The Mysterious Stranger (Triple Trouble)

by Susan Mallery

  “I am.” He shrugged. “Like you said, it’s not that hard. I try to pay attention to her and care about her. She’s a great kid.”

  “You’re a pretty great uncle. She adores you.”

  “Now,” he agreed. “Wait until she’s a teenager and I won’t let her borrow the car. Then she’ll hate me.”

  “True.” Ariel grinned. “I would love to see what you’re going to put the boys through before you let them take her out on a date.”

  Dating? He hadn’t thought that far ahead. “I don’t think I can handle it. She won’t be allowed to date.”

  “Oh, there’s a realistic solution, Jarrett. Lock her up in a tower. Think of how balanced her personality will be. Very clever.”

  He leaned forward and touched her nose with the tip of his finger. “You have a sarcastic streak, don’t you?”

  “No. Why would you say that?” Her smile belied her words. Then the smile faded and she searched his face as if trying to figure something out.

  “What?” he asked.

  “I—” She broke off and ducked her head. “I have a confession.”

  His gut clenched. He didn’t want to hear any confessions. Not now. Not when he’d just started believing in her. He should have known better than to trust her. Dammit, when was he going to learn? He braced himself and nodded. “Go on.”

  “I, um, was in the library today.”

  “That’s hardly a hanging offense,” he said lightly, wishing the sick feeling would go away.

  “Yes, well, I found some things I probably shouldn’t have.” She picked at the hem of her shorts and shrugged. “I was looking for a book to read and I couldn’t find one. Then I kicked this box.” She raised her head. Her eyes had darkened to the color of emeralds. “I saw the magazine articles and I read them.”

  He waited. She stared at him. Silence.

  “That’s it?” he asked, nearly too stunned to be relieved. “You read the magazine articles?”

  “Yes.”

  “If I was worried about keeping them a secret, I would have locked them away.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “They were printed nationally, Ariel. You could have looked them up in the local library.”

  She smiled faintly. “I suspect there isn’t a library on St. Alicia. I don’t want you to think I was prying. I wasn’t. Well, maybe a little. It’s just that when I realized what they all had in common, I couldn’t help reading.”

  Relief flooded him like cool, clear water after a desert hike. The pain in his chest eased, as did his breathing.

  Confessions like this he could handle.

  “What did you think?” he asked.

  She pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs. “You’re someone important, but I’d sort of guessed that one.”

  “Hardly important.”

  “You turned the family business around in a big way and very quickly. It’s impressive.”

  He was pleased. He wanted her to be impressed. Then his pleasure faded. He remembered something else from the articles—they’d hinted at the dark secret in his past. No doubt Ariel had read about that, too. She would have questions.

  He leaned back against the sofa and rubbed the bridge of his nose. One day he was going to find a way to leave the past behind.

  “I think I understand now,” she said softly. “Of course you couldn’t trust me. A man in your position has to worry about security and strangers. I’m sorry I was such a bother.”

  “You weren’t a bother. A slightly unexpected guest, but is that so bad?”

  “I guess not. You’ve been great,” she declared earnestly. “I really appreciate it. You’ve given me a place to stay while I try to sort things out. I just wish I could remember.”

  For the first time since her arrival, he wasn’t looking forward to that moment. He didn’t want her to remember, because he didn’t want her to go. At least, not yet.

  “I’ve said I’ll help you, and I will,” he said. “Let’s get through the holidays first, then worry about your memory. Besides, it might have already returned by then.”

  “Wouldn’t that be nice? Or maybe someone will come looking for me.”

  Jarrett didn’t respond. While he didn’t want Ariel to be alone in the world, he wasn’t looking forward to her being reunited with anyone—especially if that someone was a man.

  He realized she hadn’t said anything about the fire or the woman who had died. She must have read about it in the magazines. Was she waiting for him to bring it up? He might. In time. As a rule he didn’t talk about the past, but Ariel was someone who could understand.

  “There’s a call,” Leona said, poking her head into the room. “Jarrett, it’s your manager from the hotel.”

