* * *
Always yours,
Ollie
* * *
February 19th, 1965
* * *
Sweet Maeve,
* * *
Sorry it took so long to get back, we’ve been very busy but I replied as soon as I could. I can hardly believe those numbers from your new business venture. For the first time, I’m mighty thankful that La Pierre is still a dry parish! Don’t feel the need to pull in more dough than you’re already making, though, it’s not worth getting caught. It will be hard to have the reunion like we planned if you’re in the slammer. I am sure glad you’re making enough to afford to buy some nice things for yourself. Speaking of nice things, that dress you picked out suits you perfectly. I keep your picture with me always and jealousy has just about turned all the fellas here against me.
Every time I eat one of those toffees you sent, I think of how I felt the first time I saw you in Old Russell’s store. I had planned to ration them out but I’ve been through near two-dozen already and I fear I’ll run out before next week’s end.
My affection for you grows even here and the boys have taken to calling me Loverboy because of how often I speak of you. It was quiet in our area for a while but there have been a few attacks lately. Not too many casualties so far. I haven’t been in much danger as of yet and I’ve been more afraid of dying of boredom than battle, so don’t worry about me, all right?
Every day without being able to hold you in my arms has been hell and I regret enlisting every time I look at your picture. I would love to help you in your moonshining when I get back home.
Keep holding down the fort until I return. I’ll write back when I can and make sure you don’t get too bogged down in working and have fun once in a while, my sweet.
* * *
With love,
Ollie
* * *
March 5th, 1965
* * *
Dear Ollie,
* * *
I sent some more of those toffees you like, along with another set of pictures, I think you’ll like these ones even more than the last ones. I can hardly imagine how tough it must be to be deprived of my feminine charms and company for such a long period. In seriousness, I think of you often and am eager to see you when your tour is over.
My business is going well, with more locals coming to me for liquor. I sold a few hundred dollars’ worth so far this month and I expect to make more in the weeks to come. I’ve been putting a lot of hours in so you won’t have to re-enlist after your service is over. By the way, I don’t need to worry about going to the slammer. Sheriff Jacobs and his deputies appreciate a case of free moonshine as much as the next fella.
I’ve been giving Harry some odd jobs to do, so as to not hurt his pride too much, but I’ve been providing for him well enough and I’m trying to convince him to quit his job so he has more time to take care of Annalise. He insists that he doesn’t want to rely on us but I’ll update if there is progress on that front.
Enjoy the photographs and toffee that I sent for you, I’ll keep sending some every few weeks so you won’t have to eat them so sparingly. Don’t get yourself injured or worse out there, I can’t wait to see you early next year when your first tour is over. Hopefully I’ll be able to give you a taste of the life of comfort that I’m trying to build for us for when your four years are over.
* * *
Goodbye for now,
Maeve
* * *
March 16th, 1965
* * *
Dear Ollie,
* * *
I’m sure you’ve been busy and just haven’t had time to reply, but I figured I’d send you another package with some more toffees and a few updates. My business has grown further and I’ve enclosed a few pictures of me in some choice dresses I’ve purchased lately, in a scheme to get the entirety of the marine corps jealous over your beautiful wife.
I’ve been making new changes at our house every week and you’re going to love our garage, which I have turned into an area for your woodworking projects that you love so much. I hope you’re doing well and that I am still in your thoughts.
* * *
Write back when you’re able,
Maeve
* * *
May 16th, 1965
* * *
To My Dearest Ollie,
* * *
This will be the eighth letter I’ve sent since your last reply and I am beginning to become frantic. My fears grow with each day. Have you went off with another woman and started a family? Are you missing? Are you dead? I can think of little else these days. I sit by the door waiting for the mail to arrive each morning and I pray each night for your safe return before crying myself to sleep.
I cannot bear this much longer, my love, please write to me, even if it’s just to let me know that you’re alive.
* * *
Your loving wife,
Maeve
Lena
Dust sparkled in the sunbeams streaming in from the slatted windows as Lena carefully folded the crinkled, yellowed paper. She slid it back into its faded envelope and placed that on top of a stack next to her feet, all marked Return to Sender. Reaching for the last in the box, her knuckles again brushed the old photo precariously perched on the corner. A faint smile tugged at her lips as she picked it up, instead. She simply couldn’t resist gazing at the face there one more time.
Dark hair, shorn in a military buzz cut, still gave the impression of wild disarray somehow. The uniform jacket appeared slightly too big in the shoulders for such a young, slender man, and slightly too short at the waist. His blue eyes twinkled with good humor, perhaps even more so than his big, goofy grin. Lena always wondered what he had been laughing at during the shot. Her mother had told her of the legendary jokes and pranks they’d pulled on one another during their short time together. This one must have been good.
One finger stroked the celluloid features. She’d never been able to resist the old photos as a little girl, and time hadn’t changed that fact.
“Hello, Ollie Daddy,” she murmured, reverting to the name she’d called him in her mind as a child.
