by Anne Hagan
“You didn’t want to do it?”
“Naw. I don’t have any interest in any of that. Never did. I don’t want to farm. My dad, he’s really ticked about that; says I haven’t given it a proper chance. It doesn’t matter to him what I want. He’s mad that I want to work on more than farm machinery and even madder now that I’m here working on ‘foreign junk,’ as he calls it.”
I was silent, letting him stew. He kept talking.
“Dad’s furious about everything that happened at the fair. He’s been ranting and raving about it non-stop.”
“Are you trying to tell me Clenbuturol wasn’t used on your steer by you or anyone in your family?”
“No ma’am, that’s not what I’m saying. I’m saying that I didn’t use it...don’t even really know what it is and don’t really care. Dad does all of the vet type stuff for our livestock and he probably used that.” He hung his head and was quiet.
“Look at me.” I waited until he looked up before I framed my next question, “Assuming he did use the drug on your steer, why do you think he did it?”
“We – us kids – always have to be the best at everything...all the time. I’m the oldest. I’m supposed to set the example, only I didn’t care. He knew that. He wanted me to care. He wanted me to love it like he does. That’s why I think he did it.”
I nodded and looked back at the A5. “It is a pretty nice car, isn’t it.”
His face changed, “It sure is!”
“I haven’t seen it around and it would certainly stand out. Does it belong to someone from out of town?”
“No. Actually, it belongs to my girlfriend, Olivia.”
I tried to act surprised, “You have a girlfriend that has a car like that? How old did you say you were?”
Nevil Jr. grinned the way teenage boys do when they’re in over their heads with a woman and don’t even know it. “I’m 18.”
“I see. So you’re legal...”
He caught my drift and blushed crimson, “Yes ma’am.”
“And how old is she?”
“Twenty-eight.”
“Right. Okay.”
“It’s not what you think.”
I raised an eyebrow, “And what do I think?”
“The car’s been here before. She doesn’t get it serviced like she should and it messes it up. It’s always a wait for Audi to send the parts. Last time she was in with it, we started talking and I...well I, I asked her out. We’ve been dating ever since.”
“Really? What do your parents think about you dating a woman that’s 10 years older than you?”
He dropped his head and mumbled something.
“Excuse me?”
“I said, they don’t know.”
“Do you think it’s wise to hide it from them?”
“It wasn’t hurting anything before...”
“And it is now?”
“Yeah.”
“What?”
He looked away from me, “She’s pregnant.”
Shocker! I tried to keep my face composed, “Is it yours?”
“Who else’s would it be?”
“What are you two going to do?”
“Ma’am, I want to do the right thing by her and the baby but I just don’t...I don’t know how to tell my dad. My mom, she’ll probably be fine with it but dad...I don’t know. He might throw me out right now and I can’t leave just yet. I’m not ready.”
“Have you talked about this with Olivia? What does she say?”
He kicked at some loose gravel in the lot and sighed. “She doesn’t want me to tell anyone yet.”
Teen boy, no money, her own father livid over it...I can see why. Now I see why she’s trying to extort money from JD’s estate too...
“I gotta get back to work.”
“Thanks for talking to me.”
“I didn’t do that stuff ma’am, I swear.”
“I believe you.”
He started to walk away but then stopped and turned back to face me, “I’m a man now and I have to start acting like one and do the right thing for once. No more bullshit. I have real responsibilities now.”
###
Late Afternoon – Crane Family Farm
Dad was sitting at the kitchen table looking forlorn when I stopped at the farmhouse.
“What did the doctor say?”
He tilted his head and peered up at me standing next to him. I bent down and hugged him around the shoulders before pulling out a chair for myself.
“He did one of ‘them heart things with all the wires and such and he took blood and my blood pressure.”
“And?”
“Says my blood pressure is high. Everything else has to wait on the lab or a heart doctor, I guess.”
“Is he going to put you on blood pressure medication?”
“Hope not. Won’t take it.”
“Jesse Crane, you’ll take whatever he tells you to take and do whatever he tells you to do!” My mom came into the kitchen from the laundry room carrying a basket load of sheets and towels. She shot my father a look, “Quit being so bull headed and think about your health.”
Dad changed the subject, “What are you up to today?”
“Working, the same as always. I’m still trying to get a handle on JD’s death but every lead takes me in a different direction.”
Mom pulled a sheet out of the basket and waved an end at me. I stood up to help her fold. “Does that young woman that came to the funeral have anything to do with your investigation?” she asked.
“I don’t know ma. She sure seems to keep popping up.”
“She was rather rude yesterday. JD wasn’t a peach in life, I sure know, but there was no respect for the dead or the grieving from that one! That just isn’t the way you act at a funeral.”
###
Wednesday Evening, August 20th, 2014
I scanned through the preliminary contract Larry had, had his lawyer draw up and then I passed it to Dana.
Larry and Karen sat quietly across their dining room table from us while we read. Once I’d finished myself, Larry couldn’t contain himself any longer. “What do you think,” he asked?
