“That’s because he can tell the farmers here really need the help. So much of the agricultural land is now being sold for development as the families give up the struggle. The coffee industry has suffered great losses over the last few years because of the crop damage. Your father can have a positive impact on their lives by developing new environmentally friendly techniques for disease and pest control.”
“True,” I admitted reluctantly. As much as I could understand his reasons for wanting us to remain apart, I still didn’t like it and I told him so. He kissed me again.
“I feel the same way, Chris, but we just have to muddle through. Besides, you haven’t figured out yet what we have in common. When you do, you’ll understand why I’m doing things this way and why you can trust me when I say I have no intention of letting you go.”
“We have something in common and I don’t yet know about it?”
“Yes.”
Those dark eyes were intense as he studied me. It was as if he was willing me to dig deeper. Whatever physical distance there might be between us, this unknown bond would somehow be enough to keep us going in the months ahead. It was up to me to figure it out.
“But....” My doubts seemed to rise up, overwhelming me. Did Jeff and I really have any chance of a lifetime together? What if something got in the way, something we weren’t expecting, something unforeseen?
“I don’t intend to walk away from you, let alone run. We’re in this for keeps, Chris. We’ll be able to stay in touch by phone, emails, and even video chat,” he promised, as we walked back to the SUV, crossing the public parking lot. What had Jefferson Cornwall discovered in me that touched a chord deep within him as a man, so deep that he was willing to commit himself to our future together? “My father has to go back to Ithaca at the end of the week, but my mother is staying on to do some research for a new romantic suspense novel set in Hawaii. She usually hires someone to assist her, so why can’t it be you?”
“You want me to work for your mother, for Serena Duvall?” That was the last thing I expected to hear.
“Sure. You’re clever and you have a good head on your shoulders. You’re also a wonderful companion. Jojo and Nancy adore you.”
“What if your mother says no?”
He laughed, throwing back his head with great amusement. “You think my mother will say no to the chance to get to know her future daughter-in-law? Good God, woman, have you not already noticed her efforts to put us together?”
“That was rather hard to miss,” I acknowledged with a smile.
Something flashed in his eyes. It was only there for a second, but I saw it. And with it, I found unexpected intuition came into my conscious mind, some little glimmer of insight as I observed his reaction. Lisbeth Causley was the public face of the Cornwall family, but somewhere behind the scenes, Jeff was directing some action of his own. How could he do that if he was only the author of thrillers, the producer of television programs?
“Jeff, when I was reading Dangerous Deception, I noticed that Fin reminded me of someone I know.” I glanced at the man beside me. He kept his strong hands on the steering wheel and his determined eyes on the road ahead of us, as if he were concerned he might give too much of himself away.
“Did you?” he replied evenly. Nothing seemed to betray him; there wasn’t a muscle that twitched or an extra blink of the eyes, but I knew just the same. Jefferson Cornwall was the real inspiration for the hero called Fin Manetti. The mastermind behind bringing Nora’s story of deceit and betrayal out in the open hadn’t been Lisbeth Causley -- it had been Jefferson Cornwall. He put the two women together and made sure that Vanilla Orchid Magic was written. Did that also mean he played a role in bringing down the real Scorpion?
Chapter Fifty Five
“I haven’t had a chance to finish the book yet,” I continued. “I’ve been so busy with other things.”
“You should finish it. I think you’ll enjoy it.” As he pressed his lips firmly together, a tiny shadow of a smile escaped. Was he trying to prevent all those secrets of his from spilling out at once?
“I’m sure I will,” I smiled too, putting my hand on the back of his neck and ruffling his hair affectionately as we made our way back down the Coconut Coast.
Just before five, Jeff pulled the SUV into the parking lot behind his parents’ condo. As I put my hand on the door latch, he stopped me.
“Thanks, Chris.” He kissed me again, this time tenderly, longingly.
“For what?” I asked him when we parted from our brief, yet intimate embrace.
