Vindicated (A Jenny Watkins Mystery Book 6)

by Becky Durfee

  Closing his eyes, Andy softly replied, “You should have used rubber.”

  “Actually, you should have used the chairlift. That would have solved this whole problem, you know.”

  Jenny saw Andy’s lip curl into a slight smile, although Ellen swatted at Zack with her hand. “Will you leave him alone? He’s been through enough already. He doesn’t need you hounding him.”

  “I’m just messing with him, Mom. After what he put us through today, he totally deserves that.”

  The smile disappeared from Andy’s face. “I need to talk to you.” He pointed his finger in Zack’s direction. “Alone.”

  Jenny lifted her eyes to look at her husband, whose face reflected the same surprise that she felt.

  Zack’s eyes scanned the room. “Now?”

  “Yes,” Andy replied weakly. “Now.”

  Ellen also looked surprised. “You want us to leave?”

  Andy raised a finger toward Jenny. “Everyone except her. She stays.”

  Jenny had liked it better when she thought she was going to be excluded from their talk. Now nerves surged through her as she wondered what she was about to witness.

  “I don’t know about this,” Ellen said apprehensively. “You two aren’t going to kill each other while we’re gone, are you?”

  “I couldn’t kill a fly right now,” Andy muttered.

  Ignoring his comment, Ellen looked at Jenny. “Do you promise to make sure things stay civil between these two clowns?”

  Jenny made a face. “I’ll do my best.”

  Ellen kissed Andy very gently before she, Tim and Hannah walked out into the hallway. Zack took a couple of steps forward and stood where Ellen had just been. He looked nervous as he asked, “What is it, Dad?”

  Jenny shared in his uneasiness.

  Andy swallowed; speaking seemed to be a struggle for him. “I was there for a long time, you know. I’m not sure exactly how long, but it felt like forever.”

  “Well,” Zack explained, “it took us about a half an hour to get there from the time Jenny first got the feeling that something was wrong.”

  “Is that what happened?” Andy whispered. “That’s why you came back?”

  “Yeah, and it’s a good thing, too,” Zack added. “If Jenny wasn’t a psychic, you could have been there all night.”

  Andy laughed as much as his weakened condition would allow. “Believe me, I thought I was going to be there all night.” His eyes grew solemn. “I thought I was going to die there.”

  “Nah,” Zack replied, keeping levity in his voice. “You’re too hard-headed for that…both literally and figuratively.”

  This time Andy didn’t look amused. “I deserve that.”

  Jenny stood frozen, glancing back and forth between father and son with just her eyes, afraid to move a muscle.

  “You know,” Andy continued slowly, “I spent a lot of time thinking while I was lying there…thinking about what I was doing there in the first place. I was there to check up on you. I was there to find mistakes in what you’d been doing. I’ve been doing it for days.” He cleared his throat and swallowed, clearly finding the words difficult to say. “You’re renovating a house to make life easier for a handicapped man for God’s sake, and I went there to find flaws in your work.”

  Zack remained silent, wearing an expression unlike any Jenny had ever seen on him before.

  “And you know what? I couldn’t find any. Nothing you did wrong, anyway, so I picked on the choices you made.” He slowly raised his hand, complete with the IV, and gently rubbed his forehead with a wince. “I’m hard on you. I know that I am, but it’s because I worry about you.” He let out a snort. “You were always fucking things up as a kid.” Holding up a hand in Jenny’s direction, he added, “Excuse me.”

  Jenny held up her hands in return, silently letting him know she hadn’t been offended.

  Andy continued, “You constantly joked around at the construction site. You were always late for work. I thought you’d never get anything right.”

  Jenny expected a wise remark from Zack about this being a lousy apology, but it never came.

  “I guess I thought I had to watch every move you made to be sure you didn’t mess up too badly…but you know what? That’s not my job anymore.” He pointed at Jenny. “That’s her job now.”

  Jenny managed a smile.

  “And as I lay there, thinking I just might die…my biggest regret was the way you and I fight all the time. I don’t want things to be like that anymore.”

  Finally, Zack smiled. “Are you delirious, Dad?”

