The Battered Body

by J. B. Stanley

  As he didn’t want Milla to see Lucy take Wheezie away, James slapped his cup on the table and hurried over to his parents. Handing his father the keys to the Bronco, he ordered them to go straight home.

  “Russ has been caught and Chloe’s just fine,” he told Milla when she began to protest. “I’ll check on her right away, and then I’ll call and tell you what I know.”

  “All I know is my darling van’s been in an accident! But your friends are telling me that reporter girl actually saved my niece’s life by crashing into it.” She rubbed her eyes wearily. “Jackson, honey. I had no idea that living in Quincy’s Gap was going to be so … so exhausting!”

  “Take Milla home, Pop. I’ll take care of everything here.”

  With his parents gone, James relaxed a little. Lucy had thoughtfully waited for them to drive off before helping Wheezie into her coat and leading her by the arm to the Jeep. Anyone observing the two of them would simply believe Lucy was kindly chauffeuring an old and rather inebriated woman back to her hotel. In fact, most of the guests left the party without having the slightest clue that something other than the celebration of wedding nuptials had occurred.

  “Is there anything we can do?” Lindy asked James once all the guests were gone. “The twins left to look after Lottie, and we can take down the decorations tomorrow …”

  “You should all get some rest.” James embraced Lindy and Gillian and slapped Bennett on the back. “I’ll go down to the station because Wheezie confessed to me, and if she’s gone quiet all of a sudden, I’ll be able to fill them in on how she and Russ DuPont killed Paulette and Chase.” He rubbed his tired eyes. “Besides, I think I’ll bring Chloe to my parent’s house to sleep. My old room still has a bed in it and she might not want to be alone tonight.”

  “The poor girl must have been terrified!” Gillian exclaimed. “She’ll need to be completely cleansed of this experience. Perhaps I should drop by early in the morning with some incense and tea.”

  “Pop wouldn’t let you in bearing those items,” James said with a smile, and he then felt a wave of affection for his friends sweep over him. “Before you all go, I want to say thank you. Not just for throwing this party, but for always being there for me. You’re the best friends a guy could have.”

  Lindy’s eyes grew wet with tears. “And this is what friends do, James! We support each other, protect one another, and stick together no matter what.” She put her arm around his waist. “This investigation’s had an ugly ending, but we’ll get through it. If you or Milla or Chloe need anything, remember that we’re just a phone call away.”

  On their way out the door, James saw Gillian walk over and lay a hand on the cold glass of the stained window depicting a lion and a lamb. The animals were resting on their bellies with their heads bent toward one another.

  “What a tragedy,” he heard her say. “Revenge could never have brought them peace. Only forgiveness can do that. And now the ripples of violence have spread out across the surface of our little pond.”

  “Woman, there ain’t gonna be no more ripples,” Bennett declared firmly. “What there’s gonna be is more snow. Come on, I’ll take you home.”

  Home is all James wanted too. The only furniture he could afford in his new bedroom was a bed and a single nightstand, but he had slept soundly for the past two nights and would like nothing more than to crawl between his soft sheets and roll himself like an enchilada inside his down comforter. Instead, he took the stuffed trash bags out of the kitchen and placed them in cans outside the back door, turned the lights off, and headed to the jail.

  Deputy Glenn Truett directed him to a small office, recorded his statement, and gave him a few papers to sign. Knowing that James would ask, Glenn told him that Lucy, Donovan, and Huckabee were busy interviewing Wheezie and Russ DuPont.

  “I’ve never even seen this guy,” James muttered darkly as he handed Glenn the forms. “That makes everything that’s happened to us since before Christmas feel unresolved. I mean, Russ DuPont’s murdered two members of Milla’s family, yet he’s still a total stranger to me. To all of us.”

  Glenn stood and escorted James toward the station’s front door. “You’re not gonna see him now either.” His mouth formed a conspiratorial smile. “I will tell you that he’s a nasty piece of work. He’s back there rantin’ away with Donovan and Huckabee. Shoutin’ and carryin’ on somethin’ fierce.” He opened the door for James and gestured for him to leave. “So you can see him all you want at the trial, though it’s gonna be a short one. Twelve kindergartners could pronounce that boy guilty in about five minutes.”

