by Conn, Claudy
Agent Tam placed an asterisk beside Erika’s name. “Is your sister Erika’s mother?” she probed. “And which is it? Do you only believe she’s innocent, or do you have proof she’s not responsible?”
Brittany’s jaw dropped. The DEA agent twisted her words and Britt unwittingly brought suspicion on the teen. Annie and Terence were going to kill her. Not knowing what to do, she turned to Grady for help. “How do I answer that?”
Grady took command. “Erika is the daughter of Hannah Turner and Larry Wright. When Erika was born, Hannah put Terence Javier on her birth certificate as the father. For years, Larry did not know he was her dad. Erika’s mom obviously has some problems. Eventually, it was decided that Larry and Terence would share custody here in Hawaii while Hannah worked on her issues.”
Agent Tam made note of the family history. “So Erika is a troubled child.”
Both Brittany and Grady jumped to Erika’s defense.
Mr. Kaplinger squeezed their shoulders to quiet them down. “Let me assure you, Agent Tam,” he said calmly, “Erika Turner is one of the most industrious teenagers I have ever met. She has developed a beautiful line of Christmas ornaments. Between the production and sale of these lovely items, she wouldn’t have time to invest in this type of sideline.”
Agent Tam’s narrow eyes sliced thinner. She looked as if she was going to continue with the interrogation, but she relented. “I have enough for now. Since you believe Miss Turner is completely innocent, let’s get her crossed off the list. Have her and both her fathers available in about an hour. I see she lives across the street from you, Mr. Barlow. I’ll be able to see the property in question and speak with her at the same time.”
Brittany and Grady looked at each other again. This time, Brittany answered. “That won’t be possible. Larry Wright passed away a few days ago. It was his funeral we were attending.”
The disbelieving look on Agent Tam’s face made Brittany shrink back in her seat.
“Is there anything else I should know before we go forward?” Tam barked harshly.
Wanting to ease the tension, a sweet cajoling smile formed on Brittany’s face. “I’m pretty sure my sister will insist on being present when you talk to Erika.”
Agent Tam placed her chin in her palm. “The more the merrier. I can’t wait to see this family dynamic in action. Tell me,” she inquired, “how well did the two dads get along, and did there happen to be anything suspicious about Larry Wright’s death?”
Once again, Brittany and Grady jumped to the family’s defense, and once again, Mr. Kaplinger settled them down. When the young couple fell silent, he stated plainly, “This is one family you have to see for yourself. You aren’t bound by blood to be welcomed into the fold.” He stepped back and opened the office door. “You can bet, in addition to Annie Javier, there will be a few more family members in attendance as well.” He motioned for Brittany and Grady to come along. After they passed through the doorway, Mr. Kaplinger turned and faced Agent Tam one last time. “See you in an hour.”
Brittany held Grady back and let Mr. Caprice walk ahead of them. “Did you hear what he said?” she whispered in his ear.
“Mr. Kaplinger? Yeah, he said a lot of stuff.”
“Former life, Grady. He said he was a lawyer in a former life. That proves he is our mystical savior.”
Grady rolled his eyes.
• • •
TERENCE JAVIER SAT brooding on his front porch swing. His coal black eyes intently watched the house across the street. Agent Tam, Kap, and Grady walked the grounds. In, out, and all around the property they strode studiously. Agent Tam was suspicious of everyone and everything connected to the kid, and it didn’t sit well.
The interview with Erika was a disaster. His smart-mouthed daughter popped off sarcastically several times and had not helped her case one bit. Terence regretted not being stern and that he hadn’t insisted on her learning better manners. He understood his daughter’s sharp tongue showed how intimidated she was by Agent Tam, but the DEA agent didn’t. Erika was her own worst enemy. It took a mighty effort for Eleanor, Lena, himself, and Annie to keep their mouths shut. Max didn’t feel the need for discretion and voiced his objections so loudly that Annie had to take him out of the room.
