Meg watched from the doorway as Jack Farley unfolded himself out of the Corvette. As he stood he instinctively brushed at a wrinkle in his gray slacks. Then he tucked his notebook into his left hand and firmly closed the door of the car. He turned toward the house and his eyes met those of Meg Parker as she held the door open wide. She stepped aside as he walked through the door and into the kitchen.
“Good morning, Mr. Farley. Did you have a nice drive down? “ She indicated a chair at the table. “Or would you prefer the living room? It has softer chairs. Or we can set on the deck. It is nice out there in the morning and evening.”
Jack frowned. He had been here less than a minute and was already given three choices. Jack did not like choices. He liked to know exactly what his next move would be and this woman had him going in three different directions before he was completely in the house. He looked at her in consternation.
“Mrs. Parker! This is your home. Wherever you want to sit to hear this gruesome tale I bring you is entirely up to you! Kitchen, front room, deck, roof, chicken house, I really do not give a damn! Just pick a place. Any place!” He stared in horror as he noticed a tiny tear well up in her eye and slowly start down her cheek. Ah shit! What a way to start the day. It could only go downhill from here, he was sure of that. And he was right about that as he noticed Kevin and Greg staring at him in disbelief. Kevin was the first to find his voice.
“Well, let’s do the deck then. Would you like a cup of coffee? And mom made some blueberry muffins. Greg, can you get them settled and then help me here? I would like to get this over with and get into town.”
Very soon they were seated around the glass top table with mugs of coffee in front of them. The silence was awkward and Jack knew it was his little tirade that was at the heart of the matter. Might as well bite the bullet on this one, he thought, as he began to take documents out of his notebook.
He started with the 17 year old boy 16 years ago and concluded with Jeffery and Ambrose. As he reported each one he watched Meg grow paler and more withdrawn. As the threesome realized the full scope of who Marshall Purcell was and what he had done a complete silence gripped the people on the deck.
“Any questions?” They eyed him ludicrously. Meg was the first to speak.
“Why? What would make someone do something like that? How did I figure in this picture? How did he find me? Why did he find me?” Her voice trailed off as her body was wracked with sobs. Kevin and Greg hurried to hold her. Jack suddenly realized that he wanted to hold her and comfort her. He had never had feelings like that in his 53 years and it scared him. Better proceed slowly here!
“That is the big question here. The only family he has left is his father and step mother. There does not seem to be any clues there. Father said he was a good kid growing up and never had any problems. He was injured in Viet Nam, but lots of guys were. After the service he was kind of a loner. Had an office manager and she is helping us track money. Looks like he planned on taking you to Mexico. Lot of unanswered questions.”
An uneasy silence followed and Jack began to tuck his documents back in the notebook. He stood to go. A vision of Meg in his Corvette flashed before his eyes and he snorted in derision as he knew that was not going to happen. It was a short walk from the deck to the car. As he reached for the door handle a small hand appeared on his large one. He stopped and looked in the gray eyes of Meg Parker. His heart almost stopped. What now?
“Mr. Farley. I need to apologize for my behavior. I know you went to a lot of time and expense to come here and tell me this and I did not mean to upset you. Can you forgive me?” Her eyes silently pleaded with him.
What the hell? He behaved like an ass and she apologized? As he gazed down into the eyes that seemed to be turning from gray to green he felt an emptiness well up inside him like he had not known for years. Not since he was a small boy at home in St. Louis. He wanted to say something very profound. Something she would remember, but all that came out when he finally did speak was
“Meg.” and that was barely a whisper. Had the boys not been standing on the deck watching them, he might have grabbed her and kissed her, but they were, so he did not. He needed to think, but that was not going to happen while he was lost in her eyes. This was the first woman he had ever known that looked him straight in the eyes. No wavering there. And he could not turn away. He could not think. But he had to think so he had to turn away. And then he remembered.
“It was not you. It was me.“ He wrenched the door open and climbed into the seat. “I should have your computer next week. Can I bring it to you? I’ll call first.”
Meg smiled. “Sure. Call first.” She did not bother to tell him that by next week she would be up and running with the new computer and would have little use for the other one. She just stood and waved as he left the drive and the shiny blue Corvette turned onto Banner Road, headed for Denver.
