15. CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 15
T he Coast Guard boat pulled into the Summer Inn’s jetty, the familiar sight of the hotel bringing a wave of relief over everyone on board. Wade was waiting on the dock, his expression a mixture of relief and concern, with Hicks faithfully by his side. Tracy and Donna stood nearby, ready with blankets and warm drinks.
Liam was the first to step off, helping Dawn and the girls onto the dock. Wade rushed forward, enveloping Dawn in a hug. “Thank goodness you’re safe,” he murmured.
“Wade,” Dawn whispered, her voice thick with emotion. “I love you too, little brother, but you’re about to crack my ribs, and I can’t breathe.”
“Oh, sorry.” Wade laughed, stepping back. “I was just so worried about you and the girls.”
Tracy moved to embrace Harper and Lila, tears of relief streaming down her face. “We need to get you checked out,” she said gently. “A nurse practitioner is waiting inside.”
Donna stepped forward, her face showing a mixture of professional calm and personal relief. “Let’s get you all inside,” she said, guiding them toward the hotel. “We have food and drinks ready, and the nurse will take a look at you.”
As they moved toward the hotel, Aunt Betty rushed in with Sam, who carried Tiger in a cat carrier. Betty’s eyes were red from crying, and she enveloped Harper and Lila in a warm hug. “Oh, thank goodness you’re safe!” she exclaimed, her voice trembling.
“We’re okay, Aunt Betty,” Lila reassured her, hugging her back tightly. “Just tired.”
Sam nodded, his face pale but relieved. “Let’s get you checked out. We’ve been worried sick.”
“How’s Tiger?” Harper asked, following Betty and Sam.
“The vet said he was doing so much better,” Sam told them. “He’s on a fast road to recovery.” She frowned. “But we went to my vet as Chris Nicol’s practice was closed.”
“Oh!” Dawn frowned and pursed her lips. “At least you got Tiger checked out and I’m so relieved he’s okay,” she said, overhearing the conversation as she followed the group to where a nurse station was set up.
After the checkups, Betty walked over to where Liam and Scott were sitting beside Dawn, Tracy, and Wade.
“Sam and I will take Lila and Harper to help them pack for L.A.,” Betty said.
“Thank you,” Tracy said with a grateful smile. “I think we need to move that trip up to tonight.” She glanced at Scott, who nodded in agreement.
“What L.A. trip?” Dawn asked, her brow creasing.
“Because of everything going on here,” Scott answered. “Tracy, myself, and Liam think it’s a good idea that Harper, Lila, Betty, and Sam are out of town for a week.”
“But Harper’s here visiting me,” Dawn said, feeling let down but, at the same time, had to admit to being relieved. She’d been petrified when she’d found Lila and Harper on the yacht. “Although I do understand.”
“I’ll come back, Aunt Dawn,” Harper assured her. “I promise.” She gave Dawn a small smile. “I want to come back to visit Lila as well.”
“And I’ve always wanted to go to L.A.,” Lila told Dawn. “With us out of the way, you’ll all be able to concentrate on solving this mystery without having to worry about us.”
“I can’t argue with that,” Dawn said, taking each of their hands. “I’m going to miss you both, though.”
The girls both leaned in for a group hug.
“We’re going to miss you too,” Harper and Lila chorused.
Before Betty, Sam, Lila, and Harper took Tiger with them to go pack, Harper looked at Dawn questioningly. “Aunt Dawn, are you going to be okay looking after Tiger while we’re in L.A.?”
“You have to give him his medications and change his dressing,” Lila listed all the things needed for Tiger’s care.
Wade winked and came to Dawn’s rescue with a wink and teasing smile. “Don’t worry, I’ll look after Tiger. Dawn’s never been that good with animals.” He glanced at his watch. “I’m going to go to Newbury Port to check on Ben.”
“Thank you, Uncle Wade,” Harper said with a sigh of relief, making Dawn frown. “And give Ben a hug from me.”
