All the World (4 page)

              A minute later, the elevator opened at the twenty-third floor, revealing a lobby with two plush, black sofas, a glass coffee table with neatly stacked magazines, and a black-framed mirror. A woman receptionist sat at a black desk beside the closed door of Cesare’s office.

              The receptionist looked up. “Can I help you?”

              “I’m here to see Ce—Mr. Garland,” Lexie replied, catching her mistake. Alarm bells would certainly go off in the woman’s head if she asked for him by first name.

              “Do you have an appointment?”

              “No.”

              “Can I have your name?”

             
No.
Lexie wished she could respond with that two-letter word. However, it would only get her tossed out. Lexie smiled and said, “Flora Brookes.”

              She was there for Flora. Why not use her name to gain access?
I hope he can’t see me from his office. 

              The receptionist picked up her phone, still watching Lexie closely. “Mr. Garland, there is a Flora Brookes here to see you. Shall I send her in?”

There were a few moments of awkwardness, and Lexie fidgeted with her purse.

“You may go in,” the receptionist finally said.

              “Thank you,” muttered Lexie, and she opened the office door with a swift twist of her wrist.

              “Well, do my eyes deceive me?” Cesare asked smoothly as he stood up behind his desk. “I didn’t know if I’d see you again, Lex.”

              Clearing six feet, Cesare Garland towered over most people, and his ego added quite a few inches. He had an angular, clean-shaven face with high cheekbones and hazel eyes. Though his auburn hair was cut short, the natural waviness was still visible.

Yeah,
Lexie thought,
looks are one reason I dated him. Was I really so shallow?

“I’m here on business about the Stratford Theatre,” Lexie said, firmly shutting the door behind her.

              Cesare smirked. “You are here about the theatre? Since when do you care about theatres? I thought that was Flora’s niche. Is that why you used her name?”

              “I didn’t think you’d let me in, and Flora asked me to come,” she admitted, tensing when he walked around to the front of his desk.

              “Why wouldn’t I?”

              Lexie didn’t feel like playing games. “I need to talk to you about the theatre in Vernon Hills.”

              “Ah, I heard you were moving there,” he said, surprising Lexie. “How do I know? If I have a lab in Vernon Hills, I want to know who lives nearby. Though, you haven’t had your residency officially changed yet. Are planning to back out because of me?”

              “Why are you tearing down the theatre? There is plenty of land in Vernon Hills for your lab.”

              Cesare continued smiling. “Why are
you
here to negotiate? Pierre Triste runs the Stratford Theatre.”

              “I’ve heard he’s having issues with you.”
This isn’t going well.

              “So they sent you,” Cesare said. He was quiet for a moment. “So, Lex, are you a mediator or an incentive?”

              Lexie stared.
Don’t get caught in the trap.

              “There are plenty of actors at the theatre. Pierre could have sent any of them. Instead he lets one of his actor’s best friends come to negotiate. I wonder what little detail about you made him agree?” Cesare moved closer. “Could it be the fact that we dated? I guess that makes you more of an incentive.”

              “I’m not here to play your games or be manipulated,” she said firmly. “Why are you tearing down an iconic building? There is so much history, and people enjoy the plays. Wouldn’t it be cheaper to just build the lab without tearing something down?”

              “The location is perfect. It isn’t in the middle of town. A new theatre can be built closer to downtown. You’ve seen the Stratford Theatre; it’s on the edge of Vernon Hills.”

              Lexie glared. “It’s a beautiful historic building.”

              An image of the deep dun-colored theatre flashed through her mind. The Stratford Theatre was stunning with sash windows, decorative corbels, a terrace with rounded arches on the second floor, and a massive clock tower. A rounded tower on the other side of the theatre gave it symmetry. Why would anyone want to destroy such a beautiful building?

              Cesare walked over and stood in front of Lexie. “There is a lot on Avon Road where the new theatre will be built. It is much more convenient for everyone. If I build my lab in that area, people will complain. The new theatre will be modeled after the Stratford Theatre. Anyway, you’ll see less of me if the lab is where the theatre is now.”

              “Why even build in Vernon Hills?”

              A clap of thunder startled Lexie. She jumped and glanced out the long, wide window. Water droplets collected on the glass like tears, and lightning stretched through the sky like skeletal fingers. Driving back to Vernon Hills was going to be miserable and, possibly, a mistake.

              Cesare seemed to read her mind. “The weather is supposed to get worse. I don’t know if you’ve been warned, but the roads toward Vernon Hills tend to collect water easily. You’ll be stuck in Benton Junction for a bit.”

              Lexie nodded. “There’s a little place near the parking garage where I can wait. I’ll get home before dark.”

              “You walked here without an umbrella. Wait here with me until the storm stops, Lex.”

