“I’m OK, I wanted to thank you for talking me into coming to see her. I wouldn’t have wanted to see her die alone.”
“I was happy to do it. Do you know who you are going to get to transport her body?”
“No, we don’t know anybody down here, do you know who we can call?”
“We aren’t supposed to recommend anybody, but I can give you the name of someone who I know is reputable and won’t cost an arm and a leg.”
“That would be great.”
“You can call them and make the arrangements over the phone and they will pick up the body from us and take care of everything.”
“That sounds like exactly what I want, thanks,” said Amelia, “you have been so good to us.”
“Think nothing of it,” said Sophie, “are you staying in town tonight?”
“I don’t know I’ll ask Chad what he wants to do, we didn’t plan on it, but both of us told our bosses that it might happen that way. Do you know of any places that are reasonable if we decide to stay?”
“I’ll ask Bart, he knows all that, I’ll step out and call them in.”
The men came in talking and laughing excitedly, it sounded as if they were having fun.
“Sweetie, I think Amelia and Chad will be finishing up with the arrangements in a few more minutes, if they decide they want to stay in town tonight where should they stay?”
“We were coming in to ask you ladies if you wanted to go out to dinner this evening.”
“I would have to go home and get out of my uniform,” said Sophie, “I have a great idea let’s have Amelia and Chad go home with us and we’ll make dinner there. It’s going to be really crowded here in town with all the tourists here for the Cherry Blossoms anyway.”
‘How about it Amelia and Chad?” asked Bart.
“Babe, what do you think,” asked Chad?”
“We don’t want to impose, after all Sophie just put in a long day, she may not be up for company.”
“I’m fine with it,” Said Sophie.
“OK it’s settled then,” said Bart, “we’ll wait for you to get the papers signed then you can follow us home.”
After getting to the house, Bart said, “Honey why don’t you go and take your shower and Chad and I can start the grill and cook outside.”
“That sounds good,” Said Sophie, “I’ll get the chicken ready and then go shower.”
“I can do that?” Amelia volunteered.
Sophie opened the refrigerator and brought out the food. “I’ll be out if a jiff.”
The guys put the chicken on the grill.
Amelia was at the sink washing the lettuce and other veggies when Chad came into the kitchen.
“Bart sent me in to get a platter,” he said, “it’s on the top shelf next to the stove.” He reached up and found what he wanted. He put it on the counter and said to Amelia, “Come here my Babe I wanted to give you a kiss all day. You were so brave at the hospital are you OK?”
“Honey you are ever so sweet, I’m fine you really helped me get through it. I’m so glad we decide to come down here.”
He took her in his arms, and they kissed. Sophie came into the kitchen, saw them and smiled, Bart came in from the outside and was about to ask Chad what was taking him so long when he stopped to watch them kissing also.
He walked quickly over to Sophie and said, “That looks like a fine idea to me and he began kissing her.”
Chad and Amelia sensed they were in the kitchen, they looked over to see Sophie and Bart kissing. Chad laughed and said, “I hope we didn’t interrupt anything.”
Bart looked at him and said, “I see you two feel the same about each other as we do, I like that.”
“I love being married to Amelia,” said Chad, “she’s the best thing that ever happened to me.”
“I hear you brother, I feel the same,” said Bart.
Through the open window, they could hear Bart and Chad talking and laughing as they exchanged war stories. “It sounds like they have known each other all their lives,” said Sophie. “I love to hear Bart laugh and feel happy.”
Sophie set the table and began helping Amelia cut up the vegetables. Bart and Chad came in to say they needed about 20 more minutes for the chicken to be done.
Sophie said, “Honey why don’t you fix some drinks.”
“I think we need to call around to see if we can get a place to stay first,” said Chad, “before I drink anything, we may have to drive home tonight. Is there any where close you recommend.”
“I think you should stay here with us,” said Sophie, we have plenty of room, and we’re both off tomorrow. Is that OK with you Honey?”
