Lucky reached across the table and squeezed Miriam’s hand. Tears had sprung to her eyes.
“He told me he lived in Snowflake with his elderly mother whom he cared for, and the house had an extra bedroom off the kitchen. He said if I didn’t have a safe place to stay, I should come home with him. I was freezing and decided to try it for one night.” Miriam looked out the window, remembering. “One night, that’s what I thought then . . .” She laughed a little at herself. “That was the beginning of my real life. Doug was a good ten years older than I. He worked in sales and sometimes had to travel. He had been paying for home care for his mother when he couldn’t be there, so he offered me a job. I could keep the room as my own.” Miriam smiled at the memory. “I’ll never forget that. It was a beautiful room with lovely wallpaper, flowers all over the walls, and expensive sheets and pillows, a bureau and everything. In exchange, I took care of the housework and the meals. His mother, my future mother-in-law, was a very sweet lady. She was barely ambulatory, but she was no problem. I took care of bathing her and of her laundry and meals and medications. She was very bright. Age hadn’t dimmed her mentally. Millie taught me to read. At least enough to get by at first and then later, I could teach myself a lot, simply by reading. I was afraid to go into town, to buy groceries and things, for a long time. I was afraid my family would be looking for me, and I knew I couldn’t return to them. I couldn’t marry someone I didn’t love, someone my father had chosen, and if the man I loved had abandoned me, then there was nothing for me there.
“Doug always picked up groceries, and eventually, after a long time, I wasn’t too frightened to leave the house. It was an odd arrangement, but it saved my life, and they were both such good, loving people. I was very blessed.
“It didn’t take Millie Leonard long to realize who and what I was. I had been hungry for so many days before Doug found me that at first I didn’t realize something wasn’t right. It was Millie, Doug’s mother, who knew when she saw the changes.”
“Knew what?” Lucky asked.
“That I was pregnant. Here I was, the same age Janie is now, and I was about to become a mother.
“When Doug found out about the baby coming, he asked me to marry him. He promised to somehow get me a birth certificate to legitimize my identity. He said that once we were married, no one would be asking questions, no one need ever know, unless I wanted them to. I was so very grateful.” Miriam wiped her eyes on the dish towel. “So . . . you can guess the rest. We were married in a civil ceremony in Bennington. We thought that would be safer, and we made up a past history for me to tell when people asked questions about how we met. Once Janie was born, life went on as usual. Janie had just turned three when Doug’s mother died. I consider Millie my real mother. I barely remember my true mother. And I’m sure my father is dead now. I had a dream one night in which he came to me to ask me to forgive him. I woke with a start, and I knew then. I knew he was dead. I cried the rest of the night. For him, for me, for Eamon, for all of us.”
Lucky spoke softly. “You’re a remarkable woman, Miriam. I have nothing but admiration for you. And I think when Janie knows the whole story, she’ll feel differently.”
“When Janie told me someone had been watching her, I was terrified. The people who would have controlled my life are all gone by now, I’m sure, but my childhood fears came rushing back. I know I didn’t handle it very well when I questioned Janie at first. And now, I’m sure Eamon really is here. I’ve been overwhelmed with feelings. I hardly know how to make sense of things. Complete terror they will try to pull me back, rage that Eamon abandoned me, that he left me to starve and die. What if those college kids hadn’t found me on the road? What if it hadn’t been Doug Leonard who found me behind that restaurant? Part of me has always been afraid my clan would travel through here. When I first learned about the Stones near Snowflake, I realized that could be a possibility.”
“The Stones? Why?”
“My clan has a belief about the Stones—that they are very ancient. That they were constructed by our ancestors thousands of years ago.”
“I always thought the Stones were old Indian dwellings. Didn’t people believe the original colonists used them as root cellars?”
