by Ann Mullen
“Keep me informed in case I need to bail you out of jail.”
“Thanks, girl.”
Billy closed up the cell phone and placed it on the table. “She’s right about everything,” he said. “Savannah could turn into a lion if we back her into a corner. Talking about McCoy acting crazy, pen her in and we’ll see what true erratic behavior is like.”
“I don’t care. I’m not afraid of her. I’m doing this for McCoy.”
“Okay, then let’s do it. Here’s what I have in mind for our little breaking and entering caper.”
“B&E. Do tell. I love sneaking into a house. The adrenaline rush is amazing. My heart beats a mile a minute, and I love every minute of it.”
“Jonathan’s supposed to fly Savannah to Fancy Gap to pick up Kaleb, so we’ll get him to set it up for tomorrow night after McCoy’s funeral service. Jonathan will fly her all over the place to kill time, and she won’t be the wiser. Then he’ll say there’s something wrong with the helicopter, and they have to go back. Within those couple of hours, we’ll either have our evidence, or we won’t.”
“I’m sure Jonathan’s going to love wasting his time.”
“He won’t be wasting his time. He’ll be helping us.”
“Yeah, he owes me.”
“And he thinks Savannah’s cute.”
“That’s not funny, man-pig.”
“I’ll call Jonathan and get him to join us in our quest to break the law. I’m positive he’ll sign up immediately.”
“Please hurry! My hound dog mentality is taking over! I have to hunt!”
I walked out on the front porch with my coffee and sat down in the swing, while Billy called Jonathan. My thoughts kept coming back to what Lu Ann said about Savannah. Her life and my opinion of her had changed drastically in the past week. Could she possibly be as conniving as I suspected? Was she so unhappy that she would ply her husband with a drug-laden drink to cause his demise?
Billy walked out onto the porch and sat down in the swing next to me.
“What’s Jonathan up to this morning?”
“He was out in the hangar doing some work. He said he made a few adjustments to the chopper and was going to take it up for a test flight.”
“What did he say about his part in our plan?”
“He’s already talked to Savannah, and she’s not going to need his help after all. As soon as McCoy’s service is over, his body will be flown to Fancy Gap for burial, and she’ll be accompanying it. She has plans to spend the night in a hotel, pick up Kaleb the next morning, and fly back. We’ll have plenty of time to search her house while she’s gone.”
“That makes everything a lot simpler. We won’t have to worry about her catching us in the act. We’ll go in, get our evidence, and be out before anyone knows we were there. Piece of cake.”
“That’s what they all say.”
“If you think it’s a bad idea, just say so, and we won’t do it. We’ll come up with another plan. I’m all for trying new things, but prison isn’t one of them.”
“I’m sure we can come up with a cover story if we get caught, but that’s not going to happen. Besides, who’s going to catch us? Savannah will be out of town, and it’s not as if we’re going to kick in her door and leave behind a big mess. We’ll slip in and slip out.”
“That’s easier said than done. How are we going to get through the gate? We don’t have the code, and I sure can’t pick the lock.”
“No problem. It’s electronic. I can handle the gate.”
“I bet Mom knows the code! Savannah trusts her, so if she was to give out that information, I’m sure she would’ve given it to Mom… and maybe Cole.”
“Well… it’s not as if we can ask him.”
Billy and I sat back and enjoyed the warm, morning sun and watched the kids play.
“They’re growing up so fast,” Billy remarked. “Next year, Maisy will be in pre-school.”
“And Ethan will be right behind her the following year. What will we do with ourselves then? No kids around the house all day.”
“What about the new baby?”
“That’s right! We’re going to have another baby! Maybe we should have a child every two years until we have a houseful. We’ll be just like Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt.”
“That’s a pleasant thought.”
“What do you mean?”
“They fight like cats and dogs, and it always makes the papers.”
“I didn’t mean we could be like them in that way.”
“I know what you mean, `ge ya. I was just messing with you. We can have all the babies you want. I love children, especially my own.”
