Homecoming (25 page)

On the other hand, it might do him a world of good. Maybe he could make failure a learning experience, like in all the New Age books. Maybe adversity would make him grow in spiritual wisdom and turn him into a deeper, kinder human being.

Russell kicked a phlox blossom that had unexpectedly bloomed between the cobblestones.

Then again, maybe not.

No matter. Her mind was made up and there was very little time to waste. She checked her watch. In twenty minutes, they would be reconvening and she needed to get rid of Russell. For now, temporarily. And later, permanently.

“Oh!” she exclaimed.

“What’s the matter?” he asked irritably.

“Oh, Russell.” Federica brought a hand to her mouth. “I completely forgot! There are some documents I need and I left them…in the car. Yes, in the car. They’re in a red folder and I absolutely need them. Would you please ask Newton to unlock the car door for you?”

Finding Newton and hunting through the company Mercedes for a nonexistent red folder would take twenty minutes at least, maybe more.

“Can’t you get it yourself? You know where you left it.”

“Oh, I just can’t, Russell,” Federica smiled at him and seriously reconsidered her plan to strangle him with his expensive tie. “I’ve been ill, you know.”

Russell heaved a sigh. “All right,” he said ungraciously. Then he peered closely at her. “You don’t look like you’ve been sick. You look just fine in fact.”

It was true. Federica had never felt better in her life. Duty and responsibility, an albatross around her neck for so long, had slipped off, just like that. It felt great.

“Must be the mountain air,” she said. “It’s invigorating. Now go get me that folder, please.”

Federica waited until Russell had rounded the corner then took off at a dead run in the opposite direction, heading for City Hall.

Lilly had to be there. She just
had
to. Federica was banking on Lilly’s diligence. As town clerk, she was responsible for keeping the records and Federica was hoping that she hadn’t gone out for coffee.

Federica ran down the hall to the meeting room, almost sliding on the slick marble floor. She suppressed the urge to punch the air when she saw Lilly bent over her papers, warm chestnut hair falling forward over her face.

Federica peered down the empty hallway, then stuck her head into the room. “Psst, Lilly!” She tried to shout in a whisper.

Lilly looked up in surprise, saw Federica and pursed her lips. She turned back to her documents, her face a stony mask.

“Lil-ly!” Federica dared to call a little louder. She kept an anxious eye on the door to the street. How long would it take Russell to get Newton to open the car for him? Newton knew perfectly well that there was no red folder in the Mercedes. He prided himself on keeping it spotless. Would he recognize the stalling tactic for what it was?

Lilly looked up briefly. “Go away,” she said in a normal voice.

“
Lilly,”
Federica hissed. Something in her voice made Lilly pause in her work. “Lilly,
please
.”

Lilly put down her pen and glowered. “I have nothing to say to you, Federica.”

With one last desperate glance down the corridor, Federica stepped into the room. Ten minutes had already gone by. She practically danced with frustration. “Lilly, come with me to the ladies’ room, please. We’ve got to talk undisturbed.”

“Why would I want to talk to you?”

“Because,” Federica checked that they were still alone, “because I’m going to get us out of this mess, but to do that I need your help, but you can’t help me if you don’t know what I need.”

Lilly frowned, having barely listened. Only one word in Federica’s rushed speech made an impact. “Help?” She gave a hollow laugh. “I think you’ve helped us just about enough, don’t you?”

Federica knew she deserved the reprimand and she would be properly repentant.

Later.

“Lilly, I need to talk to you
now.
” And with that she turned and walked down the hall, not looking back, hoping Lilly would follow her out of curiosity if nothing else.

“Third door to the right,” came a voice from behind her. “It says ‘Ladies’ on the door,” and Federica let out her breath.

The directions were superfluous. The third door to the right had a saloon girl doing the can-can on the door. Federica pushed through and waited for Lilly.

“Okay, Federica.” Lilly leaned back against a washbasin and crossed her arms over the swell of her stomach. “What’s going on?”

