Dear Gabby (8 page)

The announcement of the movie came over the speaker saving the day for her. Now she didn’t have to make a comment on his
last remark. She reached for her headphones. Glancing sideways, she noticed that Cole was doing the same.

For the next two hours, she sat engrossed in the story, living out the heroine's part in her own mind.
When the film ended, she sighed with contentment at the ending.

"I can see you loved the outcome,
” Cole smiled over at her. "I'm finding out that you're a romantic at heart, Gabby Fallon."

"Tell me that you didn't enjoy the story and its ending,” she challenged him.

"Oh, I did, but adventure films are more to my liking."

Little by little, she was fast unraveling the hidden mysteries of Cole.
He preferred adventure to love stories, but she could tell he still enjoyed the film they had just watched. She was still so deep in thought that she didn't notice the seat belt sign blinking. Cole nodded his head toward it to let her know.

When the plane touched down, they walked across the terminal to get their luggage.
Once inside a cab, Cole leaned forward and gave the driver the address.

"
Did you make reservations for our rooms?”

“Y
es, I called ahead to one of the hotels. If I hadn’t, we’d probably be searching all night for a place to stay. It's getting late and I'm tired."

"I am, too,
” she agreed, trying to stifle a yawn.

Before long, the cab screeched to a stop near a prominent hotel in the city.
After unloading their luggage, a bellhop came outside and picked up the cases.

Gabby walked with Cole to the desk, and after giving the man their names, the clerk handed them the keys.
Making their way toward the elevator, Cole reached over and clasped her hand.

They rode to the fifth floor and followed the bellhop
along the empty hallway. When they reached their rooms, Cole removed some money and tipped the young man.

Gabby stood in the open doorway, with her hand on the knob.
"I'll see you in the morning, Cole.”  She unconsciously lifted her face toward him. The provocative movement was all the encouragement Cole needed.

He smothered her lips beneath his, pressing her body against the doorframe.
Gabby tucked her hands between her body and his chest and could feel the upbeat thumping of his heart against the palms of her hands.

Cole's tongue invaded her mouth, enticing and exciting her even more with its expert movements.
She felt on fire for him again in only a few short seconds. When he withdrew his mouth, her eyes flew open and she stared up into his dark face.

"We'd both better get some rest for tomorrow
.” His warm breath fanned her cheek. "It's a long drive to my aunt's home and I want to get an early start."

“How early?”

"I'll stop by your room at eight. That will give us time to eat breakfast, and from there, we'll rent a car. Good night, Gabby, and try to get some rest for a long day tomorrow."

"I'll see you,
” she said, turning toward her room. As she closed the door, she leaned against it remembering their passionate kiss of moments ago.

Lying in bed that night, her thoughts focused on one thing
and that was Cole laying only a wall apart from her in the next room. A warm feeling enveloped her as she drifted off to sleep.

***

The sound of the phone ringing startled her out of her drowsy state. Before falling asleep the night before, Gabby had called downstairs and asked the clerk to ring her room at seven. After hearing the time, she replaced the receiver.

She showered and walked into her bedroom to remove her clothing from the suitcase
. She chose a simple two-piece, gray suit with pin stripes and a white blouse. Brushing her hair until it lay neatly along her shoulders; she finished applying her make up and sat on the edge of the bed waiting for Cole to arrive.

At eight on the dot, she heard his knock.
Gabby opened the door and walked out into the hallway to join him. "Good morning," she greeted him.

"That's no kind of greeting
.” He smiled back at her, and drew her unresisting body into his arms. His lips covered hers in a slow, drawn-out kiss, before he lifted his mouth. "Now, that's more like it."

Gabby felt all flustered
seeing another couple leaving their room and taking in their passionate greeting. She lowered her lashes and walked with Cole to the elevator. Once they reached the lobby, he turned her toward another hallway, which led to the kitchen of the hotel.

While eating breakfast, Cole gave Gabby a look.
"There's one thing I want to tell you about Aunt Meredith. She has strange ideas about many things, and you have to overlook some of her little idiosyncrasies. Some tunes she’s vague about what’s going on around her.”

She nodded
, remembering her father had a relative who was similar in the behavior department as Cole’s aunt. Gabby smiled to herself remembering the many occasions her father had become exasperated with his cousin. She also remembered how he always showed her a gentle kindness.

***

By ten o’clock, they had rented a car, and headed down the interstate toward his aunt’s home. The closer they came to reaching their destination, the more nervous Gabby became. She didn't know what to expect from Cole's aunt after he had told her to overlook her idiosyncrasies. Gabby hoped they hadn't wasted their time in making the trip and would find Samantha safe at her aunt's home.

Cole drove off an exit ramp and the scenery changed to hills and sloping countryside.
Everything looked in full bloom and so alive.

"She lives about twenty miles from here
. For some reason, she chose the most remote place to build a home. There aren't any neighbors to speak of for miles."

"It is beautiful, with all the trees and wild flowers,
” Gabby’s glanced over to the edge of the highway. "This looks a little scary to me, though." Her gaze traveled to the edge of the road where she noticed a drop off into a deep ravine. "If a person happened to go over the side in an accident, no one would find them for days."

"I've traveled this road many times, so don't look so frightened
.”

The twenty miles seemed to go on forever.
She was about to give up on ever reaching his aunt’s home when a clearing appeared in the distance.