“Will do, kiddo,” Wade said. “I’d better go.” He looked at Dawn and Scott. “Keep me informed.” He handed Dawn Hicks’s leash. “You be good, okay? And no more eating books.” He patted Hicks’s head, who gave a succession of barks as if to say I’m a dog dude, I eat things.
Dawn, Liam, and Scott nodded.
“If you don’t mind,” Tracy looked at Betty and Sam. “I’d like to come with you?”
“Of course,” Betty said as Tracy stood and she put a supportive arm around Tracy’s shoulders.
Betty, Sam, and Tracy took the teenage girls to get ready for L.A. while Dawn, Hicks, Liam and Scott went to Liam’s office.
Once inside, Dawn began to recount everything the girls had confessed to her on the boat. “They found my book and decided to bring it to life for me and…” She cleared her throat. “Well, they pulled Liam into the adventure.” She saw Liam and Scott’s raised eyebrows and more questions burning in their eyes. “They were doing something good and what they thought would be…” She cleared her throat again, feeling the heat on her cheeks. “Romantic.”
“I believe Tracy and Wade went through Dawn’s book.” Scott looked at his sister. “Speaking of which, why didn’t you tell us your secret fan left you a note and thumb drive with a copy of your manuscript they fixed for you?”
“What are you talking about?” Dawn’s brow furrowed. “What secret fan?”
“We found a thumb drive and a note,” Liam answered, picking up Dawn’s journal that was still on his desk and handing it to her. “It was in the jacket cover of your journal.” He pointed to the book. “We put them back where they were.”
“We’re sorry about how it looks,” Scott told her as Dawn saw it looked like it had been through a war. “But Hicks doesn’t know how to turn pages, and he was trying to show us that there was something in your journal.”
“This came out of it,” Liam reached over the desk and pulled open the cover and pointed to the thumb drive and note, which he picked up and handed to Dawn.
Dawn’s eyes scanned the note, and her blood turned a few degrees colder:
Your book is fantastic. It just needed a few amendments. I hope you don’t mind. Your number one fan.
“I didn’t know this was even in there,” Dawn told them as she remembered listening to the recording from Carl’s bio band: Returning something with a little extra. She reached over and patted Hicks’s head. “You are such a clever boy.”
Hicks barked in agreement and swathed Dawn’s hand in doggie kisses.
“Tracy and Wade went through your book,” Scott picked up the conversation, giving Dawn a warm smile. “She said it was worthy of being made into a television series.” He read off his phone. “Sorry, she sent me a voice message a few minutes ago with the update.”
“Oh, tell Tracy, thank you,” Dawn said. “But I wasn’t thinking of it being a movie or television show. I was just dabbling with novel writing for a change of pace.”
“Being in this business for as long as our family has,” Scott told her with an encouraging smile, “you should know that it can be both. You also know that Tracy is a harsh critic, no matter who you are.”
“Did Tracy say if she could tell what changes were made to the manuscript?” Dawn looked at Tracy.
“She said that your number one fan wanted you to see their changes, comments and suggestions and has marked them with initials…” Scott’s voice trailed off as he stared at the phone, his features dropping.
“Scott?” Dawn looked at her brother with a furrowed brow mimicking Liam’s curiosity. “What is it marked with?”
When Scott raised his head Dawn’s brow creased a little more at the look of disbelief and shock in her brother’s eyes, his voice was barely a whisper as he said, “YNOF.”
“What did you say?” Dawn brows.
“YNOF,” Scott repeated, his eyes fixated on the screen of his phone.
Dawn’s heart lurched, and her head shot up, her eyes colliding with equally shocked ones of her older brother’s.
“It can’t be!” Dawn’s voice was barely a whisper.
“No, of course not!” Scott agreed although he didn’t sound too sure. “It’s impossible.”
“What’s going on?” Liam asked, his eyes narrowing as they moved between Scott and Dawn.
“When Scott and I were still at school, our father would check our homework, any script we’d want him to read, and so on,” Dawn told Liam. “He would mark any comments, advice, etc. YNOF - My dad’s shortened version of Your Number One Fan ,“ Dawn said as the shock still reverberated through them. “He was always our number one fan.”
