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  During this thought process, Doug began to realize that staging his death may have come with consequences. He had cut off every person that he knew in his life. He no longer existed to his friends, workmates, what little family he had, and his wife. They all thought he was dead. Had he been kidnapped by banditos during his trip home, who would the kidnappers have called to ask for a ransom? What if his little mishap with the burro had resulted in a crash where he had become injured and had to go to a Mexican hospital? Who would he have called? Who would have come to visit him? These thoughts that entered his mind did not cause him to question his course of action. They did not make him realize that there may be more important things in life than all the material things he had coveted all his life. The thoughts did not get him to conclude that these 'coveted things' might lose their luster without someone to share them with.

  Doug was not overly concerned with these scenarios that had run through his head involving banditos, accidents, etc. Doug still was at a stage in his life where he felt invincible. He felt he could handle anything. He didn't need anyone's help. He didn't need any of the people he had cut off from his life. When his first Vette burst into flames while tumbling over the embankment on that isolated New Mexico road, his old life went up in flames as well. He was convinced the new friends he intended to make would more than compensate for anything or anyone he had given up in his old life.

  In short order, his thoughts drifted to more 'typical Doug thoughts.' He thought about taking Isabella for a ride in his Vette. He pictured himself taking his Scuba lessons. He saw himself on the golf course at the country club and cruising Puerto Vallarta in his new Torch Red Corvette.

  Chapter Eighteen

  THE OSPREY COVE LODGE

  Alex did not head out Monday morning to visit Droxell outfitters and stores in the field as planned. His unpredictable decision to buy The Osprey Cove Lodge created a change in plans.

  Alex's parents had been stunned by his unexpected phone call telling them that he was buying The Osprey Cove Lodge. Alex felt he should drive back to the Droxell home Sunday evening to discuss his decision. He did not know what kind of response to expect from them.

  Julia and Alex, Sr. were seated in the living room having Martinis. Alex had phoned ahead and told them he was on his way home. So they were anticipating his return.

  "Good evening, Son. Come in and sit down; have a Martini with us."

  Alex walked over to the side table and poured himself a drink from the Martini shaker. He then took a seat in one of the side chairs next to the sofa where his parents were seated.

  "Well, I know you are both probably a bit shocked at the news. Let me tell you what happened. When I went to The Osprey Cove Lodge on Friday night for dinner, I immediately saw the FOR SALE sign out front. As soon as I entered the lodge, I saw that Mr. Badeau was not behind the desk. His son was there. Sadly, he told me that his father had passed away."

  "Oh no!," Alex's parents seemed to respond in unison. Julia asked, "What happened?"

  "Apparently, he had a heart attack down at the water while getting in one of the boats."

  "How sad," his father said slowly, "we will miss him. We've known him at least thirty years. He was our age, I think. I'm surprised word of his death hadn't reached us. I would have liked to have gone to the service."

  "I was surprised, too." Alex continued. "I started thinking after I went back to The Lady Droxell after dinner about how much The Osprey Cove Lodge means to me. The thought of it changing or not being there any longer was not a pleasant one." Alex started to laugh, "I had a dream Friday night that the new owner came in and bulldozed it."

  His father chuckled, "Well, it wasn't likely that someone would do that, but then it was a possibility."

  Alex continued, "So the next morning I called the real estate agent and set up an appointment to see the lodge. I was surprised how much surrounding land belongs to the lodge. There is a large amount of beautiful lake frontage. I got all the financial information from him and told him I would sleep on it and get back to him. I know it's probably difficult for both of you to understand why I would do such a thing, but I am one hundred percent convinced I made the right decision. I have no buyer's remorse. I am excited at the thought of being the new owner. I intend to preserve her and take care of her and the land she sits on for as long as I have the privilege of being her guardian. As is often said, we are never really the owners of the land.

  Both Julia and Alex, Sr. could see the excitement, sincerity, and passion in their son as he talked about The Osprey. They had planned to discuss what they perceived to be the negative aspects of his quick decision. But neither of them felt a desire to do so any longer. They had not seen this much life or passion in their son since his wife had died eight years ago. It was refreshing to see their son happy, particularly after his ordeal with Rosalind.

  His father responded, "Alex I have a great deal of confidence in your ability to make good decisions. If I didn't, I would not be turning over the company to you. I'm sure you looked at all the financial aspects of the purchase and made a good business decision. I remember feeling a similar passion when I started Droxell Outdoor Outfitters. I sometimes feel bad that you have had little choice as far as choosing a path in life. You've always pretty much been locked into taking over Droxell. And I'm sure buying The Osprey Cove Lodge will not change the responsibility you have toward Droxell. But I'm glad that you have found something that you feel passionate about outside of our company."

  "Thank you, Dad. Your words mean a lot to me. Let me assure you that my purchase of The Osprey will not in any way impact my running Droxell. I will see that I hire a good manager to care for all the day-to-day operations."

  "How soon will you be closing on the property?" Julia asked.

