A touch of love (35 page)

It was Aubrey who answered the critical call that afternoon. Four bodies had been found buried beneath the stake Jesse had driven into the ground at the Devil's Playground, and there was enough left of the charred remains for the county coroner to identify them as Peter and Mar-lene Farrell and their twin sons. Every word of the grim report stung, and her eyes filled with tears as she hung up the telephone and relayed the message to Jesse.

"They'll need more time to be positive the bullets that

killed Pete and Marlene came from Harlan's pistol, but it's the right caliber, and I've no doubt it was the murder weapon. Your aunt will surely need your help planning the funeral. I'm sorry it ended this way, but at least it's over and Edith will finally have the peace you wanted to give her."

"That's what we all want, isn't it—the peace to greet each new day with joy instead of dread?"

Aubrey had spoken of that very goal in many of her seminars. "Yes. That's the ideal. Perhaps you can arrange for the service to be on Sunday, then all the Ferrells' friends should be able to attend."

Aubrey's mood was as downcast as his own, but she had not known his relatives, and Jesse was afraid to ask why their deaths had affected her so profoundly. "Don't you want to come?"

"No, not if it will lead to a media circus. Pete and Marlene deserve better than that."

"The family generally uses a private entrance at a funeral, and you needn't be seen if you don't want to be." Reminded of how reluctant she had been to help in the beginning, Jesse chose not to push the issue. "Think about it. You've plenty of time to decide. I better get on over to Edith's. She knew what was coming all along, but that doesn't mean this news won't hit her hard."

"Do you want me to come with you?"

"No. I think you need to pull back. Just lie out by the pool, answer your fan mail, and think up some inspiring thoughts for Saturday's seminar." Jesse gave her a quick kiss on the forehead, then stepped away. "Maybe I ought to just stay at my aunt's for the next few days. That way she won't be grieving all alone."

Aubrey swallowed a sickening wave of panic and forced herself to make the gracious response. "That would be

very thoughtful of you. Please give me a call if there's

anything more I can do."

"Sure. You have my aunt's number if you need me." "Yes. I do." But Aubrey knew she wouldn't call while

Edith needed him so desperately—and she dared not

admit that she did, too.

On Saturday morning, Aubrey wore Levi's, a baggy gray sweatshirt, a colorful scarf wrapped around her head, and dark glasses to confuse the reporters waiting to interview her before her seminar. Fortunately, Gardner had summoned security guards to keep the unruly group well away from the door, and she wasn't recognized. As soon as she had slipped into the conference room, she removed the sunglasses, pulled off the sweatshirt to reveal a blue silk shirt, and tossed the scarf aside.

She fluffed out her curls as she walked over to the table where Shelley and Gardner were huddled together. She had spoken with each of them on the telephone and already answered every question they had. One look at the way their eyes shone when they glanced at each other answered her own.

"This is only the fourth seminar in this series, but I'm going to announce it will conclude today, and send out refunds for the last two dates. This last week has been difficult in the extreme, and I need to get away. I'll cover your salaries though. There's no reason for you to be penalized just because I can't continue."

Trisha had hoped to arrive early, and apologized as she joined them. "I'm sorry. I meant to be the first to arrive, but just as I was leaving the house Eric called to confirm our plans for tonight and I didn't want to be rude."

Gardner checked his watch, but discovered Trisha wasn't late at all, and refrained from delivering a lecture on the

value of being punctual. ''If you're still seeing him, why don't the four of us go out some time? I went to hear Rifficus Rose last night with Shelley,and I'll bet you'd like them, too."

"My God," Trisha gasped. "You went to the Old Towne Pub?"

Obviously offended, Gardner straightened up. "Yeah, I did, and I had a real good time."

"We're going to take Annie camping next week," Shelley added shyly.

Pleased for the quiet couple, Aubrey waited until her assistants had caught up on each other's news before telling Trisha she was ending the seminars for the time being. "Fll need a few days to decide what I want to do about the others we have coming up, but I'll let you know in plenty of time to cancel, or reschedule them."

Trisha's dark eyes widened in astonishment. "But you've gotten such incredibly good publicity from the Ferrell case. This is no time to retire, even if it's only temporarily."