*******************************
Buy Chapter One...Loose Ends by Lou Mercer
$14.95 plus shipping
“Good morning, Mr. Farley. Did you have a nice drive down? “ She indicated a chair at the table. “Or would you prefer the living room? It has softer chairs. Or we can set on the deck. It is nice out there in the morning and evening.”
Jack frowned. He had been here less than a minute and was already given three choices. Jack did not like choices. He liked to know exactly what his next move would be and this woman had him going in three different directions before he was completely in the house. He looked at her in consternation.
“Mrs. Parker! This is your home. Wherever you want to sit to hear this gruesome tale I bring you is entirely up to you! Kitchen, front room, deck, roof, chicken house, I really do not give a damn! Just pick a place. Any place!” He stared in horror as he noticed a tiny tear well up in her eye and slowly start down her cheek. Ah shit! What a way to start the day. It could only go downhill from here, he was sure of that. And he was right about that as he noticed Kevin and Greg staring at him in disbelief. Kevin was the first to find his voice.
“Well, let’s do the deck then. Would you like a cup of coffee? And mom made some blueberry muffins. Greg, can you get them settled and then help me here? I would like to get this over with and get into town.”
Very soon they were seated around the glass top table with mugs of coffee in front of them. The silence was awkward and Jack knew it was his little tirade that was at the heart of the matter. Might as well bite the bullet on this one, he thought, as he began to take documents out of his notebook.
He started with the 17 year old boy 16 years ago and concluded with Jeffery and Ambrose. As he reported each one he watched Meg grow paler and more withdrawn. As the threesome realized the full scope of who Marshall Purcell was and what he had done a complete silence gripped the people on the deck.
“Any questions?” They eyed him ludicrously. Meg was the first to speak.
“Why? What would make someone do something like that? How did I figure in this picture? How did he find me? Why did he find me?” Her voice trailed off as her body was wracked with sobs. Kevin and Greg hurried to hold her. Jack suddenly realized that he wanted to hold her and comfort her. He had never had feelings like that in his 53 years and it scared him. Better proceed slowly here!
“That is the big question here. The only family he has left is his father and step mother. There does not seem to be any clues there. Father said he was a good kid growing up and never had any problems. He was injured in Viet Nam, but lots of guys were. After the service he was kind of a loner. Had an office manager and she is helping us track money. Looks like he planned on taking you to Mexico. Lot of unanswered questions.”
An uneasy silence followed and Jack began to tuck his documents back in the notebook. He stood to go. A vision of Meg in his Corvette flashed before his eyes and he snorted in derision as he knew that was not going to happen. It was a short walk from the deck to the car. As he reached for the door handle a small hand appeared on his large one. He stopped and looked in the gray eyes of Meg Parker. His heart almost stopped. What now?
“Mr. Farley. I need to apologize for my behavior. I know you went to a lot of time and expense to come here and tell me this and I did not mean to upset you. Can you forgive me?” Her eyes silently pleaded with him.
What the hell? He behaved like an ass and she apologized? As he gazed down into the eyes that seemed to be turning from gray to green he felt an emptiness well up inside him like he had not known for years. Not since he was a small boy at home in St. Louis. He wanted to say something very profound. Something she would remember, but all that came out when he finally did speak was
“Meg.” and that was barely a whisper. Had the boys not been standing on the deck watching them, he might have grabbed her and kissed her, but they were, so he did not. He needed to think, but that was not going to happen while he was lost in her eyes. This was the first woman he had ever known that looked him straight in the eyes. No wavering there. And he could not turn away. He could not think. But he had to think so he had to turn away. And then he remembered.
“It was not you. It was me.“ He wrenched the door open and climbed into the seat. “I should have your computer next week. Can I bring it to you? I’ll call first.”
Meg smiled. “Sure. Call first.” She did not bother to tell him that by next week she would be up and running with the new computer and would have little use for the other one. She just stood and waved as he left the drive and the shiny blue Corvette turned onto Banner Road, headed for Denver.
*******************************
Buy Chapter One...Loose Ends by Lou Mercer
$14.95 plus shipping
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