Through the Darkness

CHAPTER 3

Paul extracted the business section from the Sunday Capital, smoothed it out, rested his elbows on the table and began reading. “Well,” he said, glancing from the paper to me over the top of his reading glasses. “It looks like Paradiso’s grand opening was an unqualified success.”

I turned the burner under the oatmeal to low and wandered over to check out the paper. Unbelievably, the Capital had devoted almost the entire front page of the section to Paradiso’s debut. In addition to the article, the editors published three pictures, all in color, all above the fold.

Dante and Kendel Ehrlich, the wife of the Maryland governor, looking radiant as usual, cutting the ribbon.

Emily and Dante grinning broadly, raising glasses of champagne with a group that included Annapolis mayor Ellen Moyer.

A shot of the swimming pool, sparkling like topaz, surrounded by dozens of tuxedo- and evening-gown-clad partygoers.

“That wide-angle lens makes the pool look big as a football field,” I commented.

“It is big as a football field,” Paul snorted. “Glad I don’t have to maintain it.”

I tapped Dante’s photo with my fingertip. “Our son-in-law looks handsome, doesn’t he? Black tie was a good call.” I probably sounded smug. Black tie had been my idea.

“Apparently.”

“It was a fantastic party.” I sighed, remembering.

“Dante’s investors have deep pockets, Hannah.”

Indeed, they had. The guests at the elaborate, invitation-only gala had spilled over from the open bars and hors d’oeuvres tables that surrounded the swimming pool, flowed into the elegant, wood-paneled reception area, and trickled into the gift shop where Alison, Ben, and some of the other guides had taken turns handing out souvenir mugs, pocket calendars, and gold mesh bags of sample-size beauty and health-care products, all emblazoned with the spa logo.

On the veranda, using a sauté pan over a gas ring, François cooked up tortellini to order. Next to him, the sous-chef carved wafer-thin slices of prime rib, turkey, and ham for the guests, who could eat on the veranda, if they chose, or amble down to the beach, where tables and chairs had been set out. At surfside, illuminated by luau torches, another of François’s acolytes prepared Mongolian barbecue, using oversized chopsticks to toss personalized meat and vegetable mixtures over a sizzling grill, all to the appreciative oohs and ahs of the hungry crowd.

On the day before opening, though, I feared it would never come together. For weeks the concrete slab had been ready for the gazebo, but it wasn’t until late on Friday that a tractor-trailer delivered it-in four parts. Dante freaked when he saw the pieces until the workmen demonstrated how easily the whole thing could be assembled. By the time Tuxedo Junction arrived late Saturday afternoon, set up their instruments, and swung energetically into “String of Pearls,” the orchestra had no clue that the gazebo they were playing in had been moldering in the rose garden for years. And how they played! Big Band music drifted out over the Chesapeake Bay until one o’clock in the morning. Paul and I were among the last to leave the dance floor.

In the photographs, you couldn’t see the tool chests, of course, or the table saws, sanders, and routers, or the scaffolding that had been taken down and stashed in the garden shed. And the reporter hadn’t stopped to wonder about the locked door marked STAFF, behind which the paint cans and drop cloths had been hastily stowed prior to the party.

You couldn’t see me in the pictures, either, thank God. At the last possible minute, after what seemed like hours of indecision in front of my closet, Paul had zipped me into a blue taffeta evening gown that was eight years too old and a half size too small. I hadn’t had time to shop for anything new.

As if reading my mind, Paul grabbed my hand and pulled me into his lap. “You looked gorgeous,” he whispered into my hair.

“Hah!” I looked like a bridesmaid at a cut-rate wedding.

“I mean it. I always liked you in that dress.” He kissed me on the mouth. “The last time you wore it, I believe I got laid.”

“If you don’t stop right now,” I warned, “your cereal will get cold.”

“I can eat breakfast later,” he said, nibbling on my earlobe.

“But, it’s almost eight. We’ll be late for church.”

Paul ran a finger along my cheek, down my neck, and hooked his finger in the V of my knit top. “Why don’t we go to the eleven o’clock service, Hannah?”

“I just love cold oatmeal,” I said.

The oatmeal was cold, but the microwave fixed that.

And as it turned out, we didn’t miss the coffee hour between services, either. Finding a parking space had been a problem, though, so by the time Paul and I straggled into the fellowship hall at St. Cat’s, we were breathing hard.

Erika Rose was manning the door. “We missed you at eight-thirty,” Erika said in the same disapproving voice she probably used on her children, if she had any, or on the hapless litigants she faced every day in a Baltimore courtroom. Erika thumbed through the name tags in the slotted tray, located ours, and held onto them for a few seconds, as if our tardiness required an explanation before she’d turn them over.

I glanced at Paul and rolled my eyes.

“Running late today,” Paul muttered as he pinned the name tag to his lapel.