The room was filling, and Aubrey backed away to greet the day's participants. "My mind's made up, Trish. Now let's just concentrate on giving today's session the enthusiasm it deserves." Her warning glance stilled Trisha's complaints, but she had to counter them all again at the close of the day.

"Does Jesse know what you're doing?" Trisha asked pointedly.

"I'll tell him after the funeral tomorrow."

"Eric and I will be there," Trisha promised. "We didn't know the Ferrells, but we know Jesse and want to attend."

"So do we," Gardner added. He had his equipment all packed, and left the room with Shelley.

Aubrey donned the sweatshirt and covered her hair. "I doubt any reporters had the stamina to last the day, but just in case, I want to be ready to fool them."

Trisha had on a short yellow dress, and certain she looked her best, opened the door and peeked out. "It's safe to leave. There's no one here."

"Thank God." As they walked to the parking garage, Aubrey only listened with one ear to Trisha's insistent demands that she ride the current wave of publicity. "Get the refunds ready, and I'll sign the checks before I leave town."

"Where are you going?"

"I haven't decided yet. Maybe Australia."

"Isn't it winter there now?"

"Probably, but I can always learn how to ski." Aubrey laid her notebook on the back seat and got into her car. She had been so depressed all week, she didn't really know how she had gotten through the day's seminar without breaking down. She thought she would have plenty of time to cry when she got home, but when she pulled into her driveway, she saw Jesse's Chevy parked across the street. He had been playing with Lucky in the backyard, and met her at the gate.

"Did you go to your seminar dressed like that?" he asked incredulously.

Aubrey glanced down at her sweatshirt and shrugged, but pulled off her scarf. "It's a disguise. It worked, too. I got by the reporters this morning without having to answer any questions." She looked up at him and wondered why he was taller than she had remembered, and even more handsome. Her chest ached with longing, but she just fiddled with her scarf rather than hug him.

"My editor wants me to write a book about our involvement in the Ferrell case. I told her that was the very last thing I'd ever do."

"Really?" Jesse feared he must be to blame for the sadness in her eyes, and reached out to take her hand. "Come sit with me awhile. I've been trying to mediate a dispute

between Guinevere and Lucky, but the two are just ignoring each other.''

'Tm hoping they'll eventually make friends, while Lucifer's taken up residence in the house." Aubrey followed Jesse to the glass table, then quickly pulled off the baggy sweatshirt before sitting down. 'The book would surely be another bestseller, but it just doesn't seem right."

"Why not? The ballistic report's in. Harlan Caine's pistol was the murder weapon. You could make it a fascinating story, and at the same time, downplay the psychic angle so that you'd not be plagued with more cowboys looking for lost relatives."

Jesse flashed a charming grin, but Aubrey knew she couldn't risk another broken heart, and that was all he was going to leave her. She looked away, and Guinevere came out from under the bougainvillaea to nestle at her feet while Lucky remained close to Jesse. She and Jesse were as great a mismatch as the two dogs, she realized, and the thought didn't make her feel any better.

Jesse had been teasing, but after studying Aubrey's woebegone expression, he knew his joke had fallen flat. He got up and moved his chair closer. "I wanted to talk to you before the funeral. What I mean is, I thought it would be better to talk to you before we all ended up in tears, and no matter how upbeat the memorial service is, I'm afraid that's what will happen."

Aubrey was already on the verge of tears, but at least at the memorial, she would have an excuse. "Is there something you need? I told you I'd be happy to help."

Jesse took both her hands in his. "Yeah. There's something I need. You." Aubrey drew back slightly, and he increased the pressure on her hands to draw her close. "Just listen to me a minute. The first time we slept together, you told me we were too different to have anything that

would last, but every man and woman are different. Maybe that's the way it's supposed to be.

"I think you could be real happy working in Sedona and you can fly out of Phoenix to anywhere you want to hold a seminar. I know you have two more scheduled in Pasadena, but—"

"No. I cancelled them." Aubrey wasn't sure where Jesse was heading, but relocating to Sedona and being with him struck her as two entirely different things. She couldn't beg for the love he wouldn't willing give. "I need to get away for a while," she murmured.

Jesse remembered how enthusiastic her presentation had been at the first seminar he had attended. When he contrasted that memory with her dejected pose now, he was overwhelmed with guilt. Earlier in the week she had nearly gotten shot, then she'd seen Harlan Caine hit crossing the highway. They had found the Ferrells, but had had litde reason to celebrate. Then he had left her to brood alone all week.

