eyes met mine again. I felt slightly breathless under their solemn regard. He said, “She died in a mental hospital of complications that arose when the staff tried to restrain her. The whole thing was hushed up.”
Not sure how to respond, I took a sip from my Sparkling Cyanide. The color of my martini was very close to the shade of Jazz’s eyes.
“There have been all kinds of rumors over the years. My grandmother even thinks my mother was deliberately murdered.”
“Murdered?” Disbelief rang in my voice. “At the sanitarium?”
“So, Nana believes. She says my mother was one of the meekest women on earth. Not a resistant bone in her body. Having to restrain her doesn’t fit.”
“Drugs can make people act like maniacs, sometimes.”
Jazz inclined his head. “Nana believes there’s more to that story, though frankly, I’m not so sure. But that’s all past history. What matters now is Nana. Will you meet her? Just get an overall impression? That’s all I’m looking for,” he said, his gaze turning toward the lake. A sleek, black-and-white Master Craft pulled up to the dock outside Foster’s patio.
I didn’t talk about the cost. I didn’t mention that I was barely an apprentice. I didn’t say anything to jeopardize the moment. Under Jasper Purcell’s spell I could only give one answer: “Yes.”
That brought a brilliant smile to his lips. He gave me his full attention again and clasped my hands between his own. My knuckles tingled. “Thank you,” he said, his gaze so warm my internal temperature shot skyward. Whew. I was going to have to order another drink…and pour it over my head to cool off.
Marry in haste, repent in leisure. One of my mother’s favorite axioms slipped across my mind. So, okay, I wasn’t marrying the guy. It wasn’t like he was even interested. But I sure ended up with a lot of time wishing I hadn’t been so hasty.
Every time I say “yes” it gets me in a shitload of trouble.
Chapter Two
“So, how’d it go?” Dwayne drawled.
I’d stopped by his cabana to pick up my cell phone, which I’d left charging merrily away on one of his end tables. I’d really hoped to avoid a tête-à-tête with him because I wanted to absorb and process my meeting with Jazz. But Dwayne stood in his living room, an unbuttoned white shirt over his tanned chest, hands on his hips, in jeans and bare feet. He looked solid and interested. Fobbing him off wasn’t going to be easy.
“Have you met Jazz Purcell?” I asked.
“Seen him. Haven’t spoken to him.”
I hesitated. “I know you’re a guy and all, and this’ll be hard for you, but did you think he was…really attractive?”
Dwayne heaved a sigh. “They’re all crazy, Jane. No matter how good they look. You got it right the first time.” He gestured toward the printer table where my Purcell history document lay in an untidy heap. I snatched it up along with my cell phone and charger. My laptop was already in the Volvo. “Mentally unstable, to a one.”
“Can you change my cell phone to vibrate? It’s got this whiny ring I can’t stand.”
“You won’t hear it on vibrate.”
“I plan to carry it in my pocket.”
Dwayne took my phone and made some lightning adjustments. It was easier than reading the manual or trying to fight my way through the phone menus.
“Is Camellia as gorgeous as Jazz?” I persisted as he finished, handing the phone back to me.
Dwayne’s smile was knowing, sliding across his face to a wide grin.
“What?”
“He got to you, didn’t he?”
“I’m just asking,” I said, slightly annoyed.
“You like him.”
“Not that way.”
“Yeah, you do.”
I detest it when Dwayne—or any man, for that matter—attempts to tell me what I feel. “The man’s physically attractive. You can’t miss it.”
“Woke you up?”
I gritted my teeth. He was loving this, I could tell. And Dwayne knows better than anyone that I’m emotionally rocky on the whole man/woman thing right now. I’d made the mistake of trying to rekindle a past relationship and it ended badly. I’m still feeling raw about it all and whenever my mind touches on memories—which it does a lot—a sense of sorrow fills me that I can’t rationally shake myself out of. “What does Cammie look like?”
He had the sense to let it go. “Not as good looking by half. But I’d say those looks come from the Purcell side. Some of ’em are knockouts; even the ones in their fifties. For what that’s worth,” he added with a snort. “They’re scary-nutty, Jane.”
“Jazz seemed okay.”
“Watch him. They’re smart.” He shook himself all over as if he had the heebie-jeebies. “They give a new spin to weird.”
“You’re talking about Cammie, specifically? Clue me in. What did she do?”
“Darlin’…give me a week.”
“Come on, Dwayne.”
He ran a hand through his light brown, sun-streaked hair. “The woman’s unstable as nitroglycerin. Flashpoint anger. Comes out of nowhere. When I showed her pictures of her cheatin’ husband’s other family, she goes all white. Her lips just turn gray. I thought she was going to faint for a minute, so I moved closer, in case I needed to catch her. Suddenly she grabs me. I mean claws my arm. Jesus. I had to peel her off.”
“The picture of the flower kids—Jasmine and Blossom?”
“You got it. Cammie just went into this zone. Closed her eyes. I swear the woman did not breathe. And I mean a long time passed. Minutes. Then she opens her eyes, gazes at me with that really crazy look…you know the one. Something about it’s just not right. And she says, ‘Okay, thanks. That’s all I need.’” His gaze flicked to the report I held. “Keep that. Good to know what that family history is. Especially since you’re planning to get involved.”
“Overall, it doesn’t sound that crazy. All families have something.” I’d met Dwayne’s sister and niece and their relationship was dysfunctional enough to make me give them a wide berth. “The Purcells might have a little more strangeness than some. Money’ll do that.”
“I got a bad feeling about all of them.”
“You want me to make decisions based on your feelings?”
“Damn straight. Trusting my own instincts is what’s saved me a time or two. Pay attention to your own instincts, Jane. What are they telling you about this Jazz Purcell?”
“I
