Walker Pride (The Walker Family Book 1)

by Bernadette Marie

  Chapter Thirty

  It felt good walking into class knowing that Eric wasn’t nearby and Bethany could spend some time with her brother. She wasn’t too sure how Bethany felt about it, but it would be good for her.

  A part of her was actually giddy to have coffee with Lydia too. She couldn’t wait to get her and Bethany together. She knew there would be an instant connection. It had been nice to make a new friend, who could have known she’d be related to the man she loved?

  When class was over Susan sat out front and waited for Bethany to pick her up. She thought they’d been very specific on the time, but maybe Bethany was just caught up in spending time with her brother.

  She’d wait fifteen minutes before she began calling around and panicking.

  Just before she was ready to make her call, her own car pulled up. She recognized the man driving as one of the men from the funeral, but Bethany wasn’t with him.

  He climbed from the car and perched over the top with his arms rested on the roof.

  “Susan?”

  “Yes,” she stood, but kept her distance.

  “Thought I recognized you. I got your car fixed.”

  “You’re Jake?”

  “That’s me.”

  She decided it was safe enough to move toward the car. Eric wouldn’t have asked him to fix her car if didn’t trust him.

  “Where is Bethany?”

  Jake rolled his eyes. “Douglas came by when we were out front of the house. I think he’s sweet on her, but it seems to just piss her off. So she was going to run by the mall and buy something—anything.”

  Susan pursed her lips. She didn’t like that. “She’s alone?”

  Jake shook his head. “Our sister Pearl stopped by when she heard I’d be there. I think they’re going to have a bonding moment. Which is good since Dad never really included Bethany in anything.”

  Susan felt enlightened. She hoped they did hit it off. Bethany deserved her family.

  “Anyway, she asked me to come for you. I figured if I drove up in my truck you wouldn’t know who I was. So I’ll need a ride back to your place.”

  “Okay.” She walked toward the driver’s side and looked in as he stepped aside. “They did a job on it, huh?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I ordered you a new piece so we could make it look new again. But for now it’ll hold up.”

  “And this is what you do?”

  “When I’m not racing.”

  “You race cars?”

  The grin on his face was childlike. “I do. Maybe you’ll come see me some day.”

  She nodded and climbed into the car.

  As much as she’d wanted to, Susan didn’t go into the house when she dropped Jake off at his truck. It scared her now. Would she feel safe there again, she wondered.

  Bethany had called and said she and Pearl were headed to the coffee shop. She wasn’t sure that was going to go over too well with Lydia, but she’d feel it out.

  When Susan arrived, all three of them were already seated at a table with drinks. The laughter had ensued and now Susan was feeling out of place.

  “Oh, hey! Come over!” Bethany stood and waved her in. “Susan, this is my sister Pearl.”

  The girl whom she’d met briefly at the funeral stood and shook her hand. “So you’re Eric’s girl, huh? I didn’t see that coming at the funeral.”

  “I didn’t either,” she admitted.

  “Is he still as moody as he always was? I won’t lie. He scares me a little.”

  That certainly wasn’t comforting. “I suppose everyone has a set of moods.”

  Susan took the vacant seat between Lydia and Bethany.

  Lydia covered Susan’s hand with hers. “Can you believe how small a world it is? Pearl and I grew up together.”

  “You were friends?”

  Both women laughed. “No. Not really. I think our interests were much different back then.”

  Pearl picked up her fancy coffee and held it to her lips. “I was a trouble maker and Lydia was a good girl.”

  Susan looked at Pearl in her pretty pink pastel nail polish, perfectly curled hair, and her designer outfit. There was no way this girl wasn’t on the honor roll.

  “You don’t look like a trouble maker.”

  Pearl laughed. “I took after my dad alright. He’s an ass and I’m not, but yeah, rules didn’t apply to me back then,” she said as if she regretted that.

  “What do you do now?”

