Jim hosted a big party every Thanksgiving, but after Max was murdered he had canceled it this year. The gathering would be much smaller with only a few friends and family attending. With two funerals only days before Thanksgiving, and the town’s money still missing, few people felt much like celebrating, especially Jim. The threat of the big box store moving in had people arguing over what would be best for the town.
The small mom and pop stores would all be boarded up, and the downtown would be deserted. Even those in favor of the big store coming here didn’t want to see that happen.
Mona, Drake’s and Bill’s mother, had always shared the holidays with the family when I’d been living here. It wasn’t any different now. Unfortunately, Jane objected to Mona having anything to do with the family.
People were gathered in the great room when I arrived with my dish for the potluck dinner. Propane heaters had been set up on the patio in case anyone wanted to go outside. All conversation in the great room stopped at the sound of Jane’s screeching voice coming from the kitchen. “Why does she have to be here? She doesn’t belong here.”
For a moment I thought she was talking about me. I was still persona non grata as far as she was concerned because I had questioned her about leaving Hannah alone. I couldn’t help but eavesdrop. My feet were rooted to the spot, and her voice was loud enough to carry across the room.
“Keep your voice down. She’ll hear you.” Jim always tried to keep the peace, but it wasn’t working this time.
“Good, maybe she’ll leave. I’m tired of her popping in anytime she wants. You’d think this was still her house the way she just takes over every time she’s here.”
“She doesn’t ‘pop in’, and she might not feel it was necessary to take over if you’d do something around here.” I’d never heard Jim talk to her like that before. Maybe he was getting tired of the way she treated everyone, him included. “She will always be welcome in my home.”
“This is my home, too. Either you tell her to leave, or I will.”
“You’ll do no such thing. She is still Drake’s and Bill’s mother.”
“That may be so, but she isn’t Hannah’s mother. I am. She has no business being here to celebrate Hannah’s birthday. I want her gone.”
Hannah’s first birthday was two days away. Jim had decided to celebrate her birthday along with Thanksgiving. Probably not a good idea, I thought.
“I think everyone has heard enough for one day, don’t you, Jane?” Drake had entered the kitchen from the outside door.
“Shut up, Drake. This is none of your business. You’re as bossy as your mother. This is my house, not yours.”
“This will always be home to all of my children. You need to settle down.” At the crack of a hand hitting flesh, I jerked back. I wasn’t sure what Drake would do next. I didn’t know about the others, but I’d heard enough.
I was still holding my dish of Crispy Cheesy Potatoes. Turning away to find somewhere to put it, I nearly bumped in to Mona. “Oh, um, hello, Mona.” Taking a step back, I looked at the closed kitchen door. It was embarrassing being caught eavesdropping, but I wasn’t the only one. She and everyone else had heard the argument, and I felt bad for her.
She could be a bit overbearing at times, but unlike Jane, she was never vicious. When Mom and Jim were married, Mom never objected when she visited. They had even become good friends after Mom and Jim split up. Because Mona had never remarried, I always wondered if she regretted her divorce.
“What should I do with this?” I held up my casserole.
She shrugged. “You’ll have to wait until her highness is finished chewing Jim a new one to ask her. Far be it from me to come in here and take over.” She gave a husky chuckle. It didn’t sound as though she was upset by what she’d overheard. “Until they’re finished in there, I guess you can place it on the table.
“It looks like Jim has his hands full with that one,” she continued, nodding towards the kitchen. “I think I could use a glass of wine. Care to join me?”
“It’s a little early for me, but I could use a cup of coffee.” I followed her over to the bar where several bottles of wine were sitting out. A large coffee urn was on the bar as well.
“I wasn’t surprised when you moved back to Pine Mountain after college,” Mona said, a teasing smile playing around her lips. “You always loved this little town. Of course, this is where Drake is now as well.” I could feel my face heating up. I didn’t know how to respond to that comment, so I didn’t say anything. She hadn’t disapproved of my crush on her son when I was younger. It didn’t appear she would object now either.
