Old Flames Never Die (Valentine Mystery) (28 page)

“Careful counselor, I'm about to shift
gears.”

Jack slipped from bed the next morning,
not wanting to leave Tess sleeping alone, but his growling stomach would eventually
wake her, he was sure. He put on one of the complimentary robes and laid the
other one on the bed. He found paper in the bedside table and wrote a note:
Don't bother getting dressed.
He set the note on the robe.

He headed to the main area
of the suite to find something to eat. In the mini-fridge he found some
chocolate chip cookies and grabbed another bottle of water. This time when he
looked down over Central Park, he was happy. Now he could take Tess for a walk,
hold her hand as they strolled through the park. Nah, he thought. They did the
city last night. Instead, he wanted to spend their last few hours in New York
naked in bed.

He finished his cookie and
drank the rest of his water. Then he picked up the hotel phone and called down
to the concierge. He made arrangements for breakfast and considered climbing
back into bed with Tess. But she'd looked so tired the night before and she'd
fallen asleep almost immediately after he'd made love to her again. So he
decided to let her rest.

He couldn't believe his
stroke of luck. When he'd convinced Daniel to help, the best he'd hoped for was
that Tess would allow him to accompany her during the day and maybe go to
dinner with him. Her behavior on the plane had him thinking he wouldn't get any
of that. And then all of a sudden, she forgave him. She didn't put conditions
on him or expect to start over. She'd jumped back in right where they'd left off
when things were good. It only highlighted how much he underestimated her.

Having her in his arms again
was like heaven. Except for the bruises. He hadn't realized how bad her
accident was until he saw the long bluish-green bruise crossing between her
breasts. It wasn't the only injury he discovered either. She had bruises on her
arms and a strange mark that looked like a burn on her shoulder and upper back.
Seeing them increased his guilt that he hadn't asked her about the accident
when she first told him about it. Instead he'd focused on why she'd been in
Bucks County and got angry at her. He cursed himself for his selfishness. It
was another area he'd need to work on. Hopefully, he'd have a long time to make
it up to her. Like forever. Several times during the night, he wanted to ask
her for forever, but didn't. While she wasn't placing any conditions on their
reconciliation, he understood that asking her to marry him was probably too
soon. He couldn't even bring himself to ask if she would be moving back with
him.

But someday soon, he hoped,
they'd be having a discussion about marriage. He began to think about the ways
in which he could ask her to spend his life with him, when he was interrupted
by his phone ringing. He looked at the caller ID. Liv. He considered not
answering it, but ultimately decided he had some things he needed to tell her.

“Jack, thank goodness I
found you. I’ve called so many times and you haven’t answered. I was beginning
to worry about you. You were so upset about Tess—”

“I'm fine,” he said.

“Now that the funeral is
over, I was thinking of getting away for awhile and since things with you and
Tess are over, maybe you'd like to come with me.”

“Things are not over between
me and Tess.”

“Oh. So you intend to try
and patch things up?”

“We've reconciled.”

There was a pause on her
end. “How wonderful. I'm so happy for you, Jack.”

Jack could hear the
disappointment, maybe even irritation in her voice. “I won't be able to see you
anymore,” Jack said, wanting to get to the point of the conversation.

“I understand. If I were
Tess, I wouldn't want you hanging out with me either.”

Jack rolled his eyes at
Liv's arrogance. “She didn't ask me not to see you. In fact, she didn't give me
any hoops to jump through.”

Again there was a pause. “Then
why can't we see each other? We've been friends for so long.”

Jack rubbed his hand over
his face as he prepared to say what he knew Liv wouldn’t take well. “You've
lied and manipulated me and it nearly cost me everything.”

“So you think I'm a murderer
now too?”

“No.”

“Then what are you talking
about? I didn't lie or manipulate you.”

Jack sighed. He wasn't about
to share what he knew about Charles' vasectomy because he didn't know how
Daniel and Tess planned to deal with it. “You were there for me once when I
needed you, and I wanted to help you too. But I can't do or be what you want.
There is no future for us. There never was.”

“That's a little arrogant,”
Liv charged.

“Am I wrong?”

This time she sighed. “No. I
guess not. We were good together once.”

“I'm sure you'll meet
someone else who will take care of you.”

“You don't think I can take
care of myself?” She sounded miffed.

“Sure you can. You just
don't want to.”

“I didn't know you could be
so cruel.”

“Liv—”

“No. Maybe I am shallow, but
I thought that we had something more than that.”

“That's the problem, Liv. I
thought so too. But I was wrong.”

She was quiet for a moment. “I
wish I could be the type of woman you want.”

“I want you to be happy,
Liv. I wish you the best in the future, but I can't be a part of it.”

“Yeah, you too.” Jack could
tell she didn't mean it.

