by E B Corbin
Tiffany's face grew red before her eyes darkened. "Right now, I'm sure John's more concerned about his grandfather than what I think." She blinked away any distress she might feel. "What if these two have you fooled?"
"Oh, for God's sake," Roxy exclaimed. "I'm not the fool here. Conor and I worked together for years undermining the IRA at their own game. And Niall has his own reasons for loathing them and their activities. All three of us are on your side, I assure you. Right now, my main concern is not letting Chester's death be in vain." Roxy glanced at Ron who had joined Pete at the window. "I can't say the same for your team."
Tiffany closed her eyes and opened them again slowly. "About this mole...how did you figure it out?"
"I didn't need to figure it out," Roxy told her. "When Tommy grabbed me, he bragged about how their inside guy kept them informed about every move you made."
"That's Tommy." Niall spoke for the first time, shaking his head at his deceased brother's boasting. "He talked too much and was dumb as a bag of spuds."
"So who was giving him this information?" asked Tiffany.
"I don't know." Roxy lifted the whistling tea kettle from the stove and poured the hot water into a teapot. She turned to Niall. "Your brother was not the smartest, but he knew enough to not mention names. Believe me, I tried to get that out of him."
"Car's coming," Pete said without turning away from the window.
- 28 -
Everyone froze when a knock came at the front door. Roxy rushed to peer through the peephole. "It's John."
Callahan entered, his eyes rimmed in red. He had a determined look that Roxanne had never seen before. She fought off the urge to run to him knowing she wouldn't be welcome.
Roxy shut and locked the door before asking, "Chester?"
Callahan cleared his throat. "He's...gone. I waited for the ambulance but there was nothing they could do."
"I'm so sorry." Tiffany reached for his hand. "We're all so sorry."
"Yeah, so am I." Callahan studied his snow-covered boots then looked around the room. "Well, nothing to do about it now but catch those bastards. Do we know where they are?"
"Not yet," Tiffany answered, pulling him into the room. "We're working on it."
He glanced at Roxanne. "Oh, I almost forgot. Your purse is in my car. And your Lexus is still at the farm. It seems to be fine."
"I'll get the purse." Pete took the keys from Callahan's outstretched hand and rushed out. When he returned, he quickly handed the green bag to Roxanne.
"You must have dropped it in the front yard when those bastards abducted you. And your phone keeps ringing." Even as Callahan spoke, a trill came from the bag. "I didn't want to answer it in case it was those murdering sons of bitches."
She searched in her bag for the phone but by the time she pulled it out, the ringing stopped. A ping signaled a voicemail. She noted it was from Sylvia but decided to ignore it for the moment.
Callahan turned to Conor and Niall in a valiant attempt to manage his grief. "Maybe we can get back to business now."
Conor spoke first. "Don't know what more we can tell you. We just wanted to say hello to Roxy."
Callahan's eyes filled with suspicion. He studied Conor before turning to gaze into the fire.
The Irishman slapped his hands on his thighs and started to rise. "Well, now, if that's all settled, Niall and I will be on our way."
"Not so fast," Callahan ordered. "You two showed up in Erie nearly as much as the guys in the blue van. How did you know what we were doing?"
"Might as well tell them," Niall said as Conor dropped back onto the sofa.
Conor swallowed. "We have a friend in Ireland who keeps us informed... not everything but enough to allow us to keep track."
"So who blew up the Maria Elena?" Callahan asked.
"We don't know, for sure." Conor looked at Niall. "Tommy wasn't the brightest but we have no idea why he rigged the boat--if he did."
"What he's tryin' to say is that Tommy probably accidentally blew the boat and hisself." Niall's voice caught in his throat. "The poor, stupid bloke. Even as a lad, he never minded what he was doing."
The room went quiet after Niall's disclosure. Everyone jumped when a blues riff sounded from the phone in Roxanne's hand. "It's Sylvia again. I'd better take this or she'll be calling every five minutes." She walked to the far end of the kitchen before answering.
"You had me worried to death!" Sylvia blurted as soon as she picked up.
