by Lilly York
Willow followed Janice to the kitchen and looked around while waiting for her leftovers. They would make a great lunch. In fact, she might think about making those Klobasneks for the coffee shop. She was pretty certain they would be a hit.”
Like most mothers, Janice had pictures on her refrigerator. One of the pictures was of Dean with his arm around a young darker skinned girl Willow assumed was Mimi. “Is this your little girl?”
Janice came to stand behind Willow. “Yes, that’s my Mimi. I miss her so much.”
Willow ran her finger across a picture of Preston with a group of young Hispanic men. She looked a little closer. She was certain she’d seen these men before. Then she remembered. These were the same men who were arguing with Brian the day of the funeral. What in the world is Preston doing with that bunch?
“I see you’ve spotted Preston. Those are the guys who work for him on his farm. They’re a good group of guys. In fact, Clara is related to one of them. I can’t remember which one though.”
“Preston has a farm? I thought he’d always wanted to open a food truck.”
“Oh, he jokes about it from time to time but it’s nothing he takes very seriously. He’s really busy with his farm. Besides, he makes excellent money. He’s a wonderful brother. I’m so thankful for the help he gives me. I certainly wouldn’t be living here if it weren’t for him.”
Willow left in a bit of confusion. She thought Brian was the one employing the thugs from the funeral. How could she have been so wrong?
Chapter 14
Embry read off the list of inventory for the stakeout. “Snacks. Cooler for drinks. Drinks. Newspaper.”
Willow interrupted. “Newspaper?”
Her daughter looked up from her list. “Yeah, you know. If we have to sit on a park bench and pretend we’re reading the newspaper.”
Willow scratched her head while Embry continued.
“Dark glasses, hats, binoculars, camera, video recorder, notebook, phone charger, fake mustaches, and a large empty two liter bottle with a funnel….
“An empty two liter with a funnel?” Willow had a good idea where this was headed.
“Mom, how are you going to make it without a bathroom within ten feet of you?”
“You expect me to pee in that?”
“Well, if you get desperate enough…”
“I hate getting old!”
“Is there anything else you can think of?”
“I think you’ve got it covered. I couldn’t imagine anything else we might need.” Willow watched as each item was placed back in the duffle bag, including the two liter bottle. “We better eat something. Not sure if we’ll get a chance later. Who knows if Brian stops to eat while he’s out.”
Embry rubbed her stomach. “I’m still stuffed from last night. I think coffee will suffice.”
Willow took out the leftovers she was sent home with and popped them in the microwave. “Suit yourself. I’m going to eat a little something.”
The smell got to Embry and she ended up helping Willow finish off the food. Willow let Clover back in. “You realize it’s still dark out, right?”
“Mom, we have no idea what time Brian leaves the house. We have to be in position and ready. We don’t want to miss him.”
“Yeah, yeah. I know. Whose crazy idea was this anyway?”
Embry gave her a dirty look.
They loaded Embry’s car just in case Brian knew what Willow’s Jeep looked like and started off for the city.
She stopped to top off the tank and for Willow to use the bathroom, one last time, before they stalked their prey.
Willow wiped the sweat from her brow. “Should it be this hot this early? This is ridiculous.”
“Mom, we can’t keep the car running. Someone might notice.” As it was, they were cramped in the back seat of Embry’s little economy car. Embry looked up the proper way to run a stake out and apparently the front seat was a big no no.
Thankfully they did not have to wait long. When Brian’s Mercedes pulled out of the drive, Embry was only a few seconds behind him. Embry did a good job of keeping her distance and remaining obsolete. She pulled into a parking space at a café and watched Brian go in for breakfast.
“Can’t we go in? I’m hungry.”
“No, we’ll completely blow our cover.”
Embry grinned “Don’t you want to know if he’s meeting someone? Besides, he doesn’t know me.”
Willow relented. “Keep me posted. And don’t get noticed.”
Embry put a baseball cap on and took the newspaper. “I’ll be back in a jiffy.” She slammed the door behind her and left Willow to wait it out. Not that Willow was any good at waiting. Not really her strong suit. At all.
Finally, after what seemed an eternity, Embry exited the restaurant with a white Styrofoam container in hand. “I brought you something.” She handed Willow the container.
Willow breathed in deeply. “Smells delicious. What is it?”
“Their special. Breakfast burrito.”
Willow sunk her teeth in the tasty breakfast sandwich and listened as Embry filled her in.
“I was able to sit at a table near to his. You won’t believe who he was having breakfast with.”
Willow raised her eyebrows. “Who?”
“Your opera singing crush.”
“Preston?”
“Yep. Seems he was already there waiting on Brian. He already had his plate of food and was half finished when the waitress was taking Brian’s order.”
“Embry, Preston knows you. He’s seen you.”
“Mom, I have no make-up on. I’m wearing a baseball cap. My hair is in a bun. I’m wearing an OU t-shirt and a pair of jeans. I’m about as invisible as I can get. He didn’t even notice I was there. Neither of them did.”
“Could you hear their conversation?”
