by VC Angell
The way Jesse said it made Jim laugh. He suddenly realized it wasn’t a good thing to be laughing and apologized.
“My mouth is like a whore’s front door, always open. There is no need to apologize. I bet you want to know about Alex and me.”
“Sure, how did you meet?”
“It was at a wedding, actually the reception. I went because I knew the girl who was getting married. Alex told me he went because the groom was the son of one of his employees. We sat there and talked for a couple of hours. He told me he was married and then asked me out. Crap, I didn’t know what to think. At least he was honest, so I said yes,” Jesse said.
“How long ago did you meet?”
“It’ll be five years next May. We sure had a good time together. I miss him.”
“A bunch of people have said they will miss him. He seemed popular with people,” Jim said.
“Not popular enough to keep him from getting killed.”
“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. From what I have heard, Alex was afraid is something, but no one seems to know what.”
“He got scared last year.”
“Did Alex tell you what he was scared of?” Jim asked.
“There were two things. The one I knew about was Alex was doing a big story for the paper about drug dealing. He was scared somebody might find out about that story. He figured it was safe until the story came out. He didn’t think the local drug dealers would be all that happy with him exposing them.” Jesse fell silent.
“Did Alex say what the other thing was?”
“One night just after we made love, he did say something, but it was never clear exactly what he was afraid of. I was still high from the big O he gave me. He was the greatest lover I’ve ever had.”
It was clear to Jim that Jesse remembered the happy moments she had together with Alex. He waited until she focused on him before asking, “Do you have any idea what it might be?”
“You know I’ve thought a lot about that since I read in a paper that he was murdered. It was just after we had done the deed, so I thought it might have something to do with another woman,” Jesse said.
“Excuse me. Alex was worried about another woman?”
“No, what comes out of my mouth confuses even me sometimes,” Jesse shook her head before adding, “I thought it might be some husband. He was honest with me before he even slept with me. He said he had seen other women even though he was married.”
“Did he ever mention the name I could follow up with? I’m asking because that’s how I found you,” Jim said.
“He never told me the names. I appreciated that because I knew he wouldn’t talk about me. He did say that he had seen a prostitute for a while. She had a strange name. I think I know if I heard it.”
“Was it Birdie?”
“Ya, sure! That’s it.”
“I have met her, thanks to Laura. She knew Birdie,” Jim said.
“You mean Laura Peterson, the hooker?”
“Laura and I had dated in high school. She is still my friend even if she is a hooker.”
“It’s got to be a tough thing for a gal selling herself. It must’ve been tough on you too. Being with an old friend and knowing everybody in the county is doing her.”
“It is. I’ve tried to get Laura to go out with me again, but she tells me that she’ll ruin my reputation,” Jim said.
“There are some old fuddy-duddies in town with nothing better to do but slop gossip around.”
Jim tried to steer the conversation back to Alex’s fear, “Did Alex ever say anything that might have given you a hint about his other fear?”
“As I said, I think he was worried about a husband. He was really nice and never ever mentioned a name to me.”
It seems another dead end to Jim. They continued to chat mostly about Alex. When Jesse was getting ready to leave, she asked, “Can I have a hug. You’re the closest thing I’ll ever get to having a hug from Alex.”
“Sure,” Jim put his arms around Jesse. She held him tight for a few moments and then seemed to relax a bit but did not release him. Jim thought he could feel her crying and wasn’t sure until he could feel his shirt getting wet.
When Jesse released him and backed away, she said, “I can’t help crying thinking about Alex. You must think I’m acting like a miserable crying two-year-old.”
“I miss him too. I wish he were around.”
His comment brought tears and sobbing to Jesse. Jim held out his arms, and Jesse once more cried on his shoulder.
It was sometime before Jesse said, “I can’t believe I’m crying like this. Damn, I miss him. I miss him something awful.” Jesse released Jim once more and, looking at his shirt, said, “Look at what I’ve done to your shirt. It’s not only wet, but I got mascara all over it. I got gussied up to impress you. All I have done is make you think I’m a crybaby. Sorry.”
“There is nothing to be sorry about. You have been very honest with me. I can see why Alex would be attracted to you,” Jim said. He was becoming uncomfortable with Jesse’s tears.
Jesse asked, “With all the crying, I made a mess out my face. Do you have a tissue or something dry my face?”
Jim pointed said, “There’s a bathroom just on the hall there. That would be better than a tissue.”
Jesse tried to smile but was only half successful before she turned and walked to the hall. It was sometime before Jesse reappeared with her wounded mascara gone along with the rest of her makeup, leaving her with a very shiny but clean face. Just before Jesse left, she asked, “Can I talk to you or see you again? You’re like a bit of Alex.”
“Sure, no problem,” Jim gave Jesse a quick hug, and she left.
* * *
The following evening Carol came right after work, and together they cooked supper. Afterward, they went into the living room. Carol excused herself and went to the bathroom. She seemed a bit flustered when she came back. She asked, “Who’s mascara is all over the washcloth?”
