"This view is nice." Nathan sat down across from Yuri.
"And necessary." Yuri sighed. "I don't get homesick with the sea so close by."
Nathan chuckled. "Don't tell me you are from Treasure Beach too?"
"As a matter of fact, I am." Yuri grinned. "How'd you know?"
"My buddy Oliver—his surname is Scarlett. I was driving around with my girlfriend in Treasure Beach a couple of weeks ago and we stopped at this house with a lot of flowers. The lady at the house said it was owned by Mrs. Marla Scarlett. The lady even thought my girlfriend was a Scarlett."
Yuri laughed. "Your buddy Oliver is my cousin. Our fathers are brothers. Marla Scarlett is my wife. I am assuming your girlfriend has red hair or something that made Miss Enid think she was a Scarlett?"
"Yup." Nathan grinned. "It's a small world, huh?"
"Yes." Yuri steepled his fingers under his chin. "It is. So you were staying in Treasure Beach, huh? How was it?"
"I am still there. I inherited a villa there."
"Really?" Yuri nodded. "Where?"
"Calabash Bay. I am neighbor to Ricardo Mills. He is the owner of..."
"Villa Ingles," Yuri finished for him. "Yes, I know Ricky. That's where he grew up, in Treasure Beach."
Nathan nodded. "Small world."
Yuri's secretary interrupted them, bringing in the check. Yuri handed it to him and shook his hand.
"I might be coming down that side in a few months. Maybe we could meet up. Any friend of Oliver's should be introduced to the community in fine style. We jump at any excuse to throw a yard party."
"Yes. Sure." Nathan smiled. "I'd like that."
When he stood up he saw a picture of Yuri and his family turned slightly away from him.
"May I see that?" He asked, pointing to the picture.
"Sure." Yuri handed it to him. "That's the immediate family so far."
"So, my lawyer is your what?" Nathan asked, looking at the picture incredulously.
"Brother-in-law," Yuri grinned.
"So his wife is your sister?" He said it quietly, looking over the people in the picture.
Yuri came over and helped him out. "These two are my parents. To the right of them is me, obviously, and that's my wife and son Malik. And this is my brother Troy and his wife, Chelsea. These two munchkins are Troy's children.
"And that is Zack, who you know, and my sister Terri. On this side is my cousin Reuben and his wife Lola."
He handed back the portrait to Yuri.
"I guess in a couple of months we'll have a new portrait to include my cousin Kane and his new wife Amoy."
Nathan smiled. "And I'll be doing that wedding. I can see why Miss Enid mistook my girlfriend for a Scarlett. She has the same red hair and hazel eyes as your sister and your nephew."
"Yes." Yuri nodded. "Its a mistake that is made quite often in our parts. What's your girlfriend’s name?"
"Lisa," Nathan said as Yuri's phone rang. Yuri picked it up and nodded to Nathan.
"Don't be a stranger. I have to take this call; I have been waiting on it all day."
"I'll see myself out." Nathan gave him a thumbs-up and left the room.
****
Nathan called Lisa pretty late in the night. His phone had given up charge in the middle of the day and he had not had the opportunity to charge it.
Lisa answered groggily. "Hey."
"You were sleeping." Nathan settled down on the bed. The AC was acting up so the room he was in was still pretty warm; he was contemplating opening the window instead.
"Yes." Lisa cleared her throat. "I tried to call you today."
"I know. My phone lost charge." He thought about asking her about Madison's wild accusations but dismissed it.
If he accosted her about it, it would seem as if he didn't trust her and that he actually believed the nonsense.
All he had to do was wait until Monday when Francine Mills did not get the contract, and then he would have confirmation that Madison had been jerking his chain, making up stories because she was jealous and bitter.
"The photoshoot today went pretty well," he found himself saying instead, "and I met the guy whose house we stopped at to take the pictures of the flowers."
"Really?" Lisa perked up. "He's from Treasure Beach?"
"Yup." Nathan chuckled. "And I can see why the lady thought you are a Scarlett. I saw a picture of his family. His sister—I think he said her name was Terri—has the same color hair and eyes as yours. By the way, his name is Yuri Scarlett."