             
“No, it’s supposed to get worse, like you said. I need to get back home.”

              Cesare studied her. “Do you have some date? Maybe with that guy you sat with last night? Donna Leer saw you at the Windsor Bar.”

              “I have plans with Flora, and there is no guy, Cesare,” Lexie replied, furious at the thought of Cesare spying. “Anyway, why do you care? You’re a billionaire. Don’t you have more important things to do than keeping tabs on me?”

              He reached forward and pushed a lock of hair away from her face. “I’m just looking out for you. You meant a lot to me when we were together.”

              “Oh, stop!” Lexie tried to pull away.

              Cesare didn’t listen. Instead he placed his hand on her cheek, his thumb stroking her jaw in small circles. “I’ve always thought your eyes were beautiful. I’ve never seen such dark blue eyes. You know your life would have been so much easier if we’d stayed together. You wouldn’t have to rent an apartment or drive miles to work. You’d have everything you wanted at your fingertips. With a simple phone call you could buy a villa in the south of France or book a trip to Greece. You know I was going to buy you one of those little whitewashed cottages on Devonshire’s coast after graduation. I remember you calling me when you and Flora were there. All you could talk about was the beautiful coast and peaceful villages. My dad is in London right now. I could have him take a trip to Devonshire.”

              It sounded so blissful, and maybe it was true. Yet, she knew enough about Cesare to know he was trying to manipulate her. He could fool almost anyone.

              “I’m very happy with my life,” Lexie said, tensing as Cesare’s hands traveled over her shoulders. “Now, can we talk about the theatre? Why are you building in Vernon Hills?”

              Cesare reluctantly stepped back, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. “I like the location; it’s not too far from Benton Junction. This city is too big and busy for the lab. Anyway, the town could do with a few more residents. If the lab is as successful as I hope, Vernon Hills won’t be a tiny town for long.”

              “Mr. Garland,” the receptionist’s voice said from the speaker phone. “Mr. and Mrs. MacDougal are in the lobby. They have questions about the construction company contracted to demolish the Stratford Theatre. Also, there’s a riot in Vernon Hills.”

              “Have them wait a moment, Emily,” instructed Cesare.

              Lexie felt her chest tighten. “I wasted my time coming here, didn’t I? Once you have your mind set, there’s no one who can change it.”

              “I’m not a lost cause on the theatre business. I’m glad you came. You gave me a lot to think about, and it was good to see you again,” Cesare said softly. “But I want something before you head home.”

              “What?”

              “Just a kiss, Lex.”

Chapter Four: Destruction of Art

              Vernon Hills was a small town, but the residents knew how to get their government’s attention. The Stratford Theatre’s parking lot was packed with an angry mass shouting and waving signs. The police were fighting to keep the theatre surrounded by yellow caution tape, and the construction workers were huddled together in shock. The approaching storm clouds seemed to be nothing more than distant puffs of smoke to the locals.

              Something whizzed by Lexie’s head as she scanned the crowd. She glanced over her shoulder to see Bryony launching a tennis ball. It arced through the air and smashed into a policeman’s face. A younger woman with a long braid held several bags of balls. Bryony reached down and prepared to throw another. Lexie jumped out of the way, smacking into a regal looking man.

              “Sorry, I did—” Lexie stopped immediately. “Um…hello, Dr. Lindegaard. How…are you?”

              “Hello, Ms. Stanley,” Dr. Lindegaard answered. “I am looking for my stepson, so I can’t really chat. Perhaps we can discuss my well-being at work on Monday.”

              “Phillip! Oh, Phillip, I can’t find Nickolas anywhere! I was sure he would be here to support Flora! He isn’t at his house!” A statuesque woman pushed her way through the crowd. “I don’t see Flora either. He is back from Denmark, right? I mean, he wouldn’t have stayed without telling us?”

              Dr. Lindegaard placed a gentle hand on the woman’s shoulder. “I checked the plane manifest this morning. He and Braedon were on the plane.”

              “Why hasn’t he visited or
called
? He missed his therapy session too! He knows how important it is to go every week!”

              Lexie twisted her hands nervously when her boss looked at her. He knew she was best friends with Flora Brookes. Lexie snuck a glance at the woman. She had to be Nickolas’s mother, Audrey.

              “Have you seen Flora or Nickolas today?” he asked.

              “Flora left for work this morning. I haven’t seen Nickolas since yesterday.”

              Audrey’s eyes snapped to her phone. “Oh, here’s a text from Sig. He says he and Gilbert were with Nickolas at the Windsor Bar last night. Why didn’t they text earlier? I suppose they got drunk and forgot to call. How irresponsible!”

              Dr. Lindegaard turned to Lexie. “You’ve moved in with Flora, right? Nickolas didn’t stay the night, did he? Are you sure he didn’t slip in after you went to bed?”

