A CRY FROM THE DEEP (39 page)

Harold and Maude Billings request your presence at the marriage ceremony

of their daughter, Sean Billings, to Daniel Costello,

son of Robert and Tina Costello.

Catherine choked back tears as she read the announcement. It was one thing to know about Daniel’s upcoming marriage, it was another to see it in black and white. By the time she got to the date and the place, the details had blurred. Alex was too busy pirouetting around the room to notice any gloom.

Catherine was about to throw the envelope away when she found a note inside. She read:

Catherine, I’m sorry this invitation is so late. We weren’t sure of your address, but Daniel managed to get it from Frank. We do hope you and your daughter can attend. Sean

She stared at the exquisite handwriting. Daniel had to know how much this would hurt. Had he put Sean up to it? Did he even know Sean sent it? It was insulting that the note came from Sean. Not even from Daniel. Or Daniel and Sean. She held herself back from ripping the invite to shreds.

“Can we, can we?” shouted Alex as she jumped around the room.

“I don’t see how,” said Catherine. “First of all, the wedding is in four days. I don’t have a gift. I don’t have time to get something to wear. And thirdly, I hardly know them.”

“You know him. He’s nice. You told me so yourself.”

“That’s beside the point,” Catherine said firmly. “We’re not going.”

Alex screamed, “You’re the worst mother ever!” She stomped to her room and slammed the door.

“Alex! You come back here!”

Alex came out of the room pouting, her arms folded across her chest.

“Don’t you ever bang that door again!”

“Fine,” said Alex between clenched teeth, and turned around and went back into her room, this time closing the door quietly.

Much as she’d love to take Alex to a real wedding, this was not the one. She hoped Alex would forgive her, and not bring it up years down the road, as kids are apt to do. Catherine wished she could explain to Alex why it was impossible to go. But what seven year old understands the chemistry of love and all it entails? Jane Austen had written a beautiful novel, but it was a story, not real life.

Catherine couldn’t believe how her argument with Alex had spiraled out of control. Ever since she got back from Ireland, Alex and she had locked horns time and again. It was if Alex at seven had skipped six years in her absence and was now a teenager.

It didn’t help that Catherine’s patience was at an all time low. How could she attend to Alex when her mind and heart were elsewhere? Everywhere she turned, she saw his face—the way he smiled, the way his dimples creased. But she also saw his other face, the one laughing with Hennesey. That was the one she had to hang on to. It was the one that would help her get through the next few weeks.

FORTY

Daniel’s office was located in midtown Manhattan overlooking Brandt Park. It had only been a couple of weeks since Catherine had seen Daniel, yet he looked drawn, as if he’d been battling the flu for awhile. She let him hug her when she showed up in reception, his musk scent instantly taking her back to the Slieve League cliffs. She trembled involuntarily. She hoped he hadn’t noticed.

“Good to see you,” he said, holding her shoulders.

Pulling away, she half-smiled. “Same.”

When Frank showed up moments later, they followed Daniel into a boardroom. Like the rest of the suite of offices they passed, the room had a high ceiling and expansive windows. Seven floors down, Catherine could see the carousel and the expansive lawn and walkways of the park in back of the New York library.

She turned to him. “This is some view! How do you get any work done?”

He grinned. “I wear a blindfold.”

“Ha.” His dark circles were even more pronounced in the light streaming in from the windows. If he was involved with Hennesey, that could be guilt written on his face.

“Okay, you two.” Frank laid out his plans for the cover article on the mahogany table, “Since this is going to be our feature article, we’re devoting five to seven pages for the story. Catherine’s photos will dominate at least half of the spread.”

“And so they should,” said Daniel.

Catherine glanced at him. His cooperation was disconcerting.

Frank said, “I figure we’ll put that shot you have of Hennesey holding the necklace on the cover.”

“Can we do that?” she asked. “What if Hennesey tries to stop it?”

“He can’t. He signed a contract before he left for Ireland. He agreed to you documenting the salvage operations through photos and anecdotes. At this stage, anything can be used.”

Daniel poured them all a glass of water from a pitcher on the table. “What about the other items? The jeweled crucifix and the gold medallions?”

The way he’d mentioned the items, she thought she’d detected some hesitation. She looked at Frank to see if he’d noticed.

Frank obviously didn’t as he went on. “We’ll use them all. Anything that suggests there’s a cover-up. In fact, I want to title this story—
Underwater Black Market
.”

“I like it,” said Catherine. She looked at Daniel for his reaction. It was curious that she didn’t detect any change in his face.

From then on, they threw ideas around like so much confetti. When the sun had dropped in the sky, Frank looked at his watch. “This has been great, but I have to catch a plane back to Washington. There are a few loose ends but I’ve gone over them with Daniel. He can fill you in.”

Catherine looked at Daniel, who said, “Happy to.”

She must’ve looked uneasy, as Frank said to her, “It won’t take long. Walk me to the elevator, okay? I hate hasty good-byes.”

As they walked, she said, “Say hello to Nona for me. Is she still bugging you about working too hard?”

“Not since I’ve changed my ways. Why in the hell do you think I’m rushing back to Washington? I’ve discovered rather late, there’s more to life than work.”

“Good to hear. And thanks for giving me the chance to get my feet wet again.” She hugged him by the elevator door.

“I couldn’t have done it with anyone else.” As he got on the elevator, he winked and said, “Go get him, Catherine.”

The elevator doors closed before she had a chance to reply. Did he mean Hennesey or was he talking about Daniel? She wanted to say
if you only knew.

