Chapter 7
ACROSS THE LAKE, two men entered a dilapidated cabin in a run-down camp. One man sat on a cot, the other on a chair at the rickety table. Ten years earlier, the camp had been a summer retreat for members of a Methodist church group. Now eight cabins had rotted floors and cracked roofs. Only two of them were still usable.
“Damn, but we were lucky to find this place where we can see Tall Pine Camp.” The young, sandy-haired man who had attempted to get in the boat with Maggie put a pair of binoculars to his eyes and looked out over the water. “Looks like the women are in the cabin while Wright talks to the old man.”
Frank, the bald man with the thick black mustache, leaned back against the wall and rested his elbow on a decrepit table. “Damned bad luck Wright showed up when he did. We could’ve had that gal, got our information outta her, and been on our way by now.”
“Aww hell! She’s just a kid. She probably didn’t know nothin’ anyway. Even if she did she’d be too scared to tell us.”
The older man laughed heartily and slapped himself on the knee. “If I didn’t know better I’d say you had a soft spot for the kid. Have you already forgotten she tried to break your hand with that oar?”
“Can’t blame her for tryin’ to protect herself.”
As the two men watched the activity at the camp, the sun slowly lowered itself in the west. Scarlet streaks in the lazy clouds spread across the glassy surface of the lake, reflecting the heavens in the water. Still, the two men watched. “They’ve just got to know where Harold is,” the older man mused. “Ain’t he the kid’s guardian or somethin’?”
“Nope. It’s the older sister. If we can get the information we want, we won’t have to kill her.”
“Don’t go soft on me now, Webb. It didn’t bother you to shoot that bank guard in Chicago.”
“Hell, no,” Webb swore. “But that business was different. That fella was gonna shoot me and I was just protectin’ myself. This is just a kid. I ain’t gonna kill no kid.”
“Maybe it won’t come to that.” Frank Rice stood up and stretched. A petty crook out of Chicago, he was rumored to be part of the Chicago mafia; Frank did little to dispel the rumors. His whole life had been spent in the protection racket. Ruthless and violent when he needed to be, Rice had lost his conscience long ago.
“Hope not.”
“At least we know what we’re up against. The way I see it, it’s Wright and the feds. From what I heard about Wright, he works alone and is like a bulldog after a bone. Don’t even know why the bastard does it. His granddad’s loaded. If I had that money, it’d be nothin’ but easy street.”
“Maybe the old fart won’t give him none.” Webb picked up the folded Little Rock paper and looked at the story about Harold Conrad’s disappearance with the money and jewelry. He’d read the article a dozen times and could swear he knew it by heart. Who would have thought it would come to this? When an associate who had jewelry to fence had contacted Webb, he’d thought it would be just another job. Then Harold Conrad didn’t show up at the arranged meeting place and everything changed.
Now that he was involved, the one thing that Webb regretted was that he’d been paired with Frank Rice. The man had the reputation of being ruthless. He feared that Frank would have no reservations about killing one of the girls in order to make the other one tell him what he wanted to know, and they’d be sought for murder.
Frank snatched a bottle of whiskey off the window ledge. He took a deep pull of the liquor and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “Ernie’s gonna visit his wife tonight and find out what she knows. Seems like it’s gettin’ harder to hold him in line. He wants outta here.”
“What about his wife?”
“What about her?” Frank growled.
“She’s gonna have his kid, ain’t she?”
“Yeah, but he ain’t none too thrilled about it. She keeps naggin’ at him to settle down and get a regular job. Problem is, ain’t nothin’ regular about Ernie.”
“I can’t see him settlin’ down, but it ain’t nobody’s business but his. He shoulda thought about all that before he knocked her up.”
“His problems don’t have anything to do with what we have to do here. All he’s got to do is his job. He better not skip out now. We need all the information we can get from over there. His old lady’s talkin’ to those women. We’ve gotta know what’s bein’ said.”
“What do you make of that fella unloadin’ lumber at the camp? Coulda been a delivery man.”
