Chapter 3

3

“He’s a fanatic,” Stasia answered for Tony. “He never misses Monday Night Raw . He’s watched every WrestleMania since the first one. He has all the guys in to watch it with him every year. If there’s a wrestling move, he knows it.”

“Wow,” Odalie said, and her eyes brightened.

Tony was glowering. “I’m not a fanatic,” he told Stasia. “I watch it once in a while. That’s all.”

“Oops,” Stasia said, realizing that he didn’t want that information shared with Odalie. “Sorry.”

He shrugged it off. His eyes went back to Burt Donalson. “I have to talk to Tom,” he said and walked off.

“I would never have figured him for a wrestling fan,” Odalie said as they melted into the crowd in the living room.

“He really is a fanatic, whatever he says,” Stasia chuckled. “He’s got framed autographed photos in his study.”

“I don’t like that Donalson man,” Odalie said shortly.

“No woman likes him, except, apparently, his wife,” Stasia replied. “If things get too hot for you, go sit in the Jungle Room.”

“The what?”

“Let me show you.”

Stasia led her to the very back of the house, to a large ornately carved wooden door. She opened it into South America. At least, that was what it looked like.

“Oh, my goodness,” Odalie exclaimed as words failed her. “It’s just heaven!”

And it was, to a gardener, or even just to a woman who loved flowers. The room was filled with vegetation. Vines, plants, lit tables filled with blooming orchids of every color in the rainbow, tropical plants, even a few potted trees. And in the midst of it, comfortable chairs and even a hanging rope swing.

“I’ve died and gone to heaven,” Odalie murmured as they wandered through it.

“Burt wouldn’t come in here to save his life,” Stasia said.

“Oh? Why?”

“Are you afraid of snakes?” Stasia asked.

“You know I’m not. Why?”

“Because of Rudolf.”

She frowned. “Rudolf?”

Stasia pointed. There, in the exposed very smooth rafters, hung a huge yellow and white snake with red eyes.

“He’s lovely!” Odalie exclaimed. “John used to have one. We’d chase one of the ranch hands with him when we were kids. We got in so much trouble!”

Stasia grinned. “Burt’s afraid of snakes. He doesn’t like Rudolf.”

“Well, I like Rudolf. Hello, you sweet boy!” She reached up and stroked his head. He just looked at her.

“If I tell Tony, he’ll faint,” Stasia laughed. “He can’t get any woman he knows to come in here, not even Mrs. Murdock. He has to hire a firm to come and take care of Rudolf during the week. Even the maids won’t clean the place.”

Odalie shook her head. “Wimps,” she muttered. “And don’t you dare tell Tony,” she added firmly, with a glance. “I don’t share intel with the enemy.”

“Now you sound like my husband,” Stasia remarked, and chuckled.

Odalie just laughed.

Despite her incredible good looks and approachable demeanor, Odalie was shy. She could act when she was in a group, even be the life of the party with family and close friends. But among strangers, she was uncomfortable. Especially in an artsy crowd like this. Her background in art history might have opened doors, but she was too shy to walk up to people she didn’t know and try to butt in on their conversation.

Which was sad, because it made her the perfect target for Burt Donalson, who’d been keeping her under surveillance covertly ever since the guests had arrived.

“And here she is, the belle of the ball,” he said, smiling like a lizard while nursing a highball. “Aren’t you a knockout!”

Odalie turned and looked at him without smiling. Without speaking.

“Oh, don’t go all Roman goddess on me, honey,” he said, displaying perfect white teeth. “I know all the tricks women play.”

Odalie cocked her head and studied him. “You’re married, I believe, Mr. Donalson?” she asked pleasantly.

“So what?” He shrugged. “It’s an open marriage. We do what we please. It’s a great time to be alive. No rules.” He moved a step closer. “Why don’t we go outside and look at the flowers?”

“How would you see them in the dark?” she asked.

“We could light up the night together,” he said suggestively, dropping his gaze to her breasts.

She felt her skin crawl. But it wasn’t politic to insult one of Tony’s guests in Tony’s home.

“I need a refill,” she said, displaying her empty glass, which had held only ginger ale.

“I can fill it for you,” he said. “What is that, Manhattan iced tea?”

