“I can’t remember the last time I went to an amusement park. It’s been years.”
“If you want, we can go after we eat.”
“This isn’t a date, Wyatt.” Her tone held a hint of humor. “It’s a business dinner.”
“Doesn’t mean we can’t have fun afterward.”
“Let’s see how our discussion goes before we make any future plans.”
“Sure, but I’m convinced you’ll be excited by my proposal.” He swung into one of the lots near the pier and parked in the front row. “We found a spot without hunting for an hour, and that never happens. This is definitely my lucky night.”
“It’s the little victories that make life worth living.” She smiled at him as he raised the top on the car.
“Exactly.” After paying for a parking ticket and placing it on the dash, he took her arm. “You’ll enjoy Tuna by Cee. The chef sears a mean ahi.”
Talia covered her mouth, but a smirk showed around the edges. “Is Tuna by Cee anywhere near Wontons by Lan?”
He burst out laughing. “You’re very sharp.”
“I’m from Boston. I couldn’t help making the pun, even if it was bad.”
“You don’t have an accent.” He steered her toward the open-air restaurant, and they got in line at the hostess stand behind a family of four.
“I live there now, but I grew up all over the country. I was actually born in California and spent my early years here.”
“Oh? Where?”
“Oakland.” She didn’t elaborate as the second hostess returned.
“Two for dinner?” The pretty brunette picked up a couple of menus and gave Wyatt a bright smile. “Right this way, Mr. Stone.”
After they’d settled at a table on the deck with a spectacular ocean view and ordered drinks, he leaned back in his chair while she studied the menu. “Did you study at MIT? Is that how you ended up in Boston?”
“Yes.” She glanced up. “I worked in D.C. for a few years after graduating before returning to Boston. What about you? California boy born and bred?”
“I was raised in a small Northern California town, but I had family in the L.A. area. I went to school at UCLA and never left. No Stone Unturned was a dream of mine, and I was lucky enough to catch a huge break early in my career.”
“I watch the show. You’re excellent at what you do.” She closed her menu. “The fact that you’re easy on the eyes probably doesn’t hurt, either.”
“What? You don’t think they would have given me the job if I looked like Quasimodo?”
“Definitely not. No offense to Cee and her Tuna, but I’m in the mood for a burger. Is that sacrilege at a seafood restaurant?”
“Probably, but order what you want. They put burgers on the menu for heathens like you.”
They grinned at each other, placed their orders when a harried server scurried up to the table, and then sat back with their drinks after they were delivered.
“Now’s the time, Wyatt. Plead your case.” Talia sipped her Chardonnay. “Why shouldn’t I take my spoon and go home?”
“Because you want to be part of something bigger than yourself?”
“I already am, but keep trying.”
“This story has ramifications that will change history, but it needs to be told the right way. You can help me do that.”
“Continue.”
He took a swallow of his beer. “Each of the seven spoons is tied to one of our founding fathers. I’m hoping to locate as many as possible and present the lineage that goes with each one on my program. As I mentioned before, human interest stuff to make the story appealing and relatable before the shocking conclusion.”
“Not to mention, jack up those ratings.”
“What would be the point if no one watches?” When she only shrugged, he touched the generic flatware lying on the napkin in front of him. “We’ll start with my spoon and continue from there, telling the story of seven powerful men who gathered together in 1787, intent on saving our nation.”
Talia’s brows shot up. “Saving the country from what?”
“Potential failure. Internal strife that could dissolve the Union. They wanted a backup plan if the Constitution they’d worked so hard to create didn’t meet the needs of the people. A contingency, if you will, allowing them to take back control.”
“Fascinating and terrifying. How do you know all this?”
“Because my spoon came with a document. A copy of the original executive order I can only assume is secured somewhere within the White House. Your copy must have been lost at some point over the ensuing centuries.”
She stared at him, and her eyes narrowed. “What’s your end game, Wyatt?”
“We’ll reveal the parchment on the last episode. The citizens of this country have a right to know what went down that night in Philadelphia.”
“Sounds like a recipe for disaster. Talk about creating an unstable situation.” She broke off when their server approached carrying two plates.
“A cheeseburger for the lady.” He set her food in front of her. “And swordfish for the gentleman. Can I get you anything else?”
Wyatt shook his head. “I don’t think so. This looks great.”
“Enjoy your dinners.” The young man hurried away.
Talia squirted a pool of ketchup on her plate and picked up a fry. “Is your intent to create trouble for the current administration?”
“Cox does a fine job of stirring the pot without any help from me. But to answer your question, no. My goal is to reveal historic truths. To uncover old secrets.”
“No stone unturned, right?”
He ate a bite of swordfish and closed his eyes for a moment to enjoy the amazing flavor. “Exactly. I put the facts out there. Period.”
“And to hell with the consequences?”
“I have a fatalistic view that everything will work out the way it’s meant to. Usually for the best.”
She bit into her cheeseburger and studied him for a moment. “I don’t want to be on TV. My job—” She set down the burger. “I prefer to keep a low profile.”
He tried to imagine what sort of work this woman did. Was she a spy . . . or on the ten most wanted list? “Maybe someone else in your family would like to be featured?”
