Absolute Love: A Hot, Romantic Suspense Series, Book 3 (The Carlisle Sisters) (13 page)

"Something that is meant to be," Jennifer considered.
 
"I like that idea."

"What idea?"

Both Jennifer and Beth screeched as they looked up and saw Tracy standing there.
 
They scrambled out of the hammock and raced to hug her.
 
Tracy staggered under their loving assault.

"I...can't....breathe," Tracy choked out.

Beth and Jennifer laughed as they pulled back.

"I can't believe you're here," Jennifer exclaimed.

Tracy couldn't help giving a side-eye to Beth.

"I can't believe you
care
!"
 
Tracy responded.

"Well, I do," Jennifer smiled.
 
"A lot has happened and I've had a bit of an epiphany."

"Is that so?"
 
Tracy asked.
 
"Then, tell me about it."

Jennifer laughed.

"First, where is Blaze?"
 
she asked.

"He's in the kitchen with Grey and London.
 
Boys will be boys," Tracy smiled.
 
"So do you have room for one more on that hammock?"

"Of course!
 
Come on," Jennifer said joyously.

The girls scrambled onto the hammock.
 
Their conversation started off with more of the same lighthearted chatter before shifting to a more serious discussion regarding Jennifer's attack and the impending mission the men were busy planning.
 
Eventually, Jennifer purposely changed the topic once again by bringing up The Sea View.
 
This led them down a path of reminiscence, each of them recalling the good times from their past lives together which, while interspersed with periodic bouts of misery and pain, also had them giggling for hours.

*****

The time had arrived and the three couples stood next to the black Land Rover that London had rented for their trip.
 
Jennifer was beyond nervous but she forced herself to remain calm.
 
London didn't need to be worried about her with so much going on.
 
There would be risk, despite his assurances to the contrary and he needed to focus on the task at hand.

"OK, let's go," Grey said, clapping his hands together.

Everyone began climbing into the vehicle.
 
Just as Jennifer was about to get in, however, she felt a hand grasp her arm firmly.
 
Initially she'd thought it was London, assuming he'd decided against bringing the girls along.
 
She knew he was nervous about doing so but she was also well aware that he had no intention of leaving her alone again; not even if her sisters were with her.
 

Jennifer turned to see a Tahitian woman dressed in a red dress with a flowing black scarf billowing from her head.
 
She gasped as she recognized the woman.
 
London was beside her in an instant.

"What do you want?"
 
London asked gruffly, stepping in front of Jennifer as the woman released her arm.

Grey and Blaze joined London while Beth and Tracy anxiously pulled Jennifer into the truck.

"I forewarned you once before," the old woman cautioned, holding a bony finger up to London's face.
 
"I come to do so again.
 
Beware of the hawk.
 
He always kills his prey."

"Thank you for the warning," London said, still somewhat afraid to completely disregard the woman.
 
"I will be careful."

"
You
are not his quarry," she told London in hushed tones.
 
"Beware!
 
He waits...and he will
strike
!"

The woman spun, her long, red dress billowing about her like a flaring flame.
 
And then she was gone.
 
It was as if she'd disappeared into thin air.

"Holy crap!
 
Where did she go?"
 
Tracy asked incredulously.

"Back to her realm," London whispered.

"Where?"
 
Beth asked, assuming she'd misheard him.

London did not answer.
 
He turned to the vehicle and looked in at Jennifer.

"Are you alright?
 
She didn't hurt you, did she?"
 
he asked in concern.

"No.
 
I'm fine.
 
Just a little shaken," Jennifer answered, trembling.
 
"But who
is
in danger if it's not you?
 
She said it wasn't.
 
Is it
me
?"

"No," London answered emphatically.
 
"It's clearly me."

"It's clearly
not
you," Jennifer corrected, crying out.
 
"
I'm
the one whose head was bashed.
 
And
I
was thrown into a dumpster.
 
It has to be me!
 
It has to be!"

"Stop it, Jen," London said sharply.
 
"We all know that I am the target.
 
Whoever attacked you was trying to get to me.
 
End of story."

"But--"
 
Jennifer started before a hard stare from London stopped her.

His expression softened.

"We will discuss it as we drive," he said calmly.

He shut the door, stepped around to the other side of the Land Rover and climbed into the driver's seat.
 
Once everyone had settled in and the vehicle had started moving, London began speaking once again.

"Whoever assaulted Jen was trying to get to me.
 
That's why our plan to use me as bait will work," London said.
 
"I have no doubt that all of this has to do with the food supply program I'm working on.
 
I'm sure of it."

It almost sounded like he was trying to convince himself of what he was telling them.

"It seems awfully drastic to attack someone over food supply," Tracy responded doubtfully.

"Agriculture is business, just like anything else.
 
And it's big business, believe me," London said.
 
"And what other reason could there be anyway?
 
Nothing else makes sense."

Beth thought of the man by the banana tree and her stomach tightened.
 
The incident had occurred several days earlier and she hadn't seen him since.
 