  “And Wheezie?” James couldn’t help himself, but he hated to think of the old woman lying in a jail cell, her body aching and her mind addled.

  “I imagine she’ll be in some kind of hospital by tomorrow. She ain’t well, and we can’t give her any of the drugs she says she needs.” Glenn held out his hand, allowing a cluster of snowflakes to fall like confetti on his palm. “It’s right hard to see the state the old lady’s in, but if you take up a sword against justice, you gotta pay the price.”

  Eyeing Glenn with interest, James also reached out into the snow. “I’d like to take Chloe to my parents’ house. Can’t I at least wait for her?”

  Glenn shook his head. “She’s gonna be a while, but I’ll run her over there myself. You have my word on that. Goodnight, Professor.”

  James drove home through empty, slick streets. His body was beyond tired and it felt good to slip off his clothes and put on a pair of flannel pajamas, but his mind was too unsettled for sleep. Knowing what Gillian would recommend, he boiled some water and, after fixing himself a cup of chamomile tea, sat down at the kitchen table. He turned off all the lights and sipped his tea while gazing out the window at the snow.

  “Tomorrow, everything will look fresh again,” he whispered, knowing that the picturesque scene he and his friends and family would wake to might serve as a slight restorative, but the days and weeks ahead would be filled with pushy reporters, questioning neighbors, and court dates.

  Normally, James would have trudged to bed feeling gloomy at the thought of such challenges, but the clouds on the horizon were silver-lined. Milla would hurt, but she had Jackson to comfort her. Lindy had Luis, and Bennett, Gillian. Lucy claimed to be completely fulfilled by her job and if that were truly the case, then her February would be both busy and rewarding.

  And I have a new mother, four best friends, and Jane and Eliot to see me through, he thought, wrapping himself in the knowledge that he was loved by such a remarkable group of individuals.

  As their precious faces floated through his mind, sleep sneaked into James’s room and carried him away.

  James checked his watch again. It was almost five in the afternoon, and he was itching to leave the library. However much he loved his job, he was much more excited by the prospect of being the first person to step inside Quincy’s Whimsies before tomorrow’s Valentine’s Day grand opening.

  He was just about to head back to his office in order to collect his coat and lunch box when Lottie walked through the front door. James had only spoken the words “no comment” to Scott’s former flame as she’d been relentlessly harassing the Henry clan in an attempt to obtain a statement about Russ and Wheezie’s arrests. After calling James at home and at work, staking out the library, and even accosting him in the grocery store, the pushy reporter was one of the last people James wanted to see.

  “Don’t you dare come in here and start pestering me. I’ve told you before that if you want the story on Russ and Wheezie to go ask them yourself. I won’t set eyes on Russ until our court date, so just drop it,” he growled as soon as she approached the desk. “You’re a pariah, you know.”

  Lottie held up a red gift bag in one hand and made a peace sign with the other. “I’m not going to ask you about the murders anymore. Murphy’s back in town, and she’s taken over the story and everything else.” Her tone belied a hint of resentment. “I’m back to covering do
g shows and farm auctions, even though I ran the whole paper while she was off on her book tour.”

  “I guess journalism is a cutthroat business, even in a small town,” James replied without sympathy.

  To his surprise Lottie declared, “Well, this reporter is moving to a new small town. I still want to work at a newspaper, but not if I lose everyone I care about in the process.”

  “Where are you going?”

  Lottie smiled. “To Warren County. It’s far enough away that I won’t offend people in this town anymore, but close enough for me to see Scott. That is, if he’ll see me.”

  “You moved for Scott’s sake?” James was impressed. Maybe there was more to Lottie than he thought.

  “Is he here?” She looked around nervously. “I’ve got something for him before I go.”

  James pointed to the section of audiobooks. “He’s putting some new materials on the shelves. You can’t see him from here because he’s deep in the stacks, probably busy in the nonfiction section.”

