Chapter 25
25
“It’s about damn time you called me back, old man,” I growled into the phone.
“For someone who leaves a message saying they need help, that’s a piss-poor way to start a conversation,” Bernie responded. The asshole didn’t even sound perturbed.
“Yeah, well, I just got a blast from the past, and the only time I would have liked to have heard about or seen this guy again was if I had an opportunity to spit on his grave.”
“Arthur,” Bernie said with disgust.
“Yep. And he’s causing trouble.”
“That’s one of his specialties. Another couple of them are greed and cruelty.”
“Those fit. He’s filed an Unconditional Quit Notice on Beau’s house. It states that Marlowe is living in the house unlawfully because he’s the owner.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Bernie demanded.
“Nope. You need to get Beau on the line and tell him what’s happening.”
“Wait a minute. Wait one goddamned minute. What right does Arthur say he has to declare hisself the owner?”
“Simon Clark says he’ll have the court documents today. Not through normal channels. But he’ll have them. Anyway, what the county clerk said is that he has the deed to the property.”
“Something he had made up at some one-hour-copy-shop, knowing that old bastard,” Bernie grumbled.
“Did you know my dad?” I asked. I’d never thought to ask Bernie that before.
“Sorry, kid, talking out of turn. When I said knowing that old bastard, I was just basing it on what others had said about him. I got here when Beau was about fourteen years old. Went fishing with him more than a few times. Quiet kid. I liked him.”
“How’d you end up acting as his rental agent?”
“It was about the time I was renting out my old cabin that Beau’s Mama— Sorry, I mean your Mama—passed. He was getting ready to go into the service. We were out fishing and he was talking about selling the house, and I didn’t want to see him cut all ties with Jasper Creek. I felt like he’d regret it in the end. Especially with Maddie and all.”
“Maddie?”
“That’s a long story. Anyway, I talked him into keeping the house and I promised he’d make money on it every year. Hell, I even made sure he re-financed it when he could, so he’d get better loan rates. So, the idea that Arthur owns the house is utter bullshit.”
“Do you have that paperwork?” I asked.
“Fuck no. That wasn’t for me to keep. That was Beau’s paperwork. I would send that mail to him at Pendleton, out in California. That’s where he’s based. Not that it does him any good. Swear to God, he’s hardly ever there.”
God, do I understand that.
I wonder if he ever tires of the life?
“Okay, well, you explained it all,” I agreed. “But without the paperwork and without Beau, it looks like Arthur is holding the winning hand.”
“Not on my watch,” Bernie declared. “And it sure as shit shouldn’t be on your watch.”
I smothered a grin. I was seriously, seriously, seriously liking the people in this town, more and more.
“I’m not giving up the ship. Marlowe and I aren’t moving out.”
“Oh, so you’re shacked up now, are you?”
“We don’t have time to gossip. I need you to have Beau FaceTime me. Tell me his number, so I can put it in my phone.”
“Hey, that’s not our standard operating?—”
“I’m his twin, for fuck’s sake. Tell me his number.”
Bernie gave me Beau’s number.
“Now tell me about Maddie.”
Bernie chuckled. “We don’t have time to gossip,” he repeated my words back to me.
I laughed. “It was worth a try.”
I met Simon at the sheriff’s office. The officer at the front desk led us back to Nash’s office. He stood up behind his desk and gave us both a chin lift.
“Harry, close the door behind them, okay?”
“Yes, sir.”
The three of us waited for the door to close before we sat down.
“So, what have you found out from the kidnapper?” Simon asked.
“Funny, that was going to be my question for the two of you.” Nash squinted at Simon. It was as if the two of them had locked horns in the past.
“It’s not me you should look at. I didn’t touch him. You need to talk to the town’s lost son. What do you say, Kai? Feel like sharing with the long arm of the law?” Simon smirked my way.
I shrugged. “He admitted his assignment wasn’t to kill her, he was just supposed to get her phone from her and erase all recordings and back-ups of a video she had on her phone.”
“What the hell? This doesn’t make any sense,” Nash bit out.
“He said that the person who had hired him was a state senator from West Virginia. Teddy Thompson, Eighteenth District.”
“Well, that’s just great,” Nash said sarcastically. “Because I’m getting absolutely nothing. I have someone with a rap sheet as long as my arm, with an attorney whose hourly rate is more than his monthly rent. I think it’s safe to say that our friend Teddy is paying for his defense, wouldn’t you say?”
Simon and I both nodded.
“We’re not going to get the senator on jack-shit.” Nash sounded utterly disgusted.
“The only other way this was going to play out, Rivers, was that you were going to take him into custody, he would have demanded a lawyer, same suit would have come in, and you wouldn’t have known about Teddy Thompson. Don’t sit there all sanctimonious like this is an us problem,” Simon drawled. “We actually did you a favor.”
