The ties that bind 3, p.28
The Ties That Bind 3, page 28
part #3 of The Ties That Bind Series
“It was empty. I don’t kill babies. Scheming-ass bitches? You damn right I don’t discriminate. Especially when they’re dirty. But never babies. Make sure you hold them extra tight. They tend to grow up fast.”
Marcus pointed to the microwave on the counter. Gracie saw some money on top of it. “Sorry, about the window on the backdoor. That should cover it. Remember, this conversation stays between us. I did take the liberty of keeping some insurance for your silence and made copies of your books at the library while you were at church. You don’t tell, I won’t either. Have a good night, Gracie.”
With a tip of his hat, he slipped out the damaged door and into his rental car and headed back toward the airport. The trip had certainly been worthwhile, Marcus thought. It was a good thing he’d decided to check his messages last night.
“Hey, Rage. Minnie here. Man, I hate that we keep missing each other! I can’t stay on long. Go see a waitress named Deanna Flores at the Denny’s in Albuquerque across from the police station. She works the evening shifts until midnight except on Sunday and Monday. Deanna saw Lorelai there and had her followed for a week. Be prepared to be generous for the info. Hope this helps. Later.”
Between rebuilding the youth center and designing the bar, Marcus was exhausted and fell directly into bed most nights where his dreams conspired against him. They were nothing but erotic fantasies about Claudia. Damn, he missed the brash little fireball. He missed her sass and the way his palms effortlessly molded to her curves. He missed the sweetness of her mouth and the addictive taste of her pussy. It was so rich and decadent that he could practically conjure up the aroma. His dick twitched, a reminder that Marcus was celibate and not by choice. He’d had plenty of offers, but mamacita had spoiled him for other women. Tuh. Spoiled, his ass. More like fucking ruined him. Marcus made a mental note to tell her when he saw her soon. He grinned, picturing Claudia’s lovely face when he surprised her.
As soon as he listened to Minnie’s message, he’d booked a flight and rental car. Marcus had a late dinner at Denny’s as Deanna filled him in between customers. She and two cousins had put Lorelai under surveillance. She gave him the address for Gracie, who coincidentally happened to go to the same church as her family. The woman lived with her two grandkids whom she was raising alone. Deanna’s Aunt Rosario had promised to keep Gracie occupied the majority of the day after service if she received a cut too. Marcus gave the young woman fifteen-hundred dollars to split as she pleased and drove to Gracie’s house to do recon work for the next day.
Marcus grabbed his cell phone and dialed the number he knew by heart.
“Director Shore.”
“Sir, it’s Marcus Glover. There’s been a development.”
“Marcus,” the director’s voice warmed with recognition. “What kind of development?”
“Fitzgerald purchased several fake IDs. I’ve got the names whenever you’re ready.”
“Let’s hear them.”
Marcus rattled them off.
“Thanks for the information. I’ll give you a call to update you on the status of the investigation when I get some news.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“Hang in there, Marcus. We’re closing in on her. I can feel it.”
Lorelai was bored. She’d just finished going over the notes compiled from Nick’s recordings on his last trip to Baja, but her mind wasn’t entirely focused on that project. It was fixated on the new one that Nick was demanding she complete in a timely manner. Eliminate Ransom Lawson from Billy’s life for good. Lorelai had to give Nick credit. It was a power move that had thoroughly stumped her. She hadn’t thought him capable of such treachery. Then again, he’d never had a secret weapon like her before. Lorelai laughed at the concept of being someone’s fairy godmother and granting wishes left and right.
At first, Lorelai balked at the suggestion. She had one agenda only here. Hers. Just as quickly, she swallowed her selfishness, opting to see the bigger picture. Claudia would be devastated. To lose both of her children in such a short time span may very well kill her. Ransom was most likely gunning for her anyway. Might as well beat him to the punch. Poor, beautiful Billy would be heartbroken and never recover. As a father, that would be painful for Rage to cope with.
It sounded like heaven to Lorelai. Her cell phone rang, and she lunged for it, her stomach trembling with anticipation. Nick had called earlier and said something might be going down and that he’d call her with details if possible.
