A Golden Tree

by Fern Michaels

  “He’s a lot of fun when he wants to be. Of course, you wouldn’t know that, being at the top of the pecking order. Us peons do have a lighter side when we’re away from our boss lady.”

  Both women giggled, as they knew this wasn’t true, but it was funny. “Let’s stop playing around, Ava. I really am swamped. What about Dad?” Why hadn’t she thought of him before?

  “Beau?” Ava questioned. “Isn’t he needed elsewhere? Isn’t he supposed to be overseeing the Christmas parties this year? I was sure that was on my list.”

  “Yes, and yes. He owns the place, Ava. If he’s needed in another capacity, he’ll jump on it.”

  And he would. For years, Holly had seen both of her parents perform duties that weren’t generally considered among those to be fulfilled by owners. But she had to remind herself that her parents weren’t like the owners of other inns or hotels. They truly cared about the guests and their employees. They were not like the “bottom line is all that counts” owners found in so many places. Whether it meant washing dishes or having a glass of champagne with the governor, both were always prepared to do what needed to be done.

  “I know that, but I think I’d rather have Gannon. Maybe I can teach him a thing or two. That’s if you’re sure you won’t need him.”

  Again, Holly wanted to strangle her best friend. She wasn’t making a simple decision very easy. Had to be the pregnancy hormones. It was unlike Ava to be so wishy-washy where decision making was concerned.

  Exasperated, Holly spoke a bit louder than normal. “Then he’s all yours, okay?”

  “Okay, okay. You don’t have to get all huffy about it. I’ll take him under my wing, show him the ropes. Maybe he’ll work out, after all.”

  “Then it’s settled. Gannon will act as your assistant tonight. And, Ava, if you so much as breathe a word to him about me, I promise you, as soon as you deliver those boys, I will personally strangle you with their umbilical cords.”

  “Holly! That’s terrible. I can’t believe you’d even say such a thing. I’ll never have a normal thought about their umbilical cord again. Shame on you!”

  “Ava, calm down. You’re overreacting. I’m kidding, okay? Your hormones are definitely out of whack.”

  “I suppose, but still, that’s not a very nice thing to say, especially at Christmastime.”

  “I’m sorry, okay?” Holly said sweetly.

  “I accept your apology. Now, make sure Gannon wears his black suit and the red tie. It will be perfect.”

  “Okay,” Holly said, then hung up. This conversation had taken up way too much time already.

  Only after she had started on the next item on her agenda did Holly wonder how Ava knew that Gannon owned a black suit and a red tie.

  Chapter 13

  “It seems like it’s been forever,” Monty said, giving Annie a big hug.

  “It’s been too long, that’s for sure,” Annie replied. “I’m glad you called me. I was getting bored, and so was Myra. You remember my telling you about Myra?”

  “I do, but you failed to mention what a beauty she is.” Monty took Myra’s outstretched hand, then placed a light kiss on top of it.

  “Pleased to meet you, Monty. Annie’s talked of you often through the years.” Myra winked at him. “She certainly didn’t tell me how debonair you are, either. Shame on you, Annie.”

  “Enough of this sappy stuff. We’ve got a job to do.”

  Leave it to Annie to cut straight through the fat and aim right for the bone.

  Sophie and Toots stood around and waited to be introduced. When Annie and Myra failed to take charge of introductions, Sophie stepped into the small space in which Annie and Monty were standing.

  “I’m Sophia Manchester, and this”—she motioned to Toots—“is Teresa Loudenberry. We’re here to find out what’s going on in the pharmacy and who’s been tampering with your meds.”

  Sophie’s introduction went unnoticed.

  “Annie, I thought you said you were taking care of this yourself? I’m not so sure this is such a good idea.”

  “Hello. We’ve gone to a lot of trouble for this assignment, Mr. Monty. Teresa and I could be home right now, showing off our homes to hordes of admiring Charlestonians, rather than leaving that oh-so-pleasant chore up to our long-suffering husbands, so I’m not sure what Annie’s told you, but she is not going undercover. Nor is Myra. We are.” Sophie pointed a finger at her chest, then at Toots. “And who are you?” she asked the man standing silently in a corner of Monty’s living room.

