Return to You (8 page)

"Understandable," Clancy agreed. "What do you want
me to do?"

"I want you to investigate. The compensation
will be more than adequate." He named a figure and was gratified
when Clancy's face registered real surprise.

"I guess that's adequate," Clancy
deadpanned.

"Will you take the case?"

Clancy studied him.

Parker calmly gazed back, drinking his
coffee. He hadn't expected Clancy to be so restrained. Most people
did anything for the right price, but he had a feeling money wasn't
what motivated this man. He should have done his homework better,
but he'd been thrown a curve ball and had needed to act
quickly.

Finally, Clancy agreed. "I'll take it."

Parker didn't let his relief show. "Good.
You can start immediately?"

"I think I can rearrange my caseload to
accommodate you. Do you have a suspect?"

"Elaine Adams."

"And she is...?"

"My executive assistant." He felt an
unaccustomed twinge of guilt. Elaine was nothing if not faithful.
It felt like a betrayal to even pretend that she could be
otherwise.

There was no reason for her to find out.
He'd send Clancy on this fool's mission. Clancy would spin his
wheels for a few weeks, guaranteeing he'd be too busy to see
Olivia, and find nothing to support Parker's allegations.

And Elaine would remain ignorant of the
inquest.

"What gives you reason to suspect Ms.
Adams?" Clancy asked.

He would have expected anyone else to take
notes. Clancy didn't, making him either very sharp or a fool.
Parker doubted it was the latter. "I didn't until recently. Elaine
was the only one, other than myself, who had access to the
information."

"Why me?"

Parker didn't pretend to misunderstand.
"I've heard you're the best."

"My reputation precedes me."

"There's also the consideration that we're
going to be in the Bay Area for the next few weeks. Since you're
local, I thought you'd be the best choice."

"So this has nothing to do with Olivia?"

Parker's cup paused for a moment on the way
to his mouth. He didn't delude himself that Clancy missed the
gaffe. "Why would this have anything to do with Olivia?"

Clancy shrugged. "I don't know, but I have a
feeling it does."

"Has Olivia mentioned me?"

"No. I did a little homework after you
called me. Olivia clams up anytime you're mentioned."

"This has nothing to do with Olivia," he
lied. It had everything to do with Olivia. All of it was about
Olivia.

He hadn't expected her to have a boyfriend
when he set this plan in motion. It threw a serious wrench into the
works. He had to make sure Clancy was out of the way so Olivia
could reconcile with Michael.

His daughter was the only reason he could
justify siccing Clancy on Elaine. He found it distasteful to even
question her loyalty.

Although his
assistant
was
hiding something from him.

He'd realized it when she came back from her
errands clutching a Romantic Notions bag. She had a secret. He
wasn't sure if he was more shocked that she kept a secret from him
or that she'd bought something from Olivia's boutique.

Of course, Elaine wasn't entitled to confide
in him, and she could buy anything she wanted. But, according to
Mae, Olivia sold sexy, high-end lingerie. Was that what Elaine wore
underneath those staid suits?

He couldn't count the number of times over
the past few days he'd wondered what was in that little bag. Every
time Elaine walked into the room, he could hardly keep himself from
staring at her body, looking for a clue, a hint at what was
underneath.

It was insane. He couldn't believe he was
mentally undressing her. She was his assistant, for Christ's
sake.

Clancy downed the last of his coffee. "I'll
get right on this. I expect you'll want periodic reports."

"Yes. Though I'd like to stress the need for
confidentiality."

"Of course." Clancy unfolded his long legs,
stood up, and held out his hand. "I'll be in touch, Mr.
Parker."

"Thank you." Parker stood
and shook Clancy's hand. The grip was confident and firm.
Damn
. He'd been prepared
to dislike Clancy, but everything about the man made it impossible
to feel anything other than admiration.

He watched Clancy return his mug to the bar
and exchange a few words with the pretty blonde manning the
register. Parker wondered what was said when she glanced over at
him curiously. Clancy pecked her on the cheek and left.

