Stunner (35 page)
“Yeah, well, I’m leaving for Australia in a couple of days, and once I’m home I’ll probably be living in the city with Brooke.” My daughter arches her brows in surprise at this news from her cousin. “Well, most likely…or maybe,” Laura says, adjusting her response. “So, Frankie, you may as well have that bedroom. Aunt Ronnie had it first when she grew up here, and she kind of passed it on to me, and now I’m giving it to you.” They giggle together.
“Where’s
Tía
Connie?” Juliana asks.
“She’s unpacking her suitcases in her room and also helping me unpack in mine,” Frankie answers.
“And why are you not upstairs helping her?” Juliana asks.
“I was until I smelled peach pie through the window.” Frankie dashes over to Meadow Farm’s housekeeper. “I know I only ate a little of the salad, but
Tía
Connie finished mine after she ate hers, so I didn’t waste it. Please, is there any pie left?”
Rita already has a slice on a plate. “A la mode, Francesca?” She stands ready with the ice cream scoop.
“Oh, yes.” Frankie claps her hands. “Thank you, Rita.”
I notice Juliana’s old silver locket hanging around the girl’s neck, the one my mother gave to Juliana more than twenty-five years ago. “Frankie, come on over here, and let me see that beautiful necklace you’re wearing.” I see that it’s no longer tarnished but shiny instead. Someone apparently got out the silver polish.
Francesca beams and proudly walks over to show it to me. “My mother gave it to me, and she told me a very special lady gave it to her when she was younger than me.”
“Younger than I am,” Juliana says with a smile.
“Younger than I am,” Francesca repeats. “Mom told me that I’m named after her.”
“Yes, Frances, my mother.” I answer, and open the locket to see the strand of hair. “My brother, Frank, is also named after our mother.”
“I know that, too.” Francesca looks down at the strand in the necklace. “Mom said this is her hair from when she was little, and your mother, Frances, had it put in this necklace. She told me to wear the locket so that I never forget that I am special, because that’s what your mom told my mom a long time ago when she gave this to her.”
“Checkmate,” Frank exclaims. He stands up, leans across the chess board table and affectionately messes his daughter’s wild red hair.
“Oh, Daddy, stop.” Laura grins.
Frank makes a beeline for Juliana’s chaise and sits on the end of it, while Juliana scoots up to him close. He announces, “Juliana and I have news.”
Almost in unison, Laura and I declare, “You’re eloping!”
Juliana and Frank burst out laughing, and so does everyone else. Juliana winces a bit from her month-old gunshot wound, and Frank gently puts his arm around her. “Well, I can see none of you are surprised that I want to spend the rest of my life with this wonderful woman, especially given everything that’s happened.” He takes her hand. “So, I’ve officially proposed—”
“—and I’ve officially accepted, and we’ve decided to marry next year in May.” Juliana looks at Frank devotedly.
“Why the long engagement, Juliana?” Laura asks. “We already know we want you in the family—you, Frankie and
Tía
Connie.”
“Or why not have a shorter engagement, Juliana,” I offer. “Laura, Brooke, Susie and I can organize a great wedding for you on very short notice.” My daughter, niece and nephew’s wife all express agreement.
Francesca pipes up. “I just watched
Maid of Honor
with J-Lo.” She sits herself between Juliana and Frank on the chaise. “Mama, I can be your maid of honor when you and Frank walk down the aisle.”
“Good idea, Francesca!” Juliana gives her daughter a quick squeeze. “You be my maid of honor…and Ronnie?” Her once inscrutable cat-like eyes are now open and warm. “Would you consider being my matron of honor?”
I break out in a gigantic smile. “Absolutely!” Will, now sitting next to me, squeezes my arm.
Frank, Juliana and I come together for a group hug, while the others break into applause. Will and Richard shake Frank’s hand in congratulations.
“Yea!” Francesca jumps up and down clapping. “Yea! Yea!”
Frank hands me a tray, and he takes the other one. We pile them with dirty dishes, as Rita continues slicing the pie and scooping the ice cream. On our way into the house, my brother calls to Francesca, “Look out for your mother, Frankie, and make sure she doesn’t lift a finger.”
I guess he catches my funny look as we walk through the library, because my brother says to me, “What?”
“I’m still seeing you on the roof of that building, crouched down next to Juliana, calling 911, meeting Francesca for the first time,” I say as we cross the foyer and enter the kitchen.
“Hold it, Ronnie,” Frank says. “Remember, I’ve known since not long after Juliana and I met in California that she had a daughter,” Frank says. “I already told you that. I just didn’t know any details and that it was Francesca.” He puts his tray on the counter near the sink, takes mine and places it next to his. “And I also told you that Juliana filled me in on all the details later at the hospital.”
“I know, I know. And now when I look at Francesca, I see Rosa’s daughter, Maria—your Juliana—chasing Glory all over the house decades ago. Remember?” I ask, opening the dishwasher.
“Yeah, she was a sweet kid back then,” Frank answers. “And, despite everything that’s happened to her, she’s remained a—”
“I can still see her at the bus station pounding you on the chest and crying how much she hated you when she and Rosa left.”
