The Heart of Lies

chapter 7



Seven o’clock was approaching, and Emily arrived to see Lucas and his team busy setting up the large conference room at the Paradise Valley Hilton Hotel, preparing for the first of several sales presentations for the new Whitetail Ski and Golf Resort.

Fiona was busy setting out stacks of brochures and financing flyers on one of the green-skirted rectangular tables that sat at the front of the room.

Emily looked around for her friends, but they had not arrived yet. A few people were already milling around, though, talking in small groups, or watching the presentation being set up.

Lucas and the three real estate agents he had contracted with were setting up the renderings. They were positioning them across the front of the room on gleaming brass easels. The massive main lodge, the lush green golf course, and the breathtaking lake dotted with boats and swimmers was showcased alongside the snow-covered mountain, depicting skiers and snowboarders, and the tennis courts with families in white tennis outfits pictured on the courts. There were also drawings of the charming rustic condos with vignettes of the luxurious amenities inside.

Maggie walked in a side door, handed Lucas a red tie and helped him put it on. Emily watched her friend interact with Lucas. She hadn’t seen Maggie this happy since—well, never. Lucas seemed to dote on Maggie, as well.

Emily peered over at Fiona and noticed her glancing at the happy couple from time to time, looking none too pleased. Was that jealously she saw in Fiona’s eyes? She wasn’t sure, but it was something unsettling.

Emily took a seat on one of the back rows, saving a couple for Isabel and Alex. Camille had told her they might come, if Jonathan was back in town, but not to hold any seats for them.

Then Maggie left through the side door she had entered from. She must not have noticed Emily in the audience.

Sully Sullivan came in, shaking hands with everyone as he made his way to the front. Then he shook hands with Lucas and they spoke to each other, leaning in conspiratorially. What was that about?

“Hey, Emily.”

Emily jumped, startled out of her conjecturing.

Camille greeted her, bending down to give her a hug. “Jonathan is stuck in Seattle, so I decided to come by myself. Are Isabel and Alex on their way?”

“Yes, but here, let me move over a couple of seats and we can leave the two on the end for them.”

“You’re a doll,” Camille said as she squeezed past Emily, taking the next chair over. “This is so exciting, isn’t it?”

“What do you mean? The new resort?”

“No, silly, Maggie and Lucas—I think she’s in love.”

“Did she tell you that?”

“Well, I don’t know if she wants me spreading it around, so keep this between you and me—and Isabel, of course—but Maggie thinks Lucas is going to pop the question pretty soon.” Camille grinned, digging around in her purse and pulling out a mirrored compact and a tube of lipstick. “I think she’s finally snagged the handsome rich husband she’s been dreaming about her whole life.”

“Knowing what humble beginnings she came from…”

“Dirt poor,” Camille added as she applied the color, snapping the compact shut. “Mayor Sully, too. I guess because he’s older than Maggie, he escaped that life first and has done pretty well for himself.”

“Yes, he has.” Emily glanced around the room again, which was filling up fast, trying to catch a glimpse of her friends. She saw Alex first and waved them over. Isabel filed in and Alex took the seat on the aisle.

“Did we miss anything?” Isabel asked her friends.

“No, but I think they’re about to begin,” Camille answered, fidgeting with excitement.

Emily leaned toward Isabel and asked if she’d had any word from Jethro. Isabel looked her friend in the eyes, pursing her lips, and shook her head no. Grimacing, Emily sat up straight in her chair and turned her attention to Mayor Sullivan as he took the microphone.

The mayor gave a few words of greeting and told how thrilled he and the other council members were to have such a spectacular resort being built so close to their community.

As Sully was speaking, Maggie returned and took a seat on the front row, looking lovely in a chic electric-blue designer dress and heels, wearing a look of sheer bliss on her face. Emily assumed Lucas must have bought the dress for her, because it looked far more expensive than anything she’d ever seen Maggie wear.

Sully finished his short speech and turned the microphone over to Lucas to tell about this extensive new project. Lucas strode up to the microphone, looking dashing and powerful, his smile dripping with sincerity. He offered a few words of introduction, then he asked Maggie to join him. He held his hand out to her, and every eye in the room was instantly riveted on the handsome couple.

“I’m sure you’re all wondering what’s going on,” Lucas began his announcement. “Most of you are probably familiar with Maggie Sullivan, the mayor’s sister, and the love of my life. As a newcomer to your charming community, you have welcomed me with open arms and I am very grateful,” he said, putting a hand over his heart. “That’s why I want you all to be a part of what I’m doing here.”