              “I promise he was not at the apartment,” Lexie answered.
I see why Nickolas wanted an open-ended vacation. He has some nosy parents. He’s in therapy too. That’s interesting. Is it voluntary or forced?
Lexie planned to pick Flora’s brain later.

              “Flora is a good, sweet girl,” Audrey insisted. “She’d tell us if he was with her. I doubt her supervisors at
The Washington Post
would allow her to bring her boyfriend to work. But maybe he drove to D.C. when he heard about the riot.”

              “Nickolas has no reason to drive over to D.C. to tell Flora about a riot,” grumbled Dr. Lindegaard. “A phone call would suffice.”

              “But where is he?” Audrey wailed shrilly.

              Dr. Lindegaard took his wife’s hand, nodded at Lexie, and walked off.

              Lexie looked around the crowd for someone else she knew. She decided to avoid Bryony and her tennis balls. Flora was at work. Nickolas seemed to have vanished from Vernon Hills, and Lexie suspected Braedon was with him. Who else did she know?

              Locks of black and purple hair caught Lexie’s attention.
Giulia.

              Asking for a macchiato that morning was the only time Lexie had ever spoken to Giulia. However, that did not stop her from joining the teenager at the edge of the crowd. A boy with dark blond hair and doe-like eyes stood by her. Their hands and fingers were entwined. His eyes kept darting in the direction of the sheriff as though he expected him to run and attack. When Giulia looked at the sheriff, her eyes were filled with obstinacy. The argument with her mother seemed to be fresh in her mind.

              “Giulia, when did this start?”

              The girl looked over, surprised. “About three hours ago. Where have you been?”

             
Three hours! This will have reached Washington by now. Why haven’t I heard from Flora?
Since Flora couldn’t leave work, certainly she would demand updates from her best friend. Was it possible Flora was hiding somewhere in the crowd?

              “Has Flora been here?”

              “No,” answered Giulia. “She left for work. Nickolas stopped by the café looking for her after you left.”

              “Has he been here?” Lexie asked.

              Giulia shook her head. “I haven’t seen him since.”

              “Maybe Nickolas is trying to comfort Flora because of the theatre mess,” the boy beside Giulia said. “Maybe they want to be alone.”

              “Always so romantic, Theo,” Giulia said, affectionately stroking his face. After a moment, she looked at Lexie. “Have you tried Braedon Horaz?”

              “I don’t have a way to get in touch with him.”

              “Really?” Giulia raised her eyebrows. “Someone said you two—”

              “It looks like we got Mr. Garland’s attention,” Theodore cut in, pointing to his left. “Look at that limo!”

              It wasn’t just one limo. Three pulled into the parking lot, parting the crowd. Several policemen abandoned their posts to help the limos’ occupants maneuver through the crowd without being attacked. One of Bryony’s tennis balls flew through the air, narrowly missing a large, red-bearded man’s forehead as he struggled from the first limo. Bryony was bold, and Lexie prayed that a tennis ball would make contact with Cesare’s lovely face. He deserved to have his nose broken after all he had said and done.
If only I was the one throwing the ball!

              Following the red-bearded man, were two thin women with bulbous blue eyes and a balding man in a suit. Lexie assumed the women were Bella and Donna Leer. Perhaps it was all the rumors she’d heard, but Lexie couldn’t quite get over the fact that they bore slight resemblances to vultures. The balding man’s eyes were furiously searching the crowd before landing on Bryony and her protégé. The sight of him caused Bryony’s friend to grab a tennis ball and throw it at the limo. Lexie remembered Flora mentioning a college student named Kaitlin Shrewsbury who idolized Bryony. The man must be Kaitlin’s father, Pastor Shrewsbury.

              Mayor MacDougal and his wife Scarlet were the only ones in the second limo. The mayor was a well-built man with an oval face and peppery hair. Scarlet was much more imposing than her husband. She had curly brown hair piled in a great mass on top of her head, and the black heels she wore caused her to loom over the mayor.

              Lexie knew who occupied the third limo before he stepped out. Cesare Garland stuffed his phone in his pocket and exchanged a few quiet words with the mayor when he reached the theatre’s steps.

              “You own a whole building in Benton Junction! There’s room in there for your stupid lab!” shouted Bryony, chucking a ball at the CEO. “Get out of Vernon Hills, you selfish bastard!”

              “You don’t even live here!”

              “You are such a selfish ass!”

              “Money can only take you so far! It can’t buy you loyalty in Vernon Hills!”

              “Who the hell do you think you are?”

              Though several of the council members seemed uncomfortable, Lexie was disappointed to see that Cesare appeared completely unaffected by the comments. She had to remind herself that he was used to criticism from the newspapers and tabloids. A group of angry townsfolk wouldn’t leave a bruise on his ego.

