Stepping from the shower, she quickly toweled off and, returning to the bedroom and wishing she had a change of clothes, donned her jeans and light sweater. She made the bed, took care with her makeup and fixed her hair, then grabbed her handbag and wandered out of the bedroom and down the hall. The door opposite the guest room was closed, so she tapped lightly, then poked her head around. Vince was sitting behind his desk, and even in just his white T-shirt he looked every bit the captain that he was.
“Reporting for duty, sir,” she grinned as she entered. “Wow, what a great room. Exposed beams! I love exposed beams.”
“Thank you, and you look lovely,” he remarked, standing up and walking around to greet her.
“I appreciate you saying that, but I wish I had something else to wear,” she said as he hugged her. Sinking into his chest, she added, “You feel so good I almost don’t want to leave.”
“None of that. I haven’t been out for breakfast in ages and I’m looking forward to it. You’ll love it. I guarantee you’ve never seen a brunch like this one. I need to get a regular shirt though. Wait for me, I’ll be right back and then we’ll go.”
“Can I wander around this office? There’s so much to take in.”
“Sure. I’ll only be a minute.”
He marched away, and Bella moved across the room to study the many photographs on the wall. As her eyes traveled from picture to picture, she realized it was a history. In the first photograph he was a very young man at a graduation ceremony, and the ones that followed showed him moving through his life as a marine.
“Okay, I’m set.”
“These photographs, they’re wonderful,” she remarked.
“Thanks. My other gallery is on that wall,” he said, pointing across the room.
“I feel all funny,” she murmured, ambling across to him.
“Funny? What do you mean, funny?”
“I’m not sure,” she said, staring into his brilliant blue eyes.
“You’re probably just hungry. Did you have dinner last night, anything after the show?”
“Uh, come to think of it, no, I didn’t. Scott and I usually stop somewhere, but of course, I had other things on my mind,” she said sheepishly.
“That’s what it is. You’re having a carb dip. Let’s get moving.”
“You’re probably right,” she mumbled, but I don’t think so. I think I’m at a crossroads. I think I’ve stepped into a major life change. I can feel it. I can totally feel it.
Chapter Twelve
The stunning hotel restaurant was bustling, and Bella threw herself into the experience. Vince had been right. The buffet was the best she’d ever seen, and with so many selections they were back and forth from their table countless times. She was standing at the waffle bar waiting for a rice-flour blueberry waffle, when to her surprise, on the far side of the room, she thought she saw Scott. Squinting, trying to peer through the sea of people, she realized it was him, and he was sitting opposite the man who was supposedly the band’s manager.
“Miss, your waffle.”
“Oh, sorry,” she apologized, turning around.
Accepting the plate, she poured on the warm maple syrup and hurried back to the table.
“What is it?” Vince asked immediately, seeing the look on her face.
“Probably nothing, I mean, it is nothing.”
“What’s nothing?”
“I just saw Scott.”
“You did? Where?”
“You can’t see his table from here. It’s on the other side close to the entrance.”
“Why has that upset you?” Vince asked, pulling out his cellphone and immediately beginning to text a message.
“It’s just… this is weird, now I’m wondering things because of what you said.”
“Please, just tell me,” he insisted.
“He’s with that guy, the band manager. Why would he be here, and may I ask what you’re doing?”
“Describe him for me,” Vince replied, ignoring her question.
“He’s older, probably fifties, maybe even sixties, overweight, balding, and he’s wearing small round glasses. He looks like he sweats a lot; sorry, that’s gross, but that’s what I thought when I met him that one time.”
“Give me a second,” Vince said, his eyes still focused on his phone.
Completely intrigued, Bella watched him, and the moment he dropped his phone back in his pocket, she repeated her question.
“I was just reporting the information,” Vince said casually. “No big deal. Did Scott or the band manager see you?”
“No, and they looked as if they were having a very intense conversation.”
“Stay here, I need to run to the men’s room.”
“Sure you do,” she said sarcastically.
“You stay right where you are,” he said sternly.
“If you were worried about him seeing me, aren’t you worried about him seeing you?”
“Bella, you may be able to bang someone on their forehead and put them to sleep, but I know how to be a ghost, and it doesn’t matter if he saw you or he didn’t.”
“I don’t bang,” she retorted.
“I’ll be right back. Do not leave this table. That’s an order.”
“Yes, sir,” she quipped, then, seeing the serious look in his eye, she knew he meant it. “I’ll eat my waffle and I won’t move from this chair, I promise.”
“Thank you,” he said, dropping his head down and kissing her cheek.
He began ambling toward the buffet, and though it appeared he was keeping his back to the opposite side of the room, he was able to scan the tables with his well-trained peripheral vision. It was Scott’s mop of sandy blond hair that caught his eye, and then he saw Scott’s companion.
Bella was right. He does look like he sweats; he also looks ticked off. This is interesting. It may be nothing, or it may be something. If Scott’s an operative, that guy could well be his contact.