He hung up the phone,
relieved to have that conversation out of the way.

~~~~

Tess woke feeling very
relaxed. She smiled as she replayed the events of the day. Things with Jack
were good again. The practical, careful part of her brain asked for how long.
But Tess pushed that away. She wanted it to work. She knew he wanted it to
work. That's what she'd focus on.

She turned over, reached out
her arm, but found nothing. Sitting up, she saw a robe with a note attached lying
at the foot of the bed.

Don't bother getting
dressed.

She smiled as she slipped
the robe on. She opened the door to the bedroom and saw Jack showing the room
service server to the table.

“That was quick,” Jack told
him. “My sister said there was great service here. She comes here all the time.
In fact, maybe you know her. Liv Danforth.”

“Yes, sir,” the young man
said as he put a tray on the table. “Mrs. Danforth and her husband visit nearly
every month.”

“Her husband?” Jack asked. His
surprised tone echoed Tess’ thoughts.

“Yes, sir.” The young man
put a vase with a single red rose in the middle of the table. Tess wondered if
that was a special order from Jack.

“Huh. I always got the
impression she came here alone to pamper herself.”

“Her husband usually arrives
later in the evening.”

“It goes to show what I
know,” Jack said. “Here I thought she was getting tired of the old man.”

“Old man? Mr. Danforth isn't
that old.”

Tess saw the wheels turn in
Jack’s mind as he pondered his next move. She considered stepping out into the
living area to help, though she wasn’t sure what she’d say either.

Jack went to her briefcase
and pulled out some papers. “This is him, right? The guy you see with my
sister?”

The boy nodded. “Yes. He's
not that old.”

Jack laughed. “That's just
what she calls him. You know how it is, calling your spouse old man or old
woman.”

“Oh, yeah.” The boy finished
setting the table. “Is there anything else you need, Mr. Valentine?”

“No,” Jack said handing him
a few bills. “You've been very helpful. Thank you.”

When the door shut behind
the room service boy, Tess stepped into the living area. Jack turned. When he
noticed her, he held up the picture.

“Kevin Danforth,” Tess said.

He nodded. “I'm a little
shocked. Not that a stepmom would have an affair, but Liv and Kevin? I never
saw it.”

“He's certainly a better
actor that I would have given him credit for,” Tess agreed. “I'm curious if he
knew about the baby?”

“He did seem a little out of
sorts when Daniel mentioned a baby,” Jack said.

“She's very clever.”

“How so?”

“Well, she must have not
known about Charles' vasectomy, so she needed another ...donor. But she didn't
pick anyone, she picked Kevin-“

“Who is a Danforth,” Jack
finished for her.

“Exactly. Even if her plan
was found out, her child would still be entitled to Danforth money.” Tess let
out a sigh. “But all this doesn't really matter. Clearly she was here and she
now has an alibi in Kevin. Funny, he wouldn't use Liv as an alibi. I doubt he's
ever been to the Poconos.”

“Liv can be persuasive when
she wants to be. She’d know it would look worse if it was known they were
having an affair.”

“I wonder if he had enough
time to drive to Jefferson Tavern and then to New York the day Charles was
murdered.”

“It's a lot of driving, but
certainly possible.”

Tess shook her head. “It
seems like too much work for someone like him.”

“He is lazy, isn't he?” Jack
stepped to her, slipping his arms around her. “But I was hoping we were off the
clock now.”

“What did you have in mind?”

“I thought we'd start with
breakfast, and then move to dessert.”

“Sounds wonderful. I'm
starving…for both.”

Jack grinned.

“Let me just let Daniel know
this info about Kevin. Maybe there’s something he’ll want to do with it on his
end.”

Jack nodded. “Maybe Kevin is
still in Jefferson Tavern.”

Tess made the call and then
joined Jack for breakfast.

“Will you tell me about your
accident?” Jack asked.

“Sure, what do you want to
know?”

“How'd it happen? You're a
good driver and the road between Bucks County and Jefferson Tavern is a
straight shot.”

“I had help.” Tess explained
the black truck and the gun. She hated seeing the worry and shock in his eyes.

“Jesus, I'm sorry, Tess.”

“Sorry. Why? It wasn't you.”

“No.” He reached across the
table and took her hand. “But the other night. All I could think about was me
and what I wanted. I didn't realize—”

“Stop, Jack. Don't feel
guilty about that. We've been over all that and moved beyond it.”

He nodded, but she could see
the guilt remaining in his eyes. “Someone tried to kill you.”

“Yes.”

“And there are no leads?”

“No. Daniel and I talked to
everyone with a black truck at the Danforth farm and Wilson, but everything
happened so fast and I didn't see anything. It could have been anyone.”

“But you think it's related
to Danforth's murder?”

“I can't think of anyone
else who'd want me dead.”

Jack shivered, got up and
pulled her from her chair. “I don't think I'd survive if something happened to
you.”

“Hopefully you won't have to
find out.”

He nodded. His eyes were so
intense. Filled with love, worry and guilt.

She smiled up at him. “So,
when's dessert?”

Jack would have paid any
amount of money to not be sitting in a plane hurling down a runway that was
going to end any second.

“Try deep breathing,” Tess
said sitting across from him.

He shot her a look.

She smiled. “Once we're
airborne, I can help you get over this phobia.”

“Staying on the ground is
the best way to help me.”

The plane lifted off,
leaving Jack's stomach on the runway. He cursed and closed his eyes. Within
minutes, the plane leveled off. He heard a click and opened his eyes enough to
see Tess heading to the back of the plane.

“Where are you going?”

“I want to see what's back
here.”

“It’s a bedroom.”

He saw a familiar gleam in
her eye before she turned and disappeared in the room. He waited for her to
return, but when she didn't he unclipped his belt and followed her back.

“I was wondering how long it
would take you.” She was lying on the bed like a seductress. Too bad fear was
bad on the libido.

“You're not thinking of…”

“Yes. I am. It could help
you take your mind of things.”

“I won't be able to perform
and then I'll have to add impotent to my list of flying problems.”

“Hmm. Do you think the pilot
would help me?”