The Secret Daughter

Tanya pretended to stick a finger down her throat and gag, but Megan kissed her doll and nodded, making her own curls dance.

“Emmylou, it’s time for us to go eat,” she said, darting off ahead of Tanya.

Noelani buried her hands in her shorts pockets and watched them disappear down the stairs.

“That was a nice thing you did for Megan. First real smile I’ve seen outta her.”

Noelani whirled and saw Adam standing quietly a few feet away, his fingers tucked loosely under his leather belt.

“Must you always sneak up on me?” she demanded. “Where on earth did you come from? We’ve been standing right next to the stairs.”

“I came up the back steps. I had to check something for Jackson in his office. He phoned the kitchen wanting you, actually. I transferred him to the library, but you didn’t answer. Now I see why. He’ll be pleased, you know. He worries a lot about his kid. Cut Tanya some slack, though. She watches Megan okay. It’s just that Auntie E is always harping at her, and those two clash. Tossing the doll was probably Esme’s doing. I suspect she was trying to erase Megan’s background.”

“That child’s hurting. Jackson should put his foot down. By the way, what did he want me for?”

“Oh, here.” Adam took a folded message from his pocket. “He ran into Nick downtown. Nick said the White Gold has a new Cajun group performing a couple of nights a week. Jackson thinks you should check them out and maybe book them for the cochon de lait.” Adam grinned. “Nick said they can be had cheap.”

Noelani read the message. “Is the White Gold a night club?”

“A riverboat casino. Building and staffing them is what Nick does.”

“To tell you the truth, I’ve barely begun to read through the notes on what the family did in the past. I’d just noticed the date he gave me is only two weeks away. I’d hit panic mode when I heard Megan crying. She found her doll in the trash.”

“So I gathered.”

“Really? You spied on us that long?”

“I came down the hall about the time you left your room. You walked over to the stairs to talk to Tanya. I didn’t want to interrupt.”

“Likely story.” She stuck the note in her pocket.

“That band’s performing tonight. I’ll run you downtown.”

“Thanks, but you have your own work to do. I’ll phone a cab.”

Adam fidgeted. “We’re talking about the waterfront. At night,” he added.

She considered his subtle warning, glad he hadn’t felt the need to make a big deal about her being a defenseless woman. In truth, she didn’t know the area. They warned tourists against going into some parts of Honolulu at night. Her seat companion on the commuter flight from Dallas had mentioned that crime was on the rise in New Orleans. Perhaps it was also true for Baton Rouge. “If you’re quite sure it won’t disrupt your schedule, I may take you up on that offer.”

“No problem. I can’t do a lot until the wood for the cabinets arrives or the roof is finished. With any luck, both will be sometime next week.”

“What time, then? Is it all right if I wear jeans? I may have packed a white pair, but my wardrobe leaves a lot to be desired. I hadn’t planned to stay. Since I’ll be here until they divvy up the property, I phoned Bruce and asked him to ship a better assortment of clothes.”

“Who’s Bruce? I never thought to ask if you had a boyfriend or a live-in.”

She elevated an eyebrow. “Not that it’s your business, Mr. Nosy, but Bruce is a contemporary of Duke’s. I work at his sugar mill, as did my mom and almost everyone else in our town. I live in one of his rentals. Bruce has a master key, and that’s why he was the person I called. Although his secretary, Midori, would have a better eye for choosing shoes and accessories. Oh, well.” She grimaced. “It’s already done.”

“So you worked in sugar? Doing what?”

“I set up Shiller’s computerized vat and fermentation system. Most recently I developed a program to speed up the creeper feeders. They carry the cane to be crushed, in case you aren’t familiar with the process.”

“I’m not. But it sounds interesting. Do Jackson and Casey know they have all this experience under their roof? I’d think they’d want you overseeing the mill instead of coordinating a party. Not that I have anything against parties, mind you.”

“I’m sure you don’t.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? I’m probably the least likely party animal you’ll find living in the deep South.”

“Ri-ight,” she drawled.

“It’s true. I took over as man of the house when my dad, a pilot, went to ’Nam. My mother never worked outside the home until we got word that his plane had been shot down. She attempted retail, hoping to take her mind off his disappearance, but…she wasn’t well.” Adam’s face reflected the state of his memories. “The longer it dragged on without his being found, either dead or alive, the tougher it was for Mom.”

Noelani’s demeanor changed at once from sarcastic teasing to total empathy. “That’s awful, Adam. Was he okay when they found him?”

“He’s MIA. The navy assumes he’s dead.” So does Mom, when she’s lucid. He now had Charlotte Ross in a good sanatorium upriver. Shadows clouded Adam’s blue eyes as he fingered a cross worn around his neck. He ran it back and forth along a gold chain. “Some mornings I still wake up thinking this’ll be the day Dad walks through my door.”

Noelani nibbled her lower lip. Finally, she squeezed his arm. “Stop. I can see that talking about this bothers you. I understand, because I hate talking about my—about the man who fathered me.” She glanced at her watch. “We both need to get back to work. What time shall I be ready to go to the White Gold?”