“How’s your mother?” She changed the subject. “I heard through mutual friends that she got married again. I hope she picked more wisely this time. She hasn’t had much luck so far.” From someone else it would sound like a dig, but she didn’t mean it that way. She was simply stating facts.
“She’s fine. They’re living in Florida right now. I’m hoping she will finally settle down. Ted’s a nice guy.”
“Her other husbands were as well.” She shrugged. “But I understand where she was coming from. Sometimes it’s simply too hard to choose one from all the fish in the sea.” She chuckled at her own joke. Maybe I’d mistaken her choice to remain single as wanting Jim back when she really wanted to play the field.
“Hi, Mom.” I jumped when Bill came up behind me. My nerves were still on edge. He placed a kiss on her cheek before turning to me. This was the first time I’d seen him since the night he kissed me. I took a step back to avoid a repeat.
“Hi Bill. How are you?” My voice was a little stilted, but there was nothing I could do about that. I wasn’t going to encourage him. I didn’t know if he’d told Drake about finding where Max had been hiding in the forest. Was that where he left the clues he’d mentioned? If that wasn’t the case I had no idea where to look.
“Hi Mom, Bill.” I gave another start when Drake joined our little group. Like Bill had, he placed a kiss on his mother’s soft cheek. Draping his arm around my shoulders, he pulled me to his side in a possessive gesture. Or was I reading more into it than he meant? I wasn’t any better at deciphering the hints or clues he was giving than I was at finding anything Max left behind.
Bill’s shoulders stiffened and his fists clenched. I wasn’t sure what he was planning when he took a menacing step towards his brother. Placing her hand on Bill’s arm, Mona shook her head at him. “Relax, Son. Everything always works out the way it’s supposed to.” It was a rather cryptic remark, but I didn’t ask her to clarify.
“Is everything okay in there?” Mona asked Drake, looking towards the now silent kitchen.
“For now,” Drake shrugged. “Maybe she’s dealing with post-partum depression, or something.” Hannah was almost a year old. It was a little late for that to kick in. Jane simply wanted everything her way, and tended to throw a temper tantrum when that didn’t happen.
Bill looked between his brother and his mother. “What’d I miss? What’s she done now?” He’d missed the fireworks between his dad and Jane.
Mona shrugged. “Her usual complaint. She doesn’t want me here.”
“Can’t she get it through her head that you have a right to be here? You’re our mother.”
“Your father has always been gracious, and let me share in all of the holidays with you both. Maybe I’m pushing it with this one though.” Mona lifted her shoulders in a fatalistic shrug. It must be hard for her. Because she never remarried Drake and Bill were all she had.
Jim came out of the kitchen, stopping all conversation on that subject. The red imprint of Jane’s hand was still visible on his cheek. “Hi boys, I’m glad you’re here. Mona,” he nodded at his ex-wife. He bent down to place a kiss on my cheek. “Thanks for coming, Holly.”
“I wouldn’t miss it.” An awkward silence settled over us for several long moments. He had to know everyone had heard what Jane said. He was embarrassed by that as much as anything else.
He turned to his ol
dest son. “Have you found out who…” It wasn’t necessary for him to finish his sentence.
“I’m still looking into things, Dad. I’ll let you know when I find something out.”
“What’s taking you so long?” Bill snapped. “I’d bet my next paycheck that Max didn’t steal that money. Whoever did is obviously the killer. How hard is it to figure that out?” He turned to look at his dad. “Who took the gun from the gun cabinet?” It almost sounded like an accusation. He kept his voice down, but the others in the room were straining to hear what was being said.
If no one else had been in the house but Jim and Jane, that narrowed the suspect pool. My bet was on Jane, but I couldn’t see her shooting someone, much less two people. She wouldn’t want to get her hands dirty. It would also take someone much bigger than she is to move two bodies.
“Enough!” Jim snapped. “I don’t need any more problems today.”
Bill frowned. He wanted to ask more questions, but didn’t want to upset his dad further. “I’ll explain later, dear.” Mona linked her arm through his. “Come on. Buy me another drink.” She held up her empty wine glass. He obediently allowed her to lead him to the bar. Looking over her shoulder at Drake, Mona gave him a wink. Or was she winking at Jim? You just never knew what Mona was up to.