  “I own a bridal shop.” She smiled wide as she took a sip from her cup. “Bethany says maybe I’ll be seeing you soon. You and Eric are pretty serious.”

  “Oh, well, I’m in no hurry.”

  Pearl nodded. “Sure. But you and I should talk. I’ll bet we could do some great networking with our businesses. I refer people to photographers and caterers all the time. I hear you do both.”

  “Photography is only a hobby.”

  Pearl dabbed her lips with her napkin. “You never know.” She looked at her watch. “I have to go, girls. I have a fitting in twenty-minutes. The bride is a full size girl who has been dieting for three months. She’s convinced the dress will need to be taken in about six inches.” She shook her head. “I saw her at Baskin Robbins last night and I’m thinking different alterations are needed.”

  She kissed Bethany on the cheek before she left and Bethany’s soft smile warmed Susan’s heart. Perhaps the best thing in the world was to have had her car broken into.

  When Pearl had left, Lydia pulled a file from her bag and laid it on the table. “This is what he wants to serve. The list includes both Everett and Byron Walker, Dwight Peterson and Shooter Magee. What a stupid name,” she added her commentary. “Tyson and I. And of course my grandfather.”

  “I thought this was going to be a much bigger event,” Susan said as she looked over the papers.

  “I thought that too, with it being Constance’s birthday and all.”

  Susan realized it might have been the first time she’d actually heard Eric’s mother’s name said. What a beautiful name.

  “Eric says his father told him that the reason Dwight Peterson is going to be there is because he’s buying the oil rights of the land.”

  “I think that’s right. They did some preliminary tests on both properties, with Byron’s permission,” she added and Susan assumed so they wouldn’t accuse her of trespassing. “They think if they put wells out there it’ll net quite a bit.”

  “So why mess with the land at all? It seems as though your grandfather was willing to share the wealth as long as Everett Walker moved his daughter’s grave. It seems cut and dry. Why all the drama?”

  “I wish I knew.” Lydia looked around the coffee house and moved in over the table. “Someone was lurking around our house last night. It set off the motion lights and one sensor. Grandpa didn’t hear a thing, but Tyson and I did. He couldn’t see anyone though. But we knew they were there.”

  Susan’s arm broke out in goose bumps. “I don’t like that.”

  “I don’t either.”

  When the door to the coffee shop opened again, Officer Smyth walked through and quickly took off his sunglasses. Susan wasn’t sure he’d known Lydia was there, but he’d b-lined right to the table and locked his eyes on her.

  “Lydia, what are you doing in town?”

  “Looks like I’m having coffee.”

  “Not keeping very good company, huh?”

  Susan felt the heat rise in her cheeks. Really?

  “What can I do for you officer?” Lydia kept a calm about her that Susan wasn’t going to be able to do for much longer.

  “Dinner?”

  “Not in a million years.”

  Smyth puckered his lips. “Too bad. I’m thinking you’ll change your mind soon enough.”

  “Haven’t in all these years.”

  He ran his tongue over his teeth. “I guess I’ll leave you ladies be.” He narrowed his eyes on Lydia. “We’ll bump into each other again soon.”

 
; As he walked away, and out of the coffee shop, Susan watched as Lydia’s shoulders dropped.

  “I hate him,” Lydia hissed.

  “I don’t blame you. Feelings for him are mutual on my end.”

  “Mine too,” Bethany added. “Who treats women like that?”

  “He does,” Lydia picked up the folder. “Been divorced three times. Each wife claims domestic violence, he weasels his way out of it and keeps his job on the force.”

  “Maybe someone will run him over when he tries to give them a ticket,” Bethany added, causing all three of them to break out into laughter.

  “Can’t believe no one has tried that.” Lydia put the folder in her bag. “So what is our plan? I assume that during dinner we will try to get Peterson and Magee to confess to messing with our property. I mean maybe they’re trying to force us off of it so they can buy the land and then they don’t have to pay out on it.”

