Darnell was no shrinking violet when it came to expressing her opinion, no matter the subject. She was definitely her mother’s child. Bev was sure that when her daughter found out about Ray that she would have plenty to say. So be it. She would tell her when she was ready for her to know. That is, if somebody else didn’t beat her to it.
With her shoulders squared and head high, Bev stepped up her pace. She was a woman who danced to her own tune, and this weekend she and Ray Wilson would be singing her song together.
* * *
Ray felt like a fugitive from justice as he moved along the highway toward Tiburon. The crime had been committed in Carmel and he was carrying the evidence with him in his head. He had gone into entertainment law to avoid having to delve into the abyss of depravity that too often accompanied criminal law. Yet here he was, mired in what appeared to have been a murder and wandering off into flights of fantasy about the apparent victim. Right now he needed the diversion offered by his home in Tiburon, with its close proximity to the beach and its magnificent view of the San Francisco skyline.
Ray wasn’t sure what he was going to do with the information he had uncovered regarding Ingram and Lake. He needed time to think. There was a lot to consider. If he was correct about the CEO of Stark Enterprises, Renee Ingram’s world would be turned upside down. He would hate to be the source of upheaval in her life. She was such a nice person. If he had simply let well enough alone he wouldn’t be facing this dilemma.
When he reached Tiburon he planned on calling Bev so that he could hear her sweet voice. Then he would take a hot bath, climb into bed, and sleep through the night. On Monday he would board a plane and head back to L.A. That sounded like a plan to him.
* * *
As she turned off the highway onto the Tiburon exit, Bev could hardly concentrate. She couldn’t wait to see Ray’s face when he opened the door and saw her standing there. He should be home by now. He had told her when he expected to arrive at his house. That had been hours ago. He had further informed her that his only plan for the evening was to rest. She figured that he could do plenty of that after they were finished with the business that she had planned for them. They would both need their rest.
The GPS system that she had brought with her guided her through Tiburon’s streets and finally to the tree-lined neighborhood in which Ray’s house was located. The houses in this area were elevated on sloped hillsides and were obscured from the street by terraced lawns. The landscaping was elegant with trimmed shrubbery, exotic flowers, and flowering fruit trees. There were no addresses on the mailboxes, which had proven to be a godsend for Thad when he lived on this street. Fans found it difficult to find his house. It might have proven to be an obstacle to Bev as well if Ray’s receptionist hadn’t told her about the custom-made gate that identified the property. It separated the stone steps leading upward to the house from the street below. At the left of the gate was what appeared to be a garage built into the hill beneath the house, but it was only a facade. The faux double doors with the frosted windows opened to reveal a driveway that wound its way up to the house.
Bev parked the car across the street from Ray’s home. Flinging her overnight bag over her shoulder, she stepped out of the car and dashed across the street, wondering at the lack of sidewalks in such a prosperous area. Pulling on the ornate handle of the wooden gate, she discovered that it was locked. She hadn’t planned on that, but she should have expected it. A vine-covered speaker and buzzer were located next to the gate. It looked as though her surprise scenario would have to be adjusted a bit. She had hoped to see the look of shock on his face when he opened his front door, but from the look of it that might not happen. It didn’t matter, she was here and she couldn’t wait to see him. She pressed the buzzer and waited.
* * *
Ray crossed the Golden Gate Bridge, awestruck, as usual, by the natural beauty of the Bay Area. Unlike others who might live in this region, he wasn’t immune to its intoxicating allure. He was seriously considering moving his law office up here. That possibility had been in the back of his mind since he purchased his house in Tiburon, and each year it grew stronger as life in the Hollywood bubble grew less appealing.
On his journey north, he had taken Highway 1, known as the Pacific Coast Highway, and he had enjoyed the leisurely drive. He had even packed his cell phone in his overnight case and put it in the trunk of the car. This was one of the few times that his life had been unencumbered by time restraints or other obligations, and he was glad that he had made that decision. It had done wonders for his psyche, helping him to temporarily forget the pressing issues that he might have to face in the coming days. He’d needed this brief respite for his peace of mind.
