Deep Harbor

by Fern Michaels

  “What on earth are you talking about?”

  “Those Windjammer Kill-yas or whatever they’re called. I deposited mine on Derek’s shirt—after I had supposedly digested it.”

  “You mean you—”

  “Yeah. Hurled it right at him. Smack-dab in the middle of his chest.” CJ was sounding a bit forlorn. “Nice first impression, eh?”

  “And?” Donna’s eyes widened, begging to hear more.

  “And he was the perfect gentleman. Went home, changed his shirt while Maggie and Randy babysat. I was mortified, but he was very cool about it. He even took me to dinner. Who knew projectile vomit was a turn-on? I’d have used it much sooner in life!” CJ was beginning to appreciate how her disastrous action had led to something really enjoyable.

  Donna’s eyes widened still further. “Wow. Who knew is right! Were you okay? I mean, did you feel like you were about to take an encore?”

  “No, actually. I guess I got rid of all of it in one fell swoop. Promise you will never let me near one of those things again!”

  “Promise. But wait. Did you say dinner? He took you to dinner?”

  “The Bistro. It was very nice. Apparently, his mom provides the daily specials?” CJ knew this was common knowledge.

  “Yeah, Ellie can make some fine comfort food. I think she started it to give herself some comfort when the guys were away. It’s a tough life, being married to a fisherman, and then to have your sons turn into one of them? I’d be on antianxiety medication if it were me!”

  “I know that dread too well. I just never considered medication unless it came from a bottle that had a year and a vintage stamped on it.” CJ was thoughtful about her own way of dealing with stress. “Heck, you saw me when I first got here! I’m really surprised how relaxed I’ve become in less than two weeks.”

  “It’s funny how, when you have little or no control over a situation, you can surrender to it.” Donna always had a calming, rational response to things.

  “Ha. You don’t know my OCD side.” CJ smirked.

  “I think I got a glimpse of it when I first met you, but I’m glad you’re being open to each new day as it comes.” Donna had a very philosophical side to her that CJ found endearing and inspiring.

  “In retrospect, and considering all the crap I’ve been through over the past four-plus years, I figure surrender is probably a better option than fretting. I am compulsive, you know!”

  “Duh. Of course. You just said so. That’s what the C stands for in OCD: obsessive-compulsive disorder,” Donna said.

  “I prefer not to call it a disorder. It’s almost counterintuitive. If you’re compulsive about order, why would you call it a disorder?” CJ laughed at the irony.

  “Good point!” Donna replied. “Ready?”

  “Yes indeed.” CJ grabbed her new bag as they walked toward the door.

  “I really like my new outfit. I may go back there and get a few more things.”

  “Mona’s? Yeah. Like I said, she has some pretty cool stuff. Oh . . . you know what? Derek’s ex, Jennifer Parker, used to work there. Lasted about five minutes. Well, not really. Had a bad attitude.”

  “Sounds like she had a bad attitude all around, dumping Derek the way she did.” CJ considered how hurtful it must have been. Just spending a few hours with him gave her a sense that he was a decent guy and didn’t deserve to be ditched with a one-word note.

  Donna gave her the quick rundown of the relationship. “Jennifer. She was pretty enough. Gorgeous, actually. Long legs, narrow waist, your typical model shape. She actually was a model from New York but was getting long in the tooth, like twenty-seven or something, and decided it was time to settle down. Derek was bonkers over her and took it really hard when she left him high and dry. Apparently she found some older tourist with a lot more dinero than Derek would ever have. He hasn’t dated anyone since, as far as I know, so I’m glad you guys hung out. It’s good for both of you, if you ask me.”

  “Well, I didn’t ask you, but I’m glad you encouraged me to go.” CJ could barely contain herself at this point. “And we have a date for the fireworks!” She jumped about two inches into the air.

  “Wait! What?” Donna was equally excited. “Like as in a d-a-t-e date?”

  “I guess you could call it that. Yeah. I’m a little . . . I don’t know . . . a little . . . excited? It’s been a long time since I was on a real date with a man! I guess that means another new outfit!”

