Finders Keepers (44 page)

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Authors: Fern Michaels

BOOK: Finders Keepers
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“Don't tell those bastards anything, Jessie. Let them forage for whatever they think they can dig up on me. Think kindly of me once in a while.”
“I will, Senator. Take care of yourself.”
A strangled sound Jessie thought was laughter followed her from the room. One down, and one to go. Or was that one down and two to go?
“Jessica, please, sit and have a cup of coffee with Tanner and me. We get so tired of talking to each other. It will be nice to hear another voice for a change. I meant to tell you earlier how wonderful you look. Am I mistaken or is what I'm seeing the glow of pregnancy? You do glow, Jessica.”
Tanner stopped eating long enough to say, “Pregnant? Are you, Jessie?” Tanner asked, a wistful look on his face.
Jessie's world started to crumble in that instant. Damn Alexis to hell. She wondered if she looked guilty. She tried to smile, shaking her head as she picked up a muffin, more to have something to do with her hands than anything else. She should never have come here. Mother and son looked like vultures to her. Lawyers wouldn't be able to lie about something like a pregnancy. Would they? Oh, God, why had she come here? How was she going to explain all of this to Luke? Her back stiffened. “Tanner, were you at my apartment last night?”
“I don't even know where the hell you live. Look, Jessie, I don't want this divorce. I'm contesting it. If you are pregnant, you better tell me now. A judge won't view an omission like that in a kindly way.”
“Do I look pregnant to you, Tanner? A baby by you is not something I even want to think about. I'll say good-bye now. Thank you for the muffin.”
The Rover blazed down the access road to rocket onto the highway leading into the city. Jessie didn't take a deep breath until she was safe in the garage.
Drained of all her emotion, she led the dogs to the loft where she curled up and was asleep almost immediately. She knew the hateful, ugly dream was going to surface but she didn't care. All she cared about was sleeping to blot out Alexis's gleeful face.
19
The look-alike golden dogs sat at attention, their gaze unwavering, as the restless, sleeping woman tossed and turned. The pup sat at the side of the bed, industriously chewing one of Jessie's loafers. Buzz whined deep in his throat, while his companion made a hissing sound of distress.
Jessie rolled over, her face contorted, her arms flailing as she sought the pillow next to her. The hair on the back of Buzz's neck stood straight up when a bloodcurdling scream ripped from her throat. Jelly was on the bed in an instant, Buzz close behind.
“Mommieee, Mommiee! No, no, take it off. Mommieee! Jelly! Jelly! Mommieee! Not mommie, not mommie!” Both dogs pushed and tugged at Jessie's arms as she rocketed from one side of the bed to the other.
Buzz barked once and then again, the sound so loud, Jessie bolted upright. Disoriented, her eyes glazed, she fought to take deep breaths as tears streaked down her cheeks. When her vision cleared, she flopped backward onto her pillows, her heart thundering in her chest. The dogs licked at the tears on her cheeks.
“I scared you, didn't I?” Jessie mumbled as she cuddled the huge dogs. “It's okay, I scared myself this time, too.” She stroked their silky heads while she waited for her heartbeat to return to normal. Ten minutes later when her heart had resumed its natural beat, she swung her legs over the side of the bed. “Okay, treats for everyone. Coffee for me. Oh, Fred, another shoe! Where's that sneaker I gave you?” The pup cocked his head to the side, waiting to see if his treasure would be taken away from him. When his mistress shrugged, he followed the crowd to the kitchen.
Jessie measured coffee into the basket, handed out rawhide chews to keep the dogs busy. A headache clawed at the base of her skull.
While she sipped at the hot coffee she replayed the ugly dream over in her mind. This dream was so much worse than the others, yet different. She'd never screamed for her mother before. Take what off? Possibly one of her sweaters. A coat? Tight shoes? A hat? She closed her eyes as the headache forged its way deeper into her skull. She reached for the aspirin bottle and gulped down four, washing them down with the coffee. From past experience she knew they wouldn't help. The headache would stay with her until she was totally relaxed, the dream fading. Maybe if she thought about Luke and the pleasant evening they'd spent together, she could unwind.
The doorbell to the gallery rang just as Jessie started to pour a second cup of coffee. Should she answer the door or not? It wasn't Luke. Luke always came to the garage door. Did she even have the energy to walk down the stairs and then have a conversation with whoever was ringing the bell. Her head continued to throb. For some strange reason the ringing bell wasn't bothering the dogs. Friend or foe? Foe of course. She had no friends other than Luke and Arthur Mendenares.
