Twist of Fate Read online

  Hannah reached under the seat for her leather shoulder bag. “I was just going to take some myself.”

  They got more coffee from the flight attendant and used it to down the aspirins in a surprisingly companionable silence. When the small ritual was finished, Hannah leaned back in her seat and tapped one finger thoughtfully on the armrest.

  “I have got a bit more motivation than one night’s embarrassment, you know.”

  Gideon watched her profile. “Something to do with this Dr. Armitage reminding you of what you aren’t?”

  Hannah nodded. “It struck me this morning while I was brushing my teeth that it would be very pleasant to throw it all back in her face. Usually I don’t let people, especially academic types, get to me like this.”

  “I don’t think this is a good time to start.”

  “There’s something different about Vicky.”

  “Forget her, Hannah.”

  Hannah raised her eyebrows. “You’re handing out advice now?”

  “Why not? I don’t feel up to much else this morning. At least you’ve got a choice. If you don’t act, nothing significant will change for you. Life will go on as it was before Vicky Armitage arrived on the scene. You said, yourself, that she was only a visiting professor. That means she’ll be leaving Seattle in a few months, right?”

  “Well, yes, but…”

  “You’re lucky. You can avoid her until then.”

  Abruptly Hannah realized where this was going. “Unlike your situation with Ballantine?”

  Gideon’s mouth twisted faintly. “This vacation to Santa Inez is only a small delaying tactic. I can’t hide forever and hope he’ll go away. Sooner or later I’ll have to deal with him.”

  “And if you don’t?”

  “He’ll destroy Cage & Associates.”

  Hannah heard the finality in the words and shivered a little. “You’re sure?”

  “Absolutely sure. It’s what I would do in his place. What I did to his father. When I get back from Santa Inez I’ll have to start fighting for my corporate life.”

  “You’ve built an entire career on revenge. It’s incredible when you think of it.”

  “I try not to.”

  Hannah thought for a moment, playing with the puzzle that was Gideon Cage. “There was more to it than just the fact that Ballantine left you holding the bag nine years ago, wasn’t there?”

  “You don’t think that was sufficient reason for crushing him?”

  “I don’t know. It might have been. It’s just that I get the feeling there was more.”

  Gideon eyed her warily. “More what?”

  “How close were you and Cyrus Ballantine?”

  “He was my business partner.”

  “And also your mentor?” Hannah guessed. “They say a mentor is important in the corporate world.”

  Gideon shrugged. “I suppose you could say he was. He taught me most of what I know. The man was brilliant. I…” Gideon hesitated. “I respected him. Trusted him,” he finished carefully.

  “He was a father figure,” Hannah announced.

  “Jesus Christ, lady, do you have to analyze everything to death?”

  “Sorry. Force of habit.”

  “You’re supposed to be on vacation,” Gideon muttered. There was a pause and then he said, “I never knew my real father. Disappeared before I was born.”

  “Where did you grow up?”

  “On the streets of L.A. Quite an education.”

  “I can imagine,” Hannah said, mentally plugging in another piece of the puzzle. “You’re lucky you didn’t wind up in jail.”

  “Not lucky. Smart.”

  Hannah hid a smile. “Is that your ego talking or is it the truth?”

  “Who knows?” Gideon’s mouth relaxed slightly. “A little of both probably. I did manage to stay out of jail and it wasn’t because I was leading such a clean life.”

  “When did you discover your aptitude for business?”

  “When I discovered you could sell a set of hubcaps back to the rightful owner without getting arrested for stealing them in the first place if you exercised due caution.”

  “Tricky. I take it you progressed from there?”

  “I like to think so. Now I only steal companies. And it’s all quite legal.”

  “When did you meet Cyrus Ballantine?”

  Gideon looked at her. “Are you really interested in this?”

  “Unfortunately, yes.” It was the truth and Hannah rather wished it wasn’t. She didn’t particularly want to be interested in Gideon Cage.

