The Reef Read online

  “How am I going to pull that off? I’m sure they’ll need to see an ID.”

  “I emailed the anonymous informant back and they know there will be a visitor from the company,” her father had said. “They just won’t expect you. You’ll get a company ID for Jennifer DeWit.”

  “This sounds like a spy-novel.” Sam clearly had not been happy with the idea of a fake ID.

  But Richard Stevens had been unyielding. “It’s not up for discussion, Sam. It’s for your own protection. Don’t think I have forgotten what happened in the past.”

  Sam had shot her father a pleading look. “Dad, that’s in the past. I’m sure I won’t run into anyone who—”

  “Samantha, please.”

  And reluctantly Sam had agreed.

  Chapter 2

  It didn’t take long for Sam to go through customs. Once it was clear she had nothing to declare, the custom officer put a stamp in her passport. With a genuine smile, he handed her back the document. “Welcome to Australia, Miss Stevens.”

  “Thank you.” Sam smiled. “It’s good to be back.”

  The airport was buzzing with activity. Roaming across queues of patiently waiting travelers there were people hurrying along, like in any airport anywhere in the world. A metallic voice announced flight numbers and gate changes in three different languages. Sam was in no hurry. She strolled toward the exit, appreciating the air conditioning. She knew that once she set foot outside the building, the heat would be rolling over her like a hot waterfall. And it did. Sam took a deep breath and felt the warm air fill her lungs. She raked her fingers through her hair and looked around for a taxi. Her eyes fell on one that was parked in the shade and with a grin she headed toward the driver, who was a tall, skinny woman. She looked to be in her mid-forties. Sam caught her gaze and the woman smiled.

  “Do you need a ride, lass?”

  “As a matter of fact, I do,” Sam said. “I need to go to Kurrawa, Broadbeach. Can you take me there?”

  The driver nodded and opened the trunk, taking Sam’s suitcase and bags. “Of course, I can. Hop in. I like driving down the Goldcoast Highway. Where are you going?”

  “The Reef.”

  “Holiday? Or, vacation, as you Europeans like to call it?”

  “Well, let’s say it’s combined business and pleasure.”

  The driver slid behind the steering wheel and started the engine. Immediately the car was filled with cool air. “Not too cold?”

  Sam shook her head. “No, it’s great. Thank you.”

  The driver smiled and cast a look in her rearview mirror. “You’re not an Aussie, are you?”

  Sam grinned. “What gave it away?”

  “Your tan.” The driver chuckled. “Or your lack of it, really. Are you European?”

  “Dutch,” Sam said. She rested her head against the cool leather and relaxed. The driver cast a quick look over her shoulder. “Dutch? You sure don’t sound like it. I reckoned you were either one of us or British.”

  Sam grinned. “My father is British, but he grew up in Australia. After he married my mother he moved to The Netherlands. My mom is Dutch. I do have dual citizenship, but I was born and raised in The Netherlands.”

  While keeping the conversation light and sometimes funny, the driver skillfully maneuvered the car through the afternoon traffic. Sam enjoyed their conversation and before she realized it, they had arrived at her destination. The driver pulled her gear out of the trunk and gestured toward the entrance. “Do you need a hand taking this inside?”

  “No, I’ll be fine. Thanks,” Sam pulled some colorful dollar bills from her wallet and handed them to the driver, making sure to include a generous tip.

  “Thanks again,” she said. She grabbed her bag and suitcase. “Have a good day.”

  “You too, lassie,” the driver responded. “Enjoy yourself and take care.”

