Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
M itch answered the phone as soon as he saw it was Harper. “Hey, there. Miss me?”
She laughed softly. “Maybe I did. That’s not why I’m calling, though.”
He picked up on the change in her tone of voice, the subtle edge of something more serious going on. “What happened? Is it Jack?”
“You could say that.” She filled him in on a photo she’d seen on some celebrity gossip television show and what that could mean for Jack Marsh, but also for the rest of them, Mitch included.
Mitch groaned softly.
“I feel the same way,” Harper said.
Mitch exhaled. “We’re both used to publicity of various sorts, but I feel for Jack. He doesn’t need this with everything else going on. He can’t be happy about it.”
“Happy, no, but Jack doesn’t seem that upset about it. I guess he’s used to being followed wherever he goes. I don’t like it at all. Things were just settling down.”
“I understand. Lucas is supposed to call me as soon as his brother arrives. Do you want to go with Jack and me to talk to him?”
“I do. I’m about to tell Frankie what’s going on, too. Jack said I could. If he doesn’t mind, I’ll bring her as well.”
“It would be odd to go to Lucas’s without her.”
“Agreed. Well, I just wanted to give you a heads-up. I’ll see you in a bit. I hope you’re getting some words done.”
“I am.” He smiled. “See you soon.” Mitch went back to work. He had to focus and get his pages done. But first, he needed more coffee. Actually, it was probably time to switch to water.
He went into the kitchen. Beryl was in the living room sitting on the couch with Ruthie on her lap. Bunny was on the couch next to them.
Beryl was reading Ruthie a story. Something with bears. Mitch doubted Ruthie could understand any of it, but Beryl seemed to be keeping her attention. Maybe it was the accent, or the way she did the voices, or the soothing tone. Whatever the reason, Ruthie looked happy, and that made Mitch happy.
He filled a tall stainless-steel tumbler with water and went back to work.
An hour later, Kyle came into Mitch’s office, bringing with him a burst of nervous energy. “I’m done. The book is ready to send.”
Mitch looked up. “You’re sure? You want to sleep on it, take one more look in the morning?”
Kyle shook his head. “I’ve looked at it enough. My eyes are starting to cross. It’s as good as I can make it.” He put his hands on his hips and nodded resolutely. “I want to send it.”
“Okay. I gave you Lucinda’s email. She’s expecting it.”
“Do I need to tell her anything specific?”
“No. Just do a short introduction, tell her you’re my son, and attach the file.”
“Okay, right.” Kyle exhaled. “This is it, huh?”
Mitch smiled. Had he ever been that nervous or that excited? He supposed he had. “You’ve written a book you can be proud of. Don’t get too much in your head about it. What you should do now is start the next one. Do you have an idea for the next one?”
“I do. Sort of. I have a lot of ideas, but I was sort of hoping the story will work itself out as I write. Except I don’t know where to start.
“You could do some brainstorming with Harper. She’s great at it. She comes at things from a true reader’s perspective. I find her ideas and suggestions really useful.”
“Maybe I will. There are a couple of plot things I’ve been trying to make work without any real satisfaction so far. How expensive is her time?”
“Don’t worry about that. Consider it my investment in your career.”
Kyle grinned. “Thanks, Dad. I would love to talk with her.”
“We’ll make it happen. Now go get that book sent to Lucinda.”
“On it.” Kyle left, closing Mitch’s door behind him as he went.
Once again, Mitch returned to the story. As usual when he’d been interrupted, it took him a few minutes before he sank back into the world of Charlie Nightingale but then he was in, immersed in the realm where anything could, and often did, happen.
Everything else disappeared. The ice water in his tumbler, the subtle sounds of the world outside, incoming emails, whatever other responsibilities might await, they were relegated to the background.
He wrote, fingers flying, an occasional smile or grimace shaping his mouth as he mimicked the actions of the characters.
Then a persistent hum brought him out of the world. His phone, vibrating with an incoming text. He blinked and returned to reality. A quick glance at the screen told him Lucas had texted to say his brother had arrived and could meet with them anytime.
Mitch finished the paragraph he’d been writing, hit Save, then picked up his phone and answered Lucas. I’ll collect everyone and we’ll be right there. Thanks.
Lucas sent a thumbs-up in reply.
Mitch texted Harper to get everyone ready and that he’d be over to get them in ten minutes. He used that time to brush his teeth, put flipflops on, and visit Ruthie. She was in her crib and Beryl was in the room with her, folding Ruthie’s tiny clothes out of the basket of fresh laundry.
He laid his hand on Ruthie’s belly and gave it a little wiggle. “How’s our girl today?”
“She’s perfect, as always.” Beryl smiled. “Thank you, Mr. Ripley, for the job. I am very grateful for the offer.”
“You’re very welcome.” He picked Ruthie up and kissed her soft cheek. “And please, call me Mitch. You’re part of the family now. Isn’t she, Ruthie?”
Ruthie patted her hand against his face. He kissed her fingers. “Where’s Bunny?”
Rustling near his feet made him back up in time to see Bunny wriggle out from under the crib.
Mitch laughed. “You were definitely the right dog for us, weren’t you, Bunny?”
She wagged her tail, which made her entire body wriggle. He crouched down and held Ruthie so she could see Bunny. She patted Bunny on the head.
“You two are something else.” Mitch kissed Ruthie again, then put her back in her crib. He turned to Beryl. “I have to go out. I’ll be home by dinner, though.”
“I’ll let Joyce know.”
“Thanks.” He headed downstairs and into the garage that held the golf cart. He pressed the button to roll the big door up, then backed the golf cart out, turned it around and followed the driveway to the street. He made a quick U-turn and went down Harper’s driveway.
Harper was standing outside, and Jack was making his way toward them from the guest house. She smiled at Mitch as he approached. “Frankie’s on her way down. She had to finish up an email.”
Mitch parked. “I didn’t give Lucas a firm time, just said we were on our way in about ten minutes.”
She climbed into the seat beside him. Jack got in the back. Frankie stepped out the front door and took the last seat next to Jack. “Hi, Mitch.”
“Hi, Frankie. Jack.”
Jack nodded back at him. “Hey, man.”
“Everybody in?”
Three yeses answered him. He drove to Lucas’s. A dark blue Ford Explorer with an Enterprise sticker on the rear window sat beside Lucas’s white Range Rover. Mitch parked and they all went to the front door.
Lucas greeted them with a smile. Harper made the introductions between Jack and Lucas.
Jack shook the man’s hand. “Nice to meet you, man.”
“You, too. Big fan of your work.”
Jack bowed his head. “Much appreciated.”
Lucas ushered them in and gestured to the man standing in the living room. “This is my brother, Angelo, the private investigator. Angie, this is my girlfriend, Frankie, her sister, Harper, and two men that probably don’t need an introduction, Jack Marsh and Mitchell Ripley.”
Mitch raised his hand in greeting. “Pleasure to meet you, Angelo.”
“Angie, please,” the man said, his New York accent pronounced. He was slightly taller than Lucas, far grayer, and had a few extra pounds around the middle that didn’t detract too much from his thick, boxer’s build. “Nice to meet all of you.”
“Likewise,” Jack said.
Angie had a glass of lemonade in one hand. “This is really something.” He walked over to them, smiling. “I had no idea my little brother actually had friends. And to think some of them are famous and some of them are good-looking women.” He winked at Lucas. “You’re doing all right, kid.”
“Thanks.” Lucas rolled his eyes and laughed. “Let’s get everyone something to drink and then we’ll sit in the living room and talk.”