“No,” she said shortly.
“No what?” Devon persisted. “Not running, or not running from an abusive husband?”
“Not running and no husband.” She hesitated. “What about you? Do you have a wife like the Captain did?”
“Never been married,” he assured her.
“Why would you think I’m running?” Jenny suddenly asked.
“There’s something not right about you,” Devon said, his voice slightly muted behind the door. “I could sense it the first night we met. You’re hiding something.”
“I’m not running,” Jenny assured him.
He was silent for several seconds, then said, “I have some work to do. I’m glad you like the room.”
She did not reply, miffed that he had not answered her questions about the Captain and Maria. There was more, a lot more, and he knew it. And what’s more, he knew Jenny was on to him and was intent on learning those secrets.
Devon left, closing and locking all the doors. Again Jenny was alone with her thoughts. He was suspicious of her, that was for sure, but at least he was acting in a friendlier way. Yet what if he knew she was running from a madman who wanted to kill her? How would he feel then? She had lied, possibly bringing danger to his beloved Riverview…
Jenny decided to visit Miriam late in the afternoon, but until then she felt the need to get away by herself. She donned her blue shorts, a pale yellow blouse, and yellow sneakers, no socks. Ivan had not liked that outfit and forbade her from wearing it because it accentuated her sexy legs and clung to her tight, perfectly round ass. She felt pretty and the outfit was comfortable, but to him she was dressing like a slut and trying to entice men. To him, her choice of clothes could literally be an act of cheating, a betrayal of his ownership rights. But now he was gone, hopefully forever, and her sensual essence was again exerting itself. Yet she still put on her bandana and sunglasses.
The young painters were outside and Jenny walked up to them. Feeling more comfortable, and showing the exaggerated respect men display for exceptionally attractive women, they spoke to her politely and with warm smiles. Danny inquired after Miriam’s health. Jenny was impressed and she was so sweet that every one of them wanted to work harder just for her. They all liked her. She earned even more points when she warmly complimented them on the work they had done that morning, including their initial work of painting the front of the hotel. Accentuated by the dark trim, it stood out and caught the eye.
“Mr. North was smart by insisting on hiring you guys,” she said, her smile radiating like sunshine. “What a beautiful job you’re doing. It’s fantastic! Really!”
“Thanks,” Danny said shyly, glancing at his friends.
“Hopefully no one will spray paint it once you’ve finished,” Jenny said.
“If anyone does,” said one of Danny’s friends, a big, burly guy with a scar above his eye, “I’ll kick his ass.”
Jenny laughed.
“No joke,” Danny said, gesturing toward his friend. “Big Jake put out the word that no one is to lay a finger on this place.” He nodded meaningfully. “You’ll have no problems, Ms. Lamb. Guaranteed.”
Jenny smiled and clapped her hands. “As I said, I knew Mr. North was smart by insisting on hiring y’all. I’ll let you get back to work now. Have a nice day, guys.”
Danny nodded and even Big Jake, a man with no refinement, a legend in parking lot brawls up and down the South Shore, even Big Jake tipped his hat like a proper English gentleman. Jenny waved and walked down the driveway, her lithe form reminiscent of a butterfly, her pretty ass jiggling in the thin cotton shorts. The men all snuck a look but didn’t say anything. They didn’t have to. Some things go beyond words.
Jenny drove to the tourist bureau and found a map showing the route to White Sands Beach. During the trip, she passed few cars, but when she got to the beach, she noticed a number of vehicles parked by the sand dunes. She strolled up the boardwalk, when, suddenly, there before her, was a beach like none she had never seen. Yet it appeared strikingly familiar, as if she were intimately acquainted with every square inch of it. The sand was brilliantly white and pure, and the mighty ocean, churned by waves of white-crested foam, was the richest combination of blue and green that she could ever have imagined.