  “I’ll take it in the office,” he replied as he rosé to his feet. He glanced at Ariel. “Be right back.”

  She smiled. “I’ll be waiting.”

  The slow curve of her lips hit him below the belt. Need rosé instantly. How long did it take to mix up cookies, and would he have time to steal a kiss or two when he returned?

  He crossed the foyer and entered his office, then punched the blinking red light and picked up the phone.

  “Mr. Wilkenson, you’ll be so pleased,” the manager said. “The mystery has been solved. There are two couples standing right here in my office looking for your houseguest.”

  At first Jarrett didn’t understand what he was hearing. Then he did. He sank onto his chair and closed his eyes. He couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe, could only listen.

  “The two ladies say she’s their sister. She came in a few days early. The reservation was for everyone. That’s why we couldn’t find a match for a single woman.”

  He hadn’t known how much it was going to hurt to lose her until she was gone. He clutched the phone more tightly. “What is her name?”

  He heard the manager repeat the question. “Fallon Bedford. She’s a schoolteacher from San Francisco.”

  “Are you sure these people are really her family?”

  The manager laughed. “Yes, sir. They’re her sisters. No doubt about that. What? Just a minute.”

  There was muffled conversation, then a feminine voice spoke into the phone. “Mr. Wilkenson, my name is Elissa Stephenson. I understand my sister is with you?”

  The voices were similar. It was true, then. She’d been found.

  “Yes, she’s here and she’s fine.”

  “Your manager explained about the accident.”

  “She’s very healthy, Mrs. Stephenson. I had my personal physician take care of her. The only problem seems to be with her memory.”

  There was more muffled conversation. The ache filled him, startling him with its intensity.

  “I can’t believe this,” Elissa said. “We have to see her.”

  “Of course. Tell my manager to bring you right over. The trip is only a few minutes.”

  “We’ll be there.” She paused. “Are you going to tell her? I don’t want this to be too much of a shock.”

  “Sure. I’ll let her know. See you shortly.”

  He hung up and sat there staring at nothing. The inevitable had occurred. He’d known this was going to happen—he’d even wanted it to happen. Until it had.

  He hadn’t even thought to ask if she was married. The manager had said two couples. Did he dare hope? Then he reminded himself it didn’t matter. Better if she was married. She would leave, and his life could return to normal. He didn’t have time for all this foolishness.

  But the words that had always worked in the past had somehow lost their magic. Instead of relieved, he felt hollow and defeated. Then he groaned softly. If he felt this way, how was Anna Jane going to deal with the situation?

  He walked into the living room. Anna Jane had returned. She took one look at his face and stood. Her small hands clutched at each other. Her face paled and he saw a tremor ripple through her.

  “Uncle Jarrett?”

  The tone of her voice
alerted Ariel…make that Fallon. Their mysterious stranger glanced at him and jumped. “What happened? Did you get bad news?”

  “Not at all,” he said, and tried to make his expression pleasant. “Actually, it’s good news.”

  He crossed to his niece and touched her on the shoulder. “It’s okay. Everyone is fine.”

  The child relaxed visibly. “I got scared.”

  “I know. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to frighten you.”

  Ariel—he gave himself a mental shake—Fallon stood. “Jarrett? You’re terrifying us. What’s going on?”

  “Your family has been found. They arrived on the island a few hours ago and have been looking for you. Apparently you have two sisters who are married. The reservation was for the five of you, which is why we couldn’t find it.”

  He watched her closely, waiting to see if she remembered anything. She frowned, then shook her head. “The news isn’t triggering anything. Sisters? Two of them?”

  “I spoke to one named Elissa.”

  She repeated the name. “Did they say who I was?”

  Small hands took hold of his. He moved closer to Anna Jane and squeezed back. Tears filled her dark eyes, but they didn’t fall. He knew they would—tonight—when she was alone.

  “You’re Fallon Bedford. A schoolteacher from San Francisco.”