Jim realized he had never replaced the washcloth from last night. “It came from Alex’s last girlfriend. At least, I think it was his last girlfriend. Her name is Jesse…” Jim tried to remember her name but nothing came, “I must be getting old. I don’t remember her last name. Anyway, she came over, and we talked about Alex. Jesse knew about Alex’s article about drug dealing. She also knew he was afraid of something else but had never told her what it might be.”
“More detective work?” Carol asked, still suspicious.
Jim realized that Carol was jealous and suspicious. “She told me that she knew I was single and hoped I was something like Alex. She cried. I tried to comfort her and ended up with the wet shirt-covered makeup. I think Jesse was very much in love with Alex.”
“I’m not sure if I like her crying all over you. I know I’m not very happy about it.”
Jim realized he probably could not convince Carol that Jesse had been just one more effort to track down Alex’s murder. He realized in a flash something that might turn things around. “This afternoon, I had a visit from Richard Bjorklund at work. I believe you know him?”
Carol’s eyes opened wide in shock, and a hand went to her mouth, covering it.
Jim waited patiently for Carol to speak.
A slightly red in the face, Carol asked, “What did he want?”
“He wanted you.”
Still, with a bit of a red face and adding frown to it, Carol said, “What?”
“Richard said you had dated. That was after he called me a ‘freaking male whore’ and told me I must be like my brother Alex sleeping with every woman in town. He told me everything was going fine with you until I came back to town.”
Again, Jim waited patiently for Carol’s response. He was enjoying having the upper hand.
Carol finally said, “Yes, I did date, Richard.”
Jim tried to seem as innocent as he possibly could and asked, “Does Richard know about that cute little mole on your left breast?”
“
No. Richard never wanted to go that far, and neither did I.”
Jim realized that he was panicking Carol and being unfair to her, so he said, “I’m sorry. I was having a little fun with you about Richard. You didn’t want to let up about Jesse, so I saw the chance to use your old boyfriend to even things up.”
Carol seemed a bit confused but recovered quickly and playfully smacked Jim on the arm, “Richard is a nice guy. I thought maybe I would have to settle for him until you came along. Pickings for husbands around here are pretty poor at my age. He’s nice enough.”
“There were tears in his eyes when he called me a ‘freaking whore.’ I think losing you was hurting him,” Jim said.
Carol seemed confused for a moment and said, “I think her husband should turn on his wife. He never did that for me. I thought he was probably a virgin. I didn’t want to be the one who taught him to be a lover. I thought about it, though.”
“And I turned you on?” Jim asked.
“That’s a silly question, and you know the answer. The first time you held me close, I could feel that I turned you on, and that turned me on.” Carol stuck out her tongue at Jim.
“Seriously, it was that simple with you?”
“Because I absolutely trust you, yes it was. If you could turn me on, it was more than Richard ever did. I’m not blaming him. He just seemed so innocent. It might’ve been okay back in high school, but I am a mature woman, and I need a mature man beside me,” Carol said.
“What about this thing with Jesse, if you trust me?”
Frowning once again, Carol said, “I trust you, but I don’t know her and can’t trust her. I’ve read romance novels, seen romantic comedies, and even a bit of porn. It tells me that if you give a man a glimpse of something he shouldn’t see, he’s yours.”
It was Jim’s turn to frown. Finally, he asked, “You think I can be seduced?”
“Well…No, not exactly. It’s more what I think about all men.”
“That’s not very flattering,” Jim said.
Carol thought and then asked, “What about your friend Laura? Her customers don’t love her. Yet, they are still willing to pay her for sex.”
“I believe that happens because, in this society, women control access to sex. If a man isn’t in a relationship, where else can he turn?”
“I think it just makes my point about men. The promise of sex easily lures them,” Carol seemed to think she had scored another point in the argument.
“I think women desire sex, as well. When a woman feels the desire for sex, what woman has not used her so-called feminine wiles on some man to satisfy that need?” Jim asked.
Instead of answering, Carol just slowly shook her head.
“I’ve heard the term ‘masturbating in a vagina’ to describe visiting a prostitute. There’s no real desire for her.”
“You men have some bizarre ideas,” Carol said.
“I think we’re on the verge of arguing. I don’t want that to happen because I love you. Can we call a truce?” Jim asked.
“Ya sure, I think I react the way I do because marriage is built on more than love. It has to have trust.”
“I couldn’t say it better than that. I knew I trusted you. When Richard told me that you had said you couldn’t be dating him anymore because you found me, it proved to me that my trust in you was well-placed,” Jim smiled at her before saying, “I’m tired of talking. I can think of something else I’d much rather do.”
“Pray, tell me, Mr. Waterman, what might that be?”
“I was thinking about that cute little mole on your left breast.”
“I have another one below my navel that you might be interested in inspecting.”
“I must’ve missed that one. I’ll look more carefully,” Jim smiled at Carol.
“I think your inspection tour might be more fun in bed, don’t you agree?”
“As they say, great minds think alike,” Jim said as he stood up and offered his hand to Carol.