“Ginger ale,” she corrected.

“At your age?” he asked, aghast.

“Mr. Donalson, I’m working toward an audition at the Met. I don’t drink. I don’t go out at night when it’s cool because it might damage my throat. I also don’t get involved with men. Ever.”

“Aww, poor Tony,” he said sarcastically. “Does he know?”

She straightened. “I said that I don’t get involved with men, Mr. Donalson,” she repeated and this time in a clipped tone that held no trace of a drawl. “Any men. Married or unmarried. I have a career.”

He let out a snort and looked her up and down insolently. “On second thought, I’d rather pile in bed with a call girl. At least she wouldn’t freeze me to death, honey.”

“Water finds its own level, doesn’t it?” she asked pleasantly.

He stared at her. “Huh?”

“She means,” a dark-haired, dark-eyed girl just out of her teens interjected, “that a call girl’s about your style. Honey,” she drawled, and gave him a look of such distaste that he bristled.

“I must be welcome somewhere in this house,” he muttered, glaring at both women before he turned away and went to the drink table.

“Thanks,” Odalie said gently and with a smile. “I didn’t want to insult one of Mr. Garza’s guests, but that man was so overbearing!”

“He’s a weasel,” the younger woman said, glaring after him. The smile returned. “I’m Connie.”

“I’m Odalie” came the reply.

“Come on over here with us. We’re good at repelling the Donalsons of the world.”

“Shouldn’t you be in there—” Odalie indicated the stuffed living room “—with the arts people?”

“You’re joking, right?” Connie laughed. “We don’t fit with Tony’s uptown friends. We’re the outlaw bunch from Jersey.”

“Oh!” Odalie said, and the smile grew broader. “Big Ben says you’re the best people on earth.”

“Well!” Connie led her to a sofa where a white-haired woman and an older dark-haired woman were sitting. “This is Mama. That’s my sister, Julie.”

“Nice to meet you,” Odalie replied, and perched on the edge of an easy chair. “I’m Odalie. I came with my sister-in-law. She works for Mr. Garza.”

“She means Tony,” Connie chuckled, her dark eyes twinkling as she informed the other two women, who laughed. “Nobody calls him Mr. Garza.”

“Yes, but you’re in a whole other category. You’re his friends. I’m a pest.”

Eyebrows rose.

Odalie colored. “I mean, I get included in stuff because my sister-in-law works for him.” She shrugged. “He doesn’t like me.”

“Why?” Connie asked, aghast.

“I haven’t the faintest idea,” Odalie said.

Connie was looking at the other woman, who was really gorgeous, with a startled expression. “But you’re beautiful! And Tony says you have the voice of an angel when you sing.”

Odalie blushed further. “He does?” she asked, pitifully elated from that one grain of praise she’d never heard from him.

The women were exchanging knowing looks, but they gave nothing away. “Yeah,” Connie added. “He says you want to sing at the Met. That true?”

Odalie nodded. “I’ve worked at it my whole life,” she said. “I’m scared to death to audition, though.”

“Tony loves opera,” the other woman told her. “Our great-great-grandfather sang opera in the old country, in Italy. He was famous. In those days, opera stars were treated like sports stars are today in this country.”

“No wonder he loves opera” was the warm reply from Odalie.

“Did any of your people sing opera?” Connie asked.

“Not opera, no. But my mother was a recording artist before she married my dad,” Odalie said. “She writes songs. The singing group Desperado recorded two of them, and both won Grammys.”

Connie’s lower jaw fell. “Your mother is Heather Everett?”

“Yes!”

“What a small world!” Connie exclaimed and hugged her warmly. “Desperado is my favorite rock group. One of those songs is ‘Moon Sailing.’ I loved it so much that I wrote your mom a fan letter. She even answered it!”

Odalie hugged her back, laughing. “Mom answers every letter she gets. She’s flattered by them.”

“Some talent,” Connie said, the other two nodding.

“She pampers Big Ben when we go down to the ranch,” Odalie said. “She cooks lasagna just for him.”

“He’s a big softy,” the older woman said.

“Yes, he is,” Odalie replied. “He’s really good at his job, too.”

The women stared at her for a minute.

Odalie frowned. “He’s good at taking care of Mr. Garza,” she added.

