Letters From Al (20 page)

"Hey. deputy, how about a hand with the luggage? I'm creaking worse than an old door after all that volleyball last night." Skip winced, flexing achy arms while the girls said their goodbyes.

Following arm-in-arm, the girls hurried after them, giving each other instructions on a variety of things from the wedding to the apartment. For just a brief moment thoughts of going back to Chicago crossed Maddy’s mind. It only took one look at Alec as he smiled and put his arm around her and the feeling passed.

The finality hit her; her old life was in the past, like her other childhood memories. Even though it was a little sad, the decision to stay was hers and she was content with it. Buffy poked her head out the window and madly waved goodbye as they drove down the street.

"Are you having second thoughts about staying now that they're leaving?"

Sighing, she shook her head. "No. Not really. Just going to miss my friends. Maybe it's the way my friendship with Marie ended. It was kind of a mixed up mess for a while, and I think I knew it would come to that. I've never been good at change. No, I'm not unhappy."

"A little sad is normal." He finished for her, and she nodded, leaning into his secure arms. "Well, Skippy and Buffy are great. I really like them. Not withstanding the fact that old Skip is a great volleyball player, the fact they picked you as a friend, shows good taste."

"Thanks for saying that. Meeting you again has changed my life, for the good I might add. I've been on my own for a long time, too long. Thank you for being patient."

"Sure, it shows my good taste, too." With that he tickled her and made a run for the house. "Come on, I've got to go to work at two, let's clean this place up. You know, I really hate leaving you, even to go to my job. It's beginning to interfere." Alec said with a mischievous look in her direction.

"Oh, come on. You know you'd never be happy if you weren't chasing the bad guys." She folded up some lawn chairs beside him.

"I like chasing you, too." His grin was irresistible. "Seriously, I like my job. But, maybe I don't like change any more than you do. I want it all and right now I feel like I'm almost there." He hugged her. "You know, you are a very pleasant distraction."

"You're changing the subject again. We were talking about your work. I'm beginning to see how dangerous it can be. But you're good at it and I trust you. I want you to be happy too. A relationship has to work for both of us."

"I think we're doing pretty well. And you're right. We both have to be happy. Are you happy?" He tugged at her chin and smiled.

"I sure am."

"Good. That's just what I wanted to hear. Okay. No use putting off going to work. Everything looks back to normal. I'll see you later. Get some rest and stop thinking so much." He touched the tip of her nose and she gave him an unhurried smile.

"Thanks for helping clean up and seeing Buffy and Skip off." Looking up at his tall frame, she felt like the luckiest girl in the world.

After Alec left, she gathered up the diary and letters and went out to the wicker lounger on the porch to read. The letters from Aunt Madeline's husband were so tender. They spoke of personal things, declarations of love and loyalty. Maddy felt a little guilty reading such private correspondence.

Wistfully she looked out over the quiet town, wondering how her Aunt had stood the loneliness for her husband over the years. She missed Alec the moment he left the room.

Maddy neatly refolded the letters and put them back in their envelopes. A yellow telegram fluttered to the floor. The wording was how Maddy had heard it in the movies.
We regret to inform you that your husband has been killed.
Maddy felt tears slide down her cheeks. It was dated June 6, 1944. Somewhere in France her husband had been killed. The words and warm sun lulled Maddy into a dreamy sleep of foreign beaches and war.

Some time later Alec woke her with a gentle kiss on the forehead. Smiling, she made room for him on the wicker lounger. "Hi. What time is it? I must have fallen asleep after you left."

She handed Alec a pillow and settled back with the diary. "I've read bits and pieces. The letters were sweet but nothing important. But wait until you hear what’s in the diary. Maddy began to read softly.

Xmas Day 1924

What a strange way to spend Christmas, with the people at the diner. I love them like family. I heard my parents have stopped looking for me.

Alec shrugged, "So, they were looking for her then they quit."

"That was later. After she ran away she worked in a little diner on the East end of Chicago and seemed very happy away from the family."

"Funny, a kid with everything in those times and she runs away." Alec shook his head.

"You know what's really weird? Everyone was afraid of these people that I grew up hearing about, too. They were all intimidated. Now I know why, they were bullies and their children were bullies."

"Sounds like a dysfunctional family, no offense." Alec's blue eyes held a far-off stare as he settled snuggly beside her. "You think you know someone, trust them and then bam! Right between the eyes when you don't expect it."

"Sounds like you've had some bad experiences too." Maddy sat back pensively.

"What? Oh," he smiled sheepishly, "guess I got a little off the track, but, yeah, just forget it."

"These things have lain around all this time. A few more minutes won't hurt if you want to talk about it."

Alec sat silently for a minute and then took a deep breath. "I told you I was married briefly." Maddy nodded and looked into his face that was now hardened and distracted. "Well, I thought we were happy. But one day, she just up and left, filed for divorce and that was that. Didn't want to live in a small town, didn't want to be married to a man in law enforcement, not enough money. She had a long list of complaints. I guess she didn't want to be married. I just never thought I'd end up divorced. It really depressed me. About gave up on the notion of loving someone as much as I do now."

"Divorce isn't an end, at least not for us. It's given us this second chance." Maddy whispered.

"You don't mind? I thought maybe it was why you didn't want to talk about us, about getting serious." Alec’s mood was somber, quiet.

"Alec, it's nobody's business what we've done before. You said that about Larry and me. I know you must have loved her very much to have married her. She's the loser, not you."

