Chapter 9
Nellie saw a man in the charcoal suit that practically screamed federal agent. If the suit didn’t, the shoes definitely did. But, behind Peter Castle was a woman old enough to be Peter’s grandmother. Her shoes, her suit, and her pearls said she was Society, with a capital S, not FBI.
“She looks like Ingram’s grandmother,” Sue Ellen whispered as they both shivered. Mrs. Faust, who wouldn’t let anyone address her in any other way, was a society terror. She had ruled with an iron fist until her passing.
“Peter,” Olivia said, drawing the FBI agent’s attention. “This is Sue Ellen Faust, soon to be Hale. And her sister, Nellie Katherine Hale. Ladies, Peter Castle.”
Peter shook their hands and then turned to the elderly woman at his side with a fond smile. “This is Miss Tibbie, or as most people know her, Mrs. Elijah F. Cummings,” Peter said, introducing them.
“Nice to meet you, ma’am,” Sue Ellen said, her voice softening out of fear. They didn’t have good luck with society women.
“Miss Tibbie is here to tell us about the Fausts,” Peter told them.
“I’m pretty sure we can tell you about the Fausts,” Nellie said, her forehead crinkling with confusion.
“That’s what the locals know, even the family. However, there is society gossip. Those are two very different things,” Miss Tibbie said with a kind smile and a mischievous twinkle to her eyes.
“What do you know that we don’t?” Sue Ellen asked.
“Oh, honey child, where do I start?” Miss Tibbie took a seat and patted the chair next to her. Sue Ellen took a seat while everyone else took theirs. “Your husband’s aunt is in my garden club.”
Sue Ellen frowned. “Aunt?”
“Yes, his mother’s sister, Esther Shepherd, is in our group. She’s a woman with a grudge.”
Sue Ellen was shaking her head, “No, my mother-in-law doesn’t have a sister. She has a brother.”
“See, told you there are such things as society secrets. Esther married ‘beneath’ her, and her family cut ties. Her sister had been her best friend since birth, then nothing. Esther wants revenge for her family cutting her out of their lives. Ironically, Esther’s ‘no-good’ husband made it big with selling a computer company back in the mid-nineties.
Esther’s brother-in-law, Ingram’s dad, was the first to come crawling back looking for campaign donations.
Now, Esther gathers all the dirt on them to hold until the time is right.
” Miss Tibbie looked elated, and that made Nellie’s lips turn up.
“And is the time right now?” Nellie asked.
“It sure is. Esther was livid when I told her my gossip.”
“Your gossip?” Sue Ellen asked.
“Yes, mine about how Ingram abused his wife and child and how he and his father covered it up. That got Esther spilling all the family secrets, and the Fausts have left more death and destruction behind them than Sherman during his march to the sea,” Miss Tibbie told them.
Nellie caught Sue Ellen’s gaze. For once, her sister looked hopeful. “And what would those secrets be, Miss Tibbie?” Sue Ellen asked.
“Wait,” Nellie said to her sister before turning to Miss Tibbie. “Maybe you shouldn’t be involved. The Fausts are dangerous.”
“Pish, posh. Those men don’t know that the real danger is gossip. I know all about Ingram’s DUI in high school.”
“Everyone does,” Nellie said, deflating. This wasn’t new gossip. Nothing that would hurt Ingram or protect Sue Ellen.
“Ah,” Miss Tibbie said, lifting a finger. “But do they know about the one three months ago? Or the one five months ago? Or the one a year ago when he hit and killed the neighbor’s dog? And because they caught it on their ring cam, Ingram had to pay them off?”
Nellie had to force her mouth closed. Sue Ellen was just blinking as if she was having trouble computing this new information. “That’s what happened to Barkolomew?” she gasped once it all clicked in place. “No wonder they stopped talking to me!”
“I’d think charges like that would make custody a major issue, not counting re-election,” Bex said, sitting back and crossing her arms.
