Authors: Donna Hill
Chapter 23
L
incoln kept his cell phone on vibrate during his conversation with Mrs. Armstrong. He’d felt it go off but had totally put the call out of his mind until he was back on the road. He pulled off on the side and took out the phone. He read the dial for recent incoming calls. It was from Terri. He frowned as he dialed the voice mail. What could possibly have happened in such a short period of time?
He listened to the message and debated about calling back. He’d be home in another seven hours if he didn’t stop. She said it wasn’t urgent. He checked the time on the dashboard clock. Four-fifteen.
Hmm.
He returned the call. Terri picked up on the first ring.
“Terri, it’s me. What’s up? Everything okay?”
“Not exactly, but I got a feeling you would want to know about this.” She went on to tell him about her conversation with Desiree.
“Did Josh pick her up yet?”
“Nope. I can’t seem to find him,” she said in a tone that let him know she was lying.
He shook his head and laughed to himself. For once he was actually grateful for Terri’s nosiness.
“Look, go ahead and call Josh.”
“Are you sure?” she asked, surprised by his response.
“Yes, I’m sure. If you need me, I’ll be in New York.”
Terri smiled in triumph. “Sure thing, Mr. D.”
“And, Terri…”
“Yes?”
“Thanks.” He hung up.
Lincoln turned on his fuzz buster and hit the gas. If he did a solid eighty miles an hour all the way back he’d make great time. Now, where would Desiree go when she returned? Her only choice, if not a hotel, was Rachel’s place. He smiled. Whatever it was that they had to deal with, this time they would deal with it together, whether Desiree liked it or not.
* * *
Desiree barely made the train. She’d run through the station with just enough time to get on board before the doors closed. She’d have to pay the extra money for buying her ticket on the train. If she didn’t know better she’d swear that Terri wanted her to miss her train. And Josh wasn’t much better. He seemed to relish taking her along the scenic route and pointing out every nook and cranny that they passed.
Breathing heavily, she finally found a window seat, stowed her baggage on the rack above her head and sat down.
Now that she was actually on the train she had a moment to think. What was really going on? But she couldn’t imagine what additional information she could give to Carl, or anyone else for that matter. He must be pretty desperate to pay a visit to Rachel.
She leaned back in the seat and stared out the window. That night was still clear in her mind. She’d gone over what had happened hundreds of times. Still she could not come up with one clear bit of information to explain what transpired. She certainly didn’t have any idea of who would want to intentionally set the building on fire. The mere idea made her shiver.
She folded her arms and closed her eyes. She was returning to New York, still homeless, and if she didn’t find some solid means of employment, she’d be penniless, as well. Her teaching job only paid enough to put a couple of meals on the table and keep her bank account from dipping below the cutoff point. It certainly wasn’t enough to live on, pay rent and keep up the insurance on her car.
At least she still had her Mustang—her pride and joy. But she’d probably sell it if things really got bad.
How could she have allowed herself to get into this position? Her entire existence hinged on the gallery and Carl Hampton. She’d never permitted herself to be that dependent on anyone. That was her first and last mistake of that kind. She was going to get her act together. Find a way to pay Carl back and move on with her life.
She thought of the easel and paints that she’d reluctantly packed and brought along with her. Maybe in time she would actually pull them out and use them again.
The train pulled into its first stop and a new crew of passengers got on. Desiree opened her eyes and looked around at everyone searching for seats. She moved her jacket off of her lap and onto the vacant seat next to her. Maybe if she was lucky she wouldn’t acquire a riding partner for the balance of the trip. She closed her eyes again and feigned sleep.
“Sorry to disturb you. But is this seat taken?”
Inwardly Desiree groaned. She opened her eyes and looked up. Recognition settled in. “Allison. Allison Wakefield, is that you?”
The woman shifted her oversized straw bag from one arm to the other and focused on Desiree.
“Desiree! Desiree Armstrong!” A smile beamed across her face. “I don’t believe it.”
Allison, Rachel, Carly and Desiree had all pledged to the same sorority, the Alpha Deltas, while they attended Howard University in Washington, D.C. They’d been fast friends during their college years, all of them competitive and creative. Although they’d vowed to stay connected on graduation day, many lost contact over the years, moving on with their lives and careers and to different parts of the country. Although Desiree regularly received the sorority’s newsletter and invitation to attend reunions, she never submitted any information on her life and had yet to attend an event. A fact that Rachel berated her about on a regular basis.
Desiree snatched up her jacket. “Sit down. How are you? How long has it been?”
“At least eight years.” Allison sat down. She lifted her head, placing her index finger on her lip and thought for a moment, then turned to Desiree. “The last time I saw you was at an art gallery in Washington. It was a benefit exhibit, if I remember correctly. What have you been up to since then?”
“Trying to be an artist,” she said and laughed lightly.