  Sam turned around to take a long look at ‘The Reef ‘. The building was four stories high and very wide. From the entrance, which was in the center, two wings spread to either side, covering the space of at least a football field each. Sam had seen the resort in pictures and virtual tours through the website, but seeing it in real life was a totally different experience. She took in the immaculately maintained grounds and nodded her approval. The place looked classy, yet inviting. She breathed in deeply, enjoying the feel of the warm sun on her skin and the tell-tale smell of salt water. She knew the Pacific Ocean was right behind the building. For the first time since she had arrived she felt excitement. She couldn’t wait to bury her feet in the warm sand and enjoy the sights and sounds of the ocean. She walked toward the entrance that was built from steel and glass, which allowed a view of the private beach behind the building. Sam nodded at the doorman and stepped inside the air-conditioned lobby. The large windows let in enough natural light to make the cool, marble floor shine. The center of the lobby was dominated by a large rock formation from which a steady, but small stream of water cascaded. The display was surrounded by ferns, flowering plants even a few small trees. The sight caused a pang in Sam’s chest. It made her realize how much she had missed the rain forest and she decided she would not fly back to The Netherlands without a hike on one of her favorite trails in Lamington National Park. Suddenly, after twenty-four hours of flying, she felt exhausted. The thought of a long shower, a light meal and a soft bed nudged her toward the reception desk.

  “Good afternoon, how may I help you?” The young man behind the desk smiled at Sam.

  Sam looked at the silver-colored name badge that was pinned to his crisp, blue shirt. “Hello, Brian,” Sam said. “My name is Jennifer DeWit. I believe I have a room reserved.”

  The receptionist entered her name in the computer on his desk and his brown eyes sparkled when he looked up from the screen. “I believe you are right.”

  Sam chuckled. She appreciated the combination of his professional attitude and friendly demeanor.

  Brian put a form in front of her and added a pen. “I know you must be tired, Miss DeWit, but if you could, please, fill this out pesky piece of paper, we’ll have you up in your room in no time.”

  “You’re a prince,” Sam said. She made quick work of the form, almost writing down her real name. Luckily, she caught herself before doing so. Having to ask Brian for a new form would have looked suspicious. It’s not like she could say: ‘Oh, hey, I wrote down my real name, instead of my fake one. May I please have another form?’ She finished writing down the required information and put the pen down.

  With a smile, Brian took the pen and paper. “There’s only one thing left. If I could make a copy of your company ID, please.”

  Sam handed him the credit card sized ID. She knew her father wanted her to use an alias, but it still didn’t feel right to her. She didn’t like lying.

  “Here you go.” Brian made quick work of copying the card and gave her back the ID. He also handed her a key-card. “You’re up on the third floor, Miss DeWit, in the Executive Suite, which is room 315. I hope you’ll find everything to your liking and, please, don’t hesitate to ask if you need anything. I’ll send someone up with you to carry your luggage.” He gestured to someone Sam couldn’t see and within moments a teenager, dressed in navy shorts and a yellow polo-shirt appeared on her left side. “Pete, would you, please, take Miss DeWit up to 315?” He turned his attention back to Sam and sent her a genuine smile. “Welcome to The Reef.”

  “Thank you, Brian,” Sam said. She was impressed by the smooth check-in and pleased to see that the high standards her father expected were not only followed, but exceeded. She made a mental note to mention that the next time she sent her father an email. Sam turned to the patiently waiting boy next to her. As soon as she made eye contact he nodded and grabbed her bag and suitcase.

  “Lead the way, Pete,” she said. She followed him to the elevator and within a few minutes she was about to take a left turn toward the executive wing. Had she not been so tired, she would have been able to avoid a collision. But Sam w
as exhausted and was not paying attention to her surroundings. With an audible thump, she crashed into someone who was rounding the same corner in the opposite direction. Immediately, papers flew in all directions and Sam mumbled an expletive. “I’m so sorry,” she said. She got down on one knee to gather up some of the papers that were scattered across the carpet. “That was totally my fault,” she said. “I was not paying attention and I’m really sorry. Are you—?”

  A sharp intake of breath made her stop what she was doing and she looked up. Her gaze traveled up a slender body and her eyes widened at the sight of a very familiar face. Ginger-colored hair and ocean-green eyes. They were exactly as she remembered. And right now, they were filled with a mixture of disbelief, shock, joy and pain.