Chapter Eight

Gabby
glanced at the elegant home at the end of the driveway. Flowers lined the front walk and trailing vines cascaded down one side of the house making a person believe it was a lush tropical garden. The house looked so peaceful and serene, sitting majestically alone in the wooded area. 

"I guess it's time to let my aunt know we're here."

Gabby walked with Cole to the front entrance and stood quietly near him while he rang the bell. On the point of giving up hope that anyone was at home, the door opened. The graying, middle-aged woman stood looking out at them.

"Cole, what are you doing here?"
She went into his arms for a hug. "I haven't seen you in months. No I take that back, it's been years."

A
strange look covered the woman's face, but Gabby wasn’t at all certain what to make of it. Cole had said she had peculiar traits. Maybe this was one of the traits he had referred to.

"It hasn’t been years, Aunt Meredith," he told her, releasing her.
"I've brought someone with me to meet you."

He turned and drew Gabby closer, keeping his arm tight around her slender waist.
"This is Gabby Fallon and this is Aunt Meredith."

"Well, hello, dear, it's such a pleasure to have company
." His aunt reached for Gabby's hand. "Where are my manners? Come in and have some tea with me."

Gabby and Cole walked with her through a long hallway into a room that led off onto a patio.
Table and chairs filled the space in the middle of the rose-covered area. Gabby took a deep breath and thought how refreshing the air smelled in the early morning. Everything seemed so alive after living in the crowded city of Chicago.

Without saying a word, Meredith walked off and left them standing in the sunlit patio.
Gabby watched her bustling off to another room and disappearing down a hallway. She hadn't told them if she intended to get the tea, or to sit down, but Cole only smiled as he pulled a chair out for Gabby.              

"See what I told you about overlooking some of the things she does
.  My guess is she's making us a pot of tea about now and forgot to mention it." A deep chuckle followed his statement. “Let’s go wash up before she comes back.”

Sure enough, within five minutes, his aunt walked in carrying a tray laden with a teapot, cups and cream and sugar.
Small biscuits and jelly filled the plate at the center of the tray. She placed it on the table and pulled out a chair.

"Now, tell me
, what you're doing in California?" Meredith poured the tea, without glancing up.

"I've flown out to try and find Samantha," he came straight to the point.
"Has she been here, Aunt Meredith?"

"Yes, she
stopped a couple of days ago. Or was it last week? I'm not at all certain." She frowned.

"Did she say where she was going?"
Cole sat forward on his chair when he had heard Samantha had been there and gone already.

"Let me see," she said thoughtfully.
"She did say something about driving down the coast to see a friend."

"What
is her friend's name?" Cole urged her along, trying to find out all the information he could.

"You know, I can't remember, but maybe it will come to me later,” she said in an offhand tone.

Gabby glanced at Cole and noticed the impatient look covering his features. He didn't let his emotions show in his voice as he tried again. "See if you can remember, Aunt Meredith, it's very important to me,” he said, trying once again to jog her memory.

A thoughtful expression lined Meredith's face as she attempted to recall what Samantha had told her.
Suddenly, her eyes lit up as she glanced across at them. "Now, I remember.”

"What is it?"
Cole asked, his brows rising.

"The last name was Cane, because Samantha told me her friend's nickname was
Sugar Cane. I believe her first name is Teri, or maybe Cari, I'm not at all sure. She only mentioned it once to me, but I believe the name is right.”

Well, at least Cole had managed to get this much out of her, Gabby thought silently.
If they looked through the telephone books at the towns along the coastline, they may find the name listed in one.

"Is there any chance you might
remember the name of the town?"

Meredith drank her tea and shook her head slowly.
"No, I can't remember the name.”

Cole reached over and placed his hand over hers, squeezing it gently.
"You've helped us a lot already. We'll start this afternoon and drive down the coast until we find her."

"Aren't you staying to dinner?"
She sat forward in her chair. "I'll make sure Katherine sets two more places, if you are."

"No, but we're coming back to visit you before we catch a flight home.
”

Meredith glanced across at Gabby.
"Are you Cole's new girlfriend?” She asked with interest. “Sometimes, I can't seem to keep up with all the women he dates."

"No, I'm not his girlfriend," Gabby quickly denied her q
uestion. "I'm just a friend."

She didn't miss the narrow look Cole gave her after hearing her answer to his aunt.
His aunt's words had upset Gabby, but she put a bright smile on her face as she glanced at the other woman.

His aunt was aware of Cole’s social life, and the miles separating California from Chicago, didn’t stop her from keeping informed about his penchant for women.

“How do you know Cole?"

Gabby didn't say anything for several seconds, not really knowing how she should answer. Meredith had put her on the spot, and she fidgeted nervously. How could she tell her the circumstances behind their meeting?

"We both work at newspapers and have the same interests,
” Gabby explained softly, not meeting Meredith's inquisitive look.

"Yes," Cole agreed.
"Gabby works at the newspaper across town from mine, and we met unexpectedly and find we get along well." He gave her a sly smile, followed by a wink. She could feel her face flushing, but she felt grateful he'd backed up her story.

"I'm happy to see you're finally settling down, Cole," she rattled on, preoccupied with
pouring more tea. It was as if she hadn't even heard Gabby's denial that they were anything more than friends. Cole glanced at Gabby and a half smile lifted the corners of his mouth. To Gabby's way of thinking, his aunt already had them married off.