“I knew you’d be excited,” Susan replied. “Rosemont will be the perfect setting for Thanksgiving. You really need falling leaves and frost on the pumpkin. Not palm trees and sun, even though that’s what I’ve grown up with. Christmas, however, will be here. You’ll have to come home to California to be with us. Mike and Amy are adamant that they won’t take the girls out of their own home for Christmas.”
Maggie felt a pang of regret and instantly felt guilty. What had she expected? She had promised to get out to California every month on business when she moved to Westbury, and hadn’t been back once. Granted, she had made that promise before she had been elected mayor of Westbury. Just one more example of how she was letting her work rule her life, she realized. She was changing things with John and she would change this, too.
“Mom,” Susan asked. “Are you still there?”
Maggie smiled. “Just lost in thought for a moment. I’ll come out to California for Christmas. You can count on me.”
Chapter 28
In the end, Loretta Nash accepted the position of financial analyst at Haynes Enterprises. She moved the kids across the country at the beginning of the school year, over their objection, and was completing her second week on the job. The work only involved routine bookkeeping so far, and she hadn’t been very busy. When she had asked Mr. Haynes for more duties, he advised her to be patient; he was working her into the business and these things took time.
It was four o’clock and she had finished everything on her desk. Today was Halloween, and her kids were excited about trick-or-treating. Making new friends at school was proving especially hard for ultra-shy Marissa, so Loretta wanted her to have fun tonight. If she could get off work early, she’d have time to fix dinner and help the kids get into their costumes. Marissa was going to be a princess and Loretta would do her hair and makeup.
Loretta glanced warily in the direction of Mr. Haynes’ office. Should she ask for this indulgence? She slung her purse over her shoulder and laid her jacket over her arm. She hesitated, then slowly approached his partially closed door and knocked softly. When he didn’t answer, she nudged the door open and leaned in.
“Mr. Haynes,” she said, clearing her throat.
Frank Haynes looked up and didn’t bother to conceal his irritation.
“I’m sorry to bother you. I was wondering if I could leave a bit early. I’ve finished everything for today.”
“Why would you need to leave early?” he snapped.
“It’s Halloween, sir. My kids are little. I’d like to get home to help them get ready to trick-or-treat. They’ve had such a hard time adjusting,” she began. Haynes cut her off with a waved hand.
“Certainly you can,” he replied his aggravation suddenly dissipated. “I insist upon it. I forgot that it’s Halloween. Haven’t had trick-or-treaters at my place in years.”
He came around his desk and began to walk her to the door.
“You know where you should take the kids, don’t you?” he asked solicitously.
“I was going to go out in our neighborhood. And I think their school has something planned.”
“Oh, no. You need to take them to Rosemont. I understand Mayor Martin hands out the good stuff—full-sized candy bars and everything. You won’t want to miss that.”
Whether she did or not, he didn’t know or care. He smiled inwardly at the mental image of Martin face-to-face with her husband’s mistress. And not knowing it. This was turning out to be a good day after all.
“You remember how to get to Rosemont, don’t you?”
“Yes, I think so,” she replied slowly.
“Have a good time tonight,” Haynes called as Loretta hurried to her car.
***
Loretta’s mind reeled as she drove the short distance to her apartment. Rosemont? She might get a glimpse inside the place. And meet Paul’s wife. Was she ready for that? She was curious; had been for a long time. She’d be able to size her up at last. For years, Loretta had practiced the speech she’d make to Maggie Martin when they finally met. Tonight with the kids in tow would not be the time. That day would come. For now, she and the kids would make Rosemont their first Halloween stop.
She pulled into her apartment parking lot and called to her children as she opened the front door. “Hey, guys, I’m home.”
“Mom! I’m so glad you’re here,” Marissa exclaimed. “I can’t get my costume on by myself. And I want to go out early.”
Loretta swept her daughter into a hug. “We will, sweetie. Let me make a quick dinner, then I’ll help you get ready and we’ll all go. Sean, any homework?”
