A Younger Man (Mount Faith Series: Book 7) (16 page)

"You know, Davia," he said out loud, "our curiosity may get us nowhere."

"Then," Davia laughed, "at least we would have spent the day together. It's fun. I like this."

She would,
Vanley thought. However, a little protective part of him was actually anxious on behalf of Anita and what this revelation would mean for her closely guarded secret, but another part of him was bursting to know what it was.

Throughout the journey into Kingston, he battled a faint unease, which was only offset by Davia's constant chatter and boundless energy. She was actually making the journey into Kingston for the first time in her life.

He only found out when they reached the highway and he was able to drive faster than normal on the roads.

"I can't believe you can go this fast." Davia squealed.

"Haven't you ever been on the highway before?" Vanley looked at her curiously.

"No," Davia said eagerly. "I have never been to Kingston."

"Fascinating." Vanley looked at her wide-eyed, and laughed. "I can't believe it."

"Believe it." Davia grinned. "The furthest I've ever been is Mandeville, and even then, only rarely."

"Well," Vanley grinned, "let's make it a tour day. I'll show you around the capital after we visit the Parks in Cherry Gardens."

Davia nodded. She was so happy for the adventure to escape from the hills, if only for a day. She had forgotten that they were going to unravel a mystery.

When they drove into Cherry Gardens, looking for the address on the paper, it suddenly occurred to Davia that they were going to show up at the couple's house without a story. They were strangers to these two people. They may not want to give them any information or might even slam the door in their faces.

"Vanley, what are we going to tell them?" she asked. I mean these people don't know us. Maybe we should have a story."

Vanley frowned. "A story? What do you mean?"

"Like, why we are looking for Anton Parks," Davia said. "What kind of detectives are we?"

Vanley grinned. "First, we need to know who Anton Parks is. I think the best thing to do is to ask them who he is to them."

"But they might not want to talk to us," Davia said. "I can't believe we failed before we began. Suppose they contact Anita and tell her that we've been snooping around. I'd lose my job. I love my job."

Vanley nodded slowly. "That's a possibility; want us to go back home?"

Davia weighed the thought in her mind and then glanced on the paper she had been clutching. The address was 1026 Norbrook Drive. They were actually in front of number 1028.

"There is 1026." She pointed to a gate that was bordered by high walls. They couldn't see much of the house. The walls were done in a cream cut-stone design and the gate was a tall black wrought iron structure.

"Wow! These people aren't poor," Davia said.

Vanley looked at her incredulously and slowed down in front of 1026. "Haven't you seen the neighborhood so far? I think that is a little bit of stating the obvious. So what's it to be?" Vanley asked. "Should we turn back and go touring the other parts of Kingston? Maybe grab a bite to eat. Forget about this Anton person?"

"Ahm," Davia shuffled the paper in her hand. "Maybe I could stay in the car and hide."

Vanley laughed. "Really. I can't believe that you have gotten cold feet."

"I am just a wannabe detective," Davia said, "but I am a real life secretary and I need my job."

"Okay," Vanley said. "Stay in the car. I am going to press the buzzer and see what happens."

When he walked toward the imposing gate, he felt a touch of nervousness, like Davia. It was all good and well to fantasize about being a detective but it was another thing to actually do it.

He pressed the round white button that was poised above a speaker box.

A pleasant voice came over the speaker. "Who is it?"

Vanley cleared his throat, "I am Pastor Vanley Bancroft from Bramble in Malvern. I am just here to speak to Maud Parks or Felix Parks regarding one Anton Parks."

There was a long silence and then a clearing of the throat. "Okay. Come on in."

The gate opened slowly and Vanley walked back to the car.

"I can't believe it," he said faintly. "They know Anton Parks. I am going in."

Davia looked at him, feeling the anticipation in the air.

When he drove onto the cobblestone driveway past a mini waterfall and coy pond at the front of the yard, he remembered that he had snorted at Davia when she said that these people were rich, but he was just now appreciating how rich. They had manicured gardens and a lovely, imposing Mediterranean style house.

When he and Davia exited the car, Davia whispered, "Even the air smells rich."

Vanley smiled nervously. An older lady with her hair in a topknot was standing at the door in what looked like an African tribal dress. She had a medium brown complexion. She had plucked her eyebrows and penciled it in a very thick line that gave her face the illusion of being in a permanent frown.

"Hello." She walked toward them. "I must admit, you have me quite curious." She held out her hand. "My name is Maud Parks."

"I am Vanley Bancroft, and this is my friend, Davia Binns."

"Ah," Maud said. "You mentioned Anton?"

"Yes." Vanley nodded. "We were curious about him. We found your names and his on an emancipation letter."

Oh. Maud's eyes widened. "Where?"

"In an office where I work." Davia piped in nervously. "We were thinking that he was related to my boss."

"Who is your boss?" Maud asked, a touch sharply, looking from one of them to the other.

Vanley cleared his throat. "Anita Parkinson."

Maud's eyes clouded over. "Where are my manners? You two can come inside and have a seat."

Davia looked at Vanley curiously. There was something there. Definitely. The lady's countenance had practically changed when she mentioned Anita.

They followed her into a beautifully furnished house and she led them onto a patio that had a view of the city. "Have a seat," Maud said, gesturing to them. She sat down across from them. "Would you like some refreshments?"

"No, thank you." Vanley and Davia said almost in unison.

Maud nodded. "My husband is not here this morning. He had to attend a business function." Maud gestured with her hand across the view. Her two brown bracelets jingled against each other. "It is a lovely day is it not?"

