Mine Until Dawn (17 page)

“Of course.” Faith studied her, frowning. “Are you okay?”

No she wasn’t okay. Now, more than ever, she was worried about her mother. If only she had a phone book to get the number of the cruise line. The few she had before the burglary were probably at the bottom of the garbage bags.

“Jade?”

She blinked and looked at her cousin. What had Faith asked her before? “Oh, I’m fine. I’ll talk to the security guys before I leave.” She worked hard to generate a smile.
 
“Thanks for being here. I owe you.” She ignored Faith’s concerned expression and left the room.

***

Vince swung by the company owned by a young computer wiz kid with a pulse on stolen artifacts. After two hours spent staring at the computer screen while the twenty-three-year-old cross-referenced pieces in databases of missing artwork, and exchanged information with his friends in four continents, he left more frustrated and edgy. There was no mention of the Mayan statue, which meant some rich, private collector had added it to his or hers stash and bolted the vault door. Just his luck.

Vince entered his car and started the engine. He still hoped Jade would search her mother’s collection. The sooner he eliminated the woman as a suspect the better he would feel about lusting after her daughter. Not that it mattered. Lust was illogical. Whether Estelle had the statue or not wouldn’t stop him from wanting Jade. It was time his aunt told him everything she knew about Jade’s mother’s relationship with his father.

He turned his cell phone on and dialed her number. He hadn’t made it to her place for dinner last night because of the break-in at Jade’s, but they’d spoken briefly before he went to bed. She knew he’d checked out of the hotel.

The phone was picked after several rings. “Aunt Della—”

“Vince. Oh, thank goodness. I’ve been trying to get a hold of you the last couple of hours.”

His gut clenched at the urgency in her voice. “What happened?”

“I’m at your father’s. There was a break-in last night.”

He’d wondered when Hudson and his people would go back to the judge’s home. “Was anything taken?”

“Not that I can tell, but could you stop by, please. Dealing with this is very frustrating.”

“I’m on my way.” He hated that house, hated to be reminded of the humiliating and painful meeting there between him and the judge sixteen years ago. On the other hand, his aunt needed him, and she was one woman he’d bend over backward to accommodate.

Vince called Eddie Fitzgerald, but their conversation was brief. The detective had missed the Hudson brothers at the Blue Swan and was ticked off. Still, he promised to check L.A.P.D.’s breaking and entering database for recent burglaries in the area and compare the M.O. with that at Jade’s.
 

“No one is allowed in here, sir,” an officer told Vince when he pulled up outside his father’s house.

“Della Dixon is expecting me.”

“It’s okay, Kincaid,” another police officer called out from the doorway. “Let him through. He’s Mrs. Dixon’s nephew.” Vince got out of the car and joined the officer. They shook hands. “David Fox. My partner and I were the first on the scene.”

Vince nodded. He noted that there were four squad cars. Not surprising considering who the judge was. “What happened, Officer Fox?”

The cop stepped aside and indicated for Vince to precede him inside the house. “The housekeeper came in at noon and found the security system disengaged and the gate and door unlocked. She’d spent the night at her niece’s. As you can see,” he indicated the entrance hall, “the mess is senseless. It seems more like an act of vandalism than a robbery attempt. The housekeeper claims nothing is missing.”

Vince didn’t stop although his gaze swept the foyer. It was Jade’s house all over. Vases broken, paintings pulled out of the frames and the glass broken. He didn’t know how old some of the pieces were, but fifteen years ago when he’d come to the judge’s home, quite a number of them had been in the hallways.

“Careful,” Officer Fox warned him, pointing at the shards of glass from a painting.

The living room and dining room looked just as bad. The officer led Vince to where his aunt in a dark purple pantsuit sat beside the judge’s housekeeper, Mrs. Johnson. Della’s walking stick was by her knee, her face lined with worry. That changed when she saw Vince.

“Oh, my dear, you’re finally here.”

Mrs. Johnson looked up, her eyes narrowing. “What’s
he
doing here?”

“I asked him to come, Lois,” Della said firmly.

“He’s not—”

“That’s enough,” Della snapped, interrupting the housekeeper.

“Is there a problem here,” Officer Fox asked, his eyes moving from Della to the housekeeper, then back to Vince.

