Blind Loyalty by M J Marlow (ebook reader wifi .txt) 📕

“Did any of you put this in here for me?” she asked with a smile. They shook their heads. “I didn’t buy anything gift wrapped,” she frowned. “Someone must have put it in my bag by mistake.” “We should take it to Lost and Found then,” Sarah suggested. “They could be looking for it.” “I’d hate to think someone was not going to get their present,” Joanna nodded. They took the package to the Lost and Found booth and then went to see their movie. When they came out two hours later, an alarm was going off. Smoke was pouring out of the booth and the attendant was on oxygen. They turned down a side corridor so the attendant could not see them and left the Mall by another entrance. When they got to Joanna’s car, he was waiting for them. “Doctor Leighton.” “Hello, Joanna,” James smiled at her. “I don’t believe I know your friends.” He looked at the boys pointedly. “They are foreign exchange students from Moscow,” Joanna told him. “Grandfather decided we needed to meet people from other countries so he signed our family up as a host family without telling us.” She made a face. “They don’t speak a word of English; we’ve had to resort to French to communicate with them.” She looked at him pointedly. “You know there’s a warrant out for your arrest, don’t you?” “I’m dead, darling,” James reminded her. “It will be hard for them to serve a warrant on a dead man, don’t you think?” He looked at the trio and said in perfect Russian. “You had better be who she says you are, boys, or she will suffer for her lie.” He took a step towards Joanna and she backed away from him instinctively. He took his canes off the hood and leaned on them. “It was nice having this little talk, Joanna. We’ll see each other again.” “Not if you know what’s good for you,” Sarah snapped at him. “Leave my cousin alone!” “Would you prefer to take her place, pretty one?” James asked Sarah bluntly. Sarah clenched her fists and glared at him. “You’re much too combative. I prefer Joanna. It won’t take me long to remind her how she should behave.” “Leave me alone, you bastard!” Joanna exclaimed. She slapped him across the face and he nearly fell off his canes. “If you come near me again, I will have you arrested!” She got out her keys and handed them to Sarah. “Can you drive, Sarah? I’m not up to it right now.” “You’re making a big mistake, darling,” James said as he moved away from the car. “Rethink your decision before someone gets hurt.” Joanna almost crumpled, but then one of the boys stepped up beside her and put his hand on her arm. He leaned over and whispered something in her ear. She smiled and nodded. Then she got in the car without another word to James. He watched as they drove off and then got out his phone. “You should find them passed out along I-7 just north of town in ten minutes,” he said to the person on the other end. “I only want the dark-haired girl. Leave the others where they are.” He frowned. “What did I just say?” He nodded. “Do as you’re told then. You work for me, not for yourselves.” Mikhael heard the words over the tag he had placed on Leighton perfectly. The man was oblivious. He had Sarah drive out of sight and pull the car into the parking lot of a fast food restaurant. They went inside and watched as the engine began to smoke. When the smoke had faded Joanna went out to try and start the vehicle. It did not turn over. So she called AAA and they waited in the restaurant for a tow truck. Adam arrived after she called him as well and they told him about the two attempts on Joanna plus the little talk with Leighton. He was impressed with how well they had handled both situations. “It’s your night to cook, Joanna,” he reminded her. “You can cook, can’t you?” “I thought I’d take after my handsome father,” Joanna teased him, “and page through the restaurants that offer delivery service.” He ruffled her hair and she hugged him. Then she nodded towards the Italian restaurant. “Scarlatti’s does take out. How does lasagna sound?” “That’s my girl,” Adam laughed. He took out his wallet. “Lasagna for nine, salad, garlic bread; a hundred should cover that.” He handed it to her. “It comes out of your allowance, young lady.” “Yes, Father,” Joanna smiled back at him. She kissed him on the cheek and headed for the restaurant with the trio in tow. When she gave her order to the restaurant, they were ecstatic. It had been a slow day for them; this order would keep them from showing a loss for the day. Joanna ordered a family sized serving of spaghetti as well and extra garlic bread. “I’m a fiend for carbs,” she told the boys. She looked at the boy on the cash register. “How long will that take?” “Thirty minutes,” the boy said after checking with the cooks. “Will you want any drinks with that order?” “No,” Joanna shook her head. “We have plenty of liquid at home. What’s the damage so far?” The boy told her and she nodded and ordered two Tiramisu and some canolli. “One hundred dollars,” she smiled as the order was tallied and taxed. She handed over the money. “It’s worth it,” she told the boys as they looked at her in confusion. “Wait until you taste their food.” They got their order and walked out to find Adam waiting for them. He had sent the car with the tow truck to the local garage. They all piled into the Jeep and arrived home with the food. Joanna set the pans out along the counter buffet style while Sarah got out the plates and