“Uh-huh.” Sam waited, and so did I with tears of laughter in my eyes.
“That’s when she confessed—that she was born a man. Mind you, she had the surgery and all, but I couldn’t deal with it. Just wasn’t my cup of tea.”
He glanced back at me again. “Would you stop laughing, Hewey! It’s not funny.”
“The hell it ain’t!” I laughed even louder.
By that time, Sam was obviously trying her best not to show him she’d found the story just as amusing as I did.
“So, what happened after that?” she asked him, her voice breaking.
He gulped. “I asked her why she didn’t tell me sooner, but she said she was scared and would’ve done so eventually before we actually tied the knot. I was devastated; just devastated. I broke off the engagement; told her I wasn’t gonna fire her because I knew she needed the job, but she ended up leaving the bistro a few days later and deep inside, I was glad she did. It was an awkward few days since she dropped that bomb on me.”
“Good thing you asked her about testing the waters first,” Sam replied with that subtle grin on her face, which quickly turned into a bigger grin, then she burst out laughing too.
“I can’t believe you guys are killing yourself laughing at me!” Rob retorted. “Where’s the compassion? That was a really tough time for me, you know?”
“I’m sorry, Rob.” Sam again tried to control herself, but was failing miserably.
“Yeah, me too.” I managed to blurt the words out.
“You guys are sickening.” He shook his head. “My two best friends in the world are having a field day over my former plight.”
Soon, Sam was able to collect herself. “I’m sorry for laughing, Rob; I really shouldn’t have,” she said. “It just sounded so funny, that’s all.”
“Mind you, if she chose to live her life as a woman after being born a man, that was totally her choice,” Rob noted. “My preference is a woman who was born a woman—and what made it even worse was that she deceived me. We were dating for nearly a year and she never came clean with me until after we were engaged. How could I trust a person like that?”
“I see what you mean.” I was drying my face with the back of my hand. “Anyway, buddy…” I patted his shoulder, “…there are more fish in the sea.”
“You’re right.” He nodded.
“Now, it’s your turn,” Sam told me. “Did you have a similar experience?”
“No! No!” I quickly said. “The truth of the matter is, I just never found Miss Right. She seemed elusive all this time and I wasn’t about to marry just anybody just for marrying sake.”
“Seems wise,” she replied.
A few moments went by, then I reluctantly said, “So, since you’re the only hitched one in the crew, what can we look forward to when it comes to married life?”
She sighed. “Well, it’s certainly different from being single.”
“Obviously…but what do you mean by that?” Rob asked her.
“Suddenly, you’re not the only one anymore; there’s someone else in the equation whose needs you have to meet. You share your time, your money, your life with them and sometimes you give up a part of yourself for the sake of the union.”
I wasn’t sure I understood exactly where she was coming from. Some of it, I did.
“Kind of like what I assume our folks did,” Rob said.
“I guess so,” Sam replied.
* * * *
We pulled up in front of Jeffreys’ house a few minutes later. He still kept it in fairly good condition, considering its age.
“I can’t believe I’m gonna be laying eyes on the old geezer after so many years,” Sam said, loosing her seatbelt and getting out of the car.
“Guess he’ll be glad to see us,” Rob surmised.
We all headed up the walkway toward the porch. The guys let me walk ahead, just like back in the day when we had something of importance to do and none of them wanted to take the lead. It always had to be Jase or me.
I rang the doorbell and we silently waited. Several moments went by before I heard footsteps approaching from the inside.
The door swung open and the guys and I looked from the other side at a stunned Mark Jeffreys.
“Jeffreys, it’s so good to see you again,” Sam exclaimed.
“What…what are you all doing here?” He was clearly surprised, but I couldn’t tell for sure if it was in a good way or not.
Jeffreys was now in his eighties and appeared even frailer than he looked when I’d last seen him. He was very thin and walked with the assistance of a cane. However, he still had all his faculties, perfect hearing and eyesight, and was just as independent as he always had been.
“We’re in town together for the very first time since leaving for college,” I told him. “So, we thought we’d stop by and see how you were doing.”
“Yeah,” Rob said.
A few more moments went by, then Jeffreys stepped aside and said, “Well, come in.”
Right then, I had the feeling he wasn’t too thrilled about us being there, especially since I knew he wasn’t much of a people person.
The living room was dark—not a single curtain had been drawn. We all sat down while Jeffreys took a seat in his old, rocking chair.
“We heard about Hugo, man, and we’re really sorry,” Rob said. “We know how much he meant to you.”
“Yup. Old Faithful’s gone. This September will make twenty years. Buried right there in the yard out back.” He rested his cane on the floor beside the chair.
“How old was he when he passed away?” Sam asked. This time, she and Rob were sitting together and I was alone on the sofa.
“He was fifteen years old. Lived a good life…but not long enough,” Jeffreys answered. I saw the sorrow on his face by the mere mention of his dog. He cleared his throat and glanced at of us. “So, what brings you kids back in town after having been gone for so long?”
Sam and Rob looked at me.
“You remember our friend, Jase, don’t you?” I asked.
