After a few minutes, Annie’s own eyes began to close. She fought the urge to relax completely, afraid that she’d drop Emma if she fell asleep. Still, it was hard not to close her eyes, just for a brief moment. She was certain that she’d be fine if she just closed them for a moment or two.
Something brushed Annie’s arm lightly and a weight was lifted from them. Her eyes, which had been closed, fluttered open and blinked rapidly, trying to give her brain time to process what was happening. Everett stood in front of her, gently lifting Emma from her arms. His lips made a silent shooshing motion, indicating that Annie should be quiet, presumably so she wouldn’t wake the now-sleeping infant.
Annie watched as he placed Emma down gently in her travel cot and covered her lightly with a small blanket. He smiled at Annie and backed away towards the bedroom door.
Following him as quietly as she could, Annie felt both relieved and a little bit disturbed. How had Everett known that she was in Bessie’s room with Emma? She was certain that she’d closed the bedroom door when she’d brought the baby upstairs. It was very unlikely that Bessie or even Marlena had told him where to find Annie. It was also unlikely that he’d be looking for her to begin with.
Annie pulled the door almost-closed behind her. Thank you for that, she began slowly. My arm was going numb from trying to get her to sleep.
I hope you don’t mind, but I saw you through the door as I passed the room. It looked like a precarious situation, so I thought I’d give you a hand. Or, give you your hands back, he joked.
The door wasn’t closed? Annie asked.
No, why?
She shrugged. I suppose I’m losing my marbles, she replied. I thought I’d closed it to keep the noise level down. She can cry pretty loudly for a little thing.
Everett smiled. Sounds like you’re suffering from babyitis, he teased. You know, sleep deprivation caused by having a baby around? Some of my friends have suffered from the same thing, he explained. I guess that’s one benefit of still being a bachelor, he joked, but his smile faded quickly.
Annie nodded. Yes, I’d forgotten how much babies can wear you out, she lied, knowing full-well that her late night at Rory’s was really to blame. I suppose I should have had that third cup of coffee after all, she laughed.
Annie, I hate to trouble you, but I was actually looking for you before I saw you with the baby. Philip Hutchens arrived a few minutes ago and he’s been a bit irate about seeing the baby. My mother, being her usual combative self, told him that he had no right to see her and insisted that he leave immediately. I thought it best to come and find you before I resort to calling your policeman friend.
Oh, Annie gasped. Yes, I think I’d better go and deal with that. She hoped that Bessie wasn’t down in the sitting room giving Marlena a piece of her mind, but Annie couldn’t be certain that her mother would keep herself out of the fray. Bessie didn’t know Philip at all, but she had told Annie that Marlena rubbed her the wrong way. The last thing Annie wanted or needed was to have her mother insult a very wealthy paying guest at the inn.
Fortunately, Bessie was nowhere to be seen when Annie reached the sitting room. Unfortunately, Maxwell Marshall had joined his wife in arguing with the grieving man.
I think it best if you just leave and wait for the police to tell you that it’s okay to see the baby, Maxwell said to Philip. "Your presence here is causing too much of a disturbance and if you really cared about that baby you’d know that this is not what she needs right now. Besides, shouldn’t you be taking care of funeral arrangements for
Kimberly? You claim to have loved her, but my son has been the only one taking any actions towards seeing to her funeral arrangements."
Philip leaned close to Maxwell, putting his face close to the older man’s and speaking in a low voice. Maybe your son is trying to assuage some of his own guilt. Do you think he’s got something to hide, Maxwell? I’m sure you can recognize a guilty conscience easily enough.
Everett put a hand between the two men and separated them. That’s enough. Dad, maybe you and Mom should go and get some fresh air. Ms. Richards is here and she can deal with Mr. Hutchens.
Marlena let out a short, sharp laugh that sounded like a bark. Ha! The only way to deal with his kind is to toss him out on his rear. He’s got a lot of nerve coming up here and claiming that he only wants what’s best for that baby. She glared openly at Philip. You don’t care about that child any more than you cared about her mother.