  “C’mon, girlfriend. Phone line is waiting for us.” Donna had to snap CJ out of her daze.

  When they arrived in Portland, they entered a building that looked like it could be an insurance agency. Donna flashed her ID, nodded to the receptionist, and guided CJ through a hallway and into a small office.

  CJ took in her surroundings, noticing the familiar government decor of not-a-whole-lot and a variety of gray walls. The Rayburn Building was teeming with history, as were a number of the structures in DC, but as government grew and grew, most of the agencies were located in bland and sterile office buildings.

  The room they entered had a rectangular table about six feet wide by two feet deep, with several electronic devices and a few laptops. Two hard plastic chairs were parked on one side. CJ thought it looked like an interrogation room.

  Donna pointed to one of the molded black chairs. “Make yourself comfortable—if that’s possible.” She gave CJ a quick wink.

  “Lavish,” CJ responded in a mocking manner.

  Donna sat next to CJ, picked up two headsets with microphones, and handed one to CJ. “Accessories.”

  “But does it match my outfit?” CJ was trying to mask her jitters by cracking wise.

  Donna tapped several buttons on a keyboard, and CJ heard a loud boop-boop sound that was the ringing of the phone on the other end.

  “This is 4735,” came over the earphones.

  “This is 7392,” was Donna’s response.

  For a moment, CJ felt she was in a scene from a James Bond movie but without a young, handsome Sean Connery or a brooding Daniel Craig.

  “We’ve got her on the line,” Donna said into her mic.

  “CJ?” Colin’s familiar voice brought tears to CJ’s eyes as his face appeared on the screen of the laptop.

  “Hey! How are you? I miss you.” CJ was trying hard to keep her emotions in check. It had been a wild ride over the past two months, and Colin had been her stabilizing force.

  “I’m good. And you? How are you dealing with your temporary new life?” Colin jumped right in, knowing they only had a few minutes.

  “Actually, it’s better than I thought. Donna has been fantastic. She’s my new BFF.”

  “You sound pretty good! And you look good, too!” Colin was relieved to hear CJ so chipper and see that she was maintaining her new coiffed look. “What are you doing with yourself?”

  “Well, I got a job working at a local gallery cataloging artwork. Donna took me to some garden, then to a spa, and I’ve been eating better than I have in months!” CJ was considering her words. She was, indeed, enjoying this adventure. “I even went to”—Donna immediately gave her the “cut” sign under her chin for fear CJ would reveal her whereabouts—“an aquarium!”

  “Wow. Some kind of water-related activity? Impressive. You didn’t mention how much you’ve been drinking, though.” Colin was half kidding.

  “I had a bit of a run-in with some festival thing but it turned out okay, actually.” CJ grimaced at the recollection, and Donna broke out in a wide smile.

  “Huh.” Colin didn’t know what to make of CJ’s uplifted mood. “Well, you certainly sound a lot better than you did two weeks ago. Are you sure you’re not drinking? As in now?” he continued to prod.

  “Very funny. Seriously. The people here are so nice, it’s pretty, and the air is so clean!” CJ was aware that she needed to tone it down. So she lowered her voice. “So enough about me. What about you? How was your week with Matt?”

  “Excellent.” Colin paused for a moment, anticipa
ting her next question. “And don’t even go there, missy.”

  “I wouldn’t dream of it.” CJ gave Donna a “yeah, right” kind of look.

  “I saw that!” Colin was about to continue to tease her, but then he suddenly put on his CEO, investment-counselor, chairman-of-the-board voice. “I heard you’ve been told about Snapper.”

  CJ took in a big breath, her shoulders slumping. “Yes. I find it so hard to believe, but then again, he was caring for George, and we know how much more that cost than he could possibly have anticipated thirteen years ago. It’s just too surreal. All of it. I think I may still be in a state of shock from everything. But speaking of George, I am guessing the government is going to seize Snapper’s assets, so I want to set up a fund for George from my inheritance.”

  “Seriously?” Colin sounded alarmed. “You realize that’s twenty-five thousand dollars a month?”