“Listen, Lilly. The threat to the Folly and to Carson’s Bluff is real.”

“We realize that,” Lilly said evenly.

“And so is the threat of a suit. Mansion Enterprises has lawyers that could tie you people in knots and convince any court in the state that the Town Council is made up of dishonest fumblers who should be put away. They can do it and they will, unless—”

“How could you do that to Jack,” Lilly interrupted, angry tears welling in her eyes. “I couldn’t believe my ears when you accused him of malfeasance.
Jack
of all people. How
could
you?”

“I can’t,” Federica said simply. “No way. There’s no way I can hurt Jack, or you or Wyatt or anyone else in Carson’s Bluff. There’s no way I’ll let Mansion Enterprises take over that beautiful old building up in the mountains. Not as long as I have a breath in my body.” Federica stopped and considered. “Or a brain in my head.”

The tears had stopped, but Lilly still looked unconvinced. “I don’t—I don’t understand. In there—” she gestured back at the meeting room.

“Back there was then,” Federica said firmly, “and this is now. I’m defecting. As of this moment, I’m going to do everything in my power to save the Folly. But it’s not going to be easy, and I’m going to need your help. I’m going to need everybody’s help.”

Lilly’s face was unreadable. “I’m listening.”

It was a start.

“Okay. You talked about booby-trapping, no—” She held up a hand. Lilly’s expression had immediately grown wary. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to turn you in to the Highway Patrol or anything. I need to know—can you get Russell White out of here by nightfall, or by tomorrow morning at the latest?”

“I don’t know.” Lilly considered the problem. “I’d have to know more about him, his weaknesses, for instance.”

“Oh, he’s got plenty of weaknesses,” Federica assured her. “Pride, ambition, selfishness. Is that the kind of thing you mean?”

“Sounds like you know him pretty well.” For a moment, feminine curiosity overcame Lilly’s sisterly indignation. “How’s that?”

“Well,” Federica said uncomfortably, “we sort of had an—” she waved her hand awkwardly in the air, “you know—um, a couple of years ago.”

“You didn’t.” Lilly sucked in her breath and gave Federica a how-could-you look. “With him? With that?
Why
?”

“Well,” Federica said defensively, “I was…lonely.”

“Nobody’s that lonely, Federica,” Lilly said firmly. “You should have bought yourself a cat.”

“I couldn’t, I travel too much,” Federica said. “And Russell didn’t need a litter box while I was away.” Federica checked her watch. Five minutes to go. “But that’s not important now. What
is
important is that we get rid of Russell. And then I figure we’ll have about twenty-four hours to save Carson’s Bluff once he’s gone. Maybe less. So—how do we booby-trap Russell?”

“Well, there’s always the old standby. Does he like to eat?”

“And drink,” Federica assured her. “A lot.”

“All right then. Make sure he eats at Stella’s tonight. He’ll be gone by morning.”

Federica opened her mouth to ask, then closed it. She really didn’t want to know. “Okay, then right after he’s gone, you, me, Jack and Wyatt will need a war room. Someplace with space, and phone and fax and email facilities.”

“There’s a room in the back at Stella’s,” Lilly said slowly.

“Great.” Federica checked her watch again. It was time. People would be filing back into the meeting room. “That way we won’t have to worry about food.”

“But—”

“But?” Federica looked up. “But what? Hurry, Lilly, we don’t have any time left.”

Lilly searched her face. “Why should I trust you after this morning? Why?”

It was an honest question. And it deserved an honest answer. Federica straightened. Nothing less than the truth would do. She looked at Lilly and opened her heart and mind to Lilly’s searching gaze. “Because…because I love Jack, that’s why.”

“You really love him?” Lilly stood stock-still.

“With all my heart.” Federica’s eyes never wavered from hers. “And I sort of like you guys, too.”

