Shadow of Secrets

by Kacie Clement

  Howard stood and looked angrily at Natalie and said, "If that is all Natalie, you can go now. One more thing, who worked with her on this so-called endeavor?" Natalie, looking nervously at the door, grabbed her bag and before walking out the door, said, "You're ex-brother in law, Mark Hanson." As Natalie closed the door behind her, she heard the loud sound of breaking glass.

  Picking up his cell phone, Howard quickly dialed Emma's cell. It went straight to voice mail, "She has turned off her damn phone." Looking at his watch, he realized, she must be boarding the plane by now. He stomps across the floor throwing the door open, loudly stating, "I give that girl an inch, and she takes the whole mile." "Mary, I'm leaving for the day." Agitated, Howard headed for the elevator. Vittoria may have some ideas around this.

  Emma arrived at the airport, quickly finding Amelia pacing in circles. "Finally, Emma, they are loading the plane, where have you been? Come on. We need to board now, this minute". Standing there smiling widely, Emma responded, "Well, let's get seated then, it's a three-hour flight, I have a lot to tell you."

  Together they found their seats, settled in, asking the stewardess to bring them each a flute of champagne to start the flight. Taking a sip of her drink, Amelia looking at Emma asked, "Well, did you have the funds transferred to the new account?" Emma's face lights up, "I did! When my dad finds out, he is going to go through the roof. I can bet you my trust fund; he has someone waiting at the airport to take me right back to New Jersey. I will be right back. I need to use the ladies’ room."

  Emma rose walking toward the economy class of the plane. Amelia, confused, asked, "Where are you going? The bathroom is upfront." Emma smiled and walked through the curtain, heading for the lavatory in the back of the plane. Emma spotted a colorful, middle-aged woman about her size dressed in a leopard print sundress with a large brown floppy hat and large sunglasses. She stopped next to the woman's seat smiling, thinking that is just what I need.

  Coming back to her seat a few minutes later, dressed in the leopard print sundress, Emma began to put on the large floppy hat and sunglasses while settling back into her assigned seat. Amelia, seeing her, spit her second glass of Champagne across the aisle, and broke out in uncontrollable laughter. "Emma Graystone, where did you get that outfit." Emma smiled, "Well, I met this lady on the way to the bathroom, Midge, was her name. Midge is going on vacation to Arizona to see all the sights. I told her I would give her one thousand dollars for her outfit complete with hat and sunglasses and she was more than happy to sell them to me". Amelia was holding her stomach, said, "Well, I certainly don't think anyone will recognize you." Handing Amelia a plastic bag, she smiled slyly, "Now I need you to go get changed into my clothes."

  Settling into their seats with another flute of champagne, Emma looks over at Amelia with a seriousness Amelia had not seen before asking, "Do you think I can do this on my own?" "Of course, I do silly," Amelia responded, "Emma, you are strong. I'm not telling you it's going to be easy, your living on your own for the first time, starting a new job, paying your bills, you got this Emma, you need to learn to trust your instincts. Now I have these brochures here about the Grand Canyon lets plan our adventure!" Smiling, Amelia began digging through her bag, pulling out a handful of brochures, says, "Besides with just having to listen to your dad yell, what else could go wrong?"

  Emma laughed and grabbed half of the brochures. A few hours later their plane was descending into Flagstaff. Amelia was looking at Emma with that funny hat and sunglasses on asked, "Emma no one is going to recognize you in that getup. You look ridiculous, like the tourist from hell. Are you ready?"

  "Yes," Emma replied, "I am more than ready to start my new life! "

  2

  Leaving the plane with the other first-class travelers, Emma decked out in her new big floppy hat and sunglasses walked through the gate door to see a tall dark-haired man holding up a sign with large letters, that read, "Emma Graystone" while he was speaking into his cell phone. She smiled at him and continued walking past him to find a taxi to secure her and Amelia's departure from the airport. Amelia, exiting the plane with the economy group, dressed in Emma's clothing, sees the same man, same sign, and saw that he was on his phone. Walking past him, she hears, "Emma, Emma Graystone" as the man approaches, she hears him say, "Hang on Mr. Graystone, I see her now." Grabbing Amelia by the arm, the man says, "Ms. Graystone, I have your father on the phone, and he has instructed me to escort you to the penthouse. He would like to speak to you." Amelia, pulling her arm away, giving him her best evil eye, stated loudly and clearly "Excuse me?" I am not Emma Graystone. My name is Amelia Harris, now if you would kindly let me continue in retrieving my luggage, I would appreciate it, or must I call security?" Amelia, quickly walking away, laughed and quietly said, "Take that, Howard."