  “This is so strange. I can’t even take this in or believe it. I don’t know what to think. Are they coming over, or do you want me to go there?”

  “They’re on their way. They should be here any minute.”

  Confusion clouded her eyes and twisted her mouth. “Family,” she murmured. “I can’t believe it. I do belong somewhere.” She gave him a tentative smile. “If only I could remember where that was.”

  There was a knock at the front door. He took a step toward the foyer. Anna Jane released him and retreated to the safety of the sofa. He knew about her pain. They would have to talk about it later.

  He crossed to the door and pulled it open. He wasn’t sure what he’d expected. Maybe someone who looked a little like Fallon. A stranger with a hint of her around eyes or smile. Instead two identical replicas of Fallon stood there. One wore shorts and a T-shirt, the other a long gauzy sundress. But those were the only differences. From the color of their hair, to the worried expressions, to their bodies, they were exactly like her.

  The woman in the dress said, “I’m Elissa, Mr. Wilkenson. We spoke a minute ago. Is my sister here?”

  “Yes. Please come in.”

  He heard footsteps behind him. Fallon approached. When she saw her sisters, she paused. She swayed as if she might lose her balance. Jarrett was at her side in an instant, and he put an arm around her to steady her. Her eyes fluttered closed, then opened. She blinked twice and he knew. In less than a heartbeat her memory had been restored.

  Chapter Nine

  Everyone was talking at once. Fallon smiled as her sisters and their husbands explained once again how stunned they’d been when they’d been unable to find her at the resort.

  “It was as if you’d disappeared off the face of the planet,” Kayla said.

  “In a way, I suppose I had,” Fallon told her, still feeling a little shaky.

  Her memory had returned in a flash. For a second the world had gone dark, then suddenly she’d been fine. The sensation was odd. The closest she could come to explaining it was having her ears plug on a flight. There was that feeling of talking through a tunnel and not being able to hear very well. When her eardrums popped, everything was normal again.

  That’s how she felt now. Restored. Although it was odd to have herself back and yet remember not remembering.

  She glanced around the room and saw Anna Jane sitting alone on the sofa. The girl looked as stunned as she felt. No doubt the sight of “Ariel’s” sisters was a little unnerving for the child.

  Fallon crossed to her and took a seat. “How are you doing?” she asked.

  Anna Jane shrugged. “Okay. I’m glad you got your memory back and you have a family.”

  The words were polite and exactly what she should have said, but Fallon saw the truth in the pain in her eyes. She hugged the child close. “I know this makes things different, but just because I remembered my past doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten about you. You’re still very special to me.”

  “Really?” Her lower lip trembled. “I wondered if you would forget.”

  “I could never forget you.” She smoothed Anna Jane’s bangs out of her eyes. “Didn’t we just go horseback riding yesterday and order presents for your uncle? I haven’t forgotten anything.”

  “Good.” Anna Jane snuggled close. “You’re my best friend.” She giggled. “It’s gonna be weird calling you Fallon.”

  “I’ll tell you a little secret.” Fallon leaned close and whispered in her ear. “All my sisters and I hate our names. They’re strange. Kids made fun of us when we were growing up. We always wanted normal, pretty names, like yours.”

  “Anna Jane isn’t pretty.”

  “You’re right,” Fallon said earnestly. “It’s beautiful.”

  Anna Jane flushed with pleasure, then turned to the sisters. “Are you really triplets?”

  Elissa heard the question. “We sure are,” she said, oving closer and crouching in front of the child. “Identical from birth. Of course, that’s just on the outside. We’re different on the inside.”

  “I’d like to hear about that,” Jarrett said, stepping into the room. He carried a tray with drinks. Behind him, Leona had plates of cookies.

  “I helped with some of the cookies,” Anna Jane said.

  Elissa sat on the other side of the girl. “Tell me which ones. I want to taste those.”

  Cole walked to the sofa and perched on the arm by his wife. Kayla and Patrick settled on the love seat opposite. Jarrett passed out drinks to everyone.