“No. They can’t give homework on Halloween. It’s a law or something,” he yelled from his bedroom.
“There isn’t any such law,” Loretta said feeling the need to straighten him out. “But there should be,” she concluded when he raced out of his room, wildly brandishing the sword to his superhero costume.
“My boss let me off early and told me the best place to trick-or-treat around here is a big old mansion known as Rosemont. The mayor lives there. She gives out great candy. So we’ll start there; what do you think? Let’s eat and get out of here,” she said, ushering her excited children into the kitchen.
***
An hour later, the entire Nash family approached the massive arched entry to Rosemont. They found a spot to park along the bottom of the driveway and made the long walk uphill in the company of goblins, witches, and Disney characters. Loretta pushed Nicole, dressed as Tinker Bell, in the stroller while Marissa and Sean darted ahead. At the insistence of her children, Loretta had dressed herself in black jeans and a turtleneck, tucked her blond hair into a black cap, and painted her face to become a cat.
The massive door stood open and light from the foyer chandelier poured onto the stone steps. The entrance was lined with pumpkins of various shapes and colors and huge urns of potted mums. Loretta had to admit the house was truly gorgeous.
She could see a nice-looking middle-aged man handing out candy, but a group of tall teenagers dressed as ghouls blocked her view of the person next to him—presumably Maggie Martin. Marissa shrank back at the sight of them and grabbed her mother’s hand.
“You’re fine, sweetheart,” she assured her daughter, not taking her eyes from the spot where she knew Maggie was standing. “Here,” she said, thrusting Marissa up the steps. “Those big kids are leaving.”
She lifted Nicole from the stroller and pushed her forward as the teens stepped aside.
Loretta and Maggie locked eyes. Something in the woman’s expression changed and Loretta’s stomach lurched. Had this woman recognized her? Had Paul ever told Maggie about her? Had he shown her Loretta’s picture?
She released the breath she had been holding when Maggie glanced down and fixed a warm smile on Marissa, who was inching out from behind her brother.
“Those boys really scared me!” Maggie said. “I’m glad they’re gone. I need a nice princess,” she directed her remark to Marissa. “And Tinker Bell. Don’t you look beautiful,” she said, gesturing to Marissa’s costume. “I’d like to get a good look at your dress.”
In spite of herself, Loretta smiled. Darn it. She didn’t want to like this woman. She didn’t want her to be so kind to her children. And she hated that Maggie was trim and so pretty. Not at all what she had expected; not at all what Paul had described.
Maggie turned to the man just as he was telling Sean how much he admired his superhero costume. “If I can interrupt you two, I think we have treats for everyone.”
She reached behind the man and retrieved a large orange bowl filled with virtually every type of candy bar in existence. “Here,” she said holding out the bowl. “Take what you’d like.”
She turned to Sean.
“Why don’t you take one for your mom, too? I’ll bet you know her favorite,” she continued with a wink at Loretta.
Loretta quickly turned away. This wasn’t what she had envisioned at all. She retreated into the shadows.
“Is this a real castle?” Marissa said, her voice breathy with wonder. “Do you live here?”
Maggie laughed.
“It’s my house, yes,” she replied, glancing up at the tall stone facade. “I’m glad you like it. It’s not a castle, but it is beautiful.”
Maggie turned back to Marissa before greeting the next group of trick-or-treaters. “We have an Easter carnival on the lawn here in the spring. It’s lots of fun. You’ll have to come back then.”
“Thank you,” Loretta’s children called as they stepped out of the way of the surging crowd to rejoin her.
***
John made a quick dash for more Halloween candy at seven thirty, and they ran out of that by nine. The crowd had thinned significantly by then. Maggie turned out the porch light, and John secured the cantankerous old lock on the front door.
“How many kids do you think we had?” Maggie asked as she led John to the kitchen where an anxious Eve had been sequestered during all of the excitement.