“Some of it. And yes, Dean was brought up a couple of times. I left before he did so I would keep up my cloak of invisibility.” She pointed to the door. “So, we need to keep an eye out for him. We don’t want to miss him.”
“What else did they say?”
“Something about a new shipment coming in tomorrow. Would Brian be able to take care of it since Dean was no longer among the living.”
“Huh. Preston’s sister did say something about him having a farm. Maybe Brian works for Preston. Although I highly doubt it. I can’t see him slinging slop, can you?”
Embry laughed. “No, although that would be something!”
“For some reason I thought Brian owned his own business. He lives well enough. He has to have some serious money coming in from somewhere.” Willow watched him exit the restaurant and leave the parking lot. “Let’s keep with the original plan. I still think Brian is the key to all this. He knows something.”
Embry followed behind, once again remaining close enough to see where he was going and far enough back to blend in with the rest of traffic.
“You’re going to lose him. Don’t let him get too far ahead.”
“Mom, I’m not going to lose him. I know what I’m doing.”
Willow looked sideways at her daughter. “You know what you’re doing? As in, you’ve done this before?”
“Yeah. I’ve done this before. Maybe not for the same reasons, but I’ve done it.”
“Embry. Why in the world were you tracking someone and why don’t I know about this?”
“Mom, you don’t know everything about me, ya know?” She made a left turn and kept driving. “I was helping a college friend tail her boyfriend. She was pretty sure he was cheating on her and sure enough, we caught him red handed. Well…at least his face was red handed when she knocked on the car window.”
“Oh, that’s terrible. What a jerk.”
“No kidding. That’s why I helped her.”
“Oh, look!” Brian turned onto a dirt road then through a gated driveway. “How are we going to follow him now?”
“How about we drive around a long block and see if we can see anythin
g?”
“Okay”
“And keep your eyes out for any type of covering…in case we have to hoof it.”
“Hoof it…as in walk?”
“Yep.” Embry glanced at Willow’s feet. “You wore your hiking boots, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, that’s the reason I told you to wear them.”
“Oklahoma isn’t exactly known for terrain that you can blend in.”
“Oh, no worries. We’ll be discreet.”
They drove around the country block and found the land was one big property with a nice size house right in the middle.
Willow noticed some workers in a field. “Hey, maybe this is Preston’s farm.”
“That would be my guess.”
The dust from Brian’s car settled near the house. Embry found a turn in from the opposite side of the block near a patch of trees. It seemed to lead into the same field. “Let’s park the car here and see if the workers know anything.”
Willow shrugged. “Okay. I guess it’s worth a shot.” Willow squeezed her thighs together. “Do you think I’ve got enough cover?”
“Mom. Hurry up. I’ll keep watch.”
“Okay, I’ll lookout for you next.”
“Oh, that’s okay. I don’t have to go.”
“No?”
“I went at the café.”
“Ugh! Traitor.”
“Would you hush and hurry up?”
Willow and Embry approached the workers like it was a normal every day activity. Willow spoke nearly no Spanish and Embry was marginally better.
“Hello, hola.” Embry called out as they approached the workers nearest them. They all stopped checking watermelons and stood up, not sure what to think.
It was then Willow had a bright idea. She quietly took out her cell phone and dialed one of the numbers that were on Dean’s list. She noticed one of the workers answer his phone, look at it, then hang up. She did this several times while Embry was trying to get information from the immigrant workers. A few of the calls were picked up by men in the field.
“Now I’m getting somewhere.”
“Mom, they have no idea whatsoever what I’m saying. And the little Spanish I do know is getting no reaction from them.” She looked around at the workers who were all silently staring at the two white women interrupting their work. “Oh, here comes someone. Maybe they can help.”
Willow looked up just in time to see one of the bulky men Brian was speaking with at the funeral heading straight for them, with a gun no less. Brian was not far behind. “Embry, run!”
Both women ran as fast as they could for the car. Someone was shouting behind them, not that they stopped to listen to what was being said. After leaving dust flying everywhere, Embry was the first to catch her breath. “Mom, what in the world is going on? Why would that guy have a gun?”
“I don’t know, Honey. I’m not altogether certain it was for self-protection either.”
“Do you think they recognized us?”
“No, I don’t think so. At least I hope not.”
Embry’s hands were still shaking and she was barely doing the speed limit when a car came up behind them out of nowhere. She thought they were passing when instead, the car pulled up next to them and matched their speed. “Mom! Mom! They caught up to us.”
Willow looked over and Preston was behind the wheel. “Embry, pull over.”
“What? Are you crazy?”
“I said pull over. This is going to stop.”
Embry brought her car to stop and just stared straight ahead. “We’re going to die. I’m never going to fall in love. I’m never going to get married. I’m not going to have kids.” She looked at Willow who was already half way out of the car. “Do you think Marshall will come to my funeral?”
“You’re not going to die. At least not today.” Willow shut the door and marched over to Preston’s car. “What do you think you’re doing? You nearly scared Embry to death. I could pummel you. That is my daughter you’re messing with.”
