Starfish Island (22 page)

“How?” His voice quivered, then changed to steel. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t call me again.”

“Please meet me and we can talk. Can’t you give me ten minutes? I’ll never ask anything of you again,” he pleaded.

“I’m sorry, Greg, more sorry than you know. Good-bye.” She felt sorry for him but was relieved to finally be rid of him.

Nicole walked quietly into the dining room and sat alone at the big table, wearing a pair of her favorite over-sized sweats. Chester watched her under his long lashes, clearly not happy that she’d chosen not to dress for dinner.

This is my house. I can eat anywhere I want, dressed in a bathrobe if I choose.

She grabbed her salad and moved into the library under Chester’s watchful glare. Since her first night, he’d done nothing but try to control her and everything that happened in the house. Tonight, there was no trace of his usual impeccable service. Chester acted as though he were the owner and no longer cared what she thought about it, a look of contempt on his face that disturbed her.

Nicole had had enough of Chester and his awful wife. No more putting off talking to her attorney about dismissing the Greys; she’d see him tomorrow about paying them off.
I’ll celebrate by eating in the kitchen at that wonderful, large, teak-wood island.

Chester stood in the library and silently glared at her. Finally, he disappeared. He returned and handed her her cellphone, which she’d left in the dining room. “Mr. Edwards is on the phone. He’s sorry to interrupt your dinner but says it’s urgent.”

She pushed down her anger that he’d answered her phone once again. “Hello, Michael.”

“Nicole.” Michael’s voice was tight with tension. “Is Victoria with you?”

“No, she isn’t.”

“Have you seen her today?”

“No, I haven’t.”

She heard him relay that information to someone else. She wondered why they were calling
her
. If there was a problem, Nicole was the last person Victoria would seek out. A moment later, Michael was back on the line. “Cecilia invited Victoria for dinner, but she never showed up and no one has heard from her. We’ve looked everywhere. You were the last person we could think of to check with.”

“Something probably came up, and she forgot to call.”

“I’m not sure, but I think I know what happened,” Michael said. “It’s possible she was outside my study this afternoon and overheard a conversation I had about FBI agents being on their way to pick up Templeton. I’m afraid she might have gone to warn him.”

“What are you going to do?” She paused. “Greg called not long ago and wanted to meet; I told him no and not to bother me again.”

“Wonder what he wanted. Jake and I are on the way to his hotel now to find out whether Victoria went there to see him and whether the FBI agents have already arrested him or not.”

“Let me know, won’t you?”

“Don’t worry, love. I hope my suspicions are wrong, but in any case, I’m sure she’ll be all right.”

For a few minutes after he hung up, Nicole stared at the phone.
Love
must have been meant for Cecilia, not for her. No, not for her.

Michael assumed correctly that Victoria was infatuated. Believing everyone was against Greg, it wasn’t surprising that she would try to warn him, protect him.  At least Jake was back. He was the one person who could make Victoria listen to reason. Hopefully, he’d find her before she did anything stupid.

What would Greg do? If Victoria had tipped him off, he must realize by now that all his plans had failed. His plan to reconcile with Nicole had been completely ridiculous from the start. Did he now hope to salvage what he could by marrying Victoria and getting access to her trust fund?

Nicole walked out onto the terrace and stood at the railing. Where would Greg go? Certainly not back to his hotel. When he got word the FBI was on the way to beat down his door, he’d leave the hotel at once. He’d have a head start. She was certain Michael wouldn’t find Greg and Victoria at the hotel. He would unleash his charm, keeping her hidden until he could talk her into running off with him. But where? Nicole remembered him mentioning a friend’s townhome on the busiest street in South Beach. He’d stayed there when he first arrived and given her a business card with the address on the back.

It would be a good place for Greg to hide. Nicole grabbed her phone and began to dial Michael’s house, then stopped short. Michael and Jake would’ve already left the house.

She called Michael’s cell, but it went to voicemail. “Michael, I think I know where Greg went. Give me a call ASAP.” Then she dialed the hotel where Greg was staying, waiting impatiently for the front desk to pick up. “Michael Edwards is on his way there,” she said, feeling out of breath. “Will you take a message? This is Nicole Alexander calling. Please tell him I said…” She thought for a moment. “Tell him the meeting has been changed to this location,” she said, and gave them the address of the townhome. Please make sure Mr. Edwards gets this message.”

