up on a blind date that had been a disaster. Thinking back on the moment Kit came back to the house after dinner, Regan laughed out loud.

  “Regan!” Kit had cried. “Are you out of your mind?”

  “Was it that bad?” Regan asked meekly.

  “That bad? It was worse. When you told me that you and Jack met him on the beach, I had such a fantasy in my mind of what he’d be like,” Kit said with amazement. “Okay, he’s my age, single, not bad looking and well educated, but I never imagined he’d spend the entire evening discussing his fascination with invertebrates.”

  “Invertebrates?”

  “Invertebrates.”

  “When I got stung by a jellyfish he was very helpful,” Regan explained. “He had vinegar in his bag that he put on my leg. He knew exactly what to do.”

  “Didn’t that give you a hint of what he was like?” Kit had asked incredulously. “Most of the guys I dated never bring suntan lotion to the beach. This guy had a supply of vinegar! And listen to this: when we sat down he gave me one of those wipes for your hands. And he asked for separate bread baskets.”

  “He does sound strange. But I’m trying, Kit.”

  “And please don’t stop.” Kit paused for a millisecond. “I appreciate your efforts on my behalf, Regan. I really do. But this guy was obsessed by creatures without spinal columns.”

  “Then there’s no way you’d be right for each other,” Regan laughed.

  Glancing at the clock radio, Regan started to move faster. She closed her suitcase, reached for the phone, and dialed Jack’s number.

  “Everything okay?” he asked quickly.

  “Yes, fine,” Regan said. “My mother called,” she began, then quickly filled him in on the garage sale.

  “How did Cleo Paradise end up renting the house?”

  “I don’t know. To think that last year at this time she was a virtual unknown. Then she had a hit movie and was nominated for an Academy Award. Now her name is being exploited to get people to come to a garage sale.”

  “I think Cleo Paradise probably likes being famous, but it has its price. She didn’t win the Academy Award, her next movie bombed, which thrilled a lot of people, now she’s starring in a garage sale. The question is, why would she have left so much stuff behind?”

  “Who knows? Maybe there’s not much there.”

  “By the way, did you reach Hayley?”

  “Yes. Needless to say, she’s very upset. She’s also bent on revenge, which worries me. I hope she calms down. Jack, I’ve got to run. My bag is packed. If you don’t mind bringing it with you tonight …”

  “Of course. Regan, be careful.”

  Regan smiled. It was what Jack said to her all the time. And she never tired of hearing it. “I will.”

  Outside, even though it was still early, the sun was blazing. Regan flagged down a cab. She got in, shut the door, and said, “Penn Station, please.”

  Without a word, the driver accelerated. I guess he heard me, Regan thought as the cab lurched forward. Then she heard the mumbling. Another driver illegally chatting on his cell phone. What do these guys talk about for hours on end?

  At Penn Station, Regan paid, giving a good tip for which her driver showed not an ounce of gratitude. But if I didn’t give him a decent tip, Regan thought as she put her wallet back in her purse, I’d feel guilty. No winning in this situation. She got out, hurried across the sidewalk to the escalator, and as it descended could see that there were already plenty of travelers, many dressed in shorts and T-shirts, wheeling their suitcases around the station. It was August and the forecast was for a sunny, hot, beautiful weekend.

  Regan bought a ticket and a cup of coffee. Moments later she was settling in on the train. She got out her computer, sent a quick e-mail to Hayley telling her to hang in there and that she’d call her later, then did a search on Cleo Paradise. Several photos of the petite actress popped up. She had light brown hair, porcelain skin, and beautiful green eyes.

  Cleo was an only child whose parents had changed their last name to Paradise after they were married and started Paradise Adventures, a travel company that led explorers on expeditions all over the globe. For twenty-five years they roamed the planet before Cleo was born. Having a baby didn’t stop them. Cleo in tow, they never stopped moving. You name it, they’ve been there, done that. The Arctic, the Amazon, the North Pole, the Brazilian rainforest. They trekked the Himalayas, slept in caves, camped in the desert with Bedouins, and enjoyed the thrill of shipwreck diving surrounded by sharks. Cleo’s parents no longer had the company but they were still on the go. Everywhere they went they collected artifacts. They planned to open a museum when they finally decided they were too old to travel. If ever!

  Regan shook her head. With this background, how on earth did Cleo end up at Edna Frawley’s home in a quiet little town in New Jersey?

  But then again, Regan thought after a moment, maybe it’s not so surprising. Maybe she wanted to be still and enjoy a little peace out of the spotlight.

