“Wouldn't it be nice if that little girl has a relationship with the man? I'm glad you were able to convince Allison to tell the truth, Samantha.”
“I'm not sure how much influence I had, Allison planned to tell Bella the truth when she was older. I also visited with my old friends, Jody, and Erin. Those are two very bitter women.”
“Their problem is they like the same men.”
“You are observant, aren't you, Patsy.”
“I'm a born snoop. That's why I majored in journalism, I like prying into other people's business,” Patsy laughed. “You'd be surprised how much information the people in town are happy to share.”
“You say they like the same men, are you talking about Will Logan?”
“Not only Will and C J, Ted Blanchard is on that list.”
“Ted, the father of Jody's boys? He had a thing with Erin too?” Samantha said in disbelief. “How did I not know what was going on right under my nose?”
“Give yourself credit Samantha; you weren't in town when they were feuding over Ted and Will. From what I've heard, Jody was in love with Ted Blanchard, and Erin, still fuming over Jody's betrayal with C J, set her sights on Ted and won him over. Jody discovered she was pregnant and Ted said he'd marry her. Erin raised the roof and Ted, the coward, skipped out on them both. I guess curiosity about his son brought him back to Ashville. Jody stupidly slept with him again and boom, another baby. Erin knew that Ted was the father of those boys, but it didn't stop her from chasing after Ted. Being true to form, Ted left town again. I don't think he's been heard from since.
“Will arrived in Ashville when his company opened an office here. He and Erin met when she worked as his real estate agent. She fell in love with him and he seemed to care for her too. That's when Jody stepped in and snatched the poor guy away. I've heard Jody and Will are not the happiest couple in the world, although Will is a wonderful father to the boys.”
“Now I understand why they are at each other's throats,” said Samantha. “When I talked to them earlier, each hinted they wanted to kill C J. Maybe I'm reading too much into their ranting.”
“Have you spoken to Kate Turner?” asked Patsy.
“Not yet, I plan to stop by her house in the morning. Kate wasn't as close to the group as the others. Nick was her only interest in high school, she didn't have time to do things with her friends. After a while, we stopped inviting her to join us.”
“Nick had a promising career in football, from what I understand,” said Patsy. “He wasn't as good as C J, but he did help the team win the state championship two years in a row. Thanks to those wins, he received a full scholarship to the university. I know I sound cynical, but he did benefit from C J's death.”
“Are you suggesting Nick had something to do with the accident? That can't be, he was devastated when it happened, Nick lost his best friend that day.”
“Samantha, I'm not suggesting anything, I'm just speculating. If I hadn't received those letters, I wouldn't be questioning anyone's motives. Someone wants answers and I'd like to know why.”
“I know, Patsy, you are right to investigate. I just don't want to face the possibility that someone I've known all my life is a killer.”
Ryan walked into the room interrupting their conversation. He announced that the window is in place and the nail holes are repaired.
“It looks as good as new,” he said.
“Come sit down; let me get you and Jim a cold beer. I can't thank you enough for fixing it so quickly.”
“We're not done yet, Jim's getting his industrial-strength vacuum. That thing will pick up any glass that's embedded in the sofa and carpet. Then we'll take you up on that beer.”
Patsy and Samantha watched the machine work. Patsy would be careful walking around her living room barefoot for a while.
Jim accepted a beer but said he couldn't stay long. He and his wife were meeting friends for dinner.
“I think you know them,” he winked at Ryan. “It's your boss, Al Beardsley, and his wife Marian.”
“You know Coach? He's a great guy, and the reason I applied for a job here in Ashville.”
“Al and I go back some years. We played football together at Ashville High, he was better than me. In fact, he was better than anyone on the team. We're lucky to have him as a coach.”
“I'm surprised he didn't go on to the college level,” said Patsy. “From what I hear, it isn't for lack of offers.”