This could be it for her, she thought gleefully. “Hello?”
“We have a problem,” Director Shore announced crisply.
Lorelai clucked her tongue. “We have a problem? Or you have a problem that needs cleaning up?”
“Don’t get smart with me, Fitzgerald.”
“Then why don’t you dumb it down for me, Shore? What’s the problem?”
“Glover is on to something.”
“Good grief! I bet even the real Alexis Carrington would think this little snot bag was too much,” Billy complained to her grandmother. “How is she supposed to make friends if she keeps rejecting all of the prospects?”
Plastering a smile on her face, she grumbled, “Stand by for casualty number five.”
The Lhasa Apso’s latest victim was a beagle. It approached with a playful bark and wagging its tail optimistically, clearly hoping to engage in some canine comradery. Alexis gave it a careful once-over, turned her nose in the air, and bounded forward, leaving it crestfallen. The two women gave the beagle’s offended owner an apologetic smile, and Porsha even went so far as to give the dog a pat on the head before they moved on.
“Look at her! I practically heard her say “Ewww”!” Billy accused as Alexis pranced on.
They were walking Butterfly Beach, Porsha’s favorite place to stroll whenever she managed to drag Neville away from his grapes. Unlike most of the city’s south-facing beaches, this one faced west, making it ideal for sunset views and long walks without the sun directly in your face. The only drawback was street parking was on a first-come basis, which was a nuisance on the weekends and during summer. Today they’d gotten lucky. The beach was fairly empty, and they’d snagged a good spot. With the gulls crying above in an opalescent sky and the mild surf crashing into their ankles, grandmother and granddaughter played catch-up.
Porsha laughed at her granddaughter’s tumultuous bond with Alexis. “There’s nothing wrong with a woman knowing her own mind and being selective. She’s adorable, Billy. Give her a chance.”
“Okay, ‘adorable’ is a strong adjective to use when describing this spoiled, obnoxious canine. And of course, you’d say that! She’s got you and Granddad wrapped around her paws,” Billy groused. “She does this weird thing where she displays her nipples and it grosses me out! I’m not rubbing anything on her underside! How can you guys even stand it?!”
There was no denying it. Alexis was winning fans everywhere she went. She was offered treats at the country store when Ransom and Billy stopped for gas and preened under the owner’s lavish praise. When they arrived at Neville and Porsha’s home, she turned up the charm, and they fell under her spell too. Billy was stunned to see her sitting in her own chair at the dining room table this morning while her grandfather fed her bits of bacon from a plate he’d fixed her. This afternoon the ladies dined at a café al fresco, and the chef brought Alexis a dog bone that was almost as big as she was.
“You don’t think it’s odd that you’re jealous of a dog?” Porsha offered. “Or are you simply mad that she got to sleep with Ransom last night?”
The truce between Billy and Alexis had been short-lived. Despite having endless admirers, the dog refused to give Ransom up. She schemed with passive-aggressive moves such as hopping in his lap if she saw Billy coming and tried to monopolize his attention.
Billy linked arms with her and sighed. “I plead the fifth. Will you guys be able to come to my play next month? I’ve been learning a lot, and the semester just started!” she enthused.
“I remember you mentioned there would be a new professor this semester. What are they like?”
“Umm. He’s…fair. A hard worker who’s determined to make us better,” she allowed. “I’m glad that I decided to give his perspective a chance.”
“Why wouldn’t you? He’s there to teach and you’re there to obviously learn,” Porsha pointed out. “Sounds like a match made in heaven.”
“It’s not!” Billy denied hotly and grimaced at her outburst, something inside of her twisting uncomfortably with that label. “You’d think it would be that simple because I do. Learn, that is. I meant I really, really want to,” she finished lamely at her grandmother’s perplexed stare.
“Okay. So, learn then. You’ve already told me that he has a film under his belt, and he’s not an ogre. Your peers think he’s great. What’s the problem?”
How much time do you have?
