Diane T. Ashley

by Jasmine

  Jasmine didn’t know what to say. Miss Barlow had been a spy? The very thought of doing something so dangerous made her heart trip.

  “That’s all ancient history now.” Miss Barlow uncovered a wooden chair and pointed her finger at it. “Sit.”

  As soon as Jasmine settled down, the actress returned to her slipper chair. “Even though you’re talented, you’ll need help to see your dreams come true. Someone who has contacts in the world of the theater. Someone who can get you noticed by the right people. Someone like me.”

  Shock held her still. Of all the things she thought Miss Barlow might offer her, sponsorship was not one of them. “I don’t know what to say.”

  “Thank you is sufficient.”

  When Jasmine hesitated, Miss Barlow’s eyes narrowed. “Oh, I see how it is. Vance Hargrove has turned your head. You think he’s all you need to get ahead.”

  “I—”

  “Do you think you’re the first pretty girl he’s gotten a job for?” A harsh laugh came from the older woman. “Has he already kissed you?”

  Jasmine put her hands to her burning cheeks. How did Miss Barlow know? Was it true that Vance didn’t care about her? What about his words this morning?

  “No need to answer, I can see it on your face. You’re lucky I’ve decided to take an interest in you. After he is through using you, he’ll be on to his next conquest.”

  She wanted to cover her ears to shut out Miss Barlow’s words. Could they be true? Was Vance using her for his own purposes? And what about Miss Barlow? “Why do you want to help me?”

  “Good. I knew you were a quick study.” Miss Barlow’s laugh sounded harsh to Jasmine’s ears. “Everyone has their reasons, even me. If you become as famous as I think you will, you’ll soon leave this country and become a sensation abroad. That’s when I’ll want your help. But in all honesty, if I really wanted to help you, Jasmine, I’d tell you to go to your handsome brother and beg him to take you home. Leave before you’re as washed up as I am.”

  “You’re not washed up.”

  Another callous laugh answered her statement. “I’m a long way from the theaters in New York. It’s too late for me, but you can still get out.”

  “I don’t want out. I want to see the world.”

  The other woman leaned forward, her chin propped on her hand. “The world is not the exciting place you’re imagining. It’s mostly unwashed farmers, empty promises, and mud.”

  Jasmine pushed herself up from her chair. She’d heard enough.

  “You can run if you want, but I’m trying to give you the benefit of my experience. I’ve been snubbed by ladies who think they’re better than me. I’ve been pelted with rotten vegetables when the audience decides they’re not getting their money’s worth. I’ve had to run for my life with nothing but the clothes on my back.”

  Picking her way through the mess, Jasmine finally reached the door and jerked it open.

  Before she could get out, though, Miss Barlow added her parting shot. “If you don’t take my advice to escape, come back to see me. I can help you more than you realize.”

  The words reverberated in her mind as Jasmine went back to her room. She was embarrassed and upset by the interview with Miss Barlow. It was all too much for her. Everyone wanted something from her, each one demanding something different. She didn’t know which way to turn anymore. Feeling dazed and confused, Jasmine threw herself across the bed and let the tears flow. How had everything gone so wrong?

  David wondered what he was going to say to Jasmine the next time he saw her. Guilt scoured him every time he thought of the way she’d run from him. He was an idiot. All these years he’d remained silent. And for what? So he could frighten her away when she realized he didn’t think of her as a sister?

  He saw the Thornton family from a distance as they boarded the showboat. He wished he could visit with them again, but the only time he could search the Ophelia was during the two hours that the performance had everyone occupied.

  Judicious questioning of the unsuspecting Titus Ross, the tugboat captain, supplied him with the location of the actors’ rooms. He started with Vance Hargrove’s. A large bed covered with crimson silk sheets made his stomach churn. He had no doubt the actor was a master seducer, although what women saw in him was a mystery to David.

