Annie's Rainbow (15 page)
Authors: Fern Michaels
It was a five-and-a-half-hour drive to Atlanta. She'd wait around, leave the money at the first bank she came to, then drive back home. She'd be back by noon the following day. Back in September, when she'd planned on returning the money, she'd thought ahead and purchased two cans of gasoline. That would see her to Atlanta and back. No one would even know she was gone. If anyone did come by or call and found her gone, she could say she had taken to her bed with an excruciating headache.
“Okay, Rosie, you have to stay here. I'll put down some papers for you. There's enough food and water to last you till I get back. I'd take you, but someone might remember seeing us together. You stay here and keep your eye on things.” The big dog stared at her with unblinking eyes. At one point, Annie thought the dog nodded.
A baseball cap jammed on her head, and wearing an old windbreaker, Annie loaded up the car. At the last moment she stuck her wallet with her license and registration in the hip pocket of her jeans.
Ten minutes later she was headed south on the interstate.
Five hours later Annie cruised past the Georgia National Bank. She drove up and down the street twice to get a feel for car traffic as well as any pedestrian traffic on their way to an early-morning job. On her third cruise-by, with no traffic behind her, she pulled into the parking lot and. around to the back of the bank. She turned off her lights, waited five minutes to see if anyone had noticed her. Satisfied that she wasn't the object of anyone's attention, she moved like lightning, wedging the bags as close to the door as possible. Janitors always reported early for work. She crossed her fingers that the janitor assigned to this bank was an honest man.
At 6:35 she was back on the interstate, headed north.
Annie walked in the door of her house at 11:10 to be greeted boisterously by Rosie. She tussled with her for a few moments before she hooked the leash onto her harness and led her outside. “A quick one, girl. I can't believe you held it in this long. That's what the paper was for. God, I wish you could talk. Did anyone call or stop by? Good girl. Okay, time to go in.”
The phone rang just as Annie pulled some eggs and bacon from the refrigerator. It was Jane. Annie made her voice as cheerful as she could. “Hi, how's it going? Did I hear what? I didn't have the television on this morning. Why? Wow! No kidding! Are you sure? Wait, I'll turn it on. What station? Wait a minute, you're three hours behind me. I'll catch the next newscast. I can't believe it! Somebody just left three bags of money at a bank in Georgia. Only half but with interest, too? That's amazing. Oh, well, it's not our problem. So, how's the weather out there? You lucky dog. It's thirty-six degrees here. I'm going to light the fireplace. I'm working one to nine today. Do you ever miss the shop, Jane? No, no word from Parker Grayson. I haven't seen Daniel either. I can't worry about that now. Those six new shops we're opening are taking up all my time. Oh, Jane, listen to this. Tom had a brilliant idea, and he had these little cards made up asking customers what they liked about the shop and what drew them to it. Guess what they said! The daisy awnings over the doors and the daisies we painted on the walls. The coffee, of course. Since it was your idea, I thought you'd like to know. Okay, I'll let you go. I have to get ready for work. I'll turn on the news tonight when I get home. It's good news, Jane. I know you were worried. Rest easy now. Talk to you soon.”
Annie literally tripped up the steps to the shower where she sang at the top of her lungs. Rosie howled her distress at her off-key singing. “Can't help it, Rosie. I feel like the weight of the world has been taken off my shoulders. We are almost home free, my friend. Now we can concentrate on living our lives instead of a lie. The best part of this whole deal is I never spent one penny of that money on myself. Yes, yes, I used two hundred dollars of it that first week, but I paid it back in a few days. It wasn't for me personally. I didn't let greed take over. I suppose they could hang me for the money I gave Tom to give Mona or the money I used to get Mom situated. So, I used a little of it for a few of the shops. I put it back within a month. I'll have to live with that one. The end justifies the means in that case. The kids are happy with Tom. Tom's happy. Our bills are paid, and I can sing again.
“Life is lookin' good, Rosie. Real good!”