"Things are a little crazy right now." Roxanne was thankful for Sylvia's concern but wanted to end this call as soon as possible. "What's up?"
"I heard about Chester. My God! Are you all right?"
She swallowed several times before answering. "It's been difficult, but I'm fine."
"It's just awful. What in the world is this town coming to?"
"Hopefully it will all be over soon." Roxanne turned her back to the room at large. "But you needn't worry about me."
"How's John taking it?"
Roxanne glanced over her shoulder before answering. "He's...as good as can be expected. I'll tell him of your concern."
"Oh, honey, everyone in town is concerned. We're all shocked at the news."
"I'm sure. It is such a sad thing." Roxanne's eyes filled but she blinked away the tears. "Thanks for calling."
Before she could disconnect Sylvie blurted, "Wait! Don't hang up. Ruthie has been calling every thirty minutes. She wants to know if you talked to Bryan. She's afraid we're backing out what with the news about Chester and all."
Damn! Roxanne had forgotten all about Bryan. "Call Mrs. Haynes and tell her I'll be there in an hour or so." She looked at her jeans and mud-caked boots; the latter had been badly scratched when she scrambled through the woods. She couldn't meet with them looking like a refugee. "Better make it two hours."
"Ruthie will be glad to hear it. She's been a wreck since Mr. Cummings called her and threatened to have you disbarred."
"He has no right to interfere with a client of mine. Furthermore, he has no grounds for disbarment."
"Well, Ruthie doesn't know that." Sylvia stopped speaking and Roxanne thought the call had been dropped. Then she said, "I just wonder what Cummings is up to. He's good friends with Judge Walters, you know."
"I'm not going to think about it now." Roxanne put confidence in her voice although the thought of making an enemy of the Supreme Court judge made her stomach clench. "I'll call you after I talk with Bryan. And I'll try to be in tomorrow."
"I'm not concerned about the office. I'm just worried about whatever it is you're involved in now," Sylvia said. "This thing with Chester is tragic. You be careful."
She disconnected before the woman could ask more questions and walked back to the living area. "Can I borrow one of the cars?"
"What for?" Callahan asked.
"I, uh, need to see a client."
"Now?" Roxy said. "You're going to work now?"
Roxanne cleared her throat. "I've been putting this off and I just need to get it over with. I'll be right back." She doubted anyone would miss her and Callahan would be happy to get rid of the constant reminder of why his grandfather had died.
When no one offered the use of their vehicle, she asked, "All right then, who wants to take me to pick up my car?"
"We'll do it!" Conor sounded hopeful as he leapt from the sofa.
"Whoa, hold on there." Callahan patted the air with his hands. "No one's leaving here just yet. Where do you need to go?" He aimed the last at Roxanne.
"A client requested I meet with someone about a possible lawsuit. I've already put it off too long."
Callahan sighed and rubbed his forehead. "All right, I'll take you." He turned to Tiffany. "Will you be able to handle these clowns?"
Tiffany smirked. "What do you think?"
"You don't need to come with me," Roxanne told him. Her gaze swept the room. "Surely someone can lend me a car. I'm just going to the B&B then to meet with a person connected to my client's case. I'll be
right back."
Callahan locked eyes with her. "I said I'll take you. Don't argue."
"Be careful!" Roxy called as they walked out the door. Roxanne gave a half-hearted wave and climbed in the SUV. What could she say? She always tried to be careful, but things happened anyway. At least Roxy didn't play the overprotective mother. She admired that about her--as a strong woman herself, she didn't expect any less of her daughter.
About halfway into town, Roxanne broke the silence that divided them like the Great Wall of China. "I'm s-so-sorry about Chester."
Callahan shrugged, his eyes on the road. "It wasn't your fault."
"Yes, it was!"
"You didn't pull the trigger."
"But I led them there." Again she felt the crushing weight of her culpability in his death. Having Callahan deny it only made her feel worse.
"Not on purpose."
Tears began to trickle down her cheeks. "Without me, how else would they even know about Chester."
His knuckles turned white on the steering wheel. He took a deep breath. "Can we talk about this later?"
