CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX #2
‘No, but if there is and they turn out to be fakes … Actually I can’t go there, it’s already making me feel faint, although I guess it’ll make a fantastic twist in the series if they are.’
*
‘Are you OK?’ David asked the following morning as he and Cristy strolled barefoot along the soft, white-sand beach in front of their hotel.
Cristy’s fingers tightened around his, as though to reassure him.
She wasn’t going to mention the nuisance, nonsense texts she’d been receiving before, and since they’d arrived, and maybe spoil what little time they had here.
It was the same crazy who, for some reason, had advised her not to be afraid in his first message.
This time he’d just spewed out all his random fan-stuff, nothing threatening, or even standout really, so she couldn’t think why it was bothering her.
‘I might be a little jetlagged,’ she said. ‘And I’m concerned about the way things are going with the series.’
‘In what way?’
‘Something’s not feeling right.’
‘You mean with Gabe and Lukas?’
‘No, I believe what they told us and I know you do …’
‘As does Connor …’
‘I just keep getting the sense that we’re still missing something … Like it’s there in front of me, something I should be seeing, but I’m not.’
Pulling her down next to him on the sand, David slipped an arm around her shoulders and rested his head on hers as they stared out to the shimmering horizon while inky blue waves lapped gently, coolly, over their feet.
‘Whatever it is,’ he said, ‘I’m sure it’ll come clear—’
‘Shall we put it aside for now?’ Cristy interrupted, loving the feeling of being with him and deciding she wanted nothing more than to lose herself in it while she could.
‘Your call,’ he said, and pressed a kiss to her hair.
Moments later they both murmured in surprised appreciation as a dolphin appeared, only a few feet away, and began to circle and dive, skim and leap, as if putting on a show just for them.
It was so early in the morning that there was no one else around, only the attendants quietly setting out loungers and raising parasols.
David started to speak, then stopped as his mobile rang. Seeing it was Rosie on FaceTime, he clicked to answer it. ‘Hi, sweetheart,’ he said, holding the phone so she could see Cristy too.
‘Hi Dad – and Cristy. It’s Rosie here.’
‘We can see,’ David responded dryly.
‘How are you?’ Cristy smiled.
‘Have you run away to get married?’ Rosie asked and giggled as they laughed.
‘Not the plan right now,’ David told her. ‘How are things with you?’
‘I’m OK, but I think Ludo’s made me pregnant.’
Feeling him stiffen, Cristy quickly said, ‘Why do you say that, sweetie? What did he do?’
‘He put his tongue in my mouth when he kissed me and said that was how babies are made. I told him it’s not, because I know it’s not, but he keeps saying it is.’
‘Have you talked to Grandma?’ David asked.
‘Yes and she said I’m right, but I thought I should ask you as well just in case she doesn’t know.’
Stifling a laugh, Cristy said, ‘So I’m guessing it’s all back on with Ludo since he made a scene a couple of weeks ago?’
‘Yes, I forgave him, because he has mental health issues and that’s the kind thing to do. When are you coming home?’
‘Why? Are you missing me?’ her father asked.
‘No!’ Rosie cried, and laughed delightedly. ‘Connor’s staying here,’ she told them. ‘He’s much nicer-looking than Ludo. Shame he’s married or I would ask him to be my boyfriend. I’m going to the doctor today for my regular check-up.’
‘Good girl,’ David told her. ‘Is Grandma taking you?’
‘I think so. Anna’s going somewhere with Connor. Oh, that’s right, they’ve already gone to Sadie’s. I wanted to go, but I have a lot to do here so I’ll see them later. Cristy, are you in love with Dad again?’
As Cristy hesitated, David said, ‘Of course she is. How could she not be?’
‘So are you making babies?’
David’s first answer was lost in a laugh. ‘That’s not a very polite question to ask,’ he scolded gently.
Leaving him to explain why, Cristy got up to take a call from Connor. ‘Hey,’ she said, moving a little further down the beach.
‘Jesus, it’s all kicking off here,’ he told her, sounding tense and hurried.
‘Why? What’s happening? Where are you?’
‘At the lodge. Sadie listened to the interview, spoke not a word, just took off down to the villa to confront her aunt, I’m guessing about Lottie meeting Janina and no one telling her.
God knows what’s been said down there, but it obviously got pretty heated because she’s just rung Jasper to let him know she’s locked Mia up. ’
‘You’re kidding!’
‘No. She’s locked Mia in a downstairs cupboard and is refusing to let her out until Mia tells her the truth.
Jasper’s gone to investigate. Anna and I are waiting here on his advice, but if we don’t hear anything in the next ten minutes we’re going down.
