Love Finds the One (Sully Point Book 2) (7 page)

* * * *

Late in the afternoon, Julia returned from the mall. She was
more tired than she'd expected, but she didn't have time for a nap. She took a
quick shower and changed into a jersey knit dress of navy blue, making her eyes
look bluer than ever. A long silver necklace added some sparkle, along with
dangling silver hoops in her ears.

The drive into town was a little scary, as she almost ran
off the road. The way the tiredness could still just overcome her, made her
feel unsafe. She sighed with relief when she arrived at the Grainger house.
Cody opened the door and waved her back to enter through the kitchen.

"Something smells great," she said with a smile.

"You look great," he said.

"Thanks. What's for dinner?"

"Blackened scallops. We'll have some veggies with them."

"Sounds good to me. I'm hungry. Again." She
laughed. "I don't remember ever getting hungry as often as I have in the
past week.

"Probably because you need it. Are you okay? You look a
little bit tired?"

She sank down into a chair at the kitchen table.
"Actually, I am pretty tired. I guess the mall was too much for me. I get
these waves of tiredness. They kind of freak me out."

"That doesn't sound good at all."

"I think I'm getting better. I'm just not one hundred
percent yet."

"Do you want a drink? Some wine maybe?"

"What have you got?"

"A white zinfandel."

"Bring it on," she said with a smile. "And is
there some bread I can munch on until dinner is ready?"

"Here," he handed her a basket of rolls. "Go
for it."

He talked idly of his day at the store after leaving the
gardens. She complained about the music they played at the mall. He swore he
might kill Hank and Joe if tourist season didn't arrive quickly. She told him
her mother had called.

"What--when did she call?"

"Before I went to the gardens. Demanded I return and
take up the reins of my department."

"But your doctor said--"

"Yes, I know. She only hears what she wants to hear.
Get this--when I told her I might never come back, she suddenly starts talking
about my finishing my 'vacation' and then returning. It's like she doesn't hear
anything I say."

"What will you do?"

"Keep thinking things through, and decide if I want to
go back or not. At this point, I think not. But I want to be certain of my
decision. Because if I quit the business, I'll have a fight on my hands, and
she doesn't play fair."

"Do you have any idea of what you would do if you left
advertising?"

"Honestly, no. That's another thing I'll be thinking
about."

Frank walked in from the front of the house. "Julia, I
didn't hear you come in."

She smiled at him.

"Is it about ready, son?"

"Yes. Go on in, and sit down you two. I'll bring this
platter in."

Cody served their plates and everyone began to eat.

"Delicious!" Julia declared.

"Good job," Frank said.

"Everyone save room for dessert. We have pecan
pie."

"Where'd you get another pie?" Frank asked.

"Kayla somehow heard that we were having Julia over
tonight, and she made it."

"Ah, hmm." Frank said, "I may have mentioned
it on my coffee break this afternoon."

Cody and Julia laughed.

Frank said he'd heard three different rumors today about
Julia. All wrong.

"There is one person who knows the truth, and that's
Violet."

"The yarn lady?" Cody asked.

"Yes. I was in her shop and she starting talking about
my drinking problem--"

"I heard that one today," Frank interjected.

"Well she got me all riled up, and I told her the
truth. I'm sure we'll hear some altered version of it now."

"It might explain the rumor about you having a panic
attack in a meeting, and being carried out by the men in white coats. And that
your 'rest' here is actually a mental rest."

"In some ways, that's right, I guess. Although they
weren't men in white coats. And I was passed out not panicked. But I do think
I'm here, in part, for a mental rest."

They were all quiet for a minute.

"So, pie?" Cody suggested.

"Yes, let's see that pie," Frank said with relish.

"Just how many pies do you think can be gotten out of
the ladies of Sully Point, Frank?" Julia asked him with a grin.

"Evidently, as long as you keep eating here, I'll be
having me some pie."

She laughed.

They all agreed Kayla had done an outstanding job on the
pecan pie. Julia was yawning as she took her last bite. "Wow. I am wiped
out. Could you make some coffee before I get on the road?"

