She pulled gently to see if he would relinquish her arm. He would not. “We’ve kept in touch over the years. She’s a delightful woman and we enjoy each other’s company.” Her answer was tinged with defensiveness.
“That would also explain why she had your number and address.”
“But it would not explain why she gave them to you.”
Adam knew she would have folded her arms over her chest if they had been free, and gave her a bright smile. “I’m her favorite son.”
They resumed walking. “You’re her only son.…”
Instinct told Adam he had better quickly explain. With so much to make up for already, he didn’t want her on the defense. “Well, she knows Lance and I are working on some vague project about Disneyland. I told her we were stuck on something and she agreed you were the best person to help.”
“So Margaret doesn’t know what you’re doing. Does anyone else?”
Adam shook his head. “Nope, no one.… Well, unless Lance has blabbed to some of his girlfriends. But, I don’t think he’d do that. Where is he, by the way?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. He left as soon as I had work for him to do. Just look for the biggest group of women.”
He playfully tugged on Beth’s arm. “Jealous?”
Beth had to laugh at that. “No. That’s just Lance. Always has been. I thought he would’ve settled down by now.”
“I think he’s waiting for you.”
Now it was her turn. “Jealous?”
“Completely.” He paused in front of the Volkswagen section.
“Now, that is green.” She grinned at the one car that stood out from the others.
He couldn’t resist. “Obviously, Captain. It’s kinda cute.” It was a 1962 V.W. painted Neon Green with green metal flake in the paint. A huge toy wind-up key perched on the roof, green fuzzy dice dangled from the rearview mirror and Kermit the Frog sat behind the wheel. “Think there’s a theme going on here?”
They finished the circuit and were back at her car. There were now six T-Birds of various years and colors. “This is yours?” She could hear the surprise in his voice as he stared at her car.
“A little different than my Wrangler, huh?”
Adam just nodded as he walked around the car. The trunk was up to show off the original checkered liner and the driver door was open for the polished chrome dash and embossed Thunderbird leather door panels. A couple stopped to ask about the car. As Beth chatted with them, he sat in one of her chairs and watched her as she talked. She was still as animated and bubbly as she had been when she was doing her spiel as a Keel Boat pilot.
The couple finally wandered over to the yellow T-Bird and asked that owner the same questions. “It’s like working in the Park,” she explained to Adam as she sat down next to him. “You answer the same questions over and over and try to make it sound like it was the first time you said it.”
Adam accepted the bottled water she handed him. “Thanks. How did you get into all this?” His gesture took in the park and all the cars. “You never seemed too interested in cars before.”
Beth paused before answering as all her conflicts with Adam raced through her mind. Did she owe him answers? Explanations? Reasons? Anything? Did she want to open up to Adam—the man who broke her heart? He trusted her enough to bring her in on the treasure hunt—if there really was a treasure. Was five years long enough? Was any length of time long enough? Maybe it was time to bury the hatchet. His mom seemed to think so or she never would have given Adam her address. Beth always admired and trusted Margaret and her judgment....
As well as Adam knew her, he accepted the reason for her hesitation and was silent. She hadn’t kicked him out of the car show. That was something. He had a deep suspicion that he was being watched by her male car friends—that, if she just snapped her fingers, a dozen of them would be more than happy to escort him to his truck and beat the crud out of him. There was a camaraderie in the large group which probably made Beth feel better about hanging out with them. While he was glad they watched out for each other…. Well, some of these guys looked like they probably had a crescent wrench and a pair of jumper cables handy…something he didn’t want to find out.
After another admirer of her car left, he ventured to ask, “So, how did you get into this? Or have you decided to answer me yet?”
She glanced over at him out of the corner of her eyes. No animosity, just curious. “Long version or short version?”
“Surprise me.”
Beth took a deep breath and looked around before answering. You don’t have to do this, girl. “Once upon a time, there was a brown-haired princess who married her blonde Prince Charming. He gave her lots of pretty things, including a bronze-colored chariot to show to the other princesses. He owned a Silver Shadow that he liked to show off, too.”
