by Kit DeCanti
Ron flushed and muttered “Fresh kid!”
Eating the crackers off the table was a habit he picked up in college. It was a way to curb your appetite, so you would get full fast, and could get back to studying. Now it’s ‘back to work’, but he didn’t think any one ever noticed. He looked around, and was glad that no one else seemed to have heard her. He wolfed down his burger and fries, dropped a five and a ten at the counter, and called out to the hostess and left before he ran into the waitress again.
“Pretty pathetic when a big bad deputy is intimidated by a smart mouth little waitress!” he scoffed at himself as he got into his patrol car, deciding that from now he’d eat lunch at the Cactus Grill. They had a great patio too. And even though it was known for their great Tex-Mex cuisine- they also had excellent burgers.
As he sat in his patrol car, he called his home phone for messages. His step dad’s voice said “Sorry son…”.
Hearing that Phil Norris still had no hits on births under any combination of the known names Heather used, caused another frown to darken Ron’s face.
As Ron started out to make his rounds around the lake, he was trying to think whom a young girl interested in family law would meet at the library. Not an attorney- he would already have the answers. He snapped his finger, “A private detective!” he said out loud. Where would she look for one? He pulled over at the next phone booth, and looked in the yellow pages. None listed in Lake County. “Hmm,” he thought of another avenue.
The Record Bee had announced that there would be a memorial service for Heather Logan AKA Williams the following day at 1 P.M. He was already planning on skipping lunch to attend. He now decided to bring a ‘date’. He turned the car around and headed back to the library.
CHAPTER NINE
Jack
Wednesday, April 4th , 2007
The next day, a very flustered librarian sat next to Ron in the back row of the funeral chapel. Ron was glad that the funeral parlor was so close to his home, he had been able to change out of his uniform, so as not to be so conspicuous. Ron had met the librarian early and took the seats close to the door, so they could see everyone as they walked in.
Soon, a short stocky man around thirty-five came in and sat a few seats in front of them. The librarian nudged Ron, “That’s him!” she whispered- too loudly. The man obviously heard, and looked back, and got up and walked quickly out a side exit.
Ron was right behind him. He caught up with him, around the block, where the man had parked behind a construction sight. As he was trying to get his older sedan unlocked, he fumbled and dropped his keys. Ron put his boot over them, as he asked, “What’s your hurry?” The man paled.
“How do you know Heather?” Ron snarled. Sweat broke out on the man’s forehead, and he looked like he was going to run, so Ron identified himself as a deputy sheriff. The man slumped back against his car. He was literally dripping in relief. “Well, he’s not a ‘caller’,” Ron thought.
“I know the two of you met regularly at the library, to research adoptions and trust funds. Now I want some answers!” demanded Ron.
Sure enough, the guy was a private detective. He gave Ron his card. Jack Moran. He worked for a licensed PI out of Sonoma County, who mostly handled car repossessions. But Jack said he was trying to break out into more interesting and profitable cases. He told Ron that his cousin, Cindy, had referred Heather to him. He said, “Heather was looking for a kid that was stolen from her, and trying to get an inheritance out of her uncle’s control.”
When Ron asked, “What did you charge her?” the wannabe PI’s face turned red.
“Look, I didn’t collect any money from the girl. I agreed to contingency. I didn’t break any laws. I’m licensed!” Ron took his collar and said, “Let’s get this straight, Jack, if you are a repo man, you are licensed only to do what your boss assigns you to do. You can’t moonlight on his license, unless you let him in on your cases... and I’m sure you did that- right?” By now the PI’s face was purple.
“Look, I’ll tell you everything I know! I was just trying to break out on my own… I can’t afford to loose my job over this.” Ron loosened his grip, and told him to get in the car, and Ron slipped in on the passenger side and took notes while the guy laid out Heather’s sad story.
“She had gotten pregnant about a year and a half ago, and her uncle sent her to a private hospital, under an assumed name, to have the kid. She only got to hold him once, before he was taken away.