It was on the tip of Billy’s tongue to confide in her grandmother what she couldn’t say to anyone else. She glanced out at the ocean, evading Porsha’s probing stare and exhaled an aggrieved sigh.
“There’s no problem, per se. I guess I’m just excited at the prospect where I once was leery.”
“I see. Then I’m excited for you. Thank you for confiding in me. It’s nice to be included and gives me and Neville a better understanding as to what’s going on in your life.”
Billy’s head swiveled back to her, eyebrows raised. “No need for thanks. Why wouldn’t I? You’re both heavy influences in my life.”
Porsha patted her hand and looked ahead. “Don’t mind me. I’m merely growing sentimental in my old age.”
“No, if anything, you’re getting sassier,” her granddaughter contradicted.
“Your grandfather would agree with you. I know you have your own life, and it makes me grateful that you choose to share it with us. I never knew what Melody’s hopes and dreams were except to avoid the life we tried to give her. She was always so secretive about her goals that we couldn’t even support her and didn’t know how to,” Porsha explained.
Guilt washed over Billy. She and Melody always talked about their dreams and how to achieve them. Her mother had poured determination and ambition into her and scrupulously watered Billy’s passions to ensure she bloomed and flourished. They’d sit in the hammock in their small backyard, facing each other, trying to paint each other’s toenails as they swayed and shared their goals. They had a longstanding bet that whoever polished the best earned a “get out of chores for a week” card. She felt irrational anger at her mother for cheating her grandmother out of making memories.
“Lucky for you, I plan to be around for a very long time to bend your ear, young lady. Just try and get rid of me. How do you think Ransom and Grandfather are doing?”
“Those two get on surprisingly well,” Porsha laughed. “Neville was beyond overjoyed to see him. I suspect that he’s working up the nerve to ask to ride his motorcycle. He’s come a long way from his original impression of Ransom as an arrogant, uncouth thug who’d seduced his ‘precious’ Billy. Plus, he’s the only one who doesn’t look panicked and plans an exit strategy when Neville starts rhapsodizing about his grapes.”
“God bless him,” Billy praised, giggling, and Porsha joined in.
“Amen!”
Ransom raised his camera and captured his last photo of the day -- an afternoon sun drenching the lush glory of Stanton Vineyards in gold. It touched the rolling hills covered in bountiful grapevines and went on for miles.
“And that’s a wrap,” he announced with such contagious pride that it echoed in Neville.
The owner took a deep inhale, welcoming the exhilaratingly, sweet bouquet of dry hay mixed with newly crushed grapes. This was his life’s blood. Even after four decades of this stunning view, the splendor of this valley, with its pristine lawns, still managed to take Neville’s breath away. He loved this land and had pledged his heart and soul to the soil, vines, mountains, and viticulture with no expectations. In turn, it had rewarded him tenfold. Neville was simply grateful to make a successful living doing what he loved. For him, there was no greater satisfaction.
He clapped Ransom’s shoulder and squeezed it affectionately. “Thank you for doing this. I can’t wait to see them, son. You’ve got a way of photographing your subjects that makes them relatable on every level. I have no doubt that they’ll be perfect for our website revision. I’ll write you a check when we return to the house.”
“Anytime, Neville. Thank you, I appreciate this opportunity. I’ll get these processed when we get home and overnighted to you. I’d like to get some shots of you in the cellar, waxing poetic about cabernets, pinots, and chardonnays with guests if it’s not too much trouble.”
Neville’s face lit up in response and Ransom grinned. “There it is! That’s the face I’ll be looking for.”
“Maybe you’ll engage with me? I’m sure you didn’t forget that wine knowledge you ascertained to score brownie points for our first meeting. It pays to keep the mind sharp, son.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
The two men walked the verdant, oak-lined path back to the house in companionable silence.
“I’ve had several inquiries from associates regarding your photography around corporate and my study also. How would you feel about me sharing your information for future work? If you do decide to do it, you’d be compensated handsomely for your time and travel expenses.”
Say what? A former MC Enforcer hobnobbing with the wealthy, sophisticated elite of Santa Barbara? Ransom suppressed a shit-eating grin. If only Shakes could see his ass now.
