by Mary Ellis
‘Lots of women still use midwives in the hills. It’s her choice.’ Jamie’s tone revealed utter disinterest in the matter.
‘You’re probably right, but in Michelle’s case, her decision stems from a lack of money, not due to some archaic tradition she wishes to maintain. The hospital in Roseville wants eight thousand dollars upfront before she can deliver there.’
Jamie chewed a mouthful of salad thoroughly. ‘And you think I should come up with the cash?’
‘Yes, I do. Whether or not this will be your son or daughter, you described Michelle as a longtime friend, besides an occasional lover. Her life, along with the baby’s, could be in danger if she delivers far from professional medical care.’ Jill stabbed some romaine with her fork.
Jamie studied his cuticles while considering. ‘All right, Jill, but I don’t have that kind of cash sitting around. I’ll give Michelle my credit card number and authorize an eight-thousand-dollar charge at Roseville General.’
Jill almost choked on her lettuce. ‘You have that kind of credit available?’
‘Of course, I do.’ He took a drink of champagne. ‘Now, can we enjoy the rest of our meal without any more bones of contention?’
‘Yes, Mr Shelby. I can’t think of a single other contentious matter.’ She picked up her fork and dug into the salad with gusto.
Soon his filet mignon arrived, along with her mountain trout on a bed of wild rice with tender asparagus spears. Jill couldn’t remember a better tasting fish. And judging by the rate Jamie devoured his steak and baked potato, his meal must have been satisfactory as well.
Jamie set his knife and fork on the side of his plate and pushed it away. ‘It just occurred to me how close we are to the Clark farm.’ He added a derisive inflexion to the word. ‘I should drive up the mountain and tell Michelle my decision, in case she goes into labor during the next day or two. You could tag along to make sure I follow through.’
Jill sipped her iced tea, which the waiter finally remembered. ‘That would imply I don’t trust you.’
‘Eight grand is a lot of money, Miss Curtis, especially if the baby belongs to a local yokel and not me.’
‘You really can be incorrigible.’ Her appetite gone, Jill slapped her napkin down next to her plate. ‘Fine, I’ll come with you. But first I need to use the ladies’ room.’
‘You’re not the first woman to describe me as such.’ Jamie laughed merrily as she walked away.
The two glasses of water, plus a glass of iced tea, weren’t the only reasons she needed the restroom before setting out for the Clarks. Jill also wanted to let Nick and Aunt Dot know exactly where she was and where she was going. But after several attempts to reach them, she couldn’t even get their voicemails to answer.
When Jill arrived back at the table, a slice of cherry cheesecake was waiting for her, while some kind of pie-a-la-mode sat in front of Jamie. ‘Ughhh,’ she moaned. ‘What have you done?’
‘Would you rather we switch?’ Jamie asked, lifting his plate of rapidly melting dessert.
‘Enjoy whichever one you prefer, but I couldn’t eat another bite.’ She glanced at her watch. ‘When you see the waiter, please ask for the check.’
‘Of course, but in the meantime, you must try this pie. I swear the peaches were picked yesterday.’ He waved a spoonful through the air, stopping inches from her lips, as though he were enticing a toddler.
‘Fine, one bite.’ Jill opened wide and swallowed.
‘Good, no?’
‘Delicious.’ She peered around the room for their elusive waiter.
Jamie launched into a story about his grandmother’s ability to pick fruit based on sight alone, while eating his pie at a snail’s pace. ‘Are you sure you don’t want the last bite?’ He held up his spoon.
‘I do not, thank you. Check, please?’ Jill called to their waiter at another table.
‘What is your hurry?’ Jamie whined, his voice ratcheting up a level. ‘It’s not that late. Plus you promised to drink a glass of champagne to know what the good stuff tastes like. For crying out loud, you’ve eaten a full meal.’
Jill scowled and lifted the long-stemmed crystal glass to her lips.
‘And don’t guzzle it down like Kool-Aid. I intend to eat your dessert too.’ Mulishly, he reached for the cherry cheesecake.
Jamie ate the second dessert so slowly, she had plenty of time to savor the expensive bubbles and even drink more iced tea. Finally the waiter delivered the leather folder, Jamie finished stuffing his face and he handed the man his credit card.
