Down and Dead in Dallas, page 23
“You believed him?” Lester asked.
Christine’s expression turned deadpan flat. “Wouldn’t you?”
“I reckon I would.”
“So what is your issue?”
“It’s simple,” Lester said, lifting his arms. “You got nothing invested and nothing to lose.”
“Nothing to lose?” Christine huffed, thoroughly ticked off. “What about Caroline? You took her in, sheltered her, protected her, right?”
No one answered.
“Right?” Christine elevated her voice.
“Yes,” Miss Emily said.
“Well, I have to tell you, I’m insulted. You people don’t know anything about me. Oh, I have no doubt Mr. Devlin has had scores of people digging to find every scrap of information out there, but someone glossed over everything that matters. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be in this fix and neither would Jackson.” Christine sat down and looked person to person down the row of the committee members. “You say I have nothing to lose. Nothing invested. But you’re wrong.”
“Christine, yelling and hurling insults at them might not be the best tact—“
“I’m telling the truth,” she told Jackson, then looked back to the members. “I owe you. For what you did for Caroline, I’ll owe you forever.” Christine swallowed hard. “That’s a matter of personal integrity. My integrity might not mean a thing to you because of the way I handled this situation, but it means everything to me. I would die before betraying a single one of you.” She sat back down. “Wise or foolish, that’s on me. But don’t tell me I have nothing invested. That’s just not true.”
Jackson reached for Christine’s hand. She slipped hers inside and he gently squeezed. Grateful for his support, she held on tight. Only God knew how this would proceed from here. She probably shouldn’t have yelled or told them they were wrong quite so forcefully, but good grief…
Silence settled over the committee.
Lester noticed their clasped hands. He whispered something to Miss Emily, and within seconds, they were all looking at their hands. Christine tried to remove hers from Jackson’s, but he held on tight. “No,” he said. “No.”
“This really isn’t the right time for defiance,” she said softly. At least, she had his support.
Miss Emily stood up. “We need a recess, Lester.”
“But we just had—“
Miss Emily parked her hand on her hip. “Now, Lester.”
“All righty, then.” Lester whacked the gavel.
Lucas stepped forward between Jackson and Christine and motioned for them to rise.
Back to the parlor where they’d be sequestered. Christine didn’t bother to complain.
“Could be worse,” Jackson muttered.
And probably would be before it was all done.
Visions of the little cemetery in the forbidden area flashed through her mind.
Chapter 32
Jackson stood at the parlor window. His hands clasped behind his back, he looked outside.
Christine left the sofa and joined him, glanced out. “What are all those people doing?” They strolled around the lake, sat under the Gazebo and on the lawn, stretching from the road to the lake. More ambled toward the manor house along the road to the village. “Half the village has to be out there.”
“Or more.” Jackson spared Christine a glance. “You need to be prepared. It appears the committee intends to make an example of us.”
Christine groaned, beside herself. How could she make this better? “I’m so sorry, Jackson. I know you don’t want to hear it, but I feel awful about all this.”
He reached back and covered her hand on his arm. Gave it a gentle squeeze.
An hour later, they still sat on the little sofa, waiting.
Nearly two hours later, Lucas finally unlocked the door and swung it open. “The committee is ready for you.”
At the heavy wooden door to the conference room, Christine’s step faltered. The empty seats behind them had grown to rows seven deep that stretched wall to wall, and all had been filled with Park residents. Most of the faces she recognized from Little Independence Day events, but a few she couldn’t place. And one wearing a gray hoodie and sunglasses Christine didn’t recall having seen before now. Was the woman intentionally shielding her face?
Bent low, she whispered something to Millie, who lived in the cottage next door to Caroline’s. Christine studied the others. Some looked grim and some nervous, blinking furiously. They were all somber. If there had been any doubt about the seriousness of these proceedings, one look at this group would have been all the proof anyone needed to know it.
Jackson guided Christine to her seat with a hand at her back. When they were seated, the committee filed in and returned to their seats.
Lester tapped the gavel and the reverential murmurs of the villagers ceased. The room stilled, seeming almost breathless.
Miss Emily, not Lester, stood and spoke. “During the recess, many of you made your views known to the committee. We appreciate your opinions and suggestions. The decisions made here today impact your futures as well as ours, and we’re acutely aware of it, which is why we summoned you and solicited your input. Thank you for taking the time to join us.” Miss Emily sat down.
“Well,” Lester said to Jackson and Christine. “We have ourselves a dilemma. Seems the people of the Park want you two to live. Yet that doesn’t resolve our issue of personal investment.” Lester’s eyes narrowed on Christine. “Being Caroline’s sister and owing us ain’t enough, Christine. It’s a start, meaningful to us, but it ain’t enough for us to stake our lives on.” He swiveled his gaze to Jackson. “Several residents believe there’s a reasonable solution to this quandary. Frankly, Jackson, the problem ain’t with you. You’ve been with us long enough to have as much mud on your boots as the rest of us. The problem’s with you, Christine.”
She opened her mouth to speak and Lester lifted a staying hand, warning her to keep quiet.