Vince didn’t say anything, but his gaze stayed locked with Mrs. Johnson’s. Two weeks ago when Della had brought him to the house, the housekeeper had thrown a fit, called him a self-seeking opportunist. Those were the exact words the judge had thrown at him sixteen years ago. The woman must have been the housekeeper then. As she eyed him, Vince waited for her to tell the cops he had every reason to hate the judge.

“Is there a problem, ma’am?” Officer Fox asked the housekeeper this time

“There’s no problem, officer. I wasn’t expecting Mr. Knight, that’s all.” Her voice dripped with venom.

“Oh. Okay.” The cop looked doubtful but chose not to pursue that line of questioning. “We’re almost done here. You may want to call the insurance company to evaluate the damage, Mrs. Johnson.”

“Don’t worry, officer. My nephew will take care of it,” Della answered before the housekeeper could speak. “You’ve been very helpful. Thank you very much. If we need anything else, we’ll contact you or the department.”

Vince didn’t say anything to the officer, but watched him leave. Ignoring the housekeeper, he turned to his aunt. “Can we talk, Aunt Della?”

“Sure, dear. Give me your arm.”

Vince helped her up and passed her the walking stick. Walking slowly to accommodate her injured ankle, he led her into the den. The burglars hadn’t spared the room. The huge cherry table that had occupied one end of the room when he visited was now upside down, most of the books were no longer on the shelves, and the chairs had their seats and cushions ripped open.

“Savages,” Della muttered.

“Someone’s paying them to be thorough.” He settled her on a seat so she could rest her ankle. She’d twisted it while on a walk about the time he arrived in L.A. “Aunt Della, this is not the first break-in these men have pulled off.” He kept his voice low.

“What do you mean?” she whispered.

Vince quickly explained what happened at Jade’s. “I think the burglars are targeting the people who were at the judge’s party. I’ll check with the others to see if they’ve been vandalized, too. In Jade’s case, her association with me could be the reason.”

Della closed her eyes and rocked her body back and forth. “Oh dear. Oh dear. I told Abe he was a fool to take that statue out of the safe, but did he listen? No. Now look at the mess it’s causing.” She opened her eyes and sighed. “Sometimes I think that statue is cursed.”

Vince recalled Baron Fitzgerald’s words, something about superstitions. He didn’t buy into such nonsense. “Did you know he made a copy of the statue?”

Della frowned. “No. What would he want with a fake? Unless….unless it was for Estelle Fitzgerald. She’s a collector, you know.” Her tone changed, became reflective. “She was my sorority sister. Cuban. Gorgeous. Got every man we knew panting after her, even in college, and your father was no exception”

Vince scowled. “Are you saying the judge and Jade’s mother are involved, Aunt Della? You told me the two of them were just friends.”

“Oh yes, they are, but there’s more. Your father met Estelle first before Dorian Fitzgerald. Fell for her hard, but made the mistake of not telling her how he felt.” She shook her head. “Then he made a second one by introducing her to Dorian. Now the Fitzgerald men are handsome and charming. They don’t waste time when they want something, or someone. Your father didn’t stand a chance. Sadly, he didn’t stop loving Estelle even after she married Dorian. Even your mother couldn’t measure up to Estelle. When Dorian died, he really thought he had a chance with Estelle. Three years later, he was still waiting for her to stop mourning her husband, to see him as more than a friend. That was about the time you came to see him. He knew he couldn’t win her if she knew about you or your mother.”

Was that supposed to justify the old man’s behavior? Not in his book. It only showed that the judge wasn’t as invincible as Vince’s had thought. Not that it mattered. There was no chance of reconciliation between them.

“I don’t know what you want me to say, Aunt Della.”

“Nothing, my dear. I’m not trying to rationalize Abe’s behavior, remember that. He made terrible choices and has lived with the consequences. But I’ve always thought Estelle didn’t treat him right, either. To know that a man loved you the way your father loves her and continue to be friends isn’t just cruel, it’s an act of selfishness. She should have let him go years ago. If she stole his statue, maybe he’ll see her for the selfish woman that she is.”

Vince rubbed his brow. Unbelievable. His father obsessed with Estelle, him with Jade. No, he was nothing like his old man. His lustful intention toward Jade was just that. Pure, undulated lust. There was no way he would let it become something serious, let alone an obsession.

“I’ve got to go, Aunt Della. Do you need me to deal with the insurance—?”

“Oh, don’t worry. That was to get the young man out of our hair. I’ll be fine. You be careful out there. I don’t like that someone else wants the statue. If these men bother you, I want you to stop the investigation. The statue is not worth seeing you get hurt, do you hear?”

