Mine Until Dawn (18 page)

“Do you, uh, happen to have her friend’s phone number?”

Lex frowned. “Mom is not child, Pint. She doesn’t need to leave phone numbers when she’s with friends. What’s going on?”

She shrugged and gave a smile she hoped was innocent. “Ah, nothing. I just want to ask her something. Where exactly is Saint-Noel?”

“Somewhere near Guadeloupe. I’m not sure of its exact location.”

“Hmm, I think I’ve heard of it before…something about it having the most beautiful beaches in the Caribbean. Anyway, I tried to call her earlier but only found her voice mail. I wish I’d spoken with her before she left.” Warming to the subject, Jade inched forward. “Every time I called or stopped by, she was either resting or busy preparing for her trip.”

Lex stared into space for a brief moment. “I think getting involved in both Wilkinson and Honest Abe’s campaigns took a toll on her. I thought she was overdoing it, even mentioned it to her a couple of months ago, but you know how Mother gets. When she starts a project, nothing and no one can stop her. She got it in her head that California needed a black governor, then spearheaded the committee to elect Wilkinson. Having an upright man like Honest Abe as his running partner was a stroke of genius. That’s why I was surprised when she stopped.”

When Jade had spoken with her, her mother had insisted fatigue was the reason she’d stopped supporting the two men and that her doctor had ordered her to rest. The trusting daughter that she was, Jade had believed her.

 
“Her behavior didn’t make any sense whatsoever.” Lex’s words drew attention. “And from the polls, Wilkinson and Honest Abe were doing great. They would have given the present governor and lieutenant governor a run for their money. Actually, Wilkinson could still make it. As for why Honest Abe would attempt suicide….” Lex shook his head. “Another thing that doesn’t make any sense.”

Jade bit her tongue to stop herself from correcting her brother. Vince had said his father might have been pushed. But until they had proof, she couldn’t dare share that information with anyone, including her brother.

“So Mom didn’t tell why she stopped supporting the two candidates?”

“Oh, she did. After I’d asked her several times. It was just before Honest Abe’s suicide.”

Jade could hear the excited thud of her heart as she waited for her brother to finish.

“What did she say?” she asked when he didn’t speak right away.

“Something about hating narrow-minded politicians and their unscrupulous ways. When I asked for an explanation, she just brushed me off.”

Jade chewed on her lower lip, her mind racing. Had her mother quarreled with Vince’s dad or Wilkinson? It would explain why she’d stopped supporting either man.

“I wonder if she ever visited the judge in the hospital.”

Jade didn’t realize she’d spoken aloud until Lex spoke. “I don’t know. She was at home most of the time and even had her assistant come to the mansion to discuss business instead of going to the office. If she visited him, she never mentioned it.”

Maybe the fall out was between her mother and the judge. But if that were the case, why had she attended his dinner party a week later? No, Jade must find proof, then speculate. There wasn’t much her brother could tell her now.

“Lex.”

He looked at her and cocked an eyebrow.

“If Mom calls you again, could you tell her to call me? Not on my cell, but the beach house.”

He nodded. “Yeah, Mrs. Talbert mentioned that you’d be heading to Dana Point tomorrow. How long will you be staying?”

“A week. Two at the most. Were you planning on using it?”

“No. Is Faith coming with you?”

Baron had asked her the same question. Once again, the lie rolled off her tongue. “In a day or two. She has a few things to take care of before—”

She left the sentence hanging when the phone rang and Lex turned to pick it up. The lies were beginning to get to her. First Baron and now Lex, yet she hadn’t told Faith she was using her as a crutch. She pushed the guilt aside. It was a small lie, hardly worth agonizing over.

“Hey, Faith. We were just talking about you.”

Lex’s words pulled Jade back to the present. Oh, why was it every time she fibbed she got caught? Just this once, she would have liked to get away with it, or at least given enough time to fix it. Shamelessly, Jade listened to Lex’s side of the conversation.

“Just the good stuff,” her brother said then laughed. “Are you ready for your spring collection? Oh? I see. You know that we’re here if we need us.” He shook his head. “Okay…have it your way. Sure. She’s here. Just a sec.” He handed Jade the phone and got up. “I’ll be in the library.”

