Russell was tempted to make a crack about picking up women in the cemetery, but considering the situation, he kept quiet and just listened.
“She mentioned a woman rushing out the back entrance. The woman didn’t have a car but took off down the road. When she described her, the description fit Angela. Dark hair and unusually colored blue eyes, almost fake looking.”
“Angela does wear those tinted contact lenses,” Alexandra murmured.
“That’s creepy if she was watching you at the cemetery. I wonder if she followed you there.” Kate asked.
“If it was her,” Garret spoke up. “It could be a coincidence.” Garret didn’t think it was a coincidence.
“At the time, I didn’t really think it was Angela. I didn’t think it was possible. I had no idea she’d been let out. I don’t know why they called us after her release instead of before.”
“I asked Sam that question,” Harrison spoke up. “He gave me some bullshit excuse. Considering the threats that girl made about my granddaughter during her trial, I am not happy about this turn.”
“Does Kim know?” Adam asked.
“Sam told me he talked to Nick. But I haven’t spoken to her yet,” Harrison said.
“Hopefully Angela really is better and not a threat,” Russell offered.
“The girl is insane,” Harrison snapped. “The parole board has lost its mind.”
“In Kim’s favor, she’s married now to Nick. So if Angela is still obsessed with Adam, I don’t see how she’d think Kim was a threat,” Kate suggested.
“Gee, thanks, Aunt Kate. Just leaves me in her crosshairs.”
“I’m sorry Adam. I guess that didn’t come out right.”
“I think you should call Sam, let him know about her possibly being at the cemetery, following you,” Alex suggested.
“I agree with your mother,” Garret added.
“Adam, if it’ll make you feel any better, let me call Joe in the morning. I’ll talk to him about Angela; see what he honestly thinks about her state of mind. After all, he is her father. If anyone knows her, he should,” Russell offered.
“I’d appreciate that, Russell. But I’m not sure he’ll be candid if he feels she’s still a threat.”
“I understand. But maybe I can get a read on Joe. I’ve known him for years.”
“Thanks, Russell.” Adam downed the rest of his drink, leaned his head back in the chair, and briefly closed his eyes.
Jane, a member of the household staff was just entering the room, about to announce dinner was ready, when Harrison said to Adam, “You don’t look fit to go back to work. You might as well have dinner with us.” He then looked at Jane and said, “Set another place for Mr. Keller. He’ll be joining us.”
“Yes, Mr. Coulson. Dinner is ready now; I’ll go set that extra plate.”
“Thanks, Harrison, but I didn’t mean to barge in on your dinner. I probably should go home. I’m not going back to work tonight.” Adam stood up.
“Don’t be ridiculous. I can’t have you driving home on an empty stomach. Not after I just served you alcohol.” Harrison turned his wheelchair toward the dining room.
“Stay, Adam,” Alex said as she stood up and took her son’s arm. “Have dinner with us. It’s been a while since we all got together.”
“Okay, but let me go wash up first.”
Alex smiled at her son and kissed his cheek before making her way to the dining room with the rest of the group. Adam didn’t go immediately to the bathroom; instead, he stood silently and watched them walk away.
Last month, his mother had turned fifty-nine, yet she looked more like a woman in her forties than one nearing Social Security. If her hair was graying, there were no telltale signs. Her chocolate brown hair, which fell just above her shoulders in a smooth wave, was slightly lighter than in her youth and highlighted with blond streaks.
Kate, who was just a year younger than her sister was, continued to wear her hair long, falling to the center of her back in a cascade of wild dark curls. Still willowy thin, she, like her sister, looked much younger than her years, yet faint age lines etched the corners of her face, revealing to those who took a second glance, that Kate Chamberlain Coulson may not be as young as she first appeared.
Alexandra, whose weight had yo-yoed over the years, taking her from voluptuous to model thin, was about twenty pounds past her ideal weight, a sin she could easily conceal, considering she was taller than her sister was. The extra pounds hid any age lines that might be lurking on the surface. The sisters, in their late fifties, continued to be attractive women.