“Oh, Ronnie, she didn’t mean it,” Frank interjects. “She was just a girl—”
“All because of my stupid accusation about my missing ring. I mean, you do realize that’s what propelled Juliana into a life of juvie crime.” I chuckle and load the dishwasher with the dirty plates sitting on the trays. “Even back then, Frank, she was a go-getter. She wasted no time dropping the name Maria and morphing into Scranton Gang leader Teresa Gonzalez with those god-awful Taylor brothers. Thank god those two are going away for a long time.” I shake my head and place the last plate in the dishwasher rack. “How she grew up to become your beautiful, kind, elegant fiancée is just unbelievable.”
My brother hands me the dirty flatware. “I feel like a lucky guy, Ronnie—”
“God, Frank, I know I must have seemed like a pain.”
My brother raises his eyebrows at me. “You think?”
“But I was worried to death that Juliana had a vendetta against our family and that she would humiliate you, bring you down somehow.” I distribute the flatware in the holder in the washer. “I’m so relieved I was wrong about the revenge thing.”
“You know, you’re quite a go-getter yourself, Sis. How you poked your nose into all of Juliana’s history—even after I expressly told you to stay out of it—well, I see now that Will helped you.” He rolls his eyes, and I can see from his expression that he’s still somewhat irked by my investigation. “Thank god, you had a professional reining you in.”
“Frank, it all comes down to family matters. I’m your sister, and I will always love you.”
“I know, and me you. But frankly, Ronnie, I’m amazed Juliana even speaks to you considering how much you snooped into her background, her privacy—”
“Juliana and I have made our peace,” I insist.
He puts his hands on my shoulders. “When you presented Jules and me with that pathetic looking toothbrush from Bobby Taylor’s motel room and Julianna’s broken hairbrush, you did take it to the limit urging her to confirm Francesca’s paternity. My god, she had just come home from the hospital. All of that was absolutely none of your business. It was really too much, Sis.”
“I know, but—”
“No buts, Ronnie. Jules was already taking steps to resolve all that in her own good time. I didn’t know the details, but that’s why I took her to the lawyer when she first arrived. That was not your call to try to push along.”
“OK, OK. Maybe I did go too far.”
“Maybe?” Frank’s voice is incredulous.
“OK. No maybe. I did go too far.” I try to look repentant.
“I’m glad you understand that, Ronnie.” He squeezes my shoulders. “Come on. Let’s get back to our party.”
~~~~~
In the distance the sound of a car motor quiets all of us on the terrace, and we turn to look. A sporty white coupe zooms down the gravel road toward the house. Everybody moves to the stone wall that edges the terrace to observe the car’s approach.
“Who is that?” Frankie asks. “Pretty car!”
Juliana and I look at each other as my brother says, “Now Francesca, remember your mother said she and Ronnie had a surprise for you today?”
“You mean a different surprise from me and
Tía
Connie moving to Meadow Farm?” she asks.
“
Tía
Connie and me,” Juliana corrects. “But yes, it is a different surprise. Remember how you told me you hoped one day to meet your father?”
Francesca’s eyes turn into big round saucers. She grabs her mother’s arm and nestles against her. In a small, shy voice she asks, “You mean—? Is that my real father driving that car?” The automobile is halfway down the drive.
“Yes,” Juliana answers. “Ronnie found him, and she went to Salt Lake City—that’s where he lives—to talk to him. He’s a friend from long ago.”
“He wants to meet me?” Frankie asks. Understandably, she sounds nervous. All of us watch the car pull up, and the driver turns off the engine.
My brother nods for me to come close to Frankie, which I do. “He’s a good man,” I say to her. “His name is John Palmer. Come with us to meet your father.”
Palmer gets out of the car, and Juliana and I, with Frankie between us, walk over to welcome him to Meadow Farm.
The End
Thank you very much for taking the time to read
Stunner: A Ronnie Lake Mystery
. If you enjoyed this book, please consider writing a review on your favorite book retail site or your favorite book review site. Your thoughts are much appreciated.
I’ve lost track of the number of times that my novel has been read and reread. Should you spot a typo, please email me at [email protected]
If you’re curious about the elegant martial art that Ronnie Lake practices in
Stunner
, please visit www.nikidanforth.com to learn more. You’ll also find a complete list of the fabulous, mostly classic rock songs that Ronnie Lake listens to during the course of the story.
Without the kindness, support and expertise of the following people,
Stunner
would still be a work in progress. Words cannot express the gratitude I feel for their help:
G. Miki Hayden, editor extraordinaire who goes the extra mile for her writers;
Karen De Paola, 5th Dan, SkylandsAikikai.com, consultant for Aikido and fight scenes;
Walter Sutton, senior training manager for The Seeing Eye, Inc., who generously shared his extensive knowledge of the German shepherd breed;
Lt. Vito Abrusci, Mendham Township Police Department, New Jersey, who informed me about gun basics and what might occur during a shootout, as well as how perpetrators can be secured;
wonderful friends who served as an informal focus group along the way;
finally, Jane Ely, Cindy Grogan, and Karen De Paola, the best brainstorming and critiquing partners a writer could hope for.
N.D. August 2013
Publisher: Pancora Press
Book Design by Donnie Light -
eBook76.com
Cover Design: KT Design, LLC
www.kristaft.com
Niki Danforth, daughter of a Cold War covert intelligence officer, has the “thriller/adventure” gene in her DNA. After a career as a successful TV/video producer and director in New York, this empty-nester is picking up her first love of mystery books and recreating herself as an author in the genre. Danforth lives in the New Jersey countryside with her husband and two drama-queen dogs.
For Dan
who has cheered me on
through all the years