“But it couldn’t possibly be, Dad,” Scott stated. He looked at Dawn. “That’s absurd.”
“Did you say he died in a car accident?” Liam’s brow furrowed.
“Yes,” Dawn said, nodding. “Fifteen years ago.”
“Let’s check what changes he made,” Liam suggested, switching on his laptop and taking the thumbdrive. “Do you mind?”
The cat was already out the bag about her book so she shook her head. Liam put the thumb drive into the laptop and turned it toward her. Dawn opened the file and scanned through the document, her heart pounding as she saw the suggestions, corrections, and comments—it was like looking at something her father had gone over for her. A shiver skittered down her spine.
“Well?” Scott asked, scooting toward her and looking at the screen. “What is there?”
“Just the usual kind of corrections,” Dawn answered Scott as she perused the document. “I can’t see anything malicious or sinister. Just corrections, suggestions, and comments.” She frowned, and her eyes widened when she came to the end of the manuscript. Her breath caught in her throat when she got to the end. “There are three different suggestions for the ending, but again, nothing sinister. It’s like YNOF knew which I was leaning for. I can’t see anything to suggest whoever this is was behind the things happening at the hotel.” She swallowed. “And then there’s this.”
Dawn read aloud: Definitely go with the HEA ending while leaving a thread for any future books you may want to publish in this series. As always, great work, blue eyes—YNOF.
Dawn’s eyes misted over, and she swallowed. Her voice had become gravelly near the end and drifted off as she’d read blue eyes. Her head shot up, and she saw that Scott was just as stunned as she was.
“Whoever this is,” Scott told her, “while they may not come across as sinister with your manuscript, they’re being very cruel.” His voice was hoarse with emotion. His eyes blazed with anger.
The room fell silent for a few seconds.
“Could your father still be alive?” Liam asked.
“No!” Scott and Dawn said in unison.
“How sure are you, though?” Liam asked.
“Our Aunt Faith identified his body,” Scott told Liam, and looked at her brother in surprise when she saw a look of doubt in his eyes.
“I saw the car,” Dawn told them. “While Aunt Faith wouldn’t let me get near it. I saw it.” She swallowed as the memory hit her. “I got there as they were extinguishing the flames. Luckily someone was able to pull my father from the car before it burst into flames. But I saw his body on the side of the road.”
“It was covered, Dawn,” Scott reminded her softly. “You didn’t actually see Dad’s body.”
“By you’ve just said, Aunt Faith identified Dad,” Dawn pointed out. “No! You’re right. This is someone’s cruel idea of a joke.”
“Unless it’s Dads other half?” Scott’s eyes widened.
“Uncle Forsythe?” Dawn looked at her brother in confusion. “I thought he was dead or in witness protection or something somewhere.” She shook her head. “We haven’t heard from him since…” She tried to remember.
“Mom died,” Scott added.
“Yes, that’s what… twenty-four years?” Dawn looked at her brother in disbelief. “I doubt it’s him. But I know why you’d think that.” She smiled and looked at Liam. “Uncle Forsythe and my father, Wallice, used to joke over who mine and Scott’s biggest fan was.”
“Who is Uncle Forsythe?” Liam asked.
“My father’s twin brother,” Scott replied. “He worked for some government agency, we’re not sure which as he’d never say but he was always on some top secret mission somewhere in the world.”
“Oh!” Liam nodded.
“Dawn, you realize that none of us saw Dad’s body, did we?” Scott pointed out.
“So what?” Dawn said, looking at Scott in disbelief. “You think Dad’s now a zombie who’s trying to look out for us?”
“I don’t know little sister,” Scott said with a shake of his head. “There’s been so much that’s happened and as we’re at the brink of something bad, it’s like everything miraculously rights itself.”
“Like we have a guardian angel?” Dawn looked at her brother with raised brows. After everything that had happened in the past few days, she was inclined to believe him. But it wasn’t their father. “It could be Uncle Forsythe. I’m sure Aunt Faith would know.”
“I’ve made a note on my phone to ask her when she’s back in the States,” Scott said typing on his phone.