Hanging up, Nicole turned and found Chester staring at her. “I’m going out. I’m not sure when I’ll be back.” She wondered how much he’d overheard.

He nodded without saying a word.

Nicole ran up to her room, changed into jeans, and raced down the stairs, grabbing her purse and flying out the door. Her car sat in the driveway by the front door. That had caused another confrontation with Chester, smoke practically coming out of his ears as he came close to demanding that she park in the garage. He’d looked straight down his pinched nose at her.

She climbed in and started the engine, nearly forgetting to fasten her seatbelt.
My guess may be all wrong, but I’ve got to be sure.
She didn’t dare wait; Greg might persuade Victoria run away with him.
I’ve got to get there before that happens.
Knowing Greg, once he got Victoria under his control, he’d use her money to buy off the law. Victoria was too young and trusting; she’d never know what hit her.

Nicole took a curve in the road too fast, swerving back and forth until she managed to get the car under control and maneuver back into the right lane. If she had an accident, Michael would kill her. Or worse, she might end up hurting someone else.

The wind came up, and rain began to fall in sheets. Nicole hated driving in the rain; she really should turn around and go home, but finding Victoria was too important to waste even a moment. Lights danced on the water as she crossed the bridge over Biscayne Bay.

She formulated a weak plan as she cut through the side streets to South Beach. All second thoughts were forgotten as she pulled into a parking spot halfway down the block from the townhome, bypassing the guest parking area—better not to park in front, where Greg might see and recognize her car. She got out of the car––foregoing her umbrella, knowing the wind would only turn it inside out––and locked the car.

She looked up at the building. The address Greg had given her appeared to be the end unit. It looked as if the sliding doors were open, so she moved quietly. She didn’t hear a sound. The townhome appeared to be dark and deserted. She went around to the back and spotted a light in an upstairs window. If she was wrong, getting arrested for a felony seemed likely––in addition to the embarrassment. Nicole lacked the skill to jump over the three-foot wall, so she checked the gate. To her surprise, it opened.

If Victoria was with Greg, she had to be here.  He couldn’t chance talking to her at the hotel. He’d know that was the first place people would start looking for him and that Victoria was his last chance to get out of there with the fortune he so desired.

She tilted her head back, looking up, and saw a shadow move across the drawn drapes. Someone was definitely home. A twig snapped somewhere, and her heart leaped into her throat. She wheeled around, but saw nothing but the shadows cast by the big trees under the moonlight.

She tiptoed to the door, grabbed the knob, and turned it, not expecting it to be unlocked. To her surprise, the door swung open. She waited outside for her eyes to grow accustomed to the dark; she didn’t dare turn on a light. Finally, she was able to make out that she was looking across the kitchen towards a narrow staircase. Her breathing was unsteady.
I don’t like the dark.
I don’t want to go up there.
Suppose it wasn’t Victoria? It could be someone else, such as the owner. What if she got shot as an intruder?

Nicole hesitated, afraid to go any farther. Suddenly, she heard voices. She looked back and pressed her hand over her mouth to hold back a scream. There were two voices, too low-pitched to make out who was talking, and they were getting closer.

Shaking off her paralysis, she slipped inside the townhome and closed the door softly behind her. She leaned against it until her breathing returned to normal.
What am I going to do?
Nicole was too afraid to go back and too afraid to go ahead. Finally, her heart steadied, and she scolded herself for being afraid.

Focus and think about Victoria
.

With one hand against the wall, she slowly groped her way up the stairs. The darkness seemed to enclose her and shut her in. At the top of the stairs, her foot came down hard on the wooden floor as she miscalculated, thinking there was another step. The noise was deafening.

She waited for a moment and weighed her options; she could turn and run out of the townhome or keep going and find out who was behind the door with the light coming from beneath it. She steeled herself and moved forward quietly, holding her breath as she listened.

She put her ear to the door and immediately heard Victoria. “Of course I believe you, Greg. I never doubted you for a moment.”

