Finders Keepers (26 page)

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Authors: Fern Michaels

BOOK: Finders Keepers
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“No. I think he knows, though. If he doesn't know, then he suspects something. Remember when I told you he changed? It's that, and something else I can't put my finger on. This is just a rumor, and I can't pin it down no matter how hard I try, but a friend told me that Jack was in France when we were there.”
“What!” The single word exploded from Jessie's mouth like a gunshot.
“That was my reaction.”
“You could come right out and ask him, Sophie. You were never one to beat around the bush with anything, or is it that you don't want to know? If he was there, what does it mean? You said he was an honorable, honest man. Besides, what reason would he have to go to France? You said yourself it was a rumor.”
“It could mean anything, Jessie. It could mean he knows. It could mean he was checking up on me. One thing is certain, if he was there then he lied to me about staying on in Costa Rica. I hate a liar as much as he said he did. He
said
he was going off on a three-week job. I don't know if it's true or not. What I do know is I've never been so miserable in my life. I was going to call you earlier, but I wanted to get it all straight in my head first. Why me, Jessie?”
“Take the bull by the horns, Sophie. Call out all those investigators you use all the time. Ask all the right questions. Get in his face and look in his eyes. Depending on what you see and hear will help you to make the decision to tell or not to tell. If he loves you, Sophie, being rich won't make a difference. Tanner told me a little while ago if I was as rich as you, he'd snap me up in a heartbeat.
That
, I didn't like. I'm sure you're overreacting to . . . all your new responsibilities and your mother's death.”
“What if it was all a lie, Jessie? What if he sought me out
because
of who I was? Men marry rich women all the time. They're no different from women who want to marry rich husbands.”
“It sounds to me, Sophie Ashwood, like you've already made up your mind that he's guilty. That's not fair to Jack, and you know it.”
“No. My problem is I didn't live by my own rules. By obeying those rules it got me to this point. I was so blase when I told you I didn't have to run a check on him. That was my first mistake. Jessie . . . I . . .won't know what to do if . . .”
“Jessieeeeee.” The muffled call came from the bedroom.
“Sophie, hold on for a minute. Tanner's awake.”
“How long did I sleep, Jessie?”
“Several hours.”
“I thought you were going to sit here with me.”
“I did for a while. I'm talking to Sophie on the phone. Do you want something?”
“Some more aspirin and some tea. A smile would be nice. Get rid of your friend and sit here with me.”
“I can't do that, Tanner. Sophie has a problem, and we need to talk it through.”
“Sophie is the problem,” Tanner said. “When we get married there won't be a Sophie in our lives. Why do you let her run your life? Is it because she's rich?”
“I beg your pardon,” Jessie said, her voice turning cold and frosty.
“Forget I said that. It must be this damn fever. About those aspirin, Jessie.”
“I'll get them.”
“Don't forget the tea.”
“I won't.” She had to remember he was sick and feverish. Sick, feverish people were usually cranky and out of sorts.
In the kitchen, with the phone to her ear, Jessie put more water on to boil as she continued her conversation with Sophie. By stretching the phone cord, she was able to close the kitchen door. Even so, she lowered her voice to a hushed whisper. “Listen to me, Sophie, you need to calm down and look at things with an open mind. You are not totally blameless here. Remember that. You had to know that sooner or later, no matter how many precautions you took, somehow, some way, little things would leak out. If you love Jack and he loves you, then things will work out. You're the one who always told me things aren't always black or white, that sometimes there are shades of gray. You need to think things through, Sophie. I'll call you first thing in the morning. I'll probably be up most of the night, so if you want to talk later, call me.”
“Jessieeeee.”
Jessie slopped the remainder of the liquor into a clean cup, added the boiled water and tea bag. As an afterthought she gave two hearty splashes of Tabasco sauce to the cup before she stirred it. She blinked when the mess foamed and bubbled. She stopped in the bathroom for the aspirin bottle.
“I think I feel a little better,” Tanner said. “I still have the chills, but they aren't as intense. I'm actually starting to sweat. I think that's good.”
Jessie sat down opposite the bed, her thoughts with Sophie.
“I'm sorry about tonight, Jessie. You looked so beautiful. This is some date.”
Jessie smiled. “I can truthfully say I never had a date like this.”
“Me either. So, do you want to get married or not?” he teased, his voice coarse and raspy.
“Someday,” Jessie said lightly, uncomfortable with the conversation.
Tanner chuckled. “I would imagine being married to you would be the ultimate challenge. How do you think we'd do as a married couple?”
Jessie felt her heart skip a beat. “Off the top of my head I'd say the word challenge is apt. This is just a guess on my part, but I have the feeling you're a control freak. I would never allow
anyone
to control my life.”
“Is that what you think of me? Taking charge is different from controlling someone. If one or the other person doesn't take charge, things usually go to hell. I've learned that from past experience.”
“Then there's that part about your mother not liking me and me not liking her. That has to count for something. Since we're playing this game, where would we live?”
“At the ranch until I find something for us or we could build. We still own a lot of land. There are a few acres that would be perfect for us to build on.”
“No.”
“No what?”
“No to living at the ranch. I'd rather live in a tent.”
Tanner frowned. “It takes time to build a house. Months actually if the weather is good, and even then all kinds of things go wrong. It could be as long as a year.”
“Aren't you kind of old to be living at home with your mother? I would think a young, virile man like yourself would want his own place.”
“My father called the shots on that one. He wants someone in the house with Mother. You never question Pop. You just do what he says. Marriage now would put a different spin on everything.”
“I see. You want to get married so you can get out of the house.” Jessie's stomach started to churn.
“That would be a plus, but no, that's not the reason. I find myself extremely attracted to you.”
“More than Bippity-Bop?” Jessie said, a sour note creeping into her voice.
Tanner threw his head back and laughed. “Resa's been talking, I see. We had our day in the sun. I moved on, and so did she. It was a long time ago. Would you care to share some of your past . . . what shall I call them, indiscretions?”
“No.”
“There you go. It's my feeling that whatever happened before is over and done with and can't be changed, so why dwell on it. One or the other of us will get our feathers ruffled and then we'll have a fight and not speak for days, maybe months. Let sleeping dogs lie, I say.”
“You're just riddled with clichés, aren't you?”
“It sums it up, doesn't it?”
“I'd say so. Would you like a sandwich?”
“My throat is sore. Thanks anyway. It's nice of you to put up with me. I really am sorry about tonight.”
“I guess it wasn't meant to be. Things always happen for a reason. I think you should try to sleep now.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Sit in the living room and read. I want to stay up in case Sophie calls.”
“Is something wrong with her?”
“A few problems. I think she'll work them out.”
“I didn't mean what I said earlier.”
“Yes you did. You wouldn't have said it otherwise. Sophie is my friend.”
“Is that another way of saying she comes first?”
“It has to be that way for now. I'll say good night. Do you want me to turn off the light?”
Tanner's raspy voice sounded more petulant than before. “You might as well. This is a big bed. If you get tired, you can sleep here with me. On top of the covers or under them. Your choice.”
“I'll remember that. Sleep well.”
In the living room Jessie curled into the corner of the sofa. The landlady always turned the heat down at ten-thirty, and it was chilly in the apartment now. She shivered when she remembered there were no extra blankets or quilts. She wished she'd taken an extra sweater when she left the bedroom. For a few seconds she debated going back into the bedroom but decided she'd feel foolish since she'd turned off the light and closed the door with such finality. She finally opted for her all-weather coat in the tiny hall closet. She snuggled beneath the coat with the shearling lining. The moment she stopped shivering she let her mind race as she replayed Tanner's conversation, word for word, in her mind. She knew she should be thinking about Sophie and her problem, but Tanner was here, just yards away, and it was hard to concentrate on Sophie, who always came up with the right solution to every problem imaginable. This time would be no different. She knew that Sophie would manage to stifle her grief and get on with the business of living and planning her wedding. Sophie was a survivor.
 
