The Debt Collector

by Chris Taylor

  He drew in a breath and continued. “I found the policy in the bottom drawer of Bobby’s desk, beneath an old phone book. It wasn’t exactly hidden, but if I hadn’t been searching for something suspicious, I might not have found it. I’ve also noticed large sums of cash missing. I can only guess he’s been using it to pay the premiums.”

  Hannah shook her head in disbelief. “You can’t possibly mean…?” She couldn’t even bring herself to say it.

  Max’s expression was heavy with sadness and regret. Deep lines cut into his face. He’d aged before her eyes.

  “I think my nephew’s involved in something unthinkable. I don’t want to believe it, but what else am I to think? He’s the beneficiary of a life insurance policy worth half a million dollars for a man he barely knew; a man who recently turned up dead.”

  “But the police reported it was an acciden—”

  “Yes,” Max interrupted, his expression grave. “But, what if they’re wrong about the cause of death?”

  His words sunk in and Hannah gasped at their implication. “We have to talk to the police. We have to tell them what we know.”

  Max sighed heavily. Tears welled up in his eyes. “Yes, we do.”

  “Would you like me to come with you to the station?” Hannah asked quietly.

  With his shoulders bowed, Max shook his head. “No, but thank you. I appreciate your offer. It’s very kind of you.”

  “Are you sure? Because I’d be happy to—”

  “No, Hannah, but thank you again. He’s my nephew. This is something I have to do on my own.”

  * * *

  Hannah returned to the embalming room just as Toby withdrew the trocar and suction pipe from the woman who lay on the table. He looked up as she entered.

  “How did you do? Did you speak with Max?” he asked.

  Hannah tried to return his polite smile, but failed. Her lip wobbled. Almost immediately, he noticed her distress.

  “Hannah! What is it?” he asked, his brow furrowed in concern.

  Pulling all her strength forward, Hannah drew in a deep breath and forced herself to regain control. She’d suffered several shocks in a short space of time, but now wasn’t the time to fall apart. She was at work and it wasn’t fair to Toby to offload her baggage onto him. With an effort, she controlled her emotions and offered him a strained smile.

  “I’m sorry, Toby. I just received some…unexpected news. I’ll be all right. I promise.”

  He continued to look at her doubtfully. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes, I’m sure. Now, how are we going with Beryl?”

  Toby stared at her a moment longer and then looked down at their client. Wispy, white hair formed a halo around her chalk-like face. The formaldehyde had begun to work its magic and her features already looked more like she was simply asleep. Makeup would add the final touches.

  “I’ve finished draining the body fluids. I was just about to start packing the orifices.”

  “We need to inject fluid into the body first, remember? To aid in the elimination of odors.”

  Toby flushed with embarrassment and slapped himself up the side of the head. “That’s right! I forgot that step! I’m sorry, Hannah!”

  “It’s all right, Toby. This is only your second week. You’re not expected to have the entire embalming process memorized over night.”

  He nodded but kept his gaze averted. “It’s just that it’s a little confusing. We drain all the fluids out and then put more fluid back in.”

  Hannah smiled in understanding. “You’re right, but it’s not the same fluid. The first process drains all the body fluids away—the disgusting, smelly fluids that accumulate in our tissues and body cavities when we die. The second kind of fluid is injected as a kind of deodorizer. It doesn’t work to eradicate every smell, but it does a pretty good job.”

  He lifted his gaze to hers and smiled. The cheeky grin and innocent expression on his face nearly took her breath away.

  “It’s a messy business, this dying thing, isn’t it,” he stated.

  Hannah laughed softly. “Yes, it is.” She strode over to the cupboard and retrieved the jar of fluid they usually used at this stage of the procedure and handed it to Toby, along with a syringe.

  “Here you go. See how you do.”

  He took the items from her and went to work on Beryl. Hannah moved back to the storage cabinet and retrieved the cotton wadding that would be required shortly.

  “Did you really mean it when you invited Jacob over to celebrate a birthday dinner?”

