Chain of Title

by Robyn Roze

  “Yeah, I know,” Shayna murmured, quickly glancing out at her brother working the grill and the smoker like a pro. “I miss him too,” Shayna said absently. Not in the way Emily probably thought, but in the way you miss a long-time friend, someone who was an important part of shaping your life, regardless of unforgivable acts or how it had ended. And it couldn’t have ended worse.

  Emily got up, moved closer to the television, and boosted the volume. “Score one for the good guys,” she said decisively, seemingly transfixed by the events playing out on the screen in front of her. “You’re going to love this, Shayna!”

  “What?”

  “I heard a blurb about this on the radio on the way home earlier. Somebody finally brought down Hector Morales, and I can only hope he suffered like hell before he met his maker.”

  Jumping up from her seat, Shayna joined Emily and scanned the devastation on the screen. It was evident that destruction on a massive scale had taken place. The aerial view showed an extensive compound carved out of the dense Mexican jungle, now a smoking ember, coughing its last breath. Shayna’s eyes flicked to the breaking news bar crawling along the bottom of the television announcing the death toll and no survivors found.

  “When did this happen?” Shayna asked in a hushed tone.

  Emily gave Shayna a sideways glance. “Probably several days ago, but it hasn’t been reported on the news until today,” she said, shaking her head. Shayna could barely swallow let alone speak. Fortunately, Emily filled the silence for her.

  “If ever there was a monster, it was him.” She paused. “You already know that though,” she remarked sympathetically, touching Shayna’s arm tenderly before turning back to the mayhem on the screen. “He was into everything and everywhere: drugs, weapons and worst of all sex slavery. Kids.” Emily shuddered. “It makes me absolutely sick to think about what could’ve happened to Dani, what’s already happened to so many.” Emily wrapped her arms tightly around herself and exhaled. “They’ve reported some military types found among the bodies, and there’s speculation that a special team was sent in to take out the trash. Of course, our government is denying any involvement,” she muttered. “But, you know, maybe they’re telling the truth this time. I mean, so many people wanted that S.O.B. dead that it’s hard telling who put the money and men together to pull something like that off.

  Conversations from the past swirled in a dizzying loop in Shayna’s head. “Maybe the good guys and bad guys worked together on this one. Maybe they wanted the same thing—for different reasons.”

  Emily nodded while still focusing on the TV. “You just might be right, Shayna. One thing’s for sure, nobody is going to claim responsibility. We’ll never know for sure who to thank and probably wouldn’t want to if we did. Know what I mean?” Emily said, with a crooked glance.

  Shayna didn’t answer the rhetorical question, suddenly feeling sick to her stomach. Her eyes kept reading the scrolling words: no survivors. The feed panned out again to the dramatic aerial view of the extensive compound surrounded by the thick jungle, the canopy buffeted by the helicopters’ downdraft. They must’ve been living and hiding for months in there, planning each move carefully before they struck.

  “How do they know for sure no one survived? Look at that!” She paused, eyes unable to look away from the scene. “The people who carried out that attack must’ve known what they were doing to get through that jungle undetected.”

  “I don’t know, but they seem pretty certain. I mean the people who did this had to know it was a virtual suicide mission. Only someone with a death wish would sign up for something like that.”

  Dread and suffocating heat wrapped around Shayna, and she collapsed to her knees, planting her hands on the floor in front of her. She couldn’t catch her breath as reality closed in squeezing the life out of her.

  “Shayna! Are you all right?” Squatting down, Emily gripped Shayna’s shoulders. “Jack! Jack!” she screamed.

  And then the world went black.

  CHAPTER 30

  One last look. Shayna’s eyes roamed over the open layout of her home. The clean lines, soft hues of gray, blue, and cream, along with the contemporary design had been her own conceptions. Designing the home and decorating it had been a labor of love at the time, had kept her busy after the separation from Frank. Now, looking at it, she felt like it had been someone else’s idea all along. Somewhere, she had gotten lost along the way.