  The man speaking into his phone, said, "Mr. Graystone, that wasn't her, I will find her sir." Howard was screaming into the phone, "Did she say, Amelia? Damn it, get down to the luggage pick up area and find my daughter; she will be with Amelia." Howard, hanging up his phone, threw it across the room. Vittoria stunned, looked at Howard saying, "Howard, what's wrong, did your man find Emma?"

  Howard's face, quickly turning blood red, replied, "No, he found her best friend Amelia Harris, dressed in her clothes, damn it all to hell, that girl is trouble. Where is my phone? I need to get the next flight to Flagstaff." Vittoria chuckling walks up to Howard taking his hand, "Now, Howard, at least you know she's not out there alone, give her a bit of space to learn a few things on her own. Come sit down." Exasperated, Howard, sat down as directed and Vittoria began to massage his shoulders. "You're so tight, Howard, why don't we go upstairs and maybe loosen that up for you." She kissed the back of his neck as she comes around the front of him, taking his hand and leading him up the wide staircase to the master bedroom.

  Amelia walking out of the airport, saw Emma waving her new floppy hat out of a back window of a yellow taxicab, and quickly jumped into the backseat. "I can accurately say that your father is not pleased with you, Miss Graystone, and knows I am with you." Turning pale Emma responds, "He is going to strangle me, you know he is never going to love you now, Ms. Harris." Amelia who was handing the driver a slip of paper with an address turned back to Emma saying, "Too late to worry about that, let's go check out this new apartment I found for you." Emma smiles, "My apartment, yes, let's check it out."

  Pulling up to the curb twenty minutes later, Emma looks out the window, "Driver, I think you have the address wrong; this is an old church!" Amelia, with a giggle, said, "This is the right place” Emma while shaking her head, opened the door, turned, giving a quizzical look towards Amelia, "What the hell have you got me into now?"

  Together they walked into the front door of the restored apartment building, Amelia pulled a key out of her purse, looked at Emma and excitedly said: "I got you a first-floor garden apartment, you're going to love it!" Amelia reached apartment number three, using the key flings the door open and walks into the apartment. Stopping just inside the door, Emma glances around the room, taking in the soft green and small cream-colored kitchenette, the queen size bed, flat screen tv, and a desk all in one place. "Amelia, this is it? Seriously? Is there a bathroom? Please tell me there is a bathtub." Smiling, Amelia opens a door off the kitchenette, "Of course there's a bathroom silly, come see." Emma, setting her bag down, slowly walked to the open door, still taking in the small studio apartment. Walking into the bathroom, taking a quick look around the small room, sees the bathtub and shower are all in one. "Amelia, what the hell is this, where are the jacuzzi jets, I can't bathe in this, what were you thinking?" Walking back out the door into the kitchenette, she finds Amelia opening two bottles of Cola. Laughing Amelia winked at Emma and said, "Wait, you haven't seen the best part. She walked to a set of French doors at the end of the kitchenette, throwing them open. "Come look at this, Emma!" Emma walks through the door, grabbing a cold bottle of cola out of Amelia's hand, stopped and gazed in wonderment. She was looking around t
he large patio, which appeared to be the same size as the studio apartment. The terrace was surrounded by an ivy-covered wrought iron fence, with a perfectly round glass table, complete with four rattan covered chairs.

  Pulling a chair out and sitting, Emma said, "Amelia, this is beautiful! "Smiling Amelia pulled a chair out and taking a long drink from her cola, she sat across from Emma, saying, "Yep, I thought you would like this."

  "I love this," Emma said. While looking back to the doorway into the apartment, Emma said, "Amelia, sweetie, my bedroom at home is bigger than this entire apartment. Where am I supposed to put my clothes? I didn't see a closet." Shaking her head, Amelia said, "Of course, there is a closet, what apartment comes without a closet?" Focusing her ice blue eyes on Amelia, Emma full of sarcasm, asked, "I'm guessing it is not a walk-in closet, Amelia?" "Nope, no walk-in Emma. A perfect place for you to get to know yourself, girlfriend." "Wonderful, but you better find a sleeping bag, that bed is nowhere near big enough for the two of us." Taking another long drink, Amelia looks at Emma with a sweet smile, "Were best friends, I'm sure we can make it work" Looking at her watch Amelia said, "We have thirty minutes before your boxes arrive, let's talk about our Grand Canyon adventure for tomorrow, we are going to be sorting through your boxes soon enough." With that, they began to plan their adventure to the Grand Canyon for the next day.