Jade waited until her brother left the room, then brought the phone to her ear. “Hey. What’s happening?”

“Vince Knight.”

Jade sighed and leaned back against the couch. “Let me guess. He called the house to talk to me and is furious that I’m not there.”

“Actually, he came here. His bat mobile tires squealing and shooting flames. I had no choice but to tell him where you went.”

Jade blinked. “Are you saying he’s on his way here?”

“Oh, yes. I tried to ask him what was going on, but the man gives a new meaning to the word ‘close-mouthed’. Or should I say intense. He needs to lighten up. Anyway, why was he acting all crazy?”

“How would I know?”
Another lie.
She jumped up and walked to the window. For a moment, she stared at the scene with unseeing eyes, then sighed and glanced around to make sure she was alone. “Listen, I told both Baron and Lex that you’ll be joining me at the beach house. I didn’t want them dropping by unannounced to check on me. You know how they get.”

Faith chuckled. “Oh, yeah. I have your back, girl. Are you planning on shacking up with the mysterious Knight?”

Jade hesitated then grimaced. “There’s a strong possibility of that.”

 
“Ah.” There was a slight hesitation from Faith, then, “Just be careful.”

“Why do you say that?”

“You don’t know anything about Vince, honey.”

Jade blinked. “What? Where’s this coming from? Aren’t you the one you told me to find some stranger and have a holiday fling?”

“I know, but I didn’t like the way he acted earlier. You know. Possessive. Kind of reminded me of your ex—”

“Vince is not like Jerrod.” Jade couldn’t stop the annoyance from creeping into her words. It hurt that her cousin would think she needed to be warned against Vince. She’d been sure Faith, of all people, would understand. Her cousin had never hidden the fact that she had no use for men except for the pleasure they gave her in bed. Why a different script for her?

“You barely know the man, Faith, and you’re already forming an opinion.”

“Okay. Okay. I’m sorry I voiced my concerns. I just don’t want you to get hurt.”

Jade closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose with her fingers. “I know what I’m doing.” Did she? She squashed the doubting voice in her head. “I really do.”

“Then go ahead and do your thing. Uh, the cleaners are almost done. Is it okay if I let them go? I need to head home to get ready for Wilkinson’s party.”

Her cousin’s feelings were hurt. Jade walked back to the couch and flopped down. She was tired of dealing with things and people giving her attitude.

“That’s okay, Faith. I’ll catch up with you tonight.”

***

He was lost. Vince slowed down to peer at the street signs. Had Faith Fitzgerald said turn left or right at Palos Verdes Boulevard? Or maybe she’d sent him on a wild goose chase? He still recalled the woman’s reluctance to tell him where Jade had gone. If he hadn’t mentioned the date they had tonight, her cousin would not have given him the address. Much good it did him now.

Cursing, Vince made a U-turn and started back. His cell phone chose that moment to ring. “Yes,” he snapped once he flipped it open and brought it to his ear.

“Oh, did I catch you at a wrong time, dear?”

“No, Aunt Della. What’s going on?”

“I finally found him—the Frenchman at the party.”

“That’s great news.”

“Yes, except he’s not French. Just from a French-speaking country in the Caribbean. I’d spoken with Abe’s friends in San Diego and learned he was a guest of Wilkinson, your father’s friend and running partner. I spoke with Wilkinson’s campaign manager after you left, and she identified the man as Renard Descartes Bouchard.”

Vince frowned. “Descartes? Isn’t that the name of—?”

“Our ancestor…Madame Jacqueline’s husband.” Her voice was surprisingly devoid of all emotions.

“I didn’t know we had other relatives.” Especially ones who used the name Descartes. But then again, his father made sure he knew as little about his family as possible. What if he had a large number of relatives out there somewhere—cousins, aunts, and uncles? He took a deep breath and tried to contain the excitement that accompanied the possibility. “Where is he from? Does he have a family?”
 

“He’s from Saint-Noel.”

Vince frowned. “Where’s that?”

“Saint-Noel is comprised of a group of islands near Guadeloupe or Martinique, I can’t remember which. It’s one of the few former French colonies in the Caribbean to ever receive independence. Renard is their ambassador here. The young lady I spoke with promised to get me his contact.”