“Yes, but knowing Ingram, there’s no evidence of these incidents,” Sue Ellen said on a sigh.
“There isn’t now, but that doesn’t mean there wasn’t when it happened.
Body camera video of Ingram drunk behind the wheel and a front door camera was pointed right at the street when he jumped the curb and hit the dog in the front yard.
Videos that no longer exist, but were sent to Esther before they were deleted.
The family of the dog was Esther’s best friend in high school and was the only one who stuck with her when Esther married.
Then, Esther’s husband, Daryl, has his own connections.
Specifically, his cousin who is the IT guy for the police force.
Of course, he immediately sent body cam recordings to Esther and Daryl.
Including, a very interesting one where Ingram was caught dragging a paid escort out of his house after she called 9-1-1 on account of him hitting her. ”
Sue Ellen gasped and Nellie reached over and took her shaking hands in hers. Gator appeared suddenly for such a large man. His huge hands rested on Sue Ellen’s shoulders offering silent support.
“There’s more,” Miss Tibbie told her. “Rumors of hiring a hitman to take care of Ingram’s father’s competition during the last election for mayor and whispers about intimidating the judge who had run against Ingram last time.”
“The one who removed himself from the ballot?” Sue Ellen asked.
Miss Tibbie nodded. “His wife’s grandmother is in my charity food drive group. She said Ingram hired a gang member to accost his wife and threaten her with a fate worse than death if her husband didn’t remove his name from the ballot.”
“I don’t suppose that’s on video?” Peter asked.
“Of course it is. The Piggly Wiggly grocery store has cameras and you know Esther made sure to get it,” Miss Tibbie said, pulling out her phone and handing it to Peter. “I don’t know how to operate that thing, but Esther sent everything to me.”
Peter worked on the phone and then nodded. “Got them all sent to Bex and me.” He turned to Nellie and Sue Ellen. “Do you have anything useful to add?”
“I think he hired someone to try to kill me. He’s never so much as changed a light bulb, there’s no way he knows how to blow up a car,” Sue Ellen told him.
“First, it keeps me out of his life and gives him control over the kids. Second, probably because he remembered that he used to put some assets under my name. The funny thing, I just remembered today.”
“On it,” Bex said, standing as she pulled out her phone to make a call.
Rowan set two waters down in front of her and Sue Ellen before resuming his place beside her. “What is your goal here, Peter?” Rowan asked.
“At first, I thought it was just attempted murder. Now, I believe he and his father are running a criminal enterprise out of their town. I’m building a case to take them all down. Each Faust and everyone who has helped them,” Peter told them, but stopped talking when Bex joined them.
“There are four bank accounts in Sue Ellen’s name.”
“Four?” Sue Ellen said in surprise. “I know about two.”
“There’s a property in your name also. Further, on a hunch, I had them run your children’s names. Each one has a bank account and a piece of property in their name.”
Sue Ellen gasped and turned red with anger. “He’s dragged my kids into whatever criminal activity he’s in?”
“Sue Ellen, you didn’t happen to grab your children’s birth certificates, did you?? Peter asked.
“I did. And their passports. Why?”
Peter and Bex smiled. “Because, now we don’t need warrants to get access to those records.
As their mother, you can access everything.
Let’s follow the money because I bet it’s from criminal activity.
Also, you, as the owner, can close those accounts and sell those properties as soon as the papers are filed.
I bet that will really piss Ingram off,” Peter told her.
“Tomorrow, we hit the banks and pull all the financials.”
Sue Ellen looked determined, but when she heard her kids laughing that determination slipped. “What do I do with the kids? I don’t want to drag them into this.”
“I’ll watch them,” Gator said, his hands giving Sue Ellen’s shoulders a little squeeze. “You know I’ll protect them with my life.”
“Mr. Gator!” Tally called out, running around the adults with James Avery right behind her. Nellie watched Gator scoop both kids up as they talked a mile a minute.
Sue Ellen wiped at tears and Nellie moved into action. “Sue Ellen, let’s go powder our noses. We’ll be right back.”