“We’ll know after Ernie visits his wife.”
“I suppose you’re right,” Webb said as he got up out of his chair and snatched his hat off the table. “Let’s go to town. Ain’t much we can do till Ernie gets back. Besides, I want a cold glass of beer.”
“That shitty beer they serve tastes like horse piss. I want a bottle of booze.”
“Might as well eat, too,” Webb said as he headed for the door. “You can’t cook for shit.”
Simon and Jack sat on one side of the table while Nona and Maggie sat across from them. Mabel had outdone herself preparing the meal. She had fried pork chops, fresh green beans, and new potatoes. As a pan of golden brown corn bread was placed on the table, Simon let out a grunt of appreciation.
“You wouldn’t be interested in getting married, would you, Mabel?”
“If you were twenty years older, I might give it a thought,” the older woman answered with a grin and a wink. “As you are, I think you’re a little young. I don’t want another kid to raise.”
“I’d be a lot easier than the two you have.” Simon looked at Nona just as she rolled her eyes toward the ceiling.
“It’s getting pretty thick in here,” she said.
They enjoyed the meal too much to talk. The clinking of silverware was the only sound that could be heard in the cabin. Nona, with a worried frown on her face, glanced at her sister. Maggie had been unusually quiet and had done little more than move her food around on her plate.
“Aren’t you hungry, Maggie?”
“I wouldn’t be hungry either,” Mabel said, “if I’d drunk four bottles of pop.”
“Mabel! Do you have to blab everything?” Maggie grinned to soften her words.
Jack gave Mabel a deep smile as he reached for the plate of corn bread. “I must say that I haven’t had a meal this good in a month of Sundays.”
“I told you she was a good cook,” Simon said, then forked green beans into his mouth. “Once the word gets out, people will be flocking to the camp just for Mabel’s cooking.”
“Once word gets out?” Nona frowned. “Are you planning on advertising?”
“Sure. We can be ready for deer season.”
“Have you agreed to this, Mabel?”
“Now, now, you two. All of this talk is putting me on the spot,” Mabel said uneasily. “I’m not yet sure what I’d like to do. I know I’d like to have the job, but I won’t leave you and Maggie. You’re my family.”
“I know, Nona,” Maggie said excitedly. “You could marry Simon and we could all stay here.”
A flush of embarrassment spread across Nona’s face. It was a feeling that she was, unfortunately, getting used to. “Maggie, you say the darnedest things. I don’t have the slightest interest in marrying him.”
“That’s not very good for my ego.” Simon frowned.
“You’ve got plenty of ego to spare.”
“Who’s up for custard?” Mabel asked as she got up from the table. All that Nona could do was stare at Simon, the grin on his face nearly sending her temper through the roof.
“She likes me,” he said to Jack.
“I can tell.” The man chuckled. “You seem to have a way with women.”
“I don’t know why Nona doesn’t like him. I did right away.” Maggie glanced at her sister’s set face and knew that she was irritated. Heck, she’d been angry from the moment Simon arrived! “I’m just glad he was there on the dock today. I wasn’t afraid at first, but when that fella gra
bbed hold of the boat, I got scared quick!”
“You did real good, squirt.” Simon chuckled. “You swung that oar like you were going to hit a home run!”
“I don’t even care if I broke his fingers. I wish I’d hit him upside the head!”
“Next time, kiddo.”
“There won’t be a next time,” Nona said firmly. Frankly, what had happened on the dock didn’t strike her as a laughing matter. She’d been nearly scared out of her wits. “Who were those guys? Did Russ know them?”
“No. He’d never seen them before.”
“Let’s hope we never see them again!”
Mabel brought back the custard and they all took a large helping, even Maggie, her sweet tooth not completely satisfied. Each bite was a treasure, and hearty congratulations were given to the cook.
“Are you from around here, Jack?” Nona asked after the table was cleared.
