Simmons Brothers Series: Boxed Set

by Danielle Gray

  She made a mental note to talk about it later but now she focused her attention on the councilman.

  “I’ll be recording the conversation,” she said. “If that’s alright with you.”

  “Of course.”

  Jamie Simmons twitched at that, but she pretended not to see him. Without any other issues, she started the interview. The councilman answered all of her questions easily and she tested him a few times, to see if he would crack, but he was perfect under pressure. She liked that, but that also meant that she wouldn’t be able to get anything juicy from him. That was a shame, but that hadn’t been her objective after all. After half an hour, she stopped and Jamie Simmons came forward.

  “Will that be all?”

  “No,” Gaby said, surprised at his gruffness. “I have to get some images of him as well some of his family.”

  “His family?” Jamie said sharply.

  “It’s a piece on the Councilman, of course I need to see his family,” she said obviously.

  “Of course, that’s a wonderful idea,” Councilman Hamilton interjected.

  “Alright,” Jamie said, not looking very happy. “I’ll take you there tomorrow.”

  “Why do you have to be there?” she asked rudely.

  “Because I’m his aide,” Jamie said. “I have to help him, so I’ll take you there tomorrow.”

  “Yes, that sounds great,” The Councilman said.

  Gaby didn’t say anything after that, but she could feel the frustration in the air. What was up with Jamie Simmons following the councilman around? Why was he so needed here? It was getting on her nerves, but she didn’t say anything as he escorted her out of the office. She was about to leave when he said, “How about I walk you to where you’re staying?” he asked. “That way I know where to pick you up from.”

  She shrugged, she didn’t really care about it and he didn’t say anything either as they walked out. The first part of their journey was quite boring with neither of them speaking and she was feeling the iciness in the air. What would she say to him, the two shared nothing in common! If anything, she hated him for being such a barrier in view of her journalistic endeavors.

  “How do you like it here in town?” he asked finally.

  “It’s quite peaceful,” she said. “I haven’t explored it fully yet, but I intend to as soon as the interview and other issues are seen to.”

  “That sounds nice, the town is intriguing to newcomers,” he said. “We do have some things to boast of.”

  “Have you lived here long?” she asked.

  “Most of my life,” he said. “I don’t live in town though; I own a ranch with my brothers just beyond the town.”

  “I thought you were the aide,” she said surprised.

  “I am an aide, out of hobby, not vocation. There’s no one qualified enough to take my post so I remained,” he said avoiding her gaze.

  That was strange, but she didn’t dwell on it. Instead, they had arrived at her house and he stopped as she walked up the stairs.

  “I’ll be here tomorrow at eleven,” he said. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “Yes, goodnight,” she said.

  “Goodnight, Gabrielle.”

  It was only after he walked away that she realized that he had used her first name and shockingly she hadn’t hated that at all. She repeated her name, hearing it as it had rolled out of his lips and felt her heart quicken.

  Head in the game Gaby, she reminded herself. You have more important things to focus on.

  Chapter Five

  He was prompt.

  Gaby was up and waiting for him and he didn’t disappoint as he drove up to her doorstep in a red truck. She gingerly got into it as he started the engine to head towards the ranch where Mr. Hamilton lived with his family.

  “Nice vehicle,” she said as the noise threatened to drown out her voice.

  “It’s a spare. I was going to bring my usual car but Drew, my brother, stole it.”

  “Does he do that often?”

  “No,” he said shortly.

  She figured something must have happened and so she didn’t question him. Instead, she took out the camera she had and practiced taking some images with it. The bad thing about being sent to a low budget job was that she didn’t have a camera man with her. All she got was a camera with which she had been instructed to take good images. She had half a mind to tear into Joe about it last night, but decided against it. How hard would it be to take images?

  She saw Jamie sneak peeks at her practicing with the camera and reluctantly put it back into her bag, thinking of what she was going to write. This second interview was only a formality; she just wanted some good images with the family and a tour around the ranch, so that she could make the story as family friendly and warming as possible. Jamie had said he had a ranch too, she couldn’t help but wonder what his looked like.

  He was characteristically quiet during the journey, something that didn’t surprise her. If there was something she knew about him, he preferred to keep to himself. It bothered her in a way and she couldn’t understand why.

  Maybe it was because his eyes could be so expressive. He could say all sorts of things through them and she was eager to find out more about him, if only she could get him to talk.

  They reached the ranch and instantly she was shocked to see how flashy and modern it was. It wasn’t that she was expecting it to be outdated, but everything about it screamed show off, in a way. She didn’t hate it, but the workers helping them get the car parked, somehow put her ill at ease.

  Jamie stopped the truck and then went around so that he could help her down. She reluctantly put her hand in his and felt a slight jolt as he helped her down. Too soon his hand was gone and she was left flexing her hand, wondering if she had imagined it.

  ***

  Councilman Hamilton remained waiting for them at the porch and he gave them an easy smile as they walked up.

