by Peggy Staggs
“I had to get them for myself.”
The sad look on his face made me wish I’d never gone to the lawyer’s office. I had to do this. “Why didn’t you tell me about the letter Dad sent you?”
“Letter?” Jack asked.
“Mr. Lansky told me Dad gave him a letter to send to you if anything happened to him. When he disappeared Irwin said he sent it to you. So where is it and why didn’t you tell me about it?” As I sat there I knew who the liar was. I’d known it this morning.
His look of concern morphed in to hurt. I didn’t like that even more. This man made me utterly and completely crazy.
When he spoke his voice was soft and calm. “There are the lies you tell to keep from hurting someone’s feelings. There are the lies you tell to keep the peace. Then there are the lies that count against your soul. I’ve told them all. But I’ve never lied to you. I never will.”
No mistake. The words came straight from his heart.
“I’m on your side, Doc.” He reached over and took my hand.
“I’m sorry. I just—” tried to take a cleansing breath instead it came out as a shudder.
He put his arms around me. And that made things so much more confusing. I laid my head on his shoulder the way I had the night Dad died.
“Now tell me about this letter,” he said.
“Mr. Lansky said it was a last ditch letter. He said he didn’t know what was in it.” I stopped. “He lied to me.”
To my complete and total amazement Uncle Bill said, “If Jack got a letter like that he’d have called me and he sure would have shown it to you.” I hadn’t realized he was still there.
“You didn’t get a letter?” I glanced up at Jack.
“Doc, I’d have given it to you if I had.”
Great. So the person who spent her growing-up years reading people to survive socially all of a sudden stunk at it? “Why the lie?” Actually, I never survived socially. I never went to a dance in high school. I didn’t date anyone until college and then it had been...I couldn’t think about Phillip or that situation. The end had been so desperately bad.
“Because he’s in this resort collapse up to his shifty eyeballs,” Jack laid the file on the coffee table and opened it. “One of the companies.” He pointed to the names on a deed. “Is a shell with players I haven’t been able to uncover, yet. I’m working on it. They’re buried deep.”
I focused on Uncle Bill. “I don’t know who to trust.” There it was out in the open.
“You can trust me for sure,” Jane said. “I don’t lie...much, and I’m not a thief. I’m an honest country girl. As for Jack. He’s one of those Army Rangers. He’s top notch. And he shoots real well.” I had no idea when Jane had joined us.
“Delta Force,” Jack said softly. “I understand. With what March did—” He closed the folder and handed it back to me. We left the couch and joined the others.
“What has that bucket of scum got to do with this?” Uncle Bill asked. “I thought you shed him when you left DC.”
Did everyone know everyone and everything? I felt like a child in a dark room with no light switch. When I’d talked to Uncle Bill in the past year I’d told him I was dating Don March. I knew he didn’t like the idea. It never occurred to me he’d know him. He’d never let on that he did. I wished now, that he had.
“He called me yesterday about all this.” Jack said.
“That son-of-a-bitch. Sorry ladies.” Uncle Bill reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. “I’ll fix his little red wagon.”
“Don’t.” I put out my hand to stop him. “He isn’t worth our energy.” And the last thing I wanted was anything more to do with him.
“I’m about to dump some energy on him.” Uncle Bill pushed the button to one of his contacts. “Hello, Mr. Secretary, how’s Washington? Enough politics for you?” He laughed. “I’ll tell her. I’ve got a little favor to ask you, it’s for Ralph’s girl.” He winked at me. “Yes, the doctor. There’s a certain pile of excrement in the CIA named Don March. It would help Ralph rest in peace a little more if you could make life unpleasant for him. I’ll tell you next month when we go hunting. Bye.”
Mr. Secretary? “Who was that?” I was going out on a limb, but when you call someone Mr. Secretary, it isn’t because they take dictation.
“Old classmate of mine. He’d done real well for himself.” Uncle Bill slipped his phone back in his pocket. “Now to Jack.” Uncle Bill took me by the shoulders and angled me to face him directly. “You can trust him with your life. I have and do.”
