Gullible

 

 

 

Gullible

by Rosemary Kubli

Genre: Suspense 

Even the most cunning femme fatale has her weakness

Siena Ricci is shrewd, seductive, and an expert in the art of deception. Masking her identity behind the guise of Marie Lacroix, a specialist in antiques and objets d'art, she swindles her employer's wealthy clients out of their valuable possessions. She hasn't yet met the man she can't manipulate, but then the con she's playing on Jonathan Woodward has only just begun.

Jonathan proves to be an easy mark, but he's also enticingly irresistible. As their relationship heats up, her plot to steal his multi-million-dollar antique trinkets begins to unravel. Noticing a subtle change in Jonathan's demeanor, Marie questions whether she's still in control of the con or if she's blindly become the gullible victim of her own scheme.

 

 

 

 

 “Breakfast was delicious, Jonathan. Thank you.” 

“I’m glad you liked it.” He dropped another pod into the coffee maker and brewed a fresh cup. “A lot of people skip breakfast, but I can’t face the day without it.” 

Marie had assumed a man of Jonathan’s stature would have a chef on his payroll, just as he had told her of his gardener, housekeeper, and personal assistant. She liked the normalcy of him puttering around in the kitchen. “Is cooking another one of your hobbies?” 

Jonathan returned to his seat at the kitchen island and placed the mug of coffee by her plate. He sat sideways, facing Marie as he spoke. “You might say so. I eat lunch most days at my club, have a dinner date once or twice a week with my daughter, Veronica, at her husband’s local restaurant, and schedule an occasional dinner party with friends. Otherwise, I’m right here making home-cooked meals for myself.” He smiled lovingly at Marie. “We partner up pretty well in the kitchen. I could easily get used to this.” Marie welcomed Jonathan’s affection as he leaned over and kissed her, but she refrained from encouraging his notion of them becoming a normal couple. “Speaking of food reminds me, I wanted to ask what type of cuisine you prefer.” 

“I’m not picky, although I tend to eat a lot of seafood.” She lifted the mug and blew on the coffee before taking a test sip. 

“Then you’ll love Arianna’s. That’s Brian’s, my son-in-law’s, steak and seafood restaurant, although the menu is varied. When my son and I go there, Patrick always orders a pasta dish.” Jonathan chuckled. “I’ve never known anyone who likes Italian food more than Patrick. Anyway, Arianna’s has a quiet atmosphere with live piano music in the evening. The next time you venture up this way, I’ll take you there for a romantic, candlelit dinner.” 

“I’d love that!” Marie said with delight even though she didn’t intend to be around long enough for the dinner date to ever take place. The turn in conversation, however, did provide her with a lead-in to the Somerset Necklace. “I’m already thinking about what I’ll wear.” While sipping her coffee again, she squinted her eyes, giving the impression she was visualizing her wardrobe. “Oh, my grandmother’s necklace! Such an elegant restaurant would give me an excuse to wear it. But, Jonathan, I want to make sure I wear things that please you. Do you like vintage jewelry?” 

Jonathan frowned and glanced at her curiously as he gathered their dishes together. “Don’t worry about me. Wear whatever you think is appropriate.” He took the plates to the sink and rinsed them. 

Well, that didn’t play out as I’d hoped it would. Fortunately, she had more than one trick up her sleeve. “Speaking of jewelry, I wanted to mention that many of my clients have asked me to notify them when fine or rare pieces become available. Can I provide the same service to you? Do you own any antique jewelry?” 

Jonathan appeared pensive while he loaded the dirty plates and utensils into the dishwasher. After a few moments, he replied. “I would have to say that jewelry does not hold an interest for me. I wear only a wristwatch, and I can assure you my daughter and her girls would not wear anything that was previously owned.” 

Marie put every ounce of willpower she had into controlling her inherent Italian temper. Why couldn’t she get Jonathan to engage in a conversation about the Somerset Necklace? Frustrated and out of ideas, she gulped her coffee, counted to four, and mulled over what to say next.

Jonathan closed the dishwasher and dried his hands with a towel. “Now that I think about it, I have always wanted a pocket watch. My grandfather used to wear one, and I remember, as a boy, being intrigued by it. I’d appreciate your help in finding one I could add to my collection.” 

Although the conversation had not steered in the direction she’d intended, Marie didn’t mind doing Jonathan a favor. His fond memory of his grandfather was reminiscent of her affection for her Grandmother Ricci. “I’d be happy to scout out a pocket watch for you,” she told him while, at the same time, wishing he’d stop being so damned likeable.

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Rosemary Kubli writes the type of books she loves to read - intrigue and suspense mixed with a pinch of romance and a clever plot twist or two. Her professional experiences run the gamut from Human Resources and training to accounting and banking, with publishing being her most recent endeavor. Aside from the seven years she lived in southern California, she has always called the northeast corner of Ohio her home. Rosemary and her husband of 45 years enjoy traveling - on land to visit family and friends and on sea to any destination a cruise ship will take them. When not working on her next novel, she can be found discussing the latest in literary fare with her book club, playing a rousing game of Bunco with some of her oldest and dearest friends, researching her ancestry, volunteering in her community, burying her nose in a book, or obsessing over the latest binge-worthy TV series.

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