Vegas Heat (40 page)

“Your husband wants one half of all your assets
and
Babylon. Those are his conditions to the divorce if we take away the debts he says you owe. That means half of your clothing business, half of everything you have in brokerage houses, and the bank.”

“Fine. Not Babylon. Let him build his own damn casino. He has the money. I will not allow him to take Ash’s casino.”

“Then there’s no divorce.”

“Okay, no divorce. Draw up whatever papers are necessary and I’ll sign them. I’m out of here, Clementine. I can’t stand to be in the same room with Simon.”

“Fanny, you don’t understand. If there’s no divorce, you don’t pay him anything. Your husband doesn’t care if there’s a divorce or not. All he wants is the casino.”

“I told him I was getting married when the divorce was final. He assumes I’m planning on marrying Ash. I didn’t bother correcting him.”

“I see,” Clementine said. Her voice was thoughtful as she stared at Fanny. “Would you have any objection to my ... planting a few seeds ... of discomfort?”

“You can plant a whole garden for all I care. You know where to reach me.”

Clementine finished packing her briefcase just as Simon and his attorney walked into the conference room. “No dice, gentlemen. Mrs. Thornton said she doesn’t much care one way or the other if the divorce goes through. She’s just so happy that her first husband’s health has improved to the extent he’s prepared to take over his duties at the casino. They’re planning on living together in the penthouse. Can you imagine, Jason, being at death’s door, staring at the great beyond, and then you get a cold and are hospitalized and boom, you get a clean bill of health? I guess The Emperor is going to reign again. That must make you very happy, Mr. Thornton, Ash being your brother and all.”

“Don’t answer that, Simon. She’s baiting you. Enough, counselor.”

“Ah, Jason, did I rain on your parade today? Look at it this way. Today it was just a little-bitty drizzle. Wait for the downpour. It’s coming.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean, Clementine?”

“Jason, Jason, Jason, you don’t really expect me to answer that now, do you? Wide-eyed wonder does not become you.”

Clementine extended her hand in Simon’s direction. “No hard feelings, Mr. Thornton, but you are one sorry son of a bitch.” Palms flat on the conference table, Clementine leaned over, Jason St. Clare ogling her cleavage. “I’m gonna get you, Mr. Thornton. When I do, it will all be legal. That’s a promise. Tell him, Jason, that I’ve never broken a promise in my life. And tell him what I hate more than anything in this world.”

Jason St. Clare’s voice was a low monotone when he said, “Miss Fox never broke a promise in her life. The one thing she hates in this life more than anything else is a man who tries to screw over a woman in a divorce case.”

“And the bottom line, Jason.”

St. Clare’s voice dropped to an even more boring tone when he said, “Miss Fox has no scruples and no conscience.”

“There you go. I knew you’d get it right. Good day, gentlemen.”

The Silver Fox laughed all the way down in the elevator. She made one call on her car phone as she drove away. The message was short, concise: “He refuses to cooperate.”

Fanny returned to the penthouse, her thoughts in a turmoil. What was Clementine Fox going to do or say? “You know what, Daisy, I don’t even care.”

Daisy leaped from her arms and raced to the front door. A second later the bell rang. “Come in,” Fanny called.

“Hi, Mom. Long time no see.” Billie wrapped her mother in her arms and gave her a great smacking kiss.

“And whose fault is that? You’re in Hong Kong, Japan, New York, England. When are you ever here?”

“I call, though.”

“Yes, you do. Would you like some coffee?”

“I would love some. How’s Sunny doing? Sunday is visitors’ day, so I’ll be here to visit. Are you going?”

“Of course. She’s doing wonderfully. She’s made some friends, one in particular. Harry seems like a very nice man. The doctors told me they’re good for each other. Why am I telling you this, you met him?”

“I liked him. He doesn’t take any crap from Sunny. Dad told me she’s really mellow these days. I’m so glad, Mom. I’m going with Iris when she takes the kids to the park in a little while. I brought some presents for the kids. Dad’s looking a lot better, too.”

“And what about you, Billie. Is there anyone special in your life?”

“Not right now. You know how fickle I am. As soon as some guy starts to get serious I get scared. I like my life just the way it is. That’s just another way of saying the right man hasn’t come along. How’s your life, Mom?”