“For being the woman you are...and for understanding me.” The answer I had been looking for was written on his face. It was in the deep intensity of his gaze, in the set of his determined chin, and even on those hungry lips of his. Jefferson Cornwall was a man of mystery. He lived a public life as an author and TV producer, but some of that was pure fiction. The real man had a hidden past few people knew of, and I was privileged to be included in that very small circle.
I left him on the lanai of his parents’ condo, chatting with his father, and went up to change for dinner. Briefly stopping in the kitchen, I poured kibble into Cooper’s dish on my way to the master bedroom. Throwing open the closet door, I decided it was time to impress my future in-laws. I selected the vibrant floral sundress Nancy and I bought in St. Augustine at a tiny shop in the historic district. It would do nicely. Once my makeup and jewelry were on, I slipped my feet into a pair of white sandals, sprayed myself with a light floral scent, and pulled my hair into a twist. I pinned it up and added a pink Swarovski crystal butterfly clip. And then, when I was satisfied, I studied my reflection in the mirror.
For the first time in a long time, the woman staring back at me didn’t have that haunted look in her eyes. The corners of her mouth were relaxed, instead of tightly drawn. Was this really me? I liked what I saw. I was definitely older than the person Jared Spears conned, but that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. There might be a few more crow’s feet around my eyes, but with those came wisdom. Life wasn’t quite as scary anymore. I understood now that things often do happen for a reason, and the more you glean the truth, the easier it is to comprehend the pieces of the puzzle.
I scooped up the tiny terrier sitting on my bed, kissing the top of his head. “It’s time for you to have a nap in your crate, little boy. I’ll be back later.”
The elevator took me down to the vestibule, accompanied by a couple with a pair of teens; they were on their way to the pool. This was their first vacation in eighteen months and they loved Hawaii. Listening to their happy chatter about how different life was back at home in Denver, it was hard not to be swept along by their energy. I couldn’t help myself; my curiosity got the better of me.
“What’s your favorite thing about being here?” I asked the younger girl. There was a long pause as she considered the question.
“Everything!” she crowed, her braces glinting.
“Good answer,” her father said, patting her on the head. She and her sister padded away down the carpeted hall in their flip-flops, towels slung over their shoulders. Their parents didn’t rush; there was no need. It was family time, but they were comfortable letting their children go ahead to the pool. It reminded me of vacations with my parents so long ago, when Tensie, Nealie, and I would hurry down to the beach and throw ourselves into the ocean with pure, unadulterated abandon. My mother and father would follow us with folded beach chairs, tote bags, and sun hats. They would set the chairs in the sand and sit, content to watch us bob up and down in the waves until we were exhausted and hungry.
I stepped out under the starlit sky, letting the door close behind me. I was all too aware of the new sense of freedom I carried with me. Marigold Flowers was nothing more than a fictional character, someone I pretended to be. But Chrisanth Neeson -- that was the real me. I had a real childhood filled with memories and people I loved.
My life was changing so quickly, in such unexpected ways. I wondered if my father was havin
g a similar experience. It must feel strange to him, too, to reclaim his own past. I wondered how much Lara knew about his life.
Everyone was assembled on the Cornwalls’ lanai when I arrived. Jeff and his dad were casually dressed in golf shirts and dark slacks; the family resemblance was all the more obvious as father and son stood side by side. Liz, in a chic short-sleeved pant suit that was the color of a refreshing strawberry daiquiri, looked every inch the successful author she was, right down to the gold bracelets that dangled from her wrists. Abandoning her usual botanist uniform of cotton blouse and slacks paired with sensible shoes, Lara wore a classic dark floral-print sheath dress and short heels, making the most of her good looks, right down to the pink lip gloss that brought shine to her smile. I suspected that was Liz’s handiwork. But it was my father who was the real surprise. The middle-aged, slightly stogy man unexpectedly departed from his own standard man-of-science wardrobe. In place of the usual button-down Oxford cloth dress shirt, he wore a blue banana leaf-print Hawaiian shirt.
