Tracie Peterson - [Desert Roses 01] (19 page)

As the sun set and a riot of color splayed out across the western horizon, the first of the Winthrop parties began on the lawns outside El Tovar. Alex had no idea where all of these people were being housed. There were no fewer than three hundred guests gathered on the south rim of the canyon.

It appeared that the Winthrops were the perfect hosts. They had arranged the finest foods from the hotel, paid for lavish tables and decorations, and spent hundreds of dollars to orchestrate every detail. And this was only one of several parties. The main gala was not scheduled to occur for another two days.

Valerie Winthrop seemed in her element. She glided comfortably across the lawn in a flowing creation of silver and black. The look was lavish and opulent in a way that Alex could never hope to know—not that she’d want to. Yet it was amazing just the same.

A kind of silver spider’s web was molded to Miss Winthrop’s slicked-back hair, while long silver-and-diamond
earrings hung from her ears. Diamonds were also draped, almost haphazardly it seemed, around her neck and bodice. She looked the epitome of the modern woman—seductive and alluring, tempting and mysterious.

Alex watched Valerie with a strange sort of interest. The debutante had no apparent modesty when it came to dealing with the opposite sex. She openly flirted, moving from man to man like a bee gathering pollen. The only man she seemed to completely ignore was Joel Harper, a fact that didn’t appear to set too well with Mr. Harper. There was trouble in his expression, and Alex felt certain there would be a confrontation before the night was over. This thought was only compounded when Valerie attached herself rather openly to Alex’s father.

Laughing in a manner that seemed much too loud, Valerie appeared for all the world to be completely taken with Rufus Keegan. Alex’s father loved the extra attention. Alex couldn’t help but wonder rather crudely if her father had made Miss Winthrop his latest conquest.

Surely he wouldn’t risk the possibility of losing a position in the White House. Alex stared hard at her father, willing him to see her and know what she thought of the entire matter. When he finally did look her way, however, Alex was immediately sorry. His foreboding expression said more to her than any words. Not only had he threatened her more than once, but he also had aligned himself with Joel Harper and his talk of eliminating the competition. Whether Harper had been serious or not—and Alex was becoming more and more confident that he had been—her father apparently believed such actions were necessary to gain entry to the White House. He might even be involved with the man to act on those plans, taking the life of an innocent person in order to win an election. The thought sickened Alex and made her more determined than ever to expose them both and let the law deal with them.

Moving across the well-manicured lawn to offer
refreshments to the guests, Alex immediately spotted Bradley Jastrow. The handsome politician from Alabama stood near Hopi House, where guests could buy handmade Indian crafts. The Winthrops had arranged for the Indian dances to be performed during their lawn party, and Jastrow seemed quite interested in those who would dance for the event.

Alex couldn’t be sure what Joel Harper and her father had planned for Jastrow, but she was desperate to warn him. Still, what could she say?
Hello, Mr. Jastrow, my father and his new friends plan to eliminate you from the race for president? Even if it means killing you?

Maybe I could just tell him that there are rumors going around that someone plans to harm him
, she reasoned.
I wouldn’t have to say who told me this
.

Offering hors d’oeuvres to those she passed, Alex tried to make an inconspicuous attempt to reach the popular man. There were at least a dozen beautifully attired women who stood in a circle around him. They simpered and pouted and vied for the man’s attention, all the while appearing to size up each other. It was a most unusual game they played.

Alex’s only intention, however, was to warn Jastrow of the impending danger. And there was another candidate, although she’d not been told his name, who’d arrived at El Tovar for the party. Both were in danger.

First things first
, she thought.
I’ll tell Mr. Jastrow and then I’ll seek out the other candidate
. But even as she drew near enough to hear Jastrow denounce the illegal actions of those who opposed prohibition, Alex caught sight of Joel Harper watching her.

Sweat trickled down her back. How could she possibly warn Mr. Jastrow and not arouse Mr. Harper’s suspicions?

