A Stirring from Salem (9 page)

Raised as the daughter of an infamous billionaire, Charley had seen almost everything. But she was still quite impressed by their suite.

They were escorted there by Tuma, the Sotho staff member who’d been assigned to them. Accessed by elevated walkways to ensure the guests stayed on clear paths and out of the way of the nature that enveloped them, the suites were massive and beautifully appointed.

“Not bad, eh?” Vince smiled as they entered.

“Mind-blowing actually.” Charley said, smiling.

“And yes, there are two bedrooms.” Vince grinned. “Relieved?”

“And why would I have to worry about you, Mr. Castle?” Charley answered directly.

“Because my reputation precedes me?” he said with his eyes twinkling, making Charley a bit nervous.

“Your bags are already in your closets, sir.” The gentle but beefy Sotho nodded as he indicated the larger room. “As are yours, Miss,” he added, nodding to the second room. “Whatever you need, just dial seven on the desk phone and you can reach me.”

“The tips will be when we leave.” Vince directed that to Tuma in a somewhat dismissive tone. “Now we’ve got work to do.”

“Remember to never leave the room without someone with you,” Tuma reminded them both firmly. “A ranger at a nearby camp was killed by a lion three weeks ago when he ventured to another bungalow on his own.”

“Guess he should have remembered his gun,” Vince said cavalierly.

“We’ll be gathering in the main lounge at five for cocktails before tonight’s game drive,” Tuma said, ignoring the comment. “If you wish to be there, just let us know.”

“We’re working, pal,” Vince said curtly. “But when we need you, we’ll dial seven.”

Tuma nodded and left quietly.

There was the ping of a text on Vince’s phone. He glanced at it and then put his phone on the table.

“The client again…still not happy,” he said with purpose. “Too bad we’re busy. And I’m gonna take a dip in the pool and grab a shower before we get to it. Oh, and enough of that Mr. Castle crap. Mr. Castle is my grandfather.”

Charley nodded, “Got it.”

“Vince—?”

“Vince,” she said with a bit of difficulty. Having been brought up in prep schools, she was accustomed to calling her elders and bosses by their formal names. But he was the boss, after all, so “Vince” it would be.

“And get on that Internet disaster,” Vince called to her as he disappeared into his room.

***

Charley was remarkably impressed with her room as she entered. High-beamed ceilings with wrought-iron chandeliers and a ceiling fan. Comfortable down sofas covered with heavy white cotton covers and a beautiful king-sized bed with four posters. And a sheer white canopy as protection from flying insects, of which there were plenty. Africa is gorgeous, she mused, but nature still reigns.

Charley put her OMG handbag on the dark wood desk and removed the production binder. She also pulled out the bound album she’d brought with her.

Her hand lingered on the Christmas gift she had not yet opened.

First this, she said to herself. Then they show up here?

A beautiful diffused photo of John and Marlena and the words “Our Beautiful Family” graced the cover of the glossy hardcover book.

Charley ran her finger across the title. She felt torn inside.

You’re lovely people. But Jackson and Chance are my family.

The moment was broken when she heard a splash in the private pool just outside her room. She looked up to see Vince coming out of the water. Behind him, Charley could see a pair of elephants less than twenty feet from the pool, munching low leaves from one of the sprawling indigenous trees.

Vince shook his long, wavy locks to get them out of his eyes. Then he perched on the side of the pool and gazed out across the high grass rimming the property. He was stark naked. He silently watched the massive, gray hulks that were oblivious to him.

Jolted back to reality, Charley got to work. Fortunately, she’d spent enough time on photo shoots and the beaches in the South of France that Vince’s nudity didn’t faze her.

***

Abby was just digging into her wild mushroom gnocchi when her phone rang. Jackson was sitting across the table from her on the terrace at Soho House, one of the few outdoor restaurants in London that was open during the winter when weather permitted. A private club that catered to the media, entertainment, and publishing, Soho House was also popular with the influx of new Chinese multimillionaires who knew how to spend money. They loved to entertain high-profile clients, so the place was always good for an item or two for Spectator.com.

The phone kept ringing. Jackson gave his fiancée a look that said, “Do you have to answer?”

“It’s my biz,” she responded, grimacing as she took the phone from her bag. She smiled when she saw who it was.

“Charley, hi.”

Jackson looked at Abby quizzically. “My Charley?” he mouthed. She nodded.

“Abby, how’s it going?”

