* * * *
“Good meeting?” Rachel asked looking up from her desk as Olivia crossed the reception area after leaving Jack’s office.
“Just dandy.”
What in the world was wrong with her? This was a dream assignment, the kind she’d hoped for, and now she was petulant because she didn’t like parts of it. God had given her a reason to set aside her vow and ski again and she’d be legally married to the only man she’d found attractive in years, a man she’d crushed on for as long as she could remember—she’d be having her cake and eating it too. Let’s hope she wasn’t going to choke on it.
“Don’t forget this.” Rachel held out a large, sealed envelope. “It has everything in it you’ll need. Jack encrypted the jump drive himself. I was told to tell you to think autumn. Let me know when you’ve called your parents, and I’ll call Mavis. It’s so nice of Mr. Robertson to offer like that.”
Olivia nodded. Obviously, Jack hadn’t even let Rachel in on the whole truth of the matter. That sobered her. She wouldn’t let him down. As to the encryption, the oak cluster brooch Veronica had given her was called Autumn Dreams.
She reached for the envelope. “Thanks.”
Rachel smiled wistfully. “You must be excited about skiing again. I’d like to try it someday, but my husband claims he’s allergic to all winter exercise.”
“I’ll take you out on the slopes when I get back.” Olivia grinned. “It’s an incredible rush.” She hoped it would be and prayed she wouldn’t have a panic attack and ruin everything.
“By the way,” Rachel said, “congratulations on your engagement. I had a good look at your fiancé while he waited for Jack. Hubba-hubba.”
Olivia felt the color leave her face.
“That’s not the response I expected,” Rachel shook her head and laughed.
“You caught me off-guard. I didn’t realize it was public knowledge.”
“Well, I’ll admit it came as a surprise, but it’s all over the office. Did you honestly expect people not to say anything? He must be a wonderful guy to agree to help you with this case. I’m sure you two would rather be alone, but…”
Great. Just what she needed. “He’s almost too good to be true. I’d hoped to make the announcement myself,” Olivia said and smiled, at least she hoped it looked like a smile.
After waving goodbye, she headed to the elevator. Thankfully no one was waiting for it. Committed to skiing again, the possibility didn’t scare her as much as it originally had. Spending five weeks with George Stanton, aka Greg Stuart, did. She pushed the call button, and the doors slid open.
Pressing the button for the ninth floor, she watched the heavy steel doors close. Her gaze dropped to her bare left hand, and she thought of the ring Greg had slipped on her finger earlier. She’d removed it and returned it to the box. A ring like that should be a token of love. The diamond ring Erik had given her had gone into the grave with him. Another broken promise. When it came right down to it, some rings meant nothing. They were only for show … she’d learned that the hard way.
The elevator quickly reached its destination. Ten o’clock here meant eight in Pine Mountain. Time to call home and pull the wool over her family’s eyes. She was such a dismal liar, they’d never believe her. What was Jack thinking? She couldn’t do this.
After entering her office, she closed the door, and opened the envelope. She took out the USB drive, inserted it into her laptop. When the encryption key came up, she typed in the appropriate letters and gazed in horror as pictures of the accident scene filled the screen. The mass of blood-covered rags on the side of the road must be Sheena. Her heart went out to the young girl she’d yet to meet. Losing someone you loved was tragic, but to do it in such a violent way…She’d lost two people that way. There was no way she could let someone get away with this. Shutting down the computer, she returned the jump drive to the envelope.
Slowly, she read the itinerary printed on a sheet of stationary, awed by the attention to detail and Tim’s generosity. Setting the page down on her desk, she swallowed her nervousness, and straightened her backbone. This was her job. People were counting on her. How she felt and what she wanted no longer mattered. She’d protect this girl with everything she had. Picking up the receiver on her phone, she entered the pre-programmed number for home.
“Pine Mountain Resort. Maggie speaking. How can I help you?”
Olivia swallowed and almost hung up.
“Hello? Is someone there?” The concern in her mother’s voice forced her to speak.
“Hey, Mom, it’s me,” she said softly, amazed she could speak at all.
“Livy? What’s wrong? You never call in the morning unless something’s wrong.”
Olivia smiled. Trust her mother to remember that. “Nothing’s wrong. Is anyone else home?”
“Molly and your dad are finishing breakfast. You just missed your brother. Jim’s gone over to the lodge. What’s the matter, sweetheart? I know there’s something. You don’t sound like yourself.”
“I told you nothing’s wrong. I have news, good news. Why don’t you put me on speaker, and I’ll tell everyone at once,” she said, hoping she’d infused enough excitement into her voice.
“Okay.” Curiosity replaced concern in her mother’s voice.
Please God, just this once, can you help me here? I know I’m lying, well not really, but you know what I mean… As a prayer it probably didn’t amount to much, but it was all she had.
“We’re all here, girl,” her father’s voice boomed in the office as if he were trying to talk to her without the benefit of the phone. “What’s this news you have?” Dad never liked it when people beat around the bush. If you had something to say, then say it.
“I’m getting married.” There. The elephant was in the room for all to see.
“That’s wonderful,” her mother cried.
“Yes!” Molly shrieked in the background. “I get to be bridesmaid, right?”
Olivia laughed. “You do, Maid of Honor, in fact.”
“I knew that young man of yours was the reason for the sparkle in your eye.” Her dad chuckled. “When do we get to meet Craig?”
“It’s Greg, with a “G” like in good,” she said matter-of-factly as if her dad had made the error before. “You’ll meet him the day after tomorrow …”
“I was sure you’d said Craig… They do sound alike, don’t they? Wednesday! You’re coming home again? For good? That’s wonderful. I’ll get the spare room ready…” The members of the family all spoke at once.
