by Pj Fiala
Opening his eyes, he stared at the odious box. He lifted the lid and picked the photographs out one by one. Some of the people in the images he still didn’t know: his mom didn’t either. They had gone through them trying to figure out who some of them were. Connor told him Dianna had wanted Gunnar to have these. Why? He looked at the pictures of his father—posing with Joci, posing with Molly’s mom, Tori. He was laughing in some pictures, on his bike in others—so many faces of his father. But none of him as a father. Just a man, with various women, living a life without his children. Two of them anyway. He turned each picture over and looked at the back finding nothing of any note. What the fuck were they worried about with these pictures?
“Hey.”
Snapping his head up to see his mom leaning on the doorjamb, arms crossed over her chest, he huffed out a breath. He was so engrossed in looking at these pictures and trying to pick out clues, he didn’t even hear her come into the house.
“Hi.” Gunnar glanced down at the pictures strewn across his bed. “I was just…” He motioned with his hands out across the pictures laying haphazardly on his bed. “Trying to figure something out.”
“So, you told JT you had something to do today. And you’ve been getting mysterious phone calls and being secretive. I was worried. I am worried. What’s going on?”
Running his hands down his face, Gunnar watched his mom walk in and perch on the opposite side of the bed. She picked up the picture of Keith and Tori, her former best friend, and stared at it. Her pretty lips twisted in displeasure as she continued to pick up photos and look at her ex in his younger days. Sad days for Joci.
“So, you had to look at pictures?”
“No.” Gunnar took a deep breath. “What do you know about Dianna Simpson?”
Joci looked into Gunnar’s eyes and brushed his cheek with her soft fingers. “Nothing. I’ve never met her. I didn’t know her before. I don’t really know anything about her at all. Connor mentioned when Keith and Dianna married. He told me when their children were born. He only told me things when he thought it was something I needed to know that might be hurtful if I found out from someone else.”
Gunnar held his mom’s gaze for a few moments then looked back down at the pictures. “I’ll tell you what happened recently, but I need to ask you not to say anything until I can figure out what’s going on. Can you promise me that?”
Joci’s sad smile and worried eyes made Gunnar’s stomach twist. “I tell Jeremiah everything, Gunnar. If your father taught me anything, it was to not be secretive. Secrets hurt those we love. Molly’s situation should have taught you that.”
Gunnar groaned. He knew she was right, dammit.
“Let us help you, honey.”
Hesitating, he stared into his mother’s stormy gray eyes, Gunnar took a deep breath and let it out slowly, before he said, “Okay.” He began relating the past few weeks’ events.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Emma sat at her desk, working on a boring document, and for the twentieth time in the past hour, heaved a heavy sigh. Noticing the air in the office didn’t circulate and not hearing a soul walking about, the brown furniture so different than the reception area’s neater, more modern appearance, she thought once again about the two faces of this law office. The appearance up front, and then the oppressiveness of the back offices. The unfriendly and overly competitive atmosphere hung thick in the air. Even within the attorneys. They gathered together weekly to discuss their cases and who was doing what, but she quickly realized it was mostly a meeting to brag about which heavyweight clients they each had and how many hours they had billed in the past week. Her first week here, Emma had already seen the signs of greed and competition among the very people who were supposed to be the people running the place. Hypocrites. All of them. Now here she sat forced to work on a document that was basically fraud. Chery told her it was to correct past errors in her client’s business closing. But it was nothing of the sort. It was a Non-Disclosure Agreement which had the weirdest clauses in it.
One. Anything seen, either in person or in photographs is strictly forbidden to be shared, either in person, by explanation, electronically, photographically, photocopying or any other means available to you.
Two. Inner workings of the Company are to be held in the strictest of confidence so as to protect the Company from outside influences, dangers, control, interference or other manipulation.
Throwing her red correcting pen down and sighing once again, she stood and stretched her back. Grabbing her water bottle from the corner of her desk, she walked down the hallway to the kitchen area to refill it. She never met anyone along the way as they were all locked up in their offices. They could be playing video games or scanning Facebook, for all she knew, but they didn’t come out of their offices and socialize. Pathetic. Twisting the top of her bottle on tight and weaving her way back to her office, she stopped short when she glimpsed the man sitting in the reception area.
Taking a quick step back so he wouldn’t see her, she wildly looked around for something to do in this area so she could see why he was here. Noticing a stack of magazines left in one of the conference rooms, she picked them up and slowly walked toward the reception area as if she were going to put them back in there. She stood just beyond the doorway so she could hear who came to greet him. If she was found out she’d begin walking them to reception.
“Hello, Kevin. Thank you for coming in on such short notice,” Chery said to him.
Oh. My. God. He was here to see Chery. What are the friggin’ odds?
“You’re welcome. Need to make this quick; I’ve got to get home to my mom.”
“Of course, follow me.”
Emma’s heart was racing and she felt the sweat forming on her scalp and back. Not sure if they were coming toward the conference room she was standing in front of, she jetted back to the kitchen the back way around the corner. Dropping the magazines on the table, she took a moment to take a deep breath before walking down the back way to her office. Once inside, her knees gave out and she flopped into her chair. After a few moments she found herself staring out her office door towards Chery’s empty office and wondered what in the world was going on?