  Everywhere she looked, she saw a canvas of shadowed vignettes playing out before her, telling the stories of her time in this place and the people who had been here with her. Then her focus shifted out the glass panels and across the blue titan known as Lake Indigo. She would miss it. All of it. Mt. Pleasant would no longer be her home.

  Sighing, she turned to leave, not knowing where home would even be. This would be her last drive to Jack’s house. She was leaving her car with him, giving it to him actually, and he was taking her to the airport today. It was time to start over—anywhere but here. She picked up the metal box on the kitchen counter and headed to her car.

  She managed to sell the house with most of the contents, so there hadn’t been much to put in storage or sell. She planned to travel light, didn’t want things or memories weighing her down anymore. After the scare she had given Jack and Emily months earlier, Shayna knew something had to change. Stress, guilt, and grief had piled down on her like an avalanche, all those months ago, scaring the hell out of her brother and sister-in-law. It had all been so embarrassing: the ambulance; waking up in the ER; her brother looking like he would die himself if she wasn’t okay.

  Shayna stopped at a particular point along the circuitous road, looked back at her former home on the hilltop, and then glanced over to the lush, expansive green acreage adjacent to it. She smiled wistfully. Some good would finally come out of all of this, something she could be proud of. The Trust for Public Land would finally get the ten-thousand acres, and Mt. Pleasant residents would have beautiful unspoiled land to enjoy for generations to come. She breathed a deep sigh of relief. All major issues with the probate of Frank’s will now handled, she could take care of any remaining items by email and fax.

  Approaching Mt. Pleasant, she felt the all too familiar pang of melancholy, as she viewed the panorama of the city that Frank built. Even though they’d had disagreements about the planning and development of the city, she knew he’d had every right to be proud. He had worked hard his entire life and had accomplished what he set out to do here. She pushed back the sting of tears and shook off the still volatile mix of emotions where he was concerned. Someday, she hoped she would be able to reconcile her conflicted memories and feelings about Frank Chastain, the choices he had made, and her part in them.

  Taking a deep breath and switching mental gears, she turned left onto Benton Avenue. It felt like a lifetime had passed since she had driven down this street. She could see the maroon patio umbrellas in the distance protecting the patrons outside from the noonday sun. The lunch crowd was filtering into Gaetano’s, now, moving past the large potted plants and into that oasis that had once felt like her salvation. In the end, it very much had been.

  It was hard even now to glance at the familiar exterior. The name boldly etched on the big picture window and the day’s specials written on a chalkboard under the arched interior entryway. This was the first time she had mustered the courage to come here since Sean left. She wondered who owned it now. Who had handled his affairs after what happened in the jungles of Mexico. He must’ve had procedures in place, people to handle the transition quietly. There hadn’t even been an obituary. She had rather expected that. A man like Sean Parker, without a family and close friends, was expendable, easily forgotten—by everyone but her. Walking into his restaurant had changed her life in so many ways. Some good. Some bad.

  She shook the raw emotions out of her head and forced herself to look ahead at the traffic and life. Jack wasn’t happy about her decision to live a vagabond life, but Scotty certainly supp
orted it. She giggled to herself. Of course, he would encourage it. He had lived his entire adult life as a wanderer. Shayna never really understood what exactly he did for a living. Scotty always had the same answer whenever anybody asked: import export. She wasn’t sure she wanted to know what that meant.

  Scotty had been visiting Mt. Pleasant much more the past few months. She didn’t know if it had anything to do with her episode at Jack’s house this past winter, but whatever the reason, she was glad to have him back in her life on a frequent basis. He had been coming back once a month, and would stay for a week or so each time with her. Oh, how she he had loved having him with her. They would stay up to all hours watching cornball movies and reminiscing. He had even managed to get her to open up about Sean—a little. Of course, there was so much that she couldn’t say.

