Chapter Twenty
Jenna and Dan made their way out to the waiting limo for their trip over to Tybee Island. The past few days were as if the society events of the year all rolled into a few days, and the entire town seemed involved somehow. All the shops, hairdressers, limo companies, and the hotels made a fortune in this one week.
They waited about fifteen minutes in traffic before they escaped downtown traffic, but they made good time to the senator’s house. The view in front of them looked like a limo parade. The sun would soon begin to set and be replaced by a huge, nearly full moon, breaking into the night sky and showing off Tybee Island in all its beauty. Jenna had memorized these skies from her childhood. As she thought about what might be ahead of them, she felt her pulse quicken. They would catch these thieves, they would. Was it really Harper? And who else?
Jenna was so distracted she failed to notice Dan was uncharacteristically quiet until they were almost at the senator’s house.
He leaned over and touched her hand and gave it a little squeeze.
She finally took notice of how tense he was.
He was tapping his right foot, and his jaw was in a total clench.
“Dan, are you all right? You look stressed, and—uncomfortable.”
“What? No, I’m fine; I have a bit of a headache, and I’m a bit worried about the lack of response from Luc I was expecting. Glad this thing is a cocktail party and not another formal thing. My tux was getting a workout.”
“You can bet I won’t be doing any parties again anytime soon,” Jenna said.
Dan rolled down his window to get a better look around as they approached the senator’s house. “Okay, we’re here.”
A staff member was on hand to direct them inside as they got out of the car. Jenna watched Dan tense as he looked around for security. “It looks like most of the guests are here. We are fashionably late.”
They walked through a large entry foyer with a domed ceiling made of a colored glass squares, all in muted color swirls. Music was playing in the background, and they could hear some chatter coming from the room ahead as the staff member led the way.
“Not a bad life.” Jenna leaned close as she looked around.
Dan nodded. “Ah, the senator’s over there, and his wife is heading our way from the other side of the room. I’ll go have a word with the man of the hour.”
Mrs. Roseland gave Jenna a little hug as she joined her, a glass of wine in hand. “I know what you’re thinking. This was a bad idea, and I tried to tell him, but he’s stubborn. And he insisted I wear this necklace, of course, and I quote, because no one messes with my plans . He wants you to look at the necklace and make sure the fake is on my neck and the real one is in the safe.”
“But didn’t you put the fake in a different place or box?” Jenna asked, puzzled.
“I am embarrassed to say I was looking at both of them this morning and ended up forgetting which was which,” Marta said. “I hate to admit it, but there we go.”
Jenna couldn’t help but smile at Marta’s honesty. “Sure, we can go have a look. Let’s hope you won’t have to worry about this anymore after tonight.”
“But unless this particular thief is caught, you don’t think it will be the last time I have to worry, do you?” Mrs. Roseland asked.
“No, sorry, but I don’t. I see you have a bit more security this time.” Jenna gazed around, spotting several guys in plain suits with devices in their ears.
“The least we could do,” Mrs. Roseland said. “Oh, there’s Mrs. Landers. I need to thank her for something, if I can only remember what before I get there,” she said, smiling at Jenna, as she turned to walk away.” Oh, you and Dan go on back and do the verification as soon as you can, please. Tommy will let you in the room and the safe.”
Jenna nodded and looked around for Dan, wondering who Tommy was and how to find him. When she turned around, she saw Brock standing much too close, making her gasp. “What are you doing here?”
“Same as you. I was invited. I told you making those golf connections with the senator would pay off. Where’s your sidekick?”
“Talking to the senator. I thought you left town.” Jenna glanced around the room for any sign of Harper, Gail, or Sal. “Another golf game on the horizon?”
“Something like that.” Brock looked at her, cocking his head. “You look good, as always. I’ve not seen those pearls before. How much did those set you back? Are they real or fake? Or is it much too un-Southern for me to ask?”
“Yes, Brock, way too un-Southern.”
“Just curious, sorry.” Brock motioned for the server with the tray of shrimp to come his way.
The server put the shrimp on a small plate for Brock.
He waved it in front of Jenna’s face. “Here, take one if you like. I’ve not eaten much today so I thought I should get something in me if I’m drinking.”
“No thanks, I’m good.” Jenna stepped back to look at him. Something was different. It was like watching some sort of weird body and personality change. It was as if the true Brock was slowly coming to the surface and pushing the fake one away. His perfect persona began to crack, his 100-watt smile was gone, and his cocky self-assured face, always in place, was gone. As he tried again to get her to eat shrimp, he stumbled over his words. His eyes seemed to be searching for someone in the room, and he wouldn’t make eye contact with her when he talked.