Alex looked across the crowded lawn and found her mother in conversation with Senator Winthrop. The conversation appeared all one-sided on the part of the senator, but nevertheless her mother looked every bit the captive audience. Alex couldn’t help but feel proud. Her mother was a pillar
of strength and managed to give a pretense at happiness that Alex would have found impossible.

Dressed in a crepe de chine gown of dark burgundy, Katherine Keegan looked almost regal—queenly in her stature and deportment. Why couldn’t her father see her beauty and grace and be content with her rather than chasing after so many other women?

Jastrow moved across the lawn with several people at his side, drawn into conversations Alex had no business in. She looked back to where she’d seen Joel Harper and found him watching her. The hair on her neck stood up, and a prickling sensation climbed her spine. Harper smiled and nodded, as if knowing his effect.

Alex looked away, wishing desperately she could talk to Luke. Luke would know what to do, or at least he could give her a clearer idea of what wouldn’t work. Right now Alex would settle for that alone. If she could just figure out what not to do, then maybe the proper action would present itself.

Her desperation mounted as the third contender for the Democratic nomination made his appearance. Laughter loud and shrill broke out from this new group of visitors. No one seemed to mind, however. Alex wondered if they had any idea the danger they were in. Surely not, she mused; they wouldn’t be here otherwise.

Seeing her tray was nearly empty, Alex moved across the grounds, her thoughts whirling around her. Perhaps if I appeal to Mr. Harper, maybe talk to him about the importance of . . . of what? She faltered in her step, nearly falling. She turned to see if Harper was watching her, but he’d disappeared.

Frantic, Alex scanned the crowd. What if he was already putting into play some plan to eliminate the competition? She saw nothing of the man. The orchestra began to play a popular tune and people gathered onto a makeshift dance floor.

Alex’s heart raced and the beat of it pounded a rhythm in her ears, threatening to leave her deaf. Hurrying from the scene, she prayed.
God, you’re the only one who knows
what is happening. You know the corruption here. You know what Joel Harper plans to do. Please intercede on behalf of these people
.

She picked up a full tray of lobster canapés and returned to the lawn, hoping, praying that nothing would go amiss. Scanning the grounds once again, Alex felt momentarily relieved. Mr. Jastrow seemed to be enjoying himself. Still surrounded by beautiful women, the handsome man appeared oblivious to any hint of danger. The other opponent to the senator’s campaign seemed equally entertained as he helped himself to a glass of punch from Bernice King’s tray.

Maybe I’m overreacting
, Alex thought.
After all, nothing seems amiss. Everyone is laughing and having a good time. Maybe Mr. Harper’s plans would take place only if things don’t appear to be going the senator’s way
. She tried to comfort herself with this idea. Surely she was making too much out of Harper’s threats.

But even as she reasoned with herself, other thoughts crowded in to take away her comfort. His threats were serious.
He and my father plan to eliminate whoever gets in their way—whether it’s the opposition, my mother, or me
.

Thinking of her mother, Alex quickly searched through the guests to find her. Feeling a bit panicked when her first cursory glance didn’t yield her mother’s location, Alex gave a more dedicated study to each area of the lawn. All the while people took food from her tray, ignorant of her growing concern.

A petite woman in burgundy could easily be swallowed up among the hundreds of guests, and Alex found herself catching a glimpse of color matching her mother’s gown only to lose it in the throngs.

There were too many people. People dancing. People talking. People eating and strolling. But Katherine Keegan was nowhere to be found.
Where could she have gone?
Alex trembled, knowing her mother intended to speak about her desires for a divorce. Alex had tried to talk her out of it, but her mother was convinced that this was the way it should be.
Now she feared her mother had said something and was now having to face the wrath of the man she’d borne so patiently for so many years.

Lord, I know you hate divorce, but my mother is suffering greatly. She’s so frail, even sick from the worry and pain. Please help her now. Let me find her and know that she’s safe
.

As the skies grew darker, lights especially strung to provide a magical effect, shone down upon the crowds. Forcing herself to remain calm, Alex picked up her step as she moved through the mingling guests.
I’m getting upset for no good reason. I need to see things as they are. Mother is probably nearby or maybe she’s gone back to her room. Perhaps she had a headache and retired early
. Continuing to search, Alex quickly realized her father was also missing. Was he with Joel Harper? Or was he in a confrontation with her mother? The nagging doubts resurfaced. Would he really make good on his threats?