Lucas got down on one knee in front of Maggie and took her left hand. A collective gasp rose from the crowd, then a hush fell over the room. Everyone seemed to lean forward on the edge of their seats, including Emily and her friends. He pulled a diamond ring from his coat pocket, it sparkled under the spotlights, refracting the colors of the rainbow across Maggie’s smiling face.

“Maggie, I am totally and completely in love with you. Will you do me the honor of making me the happiest man in the world? Will you marry me?”

The whole room seemed to hold its breath, waiting for her reply.

“Yes! Yes, I’ll marry you,” she exclaimed. She offered him her ring finger and he tenderly slipped the engagement ring on it.

He shot to his feet and took her in his arms, planting a serious kiss on her lips. The crowd applauded enthusiastically.

Emily clapped too, though she and Isabel applauded with less enthusiasm than the rest, while they observed the newly-engaged couple. Then Emily glanced over at Fiona, trying to read her reaction. Fiona was clapping along with the rest of the people, but Emily noted the unnatural smile plastered across her face and her unenthusiastic clap.

Was there something more that Fiona felt for Lucas that an employer-employee relationship? They had seemed rather cozy at the hotel bar the night before, but it wasn’t like they had their hands on each other.

“Look at Fiona,” Emily whispered to Isabel.

She shot a glance Fiona’s way. “She doesn’t look pleased, does she?” Isabel asked. “I wonder what’s up.”

Mayor Sullivan took the mic once more and asked everyone to be seated. He offered his congratulations to his sister and his future brother-in-law, wishing them every happiness, which elicited another round of applause.

“I wish we could go and congratulate Maggie,” Camille leaned over and whispered to Emily, who nodded her agreement.

“Now, for the presentation we’ve all been waiting for, to get the details of the spectacular new Whitetail Ski and Golf Resort, here is the newest member of our community, Lucas Wakefield.” The mayor led the crowd in another round of applause for Lucas and took a seat on the front row beside his sister.

“Thank you, Mayor Sullivan—one of my new favorite people in town. Not only is he going to be my brother-in-law, he is the first person to invest in the Whitetail Resort.” Lucas looked over at Sully and gave him a few claps of his hands and pointed toward him. “You’re the man, Sully. Thank you for believing in me and in the project.”

A level of chatter rose as people in the room seemed to be commenting to each other on their mayor’s investment in this new mountain resort. Emily and Isabel raised their eyebrows at each other.

Alex leaned over to his wife and friends. “If Sully’s on board, maybe we should get in on it, too,” he suggested, his face lit up with excitement.

“Whoa, slow down. We haven’t even heard the presentation yet,” Isabel reminded him. “We already talked about this, Alex. Take a deep breath and relax. You know I don’t trust this guy.”

“I’ll try to just sit here and listen. But if the other partners in the office are buying into it, I don’t want to look like I can’t afford a condo too, you know?”

“You’re going to give in to peer pressure?” Isabel raised her eyebrows and gave her head a shake.

“I don’t exactly see it like that,” he grumbled.

“I told you what I think, Alex. If you’re willing to put a hundred thousand dollars at risk, in spite of my misgivings, what else is there to say.” She crossed her arms and tightened her lips in opposition.

“Oh, let the guy have his fun,” Camille reproved, leaning into her friends. “Besides, it might be nice for you two to have a getaway. We could all go up for a weekend sometime. Doesn’t that sound fabulous? Oh, thoughts of the food I’d make are already filling my head.”

“That’s easy for you to say, Cam. It isn’t your hundred grand,” Isabel huffed.

“Shhh!” A middle-aged woman in the row in front of them craned her neck around and shushed them. “I can’t hear the man.”

The four of them acted like school children who had just been scolded, sitting back in their seats, listening in silence for the remainder of the presentation. Although, Emily noted that Alex’s eyes lit up on several occasions, while Isabel frowned.

The price of the luxury condos ranged from two hundred to five hundred thousand dollars and a twenty-five percent deposit would be required to reserve them. The balance would be due, Lucas said, as soon as the unit was completed and ready for occupancy, giving them time to arrange their financing, if necessary. For those who did not want to own a condo but would like to have a membership in the resort, the price was five thousand dollars per year. He warned the crowd that only a certain number of memberships would be available to people who did not own a condo in the resort.

