Read Bobbi Smith Online

Authors: Heaven

Bobbi Smith (10 page)

BOOK: Bobbi Smith
13.46Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads
Finally, Matt turned back to the desk. He felt drained, empty, as he sat down and returned to reading his mail. He was merely going through the motions as he unconsciously ripped open a small package, pulled out the letter within and began to read.
As he read the missive, the pain of Valerie’s visit was tempered. The letter was from Lawrence Anthony, and it was about the Crown of Desire. Matt was saddened to learn that the older man was dead, but the news that he’d had the crown and was giving him a chance to join in the hunt to find it thrilled him beyond his wildest dreams. All he had to do was wait until he heard from a priest named Father Bradford. Evidently, Lawrence had trusted this priest implicitly, and because of that, Matt knew he would trust him, too.
The crown. . ..
Matt picked up the book written in Lawrence’s own hand and studied it, but the odd lines of free verse made little sense to him. He realized that he’d have to bide his time and wait for the good Father to arrive. He hoped it would be soon. He’d been searching for the crown for years and now could hardly wait to begin.
Later, as Matt locked the book and letter away, Valerie slipped back into his thoughts. In that moment, he knew he’d done the right thing by refusing her father’s wishes. No matter how hard he might have tried to please her family, he would never have been able to deny his love of adventure and his need to travel the world in search of missing treasures. He didn’t love money, and he had no great desire for power. He loved unlocking the secrets of the past and revealing them to future generations. As centered on wealth as Valerie’s family were, they would never have understood his need to follow his dream. And that’s just what he was going to do.
 
 
“I’m looking for Professor Parker,” Winn announced to the servant who answered the door at the address Lawrence had provided.
“I’m sorry, Father, but I’m afraid he’s not in,” Mary, the maid, told him.
“Is his assistant, Alex, here? I’d like to speak with him, if I may?” He noticed the servant’s puzzled expression, but paid little attention. The trip to Boston had been long and tedious, and Winn wasn’t about to be put off. He’d checked into a hotel as soon as they’d made port and then had immediately set out to locate the professor.
“Alex? Of course, just a minute.” The maid scurried away.
“Miss Alex?” she said as she found her mistress in the kitchen talking with the cook about plans for dinner.
“Yes, Mary, what is it?”
“There’s a man . . . er, priest, here to see you.”
“There is? Did you show him in?” Her pulse quickened. He was here!
“No, ma’am. He’s . . .” Mary had not expected her reaction.
“Well, why not?”
“I didn’t know . . .”
Alex didn’t wait to hear her excuse. Instead, she raced for the front hall, her heart pounding. As she’d suspected, Mary had left the priest waiting on the porch. Alex smoothed her hair into place and straightened her skirts before going out to greet him. No doubt Father Bradford would be an elderly gentleman of about the same age as Lawrence, and she wanted to look her best for him.
“Hello,” she said as she opened the door and stepped out.
Winn heard the door open, turned, and found himself staring at the loveliest woman he’d ever seen. On any other woman the short cut of her red-gold tresses would have been outrageous, but on her the style was perfect, emphasizing the beauty of her dark eyes, the delicacy of her features and her high cheekbones. Her creamy complexion was flawless and her slender curves enticing. She was stunning, and it took Winn a minute to gather his wits enough to speak. When he finally did, he was struggling to control his reaction to her. “Yes, hello. I’m sorry to bother you this way. I’d told the servant that I needed to speak with Professor Parker’s assistant, Alex.”
“I’m Alex,” she managed completely taken aback by this young, handsome priest. She’d thought he would be in his fifties, that he’d look like Lawrence. Instead, he was tall and fantastically good-looking. His hair was black, his eyes green and sparkling with good humor. His features were chiseled and as perfect as a man’s dared to be, and his jaw was firm and determined revealing the strength of his character. Her gaze dropped to the collar he wore, a gentle, abiding reminder of his calling, and she swallowed, feeling suddenly ashamed of her wayward thoughts about how handsome he was. He was a priest.
“You’re Alex . . .” Winn was shocked. Good Lord! When he’d planned to undertake this trek in his uncle’s place, he’d had no idea the Alex mentioned in the letter was a woman.
“Yes, I’m Alexandra Parker, the professor’s daughter.”
“I’m Father Bradford,” he replied. “Lawrence Anthony sent me.”
“Father, it is so good to meet you. I’m so glad you’re here.” Alex graced him with a delighted smile as she tried to ignore how handsome he was. She held out her hand to him in welcome, and she couldn’t suppress a shiver when he took it in his firm, warm grip.
“It’s nice to meet you, too.” Winn took her hand, and the power of his reaction to that simple touch unsettled him. Rationally, he told himself that he was only feeling this way because he’d been without a woman for so long. It had been a long five weeks since his uncle’s funeral. He told himself that he would have reacted that way to any woman’s touch right then. Still, he released her hand quickly.
Alex invited him inside. “Please, come in so that we can talk. Lawrence’s letter arrived last week, and I was hoping I would hear from you soon.”
“Thank you.” He followed her into the small, comfortable, well-kept house and down the hall into the parlor. Floor-to-ceiling bookcases filled with leather-bound volumes lined the walls of the room. “Impressive collection,” he remarked as he paused to read the titles. The majority were historical reference works.
“Father and I love to read. History is our driving passion,” Alex told him. “Please, sit down. Would you care for any refreshments?”
“No thank you. I really just needed to meet with the professor. Do you know how soon he’ll be back? It’s important that I speak with him personally, right away.”
“My father’s been in London doing research, but he’s due to return the end of next week.”
“I see. Well, I’ll come back then. It will be better if I deal directly with him.”
Alex bristled at his dismissive attitude. “Father Bradford, I handle all of my father’s correspondence,” she said with great dignity and more than a little force. “I’m aware of all his business as I travel with him on most of his trips. I know all about the crown. In fact, Father and I have been looking for it for years.”
“It’s important we begin the search as soon as possible,” Winn explained.
“I agree, and I’m sure my father would, too. The Crown of Desire means too much to him. Can you handle the delay? It wouldn’t be right to make the search without him.”
“Of course. According to what Lawrence wrote, it’s essential that we make the trip together.” Winn didn’t even consider going without the professor. Though Alex might be very competent, the last thing he wanted to do while playing the priest was travel across the country with a beautiful woman.
“Good. As soon as Papa returns, I’ll let you know. I’m sure we can be ready to leave right away.”
Winn told her his room number at his hotel. “I’ll be waiting to hear from you.”
“Father Bradford, my papa’s going to be more excited about the possibility of finally finding the crown than I am. I’m looking forward to making the trip.”
Winn knew he had to discourage her right then and there from any idea she might have that she was going to accompany them. “I’m afraid your traveling with us will present a problem, Miss Parker. There will be myself, your father, and one other man making the trip, and the traveling conditions may be rather difficult at times.”
His arrogant assumption that she was some simpering miss who needed to be pampered set her nerves on edge, and she felt it necessary to make it clear to him right away that her father trusted her completely and accepted her as his equal. She squared her shoulders and her dark eyes flashed as she told him, “You needn’t worry about me, Father. I’ve been working with my father on his archeological digs for quite some time now. I’m used to the hardships. I won’t present any problems for you.”
Frustrated with her response, but not quite sure how to convince her to stay behind, he decided to let it pass until the professor returned. He stood to go. “In that case, please let me know as soon as you hear from him, and if there’s anything I can do for you in the meantime just send word.”
“I will.”
She showed him from the house and watched him walk down the path to the street. As her gaze lingered on his tall, dark-clad figure, she thought he moved with exceptional grace and that, unfashionable though his coat might be, it certainly fit his broad, powerful shoulders to perfection.
 