“Are you all right, Jim?” I moved out from under Drake’s arm to give Jim a hug.
“I will be. Don’t worry. I’ll see you later.” He wandered aimlessly around the room, greeting the few guests gathered there.
“Where’s Jane?” I whispered once Jim stepped away from us.
“Since she’s acting like a two-year-old who didn’t get her own way, maybe Dad sent her to her room.” He tried to make light of what happened in the kitchen. Dipping his head, he placed a soft kiss on my lips causing my heart to bump in my chest. I knew how I felt about him, but his feelings towards me were still a little murky.
“I don’t think this is something we should be doing here,” I whispered once I was able to catch my breath.
“Why’s that?”
“People might see us. I don’t want anyone to get the wrong impression.”
He frowned at me. “What wrong impression is that?”
“Well, you know what I mean.”
“No I don’t. Does it embarrass you to be seen with me?”
“That’s not it, and you know it.”
“You don’t want anyone to know you’re my girl?”
“Your girl?” I looked up at him through my lashes. My heart was beating a wild tattoo in my chest. “Isn’t that something we should discuss?”
“I thought we’d said all that was needed saying the other night. Did I read things wrong?” He tilted his head to one side. Mischief danced in his eyes.
“I don’t remember a lot of words being said that night. Silent communication doesn’t work so well. Maybe next time you could try talking.”
He’d been the school heart throb all through high school. According to June and Jill, that hadn’t changed any. They had filled me in on the number of women he’d gone through since he moved back home. I didn’t want to be another notch on his bed post.
He chuckled, placing another kiss on my lips. “When this shindig is over, maybe we can go back to your place for a little more discussing. How does that sound?”
I was saved from answering when Jim called everyone into the dining room. Gathered around the big table, he said grace, giving thanks for all that we had. Jane didn’t bother to put in an appearance after their fight. She’d probably gone somewhere to sulk.
When she finally came out of hiding, she didn’t bother with food. She sat at the bar like it was her throne, glaring at anyone who spoke to Mona. As soon as her glass was emptied, she refilled it. She was going to be drunk before the day was over. Several times I caught a glimpse of a man talking to her, but I didn’t know who he was. Maybe he was the man June had seen her with in Phoenix. It took a lot of nerve to invite your lover to your home while your husband was there. How would I find out who he was?
A drunken hostess and a family fight were bad enough, but when Wally stumbled in ready to rumble people parted like the Red Sea. “The town is broke but the mayor holds a party. You got something to celebrate, Mr. Mayor?” He was weaving, barely able to stand up straight. “I don’t know why I thought it would be any different. Maybe the town’s footing the bill for this shindig. Did you help that worthless brother of yours steal our money?” When he made his way across the room, there was blood in his eye.
“Go home and sleep it off, Wally.” Drake intercepted him before he reached Jim.
Wally unsuccessfully tried to shake off Drake’s grip on his arm. “What home? If yer damn uncle hadn’t stolen my girl, I’d have a home, maybe even some kids.” He was beginning to blubber. How long was he going to live in that dream and on that grudge? Whoever the ‘girl’ was, she had moved on with her life a long time ago. It was time for him to do the same. “Max took her, now I don’t have anyone.” He leaned against Drake’s shoulder, wiping his damp eyes.
Drake pulled his cell phone off his belt, calling for a squad car. As drunk as Wally was, it was a miracle he hadn’t crashed before he got here. Drake wasn’t going to let him drive home.
Two officers arrived a few minutes later. I recognized Officer Babcock from the crime scene behind the library. The second officer was several years older than Babcock. I’d seen him around town, but I didn’t know him. “See to it that he gets home in one piece,” Drake instructed quietly. “Just drop him on the couch, and leave. You don’t need to stick around. Hide his keys so he can’t drive until he sobers up.” Drake was doing the man a favor by not arresting him. I didn’t think Wally would remember this in the morning. He probably wouldn’t appreciate it either.
