Secret Love (Arabesque)

by Jackson, Brenda

  Diamond stood speechless. Her father had never lavished her with such compliments before. She shook her head. It was sad that his praise had come a little too late. She no longer cared what he thought of her acting abilities.

  “I happen to agree with you, Jack. I am an excellent actress, and I believe my role in Black Butterfly won’t just get me an Oscar nomination—I believe I’ll have a good chance to bring home the Oscar. And that’s why I can walk away now. That’s why I will walk away. I have nothing left to prove to anyone.”

  A frown covered Jack Swain’s face as he stood. “Don’t do it, Diamond. You’ll only be ruining your life.”

  Diamond met her father’s gaze. “No, actually I’ll just be beginning to really live my life. One day you’ll realize just what a good man Jacob Madaris is and how blessed I am to be married to him. If you don’t want to get to know him it will be your loss. Goodbye, Jack.”

  Without glancing in Samuel’s direction, she turned and walked out of the room.

  Chapter 24

  For one brief moment, Alex thought he saw a flicker of some deep emotion cross Jake’s face. Surely what he had just told him had had some effect. Being given the name of a person who was out to kill you would garner some type of reaction from most people.

  But not from Jake Madaris.

  After hearing the report he had given him, Jake hadn’t yet made a comment or shown any type of physical emotion. Alex shrugged. If he was in Jake’s boots, he’d be ready to hit something or hurt somebody.

  Alex cleared his throat. “Now that we have a suspect, especially one who can’t be found at the moment, I think we need to alert Sheriff McCoy in case Ammons is in this area. I have a few contacts at the Bureau who’ll help me on this one, and who’ll agree to keep things quiet for now.”

  Jake nodded. Conrad Ammons.

  Somehow, he thought, it all fit. The pointed questions, the cold looks, the hard stares. Alex’s report, his very thorough report, had provided everything. The camera manufacturer’s information had led to the magazine publisher Ammons worked for, not to mention his face had shown up both times on the video obtained from the post office where he mailed both the box and the letter. And if that wasn’t enough, Alex had obtained a handwriting analysis of handwritten articles Ammons had turned into his publisher against the handwritten letters that Jake had received. The result of the analysis had indicated the handwriting was that of the same person. Also, further checking into Ammons’s background revealed he’d had a younger sister, who would have been a few years older than Diamond had she lived—a sister who had died a brutal death from a beating at the hands of her husband; a sister who from the photo Alex had obtained, bore a startling resemblance to Diamond. It seemed that Conrad Ammons had a crazy notion that he was protecting Diamond from what had been his sister’s fate.

  “I don’t think you should leave the ranch until Ammons is apprehended, Jake.”

  Jake raised his gaze quickly to Alex, although he really wasn’t surprised by his request. “That’s impossible for me to do, and you damn well know it, Alex. I have a business to run and nobody, sane or insane, is going to stop me. Diamond is safe at Sterling’s place, and that’s all that matters.”

  Alex knew to argue with Jake would be pointless. “All right, but at least let some of your family members know what’s going on. Let me arrange a meeting here to brief them.”

  After a few minutes, Jake nodded. “Okay, arrange the meeting with my brothers and include Clayton and Dex. Justin’s in town so make sure he’s included, too.”

  Alex nodded. “I’ll set up the meeting.”

  Diamond turned off the light in the baby’s nursery and closed the door. Taking the stairs she found Colby in the kitchen sitting at the round oak table, drinking a glass of warm milk. “The baby is asleep,” she said, smiling. “I may have rocked her too much.”

  Colby smiled. “No baby can get rocked too much. Come sit down. Sterling asked you to keep me company while he’s away. He didn’t ask you to be a nursemaid to Chandler.”

  Diamond’s smile widened. “I know but I enjoy her so much. She’s so tiny.”

  Colby chuckled. “Tiny? I don’t think there are many people who would consider a baby born weighing close to eleven pounds as tiny, Diamond.”

