Desperate Enemies 3 by Adam Carpenter (latest ebook reader .txt) 📕

do anything to get it. Well, Miller—he's no fan of our dear friend, Converse, especially since he'd just been beaten, a message of sorts, for nosing around. But we did find out one thing: a connection between Wonderland and Rose Emerson—or should I say Rose St. John?”

Paolo and Rich stared suddenly at Parker.

“You mean?”

“I'd like you to meet my mother,” Parker said. “She's quite something isn't she?”

“You said your mother walked out on your father years ago,” Rich said, “you never said she was. . .”

“The famous B-movie actress with the arched eyebrow and the catty lines?”

“Parker thought I was an utter embarrassment,” she said, “and it wasn't really my acting he objected to but. . .”

“All the men,” he said.

She shrugged with indifference, like sleeping her way through Hollywood was so odd. “So what, I liked the attention of men. . . you sure do, too, don't you sweetie?” she said to Parker, who looked away again, embarrassed. Paolo noted how closed off Parker appeared, from his jeans and sweater, to the distant look in his eyes. Rose's wide eyes darted about the room, landing on Rich, on Paolo, on Marc, as though daring them to question her choices. None of them had any right to judge.

Just how much did Rose Emerson know about her son's sexual proclivities? Seemed like she was fully briefed, she knew what a stud her son was. Regardless, Paolo found the dynamic between over-the-top mother and conflicted son fascinating; the usually self-assured Parker St. John reduced to a simpering little boy who didn't approve of his mother's wandering eyes. Parker was one to talk, the way he'd gone through the men of Eldon Court since his arrival, he was more like a thorn off the old Rose.

“Okay, let's not get off topic,” Jack said, taking over from Edgar's beginning. “Both Edgar and I had an interesting conversation with Rose last week, and we've been trying to figure out how best to work with the information. As we know, our main goal is in stopping Danvers Converse from taking our homes, and we've already paid way too high a price for it. So we cannot go down in defeat, not now.”

“Okay, that's fine,” Rich said, “but what does Rose have to do with Danvers?”

“As we've always suspected, the key to taking down Danvers Converse is the events that happened at Number Two all those years ago, and I think we've finally got our first, real lead. You've noticed that the lawn has been dug up a bit over the last week or so?”

“Yes,” Paolo said, “we've all seen our shirtless Parker digging away, wiping sweat from his brow and his chest. He's put on quite a show.”

Parker was about to protest, but his mother's hand suddenly pressed against his, calming him.

“Okay, boys, leave the libidos for later. I think it's my turn to talk,” Rose said, standing up and taking center stage. She wasn't known for live theatre, but an actress like her knew it was all about the entrance, getting the attention of the audience. “It's a complicated story you're about to hear, the sordid pieces of our pasts, but let me lay the groundwork first by naming the players. George Saunders, who owned Number Two Eldon Court, and his wife, Elissa, their almost-teenage son, Troy; Danvers Converse was a part of the mix by that point, as he had been carrying on a supposed secret affair with George—which everyone in town knew about; myself, I'd already left Wonderland behind, leaving Parker in the care of his step-father. Back in my less than honorable days, I too had had a fling with George—back then he was the most influential man in Wonderland, not only because of his wealth, but his status in the community. Were it not for his great-great grandfather, Drew, Wonderland might never have been settled as it had.”

“Drew Saunders—he's the guy I read about,” Rich said, “he and his male lover came to Wonderland from back east and settled it.”

“And lived here on Eldon Court, each of them perpetuating shams of a marriage,” Edgar said, “even as they lived openly with each other, they sired children with the two women who acted as their wives. Together they built the first two properties on Eldon Court.”

“So the gay gene goes way back to the beginning,” Rose said, “and I have to say, of all the times I was with George I always had the sense his heart wasn't in it. . . or maybe not his heart, if you know what I mean.”

“Mother!”

“Oh hush, Parker, be glad you inherited one thing from George,” she said pointedly.

Parker actually blushed, even as he stood proud.

It amazed Paolo to know how many people in this room were versed, first-hand, in the knowledge that Parker was well-endowed.

“For years, George and his wife failed at having children, and I believe it was because he was gay and really couldn't get it up for her, probably took months before they consummated their marriage,” Rose said, “and so the questions started, the rumors. . . and I guess one night he went trolling to prove his virility. He found me; we had some drinks, then found our way to the Bayside. Parker was conceived that night, I'm sure of it, even though George and I continued to meet for another two weeks. Word had spread around town that he and I were having a torrid affair, and secretly I think George was thrilled at establishing this new reputation, even though it was impossible for it to last. I ended things, found out later that I was pregnant. I left for L.A. to have the baby, landed my first film, met the fine Alan St. John, and eventually we all returned to Wonderland to carve out our version of the American Dream. Across town, George and Elissa Saunders had finally welcomed their first child, Troy, and for awhile both families lived in the same town, carefully avoiding each other, even