Fear the Storm

by Geri Foster

  Yes, his life was perfect...except for Rachel’s dad.

  “Get dressed,” he patted her on the bottom. “We need to have a talk with your mom.”

  She frowned. He knew their perfect moment had just been spoiled. But, he couldn’t help that. It had to be done.

  “I’m dreading that.”

  “It’s only fair. What if we find out he deserves a new trial? Are we giving your mom enough credit by keeping things from her?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Don’t you think she is strong enough to know the truth?”

  “Of course, she is. It’s just, I don’t want to get her hopes up.”

  “Why not? Your hopes are up.”

  “Yes, but—”

  “No buts. Your mom is a grown woman and if we’re working to find proof your dad deserves a new trial, then she has the right to know.”

  “I hate when you’re so logical.”

  He kissed her nose. “No, you don’t. You hate when I’m right.”

  She squirmed in his lap and he thought about delaying the whole day and going back to bed. Unfortunately, he knew they had too much to do. FBI agent Billy Baldwin would be there later this morning and he wanted to talk to Shirley first. Then, they’d go to Fort Worth and visit Jim.

  The phone went off in his hip pocket. He frowned at Rachel. Who’d dare disturb his fantasy? Naturally, Kendall’s picture flashed across the screen. “I’m going to kill her,” he gritted out, handing Rachel the phone. “I’m sure she wants to talk to you.”

  She laughed, “You just want me to be the one to face the firing squad.” Leaning her head on his chest, she answered the phone. “Hello?”

  “I knew it,” he heard Kendall squeal. “You spent the night with Lucas.”

  Rachel sat up and glared at him while mouthing ‘I told you’.

  “I did spend the night and now we’re headed to my grandma’s house as soon as I get dressed.”

  “Shame on you.”

  “This is exactly what you wanted, Kendall, and don’t say it isn’t.”

  He laughed, stood up with her in his arms and went back inside the house. He sat her on the couch then went back to the porch for his coffee cup. Today would definitely be a whole pot of coffee kind of day.

  Once she was off the phone, they decided they probably needed to address her mom. She said, “let’s do the hard thing first”. There was no denying how difficult it would be for her to tell her, since she suspected her mom wouldn’t approve. Only one way to find out.

  When they got to her grandma’s home, she took his hand and walked into the house. Her mom and Grandma Mercy sat at the kitchen table enjoying breakfast. The familiar aroma of fried bacon made his stomach growl.

  “Good morning,” her mom said with a sly smile. “So, this is the friend you spent the night with?”

  “Mom!”

  “Who’d she stay with?” Grandma Mercy turned his way and he feared she’d throw something at him. “You were with him last night?” Her eyes narrowed. “You little traitor.”

  Shirley slapped her mom’s arm with her linen napkin. “Stop it, Mama. They’re young and in love. I won’t hear another word against it.” Straightening her shoulders, she got up and took him by the arm, leading him to the table, where she pulled out a chair and ordered him to sit.

  Grandma Mercy twisted her wrinkled face into a mean looking snarl. “I think I’m going to puke.”

  “Mama,” Shirley warned. “He might be your future grandson-in-law.” She put her finger to her lips and gazed at the ceiling. “Is that what it’s called?”

  “What?” he asked.

  “If you marry Rachel won’t you be mama’s grandson-in-law? Like Jim is her son-in-law?” She shook her head. “How does that go, Rachel?”

  Rachel yanked out the chair across from him and frowned. “First, someone has to get married, Mom. We’re a long way from that.”

  “Well, you better not be if you slept with him,” Grandma Mercy said. “What kind of girl are you?”

  Bewildered, he wondered how they went from walking into the house and within five minutes he and Rachel were getting married. He started to rise when both Shirley and Grandma Mercy each placed their hands on his shoulder. “You’re not going anywhere,” Grandma Mercy said. “Not until this is settled.”

  “There is nothing to settle, Mama,” Shirley said. “Now you’re making Lucas uncomfortable. Stop it.”