“Oh yeah, this is a big-time favor. I have some asshole in my jail, that is going to be let out on bail on Monday, and I can’t do jack about it. Meanwhile, the guy behind it all goes scot free.”
I figured it was my turn to speak up.
“I talked to Marlowe last night. She was still out of it because of the chloroform, but she explained to me why Teddy wants her phone. The long and short of it is, Teddy’s daughter could be brought up on assault charges for what she did to a student that she was bullying. According to Marlowe, the bigger problem for the senator would be for his daughter to be branded a bully. Bad for his reputation.”
“That’s not true. Tell me that’s not true. You’re saying Marlowe almost gets killed on Amber Road, then someone tries to kidnap her, and it’s all so some fucking state senator’s daughter won’t be outed as a bully?” Nash looked outraged.
“I’m just as baffled as you are,” I told Nash.
Simon sat up straight in his chair and crossed his arms. “I choose to believe that the fact that all three of us are confused makes us better people. And that’s how I’m going to raise all my kids.”
“All your kids? Not just Bella?” Nash asked. “You got something to tell us?”
Simon fidgeted for just a moment. “Apparently, I’m not supposed to tell people before the first trimester. That’s next week. But it’s been killing me. So yeah. Trenda and I are expecting.”
Nash stood up and came around his desk to pound Simon on his shoulder. “That is great news, Simon. Fantastic news. Trenda must be thrilled to death, and Bella must be over the moon.”
“We haven’t told Bella yet. When we do, it’ll be all over town in a day.”
“You got that right.” Nash chuckled. Then he looked over at me. “So, what are we going to do about the lawyered-up asshole in my jail?”
“I don’t see any way of turning him against the senator, just process him through,” I answered.
“Agreed.” Nash grimaced. “In the meantime, we’re still on the lookout for the asshole who tried to run Marlowe off the road.”
“I doubt you’ll find him. Besides running away from you, he’s also running away from the senator. He had the same job as the guy in your lock-up. Grab the phone, get rid of the copies. But instead, he tries to kill her. Not too bright,” I said. “I’m still worried about the senator. He hasn’t accomplished what he’s wanted. That means Marlowe is still in danger.”
Simon and Nash both nodded.
“Where is she now?” Nash asked.
“In the safest place I could think of leaving her.”
“Little Grandma, that didn’t really happen, did it?” I asked. Not for the first time, either. This woman was telling me things that were blowing my mind.
“Just because I’m up there in age, doesn’t mean that I didn’t live a well-lived life. And that includes a little bit of titillation.”
She looked like a sweetie pie sitting there on the other side of the table, sipping her warm mug of tea and nibbling on her biscuit. Finding out that she got a job as a tourist guide at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 1942 was fascinating. Even more interesting was finding out about all of the people she got to meet. Most of the eligible bachelors in Jasper Creek and all the surrounding areas were trying to help keep their family farms afloat or they had joined or had been drafted into military service.
“It was slim pickings back in the day, let me tell you. I was the oldest, at twenty-two, and let me tell you, Pearl, Ronnie, and Winnie wouldn’t let me forget it. I was definitely an old-maid. They picked on me relentlessly.”
“What is your name?” it finally occurred to me to ask.
“Esperance. Our family was French. Our last name was Dubois.”
“Esperance is a lovely name.” It really was. “Does it mean something?”
“It means hope. I guess they were hopeful when they had me. My parents didn’t know they were going to end up with seven daughters. But Ma and Pa took it in stride. Even though we couldn’t work the land, they always had hope and faith that things would work out.”
“Seven daughters? Why are you only mentioning three other sisters?”
“We were the oldest. The others were still at home. We were the ones who were out in the big wide world trying to bring home money to support the family. We all made money at the Park. I was a guide. Ronnie did clerical work at the Parks Management office then Pearl and Winnie worked at the concession stands.”
“I can’t imagine there being many tourists during the war,” I said.
“You’d be surprised. I think it was because of the war that more people wanted to go out and visit places. Take a few days and see nature. Commune with God.” Little Grandma took another sip of her tea.
“Do you mind if I steal my woman from you?”
We both looked up to see Kai standing over our table. How had I missed him?
“Absolutely. I was wondering why you would be leaving such a beautiful woman alone on such a sunny day,” Little Grandma grinned up at Kai.
“You’d best be taking Esperance out for a drive,” I said to Kai. He frowned for less than a second, then held his hand out to Little Grandma.
“My chariot awaits, milady. Have you been to Java Jolt? They have some exceptional flavors of coffee.”
Little Grandma gave him a broad smile. “I like you, Kai Davies. You’ll do. You’ll do just fine.” She turned to me. “Now go on with yourself. You and your young man have a good time.”
“I expect to hear more about your adventures at the Great Park,” I told her as I slipped out of my seat.
“You will, my dear.”