“Parts of it are good. Other parts aren’t so good. That’s life.”

“When will your divorce be final?”

“Probably never.” Fanny told her daughter about the morning events in the lawyer’s offices.

“It’s just so hard to believe that Uncle Simon could turn like that. Back when we were kids and he’d come to Sunrise, I used to see him stare at Dad when he thought no one was looking. His eyes were so strange. I was a kid, what did I know?”

“Have you heard from Birch?”

“Not since early October. He asked me to send some kid clothes to Costa Rica. I must have sent a ton of stuff. He sent a card saying it all arrived safely. That was the last I heard. We all write, long, wonderful letters. Maybe they make him feel bad and that’s why he doesn’t write. Sage writes pages and pages and sends pictures of Lexie. He misses Birch the most. He’ll be back, Mom.”

“I know that. I miss him.”

“Well, that’s my news. Gotta run or Jake will take a fit. Some fool bought him a kite and he wants to fly it. I was elected. I really love that kid.”

“He’s a precious little boy. Ash adores him.”

“Is that strange or what? He’s like Dad’s shadow. Polly’s a little priss. Lexie is a delight. Sage is so good with all three of them. Don’t be surprised, Mom, if Sunny agrees to Iris and Sage adopting Polly and Jake.”

“Honey, nothing surprises me these days. Tyler will have something to say. He is their father.”

“Nope. He already gave his approval. He’s another one that failed the test where I’m concerned. Simon and him. Guess nobody gets it all. I like your new fella, Mom,” Billie teased.

“He is kind of nice.”

“He’s a lot nice. Dad said he was aces. Now, that has to mean something.”

Fanny laughed. “They get along well.”

“I think it’s hilarious that Uncle Simon thinks you want to marry Dad again. This is one weird family.”

“Weird but nice. Kiss the children for me.”

“I will, Mom. I’ll call.”

“More than once every month, okay?”

“At least once a week. By the way, the business is going great guns.”

“Thanks to you.”

“Whatever.”

The apartment was so quiet after Billie left that Fanny turned on the stereo. Daisy danced on her hind legs, barking vociferously.

“Okay, you deserve a nice walk in the park. I do too. Get your leash.”

An hour later, Fanny unhooked Daisy’s leash and sat down on a bench to smoke a cigarette. She watched, a smile on her face as Daisy chased a fat poodle who had no interest in running away. They tussled, barking at each other. Fanny felt like an indulgent mother as she watched the two dogs under the trees.

“Is this seat taken?” a voice behind her said.

Fanny shivered. “As a matter of fact it is, Simon. I’m calling the police. You’re in direct violation of the restraining order. Get away from me.”

“Fanny, it was so good once. Why can’t we get that back? I’d like to try.”

“Talk to my lawyer. It wasn’t good. It was only good when you got what you wanted, when you wanted it. It took me a while to get my eyes open, but they’re open now. I don’t want you, and I don’t want anything from you. I mean it, get away from me.”

Fanny ran toward Daisy, scooped the little dog up in her arms, and ran from the park, her heart pumping faster than her legs.

The owner of the fat little poodle walked toward Simon. “I saw you bothering the lady.”

“What’s it to you?” Simon snarled.

“This is what it is to me. See this. It’s my fist. Now, feel this.” The man’s fist shot forward into the middle of Simon’s stomach. He looked around. Satisfied that no one seemed to be paying any attention, the man’s fist shot upward. “Bother the lady or any other lady again and I’ll blow out your kneecaps.

“Come to daddy, Cupcake.” The fat poodle waddled over to her owner and waited patiently to have her leash hooked onto her collar.

Owner and dog walked away without a backward glance.

Simon rolled over on the ground as he massaged his jaw. He sat down on the bench trying to get his breath. He stared after the man, hatred spewing from his eyes, obscenities rolling off his lips.

“Well, Mrs. Thornton, what do you think?” the building contractor asked.

All Fanny could do was stare at her beloved Sunrise. “From this distance I can’t tell the difference. It’s hard to believe there was ever a fire.”

“That man of yours, Chue, he was under our feet every single minute with his grass seed and plants. He worked from a
map!”

