Sweet Tea and Secrets (18 page)

“No. Not yet.”

“Everything okay?”

“Not exactly. I know this sounds so ignorant, but I never thought I’d be without Pearl. I guess I thought she’d live forever, or at least outlive me.”

“I know what you mean. I thought that old gal would outlive us all too, but you’re just making this whole situation harder on yourself by hanging around. Pack everything up, and I’ll send a truck tomorrow to take all your grandmother’s stuff and put it in storage. Or, better yet, come on home today. You can deal with her things later when you’re ready. Or never.”

“I can’t do that. I’ve got a meeting with Pearl’s attorney to discuss the estate Friday.”

“Is there something of value you haven’t told me about?”

“It turns out Pearl’s estate isn’t as cut-and-dry as I thought it would be,” Jill said. “There are some stipulations I have to meet to be entitled to even part of her estate.”

“Part? What the hell is going on down there?” Bradley’s voice got loud.

“Up here,” she corrected him. “But yeah, I’m wondering the same.” Finally, someone was seeing her side for a change. “It’s been an odd couple of days really. I thought I knew everything about Pearl, and suddenly it’s like I didn’t know her at all.”

“I told you families were nothing but trouble. Secrets and backstabbing.”

“No, not like that. It’s not bad. I mean, I always thought Pearl had never married. Turns out she had a whole sexy life with this guy John Carlo that I’d never heard of.”

“What’s that name?”

“John Carlo Pacini.” Jill dished the veggies onto a dinner plate.

“Sounds Italian. You never heard of him before?”

“I found stacks of love letters they’d written to each other They were so beautiful.”

“You’re a hopeless romantic. We both know that.”

“I am not. Well, maybe a little. Anyway, it’s been neat, kind of sweet, and it all makes me miss her so much more.”

“Well, whatever Pearl had is rightfully yours. I’ll get you the best damn lawyer on the east coast if that’s what it takes.”

“I don’t know what’s involved yet. I’ll let you know once I meet with Connor.”

“Who the hell is Connor?”

“He’s Pearl’s attorney,” she said as she put the pan into the sink.

“Oh great, another country bumpkin. Give me his damn number. I’ll get to the bottom of this for you.”

“No,” she snapped. “You will do no such thing. This is my family. I can take care of this.”

“Fine. You’re right. We don’t need to call him. Better yet, just pack everything today. Did you check to see if Pearl had a safe deposit box?”

“A safe deposit box? I doubt it. Why would she need something like that?”

“Important papers, things. I don’t know. Don’t you have one?”

“No.”
We’re a simple family. He’s just making this way too complicated. Why do I let him get me so spun up? I’ve about had it with his mocking tone.

“Well, she might have had some valuables. Just something to consider before you leave town. I was just trying to help. Look, I’ll send the truck to get you, and the contents of that house, in the morning. They can’t mess with us.”

Suddenly it’s us?
“Settle down Bradley. No one is out to cheat anyone. People aren’t like that around here.” Her jaw tensed. “And honestly, I’m not ready to pack up Pearl’s things yet. I walked around for two hours with a box in my hands yesterday, and all I ended up with were two brass tea light candleholders and a silk plant that probably should be tossed and not packed anyway. It’s hard.”

“Hang on a second.” Bradley covered the phone with his hand, but she could hear him barking orders to someone. “I’m back. Okay, I’ve got this worked out. My people will be there in the morning to pack up for you. The truck will be on the road by mid-day.”

Her temper flared. “Back up the freakin’ truck,” she lashed out. “I’m not packing, and neither is anyone else. I’ll be the one to decide when, if and where. When. Whatever.”

“Geez. I’m just trying to help you.”

She forced herself to calm down. “I’m not ready, and I’ll be the one to decide when I am. Just chill until I call you.”

Bradley’s voice steadied. “Fine. I’m trying to help. If we get the contents out of there, no way anyone is going to ask for it back. Trust me.”

“Stop it. No one is taking anything from me.”

“Well, then why the hell did you call if you didn’t want me to do anything to help?”

Jill twisted a lock of hair around her forefinger. Good question. “I don’t know. I guess I wanted to commiserate with someone.”

“I thought that’s what I was doing,” he said.

He was frustrated, that was easy to hear. This was the first time her life had trumped his plans.

“What is it that you want from me, Jill?”

“Support.”

“Well, that’s what I thought I was doing. I don’t think you know what you want. When you figure it out, you let me know.”

She started to respond, but he’d already disconnected.

“Whatever.” She clicked the phone closed.

Their discussion had stolen her appetite. She carried her dinner plate to the living room and nibbled, feeding half of her food to Clyde while they watched TV.

The sound of a vehicle in front of the house sent a tingle up her spine. Clyde didn’t react, but his track record as a guardian dog wasn’t getting big points with her so far. She waited for a knock, but nothing happened.

All the warnings sounded like alarms in her mind. A tense silence cloaked the room. The only sound coming through was the pounding of her heart.

