Read Deadly Vintage: A Molly Doyle Mystery Online

Authors: Elaine Flinn

Deadly Vintage: A Molly Doyle Mystery (26 page)

BOOK: Deadly Vintage: A Molly Doyle Mystery
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Molly blew out a long stream of smoke. “I wouldn’t think of it.”
“I’m kidding. Want me to drop by tonight? Maybe a show of support?”
“Oh, I think Emma and I will be fine. The sisterhood thing, you know?”
“Ouch. Happy now?” Randall paused. He put his hand up to stop Molly from replying. “Look, you know I care a lot about Emma. I’d just like to, well, I’d like to let her know that I’m here, too. I mean to help her any way I can.”
Touched, Molly said, “I know you adore her.” She looked away. She also knew what he was about to say. “And I know she needs a father figure. Genuine, or not.”
Randall didn’t answer right away. The smile on his face told Molly volumes. Finally, he said, “I know you’ll do the right thing for her.”
 
The day flew by for Molly. Six tour busses from Fresno, Bakersfield, and Stockton hit Carmel before nine. Her sales weren’t spectacular, mostly items small enough to take back on the bus, but every sale helped. By two in the afternoon, she took a few moments for a break in the storage room. Molly took off her shoes and rubbed a sore spot. She’d dropped a marble paperweight. It had landed right on the tip of her toes, and she’d been favoring it all day.
Molly was thankful she had been busy enough not to dwell on what she was going to say to Emma, or what Randall had meant by her doing the right thing. But now she had a moment, and she knew the “right thing” was not to discourage Emma from getting to know Macomber. In a practical sense, he had much to offer her, and she had no right to stand in Emma’s way of a more secure life. But from an emotional sense, and that was the kicker for Molly, she knew she was worried deep down that he might also steal Emma’s heart away. Even so, she reminded herself, she had no reason to be jealous if that happened. Emma wasn’t her child. She was Carrie’s and Macomber’s, and it would be sinful to hope Emma wouldn’t like him.
Molly picked up the telephone and punched in Daria’s number.
“I’m nervous,” she said to Daria. “I’m going to tell Emma tonight, and I keep thinking it’s best just to blurt things out, but I don’t want to spook her.”
“We should have gotten together last night for dinner. We could have talked about this,” Daria replied.
“Oh, I know. I just thought you could use a night off. Since the guys were out of town, it seemed like a good chance for you to go home early.”
“Want me to stop by later tonight? I can pinch you if you start to falter.”
Molly laughed. “No, but thanks. I think it would be better if Emma heard this without a safety net. I need her to know that whatever she decides is okay with me. I don’t want her to feel pressured or to feel obligated to tell us what she thinks we want to hear.”
“Good point. But call me later and let me know how she took it. Considering how Randall feels about you, I’m surprised he didn’t insist on being there.”
“Oh, come on, Daria.”
“No! It’s ‘Oh, come on, Molly.’ For cryin’ out loud, are you that blind?”
“I just heard the bell over the door. Gotta go. See you later.” Molly quickly hung up the phone. Of course I’m not that blind, she thought. I just have to pretend to be. Doesn’t Daria realize that or understand why? Molly eased her shoe back on and stared at the shelves filled with merch-in-waiting. She didn’t want to dwell on Randall or what might or might not be. Her only thoughts were of Emma. First things, first.
 
