Annie's Rainbow - Fern Michaels [66]
Parker gulped down four aspirin, showered, shaved, dressed, and was out the door in less than twenty minutes to head for the airstrip where he kept his private plane.
After all this time, Annie had finally returned to the islands. Maybe there was a God after all.
Ninety minutes later, Parker strode into the lobby of the Monarch. At best it was tacky. He frowned. Why in the hell would Annie Clark stay in a dump like this? He found out a moment later when he asked for her room.
“Miss Clark checked out, sir.”
“Do you know where she went? Did she go back to the Whaler?”
“She didn’t say, sir. Perhaps one of the bellboys or the valets can tell you more.”
“Yes, sir, Miss Clark drove off with one of the other guests. I know it was Miss Clark because yesterday she had two big dogs with her. She gave me a ten-dollar tip. The dogs were ferocious, big as little ponies. She was going to the airport with an elderly gentleman and the dogs. That’s all I know, sir.”
“Do you know the name of the other guest?”
“Yes, sir. I do.”
“Well?”
The valet shuffled his feet and waited until Parker handed him a ten-dollar bill. “A honeymoon couple. Stella and Joe Kaminsky,” the boy said, reading from the valet parking chart.
“When they return, will you give them this card and ask them to call me?” Another ten-dollar bill changed hands. With nothing better to do, Parker shoved the car into gear and headed for the coffee plantation. He had a thing or two to say to his sister Kiki.
CHAPTER TEN
“This is really nice of you, Stella. I could have taken a cab, though.”
“It’s the least I could do after you gave me that smashing bag. How come you’re leaving?” Stella said as she put the pedal to the metal. Annie’s neck snapped backward. She was certain she had a whiplash when her body jolted forward.
It had been a long time since she’d talked to a girlfriend. Jane was busy with her own life now, and the few female friends she did have weren’t the kind she wanted to share confidences with. This outgoing young woman with the ditzy hairdo and racy clothes had a kind heart and a warm smile. The same wonderful qualities Jane had.
“A long time ago I met this man. I thought the instant I saw him that he was the man for me. He said in turn that he felt I was his destiny.”
“Wow! Joe never said anything like that to me.”
Annie smiled. “Obviously he didn’t need to. You’re married, aren’t you? You don’t see a ring on my finger, do you?”
“Yeah. He’s sweet. I wish you coulda met him. You’d like him, and he’d like you. He was really bowled over when I showed him that pocketbook you gave me. No one ever gave me anything that elegant.”
“Joe will give you everything he can someday,” Annie said.
“Yeah. He’d give me the moon if he could. You still didn’t tell me what happened with that guy. You know, the real lowdown.”
“At that time I suppose things were different. He said when his parents died they left their estate to him and him alone. Even though he had six sisters. I didn’t think that was right. I still don’t think that’s right. I said so. He said it was the custom here. He didn’t share with his sisters, either.” .
“That’s awful,” Stella said as she barreled through a yellow light.
“I asked him what he would do if we had a son and two daughters and something happened to him or me. I have my own business, so I was a little concerned. He said it would go to the son and then I asked what would happen to my daughters and he didn’t have an answer. So, I told him off and left. That was years and years ago. I still do business with his company though. My brother handles it.”
“Jeez, he sounds like one of those, what do you call them, Neanderthals or something like that?”
“Just out of curiosity, what would you have done, Stella?”
“Same damn thing you did. I’d just like to see Joe pull something like that on me. I don’t have to worry though, neither one of our parents has much, and we’d never fight over it anyway. You still love him, huh?”
“Yes. No. I don’t know.