“They told her he died, but Heather was certain he was healthy. She was sure her uncle forged adoption papers. He wanted her inheritance to stop with her. Heather was also sure that her uncle had plans for her as well, so she left the hospital and never looked back. Except to try and find her baby.”
Jack paused, and then said, “That’s why I took off, back there, when I heard the librarian point me out to you. I thought the uncle sent you after me!” Then Jack continued with the story, “Heather had enough in her own bank account to live on for a couple years, so she drew the money out and closed the account; and she bought a new name on the internet. Sad how she took her father’s first name, as her last. She told me that she had to find her son, and give him her father's name, and make sure he was taken care of. She was desperate. She said she didn’t have much time. I thought she was sick. You know- dying.”
“Did you find her baby?” Ron asked. The PI wannabe looked proud and said, “No, but I put her on the right path. I found the adoption agency. I’m glad I was able to help her with that.”
“What about the trust fund?” Ron quizzed Jack.
“Nah, she had to get a lawyer for that. It was over my head. But she promised to pay me, when she got it out of her uncle’s hands.”
“Where’s the baby?” Ron asked. Jack shook his head, “I don’t know for sure- I just found the adoption agency the uncle used. The attorney was going to force them to open their books, he was going to file the papers for her to reverse the adoption and get her son back- if that’s what she decided to do. Mainly she wanted to find him, and make sure he was okay. And she wanted him to have her father’s name. That was important to her”
“What about the baby’s father? Where’s he?” Ron wanted to know.
Jack shrugged and said, “Heather never had a chance to tell him. He is in the Persian Gulf somewhere. Poor dog! She didn’t want to put more on him than he already had. The way I look at it, having a kid might make his life a bit brighter, something to hold on to… to stay alive for. But that’s just me.”
“Guess this guy’s not all jerk,” thought Ron. He asked about the attorney, but Jack didn’t know for sure, “Someone local. Cindy might know- they use to be roommates.”
Ron’s eyes squinted. “You may be able to help us out on this, Jack. If you’re serious about wanting to break into the business, it wouldn’t hurt to stack up a few favors with cops.” He paused and decided he better talk to Lenny first. “Don’t say anything to your cousin for the time being. Not to anyone.”
Ron gave Jack his TracFone number and said to call him if he thought of anything else. “I’ll call you later,” Ron added, as he opened the door to leave. As he was getting out the engine started then Jack was gone.
Ron wondered how far he could trust Jack, but he also knew unless he enlisted his help Jack would tip off his cousin Cindy. Although Ron wasn’t sure yet, his gut feeling was that ‘cousin Cindy’ and ‘receptionist Cindy’ were one and the same. So until he figured out just how much the retreat was involved, he didn’t want Jack to talk to Cindy.
Ron scrambled to get changed and back on the road. He had used up lunch and both breaks, talking to Jack. But it was worth it. He would meet up with Lenny later and fill him in.
As he headed down Highway 29, he thought about how good it had worked out that both he and Jack were early for the memorial service. No one else had arrived yet, so he was pretty sure Cindy hadn’t spotted him talking to Jack.
Ron hoped that there was at least a small
turn out for Heather. He needn’t have wasted his worry on that. Nothing brings out the mourners more than a tragedy. And nothing is more tragic than a girl giving up on her life at such a young age.
Thursday April 15th, 2007
Ron studied the pictures of Heather’s memorial in the Bee as he was having his first cup of coffee. He was able to pick out several people from the retreat. He was surprised to see that the speaker was none other than Dr. Fleming. That was one memorial talk he wished he hadn’t missed.
Turns out, he didn’t have to. According to the paper, the funeral home videotaped and sold copies of all their services. “Morbid!” Ron grimaced. But he called and ordered a copy. He used the name Tom Smith. He still didn’t know who paid for the services, but he had a hunch Cindy knew, so he wanted to stay off any list of mourners.