“I've heard that too. He doesn't talk about it much, but I understand he doesn't want to move his family around. He says, as long as Ashville wants him, he'll stay here,” answered Jim, “Ryan, I guess that's not so good for you.”
“When I interviewed with Coach, he let me know his job wouldn't be opening up anytime soon. We agreed that this would be a stepping stone. I plan to learn everything I can from a great coach and then move on.”
Patsy's heart sank at the thought of Ryan leaving town. She'd only known him for two days but knew she wanted to go on seeing him for the rest of her life. I'll worry about that when the time comes, she thought to herself.
Samantha drove home thinking about her new friend, Patsy. She saw the disappointment in her eyes when Ryan talked about moving on. There was no doubt in her mind that Patsy would follow Ryan wherever he went.
Her mother met her at the door, “Hello dear, I'm happy you're home. I just got off the phone with George Sinclair, he and Sharon couldn’t get a flight tonight but will be arriving at the airport tomorrow morning at nine o'clock. They will rent a car and be here a little after ten. Sharon said he wanted to get in his car and drive here tonight but she convinced him otherwise. I hope he's not disappointed.”
“Mom, if I wasn't certain Allison was telling the truth about Bella, I would never have suggested you call George. I'll let Allison know, do you mind if they meet here?”
“Of course not, will you be here too?”
“I'll be here if Allison wants me.”
Samantha called her friend to let her know George Sinclair was anxious to meet Bella.
“I'll be honest with her, Samantha. I'll have to take her out of school to meet Mr. Sinclair, so she will know something is up. I'll tell her she is meeting her grandfather and warn her he might not believe me, and she'll have to be ready for his rejection. I hope you will be there, Bella likes you and it will make it easier for me if the man turns his back on us.”
Samantha called her old friend Kate.
“Samantha, it's good to hear your voice. I was hoping you would be able to stop by the house, is eight o'clock tomorrow morning too early?”
“Eight will be perfect; I'll come with donuts from Dandies. I haven't had one since I left town.”
After jotting down directions to Kate's house, Samantha ended the call. She heard her father and Jack Fletcher returning home from their golf game. Her mom and Nancy had prepared dinner and she was famished.
Chapter Thirteen
Samantha could hear light drops of rain against the window in her bedroom. She sat bolt upright until she realized it was still three days until the wedding. Surely it will stop raining by then.
Despite the dark skies, she bounced out of bed thinking about Fletch. She knew he planned to work this morning but by late afternoon, he will arrive in Ashville. She knew his parents would want to spend some time with their son but hoped to have him all to herself for a little while tonight.
After a shower, she pulled her hair into a ponytail. There were wonderful aromas coming from the kitchen meaning her mother was making blueberry muffins, Samantha's favorite.
“Good morning, Mom,” Samantha said when she walked into the kitchen, “You know how to make a gloomy morning seem like the sun is shining. The smell of your muffins wafted up the stairs and into my bedroom.”
“I could always wake you up with my blueberry muffins when you were a teenager,” Colleen laughed. “You have been so busy since you've been home; I wanted a chance to chat, just you and me this morning.”
&
nbsp; “I'm sorry, Mom, I've been preoccupied with my old friends. They have all had their share of troubles.”
“Poor Allison, she hasn't had an easy time of it. Her father was a tyrant and her mother is an odd duck, to put it mildly. I hope we did the right thing by telling George about Bella.”
“You do believe Bella is his granddaughter, don't you, Mom?”
“I do, and he believes it's possible. Otherwise, he wouldn't be coming here to meet her.”
Mother and daughter talked for almost an hour before Samantha had to leave to get to Kate's by eight o'clock.
Kate opened the door to her friend, “Come in Samantha, what do you have there?”
“These are Mom's blueberry muffins. I know I promised donuts, but my mom makes wonderful muffins.”
“They smell delicious, your mother always was a great cook. We used to like to go to your house because she always had something wonderful baking in the oven.”
“I'm afraid that talent ended with her. I'm not a very good cook but Fletch wants to marry me anyway.”