“Oh!” Connie slapped her forehead. “Sorry, my mind was elsewhere.”

“Are you related to Mr. Garza?” Odalie asked.

“First cousin,” Connie said. “Mama’s mother and his mother were sisters, like me and Julie.”

“What the hell are you doing hiding in here?” Tony thundered from the doorway.

Odalie jumped because she hadn’t heard him coming. The other three women just laughed.

“We were busy saving our future opera star here from that lizard-lipped houseguest of yours,” Connie told him.

Tony’s face tautened. “Why?”

“He was putting the make on her,” Connie said. “She was very much the lady, although she did tell him that water found its own level.” She smiled sweetly.

The other women laughed. Tony didn’t. His black eyes swept to Odalie, searching out any trace of upset. It was well concealed, but it was there. The thought of Donalson even touching her made him wince. He hated having Burt near her. He’d have something to say to the guy about that later, after he’d convinced Tom to turn loose of that Renoir and the other famous paintings he owned. He was having some success even this early into the weekend.

Odalie didn’t know what to say. Tony was glaring at her. She averted her eyes, feeling miserable. Tony had such a low opinion of her. He probably thought she’d encouraged the disgusting man.

His black eyes slid over her exquisite figure in that beautiful dress. She was gorgeous. Any man could be forgiven for trying his luck. But Donalson...!

“If he goes near her again, you come get me,” Tony said curtly. “I’ll settle his hash for him!”

“Oh, no, please, not on my account,” Odalie said at once. “If he’s driving the other man, the one with the paintings, it could cause you to lose them.”

He was surprised at her reply. It bothered him that he liked having her concerned for him. But he couldn’t afford to let it show.

“It won’t,” he said. “I thought you three were headed home tonight.”

“We are,” Connie said. “I don’t want to go, but Mama’s sister is coming. We thought it would be quicker to drive up and get her than to wait for her to try and figure out how to get out of the airport,” she added on a laugh.

Tony smiled. “I know. Tell Aunt Lucia I love her. You could bring her back by here,” he added.

“Sorry. It will be midnight before we get home anyway.”

“Okay. No pressure. But you come back the next time I throw a big party, got that?”

“You bet,” Connie said. “We should leave,” she told the other women, who got up, and all of them hugged Tony.

“Thanks for coming. Even if you barely stayed long enough to warm a sofa cushion,” he added shortly.

“We’ll stay longer next time.” Connie turned to Odalie and hugged her. “You come down to Jersey and see us sometime,” she added. “We got lots of room. It’s a big house. We’ll feed you up,” she added, noting the other woman’s slender figure. “You need some bulking up to sing opera properly,” she chuckled with a wicked smile.

Odalie laughed, too, and hugged Connie again. “Thanks.”

They went out the door and Tony turned to Odalie. “Stasia’s lying down,” he said quietly. “She’s having morning sickness at night. You can come in to the party with us or go see about her.”

She knew which one he was thinking about. “I’ll go see about her,” she said quietly.

He glanced at the empty glass in her hand. “Need a refill?”

“I’ll get it on the way. It’s just ginger ale.”

His black eyes twinkled. “Ginger ale.”

“I can’t drink,” she confessed.

“It’s a bad habit.” He indicated the ice-touched whiskey in his squat crystal glass. “Better not to ever start.”

She nodded.

“If Donalson bothers you again, come get me,” he said.

She felt bubbles in her stomach. She was certain he didn’t mean it the way she was thinking it, but it made her warm all over. “Okay,” she said.

“I mean it.”

“I’ll just stay out of his way,” she said.

“I don’t want him bothering you,” he said. He hesitated. “Stasia would never forgive me.”

That stung, but she just smiled.

He cocked his head, looking down at her. “Connie and her sister have some rough edges,” he began.

She gave him a long look. “So do our cowboys on the ranch, but they’re part of our family and they’re treated that way.”

He smiled, and it was a genuine one. “I keep forgetting that you weren’t city bred.”

“I like people,” she said. “I just...have a hard time mixing with them.”

“Especially this crowd?” he mused, nodding toward the living room. “Just between us, so do I. I’ve got a few rough edges myself.”

“It doesn’t show,” she blurted out.

