by M. S. Parker
Chapter 21
I was distracted all day Wednesday, so much so that I accidentally spilled some glitter we were using for a project and got it all over the black skirt I’d worn to work. I’d barely managed to keep myself from swearing. Bad enough that it would take forever to get all of the glitter off of my clothes, but worse was that I had a meeting right after school with Henley and the Lockwoods. After I was done with that, I was supposed to stop by the police station to answer a couple more questions about the arson.
It was going to be an absolutely awful and drawn-out day. I had a feeling both the cops and the Lockwoods had chosen it for the middle of the week because they knew I’d be tired going in and knowing that I still had two more days left in my week would make it even worse.
I’d tried to get all of the glitter off of my clothes, but one look at the Lockwoods told me that I’d missed some. Henley at least had the decency to ignore it.
“Mrs. Lockwood, please sit.” He pulled out the chair next to him and ignored the glare from May Lockwood that said she didn’t appreciate his addressing me with that title.
Once I was settled, he glanced at me and I nodded. I just wanted to get this whole miserable day over with so I could go home and pretend like it never happened.
“We’re here to see if we can possibly come up with a solution that both parties will agree to.” Henley looked across the long table at each of the Lockwoods in turn, finally stopping on their attorney.
They had quite an impressive looking little line going on. May and Gregory on either side of their lawyer. Marcus and Alice were both here, of course, but without their spouses. Marcus sat next to his mother, Alice on her father’s left side. It looked like some sort of bizarre Christmas card.
“My clients are willing to concede to Ms. Shae all monetary attributes she entered the marriage with, as well as her full salary during the time she and Allen were living together. They are willing to also concede half of the possessions purchased during the time the two were living together.”
The arrogant look on the lawyer’s face was almost enough to make me want to just walk out. Instead, I folded my hands on my lap and reminded myself to behave.
“As they are willing to look beyond the single year of marriage to include the years when Allen and Shae were living together and engaged, I believe that’s quite a compromise on their part.”
“Is that so?” Henley’s voice was flat and I suddenly realized that he was just as offended by the offer as I was.
That made me feel better and I leaned back, content to let him handle it. He wasn’t going to give in.
“Mr. Tribble, your clients have absolutely no legal standing to contest this will, and you know it, which is why you’ve come forward with this pathetic excuse for a compromise. The marriage between Shae and Allen Lockwood was legal. They entered into it without a prenuptial agreement. They combined their bank accounts and both names are on the deed to the vineyard. Both cars have their names on them, one as the owner, the other as the co-signer.”
“She made him do that.” May finally broke her silence.
I was surprised it had taken her that long to put in her two cents.
“She’s a gold-digging whore who weaseled her way into my son’s life and took everything.”
I gritted my teeth and stayed silent. My temper had been more under control lately, but the Lockwoods brought it out in me.
“Mr. Tribble, please remind your client that such accusations could be considered slander and I might be inclined to file a lawsuit against her for defamation of character.”
May’s face turned a funny color, but she held her tongue.
“Now, Mrs. Lockwood has authorized me to offer her in-laws Allen’s trust, minus the portions earmarked for someone other than herself.”
“What portions?” Gregory spoke this time. He wasn’t yelling, but it was clear he wasn’t happy either.
“Allen left some of his trust to various charities, but the remaining amount would still be quite substantial.”
“That’s our family’s money,” Marcus snapped. “She has no right to it, and neither does anyone else.”
“What about the rest?” May spoke up. “The vineyard and the money Allen earned from it?”
“The vineyard is my home,” I said quietly. All eyes turned to me and I raised my chin. “Allen bought it for us. Losing it is not negotiable.”
“Not negotiable?” Gregory’s voice rose. “That vineyard belonged to my brother. It’s part of the Lockwood legacy.”
“Your brother willed the house to Allen,” Henley interrupted smoothly. “That wasn’t contested at the time the transfer took place.”
“Because I believed it would be kept within the family, given from my son to my grandson.”
The pained look on Gregory’s face was almost enough to make me feel sorry for him. Almost. If I’d thought for a single moment that he was actually mourning the grandchildren he’d never have, I might’ve been inclined to be sympathetic to what he said he wanted. But I knew Gregory Lockwood, or at least as well as I could considering we’d rarely spoken during the eight years Allen and I had been together. That alone would’ve been enough for me to know that the actual reason for Gregory’s comment was that he was obsessed with his legacy, his family line. It didn’t matter that Marcus had two sons to carry on the family name. He’d wanted children from Allen too. His own little dynasty.
“Don’t you have enough money?” May practically snarled. “After all, you have your nice little insurance policy now. A million dollars seems like enough to buy yourself a nice new home. Somewhere else.”
I didn’t bother to ask how they knew about the policy. They had private investigators. “I’m giving the money to charity.”
“You’re what?” Alice spoke for the first time.
“I’m donating the life insurance policy to charity. I didn’t know about it, and I don’t want to keep it.” I glanced at Henley and then repeated my previous statement. “I’m keeping the vineyard. I’m keeping the money that Allen and I earned together.” I stood up. “If you want the money in Allen’s trust, you have to respect the wishes in his will about the charities. But you’re welcome to my part of it.”
