Disclaimers: See Chapter One If you have good or bad things to say feel free to email me at henleyac@yahoo.com.
Chapter Four
Vivian sat in the back seat of the Denali. She had insisted that Grams take the front seat next to Quin. They were going to the main house on the expansive lake front property. They traveled slowly down a snow covered road that was flanked by bare trees. The trees nearly blended in with the snowy ground. Glimpses of the gray sky flickered between the icy branches. Vivian was nervous. No one had ever taken her home and introduced her to their family before. She had little hope of making Quin's parents or older brother happy. She would like to have her sister and younger brother like her, simply because they were much closer to the brunette.
The big truck rounded the final curve and the big house was revealed. Vivian had seen mansions before. Southern California certainly had its share of rich and powerful people who projected their wealth with huge opulent houses. But this was different. This was a castle sitting on wooded lakeside land. She was sure that the landscaping was impeccable, and if it were late spring or summer she would be taken aback by its beauty. Today, however, the snow covered everything and the drive looked to be freshly shoveled as the snow was banked high on each side leading to the grand entrance.
Quin pulled the truck to a stop and looked over her seat at Vivian. "All set to enter the lions den?" She smiled to ease the nervous blonde.
"Phht." Mary blew from her lips. "More like a cat cage with all their scratching and biting at each other."
Quin chuckled, "You promised to be nice Grams." She gently reminded the elderly woman.
Vivian pulled her shoulders up to her ears and then let them roll back and relax. Some tension faded from her neck. "How bad can it be?" Quin and Grams both chuckled at the blonde's innocent question as they opened their respective car doors. Vivian sat in the back seat frowning until Quin opened one of the doors.
"Out with you Vivian Walsh, there is family to meet!" The brunette informed with a slight Irish lilt that caused Vivian to smile. She reluctantly scooted out the door.
Vivian adjusted her clothes under the warm coat and nodded to Quin she was ready. She took Quin's offered arm. A moment later Grams hooked her arm on the other side smiling up at Vivian.
"We McKee's will protect you from what lies forth and we will lay waste all that oppose us!" Grams proclaimed as they stepped toward the door.
Quin rolled her eyes, "So dramatic Grams, sheesh."
Vivian giggled in spite of her nervousness. It was enough for her at that moment that she was loved by Quin and accepted by her grandmother.
Clara O'Malley sat with her right leg draped gracefully over her left knee in a wing back chair just feet from a roaring fire. She sipped on a glass of amber liquid. Her fifth such glass since she received a phone call from Quinlan McKee.
Clara was a tall slender woman. At age fifty-seven she was still a beautiful woman. She had been born into money and had never held a job in her life. The sad truth was she was momentarily dependent upon Quin's good graces to remain in the lap of luxury.
Quin was a necessary evil, Clara thought as the nearly empty glass dangled between her thumb and middle finger. She hated that she had to deal with Quin coming into her home anytime she liked. She hated that she was forced to tolerate her perverse lifestyle. She hated that her own mother and father chose an abomination over their own child.
The door bell signaled that her torment was to begin. She lifted the glass to her lips and drank the last of the alcohol. She palmed the heavy glass for a moment, watching the distorted dance of the fires flames as the light passed through the thick transparent surface. She could hear the polite voices of the house's servants welcome the unwanted guest. There was no sense in putting off the unpleasantness any longer. She gracefully stood and straightened her skirt. Perhaps the visit would be short.
Quin didn't care much for the house of her childhood. Just looking up at the grand stained glass dome in the middle of the foyer was enough to cause her stomach to tighten unpleasantly. She took Vivian's hand and pulled her close by her side. The comforting squeeze the blonde returned to her own hand caused a smile to pull at Quin's lips. Their coats were taken by an unfamiliar domestic. Quin knew her family didn't retain anyone for any length of time. It was hard to work for Clara O'Malley. She was overly demanding and non appreciative of hard work. Quin was sure this stemmed from never having to perform any kind of physical labor in the past. Quin doubted she would recognize any of the current staff of the house after a year since her last visit.
"I suppose I should be honored the two of you decided to grace us with your presence for lunch."
Quin cringed at the sound of her mother's voice. It always made her feel like she was seven again. She squeezed gently on Vivian's hand and took a deep breath. "Mother." She greeted. "I'd like to introduce you to Vivian Walsh."
Clara pressed her lips together and narrowed her eyes, "A new project of yours dear? Some gutter waif you've rescued and rehabilitated like the last one?" She knew she hit a sore spot as Quin looked away for just an instance.
Vivian found herself growing angry. This woman that Quin acknowledged as her mother was coming dangerously close to a well deserved slap. Vivian gripped Quin's hand all the tighter.
"You're an ass Clara." Mary fumed as she took a step forward.
Clara shrugged. "I am doing my best with the situation Mother."
"We should have beaten you more." Mary stated coming to stand beside her granddaughter.
Clara scoffed, "We tried that with Quin here and as you can see it had little effect."
Vivian growled low in her chest. She did not like this woman at all. Quin surely must have been abandoned on the door step or possibly switched at birth.
"Mother." Quin calmly spoke. "Is lunch ready?"
"Of course." Clara replied and turned her back on the threesome as she walked away.
Quin's shoulders dropped as her mother moved off. She had the beginnings of a headache brewing behind her eyes. She used her palm to rub her forehead a bit before leading Vivian and Grams to the dining room.