The dogs started howling, and took off toward the woods.
“What’s wrong with them?” I asked Billy. “They’re acting like they smell a rabbit.”
“Not a rabbit,” he said, pointing to them. “It’s a bear!”
Athena and Thor were high-tailing it back to us as fast as their legs would carry them. They knew better than to tangle with a bear, especially one with cubs, and Mama Bear had two of them.
Billy jumped up and ran down the steps, and I was right behind him. We snatched up the children, ran in the house, and locked the door—not that locking the door was going to keep out angry Mama Bear.
My hands were still shaking even after the bear and her cubs disappeared into the woods. “That was close,” I said. “I keep forgetting it’s that time of the year.”
“At least we have the dogs to warn us,” Helene said. “I never saw them coming. I’m so sorry. That could’ve been a disaster.”
“It’s not your fault, Helene,” Billy told her. “We have to remember that there’s one bear for every square mile in the mountains, so there’s plenty of them out there. We just rarely see them. We can’t let a bear keep us from enjoying the rest of the summer.”
“After that, I’m not going back out for awhile,” Helene nervously said, grabbing Maisy and Ethan’s hands. “Come on, kids. We’re going to play in the den the rest of the day. Maybe we’ll play in the den for a few days, or at least, until my heart stops racing. That was freaky.”
The dogs, shaky legs and all, followed.
“I need to put the word out,” Billy said. “I’m going to call everyone and warn them that a hungry mother bear and her cubs are out and about. They’re just looking for food, but a mama bear can be extremely vicious if you get near her cubs. It’s instinct.”
“My instinct is to run when I see a bear.”
“That would be wise. It’s better to avoid a bear than it is to try and stare one down. That never works.”
“And you can’t hide from them. They can smell you. I have to warn Mom. She’d spazz out if she pulled up and saw a bear. She wouldn’t get out of the car.”
“I’ll call her,” Billy offered. “You go play with the kids.”
Billy hung around the kitchen making calls, while I sat on the floor in the den with the kids. Helene still was a nervous wreck.
“I’m scared to death of bears,” she said. “You know I once had an encounter with one.”
“No, I didn’t. What happened?”
“In the Dark Ages, before I had a clothes dryer, I was hanging out sheets when one approached me. I didn’t know what to do, so when he charged, I just stood there. I was frozen with fear. Luckily, he got tangled in the sheets, and that’s when I made a run for the house. I sure was lucky that day. Ever since then I’ve been terrified of bears.”
“I can see why. I would be, too. Having a bear chase after you is pretty scary.”
“Everyone’s been warned,” Billy said, walking into the room. “And your mom knows the code to Savannah’s gate. They were just getting ready to leave when I called.”
“That’s good. Perfect. Once we get the code, we’ll be set.”
“And Eddie’s doing well. Minnie said he was back to his old self.”
“I’m glad he’s feeling better. I was starting to worry about him.”
&nbs
p; “He’s fine now, and ready to start work. Minnie said he was excited about working for us.”
“That’s good to hear. I’d hate to think she pushed him into doing it. You know how persuasive she can be.”
“I like her,” Helene said. “Minnie’s a nice person.”
“That’s my mother!”
An hour later, Mom and Eddie arrived. When I heard her SUV pull up, I walked over to the window to watch. I knew she was going to be freaked out about the bear sighting, and she was. She hurriedly jumped out of the car and ran to the front door. She didn’t bother to knock; instead she jiggled the door handle, trying to get inside.
“Coming,” I called out.
When I opened the door, Mom couldn’t get inside fast enough. She flew past me, turned, and then yelled to Eddie, “Run, Eddie! That bear could be anywhere! Hurry!”
When Eddie walked in, Mom immediately closed the door behind him, and then locked it. “They can’t get in, can they, Jesse?”
“No, Mom, they can’t get in. You’re safe now. Mama Bear and her baby cubs are long gone. You don’t have a thing to worry about. Billy has a big gun.”