“Both my parents are gone now, and I don’t communicate with anyone else I’m related to.”
“I’m sure we could work something out. Film you from the back or blur your face to maintain your privacy. This is pretty huge, Talia.”
“I’ll think about it.”
Close the deal, Stone. Don’t lose her.
“Not my first choice since I prefer authenticity, but maybe we could use an actress—”
“God, you’re pushy. As I said, I need some time to decide.”
He stabbed an asparagus spear. “Fine. Will you at least give me your contact information?”
“I can do that.” She ate a fry. “You look like a kicked puppy. Isn’t there another spoon you can go after while I mull over my options?”
“Since no one else legitimate has come forward, the next step is trying to track the spoons by directly contacting descendants of the founding fathers. Once I figure out who my great-uncle inherited his from, we can eliminate one of the seven.”
“Seems like a big job.”
“The studio has research assistants on staff who will help with the leg work. Or in this case, searching through ancestry records. Will you tell me your mother’s maiden name so I can try to determine which founding father you’re connected to?”
He could practically see the wheels turning as she thought over her response. Raising her glass, she took a swallow of her wine.
“I can do better than that.” Wistfulness filled her eyes as she stared out over the ocean. “The few times I talked to my mom about the spoon, she told me her Grandma Elizabeth gave it to her. Her grandmother swore up and down she was somehow related to Dolley Madison, a great-great-grand-niece or something like that. Mom didn’t have
any idea if it was true, but she always had a wicked gleam in her eyes when she polished the spoon. Once I asked her why.”
Wyatt gripped his fork. “What did she say.”
“She laughed and said she loved the irony, knowing it would belong to me one day.” Talia’s lips twitched. “I was young and didn’t have a clue what she meant. Now, I think she was referring to the fact that my father was black, and her great-whatever-aunt owned slaves.”
Leaning back in his chair, he let her words sink in. “I’m sorry I won’t have the honor of meeting your mother. She sounds like one hell of a fine woman.”
“She was. Mom had a fighting spirit, even though life tried to drain it out of her.” Talia went back to swirling her fries through the ketchup on her plate. “I’m pretty sure she would have liked you, too.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.” She glanced up, her eyes bright with amusement. “But you’re still not getting my spoon.”
Chapter Four
Talia smacked straight into Wyatt when he stopped short in front of her. She grabbed his hips to keep from falling and took a step back. But not before noticing how solid he felt beneath her hands. The man smelled good, too, like the fog off the sea that had blown in while they finished their meal. Instead of apologizing, he ignored her completely and headed straight toward the bar.
“Lindsey?”
A woman in a black dress swung around on her barstool and produced a brief smile. “Hello, Wyatt.”
“It’s been a while. You look terrific.”
Not an exaggeration. The blond was extremely attractive with full curves and a sultry vibe. The electricity between the two was practically palpable, and Talia wondered when they’d last slept together.
“Thank you. I guess all those hours at the gym are paying off.” Her glance strayed to Talia before returning to Wyatt. “It’s good to see you.”
“You didn’t seem very surprised when I called your name.”
“I wasn’t. I noticed you out on the deck when I came in.” She picked up her drink, something pink with lots of ice, and took a swallow. “I didn’t interrupt to say hi since you appeared to be having a pretty intense conversation.”
“Oh, uh, Lindsey, this is Talia Davis. Talia, Lindsey McBride. We knew each other in college.”
Talia nodded at the other woman. “A pleasure.” She touched Wyatt’s arm. “I can order an Uber to get back to my Airbnb if you want to catch up with your friend.”
“No, I . . . sorry.” He seemed to gather himself but kept his attention on this Lindsey. “I’m just surprised. Last I heard you were living in Seattle. Are you here on vacation?”
“Actually, I moved back six months ago. After my husband was killed in a car accident, I needed a change. Something familiar but without reminders everywhere I looked.”
“That’s rough. I’m sorry, Linds.”
“So am I, but I’ve taken charge of my life and moved on.”
Wyatt gently squeezed her shoulder. “We’ll have to catch up.”
“Sure. Why don’t you give me your number, and I’ll call you?”
Talia crossed her arms and leaned against a support post while they exchanged information. Finally, he turned away from the other woman with a sheepish smile, and they left the bar area.
“I apologize. Lindsey and I were good friends back in the day, and—”
“You don’t have to explain. We aren’t on a date, for heaven’s sake.”
He guided her out of the restaurant with a hand at her waist. “It sort of felt like one, even if it wasn’t.”
“Look, I like you more than I expected to, but I live in Boston. You live in California. We couldn’t be more different. So, even though my friends recently suggested I have a fling with a cabana boy, and you definitely have a hot beach guy vibe, I’m going to pass. If you want to hook up with your old girlfriend, don’t let me stop you.”
Wyatt pulled her out of the way of pedestrians hurrying by on the sidewalk and simply stared. “I’m not sure where to start. With the cabana boy or why you’re so sure Lindsey and I dated.”
“Please.” Talia rolled her eyes. “Am I wrong?”
