Fatal Impulse: A Widow's Web Novel

Fatal Impulse: A Widow's Web Novel Page 23

by Lori L. Robinett

  She walked through the lavish lobby, and caught a bellboy. “Is the Sapphire Star within walking distance?”

  He glanced at her strappy sandals. “Yeah, if you don’t mind your feet hurting a bit. Just down the Boardwalk, about a ten minute walk.”

  He pointed her in the right direction and she stepped out into the late summer heat. She thought about the destroyed credit card and the small stash of cash in her purse, and was glad no cab was needed. It felt like a dream, with all the lights and sounds and people swirling around her as she walked along the Boardwalk. She bumped into several people as she hurried past them, but stopped apologizing after the first few steps. No one else apologized, either. She wanted to see where Chad had been, but had no idea what to do when she got there. Her heart literally hurt with the knowledge of his betrayal.

  She reached her destination and looked up at the garish glass and steel monstrosity, taking in the sights and sounds. It didn’t look like the kind of place Chad would have chosen. He worried about appearances and that sort of thing. It was difficult to imagine him in Atlantic City at all, much less in a place like this. Music thumped from the open doors, neon signs lit the sidewalk like mid-day, and kids ran every which direction. It seemed to be more of a family destination than the sophisticated casinos. The Taj Mahal or one of the other nicer hotels would have been more his style.

  A doorman watched her for a moment, then stepped forward and asked, “Can I help you, miss?”

  She started to shake her head, then changed her mind and stepped towards him so she wouldn’t have to shout to be heard over the din. She pulled her wallet from her purse and produced one of Chad’s business cards with his picture on it. She showed it to the young man and asked, “Do you recognize this man?”

  He nodded and said, “Why, of course, that’s Dr. Adams!”

  She blinked in surprise. “May I ask how you know Dr. Adams?”

  He tilted his head and frowned. “Well, he’s Miss Woodson’s friend.” His eyes narrowed as he examined her.

  She nearly dropped her teeth then and there. “So he and Miss Woodson visit here often?”

  The young man hesitated, then tapped his finger on his chin as he considered his answer. Finally, he nodded. “Every now and then, though I haven’t seen him in months. They used to come when Miss Woodson’s father was in town. He is a part-owner of the property, you know.”

  “Oh, right,” Andi nodded in an attempt to hide her surprise. Her husband really had been leading a life separate from their simple life on Mount Desert Island. She thought back to all the conferences he had attended, all the ball games he had gone to with his buddies from dental school during the last year, all the visits to his parents’ home in California. Were they all lies? How could she have been so stupid, so gullible?

  The doorman’s eyebrows crept up his forehead. “Are you a friend of Dr. Adams?”

  She laughed, a humorless bark. “You could say that.”

  “I’m sorry I can’t help you – I haven’t seen him in some time. Perhaps he’s staying at a different property now.”

  She nodded and thanked him for his assistance. Just as she started to walk off, he called after her, “But Miss Woodson is here this weekend. You can probably find her in the spa if she isn’t in her usual suite.”

  She smiled and thanked him again, then entered the hotel. She walked numbly through the casino, past the row of dinging, clanging one-armed bandits and between the tables. Lights flashed and shimmered as the machines clamored for attention all around her. She considered trying to find the spa in the chaotic maze, but decided instead to head back to the Tropicana. This was a waste of time. What would it accomplish, seeing Portia again?

  Obviously, Chad tired of his boring life with his boring wife and was looking forward to his jet-set life with a young, beautiful heiress. Andi couldn’t have competed with that. No way. He would have left her behind in a heartbeat, and it certainly looked like he planned to do just that. A sign for the chapel caught her eye, and she took a second look. The Chapel of the Stars. She’d seen that name on the slip of paper in the suitcase, and curiosity took over.

  She approached the chapel area and found a nice older woman at the reception desk who seemed willing to answer a few questions. Andi showed the silver-haired woman Chad’s business card and her face registered recognition. She lowered her chin and examined Andi over the top of her wire-rimmed glasses.