“I’m sure Betty would be happy to have two fewer people for dinner. Remember the place I mentioned last night that has great alligator? It’s near the casino. We can eat after you hear the band.”

Having softened toward him in the aftermath of his sad tale, Noelani agreed. “I’m not eating alligator, Adam, but I guess I can see what else they offer.”

“Good. Great.” He galloped toward the stairs before she could change her mind. “I’ll let Betty know. Be out front at six, okay?”

“Yes. Sure, I’ll be ready.”

She listened to him clatter down the stairs and slowly made her way to the library to start listing her duties as cochon de lait organizer. Adam was right; this probably was wasting her talent. On the other hand, she liked to excel at any job she did. So the Fontaines had better get set for the best darned party they’d ever experienced.

Noelani couldn’t help it if her mind detoured every now and then. On paths that led to thoughts of Adam…

She was touched by what he’d said about his growing up—and what he hadn’t. A boy, not very old, forced to deal with a mother who was sick and whose heart was probably broken, as well. Relatives and neighbors probably hadn’t understood. She could be summing up her own life. The similarity between them was almost uncanny. It certainly made her take a different view of Adam Ross.

CHAPTER FOUR

THE MISSISSIPPI WAS SWOLLEN and brown with mud after recent rains. The night air pressed in, covering her body with a fine sheen of perspiration. Noelani was used to a bright moon suspended over a white-capped ocean. Here the moon barely cleared the rooftops, and it glowed an eerie, sickly yellow. Still, embarking on a new adventure, she could hardly contain a shimmer of excitement.

“There’s a haze clouding the moon,” she said. “It’s like you’re viewing the moon through gauze. In Hawaii, the moon and stars are clear and bright.”

Adam squinted up through the windshield. “Used to be southern harvest moons were fantastic. But gas refineries have sprung up along the river. They pollute the air and belch smoke and carbons into the river and sky. Cane farmers and residents alike complain, but the powers-that-be look the other way. They want the tax revenues.”

“Is there a possibility pollution will drive cane growers out altogether?” Her thoughts were on the declining Hawaiian cane industry as Adam found a place to park.

“You’d have to ask Jackson or Casey. I know Jackson’s working with lobbyists.” Adam held the door as she got out, and then locked his pickup.

“I heard Jackson tell Casey he had lunch planned with some lobbyists today,” she said. “It’d be a shame if the cane fields wither away as they are in Hawaii. I intend to see Shiller’s become what it was in my mother’s day. If I envy Duke’s kids anything, it’s…well, never mind. You don’t want me going on about that, I’m sure.”

“Duke didn’t play square with any of you.”

“You won’t hear objections from me on that score.”

Adam placed a hand on her waist as they navigated the first of a series of ramps leading to the White Gold—a replica of a paddle wheeler. The walkway was crowded with jovial people all headed into the boat.

Noelani moved closer to Adam. “Are all these people here to listen to the band?” By now the catchy beat of a familiar tune spilled from the gently rocking boat.

“They’re here to gamble. Music and liquor are perks to keep patrons on the boat spending money.”

“Do you gamble?”

“I have better things to do with my hard-earned cash. But feel free to throw some of yours in the slots, sugar pie.”

“I’ve never been to a casino. I wouldn’t know what to do. I have better things to do with my money, too,” she said as they entered the dimly lit interior. The noise intensified; music and laughter now competed with the spin of slots and the clank of falling coins. Someone jostled Noelani, knocking her into Adam. She pressed both hands against his chest to remain balanced, and felt his heart pick up its tempo. Usually she shied away from closeness. Not this time. She maintained contact, liking the feel of his muscles under her hands.

Adam slid his arms protectively around her back. “Boy, it’s packed tonight. There must be some big convention in town. Let’s see if we can work our way upstairs to where the band is.”

She nodded but was reluctant to leave Adam’s arms—certainly much more so than she ought to be. In marked contrast to the smoke, whiskey fumes and cloying perfumes rising from a row of women at the slots, Adam’s shirt smelled of crisp, clean starch. His aftershave was a subtle mix of lime and some nice scent Noelani couldn’t name. She liked it, though. A lot.

“Whew!” Adam stumbled with her out onto the upper deck, where the crowd was thinner. In place of slots, this deck offered roulette, craps and other game tables. A polished wood bar curved in a large horseshoe around a compact dance floor. Off to their right was a raised stage on which five musicians sat, belting out lively tunes.

“There’s Nick and Casey. I wonder what they’re doing here.” Adam clamped a hand on Noelani’s upper arm and literally dragged her across the room.

The men shook hands. Casey, who leaned against the bar, tightened her hold on her shoulder purse and stepped well to their right. “Are you about finished, Nick? You said this wouldn’t take a minute.”

“What’s your hurry?” Adam asked, smiling at her.

Casually looping an arm around Casey’s waist, Nick continued talking to a snazzily dressed older gentleman. A shrug was Casey’s only response to Adam’s question.

Noelani propped a foot on the rung of an adjacent bar stool. “Every time I see you, you’re in a rush to take off. I have a question about your harvester.”

