All That Glitters (26 page)

The gendarme denied Cammie’s claim. “The Count doesn’t lie. If he said they’re the ones who kidnapped you, then they are.”

“No! No!” Cammie screamed. “Francois kidnapped me! These are my parents and friends who just saved me! He set the bomb to kill me!”

“You can tell your story at headquarters,” the gendarme said. “We have orders to bring you in. Follow me, s’il vous plait.”

He escorted them outside. “Get in the squad car, s’il vous plait,” the gendarme ordered. “All except the Countess. She’ll ride in the other squad car. We’ll follow you to headquarters.”

* * *

Hildy stood there, stunned. What other calamity will Gregory Wilcox be responsible for? How can anyone have so much power from the grave? She tried to reason with the officer. “This is all a terrible mistake,” she told him.

“Madame,” the officer said, “other people have tried to accuse Count Francois of committing crimes, but we know it is not true. He is an honorable man. He is Count Francois Dubonnet II! He would never do such things!”

Hildy looked helplessly at Zack.

“Don’t worry,” he said. “We’ll get this straightened out. We’ll call Fran in Amboise and tell him what happened. It will be a shock to him, but he has to know sometime. He can vouch for us.”

It took just under fifteen minutes to reach police headquarters.

The officer removed Zack’s handcuffs. Zack turned and spoke to the Chief of the Gendarmes. “I believe I’m allowed to make a call.”

“Who is it you wish to call?” the Chief asked him. “I will dial it for you.”

Zack wrote on a piece of paper and handed it to him. “This is the telephone number of Count Francois I at his Chateau in Amboise. He will vouch for us.”

* * *

When the phone rang at the Chateau in Amboise, Fran answered. “Zack!” he exclaimed. “Where are you? Is there any news? We haven’t heard anything further from the kidnapper.”

Zack hesitated. “I’ll tell you everything as soon as I feel it’s safe to do so,” he told him. “We’re at police headquarters in Biarritz. We’ve been accused of kidnapping Cammie, and setting a bomb at Francois’ Chateau.”

“What!? Who is accusing you of such things?” Fran asked. “Has anyone been hurt?”

“No one was hurt, but would you come here and get us out of this mess? We need someone to vouch for us.”

“How did this happen?” Fran asked him.

“I can’t discuss it right now,” Zack replied. “Please come.”

“Couldn’t Francois help you?” Fran asked. “He’s closer than I am. Why don’t you call him?”

For a moment Zack was silent. “I think it’s better if you come,” he said. “Oh—please don’t tell Lilli why I called you. This is very important. I’ll explain everything later.”

Zack’s request didn’t surprise Fran. His suspicions of Lilli were deepening, although he was trying hard to deny them.

“I’ll have my private jet ready in fifteen minutes. It will take a couple of hours to get there. Is that all right?”

“Yes, that’s fine. Thank you. We really appreciate this.”

Fran hung up and went out to the garden to find Lilli.

She was on the cordless phone, visibly upset, talking to Francois. She hung up abruptly when she saw Fran approaching.

That’s odd, Fran thought. Why did she come out here to talk to her son? Was there something she didn’t want me to hear?

Lilli turned to him, all smiles. “What is it, cherie?”

“I have to leave immediately,” he told her. He tried to sound casual and unconcerned. “It’s urgent business,” he went on to say. “I’ll be back in time for dinner.”

Fran arrived in Paris as he promised in just under two hours. He strode up to the Chief. “What is this all about?” he demanded.

The Chief recognized him immediately. “Sir,” he said, “there are some people here who claim that you can vouch for them. I will call them and you can tell me if you know them.” He turned to one of the gendarmes. “Bring them here, s’il vous plait.”

Hildy, Jay, and Zack were the first to enter the room.

The minute Fran saw them, he embraced them. “What is going on?” he asked the Chief. “These are my friends. Surely you know who these people are! This is Hilary Stuart, famous composer. And this is her husband, Jay Stuart, a well known producer from America. And Zack Davis, a highly respected detective from the States. Why were these people arrested?”

The Chief was all apologies. “I’m sorry, Sir, but there was an explosion at the Chateau here in Biarritz, and your son told us that they set the bomb and kidnapped the Countess.”

Fran was astonished. “These people are her parents! Why in the world would they kidnap their own daughter?”