“I’ll be fine.” It was a good thing he hadn’t mentioned Cohen’s murder, though. Vince squeezed her shoulder and left the room.

On his way out, his gaze locked with Mrs. Johnson’s. The woman probably suspected him of vandalizing the judge’s home to get back at him. He’d been tempted once, but not anymore. He just wanted to find the statue, so he could go home.

Once he left the judge’s home, Vince checked his messages. There was one from Jade. He muttered a curse as he played it back. What did she mean by ‘a troubling message in my voice mail I need to verify’?

Would the woman ever listen to him? No one knew where the Hudson brothers were or what they were up to. They could be lying in wait for her even now. Yet she was driving to her brother’s house, alone. Worse, he had no idea where her brother lived.

Vince stepped on the gas as he headed back toward Jade’s house. Her cousin would give him directions to where she was headed. He couldn’t justify the fear that caused his chest to tighten and his heart to race. All he knew was he couldn’t let anything happen to Jade.

CHAPTER 13

“Tell Estelle
he
knows everything. She must…”

Cohen’s voice had trailed off, as though someone had interrupted him. Who had he meant by ‘he’? Why call Jade and not her mother? Of course, he could have tried her mother’s cell phone like she’d been doing and was greeted by the-subscriber-you’re-trying-to-reach-is-currently-unavailable message.

Jade squinted and tightened her grip on the steering wheel as though she could, through sheer will, stop Cohen’s terrified voice from haunting her. It was ninety degrees outside and she’d rolled her window down to warm up, but a chill still crawled under her skin, fueling her fears and turning her inside into icicles.

What had Cohen meant to say before he hung up? After what happened to him, Jade prayed it had nothing to do with Vince’s missing statue and the people after it. Frustration welled inside her, increased by the knowledge that her mother was in trouble and she had no idea how to help.

She took in deep breaths and exhaled slowly, a futile attempt to calm her heartbeat, to stop panicking. If anyone knew what her mother was up to before she left on the cruise, it would be her brother Lex. But to pick his brain without revealing much would take some ingenuity. Her brother was way too smart and perceptive not to see through her façade. She needed a plan.

Sighing, Jade stepped on the gas. For once, she didn’t appreciate the scenic drive along Palos Verdes Drive West. She’d spent many a summer hiking and horseback riding on these hills, or playing on the tide pools along the cliffs. Even her first kiss had been at Abalone Cove, a lovely, remote beach on the peninsula. But none of these memories erased Cohen’s voice from her head or eased her worries about her mother. Her church-going, butter-can’t-melt-in-her-mouth mother couldn’t possibly be involved in anything seedy. She wished the last two days hadn’t happened or ….

Jade shook her head. No. No prayers or wishes. It was time she faced reality. Unfortunately, that reality involved believing her mother was a thief. Yesterday, she’d scoffed at the idea. Today, especially after the cryptic message from the now-dead antique dealer, she couldn’t crack a smile if she tried.

Was loyalty to her mother stopping her from facing the truth? Loyalty to her family was drummed into her at a very young age. She’d even refused to entertain the idea that the burglary at her place was because of her mother. It had been so easy to blame Vince. Not anymore. Her mother
was
neck-deep in this mess.

A sense of betrayal settled on Jade at her traitorous thoughts. She hunched her shoulders, determination to get to the bottom of the whole mess coursing through her. Vince could help her. He already thought her mother was guilty anyway. Her brother Lex, on the other hand, could be a problem. He must not know what she was up to.

Jade slowed down as she turned to the narrow road leading to the gated entrance of her childhood home. She pressed the intercom, her gaze sweeping the high-fence and the trees surrounding the mansion. Memories flashed in her head—she, following her brothers and their friends wherever they went and resenting being the only girl, her joy when Ashley joined their family after her parents died, a year later Faith. A smile touched Jade’s lips. How idyllic her life had become once her two cousins joined their household. Her generous mother had made that possible. The thought wiped the smile off her face.

Why wasn’t anyone opening the gate? Jade pressed the intercom, again. She’d made sure Lex would be home before she left her place. As a real estate developer with multiple projects in major California cities, her brother was never home much. When she’d called, he had just left his office at Fitz-Valdes, his assistant had told her. Maybe she should have tried his cell phone. Not that it would have done much good. Her perfectionist brother didn’t believe in talking on a cell phone while driving.