  Andy closed his eyes. “Funny. You’re a funny kid.”

  “Aren’t I, though?”

  “You’re a wise-ass, that’s what you are.”

  “But I’m a likable wise-ass.”

  Andy’s expression reflected defeat. “Yes, you are. You’re a likeable wise-ass. And you know what? You haven’t turned out half bad.” He pointed at Jenny again. “I think this one’s been a good influence on you.”

  “She has,” Zack replied. “And I think quitting the construction business has helped, honestly. I’m sorry, Dad, I really am…but building houses just wasn’t my thing. It’s not a reflection on how I feel about you…I just didn’t like the job.”

  Andy didn’t reply, but his face reflected understanding.

  “Actually, you know what I didn’t like about the job?” Zack continued without contempt in his voice. “I didn’t like who we were building the houses for. Dad, those houses were frickin huge…way too big for any family to actually need that much space. And when I was in the design center, I can’t tell you how many times people came in over and over again to change the shade of the cabinets, or go back and forth about whether they wanted chair rails or not. I just couldn’t help but think those people had too much time and too much money on their hands…and both of those things could have been much better spent on something else.

  “But, honestly, I’m actually having fun renovating Rob’s house,” Zack added with a guilty expression. “But that’s because I’m doing it for a good reason…for a deserving person. I’m actually doing something I care about now.” He lowered his eyes. “I’m sorry I couldn’t have cared more about Larrabee Homes, but I just didn’t.”

  Andy looked as if he was growing tired. “If you’re going to devote your life to helping people, I can’t fault you for that.” His eyes closed into a long blink. “In fact, I’m proud of you.”

  Zack smiled. “Okay, now I know you’re delirious.”

  Andy’s eyes closed and remained that way. “But you’re still a wise-ass.”

  Jenny turned on her phone as soon as she got back into her car in the hospital parking lot. She immediately noticed a missed call from Rob Denton and a voicemail to match. After listening to the message, she turned to Zack and said, “Rob is worried about what happened at his house. I guess Willy called him and told him someone had been carted off in an ambulance.”

  “You might want to give him a call back and let him know everything’s okay.”

  “Yeah, I’ll do that. He must be worried.” Jenny dialed his number before turning the key to her car. He answered as she pulled out of her space.

  “Hello?”

  “Hi, Rob, it’s Jenny Larrabee.”

  “Jenny…is everything okay? I heard an ambulance came to the house.”

  “Yeah, everything’s okay,” she replied. “Zack’s father just had a dizzy spell and passed out on the stairs. He landed on the floor in the foyer and got a concussion and a slight skull fracture.”

  “Holy shit,” Rob said. “Is he going to be okay?”

  “The doctor seemed to think so. Apparently the bigger concern is what caused the fainting spell to begin with.”

  “Wow,” Rob added. “Well, I guess if they can run some tests and figure out what the problem is, this little episode will be a blessing in disguise. It may ultimately save his life.”

  Jenny adored how Rob always looked at the positive s
ide of things.

  “So, were you there when it happened?” Rob added. “That must have been scary to watch.”

  “Actually, the scary part was that no one was there when it happened. He was stuck on the floor in the foyer for about half an hour, we think.”

  “I guess he’s lucky you came by.”

  “Actually, luck had very little to do with it,” Jenny noted. “I was led there.”

  “You were led there?”

  “Yes, I’m assuming by Nate Minnick. I was at Zack’s parents’ house, when all of the sudden I felt the pull that told me I needed to go somewhere. The tug led me straight to your house, where we found Andy on the floor.”

  Rob remained silent on the other end of the phone; Jenny wondered if somehow she had upset him. After the silence became long enough, she asked, “Is everything alright?”

  Rob cleared his throat, indicating that he had indeed been choked up. “Nate led you to my house that first day, too, didn’t he?”

  “Yes, he did.” Jenny was unsure what he was getting at.

  “You know,” Rob began, “I’ve always said that I’ve had a guardian angel. I’m telling you, there’s no reason I should have survived that car accident five years ago. I’ll have to show you pictures of the car when I get back—it was nothing but a mangled piece of wreckage. Even the paramedics marveled at how I was able to live through that.

