The Turning Tides (Marina's Tales) (24 page)

His eyes widened in genuine surprise, meeting mine, “Where did these come from?”

“Someone planted them in my studio,” I said.

“What for?” he looked confused.

“Good question,” I said sourly, thinking about Ethan’s angry eyes. “Do you realize what this means?”

He looked serious, “Whoever is following you has been on your tail for a while now.” He ran his hands through his short cropped hair, “How did I not catch it?”

“Don’t beat yourself
up,” I told him, “I didn’t see it either.”

He looked upset, “It was my
job
to see it! I swore to Boris that I could handle security for you and Evie abroad…
He was so worried… Now h
e’s gonna tell her to fire me!”

“No he won’t! I’ll tell her not to!”

He started pacing nervously, and he looked to me with pleading eyes, “Can you keep this to yourself for a few days? I should be the one to tell them.”

I felt a sudden rush of empathy, “Sure… I don’t see why not. But you should probably tell her before she leaves for Argentina on Sunday.” I started for the elevator, “Wait a sec, I have a question.”

“Shoot,” he said.

“Hold him for a minute?” I passed him Stumpy, crouching down to retrieve my laptop. I opened it to the page with the
electronic
locks.

“I want to learn how to get past this security system.” I took the kitten back with one hand and handed him the computer with the other, “Any ideas?”

He scrutinized the page, looking up quizzically to meet my eyes, “I know this unit. It’s a military grade lock. Where is it?”

“It’s someplace I need to go check out,”

“For starters,” he said authoritatively, “The keypad system is hardwired into the building. It controls a magnetic lock with an electric strike. It can’t be picked.”

“What if I can guess the code?”

He shook his head no, “The system will sound an alarm and shut down after a pre-set number of wrong guesses.”

“Three,” I mused to myself. “Can you just shoot it out or something?”

He laughed, “Nearly impossible. Whoever installed a lock like this meant business. They’ll be back-up security.” 

I sighed with frustration, gathering my things and heading for the elevator, “Target practice Sunday morning?” I asked, stepping in and hitting the button for the penthouse.

“We’re on,” he
nodded
,
smiling
as the door closed
.
“See you then.”

I went to Dad’s first, and was delighted to find him sitting up on the couch with a book. His right arm was still swathed in bandages, but his face was filled out a little, and he looked much better than he had a week ago. The hospital bed was gone, and a wheeled walker was sitting beside the couch.

My heart lifted, and I went to sit by his side.

“What do we have here?” he asked.

“This is my new cat,” I set him down and we watched him hop around the room
.
“Abby trapped some feral kittens at the beach, but the rescue group wouldn’t take him because he couldn’t walk at first–” I stopped myself, looking at my father’s legs. One was still in a cast, but the other was braced
.

He laughed, and smiled wryly, “Looks like we have something in common. What’s his name?”

I paused, “Er… Stumpy.”

My father threw his head back and laughed
,
drawing Amrita from the hallway.

“Martin?” she called out, pausing when she saw me, “Oh… Hello Marina.”

“Hello,” I nodded, expecting her to barge in and scold me for bringing a cat in the house. I vividly remembered how unpopular the local strays were with the housekeeper
we’d had
in Kerala.
Stumpy jumped up on the couch as if on cue and picked his way across both of us, sniffing at my father’s bandages. He turned around in a couple of tight circles and settled down on his lap.

“Do you mind
that I brought him
?” I asked.
“
Ethan can’t keep him at his place because his mom is allergic, and
I didn’t want to trouble Abby
to watch him
.”

“
Of course not,
” he smiled down at the little ball of fur.

Amrita
’s eyes were on the little cat, her face unreadable,
“I’ll leave you two alone,” she wheeled around briskly and went back the way she came.

“How’s she working out?” I asked.

“She’s tough on me,” he said with admiration
.
“
S
he’s a very dedicated physician.”

I looked around the room, noticing the addition of some houseplants in decorative
cachepots
. The place was actually starting to feel like someone lived here. I studied him closely, “You look much better. She must know what she’s doing.”

He laughed, “Thanks… I guess.”

I embraced him and reached for the cat, “Evie’s expecting me, so I’ll just put Stumpy in my room while I’m out.”

“Leave him for a while,” he said
, scratching Stumpy under the chin.
“I’ll put him away later.”

I put my bags in my room, setting up the cat’s things and running a comb through my hair. I kissed my father’s cheek on the way out and headed across the hall to Evie’s. I was let in by a uniformed maid and immediately set upon by two overly excited toy poodles.

I kneeled to pet them
.
“I have someone for you to meet,” I told them as they sniffed my hands with interest. The maid led me into Evie’s dining room, opening the door to reveal a roomful of people, faces lit by candlelight and all turned expectantly towards me.

“Marina!” a chorus of voices rang out.

~

C
hapter
S
ixteen

DINNER PARTY

~

I walked into a dining room full of people. I should of known that there would be nothing simple about a simple little dinner party at Evie’s.

Megan rushed to embrace me, pulling me over to sit in a chair between her and Evie. I waved to Cruz and Bradley, who were seated across Evie’s long table with about a dozen local fashion and music types. Megan introduced me to her agent and manager, and Evie’s
modeling
agent friend Jacques scurried around the table to make a great show out of kissing my hand.