About time, Jade thought peevishly when the gate swung on its hinges. She gave the well-maintained landscape flower beds, palm trees, and shrubs a passing glance, her mind on what she was about to do. She hated the idea of snooping around her mother’s things, but the circumstances being what they were, she had no choice.
 

Parking on the cobbled courtyard beside Lex’s SUV, Jade headed for the inner gate. A dog started to bark, then another, and another. Oh, she had no time to visit with them. Maybe later. She opened the inner gate and headed for the arched doorway. The front door was unlocked.

Jade stepped into the foyer, closed her eyes as she breathed in the familiar scents of freshly baked pastries mixed with lemon-wood polish. Someone had left the back door open, and the gentle sounds of water fountains filtered through. The effect was immediate—peace surged through her.

Home. Her refuge. While kids at her school could tease her about her weight and fill her with humiliation and anger, she’d walk through these doors and feel safe, loved, and cherished. Starting with Mrs. B’s hugs, kisses, and freshly baked pastries. Jade opened her eyes, looked around, and smiled. She knew exactly how to broach the subject of her mother with her brother.

The waiting room to her left was empty. Not that she’d expected to find her brother there. She crossed the hardwood floor and started for the grand staircase. There were many changes in and around the Mediterranean mansion since Lex decided to reside in it. He had added an extra wing, replaced the old cascading fountains around the pool, and added a koi pond, but still maintained the original architecture of rope columns, archways, arched wall niches, and high, dramatic step ceilings.

“Jade,” a woman called out. “I knew you’d arrived when I heard the dogs. They have a special bark just for you, I always say.”

“Mrs. B.” She walked into the woman’s arms for a hug. Mrs. B’s scent of spices mixed with flowery perfume wafted to her nose. Jade inhaled, leaned back, and smiled. “How are you doing?”

“Just fine, child. Just fine.” The woman stepped back, crossed her arms across her large bosom, and gave Jade a once over. She shook her graying head slowly, a frown settling on her lined brow. “You’ve lost weight, baby. Way too much.” She wagged a finger. “That comes from not comin’ home to my cookin’.”

“Now that school is closed for the summer, I promise to stop by more often.”

 
“Hmm-mm.”

Jade laughed. They were both aware she couldn’t control her arrhythmia while hauling excess weight or indulging in the cook’s rich, but scrumptious dishes. “I’m serious. But right now, I’m looking for Lex, Mrs. B. Where’s he hiding?”

“Upstairs. I’m already whippin’ up s’mthing for you. So be sure to stop by the kitchen before you leave, you hear? It’s been a while since I’ve cooked for you.
 
Or Ashley…the poor child almost got killed by that madman. I always say children shouldn’t leave home. Not until they marry.” She clicked her tongue and started for the kitchen. She paused to add, “Then there’s Faith. She called, you know.”

Ashley frowned, trying to follow Mrs. B’s disjointed monologue. “Faith?”

“Yes. Wanted to know if you got here already. I told her you’ll get here when you get here, and not a minute sooner.”

“Did she want me to call her back?”

“She didn’t say, but I told her I’ll be sending her package with you. Go on now.” Mrs. B. waved toward the second floor. “Don’t keep your brother waiting.”

Jade’s indulgent gaze followed Mrs. B’s round figure until the housekeeper disappeared in the kitchen. Her college years flashed in her head, when Mrs. B. would fuss and fix her a care package whenever she visited. What she would give to put back the clock and be that carefree again. Foolish thoughts. A sigh escaped her. Time-travel only happened in fantasies.

Taking two steps at a time to the second floor, Jade went straight to the first door on her left, knocked, and called out, “Lex?”

There was no answer.

She pushed the door open and stuck her head in the room, as her brother left the bathroom. He had on a robe tied at the waist and was busy drying his hair with a large towel. “Hey, big brother. Should I come in or wait for you downstairs?”

Lex chuckled. “You still don’t wait to be told to come in before bursting into a room, pint.” He eased into the nickname he’d given her when she was a teenager. At five-seven, she was diminutive compared to his six-four.

Jade grinned. “I did knock.”

“Yeah, right. Since you’re here, you might as well come on in.” He indicated the couch in the alcove he called his private sitting room before heading to the walk-in closet to get dressed.

