by Lilly York
“She’ll be fine. The last time he visited, he brought us a copy of his will. He seemed to be upset, but wouldn’t tell us what was bothering him. Clarissa is the sole beneficiary of Mr. Rune’s estate.”
Steve sighed. “I hate to tell you this, but Mr. Rune was nearly broke when he died. He has nothing left.”
Mark chuckled. “Huxley Rune was a master at making money. I can assure you, he wasn’t broke. He may not have had much in his bank accounts, but the man was worth millions. Would you like to see a copy of his will?”
Steve’s eyes brightened. “Yes, we have been trying to locate his lawyer. With no luck, I might add. His agent promised to have him get in touch with me and I’m still waiting.”
Mark left then returned with a manila file and handed it to Steve. “You can have that one. I made you a copy.”
Steve stood up. “Thank you. There is one more thing.” He seemed hesitant but asked anyway. “Do you know of anyone who wanted to use this information against him? We believe he may have been being blackmailed.”
Mark took his wife’s hand in his own. “The whole ordeal was very hush-hush. Not even the papers caught wind that Mr. Rune was involved in the accident. Huxley Rune was a very protected man. He had friends in high places. To my knowledge, he never again touched a drop of alcohol. I have no idea who may have found out. We have kept our end of the deal. Until today, we have told no one.”
Elizabeth added. “Clarissa’s family was thankful he did the right thing by coming to them. He had his lawyers draw up papers that made him legally responsible for her care, for the rest of her life. Since all his assets were responsible for the wonderful care she is receiving, her mother never had cause to sue him. Not many people know about this arrangement. I can’t imagine her mother blackmailing him. She’s one of his biggest fans.”
Willow spoke for the first time. “Who is Clarissa’s mother?”
“Martha Claremont. Do you know her?”
Willow swallowed hard. “Yes, yes we do.”
Chapter 11
“How did I not know Martha had a daughter?”
Steve shrugged his shoulders. “Most of us know she has a daughter. She led us all to believe her daughter was still out east working in a cushy job earning lots of money. We had no idea her daughter was in a debilitating accident and living two hours from home. None whatsoever. Some of us did wonder why she never visited, but we didn’t think it was our place to ask.”
“I would think something like this would have gotten out somehow. The gossip alone in a small town can be brutal. Someone had to have known.”
“If so, they must have a tongue of steel because I haven’t heard a word about it.” He sighed. “This does mean we have to talk to Martha. Hopefully we can keep it quiet. For some reason she doesn’t want people to know and I’d like to try and honor her wishes if at all possible.”
Willow nodded. If Embry were in Clarissa’s place, Willow would be devastated. Honoring Martha’s wishes was the least they could do.
Willow opened the will and whistled. “Mark was right. He may not have much in his bank accounts but he has a lot elsewhere. Real estate, movie options, book royalties, he even has Xbox games based on his books.”
“This is why we needed to talk to his lawyer. We just didn’t have all the information we needed to be able to search his name accurately. I hate when lawyers impede an investigation.”
Willow kept reading. “Oh wow. He already had most of his assets transferred to Clarissa. He was living bare bones by choice.” She looked at Steve. “This still doesn’t tell us where the $350,000 went. We need more information.”
True to his word, Steve pulled up in front of Willow’s Ice Cream Shoppe just before 8pm. She waved goodbye then went in through the back door.
The place was empty. Embry and her co-worker had already cleaned and mopped. Janie was her morning baker and would have the shelves filled by the time their morning regulars appeared.
“Okay, Mom, we have a reservation for 9. We need to get moving.”
“Willow ran a brush through her hair and topped off her jeans and white t-shirt with a plaid jacket she kept around the office for good measure.” She turned to Embry. “Do I look okay or do we need to stop at my house so I can change?”
“You’re fine. I, however, have to change. I smell like rocky road, mint chocolate chip, and mocha lattes all rolled up in one. If we leave now, we’ll have time to swing by my place and still make it.”