  “This is Rex. He’s Monty’s best friend. His son, Beau Simmons, owns the inn where you gals are staying,” Annie said in a friendly voice. “Come over here, Rex, and make yourself known.”

  Rex joined the group clustered around the large coffee table. “Pleased to meet you, ladies.”

  “Okay, now that the introductions are out of the way, I say it’s time to talk business. Monty, you know Myra and I can’t directly involve ourselves in this mission. We’ve been in enough trouble over the years. And our pardons do not cover future misbehavior. However, Miss Toots and her partner, Sophia Manchester, were invited to apply to our group for a temporary assignment. They’ve more than passed muster. I have complete confidence that they will be able to uncover whatever underhanded shenanigans are taking place at the pharmacy. Toots and Sophia will act as guests tonight at the Christmas party for the pharmacy and its clients. I’ve explained to them in detail what’s required of them in order for us to consider this mission successful. I assure you, these two are up to the task.”

  “It would’ve been nice if you’d told us that. You led us to believe you viewed us as two old women with nothing better to do,” Sophie said in a none-too-friendly tone. “The least you could have done was tell us this to our faces.”

  “She’s right, Annie,” Myra agreed. “We’ve kept them in the dark. I, for one, apologize.” Turning to Sophie and Toots, Myra continued, “You wouldn’t even be considered for the assignment had we not believed in your ability to complete the mission. It’s rather small compared to those we’ve undertaken in the past, but one can never make any mission out to be less than it is.”

  Turning once again to face Annie, Myra said, “I think you need to tell these women you’re sorry.” Myra said this while staring Annie directly in the face.

  “Oh, crap. I’m sorry, okay? I didn’t want you two getting too full of yourselves, that’s all,” Annie explained somewhat reluctantly. “Does that make you feel better now?”

  “It’s a bit on the crude side, but yes, it will do,” Myra replied. “Now, let’s get this show on the road. The party is scheduled to begin at four. Cocktails first, then dinner. Toots, you will want to make sure Mr. Baumgardner drinks a lot. I heard he likes his booze, so that shouldn’t be a problem.

  “Sophia, you’re going to moan and whine about your brother here, Monty, complain that he’s not dealing with a full deck, and mention that he keeps forgetting to take his meds. Again, let’s stick to the instructions to the letter, and we shouldn’t have a problem. Are we all clear about what’s expected? Rex, you’re too quiet. Have you anything to offer?” Myra asked.

  “I don’t like deceiving Beau, if that counts as anything. Normally, I would tell him when I’m . . . up to something, so if that counts, it’s all I have to offer.”

  “Of course it counts. Right, Annie?” Myra said. “Think about it this way. You’re not really going to lie to your son. Beau, is it? He knows you’re attending this party tonight, rather than being at that craft gig going on at the inn. You’re here for Monty because he invited you. If your son questions you later, you can explain that there were a couple of ladies you two had taken an interest in. And there are Sophia and Toots. So, in the strictest terms, you’re really not lying to your son.”

  “Myra, you should have been an attorney,” Sophie said. “You lie quite convincingly.”

  “I’ll take that as a compliment, dear. But, really, it’s not that far off from the truth. Thin
k about it,” Myra concluded.

  “Beau won’t ask, really,” Rex added. “As long as I’m enjoying myself. I just wanted you all to know that concealing things from Beau isn’t something I’m comfortable doing.”

  “You need to hang around with Toots for a while. She’ll have you behaving like a habitual liar in no time at all,” Sophie teased.

  “Sophia! How dare you?” Toots shouted, no longer caring that they were in the company of strangers. “Why on earth would you say that? I am not a liar!”

  “I was kidding, okay? But you did lie about owning The Informer for years, remember?”

  “That was different, and you know it. Now is not the time to bring up our personal lives, Sophia. You have no class whatsoever.” Toots shook her head. “Beau, I would never want you to become the prevaricator that my dear friend Sophia is turning into.”