“All right.” Lilly’s eyes started welling again and she reached out and grasped Federica’s hand. “I must be crazy, but I believe you. I really do.”

Federica fought back tears of her own. She gave in and hugged Lilly, then stepped back. “That’s enough of that.” She wiped her eyes and checked her makeup in the mirror above the basin. “Now I want you to go back in there and tell that brother of yours to follow my lead. No matter what I do or what I say. You got that?”

Lilly nodded.

“It’s time now. Let’s scoot.” Federica put a hand to Lilly’s back. “We’ve got a war to win.”

“I couldn’t find the red folder,” Russell whispered in annoyance as he slid into the seat to the right of Federica. She suppressed a smile. Russell was breathing heavily. Newton had understood and had detained Russell until the last possible minute. Russell had had to run all the way back.

“Too bad,” Federica said. “Maybe I left the folder up at the Folly.”

Jack came into the room with Wyatt and Federica felt the breath leave her body, as if someone had siphoned off all the air in the room. He was so beautiful to her, the essence of everything that was good and true, and he had once been hers.

Was it too late?

Lilly put her hand on Jack’s arm and he bent his head and listened.

Federica tried to read his expression, but it was impossible. She watched him carefully, trying to understand whether she had lost him forever. He raised his head suddenly and his eyes caught hers from across the room. He stared at her, then bent again to Lilly.

Would he believe her? Had she lost his trust?

Jack and Wyatt made their way slowly through the crowd. Everyone seemed to want to pat them on the back or shake their hand or give them a piece of advice. Federica could see Jack whisper something to Wyatt and then Wyatt, too, stared at her.

Finally, everyone had taken their seats.

Jack brought the gavel down. The sound system came back on with a feedback whine and he winced.

“Let the record show,” he said into the microphone, “that we are reconvening the extraordinary Town Council meeting on this day, the 7th of June, 2005, at 6:00 p.m. This meeting concerns the offer made by Mansion Enterprises for Lot 448 of the township of Carson’s Bluff. Mansion Enterprises had made a bid of four million dollars for Lot 448, otherwise known as Harry’s Folly. After due deliberation—”

“Excuse me, Mr. Mayor,” Federica interrupted. Beside her, she could feel Russell stiffen in surprise.

“Miss Mansion?”

“Mr. Mayor, I apologize, but before we proceed, I’m afraid that there is a document missing from the file made available by the Town Council.”

Jack stared at her and Federica realized at that moment just how very much she loved him. She’d told it to Lilly, but she hadn’t really told herself yet.
Follow your heart
, Don had said, and her heart’s journey had led her to a little town in the mountains and to a dark-haired man who was the finest man she’d ever met.

“What’s this?” Russell whispered angrily. “What’s going on?”

Federica covered the microphone. “We’ve got a missing document. It’s just a formality, but we don’t want to give the Town Council a chance to appeal if a court finds against them.”

“Oh.” The explanation seemed to appease Russell and he sat back. He rolled his cast back and forth on the table and the noise irritated Federica so much she felt like breaking his arm all over again.

“What document would that be, Miss Mansion?” Jack asked. Was it her imagination, or was some of the old warmth creeping back into his voice?

“We don’t have the copy of the registration of Lot 448 with the County Land Register,” Federica said. It was a minor document, of no real importance. “We insist on having complete documentation, Mr. Mayor,” she said, and made her voice prim. “Unfortunately, we cannot proceed without the document. I am afraid that the Town Council of Carson’s Bluff has been most remiss.”

Federica cupped her hand around the right side of her face so Russell couldn’t see her and looked at Jack. Her lips curved in a smile and she winked at him.

Their eyes met and there was silence in the room.

Jack’s lips twitched. “In that case, Miss Mansion, I guess we have no choice but to apologize for the oversight and to suggest that we reconvene tomorrow morning with the full set of documents. In the meantime, I suggest that we continue our discussions informally at Stella’s Bar & Grill.” Jack looked around. “So decided.”