Alex’s breathing quickened. What should she do?
Oh, Luke, I wish you were here. I need you
.

Realizing how much she’d come to depend on Luke was of no comfort to her. She had prided herself on needing no one, save God. Especially no man. But right now, with every nerve in her body tingling from head to toe, Alex knew the only person in the world who could help stave off her hysteria was the one person she’d pushed away and kept at arm’s length.

The orchestra ended one song and had just begun the opening strains of another when a woman’s scream tore through the air. Everything stopped. The orchestra conductor put down his baton and looked to the crowd as if for a cue. Alex stared at the faces around her, frozen in time with her companions. Faces filled with fear, curiosity, and confusion stared back at her.

The woman screamed again and then there was silence. Alex couldn’t move. No matter how hard she tried. She looked at the tray in her hands, then looked to the orchestra and the people who’d been dancing. Everyone remained fixed
in place, as though a photograph had been snapped of the entire group.

“Where did that come from?” someone finally questioned among a growing hum of murmured questions.

“Do you suppose it was just someone having a good time?”

“Didn’t sound like a good time to me,” another guest answered.

The murmurings grew to a cacophony of questioning and reasoning. Confusion settled over the crowd as they began to move again. Some moved in the direction of the scream, others went back to the food table as if to bolster their strength with refreshments.

A woman next to Alex agreed. “That woman sounded terrified, if you ask me.”

This seemed to be the only encouragement Alex needed. Shoving the half empty tray into the stunned woman’s hands, Alex ran at full speed across the lawn. The sound had come from the rim path, yet how far away, Alex couldn’t be sure. The canyon had an eerie way of distorting sounds. Sometimes it was quite confusing.

Many of the party guests had already begun moving in the direction of the rim. Those that pushed ahead at a rapid pace were mainly the newspaper reporters.

“Someone’s fallen into the canyon!” came the call.

Alex felt sickened and stopped to catch her breath. There was a part of her that suddenly didn’t want to know the truth.

Oh, God, please help me. I’m so scared
. She repeated the prayer like a mantra. Forcing herself forward, she regained her momentum and pushed through the crowd.

“Someone has fallen off the edge,” murmured a woman to her companion.

“No one could live to tell about that,” he replied. “I took that mule ride down—that canyon’s a mile into the ground. No, there won’t be much left of them—whoever they are.”

Alex glared at them but pressed on. The hotel had
positioned additional lighting here, which seemed to only create more shadows.

“Excuse me,” she said, over and over. An air of excitement enveloped the crowd, and people weren’t always of a mind to move out of Alex’s way. Her patience wore thin and she found herself becoming quite demanding. “I work for the hotel—get out of my way.”

Finally, she cleared past the last of the onlookers and found two people standing about ten feet away. The man turned out to be Luke. Alex could see the cast on his left arm in the dim light. The woman he held was sobbing. Her face was buried against his chest, but from the look of her build and the color of her gown, Alex felt confident that it was her mother.

Two men came to stand beside Luke. One wore a park ranger uniform, while the other was dressed in a tuxedo. They were speaking in hushed tones with Luke.

Alex’s legs felt weighted with lead as she pressed closer. In a hoarse whisper she asked, “Luke, what’s happened?”

Luke looked up and met her gaze. She could see his expression, although shadowed. His look told her that nothing would ever be the same after tonight.

“What is it?” she pleaded. “Tell me.”

Her mother pulled away and looked at Alex with tear-filled eyes. Luke released his hold on her and the ranger sympathetically took Mrs. Keegan’s hand and led her to a nearby bench. Luke then turned to Alex and looked into her eyes. “I’m sorry, Alex. It’s your father. He’s gone over the edge.”

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

“I can’t believe he’s really dead,” Alex said in disbelief nearly two hours later. Numb from the news, she hadn’t cried a single tear. She wondered if Luke thought her cold and unfeeling.