When Emma got home, Molly pretended to be on the phone with a shipper arranging a pickup and delivery for a customer from Sacramento who had just left after buying a set of six Regency mahogany dining room chairs. She had actually made the arrangements moments earlier, but she needed an excuse not to make eye contact with Emma. Her anxiety had grown with each passing hour. She pretended to ask the shipper to hold for a moment. Molly waved at Emma and blew her a kiss. “How’s pizza tonight? Will you call in an order?”
“Gotcha. Two small combos—one with anchovies and one without?”
Molly nodded, then got back on the phone. When she was certain Emma was out of sight or hearing, she set the phone down and folded her hands in her lap. This was crazy, she thought. She was working herself into a basket case. She should have more confidence in Emma’s affection.
At a few minutes before six, Molly set the CLOSED sign in the window at the foot of one of the Foo dogs. She patted the ferocious-looking beast on the head and muttered, “Time to bite the bullet, pal. I’m not waiting until after dinner. I’m going to tell Emma right now.”
Molly summoned her courage and marched for the stairs. Her grip on the wrought-iron handrail was so tight, she actually winced and stopped on the fourth stair. She straightened her shoulders, took a deep breath, then chided herself for being such a coward. She didn’t realize she was mumbling when she entered the living room, until Emma, sprawled on the sofa with a school book in her lap, said, “Sorry, I missed that.”
Molly paused at the open doorway to the kitchen. “Missed what?”
Emma looked up from her book. “I don’t know. That’s what I asked. You said something.”
“Oh? I guess I was talking to myself. Uh, I’m going to have a cup of tea. Do you want one?”
“I just fixed one. The water in the teakettle should still be hot enough.”
Molly could see the steam still curling out of the spout. She quickly pulled out a mug, threw in a teabag, and joined Emma. “Are you working on something urgent for Monday, or can I interrupt you? ”
Emma set down the book. “I was just reading ahead.” She saw the frown on Molly’s face. “You look kinda serious. Is that sheriffs guy still bugging you?”
Molly cradled the hot mug in her icy hands. “No. He isn’t a problem anymore. I’ll tell you all about that later.”
“Whew. I guess you’re relieved, huh? It was kinda cool helping figure out that mess with Frances O’Brien, but I’m glad we’re not involved this time.”
“Amen to that. I need to talk to you about something else.” Molly set the mug on the coffee table. She stared at it briefly, holding onto an instant of calm. But she knew she couldn’t go backwards now. It was time. “It’s about your father.”
Emma’s eyes narrowed in surprise. “My father is dead.”
Molly shook her head. She thought for a brief moment, searching for the right words. But she already knew there was no easy way to tell her. “No, Emma. He’s not dead. He’s alive, but he’s not who you thought he was.”
Emma’s face was a mix of confusion, surprise, and sudden hope. Her words tumbled out so fast Molly hardly heard each question. “He’s alive? Are you sure? How do you know? Who told you? Where is he?”
Molly put her hands out. “Whoa...whoa. Slow down. I’ll tell you everything. Take a breath, okay? Remember the man at the beach?”
Emma’s brow furrowed. She blinked a few times. “Oh, right.” Her hand flew to her mouth.
“That’s him?”
Molly nodded. “He came to see me. I didn’t believe him at first. He showed me a DNA report your mother sent him.”
Emma was silent for a long moment. “She’s known all along then, huh? She even lied to me about my father.” Emma balled her hands into fists and pounded them on her lap. “I never want to see her again!”
“Emma, please. I know this is a shock. I’ve been trying to think of some easy way to tell you and there just isn’t one.”
“Does he want to see me? Is that why he’s here? He’s not going to take me away from you, is he?”
Molly moved to the sofa and put her arm around Emma. “Yes, he wants to meet you. No, I don’t think he can force you to leave. Lucero said there’s steps we can take. Besides, you have some legal rights, too.”
Emma clung to Molly. “I want to stay here with you. Don’t let him take me.”
“Oh, Emma! I want you to stay, too, but you need to meet him. I mean, if he’s really your father, then
“Well, why has he waited so long to find me?”
Molly told Emma about the postcards. “I didn’t show you the latest one. It had a rabbit drawn on it.”
“She used to draw them all the time,” Emma said.
“Well, anyway, when she sent him the one with the rabbit, she also sent him the DNA report and told him where you were.”
“Why?” Emma pleaded. “Why did she do this now?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never been able to understand Carrie. But maybe she meant well for once. Maybe she felt guilty and wanted you to know the truth.”
“I recognize his name. I know she worked for him. He’s mega-rich, too.”
Molly let her arm slowly drop from Emma’s shoulder. “Yes, he’s mega-rich. And he wants to take a place in your life. He’s concerned about your education, your—”
“Tough,” Emma sputtered. “We’re doing just fine. We don’t need him.”
“I want you to meet him, Emma. It’s the right thing to do, okay?”
Emma looked away. “Does Randall know about him?”
“Yes. So do Daria and Dan.”
Emma’s voice took on an edge. “You told them first? How long have you known?”
Molly sighed. Emma had every right to be angry with her. “I’ve known for a few days. We all wanted to be sure he’s who he claims to be. Dan, Randall, and Loomis investigated him for me. I wanted their counsel. I... wasn’t sure where we stood legally. ”
“What did they say?”
“Dan said I can hire an attorney and petition for your guardianship.”
“Make it so,” Emma said. “I’m not leaving.”
Molly didn’t know whether to laugh, or to cry. “Aye aye, captain!”
Emma threw her arms around Molly. “I’ll meet him, but I’m not leaving you.”
Molly hugged her tight. “I have to call him, Emma. Would you be willing to meet him Sunday?”
Emma pulled back. “That soon? Can’t I wait and think about this?”
Molly shook her head. “The sooner the better. Let’s get it over with, okay? Hey, he’s probably more nervous than you. Maybe you two could have lunch.”
“Will you go with me?”
Molly smiled gently. “That wouldn’t be fair, now would it? Give him a chance, Emma. He won’t bite. In fact, he seems like a nice man.”
Emma avoided Molly’s look. She fiddled with the hem of her sweatshirt. Letting out a deep sigh, she said, “Okay. But just this one time. And it has to be at Daria’s.”
“I’ll set it up.”
Chapter 24
 