Just then Cammie came in from the other room with Jeremy, and Fran held out his arms to her. “Cammie!” he exclaimed. “Thank God you’re all right!” As he hugged her, he held out his hand to Jeremy. “How good to see you again!” he greeted him. “Where did you find Cammie?” he asked Zack.

“It’s a long story,” Zack replied.

Fran was even more surprised to see Jenny and Peter with them. “I thought you went back to California!”

“We ran into Jenny and Peter at the airport,” Zack was quick to explain. “They made some phone calls to California and decided to join us. I’ll tell you all about it later.”

“Have you called Francois and told him you’re safe?” Fran asked Cammie. “He’s been worried sick!”

Cammie opened her mouth to say something, but Zack sent her a warning look.

“No, not yet,” she told Fran. “I want to surprise him.”

“Oh.” Fran looked puzzled as he turned to Zack. “You were going to explain something to me. What was it?”

Zack hesitated. “I can’t tell you here.”

“Well,” Fran said, “I would suggest that you fly back to Amboise with me, but the plane is a little small to accommodate all of you.”

“Thank you,” Zack replied, “but we’d just as soon take our time and drive back to Amboise. I’ll explain everything when we get there. We’ll see you in a few days. Thank you for coming to our rescue.”

CHAPTER XXXIX
 

As Zack drove the limousine in the direction of Amboise, Jay, sitting in front with him, couldn’t help noticing the grim expression on his face. “It’s a tough situation, isn’t it?” he said. “I hate to hurt Fran,” Zack sighed. “He’s such a gentle soul.”

Jay nodded. “All the
more reason for him to know the truth as soon
as possible,” he admonished Zack. “The sooner, the better. For
all we know, he may be in danger because of
Francois and his mother. The longer you wait, the harder
it will be. He’s put his trust in a murderer
all these years. And he bestowed the title of Count
on a ruthless man who didn’t deserve it.”

“I know,” Zack agreed. “It has to be done. I just don’t know the best way to do it yet.”

They drove along leisurely, taking their time, enjoying the countryside. They had been motoring for a couple of days, stopping at various inns and points of interest, relaxing after the terrible ordeal they had all been through.

The day before they were due to arrive at the Chateau in Amboise, they stopped off for dinner and lodging at Au Moulin Neuf, the same restaurant and inn they visited before when they traveled on the barge.

They sat there eating dinner, watching the beavers swim by, and drinking in this incredible beauty and peace. What a difference from the past few weeks! For the first time since Cammie announced her intentions to marry Francois, they could relax.

* * *

Cammie and Jeremy decided to go for a walk by this picturesque river. The moon was shining brightly, and the frogs in the nearby pond were busily croaking their delightful music. From the inn, the beautiful, heart-moving strains of Rachmaninoff’s Second Piano Concerto wafted through the air with all its deep swells of emotion.

Jeremy took Cammie in his arms. He looked down at her and lowered his lips to hers.

Cammie clung to him as though her very life depended on it. She pressed hard against him, wanting to become part of him.

He kissed her deeply, passionately. As he held her tightly he found himself uttering words that he had never before been tempted to utter to anyone, but now it all seemed so natural. His voice was scarcely above a whisper as he spoke.

“Cammie,” he said, “I’ve been looking for you all my life. I love you. Please say you’ll marry me.”

With tears of joy she answered him. “Oh, yes! Yes! Yes!” she whispered back.

She buried her head in his shoulder, and wondered how she could ever have thought she was in love with Francois. Nothing she felt for him could possibly compare with what she was feeling now for Jeremy. Gone were her childish dreams of becoming a Countess. She just wanted to spend the rest of her life with this wonderful man, Jeremy Douglass.

He looked down at her and smiled. “Let’s get married right away,” he pleaded.

“Oh, yes!” she whispered. “After all that’s happened, time is so precious. We can’t afford to wait.”

“Let’s go and tell your folks!” he said.

He took her hand and pulled her along the path leading back to the inn. It seemed that their feet barely touched the ground as they hurried along. Hand in hand they approached the others.

“We have something to tell you,” Cammie said. She looked at Jeremy, then back at them, her face radiant with happiness. “Jeremy has just asked me to marry him, and I said yes! I’ve never been so happy!”