Willow followed Embry to the city. No sense in making the girl drive her home. Not when she was working the breakfast shift at the restaurant the next morning.
Willow followed Embry to her apartment. The place was a disaster. “How do you find anything in here?”
“I have a unique organizational system. As long as you don’t touch anything, I know right where everything is.” Two minutes later, Embry emerged. “Do you see my tan sandals anywhere?”
Willow gave her a shake of the head and started looking under piles. She held up the AWOL sandals. “Are these the ones?”
“Ah yes, now I remember. I had them on then decided to wear heels and kicked them off.”
“Good thing you have that wonderful system in place or you may never have found them.”
Embry pursed her lips but didn’t comment. Instead, she quickly put the sandals on. “Okay, let’s go. You can leave your truck here if you want to.”
“Uh, maybe you should leave your car here.”
Embry smiled. “Good idea.”
Willow drove the short distance to the downtown restaurant. She’d never been to the fine dining establishment but she already knew the food was delicious. Embry had brought her bits and pieces of leftovers over the months she had worked there.
The waitress appeared and seemed genuinely pleased to see her daughter. “Embry, is this your mom?”
Embry made introductions then ordered an appetizer for the both of them and a glass of wine for herself.
“And for you ma’am?”
Willow was looking at the menu so she half mumbled, “I’ll have a half and half ice tea.”
“Did you say an Arnold Palmer?”
Willow laughed. “Oh, goodness no. I’d be under the table. I’ll have a half sweet and half unsweet ice tea.”
The waitress gave her an odd look then told her the tea would be unsweetened with simple syrup on the side then left to get their drinks.
Embry started laughing. “Mom, what is an Arnold Palmer?”
“I suppose it’s some sort of alcohol. Probably a whisky or something.”
This made Embry laugh even harder. “Mom, an Arnold Palmer is half ice tea, half lemonade. It doesn’t have any alcohol it in.”
“Oh. Wonder why they call it that? Wouldn’t it be easier if they just said what it was?”
The waitress brought their drinks and Willow started to explain but Embry kicked her under the table.
“Ow. What’d you do that for?”
Embry addressed her co-worker. “I’m ordering for both of us. Mom will have the Chilean Sea Bass and I’ll have the Colorado Lamb Chop.”
Willow was still rubbing her shin when the waitress collected their menus and left. “That better have been an accident.” Their charcuterie board was placed before them. “I could have ordered a hamburger. It would have saved you some money.”
“Mom, stop trying to save me money. I work. I save. I’m buying you a nice dinner now would you just stop and enjoy it?”
“Sheesh. Okay. Fine.” She mumbled under her breath.
“What did you say?”
“Nothing.”
“That’s what I thought. Now, eat some cheese and meat.”
They took their time and enjoyed one another’s company. Willow had been so busy with the ice cream festival, they didn’t have much leisure time. Work, yes, but not play time. Willow thought back to the day of revelations regarding Martha’s daughter, Clarissa. As she looked at her own daughter, laughing and telling her something about one of th
e waiters, she felt her eyes tear up. She now understood Martha a little better. She was so quiet and didn’t seem to get out much. She did get out and she did spend time with her daughter, just not in the way she would have liked.
Willow blinked away the tears. She wanted to enjoy these moments with her daughter, not be a downer for both of them.
Their entrees came and as usual, they traded plates halfway through the meal. By the time their chocolate torte and coffee arrived both of them were plumb stuffed. Willow wouldn’t trade her time with her daughter for anything. Nor would she stop at anything to protect her. The owners of the rehabilitation center said Martha had nothing to gain by suing, but, Willow wondered. If she knew her daughter would be taken care of, and there would be no end to the money, would she take matters into her own hands and exact revenge?
Chapter 12
The alarm went off before Willow was ready. Clover was snoring next to her. She must have let her out at some point, not that she remembered, then fell back into bed in her near zombie state. She called Janie to see if the groupies were still hanging out.