  “Sam?” The words were whispered, but to Sam they might as well have been shouted. Jody was clasping her hands together, but Sam could see she was trembling. Sam’s first reaction was to jump up and run, but she was frozen in place. What were the odds that Jody McDonnell would work at The Reef? The silver-colored name tag was right there, attached to a moss-green blouse that accentuated the green of her eyes and complimented the color of her hair. Sam’s brain kicked in high-gear. This was a complication she had not expected and she needed to do something. Anything. Pete, the bellboy was staring at her and Jody and the expression on his face was one of curiosity. Sam gathered the remaining sheets of paper and slowly got back to her feet. “I’m sorry. You must have mistaken me for someone else. My name is Jennifer DeWit,” Sam said. She was not able to meet Jody’s gaze as she offered her the papers. She wished the ground would open and swallow her whole. It didn’t. After a long silence, the papers were taking out of her hand. Her heart was pounding in her chest and she tried to focus on her breathing. When Sam dared to look up, her gaze was met by blazing green eyes. It was as if Jody was looking straight through her and Sam had never felt so exposed as at that moment. Finally, Jody spoke. Her face was pale, which made her freckles stand out even more.

  “I’m sorry, Miss DeWit. For a moment, I thought you were an old friend.” She paused and Sam could see her swallow. “The resemblance is quite remarkable.” Jody’s voice was hoarse and Sam could easily hear the pain and confusion.

  Sam closed her eyes against the pain that slammed into her like a wrecking ball. It had been eight years and the last time she had seen Jody they both had been barely out of their teens. Jody had grown into the beautiful woman Sam knew she would one day be and standing in front of her, pretending she was someone else made her chest constrict. It hurt. Sam let out a shuddering breath. She was frantically trying to come up with something to say, but didn’t get the chance.

  “Welcome to The Reef. Enjoy your stay, Miss DeWit,”” Jody said coolly. She turned around and disappeared around the corner

  Sam’s throat constricted and her eyes were burning. The last thing she wanted to do was break down in front of patiently waiting Pete. She gestured him to continue and followed him to the end of the hallway. As in a trance, Sam used the keycard to open the door and after Pete brought in her luggage she handed him a ten-dollar bill. “Thank you, Pete,” she said. After she closed the door behind him, Sam walked to the bed and simply collapsed. She stared at the ceiling and finally allowed the tears to come. Too tired, physically and emotionally to even change into something more comfortable, Sam cried herself to sleep.

  ***

  Jody’s hands were cold and still shaking. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and stared at the surface of her desk. Her heart was pounding and her brain was trying to catch up with what her eyes had seen and her ears had heard. It was all so unreal. For years, she had imagined what it would be like to see Sam Stevens again, but she would never have been able come up with this scenario. She knew the person she had bumped into wasn’t Jennifer DeWit. It was Sam. She would be able to recognize her anywhere. Jody took a deep breath. She needed to think things through and now the initial shock had worn off, the rational part of her brain was operational again. The fact that Sam was using a different name could only mean one thing; she was at The Reef for business but didn’t want anyone to know the boss’ daughter was around. That, or she was in trouble with the law. That last thought almost made Jody smile. No. Sam was one of the most honest people she had ever known. Gradually, Jody’s heart rate returned to normal. She leaned back in her chair, reached inside the pocket of the jacket that was draped around the back of the chair and pulled out a cellphone. She tapped the screen a couple of times and choose a familiar number. The fingers of her free hand drummed on the surface of her desk, while she waited for her call to be answered. “Meg? It’s me, Jody.”

  “Hey, Jody.” The voice on the other side of the connection was cheerful. It brought a small smile to Jody’s face. “Sarah and I were just talking about you. We haven’t seen you around for a while. You must be busy.”

  “I am. Very busy,” Jody said. “This place can be so hectic sometimes,”

  “I don’t get it, Jo.” Megan’s voice had become serious. “You’re the assistant-manager, but you’re the one running the damn place, while your boss gets the credit and the pay. He’s hardly ever around, is he?”

  “No, he isn’t, but I hope that will change soon.”

  There was a brief silence. “You sound stressed out. What’s up?”

  Jody grabbed a pencil and rolled it back and forth on her desk. Her thoughts were still little more than a jumbled mess.

  “Jody?”

  “It’s...someone from the corporate office arrived today.”