  Four hours later, back on the patio with a full glass of wine, Amelia tiredly asked, "Emma, what made you think you needed all that stuff? You’re lucky we found room for everything, how many bottles of bubble bath do you need?" Just as tired, Emma was finishing her glass of wine, saying "I am going to bed, or I will never get up in the morning, yes, miss smarty pants, I like to have a variety of bubble baths to choose from, I also like jacuzzi jets." With that, Emma rose to enter the apartment, looking around the studio apartment, she thought the place was growing on her. Emma fell onto the bed in exhaustion.

  With the morning sun beaming brightly through the kitchenette window, Emma rolled over, smelling coffee, blinded by the sunshine, said: "I'm going to need a shade, Amelia." Pouring a second cup of coffee on the counter, Amelia looked over at Emma laughing "Oh get your butt out of bed it's six am, have some coffee and let us begin our adventure!" Blinking and holding her hand up over her eyes to block the sun, "Six in the morning? What are you thinking?" Rolling out of bed, Emma grabbed the cup of coffee, walking out to the garden patio. Taking her first sip of the delicious hot cup of coffee, Emma said, "We are going to need a car." Looking at her phone and groaning, "My dad has called several times since last night." Smiling Amelia took a bite of the Danish from the plate she placed on the table "Don't answer it, call him on Monday to let him know how your first day at the new job went." "Meanwhile eat your Danish, I took the liberty of also arranging you a rental car for your time here in Flagstaff, you're going to love it! Should be here in one hour, so we need to be ready to start our adventure to the Grand Canyon, and I am driving." Taking a bite of her Danish and a sip of coffee, all Amelia heard was a groan.

  An hour later, after signing for the new rental car, Amelia walked back into the garden studio apartment and yelled, "Emma, are you ready to go? The car is running! Let's go?" Emma walked out of the bathroom dressed in a pair of denim shorts, designer tee-shirt, and sandals grabbed her bag Emma looked towards the door, saying, "The car is probably bigger than this apartment, maybe I could keep a dozen changes of clothes in the car and live in that." Smiling and holding the door open for Emma, "Not likely, but you will love it." Emma walked through the door and came to a complete standstill with a look of stunned shock on her face. "Amelia Harris?" Her voice rising "That is a Lime Green Volkswagen Beetle, please I beg you, tell me that is not the car you rented for me." Amelia, laughing, responded, "Sure is, I thought it would be perfect. You know green, you're going to be working for Green Touch Renewables, so the color is perfect, its an economic plus on the gas front, and wait for it, it's a convertible! Just the car to start your new life in, now stand on the side so I can take your picture! I want to post it on my social media pages!" Emma, with a giggle, stood on the side of the car, holding her arms high in the air posing as she smiled for the camera. "Make sure you tag me, so it hits my pages too." Pulling the passenger door open, she jumped in the car and said, "Let's get this adventure started!"

  Howard hanging up his cell phone with a snap looked irritated across the table at Vittoria, "She doesn't answer her phone, what is wrong with that girl, I …." Vittoria looking at her cell phone was laughing hysterically, she looked up from her phone while wiping her eyes, and slowly hands Howard her phone, "Honey, you have got to see Emma's new car! My god, she is just so cute you must see this Howard". Howard reached across the table, taking the phone, looks down, "What the hell is that?" "It's a Volkswagen Beetle Howard, isn't it cute? Just the perfect car for Emma". "That's a car? Is it lime green?" Dropping the phone on the table, Howard puts his head in his hands, "I'm getting a headache Vittoria, this girl is going to be the death of me." Vittoria chuckles, "Howard, she's fine. She arrived safely; she has her best friend with her, give her some time. Let's go to the new art museum this afternoon; I hear they have a new original Monet, and I would like to see." With a look of resignation, Howard smiles. "We can do that, and maybe it will calm me down. Would you like to go out for dinner or come back here? I will have the cook prepare us a brunch for Sunday morning." Vittoria smiled slyly and said, "Howard, are you asking me to stay another night? You are a devil; are you not?"