“Looking dapper, Dad.”
“Oh, you think so? It’s not too much?” He glanced down at the vibrant foliage on his chest.
“No. Very handsome,” I insisted. “I like it.”
“Lara pointed it out in a shop window when we were in Oahu recently.”
I could tell he was nervous as he waited for my response. I did my best to reassure him, knowing this wasn’t as much about a shirt as it was about taking on a prospective love interest.
“I’m glad she did, Dad.”
“I am too.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Liz give an elbow poke to her blushing friend; a moment later, she leaned over and whispered something in Lara’s ear. The co-conspirators were already planning their next moves.
We walked out to the parking lot together and climbed into the SUV, arranging ourselves in the three rows of seats for the trip to the Hukilau Lanai. This time, I was prompted by Liz to sit up front with Jeff.
“I hope you don’t mind, dear. I’d like to sit with my spouse. I haven’t seen much of him all day.”
“Not at all. It would be my pleasure.”
Jeff helped me navigate the step up into the front seat, squeezing my hand conspiratorially. I fought the urge to grin. Would the expert on romance ever be satisfied with her matchmaking if she thought I was such an easy sell? The more I seemed to resist the idea of succumbing to her son’s charms, the more I suspected Lisbeth Causley would work to bring us together, and that had some benefits I couldn’t deny.
The charming tropical ambiance of the restaurant delighted us as we followed our host through the dining room of the Kauai Coast Resort and out to the covered lanai. We were seated at a large round table at the edge of the tiled terrace, surrounded by lush foliage and soft lighting. I was no sooner in my rattan chair between Jeff and Lara when Liz started asking me questions.
“Chris, how long will you be staying on in Hawaii?”
“I’m not really sure.” That much was true. As I continued, I had to fudge my answers, trying not to overact. “I came to Hawaii after I hit a rough patch. I wanted a change of scenery while I figure out what to do with the rest of my life.”
“Oh, sounds like man trouble,” was the reply from across the table. Liz reached for her glass and took a sip from her wine glass. Considering that Jared was the man in question, I didn’t have to feign my dismay when recalling how badly our engagement ended.
“That would be an understatement. He was definitely the wrong guy for me. Not a nice man at all.”
“A philanderer?” Liz ignored her son’s discreet clearing of the throat. Ever the mystery fan, she pressed on, wanting to know more. Lara attempted to put a restraining hand on Liz’s arm, but it had no impact on her inquisitive nature.
“No,” I shivered as I let myself remember what being with Jared was like. I hadn’t even met his family, despite the engagement. “Much worse.”
“Hmm....What could be worse than that?” Liz pondered the possibilities. “A villain?”
My father was watching me with concern. Had he figured out why we were suddenly reunited in Hawaii?
“Liz, I don’t think we should pry into Chris’s love life,” P. J. told her. “After all, it might be a painful subject for her. What if he was a criminal...or worse?”
The moment he said that, I glanced at him in alarm, terrified that my recent experience would come to light. What would happen if Liz found out?
“Really, Mom, we have no way of knowing whether poor Chris has been through the wringer. For all we know....” Jeff held up his hands, leaving the door wide open to speculation. I wondered if he and his father intended to do that; they had to know she couldn’t resist a mystery. Maybe it was their way of insuring that Lisbeth Causley would take me under her wing. After all, Camille and Étienne had trusted her with their secret.
I watched mother studying son for a long minute. Her eyes never strayed from Jeff’s face, even as he poured Lara and my father a little more wine. A moment later, Liz turned her attention back to me, but this time she seemed less inclined to dig through the personal details.
“You’re single,” she wanted to know, “and on your own?”
“I am,” I sighed. “Free as a bird.”
“And you’re between jobs?” Liz continued to probe.
“I am at the moment. I expect that to change as soon as I settle in here and figure out how I can use my skills,” I added emphatically. “After everything that happened to me, I just wanted to get away...far, far away. The last thing I ever expected was to run into my dad here.”
