by Wendy Tyson
Megan smiled. “Of course, we really mean it.”
Bibi put his hand on her shoulder. “How about if you and I hang out here with Camilla and the goats and let your foster mom and Megan work out the details.
Bobby King and Denver were waiting for them in the kitchen. King said, “How’d he take it?”
“Over the moon.” Megan smiled. She hugged the Chief, who was wearing shorts and a t-shirt today. He was heading to a basketball game, not a murder scene, and for the first time in weeks he looked well-rested.
Megan poured four glasses of Bibi’s sun tea and asked them to have a seat.
“I can only stay for a few minutes,” King said. With a sheepish grin, “Bibi have anything sweet?”
Megan pulled a container of chocolate chip cookies out of the cabinet and handed them to King. Ever since Dillon had entered their life, Bibi was baking daily—and not out of stress.
After wolfing two down, he offered the container to Eloise, who declined.
“We’re all set with Camilla?” Eloise said.
“Yes. Damnest thing, aye?” King was referring to Cat Mantra. “The person living in the storage unit had been Harriet’s daughter. She’d heard about the BOLD-Pioneer Village event and wanted to see for herself. The pig had been hers. She’d shown up at the school the day Barbara and Harriet were there, finally exposing her whereabouts to her mom.”
“Crazy,” Denver muttered, grabbing a cookie. “She returned to the only home she’d had—the school in Pennsylvania.”
“I guess you could say that.” King continued. “The storage unit was all Cat could afford, especially with a pet. It let her fly under the radar, given that she was hiding from her parents. Plus, the storage folks don’t ask questions or do credit or background checks. Cat paid a month’s cheap rent upfront and that was the end of it. She was in no position to take the pig—she’s back in treatment—and Harriet felt like that was the least she could do for Dillon given what all her company’s employees had put him through.”
Megan said, “Saul Bones, huh?”
King smiled. “The woman had a twisted sense of humor.”
“They can’t take Camilla back?” Megan wanted to be sure everything in Dillon’s life was stable—as stable as it could be—from here on in. That meant Camilla too.
“He’s yours and Dillon’s. If Dillon can’t take care of him, he goes back to the farm.”
“How about BOLD?” Eloise asked. “Closing its doors for good?”
“No,” Denver said. “Jatin and Harriet are regrouping, finding some new funding. Maybe renaming. Jatin says they believe in their product and plan to continue pursuing it.”
“So he never had anything to do with any of the this?” Eloise asked.
Denver frowned. “Bobby can verify, but Jatin says he was grilled by the police over and over, and he claims he knew nothing about Chase’s plans to leave or Barbara and Xavier’s actions. Same for Harriet.”
King nodded. “His fight with Chase the night before Chase’s death really was about Chase’s drinking. At least that’s what we believe.” King shrugged. “Neither Xavier or Barbara have pointed a finger at Jatin, so for now we think he’s clean.”
“Clean but broken,” Denver said. “It’s hard to recover from a betrayal like that.
Megan agreed—only she was pretty sure Denver was talking about himself as much as about Jatin. They had a special bond now, one that would deepen and serve their friendship. Despite that small upside, Denver had been quiet since the events took place, waffling between anger and remorse that his so-called friends put Megan and her family through so much. He’d also been talking in his sleep, and it was through his night-time ramblings that she understood the depth of his wounds. She stayed with him most nights, holding him close, as though she alone could be a barrier against the dark.
King interrupted her thoughts. “Loved the article you were quoted in. The one by Donna Lewis. The best news is for the school. Dillon’s ordeal brought attention to its mission. Donations have poured in, donations for real scholarship funds so that kids from all kinds of families can attend.” King grabbed another cookie. “I didn’t want to stress him by going out there, but it seems like he’s doing pretty well. Maybe the school isn’t such a bad place.”
Megan looked toward the window at the barn beyond. “He’s found two new friends, Bibi and Camilla.” She looked at Eloise. “How’s he doing at home?”
“Better. He sleeps through the night. The nightmares have lessened. In a weird way I think surviving that, being instrumental in both of your survival, helped him to deal with what happened to his mom.” She glanced at Denver. “And having you around has helped as well.” Eloise smiled. “He looks up to you.”
Eloise’s smile broadened. “He even brought me flowers yesterday. He’d cut them from my perennial beds, but I could forgive that.” She laughed. “Benjamin Star said he’s opening up more in therapy.”
King took two more cookies and stood. “For the road.” Before leaving, he asked Megan about her grandmother. “Going through that must have been a punch.”
Megan pictured Bibi in the hospital bed, eyes ablaze despite the tubes and wires protruding from her body. “I think she felt it ended well. She never stopped believing in Dillon. It may sound silly, but I think Dillon embodied faith in her mind. He was vindicated, and her faith was justified. The lithium was just a trial, one she endured.”
Eloise laughed again. “I think that’s a fancy way of saying Bibi is a tough lady.”
“Ah, it goes beyond that,” King said. “I see stuff every day. You have to have faith that there is good in the world. And every once in a while, that faith is rewarded.”
“I suppose,” Eloise said. “I prefer to be a pragmatist. Expect the worst and you don’t get disappointed.”
“I don’t believe you for a second,” King said. “You would have never taken in that boy if that was your core belief.”
Eloise didn’t respond. She reached into the cookie container, grabbed one for herself, and tossed one to King and one to Denver.
“Go,” Megan said. “Before you miss your game.” She put the cookies in the cabinet and turned to face Eloise. “Ready to claim your new family member?”
Eloise smiled. “Let’s do this.
About the Author
Wendy Tyson’s background in law and psychology has provided inspiration for her mysteries and thrillers. Originally from the Philadelphia area, Wendy has returned to her roots and lives there again on a micro-farm with her husband, three sons and three dogs. Wendy’s short fiction has appeared in literary journals, and she’s a contributing editor and columnist for The Big Thrill and The Thrill Begins, International Thriller Writers’ online magazines. Wendy is the author of the Allison Campbell Mystery Series and the Greenhouse Mystery Series.
The Greenhouse Mystery Series
by Wendy Tyson
A MUDDIED MURDER (#1)
BITTER HARVEST (#2)
SEEDS OF REVENGE (#3)
ROOTED IN DECEIT (#4)
RIPRE FOR VENGEANCE (#5)
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