by Larry Brown
“Okay, smart guy, why?”
“Frank Martinez and his cousin.”
“Excellent recognition, A+ for you. What do you know about Frank and his cousin?”
“Well, I know that obviously, they are plainclothes detectives in the narcotics division. I know there have been all sorts of rumors that they’re connected to the boys in South America, and I know the description the woman gave fit them perfectly. They even gave the description of the white van with no tag which, to me, might even be the one from the motor pool that they use on a regular basis.”
“That’s what I call being very observant. And yes you are right, I didn’t see the need to waste everyone’s time coming to the station not to mention what might happen if they saw each other. It could be very embarrassing for the captain. But, hopefully, we are wrong. We can have some fun with this and probably know for sure if we are right. When we know they are in the building, we will find an excuse to go and see them and tell the story of the two inept abductors who were fooled by a woman with an empty gun. If it was them, we should get some kind of reaction. First, I want to swing by the motor pool.”
When they arrived at the motor pool, the senior officer spoke, “Is that white van by chance available?”
The man in charge said that it had been checked out for a couple of days by Frank Martinez in narcotics.
Meanwhile, with their shopping complete, the three women and Harmon headed back to Ocala. It was a quiet ride. Even the two teenagers who always talked stayed quiet and to themselves. Andy’s head was spinning. What kind of business was Jack doing in South America that would put her, much less his two daughters, in jeopardy? She was pissed. Not to mention the fact that she was being treated as if he, Jack, was in charge of her. She had been treated as if she were one of his children. This whole thing from the beginning had been nothing like she expected. She had accepted the fact that she had been wrong to move so fast. She had not asked nearly enough questions. She had gotten swept up in the money, glamor, and private jet. Maybe, she thought that’s why she was treated like a teenager. In her mind now, she accepted the fact that she had acted like one.
If she could have a do-over, she would surely take it. But she knew she had to try and work through it. And what about Harry? She was sure she had hurt him. And truthfully, she missed him. What a mess.
Chapter 49
Harry and Betty sat at the kitchen island silently for a few minutes after Clay left. Betty finally spoke, “Are you going to be able to handle this, Harry?”
“Handle what?”
“Harry, you do know, don’t you, that Clay is the biggest gossip in Lakeview. He’s much worse than the women.”
Harry was stunned, “No, I guess I didn’t.”
“Clay’s a great guy, but he just can’t keep his mouth shut. I am truly surprised Andy never mentioned this to you.”
“No, she never did,” Harry was still reeling.
“Harry, by the time this town thaws, you and I will be the talk of the town. How do you feel about that, Harry?”
“Betty, I don’t think this is so much about me. I mean everybody sorta has seen me as some kind of wild guy. You know gunfights, civil lawsuits, Hollywood movies. I think this will be more about your reputation than mine. Maybe you are wrong. I would hope Clay wouldn’t make this out to be more than it is.”
“Oh, I’m not worried, Harry. I told you we had a relationship after I was divorced. It was a huge mistake, but I survived it. People in Lakeview and Polk County tend to overlook or ignore romances by single people. An awful lot of times they end up in marriage. And, by the way, I hope this doesn’t cause you a problem with Andy. Clay was very clear that she misses you and wants to talk to you.”
Harry stared at Betty who had turned toward him. His flannel robe had opened at the bottom, and he could see his plaid boxers she was wearing.
“Betty, you and Andy were good friends. You took trips together, you were close, right.”
“Yes, we were friends. Close may be going a bit far. Did we confide in each other, not often.”
“I’m curious, Betty, did she even mention me?”
“I’m sorry, Harry, she never did.”