  The question was asked quietly. Hannah turned back to face him, surprised because she wasn’t expecting it. Toby continued to work over the body.

  “Yes, of course,” she replied, hoping she wasn’t going to regret it. “Would you like that?”

  Toby looked up at her. Hope shone in his eyes. “Yes, I would. I really would.”

  She swallowed the lump of emotion that formed in her throat. She wondered how long it had been since he’d celebrated a birthday with his twin. All of a sudden, she determined to make their day one to remember.

  * * *

  Max heard the sound of the front door opening and stepped out of his office in time to see his nephew stalk past.

  “Bobby!” he growled, the anger he’d been sitting on all weekend suddenly springing to life. With exaggerated reluctance, the man came to a halt and slowly turned around.

  “What?” he asked belligerently.

  Max’s jaw clenched with anger. “What the hell were you thinking?”

  “What the hell are you talking about?” Bobby shot back.

  “Don’t give me that nonsense! You know exactly what I’m talking about.”

  Bobby gave an exaggerated eye roll. “If I knew what you were talking about, I wouldn’t have asked.”

  “I’ve been more than patient with you, Bobby. I’ve paid off your gambling debts, given you a job, found you somewhere to live. What more can I do?”

  Bobby closed the distance between them and loomed menacingly over his uncle. “I never asked you for any of that, Uncle. You were the one who decided I needed saving, like I was another one of your projects.”

  He spat the word like it gave him a bad taste in his mouth and curled up his lip in disgust. Max’s fury burned hotter. After all he’d done for the ungrateful wretch…

  His fists clenched and his breath came fast. His face burned, along with his eyes.

  Bobby sneered. “Go on, Uncle. Do it! Hit me! You know you want to!”

  Max stared up at his nephew. The other man stood head and shoulders above him and outweighed him by at least one hundred pounds. His father had been a Pacific Islander. He looked like a footballer wearing all the gear. Max was no match for him. Impotence surged through him and the knowledge of it left him gasping. With a hard look at his nephew, he spun on his heel and left.

  CHAPTER TEN

  Dear Diary,

  Just when I was concerned I might have miscalculated, a solution has fallen into my lap. Like a ripe peach, soft and juicy, and the best thing is, he’s oblivious to what I have in store. The plan is brilliant. I am brilliant. I hide behind a bland façade. I am a chameleon. If only he knew…

  * * *

  For the umpteenth time Jacob glanced at the clock on the wall above the nurses’ station and cursed under his breath. The day was dragging. It had been a slow morning in the emergency room, with only a smattering of patients and as yet, he hadn’t had to deal with any life-threatening injuries or illnesses.

  Week days were sometimes like that and occasionally he welcomed the slower pace. It gave him time to de-stress and regroup between patients and sometimes to reconnect with his staff. As the senior emergency resident, his role came with a lot of responsibility, including the supervision of several junior doctors. He was their mentor, their counselor, their sounding board, their boss, their friend and everything else they could think of. These were the roles he enjoyed and it gave him immeasurable pleasure to watch a young doctor gro
w and flourish, changing from an uncertain, cautious intern to a confident medical professional.

  He’d come to medicine reluctantly. When he was younger, the only thing he’d set his heart on was being a police officer, like his dad. Detective Senior Sergeant Warren Black was his hero. Even with the risk, Jacob wanted nothing more than to follow in his father’s footsteps. Then the night of November eighteenth had happened and his life and his future had been irrevocably altered. Sometimes, things didn’t go to plan.

  But that was more than a decade earlier and he’d managed to get his life back on track. He’d found a real passion for healing and though, every now and then, he’d watch and listen to Lane and wonder what it would have been like to walk the beat, for the most part, he couldn’t imagine doing anything else. He’d put his rocky past behind him and his future now looked bright. There was talk he might even be promoted before the year was out.

  And then there was Hannah, an angel from his past. Knowing he was going over to her place for dinner had his stomach twisted with excitement and nerves. He frowned. He had to get a handle on his emotions before he went quietly insane.