The presentation came to a close and Lucas invited all who were interested to come up and get a closer look at the drawings of the amenities the resort had to offer. “Then when you’re ready, please make a line at the table over here.” He pointed to the one where Fiona was sitting, with stacks of colorful brochures artfully fanned out across it. “My assistant, Fiona, will be happy to sign you up for membership in the resort.”

She smiled and waved at the crowd.

“If you’d like to purchase one of the charming and luxurious condominiums, which includes a free membership, please step up to that table where the three sales associates are seated.” Lucas motioned to the other side of the front of the room. “Please have your twenty-five percent deposit ready so we can get you through the lines quickly. And if you have questions first, please feel free to come and talk to Maggie and me here at the center table.”

A steady stream of people made their way to the front, some studying the renderings first, others going straight to the tables. Alex glanced at the crowd gathering, then he nudged Isabel and nodded his head, gesturing toward a group of attorneys he knew. He put an arm around her and flashed his puppy dog eyes with an exaggerated pout, as if he was asking for her permission.

“Don’t look at me like that. You know how I feel about this. But, if you must—”

He bolted from his seat before she could finish her sentence and sprinted down the aisle to join his colleagues in line.

“Yay!” Camille’s deep blue eyes lit up, making her spiky red hair appear more vivid. She clapped her hands together exuberantly, obviously approving of their decision to purchase a condo. “We’re going to have so much fun, girls!”

Emily folded her arms and gave Isabel as sideways look, which Isabel mirrored. “Why don’t you go and get a look at those renderings, Camille? You can start planning our first weekend trip.”

“Oh, that’s a good idea, Emily.” Camille shot up out of her chair. “Maggie and Lucas will probably have one, too. Aren’t you girls coming?”

“We’ll be there in a minute,” Emily said. “We have some business to discuss first.”

“All right.” Camille climbed past her friends to get out to the aisle. “But don’t be too long.” She wagged her finger. “I’m just busting to congratulate Maggie.” Camille’s voice trailed off as she walked away.

Once Camille was gone, Emily felt she and Isabel could speak more freely. She looked around to make sure she would not be overheard. “Did you dig anything up with the background check on you know who?”

“Nothing yet. I’ve been buried, working on the Semanski case,” Isabel replied. “It’s going to trial soon.”

“Better do it quick, looks like we’re running out of time.”

“Looks like it.”

“I have to say, I’m surprised you let Alex invest with Lucas before we fully vet him.”

“I didn’t exactly let him. On the way over tonight, we had a doozie of an argument over this thing. I can’t remember the last time we argued like that. For Alex, it’s all about how he’ll look at the office if the other partners have a luxury condo up there and we don’t. You know how competitive those lawyers can be.”

“Let’s hope we’re worrying about nothing.” Emily squeezed Isabel’s hand.

“We’d better go congratulate the happy couple.”

Emily uttered a chorus of, “Excuse me, pardon me, sorry,” as she and Isabel wormed their way through the crowd, pressing through to the front of the line.

“Hey, no cuts,” a thirty-something, professional-looking man at the front of the line hollered. “Wait your turn.”

“Sorry, mister, I’m not here to buy a condo,” Emily apologized, grabbing hold of Isabel’s arm and pulling her around the side of Maggie’s table.

“Hey, y’all,” Maggie exclaimed, jumping up from her seat with open arms, hugging Emily first, then Isabel.

“We just wanted to congratulate you,” Isabel said graciously.

Maggie stuck her hand out, flashing a large single diamond in what looked like a platinum setting.

“That’s gorgeous,” Emily said.

“Yes, Maggie, stunning. You look so happy,” Isabel added.

As Isabel was talking, Emily noticed Sully approach Lucas, who stood from the table and extended his hand. While Maggie and Isabel exchanged a few words, Emily diverted her attention to what Sully might be saying to Lucas. Straining to hear their conversation, she noticed Sully smile and grasp Lucas’s hand with both of his, leaning again in to say something in private.

“This had better pan out or I’m going to be SOL.” She overheard Sully say the words in a low, serious voice, still grasping Lucas’s hand. That was all, no further conversation. Her observation undetected, she watched as the mayor walked away and Lucas plastered another charming smile on his face as he turned to help the next person in line.

That exchange prickled her. Something was not right, and for Maggie’s sake, she was going to find out what.

“We’d better let Maggie get back to work,” Emily said. “We’ll talk tomorrow.” She gave Maggie a quick hug good-bye right after Isabel hugged her, and they turned to leave.

Emily noticed the prospective investor who had scolded them earlier giving her the stink eye. “We’re leaving—she’s all yours,” Emily quipped.