For Your Love

by Beverly Jenkins

  He looked away from the road for a moment. “I think we are, too.”

  “Then, to Key West. And Mal—­I want us back the way we were, too. Let’s go forward.”

  “Thanks. Now, what do I get for the woman who has everything? Remember, I’m on a fixed income now.”

  “You are so crazy.”

  “What do you want?”

  “Something money can’t buy.”

  “And that is?”

  “Your company for a weekend in Key West. And who knows, we may even stay a few days longer.”

  “You got it.”

  The dark clouds melted away, and sunshine filled her spirit. Mal’s company was all she needed to make her life right again. She just had to stop being afraid of committing fully.

  Back at the Power Plant, Reverend Paula was sitting in the outer waiting room, flipping through a magazine. “Hey, Paula,” Bernadine said. “How are you? How’d things go at home?”

  “Too long and ugly to talk about. Let’s just say I’m glad to be back where sane ­people reside.”

  Bernadine realized she knew next to nothing about Paula’s family, other than they lived in Oklahoma, and she’d escaped there right out of high school. “Are you waiting for me?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Then come on in.”

  “How’d the sentencing go?”

  “Life with no parole.”

  Paula took a seat, and Bernadine stashed her purse in the bottom drawer of her desk.

  “Sadness for everyone concerned,” Paula said solemnly.

  “I know. Are you just visiting, or do you need something?

  “Stopped by for two reasons. One, I’d like a bell for the church.”

  Bernadine was confused. “What kind of bell?”

  “One we can put in the steeple. I want Trent and his elves to design and build it. I had a bell at my old church in Miami, and when it worked, it made it sound like Sunday morning.”

  Bernadine thought about that. It might be nice to have a bell. She remembered instances when cities and towns were called upon to ring their church bells in concert for national events of celebration and for mourning. It would be good for their little town to be a part of that. “Any idea how much it might cost?”

  “No. I wanted to run it by you first.”

  “Okay, get with Lily and see what you can find, and then talk to Trent about the installation.”

  “Sounds good. Thanks. My second request: I’d like to take our kids on a mission trip.”

  Bernadine rested against her chair back. “Any idea where?”

  “I’m thinking Jamaica. A friend heads up an orphanage there, and he’s trying to get some housing built and a new well dug. I know most of our kids didn’t grow up with privileged lives, but I think they’d benefit from going down and connecting with children in a country that’s not as blessed economically.”

  Bernadine really liked the idea. Paula was a wonderful addition to their community. Her ability to counsel and relate to the kids was priceless. “So how much is this going to cost?”

  “Let me find out how many kids want to go and talk to my friend there first. They might be able to stay on the grounds, which would cut costs, but airfare is probably going to be a big expense.”

  “My jet is set up for ten passengers.”

  Paula sat up in surprise. “I hadn’t even thought about that. I was thinking commercial.”

  “Put that in the equation.”

  “I will. Thank you, Bernadine. I’ll work up a plan and get it to you after the first of the year. I know your plate’s groaning right now.”

  “A bit.” She was really looking forward to some time away with nothing to do but enjoy Mal’s company. “The Acostas doing good, as far as you know?” She owed them a personal visit.

  “Far as I know. Great family. Too bad Astrid didn’t appreciate Luis.”

  “I don’t think she appreciates anyone not named Astrid Wiggins.”

  “It must be pretty tough being her.”

  “Paula, please.”

  “No, think about it. A person with that much anger inside has to be hurting. Your husband runs off with the runner-­up in the Miss Heifer contest. The neighboring town is doing way better than your own, which adds to your feelings of inadequacy and insecurity, and now everyone in the county knows your parents had to pay a man to marry you. How awful that last one has to be.”

  Bernadine wasn’t buying. “I know you’re all about love and forgiveness, and in many ways I am too, but those crazies she called down on us when Cephas left Zoey that gold could’ve done more damage than they did. They could’ve hurt Zoey. They could’ve—­”

  “But they didn’t, Bernadine,” Paula said, cutting her off gently. “You can’t hold a could’ve against someone.”

  “Sure I can. I own this place,” she said, humor in her tone. She studied Paula’s always serene face, and her voice turned serious. “I get what you’re saying. You want me to extend an olive branch, don’t you?”

  “Yes. It might make a difference.”

  “She’s going to take a match to it. Guaranteed.”

  “So you keep trying, That’s all we’re asked to do. Keep trying.”

  Cletus would sprout wings and fly before Astrid accepted any kind of truce or sit-­down. But who knew? As much as Bernadine disliked the woman, if there was a way to end the madness, she’d give it a shot. “Okay, Paula. I’ll call her in a few and see if we can’t open up a dialogue.”

  “Good for you.”

  “Anything else?”

  Paula shook her head and stood. “No. That’s it for now”

  “I like the idea of the bell and the mission trip. Let’s see if we can’t make both happen.”

  “Okay.” The reverend zipped up her long green down-­filled coat and headed for the door. “Stay warm.”

  Bernadine was just about to pick up the phone and do her part for world peace by calling Astrid when her sister Diane, looking upset, walked into the office.

  “You’re back.”