“They’re not. I don’t know what the archeologists would say today, but the people of our clan believe they were constructed by our long-ago ancestors. Not just the structure here in Snowflake, but the ones all over New England and other places in the country too. It’s a pilgrimage for them to return every few years to the spots they consider sacred. The experts really haven’t agreed, although I know there are a lot of theories. Bear in mind, I had never seen a map. So I didn’t connect the Stones and Snowflake when I first came here. But that must be why they’re traveling through this area now. And work at the Harvest Festival probably brought them to town. I can’t face any of them. It’s fear, embarrassment, shame, all those things. I’ve spent my life being terrified of being found out in this world and found by the old world.”
“Miriam, you have nothing to be ashamed of and nothing to be afraid of. They can’t hurt you now. They can’t spirit you away. You should be proud of yourself. You made your choices. You built a good life. You have a beautiful daughter who loves you. Never forget that.”
“But will she ever forgive me?” Miriam said. “In my mind, I’ve confessed the truth to her a million times. It was Doug who wanted to be honest with her when she was younger. But I held him back. I always planned to tell Janie the truth one day. When I imagined doing so, it never looked like this.
“I really appreciate that you’re taking care of Janie right now. I’m not happy about how this all came to light, but at least I know she’s in a safe place.”
“She is safe. And I plan to talk to her some more. She will come around; I’m sure of it.”
• • •
“I COULD TELL the minute you walked in the door that you had been talking to my mother.” Janie’s tone was more resigned than accusatory. Lucky sat next to her on a stool at the counter. The morning rush had ended, and only a few straggling customers remained in their seats.
“Yes, I did talk to her.”
“Did she come to the apartment?” Janie’s voice held a hint of sarcasm.
Lucky was losing patience trying to break through Janie’s walls. “No, she didn’t come to the apartment,” Lucky replied. “I went to see her.”
Janie looked up quickly. “Why?” she cried. “Why would you do that?”
Lucky needed to put an end to the “us against Mom” attitude. “Because you’re just eighteen. Because you can’t support yourself. Because she’s your mother. Because she loves you. Because you’re all she has in the world. How’s that for starters?”
Janie’s anger melted a bit. At least she had the good grace to look embarrassed. “It’s like . . . I feel like I’m turning my back on my dad. Like I’m not being loyal to him. Can’t you understand how I feel, Lucky?”
“Yes, I can, Janie. I mean I can’t totally imagine how I’d feel if I found out my dad wasn’t my biological father. But the man who raised you was your father in every sense of the word. And you know who your mother is. You know she loves you and she did everything she possibly could for you. You have to talk to her. You need to hear the whole story, how her life came to be. Do you have a right to be angry? Okay, maybe you do. But you need to talk to her, to give her a chance to explain why she did what she did. I think you’d feel differently if you heard everything.”
Janie didn’t respond. She stuck a spoon into her mug of cocoa and swirled the creamy topping around until it dissipated. “My whole life has been a lie, Lucky. I loved my father. He was the greatest guy in the world. When he died, I wanted to die too. But now I’m sure he must have lied to me, just like her. How could he have done that all those years? If you love someone, how can you look them in the face and lie to them?”
Chapter 16
NATE SPUN A pencil around on his desktop. Soothing music, undoubt
edly designed to calm nervous claimants, emanated from the receiver balanced on his shoulder. To his relief, the music stopped and a pleasant female voice spoke, professional and distant.
“This is Amy Thorsen. How may I help you?”
Nate identified himself and the reason for his call.
“We’re happy to be of help. Can you tell me what this is in regard to?”
“Uh . . .” Nate thought quickly. “It’s nothing serious. Just a background check. We have a situation here in our town that might be related to a case a Mr. Joseph Conrad once worked on. He gave Union Fidelity as a reference, as a former employer.”
“That’s right. Mr. Conrad was one of our investigators. But he retired several years ago.”
“I see. And were you his supervisor at that time?”
“No. Unfortunately, I did not know Mr. Conrad personally. I transferred here from another location. But I do know he had an outstanding record prior to his retirement.”
“Is there anyone with your company at the present time who actually worked with him?”