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Dressed in a woolly robe, her feet tucked under her, Rosie at her side, Annie stared into the flames as she waited for the eleven o'clock news. She was breathing hard and felt jittery. She knew Tom and Elmo were also glued to the television screen.
The segment was so short, Annie felt cheated. A few seconds of the bank president saying how delighted he was that half the money had come back. Then a short clip of Peter Newman taking credit for putting the fear of God into people his insurance company felt were suspects. His bulldog countenance intensified when the reporter asked him to comment on the fact that interest was paid on the money. He offered a curt “no comment.”
Just as Annie was about to turn off the television, a clip came on of an interview with the young man sitting in jail for the crime. He looked more fierce than Peter Newman. She found herself starting to shake when she heard the man say he had his own suspicions and would follow them up when he was released. He also said he had cooperated fully and-completely with Peter Newman the insurance investigator. “This is not over,” he said belligerently. Annie turned off the set and threw the remote control clear across the room. She was still shaking when Rosie wiggled and squirmed until she was half on her lap and half off. Annie hugged her tightly. She should have returned all the money. Why in the name of God was she keeping it?
“It is so over. I gave half of it back. It's done.”
Rosie growled deep in her throat.
“Yeah, girl, that's how I feel.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
Eleven years later
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Annie hated hospitals. She hated the crisp white uniforms worn by everyone, hated the antiseptic smell that made her want to gag. Worst of all was the knowledge that people died in hospitals. She thought about the endless hours she'd spent in the hospital when her father was so sick and the five-minute rush down the hall just three short months ago when her mother was rushed to the emergency room only to die a few minutes later. Now it was Tom in the hospital. People recovered from ruptured appendices. People didn't die from a little gut incision. Tom was too young. Tom had three kids who loved him with all their hearts. Surely God would be kind and compassionate. What would she do without Tom? The kids and Tom were all that was left to her family.
“I know you're out there, so you might as well come in,” Tom called hoarsely.
“How'd you know I was out here?” Annie asked.
“I smelled your perfume.”
“I got here as soon as I could. How are you, Tom?”
“My throat is sore from the tube they had down it. My gut hurts. The good news is I'm going to live to walk out of here. For God's sake wipe that awful look off your face, Annie.”
“I'm sorry. I was... You know, remembering.”
“Yeah, I know. I was thinking the same thing myself when I came in. I'm going to be all right, Annie. How's things going?”
“Believe it or not, things are running smoothly. You said you needed to talk to me about something important. Are you up to talking about it now?”
“Mandy brought my briefcase last night. Open it up and spread it out.”
“Tom, you are a pack rat. What is all this stuff?”
“Look, kiddo, we have to make some decisions. Time has just galloped by. You opened your first shop in 1980. It's now 1993, thirteen years later. You own eighty-four Daisy Shops. It's time to discuss the franchising of those shops. Every single one of them is profitable to the point of being obscene. You're a multimillionaire. So am I, thanks to your generosity. My kids' futures are secure, again thanks to you. You have one of those old mansions on the battery filled with priceless antiques, you drive a pricey sports car, you set up a trust fund for your godchild. You were named Woman of the Year, three years running. You set up a scholarship fund on every campus where we have shops. You, little sister, have done it all. I guess my question is, how much more money do you need or want. What you have now will last you several lifetimes even if you go decadent on me. God, I forgot the animal shelters you built and fund along with the pediatric wings you've built onto four different hospitals. What's left to do, Annie?”
“The homeless, more food for them, better conditions.”
“Annie, we took care of that last year.”
“Summer camps for inner-city kids.”
“We set that up two years ago. The funding is secure.”
“A memorial for Mom and Dad. Something in good taste.”
“It's under way, Annie. Sometimes it's hard to give money away.”
Annie felt the blood drain from her face. She sat down. “Yes, sometimes it is.”
“You look... ghostly. What's wrong?”