When Ron had met with Lenny the previous night, Lenny instructed him to follow his gut with Jack- but Lenny didn’t want to meet with him. Ron was glad, because he thought it best that if it went sour, at least Ron was the only one with his neck out. They both had agreed that it could be a plus to have an inside connection to the retreat. And as it stood, Jack was the only option. So Ron called Jack and arranged to meet him later that evening in Santa Rosa, near Jack’s apartment. He figured that even though Jack was from out of the area, and the risk of being seen with him was slim, he didn’t want to chance it.
Ron met Jack at a fast food place off the main drag. He talked to him for forty minutes before he felt confident enough to lay out the plan.
He wanted Jack to find out which attorney Heather had, and if Cindy had any idea about who paid for the funeral.
And one other thing: if Cindy had any insight into whether it was an actual suicide. Ron gave Jack a TracFone and a prepaid card, and said, “Only use this phone when you call me. And leave the generic message on the voicemail. ”
The men walked to their cars, and as they were shaking hands Ron said, “If this works out, I might be able to find more work for you. Work that pays more than a hamburger and a free cell phone,” Ron grinned, but he was being sincere. If Jack was on the level, and helped with this case, he would definitely owe him one.
Ron decided to take in a show while he was in Santa Rosa. Not that he had anything against the theatre that a local philanthropist built for the Clearlake community; in fact he loved it. He just didn’t feel like driving home right now. So he headed for down town Santa Rosa.
He had missed the early show, so he had some time to kill. He parked his car near the theater and walked to the mall. As he walked through the mall, he stopped to look at a funny holiday window display in a comic book shop. It was Cat Woman and Bat Man with baskets of Robin eggs. He chuckled and started to back up when a voice from behind him said, “Hey watch it buddy! You’re only allowed to bump into me once and get away with it!”
Ron spun around and found himself, once again, falling into those beautiful blue eyes. Although his head immediately started to spin, he steadied himself. He wasn’t going to miss another opportunity.
Following her lead, he quipped, “How did you know my name?”
She smiled and didn’t miss a beat, “Oh, I’m pretty good at guessing names. How ‘bout you?”
Ron couldn’t drop the ball now, he glanced back at the window display, and casually said, “You look like a… Kat.”
“Not bad,” she purred, “… not bad at all. So tell me Buddy, do you live down here or up by the lake?”
“I live in Clearlake,” he said, “and you?”
“I live down here, but I grew up in Lake County. My Mom still lives up there, and I usually spend spring break up there. There is so much to do, but every time I turn around my family is trying to fix me up; so I hit the road early this year.”
“Yeah, I know the feeling,” Ron said, through a wide grin. “What is it about people that makes them feel obligated to try and marry off us happily single people?” His heart was singing, “She’s single!” But he kept the banter going with, “I think it’s more along the lines of being jealous of anyone who can take off and walk through a mall alone at 8:30 at night- not having to answer to anyone… “
She jumped in, “Yes! They are jealous, and they’re trying to take that away from us happily single people!” She laughed, a laugh that made Ron’s heart sing even louder.
“So… umm... Buddy, where are you heading?” she asked coyly, looking at him through thick lashes.
“I was considering a movie, and you?”
“Same.” They stood there smiling at each other for a moment, and without a word started walking towards the exit nearest the show. They walked through the darkened streets, talking and turning corners as they kept each other laughing. They never did make it to the theater.
The night air was getting chilly, so at one point Ron stopped at his SUV, pulled out his black leather jacket and put it on her. They continued walking and talking and laughing. It was as if they had a bantering marathon going- each playing off the other’s last statement. Always calling each other ‘Kat’ and ‘Buddy’. Soon they were laughing so hard their sides hurt. Although he hated to, he finally walked her to her car. The red Miata! “Nice,” he said.
“Don’t think you can get to the car through me,” she said. “It belongs to my roommate. My car is in the shop. You’ll have to date me, for me, Buddy.” At that she wrote down her phone number and stuck it in the pocket before returning his jacket. Her perfume still clinging to it.