  “Oh, for crying out loud. This is insane.” Rachel shoved away from the table and headed for the counter. “You want coffee Lucas?”

  “Ah, sure. I’ll take a cup.”

  “Rachel, make him a plate of those scrambled eggs and bacon on the stove. I fixed plenty.”

  “I’m not real hungry, ma’am, but thank you anyway.” His words trailed off as Rachel put a plate of food in front of him along with a steaming cup of coffee and a set of silverware. “Thanks, Rachel.”

  It smelled delicious and he was hungrier than he thought.

  She grabbed a Diet Coke out of the fridge and sat down with a saucer holding three strips of bacon. Picking up one, she took a bite and grinned. “Don’t worry. Grandma didn’t know you were coming, so it isn’t poisoned. Eat up, my mom makes a mean breakfast.”

  “Don’t go making promises you can’t keep, Rachel,” Grandma Mercy said.

  Shirley grinned. “Lucas, enjoy your breakfast and ignore Mama. She woke up on the wrong side of the bed today.”

  “No, I didn’t. And don’t go lying about me. I can be as mean as I want without any explanation.”

  “Yes, you can,” Rachel mumbled.

  “What did you say, young lady?”

  “Not a word, Grandma.”

  Smiling to himself, he picked up a fork and ate the best breakfast he’d had in a long time. It sure beat Gert’s Diner. Wiping his mouth, he shoved his plate away. “That was wonderful.” He glanced at Grandma Mercy. “I need to join you ladies for breakfast more often.”

  “Don’t go pushing your luck, son. Mama’s still as dangerous as a rattlesnake.”

  Finished eating, Rachel lowered her head. “Mom, Lucas and I would like to speak to you in the living room.”

  Grandma Mercy flattened her palms on the table and leaned back. “You going to ask her mama if you can marry her right before my birthday? I don’t think so.”

  “No, although I’d love to. This is about another matter.”

  Grandma Mercy folded her arms and stuck out her chin. “Then I want to hear it.”

  “It’s rather private,” Rachel said. “It’s about Dad.”

  “He might as well be my own son. He’s not just your mama’s husband and your daddy. He belongs to all of us.”

  Rachel looked at him, but he couldn’t offer any advice, just a smile, letting her know he’d be there for her.

  Resolved, she reached out and captured her mom’s hand. “You and I have never believed Dad took anything from the bank.”

  “You can count me in on that,” Grandma Mercy piped up. “Lying bunch of hypocrites.”

  Rachel squeezed her mom’s hand. “Lucas and I are trying to find enough evidence to prove that Dad doesn’t belong in jail.”

  Shirley physically paled and her eyes dropped to the table. He feared she’d cry, but she bit her lip and remained still.

  With a shaky voice, Rachel continued. “We think there’s a possibility that Dad was not properly represented, that all the facts weren’t laid out and someone framed him.”

  A loud slap on the table drew everyone’s attention. “I told Hope and Faith this was all rigged from the very beginning.” Grandma Mercy looked at Rachel. “Who do you two suspect did it? That sneaky, conniving, Robert Spears?”

  “How do you know?” he asked. “Is there something you need to tell us?”

  “I knew it the day they took Jim to jail.”

  He leaned closer. “How exactly did you come to that conclusion?”

  “I was watching him from the very first day.”r />
  “And what did he do to raise your suspicion?” Rachel asked. “Did he do something, or were you just going on your famous intuition?”

  “Well, I got nothing iron clad, but there are a few things you need to be aware of.”

  “Like what?” he asked.

  “His wife is a silent partner in this big real estate deal going on here. But there ain’t no deal. It’s all a farce to get investors’ money.”

  “That company, Sunshine Development, came before the City Council and laid out their plans. And they are buying up property,” he said.

  “That was three years ago. You seen any new construction? And all they’ve bought up is the old rundown shacks they picked up for next to nothing. It’s a hoax. All of it.”

  Everything Grandma Mercy said was correct. They hadn’t even torn down what they’d bought so far. And he hadn’t seen any signs of anything being built. “Jeanette Spears is behind that?”