  Andi widened her eyes and smiled in an attempt to look as innocent as possible, “I’m a friend of his and he told me about the wedding chapel at the Sapphire Star.”

  The older woman nodded, “Yes, he and Miss Woodson looked at the chapel. Had it reserved and everything, but Miss Woodson called, oh, I don’t know, a couple months ago, to cancel it.”

  Andi smiled in what she hoped was a blissful way. “I imagine they had a beautiful ceremony planned.”

  “Oh, yes. If I remember correctly, they were going with the Touch of Class package.” She smiled, crinkling the delicate skin around her eyes, and continued, “Of course, Miss Woodson’s father would have given her the moon, but she and Dr. Adams just wanted a simple ceremony with family and a few friends. Less publicity that way, you know.”

  Andi felt as though her face would crack with the effort of smiling, “Do you recall what their wedding date was?”

  The receptionist flipped the leather bound calendar back a couple of months and ran her index finger through dates, then tapped the book, “Ah, yes, they wanted a spring wedding. It was to be the last weekend in May.”

  Andi’s knees went weak, and a chill ran down her spine. He died little more than a month before he and his mistress were to be married. When was he going to break the news to his wife? Was he even going to file for a divorce first? She thanked the kind woman for her time and hurried through the hotel. It felt as if her heart would burst and she couldn’t catch her breath.

  When she reached the front, she pushed through the doors before the doorman could open them. Once outside, she sucked in deep breaths of fresh air and waited for her heartbeat to slow. She made her way back to the Boardwalk and began walking towards the Tropicana in a daze.

  Her life had been a lie. Her marriage had been a lie. And she had tortured herself for months, feeling bad about what had happened to Chad. For what she had done to Chad. At least his pain had been short-lived. What he planned to do to her would have destroyed her, slowly and painfully, piece by piece.

  Who was she kidding? He was still destroying her.

  By the time she reached the hotel, her legs felt like spaghetti and her feet ached. She stepped into the elevator with several other people, then leaned against the cool metal wall and closed her eyes. She counted clicks and opened her eyes each time the door opened. Finally, the elevator opened on her floor. She stepped out and fumbled for her key card. The door opened before she could insert the card and Dana stood there, eyes wide with concern.

  She demanded, “Where on earth have you been? I was getting worried about you!”

  Andi brushed past her and dropped onto the bed.

  “I know you’re feeling pinched right now.” Dana’s voice softened, “Lots of people can’t afford to gamble. These things happen. It’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

  Andi hung her head and let the tears flow. Her friend dropped down next to her and put her arm around Andi’s shoulders. Dana waited until Andi’s sobs dissolved into hiccups. “What’s going on? What’s really wrong?”

  Andi took a deep, quivery breath, then said, “I guess I’d better start at the beginning, but please don’t judge me until you hear the whole story. Promise me you won’t judge me. And you can’t tell anyone what I’m about to tell you.”

  Dana ducked her head to catch Andi’s gaze. “Okay.”

  “Not just okay.” Andi lifte
d her head and looked her friend in the eye. “I’m serious. You have to promise me.”

  Dana blinked in surprise. “I promise. What is it?”

  Andi took a deep breath and told her about that stormy night at the top of the cliff. This time, she didn’t sugar coat anything. Dana gasped when Andi told her how it felt when the flashlight connected with Chad’s body, but didn’t interrupt. Andi told her friend about the Will she’d found, the pictures that had been delivered, the intruder, the late night trip to the cemetery, the confrontation with Portia Woodson, the mysterious package hidden in the gun cabinet, and the Atlantic City wedding that her dear departed husband had planned with his mistress.

  When she finally finished, she felt completely wrung out. Her friend held her, and patted her on the back, making comforting noises. Andi was scared to death that Dana would pull away and hate her, and she’d lose the best friend she ever had, but Dana never made a move or said a word throughout the confession and subsequent story.

  Andi shrugged her shoulders and deflated. “And that’s it. Now I’m scared to death that someone is going to go the police with those pictures and I’ll end up in jail. And I probably deserve it.”

