Finders Keepers (20 page)

Read Finders Keepers Online

Authors: Fern Michaels

BOOK: Finders Keepers
7.36Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
“Don't go, Jessie. I don't think there's anything about this family you don't know. We want you to stay. Pop might want to talk to you.”
“Tanner's right, Jessie. Will you call already, Tanner. I'm a wreck just thinking about what could be wrong. Pop sounded . . . terrible.”
“Shhh, the phone's ringing. Pop, what's wrong?”
Jessie and Resa watched as Tanner's face drained. “Jesus. Is Irene okay? Do you want me and Resa to come there? I'm sure we can get a flight in a few hours. I only know what she said, Pop. You don't think . . . Did you call the police? What did they say? So, who has a key? Did the twins lose their keys or perhaps lend one to someone? Of course I know they're responsible. Irene's making spaghetti. Uh-huh. What do you want me to do, Pop? Nothing? No, I do not think you should come home. Resa doesn't think so either, and neither does Jessie. Wait a minute. There was something strange Mother said this morning. She's getting rid of that science-fiction junk she's been decorating with for years. She said she was having someone come in to redo everything today so that it would be more traditional. I took that to mean a green tree with lots of red stuff and all those Christmas plants. Pop, you could call or have the twins call the different taxi companies and ask them if they took a fare to Irene's house. I think they keep logs. You could also call the different car services. Irene does have insurance, doesn't she? Christ sakes, Pop, what do you mean it lapsed? Couldn't you help her out? I thought you were on top of stuff like that. You drummed that in our heads often enough. We're okay. Are you sure you don't want Resa and me to come to D.C.? Okay, 'bye, Pop.”
“What happened?”
“I think you got the gist of it. Someone broke into Irene's house and destroyed everything. The police say someone had to have had a key because the locks weren't jimmied and the windows were all locked. Whoever it was destroyed everything. All Irene's treasures and heirlooms, all that crystal in the dining room. I guess whoever it was messed up the kitchen pretty bad. They burned the kitchen carpet and seat cushions and sliced up the Christmas tree. Pop thinks it was Mother.”
“Mother! She said she didn't leave the airport.”
“That's what she said,” Tanner agreed.
“This can't be good for Irene in her condition. Mother does hate her, though.”
“Irene's making spaghetti. The twins went out to get a new tree. Once the shock wears off, Irene will handle it.”
“Mother wouldn't do something like that. Would she, Tanner?” Resa asked fearfully.
“I honest to God don't know, Resa. I know it's a bit lame, but why do
you
think she's switching up all of a sudden. I am, of course, referring to her Christmas decor.”
“I'd like to believe she finally realized how depressing all that blue-and-white junk is.”
“One day before her famous yearly party? The very next day after her trip to Washington, where she sat in the airport and then turned around to come home? I don't believe that for one minute, and I don't think you do either.”
Resa paced around the small kitchen. “Will Pop call the taxi companies? God, Tanner, what if it was her?”
“I don't think he really wants to know. No, I don't think he will call. He won't call for Irene's sake. I don't think she could handle knowing it was Mother. Random vandalism will be easier for her to deal with.”
“I feel like we should do something,” Resa said.
“Let's go to Washington,” Tanner said. “Call Josh and ask him if he wants to go. I'll take Jessie back to the ranch to get her things. There's an eight o'clock flight. Pop used to take it all the time. We can do it if we decide right now. My treat, Resa, all the way.”
“Okay. Get going. I'll talk Josh into it. Pick us up, okay? I'll stay with Jessie, and you and Josh can stay in Pop's apartment. Is that okay with you, Jessie?”
“Of course.”
“Get your stuff, Jessie, we have to skedaddle.”
“You Texans certainly do things on the spur of the moment,” Jessie said as she gathered up her packages.
“Do you think it's the right thing to do, Jessie? The truth now.”
Jessie didn't stop to think. “Absolutely. I think your father needs both of you with him at this time.”
“That's good enough for me.”
“How will your mother take this?”
“Not well. Not well at all.”
10
Suddenly, thousands of twinkling, colored lights came into view even though Tanner and Jessie were just turning onto the mile-long driveway leading to the Kingsley ranch. Tanner stopped the car and rolled down the window. “What the hell!”
Stunned at the sight, Jessie climbed from the car. “They're Christmas lights, and they look like rainbows. There must be thousands of them. They're everywhere,” Jessie said, her voice ringing in awe.
“It looks more like a million from where I'm standing,” Tanner said joining her. “You're right, they are everywhere, even on the fencing. Jesus! The generators must be working overtime or else she's sucking kilowatts from the Holt ranch. Luke will be like a wild mustang if that's what she's doing. God damn it, everything is going to be thrown out of whack now. Obviously my mother didn't think this through. Get back in the car, Jessie. We aren't going anywhere unless I straighten this out.
“What in the hell do you suppose she was thinking of to do this? You're a female, Jessie. Am I wrong or is this
cartoonish?
If Pop is right and she . . . did all that damage back in Washington, how could she . . . I guess I want to know if she's flipped out. Get in the car, Jessie. I can't wait to see the rest of this . . . whatever this is.”
Jessie took a deep breath. “First of all, Tanner, you don't know if your mother was even in Irene's house. She said she wasn't. We're all innocent until proven guilty. She did say she was going to make an old-fashioned Christmas. Maybe these lights are part of what she considers an old-fashioned Christmas. Most women don't know anything about electricity. I know I don't. I also don't think your mother was the one who hooked up all these lights. It's just a guess on my part, but I think it took an army of men to arrange a display like this. The decorators probably did exactly what she told them to do, which was plug them in. They lit up, and that was the end of it. When you explain it to your mother I'm sure she'll make adjustments.”
“Is that before or after Luke Holt ruins us?” Tanner snapped.
There was no way for Jessie to respond. She climbed from the car to follow Tanner into the house.
If she was awed by the outdoor display of multicolored lights, Jessie found herself thunderstruck at the retina-searing North Pole display of elves, miniature workshops, shiny red-foil-wrapped gifts, and in the center of the floor, a monstrous Christmas tree that was so large it reached the point of the cathedral ceiling. She backed up a step and then another step. She could see that Tanner was speechless. “I'll get my things together and meet you at the car,” she muttered. If Tanner heard her, he gave no sign. As she made her way upstairs to her bedroom she could hear him bellowing for his mother.
