Blood Sisters

by Melody Carlson

  He nodded earnestly. “That’s exactly how I see it.” Then he grinned slyly. “Hey, you think maybe you could explain that to my old man?”

  She glanced back at the table and the four place settings, then shrugged. “Sure, but I don’t know why he’d listen to me.”

  “Hello out there,” called Adam from inside the house. “I’m back, and we’ll be out in a couple minutes, Judith. Had to make an ice cream run for dessert.”

  “No problem,” she called back. “Josh is taking good care of me.”

  “You think these are done now?” he asked her again.

  She took another look and nodded, “Looks like it.” She felt a familiar lump stick in her throat as she considered how her son might’ve been about this same height, might’ve been asking her these same kinds of questions, having these same youthful doubts and struggles as he searched to find his own place in the world. What would it have been like to be the parent of a grown child? She turned away, tightly shutting her eyes against these haunting thoughts, determining she would be strong. She must prove to herself, if not to Adam, that she could be strong even under these most trying of circumstances. Oh, God, help me, she thought.

  “Well, here we go,” called out Adam as he placed a plate of corn on the cob on the table. “Nothing fancy, but it should be good.” He turned to Josh. “How’re those steaks doing?”

  Josh proudly held the platter before his dad. “Judith thought they looked okay.”

  Adam rubbed his hands together. “They look better than okay.” Then he turned back to the house and yelled, “You coming?”

  Judith, distracted from thoughts of Jonathan, turned her focus to the open doorway in time to see a white-haired man slowly make his way down the steps. He was wearing two bright-colored oven mitts and carrying a cast iron pot between them.

  “Gotta wait for my baked beans.” he said with a wide grin. “And believe you me, they’re worth waiting for.”

  “This is my father.” said Adam. “Jack Ford.”

  The old man glanced sharply at Adam and then back to Judith. “And I’ve heard that you’re Judith, our new neighbor. Welcome to the neighborhood.”

  She smiled at him. “Do you welcome all the new neighbors like this?”

  He chuckled. “Don’t know as we’ve had any new neighbors before this.”

  “Pops and Josh are just visiting me,” Adam quickly explained as they all sat down. “They’ve been here a week and will stay another, then head on back home.”

  “Depends,” said Jack.

  “Yeah, yeah,” said Adam, waving his hands in dismissal. “Pops, you want to pray before the food gets cold?”

  Jack bowed his head, then simply said, “Lord, bless this here food and all who are about to partake. And keep us safe in your care. Amen.”

  Judith felt a strange sense of relief as she forked a steak onto her plate, but wasn’t quite sure why. “These look delicious, Josh. I think they turned out perfectly.”

  “Wait’ll you taste my beans,” said Jack as he eased the black pot toward her, one red oven mitt still on his hand. “It’s my own secret recipe.”

  “So where is home for you, Jack?” she asked as she spooned out some beans.

  Jack glanced over to Adam then back at her. “California. But not for long, I’m hoping.”

  “Why’s that?” She sprinkled some dressing onto her salad.

  “Well, it’s just getting too durned crowded down there. Traffic is a nightmare. And since coming up here with Josh to visit Adam, I’m thinking this is a pretty nice place for a feller to land. I wouldn’t mind living out the rest of my

  days in a spot like this.” He looked up at the cedar canopy overhead. “Nice quiet little town.”

  Adam made a grunting sound. “Pops is something of an idealist. I’ve told him about some of the problems in Cedar Crest, and he thinks if he sticks around he might be able to make a difference.”

  Judith’s fork paused in midair. “That’s odd.”

  “Odd?” Jack looked at her curiously.

  “Well, I ran into an old friend today who’s just moved back to town. And he said the same thing—that he wants to make a difference.”

  “See!” exclaimed Jack, sticking his steak knife straight into the air as if to further drive his point home. “I’m not the only idealist in town.”

  “Problem is,” she continued, not quite sure how to put it. “I’m afraid this man has some even tougher obstacles ahead of him.”