Vivian took in the huge house as they walked silently. Mostly silently anyway. She could hear Grams muttering to her self on the other side of Quin. She was also certain that Quin was having her own internal discussion. Vivian just wanted to slap someone. She was sure it would make her feel better.
The dining room was spectacular. Vivian wondered if they took all their meals here as she was escorted to a chair by Quin. There were several other people already seated around the huge table. Some smiled at her others nearly snarled. It seemed there were two camps in the house. Those who liked Quin and those who didn't. Vivian had guessed this was the way it was, she just didn't expect it to be so clearly evident. Those who had little regard for Quin had no problem in letting it show openly.
As soon as Grams was settled the food was served. Conversation was sparse at one end of the table where Quin's mother sat holding court with a man who looked just slightly older than Quin. Vivian assumed this was her older brother. She knew from snippets of conversation with Quin that she didn't get along well with her oldest brother. The end of the table she was seated at with Quin and her grandmother had almost erupted immediately into chatter as greetings and hand clasps were shared. She was eagerly introduced to Quin's younger brother Sean and his wife Nan. Quin's sister Catherine introduced her self along with her husband Ian. Vivian liked this group immediately and actually settled in and had a enjoyable lunch. Soon though it was over. Sean had to return to the city, Ian excused himself asking to ride along with him, and Catherine had to pickup children from school. The rest of the group was invited to the parlor for coffee and tea.
The parlor was warm and inviting. Vivian settled herself onto an ornately upholstered couch. Nan and Grams joined her. Clara sat in her customary wing back chair. Quin was taken aside by her older brother.
"I wonder what Michael wants?" Nan questioned aloud.
"Money." Grams supplied. "His business isn't fairing well. The IRS is breathing down his neck, seems he's been a little negligent on his returns."
Vivian looked at her stoic faced lover who stood motionless as her older brother waved his arms. The man was turning red from exertion, his voice became louder and louder by the minute. Vivian watch in horror as the man grabbed the front of Quin's shirt and violently began to shake her. She stood to intervene.
"Enough Michael." Clara boomed. She gracefully walked over to her oldest son and placed a calming hand on his arm. "We wouldn't want to bite the hand that feeds us now would we?"
"This is between Quin and I mother." Michael seethed between clenched teeth.
"Asking your sister for help is a mistake." Clara stated for everyone to hear. "She never forgets. She'll never let you forget."
Michael let Quin's shirt front go with a growl and stalked off out of the room.
"An unfortunate turn of events for Michael lately." Clara returned to her chair and retrieved her tea cup from the small side table.
Quin nearly snarled at her mother and left the room.
Vivian started to stand again but was held in place by Grams firm hand on her knee. "Stay with us dear. Those two need a bit of time."
Quin went after her older brother. He had never asked her for anything before. For him to loose control in front of their mother, in front of strangers even, was a sign that something was terribly wrong. He hadn't made much sense in the parlor and his physical attack had seem more desperate than aggressive. She had to do a bit of searching but eventually caught up with the man on the back veranda. "Michael." Her brother turned a bit, barely acknowledging her. "Tell me what's going on, I can't help unless I know." Quin pleaded as she came to stop next to him. The cold air bit at her cheeks, and she curled her arms around her self in an effort to stay warm.
"Jacob is missing."
Jacob was Michael's only child. He lived with his mother, Michael's ex-wife, in Chicago. Diane didn't last long at the estate. Quin's mother didn't like her and made it a personal crusade to force the two lovers apart. It had only taken eighteen months for Michael to file divorce papers under his mother's guidance. That had been the beginning of the rift between the siblings.
"How long?" Quin asked staring out at the bleak landscape.
"Six months. Di thought maybe he had taken off for California again." Michael shoved his hands in the pockets of his suit pants.
"California?"
"He met some person on the internet and took off out there to meet them." Michael shifted from foot to foot. "He called me after about a week asking for a plane ticket back."
Quin nodded her understanding. She noticed he had said 'person' not gender specific. Very curious indeed, she thought.
"I sent him money and arranged for a ticket. That was a year ago."
"You don't think he went back to California?" Quin was formulating a plan of action as she made mental notes.
"No. Di said she saw him last week, or she thinks she saw him. He…"
Quin placed her hand on Michael's arm, "I need to know what you suspect Michael or I can't help."
Michael took a deep breath. "He has a drug problem. I cut him off about eight months ago. I tried to force him into a drug program"
"That's not all is it." Quin's voice was soft and encouraging. She was familiar with coaxing information out of people.
Michael turned toward his sister. He had spent a lot of time and effort hating the small woman in front of him. He had believed every thing his mother had told him about Quin and how she had cheated her and by all rights himself out of their rightful inheritance. He was for the first time in his life going against his mother's wishes and involving Quin directly in his life. "No, there's more." He glanced back at the house. "Would it be okay to go inside?" he asked.
Quin smiled, "I'm freezing my ass off."
Michael nodded, "West coast pansy."
Quin looked shocked at her brother.
Michael blinked "Sorry." He apologized dropping his head.
Quin chuckled, "Oh no you don't, that's the nicest thing you've called me in twenty years." She tugged on his sleeve, "I'm sure the staff wouldn't mind us using the kitchen." She offered, knowing well that her mother wouldn't be likely to find them there. The woman had an aversion to anyplace work took place. "I'll do everything I can to help Michael." Quin promised as they entered the much warmer confines of the house.
End part four