Chapter 37 Turn Down Any Chance
TURN DOWN ANY CHANCE
If one more person moved further away from him when he walked downtown, as if he had some disease, he was going to shout at them all to stop being cowards.
It was bad enough people were moving away from him, but others were pressing mute when they saw him coming. If that wasn’t proof he was the topic of conversation, he didn’t know what was.
The people in this town had a serious fear of something or someone. Not all residents, but just enough to piss him off.
After hours of running around and phone calls, pictures and police reports submitted a second time to his insurance, Rory finally had a claim ready to be processed.
Since he couldn’t get home without a new car, he went to a few dealerships to look around and talk about getting it registered in Pennsylvania for him and what they could do.
The minute he was back at Gale’s he sat down and put her notes into his computer.
Was he happy she’d talked to Kane and then nudged Daniel? Fuck no.
But he wasn’t surprised either.
It was something he was positive he would have done at the same time.
He just hated that she was fighting his battles even if she didn’t see it that way.
Once he pounded his frustration onto the keyboard, he grabbed his phone and left the condo to walk to the beach with his laptop.
Maybe he needed to unplug for a few hours. Otherwise he was going to blow up when he saw Gale again after that stunt she’d pulled today.
One his sister would have done.
Why was it so hard to disconnect the two of them?
Or wasn’t he meant to? Could that be the pull?
Too much of his life was messed up and being yanked in so many directions that he wasn’t sure what was up, down, left, right, or even wrong.
But he knew writing and that was what got him through and it was what would again.
He found a seat in the shade, put his feet up and his laptop on his thighs, then got to typing his potential outline.
There was work being done on the deck next to him. Jared, that he’d met the other day. Guess Kane approved the boards to be replaced.
It made him laugh when he remembered that.
He wasn’t used to all the small town shit where people he didn’t know knew him. Knew his relationship to Gale, and what he was doing in town.
No amount of breadcrumbs that Ford had dropped had been picked up by the birds. Nothing made them believe there was still corruption in the Sheriff’s Department.
He supposed that was a good thing, at least for Ford, but it did little for Rene’s case.
His phone rang and he saw it was his mother, so he answered.
“Hi, Rory.”
“Hey, Mom.”
“I’m just checking in. It’s been a few days. I think your lease for the month is up soon. Did you decide what you’re going to do?”
“I’m going to stay a little longer, but I’m staying with Gale for now.”
“That’s good. When do I get to talk to her? You said I could but have been quiet since. Or am I pushing too much?”
“Sorry,” he said. “Just a lot going on in my mind and it was a busy weekend.”
“I know, and I’m trying not to bug you. That’s why I wanted to see what your plans were.”
“I’ll talk to Gale tonight and let you know what works for her. But if it makes you feel any better, this is my view while I work on my next book.”
He turned his phone around and showed her the lake, then the condos around.
“That’s beautiful,” his mother said. “You’re at Gale’s now?”
“Yeah. I cleaned the rental place out and moved in here over the weekend since it was easier. It was only a few days early. A much better location to write.”
“I did like the area... before.”
“I know. I didn’t, but it’s funny that I’m drawn to it now.”
“Life has a way of doing those things,” his mother said. “I won’t bug you any longer, but let me know when you talk to Gale.”
“I will. Love you.”
“Love you too, Rory.”
“Talking to Gale?”
He turned his head to see Rocco walking toward him from where he had been talking to Jared.
“No, my mother.”
“My mother always wants me to tell her I love her too at the end of every call. Gets a little annoying but makes her happy.”
He laughed. “I don’t say it often. Maybe I should say it more.”
Rocco sat down in the chair next to him, his long legs out, then came back as if he was stretching them, his keys jingling on his belt.
Rory wasn’t sure why he noticed the sound other than Gale explained everything that happened the day she was told about her car leaking.
“Being the only child, I feel the guilt to care for her,” Rocco said. “I’m sure you do too.”
“I didn’t used to be an only child,” he said, frowning.
“I know. I hadn’t realized who you were until Jared said something. I mean, Kane was talking about it, but I didn’t piece it together that Rene was your sister.”
“She was,” he said.
“You know some of this land was where the old Abdell cabin used to be. The one she was drawing, right? Or taking pictures of?”