“Oh, don’t be sorry. You know, it does bring up a point. I think it’s easy when a man and a woman begin to be friends, and maybe one, or both, for that matter, begin to think about next steps. You must be careful about thinking you know what the other person wants or expects. When you have been out of the single life over 40 years; you were young then, and now you are older, I find it now to be very confusing as a mature adult. Listen, I am not angry with Andy, disappointed, yes. Having said that, it takes time for people to get to know each other really. I think that’s why so many young people live with each other before they marry. I don’t agree with that, by the way, but I do understand it. But before I hear your thoughts, let me say this: 24 hours after Andy left, I realized I was just an old fool, and I moved on. I learned to do that a long time ago. I can empty the box and move on. Now please tell me your thoughts.”
“I had heard you were a tough old bird, Harry, and the more I am around you, I can see why people think that. Don’t take that the wrong way, but I’m not so sure you are over Andy. She was or is my friend. She is a beautiful woman with a great personality and a good sense of humor. She did have an impulsive side. She has surprised me on our trips with her impulsiveness. It was just ever so often she would just jump out of her conservative thinking model. When I saw this just the few times, I thought she was funny. But occasionally it bothered me.”
“What do you mean? Expand on that.”
"No, I don’t mean she would rob a bank on anything like that. When I said it bothered me, it aggravated me. Maybe it was my mood at the time. Anyway, I haven’t talked to her, and quite frankly I doubt I’ll hear from her.
“As to your other thought, I think I understand what you are saying. You already know I made a mistake with one relationship after I was divorced. I have tried not to make another. As I have dated, I have found a number of men I just didn’t care about being around. It seems the ones I saw, maybe seemed only to want one thing. I am no longer a young woman with raging hormones. I have had one marriage that turned out bad. If I ever have another, I want to have no doubts about its success. I can’t remember if I told you, but I have one son, John Jr., who lives in Japan. He is married to a local, and says he will never come back to the States. I made one try to visit, and I have no desire to go back.”
She stood up, realized the robe needed tightening, apologized, and started cleaning up the breakfast dishes. Harry stood to help, but she insisted that he stay seated.
“Let me ramble a little more. I think too many marriages at our age are for convenience or for financial security or for loneliness. And I know a lot of people make them work. I also know some women who have done this and feel it’s too late to start over and just grit their teeth and go forward. I think the problem is honesty. I think an awful lot of people just can’t be honest with themselves much less honest with someone they are seeing. My feeling is that if I can’t be honest with someone, I could never have a relationship. Plus, I would have to know he was being honest with me.”
“But, Betty, how would you know for sure he was being honest?”
“I think that’s a difficult one to answer. I think it takes some time. I think it’s a matter of both parties opening up and revealing their thoughts. I don’t know if it happens that often, but, at least right now, that’s what I think. In the meantime, I want to enjoy myself and have good friends. And, Harry, I hope you and I will be good friends.”
“Betty, you want honesty, I think we are already good friends, and we are about to spend two days together alone in this frozen setting. Our friendship will either grow or fade in the next two days.”
“Harry, I hope it grows but are you willing to try an experiment with me?”
“Maybe, what is it?”
“Let’s you and I be totally honest w
ith each other while we are together. No tiptoeing around it. Let’s just be truthful and see what happens.”
Harry thought about this for a moment and said, “Are you sure about this?”
“Only if you are a willing participant.”
“Betty, I think I can do this.”
"Okay, I want to start with two truths. One, I don’t want you to get the wrong impression about what I said about Clay. Clay does gossip, but, Harry, Clay is a good man. He is a good law officer. And, Harry, Clay really likes you. Some of his gossip is talking about you, and it is all good things. I found out a lot about you from him. Harry, I like Clay, and you know we all have faults.
“My second truth, since we have nowhere to go, I would like a Bloody Mary and watch one of the morning shows. As a businesswoman, I never get to see them except on weekends.”
Harry smiled, “My truth is I think it’s a great idea. And, one more truth, you know we really haven’t known each other very long. And, Betty, you have been very open in the discussions we have had. Maybe, because we spent so much time on the business. I don’t know, but I want you to know I’ve really enjoyed it.”