Jeffreys rested his hands on his lap and interlaced his fingers. “I do.”
“Well, we never found out what happened to him and his mom the day everyone was released from the compound,” I explained. “After I moved away, I called the police department a number of times to find out if they’d found out anything, but it was useless. I don’t think they were ever investigating the matter. One officer told me it’s likely they both picked up and left town, but I knew that was impossible because they never returned to their house for any of their belongings. When the three of us here went to Jase’s house after the spacecraft had left, their clothes, furniture—everything were still there. Weeks later—the same thing. Months went by and the place was untouched. Eventually, the bank repossessed it, then sold it two years later. I heard the furniture and appliances were offered at auction and the clothes left there were either thrown out or donated to charity. We know, without a shadow of a doubt, that Jase and his mom never left town. Something happened to them and we’re here to find out what that is.”
Jeffreys always had a naturally stoic expression; wasn’t moved by much, other than his love for Hugo, but that day, he seemed concerned.
“I agree, the events are quite strange,” he noted. “I can’t imagine what might’ve transpired. Everyone else was accounted for that day when the nightmare was finally over.”
“We agree,” Sam chimed in. “And that’s what we can’t understand. They were the only captives who didn’t return home. Yet, everyone had been released.”
“Is there anything you can remember that stood out that day when they all got back?” Rob asked him.
Jeffreys thought for moment. “Nothing at all. Spader, Hugo and I went to the compound; had a meeting with the mastiff who promised to release everyone, and after we got back, at the exact time he said everyone would be back at home, they were. That’s what I remember.”
Some moments of silence ensued.
“Did Hugo say anything significant that might’ve been a clue of what happened to Jase and his mom?” I asked.
“You mean…before everyone around was normal again?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“Nothing at all. Hugo told me everything when he had the ability to communicate with me the way we’re communicating now. He didn’t hide anything at all from me. So, no—he didn’t say anything that could’ve been helpful because he was totally unaware of their whereabouts.”
I must admit I was a bit disappointed that Jeffreys could not be of help even though I hadn’t arrived with my hopes up.
“I’m sorry,” he added.
“Thanks, anyway,” I replied.
Jeffreys reached for his cane, then slowly stood up. “If that’s all, I must get back to reading the newspaper and pouring my second cup of coffee for the day. I tend to do things in a timely fashion, if you know what I mean.”
“We completely understand.” Sam stood as well; Rob and I followed her lead. “It was good seeing you again.”
“Likewise,” he said, as he led us to the door.
It was sort of an awkward moment for us, despite being accustomed to Jeffreys’ behavior.
“See you around,” Rob said as we stepped onto the porch.
Jeffreys replied with a single nod.
“Well, that was a complete waste of time,” Rob muttered after we got in the car. “I can tell nothing much has changed with that man.”
“I have to agree,” Sam said. “Didn’t seem glad to see us at all and to think after we were on the same team for survival all those years ago, I thought we’d broken the ice once and for all.
“Guess that ice is impossible to crack.” Rob started the car, then pulled away.
6
_________________
The guys and I knew that if Hartley Mays, our town’s former police chief, hadn’t mellowed over the years it was highly unlikely he’d entertain us even for a minute. None of us were any of his favorite people and he certainly wasn’t a fave of ours. Yet, he was instrumental back then in carrying out the wishes of the canines and so was every member of his police force. I realized they didn’t have any choice in the matter, but the least they could’ve done over the years was to do whatever was in their power to find out what happened to two of our own.
The canines had sorely criticized us not only for failing to treat their kind with better care, but also for us not being our brother’s keeper. I was wondering if anything had sunken into Chief Mays’ heart concerning the latter. Rob had found out that he was retired now and living out the rest of his days in a nursing home after having suffered two heart attacks. His late wife’s poodle, Dolly-Ann, just like Hugo, had long since passed and Mays was now on his own, sharing a similar fate to that of Mark Jeffreys. The difference between the men was that Jeffreys loved his dog and Mays didn’t. Mays certainly respected her, if only that, after the traumatic events of 1995. Only a fool would’ve risked another visit from outer space.
“What if we can’t get anything out of the guy?” Rob asked as we headed for Green Pastures Nursing Home.
“Have some faith, bro.” I said.
Sam sighed. “We’d just have to cross that bridge when we get there, huh?”
“Hey. What about your dad’s friend, Joe, who’s a cop?” Rob asked me.
“Joe and his family left Eppington years ago right after everything returned to normal. His wife, Sandy, was so traumatized, she persuaded him to quit his job and leave town for good. Dad rarely heard from him ever since.”
“Can’t blame them for getting outta here,” Sam remarked. “I can never understand why anyone stayed.”
“Imagine an entire town picking up and leaving,” I replied. “That’ll make international news, for sure. It just couldn’t happen. Besides, most people find it hard to uproot their lives and start all over again in a strange place.”
“I did and it wasn’t hard for me,” she said.
“Everyone’s not like you, Sam,” Rob reminded her.
