Starfish Island (11 page)

She had no intention of telling him that she’d slept with one eye and one ear open all night, waiting for the slightest sound that would tell her someone was in the other room. She had taken Michael’s advice and turned off the intercom, but she stayed alert for any suspicious sounds. She’d also locked her door and shoved a chair under the knob. Nothing had happened, and finally, near dawn, she drifted into a fitful sleep.

All through the night, she lay there wondering why someone would try to scare her away. Was it Chester or Rena Grey? They were the only ones living in the house. Could someone have gotten in from outside? The same person who had broken in before?

Whoever it was would be quite pleased if they knew how frightened she was. How her heart pounded as she lay tense and alert, afraid to close her eyes to sleep, listening to every creaking motion of the old house and the wind rustling through the trees. She vowed to never let anyone guess how scared she’d been.

“Bored with my company? You seemed to have drifted away.” Jake skimmed a pebble across the water.

“Busy day. You caught me thinking about my schedule and all that I have to do.”

“Tell me what you consider a busy day.”

“I have a meeting with Rena, which I’m not looking forward to. I’m hoping she’s nothing like her husband.”

“She’s a little intimidating, but my money’s on you.” He laughed.

“Since my arrival, I’ve walked around a bit overwhelmed. I think I’d have an easier time if Chester weren’t so controlling. Today, I’m going to start learning about how the house is run and who does what, and I’m excited. Grandmother put all her trust in me, and I have no intention of letting her down.”

“I think Caroline made an excellent choice.”

“Hi, you two.”

Jake and Nicole turned to see Cecilia running toward them.

“If you’ve come to run with me, you’re too late.”

“No, sis, I came to walk you back to the house.”

“I’m starving,” Cecilia said. “I thought we could go have breakfast.”

“Can’t. I still have some packing to finish.” Jake explained.

“Have you had breakfast, Nicole?” Cecilia asked.

“No, I snuck out. I didn’t want the Greys to ask questions. Shall we go somewhere and get something to eat?”

“There’s a little café on the other side of the causeway on the way to the ferry that I know you’ll love. Come on, Jake, just for a little while.”

“Next time.” He turned to Nicole. “I’m going to Tallahassee on business. I’ll only be gone for a few days.”

“Enjoy your trip,” Nicole said lightly.

“Don’t be a stranger; we only live down the beach. If you have any problems, I’m sure Michael would drop everything,” he said and winked at her.

“I don’t want to bother your brother with my problems,” Nicole told him. “And I’m not expecting any.”

“I’m certain my brother wouldn’t consider it a bother,” Cecilia said.

Nicole noticed the amused look that passed between Jake and Cecilia.

“Don’t forget, before you go rushing off on your trip, you promised to join me in a bike ride,” Cecilia said, teasing Jake.

“I’ll see you before I leave,” Jake told her, jogging away.

Cecilia linked her arm through Nicole’s, and they headed toward the driveway. Nicole was happy to drive them the short distance to the restaurant.

~ ~ ~

“Here we are, and not a minute too soon. I’m famished. I can’t believe the appetite I work up during my morning run,” Cecilia said.

“I’m glad you chose this place. I saw it when I first arrived and made a mental note to come back,” Nicole said.

Dockside Café, a small restaurant tucked back on the docks, boasted a view of the marina. Only open for breakfast and lunch, it catered primarily to locals.       

Just then, the café’s owner came through the swinging door from the back. “Good morning, Lily,” Cecilia said. “Have you met Nicole Alexander?” She sniffed. “What’s that heavenly smell?”

The dark-haired, middle-aged woman smiled and yelled, “Tammy! Pecan rolls.” She turned back to Cecilia. “They’re fresh out of the oven.”

In answer to her call, a young woman with tight blond curls and a permanent dimple appeared. Her uniform, which appeared to be a couple of sizes too small, hugged well-rounded curves. Her blue eyes sparkled with innocence. “Good morning, Miss Cecilia. It’s been a long time since you’ve been in.”

“Tammy, this is Nicole, our new neighbor. How about pecan rolls and lattes for two?”

Tammy hurried away, each curl bobbing in a direction of its own. Lily had taken her place by the register, surveying the restaurant with an eagle eye while making the women’s lattes. She picked them up and headed for the table.

