“Why wouldn’t I be sure? I remember her giving it to me the morning after I lost my tooth. We laughed at how funny I looked. She told me to wait, and she went out of my room. And when she came back, she had her baby tooth and a picture of her smiling with her missing tooth. She told me to sit still, smile, and she took my picture. I remember that clear as a bell.”
“Where’s the picture?” Angie asked.
“I don’t know. She never showed it to me, or if she did, I forgot. Why are you two looking at me like that?”
“If that’s your mother’s tooth, then it has her DNA. You said the cremated ashes in the storage unit might have teeth in them. You could, I would think, take those ashes to be tested, and if there is a tooth or even a remnant of a tooth, it will prove that the people who died in the crash are or are not your parents,” said Angie.
Lucy nodded. She closed the little box and stuffed it in the pocket of her sweatpants. “I never thought of that,” she said sadly, her eyes still burning.
Ten minutes later, the three of them were a caravan and were headed to the Garden State Parkway, with Lucy in the lead, Angie in her car, and Luke bringing up the rear in his rental car.
Forty-five minutes later, Lucy listened carefully to the robotic voice of her GPS and made a right turn down a gravel road, which she followed for a mile and a half. She wanted to tell the robotic voice this was the middle of nowhere, but she didn’t. When she finally pulled up to the long circular driveway in front of a farmhouse that looked like it was built from tree trunks, she saw a huge van that said they were the MONMOUTH COUNTY NUMBER ONE CLEANING SERVICE. Seven people were busy loading all manner of cleaning equipment into the van. A lady who said her name was Myrt walked over and held out her hand.
“We’re done. We’ve been here since five this morning. I’d appreciate it if you’d do an inspection before we leave. I’d hate having to come back in case we missed something.”
“I’ll do it!” Angie said, running into the house. Ten minutes later, she was back, beaming from ear to ear. “Looks fine to me. What about the bunkhouse?”
“Around the back and down the embankment. A thousand feet or so,” Myrt said.
Angie dashed off again and returned, huffing and puffing, little circles of steam jetting out of her mouth. “Just as good as the house.”
“How do I pay you?” Lucy asked.
“You don’t, hon. We have an account with the realty company. We do all their work. We just bill them. If you need us, just call. We left a card on the kitchen counter. We have a sideline in case you’re interested. We decorate houses for Christmas. All with fresh evergreens. Like I said, if you need us, call. Thanks for the business.”
The trio watched the big white van disappear down the driveway.
“Oh, Lucy, wait till you see the inside of this farmhouse. You are going to absolutely love it. And that bunkhouse, wow! We are going to have so much room to work, we will have to shout to each other to be heard. It all smells new and clean, and it is gorgeous. The furniture is just great. You didn’t say anything about its being furnished. You won’t have to buy a thing. It’s warm and cozy, and wait till you see the fireplaces. There are six of them! And . . . it looks like a ton of wood piled into the cutout next to the fireplace.”
“Then, let’s check it out!” Lucy said, excitement ringing in her voice.
All Luke could hear were oohs and aahs as the girls went from room to room. He did a little oohing and aahing himself as he inspected the farmhouse. He liked the open rooms, loved the old beams. And Angie was right: the fireplaces were crafted by someone who knew what he was doing. He wasn’t sure, but he thought a person could roast a whole steer in the fireplace in the family room. He just itched to build a fire. He decided to scratch his itch and got to it. By the time the girls came down the steps, he had a fire blazing.
“Is there a landline here?” Angie asked.
“In the kitchen, and it’s on. The number is on the wall, next to the phone. Whoever it was that lived here was not high tech. There is a satellite dish on the roof, though, so I guess you get cable on that TV,” Luke said.
“The beds are all made up,” Lucy said, amazement ringing in her voice. “This is just beyond perfect. I love it all.”
“How many acres come with this place?” Luke asked.
“Fifty-five,” Lucy said smartly, “and don’t ask me what I’m going to do with all that land, because I don’t have a clue.”
“Now what?” Luke asked.
