Read Online The Mysterious Stranger (Triple Trouble) by Susan Mallery - Free Book Online
Authors: Susan Mallery
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assume from the conversation we had last night that you’re not married,” she said.
A raised eyebrow was his only response.
“I’ll take that as a no. Too bad. A wife would have made things easier for Anna Jane.”
“What about you?” he asked. “Any husbands lurking in the background?”
“No.” Certainty made her speak without thinking. She rosé to her feet. “No. I’m not married.”
“What makes you so sure?”
She paced to the window, then turned back to him. “I know I’m not married. I mean, I know it. This is information about my life. Ask me another question. About anything.”
“Any foreign languages?”
A part of her was surprised he was willing to play along. A part of her responded with the correct information. “Spanish, but not well.”
“Did you go to college?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
She searched her mind. “I don’t know.”
“Are you an only child?”
“No.”
“Brothers and sisters?”
Again, the frustrating grayness of a memory that wouldn’t cooperate. “Maybe. Yes.” She shook her head. “I don’t know.”
“Are your parents alive?”
A sharp pain cut through her chest. She caught her breath. What did that mean? Pain at their passing, or pain for a separation caused by misunderstandings? “I don’t know.”
He tried a couple more questions before she stopped him.
“It’s gone,” she said. “Whatever I was in touch with is gone.” She faced the window and clutched the sill. “I just want myself back. Why is that so difficult?”
Jarrett didn’t answer. Actually, Ariel hadn’t expected him to. After all, he thought this was all some kind of performance on her part. Frustration filled her.
“I’m not kidding,” she went on, focusing on the incredible view of beach and sapphire blue ocean. “I know you don’t believe me, but it’s true. It’s horrible, this feeling of being out in space without an anchor. I could be anyone. It’s terrifying. What if I don’t like who I am?” She laughed without humor. “Don’t answer that one. I already know your opinion of me.”
He didn’t say anything and she thought he might have left the room. Then the skin on the back of her neck prickled and she knew he was still there, still watching her. No doubt thinking that she deserved an award for her acting ability. Damn the man.
“I’d better go downstairs and wait for your driver,” she said, moving to the dresser where she’d left her shorts and bathing suit. They were the only clothes she’d been wearing the previous day. Anything else she’d had with her had been washed out to sea.
“What are you going to do at the hotel?”
She looked at him, trying to read something into the question. “Are you reminding me I have no identification and no credit cards?”
“Of course not. A room will be provided for you until you figure things out. I meant what will you do with your time?”
“I don’t know.” She hadn’t thought that far in advance. “Walk around and talk to guests, I suppose. Don’t worry, I won’t make trouble or be intrusive.”
“I never thought you would be.”
“Yeah, right. Does it matter what I do? I’ll be out of your life, and that’s the most important part.”
“You’re right about Anna Jane,” he said. “I know she’s a lonely child. I’m not sure what to do about it.”
“Children aren’t that complicated. Spend some time with her. Love her. It’s a pretty simple formula.”
“Business keeps me busy.”
“As it’s Christmas, I’ll quote Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol. ‘Mankind is our business.’ You might want to remember that, just in case you’re due to be visited by three ghosts.”
Jarrett Wilkenson actually smiled. The corners of his lips turned up and he flashed white teeth. Ariel staggered a step before she reclaimed her balance.
“Are you comparing me to Scrooge?” he asked.
“Yes.”
She headed for the door.
“Ariel, I’d like to ask you something.”
Oh,
A raised eyebrow was his only response.
“I’ll take that as a no. Too bad. A wife would have made things easier for Anna Jane.”
“What about you?” he asked. “Any husbands lurking in the background?”
“No.” Certainty made her speak without thinking. She rosé to her feet. “No. I’m not married.”
“What makes you so sure?”
She paced to the window, then turned back to him. “I know I’m not married. I mean, I know it. This is information about my life. Ask me another question. About anything.”
“Any foreign languages?”
A part of her was surprised he was willing to play along. A part of her responded with the correct information. “Spanish, but not well.”
“Did you go to college?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
She searched her mind. “I don’t know.”
“Are you an only child?”
“No.”
“Brothers and sisters?”
Again, the frustrating grayness of a memory that wouldn’t cooperate. “Maybe. Yes.” She shook her head. “I don’t know.”
“Are your parents alive?”
A sharp pain cut through her chest. She caught her breath. What did that mean? Pain at their passing, or pain for a separation caused by misunderstandings? “I don’t know.”
He tried a couple more questions before she stopped him.
“It’s gone,” she said. “Whatever I was in touch with is gone.” She faced the window and clutched the sill. “I just want myself back. Why is that so difficult?”
Jarrett didn’t answer. Actually, Ariel hadn’t expected him to. After all, he thought this was all some kind of performance on her part. Frustration filled her.
“I’m not kidding,” she went on, focusing on the incredible view of beach and sapphire blue ocean. “I know you don’t believe me, but it’s true. It’s horrible, this feeling of being out in space without an anchor. I could be anyone. It’s terrifying. What if I don’t like who I am?” She laughed without humor. “Don’t answer that one. I already know your opinion of me.”
He didn’t say anything and she thought he might have left the room. Then the skin on the back of her neck prickled and she knew he was still there, still watching her. No doubt thinking that she deserved an award for her acting ability. Damn the man.
“I’d better go downstairs and wait for your driver,” she said, moving to the dresser where she’d left her shorts and bathing suit. They were the only clothes she’d been wearing the previous day. Anything else she’d had with her had been washed out to sea.
“What are you going to do at the hotel?”
She looked at him, trying to read something into the question. “Are you reminding me I have no identification and no credit cards?”
“Of course not. A room will be provided for you until you figure things out. I meant what will you do with your time?”
“I don’t know.” She hadn’t thought that far in advance. “Walk around and talk to guests, I suppose. Don’t worry, I won’t make trouble or be intrusive.”
“I never thought you would be.”
“Yeah, right. Does it matter what I do? I’ll be out of your life, and that’s the most important part.”
“You’re right about Anna Jane,” he said. “I know she’s a lonely child. I’m not sure what to do about it.”
“Children aren’t that complicated. Spend some time with her. Love her. It’s a pretty simple formula.”
“Business keeps me busy.”
“As it’s Christmas, I’ll quote Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol. ‘Mankind is our business.’ You might want to remember that, just in case you’re due to be visited by three ghosts.”
Jarrett Wilkenson actually smiled. The corners of his lips turned up and he flashed white teeth. Ariel staggered a step before she reclaimed her balance.
“Are you comparing me to Scrooge?” he asked.
“Yes.”
She headed for the door.
“Ariel, I’d like to ask you something.”
Oh,
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