  Danielle and Harper were deliriously happy in that young newlywed way and living in San Diego. Dani loved it in California and, surprisingly, supported Shayna’s decision to leave and travel the world. When Scotty wasn’t in Mt. Pleasant, Shayna had been flying out to see Dani about once a month. The after effects of the kidnapping seemed to be gone now, although Shayna knew that an experience like that would never truly go away.

  A few months back, Dani asked her to bring some of Frank’s things. Shayna smiled at the recollection. That was a good sign. They had stayed up late on more than one night looking through pictures, watching old family movies and telling stories about him. They had both shed plenty of tears and shared many laughs along the journey down memory lane. If nothing else, Frank Chastain had been a wonderful father. Shayna would do her best never to forget that about him.

  Now she sat parked in front of Jack’s house and glanced over at the metal box on the passenger seat. Over the months, Shayna had learned the healing power of forgiveness. It didn’t mean forgetting or condoning, she understood that now. Forgiveness meant releasing the anger that festers and holds you back, takes away your power and sometimes even the people that you love.

  Jack opened the front door before she even had a chance to knock. His eyes dropped down to what she was holding. “What’s that?”

  “It’s for you.” She dangled the car keys. “And so are these,” she said with a smile, dropping them into his hand.

  “I still think you should sell it, squirt.”

  “Sell it if you want, but I don’t want the money. Put it towards my nieces and nephews educations if it makes you feel better, okay?”

  Jack smiled wistfully, and said quietly, “You’re really doing this, aren’t you?”

  “Yes, Jack. I’m leaving Mt. Pleasant, but I’m not leaving you. I will always be there for you. You know that.”

  He engulfed her in a trademark Montgomery bear hug. Shayna burrowed her nose into his chest and inhaled the mesquite from the wood chips he had obviously used earlier when grilling. God, she would miss that.

  “I’m going to miss you, Shayna,” he said, still holding her close.

  “Ditto. I’ll check in and email tons of pictures to you and Em. Promise,” she said, snuggling closer.

  Jack sniffed, cleared his throat, and broke away without looking at her. “I’ll just get your bags out of the car,” he muttered, failing at his attempt to hide the crack in his voice.

  Shayna laughed to herself as Jack searched her car and finally realized that she wasn’t joking, she really did have only one bag and a carry-on. After putting the luggage in the back of his SUV, they went into the kitchen to grab some drinks for the trip to the airport.

  “So what’s in that box?” Jack asked, pointing with his eyes and dropping his chin.

  Shayna inhaled deeply. She probably should have done this before today, but she had chickened out.

  “It has letters in it.” Jack’s brows knitted together. Shayna took another gulp of air. “Letters from our mother...to Dad.”

  Jack grimaced. “Like love letters from when they were dating?”

  The distaste on his face made her want to laugh. “No, I wish they were though. It’s letters she wrote to Dad—after she left us.” Jack stood slack-jawed, wide-eyed. “I found them when I was in high school, Jack. I’ve kept them all this time and never told you or Scotty.”

  “Why? Why would you do that? Have you read them?”

  “Yes. That’s why I didn’t tell you and Scotty. They’re not easy to read, Jack. And at the time...,” Shayna paused, worrying her lip.

  “And at the time what?” he asked impatiently.

  Her eyes flicked to his, and she saw the torment brewing. “I thought we’d all been hurt enough. I didn’t want you and Scotty hurt more, so I kept it to myself. I know now that I was wrong to do that, and I’m sorry. I’m trying hard to let things go and not hold on to the stuff that’s hurt me, but it’s hard, Jack. It’s hard to let go when it’s not what you’ve done most of your life.”

  She watched him move over to the box and smooth his big hand across the top. “Maybe it’s best I don’t read them.”

  A ragged sigh passed Shayna’s lips. “It’s your choice. It always should’ve been.” He glanced back at her, and his eyes were soft with understanding and appreciation. “I wrote Abigail a letter a few weeks back. I told her that I’ve forgiven her for what she did to all of us, but that I will never forget it. And I told her that I don’t think I’ll ever want a relationship with her, and that I was forgiving her not because she deserves it, but because I do.”