"Ah," Lisa chuckled. "If only I was related to them and not to Miss Vera. I would love to be related to anybody but her."
Lisa told him about her conversation with her grandmother and then her voice hitched.
"She's not human. Not an ounce of love or affection or even basic human caring."
"I agree," Nathan said sympathetically. "You don't have to worry about her anymore, Lisa. You have someone who cares about you."
He could hear her indrawn breath over the phone.
"Oh come on," Nathan smiled, "you must know that for the past six weeks, I have been quite taken with you. I am actually wondering what my life was like before you were in it, before Treasure Beach.
"It is rare that I find somebody I have so much in common with, someone I enjoy spending time with and being myself around. I told Yuri that you were my girlfriend…Lisa, say something."
"I, er," Lisa sounded choked up, "I feel the same. I didn't expect this...I was thinking that with Madison storming off the way she did and all..."
Nathan groaned. "She did have some pretty wild things to say about you. I wasn't going to bring it up because it was so far-fetched. You know what? I am not going to bring it up. Let's talk about us, and how when I get there Sunday we can go swimming at Sherman's Cove and take some underwater photos."
Lisa laughed.
She sounded really happy, quite unlike the miserable downcast sounds she made earlier. It made him smile that she was so happy.
Chapter Fourteen
"You look agitated." Lisa observed Ricky, who was pacing the kitchen like a caged tiger. He had a notebook in his hand.
He kept slapping it against his forehead.
It was Sunday morning; the day was bright and sunny, with a hint of refreshing breeze lifting the curtains. She had not bothered to go swimming this morning. She was waiting until Nathan got in so they could spend the day at Sherman's Cove together.
"And you look nauseatingly happy," Ricky replied, running his fingers through his hair and allowing it to stick up in the air.
"What's wrong?" Lisa asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I found this notebook in a secret drawer that I had in the office." Ricky sounded shaken. "This is a revenge notebook written by me."
"So you really were evil," Lisa breathed it dramatically.
"Its not funny." Ricky stopped pacing. "It's dedicated to the Scarletts. I actually called this book Scarlett Promise. I apparently had a serious thing against them."
"The Scarletts." Lisa rolled her eyes. "I hear about these people all the time. I should meet them."
Ricky stopped pacing and looked at her weirdly. "You really should. You look like them. Well, you look like Troy Scarlett's children. Especially the boy, I forget his name. I saw him the other day when they were out walking with their father."
"Apparently I share the same coloring, yes." Lisa chuckled. "That doesn't mean I am related to them. But then again, if you look hard enough maybe you'll find my name in your little revenge book."
"I am being serious." Ricky exhaled shakily. "I have this list of names, where they live, how they are related...I even have this family tree."
Lisa glanced at the clock. "Okay, I'll hear you out, but Nathan will be here by ten."
"Why thanks, Lisa, for hearing me out with patience," Ricky snarled. "So at the top of the tree, I have the name Dolby Pops Scarlett."
"Pops." Lisa frowned. "He was a fisherman, wasn't he?"
"Yes." Ricky nodded.
"I am sure of it. I have memories of a very pleasant old guy on a boat."
"I have a picture of his boat! I am going to show it on Wednesday at the gallery to get my final grade and certificate." Lisa clapped her hands. "I knew Pops wasn't short for Popsicle as Nathan had said. Isn't that something?"
"Yes, it’s something," Ricky said impatiently. "After Pops' name I had two names, Lloyd and Peter Scarlett.
"Lloyd Scarlett. I had his name circled in green and I had farm beside it."
"So he has a farm?" Lisa wrinkled her brow. "What does that have to do with revenge?"
"There was an arrow beside it, which I labeled evict." Ricky sighed. "If only I could remember."
"Don't force it," Lisa said soothingly.
"You don't understand," Ricky frowned. "It's not that I want to remember these people to exact revenge. I just want to remember so that I can say sorry. I am different now. I just..."
Lisa nodded. "I get it."
