"Meaning?"
"Beneath that spot could be the most powerful crystal deposit on the island."
She hesitated for a few seconds then said the words that popped into her head. "Like a main server for a network of computers."
He grinned and bobbed his head. "Exactly!"
"So, The Weeping Woman could be the ghost of someone who died anywhere on the island and the only reason I could hear her more clearly here was because I was standing on the main server."
"That, or she actually died in this area."
She made a face at him. "You just have to make it creepier than it already was, don't you?"
He shrugged. "It comes naturally."
She grinned to let him know she wasn't truly bothered by it. "But tell me this, with all the people who've walked along these trails over the years wouldn't someone else have noticed it?"
"Maybe someone did and I'll find a notation of it when I start my research. Or maybe no one has ever walked across it with your ability to sense the energy. Or maybe your personal electromagnetism is tuned into the same channel."
She narrowed her eyes at him. "Are you making fun of me?"
"Not at all. You saw me walk right through and I'm more alert to metaphysical phenomena than a lot of people. I didn't feel that electrical flow until it came through your hand to me. I hate to tell you, love, but I think you've got some powerful ESP."
The word love set off the butterflies in her tummy even more actively than when he'd called her honey. She knew it didn't mean anything but she couldn't help but smile. "So the only thing to do now is figure out what one might do with such a useful ability."
He squeezed her hand. "All things in good time. Now let's see what's behind door number three."
The final trail took them to a lagoon filled with big orange, white and gold carp. A waterfall splashed into the lagoon on one end and there was a small container of fish food available for those who wanted to witness a feeding frenzy. Obviously this was the spot her baggage cart driver, Aaron, had recommended for a picnic.
It was after noon when they got back to the hotel's pristine beach so they had a cold lunch on the Quartz Café's patio outside of Tower 1. From time to time before their meals were brought to the table, guests approached Noah for his autograph. One even had a copy of his latest book. For a short while, Maggie had actually forgotten he was a celebrity.
"What's next?" Maggie asked as they finished eating.
"We still have the three towers. I want to take a walk on each floor, past every room, mainly to see if you pick up any specific energy emanations. Maybe the front desk could tell you how many rooms—"
"Towers one and two each have fourteen Jade rooms—that's their least expensive—on floors two through nine, plus eight Rubies—those are the penthouses—on the tenth floors. Floors two and three of Tower three are all meeting and event rooms, including a grand ballroom, then there are eight Topaz rooms—larger and more expensive—on floors four through nine and six more Rubies on the tenth. That brings the tower total to two hundred twenty-four Jade, forty-eight Topaz and twenty-two Rubies. Then there are the five Diamond Suites, where we are. Grand total—two hundred ninety-nine." She ended the list with a deep breath.
Noah's jaw had dropped halfway through her monologue and it took him a few seconds to react audibly. "That was amazing. How did you memorize all that?"
She shrugged. "I may have glanced at the informational notebook last night."
"Don't tell me, on top of all your other amazing talents, you also have an eidetic memory."
Her cheeks flushed and she shrugged again. "I think that's what it's called."
"Aha! I don't recall you mentioning that while you were earning straight A's in all your classes and I was struggling to pass."
"I was always afraid it would make you feel less confident than you already were."
"I don't think that was possible. Are there any more unimportant talents, skills or mental abilities you haven't told me about?"
She tapped her index finger against her chin. "Hmmm. I am getting close to mastering invisibility."
He pretended to give that some thought. "I can see how that could come in handy... as long as you aren't planning on disappearing from me any time soon."
His tone was light, so she replied in kind. "Never fear. I agreed to put up with you and your eccentric demands as long as you are willing to pay for my services."
"I beg your pardon?" he asked with dramatic indignation. "Exactly which of my demands are you calling eccentric?"
A dozen replies popped into her head, all of which were highly suggestive and none of which were proper to say aloud in public. She let her flushed cheeks express her thoughts instead.
"Then I guess the better question might be, what sort of adventure will you need after you finish this terrible assignment?"
His question was reasonable based on some of the experiences she'd told him about. But his tone had an edge of bitterness to it. "What was that?"
"What was what?" he asked as he looked around for their waiter.
"I was only teasing."
He returned his gaze to her and gave her a sexy grin. "I know that. And when we get back to the room, I want to hear all about my eccentric demands."
She angled her head at him. "I will... if you tell me what you were really thinking when you asked me that last question."
He shrugged. "Just curious."
"You're lying."
Rather than deny that, he just exhaled heavily and muttered, "It was nothing. Forget it, okay?"
She frowned at him for a moment then shrugged lightly. "Okay. Forgotten. So, what's next on the agenda?"
He looked a little surprised to be let off so easily, but replied to her question. "Between hearing just how many rooms there are, plus what happened on the trail, I'm rethinking my insistence on not reading any of the material ahead of time. So I thought maybe we could go back to the room and do a little... research." The last word was delivered with a distinct eyebrow wiggle.