  “That’s low. But then what?” Susan asked.

  “You could just keep a cell phone on. You know Eric and I could monitor it. Just like they do on TV.”

  Lydia considered Bethany’s thought. “We could do that. Tyson always has his phone next to him at dinner. If he put it on the table with the display down, no one would think a thing about it.”

  “Okay, that’s what we’ll do,” Susan agreed. “Eric and Bethany can hole up at his house. They’ll be close enough if anything happens.

  Again, Susan thought, this wasn’t where she’d thought her career was going to take her.

  ~*~

  Eric had come out of his seat when she told him the plan.

  “This is stupid. I say we just come in there and confront them. What if they’re dangerous and find out you’re spying with a cell phone?”

  “You think it’ll be any more dangerous than them sneaking around the house at night? Lydia said there was someone out there last night. I say we do this and get it over with. We can’t live like this, Eric. You don’t deserve to lose anything else over this.”

  He continued to pace, but he didn’t argue.

  Bethany kicked her legs up onto the coffee table. “Seriously though, no matter how messed up all of this is, it brought our family together.”

  Eric simply narrowed his glare at her.

  She put her feet down and sat forward. “You met your grandfather. You met your cousin and the truth about your mother and Tyson came out. And I don’t care what you think. I’ve seen you together. You like him.”

  Susan watched his jaw tighten.

  “Russell, Gerald, Ben, and Dane have been here for you whenever you needed them. You’ve even opened up and accepted Glenda after all these years.”

  Susan smiled thinking about how he’d decided she should be called Mom now.

  “And, Eric, you made the phone call that put me in touch with Jake who put me in touch with Pearl. She kissed me goodbye today.” She beamed. “None of this would have happened if my father hadn’t royally screwed everyone over,” she finished on a laugh.

  “We could have just had a barbeque.”

  Bethany shrugged. “This has more adventure to it.”

  Chapter Thirty-One

  The next two days were filled with planning, shopping, and preparing. Bethany and Glenda were more valuable than Susan could have ever thought.

  Eric still didn’t like the idea of her alone in the house with family he really didn’t know and investors, or whatever they were, that he didn’t know at all. She understood his hesitation.

  Then there was the debate that what if Dwight Peterson and Shooter didn’t have anything to do with what had been going on? What if they were just killing time and the real person was still out there? They’d killed animals. They’d stolen cars and broken into houses. They continued to lurk around the Morgan house. There was a lot of uncertainty.

  Glenda covered the last dish with tin foil and held it out to Susan to pack. “This was so much fun. Not having any girls, I never had anyone to cook with like this.”

  “My mother taught me to cook. I cherish time in the kitchen with other women.”

  “Maybe we could do it again someday,” she said with wide eyes and a bright smile.

  “Any time. I may have to do it a few more times before I can go back to my house. I still have jobs coming up.”

  “Oh, honey, you could use my kitchen any time. Even when you move back to your house.” She picked up a towel and brushed off the counter. “Are you going back to your house?”

  “I wouldn’t see why not.”

  “I thought maybe you and Eric might be planning something.”

  Susan packed the dish into the box. “We’ve talked about it a little. But we just met.”

  “I married his father after having known him a month,” she said grinning wide with her eyes beaming in delight. “He backed into my car. Made a mess of it. But the minute he got out of the car—it was love at first sight for me.” She rested her hand on her chest. “Eric was eight. I’m not sure he ever liked me much. I’m not sure he does even now,” her words shook. “He was a handful, but he loved his brothers and his father. I couldn’t ask for more.”

  Susan was sure she could see Glenda’s eyes moisten. She moved to her and pulled her in to hug her. “He thinks of you as his mother. He’s a bit stubborn to admit it to anyone else, but he does.”

  “Do you really think so?” Glenda asked as she wiped her eyes. “He sent me roses the other day. Did you know that?”

  “I didn’t. But would you believe me if I told you he said so, to me? That he thinks of you as his mother.”