*****
“I think we need to talk to Connor and see what his take is on this.”
Gunnar watched his mom’s face as she processed this. She was looking closely at a picture trying to figure out something in the background. Feeling exasperated, she dropped the picture on the pile.
“I have to talk to Jeremiah first, Gunnar. I’m not saying I don’t agree Connor might have the information we need. But Jeremiah would be hurt to find out we went to Connor without first talking to him about it.”
Putting her hands to her nose, she quickly dropped them and rubbed them on her jeans.
“That stale smoke smell is disgusting.”
“Yeah. I feel like I need a shower after being in that house and then digging through these pictures.”
Joci stood. “I’m going back to the shop. Bring that box with you and meet me there. We’ll talk to your dad.”
Gunnar stood and scooped the pictures up, dropping them into the box. His upper lip curled into a sneer.
“You know, the son of a bitch never gave me the time of day while he was alive. Molly either. And he knew about both of us. Now, in his death, he’s got me involved in some kind of his bullshit. I hate to sound like I’m jealous or anything, but that lunk he did raise, is an idiot. He’s gross, fat, rude, and stupid as shit.”
Joci chuckled. Tucking her blonde hair behind her ear, she stopped at the door and turned toward Gunnar.
“Connor had mentioned that a time or two. But apparently the girl is bright and she’s very pretty. Similar in looks to Molly?”
Gunnar ground his teeth together. He didn’t know if he could stomach seeing her. He just wanted to get this bullshit over with.
*****
Jeremiah threw the pictures in the box and leaned back in his office chair.
He pinched and rubbed his nose with his thumb and forefinger.
“Those things stink.”
Gunnar grinned and Joci subconsciously raised her palms to her face and sniffed to see if the smell had gone.
“So,” Jeremiah began, leaning forward, “any ideas on what the big mystery is?”
Gunnar shook his head. Running a hand through his hair for the hundredth time today, he replied, “Not a clue.”
Joci was perched on the arm of the overstuffed, leather chair Gunnar sat in, directly across from Jeremiah’s desk. She tucked her hair behind her ear as she watched her husband process the information they had dumped on him.
“I thought maybe Connor would have some information about what Keith was up to over the years. Dianna seemed scared to give me any more information, but I honestly can’t see anything incriminating in those pictures.”
Jeremiah flicked his gaze between Gunnar and Joci. Looking directly at Joci, a soft smile played on his face.
“What do you think, babe?”
Joci shrugged one shoulder as she stood.
“I don’t know if Connor knows anything or not. He’s never said a thing, but he wouldn’t. Not to me, not to anyone. He’s loyal.”
Jeremiah quickly wrinkled his nose then straightened. Pressing his lips together he drew his brows closer while his jaw tightened.
“I want to be there.”
Gunnar leaned back, pulled his phone out of his pocket and tapped a couple of times on his phone. Raising it to his ear he waited while his dad shoved the box onto the floor and scooted it away from his desk. Joci walked over and sat on his lap and ran her fingers softly across his jaw.
“Thank you,” she whispered, then lightly pecked his lips.
Jeremiah drew his arms around her waist and nuzzled her neck.
“We can’t let our boy get into anything dangerous. I’ve got his back. Always.”
Joci squeezed his neck and shoulders as Jeremiah chuckled.
Chapter Twenty-Four
“So, hey, I’m not going to be home for a while. Mom and Dad and I have some old family stuff to take care of. Will you be okay till I get there?”
Emma looked out the window for the third time since she’d been home. Since seeing that goof at the office today, she had felt creeped out. When she got home, she had run around the house making sure everything was locked up tight. Gunnar and JT weren’t home yet, and she puttered in the kitchen—uneasy about getting involved in making supper, taking a shower, or anything else. This was bad news.
“Sure. Is JT going with you too?”
“Naw. He’s in the shower here now and he’ll be home in a bit. You okay?”
Clearing her throat, Emma flopped on the sofa. “Yeah. I’m good. I’ll see you when you get home.”
*****
Emma walked up the sidewalk to the apartment building Ashley and Ron were now calling home. The community was well kept and pleasant looking. She knocked twice and watched the flowers in the planters alongside the door sway in the slight breeze. The sweet scent of flowers mixed with freshly mowed lawn washed over her.
“Hey, it’s so good to see you.” Ashley pulled Emma into a firm hug and held her for several seconds.
Emma squeezed her sister tight, breathing in the strawberry scent of her hair and enjoying the warm embrace.
“It’s good to see you too. I miss you.”
Smiling, Ashley closed the door behind Emma as she held her hand out to the side.
“We’re home. For now. And thank you so much again for the furniture. We went out today and bought Tyler a new crib and some clothes and some clothes for ourselves. Without your furniture, we’d be sitting on the floor right now.”
Emma looked around the room.
“It looks good in here, Ash. I only hope it will make you all more comfortable until things at the house get straightened out. Any news on that?”
“Nothing at the moment; we’re still waiting for the lab tests to come back on the accelerant.”