A hush fell between them. She buried her feelings as best she could for the remainder of the trip.
At the B&B she showered, changed and mentally prepared herself for the upcoming meeting.
Callahan sat slumped at the table with Kate patting his shoulder when Roxanne entered the kitchen. The sight of him taking comfort from someone else made her chest tighten. "I'm ready to go," she said.
He took a long swallow of coffee and jumped up. "Thanks," he said to Kate before guiding Roxanne out the door. He looked straight ahead, as if they were no more than strangers. She didn't blame him. He had already shown her more understanding than she deserved.
"Do you know where the Haynes live?" she asked when they pulled away from the B&B.
"Over on the next block. Why does Bryan want to talk to you?"
She shrugged. "Don't know."
"I'm surprised he hangs with Sean and Mike." He made no comment on the rape charge even as he braked in front of a Victorian that had seen better days.
A middle-aged woman opened the door when he turned off the motor. She pulled a heavy sweater tight around her bony frame and stood waiting for their approach. Mousy brown hair and a worn-out demeanor left Roxanne with the impression of someone who had given up hope long ago. Mrs. Haynes stepped aside with a weak gesture for them to enter.
Bryan sat on a brocade sofa in the living area; an imposing man with white hair and a tanning-booth orange glow occupied a leather recliner across from him.
The man spoke in a deep rumble; his words projected garishly in the small, enclosed space. She and Callahan couldn't help but overhear. "Well, my boy, it seems the time has come to face the consequences before God and man."
Bryan hung his head, wringing his hands while his legs vibrated. They bounced faster than a ping-pong ball in a tournament.
The white-haired man stood when they entered the room. "I see you finally decided to put in an appearance. We've been waiting for several days." He extended a manicured hand. "I'm Pastor Jones. Bryan and his mother are members of my flock, One Shepherd Chapel of Grace. You may have heard of us; we recently built a new place of worship out in Smithton."
"Can't say that I have." Roxanne was struck by his barely cloaked arrogance and quickly extricated her hand from his. He reminded her of the smooth-talking televangelists who always compelled her to switch the channel.
The man continued, "I've been trying to counsel Bryan. I believe he's ready to accept the burden of owning up to his actions."
Roxanne turned to the doorway where the teenager's mother shuffled her feet and kept her eyes downcast, mirroring her son's demeanor. "Mrs. Haynes, I would like to talk to Bryan privately, if that's possible."
"I...I'm not sure what you mean. This is a private home. Everything said here will be private." Bryan's mother focused on Pastor Jones awaiting his approval.
"I mean without you and Mr. Jones present. I can assure you what we discuss will not leave this room without express permission from you or Bryan." She deliberately left out any mention of the pastor.
Pastor Jones squared his shoulders. "I don't think it's wise to question a juvenile without an adult present."
Roxanne bristled. She paused to gain control before answering in a neutral tone. "I'm not the police or any type of law enforcement--I won't use anything he says against him. Some of my questions may be embarrassing for Bryan to answer in front of his mother... or his pastor."
Jones considered Roxanne's explanation far too long, so Callahan stepped in. "We promise to keep everything Bryan tells us in confidence at present. It may have to come out in time, but we'll do all we can to help Bryan. Mrs. Haynes, do we have your permission?"
The woman took in a deep breath. "I guess it would be all right." She looked at Jones. "What do you think, Pastor?"
He raised his hands, palms up. "If that's what you want, Anna. I don't like it, but we can have a prayer session while your son talks to them."
With Jones and his mother out of the room, Bryan relaxed somewhat. His legs still danced but the movement slowed from a jitterbug to a waltz. He looked at Roxanne from beneath long lashes. "I thought you'd come alone."
"Mr. Callahan is completely trustworthy. He might be able to help."
Bryan appeared unconvinced. All the same, he let out a long sigh and rested his elbows on his knees, his arms went up and down with each tap of his feet. "I didn't want to do it. I tried to talk them out of it, but Sean was determined."
"Do what?" Roxanne kept her voice low-- no need to spook the kid.
