When You Come Back

by Webb, Debra

  Everyone in the room knew luck had nothing to do with it.

  “Did your husband ever talk about what he was asked to do regarding the accident Sheriff Claiborne sent him to work?”

  Tubbs shook her head. “He would never talk about it but I knew whatever happened, it didn’t sit right with him.” She looks at the two of us then. “It stuck with him until the day he died. He always said that eventually even the devil himself had to pay his due.”

  “Mrs. Tubbs,” Letty says, “I know this conversation is off the record, but my dad deserves justice. Natalie and Stacy deserve justice. To make that happen, we need your help. Would you be willing to make an official statement?”

  Tubbs eyes us each in turn, then she says, “You sure you can take them all down? I don’t want Claiborne or old Lorraine giving my family no trouble.”

  “You have my word,” Letty promises.

  Air rushes into my lungs. This is big.

  We are back in Letty’s Jeep before either of us speak.

  “That son of a bitch knows my dad is being set up.”

  I understand that Letty means Claiborne.

  She turns to me. “There’s no question the Beaumonts are involved in what happened to Natalie and Stacy. We might not have enough to prove it, but we will find what we need.”

  I think of how far these people have gone to cover up the truth and I suddenly understand why Mother is so worried about Letty and me digging into this.

  “We have to be careful,” I say.

  Letty nods. “Yeah.”

  My cell vibrates and I dig it from my pocket. I don’t recognize the number but it’s local and I think of the visit to the funeral home this morning so I answer. “Hello.”

  “Emma, it’s Mallory. I need to talk to you privately. It’s urgent. Can we meet now?”

  I look at Letty. “Sure, Mallory. Where would you like to meet?”

  * * *

  Letty dropped me by the farm for my dad’s truck. She headed to Pike’s Wrecker Service with a statement for him to sign regarding the call about Beaumont’s car. Between his statement and the one from Tubbs, we’re moving forward.

  I park on the square in front of Mallory’s shop. Though I doubt the woman intends to give me anything usable against the Beaumonts since her family is part of their family now, I might as well hear her out. She might just let something slip.

  The bell over the door jingles as I enter the shop. Mallory hands the receipt and the bag to the customer at the counter. She thanks her and the woman leaves, flashing me a smile as she passes.

  “Give me a minute.” Mallory hurries to lock the door and turn the sign to closed.

  She wears enough jewelry on her arms and around her neck that she clinks when she walks. Her emerald midi length dress is layered with a multi-colored sweater in deep jewel tones. Chic ankle boots with low heels complete the look. She’s a walking advertisement for her classy store.

  I wait at the counter until she hustles back over.

  “What’s up?” I try not to sound too hopeful. Mallory is the sort of person who likes to play games. I was too young to notice when Natalie was alive, but I’ve realized this since coming home last week.

  She grabs both my hands. “Let’s sit.”

  She pulls me to a bench in front of the lingerie table. We sit, knees to knees, her bejeweled fingers still clamped around my hands.

  “I lied to you, Emma.”

  I feign surprise. “You did?” Of course, I know this already. She isn’t a very good liar.

  She nods, tears brimming on her lashes. “I feel just terrible about it but I thought I was protecting you and Natalie. I’ve prayed on it and I’ve come to realize that you need to know the truth. You deserve the truth.”

  “I appreciate that, Mallory.”

  “You remember Matthew Beaumont? Science teacher? He was dead already by the time you reached high school.”

  “I remember him.”

  “Natalie had a big crush on him.” Her hands release mine so she can put hers to her chest with the dramatic flair that is all Mallory. “I mean really big. Scary big.”

  I blink.

  “He kept trying to reason with her but she wouldn’t stop. She was like…I don’t know—stalking him. That’s why we had our big falling out. I always tell everyone it was about my first boyfriend and that big mess with Mark but it was really about Natalie’s obsession with Mr. Beaumont. I tried to persuade Stacy to help me convince her to stop but she was completely on Natalie’s side.”