Meantime, I’m recording an account of events as they unfold in the hope of using it, because this is pretty dramatic stuff. ’
‘You’re telling me,’ Cristy agreed. ‘Keep me updated, and if you think we should come back …’
‘Actually, I do. Sorry, but it seems you’ve got what you went there for and right now this is where it’s happening.’
‘OK. I’ll call again as soon as I’ve got Iz to organize the flights,’ and ringing off Cristy turned back to David, pausing as she realized he was talking to his mother now.
In spite of the hour she texted Evie to ask if she and David could come over this morning, probably in about an hour, then she emailed Iz with their flight requirements.
Iz came back so fast Cristy almost blinked. Leave it with me. How many tickets?
Just the two. We need to end up in Guernsey.
All is possible.
With a smile Cristy checked Evie’s message. We’re here. Come whenever suits you. Is everything OK?
Deciding not to answer that for the moment, Cristy made a quick check of her other texts, and felt a surge of distaste as she came across another from the crazy. Very short this time, saying, He doesn’t love you as much as I do.
In spite of it being a Matthew kind of line, she knew instinctively that it wasn’t him, not only because the sender’s ID was withheld, but because her ex, for all his faults, just wasn’t that creepy.
Quickly scrolling back through the thread she saw, to her alarm, that there were even more messages than she’d realized and whoever was behind them appeared to have been following her every move.
You didn’t see me tonight, did you, Cristy? I saw you walking through the rain.
Sorry about the mess at your office. Got frustrated when you weren’t there.
Don’t go back to him. He’s a liar and a cheat.
He – and she presumed it was he – even seemed to know she was in the States. I waved you off at the airport, but you didn’t wave back. How’s Miami?
And now this – He doesn’t love you as much as I do.
Deciding again that she wasn’t going to let it distract her, she dumped the messages into a folder and shut down the thread just as David finished his call.
‘We’re going to Floral Grove for breakfast,’ she told him as he stood up. ‘I’ll explain on the way.’
*
Evie had coffee and pastries waiting when they arrived.
Lukas was at his computer, checking the markets apparently, although he joined them moments after they’d sat down in the kitchen.
Gabe was standing almost statue-like with his back to the glass doors onto the deck, a dark, indistinguishable silhouette against the early morning sunlight – until he too came to the table and sat down.
He wasn’t wearing his dark glasses this morning and his eyes, Cristy noticed right away, were blue and clear, and so filled with anguish that she instantly regretted blurting out Sadie’s predicament the way she had.
‘They lock one another up?’ he said in confusion. ‘Why would they do that?’
‘I’m not sure I understand it myself,’ Cristy confessed, ‘although I think this might be the first time Sadie has done it to her aunt. Usually it’s the other way around.’
‘What the …?’ Evie muttered under her breath.
‘She locked her aunt up …’ Gabe repeated.
‘She’s not her aunt,’ Lukas reminded him.
Flummoxed, Gabe said, ‘What does she hope to gain from this?’
Cristy glanced at David, not quite sure how to answer that.
‘Probably more of the truth,’ David suggested. ‘Now Sadie knows—’
‘She’s Sasha,’ Lukas interrupted. ‘Our Sasha. I think we must call her by her name.’
Going with it, David said, ‘Now Sasha knows that at least one of her aunts met her mother and lied about it, she understandably wants to know what else they’ve kept from her.’
‘Like how Janina died,’ Lukas put in tightly. ‘I’m sorry, Gabe, I’ve never liked to say this to you, but I’m sure those women know more than they ever let on.’
Gabe’s eyes were full of uncertainty as he looked at David. ‘Is Sasha in danger?’ he asked.
‘I don’t think so,’ David replied, ‘but clearly things are getting out of hand which is why we need to get back there.’
‘We should come too,’ Lukas stated, getting to his feet. ‘We have to be sure she’s safe. We can’t lose her again.’
‘She’ll be OK,’ Evie assured him gently. ‘Won’t she?’ she asked Cristy.
Deciding not to remind them that, as things stood, Mia was the prisoner, not Sadie, Cristy said, ‘It’s probable that the worst is already over and things have calmed down. I’ll check with Connor, my colleague, who’s there, at the house, and call you as soon as I have an update.’
‘We – are – coming,’ Lukas insisted. ‘Gabe is her father. She needs him now, and I’m her uncle …’
Seeming to read the situation more clearly than he did, Evie said, ‘Let’s wait until we know that she wants to see you, sweetie. She hasn’t said anything about it yet … Has she?’ she asked Cristy.
Feeling for Lukas and Gabe who were looking increasingly afraid, Cristy said, ‘Not as far as I know, but I’m sure she will, once we’ve got things straightened out over there.’