  Diamond shook her head. “I guess you’re right, but she still looks tiny to me.” She took the chair across from Colby at the table. “When did Sterling say he’ll be back?”

  Colby smiled. “Antsy to get away from here already, are you?”

  Diamond shrugged, grinning. “I miss Jacob.”

  “That’s obvious. I act the same way you do when Sterling’s away and I begin missing him something awful.”

  Diamond lifted an amused brow. “And just what way am I acting?”

  “Like a woman who wants to be with the man she loves.”

  Before Diamond could agree, they heard the sound of the front door opening and closing. Moments later, Sterling walked into the room.

  “How’s my girls?”

  Diamond watched as he quickly crossed the room, pulled Colby into his arms for one heart-stopping kiss. Releasing her, he leaned over and kissed Diamond’s cheek before turning to run up the stairs to the baby’s nursery.

  Diamond grinned. “Was that a whirlwind that just breezed through here?”

  “I’m afraid so,” Colby said, chuckling.

  “Well, now that he’s back I’m no longer needed here. I may as well start packing.”

  “Are you going to leave in the morning?”

  Diamond shook her head. “If Sterling can make the necessary arrangements with John to get the plane ready, I prefer leaving tonight. I want to surprise Jacob and get home a few days earlier than planned.”

  A warm California breeze rustled through the nearby palm trees and drifted onto the veranda where Jack Swain sat silently. A medley of Duke Ellington tunes being played throughout the entire house, from a very sophisticated intercom music system, mingled with the other sounds of the night.

  “I’m an old fool, Casey,” he finally said to the man who was sitting across from him and who was also enjoying the soothing music.

  “Don’t expect me to disagree with you on that, Jack.”

  “You do like your job, don’t you, Casey?”

  Casey Williams couldn’t help chuckling at that question. “I guess so since I’ve been at it for over forty years. If you’re thinking about firing me, don’t bother. No one else will put up with you.”

  After a long moment of silence, Jack Swain spoke again. “I think I’ve lost her, Casey.”

  Casey looked over at him. “If I didn’t know just how much Diamond meant to you, I’d say you got just what you deserved. I was proud of her for finally standing up to you.”

  A small but definitely wry smile curved the corners of Jack Swain’s mouth. “So was I.”

  Casey dipped his chin and peered at Jack from beneath one bushy brow. He was one of the few people who understood Jack and why he’d always kept Diamond at arm’s length. “Don’t you think it’s time for you to began showing Diamond all that love you’ve got stored in your heart for her? You’re seventy-two years old. Although you’re in pretty good shape physically, there’s no telling just how many good years you have left.”

  Jack Swain glared at Casey. “You’re not a young man yourself.”

  “True. But I’m not the one who has a daughter who is starving for her father’s love.”

  After a silent moment, Jack said, “I do love the girl.”

  “Yeah, I know it, but she doesn’t know it. I think Diamond believes in her heart that you have some feelings for her but…”

  “I didn’t want to lose her, Casey. I wouldn’t have been able to handle it if I’d lost her like I lost Nell.”

  Casey nodded in understanding. Jack had lost his first wife, who had been the love of his life, to cancer after ten years of marriage. He had married Diamond’s mother, Emerald, a year later. Emerald, an actress-wanna
be, had been a mere twenty-four when she had married a forty-year-old Jack Swain. Wild and reckless, she had been just what Jack thought he needed to get over losing Nell. But it soon became apparent that no woman would be able to do that. The only good thing that resulted from Jack and Emerald’s marriage had been Diamond. There was no doubt in anyone’s mind that although Jack didn’t love Emerald, he did love the child they had conceived together. That was the main reason Emerald had tried using Diamond to get whatever she wanted from Jack. However, it was a tactic that failed when Jack took her to court for custody rights and won. Over the years, Jack had convinced himself that if he loved someone too much he would suffer tremendously if he lost them like he had lost Nell. Therefore he had never shown his daughter any sign of his true feelings. Instead, the main focus of their father-daughter relationship had been centered on her acting career.