Janie assured her they were fine and she didn’t need to come in at all. Just stay home and rest was the order from her best friend. She didn’t argue. She went straight back to bed, pulled the covers over her head and promptly started snoring. Her phone was turned off. Not even on vibrate, but turned off. She wanted no interruptions. She wanted to sleep until she woke up.
The sun was high in the sky when she finally turned over and stretched. Apparently Clover had the same idea as she barely acknowledged her as she reached for the fur ball sleeping next to her. In fact, Clover got a bit irritated and moved to the other side of the bed when her sleep was disturbed. Willow laughed. “I know how you feel, girl. We are kindred spirits in that sense.”
Willow flipped the coffee maker on and opened her laptop. She hadn’t checked email in days and Facebook probably thought she had passed away. She had removed the app from her phone. Email too. She hated the constant pinging. Whatever was happening could live without her until she was actually sitting in front of her computer.
“Huh, Clover, what do you think about that? A Russian girl is wanting to hook up with me. Yeah, I don’t think so.” She pressed the delete button. So much trash. A couple emails from friends and a sale for her favorite face cream. She clicked on the link and was about to order when an instant message popped up. “Mom, trying to call you. Why isn’t your phone on?”
Willow rolled her eyes. “I guess it’s time to reconnect.” She pulled her phone from her purse and turned it on. She had multiple missed calls and several voice mails, two from Embry, one from Steve, and one from Janie. The rest of the missed calls were hang ups.
She closed down her laptop and called Embry. “Yes? You rang?”
“Mom, gosh, where have you been all day? I’ve been trying to reach you.”
“I’ve been here. Sleeping. See, that is why my phone was off. So I could sleep.”
“But, what if there was an emergency or someone died.”
“Embry, what do you want?”
“Oh, can I borrow your pink sweater? The one you bought when we were shopping this spring?”
“That was the emergency? I’m so glad my phone was off and yes, you may borrow my sweater. The important word to remember is borrow. I want it back.”
“Great. I’ll be over later to get it. I’ve got a date tomorrow night and it will be perfect. See you later. Love you.”
Willow hung up the phone after telling her daughter she loved her too.
Steve was next.
“Hey, you called?”
“I sure did. I went to see Martha this morning.”
This got Willow’s attention. “Without me?”
“I tried to call but you weren’t answering. I had to get some answers.”
“I was so tired I collapsed. Well, what did she say?”
“Pretty much what Mark and Elizabeth said. She didn’t give much more insight or reveal anything we didn’t already know. I did get the distinct impression she is hiding something though. And she definitely wants us to remain quiet about the whole incident. She does not want people knowing Clarissa was involved in the accident or that she lives here in the vicinity.”
“Huh, I wonder why?”
“I have no idea. I need to get going. I’m glad you got the chance to rest. I’m looking forward to the same thing one of these days.” He paused, “I almost forgot. I talked with my sister. She wants to know how much you are actually playing with Clover. Going on walks, throwing a ball, that sort of stuff. Apparently dogs dig holes when they’re bored.”
“I guess not as much as I should be. I’ll try and increase our together time.”
She hung up and spent the next hour and a half cleaning her house. Both bathrooms were horrendous. And dog hair was everywhere. She emptied the vacuum bag before putting it away then scratched Clover behind the ear. “Do you want to go for a walk?” Clover ran to the door and barked. “I’ll take that as a yes.” She spent the next hour walking and throwing Clover’s ball.
As they approached the house, Embry pulled up. She rolled down the window.
“Hey, Mom. You and Clover out getting into trouble?”
Willow waved. “You know it.”
Clover flopped down on the cool floor after taking a nice long drink.
“That should keep her from digging any more holes.”
Willow was still restless. She had put supper in the crockpot when she got up so she checked on it and found it was ready. Which was a good thing, since she’d worked up quite the appetite. She mixed in the parmesan cheese and set the table while it melted. Willow paced as Embry searched her closet for the pink sweater.