silverware. Mikhael found the glasses while Dmitri pulled out cans of soda and a pitcher of iced water. Stefan found a bottle of red wine and set it out with a few glasses for the adults. “Any change?” Adam asked as he saw all the food. Joanna handed him the receipt and he looked it over and shook his head. “You are going to spend me into bankruptcy court, Joey.” “I’ll pay you back tomorrow,” Joey shrugged. “We have that appointment with the trustee tomorrow. Remember?” “Mmm,” Winbourne smiled as he came into the kitchen. He looked at the tin foil pans and looked at Joanna. “I see you got your cooking talent from your father.” He ruffled her hair and laughed. “How about we sign you up for some cooking classes, Joey. This family could use somebody who actually uses the kitchen for what it was designed for, don’t you think?” “Hey now!” Sarah protested. “Mom and I always cook something in the kitchen when it’s our turn.” “Yes, dear,” Winbourne smiled at her fondly. “Something is what it is. You can go to classes, too. We could use something other than tuna casserole, canned soup and sandwiches, or meatball surprise on your nights in the kitchen.” “You never complained before,” Lora smiled over at her father. “We can’t all be Cordon Bleu chefs, Father.” “Why not?” Winbourne asked her. He had an idea. “That’s it. I am signing all of you up for the class. Let’s see if we can’t get at least one of you to exhibit some talent in that arena.” He held his hand up as they started to protest. “It’s decided. I’ll call my friend Marcello Santini in the morning to make the arrangements.” “You know Santini?” Dmitri said in near reverence. “We went to cooking school together,” Winbourne told him; “before I caught the legal bug and took up family practice. I married his sister.” “Santini is your relative!” Dmitri was astounded. “Judge Winbourne you are an enigma of the first order. How is it possible we have never heard of this before?” “Father and Uncle Marc had a falling out,” Rachel said as she waddled in during Dmitri’s comment. “They haven’t spoken in twenty years.” She looked at her father’s frown. “I still think you were wrong.” “You would,” Winbourne sniffed. “As I recall it was your birthday cake we were planning.” “I would have been happy with a cake mix burned in the oven by my loving father,” Rachel said softly. “You kept forgetting I wasn’t Hannah.” She looked over at Joanna and wished she could take that back as Joanna went pale. “I’m sorry, Joey. Old wounds take a long time to heal sometimes. Just put it down to pregnant lady hormones and forget I said anything.” She saw the food. “Scarlatti’s? Who is the angel who brought this home?” “Joey’s night to cook,” Sarah giggled. “She’s taking after her father.” “We’ll have to nip that in the bud,” Rachel said. “Was that why Uncle Marc was being talked about?” “Uncle Marc?” Dmitri was aghast. “You call the great Santini Uncle Marc?” “Of course,” Rachel nodded. “He is my uncle after all.” She pulled out her cell phone. “I have him on speed dial,” she said as she pressed a button. “Would you like to talk to him?” Dmitri turned red as she began to speak in Italian. She handed him the phone. “He is happy to speak to one of his fans.” “Uh,” Dmitri stammered. “Signore Scarlatti, it is an honor. My mother was one of your students in Florence; Ivana Trelenka?” He was beaming. “You remember her?” He smiled over at his brothers. “My brothers and I have heard nothing but praise of you since we were knee high. You are touted as the greatest chef of all time. Mama would die if she knew I had talked to you. Your brother-in-law, Judge Winbourne,” he continued, “has a favor to ask you.” “Marc,” Winbourne sighed as he heard Santini’s laugh. “I am in dire straits here. No one in my family seems to have any culinary talent whatsoever. We are eating out of take-out cartons and it must stop. Could you send someone to us to teach them what a kitchen is for?” He smiled as Santini said something he never thought he’d hear. “We have a guest cottage that is yours for as long as you need it. Grazie, Marcello.” “Uncle Marc is coming himself?” Rachel crowed and threw her arms around Dmitri. “You darling boy! We have got to keep you around!” “Sit down, woman,” Adam laughed as he picked her up and carried her to the table. “You’ll do yourself a mischief dancing around like that!” They settled down to dinner and Winbourne was prevailed upon to tell the members of the family and their guests the great cake war story. Everyone was laughing by the end of it and Winbourne had to admit that he had been ridiculous to be so angry about such a petty thing. When Marcello arrived, he would have to eat some crow. Joanna and Sarah went for a walk with Mikhael and Dmitri while Stefan stayed behind to do the dishes with Adam. “You have a wonderful family, Major Jeffries,” he said as he rinsed out the pans and set them aside for recycling. “We are even more committed to seeing to it your daughter does not fall the Leighton.” He sighed. “She reminds me of my Mikhaela.” “How is your little one?” Adam smiled as he leaned on the counter. “Not so little anymore,” Stefan smiled. “She entered the fifth grade this year. She said to tell her Uncle Major that she is studying hard so she can be as smart as he is.” His head snapped up as he heard a curse in Russian. “There is trouble!” He ran with Adam on his heels and they found the girls and his brothers at the lake. Joanna