“I can't wait to meet him; your mother told my mother he is a terrific guy and nothing like Bobby Rooney.”
“Didn't anyone like Bobby? I haven't heard one nice thing said about him since I came back to town,” said Samantha.
“You were in love back in high school, he had a mean streak that you couldn't see.”
“I guess I was blinded by love back then,” Samantha laughed. “My eyes were opened the other day when he came to see me because he needs a wife to help in his political career.”
“He wanted to marry you, Samantha? That's hilarious, I'm sorry, I shouldn't make fun of it and maybe you don't think it's funny.”
“It's funny and pathetic at the same time. He's an egomaniac, maybe he always was, and I just didn't see it.”
They finished their muffins and Kate suggested they have another cup of coffee in the living room.
The room was very comfortable with overstuffed chairs and a large sofa. The fire was blazing in the fireplace, on a rainy morning, making the room even cozier. Samantha noticed a large, white Bible on the coffee table with an ornate gold cross on the front. Samantha didn't remember Kate coming from a particularly religious family.
“You noticed our family Bible,” Kate said as she walked into the room carrying a tray with two cups on it.
“I was admiring it, it's quite beautiful.”
“It is one of the few things I wanted from my grandmother's home, it reminds me of her. She used to read from it daily. I can't say I do that, but it makes a nice conversation piece. She and Grandpa received it as a wedding gift.”
The friends talked until it was time for Kate to leave. “It's been so wonderful talking with you, Samantha. I wish we could do this more often. Any chance you'll be moving back to Ashville in the future?”
“I don't think so, Kate, my life is in Lancashire now.”
“You could write anywhere; maybe Fletch could join the police force here?”
“I don't think he'd like that, Lancashire is a small enough town for him. He started his career in Chicago; you can imagine what an adjustment it was for him after leaving that environment. I will plan to visit more often, though. Between school and work, I'm afraid I've neglected my hometown long enough.”
Samantha drove the short distance to her mother's house. She wanted to be there before Allison and Bella arrived.
She was happy to see Kate again although something seemed off. She couldn't put her finger on it, Kate acted nervous, as though she wanted to tell Samantha something but couldn't get it out. They hadn't talked about C J The other day, Kate said she didn't want to talk about him, Samantha couldn't help but wonder why.
A strange car was in her mother's driveway. Samantha pulled around it and went into the house.
George Sinclair stood up from his seat on the kitchen chair and gave Samantha a hug.
“I can't believe it, after all these years. You were a beautiful little girl, Samantha but look at you now. You're a knock-out,” he said.
“Mr. Sinclair, you always were a flatterer.”
“What's this Mr. Sinclair, call me George. I'd like you to meet my wife, Sharon. Sharon this is little Samantha who isn't so little anymore.”
“It's a pleasure to meet you Samantha; I hope we aren't intruding on your time with your folks. Your mother tells us you are getting married this Saturday.”
The doorbell rang. Everyone froze knowing it was Allison and Bella.
“I'll let them in,” said Samantha.
She opened the door and saw a look of panic on Allison's face.
“Hello Miss Samantha, my mom and I are here to see my grandpa.”
“Come right in, everyone is in the kitchen.” Bella looked up and saw a huge man standing in the doorway. He walked slowly toward her and she smiled broadly.
George Sinclair was well over six feet tall; he was a large man with white hair. He had a kind face and smiled easily. The sadness Sharon saw in his eyes when they first met had all but disappeared. He looked at the little girl before him. His eyes filled with tears and he squatted so that he was face to face with her. He stared at her and said nothing.
“Mom says you might not want to be my grandpa,” she said solemnly.
“I would like nothing better than to be your grandpa.”
“I can arrange for a DNA test, Mr. Sinclair,” Allison said with a calmness she didn't feel.
“There will be no need for that, I know Bella is C J's daughter without any test. She has her grandmother's eyes.”