  “Well, that’s good, isn’t it? They must have taken your message seriously if they sent someone halfway across the world. Did he talk to you already?”

  Jody smiled. “Megan, you’re a sexist, I never said it was a ‘he’.”

  “Then it must be a ‘she’.” Megan chuckled. Jody moistened her lips and wished she had thought to grab a bottle of water. “They sent Sam.”

  “No.” There was a sharp intake of breath. “Holy cow. Jody. Are you alright?”

  “I don’t know, Meg.” A wave of sadness crashed over her and Jody felt very tired. “It’s…I sometimes tried to imagine what it would be like to run into her again, but...I never thought it would really happen. I thought I had left the past behind, but…I was so unprepared for this. She used a different name, but I could see she knew I wasn’t buying it, although I went along with it.”

  “Why would she do that?”

  “Well, if she really came down here as a follow-up to my email, I don’t think she wants the word out that Stevens’ daughter is snooping around.”

  “But now she’s aware that you know. Do you think she’s going to do something about it?”

  “I’ve no idea. I don’t know if she trusts me.”

  “Jody.” Megan’s voice sounded full of reproach. “Don’t do this to yourself. You don’t deserve that and you know it.”

  “Yeah, well, I think I’ll just wait and see how things develop.”

  “Sure, let her make the first move. If push comes to shove you can always quit and come work for me. My bookstore could really use a good assistant-manager.”

  Jody laughed and could feel some of the tension in her body drain away. Megan was a good friend and she could always count on her to make her feel better.

  “Listen, Jo, Sarah here is hand signaling me and if I understand correctly, she wants you to come over. Can’t you leave early?”

  “No, I’m sorry. I’m expecting a bunch of Japanese tourists any time soon, but I’d like to come after they’re checked in.”

  “Alright, it’s a deal. We’ll see you in a couple of hours then. Take care, my friend, don’t let her get to you.”

  “I won’t. I’ll see you in a while” Jody broke the connection and tossed her phone on the desk. “Of course, that’s easier said than done.”

  * * *

  Nine years ago.

  For the better part of a year, Sam and Jody had spent the occasional weekend and all their va
cations together, sometimes at Sam’s uncle’s and aunt’s house, sometimes at the McDonnell’s. In between, they wrote letters. At first, Sam had been annoyed with the fact that Jody did not possess a cellphone and there was no way they could text or call each other whenever they wanted. After she had received Jody’s first letter, however, she had changed her mind. Suddenly, she realized the beauty and depth of handwritten letters. She read them over-and-over again and enjoyed the nervous anticipation every time the mail carrier walked up to the door. Gradually, their friendship grew and before long they regarded each other as their best friend.

  At her family’s house, Sam and Jody were allowed the freedom that was alien to the strict rules David McDonnell had set for his children. Joe and Esther Billings knew Sam was very responsible and that she had common sense. To Jody, the newfound freedom at the Billings’ family had been a pleasant surprise and she had thrived under the trust her parents’ friends had in her. Whenever they could, Sam and Jody spent time outdoors; lazing around on the nearby beach, early morning walks and late night stargazing, which was a favorite to both.

  One evening they were lying on their backs, searching the night sky for shooting stars, trying to beat each other in spotting the first one, when Sam felt Jody restlessly moving around.

  “Not comfy?” Sam’s eyes were focused on the Southern Cross and her voice sounded relaxed, almost sleepy.

  In answer, Jody sat up, turned around and slapped the patch of grass behind her. “Somehow this part of the garden doesn’t want to agree with me tonight. I swear, it’s growing lumps in new places every time I move.”

  Sam chuckled and turned her head to cast Jody an affectionate look. She extended her right arm and tugged Jody’s shirt. “Come here,” she said.

  One moment only, Jody hesitated, knowing their friendship would gain a new dimension if she accepted Sam’s invitation. But it was only a moment. She willingly let Sam pull her down. As soon as she rested her head against Sam’s shoulder, a strong arm settled around her back. It took a little while for her heartbeat to settle down, but when it finally did, she smiled into the night sky.