  A thorough search of the nooks and crannies turned up no notes or incriminating evidence. David found a strongbox concealed in one of the man’s trunks and wished he could open it without alerting Hargrove to the fact that it had been discovered. But the box was too small to hold much. He would have to find a more blatant connection before he risked showing his hand.

  Someone walking down the hallway had him diving for cover, but the footsteps passed Hargrove’s room. David knew it was time to get out before he had to explain his presence in the actor’s quarters.

  After listening for other activity, he opened the door an inch. The hall looked empty so he crept out of the room, closed the door without making a noise, and tiptoed back to the room where the props were stored. He could always feign some excuse if he was found there.

  “There you are.” Clem’s voice made him jump. “I wondered if we would see you at all today.”

  He turned to her and smiled. Of all the people on the Ophelia, he prayed Clem was not involved. “I had some business to do in town this morning. Do you ever get off the boat to see some of the countryside?”

  Her round face turned pink, and David wished he’d kept his mouth shut. He hadn’t meant to give her the idea that he wanted to pursue her. All he wanted to do was eliminate her as a suspect.

  “I’d love to see Memphis.” Her smile made Clem’s face transform from average to pretty.

  How was he supposed to ignore such a blatant invitation? He didn’t want to hurt her feelings. Maybe she would be satisfied with a quick walk through downtown to see the shops. “We’ll have to do something about that.”

  A sound at the door made David look over his shoulder. His heart dropped to his toes as he recognized coal black hair and dark eyes the color of violets. He’d imagined many scenarios during the long hours of the night, but none of the meetings he’d dreamed of included Jasmine overhearing him making plans with another girl.

  “Excuse me, Clem, but I need to talk to my brother before the two of you leave on your outing.” Jasmine’s voice was cool and calm.

  David ran a finger around the collar of his shirt.

  “If you can tear yourself away, of course.” Her tone suggested he’d be sorry if he didn’t.

  Clem looked at both of them, muttered some excuse, and left them alone.

  Jasmine’s eyes burned his skin. “What do you think you’re doing?”

  Was she jealous? The thought was ludicrous. Wasn’t it? Now that he really looked at Jasmine, he realized something he had not before. The skin around her eyes looked bruised. “Have you been crying?”

  She shook her head. “I— of course not. It’s just been a trying few days. Everything’ll be better once you leave.”

  Here was the condemnation he’d expected. “I’m sorry, Jasmine. I never meant to—”

  “Hush.” She put a hand to her lips and glanced around. “I don’t want to talk about it. We were both carried away by the moment. The sooner we move past what happened, the sooner things can go back to normal.”

  “If you didn’t come to talk about … last night, then what?”

  “I think I might have a clue.”

  Fear stole into his veins, pushed his heart all the way up his throat. “You’re supposed to leave that to me. I don’t want you putting yourself at risk.”

  Her eyes widened.

  He wanted to shake some sense into her. “Don’t you realize that some of these people are killers? One of them, maybe someone who works on this boat, stabbed a man in cold blood. Charles Petrie died in front of my eyes. I couldn’t bear it if something happened to you.”

  One of the minor actors stuck his head in the door but backed away
when David sent him a warning glare. “Hurry up and tell me what you learned before someone else comes in.”

  “Mr. Easley sent someone to the bank today.”

  David waited a minute for her to continue. When she didn’t, he sighed, the urge to shake her growing stronger with each passing second. Jasmine couldn’t still think this was all play. She had to grasp the gravity of the situation. “What else?”

  “Nothing.” She closed her mouth, but he could tell she was holding something back.

  “Does it have something to do with Vance Hargrove?”

  “Yes—well—maybe. But I’m certain he’s innocent.”

  “Tell me, Jasmine, and let me decide who’s innocent and who’s guilty. That’s what I’m trained to do.”

