“You got it wrong, Mark,” Sam said. “Those are the people I work with.”
“Hell, brothers,” Luke said. “I thought you were speaking about the members of my congregation.”
They all broke up in peals of laughter. “How about a beer?” Mark asked, opening the lid.
“I will,” Luke said. “I’ll be staying up here tonight, so all the teetotalers will be none the wiser.”
“I normally would,” Sam said. “But I’ve gotta work tonight. Boss has us pulling long hours.”
Mark shrugged. “Too bad. I plan on drinking a couple and still work. Just enough it won’t slow me down. I’ll still think like my alter ego, use the name of my alter ego, even become the pathetic little shit. Beer won’t hurt. It’ll be a slow night.”
“You don’t do the same thing I do.” Sam stared at him.
He nodded. “You’re right. By the way, you two, all the goods already went to the customer, and we have sizeable sum in the bank. Not the Climax Savings & Loan, mind you.”
He raised his beer. “To Climax. The land of the freaks and the home of the crazed.”
****
Nick glanced up as Millie walked up and shook his head. “I didn’t expect you out here on the job site. Everybody else has been here. Yancey Caldwell, one of the commercial inspectors, damned insurance adjuster, again, and a Mexican state official who looked up his nose disapprovingly at me.”
“Looked up his nose at you?”
He nodded. “Guy couldn’t have been more than five-five.”
“Look, I know it’s been a really bad couple of days.” Millie gently touched his arm. “But I wanted to tell you about this before Emily gets home so we can tell her about it together.”
He pointed over to the open tailgate of Grady’s truck. “Let’s go over there and you can sit down and explain everything.”
Once Millie was seated on the tailgate, she told him what Blue had explained to her an hour before.
“That’s pretty heavy,” he said. “Do you think they were targeting Carlos?”
She sighed. “I don’t know. I think it’s possible. I’m just afraid the more Emily gets wrapped into this drug thing, now people smuggling, she’s going to scare away from the whole thing. I know she’s falling in love with that little boy, and I don’t want to see her shut him out the way Robert always shut her out of his life.”
“Hold on,” Nick said. “I’m missing some information, I think. I didn’t know there was a schism between Emily and her father.”
Millie wrung her hands together. “Oh shit, I don’t even know how to explain anything to you.” She glanced off in the distance for a moment. “I’ve always tried to shield Emily from the full truth. Now, here I go telling you all about it. But I think you need to know the family dynamics.” She turned back and stared up into his eyes. “I think you’ve crossed the I want to have sex with Emily into the I want her longer than just a one night stand mark.”
“Millie…”
She waved him off. “Don’t go trying to deny anything or defend any position. I’m not here to argue with you over what you do and don’t feel. All I’m trying to do is explain how complicated this whole thing is.” She jumped back down from her seat. “You see, when Abby Franklin suggested they adopt a baby, well, Robert wasn’t that keen on it to begin with. He was happy with a son. She was the one who wanted a daughter. When he discovered Emily had been rescued from a crack house, well, that did it for him. He protected her, but he never really connected with her. That was all Abby’s work. Until she died.” Millie took a deep breath. “And then it was mine.”
“Emily never told me about the crack house.” Nick leaned his hand on the truck fender. “Blue told me her mom was an addict, nothing more.”
Millie shook her head. “She doesn’t know. All she knows is her mother was addicted to something. She’s been afraid to drink more than one or two of anything alcoholic and didn’t ever do drugs.” She cocked her head sideways. “Though, I’m sure she puffed some weed at some point. She’s already on the edge about being too closely linked to drug-related enterprises. I fear this will push her over it.”
He reached out and hugged her. “Don’t worry. We’ll explain it to her. Give Emily credit. She cares too much about what happened to Carlos to let this get in the way.” He stepped back. “But it’s her father who needs the attitude adjustment. Now I know why she’s never been involved with any men before.”
“What are you talking about?” Millie asked. “She’s had lots of relationships.”