  “I got involved with Cyrus in my senior year in high school. The school had a work-study program that aimed at putting us so-called disadvantaged types into the business world for a while to give us a taste of legal employment. Ballantine got some sort of tax break for volunteering his firm. I took one look at Cyrus Ballantine’s Mercedes and his five-hundred-dollar suit and I knew the corporate world was the racket for me. I dug in and went to work. Did anything and everything from fetching coffee to filing correspondence. I paid a hell of a lot of attention to everything Ballantine did. Tried to dress like him, eat like him, talk to people the way he did. Somewhere along the line, Ballantine noticed.”

  “And saw something he liked?”

  “Saw something he could use,” Gideon corrected harshly. “It was a fair swap for a while. He got my absolute loyalty and twenty-four hours a day out of me whenever he wanted it. In return I got a couple of years of college and an on-the-job education that was second to none. Cyrus taught me everything: how to buy a suit, how to entertain clients, how to manipulate people without letting them know what was happening, how to stay within the law while taking just about anything you wanted.”

  “And then he pulled one last maneuver and left you standing in a pile of manure.”

  “That’s an accurate way to put it,” Gideon agreed. “And the beauty of it was that I never even saw it coming.”

  Hannah felt an almost overwhelming urge to reach out and touch Gideon’s big hand as it curled beside her on the armrest. Firmly she resisted the impulse. This man knew all about maneuvering and manipulating. She would be a fool to think he might not be herding her along right now in the direction he wanted her to go. The only thing she didn’t understand was why he was bothering in the first place.

  “So you’re taking a vacation while you wonder how you’re going to deal with Ballantine’s son.”

  “I haven’t had a vacation in nine years.”

  “What about those trips to Vegas?”

  “Vegas doesn’t count,” he told her. “I can see that now.”

  “I won’t go to bed with you for the novelty of it, you know,” Hannah said quite conversationally. Inside her stomach was tightening.

  Gideon looked at her. “If you go to bed with me, it won’t be a novelty. It will be important.”

  Hannah wished devoutly that she’d kept her mouth shut. Because now she knew for certain. Those gold-flecked eyes had been gleaming behind his dark lashes, and there was a quiet awareness in him that Gideon wasn’t troubling to conceal. The outlines of the puzzle altered again as a new piece was added. Hannah wasn’t sure she understood the additional information, but she felt its impact deep in her body.

  THE SWIFT CARIBBEAN TWILIGHT was darkening into night when the jet touched down on Santa Inez’s single runway. During the past hundred miles the island had grown from a hazy green dot in the ocean to a painter’s paradise of palms and sandy beaches. The lights of the tiny terminal blazed with welcome as Hannah and Gideon stepped out into the muggy tropical warmth.

  “I’ve only been here five minutes and I feel like I need a shower already.” Hannah headed for the car-rental agency at the back of the terminal.

  “We’ll acclimate,” Gideon assured her. “Aren’t you going to grab a cab?”

  “I want my own transportation. I’m going to rent one of those cute little jeeps with the fringe on top.” She pointed to a row of frivolous pink jeeps. “There�
��s probably an unlimited number of cabs waiting outside,” she added helpfully.

  “That’s all right. I’ll share the jeep.”

  “Are you going to call a hotel?”

  “Not just yet. I’ll see you out to your aunt’s place, first.”

  Hannah didn’t bother to argue. She knew there was no point. Fifteen minutes later, Gideon shoved the keys into the jeep’s ignition as Hannah climbed in beside him.

  “Did you have to order one with pink fringe?” He backed the small vehicle out of its slot and found the narrow, palm-lined road that ringed the island.

  “Don’t worry, everyone will think you’re a tourist.”

  “That’s not what’s bothering me. I am a tourist. I’m more worried that everyone will think I’m an idiot.”

  “Stop complaining about the pink fringe. Look, Gideon, isn’t it beautiful?” Hannah inhaled deeply as the jeep swung around a corner to reveal a charming cove. Ahead of them the fading light revealed a perfect islandscape. A curving white beach met the froth of a gentle sea in an inviting scene that could have come straight out of an ad. All it lacked was an entwined couple strolling along at the water’s edge. The warm evening breeze was scented with the sea. “I think I’m beginning to relax already.”

