Sweet Tea and Secrets

by Nancy Naigle

  Garrett got the blueprint out of his truck and rolled it open across the hood of his truck. After a moment, he twisted the paper into a roll and walked back toward the far end of the house, tapping the twisted tube of paper against his leg with each step.

  “Jill?”

  She waved. Her voice still too fragile to yell.

  He motioned for to come over. “Come here. I think…well, just come here.”

  She moved through the uneven mounds of black ash to the outer perimeter and then crossed the yard.

  “Look at this.” He circled a spot on the plans.

  “Is that the old fire box thingy?” she asked.

  He shook his head. “No, that’s right there.” He pointed to a section just a few feet away where they used to store wood from the outside and access it from inside.

  She tried to reorient herself. “So what’s this?”

  “That’s what I was trying to figure out.” Garrett lifted the rolled papers. “Know what this is?”

  “Uh, yeah. A blueprint,” Jill said in a sassy tone.

  “Smarty pants.” He popped her on the top of the head with the tube. “It’s the blueprint that Connor gave us that day we met with him.”

  He scrolled out the paper on the ground and pointed out the bricked area in front of them. “See how this is blocked in? What was here?”

  “That’s where the built-in bookcases were. I guess this would have been where the decorative metal grate was in the center of it.”

  “I wonder why it’s built up like that. Structurally there’s no reason for the foundation to be reinforced here.”

  Jill’s eyes lit up. “That’s it!”

  “What?” Garrett asked, reacting to the change in her expression.

  “The foundation. That’s it. In the letters, remember?” Her voice rattled as she forced the words out. She took the bottle of water from where she’d tucked it in her sling and took a sip.

  “Keep all that is the foundation of our love safe and then—” She took another sip so she could finish the thought, “—something about the strength is in the foundation or something like that. Remember?”

  “I do.” He jumped to his feet. “Wait here.” Garrett ran to the toolbox on the back of his truck. He jogged back carrying a small canvas bag of tools and the big heavy maul he used to split wood for the winter.

  She backed out of his way.

  Garrett held out his hand protectively, scooting her even further back. He swung hard, landing the maul squarely on the spot they’d been looking at. The cinderblock cracked and the wood splintered. Several more slams exposed dark metal.

  Garrett knelt and scattered the broken pieces to get a closer look. He paused, his eyes meeting hers.

  “What?”

  “It’s a safe, Jill. I guess Pearl had access to it from the grate in the bookcase.”

  She clutched her bum arm as she kneeled beside him. “I bet the key we found in the attic fits this safe. Too bad everything is gone.” she said wistfully, her eyes sweeping the ashy mess.

  He slowly turned toward Jill. “What did you just say?”

  “I said—”

  Garrett put a hand on her knee. “I heard you, wait here.” He sprinted over to the truck.

  Jill watched him rummage in the console.

  In just a few quick moments, he sauntered back, holding something in his hand. “It was so unusual I couldn’t bring myself to throw it away.”

  Her mood soared when she realized what it was. “For once, being a pack rat is coming in handy.”

  He smirked. “I guess you haven’t forgotten everything about me.”

  “Trust me. Not a thing…and I tried.”

  He gave her a wink. “I’m unforgettable.”

  “And so modest,” she teased. “Now, hush and try it.” She shifted nervously.

  He slid the key in the lock. “A perfect fit.”

  One turn, and they both heard the click.

  “Finally. Thanks, Pearl.”

  Garrett opened the safe. “There was no chance anything in here was going to get ruined. This thing is indestructible.” He lifted another box out of the safe, set it on the cinderblock and lifted the lid.

  Jill reached for the roll of deep blue fabric tucked inside. A ribbon secured the roll, just like the one that had held the letters.

  She nodded toward her slinged arm. “You open it.”

  He took a handkerchief from his back pocket and laid it on the ground, placing the fabric jewelry roll in front of her.

  Jill tugged on the ribbon and Garrett flattened it slowly.

