Chapter 10 #2
“Why does that name sound familiar?” Bubba studied the bios on the screen.
“His brother tried to rape Annamae and then was killed in a car accident. Mom and Annamae were blamed.” I pulled my jacket closer. The AC wasn’t the only thing giving me chills. “This might be the person who killed my parents.”
“Don’t jump to conclusions. We’re here because Catherine said that her kidnapper smelled like candied pecans.
I’m thinking this has to be where the guy was living.
Let’s go talk to Franklin Day and see where he was at the last week or so.
Maybe he’s out of the country on a press junket or building a school in Africa. ”
“Life brings us where we need to be.” Rory said, finishing her soda. “I can feel this is the place. The thing is, it doesn’t seem evil. But we will get answers.”
“You’re sounding like a tarot card reading,” I got out of the car.
Then I waited for Rory and Bubba to join me before heading to the building’s large glass front doors.
I’m glad Rory felt a calming event from the building because all I could feel was my own anxiety winding me up. I wasn’t going to let it.
We walked up to a reception desk that held a basket of candied pecans in plastic bags. A sign said, Please Help Yourself. A young woman ended a phone call and looked up as we arrived. “Oh, Ms. Cayce and party, you are expected. You’ll be meeting in Mr. Day’s office. Please follow me.”
As we headed to the back of the building, Bubba leaned over. “Did Alexander make us an appointment?”
“I don’t know. But clearly, they knew we were coming somehow.
” I glanced over at Rory who still looked calm.
She was admiring the art on the wall as we walked through a long hallway.
The building was bright and happy. I could feel it’s vibes.
I was still anxious. Maybe even more so that the receptionist had been expecting us to arrive.
Annamae and my mother had been whisked away from their high school in Baton Rouge to a new life in New Orleans with my paternal grandparents because of the actions and words of the Day family. Now, one of them was welcoming her to their factory? Something felt off.
But Rory’s alert spell hadn’t turned her orange. Yet. I’d seen her apply the mist just before we left the car. I’d taken a swig of my own potion so if something was wrong, we should be protected.
Unless we weren’t. Magic potions didn’t always work in certain situations. Especially if someone else had a stronger spell.
The doors at the end of the hallway, opened and a man stepped out, his arms opened wide to welcome us.
“My goodness, I never thought I’d meet the legendary daughter of Mitchell and Rebecca.
Or should I call her Alana? Come in, come in.
I’m Franklin Day. Can I get you something to drink?
A treat, perhaps? My chef made banana bread this morning featuring our candied pecans.
Can I tempt you with a warm slice with butter? ”
The room smelled like fresh baked banana bread and the candied pecans. Whatever I had been expecting at a meeting with the Day family, this was not it. “I’m fine. You obviously know me. This is Beauregard King and Rory Kerr.”
“Please sit down. I’ll have Bebe bring you in some sealed bottled water.
Just in case. I don’t want to be a bad host.” He leaned on the front of the desk as we sat on the couch and chairs facing him.
“So from your reaction to me, I suspect Annamae told you the story of her and Marvin. It was such a traumatic time. My mother was destroyed when she lost Marvin. He was my baby brother, and she thought he did no wrong. Which was probably the reason he thought he could get away with whatever he wanted. I’m so sorry about the incident.
By the time my father learned of the threat against your family, your mother and Annamae had already left for New Orleans. ”
“I’ll pass on your apology to Annamae. My mother, well, she’s already passed on.” I wondered if he was playing us. Telling us what he thought I wanted to hear. “She was killed in a car accident much like the one that took your brother’s life, except of course, my father wasn’t drunk at the time.”
“Yes, I know about what happened to your parents. I swear, the Day family had nothing to do with their deaths. My mother didn’t live much longer than Marvin.
She was devoted to him. My father was absent and cold, so I don’t blame her.
I was in college when Marvin died, then went about working in my father’s pecan business.
” He held up his hands. “We produce most of the product for the American market and have been shipping overseas for years. Which of course comes with its own set of challenges.” He came over and knelt before me.
“I promise, I don’t hold you or anyone in your family including Annamae responsible for my brother’s death. He did that all on his own.”
My mind was racing. “Who would want me to think that you killed my parents?”
He squeezed my hands and stood. Pacing the floor, he laughed.
“You’re so much like your mother. I met her a few days before her death.
I told her the same story I just told you.
She didn’t forgive me, she said that was Annamae’s decision, but I felt like at least she understood me.
Now with all the mediums dying, I wonder how she would have viewed our history.
The Day family has a bit of talent in it.
That’s the reason my mother was so obsessed with Marvin.
One of the family ghosts had told her he wouldn’t make it to nineteen.
And he didn’t. The ghost didn’t want her to change the future.
She told her so she could live every day she had with her son.
Instead, it drove her crazy trying to figure out how to stop his death. ”
“You didn’t answer my question,” I pointed out. “Who would want me to think that?”
“Anyone who didn’t want us to be allies. I believe your parents were killed to try to start a war between the families. Yours, mine, and about ten others make up the southern division. Alexander has the list. Don’t tell me he didn’t tell you about the council.”
“Okay, I won’t tell you.” I had felt like Alexander was keeping things from us. Was it to keep us focused on the matter at hand, the dead readers? Or was there some other reason? “Seriously though, do you know who killed my parents?”