What kind of family was this? She needed to get out of here, and the sooner the better, but first she needed to clean up a little and change to a less wrinkled-looking sweater. She was in the bathroom waiting for the water to warm up from the faucet when she heard Tanner's voice searing up through the heating vent next to the enclosed shower. She increased the water pressure, hoping it would drown out the voices. When it didn't, she flushed the toilet, then turned on the shower. She could still hear the voices. She had no other choice but to listen as she washed her face and applied fresh makeup.
“Just tell me one thing, Mother, who hooked up all these Tinkertoys? Are you using the emergency generators?”
“How should I know? The decorator did everything. It's part of his job. Do you like it?”
“It's not important if I like it or not. What's important is your decorator better not have tied into the Holt electric box. Get Mackie up from the barn and tell him to switch everything to the emergency generators unless you want Luke Holt to shut off
everything
. We have a deal with the Holts, and you cannot go back on it. I don't have time to fool around with this right now. I'm going to Washington with Jessie and Resa, and I don't have much time. Cut off the power and do it
now!”
“I will not! What do you mean you're going to Washington? Why? You and your sister had better be here for the party, Tanner. You can send that secretary packing. She'll be no loss.”
“Fine, Mother. Have it your way. When Luke turns off the power think about how you're going to explain that to the people who attend your party. Are you going to use flashlights? How will those fancy caterers warm up all that gourmet food you plan to serve? Pop told me something pretty terrible today. He said someone broke into Irene's house and destroyed it. He thinks you did it. Did you?”
“How dare you accuse me of such a thing. I told you I didn't leave the airport. If Irene chooses to leave her doors open, she should expect things like that to happen.”
“You better hope that's the truth, Mother, because Pop is calling all the taxi companies and car services in the city to see if anyone drove a fare to Irene's house.”
“I forbid you to go to that woman's house. This is all Resa's doing. Resa and that damn secretary. And you follow along, Tanner, just like Pavlov's dog.”
The phone rang at the same moment the house turned dark.
In the darkened bathroom Jessie heard Tanner laugh. “This is just a wild guess on my part, Mother, but I'd say that's Luke Holt calling you to tell you he turned off the power in case you didn't notice. I'll leave you to do the explaining. Enjoy your party, Mother.
“Jess, are you ready?” Tanner shouted. “The power's out, so be careful. Stand still till I get there. I have a flashlight. I keep a bag packed for emergencies like this, so I'm ready to go. Watch your step and stay close behind me.”
“Did all those lights blow a fuse?”
“Something like that.”
“Is your mother upset?”
“More or less. Climb in, Miss Roland.”
“I'm in, Mr. Kingsley.”
“Next stop after Resa's house is Washington, D.C. It looks like we'll be spending Christmas together after all.”
“If the snow doesn't melt, it will be my first white Christmas.”
“I thought you came from Michigan. They have snow all the time.”
Jessie's heart thumped in her chest. She had known she'd get tripped up eventually. “We always spent the winters in a warm climate. We had snow, but it never snowed on Christmas Eve like it does in the movies. Christmas was always balmy,” she lied. “That's why I went to so many different schools.”
That's it, Jessie, keep it up and
dig yourself deeper into a
hole.
She felt relief when Tanner didn't seem to be paying attention to what she said.
“Listen, Jessie, I'm sorry my mother treated you so shabbily. I hope you don't think any less of me. I'm sure you've never come across a family like ours. I could apologize from now till tomorrow, but it won't change things. It is what it is. I think what I'm trying to say is I really like you, and I don't want anything to go wrong. Do you understand what I'm trying to say?”
Did she? “Yes. Believe it or not, I do understand about families being strange. We're starting out with honesty. Your mother doesn't like me, and I don't much care for her. If we can get past that, I think things will be all right. I don't know if long-distance relationships work.”
“We could make it work if we wanted to. I do. How about you?”
Jessie's voice was breathless. “Oh, yes,” she said. “I do, too.”
“Then it's settled. We're going to have a whole week to get to know one another. I can fly to Washington on weekends and we can talk on the phone during the week. I have things under control at the ranch. Mackie is aces when it comes to running things. I can take off days at a time if I want to. I'll get to see Pop more often, too.”
Jessie grew light-headed. It sounded like he was asking her to go steady. Such a strange word for a relationship. Did people her age still go steady, or was that something only high-school youngsters did? Sophie would know. She tucked the thought away for future reference. She was saved from any kind of response when Tanner said, “Would you look at that. They're on the curb waiting for us, baggage and all. Jessie, don't say anything about my mother. I don't know how much Resa wants Josh to know. I guess she's afraid he might get spooked. I thought you would, too.”
“I don't spook easy. I won't say anything. Your father is going to be surprised.”
“I don't think so. He knows me pretty well. What will surprise him is Resa and Josh.”
“It's kind of sad that your mother will be alone for Christmas.”
“Pop won't be there for her to badger. I guess it was meant to be. Hey, are you guys ready. What the hell do you have in all those bags, Resa?”
“Presents,” she said, her voice ringing with happiness. “I knew you wouldn't think about it, so I did the shopping.”
“Thanks, Sis. We can shop over the weekend.”
“What Tanner means, Jessie, is you and I can shop while he and Josh do guy things.”
Jessie laughed. If she could somehow manage to erase Alexis Kingsley from her thoughts, she might have a wonderful holiday after all.
“Mother called, Tanner. She was upset that we're going to miss the party.”
Jessie noticed that Tanner clenched and unclenched his jaw. “How upset?”
“Luke Holt turned the power off. I didn't ask for details. I said good-bye and hung up. I knew she would call back, so Josh and I waited outside for you. I'm really looking forward to a whole week in Washington. Are we going to stay for New Year's Eve?”
“What do you think, Jessie? Can you see yourself ringing in the new year with us?” Jessie did her best to hide her smile. When Tanner reached for her hand she squeezed it.
Fifteen minutes later, Tanner pulled to the curb outside the airport. “I'll let you out here. Check us in, and I'll meet you at the gate. Don't leave without me.”
Only Tanner heard Jessie say, “I'll wait for you forever.”
“I'm going to hold you to that,” Tanner shouted as he drove off to the long-term parking area.
As Jessie trailed behind Resa and Josh she realized she meant exactly what she said. She would wait forever for Tanner Kingsley because she was falling in love with him. How long was forever?
 
