Chapter 35
I awoke. It was Saturday. I showered, shaved, dressed, and drove over to the diner for some coffee. At the diner, Janice was there, of course, seemingly working every hour the place was open.
“Coffee, Mr. Parker?” she asked with mug and steaming pot in hand.
“Sure. But maybe you can call me Nathan since I’m becoming a regular customer?”
“Maybe. But I’m not sure I want to be that familiar with a guy who keeps getting in trouble with the law,” she responded.
What was she talking about? She saw my puzzlement and continued.
“Well, you get locked up by Enid on your first day in town. Then you have a face-off with Jeff Wells at the fair. You seem like trouble looking for a place to happen.”
News sure does travel fast in this small town. “Enid?” I asked.
“Yup. Came in here first thing this morning to spread the word about you. I told you that boy loves to tell a story.” She chuckled as she walked toward the kitchen. “I’ll bring you some breakfast.”
I hadn’t ordered anything to eat, but whatever she brought was bound to be good. I noticed that the other diners were looking my way furtively and suppressing chuckles of their own. Wonderful. At least, though, this new story probably wouldn’t end up in the local paper. That reminded me to call Joseph Custer again. It went right to voice mail, and I left another message.
I found a section of the Helena Herald in a booth nearby. I grabbed that for reading material until my food arrived. It also provided something I could focus on, thus allowing me to easily ignore the gazes of the gossipers in the diner.
In spite of the tense atmosphere, I enjoyed what Janice brought to my table: eggs, biscuits, and grits. Just as I finished and was enjoying a few last sips of coffee, my cell phone rang. Everyone in the place immediately stared at me, so I quickly flipped open the phone. I hoped it was Joseph Custer finally getting back to me. He had said he wanted to use the story in Monday’s paper. That meant we had to get together soon to discuss the details.
“Hello,” I said in anticipation.
“Hello, sailor. Are you busy?” It was Allison.
“Hi,” I said softly. I felt a little guilty thinking the call was from Joseph when I should have been thinking of her. “I was just thinking about you.”
“Liar,” she said sweetly. “But it’s nice of you to say.” She giggled faintly. “Are you close by? Can you come over to the house?”
I wanted to say something clever like everywhere is close by in this town. I could be there in less than five minutes from just about anywhere. But she quickly continued.
“Jeff has something he wants to say to you.” Then she must have held the phone far away from her lips. I heard the echo as she said loudly, “You do have something to say to Nathan, don’t you, dear brother?” Then softly she said into the phone, “I’ll see you soon.” She hung up.
I slapped some dollars on the table, and bolted through the door. I was eager to see her again. But then maybe I should not be in such a rush. Allison had probably given Jeff what-for. That was not necessarily a good thing for me. He was armed. I was not. I vowed to stay close to the exterior door when we had our face off.
In less than four minutes, I was at the house. I rang the doorbell and Allison answered. She grasped my left arm with both hands, pulled me near, and kissed me on the cheek as she led me in. Jeff was standing and waiting. Even though Jeff towered over Allison by a half foot, he seemed subdued and smaller now. She had definitely given him what-for. It was an odd scene for a burly uniformed county trooper to be so intimidated by a petite redhead.
Allison steered us to the sofa, and gestured for Jeff to sit in a chair across from us.
“Jeff?” she started.
He breathed in deeply and slowly exhaled in defeat. “I was.….” He hesitated as if finding the words he wanted. “ I was not as hospitable as I might have been last night.” This was really hard for him, but he chose his words carefully to be consistent with his apparent dislike for me.
“Go on,” she prompted quietly while staring him down.
“I was just being protective of my sister. Being a cop, I’m naturally suspicious. I was concerned that she was being taken advantage of by an unemployed drifter.” He seemed to have absolutely no problem delivering this part of his speech without any hesitation. It was how he felt, so there was nothing artificial about it. Then he finished with, “In spite of those concerns, I could have been more cordial.”
It was an awkward apology, of sorts, and it seemed his obligation to Allison on this matter was now over. And he had clearly hit the nail on the head. I was an unemployed drifter. But in spite of that handicap, I had miraculously won favor with his sister.
“Thanks, Jeff,” I said. “I understand.” Since I did not have a rehearsed script, I was gathering my thoughts to continue with a defense of my unemployed state. But Allison closed this chapter in our relationship.
“Not great,” she said to Jeff, “But much better. Now shake hands and start all over.”
We shook awkwardly, and she continued. “Jeff, since you are so concerned about Nathan’s employment status, perhaps you can help him find something. Or at least help him find whatever he needs to write his book. He won’t tell me what his book is about,” she smiled in my direction a bit accusingly. “But that’s OK. I understand that authors tend to be secretive until they’re finished. Anyway, since both of you are cops by training, maybe you can find some common ground.”
Speaking to me, she continued, being very much the general in charge of an unruly batch of recruits. “Jeff has to work this afternoon and tomorrow. But for now the two of you should talk, cordially. And Jeff will find time to look for a position with the county or right here in Willow Run. Won’t you, Jeff?” She directed this last question squarely and pointedly at her brother.
Jeff nodded in agreement. “Yes, Ma’am.”
“Excellent. This morning I work at the library, and this afternoon I have to collect clothes and food for the charity drive. But tonight, Nathan, please join us for dinner here at seven o’clock.”
“Yes, Ma’am.” I parroted Jeff’s response since it had not led to any outburst from the in-charge redhead.
“Excellent again.” She leaned toward me. “Nathan, I’m glad you came over.” She put her palms lightly on my chest and kissed me gently on the lips. She may be the general today, intimidating her brother and giving me orders. However, she also had a very tender side that I craved.
She pushed back from me, stood, snatched up her purse, and walked toward the front door. Jeff and I watched as she left.