"Rape her!" he squeaked with a furtive glance toward the kitchen. "I didn't do anything but watch."
"Do you think that makes you less culpable?" Roxanne had trouble keeping her anger in check.
"Huh?" Bryan looked at her in confusion.
"Responsible. Do you think you're not responsible?"
"No, no, I shoulda done something. I was just so excited that Sean and Mike wanted to hang with me. Sandy is hot but she doesn't seem to know it. She's always got her head stuck in a book or working on that newspaper. Kind of in her own world. I thought she'd be happy for some attention."
"You thought raping her would make her happy?" Disbelief filled Roxanne. How could this teenager possibly justify standing by and doing nothing?
Bryan ignored her remark and continued, his voice quivering more with each word. "Sean knew Mike had a thing for Sandy. He made a bet with Mike that she'd go out with him and she'd be so grateful, she'd do anything he wanted. Except when Mike asked her out, she turned him down flat."
"When did Mike ask her out?"
"That day...the day...it happened." Bryan fixated on the scarred coffee table in front of him. "After football practice, Sean and I waited in the hall while Mike went into the newspaper office. They don't usually hang with me, so when they asked me to go with them, I... I thought maybe... heck, I don't know what I thought. I felt honored to be included."
"Was anyone else in the office at the time?" Roxanne wanted all the details from a second source. She believed Sandy, but she didn't want to be surprised when it came to court.
"No. Sean told Jenny, Sandy's assistant at the paper, to make up an excuse to leave early. We knew Sandy would be alone. But when Mike came out, he almost punched Sean for laughing at him. Sean mocked him about looking like a fool when word got around."
"I thought Sean and Mike were friends." Callahan broke into the conversation while Roxanne made a mental note to talk to this Jenny person.
"Yeah, they are...I guess. Sean's like that; he'll pick on anyone. He wound Mike up 'til I thought Mike was gonna explode. Then, Sean said we needed to teach her a lesson." Bryan clasped his hands together and dropped his head. "I wanted to back out of the whole thing, but they started making fun of me. I thought if that's what it took to be one of the gang, what's the big deal."
"What's the big deal?" Roxanne's anger erupted. "They raped
a girl! Maybe you did, too."
"No! I swear, I just stood there. I couldn't believe they actually went through with it. But when they were done and Sandy was crying in the corner, they warned me to keep my mouth shut or they'd blame it all on me."
"That would be hard to do if Sandy told her side of it," Callahan said.
The teenager sank deeper into the sofa. "I didn't think about that. I was afraid of being called a dweeb. They even threatened to have me kicked off the football team. I love playing football...and I'm good at it."
Callahan started pacing while Roxanne remained in her chair. "Would you be willing to testify to what happened in court?"
"What good would it do?" Bryan rubbed a tear from his cheek. "Nobody'd believe me."
"They might," Roxanne assured him. "It's worth a shot."
"I don't wanna rat on those guys. They're my friends."
"I'm not so sure about that." She wanted to shake some sense into him but kept her temper under control. She held up her phone showing the Record app lit. "I'm looking for justice for Sandy. This recording could help. Can I use it?"
Bryan hesitated before answering. His legs started tapping again, with his arms moving up and down while his head shook in tandem. He hid his face in his hands. "I...I don't know. That would make me a stoolie."
"You were used by them," she said. "They're not your friends, they're bullies."
Bryan sniffled and pulled out a tissue from his pocket to blow his nose. Finally, he said, "All right, I guess. Pastor Jones said I needed to come clean."
Roxanne had no respect for men like Jones who preyed on people's weaknesses and desires. But in this case, she had to agree with him.
- 29 -
When the lane to Roxy's cabin came into view, Callahan pulled to the side of the road, put the gearshift in Park and turned to Roxanne. "Before we go in, you and I need to come to terms about Chester."
Here it comes. He can't stand the sight of me. He hates me, and he should. Roxanne cringed in her seat. If he wanted her to drop out of the search for the cash, she would. If he wanted her to step away from him, she'd do that, too. She would do anything he asked and it still wouldn't make up for Chester.