“Now we unpack. One of us needs to go to the grocery store,” Lucy said.
“The way you’re looking at me indicates I’m the one to go. Do you want to make a list, or should I just pick up stuff as I go up and down the aisles?” Luke asked.
“Whatever works for you,” Angie said, giggling. “Lucy and I will start bringing our stuff in.”
“And then what?” Luke asked again.
“And then we call the FBI after we have lunch sitting at our new kitchen table with the food you are going to buy at the grocery store.”
“So, that’s the plan?”
“Yep,” Lucy and Angie said in unison.
When the door closed behind Luke, Angie turned to Lucy and said, “You know, I really do like that guy. I bet he comes back with one of everything in the store.”
Lucy laughed. “That’s a sucker bet. By the way, did you call Toby, like I asked you, to bring our mail down at the end of the week?”
“I did, and he said no problem. He said he’s on your street every day, delivering something or other to that software guy who lives across the street from you. We talked a bit, and I’m really looking forward to our date on Saturday. Hey, if Luke is still here, and we aren’t in jail, we could double-date. What do you think? This way, none of us will feel the stress of a first date.”
“That works for me. But what makes you think Luke is still going to be here?”
“Trust me when I tell you that guy is going to be here until you boot him out or some crisis in Florida needs his attention.”
Lucy smiled as she headed for the stairs with one of the trash bags.
It took the girls exactly one hour to unpack their belongings and settle into their rooms.
“This,” Lucy said, waving her arms about, “is what a bedroom should look like. In my opinion. Hard rock maple, braided rugs on pine floors, a four-poster with a wedding-ring quilt that even I recognize as hand quilted. Don’t you love those organdy tieback curtains on the windows? The fireplace is great. The bathrooms aren’t all that modern, but that’s okay. How’s your room, Angie?”
“Just like this one, but the quilt on the bed is a different color. It’s perfect, Lucy.”
“Now, if we can just keep it like this, I will be one happy camper.”
“Lucy, just don’t think negative thoughts. We are going to come out of this just fine. It’s going to be the getting there that will pose the problem, but we’ll definitely prevail.”
“I love your optimism, my friend. I am so glad you are here with me. You know, I just had an idea. You know those fifty-five acres? We could build you a house of your own, and you will be just down the road from me and will be my neighbor for when you and Toby tie the knot.”
“What did you say?”
“C’mon, you heard me. I know in my gut you two are a perfect match. The house will be my wedding present to you.”
“If you weren’t my best friend, I’d push you down these steps right now.” Angie laughed. “I suppose it could happen. Do you think our kids will have red hair? I’m not sure how I feel about redheaded kids.”
Lucy laughed and couldn’t stop. “When they’re your own redheaded kids, you will love them as much as you will love their red-haired father. Trust me.”
In the kitchen both girls looked around.
“Hey, this is a Wolf stove. These appliances are top of the line. This breakfast nook is simply out of this world. I don’t know all that much about handcrafted furniture, but I think
the table and chairs are handmade. And the table in the nook looks like it was made from old oak trees. Look how wide the planks are. I bet Luke will know, since he’s a builder,” said Angie.
“Did I hear my name mentioned?” Luke asked as he walked into the kitchen, carrying two huge grocery bags. “I have eight more in the car.”
Angie and Lucy rushed out to the driveway and started to haul the bags out of the car assembly-line style. Luke grabbed them and sprinted for the door, then returned for another armful.
“You bought one of everything, didn’t you?” Angie asked.
“Pretty much. I bought ham, turkey, and cheese subs, and I stopped to get Dunkin’ Donuts coffee. Bought five bags. I know how you gals love coffee, and I didn’t want you to run out.”
Working together, they had the groceries all put away within twenty minutes, and coffee was dripping into the pot.
They ate off paper plates that Luke had bought, bright red ones to go with the kitchen decor.
“Eat slowly,” Lucy said. “Because the minute we’re done, we have to call the FBI.”