He coughed and looked down at the ground. “Never mind. I’m speaking out of school. On that subject, you’ll have to ask your niece.”
****
“Are you Robert Franklin?”
A man about six-feet tall with steel gray hair and pale blue eyes stared at him. “I am. You have me at a disadvantage.”
“I’m Nick Troy, sir.” He held out his hand. “I’m a friend and coworker of Taylor’s and I’m staying at your daughter’s house.”
“So, you’re the one.”
Nick froze. If the man’s words didn’t do it, the tone would have iced him over anyway. “The one for what, sir?”
“Who brought all this bedlam to Climax, of course.” He crossed his arms and still stood on the threshold, barring entrance to his home.
“Sir,” Nick brushed a piece of hair out of his face, “I believe these people were here before I was.”
“But your presence was the blasting cap that set off the explosion.”
Nick knew his anger was threatening to boil out of control. He tried to tamp it down. “I was sent here by your son, Taylor. I was following his direction.”
“Did he tell you to bring an immigrant boy under my daughter’s roof and start your own investigation into some kind of drug trade? Sheesh.”
Nick put his fisted hands at his sides. “First of all, the boy is an American citizen. And, excuse the language, Mr. Franklin, but both your sister and your daughter were fighting for this whole damned building project and the reputation of your son on national TV. I was supporting that position in front of Mexican officials and state police officers. And where were you all that time? AWOL. Down shit creek.”
Robert looked down at the ground. “I see. You think I’ve let my family down.”
Nick nodded. “I hate to say it, but I do. I don’t think Taylor would be happy about it, either. But that’s not why I’m here. It’d be real nice if I didn’t have to explain everything on your front porch.”
“Right.” He stepped out of the way and opened the door.
Nick walked into a neatly kept home, small, nothing flashy. Most of the furnishings were old, in keeping with the man’s age and the fact there was no woman living in the house. He could tell Robert probably had a housekeeper. It was immaculate. They walked into the living room. Oversized sofa and two side chairs. Functional, but nothing for a woman’s decorating magazine.
“Have a seat, say what you came here to say, and you can leave.” Robert sat down in a chair himself and glared at Nick.
Nick stared at the man and wondered how in the hell he could be spawned from the same mother as Millie. “I’m here because I think your daughter needs to know you love her.”
Robert’s eyes narrowed on Nick and darkened to the point he’d almost swear they were brown and not blue. “What business is it of yours what or how Emily feels about me?”
“Because I love her.” His words surprised even him as they spilled out of his mouth.
“I suppose you had sex with her.” Robert scowled. “Is that it?”
Nick was only too aware the last vestiges of his reserve were quickly slipping away. He grabbed the chair in a death grip. “And you asked me what business I had asking you a question? We’re not talking about what did or what didn’t happen between two adults. We’re talking about what you have withheld from Emily…all…her…life.” He choked on the words, a lump the size of Texas forming in his throat. Only his masculin
e resolve kept him from breaking down into tears.
“Oh my God,” Robert said, his face going slack and his eyes reddening. “You are in love with her.” He cupped his hands and looked down in his lap, his lips clamped tightly together. He sat there silent for a long time. It felt like forever. But Nick refused to speak first.
“I loved my wife. She was wonderful.” Robert took a shaky breath and released it with slight wheeze. “When I met her, I thought the future was like an open lotus flower, ready to cup us inside and let us float down a pond of wonder.” He laughed nervously. “I’m not usually very poetic, but you see, I’d just come back from Japan, the part that was beautiful after, well, you know. I was full of hope life would open into something better than the destruction I’d seen in service.” He shook his head. “Vietnam was a joke. Thankfully, I didn’t spend much time there. But all the servicemen were demoralized and shamed when they came home to a country that didn’t want them.”
“I’m sure,” Nick said. “My dad didn’t serve, but he was over there to entertain the troops.” At Robert’s vague look, he added, “Reggie Troy.”