  He’d shared a pleasant meal with her and his brother the week before, but she’d given him no overt sign she’d ever think of him as anything other than the man who’d killed her boyfriend. It was a steep hurdle to overcome. Still, he was nothing, if not persistent, and his determination to succeed knew no bounds. He intended to do everything he could to persuade her he was worthy of her attention.

  “Doctor Black, you’re needed in bay three. We have a ten-year-old who’s fallen off a roof. Suspected fracture of his right arm. Possible head injury.”

  Jacob pushed away from the desk, his mind instantly snapping into gear. With a familiar surge of adrenaline flooding his veins, he followed on the nurse’s heels.

  * * *

  For the third time, Hannah rearranged the display of oriental lilies that stood in a crystal vase on her dining room table. Standing back, she surveyed her handiwork and frowned. The flowers still didn’t look right. She adjusted a couple of stems and then impatiently shook her head.

  For goodness sake! It was dinner with a couple of old school friends. She shouldn’t feel so jittery or concerned that things be perfect. Jacob probably wouldn’t even notice. Generally, guys weren’t good at that. Besides, what did she care how he felt about her condo, or the efforts she’d gone to for the evening?

  With a grimace, she touched her hair. The French roll still felt neat and secure, although a couple of shorter pieces had escaped. They hung around her face to annoy her, but she was almost out of time. If Jacob was punctual, he’d be there very soon.

  She heard the sound of a door opening and closing from the direction of the bedrooms and a moment later, Toby appeared by her side.

  “Something smells delicious,” he exclaimed with a smile. “And look at those flowers! They’re lovely and they smell so nice!”

  Hannah smiled back at him. Jacob might not notice her efforts, but his twin certainly did.

  “Thank you,” she replied. “I’m not sure I’ve arranged them just right, but they look okay, I guess.”

  “Better than okay. What’s for dinner?”

  “You and your brother’s favorite. Beef stroganoff with button mushrooms and fettuccine and there’s a triple-chocolate birthday cake for dessert.”

  Toby beamed. “I can’t remember the last time someone made me a birthday cake. Thank you, Hannah. You’re the best!”

  Not for the first time, his childlike enthusiasm touched her heart. He was the sweetest boy there ever was with a very soft heart to match. She was thankful for whatever stars had aligned to bring him to Max’s attention. If it hadn’t been for that chance meeting, she’d never have known Toby had fallen on hard times and wouldn’t have been given the opportunity to renew their friendship and help him out—like friends did.

  “Wait until I tell Jacob about the cake. He loves cake!”

  At the reminder that Jacob was due to arrive any moment, Hannah’s heart skipped a beat. She managed a nervous smile. “Good. I wanted to do something special for both of you. We’ve known each other a long time.”

  “Yes,” Toby nodded, his expression turning serious. “We used to be good friends.”

  Hannah’s chest tightened. She barely managed a nod. “Of course. We… We still are.”

  “I’m glad. I really like you, Hannah. Jacob likes you, too,” he added. A moment later, his brow furrowed in a frown. “Do you like Jacob? Sometimes it’s hard to tell.”

  “I… I…” Hannah was lost for words. Her feelings for Toby’s brother used to be so cut and dried: He’d killed her boyfriend and for years, hatred didn’t come close. She’d never forgive him.

  But over the last week or so, those feelings had become hazy, more gray than black and white. She was no longer certain how she felt. There were moments when her anger and despair over what had happened nearly overwhelmed her, and other times the face of her beloved Luke was fading to something less than clear.

  She didn’t want to confess she was totally confused where his brother was concerned. It wasn’t fair to offload her baggage on Toby. He was simple and good and kind. He trusted her to do the right thing. But what was the right thing? Could she bring herself to forgive and forget? To leave the past where it belonged? She didn’t know, but for the first time in more than a decade, she thought she might want to try.