 
Philip and Robert checked the address on the note they carried with the address on the house.
“This is it,” Robert announced.
“Good. I thought we’d never get here.” Philip was relieved that they’d finally reached their destination. The long journey from London had nearly driven him to distraction, and he was glad that they would finally be able to take some action now.
“Neither did I. I just wonder if Bradford’s already been here.”
“I imagine we’re going to find out right now.”
“I didn’t think I’d ever say this, but your idea to break into Bradford’s house was brilliant. We would never have known for sure about the connection between them if we hadn’t found that note on his desk.”
“It was providential that he left the good professor’s address as the place to contact him, should his servants need him for anything.”
“And since we have the professor right where we want him, I think the crown will be ours in very short order.”
They shared a satisfied look as they started up the walk to the door. Philip knocked.
“We’d like to speak with Alex, please,” Philip told the maid in a cordial tone.
“One moment, I’ll find her for you.” Mary hurried off to get Alex.
Alex couldn’t imagine who’d come to see her, and she hurried out to see who it was. “Philip? Robert?” At the sight of them, she stared aghast. She was horrified that they’d come to her home. They had changed little since she’d met them in London. They still looked jaded and dangerous, and she faced them uneasily.
“Good afternoon, Alex,” they greeted her.
“It’s been a long time. What brings you to Boston?” She hesitated to invite them inside, remembering Lawrence’s words of warning in his letter.
“Business, actually. We were wondering if we might speak to you in private. It won’t take long.”
“Come in. Have a seat in the parlor.”
When they’d settled in, she broached again their reason for coming. “You said you were here on business. What does that have to do with me?”
“Oh, we think you know the answer to that, Alex,” Philip said smoothly.
Robert was in no mood to play games. They’d been traveling endlessly, and he was tired. “We’re here about the books, Alex. We know you have at least one, and we want it back.”
“Books? What books?” She tried to pretend she didn’t know what they were talking about.
“This is no time for games.” Philip’s tone was harsh, angry, and threatening.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Perhaps you would prefer that we talk to your father. Where is he, by the way?”
“He’s been in London, but is on his way home right now. He’s due to return next week.”
“I don’t think so.” Philip’s statement was cold as was his calculating smile.
“What do you mean?” She glanced at him, her eyes narrowing in suspicion as the first inkling of real fear stirred in her breast.
“I mean I don’t think your father will be back any time soon.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Right now. he’s in jail in London,” Philip continued. “He was arrested for our father’s murder. All the evidence points to him, and he’s going to stay locked up until we get what’s rightfully ours.”
“I don’t believe you!”
Robert took the packet of her father’s letters from his coat pocket and handed them to her. “Perhaps these will help to explain.”
“Read the letters.”
She did, and her terror grew. Each letter had been written to one of his close associates begging for help in freeing him from jail. None had been delivered. There was even one written to her.
“Alex, we know you have the books. All we want is the crown. Father had no right to hide it as he did. It’s ours. We’re going to make sure we get what’s coming to us. Now, you can cooperate or your father’s going to pay the price for our father’s murder.”
Alex saw the true nature of their souls. Her mind raced as she tried to figure a way out of this. Drawing on all the courage she had, she challenged them. “I’ll go to London and tell them the truth!”
BOOK: Bobbi Smith
13.46Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

Other books

The Second Chance Hero by Jeannie Moon
We Are the Hanged Man by Douglas Lindsay
A Work of Art by Melody Maysonet
The Rogue Prince by Michelle M. Pillow
Carnal Knowledge by Celeste Anwar
When Colts Ran by Roger McDonald