Jessie snorted, a sound of utter disgust, when the bell rang for the third time. Coffee cup in hand, she marched down the steps, the three dogs behind her. She opened the door, stretching her leg across the narrow opening so the pup wouldn't scoot out. “Tanner!”
“I want to talk to you, Jessie.”
“This is not a good time. I have a raging headache. We just spoke a few hours ago. I have nothing to say to you.”
“I'd like to come in, Jessie. Are you hiding a secret lover or something?”
Jessie sighed. “Or something,” she mumbled as she held the door for Tanner to enter. All three dogs sniffed his legs, circling him like Indians preparing for an attack. Despite her raging headache, she laughed aloud when Fred, unsteady on his feet, tried to lift his leg, then squatted and peed on Tanner's right shoe.”
“I'll get you a paper towel. That wasn't nice, Fred. You're supposed to go on the paper. Now, Tanner, what do you want to talk about? I can give you ten minutes. I have plans.”
Tanner looked around. “What is this place?”
“It's a small gallery for me to hang my sketches. The loft is where I live with the dogs. It's really quite wonderful. You were saying.”
“Jessie, I don't want a divorce. I don't think you do either. I did a stupid thing, and you reacted to it. I'm really sorry. It will never happen again. I don't want us to throw away our marriage for one stupid mistake.”
“It won't work, Tanner. I don't love you, and you don't love me. That's the bottom line. A marriage based on anything less can't possibly work. I'm getting on with my life, and you need to get on with yours.”
“It's Luke, isn't it? Did you sleep with him? I knew it! I can tell by the look on your face.”
“Were you here spying on me last night, Tanner?”
“Now why would I do a stupid thing like that? Were you doing something you weren't supposed to be doing? You look guilty, Jessie, and you didn't answer my question?”
“What I do or don't do is no concern of yours, Tanner. I filed for divorce. We're separated. Why can't you understand that? Luke is a friend.”
“If that's true, what's his damn dog doing here and where did you get those other two?”
“I don't think that's any of your business, Tanner. You need to leave now.”
“I don't want a divorce, Jessie. I'm contesting it. When a judge hears how I took care of you when you didn't know what day it was, with my mother's help, of course, who do you think he's going to listen to? We had the best doctors in Texas for you. For Christ's sake, I spoon-fed you. My mother helped you take a shower and dressed you. That has to count for something. Then you betray me with Luke Holt!”
Jessie's brain raced. Would sexual allegations harm Luke's job at Penn State? Didn't Tanner's infidelity count? Of course not, he was a man. “What is it with you, Tanner? Spell it out.”
“I want you. I want our marriage to work. I want us to have children together.”
Jessie felt a sick feeling settle in the pit of her stomach. “It's too late. I don't want this to turn into something ugly. Can't we part with some semblance of friendship? As it stands right now, I don't like you. Don't make me hate you.”
“Are you pregnant? If you are, it changes everything. Any lawyer in the world will tell you that. Are you, Jessie?”
“Tanner, it's time for you to leave. Your lawyer should talk to my lawyer. You shouldn't even be here. I'm not going to play your games. If you come back here, I won't open the door.”
“All lawyers do is eat up your money and turn both parties against each other. My father can attest to that. Which brings up another point, where are you getting the money to pay rent here and to pay a divorce lawyer? I hope you aren't planning to stick me with the bill when we have luxurious accommodations at the ranch.”
“That goes under the heading of my business, not yours. Tanner, we are not going to get back together. The sooner you understand the better off we'll both be.”
Jessie walked to the door, the dogs at her side. Fred raced to the newspaper and tried again to lift his leg only to topple over. He peed a stream across the paper. “Good boy, Fred.”
“Stupid dog,” Tanner snarled. “I'm sending you the bill for these shoes.”
“Fine.”
At the door, Tanner turned. “This is a big mistake, Jessie. We belong together. If Luke is involved in your life, you're going to be one sorry young woman.”
Jessie sighed. She didn't mean to ask the question but she did. “What does that mean? Are you threatening me?”
“It means he won't love you the way I do. It means I'll name him in the divorce proceedings. Adultery is not viewed kindly around here. Luke has always been a loner. If his fianceé hadn't died, he would have found a way to get out of marrying Allison. He's not marriage material. If that sounds like a threat, then I guess I am threatening you.”