She was sure it was nothing; just a guy who happened to look like Stephon who was just hanging around at a time when she was on edge.

Even if it
had
been
Stephon that she had seen, what would he have to do with their current predicament?
 
He was the one who had left Jennifer.
 
Surely he wasn't stalking her in an attempt to get her back.
 
He was a rich and famous businessman who, Beth knew for a fact, had already moved on to dozens of women since Jen.
 
His every move was followed by the "rag-mags", as Beth liked to call them, and the only reason his name ever came up was to mention the latest model or actress he was dating.
 
They rarely even covered his business affairs.
 
His personal life was much more interesting to the general public.

Beth's stomach contracted even further as a word drifted through her thoughts:
 
business.
 
Stephon was a business man.
 
And, according to London, agriculture was big business.
 
Could there possibly be a link?
 
That was too far fetched, wasn't it?
 
Beth swallowed hard at the thought of having withheld a potentially critical piece of information.
 
Information that could have gotten Jennifer hurt.
 
Or worse.

"Jen," Beth began sheepishly, "have you heard from Stephon lately?"

"Stephon?
 
Just every month when he pays my alimony," Jennifer confirmed.
 
"He always calls me after the deposit has been made just to bellyache about it.
 
He hates having to pay me.
 
Especially now that I don't even need the money.
 
Why do you ask?"

Beth didn't answer right away.
 

"I'm sorry to ask but, if you wouldn't mind saying, how much does he pay you?"
 
Beth inquired.

Tracy looked at Beth like she had two heads.
 
Jennifer's expression was one of surprise, as well, but she shrugged and replied.

"Twenty thousand a month," she said.
 
"I was also granted shares in his company.
 
Not many, but I figured it was only fair since I helped him build it.
 
And every time he begs me to sell them back to him I laugh to myself, knowing that it kills him to have to answer to me on any level, even if it is only in financial terms."

"I had no idea that you received that kind of settlement," Tracy said in surprise.
 
"The tabloids made it seem as if you were short-changed in the divorce!"

"Believe me, I was.
 
What Stephon pays me is mere
pennies
compared to what he is worth," Jennifer explained.
 
"His company alone is worth over thirty billion, and that doesn't even include his other interests; the ones that he hid from the courts during our divorce.
 
But it's enough for me.
 
As long as writing that check every month reminds him of how badly he treated me."

"Piece of trash," Tracy added.

Beth mulled over what Jennifer had said.
 
Stephon was paying her a hefty amount, year after year, with no idea as to how long it would continue.
 
He was on the hook for as long as she remained single.
 
And that could, potentially, be forever.
 
That had to be a thorn in his craw.
 
But would he resort to murder to keep his money?
 

Beth didn't know Stephon well enough to speculate.
 
But she couldn't keep her mouth shut any longer if there was even a
chance
that he was involved in what had been going on.
 
And the more she thought about it, the greater that chance seemed to be.

"Why do you ask, Beth?"
 
Grey questioned.

"I was wondering if Stephon could be capable of harming Jen," Beth answered truthfully.

"Stephon may not like having to pay me but he wouldn't hurt me," Jennifer said.

"Are you sure?" Beth asked.
 
"
Absolutely
sure?"

"Yes.
 
I'm absolutely sure that Stephon wouldn't hurt me," Jennifer confirmed.
 
"We argued when we were married, in fact we fought like cats and dogs, but Stephon was never physical with me.
 
There was never even a threat of violence.
 
That's not his style.
 
He's much too sophisticated, too much the urban socialite, to be a wife-beater," Jennifer said dryly.

"You're not his wife, anymore," Beth said under her breath.

"What are you getting at, Beth?" Grey asked, well aware that this was not simply curiosity.

"Yeah," Tracy added, "spit it out."

Beth caught her breath and tried to get the words to come out of her mouth.

"Now, Beth," Grey insisted.

"What's going on?"
 
London asked, his concern growing.
 

Beth could feel everyone's eyes on her.
 
Gathering her courage, she sighed resignedly and told them about the man under the banana tree.

"And you thought it best not to tell anyone?"
 
Grey snapped.

"I was going to," Beth retorted.

"When?"
 
Grey bit out sharply.

Beth was stunned.
 
Grey had never been this upset with her and she didn't like it at all.
 
Actually, she couldn't recall a time when he'd
ever
been upset with her at all.
 

"I'm sorry," Beth said quietly.
 
"I didn't want to make any wild accusations.
 
I wasn't even sure that it was Stephon.
 
After all, I've never even met him in person."

Grey was ticked that Beth had not spoken earlier.
 
But he understood.
 
She had been so used to dealing with things on her own that sometimes she'd forget that she had a husband that she could turn to.
 

He could feel his initial anger ebbing and the look of remorse on Beth's face softened his heart.
 
But he knew London felt different.
 
Grey could sense his fury.

"I understand, Beth," Grey said gently.

"So do I," Jennifer said kindly, placing a hand on Beth's knee.
 
"And, honestly, I don't think Stephon has anything to do with this.
 
It could have been anyone under that tree."