Ashley grabbed Emma’s hand and pulled her to the sofa. The girls sat together and looked out the sliding patio doors watching some children play in the large open yard outside. Ashley pointed at one adorable little girl with a long, blonde ponytail trying to keep up with what looked to be her brothers.
“That looks like you when you were that age. I’ve been sitting here watching those kids play outside and feeling a bit nostalgic.”
Emma wrapped her arm around Ashley’s shoulders and pulled her close.
“Me too, I guess. I just couldn’t sit at home anymore, and the first thing I thought was to come and see you.” Sighing, Emma touched her head to Ashley’s as they sat quietly.
“Where’s my nephew?”
Ashley giggled. “He and his daddy are taking a nap. It’s been a long day.”
“Okay. I’ll wait. How was Ron’s mother?”
Ashley let out a deep breath. “She was her usual.”
“Hmm.” Emma’s lips tightened and her eyes sought Ashley’s.
“Where’s mister three orgasms?” Ashley smirked.
Emma burst out laughing before slapping a hand over her mouth.
“He’s with his parents taking care of some family stuff.”
“And you aren’t there with him?”
“Nah. I’m taking care of my own family stuff here with you.”
“Tell me about the orgasms.”
*****
Connor filtered through the pictures, picking up each one just as the others had and turned them over. He held them up to the light and examined each corner. Jeremiah watched him and his brows drew together.
“What are you looking for Connor?”
Connor tossed the last of the photos into the box. His nose wrinkled and he shoved the box further away from him.
“I can’t tell you much.”
At hearing the grumbles begin in the room, he looked directly at Gunnar.
“I can’t because I don’t know much. But I can tell you Keith was mixed up with some bad fellas. He tried to keep me from it as much as he could, and eventually, we only saw each other sporadically. He was making money doing things he shouldn’t have been doing.” Digging into the box once more, he pulled a picture out and held it up. “I think it was with these guys. I don’t know who they are, but I did see the tall guy talking to Keith outside in his garage when I was there one time.”
Gunnar raked his hands through his hair one more time. “Like. What? Running drugs or something?”
Connor shrugged. “I don’t know. All I know is he would get envelopes delivered to secret locations or sometimes delivered by these kooky looking guys, dressed like gangsters and wearing Fedoras. Craziest thing. He would deliver the information in the envelope at a designated location and receive money. Sometimes he would make deliveries for their trucking company. He stayed low, didn’t make any trouble and only worked here and there.”
“Fuck me.” Gunnar looked at Keith, his brows drawing a “v” in his forehead. “Did he always do this shit?”
Connor, feeling a bit uneasy, drew his lips into a fine line. He looked up at Joci, sadness in his eyes.
“I’m afraid he did.”
Joci sank back into the straight-backed kitchen chair she sat in, the breath leaving her lungs in a whoosh. As she regained her thoughts, she looked first at Jeremiah, then at Connor.
“Did. Even when...” She looked at Gunnar and reached over to grab his hand. “Even when he was with me. When Gunnar was born?”
Connor’s sad eyes looked between Joci and Gunnar. He steepled his fingers together lowered his head and rested his forehead on them.
“I honestly believe so, yes. Though I was careful not to ask too many questions and he was careful not to say too much.”
Jeremiah scooted his chair closer to Joci and she rested her head on his shoulder. “So, what are you looking for in those pictures? A code? A message?”
Connor’s lips tilted at the corners, only slightly. “I’m really
not sure. I don’t know what was in the envelopes and I don’t know how the information was disseminated. I just wondered if it was written on the pictures somehow.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Putting the finishing touches on her makeup before work, Emma swiped at her lips with her gloss wand, slid it back into the container and twisted it closed. The berry scent wafted up to her nose and she smiled slightly. One last glance in the mirror and she opened the bathroom door. Gunnar was dressed, sitting on the stool by the door pulling his boots on.
“Long day today?” She asked, taking in the handsome male before her, his hair slicked back into his ponytail, the Rolling Thunder t-shirt stretched tight across his shoulders and chest and he smelled fresh-from-the-shower clean. Yum.
He sat up and his eyes raked down her body, stopping briefly at her breasts and again lower before traveling back up to her eyes. She cocked her head to the side and placed a hand on her hip.
“No. You?”
“No. Are we going to have dinner together tonight?” She walked toward him as he stood to his full height. He slid his hand into her hair at the nape and grabbed a fistful of hair pulling her toward him. He kissed her possessively, grabbing her ass and pulling her tight to him. Already his body was responding to her.
“Yes, we’re going to have dinner tonight. Do you want me to grill something?”
She looked up and smiled. “Yeah. That would be nice. I’ll make a salad and a vegetable. You bring the meat.” She slapped his ass as she scooted past him.
“Oh, I’ll bring the meat, all right.”
As they poured their coffee and pulled yogurt, cereal, and bananas out of their respective cupboards, Emma turned to Gunnar and said. “That man was at the office yesterday. The one who took my picture and followed us to Door County.”
Gunnar froze in the act of pulling bowls down from the cupboard. “Did he talk to you?”
“No. It creeped me out. He was there to talk to Chery.”
