Chapter Nine
Sam found the address on her license and even found lots of parking. It was a nice old Victorian house on a dead end street. A very quiet place at seven-thirty in the morning. She shut down the Rover and pulled the keys free, lifted her pack and slung it over her shoulder. It wasn’t a large house. It had a small yard with a nice fence all around it. The key slid into the lock and turned immediately.
She could feel her heart pounding. Logan should be with her she thought at the same time her comment about the big girl panties came to mind and made her chuckle. This was her house. Her things. This was where her life had been. Judging by the collection of books and the tidy kitchen, she’d spent a lot of time here. There was a large file filled with letters and various types of correspondence. A nice desk top computer with speakers and printer filled the desk.
She lifted the stack of mail, wondering who put it there, but then realized it was only Monday. She probably left it there on Friday morning. A frown creased her lips. She stood in the center of the living area, turning very slowly to take in the entire room bit by bit. There were no photos of Logan. There were a few of her on the walls. Her, in places that were not local and surrounded by children of all colors and sizes. She picked up a small jar off the bookshelf, a piece of metal pinging off the glass when she shook it, her eyes widening as she realized what the piece of metal was. She set the jar down.
There was room in the back seat and she quickly and efficiently began dismantling the computer, wires, cables and printer all put into the Rover before she wandered into the bedroom.
Thick quilts; light sheets and five large fluffy pillows on the rumpled bed. Somehow she knew that Logan had never shared that bed with her. Like most older houses, the rooms barely were big enough for the furniture you chose to stuff into it. She squeezed around the bed and pulled drawers open. She pulled a pair of short overalls free, added a couple plain tee shirts and found a drawer of lingerie. Sam felt her eyes widen as she pulled several very nice corsets from inside, a couple very lacey bras and some interesting short nighties. None of which looked like it had been worn much at all. The lace was stiff and the fabric smelled new.
She threw most of the bedding and pillows into the back of the Rover, making several trips and waving at a neighbor watching her intently.
Sam found a small box and filled it with things from the bathroom, her own soaps and shampoos; her toothbrush and perfumes; bath salts and razor. It fit nicely on the front seat of the Rover.
She wandered around the small kitchen. Nothing fancy, she noted. She had to smile at the collection of all different types of mugs and glasses; plates and silver of all types, as if they’d come from treasure hunting in thrift stores around the globe. She filled another small box with mugs and pottery that she knew came from various local craftsmen. She evidently liked pottery. Her fingers tracing the swirls of color and shapes that varied as much as the human form.
Sam locked the house, sitting behind the wheel of the Rover and opening the small address book she had gotten from her desk. She found the address she wanted, tapped it into the GPS and tucked the address book into her pack. She drew in a long, deep breath before heading out on the road.
It was a nice house. Low and sprawling, surrounded by large iron fencing with a keypad at the gate. Sam wasn’t surprised when her fingers moved over the keypad with instant knowledge, the number tapped in flawlessly. The gates moved inward silently, admitting her to the grounds. She was working up her courage and inhaled sharply when the front door swung inward.
“Samantha! Morgan, your daughter is here!” The woman exuded energy and vitality. The bright red hair was barely shoulder length and curled in wide, open ringlets around her face. Her lips were a bright red, her fingers waved with rings and a nice sparkling stone of bright green dangled around her throat. She rushed forward, wrapping her daughter close to her. “Samantha! I am so happy to see you!”
“Is everything alright, mother?” Sam hugged her tightly, a familiar feeling of peace surrounding her as she inhaled a sweet perfume that felt right.
“Oh, things are grand, darling! Just grand!” One hand waved expressively while she looped the other arm through Sam’s and led her into the house. “Darlene! Some tea and cookies! Samantha is here!”
“You’re acting like I’ve been away for eons,” Sam said with a bright laugh, entering the house and immediately feeling alive and full of life. Color swept through the inside as it did the exterior of Elizabeth Elliott.
“Sam!” A deep, hardy voice bellowed from the other side of the open patio doors. A tall, lean man came forward, pulling gardening gloves off and tossing them down onto the table before enveloping Sam in a bear hug. “Your mother was worried you wouldn’t be by to tell us goodbye!”
“Goodbye?” Sam looked from one to the other. “You’re leaving?”
“There,” Elizabeth waved one hand expressively in the air. “I told you she would forget…”
“The cruise, dear,” Morgan prodded gently, winking at her.
“I’m not going on a cruise,” Sam said carefully, hoping she wasn’t scheduled for a cruise.
“Oh, of course not, silly,” Elizabeth tugged on her daughter’s palm so she sat next to her on the large sofa. “We are…you bought it for us last Christmas?”
“Oh,” Sam sighed in relief. “Oh, of course…I’m sorry…I’ve got a few things on my mind lately…”
“I should hope so,” Elizabeth scoffed. “The police were here to see us. Because you left your car parked and didn’t get right back to it again? How ridiculous.”
“Yeah…there was that,” Sam said with half a shrug. Pale lashes narrowed a little. “So when does this cruise leave?”
“The day after Memorial Day, Sam,” Morgan shook his head, frowning slightly. “Is there something you want to talk about, Sam?”
“Something is not quite right,” Elizabeth put her hand out, beneath Sam’s chin and turning it to look at her closely. “Hmmm…I know my daughter very well…and…I think she has a beau, Morgan,” Elizabeth nodded with satisfaction when a flush of color filled Sam’s cheeks. “Hah! I knew it! Come on, darling, out with it! Tell your mother all about him…if he’s capable of that delightful color, I heartily approve!”