  “It’s fine, really. I know this is just a bunch of malarkey.”

  “Enough!” Annie shouted, then clapped her hands to get their attention. “The party starts in two hours. Let’s get out of here so we can all get ready. There is no dress rehearsal, kiddos. This is it. Opening and closing night at the same performance. The real deal. Now hustle.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Sophie said, giving a crisp salute.

  “I’m leaving now,” Toots said, “but I don’t need two hours to prepare for a party. I can get ready in less than ten minutes.” She glanced at Sophie. “Unlike some women I know.”

  “Out, out, out!” Annie ordered. “I don’t want to see you or hear another word out of any of you until this mission is accomplished!”

  Chapter 14

  Holly spent the afternoon going over the event schedule for December. Her mother had thought of everything, except the extra employees required to make it all flow as smoothly as possible. Taking care of that was Holly’s job, and she’d been putting off hiring holiday help. Without Ava, she wasn’t going to have the time to conduct interviews, so she contacted a temp service agency they’d used in the past and arranged for them to supply the extra help they needed. If they did a good enough job, she would consider using their services in the future, which would make things a lot easier at holiday time.

  That taken care of, she could turn her attention to the first guest event of the season, and with luck, she might even enjoy herself. With a few minutes unscheduled, she called her father to catch up.

  “Hey, Dad. What’s up?”

  “I just talked to Pops. He’s not coming tonight.”

  Odd, Holly thought. Pops was usually at his best during the social events. Before retiring, he’d worked tirelessly alongside her mother to make sure each event was a bigger success than it had been the year before.

  “Did he tell you why?” Holly asked.

  “He said he had made plans with Monty. They’re going to a Christmas party of some kind at the Haven. I guess he’s really enjoying his retirement.”

  “Dad, did Marlene tell you about the countess and her friends?” Holly asked.

  A seed of an idea had been forming, yet what it was precisely she couldn’t quite put her finger on. All she knew was that it had been planted this morning, when Gannon told her that his grandfather had mentioned something about vigilantes. Instinct told her she needed to be on high alert. Though exactly what she needed to be alerted to, she wasn’t sure. She knew those women were up to something, and it might involve Monty, and maybe even Pops.

  “They arrived yesterday, of course. Marlene said they asked not to be disturbed. I respect that.”

  “Of course, and I do, as well. But there is something off. I can’t put my finger on it. This morning I came to the office early. Thought I’d get a head start on my day. The new guy I hired, Gannon Montgomery, to replace Ava showed up unannounced. He’d taken the previous afternoon off. His grandfather was having some problems. Dad, you’re not going to believe this, but his grandfather is Pops’s neighbor and new best friend.”

  “Is that what he wanted to tell you?” her father asked.

  “No.” Holly thought about it. What exactly had Gannon wanted to tell her? “No, he just wanted to let me know his grandfather was okay. I’d asked to be informed. But he did mention that his grandfather had been talking about a group of women. He said that they were vigilantes, and that if this was repeated, there would be trouble. I’m not sure what to make of it all.” Glad to get that off her chest, she went on. “Do you know anything about the countess and her friends?”

  “Other than that they’re our guests, no. Why? Is there more I should know?”

  “I’m not sure. As soon as Marlene comes in, I’m going to speak to her. I need to clear something up. If I have any news, I’ll call you. You’re going to the wreath-making party tonight?” she asked.

  “I wouldn’t miss it. I’m just sad your mother isn’t here to share it with. Knowing she planned this helps, though.” Her Dad’s normally smooth tone had become gruff. She knew he was tearing up.

  “I miss her, too, like you can’t imagine.”

  “I feel . . . angry. She was fifty-eight years old, and I thought she was in excellent health. I get so frustrated when I think of the effort she put into eating healthy and keeping herself fit and trim. She spent every single morning in the spa, exercising and doing laps in the pool. It just angers me that she was taken from me.”

  “I’m angry, too, but not in a normal way. Not at Mom. Like you said, she did all the right things, at least all the proper moves one makes to stave off a heart attack. I still don’t understand it,” Holly said.