  She huffed. “It wasn’t much really. Only that Mr. Easley gave Vance a huge pile of money and told him to go to the bank. Then he said, ‘You know what to do.’ ”

  The way she dropped her voice an octave and thrust out her chest was so cute. Jasmine might be an actress, but no one would confuse her with the two-hundred-pound manager. He wanted to laugh but knew he couldn’t. That’s what had gotten them in trouble last night. He needed to keep his focus on the case.

  “Thanks for keeping your ears open, but I don’t want to tell you again to keep your nose out of my business. I don’t need your help.”

  She rolled her eyes, obviously not heeding his warning at all. “Have you made any progress?”

  “A little.” David didn’t want to go into detail. He could imagine her outrage if he told her he’d searched Hargrove’s room. “Look, there’s something else I want you to think about.”

  She crossed her hands over her chest, a sure sign she wasn’t in a receptive mood.

  He had to tell her anyway. “I’m not asking you to ignore Hargrove, but don’t let him talk you into doing anything … well … anything you’re uncomfortable with.”

  Her face hardened. “You mean like letting him kiss me? I hate to tell you, David, but you’re too late with your warning. Vance has already kissed me, and it was … Well, it was more pleasant than some experiences I’ve had.”

  When the import of her words percolated through his brain, jealousy shut out all other emotions. He wanted to tear Hargrove limb from limb. He wanted to stalk back to the man’s room and rip that strongbox open with his bare hands. “If you let him touch you again, I don’t care what you say, you’re going back to Les Fleurs.”

  She stepped back a pace. “Are you threatening me? After last night?”

  “I’m not the same kind of man as Vance Hargrove.”

  “No. No, you’re not.” Her whisper was as sharp as a knife. “You’re the kind who’ll kiss one girl at night and romance a different one the next day.”

  “I don’t care about your opinion of me, Jasmine Anderson. I’ve seen enough to know he’s the worst kind of hardened rake. If you don’t stay away from him and quit asking questions of the actors, I will stop you.”

  “You don’t get to make those kinds of decisions, David Fos—Anderson. And the sooner you figure that out, the better things will be between us.” A slow, dangerous smile appeared on her face. “Whether you like it or not, I’m going to help you solve this mystery. You can either work with me or ignore me. But I’m going to do everything I can to get you off of this boat, hopefully before we leave Memphis.”

  He watched as she spun on her heel and marched toward the door, her nose leading the way. He stomped on the floor once and had the satisfaction of seeing her scamper several feet forward before she realized he was not actually chasing her.

  David decided he could keep an eye out for her safety, even though he would rather work alone. Something about the idea of working with her eased the pain in his heart, reminded him of happier times when they’d been as close as his next breath. They had enjoyed each other so much back then. Why had adulthood gotten in their way?

  Chapter Twenty-four

  Another bank was robbed yesterday afternoon.”

  Jasmine caught her breath. “It can’t be a coincidence.”

  David shook his head. He had singled her out right after breakfast, telling her to meet him outside. They left the boat together and walked uphill toward the center of town.

  “When did it happen?”

  “During the matinee.” He pounded a fist against his pants leg. “I can’t quite make the connection to the showboat, but I know there has to be one. I know it.”

  “Don’t worry, we’ll find it.”

  “I’ve searched your boat from stem to stern. Hargrove is the only one with the means and opportunity. He’s got to be the one.”

  Jasmine couldn’t help but feel that David was prejudiced against poor Vance because of his relationship with her. “I don’t see how he can be. He was right here all afternoon.”

  “Are you sure he was there the whole time?”

  A fresh breeze grazed her neck, and Jasmine wished she could loosen the bun at the back of her head and let her hair fly around her face like she’d done when she was a child. “He’s the star, remember? Vance has lines in most of the scenes. He couldn’t have left in the middle of the play without it being noticed. It has to be someone else.”

  “I don’t believe it’s a coincidence that every town he’s been in for the past year has been robbed while he was there. Unless he’s some kind of albatross.”

  She knew better than to believe David was superstitious. He had a stronger relationship with God than she did. He must really be desperate to catch the robbers. “We’re supposed to leave for Cairo tomorrow.”