Allison patted Desiree’s arm. “Trying! Girl, pleeze. From what I remember, you had more talent than you knew what to do with.” She settled herself in the seat and placed her bag on the floor between her feet. Allison lowered her voice and turned sympathetic eyes on Desiree. “I read about the fire. I’m so sorry. When I saw the article I couldn’t believe it was you. But it was, wasn’t it? I was just talking to Carly about it a week or so ago when I went to visit her in Martha’s Vineyard. I’m terribly sorry, Desiree.”
Desiree lowered her head and nodded. “Thanks.”
They were quiet for a moment.
“Have you seen any of the other sorors?” Allison asked, breaking the uncomfortable silence. “I’ve been so bad about keeping up with everyone. Except for Carly. We talk occasionally.”
“You and me both.” They laughed. “I stay in touch with Rachel Givens. You remember her, right?”
“Yes, yes.” She frowned for another moment in thought, then brightened. “She was into jewelry or something, right?”
“Yes, she actually has her own business. Honey Child Accessories.”
Allison chuckled. “Sounds like a name Rachel would pick. So where are you heading to or coming from?”
“I was out at Sag Harbor for a few days, but I’m heading back to New York.”
“So am I. I was planning on being in the city for a few days visiting friends and shopping. Maybe we could have lunch or something.”
Desiree briefly glanced at Allison’s elegant attire, the diamonds that flashed on her finger and in her ears, and knew that she would be hard-pressed to make herself presentable enough to hang with the likes of Allison. Especially with her money being as tight as it was.
She forced a smile. “Sounds good. I know I’m going to be swamped this week, but I’ll sure try.”
“Great.” Allison reached down and picked up her bag, then dug inside and pulled out her wallet. She plucked out a business card and jotted a number on the back, then handed it to Desiree. “Call me anytime. You can always leave a message.”
“Thanks.” Desiree tucked the card into the top pocket of her denim shirt. “So what have you been up to? You look to be doing well for yourself.”
Allison smiled. “I recently got married.” She flashed her ring. “My husband was initially the subject of an investigative story that I was working on. One thing led to another and…”
“Well, congratulations. Who is the lucky man?”
“Jacob Covington.”
“
The
Jacob Covington?”
Allison grinned with pride. “One and the same.”
“His book has been on the bestseller list for months.”
“He’s working on another one. We hope it will do just as well.”
Desiree was thoughtful for a moment. “You said you met him as part of an investigative story?”
“Yes, I’m an investigative journalist.”
“No kidding. That must be exciting. But you said you just got married and you’re on the road already?”
“Actually, the reason for my trip to New York is a bit more…complicated than just visiting friends,” she confided. “I know it’s been a while since we’ve seen or spoken with each other, but I always felt we kind of had a bond, you and I, more so than some of the others.” Her gregarious expression turned serious, her eyes intent. She lowered her voice. “Anyway, with us being ‘sisters’…I really need someone to talk to and I know that it will never get past you.”
Desiree arched a brow in interest and turned slightly in her seat to face Allison. “Of course not.”
“My newspaper has been sending me all over the country to investigate alleged insurance frauds. It’s killing the industry and the consumer. I have some people I need to interview and…”
While Desiree listened to Allison her mind was working, too. Allison could be just the person she needed.
Chapter 24
L
incoln hit I-95 North and from there he knew it would be clear sailing. He’d connected his cell phone to the car charger and had it hooked up to his OnStar system. He spoke in the direction of the phone.
“Call The Port.”
The automatic dial rang the inn and moments later Terri was on the line.
“Hey, Mr. D. Everything okay?”
“Fine. Listen, did Josh get Desiree to the train in time?”
“Yes, she made it. Just barely.”
“Okay. Thanks. What time does it get into Penn Station?”
“Hmm. Hang on, let me check the schedule.”
He could hear her fumbling with papers and then a guest walked in. She had a lengthy conversation with a woman about extra towels before getting back to him.
“Sorry about that. The train should get in around eight. Give or take a few minutes.”
“Thanks. Did she mention if someone was going to meet her?”
He heard her snap her fingers.
“Wow, why didn’t I think of that? Sorry, Mr. D., I didn’t ask.”
“Not a problem.”
“Hey, Mr. D.…I know I may be out of line for asking this but…what’s the real story with you and Ms. Armstrong? She seems like a really nice woman…a little distant but nice…and I got the impression that she really likes you. She just doesn’t know what to do about it.”
Lincoln shook his head, flabbergasted by her boldness. But he shouldn’t be. When he hired Terri, he knew her background. She was a twenty-two-year-old single mom, with little education, struggling to take care of her son and herself. She had a lot of street smarts and plenty of street ways. And she might be a bit rough around the edges, but she had a heart of gold and was a great worker. He never had a worry when he left her in charge, and her loyalty to him was her way of saying thanks. That much he knew.
“You think you can keep a secret, Terri?”
“Of course!” She almost sounded indignant.
“Well, Desi and I go way back. I’m hoping that we can go way forward. Know what I mean?”
He could hear her laughter.
“Yeah, I know what you mean. And if there’s anything I can do to help—just holla! Personally, if it was up to me—which it wasn’t—I wouldn’t have let her get on the train in the first place. Nothing like getting stuff straight on your own turf. Know what I mean?”
