by Wendy Davy
No satisfaction could be found in watching people he had grown to care about hurt and upset. Tension radiated throughout his body. His shoulders tensed and a low burn settled in his stomach. His head throbbed in unison with his heartbeat. Martin Connor had refused to speak to him in the adjacent room, said he owed it to Victoria to tell her first what happened. It had been his plan to let Connor and Victoria speak anyway. He wanted to watch closely for Victoria’s reaction, so he let it be. He would watch her, study her expressions to gauge for himself how much she knew, or didn’t know. James knew that she could not hide her emotions. She was an open book for him to peruse. He took a long swallow of lukewarm coffee as he paced the room like a caged panther. And waited.
The exchange began as he expected, with an apology from Connor. “I’m sorry, darlin’.”
“Gramps, tell me what’s going on. They said we’re under arrest for moon-shining. That’s so ridiculous, didn’t people stop doing that years ago?”
“As a matter of fact, no. Listen to me closely,” Gramps said as he reached for Victoria’s hand. “Your hands are like ice.”
James watched as Connor held her hands and rubbed them to warm them in a kind and gentle motion.
“Just tell me, please.” Victoria’s shiver could be seen clearly from the other room.
“I won’t make excuses, darlin’, but before I tell you, you must know I never meant to hurt you. I never thought it would go this far.”
“What would go this far?”
Gramps appeared to choose his words carefully. “I needed money. Since the condo’s, town-homes and houses along the lake have been popping up like wildflowers, the land taxes have skyrocketed. I couldn’t afford it on my retirement. I also couldn’t be the one to lose the property that’s been in our family for generations. I owed it to you, and your brother and sister, to keep it alive. I was desperate, darlin’.”
“Why didn’t you tell me? I could’ve helped.”
“On a teacher’s salary? No, and I don’t take no handouts, ‘specially from my baby girl.”
“So, what did you do?”
“An offer came along that I couldn’t refuse. It paid well, very well. I figured I wouldn’t be hurting nobody so I took it.”
“What was the offer?”
“At first? All I needed to do was buy sugar, drop it off in the woods in different locations, and I would find a pile of money waiting for me the next day in the woods behind the farm. It seemed simple enough and it paid the bills. But then…” Gramps shook his head and sat back as he let go of her hands and said, “Then it got bad.”
James watched Victoria’s face pale. She turned so white he thought she might pass out. He heard a tremble in her voice as she said, “Explain, please.”
“I never meant to put you in danger, darlin’. I never thought it would come to that.”
At the mention of a threat to Victoria’s safety, James stopped pacing and held himself rigid, waiting for clarification.
“Danger?” Victoria turned a shade whiter. She rocked in her seat and steadied herself by grasping the table tightly.
“Yes, at first they were satisfied. I gave them what they wanted, I got the money. No problem. Then they began demanding more from me. More than I was comfortable with. After all, I saw no harm in buying sugar here and there, nothing illegal ‘bout that. But as they wanted more and more, I told them I was through. I decided that it was getting too risky and I didn’t want to hurt anyone. Mostly not you, darlin’.” Connor leaned forward again, fiddled with his fingernails. “That’s why I had to keep on doin’ what they wanted.”
“What do you mean?”
“They threatened to hurt my family, you, if I didn’t do what they said. They sent me pictures of you. At work, at home. You see, they knew I couldn’t go to the sheriff, knew I wouldn’t risk them harming you. They made very specific threats. So, I did what I had to do.”
“What did they want from you?”
“More sugar. Much more. It was too much for me. I didn’t want to do it anymore. I realized my mistake, but it was too late. Then they wanted me to expand and buy hog feed for them and other equipment. I was trapped, darlin’. I wanted out, but I was trapped.” Gramps shuffled his feet under the table and sighed. “I was too late in tryin’ to get out.”
“You may have been too late from the first time you bought sugar for them. What’s the hog feed for?”