“I’ll bet you had at least three hundred. I’ve lived here all my life, and I don’t remember anyone ever trick-or-treating at Rosemont. You were the main attraction today. Every family on my staff came by.”
Maggie smiled; she liked being generous with Rosemont, letting people get close to the grand old house and enjoy it. She would have brought Susan and Mike here to trick-or-treat when they were little.
“I think Rosemont likes having visitors, don’t you?” she asked as John put his arms around her and drew her close.
“I don’t think houses have feelings,” he said softly into her lightly scented hair.
“Then you don’t know anything about this house,” she whispered in reply.
They remained wrapped in each other’s arms, swaying slowly in the silence, relishing their closeness.
“Do you have surgery in the morning?” Maggie asked with a ragged breath.
“Nope. I postponed the one patient on the schedule. I planned to stay here with you until I was sure that the trick-or-treaters were done, and you wouldn’t be bothered by anyone.”
“That was nice of you,” she murmured dreamily.
“I knew you’d be mobbed. Can’t be too careful with my best girl.”
Maggie smiled into his shoulder. “So when do you think the coast will be clear?” she asked, leaning back and looking into his eyes.
“Are you trying to get rid of me?” he replied, raising one eyebrow.
She shook her head. “Not at all. I’m thinking we really can’t be sure that the danger’s passed until morning. Who knows what prank one of these older kids might play in the wee hours?”
“Good point,” he replied as he pressed his lips to hers. “Exactly what I was thinking.”
“Why don’t you spend the night with me?”
John took her hand and kissed her open palm, folding it into his own. He turned and, together, they slowly climbed the stairs through the darkened house.
***
Maggie woke the next morning to the tangible comfort of a lover in her bed. She blushed; what a night it had been. She never dreamed that passion in her fifties could surpass the lust of her twenties. She carefully crept out from under the covers and collected her robe from the hook in the bathroom.
With Eve trotting happily at her heels, she headed downstairs and soon returned with a mug of steaming coffee. She set it on the nightstand and watched John slowly wake to its pungent aroma. He opened his eyes and rubbed his hand across his face.
“Well, Mayor Martin. How are you this morning?” he said, reaching for her hand and pulling her onto the bed. “That was my most memorable Halloween ever.”
“I’m perfect, actually. I brought you a cup of coffee,” she said, pointing to the nightstand.
“Thank you. Haven’t had anyone do that for me in a long time. Not sure if anyone’s ever done that for me, for that matter. But right now, there’s something more important that I haven’t done in the morning in a long time,” he growled as he slipped her robe off her shoulders and pulled her under the covers.
Chapter 29
Frank Haynes frowned when Loretta announced that Chuck Delgado was on the line. Delgado had made good on his promise regarding the Fairview Terraces matter. As far as Haynes was concerned, there wasn’t anything else they needed to discuss. He had gotten his fill of Delgado at the town council meetings.
“Chuck. How goes it?” Haynes said with forced cheerfulness.
“Other than losing money on a legit investment to help out a friend it’s goin’ great,” Delgado rasped.
Haynes remained silent.
“I’m talkin’ about you, Frankie boy. And those old geezer friends of yours at Fairview.”
“What do you mean?” Haynes spat.
“I heard they was gonna pay you back the money you advanced to the landlord for them. Except you didn’t advance no money to us, now did you, Frankie?”
“Oh, for God’s sake,” Haynes sighed. “I don’t have time for this.”
“Look here, Frankie. We been talkin’ about this. We took a hit to help you out.”
“It helped all of us out. You know that. None of us needs Scanlon and company poking around.”
“Yeah, but we never thought you’d be pocketing money on the deal. That ain’t right, Frankie.”
Delgado paused to make sure he had Haynes’ undivided attention. “This here’s a courtesy call, on account of our long association and all. My guys expect you to turn over any money you pocket from this Fairview thing. You got it, Frankie? No funny business. You don’t want to mess with these guys; they ain’t nice, like me.”