“Mother…really…”
“You never blush, Samantha Jean,” her mother chided warmly. “No matter. Are you happy?”
Sam nodded quickly, unable to hide her smile. She pulled her phone from her pocket, pressing buttons and holding it up to show her. She had snapped a few photos while Logan was dressing that morning and another few when he was outside talking to the construction people.
“Oh, my…” Elizabeth pushed her glasses up her nose and arched an eyebrow in appreciation. “Morgan…your daughter has wonderful taste. He looks tall. I love the goatee and moustache…very dignified and…dark looking.”
“He is…tall…not…not,” Sam waved her palm, ignoring the laugher from her parents. “He’s smart and funny and considerate…and I married him,” she said breathlessly, watching the hand holding the phone lower to her mother’s lap. “Friday morning.” Sam watched the surprise in a pair of green eyes that matched her own. Eyes that went to her father and then back on Sam.
“Married? My little girl?” Morgan sat beside his wife, a broad grin on his face. “Congratulations. When do we get to meet him, Sam?”
Elizabeth pulled Sam into her hug. “I am so happy for you, darling! The look on your face tells me all I need to know about him…he makes you smile,” her mother said with a contented nod. “And you love him.”
“Well, as the father, I require more information,” her father attempted to bluster. “So what’s his name? Where’s he work? Is he a republican?”
“Father!” She burst out laughing. “His name is Logan Sheffield and he is in the process of building a resort called the Windswept Narrows.” Sam told them proudly. “That’s where we’ve been. The only people in the hotel! In the honeymoon suite…it’s beautiful.”
“I’ve heard of that project,” Morgan said, stroking his jaw thoughtfully. “Very ambitious, very well financed. Smart design, too…catering to all aspects of the family, not just adults. Sheffield had a casino in Reno, I believe that’s what I read. Got it from nothing and built it up over eight years…made a fortune when he sold it. Well, well, well…”
Elizabeth watched her daughter closely. She liked the happiness she saw in her eyes. She happened to glance at her hands.
“No rings? I would at least expect a rock, Samantha,” Elizabeth tsked mildly.
Morgan hooted with laughter. “Awww, come on, Lizzie, you know Sam never cared much for bling. You got her at ninety-nine percent girl…it’s that last one percent you’re gonna lose out on.”
“I’m just not much of a jewelry person,” Sam said, picking up on her father’s comment. “I got earrings…”
“Oh, pooh…the ring isn’t for you, darling…it’s to show around and warn off predators. Which brings us back to the police issue…” her mother said flatly.
“We talked to the police yesterday afternoon,” Sam began carefully. “We only noticed the story in the paper…I was…ohhhhh…livid, to say the least. I asked them who provided the ‘tip’ that I was among the missing,” she stood up and began pacing the large room, scowling and hands flying expressively.
“Oh, we guessed who it was,” Morgan said with a nod, his tone decidedly disapproving.
“We definitely did,” Elizabeth’s scowl matched her daughters.
“They wouldn’t come right out and tell me,” Sam told them. “But…I said…if I mention a name…and sure enough, the detective looked very uncomfortable when I asked if it was Carson Strang.”
“That man is the epitome of the old fashion snake oil salesman, Samantha.”
“Not only that, but he’s also extremely deaf and dumb,” Sam said flatly. “How many times in how many languages can I tell a person no thank you and they still ignore me? I really do not want to see what happens if he were to run into Logan,” Sam shivered slightly, her head shaking. “That would not be pleasant…”
“Heh-heh…at least not for Strang,” Morgan chuckled. “If Logan is half what he looks like, I’m betting he’d get a great deal of pleasure out of making sure he understood each and every word you uttered, Sam.”
“Dad…seriously…yesterday when Logan was reading the paper…his knuckles turned white, the paper wrinkled and believe me…why can’t a guy that intelligent and that…that…why does violence have to be the answer to an issue?”
“Samantha…are you honestly going to sit there and tell me…your only mother…that you never once thought how satisfying it would be to just flat out cold cock that idiot Strang?” Elizabeth arched an eyebrow, nodding in satisfaction at the expression on Samantha’s face. “I thought so. So don’t go making noise about men and their violence. Besides, it’s incredibly romantic that a man wants to defend your honor…”
“And their territory?” Sam said dryly, her head shaking ruefully. She sighed. “Okay…would you like me to bring him here for dinner? Or I can see about inviting you to the house for dinner? They have a great cook…”
“They? Where are you living, Samantha?” Her mother asked curiously.
“The family…estate? I think Ian called it a compound,” Sam recalled thoughtfully.
“And Ian?” Elizabeth prompted.
“The compound is huge…the house looks like it was built in stages with several different styles. Ian Sheffield is a doctor and living with his fiancée, Anya Miller in the Seaside Wing. His grandparents and their live in nurse live in the main house where the dining area, living area and huge library is…then the other end of the crescent shape, is the Forest Wing…that’s where we’re moving into,” Sam turned her wrist over. “Drat…I wanted to stop at the hardware store.”
“Call me, Samantha. I think tomorrow at your new home would be lovely,” Elizabeth knew when her daughter was off on a new project. And the signs were all there. She looped her arm with Sam’s, walking with her to the front door.
“I will call, I promise. Before the night is out,” she hugged her tightly, and with a gesture that seemed standard, she blew her father a kiss. “Bye, Dad!”
“Drive careful, child,” Morgan watched her climb into the weathered Rover with a proud smile. They did pretty good with their daughter. Pretty darn good, he said, ignoring the misty eyes and heading back to his garden.