Always and Forever (26 page)

"I certainly can do that but why are you so interested?" Charles asked.

"The Scarcliff family and Whispering Winds are very important to me and I want to make sure that their interests are being protected."

"I understand," he said though he really didn't. "I'll get to work immediately and will be in touch in a few weeks."

Quinn stood across from the Scarcliff Foundation in London and watched as Derek entered with a tall, stunning blonde who seemed more interested in her surroundings than the man at her side.

Charles had called Quinn a few days ago with an update on Derek. He hadn't learned much since Derek apparently kept a very low profile and, outside of snooping around Whispering Winds, he usually spent his time in his London flat.

What Charles did find interesting was that though many valuables had already been discovered at Whispering Winds, Derek wasn't interested in any of them. This odd behavior, from an archaeologist, stirred the quiet curiosity of several people working the sites. Charles agreed with Quinn, Derek was looking for something specific.

And so here she was dressed in a gray raincoat with a hat low over her eyes even though there wasn't a cloud in the sky, to spy on the ratfink bastard.

It hadn't been easy to slip from Cole but she didn't want him knowing she was investigating Derek on her own. She wasn't entirely sure Gabriel would be okay with that. And why she didn't wish to upset Gabriel, she couldn't say.

As soon as Derek and his babe disappeared inside, Quinn ran across the street and into the building. A feeling of pride washed over her as she looked at the walls which were painted with murals time-lining the Scarcliff family and their many contributions. She was delighted to see that Archer had invested in Bartolomeo Cristofori's invention in 1709 called the piano and also John Shore's invention in 1711 called the tuning fork.

Quinn's heart started pounding hard in her chest when she realized he also heavily invested in Thomas Newcomen's steam pump. She had witnessed the very conversation between Archer, Thaddeus and Derek that lead to this investment! It was yet another small piece of proof of her time in the past and she savored it.

Next Quinn noticed a lovely write up that stopped her in her tracks:
Nicholas Archer O'Cuinn Scarcliff was born in 1977 and raised at Whispering Winds before he attended Eton and
Oxford earning degrees in anthropology and finance. After his schooling, he started his own firm, Second Chance,
that specializes in conservation-restoration of antiquities both at home and abroad. Being the top firm in the
industry, Nicholas has made giant leaps in the preservation of our world's history
.

There was more but Quinn was having trouble seeing through her tears. She turned around and almost walked right into Gabriel.

"What are you doing here, Quinn?"

The delight she felt at seeing him was completely involuntary and was followed quickly with curiosity as to what
he
was doing there.

"Just doing a bit of research on the family," she said, "What are you doing here?"

He slipped his hands into the front pockets of his faded jeans and rolled back on his heels, "I'm their head of security."

Quinn knew her mouth dropped open as she wondered why a successful businessman would act as head of security for a non-profit organization. Why hadn't he mentioned that he worked for the Scarcliff Foundation? Why be so secretive?
She was tempted to ask him but then he opened his mouth to speak.

"Well since you are here... I mean, I was going to call you," he stammered like a schoolboy, "Have dinner with me tonight."

Quinn knew her answer was clearly visible on her face when she replied, "Yes."

His smile was like watching the sun breaking through on a cloudy day. "I have to work a bit longer so I'll meet you outside at six?"

"Six," Quinn started for the door when she heard that deep baritone coming from behind her, "I'm glad we ran into each other, Quinn."

She looked at him from over her shoulder and replied, "Me too, Gabriel."

Gabriel watched her leave and then waited a few minutes longer to make sure his legs would support him. He was like a man who no longer possessed his own soul. From the very first time he saw her, it was as if he had been hit over the head with a sledge hammer. Even now, his reaction to her was just as fierce as it had been that first time.

When he saw her on the security camera, he had no control over his own body and practically ran from the security office so he could get to her before she left. And after their all-too-brief conversation, it was something close to panic he felt when she turned to leave because he couldn't stand the thought of not sharing the evening with her. He had to face the truth: when it came to Quinn, he was a goner.

Back at her hotel room Quinn was trying to understand why Gabriel was acting as the head of security for the Scarcliff Foundation. What was in Gabriel's background that made him qualified for the position and why would he bother? It wasn't really any of her business but she found him very mysterious and this made him even more interesting. She was having dinner with him tonight and she felt a thrill of anticipation remembering their dinner last week; the best date she'd ever been on, well, at least in this century.