She was under no delusions. He hadn’t fathered her; she’d done the math. The fantasy that had spawned the secret nickname lasted until she realized he’d been in Vietnam when Maeve had gotten pregnant with her, and had never come back. She still remembered that bitter realization, the day of her eighth birthday party. She’d bawled for an hour in her room while four-year-old Kate threw a crying fit of her own about the birthday cake they’d all had to wait to eat because of Lena’s crying.
Kate’s tears had made for a good cover; Maeve had never known just how difficult her eldest took the loss of Ollie as her daddy. Not that her mother had ever told her he was. She’d done a lot of things in her day, but Maeve wasn’t much on lying. It wouldn’t have mattered. Turned out, the following year, her classmates started doing some math themselves. They made sure she never forgot what she was.
What she’d never realized was that she wasn’t the only one suffering Ollie’s loss. Maeve had always been such a tough cookie, soldiering through whatever life threw her way. The depth of her grief was plain in those letters, and it weighed heavy on Lena’s heart.
She shoved the photo on the bottom of the box and placed the accompanying letters atop, making a mental note to share them with her sisters later that day. She sat back, sweeping the gray tendrils that had fallen out of her bun back atop her head. They clung to her neck, refusing to stay in place.
“It’s hot as hell up here,” she muttered, giving up. She nudged the box into place with one foot and stood. She’d been up since dawn and it was past time for breakfast.
Heading down the ladder, Lena decided to head to a café to pick up coffee and beignets for everyone. It would be as much of a peace offering as a bribe.
Lena frowned as she made her way to the kitchen. Why the hell would Maggie want to involve the entire town in their family
’s business? Sasha would do it just to be contrary, but Maggie—
“Mornin’.”
Kate sat at the kitchen table, upright as a primrose, sipping from a steaming cup.
“Morning.” She hadn’t spent any quality time in person with her sister in… she couldn’t remember how long. Besides, they had to discuss a few things that might be better done in private. “Had anything to eat yet?” Lena asked as she stepped into the kitchen.
“Not yet. I thought I’d fix some egg whites,” Kate brought the cup to her nose and inhaled, “in a bit.”
“Egg whites?” Lena wrinkled her nose. “Boring. Come on. We’re going to the café.”
“We are?”
“Where else are we going to get the beignets we so desperately need?” Lena swiped her keys from the board and jingled them.
“Nowhere,” Kate said with a grin. “Obviously.”
The two didn't say anything as they walked out to the car. A day that had started out warm had turned into a virtual steam bath as the sun rose, burning off the morning dew.
Lena had forgotten this part about living in La Pierre. It got so hot that the air felt like soup, and she wondered what it was like in Seattle right now.
Probably perfect.
“So,” Kate said once they had settled in the car, cranked up the air and started driving, “Joe seemed particularly happy to see you were back in town.” She studied her sister intently.
Lena glanced at her out of the corner of her eye, but kept her attention on the road in front of her. La Pierre had never had many joggers, to her memory, especially this time of year, but things could have changed in—Lena winced and put the specific number out of her head—the intervening years.
“Yes, he always was nice,” Lena said warily.
“I remember you guys were friendly in high school before you left,” Kate said, her tone almost too casual.
“Stop,” Lena said as she approached a traffic light.
“Stop what?” Kate asked with an innocent shrug.
“I think you have a point to make so why don’t you just make it?” Bringing the car to a full stop at the light, she turned to frown at her sister.
“What point would I be making?”
“Katherine Fontuna--”
“Smith,” Kate corrected.
“Katherine Smith, just say what you’re going to say or stop talking about it altogether. I’m not getting any younger here.”
Kate glanced down and shrugged. “Joe just seemed rather taken with you and I wondered how you felt about him back then.”
Lena stared at her sister, then turned abruptly to face the front.
“You’re asking about romance, now? We’re here packing up Maeve’s house, I don’t want to be here at all, someone threw a rock through our window, and this seems like the time for this conversation?” She gripped the wheel more tightly, already bitterly regretting her decision to invite her sister along. “Besides, Sasha is the one who seems interested.”
Kate let out a snort. “Sasha wants every man. It’s not personal.” She paused. “Well, maybe it is in this case. I think she was flirting because he’s paying you the attention she thinks should be hers. And, you’re avoiding the subject. Which means…”
Lena glanced at her sister to find Kate grinning at her.
“You like him!”
Lena rolled her eyes, refusing to dignify that with a response.
Kate cackled in glee as Lena eased the car through the intersection.
“I swear, you’re twelve years old sometimes. But now that you’ve gotten that out of your system, can we talk about the elephant in the room? I still can’t believe Sasha wanted to bring the police into all this,” Lena said, deftly changing the subject.
“She doesn’t understand what this could do to our family,” Kate said, shaking her head. “She’s acting out of anger, not thought.”
“She’s acting out of spite.”
It was Kate’s turn to roll her eyes. “We could be in danger,” she pointed out.