  “I’m glad you are,” Gideon growled, jerking the jeep to the far side of the road as a dilapidated taxi came whizzing toward them. The car was straying dangerously over a very old white line that could barely be seen. The driver waved cheerfully and honked before disappearing into the darkness behind them.

  Hannah’s sense of relaxation vanished in an instant. She reached out to grip the edge of the windshield and took several deep breaths.

  “Hey,” Gideon said softly, “take it easy.”

  “I still get a little tense in a car. I’ve been doing quite well lately, but…”

  “I can imagine how it feels.” He eased his foot off the gas pedal, letting the jeep slow appreciably. Then he threw her a quick grin. “You’re supposed to be navigating. Get to work.”

  “You’re going to have to try to remember that I’m not one of your employees, Gideon.” But Hannah pulled the small map out of her purse and leaned forward to study it in the light of the dash. She wouldn’t admit it for the world but the small assignment did serve to distract her from the road, which was becoming increasingly twisty. Hannah didn’t like the way it was rising above the sea, either. She didn’t like roads that ran along the edge of cliffs, scenic though they might be. “My aunt’s cottage is at the other end of the island. We’ll have to go through town and then start watching for landmarks. You can keep an eye out for a hotel. If we pass one we can stop. You can run in and register.”

  “I’ll worry about it later.” Gideon’s full attention was on his driving as they approached the small port town.

  The conglomeration of colonial Spanish and Dutch style buildings was named after the island itself and reflected its varied past. Hannah delighted in the dusty pink-and-white architecture. To her right the intimate little harbour protected a collection of boats that consisted of everything from gleaming white yachts to rusty charter boats. On the single main street traffic inexplicably slowed to a crawl. People on the sidewalk called out to their friends in passing cars. Colorfully dressed tourists mixed with the equally colorful locals, meandering out of the shops that were closing for the day. The open-air bars were beginning to fill as darkness settled.

  “I should pick up some food,” Hannah said thoughtfully. “That looks like a small grocery store up ahead. Let’s stop.”

  Gideon obeyed, swinging the little jeep into a convenient opening between two taxis. “I’ll wait here while you go inside.”

  Hannah glanced up as she clambered out of the vehicle with her cane. “Don’t you want to come in with me?”

  “I’d rather keep track of the luggage. There’s no place to lock it up in this thing.”

  “Oh. Good point.” She glanced at the back seat of the completely open jeep. “I didn’t think about that when I rented it.”

  “I know. You were too taken with pink fringe.” He draped one arm over the steering wheel and smiled at her. “Run along, Hannah.”

  “Don’t let anyone take the hubcaps, either.”

  There was a distinct pause and then Gideon said gently, “I’ll keep an eye on them.”

  “It would be embarrassing to have to buy them back from the guy who took them.”

  “Do all guidance counselors have this perverted sense of humor?”

  “Probably. See you in a few minutes.”

  She turned toward the small grocery store, feeling inexplicably lighthearted. Through the louvered door she could see an array of familiar looking potato chip packages and soft drink labels. Once inside she found an assortment of canned goods, although there was virtually nothing in the way of fresh vegetables. She picked up a carton of milk, some cereal, bread, and tuna fish. Adding a few other items, she made her way to the check-out stand where the clerk was chatting with a girlfriend in the soft island patois. He glanced up as Hannah approached and shifted into heavily accented English.

  It wasn’t until Hannah emerged from the shop juggling her sack of groceries and her cane that she allowed herself to admit she had picked up enough supplies for two people. Gideon said nothing as he put the jeep in gear and edged back out onto the crowded street.

  Elizabeth Nord’s beachfront home was a graceful, old-fashioned cottage, complete with an encircling veranda. The wooden structure had been painted white, and it sat amid a grove of palms. Lush banks of exotic greenery sprinkled with oversize flowers grew in a freewheeling riot of color around the house. The jeep’s headlights picked up only a hint of this wealth of plant life as Gideon parked the vehicle in the circular drive. Hannah could hear the soft noise of the surf in the distance as she opened her purse to search for the cottage keys.