I took a moment to enjoy the look of shock on the Lockwoods’ faces, and then I turned and walked out. I didn’t want to go talk to the cops, but at the moment, they were preferable to my in-laws. I trusted Henley to take care of everything else. He ’wouldn’t let them bully him into making me give up something I didn’t want to lose.
I didn’t bother calling the police station to see if Reed and Rheingard were in. It wouldn’t break my heart to put off seeing my favorite two detectives again. Unfortunately, as soon as I walked in, I was directed by the desk sergeant to a pair of desks near the back of the station.
“Mrs. Lockwood,” Rheingard stood. “I didn’t think you’d actually come see us.”
Reed stayed where he was, but he gestured towards the empty seat across from him. I sat down and took a slow breath.
“Do you have anything new on the fire?”
Reed folded his hands on his stomach. “Actually, Mrs. Lockwood, we do. We found accelerant on the ground and on the vines.”
“So it wasn’t an accident or the weather?”
“No,” Rheingard said. “Your foreman was correct. It was arson.”
“So, Mrs. Lockwood, why don’t you tell us, again, what happened that morning?”
Detective Faris Reed was a dick.
For two hours, Reed and Rheingard made me retell everything I’d told them before. Then, they asked questions about what I said. Every little bit, as if the questions would make my answers any different. Then they started on other questions that seemed like they could be about the arson, but I knew better.
They wanted to know if I’d been drinking the night before. What time I’d gone to bed. Had I been taking tranquilizers or sleep aids since the death of my husband? Any other medications. Was it usual for m
e to sleep that late?
Then came the ones I knew they were really interested in, the question Mitchell had been so ready to ask.
Had I really gone to bed alone? Had I woken up alone?
Then they branched out further.
Since Allen’s death, had I been involved with anyone? Gone on a date? Been sexually active?
My face flamed, but I answered their questions. They hadn’t yet officially closed my husband’s case and I didn’t know if it was because they were just busy with other things, dragging it out for the Lockwoods’ sake or if they actually had questions. I knew, though, that if I balked at these questions, they’d make things with Allen’s case even more difficult. It had only been because of Henley claiming religious reasons that I’d been able to get Allen’s body released for the funeral.
“So there aren’t any angry ex-lovers out there?” Reed asked. “Men who might’ve thought they were entitled to more than you were going to give him?”
“No,” I said firmly, but without any of the anger I felt towards the question. “Allen’s the only man I’ve ever been with. I’ve taken no lovers, gone on no dates or even hinted to any man that I’d be romantically interested in them.”
Jasper’s face flashed behind my eyes and I felt the ghost of his kiss. I pushed the thought away. That wasn’t what had happened. Jasper and I were just friends. We mourned Allen together. Emotions sometimes ran high. That was the explanation I’d given myself. The detectives didn’t need to know any of that. Jasper hadn’t set the fire. I was sure of very little at this point in my life, but that was something of which I was certain. I could trust Jasper.
“What about at work?” Rheingard asked. “Is there anyone at work who might wish you harm? Or at least harm to come to your property?”
The other teachers may not have entirely approved of my teaching style or been overly friendly with me, but none of them would’ve done anything like this. The worst I’d ever have to deal with from them would be gossip, and that was just a fact of life, no matter who I was. In fact, I was a bit surprised that there weren’t rumors about Jasper and me already. The security company Jacques had hired had been discreet indeed.
“Not at work,” I answered.
“Elsewhere then?” Rheingard leaned forward, having caught my specific wording.
I wasn’t as skilled at playing games as people like the Lockwoods, but I wasn’t unintelligent either. I knew that if I came out and accused the Lockwoods of arson without provocation, I’d come across as the woman my in-laws had always claimed I was. If I got the detectives to ask, especially after the meeting with the family today, I could make it a bit more plausible.
“Well,” I purposefully hesitated.
“Spit it out.” Reed glared at me. “We don’t have all night.”
I swallowed my smart reply and went on with what I’d intended to say. “My late husband inherited the vineyard from his uncle and now that he’s gone, my in-laws...well, they want to take my home from me.”
“And you think they set the fire? As, what, a warning?” Reed asked.
That was exactly what I thought had happened. They hadn’t wanted to completely ruin things if they didn’t have to, but they also wanted to make sure I knew that they were willing to do more than file a few lawsuits. I couldn’t come out and say it that way though. The Lockwoods weren’t from around here, but they had their reputation, and friends in high places, or at least friends of friends.
“I don’t know,” I said. “All I know is that they’re the only ones who are angry at me right now, and a good part of it is about the vineyard.” I shrugged and tried to look almost embarrassed. “Maybe something got out of hand.”
Reed and Rheingard looked at each other and then back at me.
“And you can’t think of anyone else who might want you to leave the vineyard?” Reed asked. “Maybe this Jacques Rohner?”
I shook my head, annoyed that they’d dismissed my thoughts so quickly. Maybe I’d have a look around myself, see if I could spot something that might give evidence of my suspicions. I wasn’t sure the detectives would find it themselves.
And the questions continued.