“I know. That’s how he was able to make things look the same. I don’t know how to thank you, Mr. Wyler. You finished four months to the day.”

“We had some unexpected help.” Fanny shot him a questioning look, but the contractor didn’t expand on his statement. “Are you having a dedication or family party?”

“No. Ash will be moving in tomorrow. The furniture is coming today, and my friends are coming up to help hang the curtains and things like that. I don’t know what to say, Mr. Wyler.”

“This has to be one of the prettiest spots in the world. My father used to tell me stories about Sallie Coleman and this mountain. I’m happy to have been a part of the restoration. Tell Ash I said hello. We miss him in town.”

“I’ll be sure to tell him, Mr. Wyler.”

Fanny watched the contractor drive off in his pickup. She was alone now with her thoughts, even though Chue stood off in the distance, not wishing to intrude. She walked around the house, marveling at the neatly trimmed shrubbery, the flowers that looked as if they’d just bloomed. The patio furniture was new, the umbrella candy-striped. Clay pots full of geraniums added the final touch. Ash loved flowers. She hadn’t known that until last year. There were so many things she hadn’t known about Ash until last year. Her eyelids started to burn.

A sudden burst of anger raged through her. She kicked off her heels and ran around the house to the cemetery, where she banged on Sallie’s tombstone with clenched fists. “Do you know what you did? Do you have any idea, Sallie?” she screamed. “You backed the wrong horse! Do you hear me, Sallie? Your son, the one you loved above all else burned down this house, and he’s trying to steal Babylon! I believed you when you said he was wonderful. I believed all those lies because I couldn’t imagine you would ever lie to me. You lied, Sallie! You damn well lied to me! Ash is dying, and you better have some answers when he gets there because he’s got a list as long as that mountain road out there. Why did you do that to me, Sallie? You knew what Simon was all about. He wanted me because of Ash, and you set me up for that ... evil, ugly person.”

Fanny dropped to her knees, her hands still pounding the stone. “I’m turning out just like you. I can’t marry Marcus because of Simon. It’s you and Devin all over again. That’s your legacy to me. If you loved me, Sallie, how could you have done that to me? How dare you do that to me!”

Chue’s gentle hand on her shoulder caused Fanny to sob harder. “How ... why, Chue? You lived here. You saw everything.”

“Yes. I tried not to be involved in Miss Sallie’s family. Come, let me clean your hands. We can talk in the kitchen. There is a first-aid kit the contractor left behind in the pantry. We will talk.”

“You knew, Chue. Why didn’t you say something?”

“It was not my place, Miss Fanny.”

“Did Ash tell me the truth, Chue?”

“Ash was never a saint, Miss Fanny. He was a boy whose heart couldn’t accept what was being done. He retaliated in the only way he knew how. As I said, he was no saint, nor was he a devil the way his brother was. I watched over Ash, as did Mr. Philip. Miss Sallie was blind to many things. You must let it go.”

“Let it go! I would like nothing more, but I can’t. We all know Simon burned this house down, but we can’t accuse him because we didn’t see him do it. He will not give me a divorce unless I turn the casino over to him. Ash is dying, Chue, he’s coming home to the mountain to die. There’s nothing I can do for him except to be here. How does one handle the fact that one knows one’s only brother, one’s flesh and blood, is waiting for him to die? How, Chue?”

“You and your God will give him the strength, Miss Fanny.”

“Which one did you like the best?”

Chue grinned. “I did not much care for either one of the boys. I understood Ash’s pain, so the things he did were understandable. He did not like his brother. I saw many things that wounded my heart. I could not interfere, Miss Fanny.”

“I think I hate her, Chue. I really do. I think I hate her as much as I hate Simon.”

“Perhaps for now. Later the pain will fade.”

“It will never fade, Chue. My whole life is tied to this family, to Sallie and her sons. How can that fade?”

“You must make a new life. Somewhere else. A life free of the Thornton name.”

“I’m not free to marry.”

“Then you will live in sin,” Chue said smartly. “Many people do this today.”

“My family is here. The casino is here. Who will take care of things? I can’t walk away from my family and my responsibilities. I did that once, and it proved to be a disaster.”