Glancing at the gas gauge he became aware that there was something else that he needed. Thad’s expensive sports car wasn’t mileage friendly, and there had been many fuel stops along the way. Ray turned off the highway onto the Sausalito exit, doubtful that he would make it home if he didn’t feed the gas tank.
* * *
As she sat in the car parked across the street from Ray’s house, Bev tried hard to fight the disappointment that she felt at his not being at home. She had called his cell phone with the hope that he had stepped out for an errand, or perhaps was inside his house asleep, tired from his trip north. His voice mail answered. Leaving a message for him to call her, she had disconnected in dismay. She had tried the buzzer at the gate one more time with the hope that if he were asleep inside he might hear it. The silence that met her attempt dashed that hope.
The joy that she had harbored during her journey to Tiburon threatened to erupt into tears now that she was here, but she wouldn’t allow it. She was a grown woman, not some adolescent child. She had built her surprise visit with Ray into an event that hadn’t materialized the way that she had planned. No big deal, but she couldn’t help wondering where he was. She knew that there were any number of places that he could be, but it was almost certain that he wasn’t in his house.
Mentally, she listed her options. She could continue to wait until he returned, camping out here in front of his home like some groupie. This meant that she could still surprise him, but stakeouts weren’t her style. Or, when she did talk to him—that was if he returned her call today—she could tell him where she was, nip the element of surprise, and still be with him as planned. That was the most logical plan, but what if he didn’t call until late this evening? She didn’t plan on being some homeless refugee. Maybe she could get a hotel room nearby. Somehow that plan didn’t appeal to her, either, but she had to think of something to salvage this fiasco. Starting the car, Bev drove away.
Nobody knew that she was here. Her plan had been a gamble from the beginning, one in which she would win or she would lose. The latter had been the result, and she would take her emotional lumps. She would see Ray on Monday. She could live with that. Meanwhile, she had to come up with a plan to make lemonade out of lemons.
* * *
Ray’s progress was slow as he drove into Sausalito. The picturesque hamlet drew tourists like flies to honey, and this weekend was no different. The streets were thick with people. His slow progress made him wonder if he couldn’t have made it to Tiburon with the fuel that he had. There was a line of cars at the first gas station that he spotted, and he made the mistake of not stopping. In an effort to get to the next station, he tried to take a detour to avoid being caught in the line of traffic that would take him through the main street where tourists were even more abundant, but he got trapped in the caravan of cars. He ended up exactly where he didn’t want to be, on Sausalito’s main street. Frustrated, he sat behind the wheel of Thad’s fancy car as it inched along at a snail’s pace.
* * *
Bev was determined not to let her disappointment ruin her day, and she had come up with a plan. The Stillwaters family owned a building in San Francisco in which Darnell had a furnished condo. Bev had a spare key to the place. Usually the condo was subleased, but it was empty at the mome
nt. Bev had decided to stay there overnight. She had originally reserved a chartered plane to fly Ray and her to L.A. on Monday, but she decided to cancel that reservation and spend Sunday driving down the coast to Los Angeles. She hadn’t done that for quite some time. She would spend the night in Santa Barbara, then arrive in the City of Angels on Monday morning, return the rental car, and take a cab to Ray’s house, meeting him there. Her trip to Tiburon need never be mentioned.
Satisfied with that decision, she found a parking space off the beaten path and hiked down the hill toward her intended site, the bustling main thoroughfare of Sausalito. Central to her recovery plan was shopping in as many of the stylish boutiques lining the boulevard as she could until she spent herself into feeling better about today’s events. She turned the corner and stepped onto the main thoroughfare just as the car that Ray was driving inched by.
CHAPTER 20
Bev was having a ball. In her opinion there was nothing better in life to counter temporary depression than shopping, and she was taking her prescription with a vengeance. Most of the packages that she was carrying were filled with clothing for her granddaughter.