Preston opened his mouth to speak but the words didn’t come.
“What do you have to say for yourself? Did you mean to scare the snot out of my daughter? Did you want her to drive off the road and flip her car and kill the both of us? Is that what you wanted?”
“I…I…didn’t know it was you. I swear. I got a call that we had some women trespassing and they gave me a description of the car. I saw you turn and decided to follow…I didn’t mean anything by it, I promise.”
“I should hope not. We’re going home now. And tell your guard, or whoever he is, if he ever points a gun at me or my daughter again he’ll wish he had never lived.”
Willow marched to her daughter’s door, opened it, then led Embry to the passenger side and tucked her safely in. She took Embry’s place and left a speechless Preston to wonder exactly what had just happened.
Chapter 15
Willow paced, still dealing with what she had put her daughter through, as she waited for Steve. When the doorbell rang, she nearly jumped out of her skin. Clover’s bark gave her a little bit of peace of mind. If anyone was truly after her, at least they knew they would have a loud obnoxious dog to deal with. She looked out the peephole. “Steve.” She flung open the door and threw herself in his arms and started sobbing. “I almost killed her. They were chasing us with guns. Embry was driving and they nearly ran us off the road.”
“Woah, slow down, what are you talking about?” He held her close still to comfort her before pulling apart so he could see her face.
Between blowing her nose a thousand times and the off and on again crying it took nearly an hour to get the whole story out.
“So, Preston has armed guards and most likely illegals working in his watermelon fields?”
“Yes, you should have seen them. They were so scared, Steve. They didn’t know what to do. They didn’t know if we were there to arrest them or kill them…or what we were doing there. They didn’t know what to think. Before the guards came for us I tried some of the numbers from Dean’s call list. It was them. He was trying to call the workers. I don’t know why.”
“Things are starting to make sense. But I have to ask, what were you thinking? Why did you follow Brian?”
She hiccupped. “I thought he would have answers. He seemed the most likely, the shadiest. I still think he’s to blame.”
“There’s no doubt he has his hand in the pot so to speak. But to what degree and how hot is the water? That is what I want to know.” He tipped her chin. “These are dangerous men, Willow.”
“I didn’t think they would do us any harm. I just thought maybe we could find something out.”
“Willow, if Preston is capable of killing his nephew and Brian his best friend, what would keep them from hurting you and Embry?”
She started crying all over again.
He gently held her. “Where is Embry?”
“She’s sleeping in my bed. I doubt she’ll be able to go home tonight. She might even need counseling. There goes her inheritance.” The waterworks started once again.
Steve was thankful Willow couldn’t see his smile. “Oh, I don’t think it’ll come to that. We need to figure out how we can catch whoever is responsible red handed.”
“Oh…Preston asked Brian to handle an incoming shipment that’s due in tomorrow. Do you think that it’s something illegal? Maybe drugs?”
“I have my guesses. For now, why don’t I make you two something to eat and sit here with you for a while? Embry isn’t the only one who needs comforting.”
Steve set about making the only thing he knew he could do well—omelets. He found everything he needed in Willow’s refrigerator while she went to check on Embry.
The smell of bacon sizzling brought both of them out of Willow’s bedroom.
Embry smiled and gave Steve a hug. “I’m really fine. It got a little scary. I thought I was going to die, but, overall, I had fun.”
He shook his head. “Both of you, sit do
wn.”
He placed plates before them then carried his own to the table and joined them. “Bon appetit.” He bowed his head for a few seconds then dug in.
When all three finished their meal, Embry asked what each one was thinking. “What now?”
Steve wiped his mouth with his napkin then said, “I think today proves you both need to let this go and let the police do their jobs.”
Embry looked from her mother to Steve then back again. “Mom? The police have the wrong person. Are we okay with that?”
Willow sighed. On one hand, she didn’t want to do anything to jeopardize the well-being of her daughter. On the other hand, they really did have the wrong guy. Yeah, maybe Chester needed a swift kick in the pants but he didn’t commit murder. She was now 100% certain of it. “Honey, more than anything I want you safe.”
“So, that’s it then? The most important thing is us? What happened to everything you’ve taught me in life? To give and think of others? To do what’s right? So, as long as I’m safe all that thinking is good but if there’s any risk at all—forget it? I’m sorry, but I can’t do that.”
She got up and stomped to the back bedroom.
Willow sighed. “She’s right, ya know? I didn’t raise her to quit when things got tough. That’s not the way we do things.”
Steve moved his chair closer to Willow. “Willow, you know what they’re capable of. Dean is dead. So is Bridget. Whatever’s driving these people is worth killing over. I don’t want anything to happen to you. To either of you.” He gently touched her face. “I’ve just found you. I don’t want to lose you.”
Willow felt her eyes gloss over. It had been a long time since anyone spoke to her in such a way. She blinked away the tears. “I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t stand by my convictions. I admit, I was hoping you could convince Embry to drop the whole thing, go home, have a good cry and then get on with life. But once she was safe, I had every intention of finding the murderer. I wasn’t going to let this go.”