“Not exactly,” he said, his voice a soft, smooth drawl. “My brother and I have a cattle ranch over in Oklahoma. But I’ve been here quite a few times hunting and fishing.”
“If you have a ranch, why are you doing handyman work?”
“Well, that’s a tricky one,” he said as he rubbed his fingers across his stubbly chin. “See, I kept telling Simon to buy this camp, but he made me promise to help him with the repairs. When he finally bought it, I was stuck.”
“So you already knew Simon when you helped me in town the other day?”
“Yes, ma’am. But I wasn’t sure you were the same Miss Conrad who managed this place, although I should have guessed as much. Simon told me the manager was a beautiful red-haired lady. I sure didn’t see anyone in Home with hair redder than yours.”
“I suppose I should say thanks.”
“I certainly meant it as a compliment.”
“Your hair is beautiful,” Simon added. His gaze was intense.
“I’m thinking of dyeing it black.” Nona frowned.
“Now, why would you do something like that?” Simon frowned. “I like it just as it is.”
“This hair is on my head, not yours. I’ll do as I please.”
“You’re just being stubborn.”
“That’s just how she is,” Maggie said through a mouthful of custard.
“Don’t talk with your mouth full,” Nona scolded.
“She’s cute when she’s embarrassed, isn’t she, Jack?” Simon teased.
Nona got up from the table and reached for a clean plate. Everything that came out of that man’s mouth annoyed her! He truly seemed to get pleasure out of irritating her. Trying to put him out of her mind, she said, “Dish up some supper for Mrs. Leasure, Mabel, and I’ll take it down to her.”
“Not without me or Jack you won’t,” Simon interjected, his protective side exhibiting itself. “I don’t want any of you women to go out of the house after dark. If you have to use the privy, all three of you go together.”
“This isn’t the military,” Nona chided.
“He’s only trying to protect us,” Mabel argued as she handed Nona a plate of food. After filling a bowl with custard and putting it in a basket, she covered everything with a cloth. “I know she has milk.”
Gathering up the basket, Nona headed for the door without a word. She heard the scrape of Simon’s chair behind her. His arm grabbed hers and brought her to a stop before she could go down the steps. He never said a word, his eyes searching the area around the cabins. When he saw nothing, they started down the path to LeAnn’s. He held her elbow close to his side in a tight grip. She tried to pull away, but he refused to allow it.
“I can go by myself,” she insisted.
“I thought you would have realized it after what happened to Maggie today. You shouldn’t be prowling around by yourself.”
Her mind flashed back to the sight of the men in the boat reaching out for her sister. A sickening feeling filled the pit of her stomach and her heart beat with fear. What if something were to happen to Maggie? Would she be able to endure it? Would it be her fault for not telling Simon about the package?
Moving through the darkness in silence, they’d nearly reached LeAnn’s house when Simon stopped abruptly.
“What is it?” Nona asked breathlessly. Her eyes looked about her, but she couldn’t see anything in the inky black night. Simon’s warnings had alarmed her, and she wondered what lurked out there, waiting to strike. When she looked up at him, she was surprised to see him staring back at her unworriedly.
“How long have you been taking care of your sister?”
“Practically her whole life. Our mother died when she was only three years old. I was still in school, so Daddy hired a woman to take care of Maggie, but it didn’t work out very well. When Daddy died, she came with me.”
“Are you her guardian?”
“Yes. I’m the only one she has left in this world who cares about her. I’ve done all I can to give her what she needs, but . . .” The words trailed off as Nona looked away. Why was she telling him this?
“But what?” he prodded.
“Daddy thought that he had left enough money to take care of us, but somehow it all disappeared.”
“Harold,” Simon said, the word not a question but a statement.
Nona couldn’t bring herself to contradict him. He was too close to the truth. Unfortunately, she’d had no proof that Harold had lost their inheritance, but she’d seen enough of her half-brother’s devious ways to know he was capable of stealing from his own family.