Months ago Darnell and Thad had presented Bev with a plaque that dubbed her the Doting Grandmother of the Year. They said that it was in honor of her obsession with buying Nia everything on earth that a baby did or didn’t need. Thad had threatened to submit Bev’s name to the Guinness Book of Records for having purchased more baby products than any human being on earth. Bev had informed them both that it was their fault that she was such a spendthrift when it came to Nia. It was their combined genes that had produced the most beautiful baby in the world. That had stopped their teasing, and all they said now when presented with new gifts for the baby was thank you. Smiling at that thought, Bev moved on to the next shop, enjoying herself to the hilt.
Ray’s frustration at his slow pace through the streets of Sausalito led him to take drastic action. At the first opportunity he made a sharp left off the main drag and climbed uphill on a one-way street that was taking him further away from a gas station and closer to empty on the gas gauge. Parking the car, he got out and started trekking downhill toward the crowded downtown street that had caused him such aggravation. If he couldn’t beat them, he would join them. There were worse places in the world to kill time then in Sausalito, where its quaint shops, eclectic art galleries, and breathtaking views attracted tourists from all over the world. He had way too much on his mind. Perhaps this was his clue to slow down, chill out, and enjoy simply being. He would pick up some junk food, walk down to the Downtown Plaza, and sit and watch the tourists coming and going on the ferry from San Francisco. He hadn’t done that in years. He brightened at the thought of it as he joined the throngs on the city’s streets.
* * *
Two hours passed before Bev took a break. Surrounded by packages, she kicked her shoes off beneath the table as she relaxed at an outside café and feasted on a sumptuous crab salad sandwich, washing it down with a cold glass of lemonade. Finishing her meal, she leaned back in her chair and sighed with satisfaction. What a day.
Observing her numerous purchases, she dreaded having to hike back down the street and uphill to her car carrying her bundles and seriously considered an alternative. In retracing her steps to her vehicle, she had to pass the Downtown Plaza where the ferries docked, and it was much closer than the street where she had parked. She could easily board a ferry to San Francisco, catch a cab from Fisherman’s Wharf to Darnell’s condo and come back tomorrow and get the car. The thought was a bit extreme, but it sure would save her lots of steps and some arm strain. Actually, it was a solution for the extremely lazy, but what the hell. She was on a mini vacation, and that’s when people did crazy things. Gathering her bags, she mentally reviewed her choices as she paid her tab and headed up the street.
In the picturesque Plaza, Ray folded the newspaper that he had been reading. He hadn’t felt this relaxed in years. He had spent hours doing nothing but reading, snacking, and people watching, all against a San Francisco backdrop that was picture-postcard perfect. Who could ask for anything more? Tossing his trash into a receptacle, he took one final breath of sea air and headed back to his car.
As Ray exited the Plaza, Bev entered it from the opposite direction. She was still weighing whether to take the ferry or not. She hadn’t ridden on one in ages, and it might be fun. Shifting the packages, the possibility of boarding the next one headed out became more of an intent as her arms grew weary. She stood watching the passengers disembark from the latest ferry to arrive. A boisterous group of teenagers caught her attention as they pushed and shoved each other playfully.
Ray strolled back into the Plaza headed for the trash receptacle where he had accidently discarded the newspaper that he had been reading. It had an article that he had meant to save.
Bev watched the frolicking teenagers as they entered the Plaza. Their joy was infectious. They reminded her of her young cousins in Stillwaters.
Preoccupied with his intended purpose, Ray found the newspaper resting where he had tossed it. He started to retrieve it, but the piercing squeals of a group of boisterous teenagers distracted him.
Bev continued to watch the adolescents. She turned. Ray looked up.
In that instant, the newspaper was abandoned. The bulging packages were dropped to the ground. All else faded into the background except one another.
* * *
“We’re supposed to be in Tiburon,” Ray reminded Bev as they strolled along the waterfront in Sausalito.