“You hungry?” She called down the hall.
“I’m always hungry. What’d you make?”
“I have farro risotto in the crockpot with chicken and mushrooms, a Caesar salad, and some rolls. Interested?”
Embry stuck her head out Willow’s bedroom door. “You know I am.”
“Okay, well, it’s ready. Come and eat.”
Half way through the meal, Embry interrupted Willow’s thoughts. “Mom, you’re so quiet. What is up?”
She told her about Martha and Clarissa, making sure she knew it was not to be repeated. “I just can’t seem to get what happened out of my head. I think I’m going to go by there after you go.”
Embry ate then rushed out the door. “Thanks for the meal and the sweater.”
Willow watched as Embry’s car blew up dust leaving the driveway then she took a quick shower. She was still sweaty from cleaning and her walk with Clover. She put her wet hair in a low bun, slipped on a pair of capris and a t-shirt then headed to her truck. As Willow reached the end of her driveway, a car was slowly approaching. As soon as the driver noticed Willow, he sped up. Willow waved and the driver pretended not to see her.
“Hmm, I wonder what Jasper James is doing in this neck of the woods.”
Chapter 13
Willow parked on the street in front of Martha’s house. All the drapes were pulled and she didn’t want to be visiting too late. She glanced at the time. It was only 7 pm. Not too late, at least in her eyes.
She rang the doorbell and waited. She rang it again. Still no answer. Willow walked around to the back of the house to see if she might be sitting outside enjoying some fresh air. Nope. It was then she saw the garden and one leg protruding from the tomato plants. She pulled out her phone while running toward Martha.
“Martha, are you okay?”
Willow dialed 911 as she checked for a pulse and open airways. She gave the dispatcher the address then attended to Martha. Thankfully she was breathing. It was only a couple of minutes before she heard the ambulance. The EMT’s loaded her into the ambulance and left with their lights blaring. The only thing Willow knew when they left was she was breathing on her own but she was unresponsive. She let herself in the back door of the house justifying her behavior by telling he
rself she was only checking to make sure nothing was in or on the stove and if there were animals, she would check on them. The woman did like to drink tea. It was entirely possible she had a tea kettle going.
She was in the bedroom when she heard someone else in the house. She looked around for a place to hide when a familiar deep voice called out to her.
“Willow, I know you’re in here.”
She grinned. “I was checking to make sure she didn’t leave the stove on.”
“In the bedroom?”
“Um, yeah, some people have coffee machines in their bedrooms.”
Steve leaned against the door frame. “And did Ms. Claremont have a tea pot going in her bedroom?”
“No, no she did not. You can never be too sure though.”
“Let me ask this. Did you find anything useful?”
“I’m not sure. She has this envelope of letters she wrote to the Times and various other newspapers in the northeast. Asking all of them why they haven’t reported on the hit and run. And yes, apparently, Mr. Rune did not develop a conscious and turn himself in until a few weeks after the accident. I would say he had a major change of heart with leaving Clarissa everything in his will.” She glanced at Steve. “Mark and Elizabeth left out that part of the story.” She sighed. “Then again, perhaps they had no idea. Maybe Huxley didn’t give them the full story, you know, perhaps he kept the not so flattering parts to himself.”
“I doubt they had any reason to withhold that information if they knew of it. How would it benefit them? The accident was years ago and Rune is dead. He is beyond facing the consequences.”
“Yeah, very true. Did you know one of his books was just optioned for movie rights?” Willow thought about the girl whose life was terribly altered. “She has all this money and can’t enjoy it.” She had an idea. “Steve, who is acting as the trustee for Clarissa?”
He rolled his eyes. “We’re still waiting on the lawyer. I have a phone meeting with him tomorrow morning at 9 am. I should get some answers then.”
“Well, let’s hope he comes through.”