"I went on with my life, just wandering, my job and friends kept me sane. But when you came back to town, I started remembering things, feelings, about you and us, even when we were in junior high. Then I thought about a home, kids and all of it with you. It's why I probably pushed you sometimes. But in all fairness, we weren't total strangers."

"I suppose that is a true statement." She chuckled and settled back against his strong shoulder.

"The thought that maybe it was me that was holding you back, holding back what we could have, I just had to say something."

"I wasn't you at all. I appreciate you sharing that with me." Maddy leaned over and kissed him. "Feel better?" He nodded and they went on reading the diary.

"Okay, now that we have that settled, it's back to my side of the family." She grinned and found her place.

"Okay, read on." Scanning the pages she sat bolt upright, her eyes wide.

"Alec, listen to this," she whispered breathlessly, "I think this might be what we were looking for."

May 16, 1925

Had terrifying meeting with two gangsters outside the diner tonight. They were going to kill the gangster Al Capone and I stumbled in on it. I pretended not to know what was going on, but told Capone to leave the diner by the back way. He did and no one got hurt.

Alec looked at Maddy and the diary with renewed interest.

June 1, 1925

Remember May 16? Today a man came to work and gave me money as a reward. I wouldn't take it because it was from Capone, for saving his life. I put him in his place and gave the dirty money back. No blood money for me.

June 20, 1925

Another man, more money. No!

July 10, 1925

Check arrived by mail, signed by Reginald J. Drake, a lawyer, but I know it's from Capone. Returned it immediately. Wish he'd
leave me alone.

"Alec, my Aunt saved Al Capone's life, inadvertently, but he felt honor bound to repay the debt and she wouldn't accept it. I can hardly believe it."

"What's next? Go on." They hunched over the diary eagerly wanting to know more.

July 30, 1925

Capone is concerned that I won't take the money, but said I may be in danger from the killers. What have I done? He said he wanted to take care of me, but I said no again. He's a strange kind of man, said it was too bad he was married. Train ticket arrived in today's mail. I'm taking it.

Maddy scanned the next pages rapidly, outlining them for Alec. "She went to Omaha, later met Franklin and they were married. She's skipping months now. Here is the next one she wrote.

February 14, 1929

Newspaper article about killings in Chicago. Headline read St. Valentine’s Day Massacre. They say gangster Al Capone ordered it. Seven men killed from another gang, how awful!

The next dozen faded pages were too faint to read, but when Maddy flipped to the end of the diary a newspaper clipping fell out.

Obituaries in the World: Alphonso Capone, also known as 'Scarface' Al Capone, died in Miami, at age 48. Born in Naples in 1899, died January 25, 1949, survivors include wife, Mae, one son Albert Francis "Sonny" his mother, three brothers and one sister. After years of illegal wealth, he died penniless.

"Incredible. Maddy, these documents might be worth a lot of money to a collector." Alec said, staring at them and then her. She leaned over into his arms, needing support.

"She should have let Al Capone take care of her rotten family." Maddy said bitterly. The anger in her voice surprised even her, Alec shook his head sympathetically.

"Maddy, she was strong enough to survive, just like we all are. Besides, if she'd let old Al Capone wipe out the family, where would that leave you?"

That thought had escaped her. She gave a little grin and then nodded in agreement. "I guess so, but she could have had him put a contract out on a couple of the more rotten ones."

"Why, you little gangster, you know you don't mean that. I know I'd be mighty disappointed if you hadn't been born, Maddy, mighty disappointed. So I should thank your family for that, for you." Rocking her like a small child, Alec felt her tears drop on his arm. How he wanted to comfort and protect her. How he loved her.

* * *

Maddy called Tommy the next day to help finish cleaning out the attic while she went to the store to make copies of the letters and diary. They were all going straight to a lock box in the bank as soon as she finished transcribing them.

The other was a heart stopper. The letter came from an attorney, the same attorney mentioned in her aunt's diary that had signed a check she returned. Reginald J. Drake. Maddy wondered if he was any relation to Jack Drake, Aunt Madeline's lawyer. Something she needed to check out later.

This could be very important. This was the actual proof of the missing bonds. She'd never heard of the company, but knew who to call back in Chicago who did.

The company had been sold several times and even gone through a name change to the Benton Mining Company. Now all she had to do was find the actual paper bonds. There was one little hitch, however. The bonds were called bearer bonds, meaning that whoever had them could redeem them for the cash value. According to the records they hadn't been cashed in yet, but anyone who found them could get the money. Since Maddy didn't know where they were, this could mean disaster. She could hardly wait to tell Alec.

She walked around the house, chilled, rubbing her arms and feeling uneasy. She heard Tommy making noise in the attic as he cleaned out the rest of the junk but even so she felt as if someone was lurking around, watching her. She hated that feeling. The weather hadn't helped either, rainy and windy and the one upstairs bedroom had leaked again. That would have to be fixed soon.

She went back into the library and started transcribing the diary by hand. This had to be what the mystery was all about, the bonds. Someone thought they were valuable, the question was now, where were they? If they did exist would they be worth anything? Her father's friend in Chicago said they were. Someone else thought so, too.

She needed to talk to Alec but he was still at work. Nervous, Maddy called his number but his secretary said he was out of the office, and no, he didn't answer his cell phone. Darn. It would have to keep. Suddenly she remembered Tommy again, she should go help him. Carefully she gathered up all her notes, the letters and diary and put them into plastic bags and tucked them safely out of sight in a canister in the kitchen.