  She couldn’t believe her eyes. A rainbow of colors and shapes spilled out in front of her. Her skin tingled as the vivid colors danced in front of her so bright she couldn’t bear to touch them. These were not worthless baubles. The pearls luminescence radiated a precious story that matched the awe she felt as she’d read the letters between Pearl and John Carlo. “This is more than I’d ever imagined.” Her heart felt full as she blinked back the tears of realization of just how precious this treasure must have been to her grandmother.

  “No wonder Kase was so hot to find this.” Garrett leaned back on his heels.

  “Do you think Carolanne was right? Do you think those pearls are really worth a million dollars?”

  “I couldn’t begin to imagine.” He stared in awe at the pile of brightly colored pearls. “Maybe more. I’ve never seen anything like them.”

  Pearls of orange, pink, violet and the shiniest blue-black he’d ever seen—the Pacini Pearls.

  Jill separated them into piles by color as Garrett counted them. “There are more than fifty loose pearls here.”

  “What’s that?” Jill pointed to the edge of the fabric. A heavy seam outlined the inside edge of the cloth, like a pocket.

  Garrett ran his fingers down the seam and reached into a small slit in the hem.

  His eyes went wide as he took something out of the self-fabric pocket.

  He held up an icy blue sapphire the size of a nickel. The teardrop-shaped gem had been set as a pendant. A thin sliver of that same light blue ribbon looped through the golden slide, and a scroll of paper secured by a man’s wedding band hung from the end of the ribbon.

  Garrett handed the treasure to Jill.

  Her eyes locked on the magnificent pendant. “I can’t,” she whispered, “—you.”

  He nodded for her to hold out her hand.

  She did.

  He dropped the pendant into the center of her palm.

  She gasped.

  He slid the ring from the scroll and placed it in her hand, too.

  She held it up between her fingers. “Put it on,” she said to him.

  “You sure?”

  She nodded.

  He slipped the ring on his finger, then opened the small scrolled paper. “It says, ‘Thank you my dearest Pearl for our perfect son. With Love, JCP.’”

  “Their son. My dad.” Jill mouthed the words.

  Jill laid her hand, with Pearl’s ring on her finger, across his. “A perfect match.”

  “The rings look good too,” he answered. “There’s something else.” He opened a florist-size envelope and flipped the card over. The pearls are a treasure, but love ~ that’s the real find. Never let go.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Clyde barked in the middle of the night, waking Garrett and Jill. Jill shot straight up in bed, startled.

  “Wait here.” Garrett sprung from the bed and grabbed his gun from the top dresser drawer. He stalked toward the front of the house in the dark.

  Jill followed, grabbing his arm from behind, nearly scaring him out of his skin. “Sorry, I was scared.”

  Garrett shushed her and stepped forward. Clyde whimpered.

  When Garrett reached the front door, he leaned against it and listened.

  Clyde barked again.

  Garrett stepped to the far side of the door, Jill hugging tightly behind him. He opened it wide and stepped back out of view. Clyde raced thro
ugh the door and sniffed his way toward the edge of the yard, but didn’t bark.

  “Oh, God. Garrett. It could be Bradley. Clyde didn’t bark at him, remember.” Her breathing became difficult.

  “Calm down. These are new surroundings for Clyde.” He peeled her fingers from his flesh. “Slow down,” he said, trying to keep her from hyperventilating.

  She squeezed his arm tight again. “I’m scared.”

  “I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”

  “Don’t leave me,” she pleaded.

  “You’re okay. I’m just going to look,” he said, as Jill stooped to the floor.

  He started toward the door then paused to make sure she was where he’d left her.

  She huddled on the floor, her knees tight to her chest.

  Garrett picked up the flashlight from the table next to the door, stepped out on to the porch, and then called for Clyde.

  “Come on, boy,” Garrett called as he crossed the yard.

  Clyde laid down and whimpered.

  Garrett flashed the light around the yard.

  Dew covered the ground. There were no footprints except for the path that Clyde had just made toward the trees. Garrett held his gun steady.