“The committee feels the solution the residents proposed is reasonable, but it also wants to assure itself that implementing it won’t be opening a can of worms. Avoiding discord is essential to the well-being of many here.”
“That’s enough explaining, Lester,” Miss Emily said. “Ask him.”
Lester nodded. “Jackson, you ever kissed this woman?” He nodded at Christine.
“Yes, but not lately.”
That grumbling response created a lot of little chuckles and muffled coughs.
“May we ask why?”
“I guess you may ask, Lester, since you’re responsible. We’ve been under house arrest. Her in one cottage and me in one next door.”
“Did you not eat meals together?”
“We did. More or less,” Jackson said. “Her in her window, and me in mine.”
Obviously the committee members hadn’t been in the lawn chairs between their cottages or they’d know that. With the mirror, Christine had only been able to see them from the knees down, so she couldn’t be sure. But that question from Lester kind of sealed it.
Lester grunted. “And the whole time you’ve been under house arrest, you never visited her cottage, nor her yours?”
“No.” Jackson lifted his hands. “We were under house arrest.”
“Did it occur to you to meet at the property line between the two cottages?” That, from Dex.
“Actually, it didn’t.” Jackson frowned. “Not until now.”
That had the residents giggling and not bothering to muffle with fake coughs.
“Figured you were in enough trouble already, eh?” Miss Emily said.
“Caused enough trouble is more like it,” Jackson clarified. “And house arrest means house, not property lines, right?”
“Technically, no,” Lester said.
Jackson grunted. “We weren’t told that.”
Millie’s Ruddy spoke out. “Put it to ‘em, Lester. If they agree to our proposal, we’ll be satisfied.”
Christine looked back at him. The woman in the gray hoodie turned her head. What was Ruddy talking about?
“You all agree?” Lester asked the spectators. “You’ll be satisfied?”
The residents responded in unison.
Lester looked at Emily. “That good enough or do you want to poll them individually?”
“I’d say their response was unanimous,” Miss Emily said. “If anyone disagrees, please say so now.”
Silence.
Christine’s nerves strummed. Whatever this proposal the residents had concocted was, it couldn’t be good.
“Well, all righty, then.” Lester let his roaming gaze settle back on Jackson and Christine. “Our issue, as we’ve told you, is that Christine doesn’t have a sufficient amount of skin in the game. The residents don’t want either of you dead, if it can be avoided, so that’s left the committee in a dilemma.”
Lester paused to sip water. “During the recess, the residents came up with an idea that would have Christine deeply invested in Sampson Park and in all who reside in it. With their approval, which you just witnessed, we’re going to recommend it to you.” Lester studied Jackson and then Christine. “If you agree, you’ll forfeit the $2,000,000 retainer to Dex as a penalty, and we’ll consider this incident in the past.”
“That’s a steep penalty,” Christine said.
“You’ve committed steep offenses,” Lester countered.
The spectators mumbled their agreement.
“Yes, but I still won’t know what happened to Caroline. I need that money to find her.”
“You don’t need money or anything else to find Caroline.” Dexter Devlin said. “We’ve got her covered.”
Christine pushed. “Do I have your word on that, Mr. Devlin?”
“I just said it.” He frowned. “You said you trust me because I have heart, Christine. Prove it.”
She studied him a long second. “Fine.”
“So is that it?” Jackson lifted a hand. “You take Christine’s money and it’s over?”
“Not exactly, Jackson.” Lester stilled. “You have to do your part.”
“Which is…what?”
Lester lifted his chin. “You’ve got to marry her.”
“What?”
“What?”
Jackson and Christine responded simultaneously, then stared at each other.
“Lester.” Miss Emily rolled her gaze and stood up. “A little context,” she said to Jackson. “As your wife, Christine would have a huge personal investment. The residents and the committee could rest assured of her allegiance because it wouldn’t be just our futures at stake, but her own and yours.” Miss Emily lifted a hand. “The question is whether or not you two are willing to marry. Now, we don’t expect an immediate response. A decision of this magnitude requires thoughtful consideration. We will give you a little time to weigh the matter and discuss it.”
“Are you really demanding this?” Jackson said. “Lester, I’m fond of Christine but marriage? It’s too soon.”
“It’s barely soon enough,” he countered.
Something in his tone changed everything. “What do you mean?” Jackson asked.
“The perimeter breach wasn’t teenagers. It was Martin.”
“Martin!” Christine gasped, shot a look back over her shoulder at Lucas. “Martin? And you didn’t tell me?”
“You were never in jeopardy.”
“Martin.” Lester nodded. “He’s apparently hooked up with some of our old enemies from New Orleans.” The look in Lester’s eyes warned Jackson the enemies that came to mind were the right ones. “You know they’ve been trying to get in here for years.”
“Martin Branch hired the mob?” Jackson couldn’t believe it. He looked at Miss Emily. This news had to terrify her, since she’d once been married to the mob boss Marcello, and to terrify Rose, who had witnessed a hit on that family’s son by a rival family.
“Oh, no.” Rose groaned. “Does this mean Matthew and I have to die again?”