“I know.” Bev leaned in to him and she tightened her arm around his waist. “But how can we leave heaven?”
Ray agreed. Being with her, no matter where they were, was like floating on cloud nine. He was beyond happy that she had left Chicago and flown to the Bay Area to surprise him. He knew that such an action was outside of her comfort zone, which had to mean that he was very special to her. He had no doubt that he loved her, and if she could find it in her heart to return his love his world would be complete.
He had hardly been able to believe his eyes when he looked up and saw her standing there in the Plaza. Their fervent greeting had turned all eyes from the animated teenagers causing a ruckus to the passionate couple’s reunion. Bev and Ray had been oblivious to everything around them except each other.
She had explained the reason for her presence in the area and the grin that Ray had bestowed on her was still etched on his face. Taking her burdensome packages back to her car, they had decided that they weren’t ready to leave the ambience of Sausalito. They spent what was left of the day hand-in-hand exploring the special places that Bev and he had missed as solo explorers. They talked and laughed at everything, thrilled at doing simple things together. As evening descended, they dined at a first-class restaurant and then caught a jazz act at a nearby club. It was now past midnight, Sunday morning, and there they were still in the hamlet and strolling along the marina, reluctant to end the magic in what they had dubbed their special place.
Both of them were exhausted. It had been a long day for each. Stifling a yawn, Bev took refuge on a bench overlooking the Bay. In the distance, the lights of San Francisco sparkled. The sound of the water lapping the shoreline threatened to lure her to sleep.
Ray sat down beside her. Putting his arm around her, he drew her closer to him as she rested her head on his shoulder.
“I used to be able to go until sunup, sleep for a couple of hours, jump up, shower, and work nonstop for the rest of the day,” Ray reminisced. “It’s obvious that those days are over.” Every bone in his body was screaming for relief.
“Father Time creeps up on all of us.” Bev patted his leg and gave another extensive yawn. “Now what we have to do is decide our next move. I don’t know about you, but I’m not sure I have the strength to walk back to my car and follow you to Tiburon. I know that it’s not that far, but I’m too tired to drive. How about you?”
“No can do.” Ray stretched his legs out. “We can
always bunk out here and call it a night.” He patted the bench. “It’s kind of hard, but at this point I can manage.”
“At this point, that doesn’t sound half bad.” Bev yawned again, and then hugged the sports coat he had loaned her snugly against her body. They sat in silence for a moment, reluctant to move. She interrupted the night sounds.
“I have an idea.”
Ray turned to her and in the moonlight saw the twinkle in her eyes. “What?”
She gave him a mischievous grin. “We passed a four star hotel a couple of blocks back.” She jabbed her thumb in that direction.
Ray got the message. “Uh-huh, and if that one is full, I’m sure that there is at least one that isn’t.”
“Yep.” Bev nodded. “And I don’t know about yours, but my credit card travels. I’m willing to go half and half.”
“Oh, I think that mine can handle the whole thing.” Ray stood and pulled her to her feet with both hands. Suddenly he was filled with new energy. So was Bev.
“Then let’s go. After all, we’re wearing our pajamas.”
Her words shot straight to Ray’s groin. “You’re so bad, but I like it.”
“I try to please.”
“Indeed you do.”
When they arrived at the sumptuous hotel, they were in luck. There was one room left, a suite on an upper floor. As Ray registered them at the front desk, Bev slipped her hands into his jacket pocket to pull it tighter around her. It was then that she felt something small and hard against her hand. Curious, she withdrew the object. It was a diamond earring—heart-shaped and expensive. She was examining it when Ray, the card key in hand, turned to escort her to their room.
“What’s that?” he cocked his head and peered at the article she was holding.
Bev held it up to him for examination. “It’s an earring. I found it in your pocket.”
“My pocket?” Ray took it from her and peered at it curiously as they headed for the elevator. “Hmmm.” He tried to remember the reason it had been in there. “This cost a chunk of change.”
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