“Don’t defend her.”
“Lena, she does have a point.”
Lena snorted.
“If she didn’t, Maggie wouldn’t have texted the police.”
“She has no idea the mess she’s causing. All Maeve’s dirty laundry will be aired all over again. The bootlegging, racketeering, not to mention Clyde.”
Kate nodded, her expression growing shuttered.
“No one wants to mention Clyde. And Maeve was wild, but she was an institution in this town. I don’t want anyone besmirching that, and I don’t think Maggie does, either. She just agrees with Sasha that we could be in danger, and she thinks if we let people start nonsense like this and do nothing about it, it will escalate. Who knows? Maybe she’s right.”
Lena scowled.
“That rock could easily have cracked one of our heads open,” Kate hurried on. “Do you want your sisters to get hurt?”
“You know I don’t. But we can handle our own business. We don’t need anyone else poking around. Certainly not the cops. I’m sure it was just a one-off. Typical small town nonsense.” Lena indicated the townsfolk with a wave of one hand.
“What if it wasn’t?”
Lena glanced at her. “Next time they might have better aim. And it’s not like we have a choice. Joe is already involved and I don’t think he’s just going to let this go. It is what it is.”
“At least you’ll get to see him again.” Kate nudged her elbow.
Lena blew out a long-suffering sigh. Despite the topic of conversation, she had to admit it was nice being with Kate in person. They spoke on the phone, Kate flew out to see her every so often, and vice versa, and every time Lena was reminded of just how much she loved spending time with her sister. If only they didn’t have to be in La Pierre to do it.
The two let quiet settle between them, a comfortable silence. It didn’t take long to get to the café. Even so, Lena felt surprised at the nostalgia that washed over her as she turned down the main street after being gone so long.
“At least we don’t have to walk far,” Kate said as they stepped out of the car and shut their doors. “Parking can be hell this time of day.”
“You just hate the heat,” Lena shot back. “Maybe you should have brought a dainty little parasol.”
Kate just glared at her.
Downtown was busier than Lena remembered, especially at this time of day. The two of them crossed the street, chatting as they approached Beignet Parfait.
“Isn’t it funny?” Lena asked. “We haven’t been here in decades. But as soon as we decide to pick up beignets, we just wordlessly head here.”
“It’s not like we had any other choice.” Kate gestured as if to say ‘obviously’. “It’s Beignet Parfait or that place over on Third--”
“You shut your mouth,” Lena hissed. “That place on Third has doughnuts. Not beignets.”
“You still hate it,” Kate chuckled, “after all this time.”
“I will die on this hill!” Lena shook her fist in the air before turning toward her sister.
Then, she looked past Kate, her smile widening.
“Well,” Kate chuckled softly, “look at that. Apparently, we aren’t the only ones out enjoying a nice beignet.”
There, walking down the sidewalk, came Sheriff Joe Fletcher. He held a small white bag in one hand and licked powdered sugar off of his fingers.
Kate wasn’t wrong about one thing. Joe Fletcher was a fine looking man. It was a shame he didn’t live somewhere other than her own personal hell.
Sheriff Joe nodded as he closed the gap between them. “Mornin’, ladies.” He smiled at them both but his eyes lingered on Lena, a fact that she was sure Kate would note.
She felt her cheeks heating as she glanced down, berating herself. You’re not a schoolgirl, Lena. Get it together.
“I planned to call the house today, actually,” he said.
“Oh?” She looked up at him again, worried that he coul
d hear her heart race. This couldn’t be good.
“I just wanted you ladies to know,” he said, his tone dropping low, “I have a lead on your vandal that I’m hoping will pan out in the next few days.”
Lena’s heart sank as Kate nodded.
“You don’t need…” Lena stumbled, not quite certain what to say. “That is, we don’t want to be any trouble.”
“Absolutely no trouble at all,” Sheriff Joe assured her. “I know how important it is for y’all to put this business to rest.”
“Yes,” Lena said with a firm nod. “That’s what we want, to just put all this to rest and move on.”
“I’ll keep you posted when I hear. It’s…it’s real nice seeing you in La Pierre again.” He smiled, a bit of boyish charm in his grin. “Even under these circumstances, I’m glad you came home.”
“Thank you.” Lena blinked, not quite knowing what to say. “I’m… I’m surprised to find I actually missed it in some ways.”
“Oh me, too,” Kate interjected. “I’m very surprised.”
This time, yes, Lena felt certain that his gaze lingered on her.
“That’s just wonderful.” Kate’s smile was even wider now. “Isn’t it, Lena? Good to know Sheriff Joe has everything under control?”
“It sure is,” Lena responded flatly.
“Anyway, I’ll be in touch real soon.” He stood up straighter and tipped his head in a curt nod. “This is a priority for me, until we get things resolved.”
“Good,” Lena said. “Just great.”
“Thank you, Sheriff,” Kate chimed in. “We’ll both look forward to talking to you very soon.”
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