  Casey raised his head and met Jack’s stare. “The way I see it, Jack, you’re going to lose her anyway. Life is too short to waste it on foolishness. When people live to be our age, we need the people who love us and the people that we love around us. There is nothing worse than being old and alone.”

  Jack hung his head, knowing Casey was right. When it came to his daughter he had made a complete mess of things.

  “It’s not too late, you know, Jack. It’s not too late.”

  Jake Madaris sat in the swivel chair at his desk. He glanced around the room at his brothers’ and nephews’ reaction to what Alex had just told them. Unsurprisingly, it was Clayton who spoke up.

  “Let me get this straight. That nut who called you that morning we were here nearly three weeks ago is actually some news reporter who has appointed himself Diamond’s protector?”

  Before Jake could respond there was a bombardment of other questions being thrown out by his brothers, and all of them were directed at Clayton.

  “Three weeks ago?”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “You knew about this nut, Clayton?”

  “And you didn’t tell us about any of it?”

  Clayton glanced around the room at the men shooting the questions at him all at once. “Calm down, please,” he said. “At the time, I didn’t say anything because Jake told me not to,” he said, providing the first smile since the meeting had begun. “I was taught at an early age to respect my elders, and that includes Jake.”

  Clayton’s smile widened when one of his uncles snorted. Which one, he wasn’t sure. “The important thing,” he said, “is finding out what we can do to help.”

  Jake stood and faced the brothers and nephews he loved and respected. “Alex is working with Sheriff McCoy and the FBI on this. They have everything under control.”

  “Where’s Diamond?” Jonathan Madaris asked.

  “She’s visiting Sterling and Colby in the mountains. He’s aware of what’s going on and has strict orders from me to keep her with him until I give the word that it’s safe for her to come home.”

  Jonathan Madaris shook his head. “I wouldn’t want to be in Sterling’s shoes, or yours for that matter, when Diamond finds out what’s going on and the fact that you’ve kept it from her, Jake.”

  Jake shrugged. “I’ll have to worry about that when all this is over. Right now the most important thing is keeping her safe.”

  He took a deep breath before continuing. “Which is the main reason I wanted to meet with all of you today.” He came around and sat on the edge of his desk to face the men in the room. “Diamond is pregnant. We’ve known for only a little more than a week, and were waiting for her return next week before letting everyone know.”

  His gaze moved around the room but focused intently on his five brothers. He was about to ask the same thing of them that his brother Robert had asked the day before he’d left for Vietnam. It had been a tour of duty that he had not returned from alive.

  “I have complete confidence that Ammons will be caught,” he said slowly. “But should anything happen to me, I want your promise that you’ll do everything in your power to make sure Diamond and my child are taken care of.”

  The room became deathly quiet. He knew they were thinking about Robert and remembering his similar request. Jake stood. “Don’t get me wrong, you guys. I have all intentions of getting out of this alive, but just in case, I need to know. I need to be assured.”

  “You have our word, Jake, that we’ll do what you’ve asked of us,” Jonathan Madaris finally said, speaking for himself and the others. He then met his brother’s stare. “But don’t get us wrong either. You’re our brother and we intend to keep you alive, even if we have to watch your back twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.”

  “Jonathan, look—” Jake started to say.

  “No,” Jonathan interrupted. “We have to know. We have to be assured.”

  Jake was deeply touched with his brothers’ stand, but he couldn’t help but smile. Although he knew that Jonathan, being the closest to him in age, was still pretty physically fit to kick a few butts if he had to, Jake couldn’t see his other four brothers being of much help. Although from the stories he had heard, in their younger days they were a rough and tough group. That was then. This was now. They were in their late fifties and early sixties, for heaven’s sake! He shrugged. It was the thought that really counted.