“No.” His lips curved into a rueful smile. “I didn’t realize I was so transparent. We lived in the same college dorm and dated our freshman year. Then she dumped me for the TA in her sociology class. I started dating Bree’s mother once I got over being crushed, and that was the end of it. Seeing her out of the blue brought back a lot of old memories.”
“Seems to be an epidemic.” She tugged away from the hand holding her arm and headed toward the parking lot where they’d left his car.
“I don’t get it.” He strode beside her. “You sound kind of pissed.”
She let out a long sigh. “Sorry. I’m not mad at you. Since we’re exchanging dating histories, I’ll explain.”
“Does this have anything to do with the cabana boy?”
She couldn’t help laughing at the humor in his tone, and some of her irritation faded. “The man I was seeing recently reunited with his old high school girlfriend and broke off our relationship. The cabana boy was a friend’s helpful suggestion to make the breakup more tolerable.”
As they reached the Thunderbird, he leaned against its hood and grinned. “I’ll make the ultimate sacrifice and let you use me to get over your ex because that’s the kind of guy I am. Noble to a fault.”
Warmth slid through her, heating places that had no business responding. Not under the circumstances, anyway. She tamped down the urge to take him up on his offer. “You’re a funny guy, Wyatt. Too bad we live on opposite sides of the country.”
“We can hang out together if you agree to be on my show. Think of it as another mark in the plus column.”
“Considering my recent dating fail, I’m not sure if that would be a plus or a minus. Don’t push your luck.”
“Fine. I won’t rush you.” He waved a hand toward the pier where faint screams echoed eerily through the fog. “Do you want to ride the rollercoaster? The night’s still young.”
“I’ll pass. I have an early flight to catch in the morning.”
“Maybe next time.” He unlocked the car and opened her door. Once she was seated, he ran around and climbed in. “Thanks for having dinner with me. I enjoyed getting to know you.”
“Same. I had a lovely time.” She glanced his way as he pulled out of the lot. “At least I did when you weren’t badgering me about appearing on your show.”
“I’m not going to lie. Your cooperation is important to me. Especially since I’m not sure how many of the others we’ll be able to locate.”
They cruised up the coast, the muted glow of headlights coming at them through the dense mist. Talia sat with her hands folded in her lap. “I understand your sense of urgency.” When he didn’t respond, she added, “Who do you think your spoon belonged to? Originally, I mean.”
“I’m still verifying the connections, but it looks like mine was owned by our first president.”
“You’re descended from Washington? That’s pretty cool.”
“More likely from Martha. George only had step-children, and I think one of them got the spoon and the document.” He turned off the main road and accelerated up the hill. “Honestly, I’m pretty amazed my parchment survived for over two centuries.”
“Maybe that’s why no one has come forward with this story before now.” She turned to face him when he pulled up in front of the apartment she was renting. “If the document was lost, no one would know the significance of the spoon. It would be just another piece of antique silver.”
“Exactly. Still, I’m hopeful we can move forward with this story. The show has a pretty broad audience, and we’ll air my plea a second time. Hopefully with better results.”
She reached over and touched the back of his hand where it rested on the seat. “Even if I decide not to appear on No Stone Unturned, you could still use my spoon in your story. Just tell your viewers you recovered it from an unnamed s
ource related to Dolley Madison.”
He was quiet for a moment. “Thanks, but I hope you’ll agree to take a more active role. We would film your segment in Boston so it wouldn’t inconvenience you too greatly.”
“I’ll be in touch when I’ve made a decision. Thanks again for dinner.”
“You’re welcome.” He turned his hand over and squeezed her fingers. “Have a safe flight home.”
A warm tingle shot up her arm before she pulled out of his grasp. “I certainly hope to.” She opened her door and stepped out onto the sidewalk. “Good night, Wyatt.”
“Talia?”
“What?” She bent to look in at him, and his sexy smile kicked her heartrate up a notch.
“At least you didn’t say good-bye.”
* * * *
Wyatt walked down the attic stairs of his great-uncle’s house, carrying a large cardboard box—cleaner than the original and minus the mouse droppings. Cameras filmed each step of his descent as he kept up a running commentary, describing the events leading up to the discovery of his spoon. The rubber soles of his sneakers squeaked as he crossed the freshly polished wood floors of the entry and headed out the front door. He ran down the porch steps and followed the path to his car where he set the box on the back seat before turning to face the cameras.
“Little did I know a shocking secret was hidden inside such an unassuming container. A document that will change history.”
“Cut.” The director hurried across the lawn. “Great job, Wyatt, although I’m a little worried about the angle of the sun creating shadows. Take a break while I make sure we have everything we need.”
“Sure.” He took the bottle of water Rita’s assistant handed him, thanked her, and headed over to one of the lawn chairs beneath the feathery fronds of a jacaranda tree. Tilting his head back, he drank half the water, his throat parched from filming several takes in the dusty attic.
“Are you ready to take a cross-country trip?” Kaitlyn Rice’s short auburn hair fluttered around her face in the light breeze as she approached. Wary eyes regarded him with a touch of hurt in their hazel depths.
Ominous Legacy (Counterstrike Book 4) Page 5