I heard Jack say, “Thank you, sir.”
“Don’t give me that sir stuff, give me another beer.” Uncle Bill gave me a hug.
“I’d like another glass of raspberry beer,” Jane said. “Very tasty.” She smiled at me. “We should have a bottle of it around in case we have company.” We went into the kitchen.
Raspberry beer? “Okay.” Logic struggled for control. “The letter?”
Jack slid a glass of Chardonnay over to me. “Who did he say he gave the letter to?”
“He didn’t. He said he sent it over.”
It was Jack’s turn to pull out his cell phone.
I was still contemplating who Uncle Bill had called. When Jack said, “Irwin, Jack Trace. Who did you send the letter from Ralph over with? Hold on, I’m putting you on speaker.”
“No, don’t.”
“Who did you send the letter over with?”
“I took it over. I didn’t want the new doctor to think I was a one man operation.”
Jack shook his head. “Who did you give it too?” His words were measured with irritation.
“I left it on the desk up front.”
“Was there anyone in the office?”
“Yes, several people.”
“Who?” It was a good thing Mr. Lansky wasn’t here and a good thing the phone was laying on the counter. Jack’s face had turned hard. Expressionless.
Mr. Lansky named off everyone I knew who worked for the Sheriff’s office.
“What was in the letter?” Jack asked. It wasn’t so much a question as it was a demand.
“I don’t know. Like I told the doctor, I didn’t read it. Ralph said it was for you.”
“Lansky, what was in the letter?” His tone dropped an octave on the serious scale.
At this point, if I were Irwin I’d tell Jack anything he wanted to know. But then he couldn’t see him.
“Nothing in it made much sense,” Lansky offered.
“Irwin Lansky, you tell us what we want to know or I’ll come over there and give you some of what I gave that trap setting moron, Edgar Holmes.” Jane gave a satisfied nod.
“You get em, Janie,” Uncle Bill said, then he put his arm around her.
“It said the answer was in the B&B and you’d know where to find it.”
“I’ll be coming for a copy of the letter in the morning.” Jack didn’t wait for an answer he pushed end.
“How do you know he has a copy?” I asked.
“Because he’s a snake.”
“Have we got things settled?” Uncle Bill asked. “I mean about Jack? That Lansky guy is on his own. Poor bastard.”
He’d been nothing but kind since I’d gotten here. I’d spent two nights in his home. He didn’t like Don March. I felt better. Much better. Like that something I’d forgotten was found. “Yes. I’m sorry.” I took a sip of wine. “I’m just—”
“Good,” Uncle Bill said. “Now let’s eat so we can get to some serious drinking and Janie’s dessert.”
I smiled. I couldn’t get used to Janie.
When Uncle Bill and Jane went to the dining room Jack took me by the shoulders. “Are we okay, Doc?”
“Yes.” I didn’t move away from his touch. A tickle of fear ran through me. I couldn’t always be wrong, could I? “It’s just that with everything...I’ve never faced anything like this before.”
“You’re doing fine,” he said as he let me go. We followed the others into t
he dining room.
Dinner was great. I was going to have to find this place that made the tri-tip. Jane’s dessert lived up to everyone’s expectations.
“We may have to turn the Bed and Breakfast into a Bed and Desert,” I said.
In the next few hours I found out Uncle Bill had invited all of SAC and a good part of the Army to a memorial service. “Where are they all going to stay?”
“Pumpkin, I wouldn’t do that to you. I have a couple of the guys putting things together in Boise for day after tomorrow. Jack and Janie are going. Janie is riding down with me. I’m sure Jack can find a spot for you. Right, Kid?”
“I’d be honored.” He smiled at me.
“That is so nice. I wouldn’t miss it.” Mysteriously, my glass of Chardonnay was full again.
I felt all warm and tingly. No doubt the—what was it? Five glasses of wine. I blame Jack. Every time I turned around my glass was full. It could have been Uncle Bill, they seemed to be in collusion. Or maybe Jane. She had a special twinkle in her eye for Uncle Bill. Whatever or whoever I needed some air. I wandered out to the patio off the living room.