“That’s just fine with me I was going to suggest that myself.”
Chad looked at Amelia, “Babe, what do you think?”
“I know you two are dying to continue on telling your war stories and it would be great if it’s not too much of an inconvenience.”
“It’s all set then,” said Bart, “you go check the chicken Chad I will go make the drinks for the girls. I can’t wait to hear about your 20 minutes landing to see Amelia without orders,” he said laughing.
Amelia laughed then too, “I’ll fill Sophie in on that story while you two cook, talk about birds of a feather,” she said smiling. “I’m glad Chad is laughing and having a good time too, he deserves it putting up with all the drama in my life.”
“It sounds as if you and Chad are really into one another, I like the way he doesn’t make a decision without asking you what you want to do.”
“We have a great relationship. He treats me as if I were the most special person in the whole world. I think we were in love for quite a while before we knew it and we have only been married a little over a year now.”
“Bart and I over two years, but it’s still like the first few weeks he is such a sweetheart, like Chad I think in many ways, kind, thoughtful, caring and sexy.”
“I love the sex part,” said Amelia with a slight blush, “Chad says I’m too straight forward about things like that, I see nothing wrong with saying that I love to have sex with my husband?”
“I know how you feel. I like the sex part too, and sometimes men are shy when they hear you say that out loud, but they really love to hear that.”
They put the salad in to cool and it would only take a few minutes to steam the asparagus, so they brought their drinks and went out to talk with the guys. The girls went in to put the food on the table and called to Chad and Bart to come in for dinner.
Sophie chuckled when she heard Bart say to Chad “I could eat a bear.”
They and sat and talked and laughed. Sophie was fascinated with Amelia’s job in the lab and Amelia thought Sophie’s job was so exciting. They became fast friends. The next days they slept until 9:00, they all had breakfast together and Chad and Amelia left thanking them profusely for the wonderful hospitality they showed them. Sophie and Bart promised to visit them as soon as they had a weekend off together.
[ Chapter 57 ]
Amelia and Chad were going to drive to the farm, it would take several days for Lynn’s body to be taken to the local town’s funeral home. Roger and Deana arranged for a minister to have a small service and they would bury Lynn’s body next to her father. They were about to leave when the phone rang, Chad answered, it was Wilson.
“Hi Wilson, what up?”
“I was calling to fill you in on the latest that I heard, I wanted to call now before Shelly and I leave, we are getting ready to go on a little trip to get away, we haven’t been anywhere together for a while.”
“We were about to get started ourselves, I was putting our stuff in the car. We’re driving to the farm to bury Amelia’s mother. It’s going to be us no big ceremony or anything.”
“Oh,” said Wilson, “I forgot all about that, Shelly told me about Amelia’s
mother. Hold on a minute. What sweetie?” He said, talking to Shelly. “I’m talking to Chad. She wanted to know where you are going,” said Wilson. “I’ll fill her in. Getting back on the phone, he said, “Shelly wants to know if you all want some company on your trip?”
“That would be so great,” said Chad, “Amelia is not exactly in mourning, but she still feels badly, that would be really good for her if you two could come with us.”
“OK as soon as we’re ready we’ll drive over.”
“Great!”
“Mellie sweetest,” he called to Amelia, “Guess what? Shelly and Wilson are coming over and want to go to the farm with us.”
“That’s so nice of them,” she said, “that makes me feel good. I’ll call Roger and Deana and let them know.”
The trip was a long one and they decided to stay overnight in a motel they found along the way. They had dinner at a diner a few miles away and went to their rooms to rest. Several hours passed and Chad couldn’t stand it anymore.
“Honey, please believe me I thought I could sleep anywhere, anytime, when I was in the Army, but that is the lousiest bed I have ever slept in I have slept on ground that was better. Not only was the mattress lumpy, and please don’t take this the wrong way, I love sleeping next to you, but the mattress caved so far in the middle my butt was touching the floor.”
