She bit her lip. If she told him the truth he’d go ballistic, so she lied. Even her original concocted story about helping her out of the porn industry and how one thing lead to another wouldn’t fly with him right now. She could tell by his tone he was right on the edge.
Thinking feverishly Jade remembered a lecture she had given in the spring. “She attended the lecture I gave at the University of California. She came up afterwards and asked me a few questions and we hit it off. We’ve kept in touch over the past few months so I decided to take the plunge and spend some time with her. It was only supposed to be for the weekend but I was enjoying myself so much I wanted to spend more time with her. You have to believe me when I say I didn’t intend for this to happen. It got serious really quick. I’ve honestly never felt this way about anyone.”
Anthony’s tone softened a bit. “Even Holly?”
“Even Holly.”
“Okay, I’ll run interference for you but you’ve got to keep in touch with me. If I’m calling it’s not to harass you but to keep you in the loop of what’s going on here. Deal?”
“Deal,” she said humbly.
After ending the phone call Jade laid her head in her hands. She had told one outrageous lie to him but there was no reason at this moment he needed to know the truth.
Sighing she got up. Tomorrow they had an appointment with Sadie, the owner of the rental property, to check it out and see if they liked it.
Feeling somewhat agitated and out of sorts from the conversation she had with Anthony, she headed toward the bed where she could find some relief with Stacey.
With Stacey lying in her arms after the blissful release of lovemaking she told her the story she had concocted for Anthony about how they met.
“It’s risky because if anyone finds out the truth, it’s not going to be good.”
“I know. But even so it’s not out of the realm of possibility you attended my lecture and I found out afterwards.
“Besides, even if it comes out that you’re an escort as long as no one finds out that I paid for you, we can still make it work. We’ll say we kept in touch and it wasn’t until much later I found out about your past. Then we could spin it that I set out to help you but fell in love with you instead.”
Stacey remained unconvinced. “I dunno. All it takes is one person to uncover the fact that you paid for my services and it’s game over.”
“I was really careful Stacey and I don’t think it’s something we need to worry about... Only you and I will know about it.”
She nodded slowly, uncertainly. “If you say so.”
“Besides, I think it’s time we start acting like a couple here because before you know it, we’ll be back in New York. I have no intention of hiding our relationship there.
“Kalispell will be a great way to ease into it. Get the comfort level up before we get back home.”
Stacey said nothing but gazed up into Jade’s eyes with her warm sherry colored ones. The seconds tick past and Jade’s heart started to hammer in her chest. Was Stacey was so worried about her past coming to light that she felt the only option was for her to leave? This was her biggest fear. It would destroy her if that happen. She’d have to make her stay somehow no matter what.
Stacey spoke, her words firm and decisive. “I don’t want fifteen thousand dollars, Jade. It’s demeaning and tawdry to our relationship. Actually I want to give back the money you paid me for our weekend together as well. And I do agree with you that we should start acting like a couple here.”
Jade’s heart now soared with happiness. Pulling her close and wrapping her arms tightly around her, her whispered words were laced with tears. “You’ve made me so incredibly happy just now. I don’t even know if words can express it.” Releasing her she looked deeply into Stacey’s eyes.
Stacey’s eyes brimmed with tears, joy shimmering on the surface of them. “You’ve done so much for me and given me more happiness in these past few days than I’ve had in my whole entire life.” The tears now spilled over and slid down her cheeks.
Pulling her into her arms Jade soothingly caressed and stroked her. She was beautiful not only on the outside but on the inside too where it matters the most. Emotion choked her throat and tears filled her eye as she held this precious young woman in her arms.
******
Colin had hightailed it up to the Gateway Inn Lodge and was now sitting in the office with the thoroughly despicable Sal trying to look like he thought what Sal was saying was interesting. Inside he was thinking ‘what a loser’.
“So I figured there was something kinky going on with those two,” Sal concluded.
Colin nodded thoughtfully like he had been listening the whole time. “Thanks for your insights Sal, I really appreciate them.” In reality he knew he needed to talk to Sandy Shmigelsky as she was the one who had pinned Jade Taylor as Jade Tanner.
He knew despite the similarities in the names not too many people would have put two plus two together and figured it out. Sandy had and what he wanted more than anything was her confirmation of the description of the two women. It needed to match what Sal had told him.
Leaning across, Colin put a hand on Sal’s shoulder suppressing a shudder. “Hey buddy, I still need to talk to Sandy to confirm a few details about Jade and Stacey. After all she spent some time with them. I need you not to let her know who I am or that I’m coming to see her.”
Sal look startled when Colin said this. “No worries on that front. The bitch doesn’t like me anyhow and the money I get from this story I don’t intend to split with anyone.”
“Don’t blame you,” Colin said as he got up to go. Personally he could completely understand why Sandy didn’t like him. Any woman worth her salt would steer clear of Sal Larson and then run hard the other way.
He got directions to the Shimgelsky residence. It was late so the visit would have to wait until the next morning.