Parker drank his coffee, waiting to feel
satisfaction at a plan in motion. He only felt a vague sense of
unease.

But Elaine wouldn't find out, and the end
justified the means.

Chapter Ten

"Gwen, I really think you should
reconsider," Eve said, reclining on the couch and stretching her
legs out in front of her.

Olivia grinned as she rearranged the pillows
behind her on the floor. "What Eve means, Gwen, is that a tribute
to the Grateful Dead isn't the direction you want to take your
art."

Gwen frowned and rolled onto her side to
face Olivia. "Are you sure? I think it'll sell really well."

"The tribal theme you did
for your opening was spectacular. But I don't think tie-dye gourds
are in the same
niveau
."

Gwen nodded slowly, absorbing the
advice.

"Niveau?" asked Lainie with a puzzled
frown.

"Level," Gwen absently explained.

Olivia cocked a brow. She hadn't realized
Gwen knew any French.

"Oh." Lainie pointed to the lamps that lit
the room. "Did you design those as well?"

"Yes."

Lainie leaned over to look at one more
closely. "They're lovely."

It'd been over a week since Lainie walked
into Romantic Notions. Earlier this evening she'd run into the
woman on her way out of the house and, on impulse, she asked Lainie
to join them.

Olivia hadn't been sure how Lainie would fit
in, being so reserved. After a glass of wine, she'd kicked off her
shoes, curled her legs under her, and burrowed into the other end
of the couch. She contributed to conversation shyly, but it was
charming rather than off-putting. Eve and Gwen certainly took to
her. There was something endearing about her, something that made
you want to take her under your wing and protect her.

At the same time, she knew without a doubt
that Lainie was hiding something. And she couldn't figure out what
that might be.

Gwen turned to Olivia. "So you think I
should do something more classic?"

"More
classy
. Your shop is in Laurel
Heights. You want to differentiate yourself from the craftsy types.
I think your art could become fashionable. You could charge a
buttload once your name gets out."

"I don't want my name to get out. Not in a
big way."

"But you
do
want to be known for
beautiful art."

"Yes."

Olivia nodded. "The grand opening idea was
great though. Don't rule that out."

"I'd be happy to help you cater it," Eve
offered.

"We should talk about something else," Gwen
said. "Lainie must be bored."

Lainie shook her head. "Oh no. Don't stop
plotting on my account."

"Olivia hasn't even started," Eve said. "She
can plot better than John Grisham."

Gwen poured some more wine for herself and
offered some to Lainie. "I didn't say Olivia couldn't still plot,
but we should talk about something other than work. Get on with
girls' night."

"What do you usually do on girls' night?"
Lainie asked, holding her glass out.

Gwen shrugged. "The usual kind of girl
things, I suppose."

Eve held her glass out for a refill too.
"Like eating, drinking, and talking about men."

"It's been a long time since I've had a
girls' night," Lainie admitted. "Working at Parker Pictures doesn't
give me much free time."

Olivia grunted. Of course it didn't. Her
father was demanding. She could just imagine Lainie's schedule. She
hoped the woman received war pay.

Eve patted Lainie's knee. "We're glad you
could come tonight."

"Enough of this." Gwen punched the pillow in
her lap. "Let's talk about men."

Lainie's brow wrinkled. "What about
men?"

Olivia laughed. "Well, usually Eve tells us
how scrumptious her husband is and we all drool with envy."

Gwen perked up, her curls bouncing around
her face. "Speaking of scrumptious, I saw this guy hanging around
Olivia's shop."

"What guy?" Eve asked.

"He looks like a surfer god. He's tall and
tan and gorgeous." Gwen rolled her eyes back in rhapsody. "He has
wavy hair that's the color of syrup drizzled on French toast—"

"That sounds like Michael Wallace," said
Lainie. "He's the director of the movie."

"He's a stud." Gwen sighed.

"He's a jerk." Olivia pointed at Gwen. "Stay
away from him for your own good."

Eve cocked an eyebrow at her. She shrugged
in reply. She was concerned about Gwen's welfare. She didn't want
her friend to be taken in by Michael's sweet-talking. It had
nothing to do with the thought of Gwen and Michael together. Not at
all.