“It seems to be a fair deal but there are a couple of holes in it as far as transfer date and some blanks about payments and closing costs and such.”
Karen looked sheepish, “We didn’t think to ask you before how you’d be paying. We assumed you’d probably need to apply for a mortgage and that can take time.”
Dana spoke up, “No mortgage. We’ll pay in full at closing.” Our neighbors shot each other looks of pure surprise.
I grinned, “I’ve been saving up for a while now and so has Dana. We’re good for it.” It wasn’t my place to divulge her settlement agreement to anyone and, when she didn’t bring up the actual source of her funds, I was glad I hadn’t.
I tipped my head at the papers on the table, “You’re saying for the same price we talked about before, $120,000 for everything, you’ll also go ahead and replace the garage roof?”
Larry cleared his throat, “Yes, about that, we had an inspector come out and look at everything and give us a rough appraisal too. That roof is leaking really badly. We can’t pass that problem off to you in good conscious.”
“We appreciate that.”
Dana questioned, “What’s the deal in there about the barn having to come down though?”
Larry cleared his throat, “We uh, told you it was in pretty bad shape; remember?”
We both nodded.
“The appraiser said a bank wouldn’t finance any value to the barn given its condition. He thought we should have that put in there to satisfy your mortgage lender. Since there won’t be one...”
“Ah, I see. Well you can have that taken out of here if it isn’t too much trouble.” Dana looked at me as she said, “We plan to tear it down and replace it immediately.” I just nodded. I wasn’t aware we were planning to replace it at all but I wasn’t against the idea either. I just wondered what she had in mind.
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Chapter 18 – Feeling Low
Thursday, August 21st, 2014
“Hey babe, it’s almost 11:00; do you want to meet me for lunch today? I listened as Dana hemmed and hawed on the other end of the line. She’d seemed down in the dumps when I’d left for work and I wasn’t sure why.
After a bit of muttering she popped out with, “I suppose.”
“Dana, if you have something going on, it’s okay. We can do it another time.”
“That’s just it, I have nothing going on Mel. Now that all the fair stuff is over, I’m going stir crazy!”
“Let’s meet at Muddy Misers at 11:30; can you manage that?”
“Yes, of course.”
I got waylaid as I tried to leave my office so I was a few minutes late arriving at Misers. Dana’s car was in the lot but she wasn’t in it. The heat of the day was oppressive. I sure hoped she’d taken a table inside the café and bar rather than one on the patio.
My prayers were answered when I spotted her at a corner table in the air conditioned dining area, a sweating glass of iced tea already waiting for me. She smiled across the table at me as I sat down and took an appreciative swig before I even said anything at all.
“Another rough day?”
Sighing, I let my shoulders slump as I shook my head at her. “I’m just getting nowhere on this investigation.” I leaned toward her and whispered, just between you and me, “JD had an accomplice in the crap that I’ve learned he was trying to pull. He went underground but someone found the guy and busted him up pretty bad too. He ended up over at Genesis.”
I took another sip of my tea and held up the glass, “Thanks for this. Anyway, I didn’t have anything but hearsay on him so I had no reason to take him into custody and he’s refused any sort of a guard. He held back on what he told me when I tried to interview him and now he’s clammed up completely. I’m afraid if I can’t dig up something soon, he’s going to sign himself out of there and disappear again, two broken legs and all.”
Dana gritted her teeth, “Is there anything I can do to try and help you? I mean, I’m not sure what I could do for sure but I do know people that might be able to provide you with information to help you find him, or...I don’t know...”
I smiled at her. “I love you for wanting to help.” Lowering my voice again, I said, “I already have an informant that’s given me more information than anybody but all she could do was point me to the guy that just left the hospital, Sterling Moon.”
At the name, Dana raised an eyebrow.
“Yeah, you heard it right. You’d think with a name like that...”
“He’d be easy to track?” she finished my sentence.
“Exactly.” I blew out a breath. “I’m just frustrated. Nobody that knows anything has come forward and the only person I can directly connect to JD keeps disappearing.” The server appeared at the table and I clammed up about my own problems.
After we ordered, Dana sank back in her chair. I eyed her critically.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Don’t take this wrong babe; I’m just wondering why you’re feeling so bored and so down on yourself. I thought you were past a lot of the depression over your injury and...”
She waved a hand at me and stopped me. “It’s not about the injury Mel. I am over that. It is what it is. It’s...it’s just...I don’t know what to do next and, well, I feel useless just hanging around.”
“Baby, no. You’re not useless at all. Please, don’t even think that.”
“Even so, I still don’t know what to do with myself short term or long term. I just feel so lost.”
“Well,” I took a deep breath then grinned a little shakily at her, “I have a couple of immediate ideas for things you could, uh, do now while you give some thought to the long term...if you’d like to hear them?”
“Such as?” When I hesitated a bit to answer she said, “Fire away Mel; I’m all ears.”
“Okay, well, I don’t know if you’ve realized this, but I own only slightly more furniture than you do.”
Dana tilted her head and looked at me quizzically.