We arrived at the nursing home and it was agreed that I would go in and speak with Chief Mays alone instead of all of us crowding his space, even if more than one person was allowed to visit. The guys decided they’d wait in the lobby instead of outside running the car’s A/C.
Chief Mays and Jeffreys were close in age, but Mays, being five years younger, looked nothing like I’d remembered; I hardly recognized the man. He used to be heavyset, around five feet eleven. Now, the person who sat in a chair looking out the window of his private room at the beautiful landscape was barely a hundred and twenty pounds and had lost a few inches in height as well.
“Is that really you, Spader?” He asked in a feeble voice, looking at me intently.
“It’s me, sir.” I sat next to him and tried to conceal my utter shock.
“I knew you’d come, sooner or later. ‘Course, was no telling whether it’d be while I was alive or dead. You’ve made it.”
I forced a smile. “How have you been?”
I quickly deemed it a stupid question.
“Not so good. This old body seemed to go downhill ever since…”
He started coughing.
“Are you all right? Should I get a nurse?”
He slowly raised a hand. “No. I’m fine.”
He didn’t look fine at all. In fact, he looked terrible. I was kind of feeling guilty for even being there bothering the guy.
“I know why you’re here, Spader. No need to explain,” he said. “You wanna know what happened to your friend and his mother.”
“That’s right.” I felt my heart rate slowly increasing, now certain that Mays knew something all these years that he was finally ready to share.
“I’m sorry about what happened.” He started coughing again. And again, I was concerned. This time, it lasted a little longer than the first bout. He reached up and wiped the corner of his mouth with a tattered handkerchief, then cleared his throat.
“One of my officers who was working at the compound said after you, Mark Jeffreys and his dog had spoken to the mastiff, he overheard a conversation between a couple of canines and apparently it…”
His voice started to drag.
“…it was agreed that…”
Suddenly, he held the left side of his chest and his face distorted in pain. He tried to get more words out, perhaps, a cry for help, but he obviously couldn’t. I hurried out of the room, hollering for assistance when some nurses and a doctor rushed into the room and one of them ordered me out. As I was leaving, I noticed Mays was no longer struggling; the hand once holding his chest had fallen limp onto his leg.
I knew…he was dead.
* * * *
“What did you do to the guy?” Rob whispered loudly on the way to the car after a nurse had informed me of Mays’ passing.
“I didn’t do anything, Rob!” I answered defensively. “The guy died of a heart attack.”
“Oh. I thought you’d held him at gunpoint to extract intel.”
“Very funny.” I shook my head. “He was on the verge of telling me…”
“Telling you what?” Sam held my arm, stopping me in my tracks. She had that look in her eyes I hadn’t seen since we were kids—the look that said she knew I was on to something and she was dying to know what it was.
“He was about to tell me what happened. Started giving me a story about a conversation one of his officers who worked at the compound had overheard pertaining to some agreement.”
“Agreement? Between who?” Sam grimaced.
I shook my head, hopelessly. “I don’t know. That’s when he had the attack.”
“Bummer!” Rob exclaimed. “We were so bloody close!”
“Yeah.” I nodded.
“Can you deduce anything from what he said,” Sam pressed. “I mean…”
“I know what you mean and I thought about it over and over again as they were in there trying to save his life, but the answer is no. I have no idea what he was about to
tell me—not even if Jase and his mom are dead or alive. Why did Mays have to drop dead right then?”
I knew that didn’t sound very kind, but I was frustrated. Mays clearly had the answers we needed and had concealed them for decades. In the years I’d kept in touch with him to find out if they’d come across any clues pertaining to Jase’s disappearance, not once did he let on that he knew anything. Now, when he was just a shell of the man he used to be, he was ready to unburden himself and I was angry about that. Why couldn’t he find it within himself to do so sooner? Why did he keep what he knew under wraps for so long? How could that possibly have benefitted him—if it did at all?
“At least you tried,” Sam said. “The question now is who is the officer Mays was referring to and do any of the other officers who were employed at the time share Mays’ secret?”
“There’s only one way to find out,” I replied as we continued toward the car.
7
_________________
Sam had an engagement with her folks that she couldn’t break, so we decided to call it a day and resume our investigations the next day.
When I arrived home, Carl was in the living room watching TV with his feet crossed on the center table. He was eating a super-sized club sandwich.
“You know Mom would’ve killed you if you ever parked your feet up there,” I said, shutting the new screen door he’d installed that day.
“Mom’s not here anymore,” he answered, dryly.
“I know.” Sitting on the sofa, I looked his way. “Still working out there or you’re done for the day?”
“Not done.” He kept his eyes on the TV.
“I meant to ask how your lunch date went yesterday.”
“Same as usual.” He took another bite of his sandwich.
“I see.”
“Uncle Charlie called earlier. I didn’t tell him you were here ‘cause he would’ve wondered why he hasn’t seen you yet.”
“Thanks for that. I intend to walk over there this afternoon.”
A wrestling match was on television and Carl was a huge fan. Yet, that day, he didn’t seem as enthusiastic about it as he usually was.
Let Sleeping Dogs Lie (Hewey Spader Mystery Series Book 3) Page 3