Sharon reached into her oversized purse and pulled out an album Frances kept with photos of C J through the years and handed it to Allison.
“I thought Bella would like to see these pictures of her father, the resemblance is remarkable.”
Allison slowly turned the pages of the album, her eyes filling with tears.
“This could be Bella when she was a baby, Trudy Mason, the woman who adopted her, always sent me copies of photos.”
“There is no denying Bella is C J's child,” said Sharon. “Bella, why don't you come with me and we can look at these pictures together. It will give your mom and grandfather a chance to talk.”
“I'd like to, Mrs. Sinclair.”
“I'll go in the kitchen with you, we'll be closer to the cookies I baked this morning,” Colleen said. “Samantha, would you like to join us?”
“Please stay with me, Samantha,” Allison pleaded. “You don't mind, do you, Mr. Sinclair?”
“I don't mind at all,” he answered. Sharon told me you gave Bella up for adoption and finally adopted her yourself. I wish I'd known your predicament, C J's mother and I would've helped you. I'm heartsick and ashamed that my son behaved the way he did. Did he know about the baby?”
“Yes, sir, I told him. He refused to believe me or believe the baby was his. I take responsibility for the pregnancy. My home life was miserable and I'm afraid I confused infatuation with love. I knew it was wrong to give myself to C J, but I don't regret bringing Bella into the world.”
“It won't make up for C J's conduct, but Sharon and I would like to help you and Bella financially. I understand you are living with your mother, is that by choice or necessity?”
“I'm not asking for any money from you. I'm a police officer and the pay is ample for our needs. We live with my mother because she is not able to live on her own.”
“I'm sorry, I offended you and I never meant to do that. I won't offer it again but if you are ever in a bind, you know where you can find help.”
George Sinclair admired the young woman who had given birth to his only grandchild. He knew from Sharon's reports of conversations with Colleen that Allison Jennings' life was not easy. Bella appeared happy and well-adjusted, However, according to Colleen, she was also a troubled child.
“I'm afraid,” George began, “Frances and I were responsible for C J's selfishness. For the longest time, we didn't think we would be blessed with children. When Fra
nces did become pregnant, she was very sick and was bedridden from her fourth month until C J was born. The doctor told us there would be no more babies. We accepted that C J would be our only child and doted on him from the beginning.
“Everything came easily to C J. He had good looks, brains, and an above average athletic ability. He'd been approached by a scout for a professional football team. He told him there was no need for him to go to college. He guaranteed a place on the practice team the year he graduated from high school.
“Frances and I had always given the boy too much freedom to make his own choices and now it was coming back on us. He'd been recruited by four different colleges and promised a full scholarship in three of them. It was a dream for Frances and me, but C J had other ideas.
“We were insistent he attend college and, if at the end of four years, he still wanted to be a professional football player, we wouldn't object.
“The last time we saw our son was the day he slammed out of the house after another argument and cooled off by hiking on the cliffs. That was the day our lives ended too. Frances was never the same, I suspect she blamed me for the accident, although she never said it aloud.”
Allison touched the older man's hand. She felt a terrible sadness for this family who wanted nothing but the best for their only child.
Bella came bouncing into the room.
“Mom, look at this picture of my dad,” she said with pride. “The football team is carrying him on their shoulders. He was a hero, wasn't he Grandpa?”
“Yes, Bella,” George said, “your dad was a football hero. Your grandmother and I were very proud of him too.”
“Here's another picture of him standing next to his bike. What's that all over his pants and his socks?”
“I remember this, C J was about your age. His mother didn't like it when he rode his bike to the cliffs. She thought it was too dangerous for a boy his age. The day this picture was taken, he had taken a shortcut through the field near the cliffs instead of riding on the path. He came home, and his pants and socks were covered with burs from the burdock plant. His mother knew right away where he'd been. She had done the same thing when she was a girl and her parents caught her because of the burs that clung to her clothing.”
Murder in Ashville Page 7