Unfortunately, Jill tripped over something on their way out. If Jamie hadn’t caught her arm, she might have sprawled across the flagstones in front of other diners exiting the restaurant.
‘Stop playing around, Jill,’ he hissed, holding her upright. ‘You had one glass of wine.’
‘I’m not playing, Jamie. I suddenly felt lightheaded.’ Jill pulled away from him.
Jamie studied her face. ‘If that’s true, then you should leave that piece of junk here and ride with me.’ He slipped a steadying arm around her waist.
Jill looked to the west where the sun was about to drop below the trees. ‘It’ll be dark soon. Since you said we’re not far away, I think I’ll follow you to the Clarks. Then if I don’t feel like driving home, I’m sure William will let me spend the night.’
‘Whatever … you … say …’ Jamie dragged out each word, adding as much scorn as possible. ‘I’ll drive slow but try to keep up. We don’t want you making the wrong turn and getting lost.’ He jumped in his car, slammed the door and started the engine.
Jill struggled to climb into the truck. Then she tried Nick’s number once more before putting the pickup in gear. No service. She considered heading back to town, but she didn’t trust Jamie to make good on his promise to pay the hospital bill. And the dull pain which had begun behind her eyes blossomed into a major headache. So when Jamie turned left out of Pine Hollow Lodge, Jill followed him and for the next fifteen minutes, it took all her faculties to keep the vehicle on the road.
Then without warning, Jamie turned into a narrow lane, drove about a hundred feet and stopped the car. Jill pulled in behind him and looked around. Despite the overgrown mountain laurel and rhododendrons, the canopy of pines and the number of potholes, the driveway didn’t look remotely familiar.
Jill set the emergency brake and waited for Jamie to walk to her. She spotted poison ivy climbing every tree trunk. ‘Where are we? This doesn’t look like the road to the Clark homestead.’
Jamie yanked open her door. ‘It’s not, but I saw you weaving across the road in my rear-view mirror. There aren’t many guardrails along this stretch, so I got worried.’
When she opened her mouth to disagree, a wave of nausea hit her stomach. Jill swiveled around so her feet rested on the running board, put her head between her knees, and waited to vomit.
After a full minute of nothing happening, Jill lifted her chin and locked eyes with Jamie. ‘I don’t know what’s wrong. My head is swimming and it feels like every limb of my body has turned to lead.’
Jamie helped her to sit up and lean her head back. ‘Don’t worry, Jill. This will soon be over.’ He tenderly planted a kiss on her forehead.
And that was the last thing she remembered before her world went dark.
SEVENTEEN
When Nick roared into the driveway of his temporary home he almost rear-ended a Jeep he’d seen parked at the Clark farm in the mountains. Taking the front steps two at a time, he burst through the front door and into the house with little consideration of what he’d find.
Dorothy Clark and her nephew, Gordon, were huddled over computer printouts that covered the dining room table. Both glanced up with startled expressions. ‘Lieutenant Harris, what on earth is the matter?’ Dot asked.
‘Excuse my interruption, Mrs Clark, but it’s urgent that I find Jill Curtis.’
The innkeeper’s expression remained the same – bewildered, while Gordon’s jaw tightene
d and his face turned ashen.
‘I don’t know where Jill is,’ said Dot. ‘I haven’t seen her since she left the Maxwells. If I’m not mistaken, she had planned to look for you.’
Gordon ran his palms down his pant legs but focused his gaze on the printouts.
‘If you know something, Mr Clark, I suggest you tell me now. Otherwise, I’ll charge you as an accessory if anything happens to Jill.’
‘What is going on here?’ Dot’s focus shifted from Nick to her nephew.
Gordon’s lips drew together in a line. ‘I have no idea where Jill went. All I know is Jamie Shelby came by while I was waiting to talk to my aunt. Jill kicked me off the porch, so I drove around and then sat in my car across the street until you got home,’ he said to Dot.
‘When was this?’ Nick asked.
‘An hour, maybe ninety minutes ago,’ Gordon said to Nick. ‘Jamie pulled up and laid on the horn until Jill came out. Then he strolled up to the porch and handed Jill a bouquet of roses. She made a big deal out of smelling them, like it was the first time she got flowers. After they talked for a while, Jamie walked to his car and opened the passenger door. Jill shook her head and they started to argue.’