“Have you seen Lucia lately?” Lily asked, lowering her voice.

“Lucia? Now what made you think of her? The last I heard, she’d moved to New York,” Cecilia said.

“Do you remember Zander Farrell? He and Michael went to high school together.”

“I remember him,” Cecilia said slowly. “Intelligent, graduated top of his class.”

“That’s debatable. His biggest downfall was his temper. He and Lucia were joined at the hip. The reason I asked is that he dropped in for coffee a couple of hours ago, looking like something the cat chewed on all night. My gut tells me his sudden appearance is tied up with Lucia.”  She broke off as Tammy reappeared with her hands full. Setting the dishes on the table, she remained nearby, ready for conversation.

“When I saw you at the gas station the other day, I didn’t know who you were, Miss Nicole. I should have guessed because everyone’s been talking about you.”

Nicole sipped her latte.

Tammy asked, “Did that good-looking man from the hotel ever catch up with you?”

Nicole sucked in a breath to remain calm. She shook her head. “What man?”

Tammy had an eager light in her eyes. “So good looking—tall, blond, driving an SUV.” She licked her lips. “He told me he recognized your voice and that you were an old friend. When he left right after you did, I assumed the two of you got together.”

“I’m not sure who you mean,” Nicole said and shrugged. “Do you remember what kind of SUV?”

“I don’t know one model from the next.”

Cecilia could see that Nicole had no intention of satisfying the girl’s curiosity, so she turned to Tammy. “I haven’t seen you in a long time. Is there anything new and exciting happening in your life?”

“Everything’s great. Funny you should ask that today, since Zander Farrell came in for coffee this morning. I’ll tell you a secret: I’ve always had a crush on that man—so dark and dreamy looking—but that was back when he didn’t have time for anyone but Lucia. This morning, I talked to him just like I’m talking to you, and out of the blue, he ripped my head off, told me he had an important business deal to take care of and to get lost.”

“I’m sorry he hurt your feelings. People who talk about big deals are usually only doing so to impress. The locals come here for the home-cooked food and gossip, not to talk business.”

“He didn’t meet anyone here. In fact, he never took his eyes off the door the whole time he sat here, definitely expecting someone who never showed. Finally, his phone rang, and whatever the person said made him gasp. The color drained from his face, he threw down some money, and ran out.”

“Do you know why?” Nicole asked.

“When I got to the door, he’d already turned out of the parking lot. From the way he spun his wheels, he appeared to be in an awfully big hurry.”

Chapter Ten

WHEN NICOLE OPENED the door to the library, she was happy to see it was empty; she had a few moments before Rena Grey arrived. She surveyed the room and made a mental note to clean out the bookshelves, reorganizing the books belonging to her grandmother and leaving room for her own, which would be arriving any day. There were a lot of little changes she wanted to make to feel more at home and less like a guest.

“Come in,” she called in answer to a knock on the door. “Thank you for being on time, Rena,” she said pleasantly to the matronly looking woman who entered. “Please sit down.”

“It’s part of my job to be prompt,” Rena declared. She sat on the edge of the chair Nicole had indicated and smoothed her print dress over her stocky legs. Her brown eyes were narrow slits, her mouth was a hard line, and her hands were clenched into fists in her lap.

The woman made Nicole feel just as uncomfortable as her husband did. And that made her feel guilty about being judgmental before the meeting even got under way.

“I brought the house accounts in case you wish to check my honesty,” Rena said. For an instant, the narrow slits lifted and revealed eyes that were dark and brooding, snapping with antagonism, so much of it that Nicole’s heart skipped a beat.

It wasn’t her expression that sent the blood pounding through Nicole’s body, but the way she clipped off the end of her last sentence with a stutter. It was Rena who’d threatened her on the night of her arrival. But the last thing she wanted was for the woman to realize she knew. She forced her eyes from Rena’s face and looked down at her notepad on the desk.

“I didn’t ask you here to question your honesty,” Nicole replied. “Until the estate is settled, the financial affairs are the responsibility of Ellis Sadler’s office. What I want is a clear understanding of how this house operates. Let’s start with a list of everyone who works here, including outside workers.” The gardener had reminded her when he’d arrived early, waking her with the sound of the mower, that she had no idea who came and went. “I assume that this information comes under your responsibilities.” She was determined to start her own list of who had access to the house.