Coffee was poured, and t
hick, sweet dessert wine was decanted
,
offered
alongside
snifters of
the finest Cognac
. Beautiful plates of jewel-like desserts were served by tuxedoed waiters; spiced poached pears swimming in chocolate sauce that were as beautiful as any work of art. Sitting in the warm glow of Evie’s ornate candelabras, surrounded by laughter and conversation, I could almost forget about the ugly scene with Ethan.

Almost.

Evie reached over and squeezed my hand, a reassuring gesture, accompanied by a once-over from her all-knowing eyes. “Why don’t you come with us to Argentina? We fly out first thing Monday.”

“No thanks,” I replied
sadly.
“I have school.”

“Surely they can spare you for a week,” she purred, “We could have so much fun! I’m simply dying to meet Cruz’s sisters!”

“Did I hear my name spoken?” Cruz called out to us across the table, “I hope you’re saying good things about me!” He twisted a finger under his chin.

“Always, darling,” Evie smiled back.

Cruz regaled the table with a story of how his mother had been denied a personalized license plate fo
r her new car, “She was shocked
– she couldn’t understand why they re
fused her,” he laughed. “I mean
– what could possibly be objectionable about it?”

“About what?” a chic woman
leaned forward in her seat
.

“She wanted it to read, I ‘heart’ T-O-F-U,” Cruz snickered, spelling out the letters.

“I don’t get it,” she said.

“She was denied on the grounds that it was obscene!” Cruz shrieked.

“Oh puh-lease!” Megan scolded him, laughing despite herself.

Cruz winked at Megan, and started affectionately teasing her about her new reputation as a heartbreaker. Megan flushed pink, kicking him under the table.

“I read all about it in a Vanity Fair article,” he announced
slyly, “They nicknamed her ‘The Ginger Goddess
’, and said she’s leaving a trail of broken hearts behind her!”

“Well now,
there’s
a nickname!”
commented
Evie.

“Cruz,” I glared at him, casting Megan a sympathetic look.

He smiled impishly at the two of us, holding up his hands, “I’m just sayin’…”

I couldn’t help but smile back. Megan’s career was blowing up all at once, and
she suddenly found herself irresistible to men.
Still the same funny and observant Megan she always was,
s
he’d been stepping out with one musician after another, and was getting quite a reputation as a serial dater.
She was definitely making up for lost time in the dating department, but who
could blame her for kicking up her heels a little?

Cruz
was still the same old Cruz too, despite the sophisticated veneer he was rapidly developing. He was increasingly confidant and relaxed, fitting in easily with Evie’s cosmopolitan social set; now it was Bradley who seemed ill at ease. When I thought about how insecure Cruz was at the beginning of their relationship, I was amazed at how rapidly the tables had turned.

I studied Brad, unable to shake my lingering doubts about his trustworthiness. Every time our eyes met he looked away nervously, only serving to re-enforce my suspicions.

Megan’s manager cleared his throat and caught her eye, pointing at his watch. She looked up at Evie’s elaborate gilt mantel clock, “I should be getting back to the hotel now. I have a couple of radio stations to visit tomorrow before the show.”

I followed Megan to the door, embracing her along with Cruz and Brad. The guests filed out one by one, kisses and compliments flying thick in the air. Evie and I got into a conversation with Monsignor Reynard about Shayla’s stunning overnight success.

“You have a wonderful eye for talent,” Evie said. I couldn’t tell if it was the compliment or the Brandy, but he was veritably glowing.

He studied me, “Ave you considered ze offer?”

“What offer?” I asked, looking back and forth between him and Evie.

“I’m sorry Jacques, I haven’t had a moment alone with her in ages!” Evie said
turning to me
, “Sweetheart, Jacques wants to sign you to his agency.”

I smiled
apologetically, “That’s very nice of you, but you know I’m not nearly tall enough for that line of work.”

“Evely
n has shown me ze photos of you
– stunning! For ze cosmetics… ze hair,” Jacques took me by both of your hands, “Mademoiselle, please, please allow me to represent you as well as Shayla!”

I cast a baleful glance at Evie; she must have put him up to this. She shrugged, “Don’t blame me– he’s been nagging me about you ever since he got to town.”

“Monsignor Reynard, I’m very flattered, and I’m sure you’re just trying to be nice, but–”

He slapped his palm to his forehead, “Mon Dieu! I am never nice when it comes to ze money! Please allow me to set up a test shoot for you... tomorrow!”

Cruz jumped in, answering for me, “Yes! She’d love to… But only if
I
come along as the stylist.”

Jacques looked to me, “Well… What do you say?”

I glared at Cruz’s eager face, finally breaking down and smiling.

Evie patted my back, “You never know, you might have fun…”

T
he three of them
star
ed
at me expectantly
,
so I finally
sighed, “OK.”

Cruz was fired up, and he pulled Jacques aside to make plans for the next day. He was excited and enthusiastic, bursting with creative energy. I
beamed at him
, overcome with a familiar surge of joy. I needed a good feeling right about now, and I latched onto it.

When the last guests finally filed out Evie took me by the arm, “Come and sit with me.”

I followed her into the library where she already had a tray set up and waiting, steam rising from the ornate silver tea service.

“Jasmine?” she asked, pouring a cup while I got comfortable on the sofa.

“Yes please,” I smiled. Evie always remembered every little detail.