  Instead she got a landlord like Edna Frawley.

  4

  Cleo’s eyes widened as she read from her computer screen. “She’s selling my things at a garage sale! It must be the clothes I left in the washer and dryer. That miserable woman!” she blurted. “I wished I’d never rented her house! I should have known she was trouble the minute I met her.”

  Cleo was seated at a little log desk in her rental cabin, in the only log cabin camp in the state of New Jersey, seventy miles west of Camp Edna. The resort had been created by thirty-two-year-old Dirk Tapper, a man who loved the experience of frontier living and didn’t think people in his home state of New Jersey should have to travel halfway across the country to find it. Growing up, his favorite television show was reruns of Bonanza. As a child Tapper longed to have a horse and a corral and a barn. He never tired of watching Little Joe and Hoss and Adam and Pa jump on their horses and gallop toward adventure. He wanted to live like that, but it wasn’t meant to be. He grew up in a two-family home in Central Jersey, his grandparents in the upstairs unit. To satisfy his cowboy craving, his father took him to a dude ranch when he was seven. Little Dirk Tapper was hooked.

  After high school he went to college out West and worked on a ranch but was too homesick to stay. His was a tight-knit clan, just like the Cartwrights. The lonesome cowboy came back after graduation, got a landscaping job, saved up for years, found some investors, then bought a large piece of wooded property with a huge lake and built a log cabin resort, promising a serene experience in a rustic setting.

  Tapper’s advertisement for his venture pointed out that the first log cabin in this country had been built in Swedesboro, New Jersey, and although the Jersey Shore was wonderful, the woods were great, too. “You can swing from a hammock nestled in the trees, sunbathe on the lake, ride horses on our trails. Go back in time and live the good life. Forget the modern world.”

  Cleo had found the camp online. When she drove away from Edna’s, she was looking for another place to hide.

  After what she’d gone through the last several months, she wanted to get away from Hollywood. The Hamptons was Hollywood East, so she looked for a place at the Jersey Shore. The original plan was for Cleo and her best friend, Daisy, to drive cross-country together and spend the month at Edna’s. They’d relax at the pool, walk the beach, go into New York City to see shows. Then Daisy, a struggling actress who never begrudged Cleo her success, was cast in a movie. So Cleo went alone. She packed up her SUV and drove from Los Angeles to New Jersey. She checked into motels along the way using credit cards she’d taken out under the name Connie Long, so no one would bother her. It was a grueling, lonely trip. Finally, she reached Edna’s. Edna came running out of the house and greeted her with outstretched arms. Lonesome as Cleo felt, there was no way she was going to get friendly with the woman who she could tell right away was a busybody.

  Cleo swam and relaxed and read but had no company. She spoke to Daisy on the phone every few days and received occasion
al e-mails from her parents who were in a far-flung area of eastern Europe. But she was itching for company. She ventured into town and made the mistake of letting her guard down. She chatted with people at the coffee shop and the pub and at the supermarket. It wasn’t long before she came home at night to find a dozen roses with wilted petals and thorny stems thrown inside the gate.

  Just like she’d found on her car in Los Angeles.

  She was terrified.

  But she felt foolish calling the police. In her movie that bombed, she was the victim of a deranged stalker, someone who left her dead roses. If she reported the incident, the press would have a field day. They might think she was making it up to get attention. But it had happened before. Was it the same person who had left the flowers in Los Angeles? Or someone else who had seen that embarrassing movie and came up with the same sick idea?

  Cleo tried to ignore it when it happened again a week later. But the third time she found dead flowers at Edna’s, they were by the front door, and there was a note covered with bloodstains. Cleo packed up her car and fled. She didn’t want to tell Daisy and worry her. Daisy was in the Florida Everglades, covered with insect bites, finishing her movie. As soon as the movie wrapped, hopefully soon, she’d fly to Newark. Cleo would pick her up and they’d drive back to California together. The log cabin resort seemed like the perfect place to disappear and wait for Daisy.

  As Cleo sat at her computer, she remembered how scared she’d been when she read the note.

  CLEO GET OUT OF HERE BEFORE YOU GET HURT.

  It’s a miracle I was able to make myself go back in the house and pack anything, she thought. Cleo put her head down on the log cabin desk. She felt a splinter in her forehead and bolted back up.

  That note I left! I said I was leaving early to do a role in a big movie. I needed an excuse because I told Edna I’d be there when she got back on Sunday. Is she blabbing to everyone about that?

  A knock at the door startled her. She called out, “Can I help you?”