Why wasn’t his aunt excited by this sudden appearance of a long lost relative? Vince scowled. Or maybe she’d always known about him. “Aunt Della?”

“Yes, dear?”

“Did you know anything about this man before today?”

“No. It came as a shock to me, too, when I heard his name. Your father never mentioned meeting him before either. Don’t worry too much about him, though. I will find out more and let you know as soon as I can.”

Something in his aunt’s voice set off warning bells in his head. “Aunt Della—”

“The home insurance people are at the door, dear. Let’s talk later.” Then the line went dead.

Vince stared at the cell phone in askance. What was going on?

CHAPTER 14

Nothing. Jade rocked on her heels, the knots in her stomach easing. She’d searched every drawer, every shelf, and every display case. Like her mother’s private quarters, there was no sign of the statue in the vault.

Her gaze swept the room that was once a bomb shelter. Equipped with video monitors showing the insides and outside of the mansion, a cell phone, and an alarm keypad, it was now a safe haven in case of burglary, and storage room for her mother’s jewels and collectibles. Not to mention the beddings, emergency food supply enough to feed an army, medicines, water, and whatever else her brother stashed in the heavy green metal boxes at the east corner.

Her nose tickled. Jade slapped a hand over her mouth, but not before a sneeze escaped. The sound reverberated off the walls. A chill snaked down her spine. Ooh, how she hated being down here. Something about the lack of windows and the reinforced eight-inch concrete walls always got to her as if she were trapped….

Jade laughed aloud to dispel her morbid thoughts. Of course she couldn’t be trapped. Not with the state-of-the-art gizmos her family had installed. Still, none of that, including the refurbished wooden floor and textured walls, could dispel the ominous feel of the room.

A grunt caused her to whirl around, her hand reaching for her chest. “Oh, Lex. You scared the living daylights out of me.”

Her brother removed the stool she’d placed in the doorway, leaned against the steel frame, and grinned. “Still scared of being trapped in here?”

Anything was possible, electronic gadgets or not. Nightmares about being shut in the vault with no way of getting out had plagued her as a child. The dry-runs her father, and later Lex, had insisted on, would cause her to have meltdowns. Her sweet, loving mother had had to put a stop to the trials. The very sweet mother she now suspected of pilfering Vince’s statue.

“Jade?”

Her brother’s voice made her focus on their conversation.

“Are you okay?” Concern flickered in his hazel eyes.

Wiping her face clean of guilt, Jade wrinkled her nose and lied. “Yeah. And FYI, I outgrew the nightmares eons ago.”

Lex chuckled. “Did you find what you were looking for?”

Jade cringed. He knew about her snooping? How? She noticed his gaze on the leather case under her arm and relief streamed through her. “

Yeah. It was in one of the drawers.” She hurried to his side while retrieving the boxed emeralds from her armpit and gripping it tighter. Being around her brother, inside the vault, the mansion itself reminded her of what she’d been doing the past thirty minutes. She couldn’t swallow the guilt no matter how hard she tried. “I’d better head home and get ready for the party.”

“Your friend Knight is here.”

She paused mid-stride. “When did he get here?”

“A little while ago.” Lex straightened his body and jerked his head toward the stairs. “Go on upstairs. I’ll lock up.”

A little while ago? What had they been doing? Jade didn’t move, her gaze not leaving her brother. “You two talked?”

“Some.”

“About?”

“This and that.” Lex stepped away from the doorway and walked past her. “You’re keeping your guest waiting, pint. He seemed impatient to leave.”

“How would you…uh, never mind.” Her brother had a knack for reading people. “You know what? This room needs a major cleaning. There’s dust everywhere.”

“Want to volunteer?” Lex threw over his shoulder as he scanned the area.

Jade laughed.
 
“Yeah, you wish. See you tonight.” She hurried toward the stairs.

Vince was pacing the foyer when she arrived upstairs. Jade hurried along the wide hallway connecting the back door to the foyer. She walked past the door leading to the kitchen on her right and the smaller hallway leading to their mother’s private quarters on her left without a break in her stride. Her gaze stayed locked on Vince.