  “My only comfort is knowing your mother is in heaven, looking down on us. And if I know her, she’s going to make sure this little craft thing tonight goes off without a hitch.”

  Holly laughed, though her eyes were filled with unshed tears. “She’d hate having you refer to it as a ‘little craft thing.’ She worked hard to make her Christmas events—I think that’s what she always called them—as exciting as she could. Dad . . .” Holly had wanted to ask her father this for a while, but the timing had never been right. It seemed right now. “Did Mom ever locate her biological family? I know she spent a lot of time researching right before she died.”

  Her mother had been adopted, yet both adoptive parents had died when Holly was still in elementary school. Mimi and Papaw. Holly had loved them so much, but she’d been too young to understand fully that they weren’t coming back.

  “No, but she said she wasn’t giving up until she found a biological relative. I’ve thought of hiring a private detective to see what they could uncover, but to what end? Your mother isn’t here to receive the news, so I guess it’s just silly of me even to consider such a thing.”

  “Dad, I think it’s a wonderful idea! We don’t know what Mom might’ve inherited from her family. Maybe there was a history of heart disease. You should pursue it. And it wouldn’t hurt my feelings if I knew what diseases I might face in the future. I’m not getting any younger, you know?”

  “I’ll see what I can do, old lady. Now, I need to speak to Omar. He’s insisting on prime rib for the office Christmas party being held at the Blue Sky tonight. I keep telling him the guests are vegans. I think he likes arguing with me.”

  Holly grinned. “Sounds just like Omar. Does what he wants, but he should respect the requests of the partygoers. I’ll see you tonight.”

  They said their good-byes. Holly wondered if her mother’s relatives had some horrid health history. After the holidays, if Dad didn’t hire a detective to locate Mom’s family, then she would do it herself.

  “Good afternoon, young lady,” Marlene said as she entered the office. “We’re going to be swamped today.”

  “And good afternoon to you, too,” Holly replied.

  Holly nodded. “You’re right. We need to get busy.”

  Five minutes later, Marlene brought to Holly’s desk a computer printout and a box of muffins from the bakery downstairs.

  “That you insist on bringing that stuff into my office amazes me. I�
�m not eating any sweets until tonight.”

  “Doesn’t mean I can’t,” Marlene said, then bit into what looked like a cranberry-walnut muffin. Holly knew they were to die for, but she was saving her calories for tonight.

  “True. Marlene, remember when you were telling me about the countess, Anna something or other, and her friends being involved with a group of vigilantes?”

  Between bites, Marlene said, “No, they didn’t say it that way. I think they said they were the vigilantes.”

  Holly shook her head. “Okay, of course they are. Seriously, there is a little mystery I’m trying to solve. Do you really believe they’re vigilantes? It sounds like something out of a novel, if you want my opinion.”

  Marlene looked from side to side to make sure no one else was in the room. Then she got up and closed the door to Holly’s office. She spoke in a low voice, almost a whisper. “It’s been reported in the Washington Post that Anna de Silva was involved with a certain group of women who called themselves the Vigilantes and were granted a pardon some years back by the president of the United States. I’m not saying it’s true or false, but there is suspicion. She told me she was a Vigilante, and knowing what I know, I feel there is some truth to the story. Of course, she owns the newspaper, so it could be an elaborate hoax.”

  Holly took a deep breath. Her thoughts were all over the place.

  “Listen, I need to step out for a bit. If anyone comes looking for me, tell them I’m . . . at the spa, having a massage. I don’t want to be interrupted.”

  Marlene raised her eyebrows. “Whatever you say. You’re the boss.”

  Chapter 15

  Holly held her pass up to the elderly gentleman and waited for him to raise the gate. She needed to make sure Pops and his new friend, Monty, weren’t getting themselves involved in something they shouldn’t. On the ride over, she had kept telling herself that she was being paranoid. Those women weren’t Vigilantes, and her grandfather would never get involved with such nonsense, even if it was true.