              Mayor MacDougal stepped forward, raising his hand for silence. “Can I have your attention, please? I need your attention!”

              Bryony and Kaitlin were the last to stop shouting. Pastor Shrewsbury’s face was pink as he glanced at his daughter. Bryony threw another tennis ball after Kaitlin’s missed Cesare’s forehead.

              Cesare caught the ball with ease. He scanned the crowd until his gaze fell on Lexie. The corners of his mouth turned upward slightly, and he threw the ball to her. His smirk grew wider when Lexie failed to catch it. Lexie stared back. She knew the meaning of his sneer: your move.

              “Yesterday the newspaper published an article about Garland Corporation tearing down the Stratford Theatre and building a research lab. I, along with the town council, have been discussing options with Mr. Garland for over six months,” said the mayor. “He has kindly agreed to speak to all of you today. So, I introduce to you Mr. Cesare Garland, co-owner of Garland Corporation.”

              Cesare smiled and clasped the mayor’s hand before turning to the crowd.
What a fake!
Lexie rolled her eyes and shook her head.

              “Thank you, Mayor MacDougal,” said Cesare. “People of Vernon Hill, I am here today to explain the benefits of having a Garland Corporation lab located in your town. I understand that the Stratford Theatre means so much to the town. However, we must remember that art is something created by an individual and can be performed and expressed anywhere. The Garland Corporation lab, which will focus on water purification products, will open in Vernon Hills by next year.”

              People started shouting. Bryony and Kaitlin were launching tennis balls as fast as possible. Giulia went and grabbed some balls so she and Theodore could help. The policemen paced before the crowd with anxious eyes, and Sheriff Cato’s attention was focused on a group of people at the back of the crowd. Lexie followed his hard gaze to the boy she’d seen him arguing with that morning. Mark Cue was smirking and muttering under his breath to his companions.

              “I assure you,” Cesare continued, “the lab is a fine investment for Vernon Hills.”

              The shouting was so loud that Cesare was forced to stop speaking. He glanced at the mayor for help. Lexie could see the wheels in his head turning. Should he continue? Did he need to soothe the furious crowd? Was it necessary to make a call to Guillaume Garland? His father was better known and had years of experience dealing with unruly crowds.

             
That family certainly has a way of pissing everybody off.
Lexie grinned slightly at the thought.

              “Silence!” Mayor MacDougal bellowed. “Mr. Garland is a guest in Vernon Hills! I expect every single one of you to treat him with respect.”

              Lexie choked back a startled laugh. She looked at the faces of the people standing around her. Steely obstinacy gleamed in their angry eyes.

              Cesare looked out over the crowd. “I understand this is difficult to accept. The Stratford Theatre is a beautiful building with a rich history. However, Vernon Hills needs a great economic boost, and a Garland Corporation facility can do that.”

              Cesare paused, his eyes filled with mock understanding. He was an actor himself.

              “Two sites were offered to me when I suggested building the research lab. One was located on the western end of Avon Road and the other was the location of the Stratford Theatre. Vernon Hills has a lovely downtown which I would hate to ruin with a modern building and expansive parking lot, so I chose this site. I will rebuild the Stratford Theatre on Avon Road. Pierre Triste has kindly made copies of the theatre blueprints. Everything will be exactly the same.”

              “Nothing will be the same, you stupid liar!”

              “How many people did you blackmail to ruin the theatre?”

              Bryony whispered something to Kaitlin. Then tennis balls started flying through the air like hail. Bryony and Kaitlin were sharing their weapons, but Bryony had the best aim by far. One ball soared above the crowd and crashed into the mayor’s face.

              Lexie found a ball at her feet and snatched it up. Her hand tightened around it, and she sent it barreling through the air. Lexie laughed when it smacked Cesare’s shoulder. The man stiffened, and Lexie was disappointed that was his only reaction.

              Kaitlin threw a ball and it hit one of the Leer sisters in the chest. She gave Bryony a high five after the ball made contact with the intended target.

              “Kaitlin Shrewsbury!”

              Kaitlin was aiming for Cesare when her father shouted. He seemed to have startled her because she missed, nearly hitting Scarlet MacDougal.

              Pastor Shrewsbury turned to two policemen hovering nearby. They exchanged frenzied words while the pastor jabbed his finger at Bryony. The policemen nodded and started toward Bryony and Kaitlin. Bryony gestured for Kaitlin to run, and the slim girl vanished into the crowd. It seemed that Pastor Shrewsbury was more intent on subduing Bryony Arden because the men did not search for Kaitlin. However, they did escort an innocent looking blond girl from the crowd. Bryony continued shouting insults and tossing tennis balls, though her focus was now on the deputies marching toward her.