  “Like what?” asked Josh.

  She glanced over to Adam. “I assume these guys are aware of this town’s racist history?”

  Adam nodded. “Warned “em right off the bat.”

  “Well, my friend is black.”

  Adam looked at her with furrowed brows. “Are you kidding?”

  She shook her head. “No. I almost wish I were. I’m worried for him.”

  “You should be. What’s his name and where does he live?”

  ”I don’t know the exact address, but it’s over on Aspen Street between Third and Fourth. His name is Eli Paxton.”

  “Paxton?” Adam’s brows shot up. “Related to the late James Paxton?”

  “His brother. James was younger. Eli is my age.”

  Adam shook his head. “This is serious, Judith.”

  “What is it, son?” asked Jack, his brow furrowed with concern.

  Adam just shook his head and sighed. Then suddenly Judith felt guilty. “I’m sorry.” she began quickly. “I didn’t mean to bring up something so negative at dinner. Where are my manners? Besides, Eli assured me he’ll be okay and that he knows what he’s doing. So, please, don’t worry about him right now.”

  “No, no, it’s okay,” reassured Adam. “I need to know about this. And believe me, these guys can handle it.”

  “Yeah,” laughed Josh. “We’re used to this kind of stuff with Dad. But I want to know more. What’s with this James guy? How’d he die?”

  “He was in a car wreck about twenty-five years ago.”

  “So, what’s the big deal about that?”

  “Shall I?” offered Judith, unsure of how much Adam really knew.

  “Go ahead,” urged Jack as he reached for another ear of corn. “You got my curiosity running.”

  “Well, to put it in a nutshell, James was seeing the daughter of the worst racist family in town, a Morrison girl. And on a night he’d taken her to the movies, he was in what some people think was a mysterious car wreck. Of course, he was alone by then.”

  Josh whistled slowly. “Sounds like something outta a Grisham novel.”

  “Yeah,” agreed Judith, “but now perhaps we should change the subject to more cheerful things. Say, do you guys know Martha Anderson, your other neighbor over there?” She pointed diagonally across the fence.

  “Know of her,” said Adam between bites. “But haven’t met her yet.”

  “Well, she’s a good person,” said Judith. “Worth knowing. Her husband, who happened to be one of my

  favorite teachers, strongly opposed the racist activities in this town.”

  “Not many of those left around.” said Adam.

  “Actually, her husband passed on a few years back. But I suspect she’s just as strong in her convictions as he ever was.”

  “Good for her,” said Jack. “Care for some more beans, Judith?”

  “No, thanks. But you’re right, they were delicious.”

  He nodded. “Yep, I thought you’d like “em.”

  “So, where will you be heading off to after next week, Josh?” she asked as she forked a piece of steak.

  “Well, Dad thinks he’s sending me back to California to live with Pops,” said Josh. “But I’ve been telling him he’d better think again. I kind of like it up here too.”

  “Up here, as in Cedar Crest?” asked Judith. “Or do you just mean Oregon in general?”

  “Both. It’s a nice change from California. And I thought maybe I could get a job at the grocery store in town, just to e
arn some money this summer. They’ve got a “help wanted’ sign on the window. And when I asked about it, the manager gave me an application and invited me back for an interview tomorrow.”

  “An interview you don’t need to schedule,” said Adam with a sour expression.

  “Dad,” began Josh, “I’m not a kid anymore. I can do what I want now.”

  Hoping to soothe the conversation, Judith jumped in. “Then you’re from California too, Josh?” She glanced at Adam. “Didn’t you say you moved down here from the Portland area?”

  “Yeah, I lived in Laguna with my mom and stepdad,” offered Josh. “Talk about a crazy place with a bunch of totally warped-out people.”

  Adam laughed. “Can’t disagree with you there, son. But if you stay in California, think how much well save on your college tuition—”

  “See.” Josh nodded to Judith. “There he goes again about college.”