  “I would believe it. Oh, that makes my heart so full.”

  Susan looked up at the clock over the microwave. “I have to go.”

  “Is Eric or Bethany going with you?”

  “No. It’ll just be me tonight.” She said hoping she hadn’t let on to her what was going on. It was very obvious that she didn’t know anything about the dinner or where Susan was going.

  “Maybe someday if Bethany is busy I could help you serve at one of your events.”

  Susan felt the warmth spread through her body. “I’d really like that.”

  After loading up her car, she waved goodbye to Glenda and started down the road toward Eric’s. She would change there and then head toward the Morgan’s.

  Half way to Eric’s another car came toward her. It was a police cruiser and it slowed, so she did the same.

  Douglas rolled down his window. “Heading to Eric’s?”

  “For a moment before I head to work.”

  He nodded slowly. “I’m just checking up on the area. Seems as though things have been quiet.”

  “They have.”

  Douglas looked around as if he were observing the area. “I was thinking about asking Bethany out this weekend. She’s something, isn’t she?”

  “She is.”

  “Lydia never would go out with me.”

  “I didn’t realize you knew Lydia.”

  “Sure. Small town feel around here, ya know? Her temper is as short as her hair.”

  “I haven’t seen that side of her.” Susan looked at the clock on her dash. “I have to go. I’ll see you around. Good luck on your date proposal,” she offered, but having seen Bethany’s reaction to him she wasn’t sure he’d win her over. But then again anything was possible.

  Douglas gave her a wave and headed on. Susan continued toward Eric’s.

  Bethany, Tyson, and Eric sat at his kitchen table. Between them were news articles they’d printed from the Internet as well as drawings Tyson had obtained from his grandfather on where they’d put the wells.

  “If this is legit this land is worth a lot,” Tyson said as Susan walked through the house to the kitchen. “Hey,” Tyson said with a smile. “Are you ready?”

  Susan nodded as Eric stood. He wrapped an arm around her waist and planted a warm kiss on her lips. “I still don’t like this.”

  “It’ll be okay. Did you already talk to Douglas about this?”

&nb
sp; “Not about tonight, why?”

  “I just ran into him between here and your parents’ house. He was just checking on things.”

  “Good. That means he’s close if we need him.”

  Susan turned to Bethany. “He wants to ask you out.”

  Bethany’s shoulders dropped and she visibly deflated. “He gave me a freaking ticket.”

  “Four years ago.”

  “Still. I’m mad over that.”

  She couldn’t help it, but Susan laughed. “I have to change, then head over.”

  Tyson stood. “I have to get there too. He wants us to dress for dinner. I swear that man…” he stopped. “Oh, well. The things we do for our family, huh?”

  Susan watched Eric’s eyes soften. He understood family more than he’d ever have let on under that crusty exterior.

  ~*~

  Susan headed toward the Morgans’ to set up their dinner.

  The dining room had already been set and a beaming Lydia stood next to the ornate table and looked it over with a very keen eye.

  “I think everything is where it’s supposed to be,” she said, her fists firmly planted on her hips.

  “It’s a beautiful table.”

  “My mother is a stickler for this kind of thing. Tyson could have set it and it would look equally as perfect.”

  “I’d like to see that too,” Susan said on a laugh.

  Lydia turned to her. “What can I help you with? I’m as ready as I’m going to get,” she said with a whisk of her hands down the sides of her dress.

  “I just need to get the pans in the oven to keep them warm and begin plating everything that will go out. I’d love some help if you’re offering. I’m missing my assistant tonight.”

  “Sorry about that,” Lydia said softly as they walked into the kitchen.

  “I understand. Don’t worry about it.” Susan pulled on her apron and handed another one to Lydia. “When I left the house Bethany and Eric had a command center set up on the kitchen table,” she said in a hushed tone.

  “Part of me hopes we nab them. Another part hopes they are just genuine and nice.”