“I don't take kindly to threats, Tanner. And you are marriage material, is that what you're saying? If you are, then why were you unfaithful to me? Don't bother to answer that because I don't care. How will the courts view
your
infidelity? Go back to the ranch and don't come here again.”
“Uppity, aren't we?” Tanner said.
“Tanner, who is J.J.?”
Tanner turned to stare at his wife, his face blank. Jessie thought she saw a trace of fear in his eyes.
“I never heard you mention him. Yet he seems to be a very good friend of yours. What's his real name?”
“What do you want to know that for? I think his name is John James or James John, something like that. I never called him anything but J.J. Pop used to bring city kids to the ranch in the summer and we hit it off. Guess old Luke was shooting off his mouth. He never liked J.J.”
“I thought maybe he was the friend that died in the car accident on the way back to school.”
“Yeah. Yeah, that's what happened. I told you, I don't like to talk about that.”
“You're such a liar, Tanner,” Jessie said as she pushed him through the door and then locked it.
And he was lying,
Jessie thought as she herded the dogs to the loft. The question was why would Tanner lie about an old friend? Her scalp started to prickle as an idea began to form in her mind.
Jessie sipped at her cold coffee, her mind racing. Without stopping to think she picked up the phone. Ten minutes later she had a plane reservation for Atlanta. Her flight left at seven o‘clock, with a return reservation for eight o'clock the following morning. She didn't need to pack anything since she had clothes in Sophie's closets. All she needed was for Luke to agree to watch the dogs until she returned. She called him. The housekeeper told her he was on his way into town.
Jessie raced to the bathroom, where she washed her face, brushed her hair, and changed her clothes. The last thing she did was change her brown leather purse for Sophie's black Chanel handbag. She was in the garage nestling Elroy into the corner of the bag when Luke arrived. She started to babble immediately. When she finally wound down she stared at Luke before she kissed him, so hard he started to shake.
“I'll be back by noon tomorrow.”
In a voice quivering with emotion Luke said, “Does this mean we aren't going to Pennsylvania tomorrow?”
“That's pretty much what it means. The day after is good. Is it good for you?”
“Do that again.”
She did.
“I can drive you to the airport,” Luke said, his voice still quivering.
“No. I need time to think, and I can't think when I'm around you. Are you going to stay here or go back to the ranch?”
“I think I'll stay here. Are you sure it's okay?”
Jessie smiled. “More than okay. I'm going to miss you.”
“If I tell you something, will you remember it?” Luke asked gruffly.
Jessie's face turned solemn when she nodded, her eyes puzzled at Luke's tone.
“Remember that I love you.”
Jessie thought she could feel her blood start to sing at that precise moment. “I think I can remember that.”
“And,” he prodded.
“I love you, too. Don't you forget it.”
“Go on before I decide to do other things. Will you call me to let me know you arrived safely?”
“Of course. Luke, don't answer the door or the phone. I'll ring twice, hang up, and ring again so you'll know it's me.”
“Gotcha.”
 
Tanner paced, the phone wire stretched to its limits as he waited for his call to go through. He refused to meet his mother's s angry gaze. When his friend finally picked up the phone. Tanner said, “You know, J.J., you are so full of shit your eyes are turning brown. I told you it wasn't going to work. I don't think there's a whole brain between you and my mother. This Jessie is not the Jessie I married. She's different and, yeah, she's probably screwing around with Luke. I could see it on her face. Just because my mother
thinks
Jessie's pregnant doesn't mean she is. She could cut and run at any moment, and where does that leave me? Hanging by a thread, that's where. All she has to do is call a few of Sophie's friends or that lawyer, and it's over. Somewhere in this world she has a set of parents. You aren't listening. I did that nice-guy shit, and it didn't work. I say we pack it in. Get yourself a legitimate job and work for your money. That's what I'm going to do. I wasted too many years of my life on this crap, and I'm fed up. I'm a rancher. I can build this place back up to the way it was years ago. Don't call me, I'll call you.”
Alexis winced when her son slammed the receiver back into the cradle.
“Whatever you're planning on saying, don't,” Tanner seethed. A moment later, he was in his mother's face. “I've had it with this crap. Pop took care of the ranch business. So we aren't millionaires, so what. We'll be comfortable. The garbage with Pop will blow over when . . . at some point. If it's money you're worried about or grandchildren, Bop is mine for the taking.”

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