  “No, you don’t,” Dana said firmly.

  39

  Dana nodded her head and declared, “Chad was a lying, cheating bastard and what you did to him was too good for him.”

  Andi’s mouth dropped open. “So, you’re not going to turn me in?”

  “Of course not! And I’m going to call Edward in the morning and see if he can help us out with that whole Will situation. Working for a lawyer comes in handy sometimes. He’ll know what to do. Don’t you worry about a thing.”

  Andi leaned her head against her friend’s shoulder and sighed, “Thank you. Thank you for understanding, and not hating me.”

  “I could never hate you. And that’s enough depressing talk for tonight. I got us a bottle of wine and you and I are going to have our own little bachelorette party tonight. Forget your worries and help me celebrate!”

  Andi felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders, if only for a night. Sharing the burden helped. The friends spent the rest of the evening drinking, laughing and talking. Dana did a wonderful job of making Andi forget her problems.

  The phone jangled jarringly in the quiet of morning. It was their wake up call, and they were both still fully dressed in their clothes from the night before. Two empty bottles of wine stood watch on the nightstand between the beds and Andi’s last glass of wine had tipped over in the bed beside her, leaving a small red stain on the white sheets. Dana saw Andi dab at the stain and shrugged, then pointed at a much larger stain on her own bed, also next to an overturned wine glass. The two grinned at each other and shrugged.

  Dana took her shower first, and Andi straightened up the room a bit. She worried about what she was going to do when she got back to reality. The blackmailer wanted those certificates, but she suspected they were leverage and hesitated to let go of them. But the reality was, if she didn’t give the certificates to Portia, the woman could go to the cops with the photos. On the other hand, it wasn’t like the heiress needed the money, so Andi was afraid she’d turn the photos over anyway.

  And since Andi’d lost her job, she had to start looking for something as soon as she got back to Buccaneer Bay. The credit card situation would have to be dealt with, too. She sighed. The weight on her shoulders had returned and was just as heavy as ever.

  Maybe it was time to give up and move back home to Missouri. In spite of Dana’s confidence in her boss’s abilities, Andi worried that this might be beyond his realm of experience.

  The phone rang, interrupting her thoughts. It was Derek. “Hey, Andi! Is Dana around?”

  The shower shut off, so Andi hollered at Dana to let her know her fiancé was on the phone. While she waited for Dana to come out, she chatted with Derek. “Did you make it in?”

  “Yup. Just did. You and Dana stay out of trouble last night?”

  “Of course. You ready for your big day?”

  “I’ve been ready since I met her.” He sounded just as excited as her best friend was, and Andi was happy for them, yet jealous at the same time. Dana popped out of the bathroom with a white fluffy towel wrapped around her. She took the phone and flopped down on the bed.

  Andi slipped into the shower, determined to put her own problems behind her until her best friend was married off.

  The pair ordered room service for breakfast. Neither was very hungry, and certainly couldn’t stomach eggs, so opted for toast and coffee. As soon as they were finished, it was off to the spa for massages and then to the salon for hair and makeup. By the time they made it to the bridal preparation room, Andi felt like as much a queen as the bride herself.

  The gorgeous vintage white dress from Blissful Beginnings hung on a hook, and it made Andi’s heart ache, as she wondered if she’d ever wear a dress like that again. She helped Dana into the dress, then got dressed herself. Before she knew it, they were headed for the chapel. Derek, his best friend, James, and Andi stood at the front, waiting for the bride to walk down the aisle to the prerecorded music. She appeared in the archway and everyone oohed and aahed.

  Andi imagined what it would be like when she walked down the aisle to meet Paul, and thought that a destination wedding might be just the thing for them, too.

  She half listened as the two recited their vows. Hopefully things would turn out better for Dana than they had for her. After they said their I do’s, the group gathered for pictures, and then headed to the patio for the reception, where they cut the cake and the best man toasted them, with the sparkling blue ocean as the backdrop. Derek’s parents were there, as were Dana’s aunt and uncle from Iowa, the closest family she had, and everyone seemed to get along well. Dana and Derek had eyes only for each other.