Adam loved his mother, and if it wasn’t for her—and his half-sister, Sarah—he might be tempted to move from Coulson, especially now that his ex-fiancée had been released from prison. Not only had Angela—in a fit of jealousy over his renewed relationship with Kim—attempted to frame Adam for murder, she’d killed real estate agent Emily Mitchell in an insane attempt to conceal the identity of the real killer.
Unfortunately, moving wasn’t as easy as it sounded. Even if he was willing to leave Coulson, he still had the restaurant to consider. After he graduated from college, Alexandra had turned the restaurant over to him. By that time, she was married to Garret and no longer involved in the business. Although she had once run the restaurant with his father, the Lucky Lady Restaurant and Saloon was Ryan Keller’s passion; it wasn’t Alexandra’s.
For as long as he could remember, the restaurant had been part of his life. To let it go would be saying goodbye to his father all over again. On some days, he honestly loved his job with the Lucky Lady Restaurant and Saloon, and on other days, it was an unwanted burden. Sometimes, he just wanted to walk away.
Adam then remembered the girl in the cemetery, Sophie Marino. It had been a long time since he had experienced such an attraction. Since his breakup with Angela, two years earlier, he’d casually dated a number of women, but there had never been a spark.
It wasn’t just her looks—and she was a pretty thing, with sultry gray eyes, velvety black hair, and sexy little figure—but they spoke the same language. He understood her conflicts regarding her family’s restaurant, wanting to express herself instead of implementing the dreams of others.
He wished she wasn’t just passing through. Sophie Marino was someone he wanted to get to know better. Then he remembered his promise to her. After the police chief’s call informing him Angela was back in Coulson, Adam had forgotten about Sophie wanting to talk with his mother, aunt, and uncle regarding her grandfather’s death.
Smiling, Adam reminded himself that the day hadn’t been all bad.
Chapter 7
“Mom, remember that body you, Aunt Kate, and Uncle Jimmy found up by Sutter’s Lake?” Adam asked twenty minutes later, when he was seated at the dining room table, cutting his slice of pork roast into bite-sized pieces.
“Oh, my god, that was awful. What made you think of it?” Kate shuddered.
“When did you find a body at Sutter’s Lake?” Harrison asked with a frown, looking down the table at his daughter-in-laws.
“It was that hitman, Dad,” Garret explained. “At least, I think that’s the body Adam is talking about.”
Alexandra laughed and took a sip of her water. “I don’t remember any other bodies up at Sutter’s Lake. Good lord, one was enough.”
“Are you telling me Alex and Katie found that man?” Harrison asked sternly, setting his fork down.
“I thought you knew that, Dad.” Russell shrugged.
“No, I didn’t know.”
“I don’t think we ever talked about it with your father,” Kate said as she took a bite of food.
“Sorry, Dad, I didn’t think you’d be interested,” Garret said. “A number of years ago, we were talking about the body that was found up at the lake, and Alex told me Kate was the one who came across him.”
“That was the freakiest thing.” Kate cringed and popped another bite of food in her mouth.
“I had no idea you found the
body,” Harrison said. Although that was not entirely true, Harrison silently reminded himself. He probably did know the names of the teenagers who found Anthony Marino’s remains, yet at the time, their names would not have meant anything to him.
“Why do you bring up Marino now?” Harrison asked Adam.
“Because I met his granddaughter today. She was the girl I talked to at the cemetery.”
“I didn’t think he had any family,” Garret said. “I remember hearing something about a sister who died before they found his body. Never heard anything about a child.”
“He had a son,” Harrison said quietly. “Marino’s wife ran away from the bastard, took her kid with her. I suppose this girl… she’s the son’s daughter?”
“Yes.” Adam took a sip of his water.
“Why is she in Coulson?” Harrison asked.
