by Liz Eagle
Milton poured everyone a glass of red wine before asking Jacqueline, “You told us about you, now tell us about your father? What line of work is he in?”
“Well, I am not really sure,” Jacqueline said. “He has told me on several occasions that he works for the Department of the Treasury. I think that is where he works.” She hated to admit she really didn’t know much about his work. That was very sad. Jacqueline realized she should have spent more time talking to him about it instead of talking about herself so much. She made herself a promise to do better next time they saw each other.
“What exactly does he do, dear?” Louise asked as she sat down in a chair, crossed her legs and waited for Milton to light her cigarette for her. She held a long black cigarette holder between her two fingers.
Jacqueline was starting to get the impression that she was being interrogated like she was on trial. It was apparent to her that Phillip felt the need to go to law school to practice defending himself from his own parents in his own home.
“Well, actually, I am not sure,” Jacqueline said again, apologizing for repeating herself. She wondered how she could tell them more when she didn’t know herself. “He met me a few times here and each time he said had meetings in Attica and in Buffalo, and then he would not be available for several months. So, I really don’t know much more than that. It’s sad to say.”
Phillip’s parents looked at each other and took sips of their wine. First, it seemed odd to them that a daughter did not know what her father did for a living. Secondly, it was even more odd that someone from the Treasury Department would go to Attica and then to Buffalo. Milton was not aware of any offices with the Treasury in Buffalo. He had traveled there many times on cases and was very familiar with the city. Milton decided to press her a little more.
“Are you sure he is not with the Federal Bureau of Investigation?” he asked. “They have a headquarters office in Buffalo. It is not labeled as such, and not too many people know where it is, but I have been there when I worked on some cases that involved FBI agents.”
“I am pretty sure it’s the Treasury,” Jacqueline said. “He is an accountant. I don’t think he is particularly good at it, though. That is why we moved to and from so many penthouses in New York City while I was growing up.” She was feeling more at ease after drinking a glass of wine. Maybe she had said too much about her family and decided to stop talking so much.
“I wonder what made him go to Attica,” Milton said. “It is a town smaller than Warsaw. The only thing there is the maximum-security prison. There is not much an accountant could do there,” he added, suspecting that there may be something more to this.
“I actually don’t know,” Jacqueline said. “He never mentioned why he went there, and I never asked. Say, would you mind if I had another glass of wine? I have thoroughly enjoyed Max’s wine.” She hoped they would soon get off the topic of her father.
“Why certainly, my dear,” Louise responded, feeling a little tipsy herself. “You can have as much as you like. We get all the wine we could possibly consume from Milton’s sister and brother-in-law. We saw them earlier today, and they brought us more of their wine and brandy. They make such good brandy, we have it every week when we get together; it is hard to get enough!”
The four of them continued to make polite conversation over more wine in the living room. Louise offered Jacqueline a glass of brandy. She explained it was also made by Max and Gynnie. She poured it from a smaller jar. Phillip told his parents about showing Jacqueline their lake house, and she learned how the Chandlers had inherited the lake house and about Phillip’s interest in the sailboat races on Sunday after church. They all laughed when Jacqueline shared her experience of using an outhouse for the first time. She took a few small sips of the brandy, still trying to limit her consumption. It tasted funny, different from when she had had it before. She assumed it was made from spoiled fruit or was maybe left around too long. Either way, one thing was certain, she did not like the taste of that one.
Chapter 18
1945 Warsaw, New York
“I am not certain that her father works with the Treasury,” Milton said to his wife, after the happy young couple had left. “In fact, I feel very strongly otherwise.” He said this without looking up even once, staring somberly at the tablecloth while Louise filled the sink with water.
“Well…” Louise’s hand trembled. Her family’s future could be in jeopardy if anyone found out: her fortune, her life, even her sweet baby boy. “You have people you can call, don’t you?”
Phillip and Jacqueline decided they would take their time and walk back to the inn. Max and Gynnie had been kind enough to put Jacqueline up while she was back in Warsaw, and her father was still staying there as well. It was only a few blocks to Main Street and up Court Street past the library.
Hand in hand, they walked down the sidewalk on Court Street towards the inn. Jacqueline felt more comfortable with Phillip after a few glasses of alcohol and could tell he was feeling the same. She debated whether she would even bring up how’s your father? again, she felt more calm about it now that Phillip had told her the truth, and she could tell it made him even more uncomfortable than it made her. “I had a very nice time,” she told him. “Your parents are kind. And what a wonderful extended family you have.” They moved closer together as they walked, their upper arms touching. Phillip thought about how happy he was that she and her father had stayed at the inn while she was in town. Holding hands was a good start, Phillip thought as he looked at Jacqueline, but he wanted to do much more.
“I suppose so,” he said. “They have their problems like everyone else, but when all is said and done they find ways to stay pretty happy in this little town.” He cringed slightly as the words left his mouth, and he looked over at Jacqueline. The more he looked at her, the more he was aware that they were getting close to the inn, and he desired so desperately to kiss her.