  When he got close to Clyde, he saw what all the fuss was about and lowered his gun.

  A tiny orange kitten huddled between the dog’s large paws. The kitten’s hair spiked from the slobber of Clyde’s greeting like a bad hair day. Garrett lifted the soggy kitten into his arms. Clyde jumped and kept his nose up under Garrett’s arm where he held the kitten. Another scan of the yard proved there was nothing else to worry about.

  “It’s okay, Jill,” Garrett called, as he walked back into the house with Clyde at his heels. He flipped on the light switch. Jill was still huddled on the floor.

  “Look. We have a visitor. A welcome one.” He stooped next to her and transferred the tiny kitten to her hands.

  Her heart raced, but she could at least stop holding her breath. She snuggled the tiny kitten to her chin.

  “I’ll get a towel,” Garrett said.

  Jill dried the kitten with her nightshirt. “You are too cute.”

  Clyde dropped to the floor next to Jill and put his chin on her knee next to his new friend. “You like the kitty, kitty, Clyde?”

  Clyde licked the back of the tiny kitten, soaking it again.

  Garrett tossed the towel to Jill and held out his hand to help her up. “Come on. I think we’ve had enough excitement for tonight.”

  They walked back to the bedroom and crawled into bed. Jill held the kitten between them. It purred loudly, content.

  “What are we going to name the little guy?” Garrett wiggled a finger across the kitten that lay snuggled between him and Jill.

  Jill tilted her head as she pondered a name. “How about Pearl? She’s about the color of some of those pearls and it’s a special name.”

  “I like it,” he agreed.

  The kitten got up, scampered down the comforter to the floor and snuggled between Clyde’s huge paws.

  Garrett propped himself on his elbow and looked over the side of the bed. “He looks pretty pleased about the new addition to the family.”

  Jill moaned an agreement and tried to relax in Garrett’s arms. She worried that until Bradley Kase was apprehended, she’d never feel safe. Bradley was angry and willing to kill her over the treasure he believed was rightfully his. She prayed that they could keep the pearls a secret, but keeping that kind of news quiet in this town would be a challenge. Everyone trusted everyone, and word raced through the population like wildfire—especially if it was a secret.

  “Quit worrying. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”

  She turned in his arms to face him.

  He leaned forward and kissed the top of her head. His hands swept over her shoulder and down her back. The warmth of his touch stole her breath.

  She lifted her chin and their lips met. Though she’d promised herself they’d take it slow, she was happily powerless against the familiar passion in his kiss.

  Garrett swept the covers back, cradling her head as he kissed her again, slower. His cool hands ran over her body, warming her in the heat of his embrace. He slowly worked her nightshirt over her head and tossed it to the floor. Flesh on flesh, he clung to her like he was afraid to let go.

  Her instinctive response to his touch rekindled the old feelings. When he whispered her name into the nape of her neck, a tingle soared through every one of her nerve-endings. Emotion and fulfillment flowed between them that surpassed anything she’d ever known.

  She released all of her worries into his hands, and let her own yearnings meet his.

  Out of breath, they turned back onto the pillows still holding hands.

  “I’ll always keep you safe, Jill,” he said between breaths. “Please believe me.”

  Her breathing began to settle into a more even pace. “I do. I trust you with all my heart.”

  The little kitten, Pearl, meowed loudly from the side of the bed.

  Garrett kissed Jill’s tummy as he leaned across her and swept the orphan kitty up onto the bed between them.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  There weren’t a lot of businesses in Adams Grove, but the town made up for the lack of tax revenue with fines from traffic tickets—mostly out-of-town speeders. Not a speed trap, just a strictly enforced speed limit to keep their residents safe.

  Too bad Bradley Kase hadn’t remembered that little piece of trivia about Adams Grove, because he was pulled over for speeding on August 8th. The eighth day of the eighth month. Eight had always been Jill’s lucky number.

  At the time, the state trooper writing the simple speeding ticket had no idea that he was getting ready to tie up a whole lot of loose ends with this arrest.