Annie was shocked by the woman’s statement, but she kept her wits about her long enough to insist that Marlena and Maxwell wait with Everett in the sitting room while she pulled Philip aside in the foyer.
Mr. Hutchens, I’m sorry, but you really should have called first before coming over here. I can understand that you want to see your daughter, but the Marshalls are very emotional about Kimberly’s death. I get the impression that they were very close to her during her employment with Mr. Marshall.
Philip sneered. I’m sure you could say that. I’m also sure that Maxwell Marshall was furious to find out that I was engaged to marry Kim. Annie gave him a puzzled look. I worked with Maxwell on a very big project once. He tried to get out of his financial obligations to me, smeared my name among our mutual business acquaintances. He tried to say I was bad at my job, but he lied. Maxwell doesn’t care about anyone or anything but himself and his bottom line. He’s not the kindly, doddering old fool that he let’s people believe he is.
I’m not sure what you’re talking about, Annie began. But Mr. Marshall and his family are my guests. I’m afraid that you’re going to have to leave, Mr. Hutchens. I can’t have you coming here and upsetting my guests. And as far as your daughter is concerned, I will be happy to arrange for you to see her as soon as the police have cleared it. I am sorry for your inconvenience, but the police have made it clear that Emma’s safety is our number one priority.
Philip glared at Annie. Don’t trust that family, Ms. Richards. Every one of them has something they’re hiding from the world. They’ve all done terrible things, Annie. Are you so sure that one of them hasn’t done something truly evil? He turned and headed for the front door.
I’ll be back when I’ve spoken to my lawyer, he said without looking back, then he exited the house with a loud slam of the front door.
Annie jumped at the noise made by Philip’s departure. Footsteps came from the kitchen.
Oh, lordy, what was that all about? Bessie cried, wiping her hands on her apron.
Mr. Hutchens, Annie said with a sigh. Before she could say more, Emma’s cries drifted down the stairs.
Before Annie could explain further, Bessie stopped her. I’ll go check on the baby. I heard the Marshalls in the sitting room earlier and I’d just as soon leave them there, if you don’t mind. Bessie started up the stairs, mumbling to herself as she went. Annie couldn’t hear everything her mother said, but the words ‘some people’ drifted down the stairs clearly enough.
Annie chuckled despite the tension that still hung in the air. Her mother was a force to be reckoned with, but even she had her limits when it came to patience. As Annie headed back to the sitting room, she couldn’t help but wonder about Philip’s statement. Had the Marshalls all truly done terrible things, or was that simply the ramblings of an angry man? With the spectre of Kimberly’s unsolved murder hanging in the air, Annie was almost afraid to ask herself one more question. Could one of the Marshalls have killed the young mother? And would they stop at her death alone, or was Annie’s family in danger, too?
15
Lunch, Loss, and Lost Opportunities
Lunch was served on the veranda at Bessie’s suggestion. It was a typically beautiful, sunny autumn day in Coopersville. Annie was tempted to kick off her shoes and dip her toes into the mossy pond behind the house, but the threat of snapping turtles hiding in the murky water kept that thought at bay.
Marlena was quieter than usual after her outburst in the sitting room. Annie suspected that she and Maxwell had called a
truce to their typical bickering. Perhaps the fact that they both seemed to hate Philip Hutchens gave them something common on which to focus.
Maxwell ate heartily, praising Bessie’s culinary skills and swearing that her egg salad was the best he’d ever eaten.
Bessie beamed with pride at his compliments. Thank you, Mr. Marshall. I do put a little extra love into every spoonful, she replied cheerfully.
Rory had surprised them with a pop-up playpen for Emma. He set it up on the veranda so that she could get some fresh air, explaining to Bessie that it was very simple to collapse and set up the contraption.
I thought it made more sense to have a place for her to play when she’s downstairs, he explained. This way, you can put her down when you need to, even if you’re downstairs.