“Can we get back to the mystery on hand?” Dawn asked. “I don’t think YNOF is the threat.”
“But I’ll jot him down as a suspect,” Liam said, taking a pen and notepad from his desk. “Here’s another question, how did YNOF get your manuscript? And I’ll mark this for another time, but who is YNOF?”
Scott looked at Dawn. “When did your journal go missing?”
“Pizza night,” Dawn answered. “A couple of nights ago. Wait… I haven’t actually used my journal for over a week. I was so busy helping Daniella and Harriet get things together for their double wedding.”
“So it could’ve gone missing at any time,” Liam said, leaning over the desk and tapping the notepad with his pen before writing. “Time that journal was taken—unknown but somewhere within the past week.”
“Or it was taken at the same time as your watch,” Liam stated. “And why return it with the watch and locket?”
“The full script isn’t in my journal,” Dawn told them. “So YNOF had to either have taken it from my laptop…” Dawn started.
Liam finished for her, “Or they got their hands on it when Harper gave it to Bailey.”
“Which brings us back to Bailey,” Scott said. “The scene with you and Ben on the boat was way too eerily like the actual abduction.” He rubbed his chin in contemplation. “I just don’t know why she’d be doing any of this though. Bailey was the one who advocated for both Wade and Ben to sail Alex’s new yacht to Plum Island.”
“Maybe to try and set them up again?” Laim said, grasping at ideas.
“You might want to put Greg Albright on that list,” Scott suggested.
“Oh?” Liam said, looking at Scott curiously.
“He’s my sister’s ex,” Scott offered and then winced when Dawn kicked him beneath the table. “Oops. Sorry,” he whispered for Dawn’s ears only. “I take it Liam doesn’t know about Greg yet?”
“Well, he most certainly does now,” Dawn whispered back. She sighed and rolled her eyes, deciding this wasn’t how she’d envisioned having the conversation about their exes with Liam. “Greg is my ex. He’s the CEO of Albright Investments.”
Liam’s eyes widened, and he gave a low whistle. “That Greg Albright.”
“Oh, do you know him?” Dawn was a little alarmed.
“We’ve met a few times,” Liam told her. “We’re both in the finance field.” He frowned as he looked at Dawn. “I didn’t think he’d be your type.” His words were laced with concern. “He doesn’t have the greatest reputation with relationships.”
“He wouldn’t have tried any of his usual tricks with our sister,” Scott assured Liam. “Greg would know better.”
And there was the reason Dawn hadn’t told her family everything about her relationship with Greg. She didn’t want any more of her family to land in jail or get into trouble with the law. Wade’s foray into problems with the law was enough. But Scott did have a point. Greg was a sore loser and vindictive. The yacht flashed through her mind.
“Do you think Greg owned the fake Black Ocean II?” Dawn asked, and all eyes turned to her. “When Ben and I were stranded on it, Ben saw an emblem on the mirror in the main cabin.” Her brow creased a little tighter. “It was a dagger. I didn’t think about it at the time as I was stranded with a potential kidnapper, but isn’t that the emblem for the Blade Corporation?”
Dawn noticed Liam and Scott exchange a look before Liam looked at her. “Yes, that emblem was on most of the windows of that yacht as well.”
“They make windows and various other components for boats, motor vehicles, aircraft and so on,” Liam listed a few of the items he knew one of the companies under the Blade Corporation made.
“That’s right,” Scott said. “I’d say, look into Marco and Arno Littleford, Greg’s half-brothers as well if we’re putting Greg Albright on the list.” Scott looked at Liam. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “Greg’s vendetta isn’t only against Dawn. It’s nearly all of the Vanderbilt family.”
Dawn’s head snapped toward her brother. Her heart beating with shock. “You think Greg put Harper and Lila on the boat as payback?”
“Payback for what?” Liam asked.
“Scott and Tracy testified against Greg to remove all custody of his daughter from him and only supervised visits,” Dawn said. “I know the man, and that would infuriate him. Especially when his vicious ex-wife, some attorney, got full custody of the daughter.”