“It’s such a fluke that we bumped into each other,” he admitted, watching me carefully. I recognized the signs as those wheels began to turn in his head. He was coming out of years as a protected witness at the same time I was. Was he putting two and two together, recognizing there had to be a reason for the unexpected status changes that had taken place over the last few months, and even weeks? How could he not be suspicious? After all, the long-time researcher spent years solving complex problems as a man of science. Evidence was everything to him and he could tell this just didn’t add up. But he was also, like me, a person who had lived a secret life. I counted on him to be discreet in his curiosity.
“Happily, this fluke seems to have a fortuitous side,” Jeff declared, holding up his glass in an impromptu toast. “Who could have imagined such a joyful reunion of father and daughter? To Chrisanth and Woody!”
“Here, here!” The sound of glasses tinkling against one another seemed to auger a new direction for the conversation. We were over the bump in the road, the awkward explanations of how things came to be. There would be time enough later to thread the needle and stitch the details of the stories together.
“We might have missed each other. I’m only booked here for another few days,” my father told the group. “After that, I have to find a short-term rental for the duration of the project.”
“You know, Dad, I’ve got an extra guest room in my condo. You’re welcome to use it.”
“I don’t want to inconvenience you, Chris....”
“Don’t be silly! I insist. It would be nice to spend some time with you. It’s been so long since we had a chance to talk.” I thought quickly about the sign I’d seen on the highway. “Maybe if there’s time, we could go see the Na ‘Aina Kai Botanical Gardens in Kalihiwai. Jeff and I passed it on the highway today. And there’s also a chocolate farm that looked promising.”
“One of several on the island,” Lara informed us.
“That might be fun.” My dad took a sip of wine as he mulled that over. “You know, I’ve always wanted to spend some time exploring Hawaii. It’s actually a great opportunity to tour some of the agricultural facilities and become familiar with the natural environment.”
“I’ve got to get back to Cornell, but Liz is planning on spending some time here working on her newest book.” P. J. glanced in Jeff’s direction. “What about you, son?”
“You can’t stay?” Liz seemed genuinely disappointed at the news that Jeff wouldn’t be around. “You should take some time off. You work too hard.”
“I can’t, Mom. We scheduled these meetings several months ago. People are counting on me to be there.” I felt his hand brush up against my knee as he rearranged the napkin in his lap. “What’s the new book?”
“Oh, it’s actually going to be a continuation of the Believe in Happy Endings series I started when I wrote A Whisper of Ginger. It takes place here on Kauai. I’m calling it A Hint of Cinnamon, and it will be followed up by A Pinch of Allspice, A Smidgen of Cardamom, and A Touch of Cloves. Those mysteries will take place on other Hawaiian islands. Are you sure you can’t stay?”
“Positive. How long will you be here?”
“I planned on at least two months of research for this book. Your father is coming back for a week in April.”
“Maybe I could fly back next month for a long weekend.” Jeff made a point of pouring me another glass of wine, and as I looked up, our eyes locked. Even though I knew it was part of the script, my spirit seemed to soar at the thought of seeing him again. I was hungry for the chance to be with him, to delve deeper into the mystery of who Jefferson Cornwall really was. For a moment, I lost my head and forgot to hide my interest.
“I hope I’m still around when you come, Jeff. Maybe we could get better acquainted.”
“I’d like that.”
“Well, that leaves Lara,” said Liz. “What are your plans? Can you stick around a while?”
“Oh, I’m sure nobody wants a third wheel bouncing awkwardly down the street,” she replied. She patted her mouth with her napkin and took a sip of water. “It tends to throw off the momentum. I’ll find a place to rent somewhere around here.”
My father quickly set her straight. “Not a third wheel. Liz is staying. You’ll be the fourth. I’d love for you to join us on our excursions and get to know my daughter.”
Reluctant Witness Page 47