Chapter 22
I’d liked Jasper’s idea of donating the money and I’d been serious about considering the clinic as a possible recipient. Then I’d announced my intentions to donate to charity in front of the Lockwoods. Even if I did have second thoughts, I wouldn’t be able to back out without the Lockwoods using it against me.
They hadn’t been happy with my announcement, and I knew they’d try to find something negative about it, try to use it to make me look bad. The smart thing to do would be to find the most inoffensive charity possible and give them the check. Nothing religious, of course, because that’d end up coming across as being something against their religion. Maybe something like cancer research. With my family history, I doubted they’d be able to put a bad spin on things.
But as much as I loved supporting those kinds of charities, I knew what I wanted to do. And knowing that it would piss off the Lockwoods just made it all the more appealing.
I didn’t do it right away though. Again, I wasn’t stupid.
If I gave the money to Jasper just a couple days after the fire, after he spent the night at my house, and the day after I had a confrontation with the Lockwoods, it would look like I was up to something. I could just see Reed and Rheingard saying I’d used the insurance money to pay Jasper to set the vineyard on fire and then blame the Lockwoods.
By Friday, however, I’d decided that I at least had to tell Jasper about it. I hadn’t seen him all week, but we’d talked a couple times and he hadn’t sounded like things at work had been going very well. He hadn’t gone into detail, but it was hard to get Jasper to talk about himself. He was more concerned with how I was doing. After all he’d done for me, I wanted to do something nice for him.
So, after I got home from work, I called him. I didn’t just want to tell him what I wanted do over the phone. I owed him so much more than that. Besides, I thought, it would be nice to see him under less than traumatic circumstances. I needed some normalcy that involved interaction with other people.
“Do you have any plans for tonight?” I asked once the usual niceties were done.
“No, is something wrong?”
I chuckled. “Always assuming I’m calling because something’s wrong.”
“Well...” His voice trailed off, not needing to finish the thought.
“Well,” I said. “That’s why I’m calling now. I’m going to take you out to dinner as a thank you for all the help you’ve given me since...” I made myself say it. “Since Allen died.”
I waited for the sharp pain, but it didn’t come.
“You don’t have to thank me,” Jasper said. “It’s what friends do.”
“And friends also take other friends out to dinner to show gratitude,” I insisted. A thought hit me. “Unless you really did have plans and you just said no because you thought I needed help.”
“No,” he said. “I don’t have plans. Dinner sounds great.” He paused, and then said, “Just a minute.”
I heard him hold the phone away from his mouth, so the words were muffled, but I could still understand him.
“No, Georgia, I’ll come in tomorrow and do my paperwork.”
Another pause.
“No, I don’t need you to come in. I can take care of it myself.”
I heard a woman protest, but couldn’t tell what she was saying. After a moment, Jasper spoke again.
“Thank you, Georgia. You have a good night.”
Then he was back to me.
“I can meet you at the restaurant in ninety minutes. Would that be good?”
“Perfect,” I said. I could even get a jump start on my grading before I headed in.
“So, where are we meeting?”
“Same place as before?” It was a nice restaurant, but not romantic, which was perfect. He agreed and we said our goodbyes.
Instead of getting out something to prepare for dinner like I usually did when I got home from work, I started to work on the papers I had to grade over the weekend. I couldn’t stop myself, though, from checking my watch every so often to make sure I left enough time for me to get ready. Considering how Jasper had found me crispy from the sun and then covered with dirt and soot, I actually wanted to look presentable tonight.
With forty-five minutes left before I had to meet him, I gave up on grading and headed upstairs to shower and change. I wasn’t going to dress up for Jasper. That would be weird. But, this was the first time I’d been out since Allen’s death, the first time I’d dressed up since...the night the three of us had gone out.
I frowned. Had it really been that long? Most of the time, it seemed like Allen had just died yesterday, that each morning was a reminder of what I’d lost, but tomorrow would be three months.
I sat down on the edge of the bed. Three months? For a teacher, summer vacation often went by fast, but without Allen, each day had felt like it had dragged on for years. Now, it seemed like it hadn’t been that long since I’d seen him. At the same time, that last night out with him and Jasper felt like a lifetime ago, before everything had been turned upside-down.
I wasn’t sure which was worse, I thought as I headed into the bathroom. Feeling like it had been so recent, or realizing just how long it had been. What would Allen have thought about how I was doing? It was the first time I’d thought the question and it gave me pause. I knew he wouldn’t want me to be sitting around the house and moping. He’d want me to be going about my life normally.
I just didn’t know what normal was without him.
He hadn’t just been my husband. He’d been my best friend. The person I’d talked to when I got home from work. The one I’d gone to with my fears and my dreams. I’d never been a very popular kid back in Utah, but I’d had a couple friends through school with whom I’d been relatively close. When we’d all moved away for college, however, we’d drifted apart. Now, we were little more than Christmas card friends. There’d been no rift and I knew if I’d moved back to Utah like they had, we’d be able to pick up right where we’d left off, but I didn’t want to go back. I’d been gone too long. I didn’t belong in that conservative little town anymore. I wasn’t sure that I belonged here either though.