  “I hope it was easy to come here,” he said, an odd sentiment considering Jamie obviously new the way. Still, Gaby held her tongue. He was nervous about something, that she could detect, but she only smiled, knowing that it wasn’t enough to get her back into Joe’s good graces.

  He led the two of them inside and had them sit down while a pleasant lady served them tea. She sipped the tea, but didn’t take the biscuits, looking around the well-decorated interior.

  “My daughter and son will be here soon,” Councilman Hamilton said. “They are busy on the ranch.”

  “I see, it’s no problem.”

  “Will you be asking them any questions?” he asked.

  She shook her head. “I don’t think that will be necessary. My objective is to get some images of the family and the ranch, as well as, some back-story on the ranch.”

  “Cat can do that for you, she has everything memorized, even better than my son,” Councilman Hamilton laughed.

  “Cat?” Gaby said confused.

  “Catherine, my daughter. We call her that affectionately.”

  ***

  Councilman Hamilton continued to do some small talk which she responded to but didn’t care for. She was already bored and wanted to get this over with. Finally two individuals entered, both with similar features and the same colored hair. The lady caught her by surprise, being very lithe and pretty. The man was handsome and seemed pleasant enough.

  The two introduced themselves and shook her hand, sitting down. More small talk followed and then she quietly announced her intention to take images.

  “Of course, how could I forget?” Councilman Hamilton said.

  The three of them posed on the sofa as she clicked images but to her frustration, none of them seemed to come out right. She was nearing the end of her patience when Jamie, who had been quiet throughout the whole thing, tapped her shoulder and held his hand out for the camera.

  “Let me,” he said.

  She nodded and he took the image in one shot, making a perfect image that she doubted she could have made through th
e hundreds she would have to take. Gaby was so taken aback by the image that she couldn’t stop staring at it even as the three family members dispersed.

  “Well, I think Cat can show you around the ranch now,” Councilman Hamilton said.

  “Yes of course but if you don’t mind, can I borrow Mr. Simmons to be my cameraman briefly?” Gaby asked knowing that she couldn’t take images like he did.

  “Of course.”

  Jamie didn’t say anything but she could see his shoulders stiffen, he wasn’t happy about going with her and that pricked her. She was only asking him for help, he didn’t have to be so mean about it. But then again, what did she expect from this grumpy oaf?

  Catherine Hamilton was a delight.

  She was completely different from her father and something shone out of her, a sudden sense of openness and freedom. She didn’t mince any words and talked about the animals with fire in her eyes. Gaby could see she loved it and she let her talk, drinking in the information and casting glances at Jamie who took images silently. What was the deal with him? His images were amazing, almost like a professional camera man. Was he a fluke or was there something related to photography in him? She couldn’t tell, but she was eager find out. She wanted to know more about him, immediately but she held her tongue.

  “Where do you come from?” Cat asked.

  “The city you could say,” Gaby replied, laughing. “I don’t know much about animals which seems like such a shame now.”

  “It’s always easy to learn. Some like it, some don’t. I can’t live without it.”

  “Did you always want to take over?”

  “Oh yes, my father was worried at first, but once I finally convinced him that I was capable, then he caved,” Cat said carefully.

  “What about your brother?”

  “He has other aspirations which he is following right now. Is that necessary for the interview?”

  “Oh no, I was only curious. Please don’t think that I am going to print everything I listen to, I am not that desperate.”

  She heard a minor sound, which sounded very much like a snort from behind her and looked to see Jamie innocently take images of the cattle. Her blood boiled, this man…! But she didn’t say anything and eventually Cat went away, citing that she had to look after some animals.

  She was left alone with Jamie, who was still taking images. She looked around and breathed in the clean air. Looking at the animals, she could see why people loved this life, there was a sense of freedom here that she never imagined there would be. But it wasn’t for her. She wouldn’t be able to survive here.

  She walked to Jamie and tapped his shoulder.

  “I think that’s all the images I need,” she said. “You’re pretty good.”

  He handed her the camera, not saying anything about her compliment but she figured that she had stumbled onto something and said,

  “Did you ever take lessons for it?”

  “I majored in it,” he said shortly. “I left it a long time ago, but it never fully left me.”

  “Seems a shame,” she said scrolling through the images. “You could have worked as a professional cameraman.”

  “Not everything is about career and money,” he said.

  “I didn’t say that,” she retorted, shocked.

  “But you implied it,” he said. “And that means all the same.”

  He walked away from her, leaving her confused and intrigued. Her hunch was right, there was something about it and she knew just the person who could give her some background on Jamie Simmons.

  ***

  “Here’s your milkshake,” Loretta said with a grin.

  “Thanks,” she said smiling back. “You have time to spare?”

  Loretta looked around the diner and nodded. It was afternoon which was a slow time for the diner so Loretta sat down opposite her as she quietly started her tape recorder under the table.

  “Your interview done?” Loretta asked.

  “Oh yes, it was a wonderful interview. I only have to finish writing it,” she said.

  “The councilman is nice, how was Jamie?” Loretta asked.

