"Well, I really didn't know what to wear, but the choice was easy. This is the only dressy outfit I brought," Linda smiled, assuming Harvey's Place was a local Big Sur restaurant. She purposely ignored the comment about her headache as Valerie didn't seem to want or need an explanation anyway. And keeping the conversation on clothes was a means of preventing it coming up again. The other woman kept her coat on, but it was open in the front, enough so that Linda could see the type of dress she was wearing. It appeared to be quite revealing and a bit too sexy for just going out to a restaurant, but Linda figured that was simply the way Karen's mother always dressed at night.
"I'll get my coat and we can go," Linda said, walking into the bedroom, again reminded of how she had used her coat when watching Valerie and the two men. She made a mental note to be careful about everything she mentioned that evening, as a slip of the tongue could give her away. I'd just die if she knew I had been watching her with those two naked men!
Coat on, Linda returned to the living room and smiled at the mother of her son's girlfriend. "I sure do appreciate your invitation, Valerie… It'll be good to get out this evening."
"It's something we should have done ages ago… Strange that we have to come all the way down here before getting together for an evening." Of course, she never would have considered taking Linda Hall to such a party if her daughter hadn't suggested it. Karen thought Linda needed loosening up, and if that didn't happen at Harvey's place, nothing would ever help her.
"All set," Linda announced as she turned off all but one light in the living room. Valerie had left her car down by the camp manager's office and the two well-dressed young women walked together in silence, Linda pulling her coat around her while Valerie let her wrap hang open.
Once in the car, Valerie drove up to the coast highway and headed south. About a mile later she turned left onto a narrow road that wound among dense groves of redwood trees. Along the way, Linda observed several private homes surrounded by large parcels of property, and she couldn't help thinking how nice it would be to own such places. It was the privacy that each offered that appealed to her most. After they had been on the road for nearly ten minutes, Valerie finally turned in past large stone stanchions, onto a private drive. Linda wondered just where they were going, as from the entrance to the property, she couldn't see any sign of a building or structure of any kind.
"This is Harvey's place!" Valerie abruptly announced, gesturing ahead with her hand.
"My, it's certainly off the beaten path," Linda commented, and she was thinking it had to be very special to get people to come such a distance. "How much property do they have here?" she questioned wanting to make small talk.
"It's quite extensive… You should really see it in the daylight. The river runs right behind the place!" Valerie said, but she was laughing to herself, sure that after that evening Rick's mother would only be interested in other things.
Linda stared ahead into the darkness beyond the headlights of the car, and for several minutes she saw nothing. But then, as if suddenly looming up before her, there were lighted windows like iridescent squares among the trees. In another moment, they were in an area where several other cars were parked. Valerie pulled up and stopped next to an expensive foreign sports car. Linda immediately assumed that the restaurant had to be quite expensive too.
"Well, I certainly am amazed. I never would have found this place on my own," Linda said as she got out of the car.
"We are here by special invitation, Linda… And I think you'll find it fun." Karen's mother smiled and led the way to the front door of the large, modernistic house.
"Do you mean it's a private club?" she questioned, surprised by her friend's statement.
"Club? You must be confused… This is a private home," Valerie explained, even though she had known all along that Linda had been thinking they were going to a restaurant. "This is Harvey's place… His home!"
It was too late to turn back. Linda Hall felt her heart pounding as she realized what Valerie was saying. They were going into someone's private residence, which could only mean it was also a party.
Her eyes scanned over the building and grounds, taking in all she could see in the darkness, and it was apparent that the place belonged to an extremely wealthy man. She had no idea of what to expect inside, but the fact of being around the rich made her nervous. She wasn't sure she would know how to act in the midst of such wealth. And worse, with Karen's mother present there was always the chance of something bizarre and unusual happening. But she couldn't leave, at least not right then.
Linda laughed artificially, "I thought this place was a restaurant!" She didn't want her friend to think her foolish and awkwardly shy, but she knew it must be written all over her face.
"You mean the kids didn't tell you it was a party?" Valerie said, though she knew they hadn't.
"No… I guess they forgot…"
"Well, believe me, the food here is far superior to any restaurant in the area," Valerie added, as if to imply that Linda's concern was for the quality of the place. Her comment embarrassed the young mother, and that was exactly the effect she wanted. She stepped up to the door and rang the bell before anything else could be said.
For Linda, it seemed to take forever for someone to come to the door; but in fact, the door opened a few seconds later. Standing in the doorway was a tall rather handsome man. Linda was instantly reminded of the typical rich playboy. His hair was wavy and dark, his features sharply defined and evenly tanned, but it was his eyes that caught her attention first. They were like black liquid pools, large and mysterious, and she felt he was able to look right through her.
"Ah, at last my special guests arrive," the man said, his voice deep toned and masculine. "Valerie, my dear, it's good to see you again."
Linda tried to maintain her composure as the tall man warmly kissed Karen's mother on the lips and then a second later turned to face her. His physical presence seemed to reach out and engulf her completely.
"This is Linda Hall, the one I told you about," Valerie said, and then to Linda, "Your host."
"Thank you for inviting us, Mr…" She wondered about his last name.
"Harvey! But please call me Tom," he answered taking her hand in his.
Linda was confused, and it showed. Was his name Tom or Harvey? she wondered. The explanation came before she could ask.
"Everyone calls this shack Harvey's place… My name is Tom Harvey," he said, a broad smile spreading across his face.
"I see," Linda said in a soft voice. She wasn't sure what to make of the man standing before her, but his smile was so pleasant and reassuring that her nervousness went away. When he turned his attention back to Valerie, Linda couldn't help looking him over. He was wearing a colorful, loose fitting shirt and dark slacks, a casual outfit that somehow looked very, very expensive on him. She guessed him to be about forty, as there was a hint of grey in his sideburns.
"Everyone seems to have gathered in the game room," Tom said, his wink to Valerie going unseen by Rick's mother. "Please follow me, ladies," he added, and he offered an arm to both of them.
Linda couldn't help being impressed by his suave manner, and she put her arm in his, anxious to see more of the large house. Every room was wood paneled, some in different shades than others, and the ceiling seemed to vault into the sky, standing at the top of round wood pillars. He led them through the two-storied living room, and to one side was a wide stairway that led below. It was then that Linda realized the living room stood at least one story above the back of the house, and as she walked down the stairs, she saw before her a long room that appeared crowded with people. It was lit only by candles, so it was hard to tell just how many people there were, but the room was obviously built for just such a gathering. To one side were floor to ceiling windows, and outside was a balcony running the length of the room. There were spotlights mounted somewhere on the house that pointed out to large redwoods and the river. It made an impressive picture, like a setting that Linda had seen before only in movies. Scattered about the dark wood paneled room were couches and overstuffed chairs, and here and there were large pillows thrown down on the carpeted floor. Some of the people were standing, others sitting, and some were even lounging on the pillows. It could have appeared a typical party, but Linda became nervous again as she realized the people were all talking quietly, almost in a whisper. Ordinarily she would have expected such a crowd to be boisterous.