Now isn't the time to daydream about romance, Quinn silently scolded herself and turned her focus on Derek. There were countless biographies written about him and so she read through the details of every one of his archaeological digs, from the very first one. In the beginning there was nothing spectacular about them. It was only after his dig at a Mayan temple that his
extraordinary luck
kicked in. It sounded impossible but this must've been when Derek had somehow learned to move himself through time. It explained his unusual success; he was going back in time and locating rare treasures that he then buried so he could find them in the future. She had caught him, in Archer's time, doing just that. Unlike Quinn though, who had no idea
how
she traveled through time, Derek had learned to control it.

She remembered reading in University about the Mayan belief in the ability of the mind to transcend time. Derek had found something during that Mayan dig. Whatever it was, it had the ability to move not just his mind, but also his body, through time.

It sounded crazy, absolutely, but the more she was around Whispering Winds the more she knew the likelihood that she had just "made up" her adventures in the 1700s was just way too improbable. She knew things she couldn't possibly know and she recognized things she shouldn't possibly be able to recognize. But with Derek, she didn't want to force a pattern that wasn't there. She decided to call Charles and see if he'd come to any conclusions. She needed an objective, thoughtful person to back her assumptions.

Charles answered on the first ring and after greeting one another, he conceded to Quinn that he was beginning to understand her concerns. Charles agreed that not only was Derek unusually successful in finding rare treasures but he did so without any documentation supporting his finds. How did he know where to look for something when there was no proof that that something existed?

Quinn explained her theory about the Mayan dig and Charles immediately agreed to look deeper into what Derek might have discovered.

After the call, Quinn dropped her phone on the desk satisfied that her suspicions were confirmed by an objective outsider. She looked out on the London street. "What did you find at that Mayan temple, Derek, and what does the Scarcliff family have that you want so much?"

Getting ready for dinner was hard. Quinn felt overly emotional after seeing all the Scarcliff memorabilia at the Foundation. She ached for Archer. But her feelings for Gabriel were growing by the minute. They were so similar it frightened her. And in the end she knew she just couldn't stay away.

She changed into wide-legged black pants, a charcoal-gray cashmere sweater and black boots. She left her hair down and applied just a touch of makeup before grabbing her coat and leaving her room.

As she walked through London she thought about Derek. Charles was good but she hoped he was willing to bend some rules because whatever Derek found at the Mayan temple he certainly wouldn't be willing to share. That meant there wouldn't be documentation as part of the dig's finds.

If they could figure out how he was doing it, then they could stop him from continuing to time jump because each trip back he was screwing with history. And what the hell did he want that he was willing to go to such lengths to get it? Quinn was pondering that when she reached the Scarcliff building and saw Gabriel waiting.

Gabriel saw her coming from down the street but whatever she was thinking about was occupying all of her attention. When she stopped just in front of him, he had the strongest urge to pull her into his arms and kiss her.

"Hello, Quinn. I wasn't sure you were going to come."

"I wasn't sure I was going to come."

He grinned before he added, "I'm glad you did."

"Me too."

The strongest feeling of déjà vu swept through him at the exchange, so much so that it actually took him a minute to find his voice. He noticed that Quinn looked suddenly pale.

"Are you okay?"

She waved an unsteady hand and replied, "I'm fine." But she wasn't fine. She had shared those exact works with the man she loved nearly 300 years ago. What did that mean?

He reached for her hand and linked their fingers before they started down the street.

"Did you have a nice rest of the afternoon?"

"Nice, no, but productive. How about you? Did you ask any other women on a date?"

Quinn meant it as a joke but she could tell by the seriousness of his expression that he hadn't taken it as one.

"I was kidding, Gabriel, I'm sorry."

He answered her as if he hadn't heard her apology. "You're the only one I wanted to ask."

Quinn couldn't help smiling and he smiled in return and then asked, "So have you learned anything interesting about Derek?"

"Only that he seems to be looking for something specific but doesn't seem to have a clue where to look."

Gabriel stopped walking and turned to her. "Why do you say that?"

"Look at the pattern of his latest digs," she explained, "very unscientific."

Gabriel took her arm and pulled her into an alleyway. "I can't get into the Foundation business with you but I want you to step back. Derek's dangerous."

"I know that. I have a private investigator looking into him so I know his past isn't all that squeaky clean." And then it clicked: she finally realized Gabriel's involvement.

"Nicholas hired you because Derek works for you. Or you hired Derek because of his interest in the Scarcliff family," she announced.

Gabriel said nothing but Quinn saw that she had hit the nail on the head.

"Damn. It's like a sting operation or something. But why you? Why not call in the English equivalent of the Feds? Whatever they're called."

Gabriel's expression was comical but all he offered was, "I've experience in this sort of thing."

"Okay, I get it. None of my business."