Amelia burst out laughing, “I know what you mean, I thought for a minute we were glued together, and I couldn’t move my hand to scratch my nose.”
“Let’s see if Shelly and Wilson are up yet and get an early start. I’ll go and knock lightly on their door and see if they want to leave soon.”
As Chad came out of the door, he saw Wilson walking toward the soda machine.
“Wilson, what are you doing up so early?”
“Up so early? I’m not up so early, I never went to sleep. I dozed in the chair for about an hour and that was it. The bed is the worst one I have ever slept in.”
Chad began to laugh, “Same with us, what’s say we get our stuff together find somewhere to have breakfast and get an early start?”
“I’m ready man Shelly is taking a shower,” they heard screaming coming from Wilson’s room. They ran to the room and Wilson ran into the bathroom shouting for Shelly are you OK?”
“I’m sorry for screaming and scaring you,” she said, “I turned on the shower and there’s no hot water the ice-cold water took me by surprise. Let’s get out of here.”
“Chad and I were making plans to do that get dressed and we’ll get going.”
Wilson came out into the room and had the biggest grin, “I was going to take a shower, he said, “Shelly wanted to go first, if that were me I’d still be looking for my gonads in my stomach.”
Back on the road after breakfast, they talked and laughed about the motel rooms and how Chad said to the manager when they left that he was going to recommend it to Al Qaeda warriors because they get off on torture.”
They arrived at the farm, Roger, Deana, and Matt and the kids were thrilled to see them. Deana had a delicious meal ready for them and they sat around talking for an hour. Roger told them that the minister would be there tomorrow at 2:30 and would say a few words and then they would have a small luncheon. A few of the neighbors might show up and “I know your mom will come, Chad,” said Roger.
Amelia, Chad, Shelly, and Wilson went over to see Ida that evening. She was so happy to see them and welcomed Wilson and Shelly. They talked about everything that was going on in their lives and caught Ida up on the news. Ida said, “You know Shelly I think I almost know you and Wilson and Betty and Darrell from talking to the kids here,” she said, “they enjoy your friendship so much and I’m so glad you all have one another to depend on.”
The next day they all got up early and at breakfast, Roger said to Amelia, “I have old Bessie all gassed up and lubricated, do you want me to do it or will you?”
“Wilson looked at them strangely, old Bessie?” He questioned.
“Yeah that’s what we named the backhoe Amelia learned to operate on. What about it Sis?”
Amelia got a devilish look in her eye, “I may be a bit rusty, but I think I can handle it.”
They all went out to the edge of the field where Amelia’s father was buried. Amelia and Chad went to the barn to get the backhoe. She had the silliest grin on her face when she started up the equipment and giggled a little. Chad was in the backhoe sitting on an overturned bucket.
“Believe it or not, Honey, I really liked to run backhoes. It’s so soothing when you get good enough you don’t have to think about anything else, only the correct size of the ditch and the men in it when you are working.”
Wilson looked astounded when Amelia came rumbling out of the barn driving the backhoe. He knew she worked at the construction company but had never seen her in action on a backhoe. She walked the machine over to the edge of the field. Roger had already marked off where she should dig so she wouldn’t disturb their father’s grave. She began by lifting off the top few inches of grass and set them aside. Then she took another pass and got a bucket full of dirt and then another. On the third full bucket, she saw Roger step out and begin to wave, his hands in the air wildly and yell for her to stop. She stopped the machine and she and Chad got down.
They went over to the last pile of dirt and Roger pointed to several bones scattered in the dirt.
“Jesus Amelia! Who do you think that is,” said Roger, “it can’t be daddy, he’s in a coffin?
Wilson came to the pile and picking one up and said, I’m sure these are human bones. “Do any of you know who this could be?” Amelia turned to Chad and let out a whimper, he put his arms around her.