Chapter 15
The following day at breakfast, Carol asked, “Are we still going to Duluth to do some Christmas shopping on Saturday?”
“Yep, according to the weather forecast for the next few days will be cold and sunny,” Jim said.
Carol took a sip of her coffee before saying, “I hope we get some more snow before then. What we have on the ground is already looking dirty. We need a new coating of the fresh snow for Santa Claus.”
Jim looked out the kitchen window, “You’re right. We do need some freshening up of the snow. From what you said, we will be alone on Christmas.”
“My brother is picking up my parents a few days for Christmas. My mother and I talked, and we will get together with them sometime when they come back to celebrate Christmas,” Carol said.
“What do you want for Christmas Eve dinner?”
“We need to start on Christmas Eve with the lutefisk dinner. You know, lutefisk, mashed potatoes, green peas.”
“That means I can eat my peas with my knife?”
“Only if you use the mashed potatoes to hold the peas on your knife,” Carol laughed.
The banter about Christmas Eve and Christmas Day’s choices continued until it was about time for Jim to go to work. Jim asked, “What is going to do after you do your laundry?”
“Not much. I’m glad you let me do my laundry here. The laundromat is getting to be expensive. It will take most of the morning to wash and dry everything. Is there anything you’d like me to do around the house since I’m here?” Carol asked.
“I can’t… Wait… Yes, could you check around in the pantry and see what we need at the grocery store for Christmas and Christmas Eve?”
“I’ve got an app on my cell phone I use when I shop. It even suggests things for holidays. That way, we can shop together.”
“I don’t want you to be bored while I’m gone,” Jim said.
“I brought my Kindle, and there’s a couple of books on it. One is about salesmanship.”
Before Carol could continue, Jim said, “You had me sold right away on this house.”
“That’s because you were interested in something else. Isn’t that correct, Mr. Waterman?” Carol teased.
“I guess you could say that. You said you had a couple of books on it. What’s the other?” Jim asked.
“It’s a novel a girlfriend of mine recommended. I had read an earlier book by the author and found her work great reading. I just downloaded it yesterday. I was somehow otherwise occupied last night and didn’t get a chance to read it any of it.”
“I can’t imagine what could’ve kept you occupied last night,” Jim smiled and said, “I should get on my way to work.”
Carol teased, “I guess you better go. I can think of all kinds of interesting things to do with you that would keep you from your work.”
* * *
When Jim arrived at work, the holiday feelings seemed to have infected all those who worked at the Journal even though it was a couple of weeks before Christmas. About midmorning, the sheriff called, “We started arrests this morning working with a drug task force. Since you gave us pictures and names, I thought I’d call you and give you a heads up. We will be holding a news conference at about 2 o’clock this afternoon.”
“I’m glad we could help, but it was more what my brother had done. All I did was bring you copies of what he had done,” Jim said.
“We are going to credit your brother. He had some photos where we could not recognize the individuals, but the drug task force knew them. Those photos were a great help. What we have been able to develop will put them away for a long time.”
“I hope it will cause some movement in finding who killed Alex.”
“If it was because of what he was doing for the drug story, we might pick up something in questioning the people. They are often willing to talk because they’re facing some pretty long jail terms,” the sheriff said and then added, “Don’t hold out your hopes, though. They aren’t the type to drug someone, take him o
ut in the woods, and shoot him. They’d just shoot him.”
“I suppose, but thanks for calling. I’ll have a reporter and a photographer there this afternoon. I appreciate your letting me know because I’m sure Alex worked long and hard on that story. If I don’t get a chance to talk to you before, I want to wish you a Merry Christmas,” Jim said.
“The same right back at you. I wish you the greatest of holidays for you and yours.”
They chatted for a bit about Christmas before the sheriff had to get back to work. Jim buzzed Will and asked him to come to see him.
Will listen as Jim outlined what the sheriff had told him. Will said, “I’ll have a reporter there this afternoon and a photographer. They often lay out guns they found and cash. They make good photos go with the story. I didn’t know what Alex was up to with the drug story. I think he was trying to protect the rest of the staff. I can’t imagine him sending Julie out to do that research.”
“I think you’re right. Alex kept it a secret to protect people working here. It probably started with a tip or something he heard. He just took it from there,” Jim said.
“The story will be a great Christmas present for the Journal. Next week, we will do as we’ve always done and have stories about how Alma is getting ready for Christmas.”
* * *
When Jim arrived home after work, he could smell that Carol had been cooking. He said, “What smells so good?”
“Something that will make our doctors cringe in horror. Fried chicken, fried potatoes and healthy right out of the can, green beans.”
“Who cares about healthy? I love both fried chicken and fried potatoes. Did you get a chance to read the novel you brought?” Jim asked.
“Yes, it’s a good thing I’ve read other of her works because it starts awful slow. How was your day?”
“The sheriff called this morning, and they were going to hold a news conference this afternoon. The information that my brother collected helps them finish an investigation about drugs and drug dealers. I had a reporter and photographer attend the press conference.”
“Did the sheriff have anything to say about Alex’s murder?” Carol asked.