  Adam looked at Judith. “Josh has been talking to you about college?”

  “Well, a little...”

  “And she agrees with me, Dad.” Josh looked at her. “Tell him, Judith.”

  She held up her hands. “Wait a minute, I don’t know if I want to get in the middle here.”

  “Go ahead,” said Adam. “I’d like to hear this.”

  “Well,” she began slowly, “I only said I think too many kids graduate high school and just automatically assume they should go to college without even knowing what they really want out of life. What’s the harm in taking some time off until you know for sure what it is you’d like to do? It’s a good age to travel and explore some things. I mean, take my own life. I went straight from high school to college, obtained my teaching degree just like my mom, got married, started teaching, had a baby, yada-yada, and suddenly I’m middle-aged, stuck on a treadmill, and asking myself if I ever really wanted to be a teacher at all.”

  Josh looked at her curiously. “What do you think you’d have rather done?”

  “Maybe pursue art.”

  “As in an artist?” asked Josh.

  “Yes; I used to love doing art. But life got so busy that I gave it up.” She smiled. “Although lately, I’ve started to sketch again. I’m not very good, but I find it rather soothing and fun.”

  “You mentioned a husband and children,” said Jack.

  Adam glanced at Judith and then back to his father, but remained quiet. Perhaps he was testing Judith’s strength again.

  “Yes. Unfortunately, they’re no longer with me. My son, who would’ve been almost the same age as Josh here, died as a boy from leukemia. And my husband was killed in a plane wreck just a couple of years ago.” She forced a smile. “So, here I am, all on my own and having somewhat of a midlife crisis.”

  “I’m sorry,” said Jack, sadly shaking his head. “I lost my wife about five years back, and I still roll over in the morning and reach out for her.”

  Judith nodded. “Yeah, I know what you mean.”

  “I hear we’re supposed to get a thunderstorm tonight,” said Adam looking over to the dark clouds gathering on the horizon.

  Grateful for this shift in conversation, Judith joined in and slowly they moved to less emotional subjects, finally just chatting idly while they leisurely finished up their meal. Then the three men began to clear the table.

  “Can I help?” offered Judith.

  “Nah,” said Jack. “Adam, why not let me and Josh take care of this? I know you and Judith have some business to talk about.”

  “Thanks, you guys,” said Adam. “Why don’t you give us about an hour or so to go over some things, and then we’ll all reconvene for some of those fresh berries and ice cream.”

  “Sounds good to me,” said Josh as he carried off a stack of dirty plates.

  Adam looked around the yard. “But maybe we should go inside to talk.”

  Judith felt her brows raise. “Why’s that? Do you think someone would listen out here?”

  “It’s possible.”

  He led her through the house, which, although generally neat in appearance, seemed rather stark and void of any personal touches, not to mention much furniture. “I’ve set up an office in here.” he said as he showed her into what must’ve originally been a bedroom. He pointed to a leather chair across from his desk. “Have a seat.”

  She looked around. A few more personal touches had landed in here. Several trophies, she wasn’t sure for what, and some nicely framed photos of landscapes and wildlife of the Pacific Northwest warmed up the room. She was drawn to a particularly nice one of a misty waterfall with autumn foliage all around. “That’s pretty,” she commented before she sat down.

  “Thanks. Photography used to be a hobby of mine.”

  “You took these?”

  He nodded. “Strictly amateur, but, like you said about your sketching, it was relaxing and fun.” He picked up a pencil and began drumming it on his desk as if he was considering how to begin. “Okay, Judith, there’s something I want to discuss with you.”

  “No more question-and-answer games?” she said teas-ingly.

  The edges of his eyes wrinkled in a half smile. “Actually, you can ask me all the questions you like later. But I think I know most of what I need to know about you, at least for the time being.”

  “You’ve been doing more investigating?”

  “Not really.” He stopped drumming his pencil and turned serious. “Mind if I get right to the point?”

  “No, please do. The suspense is killing me.”