MOLLY CALLED Marshall Macomber at the Lodge at Pebble Beach before seven the next morning. “I apologize for the early hour, but I wanted to catch you before you went out on the golf course. I’ve talked to Emma, and she’s agreed to meet you.” Not waiting for him to respond, she hurried on. “Lunch at Daria’s tomorrow at one. Does that fit in with your schedule?”
She heard Macomber’s soft chuckle at the other end. “Perfectly, Molly. And many thanks. Will you be joining us?”
“No. I don’t think it would be fair to you.”
“I appreciate that. Very much. And thank you.”
 
By seven-thirty, Molly and Emma were on their way to Carmel Valley and Bello Lago. Missing her morning espresso and croissants at Tosca’s, Molly pulled into the parking lot at Safeway at the mouth of the Valley and made a beeline for the Starbuck’s inside. She quickly returned to the van and handed Emma the bag. “I got you a mocha and a cinnamon coffeecake.”
Between bites of her coffeecake, Emma asked, “What should I wear to lunch? I’m kinda nervous. I mean, is he an old fudd and expects me to wear a ruflled skirt and cute little shoes?”
Molly laughed. “How about that new yellow turtleneck?”
“Can I wear jeans to Daria’s? Would that be okay?”
Molly glanced at Emma. “I don’t see why not. Just make sure you wear the new pair.”
When they pulled into the Bello Lago driveway, Molly said, “When Michelle gets there, don’t go running off. I need you to help me.”
Emma laughed. “You just don’t want to go in that cave thing alone. You’re such a scaredy-cat!”
Molly parked in front of the tasting room. “Yep, that’s me. Wait here. I’ll see if Carla has arrived.” She brushed the crumbs from her jeans, grabbed her tote, and headed for the massive front doors, which were standing open. She was about to enter when she heard loud voices inside. She caught only snatches at first, but it was apparent an argument was in the works. She wasn’t sure who the voices belonged to but decided it wasn’t a good time to make an appearance. Molly glanced at her watch. She stepped back and was about to return to the van when the voices grew louder. She recognized Dino Horne’s voice saying, “Don’t give me that bullshit! She damn well knows who killed him! And I wouldn’t put it past her to have set it up either!”
When Molly heard the second voice say, “You’re outta your mind,” she knew it was Reggie Sullivan. “My money is on Giordano,” he added. “If Carla wanted out of the marriage, all she had to do was divorce the prick.”
‘Just because you’ve always had the hots for her don’t mean she’s home free,” Horne said.
BOOK: Deadly Vintage: A Molly Doyle Mystery
10.22Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
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