  The high-tech equipment in his patrol car spit out a list of several outstanding warrants for the speeder, including the ones that Jill and Garrett had recently filed. If Bradley Kase, aka Carl J. Townsend, thought for a second he was going to slick talk his way out of this one, he was wrong. Today wasn’t his lucky day. The trooper glanced at the report printing across his console and called for a backup unit.

  Just as he completed his radio in to dispatch, a local sheriff vehicle pulled in front of the black Lexus.

  Deputy Dan swaggered out of the cruiser toward Kase. He saw the flash of panic cross Kase’s face, but he wasn’t worried. He’d pulled in tight enough that Kase couldn’t get his car out from between the cruisers no matter how good a driver he was.

  Deputy Dan leaned into the open driver’s window. “Hey there, FBI Agent Kase.”

  Kase flashed his perfect smile, looking relaxed, although his fingers were drumming the steering wheel nervously. “Deputy,” he nodded.

  “What seems to be the problem here?” Deputy Dan put his elbow casually on the roof of Kase’s car. “You in our area working undercover again?”

  The trooper sauntered up from behind the car. “Good timing, Dan. I just called for backup.”

  The trooper ordered Kase out of the vehicle.

  In two seconds, Kase was leaning across the trunk of the vehicle, legs spread and hands cuffed. “For my safety, and yours, until we sort this out,” the trooper said.

  Kase looked to Deputy Dan. “Tell him. Don’t just stand there. Tell him who I am.” Kase struggled to turn toward the trooper. “I’m an FBI Agent. My badge is in the glove box. I’m in deep cover.”

  “Oh, you’re in deep, alright.” Deputy Dan walked around to the passenger side of the car and opened the door. He popped open the glove box and then the center console. “Look what we have here,” he called to the trooper.

  Deputy Dan fanned several ids and credit cards. “Brandon Casini, FBI. Bradley Kase, Savannah, Georgia. Bob Townsend from Houston, Texas. Carl J. Townsend from Key Largo. Oh, I like this one, Tom Cruise, Sr. from Los Angeles, California. I bet that’s a chick getter.” He continued to flip through the assortment of photo IDs. “And look. He
has friends. Annie, Jean, Corey, Louanne. They must be quadruplets. All the same birthday and they look so much alike.” Deputy Dan reached down next to the driver’s seat and hit the trunk release.

  Bradley rolled his head back as the trooper moved him away from the car.

  Deputy Dan peered into the trunk. “Yep, in deep. Deep doo-doo.” He pointed to the suitcase in the trunk. “We had a report of a suitcase being stolen a few weeks back.”

  “Shit,” Kase said.

  Deputy Dan said, “Don’t bother thinking about how you’ll talk your way out this time.”

  “You know. I just got an APB out on a car just like this. Suspected arson.” Deputy Dan nodded to the trooper. “I believe this man fits the description of our suspect.”

  “Let’s take him in,” the trooper said. “Just made my day.”

  Three other police cars had joined the others. Two gray-uniformed state troopers searched Kase’s car as the other escorted Bradley to the back of the cruiser for the short trip into town.

  Scott Calvin was sitting at his desk when the state guys came in to turn Kase over to him.

  When Jill and Garrett had filed the reports on the incidents, including the assault and arson, Scott feared it would be next to impossible to locate Bradley Kase. He figured Kase would be at least two states away by now if not on some island in the Caribbean. Guess Kase wasn’t quite as smart as Scott had thought. He was going to take great pleasure processing this one.

  Scott walked out to where the officers were holding Kase. He remembered Jill’s recount of the day on the porch when Clyde had attacked Bradley. With a smirk, Scott grabbed Kase by the left arm where Clyde had reportedly left his mark.

  Bradley howled and twisted in pain.

  “Sorry man.” Scott squeezed one more time as he pushed him toward the lockup. Catching the bad guys and helping the good ones, that’s why he loved his job.

  Blood seeped through Kase’s sleeve.

  Scott had one of his men process Kase and went back into his office and dialed Garrett.