“I’m at Soho House with your brother who is fab-u-lous, and work is getting crazed now that the holidays are over. You have no idea how many celebrities get married or break up on Christmas and New Year. Probably just for the publicity, but all publicity’s good, as they say.”

“Not here they don’t,” Charley said seriously.

“O-kay. How’s it going for you then?” Abby asked perplexed.

Jackson heard Abby’s tone and became concerned.

“That clip you ran of Scarlett O’Hara’s meltdown on British Airways,” Charley said directly. “It’s made our client very nervous. It needs to be taken off the website immediately, if not sooner.”

Abby was taken aback. “You’re asking me to kill a clip? Well, Charley, I can’t do that.”

“Please, Abby,” Charley said, looking out to Vince at the pool. “I’m here to expedite whatever Vince Castle asks, and this was a direct order.”

“Does he know that you and I know each other?”

“Not that I know of,” Charley said. “But finding out who sent the video is the first thing he’s asked me to do on this job, so it’s important to me that I can get him the answer.”

“I didn’t know anyone still cared about Scarlett O’Hara,” Abby said casually, glancing across the table.

At the mention of Scarlett’s name, Jackson looked as if he’d been hit by lightning.

“Well, our client does since she’s on the cover, so please do this for me?” Charley begged.

Abby couldn’t take her eyes off Jackson. Even in the brisk winter afternoon he suddenly looked as if he was on fire. “I can take it down, but it’s already gone viral. In other words, once it’s out there, it’s out there.”

“Anything’ll help,” Charley said appreciatively. “And one more tiny—well, not so tiny—thing. My boss wants to fire whoever uploaded it to you.”

Still staring at Jackson as he signaled the waiter for a second drink, Abby was calm with Charley. “I can’t give up a source. You know that. Even for you.”

“Can’t you at least give me a hint? What kind of phone it came from…anything?” she pleaded. “I’ll take it from there.”

Abby breathed deeply. Charley was going to be her sister-in-law, after all.

“I got another clip from the same source an hour later. The second clip was at the Sandton Sun in Johannesburg, a shot of Oprah at a breakfast meeting,” Abby told her. “In other words, it couldn’t have been anyone who was traveling with you.”

“Thanks, Abby,” Charley sighed, relieved. “Thanks a zillion.”

“You’re welcome,” Abby said quietly.

“Could I speak to Jackson for a second?” Charley asked.

“He’s just taking a swig from a double tequila, but sure,” Abby said dryly as she handed the phone to Jackson.

“Sis, hi,” Jackson said, mustering a lilt in his voice. “So what’s this about Scarlett?”

“She’s one of the cover models, of all people,” Charley said. “But this isn’t about her. Did you or Chance tell Marlena and John that I was coming down here?”

“No. Chance and I were discussing just this morning how we haven’t talked to them in a while, so I know he hasn’t, either. And the not-so-obvious question is: why do you ask?”

“They’re here.”

“In South Africa?”

“I know. It’s very weird. But coincidences happen, I guess. Like me being here with Scarlett.”

“Yeah,” Jackson said briskly.

“If you haven’t seen that clip on Abby’s website, you might want to see it. It happened after I told Scarlett you’re engaged.”

“Have a good time, Sis,” was all Jackson could think of. “And get home soon.” His voice held a hint of desperation.

“Thank Abby again,” Charley said as she hung up the phone.

Jackson handed the phone back to Abby who just stared.

“Why did the name ‘Scarlett O’Hara’ turn you crimson?” Abby’s heart was racing but she didn’t know why.

Jackson took a deep breath. “She was my first.”

“What?” Abby was thrown. “She’s like twelve years older than you are.”

Jackson met her gaze and shrugged. “I was seventeen, believe it or not, and we met at my birthday party at China White. She was a major model, and I guess I was fresh meat.”

“The original cougar,” Abby said dumbfounded. “Guess she belongs in Africa.” She was trying to lighten the moment, but it didn’t work. Jackson was still stone-faced.

“Then I have just one question,” Abby said, gazing in his eyes. “Are you in love with her?”

“No…” Jackson insisted. But as Abby reached for his hand, he instead picked up his double tequila and finished it in one long gulp.

Please let that be the truth, she said to herself, feeling uneasy. Because you, Jackson Gaines, are supposed to be my future.

It was five on the dot when Marlena and John were escorted to the reception lounge. They entered to find the entire photo crew in the far corner. The makeup, hair, and wardrobe people were at the ready as Vince took photo after photo, Charley near his side.

