Chapter 34
The family sat on the back deck, and Frank crossed the yard toward them with a stack of pizza boxes. They converged at the
steps, and Blake let Paradise go first. She leaned down to hug the boys when they ran to throw themselves at her legs. Sometimes
their enthusiasm was so great they nearly knocked her down, but she loved it. They smelled of little-boy sweat and grass,
and she didn’t think there was any better fragrance in the world.
Frank’s blond hair looked newly trimmed. “You’re back just in time.” He set the pizza boxes on the table.
“I’m starving,” Paradise said. “Blake called Scott Foster and we have an appointment tomorrow afternoon to see what Bea left
for us. It’s very intriguing. Any guesses?” She directed her question to Drew, who sat beside Abby.
“Not a clue. I hope it’s something that solves the case.” He rubbed his forehead. “There’s no clear direction.”
“I think we should look at Bear. Too many people are trying to protect him.”
Her brother pursed his lips. “You might have something there. I did a background check on him. He and Ben got into a physical fight that broke Ben’s jaw. He spent six weeks with his jaw wired.”
Paradise couldn’t fathom fighting like that with a sibling. “Angela told me yesterday that she couldn’t imagine him ever hurting
anyone. Surely she knew about that incident. She claims to have known the family a long time.”
“I want to see if Bear knows who I am,” Abby said. “When we talk to him again, I want to watch his expression when I mention
Ben driving the ’Cuda. We should ask the governor and Angela about that too. If Ben knew my dad, maybe they did too. They
don’t know my maiden name either.”
Those conversations could be bombshells. “We took the Gator out to the property. It’s so beautiful, Jenna. I can’t thank you
enough.”
Frank cleared his throat. “About that. As a developer I have access to the best tradespeople in the area. I’m going to make
a crazy suggestion—let me be your contractor. I’ll take the house you love and contact subcontractors for the various pieces
of what needs to be done: foundation, electrical, plumbing, drywall, everything you need. It will save you 30 to 40 percent
on the cost of the house.”
Unable to wrap her head around the offer for a moment, Paradise gaped at him. “Frank, are you serious?”
He grinned. “As a heart attack. I can pull strings to get it built quickly, too, probably in three months.”
Blake put his arm around Paradise. “I—I can’t even tell you how grateful we are. Paradise found a floor plan she loved. Go
get the printout, babe, and we’ll let Frank take it.”
“It’s on the kitchen table.” She darted into the house and snatched the printout. She stepped back outside and handed it to
Frank. “It’s pretty perfect. We can finish renovating as we have money.”
“We also found something interesting at the property: an old well. That will save some money if we can get it up and running.”
Frank began to study the house plan. “Many of those old wells are fine and just need a new pump and pressure tank. I’ll send
someone out to take a look.” He waved the paper in the air. “This is a good plan. The plumbing is all grouped together and
the open spaces will make it feel spacious. Great outdoor space, too, with the big porch and back deck. Let me pull some numbers
for you, but I think we can get this done reasonably. If you ever want to sell it, you’ll have built-in equity.”
Jenna finished handing out paper plates of pizza before coming to stand beside Frank. “I’ve kept track of the past year’s
checks you never cashed, Son. I deposited that money directly in your account this morning. It was eighty thousand dollars.”
“What? No, you don’t need to do that.” Blake shook his head.
“I do. You’ve been the best son a mother could ask for. Always pitching in and helping with the park and with your brothers.
I know you did it out of love, but it’s time you take what’s due you. We can afford it. And I’m giving you a raise.”
“You just gave me one.”
“You’re getting another one.” Jenna switched her attention to Paradise. “And I signed over Pawsome Pets to you free and clear
this morning. No more payments, and I’m raising your salary here too. You can make your own decision about whether you want
to sell the vet clinic or continue to work both places part time. Whatever you want we can make it work.”
Paradise didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “All I want is right here.” She swept her arm around the deck at all the people
she loved.
Jenna drew her into a fierce hug. “You’ve had us since the day you walked in that door. We didn’t know at the time how vital you were to The Sanctuary, but I had my suspicions. And I was right—none of this could have happened without you, Paradise. Thank you.”
“I—I don’t know what to say. Thank you for everything, Jenna.” Paradise forced the words out in a wobbly voice.
Jenna released her. “Your pizza is getting cold.” She gave her a nudge toward the table.
Paradise found the one they’d ordered for her with black olives no one else liked. People who loved you paid attention to
the little things.
Blake had called the governor’s office and left a message about the iPad, but there’d been no response yet. “Let’s head up
there anyway. We can leave it in the mailbox if she’s not there. I hate to wait in case she needs it.”
