Page 30 of The Beach Hut on Plum Island
“He’s been spending a lot of time in America, for one,” Pat told her.
“I don’t see how that’s so strange,” Harriet pointed out. “Uncle Titus has a lot of business in America, and he loves it over here.”
“Yes, but he’s been coming over at least once a month,” Pat informed her. “He’s been here at least eight times in the past two months, so his visits are getting more frequent.” He rubbed his chin again. “And he’s been disappearing. I fear he’s been having secret meetings, perhaps with a doctor.”
“Pat, we don’t know he’s meeting anyone,” Julie commented and turned to Harriet and Finn. “Titus’s bodyguards have calledyour father on numerous occasions in panic mode because Titus slipped away for a couple of hours while he was in New York. He did a few times when he came to visit us in the Hamptons lately as well.”
“You mean he slipped his protective detail and disappeared?” Harriet’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Has anyone asked him why or where he went?”
“Of course, sweetheart,” Pat said. “But Titus just says he never went anywhere and was right there under everyone’s noses having a quiet moment on his own in the gardens.”
“And his bodyguards are sure Uncle Titus wasn’t where he said he was?” Harriet looked from her mother to her father, who nodded.
“So Harriet, you see why, while I know he’s not our favorite person at the moment, I have to worry about Titus,” Pat told her. “I fear that he’s…” His voice trailed off, and Harriet saw her father struggling with the words, and the realization hit her.
“Oh!” Harriet said in shock. “You think Uncle Titus has dementia?”
“You know we don’t like mentioning that,” Pat said delicately. “It happened to our father and our grandfather.”
“That was my first thought.” Julie, like her daughter, had no trouble mentioning the dark Joyce family secret. “We’re worried that if your uncle is going crazy, Gray will have to step in too soon and go down the same path.”
“Julie!” Pat admonished. “We don’t call people crazy.”
“Okay.” Julie rolled her eyes. “Titus has been showing signs of mental decline and doing things that could be considered erratic and…” She grinned. “Crazy!”
Pat sighed and shook his head resignedly at his wife before addressing Harriet and Finn once again. “So I’d like to keep an eye on Titus while he’s here, and sharing a holiday house may be just the setting for doing so without him knowing.”
“How about we meet for breakfast at the Beach Hut?” Finn suggested. “My cafe is on the beachfront. You can meet my children then, as they’re better behaved in the morning.” He smiled. “After that, I can show you the house.”
“That sounds like a wonderful plan, Finn,” Pat accepted the invite and turned to Julie. “I think we should leave Harriet and Finn to their date. I think it’s time for my medication.”
“Oh, how are you feeling, Father?” Harriet suddenly found her voice again. “Mother told me you had the Titus flu.”
“Oh!” Pat laughed, and Harriet and Finn walked them to the door. “It was a bit of Titus flu, but my stomach seemed to have developed an annoyance with spicy foods.”
“Your stomach has had the annoyance for years, sweetheart,” Julie assured him. “You’ve only just started to acknowledge it now that it’s causing a lot more discomfort.”
“Drink lots of fluids,” Harriet advised her father. “We’ll see you for breakfast tomorrow at …” She looked at Finn.
“Well, you usually finish your morning run at six thirty,” Finn surprised her by saying. “So how about seven?” He looked at her parents. “If that’s not too early for you,” he said.
“Oh, no!’ Pat shook his head. “We’re archeologists, son.” He smiled. “Julie and I are usually up long before dawn.”
They waved Harriet’s parents off and stood staring at the closed door as an awkward silence descended over the room.Thank goodness I had a few glasses of wine to get through that.She gave herself a mental shake, trying to keep the guilt and self-disgust at bay. It wasn’t like she’d never lied to or been dishonest with her parents before. Harriet had just never done it on this scale.
“I felt that went well,” Finn said, breaking the ice as he turned to Harriet. “Are you okay?”
Her eyes widened, and even though she thought it wasn’t possible, her heart dropped a little lower. Harriet had justdragged Finn into her family drama, made him lie through his teeth and act as if he was in a real-life soap opera, and he was asking her how she was. The media were right when they had dubbed Finn the humble hero a few years ago.
The man hardly knew her, and the encounters Harriet and Finn had had on Plum Island couldn’t be considered good ones. Yet he’d just stepped right up and jumped feet-first into her pool of lies and deceit to help her. Harriet had always admired Finn and, yes, had a massive crush on him. Even when he was an international surfing superstar, the man had remained humble. Harriet didn’t have the words to thank him.
“Finn…” Harriet began, knowing she had to thank him. “I…” She cleared her throat. “I don’t know what to say,” she admitted. “Thank you.”
“It’s okay.” Finn’s smile broadened. “I’m glad I can help. Your parents are great. I have to admit to being a little worried about meeting the man who was supposed to be the king of Joyce Isles.”
“My father has never been king material,” Harriet said with a nervous laugh. “He’s always been an academic who preferred digging in the dirt to find out more about his family’s roots.”
“And archeologist,” Finn said.