Connor waved his hand absently. “It’s used in distillation of moonshine. Anyway, I had no choice. And when you decided to come live here, I thought maybe I could keep a better eye on you. I keep my shotgun loaded now. I can’t tell you the number of night’s I’ve waited up, watching the cottage, just in case one of them fellas took a notion to hurt ya.”
Victoria gave a half laugh. “I was the one that was supposed to be watching over you.”
“I know.” Connor shook his head. “I know.”
“Who are they, anyway?”
“That’s just it. I don’t know.” Connor hung his head low. “I haven’t met them face to face.”
“So you haven’t actually made any moonshine?”
Gramps’ head shot up. “No, I haven’t. I wasn’t interested in selling the stuff, darlin’, I just wanted to save our home. And I do consider it ours. Shoot, it’s as much yours as it is mine.”
James watched as tears began to fall from Victoria’s eyes. “Gramps, if you had only told me I could have helped you. I have some savings.” Her breathing hitched. “And what about Dad? He and Mom could have helped. He’s your son.”
“I don’t take handouts, darlin’.”
James heard the deep pride in Connor’s voice. He watched as Victoria slammed to her feet, knocking over the chair.
“That’s just plain stubborn Gramps.” Her anger erupted through her words. “You give and give, and won’t take anything back. Why wouldn’t you let us help you? Now…” Victoria waved her arms around as she turned in a circle, tears flowing heavily. “Now we are under arrest and will probably loose the farm anyway, all because you couldn’t ask for help.” High on emotion she paced back and forth for a few moments before leaning her hands on the table and saying, “I moved here to help you, and that’s what I’m going to do. But I need you to know I’m sorry too!” With vehemence, she slumped in her chair.
James watched intently. He braced himself for her next words. What could she be sorry about?
“You didn’t trust me enough to tell me. You could have at least told me what was happening.”
James watched as she gave in and buried her face in her hands and wept. Sobs shook her shoulders, tears, wet and slippery, dropped off her face to land on the scarred table.
He knew then, without a doubt, she was not a part of the scheme. His gut instinct had been right, she was innocent. Relief and regret came to him in powerful waves. He wanted her to be innocent. Now he knew it, without a doubt.
James remembered how he jumped to conclusions when he found the sugar in her cottage. His own anger had blocked out her denials, he had treated her roughly and without remorse. Connor and James may be on opposite sides of the law, completely at odds with each other, but regret was one thing he and Connor had in common.
He continued to watch as the exchange heated up. He planted his feet firmly on the floor to stifle the urge to go in there and comfort Victoria, to give her his own apology. Determined to let the two of them finish the conversation, he waited and returned to his stealthy pace, back and forth across the worn, checkered linoleum floor.
“I’m so sorry darlin’. I’ll make it right,” Gramps promised.
After several deep breaths, Victoria dried her tears on the sleeves of her shirt and swept her hair back from her eyes. She shook her head sadly and said, “I don’t know how you can. Right now, I can’t tell you which hurts the most. James’ betrayal, or yours.”
A Matter Of Trust
A Matter Of Trust
Chapter Eight
Victoria paced the interrog
ation room while biting her nails. James had taken Gramps away again. Betrayal and hurt tore through her. Exhaustion racked her body. She daydreamed a moment, of lying in bed and pulling the covers up high over her head and blocking out the world. She knew she couldn’t hide from the truth, but entertained the comforting thought anyway.
Victoria rubbed at her red, swollen eyes. So many tears had flowed from them that they felt crispy and raw. Her dry throat screamed for moisture. She pushed aside her thirst, not wanting to ask for a glass of water. She just wanted to be left alone. The two men in this world she loved the most had each betrayed her in very different ways. Maybe she could sort this out with time. Maybe the hurt she was feeling now would dissipate. It didn’t seem so at the moment.