  “Well he wasn’t very forthcoming but he behaved like a gentleman.”

  “The boy never forgets his manners,” Loretta laughed. “I tell you, his father pushed that into him when he was a kid, like he did with all his sons.”

  “He is very good at taking images,” Gaby said innocently.

  “He went to study that. It was a stink up in the town, everyone knew that old Simmons wanted his eldest son to succeed him but then the son declared he didn’t want anything to do with the ranch. Left town in the middle of the night and then no one talked about it. Of course the rift didn’t stay for long and they reconciled soon after with old Simmons supporting his boy’s ambition.”

  “But…?” Gaby said eagerly. She could already feel that there was something strange in the story and she was right.

  “Jamie came back suddenly, five years before. No one knew why he had come back and he didn’t have any camera with him. All he said when anyone asked him was that it was none of their business and then he took over the ranch with his brothers. Strange I tell you,” Loretta said shaking her head. “You seem mighty interested in him.”

  This was it, the first signs of suspicion but she was used to it so she only shrugged and said, “He has a good talent, I don’t see many with that talent so I got curious. Reporter by nature.”

  Loretta relaxed at her answer, “He is talented. He used to take photos of all the events in town. Shame that he gave up on it.”

  “Do you think something happened to him?”

  “Many say that something happened. Some speculate that he couldn’t get a job or that he was out of luck. I tell you, if anyone had to know what happened it would be Henderson’s daughter, Sally Henderson.”

  “Sally Henderson?” Gaby asked. The last name sounded familiar, she was sure she had seen it somewhere and then it clicked. The name had been on the plaque back at the council office, the list of offices. Her father had to be one of the other councilmen.

  “Her father works in the office as well. The two children were thick as thieves when they were children and they left the town together. Everyone thought Jamie and Sally would get married and settle down, but then Jamie came back without her. Henderson doesn’t talk about her anymore but people can’t forget. Oh, there are more customers, I should be off.”

  She got up and walked away as Gaby shut down her recorder. It seemed like she had a lot more to work on and she allowed a smile to appear on her face as she pocketed the recorder. It looked like there was a mystery here and she could already see the direction of her article. What Loretta said made for a great story and if she could only write it well, there was no ways she wouldn’t be back in the paper’s good graces.

  Be careful Jamie, she said. I’m coming for you.

  Chapter Six

  Jamie sneezed, feeling a strange feeling go down his spine. Something didn’t feel right but he didn’t stop to dwell on it. He stabbed the potato in front of him, unable to concentrate on the happy conversation going on around him. He was bothered to think that he had done the one thing he had promised never to do again. But seeing Gabrielle struggling with it had given him a major case of frustration, because he knew he could do a much more efficient job. She had seemed grateful for his help and he couldn’t figure out why helping her made him feel happy. She was only a pesky reporter who would be gone soon, he didn’t need to dwell on her.

  “Earth to Jamie,” Drew’s voice kicked in and he looked up.

  Lana was looking at him with worry and so was Pete. Mark seemed impassive and Jamie turned to Drew to say, “What?”

  “The potato can’t take any more of those stabs,” Drew said dryly and he looked down to see that he had stabbed his baked potato into mush.

  “Something bothering you?” Pete asked.

  “Not really,” Jamie said, his voice convincing no one.

  “The rep
orter?” Pete guessed.

  “Maybe,” Jamie replied. “She isn’t exactly putting me at ease.”

  “What did she do?” Mark asked.

  “Nothing,” Jamie replied. “That’s what bothers me. She hasn’t done anything that would make me think she was a troublemaker, but something about the way she interacts with me makes me think that there is something on her mind.”

  “I am sure it’s only your imagination,” Pete said. “You said her interview was done right? So there’s nothing else she can do that could cause you harm.”

  “I hope so,” Jamie said sounding unsure.

  “Cat didn’t say anything strange about her,” Mark said. “She said that the reporter seemed like a completely normal person.”

  “You’re right, I’m worrying too much,” Jamie agreed. “There’s nothing I need to be worried about.”

  Even as he said that, he couldn’t help but think that something was going to happen sooner than he would expect, something he wouldn’t like.

  ***

  Gabrielle decided that if she was going to be go all out with her mission, she was going to be bold with it and being bold with it meant that she was going to take the fight to him. It wasn’t really a fight, but the point was she was going to charge ahead and find out all the information she needed to about Jamie Simmons, through him.

  She had the basis but now she needed to interview her target which meant, she needed to gain Jamie Simmons trust as well as his permission to run the article on him. She was a reporter but she wasn’t a sleazy reporter. She wasn’t going to try and run an article without his explicit permission.

  It was going to be hard, she thought suddenly, to be all chummy with him but that didn’t mean that it was impossible. She just had to try her best to not mess it up.

  Even as she thought that, she knew it was going to be hard.

  The first thing she did was dress her best, in her experience, it helped if she looked presentable and harmless enough. She had a game plan ready as she made her way into the council office because she was sure that he was bound to be there.