Scarlett was leaning against an opening that provided a view of the lush foliage outside and the soaring Drakensberg mountain range. A see-through African print tunic covered Scarlett’s miniscule bikini top, and slim rust-colored leggings hugged her 35-inch inseam. Lounging on white cotton overstuffed chairs in the foreground were Brigitta and Nikki, dressed in ensembles that complemented what Scarlett was wearing. Red hair flowing over her shoulders, Scarlett was in profile, and from where John and Marlena stood, she was absolutely breathtaking.

“Yes…sultry…regal…good, very good…give me lioness,” Vince directed as the girls shifted subtly. Their eyes, their postures, and their lips moved in ways that were nearly imperceptible to the naked eye but that were caught as dramatically different by Vince’s discerning lens. Vince checked the shots in his RZ67 as he went along, quickly deleting whichever didn’t hit him instantly as brilliant.

“Look to me now…make love to the camera…make me want to eat you,” he growled.

Checking the last shot, Vince scowled. “Greg, what’s that under Red’s left eye?” And before the makeup genius could answer, he added, “Fix it.”

Greg moved in and dabbed at the corner of Scarlett’s eye. “It’s nothing, sugar,” he assured her. “No biggie.”

Scarlett touched the spot as Greg went back to Vince and whispered, “Crow’s feet,” under his breath.

“Crow’s feet?” Vince said loudly enough for all to hear. Scarlett bit her lip as she saw Brigitta and Nikki exchange glances.

Brigitta hiccupped. “Don’t worry, I only hiccup when I’m nervous…” she said.

“We’re wrapped for now,” Vince directed to the crew. “Everyone get set for tonight. We’ll be shooting in the outside arena—”

“The ‘boma’” Charley corrected him.

“Whatever,” Vince said. “In the meantime, Charley’s got your instructions.”

Charley wasn’t aware that she was in charge, but she had no problem picking up where he left off.

“Before anyone goes to rest up before getting back into hair and makeup, we’re having a briefing by one of the rangers next door.”

“With drinks?” Scarlett asked. The comment about her crow’s feet hadn’t helped the insecurity underneath her bravado.

“One, but no more,” Vince barked before Charley could answer.

“The dinner’s going to be amazing,” Charley continued, ignoring Vince’s interruption. “The chef here’s earned three Michelin stars, and once we’re sure we have the shots we want for the editorial, they will cater to your every whim. So if you see food that looks like crocodile, it just might be. But try it. I hear we’ll all love it. By the way, has everyone taken their malaria pills today?”

Everyone chimed in that they had. Everyone except Scarlett.

“I—forgot mine,” she lied.

“No, you dumped them in the toilet,” Brigitta said innocently. “Remember?”

Scarlett glared at her newest competition.

“It’s critical that everyone take them, even though I know it’ll keep you from tanning, Scarlett,” Charley said nicely. “They may have them here.”

“Actually, we don’t,” Charley heard from behind her. It was the most beautiful voice she’d ever heard.

She turned to see the game ranger who was there for their briefing. She gasped. He was six feet tall with sandy floppy hair, dimples, and a cleft in his chin that she could get lost in.

“Brendan Fox,” he said and smiled.

Are those teeth really yours? she wondered. Those eyes, those lips…

“Charley Gaines.” She managed to smile back.

Am I drooling?

“We can get some tablets from one of the doctors in town if we need them,” he said, smiling. Again.

From a few feet away Charley heard: “We can actually get them from the Tom-Ali Clinic if that would help.”

Charley turned to see Marlena and John. She hadn’t realized they’d been observing her.

“They’re prescription,” Brendan reminded her.

“I’m a psychiatrist,” Marlena told him. “I can prescribe them for her, and I’ve volunteered there. I can make the call.”

“Terrific, thanks.” Brendan nodded. “If you guys want to coordinate it, that’ll work.”

He glanced at Charley, who smiled. Actually, she hadn’t stopped smiling since she’d laid eyes on him.

***

One of the requisites at any of the game farms was laying out the realities of being in the wilds of Africa. By the way Brendan comported himself while he gave the instructions, he obviously was very comfortable in his own skin.

“Londolani is one of the safest of the game farms in the Big Five area because we have two staff members for every guest. That means none of you ever have to worry about moving freely—as there’ll always be someone to accompany you. As your personal guide told you when you arrived, it is imperative that you follow the rules. Because as supremely beautiful as it is here, it’s dangerous. Last year, a pair of Asian tourists got out of their car to take photos of a lioness and her cubs, and were attacked and eaten.”