“One at a time, please,” Olivia begged, listening to the joy in their voices. Deceiving them this way hurt more than any of her other lies had. “No, I’m not coming home. Greg and I have made arrangements for you all to come to Philadelphia for a couple of days.” Deep silence greeted her announcement, and she wondered briefly if they’d been cut off. “Mom, Dad, did you hear me?”
“We heard you, Livy.” Disappointment filled her mother’s voice. “We’d love to come to Philly for a couple of days, but we can’t. I’m so sorry. Money’s tight this year…” Olivia’s eyes brimmed with tears. She swallowed her guilt. She’d make it up to them one day, but for now, she had a job to do and this was part of it—an ugly part, but a part none the less.
“Yes, you can. It’s all paid for. Robertson Enterprises is sending the company jet to Denver to pick you up Wednesday morning and return you Thursday. You’ll only be away from the resort for one night. I know you have part-timers who can handle that. A really nice lady named Mavis will be calling shortly with all the details.”
“That’s very kind of him…” her father started, and she knew he was about to decline. He never accepted charity.
“Dad, please. This isn’t charity. It’s Mr. Robertson’s wedding present to us. He and Greg are old friends, and they’ve arranged all this. You have to come.” Her voice caught in her throat and she was afraid she was going to cry. “The wedding’s at six on Wednesday. I want you to walk me down the
aisle…”
The last word was a mere whisper as the implication of what would happen Wednesday hit her. Through her tears, she rechecked the note she’d found in the envelope to make sure. The last thing she wanted to do was get the details wrong.
Her mother and father spoke at once firing questions faster than she could answer them. “Why so soon? You can’t get married there. We always expected you’d marry at the lodge. That isn’t long enough. You need at least six months for an engagement. I don’t have anything to wear. Are you pregnant? I’ll kill him.”
Her father’s booming voice could probably be heard on the floors above and below.
“Please listen to me. When Mavis calls, she’ll get all the information she needs about clothes, including your dress and Molly’s. No, Dad. I’m not pregnant.” And never likely to be. “It has to be soon because this is the other part of my surprise. Greg has convinced me to get back up on my skis.”
Her father’s whoop of joy was deafening. “Where, when?” he asked, his mouth tripping over the words in his excitement.
“Ian, let her speak,” her mother urged.
“I’m going to ski again, Dad, but I won’t be competing. I’m going to train a young girl, a distant cousin of Veronica’s, and our first session is at the end of January. Greg and I want to get married so he can come with me. The time apart at Christmas was hard on both of us and we don’t want to wait any longer.” She felt her face heat. How many more lies would she have to tell?
“That’s so romantic…” Molly started only to be cut off by her father’s words.
“Olivia Scarlett Cummings, I’m a proud man, but not too proud to admit to tears. If your young man has convinced you to ski again and has won your heart in the process, then he’s a good man. I knew you’d get back on the slopes one day. What’s his name? I know you said Greg…”
“Greg Stuart.”
“Aye, a good Scottish name. Comes from royalty, you know. Your mum’s bawling her eyes out here, and I think Molly’s on Facebook with the news. She’ll be late for school again, but it’s a grand day. So, tell me, how do you plan to coach this youngster? I know you’ll favor the leg for a while, but there are some new techniques you can learn. I can give you a few pointers…”
Her father, a former ski coach until a stroke had sidelined him ten years ago, seemed more excited about the fact she was skiing again then he was about the wedding. She relaxed. “I won’t be working alone. Yuri Franke has agreed to help me.”
The line was silent. She could hear her mother crying in the background. Was that good or bad?
“Yuri will make a fine coach of you. I’m vera proud of ye.”
He rarely used Scottish these days, and she hadn’t realized how much she missed it. Maybe that was why George Stanton had fascinated her from the beginning. She loved the sound of his voice and the smattering of Gaelic in his books. Wasn’t it every little girl’s dream to marry a man like her daddy?
Emotion clogged her father’s voice as he continued to speak. “I’m sorry you won’t be competing. I know in my heart that gold medal was yours, but you’ll be flying over the snow again as God intended you to, and if it’s meant to be, you’ll race again. If not, I’ll be content you faced your fear and overcame it.”
“Thanks, Dad,” she swallowed, unable to say anything else.
“Here, I think your mother can speak now. Give her the details. We’ll be there on Wednesday with bells on. I’ll be proud to walk you down the aisle, darling. Nothing can keep me away. We’ll have a big party on the mountain come summer. I love you, girl. I have to go.”
“I love you, too, Dad.”
Her mother started to talk and, after five minutes of questions she made up answers to as quickly as she could, Livy said goodbye and hung up. She picked up the receiver once more, called Rachel and told her she’d spoken to her parents. Mavis would handle the details from here.
Olivia stood, shoved the itinerary back into the envelope, and locked it in her desk drawer. She headed back to the elevator. There was still forty minutes before she was to meet Greg—time enough to pick up what she needed from the armory and stop by the gym to beat the crap out of “Herb”, her favorite punching bag. Today, she’d rename him “Greg”, and hope he didn’t punch back.
The elevator doors opened at the basement level where the firm kept its gym, shooting range, armory, and supply store. Olivia walked over to the counter and handed Reg, the armory attendant, a list of the supplies she’d need.
He looked down at the list, whistled, and chuckled.
“Are you going to Afghanistan for your honeymoon? You’ve got enough fire power here to fight off an army.”
She smiled. “You know what they say—a girl can never be too careful. I’m going to get in a quick workout. Can you have this ready in half-an-hour?”
“Sure thing,” Reg answered and turned away.
Olivia hurried down the hall, eager to vent her anger, before running into anyone else.