“I forgot to eat in my haste to get here. I'll grab something in the cafeteria when I leave. You know me, eat, eat, eat.”
“So, do we go for it or not?”
“How many do you want to franchise?”
“All but four.”
“Which four, Tom?”
“Well, I thought we'd keep the two in Charleston, your first one and Jane's at the Baptist College. I'd like to keep the two here in Clemson. My kids can work summers and holidays. I don't want life made that easy for them. We can handle two. I know you won't want to part with the first one. Check with Jane. She might want to put hers on the block.”
“What kind of money are we talking about, Tom? Have you really thought this through?”
“I really have, Annie. Look, it's time you got a life, and I sure would like more time with my kids. Mandy's going off to college. next year. But, to answer your question, I thought two hundred fifty thousand dollars was good per store. That would gross twenty-one million. That's not the end of it. You'll get a percentage every year. If the new owner fails, the store reverts back to you. It's more involved than that, but you have the gist of it. Each owner buys from our supplier, they adhere to our promotions. There will be more than enough money coming in to fund all your charitable works. You would, of course, retain the right to open more stores anytime you saw fit. The lawyers have to work that out. Taxes have to be paid, that kind of thing. What do you think?”
“It's going to be difficult to let go of thirteen years of hard work, Tom. What will I do?”
“You're going to take a vacation, and you're going to smell the roses. That's what you're going to do. You've done it all. Kick back before it kicks you.”
“Okay.”
“You're sure, Annie?”
“I'm sure. When do you want to get this under way?”
“When I get out of here. I can make phone calls sitting on the couch with my feet up. I can get it all started. But, and here's the big but. There's a clunker in everything. Since coffee is the main ingredient in this operation, it is of major concern when the price goes up. Take a look at the coffee figures.”
“We use, give or take a few pounds, around twenty pounds of coffee a day. If you multiply that times six it comes to one hundred twenty pounds a week multiplied by twenty-four days a month is two thousand eight hundred eighty pounds a month. Times eighty-four stores it's roughly two hundred forty-two thousand pounds a year. Your old friend gave us a good deal twelve years ago. That deal is no longer working. There's someone new in charge now, Kiki Aellia. Decaf is suddenly off the charts. We have to step up to the plate on that one. I want you to go to Hawaii and work some magic. If the Grayson Coffee Company raises its prices, we're going to have to look elsewhere. That's if we want the franchises to work. I can't go, Annie. I'll be laid up for at least six weeks. This operation was not a piece of cake. We can get things under way, but we need a better coffee deal. Can you do it? No, that's wrong, will you do it?”
Annie sucked in her breath. “Do you think I could take Rosie and Harry with me?”
“Why not. Buy them seats onâthe plane. Better yet, charter a flight and they can have the whole damn plane to romp in. Charge it to the business. This is business of the highest order. Stay as long as you like. Call me, fax me, send up a smoke signal. Whatever. Go swimming, snorkeling, sun yourself, get a gorgeous tan. Go naked dressed in a lei. Do what you want to do, Annie. If you don't want to stay in Hawaii, go somewhere else. You followed your dream, now it's time to live it.”
Annie laughed. “You should have been a used-car salesman, Tom. Okay, okay, I'll do it. When do you want me to leave?”
“As soon as possible.”
“How does the end of the week sound? I need to shop, charter the plane, take the dogs to the vet, get them traveling shots. I'll leave Sunday. Are you sure you're going to be all right with me gone?”
“For God's sake, Annie, of course I am. Talk to the doctor if you don't believe me. Go home now. I'm expecting a visitor.”
“Who?”
“None of your business.”
“Is this a serious lady, Tom? Who is she? What's her name? Do the kids like her?”
“Yes, it's serious. Her name is Lillian and she's a schoolteacher. One of Ben's teachers, in fact. The kids love her, and she loves them.”
“And you didn't tell me! How could you keep something like that from me? I'm your sister!”