Oh, Rory, you are an angel! Bessie cooed. This is perfect! Where did you get it? I’ll pay you back for it, she added with a nod.
Oh, no, you don’t have to, he replied. I called my sister and she loaned it to me. My nephew’s in middle school now, so she was more than happy for me to come and get it.
Annie’s surprise must have registered on her face. She still lives in town?
Rory shook his head. No, she moved a couple of hours away when she got married. She keeps some of her old baby stuff at Mom’s house. I asked her if she minded us borrowing a few things and she said it was fine. Of course, I had to explain to my mother why I was borrowing it. I think she got her hopes up, he sighed.
Annie put her hand on Rory’s arm. Why don’t you invite your mother over here for dinner one day? I’m sure she’d be thrilled to spend more time with you.
Rory didn’t speak of his family often. Annie got the impression that he simply wasn’t as close to his family as she was with her own mother. Charlotte Jenkins was a widow, something she and Bessie had in common, and Annie wondered if the two women might not enjoy spending an afternoon together swapping recipes or trading stories about their children.
Rory smiled at Annie’s suggestion but batted it away gently. My mother is a story for another day. She’s changed a lot since Dad died, and not necessarily for the better. Why do you think my sister moved away? He didn’t say anything else, and Annie didn’t press the matter.
Well, please tell your sister I said thank you and she is more than welcome to come and visit us sometime. Annie leaned her head against Rory and stared out across the back yard and past the pond. And thank you for getting the playpen. That baby gets heavy after awhile, she said with a grin.
Rory finished his sweet tea and stood, nudging Annie’s head gently as he did so. Duty calls, Miss Purdy, he told her, using her maiden name playfully. Ever since Rory had been back in her life, he’d refused to call her by her married name. Sometimes Annie wondered if this was because he wanted to forget that she’d ever been married to someone who wasn’t Rory. Sometimes she wondered what she’d feel like if her name had been Annie Jenkins instead of Annie Richards.
Annie watched as Rory leaned to give Emma a little tickle on her tummy, then he disappeared back into the house with his dirty dishes. Minutes later, she heard the door leading from the kitchen to the side of the house creaking open and then closing again.
She knew that if she walked to the end of the house she’d see him heading to the barn where he kept most of his tools. She could imagine him working on the interior of the barn, sanding and nailing and measuring things. Rory was predictable, yes, but he was also reliable. More than that, he was something that felt sure and certain. Rory would always do the right thing, he would always do what needed to be done.
Is this seat taken?
Everett’s voice pulled Annie from her thoughts with a sudden jerk. Oh, I’m sorry, Everett, I didn’t mean to jump. I was just thinking about something and completely forgot where I was for a moment.
Everett smiled. I can get that way sometimes. It’s easy to get lost in your own head, isn’t it? I used to be that way about old buildings. In fact, I still get that way sometimes. Your place is amazing. I couldn’t help but notice that some of the wood upstairs is a little different. Do you know why?
Annie nodded. The original owners used whatever they could find to build this place. Some of the load-bearing joints are made with wood from ships that brought supplies to the Carolinas. Some people say that Blackbeard may have even ventured to these parts, she teased. Though that’s purely speculation.
Was this house a part of the Underground Railroad? Everett asked.
Sadly, I don’t think so, Annie replied. I found a journal belonging to a young woman who lived here long ago. She talks of her family owning slaves, though she did seem concerned about treating the slaves well. Annie smiled sadly. We do have a hidden tunnel here that could have been used for hiding all sorts of things, even people, so who knows? Maybe the Coopers changed their minds about slavery after all.
Fascinating, Everett sighed. Terribly sad, too. I think that’s why I love old buildings so much—they just have so much life inside them, so much history.
Annie agreed. That was one of the main reasons I loved this place so much. That, and the fact that it was all I could afford, she laughed. This house, the land it sits on, it was all terribly neglected and rundown when I bought it. I think the world had given up on this place, but I could see its potential. And thank goodness Rory could, too. He basically restored this place by himself, board by board, inch by inch, with a little help from me and my family.