Casey’s head snapped around. “What about our harvester? I’m paying Len Forsen extra to keep an eye on it night and day.”

“Adam mentioned you’d had one stolen. That’s terrible. But I’m interested in learning the make, model and where I can get a brochure. I’ve been so concerned with increasing production on the mill end of harvest, I’ve paid no attention to the cutting process. In Hawaii, if it rains, cutting comes to a standstill. According to Adam, you cut the day I arrived, and it rained cats and dogs.”

Casey looked her half sister up and down. “You really do work in cane?”

“At the mill.” Noelani felt her temper flare. “The islands—Maui, in particular—were once the world’s leading sugar producer. Didn’t your father ever tell you about the month he spent on Maui studying Bruce Shiller’s operation?”

“Leave my father out of this.”

“Like he conveniently left me out of his life, you mean?”

“Ladies, ladies.” Adam stepped between the two bristling women.

Nick interrupted his conversation to glance their way. “The band’s taking a break, I see. Noelani, here’s their card. I assume you’ve come to talk to them about performing. You’ll want the guy with the accordion. He books all their gigs.”

“What’s she want with a band?” Casey peered around Adam.

“Short memory,” Noelani said sarcastically. “Have you forgotten that at breakfast, Jackson put me in charge of your annual pua’a?”

“Our what?”

“Sorry. Your pigfest.”

“Oh. I did forget. Nick, here’s Viv, Luc and Murray. Let’s go. You said you wanted Mr. Dardenne to meet Luc.” Dismissing the others, Casey spoke to the man with whom Nick chatted. Linking her arm through his, the two of them left.

Noelani watched Casey flag down a handsome couple and a third party. She recognized Murray Dewalt as the extra male, the friend and neighbor she’d met that morning in the kitchen. The man she didn’t know had midnight-dark eyes, killer good looks and carried a worn instrument case. His companion, a smartly dressed, racehorse-thin blonde, enveloped Casey in an effusive hug.

“Viv is Casey’s best friend,” Nick said for Noelani’s benefit. To Adam, he said, “Henry Dardenne is considering picking up the casino contract Guy Moreau reneged on. Henry requested a meeting with Luc Renault, because he wants some reassurance that Luc will continue performing if he buys the casino.”

“Um, excuse me.” Noelani ducked away from the men and made a beeline for the band leader, now packing up his equipment.

Adam’s gaze followed her. “Nick, I understand that Casey’s suffering from the loss of her folks. But she’s got to face facts. Noelani didn’t write Duke’s will.”

“Don’t push, Adam. For years Casey’s poured her heart and soul into growing the best cane in the state—mostly to please her dad. Duke did more than die. He fell from his pedestal. And…this isn’t for publication, but Casey had a miscarriage. The day before the property settlement meeting. Emotionally, she’s going through hell.”

“God, Nick. I’m sorry. For your sake, too. But maybe she’d benefit from having a sister at a time like this. Don’t women connect over babies?”

“Casey needs time. I wish she and Jackson would let me help them come up with the money to get rid of Noelani.”

“I hope you mean buy her out, rather than get rid of her. That sounds…sinister.”

“You know what I mean. If Dardenne signs tonight, I could give them a loan. But my question is—why are you involving yourself, Adam?”

“From the vantage point of an outsider, it strikes me that Casey and Jackson were dealt a majority of the aces in this hand. They grew up with Duke’s love. Noelani’s the one who got shortchanged.”

“Be that as it may, you can’t force people to like each other.”

“I’m not advocating force. Casey listens to you, Nick. It’d help if you put in a good word now and then for Noelani.”

“I’ll think about it. Meanwhile, don’t forget who hired you.”

“I know who hired me.” Adam felt the sting of Nick’s rebuke.

“Yeah? Well, you’re awfully damn chummy with our foe for a guy who usually keeps his nose to the grindstone. Why are you out with her tonight?”

“Jackson expressly requested I escort her here.” Adam’s temper frayed as Nick turned and walked away without a backward glance. “For another thing, she’s not the enemy,” he muttered. But dammit, he couldn’t afford to blow this job at Bellefontaine. And Nick knew full well that Adam needed the job if he had any hope of buying back Magnolia Manor.

Noelani paused a foot behind Adam. Close enough to catch the heated exchange that had passed between him and Nick. Adam’s terse admission that he’d driven her to the casino at his employer’s request cut deeper than any of Casey’s recent barbs. Noelani froze. First shame, then fury buzzed in her ears.

As if sensing her presence, Adam glanced over his shoulder. Damn! Had she heard?

She blindly jammed a paper in her purse. “I signed a contract with the group for a hundred dollars less than Jackson paid last year. If you’re reporting back to him, I think that news should please him.”

Damn, she had overheard. Adam didn’t know what to say to make matters better. “So, we’re ready to head home, then?” He avoided her eyes.

Noelani read that as guilt. And had he forgotten about their going to dinner, or had he changed his mind? Darned if she’d ask. Obviously more had happened between the men than the few lines she’d heard.

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