“Not so fast,” Luke said. “My dad called me while I was shopping, but I had left the phone in the car. His message said to call him as soon as I got the message. He said he played poker last night, and Jonah Wylie told him something that made his blood run cold. Jonah Wylie is the judge I told you my dad plays poker with. I can’t be sure of this, but if I had to take a guess, I’d say those two FBI agents who paid me a visit at the construction site went up to Palm Royal and tried to get a warrant for your house. From the tone of my father’s voice, it didn’t sound to me like Wylie caved in to them, FBI or not.”
“Is that bad or good?” Lucy asked in a shaky voice.
“I don’t know. That’s why I waited till I got here to tell you, so we’d all be together when I called Pop.”
“Okay, call him,” Lucy said in the same shaky voice.
Chapter Fifteen
Luke thought he could feel the anxiety from the two women, which seemed to be swirling about the room, as he stared down at the phone in his hand. He took a deep breath and pressed the number one on his speed dial. He hoped his father was having a good day and wasn’t too upset with whatever news he had to deliver.
Father and son made small talk as the girls listened. They both understood that Luke was trying to be calm and not rush his father, but when the conversation didn’t turn to the judge, Luke prodded his father.
“So, Pop, what was it you wanted to tell me about Judge Wylie?”
“Oh, we were playing poker last night, and Jonah lost his shirt, which made him cranky. Even my double chocolate fudge cake didn’t help, and you know how he loves my double chocolate fudge cake.”
“And . . . ,” Luke said, trying to get his father back on track.
“First, he asked me if the Brighton house was for sale. I explained about the daughter and how she got struck by lightning. Then Bud went on and on about what a lovely girl she was and how he and Adel took care of her. Bud is the one who said she packed up everything and went back to New Jersey. We both explained how the house couldn’t be sold by an outside broker and that the daughter didn’t know what she was going to do with the property. Jonah knows that we don’t allow outside brokers. He didn’t know anything about the Brightons’ daughter, though, until we told him.
“That’s when Jonah got real cranky and lost the hand he was playing and threw the cards down on the table. He said two FBI agents came to him to ask for a warrant. He said they were out of the Miami bureau. That ticked him off right there—agents stomping on his turf, as he put it. He said they didn’t have probable cause for a warrant, and he denied it.”
“Then what happened?”
“Then Jonah got really ticked off. He’d lost three dollars by that point. He was fuming. You know how he hates losing. After Jonah left, Bud said that he thought smoke was going to come out of Jonah’s ears.”
“Yeah, Pop, but then what happened?”
“Jonah said the two agents were like wet one-legged roosters as they fussed and fumed at him. He said he sent them packing. He did ask me what kind of security locks were on the doors at the house. I told him the best money could buy. That’s it, son. Are you worried about the girl’s house, Luke? Do you want me to hire some security? I can, you know.”
Luke looked at the girls to see what their reaction was. They just stared at him, both shrugging their shoulders.
“No. Just tell Adel and Bud to keep their eyes open. And maybe the neighbors across the street. Try not to make a big deal out of it, Pop. If you hear anything else, call me.”
“How long are you planning on staying up there, son?”
Luke looked at the girls and smiled. “As long as it takes me to help out here.” He smiled again when he saw Lucy’s look of relief and Angie’s closed fist shoot in the air. Ah, it was nice to be loved and wanted. Very, very nice indeed. He slid the cell phone back into his pocket and stared across the table. “What’s our next move?”
“Is that normal for Miami FBI agents to go all the way to Palm Royal? I would think agents in a field office in that area would be the ones to ask for a warrant. Or is it one of those turf things you see in the movies, where different agencies don’t cooperate with each other?” Lucy asked.
“I don’t have a clue, Lucy. This is all as new to me as it is to you. The bottom line here is that someone wants in that house, and Judge Wylie denied them access. Where it goes from there, I have no idea. I’m thinking the next move will be that either someone from Florida will come here or someone from here will seek you out. It’s just a matter of time before they find you. They have resources we can only dream about.”
