Mackenzie August Boxset 2

by Alan Lee

  Alex smiled a sad but content smile as she watched her father write in the journal.

  “Should I be here?” asked Rose. “I can wait in the car.”

  “You belong, Rose. Trust me.”

  A half grimace from her. Everyone was anxious.

  “I think I’ve uncovered a lot of truth and history, and it’s good news for everyone in this room, and it’ll be better if we all hear it together. Ready?”

  No one answered.

  Mackenzie August, riveting entertainment.

  Here we go.

  “Ulysses Steinbeck wakes up every day having forgotten what happened yesterday, and the day before that, all the way back to some hazy time months before the accident. He cannot concretely remember details from this time of haze before the accident, but his mind knows he’s neglected something important. Something he meant to do but the crash prevented it, and it has something to do with the dog.”

  All three nodded. Ulysses appeared relieved that all this matched up with his notes and his tenuous understanding of the situation.

  I proceeded. “So he hires me to find the dog and I do, but it leads to more and more questions, and soon my mission is no longer to simply find the dog but to instead find out why he wants the dog. And I have. It’ll make more sense if I recreate the events leading up to the crash three years ago.”

  Alex changed her mind about the coffee. She leaned forward and poured a mug and took it from the box between us.

  “Four years ago, approximately, Colleen and Ulysses are drifting apart. There’s no animosity or rage or screaming, there’s simply distance and apathy. This is a natural occurrence without hard work on the part of both partners. Even though both Colleen and Ulysses want the divorce, it does not come without consequences. Primarily for Alex, it’s devastating. But also for Colleen and Ulysses. I haven’t researched her much, but I can tell that Ulysses was flailing. He had all the hallmarks of a man in crisis. It probably didn’t help that Colleen was having an affair with Gordon Gibbs, professional muscle man.”

  He stopped writing on the page. He closed his eyes and took steadying breaths. Alex placed her hand on his arm and squeezed.

  “Even though the divorce was amiable and consensual, it hurt. And Ulysses in particular hated Gordon. So before the marital assets could be divided, Ulysses emptied their savings account and flew to Monaco and gambled. This was the first in a bizarre series of events out of character for Ulysses, but the march of time and accumulating pain and desperation have ways of changing us, and he was a changed man. Wildly so.”

  Rose and Alex both nodded. Ulysses listened intently, too interested to document.

  I said, “Somewhere during this time of upheaval, Ulysses and Rose became romantic. I suspect it was after the gambling trip.”

  Rose went white. Dr. Steinbeck cleared his throat and Alex held her breath.

  Rose whispered, “You know?”

  “I know. Dr. Steinbeck, there’s something you need to understand—Rose is one of my favorite people on earth. The evidence has mounted during my investigation, allowing me to determine that Rose is a saint and you’re beyond lucky to have her.

  Some of the color returned to Rose’s cheeks and her eyes teared. Ulysses looked both shy and alarmed, like his dirty little secret was out.

  “Alex,” I continued. “There’s something you need to understand, too—your father proposed to Rose before the accident.”

  Alex’s posture became more erect. She said, “You’re kidding.”

  “I am not. I guessed you didn’t know.”

  “No, I… Dad, is that true?”

  “I…” He blinked and fumbled absently at his journals. “I-I’m not sure. It’s…”

  I held up my hand. “Let me answer the question. It’s not fair for Ulysses or Rose either to try. Yes, he proposed. There’s photographic evidence but Rose doesn’t show it off. Ulysses can’t remember it, which means he wakes up each day with a huge crush on Rose but unsure if it’s safe to admit it. And Rose, bless her perfect heart, can never tell anyone about the secret engagement. If they got married now, Ulysses wouldn’t remember. And she knows the union would be one of scorn and derision because the public doesn’t know the truth and wouldn’t be convinced anyway. They’d think the caretaker just wanted more money. Here’s a guess—Alex, you found out about the secret romance the night of the crash. And another guess——you were furious. The divorce crushed you, and then you find him with the housekeeper and then the car accident…I bet you blamed her for a while. Even though it wasn’t her fault. There’s no way she could tell you the truth. So instead Rose stays with the man she loves and works in silence, and I think she’s a hero on par with Mother Teresa.”