“You’ve had it pretty rough, haven’t you?” Simon’s hands reached down and gently pulled her chin up until her eyes were looking directly into his. Even in the dim light, she swore she could see a glimmer in his gaze. Surprise filled her. This was an all-together different side of Simon Wright. The sly grin and flip manner were gone. Instead, his brows were drawn together as if in deep concentration. He and Harold were as different as night and day. She tried to look away but found that she couldn’t.
“Why are we standing here?” she managed to ask.
“I don’t rightfully know. I guess I just had the urge to look at your face. Once we get back to your place, you’ll make yourself scarce. I wanted to be alone with you for a little while.”
His quiet sincerity caught her unaware and she felt her face flush. As she stood there looking up at him, she could say nothing, her breath caught tightly in her chest.
“What’s the matter?” His words floated closely over her face.
Like a spell being broken, words tumbled out of her mouth. “Nothing and everything. It’s just that I don’t understand all of this. I thought you were sorry you had hired me and that the sooner you got rid of me, the better you would like it.”
“Is that what you think?”
“Well . . . ,” she began, but he hushed her by placing a finger against her lips. Without understanding why, she didn’t try to get away from him. For a moment, she wondered if, in that light touch, he could hear the pounding of her heart.
“What would you say if I told you I want very much to kiss you?”
“I’d say you were taking advantage of the situation.”
A warm smile spread slowly across his face. “After some of the situations we’ve been in together, I’d say that it’s about time I did.”
He took the basket of food from her hand and set it on the ground.
Chapter 8
NONA FELT HER BREATH CATCH in her throat and her insides go warm with pleasure as she looked into Simon’s quiet face. He leaned slowly toward her and she didn’t back away. His lips settled gently on her mouth with sweet provocation. A lovely feeling unfolded in her midsection and traveled slowly throughout her body. When the kiss ended, Nona was disappointed; she wanted it to go on and on.
“I’ve wanted to do that for a long time,” Simon’s voice whispered from near her forehead. Nona leaned back and his green eyes caught and held her confused blue ones.
“You’ve only known me a week,” she said breathlessly.
“One week, one year, ten years. What difference does it make?” He laughed softly. “I like kissing you as much as I thought I would. You like it, too, but you’re too stubborn to admit it.”
“Okay . . .”
“Okay, what?”
“So I like to be kissed once in a while, no big deal.” She tried to sound nonchalant, but her voice was shakier than she would have liked.
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Bending down, Simon picked up the basket and took Nona’s elbow in his hand, but, before he could take a step, a dog growled. Cochise, Simon’s black Labrador retriever, was looking off into the darkness between LeAnn’s cabin and the one next to it. The dog’s hair was standing up on his back as the guttural sound came from his throat.
“What is it, boy?” Simon set the basket down and put his hand on the dog’s head. When the dog continued to growl, Simon stared into the darkness but could see nothing; the thin crescent moon offered little light. “Did you see a coon?” He spoke quietly to the animal. The dog fell silent and began to wag his tail.
“Was someone back there?” Nona asked.
“It could have been Russ.”
“Why would he be back there?”
“Good question. Maybe it was Sam Houston.”
“Maggie wouldn’t have let him out.”
“Whatever it was, it’s gone now.” As Cochise moved off into the tree line, Simon urged Nona toward the steps of LeAnn’s cabin and up onto the stoop. He rapped on the door.
All was quiet from inside, the only noise coming from the cicadas singing in the woods. Nona had never been at the cabin when LeAnn didn’t have the radio on. “Knock again.”
Simon thumped hard on the door with his fist.
“Who is it?” a small voice called from inside the door.
“It’s me, LeAnn,” Nona called cheerfully. “Mabel sent you some supper.”
The door opened a crack. A woman’s face appeared, and then the door opened a little wider. LeAnn Leasure was a small woman, except for her rounded belly. Wheat-colored hair was pulled back tightly from a worried face. Her clothes were shabby, but clean. “I’m a little scared at night,” she said meekly.
On Tall Pine Lake Page 7