Studying the nearby tables, he saw two that were empty but obviously in use, which meant the patrons were at the buffet. He watched closely, and as four bustling women began heading back to their seats with overflowing plates, he moved with them, using them for cover. He’d guessed right, and they went to a table a few across from, and behind, Scott, putting Vince out of Scott’s line of sight. Vince raised his phone and pretended to take pictures of the magnificent restaurant. It only took seconds to snap Scott’s alleged band manager, and, dropping his phone back in his pocket, he walked casually across the busy dining room and returned to Bella.
“So,” she asked, “did you find the men’s room okay?”
“No problem,” Vince replied.
“This is crazy,” she huffed, shaking her head and taking a drink of tea. Leaning across the table, she said, “If I ask you something, will you tell me the truth?”
“Hmmm, if I’m not able to, I’ll say I’m not able to. How’s that?”
“Fair enough, I suppose,” she replied. “First, you don’t know me very well, but I’ve got sharp instincts.”
“This isn’t news,” he grinned. “You’re as sharp as they come, and I’m sure doing your shows keeps that instinct finely tuned.”
“Probably, but anyway, my instinct is telling me there’s a whole lot more going on with Scott than some red flag on a background check. Am I right?”
“I, uh, can’t answer that,” Vince muttered.
“So, that’s a yes; next, do you work with intelligence?”
“I like to think I kick my brain into gear when I’m working, so yes.”
“Darn it, Vince, you know what I mean,” she said sharply. “Were you, are you, a spy?”
“What? Bella, that word is… just don’t use that word,” he said vehemently.
“Fine, are you an intelligence officer?”
“I have worked in that field, and if I tell you anything else—”
“You’ll have to shoot me,” she interrupted.
“Something like that,” he win
ked. “How did you like your brunch?”
“You’re changing the subject.”
“Yes, I am,” he said firmly. “Answer my question. How did you like the brunch?”
The look in his eye told her not to argue, and, feeling as though she shouldn’t have asked the pointed questions, she nodded her head.
“The brunch was fantastic, and you’ll have to roll me out of here, I absolutely cannot move.”
“A long walk is what you need,” he declared.
“Walk? I just told you I can’t even get out of my chair!”
“We must make the effort. On the count of three. Ready?”
“No, not even close, and,” she added, dropping her voice, “aren’t you worried about Scott seeing us?”
“Not at all,” he smiled, and, standing up, he stepped to her chair and held out his hand. “Come on.”
“If you insist,” she groaned, wrapping her fingers around his.
“One, two, three,” he declared, pulling her to her feet. “When we get to the buffet, let me guide you.”
“Okay. I probably shouldn’t say this, and as much as I’m sure you’re totally wrong about Scott, I think I like all this cloak and dagger stuff.”
“No comment,” he muttered.
As they left their table and began to move across the room, he stayed on her outside, walking almost sideways, shielding her from sight, but when they ran into a large group of people who were also heading to the exit, it was a simple matter for them to become part of the throng.
“That was, uh, interesting,” Bella remarked as they left the restaurant and started toward the exit that led to the beach.
“When you’re part of a crowd, it’s easy to get lost. If you’re ever in a situation and you don’t want someone to see you, I mean, if someone is following you and you want to lose them, if you’re wearing something on your head take it off, and if you’re not, find something to put on.”
“Wow, you really were a spy,” she said in a hushed whisper. “That’s so weird.”
“First, I never said that; second, spy, is a totally overblown and misused word; and third, it’s not weird, not as weird as you telling total strangers that they’re going to fall asleep, and they do, and then they’re suddenly at your mercy,” he declared. “Do you have any idea how bizarre that is to watch? How did it come about, becoming a stage hypnotist, I mean? How did you decide to do that?”
“It was a no-brainer,” she replied. “I happened to catch a show, and the hypnotist was this creepy guy in a lime-green tuxedo who had no stage presence at all. Everyone was so enthralled by what they were witnessing, his awful appearance and lack of performance skills didn’t matter one bit. I immediately thought, hey, if he can do that, I sure as hell can.”
“You’re kidding me. Just like that?”
“Yep, just like that. There’s no such thing as a school that teaches stage hypnotism, but there are plenty that teach hypnotherapy. I just had to convert what I learned. Honestly, it’s not that difficult. You just have to be able to think on your feet, and be brave enough to get up and actually do it. I booked my first shows in Kodiak Island, Alaska. I figured if I bombed up there, no one here would ever know.”
“That’s hilarious,” he chuckled. “Tell me more; tell me some of the scariest things that have happened, and the funniest. I want to hear about them.”
She was happy to oblige, but Bella wasn’t fooled. Vince had maneuvered the conversation away from her questions. She didn’t mind, but his evasive answers had piqued her curiosity, and though she didn’t know how she would do it, she was determined to find out more. They walked for over an hour, and when they returned to The Majestic and climbed into his car, she leaned back her head and let out a happy sigh.