  Rose had been crying quietly but now she issued a loud sob. I handed her the box of freshly purchased tissues and she took several and cried into them.

  Alex leaned into Rose and put her arms around her. My opinion of Alex was almost as high as that of Rose. Alex said, “Rose! You could have told me, I would believe you. Oh my gosh, Rose…”

  Ulysses set his journals down and got on his knees at the feet of the two girls and he put his arms around both and they wept as one.

  I let them talk and hug for several minutes. I debated taking a photograph with my phone and using it for marketing purposes. Mackenzie August—he’ll make you cry but it’s for your own good; just look at this beautiful family he fixed.

  GPS observed the emotional outburst with concern until I placed my hand on her neck.

  Eventually order was restored. Ulysses moved into the chair next to Rose and held her hand. Rose dabbed at her eyes with a tissue and said, “Thank you, Mr. August. But I don’t believe it does much good. Ulysses will forget soon.”

  “It matters, Rose.”

  “He’s right,” said Alex. “It matters. It matters that I know. All this time I thought Dad had been having a fling.”

  “And—” I said.

  “And you two should get married!” said Alex with enough enthusiasm and energy to power a city block. “Why wouldn’t you?”

  “Because he won’t remember.”

  “So what? He can’t remember anything. I’m making this happen, Rose. On a beach somewhere. Just our closest friends. I want you as a member of the family. Officially.”

  “Absolutely,” said Ulysses. “Every time I remember it’ll bring fresh joy.”

  Rose, bless her heart, cried more.

  Ulysses continued, “You should be a Steinbeck. If I had a ring, I’d propose on my knees right now.”

  Rose took a steadying breath. “You two are sweet. And you make me very happy. But I couldn’t manage it.”

  “Don’t worry; I’ll handle everything. This Spring when it’s warm. You will just show up beautiful. That’s your whole responsibility” said Alex. In that moment, I would’ve taken a bullet for her. Or at least, thrown Manny in front of the bullet.

  Ulysses resumed scribbling. He didn’t want to forget this.

  I said, “Rose, I’m curious. When did you and Ulysses become romantic?”

  “I fell in love with him a long time ago, but never told anyone. Least of all him. Soon after he discovered his wife with Gordon Gibbs, he fell into depression. And my heart broke for him. We started talking more. We would stay at home days he knew I was coming. Bought me flowers. The tension between us grew, but still…it wasn’t until he returned from Monaco that…as you say, he was changed. The romance began then.”

  “Mr. August, what does this have to do with Georgina Princess?” said Alex.

  “Good question. Let’s continue the story. So Ulysses and Colleen file for divorce. Something like that wrecks us. We feel like we’re failures, and based on the evidence he felt it acutely. Ulysses was in free fall. And my guess is, suddenly he wanted to become a better father.”

  Rose nodded and looked at her sudden fiancé. “He did.”

  Alex snapped her fingers. “I remember that! I started getting a lot more attention. He came
to my games and bought me presents.”

  “Including…?”

  “Including Georgina Princess.”

  “That’s right. You’d always wanted a dog but couldn’t have one. Now your dad will get you anything you want,” I said. “So he surprises you with a puppy. But not just any puppy. That’s not enough.”

  “Not just any puppy? What do you mean?”

  I reached down to pat Georgina Princess around the ribs. She sighed with pleasure. “If you inspect the dog’s skin, through here, you’ll find markings.”

  “I don’t get it. What kind?” asked Alex.

  “A tattoo. GPS coordinates.”

  Ulysses’s pen stopped. He squinted and said, “Huh. That’s…how about that. I remember it. Kind of.”

  Rose frowned. “I don’t understand. Who would tattoo a dog with GPS coordinates?”

  “A man on fire. A man who didn’t particularly care how dogs felt about being tattooed.”

  Alex whacked her father with the back of her hand. “Dad! You tattooed a puppy?”

  “Maybe. I don’t…it rings a bell.”