“I might be able to work that into my schedule,” Ransom nonchalantly answered, and Neville smiled, not fooled and secretly pleased to be able to contribute to the young man’s income.
“How’s the preparation going for your exhibit?”
Nerves prickled the back of Ransom’s neck, and his stomach tightened with anticipation. The reaction occurred whenever his show was mentioned.
“I can’t lie; I’m nervous as hell. Lana, the owner, keeps telling me to go with my gut and that she trusts me, but it’s like I feel that every piece is special. There’s a memory that accompanies each one. My feelings have done a one-eighty. I went from being tight-lipped about letting anyone know about my work to wanting to share it all and the story behind each photo. It’s so surreal that I’m scared that it’ll turn out to be a damn good dream.”
Neville gave a hearty laugh. “I think that Lana is on to something. You should choose the ones that you can’t look away from.”
When Ransom remained silent, he slanted a curious look at him. The younger man’s face was red as he stared straight ahead.
“Ah. I gather they’re the ones of my granddaughter?”
“They’re not nudes or anything like that,” Ransom verified swiftly. “But they’re intensely personal for me because…”
“She’s the woman you love,” Neville finished, and the other man nodded.
“I’m, pardon my French, fucking torn about showing Billy and sharing her with the world like that. Physically, she’s ridiculously beautiful, that’s a no-brainer. But it’s that sparkle in her eyes and the wicked curve in her smile, the slight furrow she gets between her brows when she’s working something out…there’re a million little things that I’ve managed to catch…” Ransom shrugged, struggling to explain himself.
“I think having it absorbed by a complete stranger, especially a guy, would send my ass into an overprotective tailspin. She’s so goddamn precious to me. Sir, Billy is the air I breathe. She’s my fucking heartbeat.”
Neville gave him an inconspicuous appraisal. With his long, dark hair that flowed around sturdy shoulders, tattooed arms, a thick beard, intense eyes, and well-worn jeans and an AC/DC t-shirt that had seen better days, Ransom was someone he’d never conceived, in his wildest dreams, would be paired with Billy. Yet, it felt right. Neville knew that this man would always keep a smile on his grandbaby’s face and protect her or die trying. He couldn’t ask for anything more. Except, maybe, more frequent shaving and an occasional haircut, perhaps?
“I understand what you’re saying; however, I think you’re looking at this from the wrong angle, Ransom.”
“How do you figure?”
“Even if you release the photos, those expressions are yours alone. You were the only one who invoked them. The chances of them being replicated for another in this lifetime are nonexistent. A love like yours is one in a million. Why hide it? The world needs more joy.”
“I wouldn’t even be doing any this if she didn’t believe in me. Sir, if any one told me a year ago that I’d leave my MC and go legit, I would have laughed my ass off. Now, I’m thinking of traveling and utilizing my degree, expanding my stock and IRA. Next comes marriage, a mortgage, and babies, down the line.” Ransom rubbed his beard with a self-conscious laugh. “Who’da thunk it?”
“I like the way you’re thinking, son. And I expect to see those babies in a vehicle, not on a motorcycle,” Neville quipped. “Is your mother still coming for dinner this evening?”
“Yes, I talked to her. She should be getting off work soon. I hope traffic won’t be too congested.”
“Marcus is picking her up, I believe. He’ll make sure they’re here in time. I’m looking forward to meeting her. He speaks highly of her.”
“I’ll bet he does,” Ransom mumbled.
Claudia pulled into her apartment complex, parked, and then looked at the clock radio on her dashboard. If she didn’t move her ass, she’d be caught in weekend rush hour traffic. Chalk that up to another thing she missed about small-town living—no traffic. Hopping out of the truck, Claudia took the stairs, two at a time, to her second-floor apartment. She heard a noise around the corner and stopped. Panic seized her. There were only three units on her floor. One was vacant, she occupied another, and the couple at the end was still at work. Claudia pulled the box cutter Tia Dolores had given her out of her purse. Cautiously she rounded the turn and halted her steps.