Eleanor missed her flight to San Diego to support Erika then stormed off angrily when the interrogation didn’t go as planned. For all intents and purposes, Erika was her granddaughter, and she would protect the girl with her life. Eleanor had a crafty mind, and Terence was a little worried about what the older woman might be plotting.
If Larry hadn’t died, he could imagine Marissa’s husband, David, swooping in to save the day. He was an excellent private detective and Terence selfishly wanted to procure his services, but for now, his place was in San Diego beside his wife.
Kap saw Terence watching and trotted over. The old man’s gait made Terence do a double take. His long agile body didn’t mesh with his gray hair and wrinkled skin. Lena was right, Kap, Mr. Kaplinger, or as Brittany was fond of calling him, Mr. Caprice, appeared much younger than his driver’s license indicated.
“Mind if I join you?” he inquired.
Terence moved over and made room for him on the swing. “How’s it going over there?”
“Hard to tell,” Kap sighed as he eased his body onto the cushion. “One moment you get the feeling Agent Tam is on your side, then she says something which puts you back on alert. The kid is holding his own pretty well.” Kap peeked inside the window. “How are Erika and Brittany?”
Terence stretched out his long legs. “If all the tears are any indication, I’d say they are expecting to be placed in handcuffs any second.”
“I won’t let that happen,” Kap assured him.
Terence wanted to lash out at the old guy. If he hadn’t insisted Grady put Erika on that blasted list, his daughter would not be a suspect. She would be busy getting glue all over their kitchen table while making her ornaments instead of being on the verge of a panic attack. Brittany wasn’t in much better shape. His sister-in-law wanted to do the right thing, but now it looked like she could wind up in jail.
None of it made sense to Terence. A few days ago, Larry was alive and they were arguing like normal. Erika was as happy as any teenager could be. Brittany was finding her way in a strange new environment. Annie and Grady were planning on expanding Jamoka Jack and taking it to new heights. In a blink of an eye, everything changed. Larry was gone. Erika and Brittany were hanging by a thread, and Annie and Grady’s business venture had been put on hold.
“No offense, but I’m beginning to think Lena’s lucky dolphin theory is for the birds, and that you are nothing more than a nice old guy.”
Mr. Kaplinger laughed out loud. “Those little spinners put on a good show at Mr. Wright’s service. Are you sure you want to dismiss the idea so easily?”
Terence shook with amusement. “You’re a mystery. I can’t argue that. That little bird was lucky you came his way. I’m eternally grateful for everything you’ve done for us today. I’m just not sure you are our savior.”
“The Lord helps those who help themselves,” Kap retorted, with a twinkle in his eye. “I’m not much of a believer, but I live by that saying.”
That clinched it. Kap didn’t know the difference between scripture and history. “If you believe in Ben Franklin, you’re safe. That’s a quote out of Poor Richard’s Almanac.”
Kap glanced up at the heavens and tapped his cheek thoughtfully. “God helps the helpless. Isaiah 25:4. I think I like Franklin’s version better. Ben puts the outcome back in the believers’ hands. Being helpless is useless.”
“I think that’s a message we all need to hear right about now.” Terence looked back across the street in time to see Grady heave a heavy sigh. “You better get back over there. I think the kid could use some moral support. I’d go, but I have a houseful of women in the same condition.”
He stood to go back inside, but was stopped by Mr. Kaplinger’s extended hand.
“You’re a good man, Terence Javier. I’m proud to call you my friend.”
Terence shook the elder’s hand and clapped him affectionately on the back. The moment he closed the door behind him, his fingers tingled with warmth, and a strange calmness flowed throughout his body. Terence closed his eyes. His hands came together, and for the first time in a long time, he said a silent prayer.
A moment later, he felt better equipped to deal with his anxious family and walked down the hall to Erika and Brittany’s room.
13
AGENT TAM STOOD in front of her commanding officer and argued her case. “Good people do bad things all the time, sir. Let me investigate this my way.”