Ms. Thorsen was silent for a moment. “I believe so. Perhaps I can have one of his colleagues call you back. Can you give me your full name and position again, and I’ll ask him to call you right away.”
“That would be great. I’d appreciate speaking to anyone who actually worked with Mr. Conrad. Thanks.”
“You realize, of course, we can’t divulge any personal information. Not without a subpoena. That would be against the law and against company policy.”
“I understand completely. Just like to get a feel for the man.” Nate recited his cell phone number. He’d rather not make Bradley aware of his call.
“Fine. I’ll have Mr. Isaac Brewer call you back.”
“Thanks.”
Nate hung up the phone and waited. The photocopy of Joe Conrad’s license lay on the desktop in front of him. He wasn’t quite sure why he wanted to talk to one of Conrad’s coworkers at the insurance company. Was it because he found it hard to believe the man could still be obsessed with an old case he hadn’t successfully seen to completion? But then, maybe investigators were just like cops. Couldn’t let a thing go until it was neatly sorted. The driver’s license was in order; the home address checked out. There were no outstanding warrants on the man, but all the same Nate knew he’d feel better if he talked to somebody who actually knew Joe when.
His cell phone finally rang. “Thanks for calling me back. I won’t take much of your time. Just wanted to speak to someone who worked with Joseph Conrad.”
“Oh, no problem. I knew Joe. He trained me, in fact.”
“Is that so?”
“Yeah. Smart guy. Everything I know I learned from Joe. Although I haven’t talked to him for a few years now.”
“Guess he wasn’t happy about retiring.”
The man laughed. “No, he wasn’t. He was fit to be tied, in fact. Felt bad for the guy. His work was his life. Plus his wife had died a few years before.”
“So you were with him when that robbery in Bennington happened?”
“I had just started with the company. I did my best to carry on after Joe was forced out, but . . . I couldn’t make any headway. Neither could the police. You weren’t involved in that investigation by any chance, were you?”
“Oh no, not at all. But it was all over the news at the time. Couldn’t avoid hearing about it.” Nate paused. “Who would I talk to about looking at your company’s files if I need to?”
“That’d be the Legal Department. Hold on. I’ll get you their information.” Nate was put on hold to the sound of music once again. “Got a pen?” Isaac Brewer recited the information, and Nate quickly jotted it down. “You can send your subpoena to them.”
“Thanks.”
“Has something new come to light about this?”
“No. We’re working on something here that might have a connection, but I don’t have enough information as of yet. If it looks like it pertains to your case, I’ll give you a call.”
“Thanks,” Brewer said. “I’d appreciate that. That case drove Joe crazy.”
“Would you say he was the kind of guy to keep trying to chase it down? After his retirement I mean?”
“Oh, hey, is that what’s he up to?”
Nate remained silent.
“Yeah, I could certainly see Joe doing just that, now that I think about it. The guy was so thorough. If there was anybody who couldn’t let something go, it was Joe. We used to call him the pit bull—behind his back, of course. But don’t repeat that.”
Nate chuckled. “I won’t. I appreciate your time, Mr. . . . uh . . . Brewer. Thanks a lot.”
“Hey, if you talk to him, tell him I said ‘hi’ and to give me a call.”
“Will do,” Nate replied.
Nate clicked off. He glanced at his desk where he had doodled triangles all over the blotter. He wasn’t sure yet if he’d mention this call to Joe.
Chapter 17
THE LATE-AFTERNOON DINNER rush hadn’t started. There were only a few customers at the tables. Lucky looked forward to a break of her own. Other than a piece of toast she had grabbed in the morning, she hadn’t eaten all day—that and the coffee Miriam had offered her. The bell over the door rang. She sighed and pushed the thought of a break away for another half hour. Guy Bessette stood on the threshold and waved to her. She smiled and indicated he should grab a stool at the counter. He headed her way, and when he entered the restaurant, Lucky noticed a small figure behind him, following in his wake.