  “Yes, and I just left the store. Did you know that Gary fired me?” Diane hung up her parka and sat.

  “You didn’t call him the day after you and I talked?”

  “No, I was busy, but I did call him a ­couple of days later.”

  “A ­couple of days?” Bernadine echoed skeptically.

  “Yes.”

  “But I told you to call him immediately. Right then, Di.”

  She blew out a breath and looked away. “Now what am I going to do?”

  “Find another job,” Bernadine tossed back without hesitation.

  “But he knew I was coming back. I need to get a lawyer. This is not right.”

  Bernadine couldn’t believe this. “You have no grounds to sue. He gave you a chance to keep your job. You were fired because of you.”

  Diane blew out another breath. Finally she said, “Okay, I’ll start looking right after Christmas.”

  “No, You’ll start looking today. Immediately.”

  “But Bernie, I haven’t even started my Christmas shopping.”

  “Not my monkey, not my circus. You have rent and a car payment, remember?” One would think Diane was one of Crystal’s peers, the way she approached life. She was too old to be so irresponsible. As Bernadine noted more than once, her recently divorced sister was easier to have around now than when she first arrived in town a few months back, but she still had a long way to go to become the serious, independent woman she needed to be to take charge of her own life.

  “Well, I do have some good news.”

  “And that is?”

  “I have a boyfriend,” Diane said, smiling coquettishly.

  “Really.” Bernadine’s Spidey sense started tingling.

  “His name is Rance. I
met him in Hawaii. He’s a big-­time venture capitalist, and he is rich, rich, rich.”

  She held on to her skepticism. “Where’d you meet Rance?”

  “On the beach, my first day there. Told me I was the most beautiful woman he’d seen in his life, which of course I didn’t believe, but he took me out on his boat that night, and the next day we went dancing and had a sunset picnic. He’s so exciting.”

  “And did Marlon and Anthony meet Rance?”

  “They did, but they didn’t like him.”

  “Ah. Did they say why?”

  “I think they were just mad because he was monopolizing my time. I was supposed to be down there hanging out with them.”

  “I see. Or was it because they thought Rance was trying to play you? Lots of men make their living preying on vulnerable women.”

  “I’m not vulnerable, and he’s not that way. In fact, you can meet him. He came back with me. Rance, honey, come on in.”

  Bernadine stared at Diane and then up at the tall, handsome man who entered. He looked like a model. The coat draped casually over his arm was cashmere, his well-­fitting charcoal suit top-­of-­the-­line, his tie tasteful. His hair had just a touch of gray at the temples. He was elegant, refined, and camera-­ready. All she could think was, What the hell was he doing with Diane?

  “Hello. So you’re my Diana’s sister. She’s told me all about you. I can’t figure which one of you is more gorgeous. I’m Rance Gordon.” The hand he extended had the perfect amount of shirt cuff peeking from beneath his jacket sleeve, the better to display the expensive Rolex on his wrist. If fake had a scent, he reeked so much she needed a gas mask.

  She smiled and lied, “Pleased to meet you.”

  “Same here. May I call you Bernadine?”

  “Please.”

  He sat down next to Diane, who was ogling him like a sixteen-­year-­old meeting Smokey Robinson back in the day. Bernadine wanted to grab her by her shoulders, shake her, and yell, “Snap out of it!” If he was a venture capitalist, she was a unicorn.

  “So you’re a venture capitalist?”

  “I am. Offices in San Francisco and Boston.”

  “Ah.”

  “Your sister says you’re a very wealthy woman.”

  She didn’t respond, but Diane did. “She owns this whole town.”

  Bernadine kept her face unreadable.

  He smiled like an elegant shark. “If you need investment advice, I’m at your disposal.”

  “So what brings you to Kansas?”

  “Thought I’d see if there were any business opportunities to be had.”

  “You have offices in San Francisco?”

  “I do.”

  “A friend of mine is considering investing in a start-­up called Unicorn. They’re working on a beta for digital wearables. Ever heard of them?”

  “I have. In fact, we gave them their first two million to extend their R&D.”

  “I’m impressed.” Mainly because she’d just made that up. There was no such start-­up, and he was either a con man, a gigolo, or both. The designation didn’t matter, though. She just needed him gone and out of her sister’s life. Immediately. “So, Rance, how long will you be visiting, and where are you staying?”

  “I invited him to stay with us,” Diane piped up.

  “Sorry. No.” The way he tensed for just a split second was telling. She met his gaze, and the smile he sent back was again shark-­like.

  “Why not?” Diane asked.

  “Not trying to offend, but I don’t allow strangers in my home.” Not only did she not trust him, there was no way she’d allow him near Crystal.

  “That’s mean,” Diane protested.

  “No, Di, it isn’t. He is welcome to join us for dinner at the Dog tonight, though.”

  “It’s okay, sweetheart,” he told her reassuringly. “I can get a room nearby. And we’d love to join you for dinner. Is there a hotel in town?”

  “No,” Bernadine said. “Closest places are along the highway you took coming in.”

  He didn’t like hearing that either, but he played it off. “Then I guess we need to get going.”

  “Yes, you should.”