“Tracy was the one that reported Greg to child protection services,” Scott confessed. “While the pig wasn’t physically abusing her, he was emotionally abusing her.”
“Greg blames us for losing his daughter,” Scott told them, and Liam jotted that down on his notepad.
“And me dumping him twice,” Dawn stated as she saw Liam’s eyebrows shoot up. “We dated briefly in college.”
“But Dawn dumped him for her career,” Scott filled Liam in. “Then for being incompatible about two years ago?” He looked to Dawn for clarification and she nodded.
Dawn frowned in contemplation. “If he’s read the manuscript…” her eyes widened and they met Liam’s. “That would explain why he wants me dead or abducted.” She reasoned. “It may also explain why Lila was on the boat with Harper. He was jealous of Liam.”
“That’s what I’m wondering,” Scott said, looking as perplexed as everyone was feeling. “Unless Lila was in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
“But Lila’s locket was taken and not given back until Dawn’s watch was,” Liam reminded them. “Then the night Dawn’s watch was returned was the night Dawn and Ben were taken.”
“A calling card, to make sure we all knew why Dawn was on the boat,” Scott guessed. “And Ben as a scapegoat to blame it all on.”
Scott’s phone rang. “Excuse me,” he said, answering the call. “It’s the Coast Guard. Hello?”
Dawn and Liam sat quietly listening to Scott on the phone. “Thank you for the update.”
“Well?” Dawn and Liam said in unison.
“The Coast Guard’s divers managed to pull the voyage data recorder from the yacht,” Scott informed them. “They also found two bodies the coroner believes were dead before the boat exploded.”
“Do they know who it is?” Dawn asked, a prickly sensation tingling through her.
“Vet Chris Nicols and his receptionist,” Scott told them. “Didn’t Sam mention the vet’s office being closed?”
“Yes,” Liam answered. “I guess that explains that.”
“Oh what a shame,” Dawn said. “It was such a nice vets office. I even took a pamphlet to look into their animal charity, the Nicol-Travis Animal fund. They rehouse animals.”
Before they could say anything else a phone started ringing on Liam’s desk.
“Is that my phone?” Dawn asked.
Liam nodded and pushed it toward her. “Ben had it on the dock.”
Dawn looked at her phone and frowned as she reached over and took it. “I don’t know this number.” She glanced at the two pairs of eyes watching her intently. “Hello?”
“Is that Miss Dawn Vanderbilt?” the soft female voice asked.
“It is,” Dawn replied. “Who is this?”
“Kelly Peters,” she said, sounding upset. Dawn’s frown increased as Kelly’s voice sounded a lot different than when they’d spoken earlier that day. “I’m calling about Tiger. My brother and I aren’t getting anything from the vet.” She paused. “I’ve been trying to call the man the entire day, but there’s been no answer.” She cleared her throat. Dawn could hear how upset the woman was. “I’ve also tried to call my late grandmother’s attorney. That terrible woman won’t take my calls either. I warned my grandmother about her. My brother and I never trusted her.” There was a pause. “I’m sorry. It’s been a terrible time for us. The sudden loss of my grandmother…” another pause, and Dawn heard Kelly drag in a shuddering breath as her voice broke. “I’m sorry. I still haven’t gotten over it. I just don’t understand, you know. One moment, my gran was fit as a fiddle, the next, she’s having a massive stroke, and now we don’t even have Tiger.”
“I’m sorry, Kelly,” Dawn was confused.
The woman she’d spoken to earlier was cool and calm, with a smoky voice. But this Kelly was an emotional wreck or an outstanding actress.
“I’m so sorry to worry you. I just want to know if Tiger is okay.” Kelly sucked in a shaky breath.
Dawn was so confused. “I told you earlier today that Tiger was at the vet. I’m sorry I haven’t called back with an update. It’s been a hectic day.”
“When did you call?” Kelly asked her. “Did I miss a voicemail? Or maybe you called my brother? I know he left you his card.”
“I thought you’d called earlier.” Dawn’s mind raced. This is weird .