Jade threw her purse on the couch and reached for a glass from a tray on the coffee table. Soothing jazz played in the background. She poured herself lemonade, freshly squeezed if she knew Mrs. B., and then settled back to wait.

Her brother’s bedroom was comfortable, but super-masculine—all silver and charcoal. Even the leather couches were dark gray, the coffee table mahogany. It was in desperate need of color, but it had a kick-ass view. Facing the back of the house and the pool, it also boasted a spectacular view of the Pacific Ocean and Catalina.

“Could you pour me some Brandy, sis?” Lex called out as he walked back into the bedroom.

Jade put her drink down and did as he’d asked. He took the drink from her hand and sat opposite her. He had changed into casual black pants and a gray polo-shirt that reminded her so much of their dad. Dorian Fitzgerald had often favored blacks and grays, too, and Lex was a carbon of their dad—from his arched eyebrows to the cleft on his chin.

Jade put down her glass and picked up a bust of an ancient Egyptian queen from the side table. “So, how was San Francisco?”

“Good.”

“You’re there so frequently I’m beginning to wonder if you have someone special.”

Lex gave her an indulgent smile, his gaze touching the bust she kept stroking nervously. “Nothing like that. We’re putting the final touches on the office building. So, what’s happening on campus?”

Jade clasped the figurine to her chest, willing her fingers to stop moving. She quickly filled him in on her research and where she was on her tenure promotion. “I’m not worried about it, though. So when’s the grand opening?”

He sipped his drink and raised his eyebrows. “Of what?”

“Fitz Towers, San Francisco.” Once again, Lex’s gaze went to her hands, his expression concerned. Jade put the bust down. The more she procrastinated, the more edgy she became. Lex usually had a relaxing effect on her. Something about his smile and the calm way he did things. Baron and Chase, on the other hand, tended to be loud and boisterous, and easily got a rise out of her without trying.

“Just a couple more months.” Lex drained his drink, placed his glass down, and leaned back on his seat. “So, pint, what do I owe this visit?”

Say it. Now.
Instead of the elaborate lie she’d planned, Jade feigned an offended look. “Can’t I visit you without a reason? I’ve missed you.” As soon as she said it, she realized that she really did. She saw the twins all the time, but Lex was always away. “I hadn’t seen you in a while, so when Mrs. Talbert told me that you were on your way home, I thought why not stop by. Are you going to Wilkinson’s party tonight?”
 
Jeez, she was such a coward. A very depressing thought.

Lex studied her, frowning. “Sure. I left a message in your voice mail about it. Do you still need me to send the limo to pick you up?”

That was part of the old plan. Before Vince. “No. I’m, uh, coming with a friend.” She hoped Vince wouldn’t mind a quick detour before their dinner date.

“Anyone I know?”

“I don’t think so.” And thank goodness for that. If Lex knew Vince, he would hire some private investigator to check into his background. She’d rather hear about Vince from Vince, not her brother. She didn’t like the way Lex kept eyeing her. Could he tell she was edgy?

“But on the other hand,” she continued. “You know way too many people. So maybe your paths crossed. Who knows?” Okay. Enough already. She was starting to blubber like a moron. Time to B.S. her way through this or get busted. What would he do if he caught her lying anyway? She was too old for a reprimand. “I came to pick something from Mom’s place…her emerald necklace and bracelet set.”

The frown on Lex’s brow intensified. “I thought you’d already picked Granny’s pearls for tonight.”

“Yeah, but the outfit Faith made for me calls for something more sparkly and, uh, colorful. I know Mom won’t mind. I’ll just, uh,” she waved toward the wing where her mother’s rooms were located, “see if she left them in her jewelry box. If they’re not there, I’m sure they’re in the vault.” Her breath stayed suspended as she waited for Lex to speak up, to call her a liar. She was lousy at lying.

When she glanced furtively in his direction, relief oozed through her. He was staring in his drink. Finally, he looked up and shrugged. “That’s fine with me, sis. Have you spoken with her since she left?”

Air rushed out of her lungs, and Jade smiled. Perfect opening. “No. Have you?”

“Twice. A few days ago and this morning. She’s having fun, though not on the ship. She decided to stop by Saint-Noel to visit some guy, an old college mate. I left that message in your voice mail too.”

Jade ignored the second dig about leaving a message in her voice mail. All that mattered was her mother. She was okay, thank goodness. There was no point in contacting the cruise line now, but she still needed to talk to her.