  "Mr. Reid said it could be as soon as two weeks."

  "Well, here is what I propose," his father continued, "why don't you take the next few months to get everything in order at the lodge? There is no necessity for you to visit the outfitters or stores in the field. To be honest, Alex, I suggested that to help you get over the situation with Rosalind. But it seems like you have something else that will accomplish the same thing!"

  "I would love to do that if you are certain I'm not needed in the field."

  "I am entirely certain of it. So, does this mean your mother and I get free accommodations at the lodge whenever we want?" Alex, Sr. said laughing.

  "By all means," Alex responded, "just be sure to make your reservations well in advance; I expect to be booked to capacity!"

  "I was just thinking how happy Libby is going to be." Julia said. "She loves The Osprey as much as you do. Maybe we can spend her breaks there. We have never spent much time there in the winter. It should be lovely."

  "Well, let's make sure the deal goes through before we start making too many plans," Alex said. "Thanks again for your support. I think I'll head up to bed now. I'll see you both in the morning."

  . . .

  It was an exciting moment when the closing attorney handed over the keys to The Osprey Cove Lodge to Alex. He could hardly wait to get over to the lodge. It was another beautiful autumn morning when Alex pulled in front of the lodge as its new owner. He stepped outside the car and just stood there for a few moments staring at the beautiful structure before him. The large clapboard-sided structure was painted yellow with white trim. Gingerbread molding at all the peaks and entry posts added to its charm. There were lots of windows with unusual louvered shutters that hung from the top of the window. As Alex looked upon the lodge, he thought of it as a beautiful lady who had aged well, full of grace and charm. She had held her age well since 1912. He hoped she had many years ahead of her; with good care, she would. Alex planned to see to that. Before he went inside, he felt the need to walk down to the water's edge. While nighttime was Alex's favorite time down at the water, each time of day had its charm. Alex knew he would never grow tired of staring out at the water. The scene changed from moment to moment keepi
ng the viewer perfectly entertained and contented.

  The Osprey Cove Lodge had always been a place of escape. It was a place of contentment and peace. And now that Alex owned it, he would be able to enjoy it for many years to come. Alex felt that this particular moment of staring out on the lake as the new owner of the lodge would be indelibly etched into his memory. No matter how old Alex got, he would always remember this day and time. It was nearly a perfect moment. There was only one thing that cast even the slightest shadow, and that was that he stood there alone with no one to share it with.

  Chapter Nineteen

  NEW YORK

  Eva woke up in her Central Park penthouse nestled against Max with his arms holding her. She felt secure and happy to be home. What if she had never regained her memory? Would they have ever been reunited? Would she have ever had a chance to feel the contentment she now felt lying there next to Max? Were the diamonds worth what she almost lost? She avoided moving in the hope that Max would not wake and she could enjoy these feeling a few moments longer. As her eyes opened, she looked around the luxurious bedroom she and Max shared. Its neutral tones of white, taupe, and a touch of gray added to the serenity she was feeling. The room had a view of first the greenery of the park and in the distance the New York skyline. In front of the window were two light gray chairs with ottomans where she and Max would carry out their morning ritual. Soon she and Max would sit drinking their morning coffee enjoying the morning view of the park before he headed off to the office. Eva loved this room, the apartment, and her life with Max. She was glad to be home.

  Eva had been reunited with Max now for several weeks. Max had been shocked but elated when he had received the call from Eva after she regained her memory in the hospital. He was glad to have her back safe and sound. Max loved his wife and was grateful to know that he had misjudged her. How could he have ever suspected that she may have betrayed him or had been in a relationship with someone else?

  But there was still a matter of the missing diamonds.

  It was clear that Eva's brother, Frank, had gotten her to tell him where she was going that day. In her drugged state, she probably told him about the envelopes in the secret compartment of the Corvette. But they knew Frank and the Corvette never made it to the diamonds. Max and Eva suspected that Frank may have committed a minor traffic violation and had been stopped by the police. The police stop would have led to his arrest. Eva knew her brother was wanted for several armed robberies. He had been on the run for some time using false identities. He was undoubtedly now behind bars. They were reasonably sure he had not gotten to the diamonds.

  One thing Max and Eva knew for sure was that the Corvette had been picked up by the repossession people and returned to the dealership. They just needed to find out who got to the secret compartment first. Whoever it was, now was in possession of the diamonds.

  It was not likely that it was someone at the dealership, although that was a possibility. It was more likely to them that the new owner, Doug Wellin, was the culprit. This fit with what Catherine had said about Doug disappearing. It also seemed suspicious that he had an unusual accident with the Corvette. The fact that no human remains had been found raised further suspicions. Eva and Max were perhaps the first people to question whether Doug had perished in the crash. They were the only ones aware that Doug may have intercepted their diamonds. If it was Doug who emptied the safe deposit boxes, they needed to determine if Doug was still alive and find him. They concluded their first step should be to find out where Doug's crash took place. That knowledge might provide a clue to his location and the diamonds.