  “Yes, I do. But I haven’t gone near any of the money, and given the way you’ve grown the stock portfolio, there’s plenty of money from there alone. And this is something I want to do for Snapper, whatever he did. He was good to me. Besides, you’re such an excellent businessman and investor, I expect you’ll make that money back in no time,” she replied lightheartedly.

  “Let me work on it, CJ. I’ll pull together a report of all of your assets and see what’s feasible. Of course, you have enough coming in from the business to live on quite well, even if up to now you’ve refused to touch it.”

  “And why should I do so now? I have a job!” CJ rolled her eyes at Donna.

  “You do realize I can see you,” Colin chided her.

  CJ made a goofy face as she got closer to the camera lens installed on the computer.

  Colin gave her a grin but replied sternly, “Yes. I’m sure your minimum wage job is going to let you live in the lap of luxury.”

  “Okay. Okay. But you know I’ve always lived modestly. Figure out what I have and how it can be used to fund George’s care. Please.” She gave him her best puppy-dog look as she peered even closer.

  “Of course, CJ. I take it you’re going to move back to the house?” Colin was trying to get as much information as possible from this new CJ he was talking to.

  “Probably. Maybe. I hadn’t given it much thought. I’ve been trying to be Zen about things.”

  “Who is this person?” Colin was being facetious. “Are you sure you’re not on any kind of drug? When did you get this “live in the now” thing? Was it after that salon appointment? Maybe it was the dye they put in your hair?” Colin mimicked CJ by getting his face as close as possible to the camera on his end.

  “Great. Another comedian. For real, Colin. Just figure it out for me, okay? I have no idea how long I’m going to be here, and I haven’t had much time to think about what I want to do with the rest of my life. It’s been a long time since I wasn’t on a crazy schedule that demanded all my attention every hour of the day every day of the week. I know it seems weird, but in a good way. Kind of a vacation from some bizarre reality in which I had been living. I never had much time to think, either. It was one reaction after another. This is a refreshing change. At least for now.”

  “So you went from Nancy Drew to a resident of Nirvana? Is that what you’re telling me?” Colin reminded her how compulsive she had been.

  “Not exactly, but it is like being deposited on an island. You can’t get off until someone comes to get you, so you might as well enjoy the warm days, cool evenings, and everything else to be found there. Besides, if I ever do want to open a detective agency, you’ll still be my Hardy Boy, right?”

  “Donna? You there?” Colin’s voice went into both headsets.

  “I’m here.”

  “Is this really CJ on the line with me?”

  “I would say she is adapting extremely well. She’s made a few friends, bought some clothes, works in a gallery. It’s a different kind of life for her. At the very least, the pace is a snail’s crawl in comparison to what she was used to.” Donna was trying to reassure Colin that CJ was, in fact, doing well and not on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

  CJ jumped in. “Maybe if they dragged me to Vegas or Reno or somewhere deep in the heart of Texas, I’d have a different attitude, but so far, life where I am definitely does not suck.”

  “Ah! Now that’s the CJ I know and love.” Colin let out a huge sigh of relief. “I’ll get working on the finances. Meanwhile, you keep up that great attitude. Do you know when we can talk again?”

  CJ gave Donna a questioning look. “Two weeks,” Donna replied.

  “Sounds good. I take it I’ll be notified in advance?” Colin sounded reassured.

  “Yes, you will.” Donna made a note on the pad in front of her.

  CJ leaned into the camera one more time. “Love you, Col. Take care of yourself and you have some fun, too!”

  “Love you too,” he replied, as the lines clicked off and the monitors went dark.

  “You did fine, but you still have to remember no one can know where you are.” Donna was trying to be kind but firm.

  “I know . . . I know. It was just so good to hear his voice and see his face that I almost forgot the rules. Sorry. I will be more mindful. Speaking of rules. What about my date with Derek on Wednesday? I let him do most of the talking the other night, but I’m going to have to offer some kind of information about me; otherwise, he may think I’m an escaped convict, or a sociopath, or something even worse!” CJ’s concern was showing on her face when Donna interrupted her with a dose of reality.

  “You do realize he’s a sailor, right?”