I reached for the latch. This was worse than I thought, the door knob was blurry. I stepped into the cold October night. The breeze was crisp against my skin. I shivered.
“Cold?”
I whirled around. Big, big mistake. I lost what little balance I had. I fell right into Jack’s arms. All together not a bad outcome.
He righted me. He was too close.
“Ens, are we all straight now? You know I’m not going to lie to you, don’t you?”
“Yup.” I nodded. “The only problem is I’m a terrible judge of men.” I tried to shake the fur out of my head. It didn’t work. I reached up and touched his face. “Are you a mistake?”
He squeezed his eyes shut and took my hand. “If I were a lesser man...and you weren’t who you are...I’d...we’d...” He took half a step back. “We better go back inside.”
Humiliation flooded my intoxicated brain. “I’m not sure I want to. I mean Jane and Uncle Bill are in there.”
“And it’s safe.”
I couldn’t focus. “Are there bad guys out here?”
“Fortunately, for you, no.” He turned me back toward the living room.
We’d taken one step when I stopped and turned. I reached up and put my arms around his neck. “Jack.”
“You’re determined to make this as hard as you can.”
I pulled back. “I’m sorry. I’ve had—”
“Over your two drink limit. Yes, I know. That would be Bill’s fault. I tried to tell him.”
I giggled. I never giggle. I hate to giggle. “He’s a scamp. Do you know how many wives he’s had?”
“I do.”
Logic was laying on the floor of my brain, crushed by impulse. “He’s a cutie. You’re not cute. You’re dangerous.” I was going to poke him in the chest, but impulse had surrendered to desire. I brushed the palm of my hand up the tight muscles of his chest.
Again he captured it. “You’re complicating things.”
I reached up and kissed him. It was a soft little brush of a kiss.
“You’re the dangerous one.” He pulled me into his arms. “I’m going to hate myself for this.”
I pressed against him.
“No.” He whispered and put some distance between us. “We’re going back inside. Then I’m taking you home.” He opened the French doors. “I’ll have someone bring your car over tomorrow.”
Of course. He had someone. And why not. He was so...so great. And like Brooke had said, really hot. “I’m sorry. I’m an idiot.”
“Ens, you’re not. You’re brilliant and beautiful.”
I could hear the, but in his voice. He’d done all of this out of a sense of duty to Dad and Uncle Bill. I remembered his words from dinner the other night. “I make good on my debts.” I needed safety. “I’ll have Uncle Bill drive me.”
“They’re gone.”
I looked up into his hazel eyes. They were dark green with gold and brown facets. They sparkled. Finally, logic got up and made a weak comeback. “I would appreciate a ride.” Unfortunately, my dignity lay in shards out on the patio.
»§«
The next morning was cold, crisp and clear. I was grateful for the sunglasses and the four aspirin. I knew better on so many levels. Sophie’s advice had somehow been blacked out by either the wine or stupidity. “Don’t do stupid stuff with them and you won’t get in trouble.” I’d done some stupid stuff and now I felt like an idiot.
I went down the list of hangover preventions. Drink water between drinks. Didn’t do that. Don’t drink more than your limit. Did that in spades. Don’t make passes at gorgeous men. Yup! I’d made a complete and total fool of myself. Okay, so part of my raging headache was hangover and part complete and embarrassment. What had I been thinking? Of course he had someone. She was probably a super model. Some amazing woman who dropped in periodically to visit her boy toy before jetting off to her next photo shoot for some major magazine.
By the time Cindy arrived my head had quit hurting. It was just my pride that was destroyed. But then with my track record with men I shouldn’t have expected anything else.
At the funeral home we found a few of Dad’s very closest friends and most of the town turned out. After the service they assured me they were all going to Boise for the memorial the next day.
The arrangements in Boise were great. I had no idea he’d had known so many people. The man Uncle Bill had called Mr. Secretary was there. It gets everyone’s attention when the Secretary of the Air Force shows up.