He looked like a caged panther—impatient, dangerous, yet so beautiful her senses drunk him in greedily. She could never get used to the way her heart did a rickety dance whenever she saw him, or how he dominated his environment, making everything pale in significance.

“Hey, you made it,” she called out while still a fair distance from him.

Vince whirled around, his eyes narrowing as he gave her a once over. “What happened? I thought we agreed you’d wait for me at your place.”

Uh-oh, he wasn’t a happy camper. She shrugged. “I left a message in your voice mail.”

His gaze stayed locked on her face. “Yeah, about something you needed to verify. What was it that couldn’t wait until—?”

“I’m fine, Vince.
 
No one followed me,” she added in a whisper as she came to stop beside him.

“These people are not playing games.”

She studied his handsome face. Was it her imagination or was he more edgy than usual? Surely, not because she’d disobeyed his dictate. The man needed to learn no one controlled her movements. Not anymore.

“I know they’re not, Vince. That’s why I’m here.” She glanced down the hallway, but the basement door appeared closed. Still, she couldn’t discuss Cohen’s message with her brother nearby. She touched Vince’s arm. “Let’s walk around the grounds and talk.”

Vince followed her gaze and understanding flared briefly in his eyes. “When were you planning on heading back to your place?”

 
“Just a few more minutes, then I’ll be ready to go. Why?”

“I need to leave as soon as possible.” His hand slid down the length of her arm to grip hers and then he jerked his head toward the front door. “Let’s take that walk.”

Yeah, he was definitely on edge. She could feel the tension in his body.

As soon as they stepped outside, Jade directed their steps toward the back of the mansion. She inched closer to his hard body, liking the feel of his hand on hers and his nearness. Air escaped her lungs in a sigh. His scent, musky and earthy, got her every time. Made her want to wrap herself around him like a vine and never let go.
  

His hand, callused and rough, brushed erotically against her smooth one. It was a hot summer afternoon, but the scattered palm trees around the compound offered shade and the high hedges privacy. The clusters of scarlet, purple, and white flowers filled the air with their sweet scents. It was a beautiful day.
 

As they moved farther from the house, Jade allowed herself the luxury of pretending they were a normal couple taking a stroll. Listening to the seagulls and the sound of the waves, anticipating being alone and exchanging a kiss or more. No lost statue. No Hudson and his faceless boss. And most definitely no dead antique dealer.

“What was in your voice mail?”

Vince’s question yanked her back to Earth. Jade resisted the urge to pout and sighed. It was so unfair. There was no escaping his investigation. “A short message from Cohen. Left just before he got whacked.”

“Whacked?” Vince stopped short and faced her, his expression shocked.

Jade gave him what she hoped was an apologetic smile. “Sorry. That didn’t come out right. The message was really for my mother and, uh, I’m not completely sure about the whacking part.”

Vince didn’t crack a smile. “Why would he leave a message for your mother in
your
voicemail?”

“I don’t know. Maybe he tried to get a hold of her like I did and failed. In the message, he spoke about a man. Said this man knew everything and warned Mom to be careful. He was about to say more when the phone went dead. Or he was cut off, who knows. But he sounded really scared.”

A weird expression had settled on Vince’s face. “I want to listen to that message, Jade.” He let go of her hand and rubbed his nape. “You didn’t erase it, did you?”

“Of course not. I was too eager to get over here and search this place.”

“Search for what?”

“The statue.” When his eyebrows shot up, she added, “I didn’t know what Cohen was blubbering about or even if it had anything to do with the statue. I had to know.” She sounded defensive, but didn’t care. The look in his eyes concerned her more.

“And?”

She wagged a finger in front of his face. “And stop looking at me like that.”

He leaned back, perplexed. “Like what?”

“Like you’re ready to pounce. Like you’re not sure whether to trust me or what I’m telling you.” His scowl deepened. He could be so intimidating when he chose, but she wasn’t in the mood. “I’m on your side, buddy. Have been from the word go.” A look of disbelief crossed his face. She dismissed it with brief wave of her hand. “Okay, maybe not at the beginning, but that’s beside the point. What matters is now. We agreed to work together, right? To be honest. Not to treat each other like the enemy.”