  Kayla leaned forward. As usual, she wore her hair in a ponytail. Her face was devoid of makeup, yet she looked radiant.

  “How are you feeling?” Fallon asked, remembering that her sister was three months pregnant.

  “Fabulous, but I don’t want to talk about that. What happened? How did you lose your memory?”

  “I don’t remember,” Fallon teased.

  Kayla rolled her eyes. “I see you’re still as difficult as ever.”

  “I’m not difficult.”

  “You can be,” Elissa said. “But not this time. Tell us what you do remember.”

  “I found a note in a bottle,” she said.

  “I wrote it.” Anna Jane straightened. Her smile faded. “I didn’t mean for you to get hurt, though.”

  “I know, honey. It all worked out.” Fallon squeezed her hand. “The note was from Anna Jane and she was looking for a friend. On the back was a map of the island. I spoke to one of the bartenders and he told me about Jarrett’s house here, but he didn’t know anything about a little girl. He’s the one who told me I could walk on the beach all the way up. It seemed like a good idea at the time.”

  Jarrett handed her a glass of soda. “We talked to all the staff. No one said they’d talked to you.”

  “I know. Joshua was leaving that afternoon to go home for the holidays. He wasn’t around to be interviewed.”

  “I should have thought of that,” Jarrett said as he put the now-empty tray on the table and sat in the wing chair by the tree.

  “You’ll know for next time,” she teased.

  He raised his eyebrows at her. They shared a quick look that was as much a connection as any conversation or touch. For that split second she knew what he was thinking. The pure moment left her breathless. One question had been answered in spades. Getting her memory back hadn’t changed her feelings about Jarrett at all. She still admired him, liked him and wanted him. The only difference was, now she knew for certain there wasn’t another man in her life.

  “Did you fall and hit your head?” Elissa asked.

  “No. I fell asleep on a beach in a cove, when I stopped for lunch.” She wrinkle
d her nose. “Unfortunately it was underwater at high tide. I woke up floating. When I tried to swim around the rocks, I was caught up in the waves and hit my head on the cliffs. That’s the last I remember.”

  “I found her,” Anna Jane said, picking up the story. “She was washed up on the beach. Then Uncle Jarrett called the doctor and they brought her inside. She woke up and didn’t remember who she was.”

  Neither Kayla nor Elissa looked relieved by the telling of the story. “How badly were you hurt?” Kayla asked, clutching Patrick’s hand.

  “Just a few bruises.” Fallon touched her face. “They’re gone now. Except for the memory loss, I was fine in a couple of days. Jarrett was nice enough to let me stay here.”

  She glanced at him again. He gave her a quick smile. Instantly her heartbeat increased and she felt her skin get all prickly.

  Jarrett picked up the story. “I made inquiries at the hotel, but no one came forward to claim her. When we checked reservations, there weren’t any for a single person.”

  He outlined the events of the past week. Fallon noticed he never mentioned his distrust of her, which wasn’t surprising. She wondered what he thought of her now. Obviously she had lost her memory and wasn’t the gold digger he’d feared. Would that change things between them? She decided it wouldn’t. In the past couple of days Jarrett seemed to have made a decision about her. His willingness to talk about his past proved that. Obviously he’d decided to believe her even before he’d found out the truth. The realization made her glow from the inside out.

  As Jarrett continued to talk with her sisters and their husbands, Fallon rosé to her feet and crossed to the window. She turned around and studied the room. The homey scene made her feel content. Her sisters were here, and she was with Jarrett and Anna Jane. It was as if she’d finally found a place to belong.

  She stifled a smile. Obviously, she was taking too much for granted in the situation. She’d been a houseguest forced on Jarrett. He’d come to accept her, but that didn’t mean he thought of her as special. Except that he’d kissed and held her. Had that meant as much to him as it had to her?

  Now, with her memory back, she knew that while men had kissed her in the past, none of them had moved her the same way. She’d never found herself clinging to a man, wanting to touch and be touched.