Barone rubbed his balding head and asked, “Why are you determined to walk down this path, Tam? All those kids had to do was rip up the plants and be done with it. Instead, they came in and reported it, like good upstanding citizens. You don’t have a shred of proof those plants didn’t wind up in that boy’s yard exactly how he said. None of the suspects you’ve presented have a police record, and from what you’ve shown me so far, I’d say you’re heading in the wrong direction.”
Tam wasn’t through yet. She tapped the file. “The family across the street is odd. I suspect the girl, Erika, has been a victim of child abuse. Don’t you find it strange that two unrelated men share custody? And where the hell is the biological mom?”
Commander Barone slammed the file closed. “You are investigating a drug case, Tam. This is the DEA, not Child Protective Services. According to court documents, a judge ordered the arrangement. If you have doubts, call Judge Sanchez for an explanation. If you still aren’t satisfied, report it to the proper authorities. As of this moment, you are to focus the DEA resources on finding out who planted the marijuana and busting their sorry asses.” He held the file out to his subordinate. “Now get out of my office and do the job you were hired to do!”
Ayako snatched the file from her boss’s hand and stormed out. She stopped short of slamming the door. Barone wouldn’t say much if she pushed the rules a bit, but what he couldn’t abide was childish behavior out of one of his officers. Outwardly, she maintained her professional decorum. Mentally, she flipped him off.
Barone made a good point. If anyone had the inside scoop on the Javier and Wright family, it was Judge Theresa Sanchez. Tam pulled out her phone and made a call.
• • •
“THANKS, JUDGE. I appreciate you taking the time to call me back.”
Tam hung up the phone, deflated. The story Theresa Sanchez reported was as far away from a reportable case of child abuse as one could get. Larry Wright and Terence Javier worked out a deal for Erika’s benefit and participated in family counseling to make the arrangement work for everyone involved.
The family was so damned healthy, it was sickening. She hated the fact Barone was right.
It was time to follow the evidence and get back on track. Tam pulled the list of names she received from Grady Barlow out of the file. She chuckled when she saw the number of females she had to track down. At every turn, these people were appearing more and more typical.
The stable family across the street looked after their young neighbor after he lost his parents in a boating accident. Their teenage daughter develops a crush on the kid. The boy loves the girl like a sister, but does not return her affection. Instead of following the stable family’s example of problem solving, he brings home several girls, hoping to show the teen that he wasn’t the boy for her. A new relative shows up from the mainland and, of course, the boy finally finds his true love. It made for an interesting soap opera, but nothing indicated guilt of the propagation of the weed garden.
Brittany Sutherland was correct. The pot plants would not have thrived in that environment. Commander Barone would not want her to spend a ton of time tracking down the growers of a failed pot farm. Setting up a sting operation was out of the question. When the culprits returned to the scene of the crime to check on the dismal crop was anyone’s guess. The list she had before her was her best bet of finding a lead, so she tapped out the first name on the list and ran a background check.
• • •
GRADY WAITED PATIENTLY for the pancakes Brittany was cooking.
“Have you heard anything from the DEA?” she asked, flipping one of the cakes on the hot grill.
Grady was sick of Agent Tam and the constant stream of questions which didn’t seem to pertain to the case. If he never heard from her again, it would still be too soon. “Luckily, no. Have you?”
“All quiet on the home front.” Britt piled a few cakes on a spatula and slid them onto Grady’s plate. “It makes me nervous. It feels like the calm before the storm.” She turned off the burners and took the remaining cakes for herself.
“I’m fine with letting the whole issue disappear.”
Brittany cut him a fierce look. She covered her ears with her hands, then covered her eyes, and finally covered her mouth.
“Funny. Hear no evil. See no evil. Speak no evil.” He forked a bite through his lips and mumbled incoherently, “Now you can’t understand evil either.”
A smirk creased one side of her face, but Brittany persisted. “All I’m saying is that it’s better to nip the problem in the bud before it becomes a major issue.”
Grady chuckled. “I’m pretty sure Agent Tam doesn’t want us nipping any of those buds.”