  She said nothing when Gideon picked up both flight bags as well as the sack of groceries and followed her up the veranda steps. When she unlocked the graceful double doors, found the wall switch and turned the light on, the living room, which ran along the whole front of the house, was revealed. She smiled with pleasure.

  “This,” she announced, “is the way my apartment is supposed to look.”

  “The real thing.” Gideon set down the bags and walked around the room, opening windows. The trapped, musty air soon began to dissipate. When Hannah switched on the overhead ceiling fan the atmosphere improved even more quickly.

  White lacquered rattan furniture with exotically patterned cotton cushions were right at home in a tropical beach cottage. Bleached board floors and an expanse of windows had a cooling effect that was visual as well as physical. Between the windows, floor-to-ceiling bookcases were filled with journals, notebooks, and a lifetime’s collection of heavy volumes. A huge, carved teak desk stood in front of one of the front windows, commanding a view of the sea.

  Gideon uncranked the last of the louvered windows and halted beside a small teak cabinet. A tray of dusty glasses sat on the top. When he leaned down to open the door a variety of bottles glinted in the light. Gideon unhesitatingly reached inside to select one.

  “Your aunt had good taste in Scotch.”

  “I’m glad you approve.”

  Hannah found herself trailing along behind Gideon as he carried the glassware and the Scotch into a surprisingly well-equipped kitchen. She watched as he rinsed the glasses in the sink and then proceeded to pour a healthy measure of Scotch into each. Her stomach was tightening again.

  “To a real vacation.” Gideon gravely handed Hannah a glass. His eyes held hers as she obediently raised the Scotch to her lips and tasted its mellowed bite.

  “I didn’t see a phone,” Hannah heard herself say carefully.

  “No.”

  “It’s going to be tough to start dialing local hotels without a phone.”

  “Yes.”

  He stepped past her, crossing the living room to move out onto the veranda. Slowly Hannah f
ollowed, aware of standing on the brink of a very wide, very deep chasm.

  Gideon’s back was to her as he leaned against the railing and stared out to sea. Hannah realized just how powerful swimming had made his shoulders. She watched the smooth muscles bunch slightly beneath the fabric of his shirt as Gideon picked up the glass he had set on the railing and took another swallow.

  “It’s very different, isn’t it?” Hannah ventured, feeling her way so cautiously she might have been trying to walk on hot coals. “It’s not Tucson and it’s not Seattle.”

  “Neutral territory.”

  “Is it?”

  “I’d like to stay here with you, Hannah.”

  She took another sip of Scotch, hoping it would unknot her stomach. But all she felt was the fire. If she ever went to bed with this man, it wouldn’t be a novelty. It would be important. Crucially important.

  “Yes,” she said and decided not to think about all that she might be saying yes to with the single word.

  Gideon swung around and smiled slightly. “Why don’t we go for a swim?”

  CHAPTER FIVE

  THE SEA WAS PERFECT. The frosting effect of the fat tropical moon on the soft waves created an illusion of alien reality. The warmth of the water was incredible to someone accustomed to the year-round bone-chilling cold of Puget Sound. Hannah stood at the edge of the light, foaming surf and wondered how she could be so far away, both physically and mentally from Seattle.

  “What are you thinking?” Gideon came up behind her, dropping his towel onto the beach. He had changed into the snug, sleek swimming trunks he had been wearing the day Hannah had met him in Las Vegas. His dark hair was silvered faintly by the moonlight and in the scented shadows his strong, lean body seemed larger, more overpowering than she had remembered. Gideon, too, seemed strangely alien. But in his alienness there was an indefinable lure, a promise of excitement and wonder.

  “Just that you were right. Perhaps this is neutral territory. It certainly is different. There’s something about islands that has always appealed to me. They’re fantasy worlds. I think my aunt felt that way, too. She always lived on islands when she wasn’t teaching in the States. For a long time she made her home in the South Pacific and later, after she retired, here on Santa Inez.” Hannah looked away from him, seeking the indistinguishable line where sea met night sky. “We could be all alone here.”