Ricky sighed. "The next name on the list is Peter Scarlett."
Ricky opened the book, "I have a date beside it: August 15, 2012, meet Peter Scarlett at the Spot."
"That is four months away," Lisa pointed out.
"Yes." Ricky looked at her intently. "I also have the Spot capitalized. Does this mean that there is a place called the Spot or what?"
He switched tone suddenly. "Have you ever met me before, Lisa?"
"No." Lisa shook her head.
Ricky was still frowning and making her feel uncomfortable.
"Come on, remember," Ricky growled, "don't lie to me."
"Why would I lie?" Lisa shrieked, feeling spooked. Ricky looked at her as if he was seeing her for the first time.
Ricky looked down in the book. "Under Peter Scarlett's name I have: Reuben Scarlett, Noah Scarlett, Oliver Scarlett, Kane Scarlett, Find Lisa... B, the key."
Lisa laughed and tapped the table. "You know, for a spooky minute there, I thought you were going to say Lisa Barclay."
Ricky looked uncertain. "I felt this strangeness the first time I heard your name. I have that sensation only when I have a certain memory coming out."
"Okay." Lisa was still chuckling. "Come on, Ricky, imagine this. I am from Portmore. My parents, grandparents—all of them were born and lived in Kingston. I am similar in coloring to the Scarletts, so what? And what key? Lisa B, the key...sounds like a rhyme.
"It could be Lisa B-anything. I can assure you, I do not know you from anywhere. Until we came to Treasure Beach a couple of months ago, I had not left the Kingston Portmore area in my entire life."
"Didn't you say your grandmother kicked you out because you were not family?" Ricky rubbed his neck.
"Yup, but she is a mean person who will say mean things to meet her own ends," Lisa gritted out. "She wanted me out of the house so that she could move in Uncle Desmond and his girlfriend and her brood of children."
"Fine," Ricky said, sounding unconvinced. He looked back in his book. "Under Lloyd I have Yuri Scarlett—ruin his business. Troy Scarlett—ruin his marriage, Terri Scarlett—ruin her reputation."
He blushed and closed the book.
"What?" Lisa looked at him suspiciously. "What were you going to do to ruin Terri Scarlett's reputation?"
"I obviously had a thing for her." Ricky sighed; he gripped his hair and rocked his head to and fro. "I went a little graphic there with my descriptions. I am going to burn this book."
"Not yet." Lisa shook her head. "Didn't you say you wanted to know what you did? Obviously you now know about Troy Scarlett. Call him up; maybe he knows if you did those things in there. When you find out if you did, apologize. You said you wanted redemption.
Ricky looked at her unblinkingly for several seconds and then nodded. "You are right."
"Gotta go." Lisa stood up. "Nathan should be here now. I want to meet him in the driveway."
"Okay." Ricky opened the book again, scanning through the pages. At the back was a short note: Ask Francine about Leandra.
Leandra, his aunt? His dead aunt?
There was a yellowed newspaper clipping attached to the page. He sat down and read the brief headline. Maternity Unit Closed Down.
Several scandals have rocked the St. Peter’s hospital maternity wing: baby swaps, missing or misplaced babies, unexplained deaths for both babies and mothers. All of these scandals have rocked the hospital and it has weathered on. However, there is a saying about the straw that broke the camel's back. In this case, the straw was supermodel Francine Mills, whose sister Leandra Mills died mysteriously after giving birth to a healthy baby girl, according to doctors. As if her sister's death was not enough, Francine Mills, now the girlfriend of billionaire businessman Costas Stravinsky, has to contend with the news that her niece is mysteriously dead. Investigations continue but not before Francine had the maternity wing of the hospital closed down.
You shouldn't be happy about bad things but in this case we are very happy that the hospital messed with the wrong family. For sure Francine Mills has spared hundreds of mothers the heartache of the inefficient services of the maternity ward.
Ricky sat down hard in the chair. He skipped through the book but found nothing else. Something did not add up here. He wished he knew what it was that he was onto before this. But he didn't and it was frustrating. He would wait until Francine came to Treasure Beach before he asked her about this.