  As difficult as I find this to swallow, I sit quietly and let her talk. To keep my cool, I focus on seeing myself reaching out and punching her dazzling white teeth down her throat. No one has teeth that white. Crowns or veneers. Has to be.

  “She tried every way in the world to seduce him. It was really embarrassing.” She makes a sad face. “I’m so sorry to tell you these awful things but they need to be said. I felt telling you directly, privately, was best.”

  I nod, imagining myself strangling her now, her eyes bulging, tongue hanging out.

  “Poor Mr. Beaumont was so patient with her, trying to reason with the unreasonable. It all blew up that day.”

  “How do you mean?” I clasp my hands together to prevent acting out my fantasies.

  “Mr. Beaumont told her that he was taking the issue to the principal. You can imagine Natalie’s reaction. That would ruin her perfect record, her reputation. She couldn’t have that but she just couldn’t bring herself to let him go. She wanted him all to herself. He gave her every chance, you know. He told her to go home and think about what was more important to her, this foolish adolescent crush or her family and her future.”

  Images of Natalie and Stacy huddled together in the backseat of the bus flash through my mind. Frantic whispers echo through me.

  “I didn’t tell Mr. Beaumont, but I knew Natalie would never go for his offer. She wanted what she wanted.”

  I pick up on a pinch of anger and maybe jealousy in her voice. But then, most of Natalie’s peers had been envious of her.

  “When Mr. Beaumont got home from school that day—the day Mr. Russell had his heart attack and the bus crashed—he found a note from Natalie in his jacket pocket. The note said she was going to kill herself if she couldn’t be with him.”

  This floors me. My body jerks with the shock. Impossible. In spite of the shock, I manage to ask, “What did he do?”

  “Mr. Beaumont, bless his heart, was rushing back to school to show the note to the principal when he had his accident. It was horrible, just horrible.” Her hands go to her throat. “At first I honestly thought Natalie and Stacy had run away. Maybe she thought Mr. Beaumont would regret what he said if he thought she was lost. But then when they didn’t come back I realized some bad person had probably picked them up and hurt them.” She exhales an exaggerated sigh. “It’s hard to believe it was Letty’s father. Do you think he might have been obsessed with Natalie the way she was with Mr. Beaumont?”

  I stare at her, unable to speak now.

  She grabs my hands again. My entire body shudders in revulsion.

  “I know it’s hard to believe. Everyone thought Natalie was so perfect. She was so beautiful and she had those big boobs and those lush lips. She was hard to resist.”

  Her hands squeeze tighter around mine as she speaks.

  “But she wasn’t so perfect or beautiful inside. She was mean and selfish.” Her gaze locks on mine. “I’m so glad you never had to see how evil she really was.”

  The medallion on the chain that Jake hung around my neck burns against my skin.

  “What about the note?” My voice is small. I can hardly squeeze the words past the lump in my throat.

  She shakes her head. “That’s the saddest part. I guess it was lost when they cut Mr. Beaumont’s clothes off him in the ER. He never had the evidence to prove what really happened. I suppose the family felt it was better not to get involved, you know? What purpose would it serve if they dragged all th
at ugliness up? By the time Matt—Mr. Beaumont—was able to explain what happened, everyone knew James Cotton did something bad to Natalie and Stacy.”

  Incredibly, beyond the red of rage floating before my eyes, I find the ability to ask, “How did you know about the note and all of this?”

  “Oh my Lord.” Mallory launches to her feet. “Look at the time. I have to pick up my granddaughter. Her mother has class tonight.” She rushes to the door, unlocks it and opens it for me to go.

  I push to my feet and walk to where she stands but I don’t go.

  “I’m not leaving until you tell me how you could possibly know this.” The words are cold with fury.

  Her face pales. Clearly she didn’t expect this reaction.

  “Lorraine,” she says in a rush, her gaze straying to the street. “After Mr. Beaumont died I mentioned to her about Natalie’s infatuation with him and how I worried about his accident being somehow related to…to his ultimatum to Natalie.”