“Make all the jokes you want, but you know what I mean.” She flipped her hair and tilted her head smugly. Long amber strands landed on her plate and dredged through the syrup. A scowl replaced her superior smirk. “Crap, that totally distracts from all the profound insights I was about to make.”
Grady lifted her hair and dabbed her sticky locks with a damp napkin. “I’m not hiding my head in the sand,” he assured her. “I’m just not waiting around for the DEA to clear me. Mr. Javier and I are installing security cameras around my place. We want to catch the SOB who decided to make mi casa es su casa.”
Brittany sat back and considered their course of action.
Grady watched her wheels spin, trying to find fault with their plan. But Brittany couldn’t come up with anything.
A few minutes later, she relented. “I wish I’d thought of that. You need to sleep here until they’re caught. I don’t want to worry about you over there all by your lonesome.”
Grady slipped his arms around her waist and pulled her into his lap. “You could stay with me.”
“You big goof,” she rebuffed lightly. “I don’t want to worry about my safety either.”
He nuzzled his nose in her neck and inhaled her sweet scent. “I’d protect you.”
Terence walked in and glared. “Knock it off, you two.” He pointed a firm finger at Grady. “Brittany’s right. You are sleeping on our couch until this whole thing is settled. And there is absolutely no way she’s staying at your place. Those are my conditions for helping you install the cameras. Take it or leave it.”
Brittany scooted off his lap. Her face gleamed red with embarrassment. “It’s a good deal, Grady. Take it.”
The Javier household was ganging up on him. Considering he slept with one eye open the last few nights, the offer of their couch sounded pretty perfect. Still, he couldn’t resist needling the protective brother-in-law. “Aren’t you afraid Brittany and I will mix it up a little if we’re under the same roof, Mr. Javier?”
Terence took a sip from his coffee mug. One eyebrow shifted upward. “Don’t shit where you eat, kid.”
He exited with a mug filled for his wife and Brittany giggled. “Max fussed most of the night. Terence and Annie are extremely sleep deprived today. I wouldn’t mess with him if I were you.”
Grady jumped up. “Did he just take a cup of coffee in for Annie?”
“Yeah. Why?”
He downed his glass of juice and headed for the garage. “It was her day to take the Coffee Cart down to the pier, and she didn’t call me to cover her shift. We missed the early morning fishing tours. I have to get ther
e before they come back in.”
“You want some help?” Brittany called out, but she found herself speaking to a closed door. “Alrighty then,” she said to the empty room. “I guess I’ll head over to Lena’s and do my own job.”
• • •
MR. CAPRICE’S BIRD was squawking when Warden shuffled inside the toolshed. Turnabout was giving Brittany a headache. “Can I help you with something, Warden?” she snapped. The boy hung his head and she figured he broke one of their new tools. “You might as well spill it. Whatever you have to say isn’t going to get easier with time.”
Warden scratched his chin and mumbled something under his breath.
Brittany glared at the snow-white bird sitting on his perch inside the cage Mr. Caprice found for him. “Will you please be quiet? I can’t hear Warden over your constant complaining.”
The bird traveled back and forth across a wooden dowel and closed his beak.
“Better make it fast,” Brittany encouraged the boy, “that bird won’t stay quiet for long.”
Warden stepped a few paces closer. “I’m giving you my notice.”
“You’re quitting?”
The kid took off his Harry Potter glasses and cleaned them with the edge of his shirt. “I’m sorry. Most of the heavy work is done and Mr. Wright isn’t around to pay me. I can’t afford to work for free any longer. I need to find a new job.”
His words confused her. “Are you telling me you haven’t been paid for the work you’ve done the past few weeks?”
Warden shook his head. “Mr. Wright sent me over here to help. He said he’d bring a check to my house every Friday, but that obviously isn’t possible.” When Brittany opened her mouth to protest, he grabbed her arm. “It’s okay. I learned a lot from you and that’s payment enough. I would like a letter of recommendation, though, if you think I deserve one.”