“So, Prince Charming was into car shows. A Rolls? Nice.”
She nodded. “It was. He had done a complete frame-off restoration. It was beautiful. He showed it at car shows, so I got interested in them, too. Something to share, I guess. Then, one day not too long after Puerto Rico, he started treating me differently.”
“Your honeymoon Puerto Rico?”
She frowned as she stared straight ahead. “Yeah, that Puerto Rico. I soon found out there was someone named Katherine, and Katherine was pregnant. Katherine who had dumped him for someone named Phillip. But Phillip galloped off into the sunset alone when he found out she was already pregnant. Now she wanted Prince Charming back. Keeping up with me?”
Adam gave a disgusted grunt. “Does Prince Charming have a name?”
A little of the bitterness came through. “Prince Charming has lots of names. None of them fit for the kiddies walking past us right now.” Beth paused. “So, was this the long version or the short version? I can’t remember.”
“Me either. You’re doing fine, Beth,” Adam said kindly.
“Anyway, I wasn’t high on the priority list. I got some consolation prizes; he filed for divorce and they now live on the beach in Malibu. End of story.”
Adam indicated her car with a tilt of his chin. “Consolation prize?”
“One of them, yes. He bought me my condo, paid the taxes for the first two years, gave me a somewhat decent settlement. All so I would agree to Irreconcilable Differences on the divorce papers rather than the truth.” Beth shrugged. “I guess coming to car shows stuck. They’re enjoyable. Get to meet a lot of people. Occasionally I win a trophy. That’s nice, too.” She didn’t want to talk any more about Brent or how foolish she had felt when it was over within a matter of months. She had had to face her friends who had warned her about this guy. His square-jaw, blue-eyes, and blonde hair had reminded her of Adam—a fact she hadn’t wanted to acknowledge. His cool, cruel dismissal of her? No, she didn’t want to think or talk about him anymore.
“Yeah, I can see you know quite a few of the owners.” Adam’s voice was welcome as it drug her away from her painful, embarrassing memories.
Beth smiled and looked around. “Yeah, most of them are pretty decent. We all love our cars. Some of them I see at every show.”
Adam hedged a little and tried to sound casual. “Uhm, anyone in particular?”
Amused, she looked him directly in the face. “Are you asking if I’m seeing anyone?”
He blinked. “Well, yes.”
“Adam, we’ve known each other a long time. You don’t need to beat around the bush. Just ask.”
He was a little surprised by her candor. “All right. Are you seeing anyone?”
With a half-smile she turned away, tilting her face to the sun. “None of your business.”
After a couple of minutes of good-natured silence between them, Beth looked around for Lance. “I think I’ve been stood up by my date. Are you hungry? They always have a terrific barbecue.”
“I could go for that.” He would have agreed to anything, happy to stay with her longer.
They walked over the expanse of green grass th
at made up most of the park. The lunch tent was off in the rear, smoke pouring from the ever-burning fire pit. Lunch was tri-tip sandwiches, chips, baked beans, salad, and a drink. She had a rolled-up flannel blanket that she had pulled out of the trunk and opened it under a huge oak tree. Now that the cars were silent, the birds had ventured out with song again. The breeze picked up a little, making the day perfect. Beth sat with her back against the tree digging into the beans. Adam watched her eating with gusto and laughed softly. Her head shot up, suspicious. “What?”
“You always were a good eater.”
“You sound like my mom,” she managed to say around a mouthful of beans.
He opened his mouth to say something, but closed it and shook his head. He took a bite of his sandwich instead. The tri-tip was pink in the middle. Fresh salsa gave it some zing.
She still watched him, eyes narrowed. “What were you going to say?” When he hesitated, she added, “Hey, I told you my big story. I’ve never told anyone those nasty particulars.” And never will again, she noted to herself.
He looked down and poked at his salad. He didn’t like Italian dressing. “I…I was just remembering a picnic we had.”
Careful here, she warned herself. “Which one?” Darn it, she couldn’t stop herself.