  She shrugs, glances at me, but then sets her attention on a passing car. “She—Lorraine—sat me down and told me the whole story. She didn’t see any reason to embarrass your family with those awful details.” She looks at me once more. “What purpose would it have served?”

  “None,” I say, pretending to agree with her.

  She hugs me and whispers, “I’m so sorry, Emma. None of that matters now.” She draws back. “We should all strive to remember Natalie the way she used to be before she turned into that...” She shakes her head. “I’m so sorry.”

  I nod and walk out the door, but I can’t go without giving her and Lorraine something to think about. I’m confident that Mallory has just regurgitated what Lorraine instructed her to say to me.

  Mallory stares at me, her face frozen as if she fears what I might say next.

  She should be afraid…very afraid.

  “Back then school let out about three in the afternoon. I’m just wondering about the timing. Mr. Beaumont claimed he drove straight home after school and then was returning almost immediately,“ I smile, “for the urgent reason you’ve just shared with me. What was he doing between three thirtyish and when his accident actually occurred around six or half past?”

  Mallory’s head gives a jerky shake. “I think his accident was way earlier. Either way I don’t understand the relevance of the time. He may have lain in the ravine for hours before he was found.”

  “That’s what time the deputy who responded to the accident received the call. We found confirmation of the time a few hours ago. Mr. Beaumont’s accident didn’t happen right after school. If it had and hours passed, as you suggest, before he was found, he would have died from the internal hemorrhaging related to his injuries.”

  The last part was a stretch since I haven’t reviewed his medical records. I am going based on hearsay, but it seems to have worked. Mallory is speechless.

  I walk away.

  My movements are strangely disjointed.

  My mind is spinning.

  It’s not until I’m in the truck and driving away that I scream.

  32

  HELEN

  My hands shake so I fist my fingers together. My table is set and dinner is ready. Emma and Letty will be here any moment.

  Ginny stares at a framed photo of Emma and Letty that stands on the mantel. Several of my favorite photos of my daughters and their friends and my dear husband are on that mantel. I sometimes sit at night just staring at those captured memories, wishing that things were the way they once were.

  Sadly they will never again be as they were. But I still have Emma. No matter the price, I must protect her. She and Letty have veered too near the truth and I know with complete certainty that Lorraine will not risk the danger to herself and the life she has built for her family. She will stop them as she has anyone who ever dared to challenge her.

  I cannot allow this to go any further. Emma and Letty must know the truth. They must understand what we did and why.

  As if I said the words aloud Ginny turns to me. Her fearful gaze tears at my heart. “Are you all right?” I ask the foolish question knowing the answer.

  Ginny draws in a deep breath. “I might be closer to all right if I had a shot of Andrew’s bourbon.”

  “Why didn’t I think of that?” Frankly, I could use a drink as well.

  We go to the liquor cabinet in the dining room and pick through the bottles.

  “That one will do,” Ginny says when my hand closes around the bottle of Jim Beam.

  I set the bottle aside, pull a couple of glasses from the small shelf in the cabinet that was once a Victrola. Andrew painstakingly restored and repurposed the junked phonograph as a liquor cabinet. He made it beautiful once more as he did all things he touched.

  I pour a hefty serving in each glass and pass one to Ginny, then lift my own. “To letting go of all the secrets and lies.”

  Ginny taps her glass to mine. “Amen.”

  We savor our drinks, and our memories…a lifetime of memories.

  Emma and Letty arrive and I insist that we eat first. I’ve prepared Emma’s favorite vegetable lasagna and a fresh green salad. I even made garlic bread and picked up a fresh baked cherry pie from the shop on the square.

  Ginny offers to help with coordinating the gathering after the burial service on Monday. I thank her. She also says that Lisa dropped by the post office to check her box. Lisa said Delbert Yarbrough had scheduled Stacy’s memorial for Sunday afternoon. We all intend on going to the Yarbrough memorial. Natalie’s funeral Mass is not until Monday so there’s no conflict.