“Then you’ll marry me?”

After a slight pause, Victoria spoke again, sounding uncertain. “Greg, are you sure you love me?”

He gave her the low, throaty growl of a laugh that had once sent shivers of pleasure up Nicole’s spine. She strained her ears but couldn’t make out his response.

“Marry you right away?” Victoria gasped.

Greg murmured again.

“All right,” Victoria said at last. “But I wish I could tell someone first.”

Nicole heard a faint creak coming from the floor below her. Had she really heard a footstep, or had the wind picked up again? Her fingers on the doorknob, without thinking about it, she closed her fingers on the doorknob, turned it, and went in.

Victoria, in knee-length shorts and heels, sat on a rickety cane-backed chair at an old marred and scratched table. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes misty with unshed tears. Greg, handsome as ever, was also in shorts. His hair was windblown, and he stood with his back to the door, looking down at Victoria.

Victoria saw Nicole first, and her eyes grew wide with surprise. “How did you find me?” she gasped.

Greg turned swiftly. Seeing Nicole, his smiling mouth hardened.

“Victoria,” Nicole said, coming into the room, “I want to talk to you.”

“Don’t listen to her, sweetheart,” Greg said to Victoria. “She’ll only try to poison your mind against me. She’s jealous.” When no one spoke, Greg let out a low whistle. “Nicole, did you come to tell me I was wrong? That you loved only me all along?”

“You really don’t understand, do you, Greg? It would never work with us,” Nicole said evenly. “You never loved me. You’ve never loved anyone but yourself. So let’s not waste time pretending.” She turned to Victoria. “Please let me take you home,” she pleaded.

For a moment, Victoria’s defiant expression wavered. Greg squeezed her shoulder, and it firmed up again. “No, I’m going to marry Greg tonight. No one can stop me.”

Nicole turned to Greg and met his eyes steadily. He gave her a triumphant smile. “You heard her,” he jeered. “She’s going to marry me tonight, and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

“This isn’t Nevada. At the very least, you’ll have to wait until morning. There’s a lot that can be done about it. You can’t marry Victoria.”

“Why not?”

“Because,” Nicole told him, “she needs her guardian’s approval or she’ll be disinherited.”

Greg absorbed the shock, his eyes stared blankly, mouth hanging open. “Is that true?” he asked Victoria.

She nodded, looking ashamed at being caught in such a childish deception.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” he shouted.

“What does it matter?” she wailed, her face white, clutching at her stomach as his angry words struck her like a slap.

Nicole started to protest his behavior but stopped herself.
No
, she thought,
it’s better for Victoria to be hurt now, see what he’s really like.

“Why did you lie to me?” he shouted.

“I thought it wouldn’t matter.” Her sobs grew heavier.

“You see, it’s no use,” Nicole said. “If you elope with Victoria, you won’t get your greedy mitts on one dime of her money.”

Victoria wiped her eyes. “Money? As though that matters to Greg.”

“Doesn’t it, Victoria? Look at his face.”

Victoria turned to look at Greg. His handsome face had changed beyond recognition: nostrils flared, lips drawn back from his teeth in rage.

He grabbed Victoria’s arm, clearly out of control, and twisted her chin up, forcing her to look at him. “You little fool. When I think of the risk I’ve taken, wasting valuable time when I could be getting away,” he growled.

“Don’t you love me anymore?” Victoria shook, still in denial about the scene unfolding before her.

“Love you?” Spit droplets landed on her cheek. “If you’d told me the truth at the beginning, I wouldn’t have wasted two minutes on you.”

Victoria covered her face with her hands, sobbing like a small, desolate child. Nicole moved toward her, one hand outstretched in sympathy. As if sensing her approach, Victoria’s shoulder hunched in further.
Not yet
, Nicole decided, dropping her hand to her side.
She’s not ready for my sympathy.

Greg turned on Nicole. “Why can’t you just forgive me?” He still couldn’t believe his charm wouldn’t work.

“Of course I can’t forgive you. Not because of what you did to me, that doesn’t matter anymore, but because of what you’re doing to Victoria. She’s just out of college and has no experience with bastards like you.”