He searched her eyes until she felt her toes curling. She cleared her throat. “I’d better go see about Stasia,” she said, almost dropping the glass. She glanced up at him. “I like your family,” she added, and moved quickly away.

It was almost funny. He’d kept her away from the Jersey bunch for fear she might insult them, since they weren’t highbrow or used to high society. But she’d been treating them like family when he went looking for her. It made him feel good. And because it did, he crushed those feelings flat. He wasn’t going to even think about why he felt compelled to do it. She was off limits. He intended to keep her that way.

He turned and went back into the living room.

The first person he ran into was Burt Donalson.

“That girl of yours is a real snob, isn’t she?” he asked unpleasantly.

“I don’t have a girl,” Tony said with a stabbing glare. “She’s Stasia’s sister-in-law. And if you want trouble,” he added, lowering his voice to a dangerous rumble, “keep pestering her.”

Donalson felt his blood freeze. He knew Tony. And he knew a threat when he was presented with one. “Well, sure,” he said quickly. “I knew that. She doesn’t mix well, does she?”

“This isn’t her sort of crowd. She sings opera.”

“I see.”

“You’d better,” Tony replied, and he smiled. The smile sent Burt to the drink table for a refill. A big one.

Stasia was drowsy from the medicine she took for morning sickness, but she was cheerful despite that.

“Tony said you were sick,” Odalie said softly and sat down beside her friend. “Can I help?”

“No, sweetheart, it goes with the turf,” she sighed. She grinned. “But pay attention. You may need to know these things one day.”

“Fat chance. I’m going to sing opera, not get married.” She was assured.

“You never know. And the first lesson is that morning sickness very often comes at night!” Stasia laughed.

“Is that in the books?”

“Not that I’ve read so far,” Stasia sighed. “The fatigue and sleepiness are just as distracting. But being pregnant, that’s...” She sighed again and smiled. “That’s awesome!”

Odalie just smiled. “I’ll take your word for it. Want something to drink?”

“Some ginger ale would be lovely,” she said. “Isn’t that what you’ve got?”

Odalie nodded. “I’ll go get you some. Oh, Tony’s family was downstairs,” she added. “They’re really nice.”

Both eyebrows went up. “Well! He’s kept you away every time they’ve come to visit.”

“I noticed,” Odalie said with a sigh. “I guess he thought I’d be snobby. As if!” She rolled her eyes. “Our cowboys are rough and tough, but I’d never be ashamed of any of them. Not even Earl,” she added, shaking her head.

“Earl won’t bathe,” Stasia recalled.

“Not until the boys get tired of holding their noses and throw him into one of the ponds,” she laughed.

“Oh, the rural life. City people don’t know what they’re missing!”

“Tell me about it. I’ll be back as soon as I can. I’m sort of trying to avoid that Donalson man,” she said, making a face as she got to her feet.

“Tell Tony.”

“Tony knows.” She sighed. “But he can’t be everywhere.”

“Stick to the Jersey crowd.”

“I would, but they left to pick up somebody at the airport.”

“Aunt Lucia,” Stasia said knowingly. She laughed. “She’s a card. She can get lost in a store and need directions to find the way out. She’s a character, though. You’d love her. Are they going to bring her by here?”

“They said not. It will be late when they get home.”

Stasia sighed. “That’s because Aunt Lucia feels safer at LaGuardia Airport, because it’s smaller, so they have to drive up from Jersey to get her.” She laughed. “She’s eccentric. Well, maybe I’ll see her next time.”

“I’ll get you that ginger ale,” Odalie said, and went out the door.

Donalson was nowhere in sight when she got downstairs, but another man saw her, and his eyes lit up. He made a beeline for her, where she was refilling her own glass and filling one for Stasia, with crushed ice as well.

“Hello, gorgeous person,” the man said with a long sigh. “How are things in Mount Olympus?”

Odalie stood with wide eyes and the bottle of ginger ale suspended in midair while she stared at the man in stunned surprise.

He wasn’t handsome. His face was too angular. But he was tall and well-built. He had kind dark eyes and a nice smile and nice hands.

“I’m Rudy,” he said. “Who are you?”

“Odalie,” she replied quietly.

“Pretty name,” he remarked and sipped champagne from a flute. “Did you come with somebody?”