“Babe, we’re about to buy a house. Everything in my current house but the furniture in my den and bedroom and my tools in the garage stays there with Kris and the kids. For our house, we’ll need everything: Furniture...appliances...other stuff and I mean a lot of stuff. I know it’s a lot to ask but I sort of hoped you’d take the lead on that.”
At the look of sheer terror in her eyes, I added, “I’ll certainly help and I’ll handle all the stuff like mowing equipment and...”
She put out a hand to stop me, “Mel, of course, I’ll do it.” She paused. “Wow, huh? I guess I hadn’t even thought about any of that. I’ve been living out of suitcases and the occasional furnished apartment for the last few years.”
“My sister and I combined households when she divorced JD and we moved into grandma and grandpa’s old place. I couldn’t take any of that stuff away from her and the kids, even with Lance getting ready to move in. He’s been spending five or six out of seven days on the road. I doubt he has much besides his clothing either.”
“Kitchen stuff, Bathroom stuff, everything?”
I shook my head regretfully.
“Okay then; I guess I better start making a list.” She grew silent and thoughtful for a minute. I just let her mind run wherever it was going. Finally, she spoke again, “Tell you what, I’ll work on all the basics but as far as furniture and decorating goes, we have to measure rooms and then look at stuff together. Deal?”
“Deal!” I was relieved. “You might want to...if you feel up to it...start taking a look around for deck designs that you like too. It’s nearly fall so that will have to wait, but we’ll want to know where we’re going with it in the spring.”
“What about that barn, can that be torn down now? Should I be looking for contractors too?”
“Oh, but you still have a lot to learn.” I almost added, ‘city girl’ but I knew that would irritate her. “The Amish will actually pay us to tear that down. I’ll get a guy I know to come out and take a look at it.”
“You’re not serious?”
“No, it’s true. That barn’s got to be 100 years old or more. They’ll want the wood for crafts and reclamation projects. They’ll tear it down and haul it all away and give us a small sum for the wood to boot. Next spring, along with the deck, we’ll take a look at putting a nicer structure out there and maybe even some work space for you...if that’s what you decide you want.”
She shrugged at first and but then thought for a minute. Finally, she smacked a hand lightly on the table, “Well, alright then. I guess I have my work cut out for me after all!” She smiled all the way up to her eyes. “All of that should keep me busy for a bit, eh?”
I dropped my head but I had to look up as the server brought our food. When she moved away, I kept my eyes firmly trained on my plate.
“Spill it Mel, there’s something you’re not telling me.”
“I don’t exactly know how to frame this without it sounding bad but, well, with all the stuff going on with JD and the investigation and the fair and the house, and dad’s health...we were supposed to...” I trailed off not sure how to ask what I was about to ask.
Dana read my mind, “Our wedding planning kind of got put on the back burner, didn’t it?”
Relief washed over me again. “Yes. I know I promised we’d sit down after the fair and make plans, but...it’s not that I’ve forgotten...”
Dana laughed hard. “Baby, you look like you’re about to be sick with worry. It’s only been a few days and, trust me, I completely understand.” She took a bite of her food and made moaning noises that lightened the mood considerably.
After dabbing at her mouth with her napkin, she waved a finger at me, “I will plan our wedding Melissa Crane but there will be no arguments from you over what I decide.”
“Honey you just tell me when I need to schedule time away from work
and don’t put me in a dress. That’s all I ask.”
“We’ll just see about that dress bit!”
My eyes bored into hers.
She waved her fork at me, “Kidding! I was just kidding.”
“If you’re still bored after all of that, you might consider setting up your own business sooner rather than later.” Jokingly, I told her, “Tomorrow would be great. You could start by finding Sterling and JD’s bookie because Sterling, before he ran again, claimed no knowledge of whom that might be and my informant isn’t saying either.”
###
Thursday Evening, August 21st, 2014
Crane Family Farm
Dana and I were summoned out to the farm for an ‘adults only’ dinner, as my sister put it when she called. We arrived just after 6:00 PM to find mom and Kris sitting at the kitchen table. There was no food in sight; instead, the table was covered in bridal magazines.
A sense of dread washed over me. I looked at Dana and she looked back at me through hooded lashes. I could feel something brewing that I just knew I wasn’t going to like and it seemed like Dana was feeling the same sort of tension that I was.
“We ordered pizza,” mom said. “Your father took Lance and they went into town to pick it up so we only have a few minutes before they get back.”
“Um, okay,” I said, “First of all, should dad be eating pizza?”
“The doctor hasn’t called with his test results yet. We should know something tomorrow. We might as well let him have his fun now.”
“Fair enough, but now tell me what this is all about that they can’t hear?” Dana just stood by silently.
Instead of answering, mom ordered, “Sit, sit you two!” then she spent a couple of minutes bustling about doing much of nothing. Kris started gathering the glossy magazines into a pile in front of her. We watched her expectantly but she wasn’t talking either and I was getting impatient.
Just as I was about to lay into both of them, mom finally bubbled over, “Your dad and Lance didn’t think you two would agree to what we have in mind so we wanted to talk to you without them.”