  By the time the pie and coffee are served silence has invaded our nice, comfortable evening. It’s time, I realize. The girls sense the evening was a precursor for something, that is obvious. I imagine they expect Ginny and I will do more pleading for them to back off this unofficial investigation.

  Strange, their unofficial investigation has gleaned far more in just a few days than the official one has gathered in decades.

  “We have something to tell you,” I say.

  Ginny nods, glances at her cup as if she wishes the coffee were bourbon.

  “First,” Emma says, “the two of you need to know where we are with the investigation.”

  Ginny pipes up. “You two don’t need to go any further with your investigation.”

  Letty sets her coffee aside. “Mother, just listen to what we have to say and then we’ll hear the two of you out.”

  I look to Ginny and she shrugs. “We’re listening,” I say, relenting.

  Letty lays out what they have found so far which covers the things Emma told me in the funeral home parking lot today and more. They are so very close to the truth.

  “Today,” Letty goes on, “we discovered another stunning cover up by the original investigation. The widow of Deputy Leo Tubbs, the deputy who responded to Matthew Beaumont’s accident, stated that the accident didn’t occur until much later than originally reported. This is a significant find. Matthew Beaumont no longer has an alibi.”

  My throat grows so tight I can’t speak.

  “Out of the blue Mallory asked me to meet with her,” Emma says. “I think Lorraine instructed her to give me a story that might explain the discrepancies we’ve been uncovering, like Brewer’s account of the incident between Natalie and Beaumont.”

  “Of course,” Letty points out, “unless Mallory goes on record, what she said is just hearsay.”

  “She claims Natalie had been stalking Mr. Beaumont,” Emma says.

  My stomach turns over and the few bites of dinner I managed to swallow threaten to reappear.

  “According to Mallory, Beaumont had been struggling to get her under control for weeks. She claims his accident was related to a note Natalie wrote to him the day of the bus crash. He supposedly drove home after school, found this note from Natalie saying she was going to kill herself so he was rushing back to the school to show the principal when he had his accident.”

  I cannot hear any more of this. I laun
ch to my feet. “Lies,” I roar. “All lies.”

  Ginny holds up a hand. “Stop, all of you. I want to tell you what really happened.” She looks up at me. “Sit down, Helen. It’s going to be all right.”

  My hands fly to my face and I collapse back into my chair, my legs no longer able to support me. The very idea that bitch Lorraine would make up such things about my Natalie makes me want to tear her apart.

  “After your father died,” Ginny says, looking to her daughter, “I had to work even harder to make ends meet. I didn’t have the luxury of wallowing in grief or in the loss of our sweet Natalie.”

  Ginny and I share a look, and I know her heart is breaking just as mine is. All these years we wanted to protect them from this.

  “Nearly five years after that day,” Ginny goes on, “I was still at the Beaumont house cleaning like the slave they considered me to be. I worked two to three days a week for Lorraine. Sometimes her husband would be home having one of his spells. That’s what Lorraine called them but Helen and I both knew what it was. He got addicted to those pain killers they gave him after the accident and every so often he tried to quit ‘em cold turkey. He always went off the deep end whenever that happened.”

  “Why are you just now telling us whatever this is?” Letty demands, already irritated that her mother has apparently kept something from her.

  “Hear her out, Letty,” I implore.

  She doesn’t like it but she doesn’t disrespect me either.

  “This particular day he was having a bad spell,” Ginny goes on. “I could hear him taking on and turning stuff over in their room. Lorraine always told me just to leave him be and not bother cleaning their room. I don’t think they really shared that room anymore anyway. I think Lorraine had already moved to the big guest room on the other end of the upstairs hall.”

  I stare at my Emma. I feel some amount of relief that we are finally telling the truth but I am terrified that she will never forgive me for keeping these awful secrets from her. God only knows how Letty will react when she learns what poor Ginny had to do.