Maggie returned the gesture along with a small smile. "I think a little research with you would be quite—" Her smile slipped away. "I just remembered something. I'm supposed to check in with Human Resources today. Something about filling out forms. Would you mind getting started without me?" She felt herself blush. "I mean with the research, the book research."
He grinned. "You'd better go before you dig yourself a hole I won't let you out of." She rose but he caught her wrist before she could walk away. "See if they'll give you the forms to fill out back in the room."
"Okay." She turned but he held fast.
"You mentioned a history book..."
"It's on my nightstand." Again he prevented her from leaving.
"I need a kiss."
She bent down and kissed the top of his head. "That's the best you can have in public. And the longer you keep me here, the later it will be when I get back to the suite."
Chapter 8
Maggie was practicing her patience but it was getting thinner by the minute. She wanted to get back to the suite. To Noah. The research. Noah. The need to be near him, touching him, making love with him, was pushing everything else out of her mind. She had never before been preoccupied with thoughts like these. He said it was about chemistry, so perhaps she was addicted to whatever chemical his body produced naturally that other boys and men lacked.
She needed something else to think about but she was being kept waiting without anything to distract her. The only thing that came to mind was the awareness that she should have taken a shower after their outdoor explorations. But she had only been thinking of getting this appointment over with as quickly as possible. And now she couldn't stop thinking about her questionable hygiene.
Even though she had shown up without a specific appointment, that had been Lillian Davenport's request. And when she told Ms. Martinez, the general manager's executive assistant, that she would be glad to schedule another time when it might be more conv
enient, she had been politely but firmly directed to sit and wait just a few minutes for Ms. Davenport to get out of her meeting.
Perhaps to keep her from leaving, Ms. Martinez started a conversation in a more friendly tone. "I hope Mr. Nash will give you time to enjoy some of the hotel's amenities."
Maggie did her best to give an appropriate answer without blushing. "He seems to be a very considerate employer."
"I heard the two of you have already done some exploring." When she noted Maggie's slight frown, she smiled. "He's famous, staying in our finest suite. The staff and guests can't help but be interested in what he's doing."
Maggie forced a smile. "He said exploring a book's potential location is part of his process. And I must say, the hotel is certainly beautiful. I like the way the décor is a blend of tropical island and old world."
The assistant chuckled. "Funny you should say that. The meeting in there is about some major renovations that would bring some very contemporary advancements and styles into the mix. But don't worry. Even if you're still here when the physical work begins, you shouldn't be disturbed."
Ms. Martinez almost managed to distract Maggie with bits of trivia about the hotel until the executive office door opened. Four people exited with folders and rolled blueprints and very concerned expressions on their faces. Maggie's guess was that they'd all been given assignments or deadlines they were none too happy about.
An impeccably groomed, statuesque woman with very light ash-blonde hair stood in the doorway. Maggie was no fashionista but the woman's dress looked like an original somebody-or-other's design. Despite her powerful position, her smooth complexion suggested she was in her thirties. However, her confidence and air of authority were easy to identify. This had to be Lillian Davenport.
"Ms. Harrison," she said with a smile that revealed perfect, white teeth but didn't seem to reach her eyes. "Thank you for stopping by. Come in please."
Maggie hurried to follow her into the inner sanctum. Rather than a stuffy executive office or a Tommy Bahama interpretation of one, the room was efficiently furnished with glass and matte chrome pieces. It was also incredibly neat for the work area of such a busy executive... which could have been the reason Maggie's gaze was drawn to the hodge-podge collection of photographs on the side wall. They were mostly of Davenport properties and autographed pics of celebrity guests posing with Davenport family members or staff, but Maggie's vision caught on a small one that didn't seem to fit amidst the others.
The photograph appeared to be of a younger Ms. Davenport and a dark-haired man sharing an intimate moment. The large pink-carnation heart behind their heads along with his coat and tie and her bright red Chinese-style top hinted at a special occasion. But the look of sublime happiness on her face was unmistakable. They had to have been deeply in love when that picture was taken. Engraved across the bottom of the plain, silver frame was the phrase, Lilli & Connor... 2/14/05.
As Ms. Davenport moved to her high-backed executive chair behind the desk, Maggie hurried to sit in one of the low-profile arm chairs on the opposite side. It immediately established each of their positions for this meeting.
"I'm sure you have a lot to do for Mr. Nash so I'll only take a minute. Our human resources department speaks very highly of the 'It's Only Temporary' agency and I trust that you are as responsible as all the other temps they have provided us in the past. I understand the agency's owner explained that your assignment here was different from the norm. Your services are being utilized by Mr. Nash and he will be charged the agency's usual rate but the Davenport is the official client."
Maggie furrowed her brow both to show attentiveness and lack of complete comprehension. Ms. Davenport either didn't notice or didn't care as she continued on with a speech that sounded somewhat rehearsed and left no pauses for questions.