He paused on the sidewalk near a big oak tree right beside the public library. They were in the shadows of the huge tree, so no one would be able to see them. It was a perfect spot. Phillip took Jacqueline’s hand and walked her over to the oak, gently pushing her back against it. He placed both hands on her waist to make sure she was balanced before sliding his hands slowly around to her back, just as he had done in the boutique. She did not stop him. Jacqueline looked directly into his eyes. She wanted him as much as he wanted her. He tilted his head to the side, looked down to her mouth, and pressed his lips to hers. They kissed so hard and passionately that he could not resist pressing his body against hers, so she could feel his excitement for herself.
Barely able to control her eagerness, Jacqueline responded with passionate wet kisses. She parted her lips, welcoming his tongue, and placed her hands on the back of his neck, running her fingernails through the hair on back of his head. Wanting him to feel her breasts, she arched her back to make them more accessible. When he pushed back against her, she felt the hardness in his pants. Phillip reached down through the top of her dress and stroked her breasts. She felt a slight churn in her stomach, but she dismissed it, she wanted him to keep going. They were both breathing hard, and she couldn’t help but moan with excitement and pleasure.
They heard a car turn from Main Street and pass right in front of the library. The lights from the car flashed onto the tree. Phillip quickly pulled his hand out of her dress, and they stood perfectly still. He shielded her from the light of the car, and their kiss dissolved into laughter as it passed by.
“Holy cow, that was close,” Phillip said. They both began to laugh. He took her hand again, and they continued to walk up the hill toward the inn.
“What would you have done if the car had stopped and asked you what we were doing?” Jacqueline asked.
“I would have said,’’ he responded, “in no uncertain terms ‘I am kissing this beautiful lady, now leave us alone!’”
“Really, yo
u would have said that?” she asked.
“Would you have preferred I said that I was enchanted by your beauty and that you had cast a spell on me, and I could not resist myself?” Phillip responded. He could sense that they were getting closer emotionally and enjoyed that feeling immensely. It was a foreign feeling to him. This was no longer about sex but something vastly different.
Jacqueline did not answer but was feeling very happy at the moment. But, something was wrong. She was not feeling very well. Almost sick.
They had almost reached the top of the hill when Phillip stopped at another big oak tree, saying, “Let’s try again.” He gently pushed her against the base of the tree and resumed where he had left off.
“Phillip, I think I need to just sit and rest. I’m not feeling very well.” She stopped him. The pain in her stomach was increasing, she felt like she must have eaten something bad earlier. But what?
“You’ll feel better if I just keep going like this….” He put his hand back up her dress. She had to admit that it did feel good and made her forget about the pain temporarily. When another car drove up the street with its lights shining on them, Phillip once again took his hand out and pulled away from their kiss faster than the last time. They laughed so hard they leaned against the tree together, still holding hands. This was the most fun Jacqueline had had in a long time, despite her stomach being so upset. She turned, looked him directly in his eyes and smiled. She tried to hide the fact that she was feeling very ill. Jacqueline was about to tell him how happy she was at that moment but stopped. He was not laughing anymore and was as serious as she had ever seen him.
“Marry me,” Phillip said.
Chapter 19
Winston-Salem, NC
There was nothing better to clear her head than a good workout at the gym. Lil needed some time to put her thoughts together, focus on the heavy weights, and let all the information she had processed so far just circle around in her head. She lifted heavy and let them just clank together, though her trainer once told her not to do that. Shows no control. She made a point of going to the gym at least three times a week. She ran or took a cardio class on the other days. The strength training certainly aided with her shooting in firearms qualification and helped keep her strong and fit; not that she ever imagined she would need it, but it was good to be prepared and sharp. She remembered the last brutal training she attended for work. It kicked her butt. It was called “Pressure Point Control Tactics.” The three-day class prepared her to be one of four instructors of the technique. This program was a well thought out self-defense method that could easily be used in any situation where lethal force was not accessible or even necessary. She often practiced some of the moves on a punching bag in the gym.
Halfway through, she paused to call Joe, just to check in. He asked if she was alright and if she would be home in time for dinner. “Of course. I am just clearing my head at the moment,” she said, almost out of breath. He knew she was doing exactly that. “I just read that my Mom told Grandpa Gus that she suspects that my aunt and uncle are weird-os. She overheard this sex phrase at dinner one night and thinks they are having sex with other people in the town. Can you imagine that? I knew my family was bizarre, but this is off the charts now. It makes me feel dirty and very ashamed of them.”
“Wow. That has to be weird to hear that about your family. Do you think it’s true?” Joe asked.
“I am not sure what to believe anymore. My life and everything I thought I knew about my family changed right before my eyes once I opened the first box from my stepmother. I don’t think I will share that tidbit of information with Judge Stone. I will keep this to myself. Hope you still love me, though.”
“Of course. No worries there.” Joe said knowing that his wife was consumed by the words of her grandfather. He hoped she could get to the bottom of this saga soon and they could get back to normal, whatever that was. They promised each other early in their relationship that they would not allow anymore drama to seep into their marriage, but it was seeping in through the old boxes.