“The same way you wouldn't tell me where you got the hundred grand to buy off Mona. Jeez, I'm sorry, Annie. I didn't mean to say that. I know we agreed never to mention it. I didn't tell you because I wasn't sure. You know, if you talk about it, something will go wrong. I didn't want anything to go wrong. When you get back, I'd like to drive down to Charleston and have you meet her. She reminds me of Mom when Mom was young, and we were kids. She kind of smells like her, too.”
Annie leaned over the bed. “I'm glad you found someone, Tom. Okay, I'm on my way. I'll call you before I leave for any last-minute instructions. Do we set up an appointment or what?”
“Nope, cold turkey. Catch Kiki off guard. They aren't expecting us to complain. Be that hard-nosed businesswoman I know you can be. If you don't like their deal, leave. Don't be afraid to pull out your ace in the hole even if we aren't one hundred percent committed to it. Selling coffee by the pound or half pound in the shops will increase revenues greatly. An additional three to four hundred thousand pounds of coffee a year should make anyone sit up and take notice. We'll start small, and I'll work on the remodeling aspect while I'm home recuperating. Kiki doesn't have to know we aren't set to go on it. I merely alluded to it, and I heard the old salivary glands watering. All the way from Hawaii. If that doesn't work, we'll switch to Plan B. Whatever you decide is okay with me. Let's be clear on that, okay?”
“We're clear. Charter a plane? That's definitely decadent, Tom. I'm gonna do it.”
“See you around, kiddo. Don't be afraid to kick some ass. Hey, how's Elmo?”
“Not good, Tom. He's looking at his eightieth birthday. He's got some problems, but we still have dinner together three nights a week. I'd give up the shops before I'd give up those dinners. He never forgets to bring a chewie for Rosie and Harry. I love that old man.”
“I know you do, sis. Take care of him. Hey, take him to Hawaii with you. Bet he'd love that.”
“That's a great idea. Get better quick, Tom. You'll see me when you see me. Don't forget, we have a date so I can meet Lillian.”
“You won't let me forget. Get out of here,” Tom groused. “It's almost time for Lillian to get here.”
“I'm going, I'm going.”
Annie felt every inch a princess when she trooped up the steps of the private jet that would take her all the way to Hawaii. Rosie, Harry, and Elmo had boarded five minutes earlier. Money was a powerful aphrodisiac, she thought. At the precise moment she stepped into the plane and stewards and pilot welcomed her, she knew she could do anything she wanted to do.
She could even call Parker Grayson or better yet, take a trip up to the North Shore and say, “I was in the neighborhood.” Absolutely she could do that. Of course she would do no such thing.
Then why did you buy all those designer clothes
and
shoes? Liar, liar, pants on fire.
Then why did you buy all those designer clothes
and
shoes? Liar, liar, pants on fire.
Annie buckled the two shepherds into their seats. Elmo sat in the middle while she sat across the aisle. She buckled her own seat and smiled at Elmo. “I hate to fly.”
“I'm not fond of it myself. The truth is, it's safer than riding in a car. Okay, everyone, here we go! Up up and away,” the old man chortled. Harry barked and Rosie joined in. Annie simply gritted her teeth.
Elmo accepted the glass of wine the steward handed him. Annie did likewise. “Please give the dogs some root beer,” she said to the steward.
“There are rules. I can't serve dogs.” Harry barked sharply at the steward's tone.
“There aren't any rules on this flight. I paid for four passengers. The dogs each have a seat. I explained about the dogs when I chartered this flight. I'd suggest you move your ass and get the root beer. If you don't have root beer, 7UP will do. If you don't, you won't be with us when this flight returns to Charleston. You can find your own way home from Hawaii. Or, you can get off in Dallas when we set down there. It's your call,” Annie snapped.
The steward marched off. He returned with two bottles of root beer. “Didn't you forget something? These dogs are talented and incredibly protective but they do not know how to swig out of a bottle.” Elmo guffawed until he choked. Harry licked at the tears trickling down the old man's face.
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