Ron drove his SUV over highway 29 with the moon roof open to the stars. But the real stars were in his eyes. He had finally met her. Blue Eyes! Kat! How ironic that he picked that name to call her- the same name he gave his imaginary fiancé. But it seems to have stuck.
Ron had a hard time falling asleep that night. It was more than her eyes, now, that haunted him. It was her face. Her smile. Her walk… Her! As Ron finally drifted off to sleep her laughter was like music in his head singing to him.
CHAPTER TEN
Some Answers
Thursday, April 5th , 2007
Clear Lake danced in the sun as Ron drove around the lake on Highway 20. Once again the lake was mimicking his mood. His mind was on Kat. Could she be real? Had she been thinking of him, too? Could she be the one? Did she have the same feelings he had when they were together last night?
Whatever the answer to these questions, Ron was content with the feelings that filled him at this moment. He wanted to hold on to them. To relish them.
Poets wrote about these feelings. Songwriters wrote songs about these feelings. He saw movies where actors acted out these feelings. But Ron had never personally experienced such strong feelings of attraction. No- it was more than attraction… He laughed at himself. “Okay, Ron! Get a grip,” he said. But in spite of his effort to get his mind back on business, his mind drifted back to the previous evening- and Kat.
Lenny had noticed a difference in Ron earlier when they had met up in the orchard for Ron to be bring Lenny up to speed about the meeting with Jack.
“What’s up?” Lenny had asked looking at Ron carefully. Ron tried to attribute his good mood to feeling that the Boggs Mountain case was finally getting somewhere. “Son, we’re a long ways from celebratin’,” Lenny had said and had scrutinized the young rookie closer.
Ron was feeling transparent, so he had quickly gone over the plan he had made with Jack, and left. He didn’t want to have to answer any questions- nor take any ribbing. He didn’t want anyone joking about him and Kat. But he couldn’t keep the smile off his lips, so he had avoided his fellow workers as much as possible the rest of the morning.
There was an incident at the county park that required several cars; and another one later, across the lake in Clearlake Oaks. So it was business as usual the next time his path crossed Lenny’s. Still when he was alone in his patrol car he found himself whistling.
Midday a call came in from the Mendocino Forest, near Lake Pillsbury. A hang glider was stranded in a mountain crag, and called from his
cell phone. As Ron expected, by the time he drove out there, the sheriff air rescue team had already pulled the daredevil out of the crag with the helicopter, and the sky was again full of hang gliders. Even so, Ron was happy to have the chance to take this drive. “Seems every road in the county leads to someplace beautiful and interesting!” he thought. He stopped at the quaint little general store with a bar in back, near Lake Pillsbury, and enjoyed hearing stories of their past. The area was a regular getaway for celebrities in the 1950s and 60s.
Ron’s shift finally came to a close, and he was able to go home and call Kat.
Two hours later he was still staring at the phone. “What if it wasn’t the same for her? What if she was just passing the time, and I just happened to be there? What if she is like that with everyone? Or worse! What if she thinks I’m just a joke?” He started to pace. He wanted so badly to call her and ask her out for tomorrow night. But he was afraid of having the bubble he had been floating around in all day bursting in his face.
He couldn’t bear that.
Finally, the decision was made for him. His cell phone rang and it was Jack. “Hey Joe, I found a good attorney for that problem you have,” speaking in code, Jack gave him the name of the attorney Heather had consulted. “That’s all I got so far, but may have something big pretty soon.”
“Just blowin’ smoke,” thought Ron. But out loud, he said, “Good work Jack! I’ll be waiting.” To himself he added, “But not holding my breath!” Before he hung up he said, “Call when you get anything else.”
Checking his watch, Ron dialed the number of the attorney. The attorney was out. Ron didn’t want to leave his name on the voicemail. After giving it further thought, Ron thought he had better turn this one over to Lenny. Being local, Lenny might know this guy well enough to talk off the record. He called Lenny’s cell phone, and set up a meeting.