With that settled, Drake pulled me aside. He wasn’t finished with what he was now calling ‘our discussion’. The high pitched wails of a baby could be heard down the hall putting an end to his plans. Hannah wasn’t happy about being ignored, and was letting everyone know she was ready to get up from her nap.
Looking around for Jane, I found her across the room talking with the same tall, handsome man I’d seen her with earlier. Once again she was holding a glass of wine. Either she didn’t hear her daughter’s cries, or chose to ignore her. “What do you think she’ll do if I go get Hannah?” I looked up at Drake.
“As long as you change her diaper, she’ll be fine with it. She’s the poorest excuse for a mother I’ve seen in a long time.” He followed me down the hall to Hannah’s room.
Her tears dried up quickly once she saw us coming to her rescue. She reached out her chubby arms to be picked up. “Do you want to join the fun, Sweet Thing?” I kissed her cheek as I lifted her out of the crib. “Let’s get your diaper changed and go find your daddy.”
She jabbered happily throughout the process. Once that was finished, she wanted down. At two days shy of one year old, she was walking everywhere. I wondered how Jane was going to keep track of her, or would she even try?
We each held her hand, and made our way through the people standing around. I didn’t see Jane or the man she’d been talking with. I didn’t even try to locate her. By this time she would be too drunk to hold her daughter.
Mona intercepted us as we made our way across the room to Jim. “Well, hello there, cutie.” She bent down to Hannah’s level. “Will you let me hold you?” She held out her hands.
Hannah had no problem with Mona holding her, and went willingly into her arms. Maybe Hannah was simply so starved for attention from her mom that she was willing to let anyone love on her.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Jane’s screech came from the open patio door. “Get your filthy hands off my daughter!”
Everyone froze as Jane stumbled across the room. She was obviously drunk, and in no shape to hold a wiggling baby. But that didn’t stop her from trying. She snatched Hannah out of Mona’s arms before anyone could stop her. Frightened by Jane’s loud
voice and being jerked away from Mona, Hannah let out a loud howl.
In the process of whirling away from Mona, Jane lost her balance. Bill managed to keep her from going down, and Drake caught Hannah. By this time, the baby was in full-blown hysterics.
Jim came in from the kitchen in time to see Bill holding Jane up, and Drake taking Hannah out of her mother’s arms. “What the hell’s going on in here?” He looked around, hoping for an explanation.
“Dada.” Hannah hiccupped, holding out her arms for him to take her. Big tears ran down her cheeks.
“That bitch was trying to take my baby!” Jerking her arm away from Bill, Jane pointed a finger at Mona. She staggered slightly at the sudden move.
“What?” Jim looked between his ex-wife and his current one.
“I told you to get rid of her. Now maybe you’ll believe me.” Her words were slurred, and she weaved unsteadily as she confronted her husband. Bill didn’t try to steady her. If she fell, she fell. “She was trying to steal my baby.”
“You’re drunk.” Jim didn’t bother to keep his voice down. “Go somewhere and sleep it off.” He turned away from her.
“I think it’s time for me to leave,” Mona whispered. She turned away, but not before I saw tears swimming in her eyes. Her sons started to follow her outside, but I stopped them.
“Let me do this.” Taking my spare key off my key ring, I hurried after her. “Wait up, Mona.” I held the key out to her. “It’s too late to go anywhere. You know where I live. Stay with me for the night.”
“That’s sweet of you, but not necessary. I have a room in town. I’m not silly enough to think I could stay here. That would be pushing things. Jane has made it clear on many occasions that she doesn’t want me around. She’d probably slit my throat in the night.” She gave a humorless laugh, and placed a kiss on my cheek. “I’ll see you later.” She looked so sad. My heart broke for her.
I started to turn away when I heard her speak to someone. “Everett? What are you doing here?” His deep-toned voice drifted to me on the wind, but I couldn’t hear the words. It was getting dark, and I couldn’t see his face very well. Obviously she knew him, but what was he out here?
Never Con A Con Man (An Arizona High Country Mystery Book 1) Page 12