  “I was trying to put that on a shelf and not think about it. He’s very nice, and I enjoyed his company. Besides, I won’t be here very long, so it’s not as if I’m picking out a china pattern or setting up a wedding registry.” CJ was trying to convince both of them that she was blasé about Derek.

  Donna eyed her carefully. “Interesting. He is handsome, and he’s a terrific guy, so why not have some fun and companionship while you’re here, right? We’ll come up with a background story, something you’ll be able to remember. We can talk about it over lunch. Okay with you?”

  “Food. I wasn’t kidding when I told Colin I haven’t eaten this much in ages. When I was working, grabbing a bite to eat was the norm, and when I’d get home, it was so late it would be takeout. I’m surprised I haven’t gained a hundred pounds!”

  “It’s been less than two weeks. A hundred pounds takes a few months to pack on!” Donna laughed as she patted her curvy hips.

  The ride back from Portland took just under an hour, and they decided to stop on the way for a bite to eat. While they were looking at the menu, they decided to keep to the original background outline of CJ being a master’s degree student studying American art. She grew up in New York, which was true. She could talk about her childhood and mention losing her parents in an accident and having her brother raise her. Pretending her last name was Johnson would make it a little more difficult for a Google search as long as she kept specific details out of the conversation and had a new name for her brother. They decided on Kent. Easy to remember. And instead of the restaurant business, he was an insurance agent. That would be boring enough to end further inquiries. If the question came up about what she had been doing before enrolling in her master’s program, she could say she was a teacher. Everyone has stories about school. She could conjure something from her experience as a student and reverse the role.

  By the time they returned to Boothbay Harbor, they had enough of an easy-to-remember backstory for CJ to tell and, if necessary, embellish upon.

  * * *

  Later that afternoon, CJ went to the gallery to catalog the latest works of art to arrive. Maggie stopped by to let her know she would be bringing another piece to be shipped at the end of the week.

  “I heard you and Derek had a bite at the Bistro?” Maggie’s curiosity was obvious.

  “Yes! The food was wonderful. Ellie’s handiwork, eh?” CJ wasn’t immune to the
subtext, so she gave Maggie what she was looking for. “And Derek is such a nice guy. And forgiving! I felt so stupid!” She was anticipating the next question, which, true to form for Maggie, came almost immediately.

  “So, you’re going to the fireworks together, huh?” Maggie leaned on the edge of a table. “It’s a pretty spectacular sight.” She was trying to sound casual, but her quirky side quickly got the better of her. It was also her protective side since she remembered the emotional beating Derek was supposed to have taken when Jennifer took off.

  “I’m looking forward to it.” CJ smiled warmly. “Your family has been so very kind and welcoming. I really appreciate it.”

  “So you know about that bitch Jennifer, who dumped him, right?” Maggie went straight to the point.

  “Yes. How awful! But he’s probably better off. If that’s the kind of person she is, then he would only have gotten hurt worse down the road.” CJ was trying to instill Maggie’s confidence in her. “Derek deserves someone who can appreciate him the way all of you do. I can tell that by the way you treat each other. Lots of respect.”

  “Yeah. We’re all pretty close.” Maggie still had some reservations about this mysterious new woman. “So how long are you going to be here in Boothbay Harbor?”

  “It’s supposed to be three months max. School won’t pay for any more time, and I have to turn the project in at the start of the new term.” CJ was getting more comfortable with her backstory.

  “Too bad you’ll miss the Harbor Lights Festival for the holidays. We have Mr. and Mrs. Claus, elves, moose, lobsters, and tons more, all arriving on boats!” Maggie’s voice grew louder as her enthusiasm became more and more evident. “And there are horse-drawn carriage rides, the festival of trees, a craft show, story time, a tree-lighting ceremony, and caroling.” She was almost out of breath. “At the end of the day, there’s a lighted-boat parade, where local captains deck their hulls with twinkling lights for a festive spin around the harbor! Derek and Randy participated last year, and the kids went crazy!”

  “Wow. You should be working for the tourist board. Definitely makes me want to come back!” CJ was actually visualizing how magnificent it must be.