“It is a heavy burden. I know you will make the proper decisions when the time is right. I brought a letter for you to read from your son.”

“From Birch?”

“He writes to me quite often.”

“He does! I never knew that, Chue. I don’t think I should read your mail. What does he write about?”

“Everything and nothing. They are long letters. I have many should you want to read them.”

“We only get postcards. I think it’s wonderful, Chue, that Birch chose you to correspond with. Did you tell him of Ash’s condition?”

“Yes. He will be home soon. You did not write, Miss Fanny?”

“I did, but Ash didn’t want me to tell him how severe his condition is. He didn’t want Birch to feel he had to come home because he’s dying. I guess he’s remembering when Sallie died and how ... things were at that time.”

“Time heals all wounds, Miss Fanny.”

Fanny’s voice was sad when she said, “Chue, time is not a magical elixir. All it does is dull the pain. Ash’s pain has never gone away, and he’s going to die taking it with him. Simon is living with his own demons every minute of the day. It started down below in that town and then carried up here to the mountain. It’s as though my hands are tied. I can’t change anything.”

“Come, Miss Fanny, I hear cars on the road.”

Fanny wiped at her eyes. “You’ve been a wonderful friend all these years, Chue. Your family has been more than kind to all us Thorntons.”

“You are my family as much as my own flesh and blood.”

“That’s one of the nicest things anyone has ever said to me, Chue.”

“You are nothing like Miss Sallie, Miss Fanny.”

“Thank you for saying that too. Chue . . . do you think Sallie heard me? I wanted a sign. I wanted the earth to tremble, the skies to open. I wanted something.”

“Something like
that,”
Chue said pointing to the small cemetery where a dark cloud hovered overhead. “From here you can see that it is a gentle rain. Perhaps it is a cleansing rain.”

Fanny ran to the cemetery. The huge cottonwood seemed to be bowing, its branches dripping with rain. Chue was right. It was a gentle rain washing her tears from Sallie’s stone. She raised her eyes. “It’s a start, Sallie, but you aren’t off the hook.” She was muttering. Something she rarely did. People in white coats locked you up when you talked to yourself or to clouds, the trees, and tombstones.

“Look, Miss Fanny.”

Fanny turned to look in the direction Chue was pointing. The dark cloud overhead surged forward and scudded across the yard until it was over the house. She watched the rain pelt downward in a brief downpour. Fanny ran back to the house to stand on the patio. “You’re christening it, aren’t you?” she shouted. “It’s not enough, Sallie! You need to make it right before Ash gets there.”

Chue hugged his arms to his chest, his oblique eyes full of shock.

Thunder boomed overhead as a jagged streak of lightning ripped across the sky.

“You need to make it right! It’s time. If you don’t, I’ll do it for you. You won’t like that, Sallie. I want to know that you understand what I’m saying.”

The rain came down harder, plastering Fanny’s clothes to her body. She stared upward, the rain pelting her face. Lightning struck one of the beams from the old house that were piled high in the middle of the backyard. Fanny watched as the old wood smoked and sizzled. Her shoulders slumped. A good sign or a bad sign? Using every ounce of willpower she possessed, Fanny straightened her shoulders. Chue was looking at her as though she’d lost her mind. Maybe she had for a few minutes. What sane person talked to spirits and expected them to make things right in the earthly world?

“This person, that’s who,” Fanny shouted.

“The rain is over. The cloud is moving on. Very strange,” the old Chinese murmured.

“Not at all, Chue.” Fanny sloshed ahead of him as she made her way to the front of the house to greet Billie and Bess.

“We get rain squalls like that in Texas all the time. We even get them in Vermont,” Billie said.

“That wasn’t a squall. That was Sallie. We were having a ... little discussion.”

“I used to have some very intense conversations with Seth. Once or twice he made the earth move when I let him see my strength. I believe in stuff like that. So, Fanny, who won?” Billie asked, her voice upbeat.

“I think I did. I can’t be sure.”

“I always felt like that, too. We have the edge though. We’re
alive!”

“You’re both crazy,” Bess said, her eyes going from one to the other.

“Maybe,” Billie said.