The wake afterwards was at a bar in downtown Boise. Luckily, it was a part of The Grove.
When it was all over, I was emotionally drained. I needed time to recuperate.
Jack and Uncle Bill had closed down the bar with half of the Air Force and a good portion of the Army.
Jane, Cindy and I spent our time reminiscing, and making plans for Cindy and Cole to come back out for Christmas.
Jane and I were glad for the time to relax. Time when we knew no one was trying to break-in, shoot at us, or generally scare the hell out of us.
Turns out Jane and Uncle Bill were an item and very happy with their arrangement. I didn’t want to know any more. It was kind of like finding out your parents have sex.
Sunday we put Uncle Bill and Cindy on a plane and the three of us went back to Spirit Springs.
All there was left to do now, was find Dad’s killer.
Chapter Sixteen
Monday morning I stood in the kitchen drinking coffee and contemplating the empty back porch. No cats slept in the bright fall sun. The vet had called Friday and said he wanted to keep the little cat over the weekend. My heart stung with the memory of her caught in the trap. I could almost feel her tiny bones crunch. Intense rage surged through me. “You’re sure that man isn’t going to set anymore traps around here ever again?” I asked Jane.
“You can bet on it. I pointed out the fact that I had shotgun filled with rock salt.”
Rock salt buckshot sounded painful. Secretly I hoped he’d come this way. “You know we need to give the cats names.”
“I’ve been thinking on that. They should be named after a couple.”
“A couple?”
“Sure. He was the one who took you too her. He saved her life.”
Good point. “Who were you thinking of?”
“I could only think of couples where things ended badly. Romeo and Juliet, Cleopatra and Anthony—who would name a cat Anthony? Scarlett and Rhett”
“I see your point.”
“We should think on it longer. Names shouldn’t be taken lightly.”
“You’re right.” Now on to the biggest matter at hand. “Did anything happen before my dad stopped taking guests?” I still hadn’t gotten a satisfactory answer to this important question.
“It was around the end of May or first part of June. Just one day he started cancelling reservations.�
� She sat down on the stool across from me.
I hesitated. “He never told you why?”
“No. I told him I was as much a part of this place as he was. That’s when he told me I’d be safer if I didn’t know.” A sadness settled in her bright blue eyes as she sniffed back a tear. “Must be coming down with a cold.”
I took a long sip of my coffee. Then a deep breath, I had to discreetly ask her about Jack. I’m not sure why. “Do you know why Jack settled here?” The sound of his name sent an embarrassed shutter through me. How was I ever going to face him? The ride back from Boise had been excruciating. I’d sat in the backseat. To my relief he and Jane had talked as the miles slid past and they left me out of the conversation. I hadn’t told anyone about the patio incident.
No one here. I’d called Sophie when I’d gotten home. I was pretty sure I hadn’t made a lot of sense. All I remembered about the conversation was her telling me not to sweat it. Things would work out. She was right, I had to suck it up. And, I reminded myself, I’d be gone in a few months.
“I have no idea. He came to town and applied for deputy with the old Sheriff. When Jerry—the old Sheriff—retired Jack was the natural one to run for sheriff.” She tilted her head and considered me. “Jack’s a problem for some. Just ask that Lacey Harris. She’s done everything except show up naked on his doorstep.” She smiled. “And I’ll bet she’s thought about it. Then there’s Bill and Ralph. There’s a history there none of them will talk about. Funny thing about Jack. He’s too smart for the job. He’s got skills like I’ve never seen.” She grinned at me.
Oh, God. She knew. I didn’t want to think about how the information got around to her. I focused and waited hoping she’d continue. Jane had a way of giving you a lot of information if you had the patience to listen. She didn’t say anything.
“What about his house? Did he win the lottery?”
We stood there for a few seconds. Then she said, “What’s got you asking?” She grinned. “I think you two would make a handsome couple.”
“No.” I glanced back at the back porch as my face went hot. “I’m just curious.”
“I can keep a secret.”