Lincoln chuckled. “Yeah, I know what you mean. Anyway, I’ll check back in when I arrive in New York.”
“Take her some flowers, Mr. D, women like her love flowers.”
“I’ll keep that in mind. Take care.”
“Later, Mr. D.”
Chapter 25
D
esiree and Allison disembarked at New York’s Pennsylvania Station and wound their way through the crowd to the cab stand exit on 7th Avenue.
“Can I give you a lift somewhere?” Allison asked.
“If you don’t mind, you can drop me off at Rachel’s place.”
“Sure, not a problem. Listen, I know this may not be any of my business, but do you have a place to stay? I mean…”
“I’m going to be staying at Rachel’s for a while until I can get relocated. She’s out of town for a few weeks and said I can use her place.”
“Well, my door is always open. Don’t hesitate to ask. If there’s anything you need, just let me know.”
“As a matter of fact, after listening to your story about your current assignment, I was wondering if you might be willing to look into something for me, as well.”
Allison arched a brow. “Sure. What is it?”
“There seems to be some questions about how the fire started. There is some concern about arson.”
“Arson! Oh, my goodness.”
Desiree nodded her head and went on to tell her about all that Rachel had relayed to her.
“That’s part of the reason why I came back.”
“I see. And this Carl Hampton, how much did you know about him before you signed on?”
“Not much, I’m afraid to say. I was so flattered and broke. I’ll never make that mistake again.”
“Hmm.” Allison was thoughtful for a moment. “The first thing I would do is to start getting some background on Mr. Hampton. You have no idea how many people sabotage their own property to get the insurance money. He may not have done it himself but he certainly could have had it done,” she added, her journalistic instincts kicking in. “First thing tomorrow, I’ll start making some calls.”
Desiree opened the door of the next available taxi. “Thanks, Allison.”
Allison stepped inside the cab and Desiree got in beside her. “That’s what sorors are for.”
Once settled in the cab, Allison whipped out her ever-ready notebook and a pen. “Do you have a phone number and business address for Hampton, and what about your assistant…Cynthia? I’ll need her information, too.”
Desiree took out her electronic organizer and scrolled through the information until she found Carl’s and Cynthia’s.
“Can I ask you a question?”
“Sure,” Allison said as she took down the information.
“Why do you need Cynthia’s information? You don’t think she’s involved?”
“No one is above suspicion, Desiree. That’s the first thing you learn in this business. As a matter of fact I may give Carly’s husband, Jackson, a call if I hit any roadblocks.”
“Carly’s husband?”
“Oh, didn’t I mention that he’s a private investigator? And a good one, too.” She smiled and patted Desiree’s thigh. “We’ll get to the bottom of it. Hopefully it is as it appears—an accident. But if it’s not we’ll find that out, too.”
Suddenly Desiree’s simple inquiry was taking a dark turn. A shiver ran through her.
* * *
Lincoln checked the time on the dash. Desiree’s train, if it was on time, should have arrived hours earlier. He’d just reached the Holland Tunnel and would be in Manhattan in a matter of minutes. A short hop across town and he should pull up in front of Rachel’s place in another hour.
He laughed to himself. His entire day had been totally on the spur of the moment. Fortunately, so far it had turned out for the best. He hoped the rest of his trip would follow suit.
He had no idea what Desiree would do when she saw him, if she would even let him in. But one thing he was certain of, he was not going back to Sag Harbor until they talked, really talked, and she gave him the answers that he needed.
He exited the Holland Tunnel and headed uptown. He’d know soon enough.
* * *
“Thanks for the lift,” Desiree said, taking her suitcase from the trunk of the cab.
“Anytime.” Allison looked up at Rachel’s building. “Looks like Rachel has done okay for herself, too.”
“That she has. Her business is booming, but it takes her out of town quite a bit. Hopefully we can all get together at some point.”
“I’d really like that. Let’s plan on it. I’d love for you to meet Jacob.”
“Well, I don’t want to hold you.”
“Yeah, I should be getting in. I have a big day tomorrow. I’ll call you and keep you posted on what I find out.”
“Thanks.”
“And remember, if you change your mind and get lonely in this big old house, you can always crash at my place.”
“I’ll definitely keep that in mind.”
Allison reached over and hugged Desiree. “Everything is going to work out fine,” she said, sensing Desiree’s apprehension. “Trust me on that.”
Desiree pressed her lips together and nodded.
Allison got back into the cab and it sped off.
For several moments, Desiree stood on the curb watching the cab until it turned the corner and disappeared.
Life is so funny,
she thought, picking up her suitcase. First, of all the places to rest her head she wound up at the one owned by her ex-fiancé. Then, during an impromptu train ride, she ran into an old college friend who happened to be an investigative journalist. She supposed that the old saying “your past will always catch up with you” was true.
She turned and walked up the steps to the front door of Rachel’s building. If that old saying was true, what else from her past would come back for a visit?