“There are worse things in life,” Fanny said.

“Whatever. Here comes the furniture truck. We have all the curtains, linens, and dishes and stuff in the van that Ash was gracious enough to let us use. I say we get cracking and get this all done today so you can bring Ash up tomorrow. He told me he can’t wait to get here. It worked out perfectly, Jake is finished with preschool and he has the summer off. Somebody up there is watching over you guys and it ain’t Sallie Thornton.”

“Let’s not get into
that
,” Fanny said. “Was Thad upset that you came, Billie?”

“Not for a minute. Thad understands everything about me. He knows how important family is to all of us. He’s so busy right now. He encourages me to do things on my own, separate from
him
and separate from
us.
Thad is one of a kind. I love him so much sometimes my teeth hurt. I clench my teeth and say, I love him, I love him, I love him. The first thing he always says is, what can I do? That’s the kind of person Thad is.”

“Whoever would have thought you would marry your husband’s best friend. On the flip side of that coin, who would have thought I’d marry my ex-husband’s brother? Maybe Bess is right, and we really are crazy.”

“I was teasing, Fanny,” Bess said.

“I’m going to iron the curtains, Billie is going to nail in the hooks and you, Bess, are going to hang the curtains. Did you bring an ironing board?”

“Yes. This is not a Mickey Mouse operation, Fanny Thornton.”

“We need to switch up here. I see the furniture men need me, so someone else has to iron.”

Billie and Bess grumbled good-naturedly as they moved off to the kitchen.

When the grandfather clock in the foyer chimed five times, Fanny dusted her hands dramatically “Done!”

“It looks the same,” Billie said, her voice full of awe.

“If you didn’t know it wasn’t the old house, you would think this place had been here forever. Ash will be so happy. Jake’s room came out perfectly.”

“It used to be Simon’s room,” Fanny said.

“Not anymore. There’s not one iota of anything that says that was his room,” Billie said.

“Do you want to see the schoolroom?”

“What happened to that iron monstrosity that took up a whole room?” Bess asked.

“I had the construction people push it over the mountain. They had to use cranes and bulldozers and all kinds of heavy equipment. We couldn’t build the house around it, they couldn’t get it down the road, so there was nothing else we could do. It’s in a deep ravine. In two hundred years it might rust away to nothing. It’s my mountain, so I guess it’s okay.”

“Ladies, your supper,” Chue called from downstairs.

“Let’s take our first ride in the elevator,” Billie said.

“It works,” the three women said in unison as they stepped from the elevator.

“Won ton soup, fried rice, spare ribs, chow mein, egg rolls, and fortune cookies.” Chue unpacked the heavy picnic basket. “No cartons. We use bowls. My wife say you wash, give back. My sons and I will have those old beams carried away by dark, Miss Fanny. There will be no sign of the fire at all. Mr. Ash will be most happy. The pond is stocked for Jake. You will tell him, please, that the fish are waiting for him.”

“Thank you, Chue. I’ll tell them. We should get here by ten tomorrow morning. Please come up and see Ash.”

“I will do that, Miss Fanny. Good night, ladies.”

It was seven o’clock when the women climbed into their cars for the ride down the mountain.

The following morning, Fanny drove Billie to the airport. “Fanny...”

“Shhh, I know what you’re going to say. He’s got a month, if he’s lucky. He’s dealing with it. I’m dealing with it. I’ll call you, Billie. Go home to your husband and give him a big hug and kiss for me.”

“I will, Fanny. If you need me ... you know ... sooner, call. Day or night. Thad can fly me here, so I don’t have to mess around with reservations. I want your promise, Fanny.”

“You have it.”

“Do you really think you won that round up there, when you squared off with Sallie?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Good for you. Love you, Fanny.”

“Love you too, Billie.”

“Are you comfortable, Ash?”

“Fanny, stop fussing. I’m okay. It’s not a long ride. I didn’t see my black canvas bag. Did you put it in the van?”

“Yes. Ash, you asked me that three times.” Fanny slowed the van and pulled to the side of the road. She climbed in back, rummaging between the luggage. “Here it is, do you want to hold it? Do you have your life savings in here or what?” She handed the bag to Ash before she climbed behind the wheel.