“She wants to find out what she can about her grandfather’s death. Apparently, she recently learned of the murder. Until then, she didn’t know anything about him. In fact, her dad never realized his parents were estranged when his father died.”
“Does the girl know what kind of a man he was?” Harrison asked.
“That some say he was a hitman, yes. She wants to find out if there’s any truth to those stories, maybe learn something about his murder.”
“Is the girl stupid?” Harrison snapped.
“Stupid? What do you mean?” Adam frowned.
“The man associated with people from organized crime. They dumped his car in the lake and buried his body in a dirt hole. Does she really want to rattle their cages?”
“Dad, I imagine all responsible parties are already buried themselves.” Garret chuckled. He then turned to look at Adam. “And on that same note, I doubt after all this time there’s anything she could find out. It isn’t just a cold case—it’s frozen.”
“But that’s why she wants to talk to all of you. I don’t think she expects to actually solve the murder; she just wants to find out more about her grandfather. I told her how mom, Aunt Kate, and Uncle Jimmy found the body. And how Garret met her grandfather when he was a teenager. It’s really important to her.”
“And why is it so important to you?” Alex asked with a sly smile.
Adam shrugged. “Okay, so I liked her. She seems interesting, and I’d like to get to know her better.”
“Fine, we’ll meet with her,” Alex said with a smile.
“Bad idea,” Harrison grumbled.
“Why, Harrison?” Adam asked.
“Sometimes it’s better to let old bones lie.”
“But it’s important to her to learn more.”
“Why?” Harrison demanded.
“For one thing, she’d like to disprove the rumors that her grandfather was a criminal. That the stories of being a hitman were fabricated.”
“They weren’t fabricated, Adam. Anthony Marino was not a nice man. Don’t get involved. Let her return home clinging to the false belief that the stories about her grandfather might be untrue.”
“I didn’t realize you knew Marino that well.” Garret curiously eyed his father.
“There’s much you don’t know, Garret.” Harrison looked over at Adam and asked, “Just where is this young woman staying?”
“Apparently, she has family up in Clement Falls. She’s staying there.”
The color drained from Harrison’s face.
“Dad, what’s wrong?” Garret asked. They all looked at Harrison, who sat mute at the head of the table
“Crap,” Harrison muttered under his breath.
“Dad, what is it?” Russell asked.
“I really never thought this would be an issue,” Harrison said.
“What are you talking about?” Garret asked. No one was eating. They all stared at Harrison.
“You were all fairly young when Marino died. I only met him once, when he barged in on us during dinner. It was your mother, grandfather, and Sonny.”
“Who’s Sonny?” Adam asked.
“When I was a kid, they used to call Harrison Jr. Sonny,” Russell explained. “I haven’t heard that nickname in years.”
“I didn’t know the man. I only knew about him,” Harrison continued. “Your grandfather had him investigated. Back in those days, Coulson was much smaller, and Marino wasn’t your average visitor to town. He’d been living with his sister, Gina Carracci. She and her husband, Nick, owned the only boarding house up in Clement Falls.”
“Wait a minute,” Alexandra spoke up. “The only boarding house—Nick Carracci, wasn’t that Nick’s grandfather? Kim’s Nick?”
“Yes. Nick’s grandmother was Marino’s sister. So unless there’s more family I don’t know about, I suspect Adam’s new friend is at the Myer’s bed and breakfast staying with my granddaughter.”
“Wow, what a small world,” Kate chirped.
“That isn’t even the half of it.” Harrison tossed his napkin onto the table and shoved his wheelchair back. Without saying another word, he pushed his chair from the dining room. No one called after him; they just watched his exit.
“What’s wrong with your father?” Alexandra asked after Harrison was gone.
“I have no idea,” Garret said.
Chapter 8
“That was bizarre at your dad’s,” Kate said later that evening when she and Russell were preparing to go to bed. Russell sat on a chair in their bedroom removing his shoes.
“Dad has his moments.”
“But he didn’t even come back downstairs. He just left the table and went to his room.”