"We welcome the potential publicity that Mr. Nash could bring to the Davenport if he lets it be known we were the inspiration for his next bestselling novel. I'm sure you're aware of the effect Stephen King had on The Stanley Hotel. This property has always been a source of conjecture when it comes to its past but with all the increased interest in the paranormal, we have seen a correlation in the number and types of guest reservations, especially in the summer. In other words, we have accepted the value of all the rumors of ghosts and portals to other dimensions, though we will continue to deny the validity of such nonsense."
So far Maggie still had no idea what she had been summoned for but she forced herself to remain still.
"There is really just one area that we would prefer remain, shall we say, off-limits. Our concern is, if we specifically demand Mr. Nash avoid that area, he might be tempted to focus on it when it wasn't what he had planned on writing about to begin with."
Despite the confusing statement Maggie noticed Ms. Davenport's repeated use of the plural pronoun and wondered if the "we" referred to the group she saw leaving a few minutes ago, or the actual Davenport family, or if this woman just used the word to deflect responsibility away from herself. As the formidable woman finally got to her point, Maggie eliminated the employee group.
"You see, among all the rumors and ghost stories, there is one we absolutely will not tolerate being exploited for the amusement of the masses. There is to be no mention of my grandfather's death, either using the name Robert Davenport precisely or by implication. This is an area of great sensitivity to my family and there is no amount of publicity that would make a mockery of his life acceptable."
"I understand," Maggie said sympathetically. "I'm sure I would feel the same way. However, I'm not sure why you're telling me this."
Ms. Davenport's expression took on a stern edge. "I am telling this to you because part of your assignment here is to report on Mr. Nash's progress and how his story seems to be developing. You will make these reports directly and only to me, at least once a week, and not alert Mr. Nash in any way."
Maggie felt a rush of acid flood her stomach. She was being ordered to spy on and lie to Noah. Even if she didn't care about him, subterfuge was not in her character range. Something made her glance at the photo again. It was hard to believe that happy young woman was now the cold-blooded executive sitting in the power chair.
"I understand you and Mr. Nash were previously acquainted."
An alarm sounded in Maggie's mind. "That's correct. It was back in high school. But he barely remembered me." The lie slid out more easily than she expected.
"Good. If I thought you were too close to him, I would have to ask for a replacement."
Maggie wasn't worried. Noah wouldn't accept a replacement. But Ms. Davenport wasn't finished.
"Also, I was told you and your agency's owner, Tanya Sevrell, are very good friends. So let me add this—if Mr. Nash's book includes even one sentence about my grandfather, in any context, and you fail to warn me of that possibility in time to take preventive action, I will see to it that all of our staffing needs are taken away from 'It's Only Temporary'... permanently."
* * *
Lilli waited for the temp to close the door behind her before rising. She had not intended to threaten the friend's business to ensure Ms. Harrison's cooperation, but her instincts told her it was absolutely necessary. Mercy had let her know that Mr. Nash and Ms. Harrison had been seen around the hotel by a number of staff and the general consensus was that they appeared to be very friendly. Whether or not the temp was being honest about Nash barely remembering her, that woman had deep feelings for him. And she knew from personal experience how those kind of feelings could overpower all common sense.
She walked over to the photo wall and removed the one that had caught Harrison's eye. That was the giveaway. Despite all the artistic shots of Davenport properties and photo-ops with recognizable celebrities, people in love were automatically drawn to the simple little snapshot of her and Connor.
How many times had she tried to store it out of her sight?
Countless.
It never stayed hidden for long though. The same
photo that made her heart ache also made her strong. Every day for the last thirteen years, she looked at it and remembered two things—the happiest moment can turn to ashes in a blink, and Love can never, ever be trusted.
Even more times, she had thought of throwing the reminder away, but she hadn't been able to do that either. It wasn't logical, but getting rid of the photo completely would be the same as accepting that she would never see Connor again.
And the day she accepted that would be the day she took her last breath.
* * *
All the way back to the suite Maggie wondered how she was going to get out of the spider web she'd just gotten caught in. It would be different if she didn't know Noah was already thinking of using Robert Davenport, or at least the idea of him, in his new book. If she didn't tell Noah about her secret orders, she'd feel like she was betraying him. She couldn't be sure where their relationship was headed but starting off spying on him didn't seem to lay a good foundation for the future.
On the other hand, if she told him about it and he purposely avoided a particularly good plot idea to make things easier on her, she'd be guilty of interfering with his creative process. Also not a great beginning.
If that wasn't complicated enough, she and Tanya had been close for some time now and she loved working for her agency. Davenport made up most of Tanya's business. If they pulled out, the firm's reputation would be severely damaged and it could take her friend a very long time to recover, if at all.
During the short elevator ride, she made the decision not to do anything for a few days. After all, she had a week before having to report to Ms. Davenport again. Meanwhile she would not tell Noah about the warning. She would not tell Tanya about the threat. And finally she would not ruin the time she had with Noah by fretting over the day when she would have to say something to someone.
Before entering the suite, she brought back the memory of the last minutes she and Noah had spent behind those doors. Instantly, the strange chemistry pushed everything out of the way except the need to touch him.
Some Time Away (Lovers in Time Series, Book 3): Time Travel Romance Page 8