Fortunately the cabin that the women had rented was unoccupied so he asked for it. It was a wonder the high and mighty Jade Tanner had chosen to stay here at all. The dismal air on the outside decorated the inside as well.
He wanted pictures of the place where Jade had brought her whore. His camera, always slung around his neck, was put into use immediately. The extremely high end camera didn’t need a flash. Without the miracle of the white flash, the pictures caught the grimness of the room. It was an odd place for the expensively coiffed CEO to hole up with her whore. Maybe she figured that was the key. Bring the slut to a place where no one would ever expect her to set foot. If so, he had to admire her calculating mind.
He knew from Sal which bed they had used. Looking at it, it made him shiver when he thought of the delights that went on there. He intended on sleeping in it.
****
After his conversation with Jade, Anthony leaned back in his chair with his hands looped behind his head. Something didn’t ring true to him.
It was true that she had given a lecture at the University but that was back in April. Only now in the last week in November she had decided to fly out for a weekend tryst? Unless this wasn’t the first time.
Sighing, he leaned forward placing his hands on the desk. It could all be above board and legitimate. Hell he had heard of many on-line relationships that had gone on for years before both people actually met. Still, intuition was telling him all was not what it appeared to be.
He realized again he had forgotten to ask Jade exactly where she was, he had been so intent on giving her shit. That one little detail kept eluding him when he had her on the phone. Would she even tell him the truth anyways if he asked? Looking down at his phone he was pretty sure if he tried to get a hold of her now she wouldn’t answer. He’d try again tomorrow because ‘after all, tomorrow was another day’ as Scarlett O’Hara would say.
Sometimes he wondered if Jade wasn’t something like Scarlett in Gone with the Wind. A little less ladylike and a little less charming but still as cutthroat if need be when push came to shove.
****
In the post sexual glow, Jade sleepily realized it was a lie women didn’t like sex as much as men. The truth was women wanted it as much as men but they wanted the same satisfaction. Most men had a hard time making good on the delivery.
Stretching luxuriously she realized how chilly the room had become... The window was open a crack. She wondered if she should get up and close it. Dismissing the idea, she pulled her arms back underneath the covers and warmed herself against Stacey’s welcoming body.
Chapter Thirteen
The next day they walked over to a restaurant called the Glacier Garden Café and met Sadie Moses. Jade wanted to meet her in person and run over to the rental property before she handed over her hard earned cash.
Sadie was easily recognizable, with wild black hair cascading down her back and a warm open smile on her face. Jade walked over to the table introducing herself and Stacey as her girlfriend. Sadie rolled her eyes and said, “If I could get me a girlfriend that looked like that I’d switch sides in a second. All I’d get me are painted bingo ladies with ciggies hanging out of their mouths and worn out PTA mothers hitting on me.”
She said it so tongue in check that both women burst out laughing. It was starting out to be a good meeting.
After breakfast Sadie drove them over to her rental property. Both women were delighted with its charming layout and warm atmosphere. It was as neat and clean as a whistle. Jade could easily envision her and Stacey staying there enjoying Christmas in this happy little house.
After signing the rental agreement, she drove them over to the bank. Jade got the certified check and gave it to Sadie. It was pricey renting the house for the entire month.
“If I were a suspicious woman I’d say you must be into drug trafficking or something. I mean what’s a beautiful woman like you doing with this kind of dough?”
It was such an old-fashion sentiment that women were incapable of making any sort of substantial money on their own that Jade couldn’t let it pass.
“Actually it’s cosmetics money.”
Sadie gave her a look that said what in god’s name are you talking about? Standing there looking at this genuinely warm, friendly woman, she had the unexpected urge to confide in her who she really was. Before she knew it she blurted out, “I’m Jade Tanner of Jade Cosmetics and Tanner Enterprises.”
Sadie looked stunned for a moment and then recovered slapping her forehead. “Well will wonders never cease? Who’d have thought THE JADE TANNER would come to Kalispell and rent my pokey little house?” She gave Jade a long sideways look. “Are you sure you’re being straight with me and you’re not renting my house with drug money.”
It was said in such a ludicrous fashion that both women found themselves once again genuinely laughing at Sadie’s off the cuff comment. It should have been insulting, but Sadie’s manner made it hysterical.
Controlling her mirth, Jade said, “It’s a beautiful town and you’re house is far from pokey. It’s lovely. But you have to promise me that what I’ve told you, you’ll keep to yourself. I wouldn’t have bothered mentioning it except you seemed to think I was trying to pay you with laundered drug money.”
Sadie looked at them both so solemnly which in itself made Jade want to laugh. She had to work hard at keeping the corners of her mouth from curving up. Because if they did she’d start laughing again and Sadie was being serious now. “You have my word. I figure you’ve come this far north because you want some anonymity and some R&R. I’ll do my best to see that you have it.”
Nodding her gratitude, Jade thanked her. Sadie drove them back to the hotel and dropped them off. Both women wasted no time in packing up their suitcases and heading over to their new temporary home.
******
Colin was in Sandy’s kitchen having a cup of coffee and probably the most delicious piece of chocolate cake he had ever had in his life.