  “Although appreciated, your assistance is not needed,” Alex decided it was best to say. “Just like Jake has said, I have everything under control. I’ll be the one who’ll be watching Jake’s back. Besides, if all of you suddenly began following him around, your mother is going to get suspicious, and the last thing we need is for Gramma Madaris to know what’s going on. The best thing all of you can do is to go back to your homes and discuss this with no one, not even your wives. It has to be a secret.”

  “Just like the tea recipe?” Lee Madaris asked.

  Alex smiled. “Yes, sir, Mr. Lee—just like the tea recipe.”

  Diamond stared at Sterling. “Pardon me? What do you mean, I can’t leave?”

  Sterling inhaled deeply. He had a sinking feeling in his stomach that Diamond would not be a cooperative hostage. He leaned against his desk. “I mean just what I’ve said, Diamond. I was hoping this mess would have been taken care of before I had to detain you, but it hasn’t been. Therefore you’re here until Jake gives me the word that it’s okay to take you home.”

  Diamond shook her head. “Just what is going on, Sterling? I want answers, and I want them now!”

  Sterling rubbed a hand over the top of his head. “All right, Diamond, please sit down and I’ll explain things to you,” he said, knowing he had no other choice now.

  Seeing she would not get anywhere with Sterling until she did what he asked, she angrily took a seat on the sofa.

  Hesitating before he spoke, Sterling took a quick glance around the room to make sure there was nothing within Diamond’s reach that she could throw at him. He had a feeling she was just that angry right now.

  “Jake’s been receiving threatening calls and letters, Diamond. They started the morning after word got out that the two of you were married. This person threatened his life unless he got out of yours.”

  Diamond stared at Sterling, speechless. Her hands balled into fists in her lap. “Why wasn’t I told about this?” she asked, not even trying to hide the anger in her voice.

  Sterling’s heart twisted at the hurt he also heard in her voice. “I think at first Jake thought it was a joke. But when other warnings began coming, it soon became apparent it wasn’t a joke.”

  Sterling came across the room and sat down next to her on the sofa. “He wanted to keep you safe and protected as much as possible. He also wanted to keep things from the media as long as he could.”

  He then provided all the facts to her that Jake had given him.

  “Conrad Ammons?” she asked quietly, unbelievingly. “The reporter?”

  “Yes, Conrad Ammons. The authorities are looking for him now, and as soon as he is picked up this nightmare will be over.�
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  Pain welled up inside Diamond at the thought of what Jacob had been going through for the past three weeks. His life had been in danger, and she hadn’t known anything about it. She had spoken to him on the phone earlier that day and he hadn’t given any kind of hint that anything was wrong. “But when will another nightmare begin, Sterling? This should not have happened. It’s all my fault.”

  “It’s not your fault, Diamond. It’s not your fault that Ammons is someone who wanted to protect you because you resembled his sister.”

  “But placing Jacob in danger is my fault. I’ve only turned his life upside down since I’ve been in it. It’s not fair. All I…I wanted,” Diamond sniffed, fighting back her tears “for once was a special love. For once I wanted to love a man who would love me just as much with no strings attached, no harm and no worries. I should have known better than to believe in love ever after. Even giving up my career as an actress isn’t helping matters.”

  “Jake loves you, Diamond.”

  She smiled up at Sterling through her tears. “Yes, I know. He loves me so much that he’s willing to put his own life on the line to protect mine. I can’t have him doing that. I love him too much.” She inhaled deeply before saying, “I guess our problem is that we have too much love.”

  “There can never be too much love.”

  “For me and Jacob there is.”

  Without saying another word Diamond stood and walked out of Sterling’s office.

  Chapter 25

  Diamond stretched out on the bed and turned her head on the pillow to stare out of the window. She always thought the view of the mountains surrounding Sterling’s home was beautiful, but today she didn’t want to think about anything but Jacob and what he was enduring because of her.

  Sighing, she placed an arm over her forehead and shifted her gaze to the ceiling. A single tear rolled from the corner of her eye. What would she have told her child if anything had happened to Jacob? I’m sorry, but your father is no longer alive because of me…