You’ve all done an amazing job, Everett assured her. I think maybe I could see myself doing that some day. Buying an old house and having it renovated, though I’d probably leave the actual work to the professionals, he admitted. I’ve got a great eye for detail, but when it comes to repairs, I’m afraid I’m all thumbs.
Maybe you and your father could tackle a project like that together, Annie suggested. I think it’s more meaningful when the whole family is involved.
Everett let out a dry chuckle. I can’t see my father getting his hands dirty on something like that, he replied. Maybe thirty years ago, before he became such a big shot. Now he just pays people to get their hands dirty for him. He shook his head. I used to think I wanted to carry on the business for him once he’s old enough to retire, but I don’t think I want that anymore.
What do you want? Annie asked quietly.
I want this, he admitted. I want a family and a purpose beyond making my next million dollars.
Annie squirmed when he mentioned such a large amount of money. Is that why you haven’t settled down yet?
It is incredibly difficult, he began, to find a woman in my usual social circles who would be willing to walk away from my father’s empire. There was one, once, but I’m afraid I missed my chance.
Annie nodded slowly. Kimberly?
Everett didn’t reply immediately. After a few moments, he simply sighed. She honestly didn’t give a damn about my family’s money. She could have stayed with us and continued to find things to do for my father and he would have paid her, at least until he got tired of my mother’s complaints. But Kim didn’t want to take advantage of my family like that. She knew when the work in Atlanta dried up, my father didn’t really need her anymore. He closed his eyes and shook his head. I wish…
Annie put her hand on his forearm gently. We all have regrets. But the past is done and there’s no going back. The only thing you can do now is move forward and find a happy future. I’m sure Kimberly would have wanted that for you.
Everett sighed. Some days that’s easier said than done. He stared out across the property, a memory playing across his eyes. She was different from anyone I ever knew. She would have loved this place. She loved history. She was kind of old-fashioned, too. He shook his head and chuckled. Do you know she used to write me actual letters whenever she went on business trips with my family? Who even does that these days?
Across the veranda, Marlena and Maxwell seemed to be locked in a whisper-shouting match. Annie couldn’t hear exactly what they were talking about, but Maxwell�
�s formerly cheerful disposition was now clouded and angry.
Gareth! he called out, summoning the beleaguered assistant from his table in the corner.
Annie tried not to listen to the conversation, focusing instead on gathering the dirty dishes from the tables. She waived her mother away when the woman offered to help. You’ve got the baby, Annie reminded her.
Minutes later, Annie found herself standing in front of the kitchen sink, staring out the window at the long dusty driveway leading away from Rosewood Place. She hoped that the Marshalls wouldn’t be staying too much longer. Although Everett seemed nice enough, his parents grated on her nerves terribly. And Everett’s refusal to admit his true feelings for Kimberly was beginning to annoy Annie. She could tell—heck, any fool could tell—that he pined after the dead woman more than any friend would. His unrequited love for her was sad and, if truth be told, a little unnerving.
Annie had just finished rinsing the dishes and placing them in the dishwasher when she saw Emmett’s police cruiser pull up the drive. Wiping her hands on a dish towel, Annie hurried to meet him at the front door.
Hey, Em, what’s up? Any news about the baby’s next of kin?
Emmett was followed by an officer that Annie recognized as Cameron Johnson. Annie nodded at him. Come on in, guys. Mama’s out back on the veranda with the Marshalls. We just had lunch, y’all want a bite?
Emmett shook his head. We’re good, Annie. And I haven’t come here for Bessie, he added. I’m going to need to talk to Everett Marshall. Is he out back, too?
Annie nodded. She led the two law enforcement officers through the house and out to the veranda. She didn’t have to—Emmett knew the house as well as she did—but she wanted to know why he wanted to speak with Everett. It must be important. Em usually told her when he was visiting on official police business and he often explained exactly why he was visiting, but Annie guessed that he was being more official since he had Officer Johnson shadowing him.
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