“Big party last night,” I added while attaching my name tag to my scarf.

“I figured,” she said. “Sorry I couldn’t make it. Had a deposition that kept me at the office until nearly midnight. Who knew the latex glove business could be so litigious?”

I was trying to remember if Erika Rose had actually been on the guest list, all the while thinking up something witty to say about latex, gloves or otherwise, when Pastor Eva rescued me. “Good to see you both!”

Evangeline Haberman had been rector of St. Catherine of Sienna Episcopal Church on Ridgley Avenue for less than a year, but she had already won the hearts of parishioners by her open and caring manner, not to mention her ability to deliver a cogent, yet motivational ten-minute sermon. “Running late this morning?” She looked at me suspiciously, one dark eyebrow raised.

“’Morning, Eva.” I felt my face flush. Was my hair standing on end? My lipstick smeared? Nothing seemed to get by the Reverend Evangeline Haberman.

Eva winked. “You two must have been partying until the wee hours of the morning. Please thank your daughter for inviting us, by the way. Roger could have boogied on until dawn, I think, but, alas, we had to leave early. I had a sermon to tweak.”

Indeed, Pastor Eva had come to the party wearing a slinky red number as far removed from her usual clerical garb as Times Square is from Paducah, Kentucky. I’d caught glimpses of Roger but hadn’t spoken to him.

“Sorry I missed chatting with Roger,” I said.

“He was perfectly charming, Eva,” Paul said. “I introduced him to Mongolian barbecue and the mayor of Annapolis, in that order. When I last saw him, they had their heads together, discussing bus routes.”

“What’s going on today?” I asked. “We had to park miles away and walk,” I added, hoping that would help explain my less than put-together appearance.

“We have a visiting choir from Atlanta, Georgia. You probably noticed the bus in the parking lot.”

I nodded. The darn thing had been taking up six parking spaces.

“ ‘Ezekiel Saw the Wheel’ proved a little too much for some of the seniors at the early service, but I certainly enjoyed it. Blew the steeple clean off the roof.” Eva laid a hand on my arm. “When the psalmist wrote about making a joyful noise unto the Lord, I doubt he had short-circuiting hearing aids in mind!”

“I’ll look forward to it,” I said, although my taste in church music leaned more toward Bach, Mozart, and William Byrd. A lot more.

Eva grinned. “You know me! Always like to shake things up a bit.” Dark, shoulder-length hair swinging, she turned to grab the upper arm of a kid who rocketed into the fellowship hall, making a beeline for the chocolate covered doughnuts. “Where’s the fire, Michael?”

“Sorry, Pastor Eva.” And he departed for the refreshments table at a more leisurely pace.

“Eva!”

A woman I didn’t recognize came toddling toward us across the parish hall. Her hair was streaked with so many different shades of blond that it was impossible to tell what the original color might have been. It curled under her ears like a badly thatched roof.

Eva greeted the woman warmly, then turned to us. “Hannah, Paul, I’d like you to meet Cassandra Matthews, Roger’s boss at Eastport Yacht Sales.”

“Wonderful party!” Cassandra said. “Thanks for including me.”

Another person I’d missed among all the merrymaking. I was glad Cassandra was feeling singled out for special attention, but in point of fact, Dante and Emily had invited just about anybody associated with the sailing industry in Annapolis, figuring that where there’s sailing, there’s money.

Sailboat: A hole in the water where you throw your money.

That’s what The Sailors’Dictionary tells us, anyway. Its authors, Beard and McKie, also define “crew” as “heavy, stationary objects used on shipboard to hold down charts, anchor cushions in place, and dampen sudden movements of the boom,” which pretty much summarized my sailing expertise.

“It’s a wonderful facility, Hannah,” Cassandra was saying when I tuned back in. “You must be awfully proud of your son-in-law.”

“We are,” Paul said.

“And our daughter, too,” I hastened to add. In just eight short years, Dante had clawed his way up from college dropout to spa owner, an incredible feat. But it wouldn’t have happened without the unflagging support of our daughter, Emily.

“Gotta run,” Eva said. “But take my advice, boys and girls, and hold onto your hats! The service is going to be a doozy. See you in the narthex afterward.”

But after the service, our ears literally ringing with the joyful noise of a rousing gospel rendition of “When the Saints Go Marching In,” Paul and I steered clear of the narthex and headed for the south door, so we could make a quick escape to Paradiso in time to help with the cleanup as we’d promised.

We were too late.

At Paradiso the Dumpster was full, the floors swept, Party Perfect was just departing with the tent, tables, chairs, and luau torches, someone from Cheryl’s Chalets was busily forklifting deluxe Porta-Potties onto a flatbed truck, and half the Paradiso staff was sitting on the veranda, sipping iced tea out of tall glasses.