It was twenty minutes to midnight when Tanner rang Irene Marshall's doorbell. It was opened almost immediately by Angus Kingsley. In the light from the foyer that spilled out the door, Jessie could make out Irene's puffy eyes and drawn face. “Happy holidays!” Tanner boomed.
“That goes for me, too,” Resa shouted.
Not to be outdone, Jessie and Josh Kelly shouted the same greeting.
“Bless your hearts. Come in, come in. Angus, take their coats. You must be starving. We have a lovely fire that hasn't burned down yet and a freshly stocked refrigerator. This is so nice, so wonderful of you all to come. Isn't it wonderful, Angus?”
“It's damn wonderful,” Angus said as he clapped his son on the back, then hugged Resa. “Jessie, Josh, I can't tell you how happy this makes us.”
Their coats hung in the closet, their bags settled by the door, Irene ushered her guests into the living room. Jessie was stunned to see how different yet how tidy the room looked. “It smells heavenly,” she said.
“We've been burning pinecones for ambience. Angus, open some wine while I rustle us up some food.”
“We'll help,” Jessie and Resa said in unison.
“Now that's what I like to hear. You men sit here and put your feet up and enjoy Angus's fire while we take care of the food.”
In the kitchen, Irene sagged against the counter. “Thank you so much for coming. Angus is taking this so very hard. A terrible thing happened, but between the two of us we made it right. The twins helped, of course. Earlier we sent them off with some of their friends so our doom and gloom wouldn't rub off on them. We're over the worst of it now. At least I think we are. Your arrival makes it all right. What do you think of my drugstore decorations?”
How tense and jittery her voice sounds,
Jessie thought. “I think they're beautiful. The tree smells heavenly. I think there are more lights on this one. Everything seems to, I don't know, sparkle more. The spirit is inside you, Irene. That's what makes all the difference. Whoever it was that did this can't take that away from you. That person is the loser, not you. Do you agree, Resa?”
“Absolutely. Compared to the ranch this is magnificent. It doesn't make a bit of difference where the red bows and the shiny Christmas balls came from. The best part is we're all together. Jessie and I are going shopping tomorrow. Would you like to join us?”
“Let's see how I feel in the morning. Now, what will it be, hot roast beef sandwiches or cold ham and cheese with even colder pickles?”

Other books

Silent Are the Dead by George Harmon Coxe
Scheisshaus Luck by Pierre Berg; Brian Brock
Alien Revealed by Lilly Cain
The Prey by Tom Isbell
Sisterhood of Dune by Brian Herbert, Kevin J. Anderson
Waiting for a Girl Like You by Christa Maurice
Concrete Island by J. G. Ballard