****
Lisa headed to Nathan's place, taking the back gate. She walked to the side and skipped a low hedge bush at the side of the walkway just as he drove in.
"I timed you correctly!" She jumped up and down, hardly waiting until he got out of the car to hug him tightly.
He hugged her back, folding his body to the contour of hers and pressing his face in her hair.
"Two days and I missed you so much." His voice was muffled but she heard him.
"I missed you too," she mumbled in his neck," like crazy. You wouldn't understand it."
"I understand." Nathan pulled away from her and looked into her eyes solemnly. "Now I finally get…"
"What?" Lisa looked at him uncertainly.
"The whole love thing," Nathan said solemnly. He ran his fingers through her hair and pulled her in for a kiss.
He pressed his nose to hers. "So, we spend the day together taking photos? Sounds like fun."
"Yep." Lisa giggled. "Can you believe that this is my last week doing the photography course?"
"Time flies when you are having fun." Nathan nodded. "In a couple of years you and I can be the next Jules and Eva. Husband and wife photographer team."
"You serious?" Lisa knew her eyes were glowing.
"Yes." Nathan stepped away from her and went into the car for his bag and his equipment. "When you know, you just know. You and I are going to be good together."
She held out her hand for the key and opened the door for him.
"I was thinking about it the whole way from Kingston," Nathan said. "The more photos you take, the better you can be. You can start out as my assistant and learn a thing or two from me along the way. I have a big gig coming up in New York, an advertising agency thing. I am going to need assistants. It is just for two months. It starts at the end of June."
Lisa headed into the house and watched as he put down his stuff.
"Don't answer yet. I have more things in the car," Nathan said, holding up a finger.
She was torn. What could she say?
Yes! her brain screamed.
But what about that night?
"So what do you think?" Nathan came back inside with his hands full of equipment.
"About?"
"Well, about what I said and about the pictures on the wall."
Lisa looked around. She gasped when she saw that he had blown up the picture that she had taken of Pops' boat. It covered one wall. The picture was clear, down to the peeling red paint on the sides of the boat and the grains of sand on the oar.
The colors were beautiful, and she did it!
"It's gawjus!
" she breathed, imitating Eva subconsciously. "Gawjus, gawjus, gawjus. It's just waiting for Pops to come and push her out to sea."
"So the name of the boat is the name of its owner?" Nate laughed. "You are very creative. Told you, you are good. Stick around with me and you'll become great. What you learned these past couple of weeks was foundation stuff."
"I know," Lisa sighed. "I need some time to think about what you said though."
Nathan looked at her incredulously. "Really, you are choosing housekeeper to Ricky Mills over traveling the world with me, being with me and us making beautiful pictures together?"
"No." Lisa frowned. "I am not. That's crazy talk."
"Oh," Nathan slumped in a chair in relief.
"I am just saying I have to give some notice first to Francine."
"Francine Mills?" Nathan looked at her. "Okay then. It’s just that I thought Ricky was your employer."
"Not really." Lisa shrugged. "Ricky is recovering from a procedure on his head. So I'd hate to, uh, leave him in the lurch." She stumbled over the lie. "Since Francine trusted me to, er, stay and all."
What if she just told the truth? What was the worst that could happen? She hadn't really done anything with Raybourne Cross.
She almost told Nathan but she didn't. She would greatly damage her standing with Nathan. She knew that.
"Loyalty. I get that." Nathan nodded. "I like that. Okay, we can talk about it later."
Lisa exhaled. "Yes." But all the way to the beautiful Sherman's Cove she was going through the motions. She sang along to Nate's beach song CD. When From a Little Cottage in Negril came on she sang it at the top of her voice.
Nathan shook his head. "You are lucky your voice is passable."
Lisa grinned. "I have never been to Negril. Can you believe that?"
"Yes." Nate winked. "We'll rectify that someday. I am happy that my dad didn't have his vacation home there or otherwise we would not have met."
And there lay the rub.
Lisa inhaled and then exhaled shakily.
They had met before.
Scarlett Promise (The Scarletts Page 12