“Yes,” she said and didn’t elaborate. She smiled faintly. “And I have to get back. I’m expected.”

“All right, then. Here for the weekend?” he asked hopefully.

“I don’t know.”

“Ah, well. If Mount Olympus reclaims you, I will mourn. Farewell, sweet sprite.”

She blinked. He was laying it on thick. She nodded and turned around. Right into Burt Donalson.

“Hello, stuck-up,” he said with a faint sneer. He glared at the man behind her. “You propping up the drink cart and hunting big game?” he asked sarcastically.

The other man pursed his lips. “What do you think?” he asked, not retreating an inch.

They squared off. Tony saw the building confrontation; the two men were business rivals, and not any business he wanted Odalie to be part of.

He moved into view.

“You two planning a tug-of-war or something?” he asked in a voice that turned them both around smartly.

It reminded Odalie of two young bulls suddenly confronted by an older, bigger one. They retreated.

“Excuse me,” she said, red-faced, and took off with her drinks.

When she was out of sight up the staircase, Tony turned to the two men. “This is a party,” he said in a soft, chilling tone. His black eyes were making threats. “My guests aren’t game to be hunting. That clear?”

“Can’t blame a man for looking,” Rudy said, lifting his glass of champagne in a salute. “She’s a goddess!”

“She’s got her nose so far in the air, she’ll drown in the first rainstorm...” Donalson began.

Tony moved one step closer.

Donalson took a long, slow breath. He cleared his throat. “I see a man I need to talk to,” he said quickly, looking past Tony.

“Then you’d better talk to him. Hadn’t you?” Tony asked.

Donalson nodded and went quickly out of the area.

Rudy chuckled. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen him move that fast.”

“Maybe once, but he had a gun pointed at him at the time,” Tony replied, glaring after the man. “In fact, if I knew where I could find a bullet real quick...”

“Now, now, that isn’t prudent,” Rudy told him. His expression changed. “You’ve got a problem in Jersey,” he said under his breath. “We need to talk.”

Tony’s black eyes narrowed. He nodded. “Let’s go into my study.”

Stasia was overly grateful for the cold drink. But her friend was looking odd. “What happened downstairs?”

Odalie groaned. “I attracted some odd man making weird remarks, and then that Donalson man came up and they squared off. Tony broke it up and I ran for my life.”

“What man?”

“He said his name was Rudy. I didn’t hear the other part.”

“That guy,” Stasia said quietly. “He’s with a group back in New Jersey that I can’t tell you about. He’s a friend of Tony’s. In a bad situation, he’s the sort of man you want backing you up,” she added. “I’ve never seen him back down. He and Tony have been friends for a long time. He used to wrestle professionally. Now he works for Tony.”

“A wrestler?” she exclaimed. “But he hasn’t got muscles as big as cantaloupes...”

“He can press two hundred pounds without even breaking into a sweat,” Stasia laughed. “It isn’t obvious, but he’s very strong.”

“He was nice.”

“How was he weird?”

“He asked about the weather in Mount Olympus,” Odalie replied on a laugh.

Stasia looked at her with warm eyes. “You do look very regal,” she pointed out. “And you’re beautiful, like your mother.”

“Stop that.”

“I mean it. I’m not exaggerating, either.” She sipped more of the fizzy liquid. “This is great for an upset tummy.”

“I thought it might be. I love it, even when I’m not sick.”

“I’m sorry we’re not sharing a room, but Tony had a lot of guests show up and the double rooms went to couples. But at least we’re just down the hall from each other.”

“Please tell me that Donalson man isn’t down the hall,” Odalie groaned.

“Listen, if he gives you any trouble, you go find Tony.”

“I can’t do that,” Odalie said. “Tony’s trying to get those paintings from Donalson’s boss. I can’t interfere with that. The paintings have such a history,” she added.

“Tony wouldn’t care,” Stasia said. “He doesn’t like people preying on each other. Well, not these days, anyway,” she added with a chuckle.

“I’ll just stay out of his way,” she said. “It shouldn’t be that hard!”

But it was. On the way to her room, she saw Donalson come out of a room only two doors down from the one she was supposed to occupy. So instead of going to her room, she darted down the stairs.