Jessie moved restlessly in her warm cocoon, a sign that the hateful dream was ready to invade her subconscious. As she thrashed about beneath her coat, the dream took her to a place she feared and dreaded. A moment later a bloodcurdling scream ripped through the apartment just as the phone in the kitchen shrilled to life.
Tanner leaped from the bed, his hair literally standing on end at the loud screaming coming from the living room. In his haste to get to Jessie he tripped on the belt of her robe, his feet tangling themselves in the hem of the baggy nightgown.
“Jesus Christ! What the hell happened?” he roared in his raspy voice. “Jessie, wake up! Wake up, Jessie!”
Jessie reared back and could only see the tall figure cast in the dark shadows of early dawn, looming in front of her. A second bloodcurdling scream whipped through the apartment. She lashed out, her arms flailing as both her legs shot forward in a wild kick to Tanner's midriff. Tanner lost his balance and toppled backward. “No! No! Jelly, Jelly!”
“The damn phone's ringing. Wake up, Jessie, you're having a nightmare. Jesus, I could have broken my arm. I had no idea you were so strong. Will you wake up for God's sake. Your landlady will be up here in a few minutes if you don't shut up. Come on, Jessie, enough is enough. Get up! That's a goddamn order! Look, I'm not going to touch you. Just get up and calm down, okay?”
Jessie moved then as she focused on Tanner. Her heart thundering in her chest, her body wet with sweat, she bolted for the bathroom. Inside, she locked the door and sat down on the edge of the bathtub. She struggled to take deep, even breaths to calm herself. Outside the door, Tanner pleaded with her to open the door.
“I'm . . . fine. It was a really bad dream,” she whispered until she realized he couldn't hear her. On shaky legs she walked to the door and opened it. “You . . . you scared me standing there like that. You reminded me of . . . of . . .”
“In this getup I'm wearing I'm surprised you didn't faint. Did I look like the Wicked Witch of the West or something?”
“A woman. You looked like a woman, but I couldn't see your face. Sometimes I have bad dreams. Some are worse than others. I'm sorry if I woke you.”
“Hey, that's okay. Like I should complain. If you were sleeping in your own bed, you probably wouldn't have had the dream. It's only five-thirty. Come into the bed and relax. I think I hear the heat coming up through the radiators. We can talk.”
“I don't want to talk about the dreams. I hate them. I'll be fine. Are you feeling better?” Her voice was more shaky sounding than ever.
“Now that you mention it, yes. My fever seems to be gone. My throat is still sore, but my sexy voice is the same. Come on, we'll cuddle and talk about the weather and your friend Sophie.”
Jessie allowed herself to be led into the bedroom. “Did you say the phone rang?”
“It did. They'll call back. It was probably Pop. He gets up at five and thinks everyone else should, too. He knew I was coming here, and he might have wanted to talk. For some reason he likes to start the day by talking to me. Relax, Jessie.”

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