Jenny had seen only beaches with hundreds of people on them, beaches that were manicured and overseen by numerous authorities. This beach was totally different. It was wild, free. In some ways it was more majestic, more dramatic than any beach she had ever seen. The salt water, stretching as far as the eye could see, was incredibly clear, but was spotted with seaweed and huge pieces of kelp. The air was filled with a pungent, salty aroma. The beach itself ran for well over a mile and was flanked on either end by high cliffs of red clay. It occurred to her that she absolutely must have seen a movie somewhere with this beach in it. Or perhaps a picture in a magazine. It was that familiar.
Feeling as free as a bird, Jenny took off her sneakers and walked barefoot along the warm sand. At the end of the beach, high atop the clay-red hill, was a beautiful old gothic house. It was a two-story structure of unique and fine architecture. Inexplicably, in an eerie flash, she saw the same house, the beach, and the ocean in the mist of a hazy memory. She had never been here before—she was sure of that—but it seemed she had lived here, and in that house.
I think I’m losing my mind, she thought.
“Good morning, love,” a female voice called to her in a heavy Scottish accent.
Jenny turned to see a middle-aged woman walking with a man. “Good morning,” she greeted.
“Come to see the whales, have you?”
“Whales?”
“You didn’t know about them?” the man asked.
“No.”
“My heavens,” the woman answered. “They feed here. We’re heading to the overlook right now. Join us if you have a fancy.”
“I’d love to.”
They walked up a high hill and then moved along a trail. The stroll was exhilarating and Jenny felt a tremendous sense of freedom, as if she had been imprisoned, then suddenly and unexpectedly released. The air, the sun, the wind, the water—absolutely everything was amplified and assumed new meaning. It really was as if she had been a caterpillar and now was emerging a beautiful butterfly, a creature free to fly away into mystical lands. It felt good to walk and feel her lungs fill with the pure, ocean air.
“This is so refreshing,” Jenny said, unable to contain her enthusiasm any longer.
“Isn’t it wonderful?” replied the woman.
“Wait!” added the man, looking back with a glint in his eyes. He stopped at the top of the hill and smiled at Jenny. “Check this out.”
Jenny stopped beside him and his wife on the lofty vantage point. “Wow!” she exclaimed.
Stretching in front of her was a spectacular view of the ocean and the shoreline. In the distance, almost out of view, was a group of rocky islands with thousands of birds circling. More birds could be seen swimming in sheltered inlets and, popping their heads out of the water every so often, were the black snouts of seals. Jenny could also see an otter skirting over the slippery rocks, stopping occasionally to lay on his back and wiggle around while scratching his belly. He would then jump up, lurch forward, and search out every nook and cranny.
“What do you think?” the lady asked.
“It’s stunning!” Jenny declared, flabbergasted. “I love nature and I once belonged to a bird watching club, but I’ve never seen anything like this. There must be ten thousand birds out there.”
“They’ve estimated almost one hundred thousand at the peak of the season,” the man said. “It’s a pity more people don’t come here.”
Jenny shook her head. “They don’t know what they’re missing.”
“That’s right, they don’t know about this place,” the man noted. “It’s never been advertised and it’s off the beaten trail. Some that do come say it’s too far away to see the birds and the sea life.”
As they continued talking, half-a-dozen more people climbed the hill and joined them. They were passing around a pair of binoculars and one man, obviously prepared, set up a telescope. He looked through it for awhile, then, noticing Jenny’s interest in what he was doing, invited her to take a turn. With his assistance, she concentrated on the mouth of a bay where she saw a dark form blowing spray high into the air. Suddenly she saw a tale, a massive thing whose size astounded her. And then the body appeared. It was a rolling mountain of living flesh. She was speechless.
“They come in every year to feed for the summer,” the man with the telescope said. “Aren’t they something?”
“Truly!” Jenny agreed. “How long do they stay?”
“They’ll be in this general area all summer, then head toward Australia in the early fall.”
“Too bad I couldn’t see them better,” said a woman who eyed the man’s telescope.