Christine sure hoped not but Jackson looked worried. Rose loved it in Even and she’d just been taken in by the locals.
“Depends,” Lester said. “On what these two decide to do.”
“I don’t understand,” Christine said.
“If you’re one of us, we’ll deal with Martin. Our old enemy goes dormant again. If you ain’t one of us, Rose and Matthew have to leave Even and start over for their own protection. You compromised them in their current location.”
Torn between crying and screaming, Christine did neither. “I’m sorry, Rose. Matthew.”
Rose squeezed her eyes shut, then opened them. “Me, too.”
“So here’s the bottom line,” Lester said. “As of right now, you’re engaged. You have six months to marry. If you choose not to, then that’s it. If you do, life goes on. You’ll return to your cottages and not interact with other residents until you decide and execute your decisions.”
“Six months’ house arrest?” Jackson grunted. “Lester, that’s not reasonable.”
“It’s extremely reasonable. You’ll both be breathing.”
Christine couldn’t believe this. They were as serious as a heart attack, but out of their ever-loving minds. Stay within the four walls of the cottage for six months? “What about my business?”
“No computers or electronics in the Park,” Lester reminded her. “But Dex will have someone take over during your absence and keep the business going.”
“Someone well qualified, Christine,” Dex assured her. “You’ve no need to worry.”
“No need to worry? I’ve poured my life into my business. Do you realize how long six months is in my technology world?”
“Your business is the least of your worries,” Lester reminded her. “If you forfeit your life, you forfeit all of it, including your business. Now that’s worth considering.”
Chills rippled through her body. She stiffened.
“Your business is in good hands,” Dex assured her. “You have my word.”
“What about me?” Jackson asked. “My restaurant…?”
Lester snarled. “Your restaurant is covered.”
Christine asked, “You own your own restaurant?”
“I was working on it.”
That he thought that dream was now dead was clear. More guilt swamped Christine, heaping onto the old. She’d cost him everything, cost herself everything. “I’m sorry.”
“Please, stop saying that.” Jackson turned to face her. “I know, okay? I’m sorry, too, but done is done and being sorry isn’t going to change things. So just stop saying it. Please.”
It was all she could do not to say it again. He was so upset, and the blame truly was all on her. Riding the edge, she felt certain if she said it again, he’d pop a cork. Not that it wouldn’t be warranted, but being in such close proximity during that explosion was just plain stupid. “What about Caroline?” Christine asked Lester. “Will you be looking for her? I have to know what’s happened to her.”
“Dex told you we had her covered. Leave Caroline to us.” Mr. Perini and not Lester answered.
She opened her mouth to insist on details. Surely they had a plan for finding her sister. But face-to-face, the committee looked out of patience, and innately Christine feared anything she said would just turn them further against her. Caro could suffer as a result. Mr. Perini had claimed Caro as family. They wouldn’t turn a blind eye to her. Not with their rabid security and fierce protective attitudes about family.
“Is that it, then?” Jackson asked.
“That’s it.” Lester nodded.
Jackson stood up, looked back at Lucas. “You’ll be escorting us back, I guess.”
Lucas stepped forward, though he didn’t seem comfortable with it. “No choice.”
“Yeah.” Jackson looked at Christine. “Let’s go.”
Christine stood up, more than ready to be off the hot seat. It’d take time to process all this, but already she knew she had only two ways out of this place: Married to Jackson, or toes up in a body bag.
Chapter 33
Just after sundown, Christine lifted her cottage window. A bowl of walnuts had been placed on the little table to her left. Who’d put them there? She had no idea. Someone had also restocked the pantry and filled the fridge with bottles of the flavored water she favored.
She pulled a walnut from the bowl, but hesitated. Odds were slim Jackson would come to his window. He had to be ready to wring her neck. But if they didn’t try to work past this, at the end of six months…
She tossed the walnut.
No response. After waiting a few minutes, she tried again.
Still no response. But she caught a whiff on the breeze. Popcorn?
Leaning out the window, she looked but didn’t see feet or lawn chairs. Whether that was a good or bad sign, she didn’t know. She went to the vanity and dug through the cosmetics, looking for the little mirror but it was gone.
Disappointment sank into her like sharp talons. The committee knew about the mirror and the walnuts, too. She should consider herself lucky, she supposed, they hadn’t taken her out right there in the conference room.
Back at the window, she reached to grab another nut to try Jackson again. A tomato splatted against her shoulder.
“Jackson!” Her shoulder stinging, she glared across the opening.
“Sorry,” he said, looking contrite. “I thought the window was closed.”
“Give me a second.” She held up a staying fingertip, grabbed a dishtowel and swiped the mess from her shoulder into the trash, washed up, changed her t-shirt, and then returned to the window.
Maybe she should wait until tomorrow to talk to him. Today really had not been a good day for either of them. But, she changed her mind, things couldn’t get any worse. Today or tomorrow, what difference did it make? Unless they talked through some of this, there’s no way either of them would get a wink of sleep.
She looked across the lawn to his window. “I’m back.”
“Meet me at the property line,” he told her. “Bring a chair—and wine.”
