Chapter 19
Loblolly pine trees swayed in the wind behind Blake and Paradise and showered them with their scent. Their guests had gone
to enjoy the gourmet lunch the park had arranged for them. Blake stared at the music box in Paradise’s hand. The paint was
battered and old. The trinket shouldn’t have filled him with trepidation, but his hand trembled when he reached for it. “It
might be dangerous to open. Let me do it.”
She took a step back, moving closer to the trees. “I’ll do it, Blake.” Her voice held a sharp edge.
Was he smothering her again? He curled his fingers into fists and bit back a reminder that he’d been in the midst of bullets
flying and knew how to handle explosions. Why did she struggle so much against letting him take care of her? It wasn’t that
he felt she wasn’t strong and capable—it was that he had more experience with objects that could turn dangerous.
She exhaled. “I’m sorry I snapped at you.
This might be an important clue, and I want to see it for myself.
At the end of the day, I want to know I did everything I could to get to the truth.
If I’m going to rid myself of the guilt that constantly haunts me, I have to do this myself. It’s my burden, not yours.”
They’d had such different upbringings—she’d been tossed from home to home, dragging her garbage bag of belongings with her.
He’d always had the stability of his mother’s love, while Paradise had never been sure of anything, even where she would sleep
the next night. It was no wonder she felt she had to prove her worth.
He put his hands behind his back and nodded. “Is it heavy?”
She hefted it gently in her hand and nodded. “But the monkey with the cymbals is the heavy part.”
“At least it’s likely not a bomb then. Go ahead.” Despite his outward show of confidence, he breathed a prayer for safety.
She turned it upside down. Taped to the bottom was an envelope with her name on it. Inside were two tickets, and Blake couldn’t
see them well enough to identify them. He held his peace and waited until Paradise smoothed them out on her palm.
“The Phantom of the Opera was playing in New Orleans, and I went with my mom. I watched the movie over and over again. I can still quote it by heart.”
“Are the tickets from the showing in New Orleans?”
“No, they’re from Broadway. I’ve always wanted to see it there.”
“Whoever has been using the songs from the musical has to know how much you love it.”
“That would be Abby and maybe Brittany.”
“Brittany?”
“Caster. I heard she moved away for college and never came back.”
“We could talk to Abby at the bank. Maybe she’s heard something about Adams.”
Paradise pulled out her phone and called up the Notes app.
“Here’s what I know about the musical. It was developed by Andrew Lloyd Webber.
The original stars were Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman, who was married to Webber at the time.
Steve Barton played Raoul. It opened at the West End in London in 1986 and on Broadway in 1988.
I watched all the movies made from the novel. Lloyd wrote the score.”
Blake didn’t know much about the musical, but he tried to follow her details. “Webber went by Lloyd?”
“Yes, why?”
“Not a common name, and I immediately thought of Adams.”
Her eyes went wide. “I always think of him as Mr. Adams. I never called him by his first name. He couldn’t have anything to
do with this, could he? And if he did, why would he point to himself?”
“It’s probably nothing.”
“Your suggestion to talk to Abby is great.” She glanced at her watch. “She knows everyone in town, and she might know something
about Adams. Lunch break is almost over, and she gets off at six. I’ll be waiting outside the bank to talk to her.”
“You might want to set up a private meeting so she’s not implicated.”
“You’re right. I wouldn’t want her in a bull’s-eye. I’ll call the bank and see if we can meet.”
“Maybe along the picnic area at Mary Ann Nelson Park, there by the bridge.”
She nodded. “There’s a big tree that screens the area from people driving by. And it wouldn’t be out of her way home since
she lives down near Pelican Harbor.”
He loved the way light glinted in her eyes when she was excited. Having a direction had given her new purpose. The murky aspects
of this ordeal had taken a toll on her.
He touched her chin and lifted her lips to meet his. “I think we have a little time to linger.”
Abby Dillard McClellan still looked like the girl Paradise had learned to ride horses with at the Dillard Ranch. Her curly
hair was more auburn than fiery red like her daughter, Quinn’s. Paradise had seen her in passing at the bank, but they hadn’t
had a chance to really reconnect. Today that mane of hair was stuffed under a hat, and she wore sunglasses. Abby had suggested
an alternate meeting place, a remote road that led to a park near the tea plantation.
“It’s beautiful here. I can’t remember the last time I came out this way.” Live oak trees festooned with moss filtered the
sunlight, and birds sang from their branches. Egrets hunted in the tall grass along the ditch. It was peaceful—and empty.
“I don’t know how you still look about sixteen. Are you in disguise?”
Abby stuffed a wayward curl back under her hat and glanced around. “I’ll admit I took a few steps to hide my identity. Things
have been weird, Paradise, really weird. The things I’ve overheard . . .” The smile she sent toward Paradise was like sunshine.
“But first I want to say I’m so glad you called. I’ve wanted to get together with you since you got back to town. I’ve never
forgotten my best friend.”
Paradise winced at the reminder she’d been so self-absorbed she’d neglected her only real friend from her teens. “I’m sorry,
Abby. I should have called you to get together sooner. You were a loyal friend when we were in school. Can you forgive me?”
“Of course. You came back with a quest, and I understand.”
“Let me tell you my weird things first.” Paradise ticked off the excrement left in her car and the scare with the snake. “Someone doesn’t want me here. Have you heard anything?”
Abby removed her sunglasses. “You can’t tell anyone what I’m about to say, Paradise. Lloyd Adams is back in town.”
“I know Adams is here.”
“How do you know?”
“Blake and I saw him on video. He left a gate unlocked in the park, and the action led to Ivy’s death. Maybe he even killed
her. He’s a monster.”
Abby swallowed hard. “Adams is part of the attacks going on at the park. It has something to do with rare earth. That’s all
I know. I like Blake and Jenna so much, and I couldn’t stand by while someone stole something they don’t know they have.”
Rare earth. Who else knew what treasure was under the land? “How do you know this?”
“I can’t tell you that.”
“Who had the report?”
“I’m not certain. Just warn Blake and Jenna not to sell the land off dirt cheap. I see their accounts at the bank, and I know
the park is teetering on the verge of failure. They might be tempted to sell it off for a ridiculously low offer, but they
need to hold steady. Someone is trying to ruin the park’s reputation so they can swoop in and grab it cheap.”
It made perfect sense. Ever since she’d gotten here, the rumors had spread about the park. None of them were true, and all
along it had been an organized campaign. It wasn’t anything to do with a developer. “I’ll make sure Blake and Jenna know.”
“I don’t think the attacks on you are related to the rare earth thing. The park doesn’t belong to you, and you have no control
over what happens there. I’m scared for you. Maybe it’s a vendetta by Adams. His reputation was ruined.”
Paradise hugged herself against the breeze. “I talked it over with Blake, and we think someone is afraid I might remember more of the night my parents were murdered.”
Abby bit her lip. “I don’t like this, Paradise. Maybe you should leave town for now.”
“I would never leave Blake and Jenna to face this alone. With so much at stake, whoever is behind the attacks must be very
rich and powerful.”
Abby fiddled with the sunglasses in her hands. “That’s a fair statement.”
“Would your dad know more about it? I could talk with him. There isn’t much that goes on around here that he’s unaware of.”
“Dad’s had a lot on his plate lately. Getting him involved might not be the best thing. I’ve been worried he’s sick, like
seriously ill.”
“I hate to hear that.”
Where had Abby learned all this? At the bank? It would make sense she didn’t want to reveal information she’d overheard there.