“Harry, you are right. But you get a lot of the credit. You are very easy to talk to and to be with. I hardly believe I’m sitting here in your underwear and robe and having a drink at 8:00 am in the morning. I mean I probably should not be doing this, but I am comfortable with you. And, Harry, don’t take this the wrong way; this is not an invitation for anything more.”
Harry laughed, “Don’t worry, I haven’t taken this the wrong way and, Betty, don’t take this the wrong way. I think you are a very attractive woman. I feel lucky to be able to spend time with you.”
Chapter 50
The next couple of days were uneventful at Shadow Lake. Andy had a routine with the girls. They worked in the covered ring for an hour from 9:30 till 10:30 am, and they rode the property from 10:30 am till noon. After lunch, the girls spent the afternoon working on their studies. Andy spent her afternoons reading the latest equestrian periodicals and watching cable TV news.
On this particular day, Ms. Spurgeon informed the girls their father had returned and had requested a private lunch with them and then a meeting with Andy at 3:00 pm. Andy was surprised that Jack would not include her in the luncheon or at least come out and tell her hello. Andy asked Ms. Spurgeon where she could find Jack so that she could at least welcome him back.
“Your lunch is being served in your suite. Mr. Winstone has requested no visitors until your meeting at three. Someone will come to your suite and take you to Mr. Winstone,” she said this curtly and turned to begin talking to the girls.
Andy was now angry and stepped in between Ms. Spurgeon and the girls. “Are you telling me I’m restricted to my quarters until I am summoned?”
Ms. Spurgeon spoke without any change in expression, “I believe that would be preferable to Mr. Winstone.”
Andy was now pissed, “Ms. Spurgeon, I will have my lunch by the pool and not in my suite, and I will let everyone know where I will be after lunch.”
Ms. Spurgeon almost cracked a smile, “I am afraid not ma’am. The pool has been reserved for the luncheon of Mr. Winstone and his girls, and, your lunch has already been delivered and set up in your suite.”
Andy turned and walked away without saying another word. She went to her suite, ate her lunch, showered and put on fresh clothes to await her summoning.
Andy was seething. At a little after 2:00 pm, she left the suite and headed for the pool area. When she arrived, she saw that lunch had been taken away, and Jack and the girls were still at the table. She didn’t hesitate walking straight to their table. “Jack, welcome back, it’s so good to see you.”
Jack’s face began to flush as he stood, “It’s good to see you, and it is good to be back. But didn’t you get my message that I would send someone to get you for a meeting at three?”
Andy smiled, “I did, but why so formal?”
“I have to stay organized, it’s the way I am.” The two girls began to giggle, and Jack turned and gave them a nasty look.
No hug, no embrace, no warmth; it was fuel on Andy’s fire.
“Well, excuse me, Jack. Far be it for me to be the one who keeps you from being organized.” She turned and walked away.
The girls laughed again as Jack shouted, “Andy come back here.” Andy never paused as she left the house and headed for the barn.
Jack turned to his two daughters, “Since when did rudeness become funny? What kind of nonsense is Andy putting into your heads?”
Jane looked at her father with a puzzled look on her face, “Dad, I don’t think Andy is used to having all her decisions made for her. She even said to Harmon that she would not be treated like a 12-year-old.”
Jack did not smile, “Yeah, I have already heard about all the things she said to Harmon. He was there to serve and provide protection for you and not to be questioned or berated.”
Jenny then spoke, “Heck, Andy is the one who protected us.”
Jack put his hand on Jenny’s shoulder and angrily said, “Young lady, Andy almost got you killed. You don’t know what you are talking about.”
“All I know, Daddy, is that Harmon was laying on the floor when the two men forced us in the van. And only Andy got us free.”
“You are wrong, Jenny, now please don’t say that again,” he said as his anger was clearly showing.
“Daddy, what part is wrong?” Jenny was becoming defiant. Jane put her hand on Jenny’s arm and started negatively shaking her head.
“How dare you talk back to me, young lady. This conversation is over. Now both of you to your rooms.”