‘You heard their argument?’ Nick flattened his palms on the table.
‘No, but it doesn’t take a genius to tell by their expressions. Jamie wanted Jill to go somewhere in his car and she didn’t want to. I saw her point at Roger’s truck next to the house.’
Dot wrung her hands, like most women her age did when they got upset. ‘Did you hear where Jamie planned to go?’
‘No, ma’am, I didn’t, but pretty soon Jill crossed her arms like this.’ Gordon mimicked the gesture. ‘Jamie must have given in because his face became real friendly again. Then he took out his phone and showed her something on the screen.’ Gordon directed this information to Nick. ‘I’m guessing it was a restaurant, because Jill punched in something on her phone before she got in the truck. Then Shelby drove off and Jill followed him. That’s all I know.’
‘Which way did they go?’ Nick demanded. ‘Towards downtown?’
‘Nope, they went the opposite way, to the south.’
‘What restaurants are in that direction?’ Nick asked Mrs Clark.
‘Only a few fast food joints and a diner for truckers. Nowhere that Jamie would take a woman on a date.’ Dot looked to her nephew for confirmation.
Gordon turned his focus skyward as though deep in thought. ‘There is one place I pass on my way home, but it’s quite a distance away. Pine Tree Inn or something like that.’
‘Pine Hollow Lodge,’ Dot interjected. ‘Roger and I went there for our anniversary once or twice. Quaint and charming, good food, too. Jill would like it there.’
Nick typed the name into Google on his phone and waited. ‘Is this the place, Mrs Clark?’ He showed her the website’s image.
‘That’s it.’ Dot shifted her weight from foot to foot.
‘If my aunt doesn’t mind postponing our discussion for another day, I’d better ride along and show you the way,’ Gordon suggested.
Dot began gathering the papers into a pile. ‘We can pick this up tomorrow, but I do have a pie I wanted to send home with you, nephew.’ She disappeared through the swinging door and returned a moment later. ‘This note was on the kitchen counter,’ she said, handing the note to Nick.
‘“Having dinner with Jamie Shelby. Driving Roger’s truck so I can come home early”,’ Nick read aloud. ‘Not much here we don’t already know, but I’ll keep this if you don’t mind.’ He tucked the note in his pocket and headed out the door with Gordon at his heels.
‘Stay in touch, Lieutenant,’ Dot called.
‘You don’t have to come with me, Gordon. GPS can direct me to the restaurant. If it was that hard to find, they couldn’t stay in business.’
‘True, but you never know when a rockslide will close the main route.’ Gordon strode to the passenger side of Nick’s sedan. ‘I know these mountains like the back of my hand.’
Nick hit the unlock button. ‘Get in. And on the way you can explain what you still have to discuss with Mrs Clark. Roger cut you out of his will. If you don’t mind.’ He added a heavy dose of sarcasm.
Gordon climbed in and buckled his seatbelt. ‘I don’t mind at all. I already told Jill, so you would find out anyway.’
As Nick followed the main route south from Roseville, Gordon launched into a convoluted tale about stealing empty bottles and labels and letting his family sell unregulated moonshine under the Black Creek brand.
‘My uncle was ready to bequeath his proudest accomplishment to me and my family. And we’d been stealing several hundred dollars’ worth of profits for months.’
Nick uttered the first thing that came to mind. ‘You’re lucky no one got poisoned on your uninspected, unregulated moonshine.’
Gordon looked at him curiously. ‘My dad uses pure water from a very deep artesian spring, Trooper. Besides, bacteria won’t grow in one-hundred-twenty-proof bourbon. The point is I was ashamed of what I’d done and didn’t blame Roger for changing his will.’
‘So you found out he left everything to his wife.’
‘Aunt Dot asked me to come to her attorney’s office this morning. That’s when I heard. All I wanted was to keep my job until she lined up my replacement. But she told the lawyer she wanted no part of the distillery and was giving it outright to me.’
‘Isn’t today your lucky day?’ Nick sneered. ‘Instead of pressing charges for theft and fraud against you, Mrs Clark wants to hand you a fortune.’
