Lies I Told(54)

“But how will this get him away from the monitors when it’s time to take the gold?” I asked.

“That’s the night I’m going to give him a chance to catch me.”

Suddenly I understood. Parker was playing cat and mouse with the guard. Baiting him in clear view and then disappearing before he could do anything about it. The night we took the gold, Parker would linger, give the guy a chance to catch him.

“What if he doesn’t come?”

“He will,” Parker said. “But if he doesn’t, I’ll pull out all the stops until he can’t help himself.”

I nodded. It wasn’t foolproof, but it wasn’t bad.

“We’re getting closer,” my dad said. “Your mom might have a private buyer lined up for the gold. Now all we have to do is find it.”





Forty


The gates were open, the driveway and lawn packed with cars when we got to Logan’s house Saturday afternoon. I was a little surprised by the open access to the grounds, but then I saw the black-suited men strolling the perimeter of the property and I understood: the Fairchilds had hired private security to keep an eye on things during the fund-raiser.

The professional side of me was a little thrilled by the discovery even as regular me shrank from the knowledge. We were swiftly reaching the point of no return. The only reason the famously self-sufficient Fairchilds would hire a contingent of security guards was if they had something to secure. And if there was gold on the property, we were going to steal it.

We parked the car and followed the signs that read Playa Hermosa Community Theater Annual Silent Auction to the backyard. My mom greeted people along the way like an old friend, playing the part of rich, charitable housewife to the hilt. Her efforts at fitting in, gaining the trust of her elite so-called peers, had clearly paid off. Dressed in a subtly slinky emerald-green dress that draped perfectly around her slender knees, she was the picture of classy affluence.

I’d chosen a white shift that offset my now-dark hair and brought out the deeper tones in my blue eyes. But where my mom had opted for strappy heels, I’d gone with gold sandals. I never understood how she managed to walk across the grass in heels without sinking into the dirt, but she made it look easy.

My dad looked handsome in a dark blue suit, and Parker was every bit the rich surfer boy in perfectly tailored chinos and a snug white button-down with the sleeves rolled, bracelets encircling his tanned wrist, a hemp cord visible at his neck.

“Cormac! Renee!” Leslie greeted us as we rounded the corner to the backyard. “Welcome!” She turned to Parker and me. “Parker, don’t you look dashing. And Grace, lovely as always.” She laughed. “My son has good taste, if I may say so.”

There were smiles and laughter as everyone made small talk. A moment later, my mom followed Leslie over to another group of newcomers. My mom had a way of making herself at home with housewives all over the country. She knew how to look good enough to fit in without causing feelings of jealousy or rivalry. She knew how to show enough knowledge to be an asset while still asking questions, still making the mark feel needed and admired.

But I could tell from Leslie Fairchild’s body language that she wasn’t quite comfortable with my mother. Leslie stood just a little too far away from my mom, her head tipped to the left while my mother stood on her right. My parents weren’t kidding; the Fairchilds were tough to crack.

Which meant it was all up to me. All riding on my relationship with Logan.

I didn’t see Logan, so I headed for Selena and David, talking near the bar that had been set up to the right of the string quartet playing softly at the edge of the lawn.

“Hey!” I said, giving Selena a hug. “You look fantastic!”

She looked stunning in a simple black dress that skimmed her body and ended demurely below the knee. Her hair was pulled back in a loose, high bun, ever-present curls escaping around her face.

She blushed. “You too. But you always look amazing.”

We talked for a minute about the crowd and the decorations. Everything had come together perfectly, white lights twinkling in the garlands, linen napkins sitting atop pristine tablecloths on the tables that dotted the lawn. It somehow managed to be welcoming while being in perfect taste, just like the Fairchilds.

Olivia and Raj joined us, and I used the added conversation as a distraction to scan the crowd for anything interesting. Everyone was drinking and mingling, their voices a hum over the classical music coming from the quartet. I turned my attention to the security contingent, wondering if their location might give up some clue about the gold, but they didn’t seem to be concentrating on any specific area of the property.

“Hey, beautiful.” The words were spoken softly in my ear, and I turned to find Logan standing behind me, his eyes filled with that special light he seemed to save just for me.

“Hey, yourself,” I said, standing on tiptoe to give him a kiss on the cheek. “You look so handsome.”

And he did. Unlike the other guys, he wasn’t wearing suit pants or chinos. Instead he wore dark, tailored jeans and a black sport coat over a V-neck T-shirt. The effect was one of effortless class, and I marveled that while he never looked like he was trying too hard, he always managed to look better than any other guy in any room.

He grinned. “I have to stay on my toes next to my gorgeous girlfriend.”