“Jade, I’m not—”

“Oh yes you are. You have no idea how nerve-wrecking it is to lie to my family, to waltz in there,” she waved toward the house, “and sneakily search for that statue with my brother a shouting distance away.”

Vince pushed his hands in his front pockets, his massive shoulders drooping and his stance loosening. An obvious attempt to appear relaxed and calm, but she wasn’t buying it. His narrowed eyes gave him away. He was anything but. Too bad. She wasn’t done venting.

“All that stress for nothing,” she said. “The statue isn’t here. Of course, if you don’t believe me, go ahead and search the mansion. Just keep in mind that we’ll have to explain to Lex who you really are and all about your investigation. Knowing my brother, he’d want to know every detail
and
verify everything while detaining you here for Lord knows how long.”

Vince crossed his arms and let out a longsuffering sigh. Jade pretended not to hear it. “Anyway, I don’t know what I was thinking about in the first place, worrying and scurrying over here to search for that statue. My mother wouldn’t bring it here. Not if it’s a stolen item. Not that I’m saying she has it,” she added quickly. “But if she does, then there’s a plausible explanation.”

“Oh, there is?” His eyes twinkled.

“Hey-hey.” She pressed a finger on one of his crossed arms. “This is my mother we’re talking about here. Of course, there is a perfectly reasonable explanation for her involvement. I may not know what it is now, but I promise you it’s nothing like what you’re thinking.” She noted that his expression softened. In fact, Vince appeared amused, his adorable dimples flashing. When had she become the entertainment? And how could she stay irate when he made it so difficult?
 
She got off her high horse and took a deep cleansing breath. “Or what you’d been thinking when we last discussed her
possible
involvement.”

This time, Vince laughed outright. Watching him, the sound coming from deep inside him, was a rare treat. Her insides went mushy. She grinned.

Vince stopped laughing to say, “Are you done?”

“Yes, uh…actually, no.
 
You’ll have to apologize to Faith.” Just as she’d expected, a snicker escaped him. “I’m serious, Vince. You bullied her into giving you directions and she’s royally pissed. You have no idea how long Miss Drama Queen holds a grudge. She will not make me, or you, forget it. So, please, play nice and soothe her ruffled feathers.” When he shrugged, she said, “Okay, now I’m done.”

“Feel better?”

She scowled. “What does the way I feel have to do with anything? I was merely explaining the stress I’ve had to deal with to help you find your statue. That’s all.”

“Come on.” He draped a casual arm around her shoulder and led her toward the house. “We need to get out of here. As for your mother, forget about her for now.”

“I wish I could. Can you believe she’s no longer on board the cruise ship?” Jade didn’t give Vince a chance to respond, just gripped his hand, the one hanging over her shoulder and urged him forward. “She called Lex and told him she was visiting a friend. I don’t know what to make of that, but I’ll keep trying her cell phone until I reach her.” Her mother had some explaining to do. Like why she paid for a two-week cruise when she had intended to disembark after a few days.

Jade pushed the thoughts of her mother aside and nudged Vince with her shoulder. “So? Why don’t you tell me why you’re in such a hurry to leave? And why you’re so tense?” The handsome hunk shot her a surprised glance that made her she chuckle. “It’s obvious something other than my impromptu drive over here is bothering you. What’s happened?”

For a moment he didn’t speak, as though rearranging his thoughts. “My aunt finally found out the identity of the unknown guest at the judge’s party—the one I hadn’t interviewed. He’s a diplomat from an island in the Caribbean. I need to track him down.”

Jade stopped walking, her heart lurching at the ‘an island in the Caribbean.’
 
She’d stopped believing in coincidences since she met Vince. Now she searched his face as though he had the answer to her questions.

“What’s the name of the island, Vince?” she asked.

“Saint-Noel.”

“Ohmigod.”

Vince’s arm tightened around her shoulder, his head dipping so he could look into her face. “What is it?”

“My mother. She’s in Saint-Noel, Vince. The old friend from college she’s visiting is from Saint-Noel.” She could hear the wheels turning in his head as he absorbed the information. “Well?”