  “She sure is. I know that because when Sally Stanwell retired from selling property around here she told me that Jeanette Spears was trying to get her license and couldn’t do it because she hadn’t taken the class to prepare for the exam.”

  “There’s nothing wrong with that, Mama.”

  “Course there is if she then went to the board of realtors and tried to buy her way in.”

  “Miss Stanwell told you that?” he questioned.

  “Sure as I’m sitting here.” She got up from the table and poured more coffee. “Also, I guess I should tell you what Robert’s mama said, as well.”

  “Mrs. Spears is dead, Grandma Mercy,” he reminded her, gently.

  “I know that!” the older woman shouted. “I’m not crazy. I was at her funeral.” She sat back down. “I went to visit her at the nursing home before she passed.”

  That made him feel better. He didn’t want ghost stories. “What did she say?”

  “Well, you know she was famous for talking up a blue streak and that day was no different. She asked me how Jim was for the first time ever. Before, we’d just skipped over that.”

  Shirley leaned in closer and squeezed her mom’s hand. “Mrs. Spears was ninety-two. Are you sure you can believe what she said?”

  “That’s why I didn’t say anything to Lucas. I figured he laugh me out of town.”

  He smiled. “I’d never do that.”

  She scowled and glared at him. “Damn right, you won’t.”

  “Grandma,” Rachel chided. “Don’t be mean.”

  Lucas decided unless he wanted to spend the better part of the day sitting at the kitchen table, he had to hurry things along. “Tell us what Mrs. Spears said.”

  “She told me she felt bad Jim went to jail, but Robert and Mike Coons had to hide their money some way, and poor Jim got too close to the truth.”

  “Did you ask her where they got the money from?” Rachel asked.

  “Only that they were business partners. She apologized for all we’d been through but couldn’t help us.”

  He sipped his hot coffee. “Did she hint at how they did it? How they were able to set Jim up?”

  She shook her head, sadly. “No, one minute she was jabbering away and the next sound asleep.”

  Shirley looked at him. “Do you believe that?”

  “At this point I can believe about anything.” He glanced at Grandma Mercy. “I wish you would’ve brought that information to me.”

  The older woman shook her snow-covered head. “I don’t know that I even believed her myself.”

  Rachel glanced at her mom. “I know that you and I have a pact that we don’t talk to Dad about what took place at the bank. However, when we go there today to visit him, Lucas and I are going to bring up the subject.”

  “But why?” her mom asked, pleadingly. “That will only make him feel worse than he already does.”

  “Mom, what if Dad thinks we don’t mention what happened because we believe he did it?”

  “I told him I didn’t, and nothing can change my mind.”

  He cleared his throat. “We have some leads, suspicions, and several details that all need to be followed up on. Jim knows more about what happened than any of us. He might be able to provide us with the information we need to move forward.”

  Tears filled Shirley’s eyes. “I don’t want you getting his hopes up only for them to come crashing down. That’s simply not fair.” She glanced at Rachel. “Can you do that to your dad?”

  Rachel thought for a few minutes and he held his breath for fear she’d back out and let the issue rest. Then, she lifted her eyes and gazed at those around the table. “I love my dad more than anything in the world. If we don’t do this, then we’re saying Dad isn’t strong enough to weather the storm. Well, that’s not true. There is no stronger man in the world. I’m going to fight because I know he’d fight for me.”

  “But what if there isn’t any evidence to prove your dad’s innocence? Have you considered that?”

  Rachel dropped her gaze to the table. “I have, and I’m willing to take that chance.”

  Silence filled the small, warm kitchen.

  Rachel remained quiet, fully aware that her mom and grandma might think she had gone crazy and wanted to discourage her from making a fool of herself. It took only one look at Lucas and his confident smile to give her added determination.

  After a few minutes, her mom let out an audible sigh. “All right. We’ll do it. I just hope we don’t break your dad’s heart.”