"I should have stayed here with you," he apologized.

"Your aunt needed you."

"True, but I needed you, and while you're too damn stubborn to admit it, I think you needed me, too."

"I am not stubborn!"

That was the most life Jesse had seen from her, and he relaxed into a smile. "I'm trying to ask you to marry me, Aubrey. If you want to get away so badly, why don't we make it a honeymoon? Australia sure seems a little far, but maybe it would give us an excuse to take off" a month or two. What do you say?"

Aubrey stared at him. Maybe he didn't love her, but if they married, he would certainly have the time to learn. Then again, what if he didn't, and ended up resenting her, or God forbid, just being indifferent? "Isn't love important to you?" she asked.

Jesse swallowed hard. He hadn't kept a count of how many women had said they loved him, but he had never spoken the word himself. He had always thought that if love created the mess his family had been, then he didn't want any part of it. But Aubrey wasn't like any woman he had ever known. He leaned over and kissed her.

"I don't know much about love," he confided, "but I know I love you. If you'd just give me a chance, I'm sure I could make you happy."

Aubrey reached out to frame his face tenderly between her hands. "I love you so much, but what if we learn how to read each other's minds, and don't like what we see?"

Jesse swore under his breath. "There's nothing but good in you so I'm not worried. But if you ever decide you don't like me, then I'll just grow my hair long, dye it black, buy a pinto stallion, and convince you I'm the man of your dreams."

Aubrey laughed for the first time in a week, and pulled him into her arms. She could see the love in his eyes and feel it in his touch. If he loved her as much as she loved him, then the adventure had just begun and the future was theirs to create. "Oh, Jesse," she swore, "you already are."

NOTE TO READERS

Although they are not real, some characters linger in an author's memory, and Aubrey and Jesse were such a charming pair that it's difficult for me to tell them goodbye. It is so easy to envision them having an exciting life together that I hope you'll also keep them alive in your imagination. If you were moved as well as entertained by their book, please share your thoughts with me. You may write to me in care of Zebra Books, 850 Third Avenue, New York, New York 10022. Please include a SASE for a newsletter.

ROMANCE FROM JANELLE TAYLOR

ANYTHING FOR LOVE (0-8217-4992-7, $5.99)

DESTINY MINE (0-8217-5185-9, $5.99)

CHASE THE WIND (0-8217-4740-1, $5.99)

MIDNIGHT SECRETS (0-8217-5280-4, $5.99)

MOONBEAMS AND MAGIC (0-8217-0184-4, $5.99)

SWEET SAVAGE HEART (0-8217-5276-6, $5.99)

Available wherever paperbacks are sold, or order direct from the Publisher. Send cover price plus 504 per copy for mailing and handling to Penguin USA, P.O. Box 999, c/o Dept. 17109, Bergenfield, NJ 07621. Residents of New York and Tennessee must include sales tax. DO NOT SEND CASH.

YOU WON'T WANT TO READ JUST ONE—KATHERINE STONE

ROOMMATES (0-8217-5206-5, $6.99/$7.99)

No one could have prepared Carrie for the monumental changes she would face when she met her new circle of friends at Stanford University. Once their lives intertwined and became woven into the tapestry of the times, they would never be the same.

TWINS (0-8217-5207-3, $6.99/$7.99)

Brook and Melanie Chandler were so different, it was hard to believe they were sisters. One was a dark, serious, ambitious New York attorney; the other, a golden, glamourous, sophisticated supermodel. But they were more than sisters—they were twins and more alike than even they knew . . .

THE CARLTON CLUB (0-8217-5204-9, $6.99/$7.99)

It was the place to see and be seen, the only place to be. And for those who frequented the playground of the very rich, it was a way of life. Mark, Kathleen, Leslie and Janet—they worked together, played together, and loved together, all behind exclusive gates of the Carlton Club.

Available wherever paperbacks are sold, or order direct from the Publisher. Send cover price plus 50$ per copy for mailing and handling to Penguin USA, P.O. Box 999, c/o Dept. 17109, Bergenfield, NJ 07621. Residents of New York and Tennessee must include sales tax. DO NOT SEND CASH.