Page 76 of Behind These Four Walls
Charli wasted no time sliding into the empty chair beside Isla, her presence overpowering the room, her perfume even more powerful. “Well, isn’t this cozy?” she purred, her eyes darting around the room, finally settling on Isla. “Brooke, can you get one of your maids to make me a vodka tonic? Maybe the one who showed me in?”
Mae glared at her before pointedly walking out.
Charli said, “Can she do that? Isn’t the help supposed to do whatever they’re asked to do?”
“Don’t worry about her,” Brooke said sweetly, happily making Charli’s drink herself and handing it to her. Isla concentrated on the patterns on the Persian rug in front of her.
“My God, Isla, you’ve certainly done well for yourself.” Charli leaned in close. Her whisper was more a bullhorn, and her breath smelled like peppermint and vodka. “What a great setup. You could have at least changed your name. Haven’t you learned anything? Same initials, different name. Running the Con 101.”
Isla gave her nothing. She’d let this play out, since her gig was up. It was only a matter of time, and her time had run out.
She thought about Myles, who gawked at Charli, questions surrounding his head like a crown. Victor was confounded, expecting his wife to explain the audacious newcomer. The statuesque Pam Grier look-alike was not the typical guest to grace their home.
“Brooke,” Victor said, “what kind of joke is this?”
The only other person not surprised by Charli’s appearance was Jackson, as he sat coolly and expectantly.
“Cat got your tongue, sweetheart?” Charli teased, knowing she had Isla’s number. She was a fox in the henhouse. “Why didn’t you tell me where you were going, huh?” Charli continued, even though Isla wasn’t replying to her. She wasn’t even looking Charli’s way, fixated on the rug. Isla knew the rest of what Charli wanted to say. That Isla should have told her where she was going so Charli could get a cut. “Your hostess, Mrs. Corrigan—”
“Oh please, call me Brooke. We’re like that now.”
“Brooke was nice enough to invite me all the way from LA. She thought I might like to see the lovely young woman she’s been hosting so graciously, especially after some of the accidents you’ve had. Sweetheart, you didn’t tell me this when you said you were going on a job and dropped off the face of the earth.”
That was where Isla had made her mistake. In her eagerness to get here, she had only given Charli vague information, when in the past she’d told her when and how long she’d be gone, fueling Charli’s curiosity and determination even more. Brooke approached them, and Isla tore her eyes from the rug to face her. The smile on Brooke’s face was the first genuine smile Brooke had shown since Isla’s arrival. She was happy, relishing Isla’s takedown immensely. She would stretch this torture out as long as she could. And Isla would let her, because Brooke had her now. And after tonight, Isla wouldn’t have access to Victor again if Brooke had her way, but Isla hadn’t planned for this. The take was not with her. The setup was not on her terms. She had to remain silent.
Brooke tutted, “I just didn’t feel right, a young lady like yourself here all alone with people you barely know. You never talk about your family. You’ve been totally entrenched in our lives instead.”
Isla understood Brooke’s purposeful wording encased in fake concern.
“I know it’s been for the article on Victor, but, Isla, you have a whole life in LA that you gave up for this. And quite a colorful past too. Isn’t it fascinating how small the world is, Victor?” Brooke said, like a viper about to strike.
Victor said, “What’s this about, Brooke? Who is this and why is she here?” He set his drink down.
Brooke’s smile slipped, embarrassment reddening her face. But she only had to look down at Isla and Charli and was rejuvenated. “Just wait, dear.”
As she turned back to Isla, Charli said, “Why don’t you tell them all about LA? And about Daytona. Or should I? We can do it together.”
Isla finally said, “Charli, let’s step out to talk.”
“Oh no,” Brooke jumped in. “There are no secrets among family, right? Isn’t that why you’re here? To sniff out everyone’s secrets and blackmail us to keep those secrets?”
“Oh, I think I understand.” Charli’s voice hardened. “You came here only saying you were going on a job. Even your friends wouldn’tspill, no matter how much I tried. So when I get a call, saying a Mrs. Corrigan of Corrigan Enterprises—”
“Group,” Bennett said eagerly, when his initial shock subsided. “The Corrigan Group.”
“If you say so,” Charli said to him. Her eyes traveled the length of him, resting in places it shouldn’t have in front of his parents. He squirmed beneath her examination. “You, by the way, are a gorgeous piece of work. God, the things I could do to you.” She growled, fanning herself.
Bennett crossed his legs and turned away, the first time Isla had ever seen him uncomfortable.
“No wonder you’ve been off the grid. You landed yourself a big catch here. Moved up like the Jeffersons. Before your time, but your parents know what I mean,” Charli said to Myles and Bennett.
“Enough!” Victor finally boomed, silencing the room. “Someone better explain what the hell is going on and who is this—this woman is.”
“Charli.” Charli waggled her fingers at him. “Charli Galveston, like the city. But not where I’m from.”
Brooke said, “Victor, I know this will be a shock. Believe me, I was as shocked as you will be. But after Isla got hurt, I did some digging, because what if something happened to her? Who’d be her next of kin? But it turned out Isla isn’t who she says she is. Or not entirely who she says she is. Do I have that about right, Charli?”
“That you do,” Charli said. “I took her in when she was just a kid, gave her a roof over her head, showed her the ropes, and how does she repay me? By skipping town with no word or thanks. See, I met Isla when she was sixteen in Georgia. We were taking the same train to Los Angeles. I took her in while she went to school and got a job at the retirement home I run. She ended up starting a business with a couple of friends to dig up the dirty secrets of celebrities. ThinkTMZbut more low key. But Isla is from Daytona. That’s where she said she was coming from when I met her.”