“I do,” he said. “I didn’t know until I came back. I’ve been by the spot her body was found a few times.”
“I remember hearing about it all,” Rocco said.
“You weren’t here then?” he asked, frowning.
“I was in college around that time. My mother kept me informed about it all. She was scared. Lots of people were. Kane and Daniel kept telling her it was fine and there was no reason to be.”
“She knew them?” Gale had told him Rocco confessed his mother had worked for Daniel, but he’d play dumb just the same.
“She worked for Daniel for years and retired about five years ago. I’m just waiting for her to say she’s had enough of the area and we’ll move somewhere together. Nothing is tying us here.”
“You’ve got no family here?” he asked. “Sorry. I’m used to asking questions and it annoys people.”
“It’s fine,” Rocco said, standing up. “Need to get off my feet. I’m too young for my legs and back to hurt, but that happens when you’re standing all the time or lifting and moving shit.”
“I bet,” he said.
“Anyway, I doubt it’s going to help you any, but there is an old shed I could show you on the edge of the property that was kept here when the condos were built.
It was on the original land and was moved.
We use it for storage now. Daniel likes to spend money and then other times he’s cheaper than shit and holds onto stupid things.
Or maybe it was Kane who wanted to keep the shed. No clue why.”
“What could be in there that I could use?” Rory asked.
“There were things from the old cabins they wanted kept. From all the properties that were bought to make these condos. I’m not sure the reason. Maybe there are some treasures in there they wanted to hold on to.”
Rory wasn’t going to turn down any chance to look at anything that might have been around at the time of Rene’s murder.
“I’d like to see it if it’s okay. Do you have to run it by Kane or something? Maybe Daniel?”
Rocco rolled his eyes. “No. I’ve got keys to everything around here. The condos are mine to monitor. I’ve got a bunch of shit to do, but if you’re around later, I can come by and get you.”
“Works for me,” he said. “You know where I’m at, right?”
“I do. Probably around five or so when I get done with work. Or is that when Gale is coming home?”
“I’m not sure when she’ll be home,” he said, shrugging. “We don’t keep tabs on each other.”
Rocco let out a quick laugh. Strange dude, but being helpful in a way.
The fact that there was a shed kept made his mind go toward trophies. Like it was a slap in the face they got this land for their expansion at whatever cost it took.
For sure the previous owners were strong-armed at some point. There were enough whispers about that.
He drafted the conversation with Rocco in an email, highlighted what was said, then sent it to Gale.
An hour later his phone rang and it was Gale. “Hi.”
“That was interesting,” she said. “Do you think there is anything to see in the shed?”
“Anything is worth looking into. He seemed pretty chatty about Kane and Daniel.”
“He gets that way. It’s like he says something and then wishes he hadn’t and leaves quickly.”
Rory laughed. “That’s what he did. Almost like the comment about Daniel being cheap worried him. I’m not going to tell anyone, but he looked around to see if anyone heard.”
“Probably doesn’t need to get yelled at or lectured. Anyway, do you want me to go with you?”
“If you’re back, we can. He said he’d stop around five.”
“I won’t be back by then. I’ve got a call that I’ll be lucky if it ends by five. That is why I was calling now. I’ll just have Ford get me.”
“Are you sure?” he asked. “I can tell Rocco I can look another day.”
“Nah, you go. I know where the shed is. If I’m back I’ll come get you. I guess I forgot it was even there. It’s not that far from my building but behind some trees. I’m not sure I thought much of it or realized it was from one of the previous properties.”
“I’ll take anything right now,” he said. “My mother called me. She wants to meet you.”
“She does? Is she coming to visit? I thought you didn’t want her here.”
“A video call. I told her I’m staying longer and with you.”
“Is she upset over it?”
Was that concern in Gale’s voice? “No. She’s happy in her way. But you know, being the only child and all, we are all the other has.”
“I’d love to talk to her,” she said. “And maybe we can meet in person one day soon.”
“I hope so,” he said quietly.
He hoped for a lot of things. More than he had before.
He hated the way he had met Gale and worried that what they had now would vanish as quickly as his sister had when he got his answers.
It was just how hard they were both willing to fight for it or walk away to start over.