Sue Ellen kept her face turned away from her children so they couldn’t see the tears. Nellie was beginning to freak out. She didn’t know what had upset her sister so much. Everything they’d learned about Ingram had been upsetting, yet Nellie found herself not all that surprised.
The second the bathroom door closed, Nellie had Sue Ellen in a hug. “What is, it Sue Ellen?”
“My babies. Did you see how happy they are with Gator? How trusting, open, and just happy they are? Have you heard James speak this much in the past year as he has right now with Gator? All this time I thought I was giving my babies the world by staying with Ingram. I thought I was doing the right thing because they’d be financially secure, go to the best schools, and network to get the best jobs.
But they weren’t ever happy, Nell. We were all miserable and in danger.
Now, with a giant of a man who wrestles alligators, they are truly happy.
Lordy, did I have everything backwards!”
Sue Ellen leaned back and wiped her eyes. Then the two sisters’ eyes connected and they burst out laughing.
“Can you imagine Mom’s face if you bring Gator home?” Nellie asked. Sue Ellen stared at her for a moment and laughed harder than ever.
“Well, at least you’ll do well, bringing a doctor home.”
“Sue Ellen!” Nell felt her face flush in an instant.
“Nell!” her sister smacked her arm. “Don’t you dare lie to me. You have the hots for him. Rightfully so. He can’t keep his eyes off you. I’m happy for you. Meanwhile, I’m with the Charleston Alligator Hunter.”
“With?” Nellie asked, making sure she was on the same page as her sister.
Sue Ellen gave a shy smile. “He’s great, Nell.
I’ve never felt so safe, cherished or protected in my life and it’s been like a day.
But the love he shows my children? I’m surprised I haven’t stripped naked and told him to take me now.
Plus, did you see his hands? They’re huge!
And his forearms? Sweet magnolia, I didn’t know arms were such a turn-on.
I keep thinking about what those hands can do to me.
Then I think to myself, Sue Ellen, the man is shirtless under overalls, what are you thinking?
” Sue Ellen let out a breath and smirked to herself.
“When I saw him unhook those overalls to bare his chest before he put on a shirt for tonight . . . Ingram never had muscles like those.”
Nellie giggled at the blush on Sue Ellen’s face. “Well then, maybe you should invite him to share your bed tonight. It would be rude to make him sleep on the couch.”
“He wouldn’t do it,” Sue Ellen said with a roll of her eyes.
“He’s too much of a gentleman. His house is cleaner than mine.
It’s obviously more masculine, but it’s spotless with tasteful décor and the nicest leather couch.
And he cooks! Nell, he cooked for us. Then he took the kids to the garage where they built swings and put them up in the backyard.
I mean, I’ve never felt so respected before. ”
“Too respected?”
“Maybe?” Sue Ellen sighed. “So respected I have no idea if he’s actually into me or if he’s just that nice of a guy.
However, the important thing is that I feel safe here.
I mean safe down to my bones for the first time in years.
I feel my kids are safe here. I’ve spent the last six months feeling like I’ve escaped from the prison my marriage had become.
Today feels like I’m seeing the world in color again and it’s beautiful.
And now I should stop fantasizing about how those thick thighs of his could easily hold me up as he pins me to the wall and focus on putting Ingram behind bars. ”
“Tomorrow sounds like a good start to doing that. I wish I could be a fly on the wall when Ingram realizes you’ve frozen his accounts.”
Sue Ellen smiled and reached out for Nellie’s hand. “Revenge is giving me life right now. It makes me feel badass, like I’m taking control back.”
“You’re doing more than that, Sue Ellen. You’re being brave and not sitting back letting life happen to you. You’re reaching in and taking control so you can demand your own happily ever after for you and the children. I’m proud of you.”
Sue Ellen hugged her tight. Together, they could do anything. Even tackle the monsters from their hometown. A hometown that was feeling less and less like home every hour they were in Shadows Landing.