Spinning his story he told Sandy how Stacey was a very troubled young woman who Jade had coerced into coming with her.
“You see, Sandy,” he said over a mouthful of cake, “Stacey’s dad lives in Manhattan and he’s convinced his daughter will be better off with him than her mother. And this is nothing new. Even when Stacey was young it was an on-going battle between her mother and her father over who would get her. The courts decided and guess who they chose as being the fit parent?”
“The mother.”
Colin could see he had gotten right to the heart of Sandy with his fake little tale. “Yup, sole custody to the mother.
“From what I understand from Verlene, Stacey’s dad is a real prick and this is where a great deal of Stacey’s problems stem from. I mean the stuff she saw that happened between her mom and dad would be tough for an adult to take in let alone a kid.”
Sandy’s eyes were wide in horror at the imagined atrocities that Stacey had seen.
“I know that Stacey’s dad probably believes in his whole heart that what he’s doing is for the right reasons and now that she’s twenty-three what can the courts say if she leaves. The black haired woman, well, her name is not really Jade Taylor at all but Rosalyn Becker and she’s been with Stacey’s dad for years. She’s thoroughly under his spell and will do anything he asks. She does resemble the real Jade Tanner a bit, so that’s probably why she went with the name Jade Taylor. Kind of an ego thing. Anyhow I’ve known Verlene for years and now her health isn’t so good – I think all those years of abuse have taken their toll on her – so I’ve taken a couple of weeks off work to look for Stacey.”
Sandy leaned across the table and clasped his hand that held the fork with her own. “You’re a good man. But wouldn’t the police help find her?”
“Nope, she’s an adult who went of her own free will so they won’t help. So do you have any idea of where they might have gone?” he asked. The whole point of his bullshit story was to get Sandy on his side so she’d give up any dirt she might have. He’d told her he’d already talked to Sal but he didn’t know anything. Her response had been to snort and call him an ass.
Shaking her head slowly, she said, “I’m sorry but I don’t know. I so wish I could help you but it didn’t come up in conversation. In fact,” Sandy bit her lip, “I was so sure the dark haired woman was Jade Tanner the cosmetic giant that I couldn’t think about anything else.”
She shrugged. “Sorry.”
Colin gave his best fake sincere smile and patted her hand. “That’s okay. Simply nice people like you taking the time to listen helps restore my faith in humanity.”
After his finished his cake and had one more cup of coffee, he said his goodbyes and then drove up the road a bit. Sitting in his car he tried to think of where they might have gone next. He couldn’t see Jade taking a woman lover to Salt Lake City, the Mormon Promised Land, but you never knew. Salt Lake City it was. He made good time, arriving there in the early afternoon.
Once checked into a cheap motel room, he picked up his phone and dialed George. His best bet was trying to track down the rental house in Las Vegas. Maybe the landlords might be good for some information. Colin figured she was smart enough to use cash and not to leave a paper trail. Still…if they were on the road and rented a vehicle he might be able to locate them through that. He was almost salivating with the scent of the story before him.
“George,” he said in way of greeting. Explaining what he wanted George simply said, “I’m on it” and hung up.
Clicking his cell phone off, he looked out the window of his dumpy little motel room looking straight at the majestic Grand America in the distance. He had no idea Jade and Stacey had stayed there in the most expensive suite.
George felt so indebted to Colin he would do almost anything he asked. George’s daughter, Nicole, had been seriously into drugs which led to prostitution. He had looked for her high and low knowing she was out there somewhere but every lead he found ended up being a dead end. Drinking heavily one night in a bar, he had met Colin. Drunk enough to tell him the tragic tale of his daughte
r, Colin had sensed a story that would pull on his reader’s heart strings. Patting George on the back he told him to leave it to him.
Unbelievably Colin had tracked George’s daughter down and had led George right to her. George asked how he had found her. All Colin said was “I never reveal my sources,” smiled and walked away.
It was a bloody shoot out that followed. With the anger and outrage that only a parent’s love can summon, George killed every one of the bastards that had defiled his daughter. It had been Colin’s incredible spin on the story that had made him out to be a hero to every parent alive. He had done what they all would have liked to do in the same situation. He was their Saint George who had battled the monsters and won.
Everyone inside knew the real deal, that it had been a set-up where George had planned it carefully and fully intended to murder the people who had degraded his daughter. After it was over he retired from the police force – he wasn’t given an option – but he and Colin had remained friends to this day. He immediately started to work on finding the rental property. Jade was no better than any of those men who had used his daughter. He’d see that she paid for her deeds.
******
Stacey woke up early Monday morning and eased out of Jade’s arms. Putting on her robe she went to the kitchen and started coffee.
She loved this place. Looking out the window, the majestic and graceful snow covered mountains seemed to keep watch over this peaceful, sleepy town.
Making the coffee she settled on the couch in the family room with her knees drawn up to her chin. Looking at the fireplace she thought about starting a fire but decided against it. They were going cross country skiing today and a fire would be ideal after that.
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