Frank frowned. "I don't think that's a good idea,
Julia. If you're tired enough to need coffee, it might be better to have Cody
drive you home."

"I hate to bother--"

Cody said, "It's really fine. Are you ready to leave
now?"

"Yes, please. I need to get to bed, I think. It was
good to see you Frank."

"Same here."

When they had gotten into the Corvette and started out, Cody
said, "Okay, why were you so easily persuaded this time to let me drive
you home?"

"Damn. You picked up on that?"

"Yeah. What's up?"

"I almost ran off the road on the way here. I got this
wave of exhaustion and--"

"Julia, if you were that tired, why did you still come
over? We could have brought dinner out to you."

She blinked. "I didn't even think of that."

"Sometimes, I almost think you have a blind spot when
it comes to taking care of yourself."

"It hasn't been a big priority in my life for a
while."

"Well...make it a priority, okay?"

"Yes, sir! Seriously, I'm trying."

"I know you are."

They drove in silence the rest of the way to the beach
house. It was a comfortable quiet between them. As they approached the house,
Julia got her keys out of her purse. Cody's phone rang as they pulled into the
driveway.

"Yeah, hi Dad...What news? Can you tell me...okay, I'll
head back right now...all right, bye."

He frowned at the phone and looked at her. "Something's
got my father upset. I need to get back. You'll be okay?"

"Yes, I'll be fine. You go. I hope everything is all
right."

"Me, too. Okay, see you later."

Julia got out of the car and ran up to the door as Cody
drove off. Right as she unlocked the door, she realized she'd left her handbag
in his car. She turned to call to him, but he was already gone. Shrugging, she
opened the door and walked inside.

* * * *

"What do you mean Patrice has escaped?" Cody asked
his father in bewilderment.

Frank sat in the big chair in the living room, where he
rested after a long day. Cody knew Frank was worried, because he didn't even
ask why Cody was carrying Julia's purse with him. She'd left it in his car and
he planned to return it to her tomorrow.

"You know Patrice was in that mental institution for
the criminally insane."

Cody nodded quickly.

"Someone got careless because she'd been acting normal,
being on her best behavior. She escaped. The hospital called to warn Sam and
Anna. She might try to go after them again."

Cody said, "So the crazy stalker ex is back? I thought
after she ended up shooting Sam, we'd heard the last of her."

"At least Sam and Anna are safe in Italy. Nobody over
here knows he bought the villa there."

"Yeah, they should be okay but--hold on a minute. She
wouldn't know about Italy. So, where would she think Sam and Anna were staying?"

"The beach house!" Frank leaped to his feet.

Cody ran for the door, still holding Julia's bag. "Call
Sheriff Jones! She'll go for the beach house--Julia--"

Frank turned pale, and had his phone out, even as Cody was
out the door and running to the car.
Damn, damn, damn, why didn't I see her
into the house? I just drove off and left her there.
Cody was alternately
scared to death for Julia and angry with himself. He peeled out of the driveway
and sped down the street. He hoped he was wrong, but it felt right that Patrice
would go to the beach house. He worried frantically about what she would do,
when she realized Julia was the only one there.

* * * *

Julia walked into the darkness and fumbled for a light
switch. The lights flicked on right as someone tackled her and brought her to
the ground. For a moment she was stunned. She tried to remember her
self-defense classes but shock had her frozen.

A woman climbed off her and stood up. Julia looked up, and
saw a blond, holding a knife from the kitchen. She had a sharp lean look, and
she appeared to be startled.

"Who the hell are you?"

Julia started to get up, but the woman motioned with the
knife, so she stayed still. "I'm Julia Tremaine. A friend of Holly
Grainger."

"A friend of Holly Grainger--wait a minute. That was
Anna's name before she married Sam. Where is she? Why aren't they here?"

"They don't live here during this time of year. They
travel." It seemed best to Julia not to mention just where Anna and her
husband actually were right now.

"Come on, get up and sit here in this chair." The
woman pulled a chair out from the dinette set. "Sit."

Julia scrambled up and perched on the chair.
Who the hell
is this woman?