“Iced tea?” asked Emily.

Paul squeezed my hand. “Your mother and I would love some tea, Emily.”

While the sous-chef-whose name, I learned, was Jimmy George-went to fetch our tea, Dante offered me his chair.

“The calm before the storm,” he said as he held the back of my rocker with one hand while dragging another one over with his left.

“Why?” Paul asked. “It’s Sunday. A day of rest. What’s on tap for today?”

“Magazine interviews.” Emily dumped the contents of a pink packet into her tea and stirred it with a straw. “We’ve been rushing around like maniacs all morning because the photographer from the Washington Post magazine is due at two-”

“And Baltimore Magazine’s sending someone at three-thirty,” Dante cut in.

“And we still don’t have an accountant, Dad.”

Paul raised a hand. “Don’t look at me! If I were a plumber, would you ask me to fix the pipes? Just because I teach math…” His voice trailed off.

“Oh, no.” Emily set her glass down on the table, grinned broadly and leaned forward. “We’ve got a much more interesting job for you, Dad, if you’re willing.”

“As long as it doesn’t involve heavy lifting, I’m all ears,” Paul said, reaching for the tea Jimmy had magically produced from the kitchen. “Thanks, Jimmy.”

Balancing his tray on one hand, Jimmy bowed deeply. “My pleasure.”

“So,” I said, sipping. “How can we help?”

Emily glanced at her husband, and when Dante nodded, she continued. “We’d like you to take a typical journey.”

“Where will I be going?”

“Nowhere!” Emily laughed.

François’s elbow caught Jimmy in the ribs, and both men chuckled.

The tips of Paul’s ears turned pink. “I haven’t cottoned on to the lingo yet, I see.”

“A typical spa guest journey, I mean.” Emily grinned. “It’s like a test run, part of staff training. The receptionist will greet you and introduce you to spa staff, who’ll take you on a tour of the spa, and explain the spa menu du jour.”

“We give all new guests a complimentary massage,” Dante cut in.

“And clients are encouraged to share their personal goals so that we adjust future treatments and schedules accordingly,” Emily added.

Paul turned to me. “So, what are my personal goals, Hannah?”

I studied my husband, who was tall and lean, but not the least bit skinny. Since early spring, Paul had joined me on a daily jog around the Naval Academy sea wall, something I’d been in the habit of doing every since my late friend Valerie had turned me on to it. Paul’s thighs and glutes were in great shape; his pecs and abs incredible. The man was ripped. I could think of only one area-his back-that needed work. He’d injured it in a farm accident many years ago.

“More flexibility in your back?” I suggested, thinking that if Garnelle’s fingers couldn’t work miracles on his creaky vertebrae, nobody’s could.

Paul patted his face. “How about doing something about these wrinkles?”

He was joking, but Emily didn’t get it. “Yes! We can schedule you for a chemical peel!”

Paul waved a hand. “Hold on! Let’s just stick with the massages for now. Do real men get facials?”

Dante looked shocked. “Of course.”

Emily pressed her palms together. “Good! A massage and a facial, then. And you’ll want to spend some time in the steam room.”

“The steam room’s divine, Paul,” I said. “I can vouch for that. And when you come out, you can hit the Jacuzzi, or the pool. There’s a refreshment station where they’ve got springwater with lemon slices and herbal teas.” I reached out and squeezed Paul’s knee. “And if you ask very nicely, one of the guides will bring you a smoothie.”

Paul consulted François. “Peach?”

“Any flavor you want, Professor.”

“Then after you’re done,” Emily rattled on enthusiastically, “one of the guides will help you plan your next visit, take you back to the receptionist for scheduling, and then they’ll thank you and escort you to the door.”

“To the gift shop,” Dante corrected.

Emily grinned. “Oh, right. To the gift shop, then.”

Paul leaned back in his chair. “A massage and a facial. Sounds like a real hardship.”

“Can you come when we open tomorrow?”

“How about right now?” Paul asked.

Emily shook her head. “We gave almost everyone the day off.”

“I have to teach first thing in the morning. How about we show up around lunchtime?” Paul raised an eyebrow in my direction. “No sense bringing two cars all the way out here.”

When I nodded in agreement, Emily said, “Okay. I’ll put you down for an appointment. And remember, Dad, the staff aren’t supposed to know you’re a ringer.”

“So,” I asked, “when do you start getting real customers instead of guinea pigs like me and your father?”

“Tomorrow.” Emily rose from her chair to check on Tim, who had awakened from his nap and was fussing quietly in his car seat, tugging on the seat belt, trying to worm his way out of the contraption. “We started taking appointments by phone yesterday morning,” she said brightly, “and by the time the party was over, we were seventy-five percent booked for the first month.”