  As Lottie moved off, James saw Mrs. Waxman removing a pair of galoshes in the lobby. “All that melting snow! It makes such a mess,” she said as she breezed past the security gate. “And it’s supposed to drop below the freezing mark tonight. I certainly hope the sun comes out for Milla’s big day tomorrow.”

  “Me too. I’m going to check weather.com before I leave.” James darted back to his office and examined the local forecast for the upcoming weekend. He was interested in the freeze warnings, but he was also reticent to leave Scott without knowing whether the young man would need someone to talk to. Francis was off on an office-supply run and probably wouldn’t return for another half an hour, so if Scott required a sympathetic listener, James was it.

  Relieved to discover the sun was supposed to make an early appearance the next day, James read some uninteresting e-mails and was just about to shut down his computer when Scott entered the room. Smiling, he pointed at the red gift bag.

  “Look who came back to us, Professor!” He whipped Glowstar out of the bag with a flourish. “He’s had quite an adventure! Hey, that could be a cool video game. Where’s the Elf ? A Holiday Scavenger Hunt. I’ll have to bat the idea around with Francis.”

  “I’m very glad to lay eyes on our resident elf again,” James answered, searching Scott’s face. “But I’m more pleased to see you happy. It hasn’t been the easiest winter for you.”

  Scott collapsed into one of the chairs facing James’s desk. “You and me both.” He dug around inside the bag again. “Lottie asked for a second chance, Professor. And you know, I’m going to give it to her. I really, really like her, despite how she’s acted.” He shrugged. “We’re in our twenties. That’s when people are supposed to make big mistakes while they’re figuring out what kind of lives they want to lead, right?”

  James laughed. “I don’t think there’s an age cap on mistakes, Scott. But if you truly care about her, then you’ve made a good decision.”

  “Thanks, Professor. I knew I’d have your support.” He pried the lid off a box of chocolates and offered them to James. “Lottie and Willow have been hanging out lately. Willow taught her how to make truffles. Awesome, huh? Want one?”

  It took a masterful effort for James to shake his head. “I’d better not. When I saw Dr. Ruth yesterday, I was two pounds heavier than when I first met with her.”

  “Well, you have been through the wringer, Professor. So you ate a pizza or a piece of cake here and there. It’s not like you did drugs or turned to liquor when things got tough.”

  Smiling, James said, “That’s pretty much what Dr. Ruth said. Besides, I plan to get back on track. I am totally motivated. I want to be able to chase Eliot around the yard in the spring, dash through the sprinkler in the summer, and dive into big piles of leaves in the fall.”

  “Ah, speaking of time flying.” Scott gestured at his watch. “I know you’ve got someplace to be and that you were just waiting to see if I was all right. Thank you for that, Professor.”

  “You can make it up to me tomorrow. Buy Lottie’s Valentine’s gift from Quincy’s Whimsies!” James said, threw on his coat, and drove half a mile to Milla’s new store. He parked right in front and knocked on the locked door.

  Willow opened it a crack and whispered, “Milla just got here. She went to visit her sister in the prison hospice again.”

  “She’s a saint,” James murmured. “Did she read to her again?”

  “Yes. Walt Whitman and the Bible. Wheezie’s been speaking to Reverend Emerson too. There’s been a lot of talk between the three of them about forgiveness. So there you have it. Milla’s a saint and a magician. Wait until I turn on all the lights and then you can see for yourself.”

  James turned his back to allow Willow to make her preparations. “Come in, darling!” Milla’s voice called out and James stepped into a fantasy land.

  His first impression was of rainbows. The entire ceiling had been covered by lengths of gauzy fabric in vibrant colors and the carpet below was awash in pools of colored light. Plain white shelves were stocked with beautiful handmade pottery, candles, and luxurious bath products. A picnic table to the left of the entrance was covered with Valentine’s Day–themed gift baskets for men, women, and children. As James moved deeper into the store, he noticed that Milla had decided to incorporate a section of locally crafted toys. He ran his palm over a hand-carved wooden train, a checkerboard, and a display of puzzles featuring several popular children’s names.