  “Okay, then. I’ve come up with what could either be a really brilliant plan or a totally stupid idea.” He studied her carefully.

  “And?”

  He sighed deeply and looked down at his desk. I’m just not sure...”

  “Come on, Adam, don’t leave me hanging like this. What’s your idea?”

  He took a deep breath. “Okay. I’ve been looking for a way to infiltrate into the brotherhood, if you know what I mean. But no one in this town seems to trust me very much. The fact is, no one’s even willing to give me the time of day. Especially the boys down on the force.” He shook his head. “They’re constantly watching every move I make.”

  “Not surprising, I suppose.”

  “No, it’s what I expected to start with. Although I hoped I might be able to get further than this by now.” He moved his hand across his desk. “That’s why I try to do most of my work here at home.”

  Judith decided to cut to the chase herself. “Did the state send you out here to investigate the integrity of the police department?”

  “Something like that.” He waved his hand. “But that’s not so important. What I’d really like to do is to uncover exactly what’s going on out at Parker Lake—at “the club’ I’d like to know exactly who’s involved and what they’re up to. But that place is locked up tighter than Fort Knox. The only way to get in is to be “in with the in crowd,’ if you know what I mean.”

  “Sort of. But you’re thinking you’re never going to be “in with the in crowd’ right?”

  He shook his head. “The boys don’t seem to like me.”

  Suddenly, her heart began to pound with realization. “You’re not...you don’t think...I mean, you couldn’t possibly mean... “ She pointed to her own chest with a frightened and questioning look.

  He nodded. “I know, I know, it’s probably certifiably crazy. And I have no right to even ask. But I was thinking, here you are and you already have this great inside track

  with Jasmine’s family, and you said yourself that Hal seemed to like you, and you used to live in this town, and—”

  He stopped himself and sighed deeply. “It’s totally ridiculous, isn’t it?”

  He looked so dismayed that she felt a small wave of pity for him. “No, I can see how it might seem. I suppose if people didn’t really know me, they might even assume I was an insider.” She laughed lightly. “I mean, poor Martha next door wanted nothing to do with me once she heard about my relationship with the Morrisons.”

  �
�See. That’s what I was thinking too.”

  “So, that’s why you asked me if I was strong?”

  “Partly. To be honest, the plan was just evolving in my brain last night. It seemed too crazy to seriously consider. And, yet, all day I’ve been thinking about it, playing it through my mind. How you could get in and then get out, pass your information on to me, and then just be on your way. And you told me you were determined to find out what happened with Jasmine. This might be the only way to the truth.”

  She nodded. “I am committed to finding out the truth about Jasmine.”

  “Committed enough to stick around here and keep asking questions?”

  “Yes.”

  “If you do that on your own, as an outsider, you could be putting yourself into some real serious danger.”

  “Yes, I suppose you’re right.”

  “But if you pretended to be one of them while you’re asking questions, you wouldn’t be in so much danger. Plus, you’d have me looking out for your welfare.”

  “You?”

  “Yes, we’d have to coordinate your activities so I could keep close surveillance, maybe even wire you or use a tracking device. You know, all that fun cops-and-robbers stuff.”

  “You sound like the FBI.”

  He grinned. “Well, a cop’s gotta be prepared for anything.”

  “I suppose what you’re saying does make `sense. If I really plan to get to the bottom of all this, I can’t very well walk up to Hal Emery and say, “Hey, did you kill your wife?’ ”

  “Not without putting yourself at serious risk, although, I believe you thought you had nothing to lose when you first came down here...” He looked straight into her eyes with open curiosity. “But somehow I sense that life’s becoming more precious to you all the time.”

  “Yes, that’s true, but then it’s all due to Jasmine. It’s as if she’s called out to me and drawn me down here. I don’t think I could leave town with all these unanswered questions just hanging on me.” She shook her head with conviction. “In fact, I know I can’t. I must find out what really happened. And not just for Jasmine now, but for James and for Eli too. And who knows how many others?”