  She looked back at Toby and realized he was still waiting for an answer. She didn’t want to remove the hopeful look from his face, but neither did she want to give him false hope. She drew in a deep breath and sighed quietly.

  “I’m not sure how I feel about your brother, Toby. After what he did… It’s hard for me to forget.”

  Toby’s eyes filled with understanding and he moved a little closer. “Do you still get sad, Hannah?”

  She bit her lip against the surge of emotion and nodded. “Yes, Toby, I still get sad.”

  “I was sad, too,” he admitted hesitantly. “I was sad for a long, long time.”

  Something in his voice caught her attention. “Is that the reason you left home? Began living on the streets?” she asked quietly.

  Tears filled his eyes. He nodded slowly.

  Her heart clenched at the pain on his face. She remembered how she felt whenever she thought of that time. She could understand how it might have affected Toby. She moved closer and put her arms around him. He hugged her back.

  The sound of her doorbell intruded and she dropped her arms and stepped away. With the back of his hand, Toby swiped at the moisture on his cheeks.

  I’m sorry,” he said with a brave attempt at a smile.

  “I’m sorry, too,” she said. “We’re meant to be having a birthday celebration. It’s time to get into the party mood.”

  With that, she picked up one of the party favors she’d scattered in artful array on the table. Blowing hard through the whistle, she smiled when the colorful paper rolled in and out. To her relief, Toby chuckled and picked up one, too. The doorbell sounded again.

  “Coming!” she called and hurried across the room.

  * * *

  Hannah leaned back in her chair, sated. The remains of the stroganoff sat in the pan. The birthday cake had been devoured. To Toby’s delight, she’d even produced some candles and they’d all sang happy birthday. It had been a nice evening. It brought back memories of the times when they’d been teenagers and had spent lazy afternoons picnicking in the park or roasting marshmallows by the fire down by the river. Of course, Luke had always been with them, sharing in whatever fun was to be had—often he instigated it.

  Jacob pushed away from the table and began collecting the dirty plates. Hannah sighed quietly and brushed aside the memories of those long-ago happy times. She followed him into the kitchen.

  “I’ll stack them in the dishwasher,” she said as he dumped the plates in the sink.

  “It’s fine. I’m happy to do it.” He began rinsing th
e plates and then placing them in the rack of the dishwasher.

  She returned to the table and collected the glassware and condiments. Toby looked up at her.

  “Do you need any help?”

  She shook her head. “Thanks, but I think your brother has it all under control.” She walked back into the kitchen and set the dirty glasses on the counter. In silence, Jacob continued to load the dirty items into the machine.

  “Someone has you well trained,” she murmured with a smile and was instantly paralyzed at the thought he might be married. He’d just turned twenty-nine. It wasn’t beyond belief that he might have a wife. It was just that she’d never considered that he might, before that exact minute. In her mind, he was the Jacob she’d known in high school, forever the teenager who’d been charged with a terrible crime.

  Unaware of her tumultuous thoughts, Jacob merely shrugged and replied, “I grew up with three brothers, remember? Mom made sure we all took our turn cleaning up after meals. We even learned to cook. Let’s just say, I know my way around a kitchen.”

  He sent her a crooked grin that made her pulse leap. The wine they’d had at dinner had left her feeling a little lightheaded. Or maybe that was because Jacob had closed the door to the dishwasher and now stood leaning against the counter with his arms crossed, watching her expectantly.

  Flustered, she turned away and collected coffee mugs from the cupboard. She switched on the coffee machine and then called out to Toby.

  “Would you like some coffee, Toby?”

  “No, I’m fine,” came his reply. “I think I’ll go to bed. I have to be up early for work in the morning.”

  Hannah grinned and the corners of Jacob’s lips tugged up in a smile. Climbing out of bed at seven was early for Toby. He’d been staying with her just over a week, and it hadn’t taken her long to work out he wasn’t a morning person.

  “No problem. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “I’ll just go and say goodnight,” Jacob said and left the kitchen. A few moments later, he returned.