Scarlett mimicked Asians taking photographs and snickered.

“It actually did happen, ma’am,” Brendan said with a tone of admonishment.

Ma’am
, Scarlett thought, grimacing to herself. Can’t they at least call me Ms.?

“A few months ago, one tourist had her Shih Tzu with her, and when that puppy ran toward a herd of giraffe, she went after him. Got kicked by one of the giraffes and was dead instantly. It’s no joke. Neither are the malaria tablets.”

Scarlett shrank back in her seat. She didn’t care how gorgeous Brendan was, she did not like to be criticized publicly.

“I understand I’ve only got two of this group going with me on the game ride this evening because the rest of you are working, but when you do go, you’ll be in a six-passenger open Range Rover. There’ll be a tracker in front with a rifle…we all carry guns, by the way…and it’ll be his job to find the game if we need to. But we have every kind of species you’d expect to see here. Of course, the Big Five are—” He glanced to Charley.

“Buffalo, elephant, leopard, lion, and rhino,” she stammered.

“Yep,” he smiled back. “And we’ve got giraffe, wild dog, hyena, kudu, impala, cheetah, and hundreds of others. We’ll point them out as we see them. And do
not
stand up in the vehicles. The animals have gotten to think of the Rovers as other creatures and recognize us by the silhouette. Standing up and waving your arms will just confuse them and they could attack. Truly.

“We don’t want any fatalities, and not because we care about you. The animals will have tasted human blood and then have to be killed. Not cool. To us, they’re as important as you are. Now, any questions?”

Scarlett’s hand shot up. “I have one,” she said with a sultry smile. “Where can we buy powdered rhino horn?”

Everyone froze as if they’d heard a gunshot.

“I’m sure I didn’t hear you,” Brendan finally said.

“Powdered rhino horn,” Scarlett repeated. “Elle Macpherson said she took it, and she still looks amazing. Where can I buy it?”

“It’s illegal,” Charley snapped at her. “It’s why rhino are being slaughtered for no good reason,” she added passionately. “Do you ever read the news?”

Scarlett’s back went up. “I read
USA Today
. Sometimes. Do I have to put up with this twit, Vince?” Scarlett snapped as she scanned the room for the director.

“I’m in charge at the moment, so yes, Scarlett, you do,” Charley said, not backing down. “Now if Brendan is done, everyone can get ready for the next setup. Brendan, are you done?”

“I am now,” he said, smiling. “And welcome to Africa, everyone.”

The group dispersed. Some of the crew gave Charley a wink or a thumbs-up as they headed out, impressed with her fearlessness. Scarlett, however, ignored Charley as she passed her.

Charley took a deep breath. “I’m really sorry about her and for interrupting like that,” she said to Brendan.

“You should have been a ranger,” Brendan said with a smile, his deep brown eyes sparkling. “You know how to tame the wild ones.”

Would that include you? she thought to herself.

“He’s right. You were great, Charley,” John said, suddenly beside her and pulling her out of her delicious thoughts.

“Thanks,” was all she could say.

Brendan looked from John and Marlena back to Charley. “Are these your parents?” he asked.

Charley was thrown off guard. “Why would you think that?”

“You look like you could be related,” he said warmly. “A compliment to you all, by the way, but sorry for that presumption.”

“Thanks, and not a problem,” John said, taking Marlena’s hand.

“We actually are—related,” Charley added. “It’s a bit—complex.”

“Okay,” Brendan said, curious. But before they could go further, Brendan’s tracker appeared in the open doorway.

“Mr. Brendan?” he signaled.

“We need to get out there if we’re going to get back in time for dinner,” Brendan offered.

“Maybe we’ll see you then,” John said to Charley.

“Maybe,” she answered and glanced at Marlena. “Have a good time.”

“I’ll be there tonight, too,” Brendan said as he smiled
that
smile at Charley.

She caught his gaze, returned the smile, and felt a rush of electricity from her toes to her brain.

Can he see my heart in my throat?
She gulped.

He turned to John and Marlena. “Get ready for a life-changing few hours,” he said as they headed out. “Another couple will be joining us. They’re here several times a year and always take the first game ride they can. They’re a great couple…”

Charley didn’t move as she saw the three of them climb into the Range Rover where a well-heeled Asian couple waited. As the Rover headed into the lush vegetation, suddenly all Charley wanted was to be with the three of them, and that feeling startled her.

Why do I feel my life suddenly changing?