  Max saw no need to try to get any more information from Catherine. Finding out about her relationship with Doug was now irrelevant. He now knew that there had been no involvement between Eva and Doug. The last time Max had been with Catherine was when he had run into her and Jill at the restaurant. He sensed that day that she had invited him to join them out of compassion for his situation and a desire to not have him eat alone. It was evident to him that Catherine was a genuinely nice person. He was sorry for what had happened to her. He did not want to trouble her any more. Max felt confident that he and Eva could find out the location of the accident on the Internet without involving Catherine. After that, they would be able to determine if all this conjecture on their part about Doug's involvement was correct.

  . . .

  Catherine had made herself a cup of tea and decided to get in bed and try to relax with a book or surfing the web. She was starting to feel a little more comfortable being in the loft alone. The memories of the unpleasant scenes of Doug in the loft were fading. Even being alone was becoming much easier. She had lived alone longer than she had been married. It was not as difficult an adjustment as she had thought. Her life was beginning to take on a routine. It was getting easier. Catherine was now approaching her fourth month of pregnancy. Her pregnancy was barely discernible to others, but thoughts of the baby were occupying her mind. It was time she started thinking seriously about the future.

  Catherine had called Emma earlier in the evening. Emma's excitement over motherhood was always contagious. She was already seven months pregnant. She went into elaborate detail describing the nursery that they had just finished decorating. Emma also told Catherine the spare bedroom was now ready for guests. She begged Catherine to plan a trip to visit them now before travel would be more difficult for her. Catherine missed Emma a lot. Jill had just told her she had two more weeks of vacation that needed to be used before the end of the year. Maybe it would be nice to visit Will and Emma, she thought.

  Catherine picked up her iPad to check flight options to fly to Texas. But for whatever reason, she typed The Osprey Cove Lodge in the search bar. Thoughts of the lodge had been filling her mind lately. How wonderful a vacation at the lodge would be. She could picture herself reading on either the porch or the lovely parlor with the windows looking out on the lake. She thought about how pleasant the view of the lake with the colorful fall foliage would be from the corner dining table she had come to love. When the website for The Osprey opened and she saw the picture of the lodge before her, she decided how she would use her last two weeks of vacation. She would fly out to see Emma for a week and then fly to Ottawa, rent a car, and spend a relaxing week at The Osprey. She checked her calendar and saw there were only a few things that would need to be adjusted if she left next week. She wanted to be there while there was still color in the trees.

  Catherine hoped that a quiet week at The Osprey would help her make some of the decisions that were staring her in the face. Should she stay in New York City and keep working for Raynott? If she did that, who would watch her baby? She would probably have to hire a nanny. Should she accept Michael's invitation to go back to Chicago and live with him in her family home? Ella and Jean would be there to help with the baby.

  Catherine did not have the answers to these questions. Generally, Catherine could analyze the pros and cons of a situation and come to a decision rather quickly. This was not one of those situations. Whatever she decided would affect the rest of her life. She hoped this vacation, she was now excited about planning, would help her sort out her feelings and allow her to make a good decision.

  Catherine perused the entire lodge website. Just looking at the pictures of the views of the lake, the interior of the rooms, pictures of the dining room and porch made her happy. She almost felt as though she was there. She did notice one phrase on the web page as she was ready to make her reservation that caused her some concern,

  "UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT"

  Catherine wondered if Mr. Badeau had retired. She hoped things had not changed. She needed The Osprey Cove Lodge to be just as it had been.

  Chapter Twenty

  THE OSPREY COVE LODGE

  One pleasant surprise for Alex when he had toured The Osprey Cove Lodge with the agent was the discovery of the owner's quarters. In all his years of visiting the lodge as a guest, Alex had been unaware that Mr. Badeau had a private section of the l
odge where he lived. It was accessed from an almost hidden doorway on the second floor of the lodge. The doorway opened to a stairway leading up to a third floor. Nearly one-half of the third story had been finished off into this living area. The other half was 'attic' space used for storage. Someday Alex would explore the unused area, but for now, he was excited to examine in more detail the owner's rooms.

  Alex used one of his keys to open the hidden doorway and then began to climb the stairs. The stairs led to an expansive living area. The room was filled with the charm of the parlor on the first floor. Here, too, there were beautiful wide plank pine floors whose years of patina only added to their charm. The room had high ceilings with thick crown molding and wide wood trim and baseboards. Unlike the parlor on the first floor, the beautiful wood trim was a dark rich color that blended with the floors. The room was filled with floor to ceiling windows with stunning views of the lake. The streaming sunlight from all the windows made the room feel warm and inviting. The period antique furniture gave the room a character that only years of age could provide. An immense stone fireplace was the focal point of the room. A quick glance at it told one that this was not a showpiece, it had provided years of warmth and charm during the cold Canadian winters. The room was large enough to have several seating areas. One was arranged around the fireplace, and then there were intimate groupings along the window wall allowing one to sit and enjoy the lake view.