He took the hint and let her have a turn, then the others more or less formed an impromptu line. Jenny thanked him for allowing her to use the telescope and smiled appreciatively, then spoke for a moment with the couple who had brought her to this spot. She leisurely strolled back down the hill, her mind full of the sights she had seen, when an idea suddenly occurred to her. She hurried, almost running, back to her car and returned to her room. She made several phone calls and changed into a knee-length sun dress before going to the hospital to see Miriam.
“How do you feel today?” Jenny asked the frail woman as she placed a vase of roses on the table beside her bed.
“You didn’t have to do that, sweetheart,” Miriam said softly, admiring the beautiful flowers.
“I didn’t have to, I wanted to.”
“You’re so thoughtful. I guess you knew I needed cheering up, didn’t you?”
“I’ve got something I want to run by you.”
“Really?” Miriam said cautiously. “What?”
At that moment the door opened and Terry walked in with Devon. They were both surprised to see Jenny, but Terry smiled at her while Devon acted stiff, as usual. But he was strongly aware of her. And Jenny certainly knew he was there, the brutally handsome man she could not understand. He was wearing light brown dress slacks, a tan leather belt, and a loose-fitting cream-colored cotton shirt that showed off his tanned skin. He refused to look at Jenny though, choosing instead to stand off to one side and say nothing.
“I was just about to tell your mother some news that might concern you,” Jenny said to Terry.
“What’s that?” he asked.
“I don’t know if you’ll be interested, but it’s an idea I think might be good for everyone involved, including Mr. North.”
Devon raised an eyebrow and was obviously listening, though he pretended not to be.
“Let me get this straight first,” Jenny began. “Terry could have his boat paid off in a few months if he could find steady employment. If he could do that, he’ll be financially clear and he won’t have to go away for weeks at a time.”
“Right,” said Terry, not knowing what she had in mind. “But to find steady employment I have to go away for weeks at a time. The old catch-22.”
“It would be much better for everyone if Terry could find work near home,” Jenny noted, “so that he could be with his family. Correct?”
“That would be perfect,” Terry agreed, “but all I know is fishing, and I can’t make any money fishing inshore until lobster season in the fall. There’s nothing else that I know, Jenny.”
“What if you could use your boat and make money without having to catch fish?”
For the first time since meeting her, Miriam doubted Jenny. “Who’s going to pay him, dear?”
“This morning I went to White Sands Beach.”
“Yes,” Miriam said, still confused.
“I was walking along enjoying the beauty of the beach when a man and woman asked me if I wanted to join them for a hike along the nature trail. When I got to the end, you’ll never guess what I saw.”
“Whales,” said Terry, “among other things.”
“Right,” Jenny said. “I saw whales, seals, otters, whole colonies of sea birds, jagged shorelines, islands…It was absolutely phenomenal. The most incredible thing I’ve ever seen in my life!”
“Excuse me if I don’t see the connection,” Miriam said, “but what has all this got to do with Terry?”
“Tours,” Jenny stated with excitement. “I was watching the whales and looking at all the thriving sea life when someone said it was a pity they couldn’t get close enough for a good look. Then it hit me. With a boat you could get very close. I phoned the Department of Fisheries and they said they have a license available for boat tours. Because Terry has such a good reputation in the community, the official told me it’s his if he wants it. He said that Terry should come down today or tomorrow to discuss details on safety regulations, proper distances—that sort of thing.” She looked at Terry. “What do you think?”
“Terry?” Miriam said hopefully.
“It sounds great, but I don’t know anything about marketing. How would I find people who are interested?”
“That’s where you’d be connected with Mr. North,” Jenny said, wanting to look at Devon but fixing her attention on Miriam and Terry instead. “A chance to go out in a boat and be next to whales, not to mention all those other wonderful animals and spectacular scenery is something a lot of people would pay for. When I was in Los Angeles, people constantly told me that they wanted to get away from concrete and noise. They wanted to see nature, to be part of it. They were tired of zoos and parks so full of people that you felt like you were in a mall. But this—this is something completely different. The ocean, whales, quiet beaches, rugged shorelines, sea birds, and a few hours out on the water away from all the trappings of modern society. Now that’s an angle we could make a winner.”