“Haven’t seen you for a while, Guy. How is everything?”
“Just great, Lucky. I’ve been pretty busy with the shop and all; that’s why I haven’t come by.” Guy, a mechanic, had inherited Snowflake’s only auto shop when its prior owner was murdered.
“But,” Guy said, smiling, “I have a new helper, so things should go a lot smoother now.” He indicated the young boy who had followed him in. “What would you like to have, Tommy?” Guy asked.
Tommy wore a loose sweater and a pair of threadbare corduroy pants. He couldn’t have been more than nine years old. The boy shrugged. “I don’t have any money, Guy,” he said, studying the list of daily specials.
“Don’t you worry about money. You’ve earned your keep today. I’m buying, so order whatever you want.” He turned to Lucky and winked. “Tommy wants to be a mechanic when he’s older, so I’m startin’ to train him now. He’s a big help.”
Lucky smiled at Tommy. Before she could ask for his order, he solemnly informed her, “I would like a chicken salad sandwich and a small bowl of beet and barley soup, please.”
“Same for you, Guy?” Lucky asked.
“Sounds good.”
“Coming right up.” She placed the order slip on the hatch, and Sage grabbed it quickly.
“Excuse me,” Tommy said. “What’s the pumpkin contest? I saw a sign in the window.”
“Well,” Lucky replied. “The jack-o’-lantern that gets the most votes wins three all-you-can-eat meals for two at the Spoonful.”
“Really? Wow!” Tommy’s eyes grew wide. “I’m not eighteen yet, but can I still enter?”
“Of course. We’re open to all ages,” Lucky replied, doing her best to keep a serious expression on her face.
“What’s in there?” Tommy asked, pointing to the hatch behind the counter.
“That’s our kitchen, and Sage is our chef. Would you like to meet him?”
“Sure.”
“Go in and say hello. He’s very friendly.”
“Okay.” Tommy spun the stool around and hopped off, heading through the swinging door to the kitchen.
“I like your young friend,” Lucky replied to Guy.
Guy leaned forward and spoke in a quieter voice. “He comes to see me after school just about every day. Poor kid’s lonely. His mother’s been very ill. She’s the only family he has. She’s still recovering from surgery, and she can’t really take care of him or do much with him. I keep an eye on him in the s
hop and teach him whatever little things I can about cars. Keeps him busy, and when I quit for the day, I take him home. His mother is getting stronger, but she’s got a ways to go. He mentioned her birthday’s coming up. Between you and me, I think he’s asking about the pumpkin contest so he can treat his mother to some fancy dinners.”
“Oh, how sweet!” Lucky exclaimed. “And how kind of you, Guy. That’s really wonderful.”
“Hey, Harry did the same for me. I’m happy I can repay it a little bit. Even if Tommy’s only turning nine now. ’Course he could change his mind ten times before he hits sixteen, but he’s good company for me too.”
Tommy returned to his stool just as Sage placed the two orders on the hatch. Lucky reached over and delivered the dishes to Guy and Tommy at the counter.
Tommy said, “I told Sage I wanted to enter the contest, and he told me he’d help me do the carving if I needed help. My mother doesn’t let me have a knife yet. She said someday she might.”
“That’s good,” Lucky replied.
“You know, Tommy. I think I’ll do a pumpkin too, so if Sage is busy, let me know. I’ve got some good carving knives at the shop.”
“Thanks.” Tommy grabbed his sandwich and took a hefty bite of it. “I don’t wanna tell my mother about it. She wouldn’t like me using knives, and if I win, I want to surprise her for her birthday.”
Lucky and Guy nodded their agreement. Guy winked up at her when he was sure Tommy wouldn’t notice.
Chapter 18
“COME IN, COME in,” Sophie trilled happily when she opened the door. “I’m so glad you made it. Finally. How many nights have we invited you over for a drink but you’re always so busy. Where’s Elias?”
“He, uh. . . . It’s just me.”
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