His face brightened momentarily. “Yeah, the wilderness guy. Good show. He was your dad, eh?” At Nick’s nod, his eyes opened, a sort of silent approval. “Well, like I was saying,
Abby was like a breath of fresh air. She was a lot younger than me, full of happiness and naiveté. Hadn’t been anywhere but Climax and just wanted to settle down.” He grinned. “We had Taylor right off the bat. But, then Abby had three miscarriages. She wanted a daughter so bad.”
Nick could see, by the look on his face, Robert was reliving the whole thing.
“Then, she found out there were kids up for adoption, close by, not foreign children. They lived in Danville. I didn’t know much more, but Abby convinced me to go through the process.” He shook his head. “I never would have adopted if I’d known, but Abby brought Emily home as a foster mother and never told me a thing beforehand. Found out at the last minute. Then, I didn’t have the heart to break Abby’s wide open.”
“But, you lived with Emily all those years. Didn’t things change?”
“Of course.” His jaw tightened. “But knowing she could get strung out on drugs was always in the back of my mind. I held on tight. Then Abby died, and my world almost fell apart. If it hadn’t been for Millie, it would have. After that, I lost interest in most everything. Even my daughter.”
Nick eyed him curiously. “But you stayed close to your son.”
He nodded. “True. But boys don’t need a lot of strokes. And Taylor was almost eleven, a bit more than four years older than Emily. He was into sports, something I could relate to, get lost in. Before I knew it, Emily barely spoke anymore and spent most of her time with Millie or at Blue’s when Carolina was in town.”
Nick got up and went over to Robert, placing his hand on the man’s shoulder. “It’s time you reclaim her. Times are tough right now. Don’t let Emily repeat the mistakes you made. Be a real father. Tell her how you feel about her. Now.”
“I love her more than life itself.” He looked away, but Nick didn’t miss the heaving of his chest.
“She needs to hear it.” Nick stood there, not knowing what to do next. “Now’s the time.”
Robert looked up at him. “When are you going to tell her you love her?”
The man had frozen him in his tracks for the second time.
****
Lieutenant sat next to his source at Good Ole Boys and took another bite of his cheeseburger. “I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of these, and I’ve been eating them as long as I can remember.”
“What did you want to see me about?”
Lieutenant glanced at him. “You’re mighty antsy tonight. What’s your issue?”
“You’d be antsy too if you were working twelve-hour shifts with morons.”
“I do. Everyday. Might be scheduled to work eight with an hour for lunch. Clock in eight plus work over lunch, some in an hour early and leave two late. What’s your beef?”
“It’s just seven now.”
Lieutenant rolled his eyes. “Okay eleven hours. Time me from now on.”
“You still haven’t told me what you need.”
“I need you to hurt Millie Franklin.”
“What?”
Lieutenant watched the guy hit the table in anger. “Did you forget who you’re working for?”
“Look, I already hired some lowlife to drive a car at Emily and then sink the fucking thing in Smith Mountain Lake, and now you want me to take out another Franklin woman? I value my life more.”
“Well, think about what I need you to do. Once we get these women off our backs, it’ll be a lot smoother sailing.”
“I have a lot of little shits hanging around, like tonight. What am I supposed to do with all of them while I pull this off?”
“Tell ’em you have to go check on something. Be creative. Do whatever you have to do.”
“Right. These guys are like super glue.”
“Do you still want to be taking in a second paycheck?” Silence met his question. “Okay, the boss says you need to use a diversion called Deputy Decoy. Here’s how it’ll go.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
When Emily got home, she was surprised to see Aunt Millie in her kitchen cooking Brunswick stew. “What’re you up to?” Emily asked. “You know that’s my favorite, but it isn’t my birthday.”
“Can’t I do something nice for you?”
Emily placed her grocery bag down on the counter. “Taylor said something pretty much to the same effect when he unloaded guests onto me.”