“How would you arrange it?” Miriam asked, starting to believe in the idea.
“That’s the beauty of it!” Jenny exclaimed. “We could run the tours through the hotel. Two birds with one stone. Terry could make money while working near home and the nature theme would be a tremendous promotional idea. We could even guide people who want to enjoy nature walks along the coastline. I could do that. I’d love the exercise and I enjoy people.” She paused. “What do you think?”
“It sounds good,” Miriam said, “but will it work?”
“I’m sure it will,” Jenny assured with her infectious enthusiasm. “Once people see what’s being offered, how could they not be totally won over?”
Everyone looked hopefully at her and she knew she had to deliver. That meant calling Arnie back in Florida. He had been in the business for six decades and had intimate knowledge of every tour bus in North America. If it moved, he knew about it. No doubt, he was a must and it would be nice to call him, to tell him everything was all right. But, on the other hand, she would be phoning Florida and sneaking into enemy territory—Ivan’s territory—and Jenny had an almost obsessive fear that he had spies everywhere. She knew he wanted her head that bad.
“I told you she was a godsend,” Miriam said to Devon. “You just wait and see. Jenny will deliver. I know it!”
She looked at each person in turn. “While I was working in LA, I established a lot of contacts and, if it’s all right with everyone here, I’ll phone an old friend of mine who works in a top travel agency. I’d like to get started right away.”
Jenny felt fairly confident that Miriam and Terry would be pleased with the idea, but she was not so sure of Devon. If the plan was successful the hotel would be much better off, but would he resent her assuming so much control in his business?
“Sounds wonderful!” Miriam exclaimed.
Terry nodded. “I’m on board.”
“Mr. North?” Jenny asked, boldly turning to him.
“Can you make it work?” he asked, an expression of begrudging respect flashing across his handsome face.
“Yes,” Jenny pledged, determined
to see that her project was a success, both to prove to herself that she could do it, and, just as important, to show Devon that she was a very capable woman.
Devon nodded in consent, glancing into her eyes for a split second before leaving with Terry to visit the Department of Fisheries. When they left, Jenny was struck by how empty the room now seemed.
“How was your night in the hospital?” Jenny asked.
“I didn’t like it, but what can you do? How was your night, dear?”
“I was a little restless,” Jenny told her. “It’s a lovely room and everything, but I’m not used to it.”
“Not yet.”
A nurse came into the room and Jenny told Miriam she would visit again the next day. She hugged Miriam and left, waiting at the elevator door. When it opened, Devon was standing there. He was surprised to see her, and she was surprised to see him.
“I thought you went with Terry,” she said.
“Going down?” he asked.
“Are you?”
“I came back to speak with you for a moment,” Devon said, apparently eager. “Is that all right?”
She walked into the elevator and the door closed. “Sure. What is it?”
“Terry wants to know how soon he’d have to have his boat ready. We need to do some repairs on the motor and it may take a few days.”
“That’s fine. We have time.”
He seemed unnaturally nervous. “Did Miriam discuss the hotel with you?”
“In what sense?”
“She’s afraid bad things will happen while she’s gone. It’s a source of worry.”
“Nothing bad will happen,” Jenny insisted.
“Still, in her mind, she’s very agitated.”
“What can I do?”
The elevator came to a stop and they exited together. “I don’t know how to say this, but Miriam wants you to stay while she’s out of commission.” He held up his hands. “I told her I can handle everything by myself, but she has a tremendous amount of confidence in you. She thinks you’re an angel that has been sent here.” Devon lifted his eyebrows, his face conflicted. “I didn’t know what to tell her.” His voice cracked. “I know you’re a free spirit and a mysterious woman who probably doesn’t want to be tied down in any way, and I tried to explain that to Miriam, but she just has this thing in her mind—”
Passions in the North Country (Siren Publishing Classic) Page 10