Donalson had seen her, and he was coming down as well. She looked around for Tony, but he was nowhere in sight. She didn’t know any of the other guests. Where to go, she agonized. Then she remembered. The Jungle Room!

She turned the corner and opened the door to it just as Donalson approached. But as soon as she went inside, he cursed loudly and went back to the bar.

Odalie felt like a deer in hunting season. She was miserable. If this was just the first day, what were the next two going to be like? She could see herself moving in to the Jungle Room with provisions and a tent and a pith helmet for the duration. She laughed. It was a silly thought.

She walked over to Rudolf, who was now curled up next to a potted tree. She reached down and stroked his big head. “Hello, sweetie,” she said softly, smiling. “I’m so happy to see you. It’s nice to have at least one friend here.”

The hanging rope swing was just a few steps away. She kicked off her shoes, climbed into it and curled up. It had been a long week, and a really long day. She was tired. She closed her eyes, just for a few seconds. And fell asleep.

Tony stopped by Stasia’s room on his way to bed to check on her.

She smiled. “Hi.”

“Your light was on,” he said with a returned smile. “I thought you’d still be awake. Need anything?”

She shook her head. “No, thanks. I’m fine. Odalie brought me some ginger ale and it helped settle my stomach.”

“Where is she?”

“Gone to bed, I think,” she replied.

He frowned. “I just remembered something. Donalson’s room is two doors down from hers.” His jaw set. “He’s moving.” He called Mrs. Murdock on his cell phone and gave her new instructions. He hung up. “It’s a smaller room than the one he’s in,” he said with a cold smile. “And the toilet stopped working today—it will need a plumber. He’ll have to knock on old Morris’s door to use his.”

“Morris is deaf.”

He pursed his lips and his black eyes twinkled. “Exactly.”

She laughed.

“I’ll check on your sister-in-law. Just in case,” he added.

“Thanks. She was really upset, but she didn’t want you to know,” she replied. “She said if she caused trouble, you might lose the opportunity to get that Renoir and its companions.”

His face softened, just a bit. “Nice.”

“She’s not the enemy, Tony,” she added.

He gave her a long look. “That’s what you think. Sleep tight. If you need anything, ring that bell. We’ve got six temporary maids working in round-the-clock shifts. Nobody will lack anything, even at two in the morning.”

“Nice to know. Maybe Donalson won’t be able to harass Odalie.”

“I can guarantee he won’t,” Tony said. “Not on my turf. Night.”

“Good night.”

He went down the hall to Odalie’s room. The light was still on. He frowned and knocked on the door. There was no answer. He knocked again and opened the door. The bed was still made, her suitcase hadn’t been opened where it had been placed on its stand. Nothing was disturbed, and the bathroom door was open. She wasn’t in there.

Scowling, he closed the door as footsteps sounded behind him. He turned at once, his senses honed from years of living in dangerous circumstances.

Donalson came down the hall. “Looking for Goldilocks, huh? Well, you won’t find her there. You may not find her,” he added cheerfully. “She went into the room with that snake. Maybe he’ll eat her,” he added with malice.

As he was speaking, Mrs. Murdock came down the hall with the wife of one of the guests.

“Tony, I hear we’re moving. How kind of you!” she said, smiling at him.

“Yes, into this room.” Tony indicated it.

“Hey, that’s my room,” Donalson said belligerently.

“I’m sure you won’t mind switching with the Mannings, Burt,” Tony said easily. “They’re cramped into a twin bed and he’s eaten up with arthritis, something we overlooked when we made room assignments.”

“It’s so sweet of you to do this, Mr. Donalson,” Mrs. Manning said with a gentle smile. “Old age has its drawbacks.”

Now caught between Tony’s malicious smile and Mrs. Manning’s genuine one, Donalson gave in. “Sure,” he told the woman. “No problem. No problem at all.” He’d think of some way to get to that blonde filly, he told himself, Tony or no Tony. He wanted payback. No woman was going to get away with snubbing him!

“I’ll help you pack, Mr. Donalson,” Mrs. Murdock said with a smile. “Glad to help.”

Both of them went into the room. Tony turned on his heel and went down the staircase. If Odalie saw Rudolf, she might be on the floor passed out, or worse...