  “That’s why she had the bandage when you brought her home,” said Alex, eyes round and horrified. “It wasn’t a wound, it was a tattoo. What were you thinking?”

  “I have no idea.”

  “I do,” I said. “Who can guess where the coordinates lead to?”

  “I’m stumped,” said Alex. “This is wild."

  “I have a guess,” said Rose, shyly. “To the shed in the woods?”

  “Bingo.” I shot her with my finger.

  “That’s why Ulysses knew the GPS coordinates, the night he burned himself. I thought that was odd,” said Rose. She looked a little strained with the painful memory.

  “Why…I’m confused,” said Alex. “Why tattoo a dog with the location of that shack in the woods?”

  “Remember, the dog was intended for you,” I said.

  “So?”

  “So the tattoo was for you also.”

  “As in, that old shack is mine?” she said.

  “No. It belongs to a nice man named Larry Alexander. Rose, let me guess about this part. One day, Ulysses says he wants to show you a secret. So he takes you in his Jeep to the woods. Way out in the middle of nowhere to an old wooden shack. He has a secret to share with you, he says. He also brings wine and candles. Right?”

  She nods. “That’s exactly right.”

  “He doesn’t drink, but he’s a changed man. It’s just you and him and it’s kinda romantic and he starts drinking and keeps going and he lights candles and soon he’s sick and accidentally sets the shack on fire.”

  She nodded more. Twisting the tissue in her fingers.

  Ulysses, writing furiously, says, “Doesn’t sound like me.”

  “Rose is drunk in the middle of the woods, and Ulysses is drunk and badly injured. Rose doesn’t want to call the police or an ambulance because Colleen would find out they’re together and it might make things tricky. The divorce isn’t finalized yet. So they call Alex. And we all know what happened that night.”

  No one spoke.

  I love a good audience.

  “Here’s what should have happened. Ulysses and Rose have a pleasant evening. Wine and candles, it’s lovely. He shares the secret. They come home. Divorce is finalized. They get married. Alex gets the puppy. And sometime later, Ulysses decides it’s time to share the secret with his daughter."

  “What secret?” said Alex.

  “He tattooed the dog because that shack is a hard place to find, and the puppy would be a more meaningful and grand gesture that way. Or at least, to a mind on fire. Plus, Ulysses couldn’t safely give you the gift until later, when you were older.”

  “What gift? Please Mr. August, this is torture.”

  I stood and picked up the carafe and mugs and set them aside. I tugged aside the tablecloth to reveal the box underneath. A waterproof storage container with the lock ripped off.

  I said, “This was buried at the shack. It’s for you, Alex.”

  “For me?”

  “The tattoo on the dog led to these coordinates. It’s yours. Open it.”

  She did, with trembling fingers. The lid pushed back and she gasped. So did Rose.

  The box was stuffed with various currencies. Stacks and stacks of hundred dollar bills, secured with rubber bands. Stacks of euros in denominations of 100 and 500. Trays full of poker chips from casinos in Monaco and Las Vegas, thousands worth. Silver and gold coins too.

  “What…I don’t…” she said, fingers trembling.

  “Read the note,” I said.

  On top was an envelope. She opened it, pulled out a letter, and read.

  My dearest Alex,

  I hope one day you’ll forgive me for my hasty trip to Europe. With the looming divorce, Colleen’s boyfriend will soon be entitled to half of my assets. Half of your assets, Alexandra. And I cannot abide that. I didn’t work this hard for some dense slab of hamburger to open up more gyms with my money.

  So here it is.

  It is yours, approximately two million dollars.

  Spend it wisely and slowly, so Gordon Gibbs will never catch on. If he’s still alive—I suspect a steroidal aneurysm any day will stop his brain. Or should I say, I hope for one.

  Don’t worry about me. I’ll make more.

  Your loving father.

  The note passed back and forth between them. Even Ulysses was stunned.

  I said, “Ulysses didn’t go to Monaco to gamble. He went to launder cash. A casino is a great place to do that. Over the course of several days, he slowly bought more and more chips. He cashed some out for euros. He went to Las Vegas and did the same thing there. He kept some of the money in poker chips to avoid suspicion at the cashier. If Colleen pressed the issue, he had receipts for large sums. Gambling losses are hard to verify.”