She stopped pacing to curl up in the window sill, facing away from the wall with the two-way mirror on it. She wanted privacy, some time to sort things out. She wondered who had watched the exchange between her and Gramps. Did James see her break down? Had Sean been there? If he had, he had done nothing to help her, or perhaps he could do nothing. She wondered, with a little surge of panic, if Gramps had dug himself into a deeper hole by answering the questions she had asked him.
Bars ran down the length of the dirty window. Victoria grabbed one of the cold pieces of steel. The rain drizzled against the window as darkness began to fall. She absentmindedly traced a raindrop down the dusty window with her index finger. The door opened and shut behind her, but she didn’t turn to see who came in.
“We need to talk.” His voice, deep and resounding in the small room left no room for question. James came up to stand in front of the window, blocking Victoria from moving. She willed herself not to look at him. With a sigh, he smoothed back his hair with one hand as he propped a hip on the window sill next to her feet. The familiar way in which he sat so close to her was unnerving. She scooted her feet over, not wanting to have any kind of contact with him and stayed silent.
“I believe you,” James said, taking her face in his hand, turning and lifting it so her eyes could not avoid his. “I saw your face when Gramps told you the truth. You didn’t know about it Vic. I know that now.”
Victoria pulled away from his grasp. “I already told you I didn’t know about any of it.”
“I know baby. I just…I have a job to do,” he said softly.
James’ use of the term `baby’ shocked her. “You didn’t believe me.”
“You’re right, I didn’t. But now I do. What I saw happen in this room couldn’t have been acting. You were hurt by Gramps. I could plainly see that.”
“Oh, really?” Victoria scoffed. “Was it the crying and sobbing that gave it away or the look of shock and total dismay on my face that clued you in?” Victoria turned to look out the window again.
After a moment James took her hand. “I never meant to hurt you.”
Victoria’s head snapped up, “Really? I was thinking that you must have had a good laugh with your fellow agents at how naive and easy to manipulate I was.” She jerked her hand away from his.
“It wasn’t like that Vic. Look, we’ll talk about this more tomorrow after you’ve had some time to absorb what has happened today.”
“What’s left to talk about?”
James stood abruptly. “Tons. This isn’t over Victoria Connor. Not by a long shot. Let’s go.”
“Where?” Victoria questioned.
“I’m dropping the charges against you. You’re free to go.”
Relief sank into her heart. “What about Gramps?” Victoria asked hopefully.
“No, he stays.”
“Why can’t you let him go home? He’s too old for…”
“Not possible,” James cut her off.
Victoria stood with her hands fisted on her hips and she squared her shoulders. “Why not? He’s harmless.”
“I don’t think he’s a threat to anyone directly, no. But he has to stay.”
“Fine. Sean can take me home.”
“No.”
The strong conviction behind his words startled her. “No? What gives you the right to tell me no? Am I free to go or not?”
“I have every right to tell you no. You would do well to remember that Connor’s future, as well as yours, is in my hands.”
“How so?”
“At this point, I’m willing to work out a deal. It would be smart for you to at least try to stay in my good graces.”
“If we don’t want a deal?”
“If you want to see your grandfather in prison for tax evasion and aiding in running a moonshine still and possession of distilled spirits, his land confiscated and auctioned off, all assets taken, you let me know. That can be arranged,” James said harshly.
“You need information from him,” she countered.
“That’s right. We’ll get it out of him one way or another. It would be better to do it my way, wouldn’t you say? Then he’s got a chance of keeping the land, staying out of prison.”
Victoria realized just how precarious their situation was. And how much control James really did have over them. Defeated and impossibly exhausted, she resigned, “Take me home.”
“All right.” James reached for his jacket. Instead of putting it on himself, he wrapped it around her shoulders and pulled it closed around her. With his hands fisted in the collar he said, “Be sure you don’t tell anyone anything about what’s happening. Not even Ashley.”
“Why?”
“It’s safer that way. As it is, only you, me, Tyler, Connor, the sheriff and Sean know about what’s going on.”