“This is one of the loveliest days I’ve had in a long time. Thank you.”
“Me too, and I should be thanking you,” he smiled as he started up the car and headed out of the parking lot.
Glancing out the window, her mind began to wander back to the mystery surrounding Scott and the background check. There was more going on than just a vague question mark and a security report.
If it does turn out that Scott isn’t who he claims, or there’s some big issue with him, what then? Will it affect Vince and me? Shoot, is there is a Vince and me, or is this just a passing thing? If Vince is a spy, maybe he’s just using me to get information about Scott. Holy crap, is that possible? I guess it’s possible. Shit, I have nothing but questions. I guess all I can do is what my dad used to say, let it develop. It’s not going to be easy, this guy could totally break my heart.
As if reading her mind, Vince reached across the console and took her hand.
“Hey, keep the faith. This will all work out, trust me.”
Gazing into his determined blue eyes, she felt her stomach flip.
“I do,” she said quietly. I have no choice. It’s just in me to trust you, and I don’t know why.
Chapter Thirteen
As they entered the house, Vince brought her in his arms for a long warm hug.
“How are you feeling?”
“Super relaxed; even with the Scott mystery swirling around, I feel really good. That meal was so delicious, and the long walk was wonderful.”
“I agree. It was a time well worth repeating. Come with me, I want to show you something,” he said, taking her hand.
“Sounds intriguing.”
“Not really, just some photographs.”
“The other gallery, the one on the opposite wall?”
“Yep. Those pictures are personal. I think you’ll find them more interesting than the military ones.”
“I don’t know about that,” she grinned. “I thought you looked mighty hot in some of those.”
“I’m beginning to think you have a one-track mind.”
“Are you complaining?”
“Uh, no, but you might wear me out,” he laughed as they entered the small study. “Go ahead, take a look.”
Walking across the room, she noticed the photographs were all family snaps, and just like his other gallery, they were chronological.
“These are wonderful,” she beamed. “What made you think of adding them year after year?”
“My dad. He said it was to keep track of my triumphs and tragedies, and to make sure I never forgot where I came from.”
“That’s brilliant. Is this him?” she asked, pointing to a picture of a tall, fit man with his arm around an attractive woman.
“Yep, that’s my mom and dad. They’re only about forty-five minutes from here.”
“Do you see them often?”
“All the time,” he nodded. “I’m very close to my family.”
“I probably shouldn’t ask you this, but are there any lost loves up here?”
“Only one,” he said. “Tina, there. That was taken the day she left for college on the other side of the country.”
“What happened to her?”
“She married a brain surgeon and I married the military. We both did the right thing.”
“Seriously? She married a brain surgeon?”
“Yep. He wasn’t when they met, of course. She was pre-med at the time. I figured she’d end up with a doctor. It was the natural course of events.”
“She’s extremely pretty.”
“Yes, she was, I’m sure she still is.” Pausing, he then said, “Bella, there’s something I’ve been wanting to ask you about hypnosis.”
“Go ahead.”
“Maybe we should sit down,” he suggested, guiding her to the loveseat against the adjacent wall. “In a few months, there’s a good chance I’ll be returning to civilian life.”
“Really? Can you do that?”
“I can, but I won’t bore you with the details. One of the reasons I bought this house was to plant some roots. It was a start to the transition. I know what I want to do, I’ve known for some time.”
“It has something to do with hypnosis?”
“Possibl
y, that’s what I want to ask you about. A while back a close friend of mine went through a dreadful ordeal. His daughter got hooked into a cult.”
“Oh, my goodness, I didn’t expect that,” she exclaimed.
“I helped get her out, and when I say, get her out, I mean we literally grabbed her off the street. We took her somewhere she couldn’t be found by the bastard who had been exploiting her, but that was just the beginning. It took months for her to recover. It was as if she’d been brainwashed. I decided at the time, if I ever left the military, it was what I wanted to do. Get licensed as a private detective and search out missing people, focusing on rescuing kids like Amanda, that’s her name.”
“Wow. I don’t know what to say.”
“So, about the hypnosis, would that have helped her?”
“Hmmm. Initially I think her defenses would have made it virtually impossible to hypnotize her, but once she’d settled down I think it could have sped up her recovery, and, Vince, hypnosis would have helped uncover why she’d been drawn to the cult in the first place.”
“Her father put her in therapy and that brought out some things,” Vince said quietly.
“I’m sure it did, but there’s another way hypnosis could work for you.”
“There is?”
“I help people find things, like keys, rings, watches, stuff like that. Under hypnosis, people can recall important bits of information they’ve forgotten, or aren’t aware of. For instance, if a child is abducted, the people around that child at the time, or even in the area, may have key evidence they don’t know they have.”
“That had never occurred to me,” Vince said, staring at her. “When I get this thing off the ground, would you consider becoming involved? I know it’s premature, but—”
“Of course,” she said enthusiastically. Dropping her voice, she added, “You are such a remarkable man. It’s so noble, what you want to do.”
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