Possessed by a Stranger by Jeny Stone Page A

family estate next door, if you considered two miles
next door. She had yet to meet them, being swept under from the
constant barrage of contractors.
    The welcomed sight of the truck transporting
her furniture enticed a squeal of delight as she opened the door to
run outside to greet her drivers. They introduced her to the two
extras she hired to assist, then immediately started working.
Hannah directed the furniture’s placement with her regular drivers
taking charge of unwrapping the protective materials and monitoring
for damages. During the lunch break Hank sat on the tailgate of the
truck beside Hannah. She had suspected there was something on his
mind most of the day from the worried look on his face. She was
hesitant to ask in case it was something she didn’t want to hear.
She cringed at the thought they may have found a better proposition
and was dumping her.
    “Miss Hannah, you had a couple of visitors I
think I should mention.” Hank’s voice held concerns.
    “Did you know them, Hank?” Her heart skipped
a beat. So, P. Garret was looking for her after all. She had almost
given up hope of ever seeing him again. She was afraid he really
was from out of town and had returned home.
    “No ma’am, they asked where to find you … but
I played dumb. They weren’t any of your regular clients.”
    “Thank you. Did they leave a name or tell you
what they wanted?” She tried to sound nonchalant wanting to grab
Hank’s shirt and shake the answers out of him. Her stomach had
tightened at the possibility she would see Mr. P. Garret again.
    “The first two guys said they were your
friends. I figured that if they were friends, they would know where
you were. One of them was Jay. He was pretty pissed … excuse my
French.”
    “No problem. You said
first. Was there more?” Please, say there
was more. Jay could look all he wanted.
They were done, over, finished. He could go screw himself or his
secretary. He was obviously good at doing just that.
    “A big burley guy, that looked like a cop. I
think he was packing. He offered us compensation for the
information. Of course, we refused. You’re not in any trouble are
you? I know some guys that can take care of any problems.”
    “I’m fine. That person wasn’t a cop. He works
for an acquaintance of mine. If he gives you any trouble, don’t
hesitate to call the police.” They both laughed. She was sure for
different reasons from the sinister tone in his deep
you’ve-got-to-be-kidding chuckle. Ooo…kay, so there were some
things about her drivers she was better off not knowing. They were
still the best.
     
     
    ****
     
     
    Exhausted after months of revamping the
Presley Foundation, Garret was finally in a position to breathe
again. He worked day and night, without a moment to relax and very
little time to sleep, to meet his goal. Now, fully staffed with
people he trusted, the foundation was again running smoothly. He
had attacked the challenge vigorously until it was conquered;
giving it everything he had in his arsenal. Unfortunately, leaving
nothing of himself for anyone or anything.
    This weekend Garret scheduled a monthly trip
back home, which he had postponed for the last couple of months. He
considered doubling up on the visits and probably would, depending
on the condition of his ninety-two year old grandfather. That
reminded him to check his other email account. A reputable art
dealer had promised to locate the other three Abernathy paintings
for a humongous finder’s fee. Those paintings would brighten up his
grandfather’s remaining days and he would pay any price to put a
smile on his grandfather’s face.
    He planned to spend Friday night with Hannah,
reminding her why she should find or sell him the last painting.
After that kiss in the bar, he knew she might be surprised when he
showed up unexpectedly at her door, but she wouldn’t turn him down.
After a successful completion of a project, Garret liked to play
and play hard. Something about