  Walking along the path overlooking the canyon, Emma saw a bench up ahead, turning to look at Amelia, she said, "Let's take a break and sit for a minute." Setting down comfortably on the park bench, Emma continued, "Just look at those canyon walls, have you ever seen anything so beautiful?" Amelia, looking out over the expanse of the canyon exclaims, "Never did I imagine it would look like this, the pictures don't do it justice." Emma's phone began to ring again, she looked down, shaking her head, "It's my dad again, maybe I should just answer it." Amelia quickly grabbed her phone and said, "No, he is not going to ruin our adventure." Amelia, shutting the phone off, tossed it in her bag, pulling out two apples, handing one to Emma. "You know Emma; my dad runs Harris & Slate, the largest law firm in all of New York, the thing is, like most people with substantial wealth and power our fathers justify unethical behavior to preserve their institutions. That is not on us. We need to break that mold; we can have money and still do good in the world."

  Taking a bite of her apple, Emma turned towards Amelia, "How do you do it. Amelia? You're an international attorney, have your apartments in both Manhattan and Paris, and your father doesn't run your life." Smiling Amelia fondly looks at Emma, "That's because I don't let him run my life, oh, he would very much like to, don't get me wrong. There's a difference between you and me; I know how to stomp my foot and say no". Emma, with a look of sadness, said, "Your father still has your mother and you; I am all my dad has, he is all I have. What happens in six months when this project ends." Amelia giggled and replied "Don't you worry Emma, you may be here in Flagstaff, and I will be in Manhattan but either way I can teach you to stomp that little size five foot of yours, as loudly as my size nine, and I believe you know the word no, you just never use it. You can always call me, and we can Skype at least four nights a week!" Emma stood to throw her apple core in the garbage can, and laugh's, "Your right, let's keep going."

  Amelia, patting the bench, said: "Emma, I have something I want to ask you, let's take another minute."

  Surprised by the somber look on Amelia's face, Emma quickly sat down. "What's the matter. Amelia?" Taking a quick breath, Amelia asked, "Remember that phone call we had when you told me you were moving to Flagstaff?". "Sure, I remember," Emma responds worriedly. Taking another deep breath, Amelia asked, "What did you mean Emma when you said your dad and Carmine might know something about Antonio's murder?"

  Emma looked out over the vast canyon and responded quietly, "I went to find my dad in his library the night of Anto
nio's funeral, he and Carmine were meeting. I didn't know Carmine was there. I stopped just outside the door; I didn't mean to eavesdrop, I just wanted to see if the conversation was at a point where I could knock and go in. They were saying they still hadn't found the contractor on the job Antonio was handling. The contractor’s employee had said the order had come from the contractor, and that the employee was no longer an issue of concern.” Amelia carefully responded, "Emma, I thought Antonio's murder was random, a drug addict looking for money? Why would they have handled the employee and be looking for the contractor? I thought Antonio had finished with his meetings and was having dinner with the family? Wasn’t his body found outside the restaurant in the alleyway?" Squinting her eyes in deep thought, Emma responded, "Honestly, Amelia, I don't know what to think anymore, I thought Antonio loved me, he promised he would not ever work in his family’s business again."

  "I know from that conversation our parents had it planned for us to marry all along and I would guess now that Antonio knew about it as well, and I was the only one not to know. I can't believe how stupid I have been my entire life. I had thought I loved Antonio, but I think I was marrying him because he was my closest and only friend from childhood." Taking Emma's hand gently, Amelia looked her straight in the eye, saying, "You're not stupid, Emma, you have just been blind. Look at the Canyon here, what a majestic sight. Your eyes open today, girl, but Emma, I want you to listen to me. You must be careful." Emma, with a feeling of resolve, answered, "I know, I don't want to believe my father and Carmine had anything to do with Antonio's death or are making a plan for revenge. I can only go on from here; I will be careful." Grabbing a nearby stick on the ground, Emma scratched the word No in the dirt in front of the bench. "There it is my first No!" Laughing she dropped the stick and stood, "Hurry, let's catch the transit bus back to the gift shop, I want to do a bit of shopping for my new apartment before we head back." Amelia laughed as they raced across the street to catch the transit.