Lucy whirled around. “Angie, call Toby and tell him that if anyone spots him on the street and tries to question him, he knows nothing. I’m sure he will cooperate. Tell him that whatever he does, he shouldn’t give out this address.”
“I’m on it,” Angie said, delighted that she had a reason to call the redheaded FedEx driver.
“Now you’ve involved a fourth person, Lucy,” Luke said.
“I know. Five if you count your dad, and seven if you count Adel and Bud. Although Adel and Bud might suspect something is going on, they don’t know for sure.”
“Unless Pop tells them. He’s not into secrets and such. He thinks everything is open for discussion. He didn’t used to be that way but after . . . What I’m trying to say here is, we can’t count on Pop to keep quiet.”
“So now what? Do we call the FBI or wait for them to find me? I’m also thinking Newark would be the office I would call if I were still at home. There must be one closer, here in Monmouth County. I’m thinking Red Bank. Maybe even Asbury Park. I don’t know if Asbury Park is in Monmouth or Ocean County. We’re now in Monmouth County. Where I lived before is Middlesex County. Help me out here, Luke,” Lucy said fretfully. “What do you think we should do?” Lucy looked over at Angie, who was babbling a mile a minute to Toby, a huge smile on her face.
“Honest to good God, Lucy, I don’t know. It’s one of those ‘damned if you do, damned if you don’t’ kind of things. The fact that you found the safes and moved the contents both in Florida and here in New Jersey could raise eyebrows. Those agents looked sharp to me, so they’ll probably automatically think you’re guilty or somehow involved. The fact that they’re openly sniffing around means they think they’re onto something. If you call them, you can defend yourself by saying you panicked and didn’t know what to do. And there is the fact that you got struck by lightning and were hospitalized, and therefore, you weren’t thinking clearly.” Luke threw his hands high in the air just as Angie finished her call to Toby.
“He said okay, no problem. What did I miss? You two look like you lost your last friend.”
Luke repeated what he’d just said to Lucy for Angie’s benefit.
“Well, if my vote counts, I say call the local office closest to here. Ask them to come here. You can use your foot as an exc
use as to why you aren’t traveling. Think of it as a preemptive strike of sorts. We’ll just bandage you up before they get here. I say they because I assume agents travel in pairs.”
“I’m going to call for the simple reason that I cannot, I will not, live like this.” Lucy got up, and in her haste to get to the portable phone on the kitchen counter, she stumbled and hit her foot on a claw-foot of the round table. Her yelp of pain was so loud, Luke later said she could be heard all the way out to the highway.
Lucy’s face drained of all color, and her eyes rolled back in her head. Luke caught her just as she was about to crumple to the floor.
“Oh, God, this can’t be good. Quick, carry her into the family room. There’s a recliner. Put her in it, and raise the footrest,” Angie instructed.
Tears rolled down Lucy’s cheeks from the pain she said was shooting up her leg.
“I’m going to call Adel.”
Angie’s voice could be heard clearly by both Luke and Lucy in the family room. It was short of hysterical as she related what had happened.
Luke wiped the tears off Lucy’s face with his shirttail. “Just hang on, Lucy. We’ll have you fixed up in no time.”
Luke bent over to remove the soft slipper on Lucy’s foot, and to his horror, it seemed as if the foot had ballooned out to twice its size. Heat? Cold? He couldn’t think.
“Crushed ice! Or frozen peas. We don’t have any frozen peas. Elevate her foot!” Angie roared from the kitchen. Luke could hear the ice maker in the refrigerator engage.
Angie dumped the contents from the ice maker into a plastic grocery bag, then wrapped the bag in a soft dish towel. She had it wrapped around Lucy’s foot in a nanosecond. “I’ll get you one of the pain pills. Where’s your purse?”
“On the counter,” Lucy gasped.
“I know this says ‘Take one,’ but I’m going to give you two. The worst thing that can happen is you fall asleep. Luke and I will watch over you. Is the pain lessening?”
“It’s not shooting up my leg now, but it’s settled into the deepest part of where the burn was. God, this hurts.”
Forget Me Not Page 16