Jenna, thinking she needed to find Dan, knew it was time to get away from Brock. “Well, take care of yourself, Brock, I’m going to the ladies’ room, but I’m sure I’ll see you around. Go mingle, eat, and have fun.”
“I’ll do that. No, don’t worry about me. Not for one minute,” he called out too loudly.
She walked away. Yes, something was going on with Brock which made her nervous. But she couldn’t worry about it now. Tomorrow at this time, one way or the other, this adventure would all be over. Hopefully, this new hell, and Brock too, would be out of her life forever. His actions tonight left her believing she didn’t know the real Brock at all.
Instead of going to the ladies’ room, Jenna made her way through the groups clustered around the room, in search of Dan. She could see neither him nor the senator. “Well, just great, really great, where are you?” she mumbled to herself. She needed to find Dan if they were going to look at the necklaces. Frustrated, she figured she might as well stop by the ladies’ room now since it was straight ahead. Her hand was on the bathroom door when she felt the touch on her elbow.
“Over here, Jenna.” Dan pulled her back down the hallway and smiled. “I think things are happening soon. But I think we have done the necessary.”
“Is everything set?” Jenna asked.
“Yes, I’ve gone over everything with the senator and his head of security. After dinner, you stay with the Marta and the necklace, and I’ll stick like glue to Harper. She won’t like it, but she can’t do much to shake me. At some point, she will find an excuse to exit, and I’ll let her go, knowing you’ll be ready at your end. Now, the tricky part.
“I knew there must be one.”
“Yes, because Harper won’t make her move if you are there with Mrs. Roseland, so you’ll have to give her room to work. She’ll get the fake necklace off the senator’s wife, and she’ll be hunting for a quick way out. If she does have a partner, she’ll hand it off, so we have to watch for it. If we are distracted by her, we won’t be watching her partner. Who the partner will be is the question. For now, we watch the most obvious suspects.”
“Diversion and handoff, the play we’re counting on. I hope we are right. Did the senator talk to you about verifying the fake from the real necklace in the safe? He said to find Tommy, and he would let us inside the room and the safe.”
“Yes, let’s get going. Harper is here, but no sign of Gail, at least not yet. Tommy should be on guard outside the door to the safe room. I’d like to see their safe anyway.” Dan started toward the senator to let him know where they were going.
The safe room turned out to be the senator’s study, and Tommy was indeed guarding the door. He pulled a small piece of paper out of his pocket, which they assumed was the safe’s combination, and opened the safe.
Tommy stepped back and smiled at Dan. “Don’t worry. They change the combination every day. When I pulled the piece of paper out of my pocket, I saw your face, Dan.”
Dan laughed, “Good to know.”
Tommy stepped back outside the room to let them all in and then returned to his guard position.
The senator sat at his desk, and Marta watched closely as Dan removed both necklaces from the commercial grade safe and put them on the end of the senator’s massive desk.
“I’ll swear to you I cannot tell the difference in them no matter how close I look,” Marta Roseland said.
Jenna gave her a hug. “I know this has all been frustrating, to say the least. But as for telling these two pieces apart, the fact you can’t tell the difference is good. It means you got quality workmanship on the fake. But yes, I see your issue, getting them mixed up is easy. I’d suggest changing the clasp on the fake. It’s a quick and inexpensive thing to do and will end the mix-up problem forever.”
“Now why didn’t I think of that? Or why didn’t you?” She looked at her husband.
“Well, I’m just glad someone did, hon. Now let’s get the real one back in the safe,” Senator Roseland said.
“I think we are as ready as we can be,” Dan said, as they left the senator and his wife in his study with both necklaces now back in the safe. They had gone only a few steps when Dan stopped. “Oh, Jenna, I feel like an idiot. All this time, all this time,” he whispered.
“What are you talking about?”
“Harper—she figured out who I was because she wanted revenge. She targeted me, yes, but she also knew I would lead her to you because she knows who you are, too, and your part in putting Roget away. Yes, she must know. She blames you as much as me, so be careful. If she can do us the most harm and get out with the necklace, she will achieve her goal. Amato might be in it to take me out, as well, for his own reasons. It’s best we stay apart until the end.”
Jenna nodded. “That makes sense, of course. I think more might be going on here than her getting this necklace out from under our noses and hoping we take the blame for all her robberies. I think her revenge plan goes deeper and always has.”