Mom gasped. “You wouldn’t let him kill a mama bear, would you? What would happen to her little cubs?”
“Nobody’s shooting any bears, Minnie,” Billy said as he hugged her. “Always good to have you here.” He looked at Eddie and held out his hand. “Glad to see you’re doing okay. I heard you were right sick.”
“I’m as fit as a fiddle,” Eddie replied. “I hear we’re going to break into Savannah’s house.”
I laughed.
“Not this time,” Billy chuckled. “Jesse and I got this one.”
We gathered at the table for lunch and talked about our plans. Billy explained how we were going to run the business, while Mom and Eddie did the legwork. We discussed everything that mattered, and then we talked about Savannah.
“Why can’t we do the search?” Eddie asked. “We need to start somewhere. Why not give us a try on this one? Minnie’s pretty good at finding stuff, and we won’t have to worry about getting caught. She’s still friends with Savannah, as far as Savannah’s concerned. She doesn’t know that Minnie doesn’t trust her anymore. We can say we came by to see if there was anything we could do to straighten up the house for the new baby.”
“That’s not a bad idea,” Billy agreed, looking over at me. “What do you think?”
“I thought Vera was her housekeeper/assistant. Savannah might…”
“Not anymore,” Mom said. “Savannah said she left. I don’t know whether she quit or was fired. Savannah was not specific.”
“Why did she leave?”
“Maybe she didn’t believe Savannah’s story, either.”
“Okay,” Billy said, looking at Mom and Eddie. “The job is yours.”
“And you don’t have to worry,” I added. “We’ll be close by the whole time just in case you need us.”
“We won’t need your help,” Mom said. “We got this one covered.” She smiled at Billy. “You can count on us.”
Chapter 23
Plans were made and we were ready to put them into action when the time came. Tomorrow would be the day, but Mom and Eddie were eager to get started now. They thought it was important to act as if nothing had changed, so after lunch, they left to visit Savannah.
“I feel kind of weird getting my mom to lie and be sneaky,” I said to Billy after they left. I paced the floor. “That has never been part of her personality. I hope she can pull it off without remorse.”
“She’ll be fine,” he replied, looking up from the newspaper he was trying to read. “She learned how to get around the truth from you. She comes by it honestly.”
“I feel much better knowing that.”
Billy laughed. “You worry too much, `ge ya. Everything’s going to work out. Your mom and Eddie can handle it. It’s their job now.”
“I just hope nothing goes wrong.”
“It won’t,” Helene added as she loaded the few dishes from lunch in the dishwasher. “Minnie’s a tough cookie.”
“What if she gets hurt?”
“Eddie won’t let anything happen to her, so stop worrying,” Helene replied. “You can’t obsess over her every time she walks out the door. You’re not helping anyone. If you didn’t feel comfortable your mother could handle it, you never would’ve agreed to let her do it.”
“You’re too smart for your own good,” I said, and then walked over and hugged her. “I’m so glad you live with us.”
“Of course, you are,” Helene replied. “I am woman. Hear me roar.”
“Why don’t you sit down and read the paper?” Billy asked me. “The kids are taking a nap, so relax and enjoy your free time from work. It’s a long way off until tomorrow night. You keep this up and you’ll have an anxiety attack.”
“Too bad Savannah stole my pills.”
“You could call her up and ask to borrow one of hers,” Helene chuckled. “Now wouldn’t that be a gas?”
“Hey…” I started to say, enthusiastically.
“No way,” Billy interrupted. “We don’t want to throw a rock in the stream. The ripple could upset the buggy.”
“Don’t you mean cart?”
“Whatever. You know what I’m saying.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” I said. I walked over to the kitchen table, sat down, and then grabbed a section of the newspaper. “We don’t want to bring attention to those pills. She might panic and throw away the evidence.” I briefly scanned the newspaper, and then laid it back down on the table. “I’m not good at doing nothing and just hanging out. I need to do something... keep busy.”