“We have studies now, Dad,” Jane said as she led Jenny away from the table and their angry, frustrated father.
Andy arrived at the barn and wanted to take her horse and disappear in the 700 acres of Shadow Lake Farm. But she had dressed to impress Jack and not ride horses. Her shoes certainly were not ones she could walk far in, and that left her one choice. She asked one of the men if he would get her a Jeep. She wanted to drive around. He informed her he would have to contact Mr. Winstone and get his permission. Andy exploded. She ripped the poor man apart. She told him in no uncertain terms, that if he didn’t get her the Jeep now, he was fired. The poor man was terrified and left and was back in minutes with a vehicle. Andy took the Jeep and disappeared into a grove of trees at the far end of Shadow Lake. She was out of the Jeep pacing in the trees talking out loud to herself. She was praying; she was crying. What a mess. She was beginning to doubt herself. Was she overreacting? Was she acting like a spoiled teenager? NO! She was mad. She had been disrespected. Her biggest problem was not knowing what to do next. She looked at her watch; it was half past four. She had been there for several hours. It was then she heard a vehicle approaching. It was Dax. He parked beside her vehicle and got out and walked over to her, “Damn, I was about to decide that you left the property.”
“I would have, but I didn’t have my purse.”
“I’ve been riding around for a while trying to find you.”
“I didn’t want to be found.”
“I can see that. Well, I found you, and Mr. Winstone says you and he were supposed to parlay at three.”
“I decided not to go.”
Dax took off his hat, pulled a handkerchief from his back pocket and wiped the moisture from the inside band. He sucked on his ever-present toothpick and spoke. “Now, Andy, I know you don’t like me, but let me say a few things that, if you don’t already know, you should. Mr. Winstone is the third owner I have worked for here. All three had a load of money. Most men like that are used to having things their way. Even if it’s wrong, they want their way. He ain’t no different. I don’t know what your problems are, and, to be honest, I don’t really give a damn. And while I’m going that way, Andy, I don’t give a damn whether you like me or not. I don’t give a damn whether you go or stay as long as you don’t stop me from keeping this ranch running the way
it’s supposed to run. My thought is, if you want to stay, you ought to get your ass off your shoulders and get on back there and take your medicine and move on. But hey, that’s me. Now I’m going to get in my Jeep and go back to tell him I found you. If you decide to follow me, then I’ll peel off and let you handle it. And again I don’t give a damn what you decide.” Dax turned and walked to his Jeep and left, never looking back. It was a moment of reckoning for Andy.
Chapter 51
It was almost midday; Betty and Harry were still in front of the TV watching the morning shows. They were having a fine time together. They had laughed, talked politics, religion, and even some sports. Harry had made a giant pitcher of Bloody Marys, but he had had only one. Betty had now gotten very quiet, and Harry noticed that the Bloody’s were gone. She turned away from the TV and looked at him and said, “Harry, I think I am blasted,” and then she laughed. “I think I called you Hawy,” and she laughed again. Harry was now grinning and could see her eyes had gone glassy.
“Oh my, I haven’t been this way in thirty years,” and she laughed again. She started to stand but sat right back down. “I have to pee,” and she was starting to laugh harder. Harry jumped up. “Let me help,” he said, as he helped her off the couch and started walking her to the powder room.
“I don’t need your help to pee,” she said trying to be serious, but she couldn’t stifle her giggle.
Harry was smiling trying not to laugh out loud. “I’ll just take you to the door, and you’re on your own.”
She came out in a few minutes to find him waiting at the door. “Oh Harry, I’m smashed,” as she reached out to him for support.
Harry was leading her down the hallway, and she said, “Where are we going?”
He said, “I have a plan. I’m going to take you to bed.”
Before he could finish, she said, “Oh my, you devil,” and she was laughing again.
“No, no. I’m going to let you have a nice nap and I am going to shave and shower, and then think about what I am going to make you for lunch when you wake up.”