  “But now that I know Nate was looking out for your father-in-law…” Rob sounded as if he was trying to maintain his composure. “Maybe it’s not unreasonable to assume he was looking out for me that day, too.”

  Jenny couldn’t help but smile. “It’s possible.”

  He let out a deep sigh. “All this time I believed that kid was a murderer, and it seems like he’s exactly the opposite. He’s been saving lives.”

  Jenny loved the thought of that—if Nate could stop being regarded as a villain and instead be considered a hero, that would have definitely allowed his soul to rest in peace. “I agree with you,” Jenny replied.

  “We’ve got to clear that kid’s name,” Rob said with conviction. “Is there anything I can do to help with that?”

  As much as Jenny didn’t want to admit it, she replied, “Actually, there is. When I get back to Zack’s parents’ house and get access to my notepad, is it okay if I call you to ask you a few questions?”

  “Sure,” Rob replied. “What about?”

  Jenny was reluctant to say the words, although she knew they had to come out.

  “Marcus Sanders.”

  Chapter 16

  “Marcus did tell me he once saw someone die,” Rob said over the phone. “Actually, he said he didn’t see them die, but he saw some injuries occur that ultimately ended up being fatal.”

  Jenny’s heart sank at the prospect that Marcus had been talking about Stella.

  Rob continued, “One day he and I sat down and had a few beers, and he opened up about his days over in Iraq. He was part of Operation Desert Storm and Desert Shield. He generally didn’t like to talk about that time in his life, but that night the alcohol made him a little more chatty.”

  “What did he say about it?” Jenny asked.

  “He told me that one of his buddies had stepped on a landmine. He described it as the most awful thing he’d ever seen. The kid lost a leg immediately, right there on the battlefield. Marcus said the screams can still haunt him if he lets them. Anyway, they were able to send the wounded soldier away to get help, but apparently he bled to death before he could get the proper treatment.”

  Jenny closed her eyes and hung her head; this was the type of story she absolutely hated to hear. However, she knew she needed to remain focused and remember the reason she was calling. “How did he react to it? I mean, did he say what kind of impact that has had on his ability to function?”

  Rob seemed to consider the question. “He mentioned something about being able to compartmentalize it. He can put it away—tuck it safely back into the recesses of his mind. He did say that some things triggered the memory, alcohol being one of them. He also said he couldn’t watch war movies, and firecrackers have a bad effect on him. But for the most part he is able to function on a daily basis, keeping that horrible memory repressed. He told me that knowing that it wasn’t his fault has helped him tremendously…if he had felt responsible for it in any way he wouldn’t have been able to sleep at night.”

  That last statement resonated with Jenny, but she was unsure what to make of it. Had he been speaking from experience? Or did he just make some innocent comment? Jenny hoped it was the latter.

  Her conversation didn’t result in any more insight, so she concluded the call and focused on her next task—talking to Megan to see if Stella had struck any type of friendship with the Sanders family or if they had lived merely as strangers next door. She dialed the phone, which rang several times before Megan picked up.

  Jenny explained her reason for calling; Megan’s response sounded sincere. “Unfortunately, now is not a good time. But listen…tomorrow I’m going to the Pryzbyck’s for a cookout. Why don’t you come? I’ll have plenty of time to talk to you then. Besides, they said they wanted to meet you—they find it fascinating that you are a psychic.”

  “I wouldn’t want to intrude,” Jenny said.

  “Oh, don’t be silly. I’m planning to get there around three. Are you available then? You and your husband are both welcome to join us.”

  Jenny smiled. “Yes, I can be there then.”

  “Great.” Megan gave her the address. “Oh—and bring a bathing suit. It’s supposed to be hot tomorrow, and they have a pool.”

  “I didn’t bring a bathing suit with me to Georgia,” Jenny confessed.

  “You can borrow one of mine, if you’d like.”

  “That’s okay,” Jenny said, trying to imagine her pregnant self in someone else’s bathing suit. “I’ll figure something out. I guess I’ll see you tomorrow around three, then?”