  “Shit,” Jack whispered.

  “I’m leaving it up to you whether we tell Scotty about the letters. We were all damaged in our own ways by her choice, but I think in some ways him even more so.”

  Jack closed his eyes and nodded. “Yeah.” He fisted his hand on top of the box. “I’ll probably read some of these and let you know whether I think we should tell him or not.”

  “That’s fine with me.”

  Jack held her gaze for a few moments and then held his arms open wide, walking back to her. He scooped her up and nearly squeezed the life out of her. “I love you, squirt. You know that, right?”

  “I always have,” she whispered with a sigh. “But then, I know everything,” she teased and giggled when he squeezed her tighter.

  “Say it, squirt, or I keep squeezing.”

  Shayna couldn’t believe a man his age and size was still such a kid at heart. “I love you too, Jackson,” she laughed. “But I’m not sure my admission counts under the threat of being squeezed to death.”

  He chuckled and gave her one last squeeze before releasing her and planting a kiss on her forehead. She felt like a little girl again.

  “Okay then. Let’s get you to the airport so you can start on those adventures you’ve been yammering about.”

  ****

  He was a welcome sight, with his messy blond hair and crooked smile. Since Scotty was already in the States on business, he had flown in to Mt. Pleasant to meet up with her. They were going to her first destination, her first adventure, together. He was excited to show her the area he was living in and where he worked. Of course, with his track record, he wouldn’t be there more than six months, but Shayna was playing along. She liked seeing him happy.

  “Hey, sis!” he hollered and waved over the other passengers blocking his path and exiting the gate in front of him. He picked her up, giving her yet another Montgomery bear hug for the day.

  “Well, don’t you look spiffy in that torn AC/DC shirt and flip flops,” Shayna said with a giggle and wink.

  “Jesus, does anyone other than you say spiffy anymore?” He grinned broadly, eyeing her up and down and shaking his head. “You look great, sis. Really. Every time I see you, you look a little bit happier.” He gave her cheek a soft squeeze. “I’m really glad.”

  “Yeah, me too. Out with the old and in with the new, right? You need to give me tips on this homeless thing, you know,” she said as they checked the flight board and headed toward their gate. “Not having a home base is going to take some getting used to.” On the other hand, she could give
her brother a tip or two on settling in the same place for a while.

  He waved off her comment. “Don’t even worry about that right now. We’re going to have fun, and lots of it. Okay?”

  He seemed bubbly and overflowing with high spirits. She wondered why, but whatever the reason, it was fast becoming infectious.

  On the plane, sitting in first class, they caught up on everything since their last visit, watched movies, read and slept. It was a long, tiring flight, but Shayna marveled and laughed at the way her incorrigible flirt of a brother had women eating out of the palm of his hand. She was certain he would never settle down: too many women, not enough time.

  After flying into the Pisa airport, they stayed at a hotel for a few days in the area, enjoying local attractions and acclimating to the time zone change before driving a few hours south along the Gold Coast. Scotty was currently working import-export, he told her, for a winery next to the Tyrrhenian Sea.

  As they drove under a vined archway wrapped in star jasmine and onto a narrow pathway, the vineyard opened wide. Scotty proudly educated her on the history of the winery, the grape harvests, and the wines produced. He pointed out the various structures and buildings, told her their uses, and of the many awards displayed in the main building where the wine tastings took place.

  “This is beautiful, Scotty. How long did you say you’ve been here?”

  “Oh, you know, four or five months. Something like that,” he answered, scratching at his jaw.

  “You really seem to like it. Do you think you’ll stay awhile?”

  “Yeah, I have a feeling I’ll be hanging around for quite some time.” He gave his sister a sideways glance. “I’m a part owner.”

  Shayna’s jaw dropped. “Get out! Are you serious?” An uncontrollable smile curved onto her face. Maybe her brother had finally found a place he could call home.