“Uh… no, sorry, this is the first time we’ve talked,” Kelly told her. “My brother will freak when he finds out I’ve troubled you.”
“It’s okay, I don’t mind,” Dawn assured her, confusion clouding her brain. “I can tell you that Tiger is fine. He went to a different vet this morning.”
“Oh, thank you.” Kelly’s voice wobbled as if she was about to burst into tears. “I’ve been wanting to do that since my grandmother died. Tiger was so sick, but there was this stipulation in my grandmother’s will that he had to go to Chris Nicol.”
“Oh, I didn’t know that,” Dawn said. “I’m sorry. I hope I didn’t null anything in the will.”
“No, it’s fine,” Kelly assured her. “You didn’t know and that’s got to mean something.”
And the good vet is dead so I’m sure that nulls the clause right there, Dawn thought. “Why don’t I try and talk to your grandmother’s attorney about you getting Tiger back?”
“I’ve been trying to do that,” Kelly wailed. “That shrew of a woman is being impossible.” She paused again. “If you wouldn’t mind calling her.” She sniffed. “I’m sorry. That sounded awful, calling Jackie Travis a shrew.”
“That’s who your grandmother’s attorney is?” Dawn’s eyes widened and she went cold at the mention of the name Jackie Travis.
“Yes,” Kelly said, sniffing. “Do you know her?”
“Only in passing.” Dawn had to stop from gritting her teeth. “Kelly, I’ll sort things out and call you back. Is this the number I can reach you at?”
“Yes,” Kelly confirmed. “And thank you. This is the most anyone has told me about Tiger in weeks.” She sniffed again. “The vet and that attorney have been keeping our cat hostage for weeks.”
When Dawn hung up, Liam and Scott were still looking at her. The pieces of the puzzle were starting to merge together. She looked from Scott to Liam. “I don’t think this has anything to do with Bailey or the Littlefords,” she said slowly.
“Okay…” Liam said, watching her. “What do you think it’s about?”
“A three million dollar cat!” Dawn breathed and tapped Liam’s notepad. “I think we need to move Greg to the top of our suspect list along with his ex-wife, Jackie Travis.”
Scott’s phone beeped and he looked at the message and turned toward her and Liam. “I think you’re right about that.” He pointed to the phone. “Sam Donovan’s contact has managed to find out that the fake Black Ocean II that blew up this morning is registered to Greg.”
“And I was the one who helped Greg’s mother take custody away from Greg and his wife,” Dawn finally confessed and told them the truth about what happened with Greg. “Ben’s mother, Judge Hardy, helped me get a restraining order against him with the help of Greg’s mother. I gave Greg’s mother the evidence she needed to take her granddaughter out of her parent’s toxic grasp.”
“I believe Greg’s father and his mother have cut him out of their wills,” Scott informed them.
“That couldn’t be too good for Greg,” Liam added. “Greg has been desperately trying to get a cash injection into his company. He even asked if I wanted to amalgamate our firms a while back.” He shook his head. “Albright Investments is huge, or at least it was until Greg took it over from his grandfather. I must say, it was a very tempting offer. One of those too good to be true ones. Sam Donovan did some digging for me into Greg’s finances. Sam found that Greg’s company was under investigation for accounting fraud by the IRS and there were rumors that the FBI were looking into Albright Investments for securities fraud.”
“I think we’re starting to get bigger pieces to the puzzle,” Dawn said.
“Yes, there are just a few more that we need to get the full picture,” Scott added.
“I think it’s time to loop Detective Winslow in,” Liam suggested. “Do you know anyone who could bring Greg in for questioning?”
Scott nodded and dialed.
“How are you holding up?” Liam reached over the desk and took Dawn’s hand.
Her heart jolted and her breath caught at the simple comforting gesture made more intimate by the emotion in his eyes.
“I’m fine.” Dawn sighed. “I just wish this was over.”
“Greg’s not in New York,” Scott told them when he hung up. “He skipped town two weeks ago, a day before the FBI raided his firm.”
Dawn and Liam looked at each other before looking back at Scott. The plot just thickened a little more.