“I will feel better about this whole thing when I can get to the last box and see everything for what it is. In addition to the bizarre sex stuff there is more here that Gus was concerned about and I just have the feeling he will get close to whatever is going on. Maybe I will be able to figure the rest out for myself.”
After she got home, Lil decided to call her best friend, Nancy Warwick. They usually spoke a few times a month to touch base. She had let Lil and her family stay at her lake house during the funeral and was always helping Lil every chance she had. They grew up across the street from each other and were still the best of friends. Lil moved away, but she stayed in Warsaw, took over her parents’ lumber business and knew just about everyone who was still around. She was truly the best friend a person could have.
“Hey girl, are you busy?” Lil asked Nancy. She knew she was at work, Nancy never took any time off after inheriting her dad’s company.
“Hi, sure, I am free enough to talk. What’s on your mind? Everything alright in the south?” Nancy asked. She knew about the boxes and hoped they contained good news for her friend.
“Yes, all is well. Still going through my dad’s boxes. I wonder if my stepmother knew about this stuff and she thought it was some sort of cruel trick to keep me away from her. Anyway, I am sorting through documents and pages of Grandpa Gus’s notes. Did your mom or dad ever mention strange things going on with my family?” Lil gave her friend the details of what she had learned so far.
“Holy, screwed up family, Batman!” Nancy knew that Lil would appreciate the Batman reference. They used to watch all the Batman episodes together as kids. “No, I don’t remember hearing anything, even as an adult. You know that so much went on in the town and all us kids were oblivious to it. I told you the sorted stories that have circulated the town before. You know we never paid attention to stuff like that. Some of the town was just downright crazy back then. You need me to help you up here? I could ask around, but that would be weird, of course.” Nancy and Lil were closer than sisters and Nancy suspicioned that Lil needed something.
“No, that’s alright. Thanks anyway. I will let you know if there is something more to go on and let you know if it would be helpful. Take care, girl. Talk soon.” Lil did not feel any better.
Chapter 20
1945 Warsaw, New York
“What do you mean he was looking into the Harvey murders?” Milton Chandler asked during his phone conversation with the Wyoming County district attorney. That next day, Milton decided to call his friend Josh Parrish, who was the ranking district attorney for the county, and see if he knew what Jacqueline’s father was really up to.
“Well, he came by and looked at the court files and police reports on the Harvey murder case,” Josh said, “and took some notes and made some copies from the file. That was it. You sound like you are upset. What is going on?” he asked Milton. “You did a damn good job on that trial and helped me to give the jury all they needed to convict. That guy was guilty as sin, and we all know it.” Josh was trying to keep Milton under control. He knew that he had a tendency to fly off the handle and had a very short temper. Josh had seen that side of Milton many times in court and also at the lake after he had drunk too much wine.
“Did you even happen to notice if there was any identification on the guy?” Milton asked, trying to keep his friend on the topic at hand. Josh liked to talk, and Milton was in no mood for it.
“Sure, we would never show court documents to just anyone,” Josh said. “Who do you think is running this office anyway?” Josh and Milton were really close and frequently socialized at the Silver Lake Country Club. They had both attended the same law school and belonged to the same fraternity. Josh was often seen racing his sailboat against Phillip’s sailboat on Sundays at the lake, but, unfortunately for him, Phillip usually won.
“Well, what agency is he with?
” Milton asked Josh, feeling as though he was being forced to pull information out of his old friend.
“Oh, that,” Josh responded. He cleared his throat to give him a little more time to figure out what to say. “Well, yes, I saw his gold badge in the case and all, but didn’t really pay attention to what agency he was with. It might have been the State Department or Treasury. Hell, it could have been the damn Drug Enforcement Administration. How the hell do I know? You know, all those badges look the same. They really should do something about that, make them so they are easier to read,” he rambled on. “Why are you so interested in a stranger with a gold badge anyway?” He knew that Milton was concerned about the Harvey case but did not know why, and he really didn’t care.
Milton regained his composure. “Oh, no particular reason, Josh,” he replied. “Thanks for telling me about it. Harvey has been pestering me for an appeal. The time for that has expired, though. I am just not comfortable with a hotshot stranger from the city looking into my cases, guilty or not guilty,” Milton said. He was careful not to say too much. This was just a fact-finding mission.
“Alright, then, suit yourself,” Josh said. “Listen, I have to go, got a jury trial that starts in fifteen minutes in the courtroom. Now you let me know if you need anything else, Milton. See you at the country club next weekend. Hey, call the good doctor and see if he will meet us there. I have not seen hide nor hair of that fellow in months,” he said before hanging up the phone. Josh opted not to tell Milton that the FBI guy asked to borrow the pictures from the file. He knew Milton would be all over him about that. Milton was a powerful man in this town and Josh had seen Milton destroy townsfolk that got in his way. Josh was elected, and he hoped to keep his position for a few more years.