  Grandma Mercy slapped the table, shook her fist in the air and grinned at Rachel. “That’s my girl. That’s the Canfield coming out in you.”

  “I don’t know what it is, but I want the truth.”

  Lucas stood. “Thank you for the breakfast and coffee, but I have an appointment at my office in thirty minutes.” He looked down the table at her. “You want to come?”

  She knew he referred to the meeting with Billy Baldwin from the FBI. “You bet I do.”

  “When will you be back?” her mom asked. “What time are we leaving to visit your dad?”

  “Visiting hours start at two. We’ll plan to be there when they start.”

  Her mom nodded, then Rachel and Lucas walked to the front door. The sharp wind had her pulling her jacket tighter. “You think it’s going to snow?”

  He shook his head, “No, but it’s getting colder.”

  She slid into his truck and they travelled to his office. More people were out and about holiday shopping now, with Christmas even closer. The downtown area became a beehive of activity. Suddenly, she was aware the holidays meant nothing to her this year. The prospect of getting justice for her dad consumed her every thought.

  They arrived at Lucas’ office to find only his secretary, Margaret, there wearing a holiday sweater with blinking red and green lights. She did a double take but tried not to stare. Who would wear something like that?

  Margaret, of course.

  Rachel followed him into his office and sat in front of his desk. “Will I be able to stay in here during your conversation with Agent Baldwin?”

  “No, I want him to feel comfortable saying whatever is on his mind. If you’re here, he might be hesitant. You’ll be out there,” he pointed to a desk outside his office. “Margaret will take care of you.”

  “That’s not going to be any fun.”

  “It beats staying home and listening to Grandma Mercy read you the riot act.”

  She covered her mouth and laughed. “You know, Jeanette Spears always prided herself on her roses and she always won the prize for the best ones at the fair.” She giggled. “One year I heard all her prize roses died. I wonder if that coincided with Grandma Mercy’s conversation with Robert Spears’ mother in the nursing home?”

  “I wouldn’t put it past your grandma to do anything. She’s been a thorn in the Spears’ side for a long time. I can’t even count all the pranks she’s pulled on them.”

  “Really,” she grinned. “Sounds interesting.”

  “It is, unless you’re th
e law and the one who has to step between them.” He tilted his head and stared out his office. “Those three sisters are always up to something. Last year Grandma Faith threw a pie and hit Reverend Polanski in the face. She claims she did it because his Sunday sermon was aimed at her and she didn’t like it.”

  She laughed. “That sounds like Grandma Faith.”

  “Then Grandma Hope got mad at Samuel at the bakery because they stopped making her favorite bread, and filled his delivery van with dried leaves she’d raked from her yard. He liked to have never got his vehicle clean.”

  “I’m sorry, Lucas, but they’ve always been like that. Tempers hotter than a forest fire.”

  “I’d say.”

  He looked at her for a long moment, then turned and watched as a tall man, dressed in a suit and carrying a briefcase came toward his office. He was a little older than Lucas and not nearly as handsome. His face was too serious and his posture too stiff. He had FBI written all over him.

  “I guess I’d better leave.”

  “Yeah.”

  She rose and stepped into the open office space as Billy Baldwin approached Margaret’s desk. Careful not to draw attention, she moved to the far side of the room and sat at a desk that didn’t look used.

  Margaret led him to Lucas’ office and the two men shook hands. She couldn’t help but wonder what they were saying. She tried to comfort herself with the knowledge that Lucas would fill her in when the meeting ended.

  Lucas’ secretary moved toward her, requesting, “Follow me.” She complied, and they moved to the desk Margaret occupied. “Take a seat.”

  When she did, Margaret flipped a switch on her console and Lucas and Billy Baldwin’s voices came through the speaker. She quickly glanced up at Margaret.

  “Oh, Lucas knows. He set the system up and the switch is in his office. You never know when he’s going to need a witness to what’s being said.”

  She smiled, thanked her, and moved closer, listening.

  “Hey, Lucas how have you been?”

  “Fine, and yourself?”