Gordon shrugged. ‘Black Creek isn’t worth a fortune, at least not right now. I just told Aunt Dot everything and that I didn’t deserve her generosity. She said we would work out a deal so I can repay what I owe. After that we would split the profits for as long as she lives, and then I’d inherit. So I am lucky, after all.’
‘I’ll be keeping tabs on Dorothy Clark,’ Nick said. ‘She had better stay healthy.’
‘You do that, Lieutenant. I love my aunt and plan to pay back every dime I owe.’
For a short time, neither spoke. Nick followed the GPS directions while Gordon watched scenery he’d probably seen his entire life.
Finally Nick broke the silence. ‘You think Jamie would take Jill to a restaurant this far out in the county?’
Gordon straightened in the seat. ‘Yeah, I do. My sister mentioned that Jamie took her there a lot – fancy dishes, lace tablecloths, candlelight, expensive wine. Michelle said she could order anything she wanted. Chicks just eat that stuff up.’ He rolled his eyes. ‘Oh, and they also have rooms upstairs and a few cabins out back for rent. So after Jamie got my sister drunk, they didn’t have far to go.’
Nick gripped the steering wheel tighter. ‘No offence to your sister, but not every woman will be as susceptible to Shelby’s charm.’
‘None taken. I just hope Shelby gives Jill a choice in the matter.’
Nick pressed down on the accelerator, taking the next curve faster than any sane man should.
‘Slow down, Lieutenant. Dinner at Pine Hollow Lodge takes forever. We can still get there in time.’
Nick released his foot from the gas, letting the car slow down on the next uphill. ‘Thanks. And Jill can take care of herself until then.’
‘You really like her, don’t you?’
He glanced over for half a second. ‘Yeah, I do, but I won’t know if those feelings are mutual until Roger’s killer is behind bars.’
‘Rest assured, I’m no killer.’ Gordon released his death grip on the door handle.
Nick nodded, but he didn’t plan to be rest assured of anything right now. Fifteen minutes later he turned into Pine Hollow Lodge, spinning gravel as he braked to a stop by the entrance. True to Dorothy Clark’s description, the place was most definitely quaint – wraparound porch, wrought-iron balconies, picket fence, and a flagstone path leading to a gazebo. ‘You’re right,’ he murmured as they headed toward the copper-clad front door. ‘Most
women would want to stay for a week, if not buy the place outright.’
‘Let’s see if my twice-removed-cousin-by-marriage and that sleazebag are still in the dining room.’ Gordon tried to bypass the hostess stand until Nick grabbed his arm.
‘I know you have an axe to grind, Clark, but I’m in charge here.’
Grudgingly Gordon stepped back while Nick approached the young hostess. ‘I’m Lieutenant Harris from the Kentucky State Police. I need to speak to the manager immediately.’
The timid woman pressed a button on the side of the podium and stepped back. ‘He’ll be with you in a moment, sir.’
A few minutes later a middle-age man marched through the swinging doors, presumably from the kitchen. ‘I’m Mr Prescott. What seems to be the matter?’
Nick repeated the introduction, flashed his badge, and showed a photo of Jill Curtis from his phone, taken during the evening of deluxe pizza and drug store boxed wine. Then he handed the manager a mugshot of Jamie Shelby, taken after his arrest for drunk driving.
Mr Prescott perused both photos carefully, then handed Nick back his phone and mugshot. ‘Yes, they were dining here earlier. The gentleman called ahead for reservations and ordered a bottle of our best champagne.’
‘Oh, not Founder’s Reserve bourbon?’ Gordon spat out his question.
The manager shook his head. ‘No, sir. The gentleman specified vintage champagne, so we served a bottle of our best.’
Nick’s lip curled with contempt. ‘That was Jamie Shelby and Jill Curtis in the photos. Check to see if this couple checked into a room for the night. Let me remind you, this is a police matter. If I need a warrant, I can get one, but I’ll shut down the restaurant in the meantime.’
Prescott tapped the computer monitor with a shaking hand. ‘No need to make threats. I’m willing to cooperate.’ He tapped the screen a few more times and looked up. ‘They are not staying with us tonight. The gentleman paid the check with a credit card and they left.’ His gaze moved from Nick to Gordon.