Haynes wiped a line of sweat from his upper lip. “I’m not going to pocket any money on this deal, Chuck. Never intended to. How could I know that those old fools at Fairview Terraces would get a zoning variance and make money from the place? A bunch of senior citizens in a retirement village? That never happens.”
“Will wonders never cease? It’s happened, Frankie, and we expect to see that money.”
“I haven’t gotten any checks yet, Chuck. You’ve got to understand, I may never get any money. I don’t expect that I will.”
“I believe you, Frankie, I really do. Since we’re such good friends and all. I’m out on a limb for you with my boys. Just remember that, Frankie. You owe me one.” Delgado disconnected.
Haynes slammed down the receiver. The mob suspected him of cheating them, and now, on top of that, Haynes was in Chuck Delgado’s debt. Could this day get any worse?
***
Loretta stamped her feet and hugged herself while searching the patch of road visible through the trees for any sign of the familiar Mercedes sedan. Frank Haynes was late. He was always at the office when she arrived at eight and never left before she did at five. It was now almost nine o’clock; she had gone from feeling annoyed by him to being concerned about him. She’d saved his cell phone number in her contact list; it was time to give him a call. She was fishing in her purse for her phone when he finally pulled into his reserved parking spot.
“Sorry I’m late,” he called, hurrying to unlock the door to Haynes Enterprises.
“I was getting worried,” Loretta stated truthfully, eyeing him closely. His usual fastidious attention to his appearance was askew this morning—he’d shaved haphazardly, his shoes were scuffed, and his shirt looked rumpled. Is he a little hungover? she wondered.
Loretta followed Haynes into the building. Without another word, Haynes proceeded directly to his office, shouting over his shoulder that he didn’t want to be disturbed. She nodded mutely as he slammed his door.
Loretta tackled the accounts payable and had a stack of checks ready for his signature by mid-morning. She considered knocking on his door but decided against it. Whatever he was doing in there, she wasn’t going to interrupt him.
She leaned back in her chair to think. She was being grossly overpaid for a job that a part-time high-school graduate could do. He wasn’t letting her use any of her exp
ertise from her college education. There had been no reason to move her out here from California. And he wasn’t interested in her sexually. She had flirted with him enough, without response, to know that wasn’t the reason he hired her. Her intuition shouted that things didn’t add up. He’s acting like he’s got something to hide, she thought. What was Frank Haynes up to?
Loretta spent the afternoon halfheartedly scrolling through Pinterest and Facebook as she continued to ponder her situation. If she could find out what Haynes was hiding—or even why he hired her—she’d have some very useful information. She was startled from her contemplation when he abruptly flung his door open at three thirty, coat and briefcase in hand. “We’re done for the day,” he said.
“But it’s only three thirty,” Loretta replied. “And you let me off early last week. I’ll stay until five. In fact, I’ll stay until six because we started late this morning,” she said, the advantage of being alone in the office suddenly appealing to her.
“No. My fault you started late,” he replied curtly. “I need to lock up,” he said, motioning for her to get her things.
“I’ll do it,” she suggested brightly. “Have you got a spare key I can use?”
“I said it’s okay,” Haynes barked, then quickly apologized. “Sorry. Don’t worry. I’ll see you in the morning.”
He stood at her desk as she gathered her purse and put on her coat, then walked out the door with her, turning to lock the office before rushing to his car without another word.
He was obviously in a hurry—a big hurry. Frank Haynes was getting more interesting by the minute. She’d find out about his little secrets, one way or another.
Chapter 30
David Wheeler had become a regular volunteer at Forever Friends, arriving every day after school. He spent most of his weekends there as well. Frank Haynes couldn’t help but notice the similarity to himself at that age. David kept to himself and did what was requested of him without complaint. He’d even begun to show some initiative, cleaning and rearranging the storage room.
Weaving the Strands Page 14