Dan put a hand on Jenna’s back and pointed to an empty room. “In here so we can talk a second. What do you mean? What else could she want or do?”
“I think she wants to see us in prison, or worse, dead. True revenge, Dan. It would be her version of true revenge.”
“Oh, Jenn, I can’t believe she’s a killer.”
“Maybe she’s not, but maybe she knows someone who is and will kill for her, like Sal Amato. Remember, Roget died in prison, and there’s no telling what he passed on to her besides his money.”
“But, Jenn, she—she slept with me. She acted like she really cared about me.”
Though the words made her sick, Jenna took a deep breath. “All the better to get close to you, to learn more about you, learn your secrets, and track your movements. She’s no fool.” Jenna tried to keep the picture of Harper and Dan in bed together out of her head.
Dan ran his hands though his hair. “I was foolish to overlook the fact Roget would have relatives or friends who might want retribution. He was the kind of man who would have. But after five years, almost six, I thought it was finally safe to return home—and to you.”
“Well, now at least we know more, and we can be ready for whatever they have in mind. I wonder how long they have been tracking you. Lucky for you with your resources to live off the grid for so long, as far as any kind of records go. They couldn’t find you using traditional methods.”
“That’s the thing, Jenn, I don’t have a clue how long this has been in the making. I can only hope we are ready because we don’t know what she or they are up to. We still don’t even know who her partner is for sure.”
Jenna leaned close, keeping her voice down. “Would it surprise you to learn I think I know who it might be?”
“Nothing would surprise me tonight, who?”
“I think it’s Brock. Just a theory based on how he was acting a minute ago. He was so different. So, don’t laugh.”
Dan shook his head. “No, not him. I don’t buy it. He’s too—too GQ.”
Jenna took Dan’s hand. “Let’s go find him, and you can see what I’m talking about. I’m telling you he was a different person when I talked to him last. He was weird.”
Dan looked at Jenna, his mouth half-open. “I guess I spoke too soon, if you’re right, I can still be surprised. But no—just no. Come on, you must be kidding me, right? You think he, Brock, Mister America, the real estate golfer, is Harper’s partner in crime? He is so far out of her league, and I mean in every way. I can’t even pretend to consider it a possibility.”
“Okay, I get it, and maybe I read too much into his behavior changes. However, something is going on with him. I ran into him at the bar. He seemed to have come out of his shell and not in a good way. He was acting totally out of character. I’m not saying I think he has been in it all along, or with Harper’s push across the globe, or master plan, but I think he might be her partner for tonight . I think she’s using him in some way. Maybe he has some minor role as either a diversion, a cover, or to receive the handed-off necklace. Oh, I don’t know. Maybe you’re right, I’m reaching. What another coup if she can use my ex to help bring me down?”
Dan shook his head. “This gets more and more bizarre. Where was he when you last saw him?”
Jenna shrugged. “Still by the bar, but I have no idea where he’d be now. I’d guess trying to talk to the senator, but I don’t know. He was drinking, and heavily.”
“Heavy drinking doesn’t sound right for someone on the verge of this kind of operation, so I’m doubting your theory even more now. Regardless, I’ll take a walk around. His blond hair shouldn’t be hard to spot.”
“Dan, wait, I just had this horrible feeling. What if we’re wrong about all this, and the real thief gets away? What if Harper and Gail are just here because they think they can catch you in the act of taking the necklace? Do we even know who we are after?”
“Not likely—that I’m wrong, I mean. Take a breath. You’re letting your adrenaline rule and not your head. What you just described is a hell of a lot of trouble to go through for them to be hoping I will try a jewel robbery. Think about it. Something much bigger is going on here. Stop second-guessing our plan. Let’s focus.”
Jenna nodded and let out a loud sigh. “Yeah, well, I guess I had a bit of a panic attack. So, let’s circulate and see what we can find. Keep a lookout for Brock. I’d be interested in your take on him if you can get him into a conversation. Okay, stop looking at me like that. I know—focus. I’m focusing.”
They split up and went in search of their targets. Dan walked away in the opposite direction Jenna was taking. After twenty minutes of roaming through the area, Jenna had no luck in spotting anyone of interest. She hoped Dan was having more luck. At some point, Harper would have to do something. She hoped Dan knew where she was. Frustrated, she took the opportunity to go to the ladies room and re-pin her hair. “How did you get yourself in this mess?” she asked her reflection. But she knew how—she teamed up with Dan. “Idiot, why did you let him take over your life again?” she said to her reflection as she left, but she knew why.