Magnificent Folly - Iris Johansen [2]
“Oh, Mom, he’s not one of those creeps you told me about who tries to give candy to kids.” Cassie’s tone was impatient. “He’s okay.”
“You can’t be sure. It’s always better to be careful.”
“I’m sure.” Cassie frowned. “He … likes me.”
“For heaven’s sake, Cassie. You just said he’s never even spoken to you. How can you know that?”
Cassie’s jaw was set stubbornly. “He likes me.”
Lily knew she would get no further in trying to influence Cassie when her daughter’s characteristic obstinacy was in full bloom. She would have to drop the subject and approach it later from another angle. She smiled. “What’s not to like?”
A little of Cassie’s belligerence eased. “He’s not a creep.”
“If you say so.”
They walked in silence for a few moments, and they were climbing the steps when Cassie spoke again. “Andrew.”
Lily glanced at her inquiringly.
“You asked if I knew who he was. His name is Andrew.”
“How do you know?”
Cassie frowned in puzzlement. “I’m not sure.” Then her expression cleared. “I must have heard someone call his name sometime. Right?”
Lily nodded slowly. “That seems reasonable.”
But it was the middle of September, and this section of the beach was nearly deserted. Lily had never seen anyone else on the cliff. No one at all. She shivered as she threw open the door. “Shower,” she said as she gave Cassie a gentle nudge toward her room. “Then put on your pajamas and robe while I make supper. Fifteen minutes.”
Cassie nodded, and a minute later the door of her room slammed behind her.
Was he still there? Lily turned slowly and looked out over the rock-strewn dunes toward the cliff. Darkness had almost entirely enveloped the sky, but she could still discern the shadowy figure on the cliff. There was no sunset to enjoy any longer, so why the hell didn’t he go home?
As if in answer to her question, the man rose to his feet. He stood quite still for a moment, a slim, powerful figure staring down into the darkness. Then he turned and walked away.
Lily breathed a sigh of relief before tension gripped her again. Now that he was no longer in sight he could be doing anything, going anywhere. He could even be coming down the cliff path toward the beach … and their cottage.
Lily slammed the door and shot the lock and then immediately felt foolish. She was being incredibly stupid. The man was probably a bespectacled accountant renting one of the cottages down the beach; perhaps he climbed the cliff every evening to watch the sunset and to get away from his wife and kids. Togetherness could be overpowering in these postage-stamp-size cottages. Yes, it was only her imagination that was inflating that solitary shadow into a figure of power and mystery.
She turned and walked briskly toward the kitchen. The unknown was always frightening. The next evening she would march up the cliff path and introduce herself to the man. If he proved a decent sort, perhaps she’d invite him to the cottage for a cup of coffee. If he was some kind of weirdo she would handle that, too, even if it meant pushing the creep off the damn cliff.
Lily smiled with satisfaction as she opened the refrigerator door and began to riffle through the vegetable crisper for lettuce and tomatoes. Eliminate the mystery and any situation could usually be handled, and some of the mystery surrounding the man on the cliff was already beginning to be dispersed. The shadow had a name.
Andrew.
“Mom, it’s Professor Kozeal on the phone,” Cassie called from outside the frosted-glass shower enclosure. “Shall I tell her to call you back?”
Lily grimaced. She had expected Mara Kozeal to track them down, but she’d hoped it would take longer than a week. “No, talk to her for a minute. I’ll be right out.”
“I was afraid you’d say that,” Cassie muttered, her shadow fading away from the shower door. “She won’t like it. She’ll yell at me, you know.”
“She never yells at you. She’ll just ask questions.”
“Same difference.” Cassie closed the door of the bathroom behind her.
Lily smiled ruefully as she turned off the spray, slid back