“Why keep it a secret?”
“Because when we use Gramps as bait, the less people know about it, the safer he’ll be.”
“Bait! No! No. James, you can’t. What do you have planned?” Victoria felt the walls closing in on her.
“We’ll talk more about it tomorrow.”
“No, I want to know now.”
“Not now. You’re too exhausted to think clearly.”
Victoria planted her feet firmly into the floor. “You can’t do this. I’m not going anywhere until you…”
“I can. And I will,” James cut her off with his simple statement. He bent at his knees and threw her over his shoulder. “And you are going home.” He reached for the jacket that had tumbled to the floor, scooping it up with ease and headed for the door.
“Put me down! You are not putting him in danger.” She pounded out her frustration on his sturdy back. He carried her through the station with her beating on him. By the time they reached the SUV she had given up her feeble attempts to physically make James do anything.
“He’ll be protected.”
“No. I won’t let you use him.”
“You have no say in the matter.” James opened the passenger door and deposited her in the seat. “Put your seatbelt on,” he ordered as he slammed the door shut.
Ten minutes into the ride, Victoria said softly, “He’s my gramps.”
“I know,” James answered glancing her way. “I’ll do my best to keep him safe, but it’s important that you know he’s been in danger since he started dealing with these people. I’m not throwing him into the pit. He dug his own hole, Victoria.”
“He didn’t realize…”
“Probably not. That’s how big trouble usually starts, with something seemingly innocent. Then it snowballs into something much larger, much more dangerous. And I do think he’s a good man. He’s just made costly mistakes.”
A few minutes later, James pulled into the driveway and turned off the engine. Turning to her, he said, “It’s too important that we catch these guys, Vic. Look at me.” She turned to look at him. “The moonshine that’s coming from these stills is dangerous. Some of it’s potentially lethal. It’s not made like the legal alcohol is. There are no controls, no one testing it for purity. The level of lead found in some of this stuff is deadly.”
“Don’t they test the quality of it after they make it, before they sell it?”
James scoffed. “Sometimes.
They have a crude way of testing it. They put a sample on a metal spoon, light it on fire. They say if it’s a blue flame it’s safe, yellow it’s tainted. If it burns red, it’s got lead and will make you dead. How reliable do you think this method is, Vic?”
“Not reliable at all.”
“You’re right. Even if it burns blue, it still may have too much methanol in it. Teenagers are getting their hands on this stuff, people are getting hurt. It makes an already dangerous situation even more potentially deadly.”
Victoria caught his words with a new understanding. “You became an A.T.F. agent to try to make up for what happened to Danny didn’t you?”
James’ softened features turned hard as stone. He tore his eyes from her and slammed out of the vehicle, walked around the SUV and opened her door with a jerk. “I do what I have to do.”
“James, you can’t spend the rest of your life trying to make up for something so long ago. Something that you had no control over.”
“I’ll walk you to your door. This discussion is over.”
Victoria thought of at least a dozen things she could say to him, but didn’t speak one word. Exhaustion overtook her emotions. She felt like crying all over again and knew she would as soon as the door shut behind her, but she refused to give in to the temptation again, in front of James.
He walked her to her front door before Victoria realized she didn’t have a key.
“I’ve got them,” James said pulling out her keys.
“I didn’t see you take them.”
“I guess I’m clever that way,” he said with a touch of sarcasm.
She held her hand out for the keys after James opened the door. He ignored her hand and walked into the cottage instead, tossing the keys onto the kitchen counter. Victoria followed him inside and stood in the open doorway. In no mood to be nice, she said, “Agent Montgomery, go away. I didn’t invite you in.” She held her chin up high.
James spun on his heel, catching her off guard. He reached around her and shut the door before backing her up against it. “Let’s get one thing straight. I don’t have to be invited in anymore. Your life, your grandfather’s life is mine now until this is finished. You do what I tell you, when I tell you. Do you understand?”