  On a wall above the toys hung darling artist smocks, bibs, and burp cloths. The children’s apparel merged into a beautiful assortment of aprons, tea towels, and embroidered hand towels. Floral and toile oven mitts and potholders came next, and it wasn’t until James wove his way back to the center of the store that he noticed the lengthy glass case stuffed with candy, jams, and sauces.

  “I knew I smelled chocolate!” he said, inhaling the divine scent.

  “Free samples for our first fifty customers!” Milla trilled and handed James a plastic bag tied with a pink ribbon containing several chocolate hearts.

  James embraced his stepmother. “This place is magical! You did it, Milla! No one will be able to resist this store!”

  “I hope not,” Milla replied with a twinkle in her eye. “Because my life’s savings is invested in this place. But it’ll be worth every cent when I see my grandson’s face when he comes through that door.”

  “Then you’d better look sharp,” Willow warned. “I see the Volvo pulling into a parking space.”

  “Oh my stars!” Milla patted her puffy hair, touched her pink-flushed cheeks, and smoothed her apron, which was covered by red hearts on a field of chocolate brown.

  Jane and Eliot slowly opened the front door and craned their necks as they tried to absorb all the colors and products around them. Eliot bypassed the gifts and toys and headed right for the candy counter.

  “Grandma!” he yelled. “Is all this candy yours?”

  Milla chuckled as she gathered the boy in her arms. “No, dear. Grandma’s selling it. But you can have a small bag of whatever candy you want.” She looked over Eliot’s head at Jane. “I’ll let your mama decide how much you can eat before dinner.”

  Eliot jumped up and down in excitement and then instantly grew still as he examined the selection of truffles, heart-shaped chocolates, rock-candy lollipops, toffee bites, chocolate-dipped strawberries and apricots, and oversized conversation hearts. “I like the hearts with the words, Grandma.”

  “One order of hearts with words coming right up!” Milla buried a silver scoop into the tray of hearts and dropped the pastel candies into a bag. As she prepared to tie the sack with the store’s signature pink ribbon, Eliot ran behind the counter and cried, “Wait!”

  Concerned, Milla bent down and said, “What’s wrong?”

  Eliot gestured for her to come closer, and then he leaned forward and whispered in her ear. Milla nodded in understanding, grinning at being in on a secret. “Got it.” She rummaged throu
gh Eliot’s bag and then placed a single green heart into the boy’s hand.

  Walking purposefully to the front of the counter, Eliot marched up to James and beckoned for him to come down to his level. James immediately acquiesced and then followed Eliot’s command to hold out one of his hands.

  Eliot placed the green heart, which read Love Ya, in the center of James’s palm and said, “This is for you, Daddy.”

  A bolt of joy shot through James. Daddy! It was the first time Eliot had called him that. Tears sprang into his eyes and blurred the image of the green heart.

  “Is it okay if I keep this instead of eating it?” he asked his son when he could speak.

  “Sure, Daddy.” Unaware of the happiness he had given his father, Eliot then ran over to his mother and gave her a white heart. She kissed him on the cheek and popped the heart in her mouth. While Milla showed him the wooden toys, Jane took James’s trembling hand.

  “I will never grow tired of hearing him say that,” James whispered to Jane and wiped his eyes.

  Jane smiled. “I do believe it’s time to host a sleepover. Is tomorrow too soon?”

  “No,” James answered. “Tomorrow is perfect.”

  The next day, there was a line of people waiting to be let inside Quincy’s Whimsies. Whether it was the ad in the Star announcing free samples of chocolate or the bright winter sunshine that caused people to show up en masse by ten o’clock in the morning, James drove by a sidewalk crowded with potential customers and honked his horn at his friends and neighbors.

  He spent the day assembling a wooden bookshelf to hold Eliot’s books, which he then covered with two coats of forest green paint. When Eliot arrived, James led him into the kitchen and the two of them cooked up some herb chicken nuggets and heart-shaped sugar cookies. After a dinner of nuggets dipped in honey mustard and a side of peas, James allowed Eliot to frost a heart cookie and cover the icing with red, pink, and white sprinkles.

  “Can I play Legos before bed?” Eliot asked once all that remained of his cookie was a pile of crumbs.