"Yes." Vanley said. He anxiously wanted to hear more, like who was Anton Parks and how he was related to Anita. He did not want to discuss the weather.

"Well," Maud said, "Anton is our son. Since you saw that emancipation document I am sure you must know that."

Vanley nodded. "We figured. How is he related to Anita?"

"You mean her boss?" Maud looked at Davia. "I have no idea." Her eyes shifted away. She was lying.

"Tell me about your boss." She looked at Davia after she had regained her composure. "Is she a good person?"

"Yes," Davia said readily. "She is easy to work with. Very professional and she's a fair boss."

Maud nodded. "Good."

"About Anton," Vanley said. "Where is he now?"

Maud inclined her head. "I haven't heard from him in years. It seems that when someone emancipates himself from his parents, he wants to be cut off for good."

Vanley sighed. "Was he adopted?"

"He was our son," Maud said vaguely, not answering the question at all.

"I mean," Vanley said, a tad desperately, "was he Anita Parkinson's real son?"

Maud cleared her throat and paused. "Why don't you ask Anita? Why have you come all the way to Kingston seeking answers from me when she's right there."

Davia looked at Vanley. Because Anita would not answer, that's why.

They chitchatted for a while about nothing of consequence, and then Maud saw them out. She lingered in the hallway leading to her front door. "I am so sorry I could not help you more."

"Do you have any other children?" Vanley asked curiously.

Maud shook her head. "No. So you can understand what a tragedy it was to lose our only son."

"Why did he ask to be emancipated?" Vanley asked, looking at her enquiringly, her arched eyebrows rose in the air and she laughed uncomfortably.

"Children sometimes don't see eye to eye with their parents. They defy parental rules and want to be able to control their own destiny."

Davia's eyes roamed over the place and then she zeroed in on the mantelpiece. There were several pictures of what looked like family members. One was with a much younger Maud and a man who was hugging her, presumably Felix. There was a young boy in the middle. He resembled Anita!

She pinched Vanley in his side and he looked at her curiously. Maud was still rambling on about her son, without really answering the question Vanley asked. Davia indicated to the picture with her thumb.

Vanley gazed at it. The boy really resembled Anita. He couldn't resist he walked to the mantelpiece.

"Is this Anton?" He asked Maud.

Maud nodded. "Yes that's him. He was eight at the time."

There were no other pictures of him in the array of pictures. Vanley looked at the grinning boy even closer. He had close cropped curly hair, and a gap toothed smile. He had to be related to Anita. Even their smiles were similar.

Maud was obviously lying; she knew who Anita was. This child was related to Anita in some way. He looked at the boy again. Anita was obviously this child's birth mother.

He stepped back from the picture and looked at Maud. "He resembles Anita."

"He does?" Maud said flatly, then in an obviously dismissive gesture opened the front door with a flourish. "You guys have a safe journey back up to the hills."

She practically pushed them through the door.

When they sat in the car, Davia laughed. "I don't get it. There is no shame in adoption. I mean, what's the big secret? First there is Anita with her secret and then these people."

"Maybe they were terrible parents," Vanley said. "Their son couldn't wait to be emancipated, and we arrived here claiming to know his birth mother. I saw some guilt in her eyes. Did you see it?"

Davia nodded. "I did. So what are you going to do with this information?"

"I don't know." Vanley said, feeling curiously let down. "I don't know."

Chapter Fifteen

Vanley dropped Davia home. Though he had made an effort, after their trip to the home of the Parks, to entertain Davia by showing her around Kingston, his heart had not been in it. He was now feeling mentally exhausted.

He drove toward his house slowly. He kept running through his mind all the things he had uncovered about Anita so far. She had been a lesbian. She had a secret child: maybe eighteen or older. He shuddered, suppose that child was the same age as he was? He certainly had to face the fact that Anita was old enough to be his mother. His own mother was just six years older than Anita. She admitted that she couldn't have children now, and he wanted children.

He ran through the revelations and realized that he could work with everything that was in her past. Her having been a lesbian made him queasy, but he could deal with that if that was squarely in her past. They could always adopt children or get a surrogate.

He exhaled as he slowed down near his gate. He looked at the dashboard; it was six-thirty. Anita would be home. He had to tell her that he knew her secrets, and that he loved her anyway.

This was going to be his last ditch effort to let her see sense. Anita had made him jump through hoops through the years; she had even unwittingly caused him to turn into a detective, sifting through her many secrets so that he could be with her.

He was through with running after her and begging her to be with him. It ended tonight. Tonight was the night. He was through with her excuses and her keeping him at arms length. He drove to her house with a determined set to his face.

When he pulled up at her gate, he felt a little tremor in his heartbeat. It was going to be hard to let her go. He started rewording his resolve in his head. If she pushed him away, maybe he could give her another chance. Maybe tonight wasn't really the night to let go.

No. He had to stick to his resolve.

He inhaled when he drove into her driveway and only exhaled when he pressed the buzzer beside her door.

The veranda light came on and she pulled the door opened.

"Vanley! What are you doing here?"

Vanley swallowed. She looked tousled. Her usually impeccably combed hair was in a tiny ponytail and she was in a sweat pantsuit.

She still looked good to him though. Her dog came to stand beside her. He barked once and then started bouncing up on his leg.

"Can we talk? Vanley asked.

"You look really serious," Anita said. "Want to come in?"

Vanley shook his head. "I don't want to sit down. I just need to get this off my chest."