When she found Daniel in his office, he was on the phone, mostly listening to whoever was on the line. She looked around and was surprised to find no photos of Sean anywhere. There were however framed degrees and photos of Daniel on scuba diving trips, some plaques acknowledging his accomplishments, and a bowl of extraordinary sea shells and stones. The space was cozy, like him.

He put up a finger, indicating he’d be finished soon. She walked over to the window. The street below was congested with yellow cabs and luxury cars, the time of day when people were rushing back to their private lives.

After he’d hung up, he joined her by the window. “Okay, let’s have it. Something is bugging you.”

She hesitated, then said, “I’m wondering what’s going on. You and Hennesey.”

“Me and Hennesey?” Open-mouthed, he looked shocked.

Folding her arms, she said, “The week before I left, I was coming down the galley steps and found the two of you talking, laughing together. It was pretty cozy. I got the impression you were talking about me.”

He looked away. She couldn’t tell whether he was wracking his mind trying to remember, or avoiding her scrutiny.

“You’re uncharacteristically quiet,” she said, accusingly.

He returned her gaze and put his hands up, as if he was holding back traffic. “Before you go any further, sit down.”

She scowled, “I feel better standing.”

Frowning, he put his hands on the back of a chair. “You’re right. I did play up to him, but only to throw him off of you.”

“What?” She stared in disbelief.

“I told him he’d convinced me of the law of salvagers, that it didn’t make sense to share the booty. I told him all you got was what he knew. When he questioned me some more about it, I said you cared about me, and that I’d use that to make sure you didn’t blow the whistle on him.”

“You said that?”

He nodded. “I didn’t want to take a chance, not ‘till you got back to New York. Safe.” He cocked his head and smiled. “I guess I wasn’t that believable. If I had been, Hennesey wouldn’t have sent Raul to scare you.”

She sat down.
Was he telling the truth? Or was this another ploy to weaken her resolve?

He sat down across from her and leaned forward. “And then, when you confronted him and told him you’d sent the photos to Frank, I was relieved.”

“Let me get this straight. So that whole thing with Hennesey was an act?”

“Yeah.” He winced. “Fucking brilliant, huh?”

She looked into his hazel eyes. He didn’t flinch or look away. He was telling the truth, that much she could tell. She breathed easily and said, “You’re something else.”

“Is that good or bad?”

She smiled. “I guess I owe you for trying.”

“Yeah, you do. Now, how about that drink? This time I won’t let you say no.”

~~~

The Southwest Porch near the Fountain Terrace in Bryant Park was a perfect stop on a late summer afternoon. It was busy, but not overly. After finding a table in the corner with a couple of Adirondack chairs, Daniel ordered her a Vodka Watermelon and for himself, a Manhattan.

Leaning back in her chair, Catherine glanced over at an outlandishly dressed woman sitting a few tables over. Her red fedora and black embroidered red cape would not look out of place in a Mardi Gras parade. “What’s not to love about this city? In the middle of chaos, there’s this lovely refuge with all these colorful people.”

“But you left.”

“Yes, I did. But who knows, I might come back some day.”

“That’d be nice.” His eyes crinkled with warmth and something else.

If she didn’t know better, she’d think he was making a play for her. She was about to say something about that, but the waiter arrived with their drinks. She took a sip of her vodka cocktail. “This is good. Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” The way he said it unnerved her. It was almost flirtatious.

Anxious, she blurted, “Are you ready for your big day?”
She had to bring it up, even though the words stuck in her throat like a hard to swallow pill.

His face grew serious. “It’s this Saturday, isn’t it?”

She wanted to hit him. Why was he toying with her? She gave him an exasperated look.

“Obviously,” he said, “Frank didn’t tell you.”

“Tell me what?”

“It’s off. We called it off.”

Her eyes widened. “You postponed it?” She tried to sound light. “Don’t tell me. Another crisis with the caterer?”

“No, nothing like that. We’re not getting married. Not now, not ever.”

Her heart skipped a beat. “What about the baby?”

He grinned broadly. “Turns out it isn’t mine. She told me last night she’d had an affair with the captain of the polo team. After that, I couldn’t sleep. I must’ve walked the streets for hours.”

“Sorry it didn’t work out.”

“No, it’s all good.”

She still didn’t want to get her hopes up. Even though it looked like there was now an opening, he’d never declared his love for her. “Well, …if that’s what you want. I’m glad for you.”

“How glad?” he asked, his eyes sparkling.

Not sure where he was going with his question, she changed the subject. “So, what was it you wanted to tell me?”

“Besides the fact that I’m free.”

“Are you going to tell me or what?”

“You can be pretty pushy.”

She smiled. “You think?”

He leaned forward, his hands on the table, inches from hers. “Before she told me she was pregnant, I was planning on breaking up with her.”

“You were?” He was looking intently at her. She’d never noticed the different shades of green in his eyes before. It was like he’d tapped into the greens of Ireland and brought them home.

“Yes. I’d fallen in love with someone else.”

“You did?” Her hands were sweating.

“She’s sitting across from me.”

“Daniel...I –.” She couldn’t believe this was happening.

He moved to her side of the table. “Catherine Fitzgerald, I love you. I think I fell in love with you when I first laid eyes on you.”

“Oh, ...” Her breath caught in her throat.

He cupped her chin, leaned in and kissed her. Time froze. It could’ve been seconds, minutes, hours. The passion between them surged like a fast moving river. Just before he pulled away, she felt his warm breath upon her cheek.