  Andi slipped away as soon as she could, and went back to the room. She pulled on her flannel pajamas, flipped on the television and called room service. Within fifteen minutes, she was in bed eating the biggest hot fudge sundae she’d ever seen, watching a James Bond marathon.

  The next morning, though Andi hesitated at calling so early, she gave in and called Dana’s room to wish her well and tell her goodbye. Her friend sounded groggy with sleep, but her voice still carried the excitement from their wedding day. Everything was already ‘we,’ and she promised to spill all the details when they got home. As a wedding gift from Derek’s parents, they were going to spend a week in Kennebunkport for their honeymoon. Just before she disconnected, Dana said, “I haven’t forgotten about your problems.”

  Andi shook her head, sorry that she had burdened her friend with such news right before her wedding.

  Dana continued, “I’ll call Edward today and get his opinion. He’ll know what to do. Want me to have him call you directly, or do you want me to stay on top of it?”

  “I don’t want to bother you on your honeymoon. It can wait until you get back.”

  “Nonsense,” Dana said, giggling. Derek’s voice was in the background. “I’m taking my laptop. I’ll have him send the results to me, and I’ll keep in touch by email. Tell me again – what was the name of that lawyer in Bangor? I’ll see if Edward knows him or anything about him.”

  Andi gave her friend the attorney’s name and wished her the best, safe travels, and all that, and they hung up. She checked out of her room and took the shuttle to the airport. Traveling alone made her uncomfortable. People tend to target you and think you’re lonely and glad to talk to them, when in truth, you couldn’t care less about their trip to see Uncle Harry and Aunt Sylvia. Andi picked up a Paul Doiron paperback at one of the airport shops, stuck her nose in it and waited impatiently for the flight to board. At least the early flights were mainly business travelers, so she didn’t have many families to deal with. They b
oarded and she started reading before they took off.

  She’d just finished her little bag of peanuts when a ding sounded and the fasten seatbelts sign came on. The captain announced over the loudspeaker that they were beginning their final descent. She looked down and saw several planes parked on the tarmac. It looked like a traffic jam, which never happened at this little airport. The flight attendant’s face pinched as she announced that a plane in Philadelphia had crashed. She warned that the cascade effect was causing significant delays in air traffic.

  Andi’s heart dropped and goosebumps rose on her arms. Philadelphia. She took a deep shaky breath. That’s where Dana and Derek were flying out of. What time was their flight? She couldn’t remember. Was the crashed plane flying to Philadelphia, or from?

  Andi watched the young woman as she walked to the front of the plane, where she and another flight attendant leaned close and talked. They both dabbed at their eyes, and their makeup stood out in stark contrast to their pale faces. Andi raised her hand to press the call button, but stopped when the captain’s voice came over the loudspeaker, and announced that the plane would be landing soon.

  She let her hand drop and stared out the window, feeling completely useless. As the plane taxied to a stop, she fished her cell phone out of her purse and gripped it tightly. As soon as they were cleared to make calls, she’d call Dana.

  She caught the flight attendant’s eye and waved. The woman walked towards her, her features tight and thin eyebrows raised. As soon as she reached Andi’s row, Andi leaned towards her and asked, “Was the plane going to Philadelphia? Or leaving?” She crossed her fingers as she spoke.

  “I don’t know,” The blonde shrugged her shoulders and blinked back tears, “All I know is that it was a Destination Airways flight.”

  A shiver ran up Andi’s spine. That’s the airline Dana was going to fly. Just then, the captain announced that they could use their cell phones, but disembarking would be delayed while the tarmac was cleared. The flight attendant smiled an apology and turned away. Andi tried to call her friend, but got a fast beeping instead of a completed call. The guy next to her held up his cell phone and shrugged. Only a handful of people seemed able to get through. The cell phone systems were probably overloaded.

 

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