“Wilson this is what we couldn’t tell you,” said Chad.
Amelia composed herself and told them the entire story. “I didn’t hang around long enough to see what Jerry did with Roberto’s body. I saw him dragging him by the legs, I thought he took it in the woods somewhere, but that is just like lazy Jerry, taking the easiest way out.”
Wilson said, “I guess we should call the sheriff and make a formal report.”
“I agree with that,” said Roger, “first let’s get Lynn buried then call. I’ll cover the pile of dirt with a tarp and Amelia can dig a grave on the other side of daddy’s and when all is done, and everybody is gone we’ll call the sheriff.”
“That’s OK with me,” said Wilson, the guy sure isn’t going anywhere, we’ll call when all this is over.”
Amelia dug the grave and then parked the backhoe in the field. They got ready and the funeral home brought the body. The minister came, said a few prayers, and read the 23rd psalm. He asked that the family find it in their hearts to forgive Lynn for her transgressions and hope she was in peace now. Ida came and the Saunders’s, from the farm next to them, and one or two people from town. Mr. Nader came and was so happy to see Amelia and Chad.
“Roger talks about you all the time, he is so proud of you and all that you have accomplished,” said Mr. Nader, “and Amelia if you ever need a job as an operator please come to me. She is the best,” he said to Chad.
They had a quiet luncheon and then left.
Roger called the sheriff and they all sat on the porch and waited for him to arrive. He came and brought the town doctor who was also the coroner and they went to the field. The doctor assured them they were human bones.
“We can’t use the backhoe to continue digging because it would destroy anything else left there. I’ll call the county man and see if he could bring some of his men here tomorrow to finish digging to find the rest,” the sheriff said.
Wilson introduced himself to the sheriff and told him the story about Jerry. “It’s up to you to call in the FBI because I have no jurisdiction here, but I think they would be might interested. I could give you the name of the lead agent on the case and we could call him.”
�
�Ya know,” said the Sheriff, “I knew no good would come to that boy. He tried to swindle his own kin out of what they had, when they really were scrapping to make a living. I would like to see him get his just do. Call your friend and let’s see what they want to do.”
Wilson called Vince and told him the story. He asked to talk to the Sheriff.
“When the sheriff got off the phone, he told Wilson that FBI Agents from their offices two counties over would be out in the morning. He said you, Amelia, and Chad should go on with your plans and go back to Philadelphia and he will catch up with you there. I will take a statement from Amelia here and then they will talk with her when you all get home.”
The next morning, they all got ready to go back home. Roger hugged Amelia and told her not to worry. “Look sis,” he said, “Everybody who knows Jerry including the whole town here, knows he was no good. It’s not as though you are turning your back on him, you are doing what has to be done. I know you can do it you are strong. You always have been the backbone of this family.”
“Roger, I love you and Deana and Matt and the kids so much, it hurts me that Jerry turned out to be like he is. I know I could never trust him and if he could he would try to hurt me and Chad.”
“Roger took Chad aside and said to him, “Chad I know that I don’t have to say this but please, please stay close and protect Amelia, if you need me to come and help I will. Chad one more thing, if anything happens and somehow that slim bucket of shit of a brother of mine gets too close to her, don’t hesitate to kill him, because he will try to kill her if her can.”
“I will Roger and Wilson is a cop and he is aware of all of this too. But thanks, it’s good to know if I need you, I can count on you.”
The journey back was not as much fun as going to the farm, but Amelia and Chad were happy Wilson and Shelly were there. They talked openly about what would be expected of Amelia and it was very good in a way, it gave Amelia a chance to prepare herself for what was to come and to express some of her fears. Wilson went over what the FBI would be asking her and told her to think back if she could to get the clearest picture, she could remember in her mind maybe even write it down. That way it will make your story more credible and it will be easier to talk to the FBI agents. Once they know you have told them all you know it will go fast.
Secrets of Amelia Page 36