“The one on Tom Sawyer’s Island.”
Beth choked on her soda. “Oh, no. You would remember that.”
“Come on! That was a classic! I’ll bet they’re still talking about it.”
She didn’t have to ask who “they” were. All the canoe guides and all her Keel Boat friends. “I don’t know how I let you talk me into that.”
“If I remember right, it didn’t take much persuasion,” he pointed out. “You did manage to steal the canoe.”
She sniffed. “I didn’t steal it. I just borrowed it while no one was looking.… There’s a difference.”
“Uh huh.”
What a picnic that was. Adam had brought the food in his backpack on a day when the Mark Twain and the Columbia weren’t in service. The Raft guys were too far back toward New Orleans Square to see them. Beth had bribed one of the Canoe guides to leave two paddles in the barrels. During the excitement before the Fantasmic show when literally thousands of guests poured into Frontierland and all the cast members were busy handling them, they had sneaked down to the Canoe dock and untied the one canoe that had been ‘forgotten.’ Paddling around the island to Uncle Jed’s cabin, they tied up at the little dock and covered the spotlights with a blanket so they wouldn’t be seen by the passing Steam Train. The dinner was leisurely eaten sprawled out on a blanket, watched over by the eagle perched on top of the neglected chimney of the cabin. Then he had started kissing her and it was as if they were in a wilderness all their own. Two hours later they debated paddling all the way around the Island, but that was too risky. The Canoes always closed at dusk and it had already been dark for quite some time. The next day at work all the guys had teased her, but it was a good teasing. Her rating with them really went up. Not everyone stole a canoe.
“What are you looking all dreamy about?” Lance suddenly plopped down next to her and finished off her chips.
“Am I?” Beth reddened.
“Yes, you are. Thinking about me?” Always hopeful, he knew his presence hadn’t been noticed by either of them.
Instantly irritated at his friend again and puzzled by his annoyed reaction, Adam suddenly felt he had to one-up Lance. “No, we were discussing our picnic on Tom Sawyer’s Island.”
Lance started to laugh, ignoring the jibe. “Oh, that was a classic! I don’t know why you didn’t invite me.”
“I do.” Adam’s grumble was covered by a gulp of his soda.
Beth needed to change the direction of the conversation. “Did Anne find you?”
“Me?” Lance actually sounded surprised. “No. She’s your friend.”
They finished up their lunches. Or rather, Lance finished up what they hadn’t yet eaten. Adam folded up the blanket while Beth gathered up the debris. Together, the three walked back to the T-Bird.
Once they returned to Beth’s car, she noticed it was getting a lot more attention now that Lance was in its vicinity. “So, how long are we going to stay?” Bored, Lance leaned over the back of Beth’s chair, his chin resting on the top of her head.
Beth ignored the looks Adam was shooting at Lance. “Judging is already over and the awards are at 3 o’clock. All the drivers usually stick around for that and leave together. It makes quite a parade for the spectators.”
“Oh. Well, we could leave now and go watch that movie of yours.” Lance referred to Swiss Family Robinson and hoped it might hold the key to the last clue they had been working on.
“I always wait until after the awards. You never know.” She attempted to look nonchalant about receiving a trophy, but failed.
Standing, Lance finished off her drink. “We might as well go. You aren’t winning anything.”
She sniffed. “Thank you, Mister Car Expert.”
“I was talking with the judges. They showed me the list of winners.”
She just shook her head. “Is there any place you can’t get into?”
He looked pointedly at Adam. “Apparently just Tom Sawyer’s Island when others plan a unique picnic. Can we leave?”
Disappointed by her up-coming and yet-to-be announced loss, Beth shrugged. “I guess. Adam? You ready to go?”
“Sure. Can I drive your car?”
“Hey!” Lance protested. “You wouldn’t let me.”
She rolled her eyes. Men. “I don’t care, Adam. Lance, you’re too tall. You barely fit riding over here.”
With a victorious chuckle, Adam tossed Lance his keys and told him where his Silverado was parked. Lance stalked off, grumbling about where something else could be parked. Looking back at the classic car, Adam was more excited than he tried to let on.