  They got to their feet and put on their coats.

  Bernadine had one last jab to throw. “And Diane, don’t forget you’re supposed to be looking for a job.”

  He startled. “A job?”

  Diane’s fury was plain. Bernadine didn’t care. If telling him the truth sent him packing, so be it. Diane would be better off. “Yes, she was fired from her custodial position while she was in Hawaii.”

  He coughed. “Custodial? She told me she was your vice president.”

  Bernadine gave him a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “My sister is such a kidder.”

  He took Bernadine’s measure. She didn’t blink. He inclined his head politely. “Pleasure meeting you. We’ll see you later.”

  As he turned to leave, Diane angrily flipped Bernadine the bird and followed him out.

  Once they were gone, Bernadine placed her forehead on the desk and cried aloud, “Lord, what next!”

  After a few minutes she picked up her phone and called Kyle Dalton to ask a favor. They talked for a short while about how best to implement what she wanted done. When they’d agreed upon a course of action, she thanked him, took a deep breath, and called Astrid.

  The secretary put her through. “What do you want?” Astrid, always the professional, snapped.

  Mindful of Paula’s advice, Bernadine held on to her temper. “I was hoping we could get together for lunch one day this week and try to work out our differences.”

  “Are you going to stop the improvements over there?”

  “No.”

  “Then go to hell!” The line went dead.

  Bernadine tossed her phone on the desk. So much for world peace.

  Tommy Stewart was on his knees, looking up at the U-­shaped pipe beneath the small sink. He needed a weapon. He’d thought about using the lid of the toilet tank, but it was heavy and unwieldy, and he wasn’t sure it would be maneuverable enough to do what he needed it to do—­knock Astrid out, so he could escape. If he missed, he might not get a second chance. A pipe could be held in one hand, and if he had to hit her more than once he could. The only problem was how to free the pipe from the sink. It ran down from the bowl into a U joint with another pipe that ran into the wall. He had no tools, and there was nothing in the room he could use to knock it loose. Even if there were, the process would be noisy, and that might bring her and her shotgun down to investigate. He didn’t need that.

  Using two hands, he grabbed the pipe up high where it met the sink and pulled. Nothing. Putting his shoulder and back into it, he pulled again, this time harder. It wiggled just the tiniest bit, and his eyes lit up gleefully. The caulk was old and brittle. It might take a while to actually get it to detach, but he was encouraged. Keeping his eyes and ears open for her next visit, he anchored his feet flat against the wall and pulled.

  CHAPTER

  15

  Walking into the rec center’s auditorium, Trent smiled to himself watching Bobby moving around like an old man. Apparently he was still feeling the effects of yesterday’s shoveling. At Bobby’s age, nineteen, Trent had been able to knock out the snow at Tamar’s, head over to Marie’s to do hers, help Mal at the Dog, and still have the energy to spend a few hours cross-­country skiing with Gary and his friends—­but then again, he was a country boy born and raised. “Did you lift weights back in Dallas?”

  “Yeah, but after the babies, there wasn’t time or the money to be in the gym.”

  “I have a set of weights in my basement you’re free to use. Build yourself up so the snow doesn’t wear you out so badly next time. Long way to go before April.”

  “I feel like an old man.”

&nbs
p; “Noticed that.”

  Bobby shot him a grin.

  They were there at the auditorium to do a final inspection of the work done by the hired repair crews. As a result of the riot, windows needed replacing, floors needed to be sanded and buffed, the components of the sound system had been ripped apart and stolen, thus needing to be replaced and installed. In addition, some of the kitchen appliances had been looted, along with all the town’s emergency supplies stored there.

  Trent scanned the place. It looked as good as it had before. The seats had been cleaned, the aisles swept. The gleam of the newly laid stage floor could be seen from Mars. A few workers were moving about, pushing vacuums and brooms, but overall the rec center was ready for the movies on Friday and any other event that might be held there.

  “Let’s check the kitchen.”

  It too was in great shape. Tamar and her ladies were there, putting the area back together. “Morning,” he said.

  Tamar looked up from her clipboard. “Morning, you two.”

  “How’s it going?” Trent asked. With Tamar were Genevieve, Marie, and—­to his delight—­Anna Ruiz. He was glad Tamar had taken her under her wing.

  “Well, all the emergency supplies are in that mountain of boxes over there, and they need to be stacked and put in the storage room.”

  He smiled. “Is that a hint?”

  “You know I don’t hint. Take your coats off and get going.”

  They did as ordered, moving and stacking boxes for the next hour. Some had to be opened so the contents could be checked, noted on Tamar’s inventory sheets, and put away. First-­aid items and cases of bottled water were put in one place; food, paper cups and plates, and plastic utensils in another. They stacked cots, pushed two popcorn machines into place, hooked up the new dishwasher and the huge fridge, while the ladies filled the three new freezers with everything from hot dogs and Popsicles to ice packs.

  After they’d finished and been given permission to go on their way, Trent led Bobby down to the gym with its brand-­new hoops, volleyball nets, and shuffleboard courts.

  “You all don’t need the outside world, do you?” Bobby asked as they made their way back outside to Trent’s truck.