Lainie looked at her with wide eyes. "How
long have you known Michael?"

"Too long."

"How about you, Lainie?" Eve asked quickly.
"Do you have anyone special waiting for you at home?"

Lainie blushed. "No. There's no one."

Happy Eve maneuvered the
conversation away from Michael, Olivia leaned closer, studying her.
"You look guilty. There
is
someone, isn't there?"

Gwen smiled. "You might as well confess.
She'll pry it out of you eventually."

"Olivia is nothing if not relentless," Eve
added.

Lainie's gaze darted to each of them and
back. "Okay, there is a man I'm interested in."

Gwen scooted closer. "Details! We want
details."

"There really isn't much to say. He doesn't
know I'm alive."

"He must be an idiot then," Olivia said.

Lainie's head snapped up and her eyes
flashed. "He is not. He's quite intelligent. And very kind, despite
what people think of him."

She rolled her eyes. "Then what's holding
him up?"

"I'm not his type."

"You're every man's type, Lainie," Eve said.
"Don't believe anyone if they say otherwise."

Lainie shook her head. "I'm drab."

"You don't have to be," Olivia said. "I
think you wield your wool suits like camouflage. Underneath all
that gray, there's a red lace kind of person."

"You have a fairy princess kind of beauty,"
Gwen said. "I'd kill for ivory skin like yours. And to have shiny,
frizzless hair." She held up one of her curls.

Eve nodded. "It wouldn't take much to bring
it all to the surface."

Lainie looked like she was afraid to hope.
"You think so?"

Olivia patted her arm. "Give us an afternoon
and your man will be panting after you."

"Olivia hasn't told us about her guy,"
Lainie said suddenly.

That was news to her. She didn't realize she
had one. "What guy?"

"The one you had dinner with last week."

"Are you holding back on us?" Eve
teased.

"The only guy I had dinner with was Rick."
She laughed as she realized that was whom Lainie meant. "I'm not
dating him. He's just a friend."

The way Lainie's face fell was comical. She
almost felt sorry for shattering her illusion.

Eve grinned. "Rick's hot. Not as hot as
Treat though," she amended loyally.

Gwen pretended to gag.

"Tell us how you really feel," Olivia said,
reaching for a piece of cheese.

"What's the man you're interested in like?"
Eve asked Lainie.

"He's handsome, not in a weak way like a lot
of Hollywood stars but masterful. He has thick dark hair that's
silver at the temples. His eyes are pale but hot at the same time.
And when he looks at you, it makes you shiver."

Olivia heard Eve and Gwen sigh along with
Lainie, but she couldn't make a peep. Shock froze her in place.
Lainie was talking about her father.

That was Lainie's secret.

Olivia blinked a couple times and drank some
of her water to steady herself. She didn't know how to feel about
this sudden revelation.

Feeling eyes on her, she looked up. Lainie
stared at her with a stricken expression that said she knew Olivia
had figured out who the object of her desire was.

Gwen sighed. "That's so romantic. I'm
jealous. I've never felt that way about anyone."

Eve rolled her eyes. "You still have time.
What, you're all of thirty years old?"

"I'm thirty-four."

"You're hardly an old maid," Lainie said.
"I'm forty-seven."

Olivia did the math in her head. Twelve
years younger than Parker. Would her father care? Did she care?

The rest of the evening was clouded by her
thoughts. Good thing Eve had to work in the morning—they ended the
night early.

Lainie must have sensed her mood because she
stayed quiet on the drive home. Until they were minutes from the
farm. Then Lainie turned to her and abruptly said, "You know, don't
you?"

Olivia glanced at her. She didn't have the
energy to pretend she didn't know what Lainie was talking about. "I
think so."

"You don't like it, do you?"

"I don't know what to think." She pulled
into her usual parking spot and turned off the ignition. Opening
her door, she swung her legs out before she felt Lainie's hand
clutch her arm.

"You don't know him."

"And working with him has given you insight
into his complex psyche?" She shook off Lainie's hand.