She dropped to the floor and slithered in a low crouch to avoid casting a shadow until she made her way to the hall. Clyde thought she was playing a new game. He bounded along side of her, kneeling on his front haunches and then running and wagging his tail. Under the safe cover of the dark hallway, she jumped to her feet and ran to the back bedroom.

In her haste, she caught her hip on the edge of the dresser.

“Ow. That’ll leave a bruise.” She tiptoed to the window and looked outside through the crack between the shade and the window frame.

It was Garrett’s truck. He’d parked at the edge of the woods out in front of the house.

Jill let out the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.

She dropped the shade and walked back into the living room cursing herself for her spy girl reaction. Trying to act nonchalant, she flipped through the channels, but after ten minutes Garrett still hadn’t come to the door. She peeked out front again. He was still out there, sitting in his truck.

She dialed his cell phone.

“At your service,” he answered.

“What are you doing?”

“I think you already know.”

“Why are you doing it then?”

“I told you I was going to make sure you’re safe.”

“Do you plan to sit out there all night?”

“Yep.”

Jill pulled the curtain to the side and peered out the front window. “This is ridiculous. Go home. I don’t need your help.”

“So you’ve said.”

“Are you leaving?”

“Nope.”

“Fine. I hope you get a crick in your neck.”

“Love you too, Angel.”

The words struck a familiar emotion, but she wasn’t going to give in. “You’re a complete whack job.” She opened the curtain wide and circled a finger around and around at the side of her head.

He flipped his headlights off and on twice.

“Does that mean you’re leaving?” she asked.

“Nope. Morse code for takes one to know one.”

“Oh that’s mature. You can’t sleep in your truck. It’s muggy. You’ll be miserable.”

“Are you inviting me in?”

“Hardly.”

“I think you ought to just say good night, Jill.” The line went dead.

Good night, Jill
, she mocked and tugged the curtain closed. Who the heck did he think he was? She picked up the remote and surfed channels to get her mind off him, but finally gave in and went to bed. She laid there for a moment, but then got up.

Kneeling on the floor, she folded her hands in front of her and bowed her head. She prayed for help, direction and strength then climbed back in bed. Through the night she woke up several times and checked to see if Garrett was still there. She was obviously the only one losing sleep tonight.

It was daylight when the sound of Garrett’s truck engine woke her. The low rumble faded as he idled off the property.

Unable to get back to sleep, she busied herself through another day.

***

Garrett showed up the next night, too. The third night, Jill thought he’d finally given up. But later that evening, she saw his headlights cut a path through the darkness after she was already in bed. Shortly after he arrived, a summer storm pushed through. She tugged the covers up around her as the rolling thunder vibrated the house and lightening lit every crevice of the dark night. She wondered if Garrett was safe in his truck and had to resist the temptation to call and tell him to come inside. He was a grown man. If he wanted to act like a crazy person that was his right, but he had to miserable out there.

Just after seven o’clock Friday morning, she sipped coffee and watched from the window as Garrett stepped out of his truck. He put his hands on his lower back and stretched to the left and right. Even from this distance, his mood looked sour. He got back in the truck and left, but was back, clean and pressed, at exactly quarter to nine to pick her up for their appointment with Connor.

He looked tired, and she knew it was her fault. She got in the truck, but neither mentioned that he’d been sleeping in her yard the whole week. That made the short ride to town feel like a road trip. Finally, Garrett parallel parked in front of Connor’s office on Main Street.

Colorful awnings hung above the windows on the front of the old bank building and sophisticated gold lettering spruced up the window. The bank building was a great old piece of architecture, with Corinthian columns gracing either side of the tall wood and glass doors.

She and Garrett kept a safe distance as they walked up the sidewalk together.

“Happy Fourth of July,” Connor said as he hugged Jill, then slapped Garrett on the back. He led them down the narrow hall toward his office. “Good to see you both.”

Jill noticed that Connor had slimmed down and neatened up quite a bit since college.

“I sure wish we were meeting under different circumstances.” Connor placed a consoling arm around Jill’s shoulder.

“I know.” She reached up to touch his hand. “Me, too.”

Connor offered them a seat, and then stepped behind his large wooden desk. “That Pearl’s a character, isn’t she? Wills are usually easy money. Fill in the blank—put the money in the bank. But your grandmother, she made me earn every penny on this one. Oh, and then she talked me into a discount on top of that.”

Jill glanced over at Garrett. He had a determined look on his face.

Connor spun his chair toward the ornate bookcase that lined the wall behind him. “Before I walk you through the details, I have a message here from Pearl for the two of you.” He shuffled through some files and turned around holding a DVD in his hand. He opened the center doors and slid the DVD into the player on the shelf below a flat screen television. He handed Jill the remote. “Just press
play
when you’re ready. I’ll be back in a bit.”

Jill sat staring at the remote.

“When did she make this?” Jill asked.

“The DVD? Just a few weeks ago.” Connor dimmed the lights and closed the door firmly behind him.

Her palms began to sweat. “You do it,” she said, handing the remote to Garrett.

“You ready?” Garrett asked.

She licked her lips, and tried to swallow. “I guess so.”

Garrett pushed the button. The screen came to life and there was Pearl.