Hildy jumped up from the lounge where she was sitting and embraced them both.

Jay and Zack hugged Cammie, and shook Jeremy’s hand.

Jenny and Peter were stunned. “Goodness!” Jenny exclaimed. “That was fast!”

“Does this mean you’ll be in my new film?” Peter asked eagerly.

Cammie looked at Jeremy. She hadn’t yet had a chance to ask him how he felt about continuing with her career.

“I don’t see why not,” he replied to her silent question. “Why should she stop her career just because she’s getting married?”

“This calls for a celebration!” Zack declared. He motioned to the waiter. “Please bring us your best bottle of champagne. We’ll have it out here by the river.”

After toasting the happy couple, they retired for the night, ready for the remainder of the drive to Amboise tomorrow. Zack had warned them not to reveal what they knew about Lilli and Francois until he had a chance to speak to Fran in private.

Finally, after several nights and days of driving, they reached Amboise. Zack drove the limousine down the long, winding driveway leading up to the Chateau.

Fran greeted them at the door and led them inside to the drawing room. He was alone. Lilli and Francois were nowhere in sight. As soon as they were seated, he turned to Zack. “What is this all about?”

As Zack tried to figure out where to start, Lilli and Francois came down the hall to greet the guests. When they saw who they were, they turned abruptly to leave, but it was too late.

Zack knew he could no longer put this off. The time had come. “Fran, is there any place where we can talk in private?”

Lilli put her hand on Fran’s arm in an effort to detain him.

“It won’t do any good to try and stop me, Lilli,” Zack warned her. “The truth has to come out.”

Lilli appealed to Fran. “Don’t listen to him, Cherie!” she begged. “He is a liar just like the rest of them. I wanted to tell you before, but I hated to disillusion you.”

Fran looked from Zack to Lilli. After a moment, he nodded to Zack. “Let’s go into the library,” he said.

* * *

Panic was written all over Lilli’s face as Zack and Fran disappeared. Her eyes darted around the room, but there was no escape.

Francois started toward the door, but Zack had locked it from the outside on his way to the library with Fran.

When the door refused to open, Francois turned around and faced the others, livid with rage. “You can’t treat us this way!” he yelled. “Who do you think you are?”

Cammie snorted. “How does it feel to be locked in, Francois?”

He lunged toward her. “You cheap showgirl!” he yelled. “You’ve ruined everything!” He tried to grab her arm, but Jeremy, with a quick move, placed himself between them.

“Don’t you touch her!” he ordered. He pushed him into the nearest chair. “You’d better sit down, too,” he told Lilli. “There’s no way you can escape now!”

CHAPTER XL
 

Finally, Zack was alone with Fran. He motioned for him to sit down.

His mind was in a turmoil. How can I tell Fran without hurting him? He bowed his head in resignation. There is no other way.

Fran broke the silence. “Thank God Cammie is safe! I can’t imagine who would bomb the Chateau. I guess people in high places have enemies. But why did Francois accuse you? Does this have anything to do with the ransom call that Andre made? I can’t believe Andre would do such a thing.” He shook his head in disbelief. “He was always so trustworthy. Sometimes you think you know someone, and he turns out to be just the opposite.”

Zack could no longer avoid the issue. He looked directly at Fran as he spoke. “Has it ever occurred to you that it wasn’t Andre who made that call?” he asked Fran.

Fran was confused. “But he said—”

“It wasn’t Andre,” Zack interrupted. “It was Gabe, disguising his voice.”

Fran gulped. “Gabe? Are you sure? But why?” he asked in astonishment.

Zack looked away for a moment. Then he turned back and faced Fran. “I’m sorry I have to tell you this, Fran, but it’s time you knew the truth. I have to warn you—this is going to be another terrible shock, but you have a right to know. Francois is the one who kidnapped Cammie. Lilli dreamed up the whole scheme, and Gabe was an accomplice.”

Fran gaped at Zack. “What?!”

“Lilli believed Gregory Wilcox when he told her that Hildy stole ‘The Ginger Jar’ and ‘La Fleur Rouge’ from him. Just the opposite was true. Greg stole them from Hildy.”

“But why did they kidnap Cammie? What does she have to do with this?” Fran asked him.

Zack rose and started to pace nervously, while a stunned Fran sat glued to his chair.