  He looked off into the distance.

  “David, are you listening to me?”

  His green gaze lost its faraway look and focused on her. “Yes, of course. But I need to do a couple of things before we leave Memphis.”

  “What things?”

  He shook his head and flicked her nose with a finger. “Nothing that needs to concern you.”

  She wanted to stomp her foot. When would David learn to treat her like an adult? As she watched him walk away, she gave in to the impulse to stick out her tongue at his retreating back. Maybe if she solved his mystery, David would finally admit she was a grown woman.

  Lily moved across the parlor as Aunt Dahlia stood, and she kissed the air next to the older woman’s cheek. “You sleep well. We’ll see you in the morning.”

  Aunt Dahlia’s nose wrinkled. “Unless the Good Lord sees fit to take me home tonight.”

  “We’re not going to worry about that, dear.” Uncle Phillip put an arm around his wife’s shoulders. He winked toward Lily and the others. “According to what I remember of my classical studies, Herodotus said, ‘Whom the gods love dies young; Best go first.’ ”

  Aunt Dahlia’s face turned suspicious. “Are you making fun of me?”

  “Of course not.” He led her out of the room, bending toward Aunt Dahlia, and placating her with tender words.

  Lily put a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing out loud as she, Blake, Camellia, and Jonah waited for the pair to get out of earshot.

  “When did your uncle Phillip develop such a sense of humor?” Blake kept a straight face, but the twinkle in his blue eyes told her he shared her amusement.

  Camellia, sitting on one of the pair of sofas, smiled at him. “He’s been much happier since he realized Jonah and I are not going to let the plantation go to rack and ruin.”

  “I think he enjoys teasing your aunt.” Jonah walked to the window and opened the drapes to let a breeze into the room.

  Lily shook her head and settled on the sofa opposite her sister. “Every time we come home, things seem a little more comfortable than the time before. I’m so glad the fire didn’t slow you down.”

  “When will you ever get over your wanderlust and come back home to stay?” Camellia opened her fan and waved it in front of her face.

  “Not for another century or so.” Blake took a seat next to his wife.

  Lily thanked God for a husband
who understood her so well. She tilted her head to look at him. “Don’t let Blake fool you by blaming our absence on me. He would like for us to go even farther afield than we do presently.”

  “Tell us what you found out in Memphis.” Jonah lounged against the open window.

  “Eli and Renée are certain we need to make an investment right away, while the opportunities are wide open.” Lily turned toward him. “Your brother is even considering leaving Memphis and moving out West to take better advantage of the situation.”

  Blake stretched out his legs and crossed them at the ankles. “I’m trying to convince Lily that we need to take a trip out there to see for ourselves.”

  “Where would you go?” asked Camellia.

  “I’d like to travel all the way to California on the Pacific Railroad.” Blake glanced toward her.

  Lily nodded. She understood her husband’s reasoning, but she wasn’t quite ready to commit to spending a month or more away from the river. Especially now that Jasmine was running about on her own, getting into who knew what kind of trouble.

  “What towns are you planning to visit?” Jonah straightened and moved toward the sofas.

  Blake uncrossed his legs and stood. “Let’s go look at that map in the library. I’ll show you the exact route we’ll take.”

  Before the two men could leave, the parlor door opened. Lily looked up, smiling when she saw her father’s familiar visage. His smile sent her back to the distant past, the days of her childhood. A pang of sadness settled in her heart. Papa hadn’t looked this happy since before Mama died. While she didn’t want him to live the rest of his life mourning his first wife, his interest signaled the end of an era … at least in her mind.

  “Where are the two of you going?”

  “Blake’s going to show me where he’s taking your eldest daughter.” Jonah moved toward the door. “Why don’t you come with us?”

  “Hold on just a minute.” Camellia closed her fan and pointed it at Papa. “You’re not going to leave until we hear a report about your evening with Aunt Tessie.”