“You’re just apprehensive,” Helene said. “You need to get out of the house. Go buy a new dress for the funeral tomorrow.”
“I can’t afford a new dress.” I looked over at Billy. “My husband says I spend too much money as it is. I’m unemployed, and I’m broke. Now I’m really depressed.”
“Okay, that’s it,” Billy said as he lay the newspaper down. “Come on, we’re going shopping.” He looked over at Helene. “You know how to reach us if you need anything while we’re gone.” He got up from the table and walked over to get his keys from the rack on the wall.
“Cell phones,” she responded. “Don’t you just love all this modern technology? What are they going to come up with next?”
“My words exactly,” I agreed. “I love all these gadgets. The invention of the cell phone is the best thing since the microwave.”
Billy and Helene laughed at my reference to the good things in life, while I got up and headed to the bedroom to get my purse and my gun.
“It doesn’t take much to satisfy my wife,” Billy said with a smile when I returned. “Thank goodness she’s so easy to please.”
“You say that now, but I’m a very picky shopper. Clothes have to fit just right, or I won’t wear them.”
“I can tell from the way you dress,” Helene said, snickering.
“Okay, I’m ready to go. Come on, Billy. Let’s go spend money we don’t have.”
“We’re not broke, `ge ya, so stop saying that. People might believe you. It could be bad for business.”
“In that case, we’re rich!”
“Oh, my. Here we go again.”
“What? What did I say?”
“We’ll be back soon, Helene,” Billy said as we were walking out the front door.
I looked around, scanning the woods as I followed him to his truck. After what happened earlier, I wasn’t about to take my surroundings for granted anymore. I had forgotten that wild animals lurked around every corner, every tree.
“The bear’s gone, Jesse. You don’t have to be afraid.”
“I’m not afraid.”
Billy laughed at me when I jumped in the truck and immediately locked the door.
“You never know,” I stated. “Mama Bear might get hungry again, and come back for a meal of Jesse Watson Blackhawk. I’m not taking any
chances.”
“You… a woman who carries a nine in her purse all the time… afraid of a little old bear. That’s hard to believe.”
“Believe it, pal. That nine ain’t going to stop a bear. So… yes… I’m a little intimidated. Bears are big, and they’re mean. And don’t tell me they won’t bother me if I don’t bother them, because it just isn’t true. They want my flesh. They want to eat my bones for dessert.”
“They’re not going to get your flesh,” Billy said, reaching over and touching my hand. “I am your protector. I will ward off anyone or anything that tries to harm you.”
“I know you will. I’m just a little on edge. I’ll get it together.”
Shopping with Billy was always fun. He had great taste in clothes and he shopped at the best stores in town. Our first stop was Belk’s in Fashion Square Mall. They had a sale going on and the place was packed, but that didn’t stop Billy from getting the attention of a pretty, thirty-something salesgirl. He motioned to her, and she came over immediately.
“Hello, Gina. This is my wife, Jesse.” He introduced us. “You think you can fix her up with a dress to wear to a funeral?”
“Sure, Billy.” She looked me up and down. “It’s nice to finally meet you.” She shook my hand. “I think I have the perfect dress for you. Follow me.” She turned and walked toward the dressing rooms. “Make yourselves comfortable, and I’ll be right back.”
Billy and I went into the dressing room and waited for her return.
“You know somebody everywhere we go, don’t you?”
“I know many people.”
Gina the salesgirl walked in carrying the perfect black dress.
“I love it,” I said as soon as I saw it. “I just hope it fits.”
“It will,” Gina said. “I promise.”
I stepped behind the swinging door to the dressing area and tried on the dress. It fit perfectly, and I loved the way it looked on me. When I walked back out, Billy grinned from ear to ear and said, “You look great. What do you think?”
“This is the dress.”
He turned to Gina and said, “We’ll take it. She’ll need a pair of heels to match it, and a bag. Oh, and she’ll need a hat. This is the South. Everyone wears a hat to a funeral. Right?”