  Ulysses scratched at his mane of thick hair. “I—I must really have been out of sorts. I cannot imagine going through with such a scheme.”

  “You panicked. You were broken and hurting and lost. And you hated Gordon. Which,” I said. “Is understandable.”

  Alex’s fingers burrowed into the coins. She looked at the open container with amazement and some fear. “So…what now?”

  “That’s up for you to decide. My job is finished.”

  “But, please? Mr. August, I don’t know what to do.”

  “Here are some thoughts, if you insist. Pay for your college degree. Pay for counseling sessions. Fund a retirement account for your father and Rose. And for yourself. Maybe pay for the wedding. Go on a nice trip.”

  “But…I think Rose and Dad should take it back.”

  “That works too,” I said. “This is a judgment free zone, and I don’t blame anyone for wanting to bilk Gordon Gibbs—but keep in mind half of it legally belongs to Colleen.”

  “I want her to have some, too,” said Alex. She stared at the container without seeing it. “Maybe set up a retirement account for her also? I don’t know if she has much money now.”

  “Up to you. If you need advice, seek it from Rose. She might be the most selfless woman I know.”

  Rose looked as though one more surprise today might kill her.

  “We have only one final item to discuss. And she’s the most important on the docket.” I reached down to scratch Georgina Princess behind the ears.

  Chapter 34

  Case closed.

  Ulysses was satisfied, Alex wasn’t broke, and Rose was over the moon with joy. And I? I went home for lunch, feeling smug about a job well done.

  Ol’ Mack August, worth every penny.

  I pushed open the front door and Georgina Princess August bolted inside first. She ran circles throughout the main floor and went up and down the stairs a few times.

  My favorite girl was cooking in the kitchen, the loveliest of all sights.

  Ronnie said, “How’d it go?”

  “I’m worth every penny.”

  “You’re worth every mill
ion, Mackenzie.” She wore no shoes and she moved around on the balls of her feet, something she did without thinking, like a dancer. She wore straight-legged Paige khakis and a red apron…and that was it. Nothing else under the red apron. “What will you do now?”

  “Not sure. Might go kill Darren Robbins.”

  “I approve. I’ll pay you for your time.”

  “Your outfit is to die for,” I told her, coming to rest on a kitchen stool.

  She leaned far enough over the counter to kiss me. “Everyone is at work, and Kix is at Roxanne’s, so…”

  “So you cook naked?”

  “I’m not naked. I have on pants. I’m making Italian sausage and vegetable soup.”

  “What if something spatters?” I said.

  “The apron covers what it needs to. Mostly. Isn’t this charming? It’s like I’m your doting wife from the 50’s.”

  “Honey, I’m home.”

  “Does Georgina Princess belong to the August household now?”

  “She does,” I said.

  “Perfect. I’d grown fond of her.” She turned to the stove to stir the pot and I admired her shoulders and the arch of her spine.”

  “Did you have court this morning?”

  “I did. Judge Rowe. He adores me.”

  “Why wouldn’t he.”

  “I got you something,” she said and she slid a plate my way. The plate was covered with shredded paper. “A gift.”

  “Thanks, I was hoping for some confetti.”

  “It’s an apology.”

  “I can tell,” I said shrewdly.

  “An apology for being a mess. I was making this difficult. Making us difficult, I mean. My psychosis and insecurities were wrecking things.”

  “Oh?”

  “Don’t Oh? me. You knew it already. But I’m still learning.”

  “What are you learning?” I asked.

  “You love me. Even if you’ve never said the words, you do.”

  “I do.”

  “It’s that simple. You treat me like you love me, and you’re not going to stop. Loving someone shouldn’t be complex. That’s hard for me to process. You’re committed to me and that doesn’t make sense, and I have to force myself to realize it several times a day. I’m still new, and I was trying to make us something else. But…I’m watching you and I’m learning, and I think it’s simple. If you love someone, you love them. It’s a verb.”