  “Perfect.”

  Jenny hung up and decided she should go check on Zack and Ellen, who were most likely still shaken from the evening’s events. When she entered the kitchen, Ellen was trying to wrap up some of the dinner that had been left out when she’d quickly taken off for the hospital, and Zack was working on what appeared to be his second beer. Jenny started to help Ellen with the leftovers, asking, “Actually, do you mind if I heat some of this up before we put it all away? Ashley’s getting hungry.”

  Ellen flashed Jenny a genuine smile. “Ashley, huh? Is that the name you’ve decided on?”

  “It’s only plan B, mom,” Zack interjected. “It’ll never happen. The kid’s name is Steve all the way.”

  Jenny shrugged and placed her hand on her belly. “Well, either way, this baby is about to get cranky if I don’t eat soon.”

  “Help yourself,” Ellen said, lifting the lid of the container she’d just closed. “In all of the excitement, I’d forgotten you hadn’t eaten.”

  “I’m surprised Zack hasn’t reminded you,” Jenny said with a smile. “He’s usually all about the food.”

  He held up his beer. “Still working on the appetizer at this point.” He glanced at Jenny. “So, did you learn anything about Marcus?”

  Jenny reiterated what she’d heard from Rob. “I don’t know what to make of it, honestly. I’m going to visit with Megan tomorrow to see what type of relationship they’d had with Marcus, and maybe pick her brain to see if there is anyone else who should be put on the suspect list.” Jenny scooped some food onto a plate before turning back to Zack. “Do you want to come with me?”

  Zack shook his head. “Nah. I’ll let you do the honors. I want to take advantage of Rob’s weekend away and get a lot done on his house. If I do take a break, I’ll probably go visit my father.”

  “Fair enough. I just hope I can find some kind of evidence tomorrow that shows Marcus didn’t do it. I won’t feel very good about this if it turns out to be him.”

  “Well, justice needs to be served either way,
” Zack noted.

  Jenny let out a sigh. “I just prefer when my bad guys aren’t from such likable families.”

  Jenny wanted to accomplish two things before going to the Pryzbyck’s cookout: she planned to stop by her old house and pick up something valuable that she’d left behind in the divorce, and she needed to get a bathing suit. Neither of these tasks seemed very fun.

  After a leisurely breakfast, Jenny climbed into her car and headed to the house she had once shared with her ex-husband. Her mind began to wander as she drove, and she found herself wondering how much progress he had made on the renovation since she’d been gone. The once-beautiful house had been in terrible shape when they’d bought it, but Greg’s intent had been to fully restore it.

  Greg. Not her favorite person. Not by a long shot. She hoped to be able to avoid him when she went into the backyard and retrieved the aviary urn that had once housed Elanor Whitby and Steve O’dell’s remains. She had originally hung the birdhouse near a cute flower bed by the edge of the property, believing that would have made Elanor and Steve happy. This was the house where they had met, after all, and they’d probably spent time together in that very spot.

  When Jenny moved out, she deliberately left the birdhouse behind, thinking that’s what Elanor and Steve would have wanted. However, since that time she’d come to regret that decision. She wanted the birdhouse in her yard, not Greg’s, and she had since decided that Elanor would have wanted that, too.

  She pulled up to the house, noting that the exterior looked the same as it had when she moved out. That wasn’t surprising, though, considering Greg had mostly been focused on renovating the inside first. With a quick exhale, Jenny parked her car on the far side of the street and turned the key. She admittedly felt nervous, hoping she could sneak in the back, get the urn-turned-bird-house, and leave without detection. Although, if any birds were calling it home, she would have had no choice but to let it stay. She sincerely hoped that wasn’t the case.

  After tip-toeing through the front yard, she rounded the corner to the back of the house—where she didn’t see the birdhouse hanging by the flower bed. She looked around, wondering if she’d actually put it somewhere else and just forgot, but she didn’t see it anywhere. “What the hell?” she muttered as she expanded her search to include more of the backyard. Eventually, her eyes drifted to a pile of junk stacked up near the house with the birdhouse sitting on the ground in front of it.