Paradise grabbed her purse and slipped her phone inside. “I’d like to ask her a few more questions, but we can always request
an appointment.” She paused at the door to slip her bare feet into sandals.
“Have I ever told you that even your feet are cute?”
She chuckled. “That’s a first.” Paradise dug her knuckles into his side playfully. “I never see your bare feet.”
“I don’t like to be without my shoes. It’s a holdover from being a Marine—I never know when I’ll be called into action.”
“I’m sure they’re quite attractive.”
He held the door open for her. “How’d we start talking about my feet?”
“You introduced the subject.”
He pulled the door shut behind him. “Sheesh, a guy can’t give a girl a compliment these days.”
He loved the glow on her face from yesterday. They’d stayed up late talking about the wedding and the house, and his eyes felt gritty. He’d reclaimed his bed in the apartment over the garage while Drew was staying at the Dillard Ranch, but he had still tossed and turned.
Paradise climbed in the truck and laid the tablet on her lap as she buckled in. It fell to the floor when she twisted, and
the top of the cover folded back enough for it to come to life. As he leaned over to grab it for her, he noticed something
in the background of the picture that he hadn’t seen yesterday.
He folded the cover back fully and stared. “Babe, look over their shoulders at the building. You can see a little bit of something
yellow in the window of the garage.”
She took it and tried to enlarge it with her fingers, but it didn’t work. “I wish I could make it bigger. You might be right.
You think it could be the ’Cuda?” She shook her head. “That makes no sense though. It’s clearly a current picture of them,
and that car has been missing for twenty years. Angela’s white hair is in the same style, and she wore that suit the first
time they came here. Governor George looks the same too.”
“Yeah, you’re right. Maybe the governor has a yellow car and I’m grasping at straws.”
But he couldn’t convince himself of that as he drove to Fairhope. His mind kept playing through all the what-ifs. If it was the ’Cuda, how could it have ended up belonging to the governor?
The address was up ahead, and very few houses were around. “Are we sure about that address?”
She checked her phone and compared it to the back of the iPad. “Yes, it’s correct. Our turn is the next one to the right.”
He nodded and turned into the gravel lane leading to the address on the back of the iPad. There were steep ditches on both sides of the driveway. He gripped the wheel and paid attention so he didn’t drive off the edge. “It’s really narrow. I would have expected it to be paved and manicured.”
“Maybe the governor likes her privacy and wants a place out of the public eye.” Paradise’s phone dinged with a text, and she
glanced at it. “It’s Angela telling us the governor won’t be home and not to bother with the iPad. But we’re already here.”
No part of him wanted to go back, not yet. Something about this place didn’t pass the sniff test. “Don’t tell her that. Let’s
see what’s up ahead. I can’t turn around here anyway.”
He continued to drive until the lane turned between two large oaks. The road ended at a large garage that probably held four
cars. “Open that cover again.”
Paradise flipped it off the screen, and the picture appeared. “That’s the same garage, Blake.”
“I thought so.” He parked the truck. “Stay here. I’m going to look around.”
She shoved open her door. “Not without me, you’re not. I’m as curious as you.”
Birds sang overhead, and nothing about the setting felt dangerous, but every sense was on high alert and he didn’t know why.
Maybe it was the possibility that the governor had something she was hiding. Maybe it was that glimpse of yellow through the
window. Even from here he saw it.
It felt like overkill, but he pulled his gun from its holster anyway. “Stay behind me.”
“I think you’re overreacting.” But she sheltered behind him.
Weeds poked through the gravel, and the place had an unkempt air. The windows were dirty, and the grass around the building
hadn’t been mowed yet this summer. It felt like they were a million miles from civilization out here. “Do you have your phone?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
“Get your camera ready. We might need pictures.” He approached the first window and peered inside to see the yellow hulk of
an aging tractor. “Shoot, I was sure . . .”
“There’s a car covered in a cloth over here.”
He turned to find that she had gone to the end of the building. The glass was smeared where she’d swiped it with her hand.
She knelt to wipe the dirt on her hand onto the grass. “Let’s see what’s under it.”
“The garage is probably locked.” And it was private property. But he couldn’t resist the urge to try. He yanked on the door,
but it wouldn’t budge. “Let me try the side door and the back one.”
The yard on the side of the garage was even more overgrown than the front. He brushed through the vegetation instead of trying
to knock it down. He didn’t want to leave a trail. The doorknob twisted in his hand but got stuck. “I don’t think it’s locked.”
He put his shoulder into it and nearly fell into the interior.
The spotless interior of the garage contrasted with the decaying exterior.
Paradise darted in after him and grabbed the edge of the car cover. “It’s a yellow car.”
He joined her and helped her pull it back to see more of the vehicle. The missing Barracuda sat gleaming in the sunshine coming
in the windows.