In spite of his wife’s cheerful optimism, Dante looked worried. “After the party, I thought we’d be at one hundred percent.” He relaxed into the cushion and laced his fingers behind his head. “What we need is some sort of publicity stunt.”

“Don’t be silly,” Emily said. “The opening attracted lots of attention. Calls are still coming in.”

Dante continued as if his wife had never spoken. “Remember when we filled Founders Green with plastic lawn ornaments the day before graduation?”

François threw back his head and laughed. “God, that was a riot!”

“Remember the ’Fords who stole the sacred statue of Athena from the Great Hall at Bryn Mawr, and managed to knock her head off?” Dante chuckled.

He was referring to Haverford College, where he and François had sown a goodly number of wild oats.

Emily, a ’Mawrter, was clearly unimpressed. “That was so low-brow,” she sniffed. “Paradiso’s much more upmarket than that.”

“Yeah,” François said. “Don’t be an asshole, Dante.”

Ever since my daughter eloped with Dante, my relationship with my son-in-law had been an up and down thing. Just when I was growing to like the guy, he’d pull some bone-headed stunt and I’d find myself wondering what Emily saw in him all those years and three children ago.

I wasn’t even entirely convinced that the two were officially married. The only proof I had of the ceremony was a photograph of the happy couple in front of a wedding chapel in Las Vegas, sent via e-mail attachment. I had a picture of myself with Princess Leia cinnamon buns clapped to my head, helping Han Solo blast the bejessus out of the Death Star, and I’d never even met Harrison Ford, so what did that prove? Only that the computers in the photo booth at King’s Dominion can work wonders, that’s what.

“I think you should concentrate on the here and now,” Paul said reasonably. “Do you think you’ll be ready for tomorrow, Dante?”

Dante shrugged. “We’ve gotta be.”

“Except for the nursery,” Emily corrected. “That opens next week.”

Speaking of the nursery reminded me that I hadn’t seen Chloe or Jake since we arrived. “Where are the children?” I asked.

Emily unstrapped Tim, lifted him out of the car seat, and settled him on her hip. She flapped her free hand in the direction of the beach.

Down by the breakwater, I caught a glimpse of Chloe’s blond ponytails and Jake’s curly mop bent over something on the sand. As I watched, Jake began stabbing at the mystery object with a blue plastic shovel. I shaded my eyes against the sun. “Who’s that looking after them?”

“Alison Dutton, one of the guides. She just loves the kids. I don’t know what I would have done without her the past week. Jake’s always been a picky eater, you know, but he’ll even eat François’s spinach quiche if Alison feeds it to him, and it’s got feta in it.”

“Alison’s supposed to be taking care of clients,” Dante grumbled. He drew breath to elaborate when his cell phone erupted, bringing a welcome end to that topic of conversation. We watched Dante check the caller ID. “Sorry, guys. Gotta take this call.” We waited politely while he hit Talk, pressed the phone to his ear and wandered to the far end of the veranda, where he parked a hip on the railing and spoke quietly to whomever was calling.

Emily, who half a minute earlier had been shooting daggers at her husband, relaxed. “And you can help, too, Mom.”

“How’s that?”

“You used to screen candidates when you worked at Whitworth and Sullivan, right?”

I nodded, almost afraid to admit it, because it didn’t take a Mensa membership to figure out where this conversation was going. “And you’d like me to look over some résumés?”

“Would you? You’re an angel!”

As simple as that, I had volunteered.

“Dante’s doing all the interviews, but if you could pull out the good ones and set up appointments, that would be great.”

Tucking his cell phone back into its holster, Dante rejoined us. He squeezed Emily’s shoulder. “I’m sure your mother has better things to do, Em.”

Emily blinked, bit her lower lip. I’d seen that look before. Emily hated being squelched.

I quickly jumped to her rescue. “I’m more than happy to help out, Dante. Bring on the résumés.” Then, to Emily, I said, “What positions are we talking about?”

“The accountant you know. But we’re also looking for a certified aesthetician.”

I groaned. “I’m not even sure what an aesthetician does!”

“Skin care, facials, manicures, pedicures, hair removal-”

“For the beauty parlor?”

François gasped theatrically and pressed a hand to his chest. “Oh God, don’t let Wally Jessop hear you. ‘Bellissima, s’il vous plaît!’ ” he drawled, imitating the dubious French accent Cleveland-born Wally had been trying on lately. “Zee salon de bow-tay she eez called Bellissima.”

I’d chatted with Wally, and I suspected that the closest he ever got to France was the French bread bin at our local Whole Foods market. “But ‘Bellissima’ is an Italian word, surely?”

François grinned. “Of course, but Wally’s a continental kind of guy.”

“So you’ll do it, Mom?”

“Okay, I’ll do it,” I said, “but I’d rather take care of the children.”

“Don’t be silly, Mom. That’s my job.”

How I wish, now, that I had insisted.