She gave him a few instructions as they packed up the chairs. “Put it in neutral to start the engine. Pump it twice and then turn the key. Let it warm until the choke drops.”
Whenever a hot rod or classic car started its engine, all the people in the immediate vicinity stopped to watch. Beth slid easily into the passenger seat. Adam had a large audience as he got behind the wheel...or tried to get behind the wheel. The seat was moved up for Beth’s shorter legs. He banged his head on the door frame and hit his knee on the wheel. She was all innocence. “Gosh, sorry, Adam! I should’ve moved the seat back.”
Pushing together, the bench seat was rolled back to a comfortable position for Adam. Holding the ignition key in his right hand, Adam was unable to find the place to insert the key. After a few embarrassing moments, Adam found the ignition was on the opposite side of the steering wheel. “Anything else you want to tell me?” he grumbled in a low voice as the windows were still open and everyone was watching.
“No, no. You’re doing great. Give it a little gas after you start it.”
The motor purred to life and he pressed the gas pedal. The V8 responded with a huge roar and a cloud of black smoke blew out the exhaust. Cursing under his breath, he tapped it a little easier and the idle dropped. He looked at Beth who was trying to hide a grin, and got a nod to proceed. He put the car into drive and lightly turned the steering wheel. Nothing moved.
“Lot of play in the wheel.”
He slowly pulled out onto the walkway. As he headed toward the flags marking the exit, a man talking on his phone crossed in front of them. Adam hit the brakes and they came to a screeching, smoking stop.
“Oh, yeah, the brakes are a little touchy.”
He could see some snickering from the Cobra owners. “Anything else?” he asked through clenched teeth.
She waved to the owner of the ’29 Hi Boy Roadster. “Think I should get ghost flames when I get it repainted?”
He growled and aimed the car through the exit banner. After testing the brakes twice at a stop sign, he didn’t have any more mishaps on the short drive to her place. Lance was a
lready there. She halfway expected him to be inside eating dinner.
Adam came to a jerking stop inside the garage. He seemed relieved to hand her the keys. “Thanks, that was…fun.”
“Sheesh, Adam, you drive like a girl! No, wait, I take that back. Even Beth drove better than that!” Lance tossed Adam his keys and snickered all the way to the door.
“Boys, play nice!” Beth looked way too pleased with herself as she unlocked the door and went in. She found her Swiss Family Robinson video. “Here or at your place, Adam?”
“Well, we’re already here. It’s time to find Walt’s island…. Lance, what are you doing?”
Lance was going through all her cabinets in the kitchen. “Popcorn.… Found it. Give me two minutes.”
Once they were all settled, Adam looked at the back of the video. “Okay, kiddies, movie or extras?”
“Extras,” they all decided.
Lance stretched out on the sofa, his head in Beth’s lap while she fed him popcorn and played with his hair. He was asleep within five minutes. However, by that time they already had their answer.
Tobago. The movie was filmed on Tobago in 1960. And…most importantly, Walt had been there early in the filming. Adam made some more notes while the extras continued.
“Gosh, that was easy.” Beth looked concerned when they turned off the movie. “Too easy? Think we are on the right track?”
Adam watched as Beth continued stroking the sleeping Lance’s hair. Irritation with Lance started to surface again. “Yeah, it has to be right. It all fits: the time period of the film, Walt was there on the island, the song in the movie. It has to be right.” He reached over and gave Lance’s feet a rough shove. “Lance! Wake up, lover boy. We found it.”
Lance just grunted and turned on his side, burrowing a hand under her thigh. She wasn’t sure he was actually asleep. She leaned down to softly croon in his ear. “Lance? Wakey, wakey.”
He turned to his back again and opened his eyes. The deep brown eyes with their gold flecks were still blurry from sleep. Their faces were just inches apart. Still not completely awake, he gazed up into her face. “Run away with me.” His words were like a whisper on her cheek.
Sometimes Dead Men DO Tell Tales! Page 28