“He’s going to be ninety-five in a couple of months. Maybe it’s just his age.”
“No, it’s not that,” Kate murmured, then looked at Russell, studying his expression. “What’s wrong, Russy?”
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t know, but after your dad left the room, well, you got the strangest expression. And ever since we got home, there seems to be something on your mind. What is it?”
Russell looked over at his wife. Kate sat on the edge of the bed, wearing just her silk underpants and a lacy bra. He smiled at her, thinking she was the best thing that had ever happened to him.
“I remembered something tonight. Something I haven’t thought about in years.”
“What?”
“Dad’s attitude—leaving the room like that—it brought up an old memory about Marino.” Russell was then silent for a few moments.
Finally, Kate said, “Go on, I’m listening.”
“Remember how I told you Tommy and I met Marino when he was staying at the Kellers’ motel?”
“Sure. Tommy told us about it a long time ago.” Tommy was Kate and Alexandra’s older brother. He was also one of Russell’s childhood friends.
“What I never mentioned… once, Marino gave me a letter to give to my mother.”
“A letter for your mom? I don’t understand.”
“I must have been about eight at the time. It was when Marino was renting a room at the Kellers’ motel, shortly before he disappeared. Tommy and I were on our bikes, getting ready to head home. We’d been playing ball that afternoon at the park. Marino stopped me and handed me a sealed envelope. He said it was a letter for my mother, and I had to keep it a secret. I couldn’t tell my father or anyone.”
“What was in the letter?”
“I don’t know. Something about a surprise for my dad, according to Marino and my mom. Marino said if I told anyone, my mother would be upset.”
“What did Vera say when you gave her the letter?”
Russell didn’t answer immediately but considered the question.
“Katie, you know, my mother really liked you. Both you and Alex. To be honest, it rather surprised Garret and me.”
“You’ve both mentioned that before. Alex and I have wondered if that was an insult or complement.” Katie laughed, not really insulted.
“Like I told you before, Mom was always so distant when I was growing up. She never seemed able to… to connect with eit
her Garret or me. I’ve often thought it was a blessing she was gone when all that came down about Harrison.” Russell was referring to his older brother, Harrison, not his father with the same name.
“I never understood how Harrison was her favorite,” Katie said, shaking her head in disgust.
“Perhaps because he was her first born. Who knows? I certainly never understood her. But when she met you, well I expected her to be… rather bitchy. After all, neither you or Alex were especially impressed with the Coulson name or money. You…” Russell got up from the chair and moved to the bed, sitting beside his wife. He put his arm around Kate. “You, my sweet Katie, were my offbeat little flower child.”
Katie laughed and kissed his cheek.
“I feel like a very old flower child these days.”
“Well, you don’t look it. But you charmed Mother.”
“I liked your mom, Russell, in spite of her awkward ways.”
“Awkward? I never thought of Mother that way.”
“Yes, awkward. She seemed uncomfortable around people, even her friends. But it was not me that charmed her in the beginning; it was my art. And when People Magazine featured my art show that certainly didn’t hurt.”
“True.” Russell chuckled.
“But what does all of this have to do with the letter Marino gave your mother?”
“When I was a kid, I thought something was wrong with me. I desperately wanted my mother to like me.”
“Aw, Russy, that sounds so sad.” Kate turned and wrapped her arms around Russell for a moment and kissed his cheek. He gave her nose a little peck then continued with what he had to say.
“I remember being so excited giving that letter to my mother because Marino made it sound as if I was doing her a special favor. But when I first gave it to her, her initial reaction terrified me. I can still to this day—so very clearly—recall how I felt. I wanted to snatch the letter away from her and tear it up. But then she read it, and her attitude changed. I remember she hugged me—and Mother never hugged. I went from feeling terrified to elated. It was as if I’d finally managed to do something that pleased her. Damn, I sound like a whiny kid.” Russell laughed ruefully.
Coulson's Reckoning Page 5