“Well, if you ask me, he did do something nice for you that time. He brought Nick into your life.” Aunt Millie grinned one of her too wide, too quick, sneaky smiles. “That’s all I’m doing.”
“I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop.” Emily started to unpack her bag. “Are you going to tell me now or later?” She turned and stared at her aunt again. “This doesn’t have anything to do with Carlos, does it?” At her aunt’s panicked look, Emily began to unpack her bag faster. “They won’t let him come back here as a foster home, is that it?”
“No, dear, that’s not it.” Millie said softly. She walked over and hugged her from behind. “It’s a done deal. He’ll probably get to come back by tomorrow or the day after.”
“Then what is it?”
Millie looked over her shoulder. “What the hell are you going to make, a cheesecake?”
Emily nodded. “Yes, actually. I owe Cal one for the other day. Stop stalling. If you have bad news, go ahead and tell me so I can pour a glass of wine and drink while I’m making this.”
“You hardly ever drink.”
“There’s no time like the present. Talk to me!” Emily began to carry the cold ingredients to the refrigerator. “I’ll make this in a few minutes.” Placing them in there, she turned, her arms crossed. “I’m still waiting.”
Millie wrinkled up her nose and crossed to the kitchen table, flopping unceremoniously in a chair. “Come have a seat. I was hoping Nick would be here so I could tell you both together.”
Emily walked over and sat down across from her. “I think it’s more likely you’ve already talked to him and wanted him to be here for moral support.” She watched as her aunt’s eyes diverted away from her. “Just as I thought. Too bad. You’re on your own.”
“Okay, honey.” Millie sighed. “Blue came to see me about Chris’s investigation. He said I should be the one to explain to you what Chris’s friends found out.”
“Go ahead.” Emily nodded, coaxing her to finish.
She was turning beet red and fanning her face with her hand. “It seems that we were right and there is a big drug ring circulating just out of town.”
“Okay. That wasn’t all that hard, was it? I can’t think why Blue was so concerned about telling me.” She started to get up.
Millie trembled. “There’s more.”
Emily closed her eyes and sat back d
own. “Here comes the other shoe.”
Millie placed both hands on the table. “These guys are a divided lot. All of them don’t know the full scope of the operation. But one thing’s for sure.”
“What?” Emily leaned forward.
Millie rubbed her lips together, carefully choosing her words. “They’re in the woman and child sex and labor trade. Blue thinks Carlos’s mother was targeted, and he believes Carlos may still be.”
Emily knew her mouth was gaping. She couldn’t believe her ears. “They’re kidnapping people? And we have somebody they want who was and will be once more living in this house?”
She nodded. “The last part’s only conjecture.”
“Okay, I really don’t know what to say or how to react.” Emily got up and mechanically walked back to the refrigerator to pull all the cheesecake ingredients back out. Better to be busy in times of agitation. “It’s not Carlos’s fault. He’s still a lonely orphaned little boy with a big heart. We know he’s not addicted to anything as of now. But the danger…shit, the danger is huge!” She threw the cream cheese on the kitchen island. “We could be the targets of having my house burned just as I sarcastically suggested before.”
Aunt Millie shook her head as she crossed her arms. “Don’t you think they’d be smart enough to stay away from the home of a Franklin?”
Emily leaned one arm on the island and stared at her in disbelief. “They weren’t afraid of trying to hit me. You can’t tell me that wasn’t a set-up. Probably because of our nosing into what’s going on around here.” She pointed at her aunt. “You better be careful too.”
She waved her off. “Shoot. They wouldn’t want to come after a fifty-five year old woman. I’m safe.”
Emily gave her the finger. “I guess you’re throwing the young ones like me to those wolves instead.”
Aunt Millie exhaled in obvious exasperation. “Emily, of course not. I just wanted you to know so you’d be careful and we all watch out better for where Carlos goes. For one thing I think someone should pick him up from school and not ride the bus. And secondly, I believe we ought to hire additional security.”
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