“This information isn’t any of your business. The estate pays all the bills.”

Nicole struggled not to snap at her. “It is my business to know everything that goes on in
my
own home. Do you plan the meals? Grocery shop?”

“What’s wrong with the meals? Mrs. Alexander never complained.”

Rena was making the interview as difficult as possible. And Nicole couldn’t get past the thought that here sat the woman who’d threatened her in the night. Why did the woman want her out of the house? Nicole wanted to know, but wouldn’t confront the other woman without backup.

She took a calming breath to swallow her rising temper. She wanted to demand what Rena could possibly gain by making her leave. Instead, she answered, “The food is excellent. However, you’ll need to check with me, because I won’t be here for meals most nights.” She didn’t want to tell the woman she preferred cozy restaurants, takeout food, and the occasional greasy hamburger. “I have another appointment. Thank you for meeting with me. Please make that list of workers and leave it on my desk.”

Rena opened her book. With maddening slowness, she wrote down a couple of names and their duties. Nicole struggled to control her rising impatience and desire to tell the woman to just get out.

“Also, would you make a copy of the household account records and leave it for me to look at later? I’d appreciate it. In the future, I will approve all household expenditures.”

“I wasn’t told to do it that way,” Rena answered in a full-blown pout.

Nicole stood up. “Tomorrow, you’ll show me every room in the house and leave me a set of keys, as some of the doors are locked.” She wondered why there were so many locked doors, and almost asked, but knew Rena wouldn’t give her a straight answer.

“I’ll need to get permission from Mr. Sadler about the keys.” Rena turned, her hand on the doorknob. “You’re certainly taking over here. Sounds as if you intend to stay.” Her lids lifted to show a hard, steel-like glint.

Nicole choked back a shiver. “Of course I’m staying. Why wouldn’t I?” Her voice was full of forced cheer. “We’ll begin with the rooms on the second floor.”

For a moment, the woman stood insolently in the doorway, as if she was considering a reply, then she closed the door softly.

Nicole blew out a sigh of relief, happy that little confrontation was over. She’d speak to Ellis about getting rid of the Greys, but she wanted to talk to Michael first. She wondered if she should’ve waited a little before requesting household information. Common sense told her the answer was no, no matter how poorly the meeting had gone. She had found out who’d threatened her, and now the question was why.

She was meeting with Jake and Cecilia in fifteen minutes for a bike ride. She hoped this was a friendly ride and nothing to do with racing. She’d learned from Cecilia that the Edwards family loved to compete with one another.

She went up to her room to change, throwing a black cotton skirt on over her bicycle shorts and a t-shirt over her workout bra and pulling her red hair off her neck into a ponytail. It was a perfect day for a ride, the light blue sky filled with fluffy white clouds. Cecilia had mentioned a path that ran along the beach, and Nicole looked forward to the fresh air blowing in her face and simply being away from the house.

~ ~ ~

“Sorry to be late,” she called as she joined Jake in his driveway. “I had that meeting with Rena that I told you about. She wasn’t particularly eager to answer a single question. I’m pleased I got a few answers without resorting to screaming at her. I wonder why the woman dislikes me so. Dislike might be too mild; hate would be more like it.”

Jake smiled without answering, so she went on, “You know what this is all about, don’t you? Tell me; I ought to know what I’m up against.”

“I agree, but Michael will have a fit if he finds out I told you. He thinks that, if the situation isn’t aggravated by anyone, Rena will settle down and change her attitude. She’s just carrying her long-standing feud with Caroline over to you.”

“A feud? What caused it?”
If she talked to Grandmother as she did me, I’m surprised she stayed employed.

“Kirkland,” Jake said. “He set his sights on Lucia Grey and chased her relentlessly. To say Caroline was livid is an understatement. I suspect she had a nightmare or two over the thought of Chester being in control of her estate. She convinced herself the only reason the Greys kept Lucia around was to snare her grandson. I’m not sure of the exact details, but three years ago, Lucia moved quite suddenly to New York and Kirkland stayed behind, apparently in harmonious bliss with Caroline. Rena Grey may think her daughter should be the new mistress of the house.” He looked over his shoulder. “Where the heck is Cecilia? Time is running out. I have a plane to catch.”