"Now, let's try this again. There's no way Sam would
let just anyone stay in his precious little featured-in-the-glossy-magazine-house.
You have to be a very good friend. Just how good a friend of Sam's are
you?"

"I don't even know Sam. I only--"

Crack. Julia's head rocked back with the force of the
woman's slap against her face.

"No lying. You're probably another of his girlfriends.
He would go for your tall skinny look. A model, aren't you? He's dated models
before."

"Sam is married to Anna now. He wouldn't--"

"Aha! You do know him. Where is he?" She waved the
tip of the knife in front of Julia's face. "Where?" Her eyes had a
wild, wide open look.

"I don't know. They didn't tell anyone where they were
going!" She spoke hurriedly, watching the knife the whole time. "They
were tired of the paparazzi, I guess. They just took off without telling anyone
where they were going. Can I ask--who are you?"

Again the woman looked surprised. "You don't recognize
me? I'm Patrice, the so-called ex-girlfriend he dumped for that damned mouse,
Anna. But I won't be 'ex' for long."

Julia searched her memory for the story. She remembered
there had been a big deal, Sam getting hurt...it must have been this Patrice.
I
am in so much trouble,
she thought.

Patrice began to pace in front of Julia, muttering to
herself. "It could be true, but why would they leave this place...more
like she's lying...but then Anna would have gotten upset by the
publicity...still..."

Julia thought fruitlessly of the pepper spray in her purse,
along with her cell phone. She didn't think Patrice was going to just leave her
here. Her life might be ending tonight.

As she watched the pacing woman, her attention was caught by
the door knob on the front door. It was turning slowly. Filling with hope, she
quickly averted her eyes to look at Patrice's face. No, she hadn't seen it. But,
she might. Best to divert her. Julia took a deep breath. "Okay, if I tell
you what I know, will you let me go?"

Patrice jerked around and peered at her suspiciously.
"I knew you were lying. No deals here! You just tell me what I want to
know. Where are they?"

Julia bowed her head for a moment and then looked into
Patrice's twitching eyes. "They told Holly, Anna's sister, they were going
down to Barbados. They wanted someplace sunny. They've been down there for a
month."

Patrice stood perfectly still searching Julia's face. As she
did, Julia saw the door open out of the corner of her eye.

"I swear it's the truth, I swear it. Now will you let
me leave?"

"Let you leave? Oh, I don't think that's in the cards
for you. You know too much."

She began to move toward Julia, right as Cody ran through
the door and knocked Patrice to the floor. The knife clattered away and Julia
scrambled to go pick it up and set it on the kitchen counter. Cody got up and
was holding a squirming Patrice by the arms, when a man in uniform barreled
through the front door.

"Sheriff Jones, thank God," Cody said with relief.

The sheriff quickly had handcuffs on Patrice, who was crying
and saying how Cody and Julia had attacked her. Cody showed the sheriff the
knife she had held on Julia.

"Miss Tremaine? We need for you to make a statement
down at the station," Sheriff Jones said.

Julia whispered, "It wasn't the biggest knife in the
kitchen. I wonder why not." Then blackness took her as she slid to the
floor.

* * * *

"No, Sam there's no point in you guys coming back here.
There is nothing you could do except stir up even more publicity. Stay where
you are."

Julia heard Frank's voice as she woke up. Had she fainted? Yes,
she had. There had been a woman, Patrice, holding a knife on her. Now she
remembered. Cody turned to her quickly when she made a sound.

"You're back with us, good." He smiled at her.
"And don't even think about getting up. Just rest there. You've had a big
shock tonight."

"You're telling me," she said and was dismayed at
how weak her voice sounded. She took a deep breath. "At least let me sit
up. I'm not an invalid."

He helped her up and then sat down next to her on the couch.

"Did anything happen while I was out?" she asked.

"They've taken Patrice away. Believe me, she'll be
under lock and key until they can get her back to the institution she was in.
Sheriff Jones said for you to stop by the station tomorrow if you're up to it,
to give your statement. Do you want a shot of brandy or something?"