The clover romance colle.., p.28
The Clover Romance Collection, page 28
Carla was hoping to get a second shift position so she wouldn’t have to stop volunteering at her daughter’s school. She explained how fast these years with kids go by and, as much as she needed the money, she didn’t want to miss out on what she felt really mattered in life. Every single person who sat across from me today was an inspiration. At a minimum, the experience was eye-opening. I’d painted this town as close-minded and backward. I’d let myself believe the people here weren’t just complacent in Hoyle’s tyranny; they were culpable. But in reality they all want something better for themselves and their families.
I lean back in my chair and listen to the next candidate for one of the janitorial positions. His eyes are blue and watered over with age. It’s not legal to ask a perspective employee his age but Mr. Tisdale has been forthcoming with just about everything. His frizzy gray hair spikes slightly and there are dents on his nose where his glasses normally sit. His voice is one that trembles with age.
“I cleaned the high school for thirty-one years. I retired about five years ago when I turned seventy, but the lifestyle doesn’t suit me. I’m not meant for rocking away my days on a porch. These hands were made for work,” he says, raising his gnarled fingers and turning his palms toward me. “I know you might see me as well past my prime, but I’m still sturdy. I know cleaning tricks people have never heard of before, all passed down from my mother and her mother before her. I’m great with people. All the kids back at the high school got on well with me and would tell you I’m an honest worker. I don’t try to skim nothing. I’ve never even swiped a bottle of window cleaner for my own house. I can work a full day or half, and I can start even before this place is built completely. I’m happy to keep the construction site in order and clean if that’s all you have available. But I just have one condition.” The cheery faced man becomes serious as he rests his hand down on the desk between us.
“And what’s that, Mr. Tisdale?” I ask, genuinely intrigued.
“I have to start tomorrow. I can’t take another brunch with the rest of the old fogies.” He stares into my eyes and I can’t break the gaze. His weathered wrinkled forehead, his paper-thin cheeks, everything about this man should tell me his employment doesn’t make any sense. He can’t be scrubbing toilets and lugging buckets of mop water everywhere. He’ll croak. But I see a bit of myself in him. I understand what being idle can do to a man, and when I’m his age I’ll want to keep moving, just to make sure I still can.
“I can’t hire you as a janitor here, Mr. Tisdale. I’m sorry.”
He averts his eyes from mine as he leans back in his chair. What surprises me the most is he doesn’t look surprised. Apparently he had no faith I’d be compassionate to his plight. When I soften my face and lean my elbows on the desk I can see a small glimmer of hope flash in his eyes. “I have a different position I need you for. I’m looking for a personal relations manager. I think you’d fit the bill.”
He furrows his overgrown gray brows at me and twists his mouth to the side as he thinks. “What the hell is that?” he finally asks.
“You’d be in charge of meeting with everyone who works here. Making your way around the jobsite, then when it’s up and running, all the different facilities. You’d track the progress of switching to renewable and self-sufficient power and energy sources. You would scope everything out and, in the process, see how everyone is doing. Make sure everyone is getting what they need, and feeling good about how things are going. I’d want you to keep the employees’ spirits up and let me know if anyone out there needs anything. I want you to just talk to everyone.”
I watch as Mr. Tisdale tries to fight his excitement about this. He’s biting at his lip to keep from answering too quickly, but then finally gives in. “So I’d just go around and chat with people every day, and hear them out. Check up on things and just be in the know?”
“Yes, the personal relations manager makes sure people are satisfied and is a friendly face people can turn to. I think you’d be perfect. But there is one condition.”
The wind in the old man’s sail subsides slightly as he waits to hear me out. “You’d have to start today.” I shrug as though I’ve dealt him a nonnegotiable term he might not like, when we both know he will.
“You got yourself a deal, Mr. Sutton.”
“Call me Devin.” I smile and watch as he starts to leave the room, a spring in his spry step that I don’t recall him entering with. He turns toward me and leans against the frame of the doorway.
“I remember you, just in case you were wondering. You were quiet, just looking to mind your business. It didn’t work out that way though. I saw some of it. Like that punch you landed square on the quarterback’s face. I got to tell ya, I cheered a little bit.”
“All I wanted to do was get out of that place. I wasn’t looking for trouble.”
“Seems like trouble finds you. But that ain’t always a bad thing. It means you get a lot of chances to win. It’s better than being boring.”
“After I’m done with all of this, I’ll settle for boring.”
Mr. Tisdale plops his hat back on his head and gives me a wave as he whistles his way down the hall.
I’ve got one more interview scheduled but not for half an hour, so when there is a knock on the open door, I’m taken aback slightly. But it’s a familiar face I’m actually glad to see.
“Mayor Kilroy.” I get to my feet and gesture for him to come in and join me. “Glad you stopped by. I was hoping you wouldn’t be a stranger here.”
“Devin, I can’t believe you’re actually doing all this. The place looks great. You know this office right here used to belong to the head of the mill many years ago. My daddy got his first job by interviewing in this room. You are breathing life back into Clover by reviving this place. It’s loaded with everyone’s memories and heritage.”
“Well it’s far from complete. The renovations are moving along quickly and it wasn’t in as bad of shape as I thought. Converting it to the facility in Jordan’s proposal is no small task, but there are some amazingly skilled people here in Clover.”
“And they are motivated as hell to be a part of this. That combination is nearly unstoppable.”
“Let’s hope so. I’m sure you’ve heard about the accidents here on site. Hoyle is still trying to slow the progress, and we’ve had to move most of the security here to the mill rather than the land they were fanning out, trying to keep him from dumping chemicals or sabotaging it.”
“That’s actually why I stopped by. I didn’t bother going to Nick on this because it’s a rumor about four times removed from the source, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention it.” Kilroy sits down and a puff of dust flies from the chair beneath the thud of his heavy body. “For goodness sake this might be the actual chair my daddy sat in for his interview.”
“Furniture isn’t in the budget yet. Now let’s hear that rumor.”
“Apparently the sabotage here at the plant, while I don’t know who was perpetrating it, was very strategic. Hoyle doesn’t want anyone out on that land. He wants your resources here. I don’t know if this is as much about trying to hurt you and hold back any forward progress or if it is about him not wanting people on these big patches of secluded land.”
“The security team has found some trailers scattered out there, but they stopped short of investigating them in order to come back to the mill. So if what you are saying is true, his play worked in his favor. But what the hell does he have going on out there? Do you have any idea?”
“I don’t. There are so many valleys and secluded areas spread across this place that something could go undetected for ages. Especially when he was in control of the law enforcement. He knows every inch of this place better than most. I don’t know what he’s hiding out there, but whatever it is, he wants to keep it running and thinks all this,” Kilroy gestures behind him toward the renovations of the mill, “must run the risk of jeopardizing his plans. But what can you do? You have to keep your men here. Any of those accidents could have been far worse. You can’t have someone being killed out here on this jobsite because of interference.”
“I’m not the expert on any of that. I’m just going to sit here and hire folks who want jobs. I’ll let the security team and the Marshals decide what to do with Hoyle.”
“That’s a big shift in your tide,” Kilroy says as he raises his disbelieving eyebrow at me.
“I’m not giving up on everything, I’m just trying to channel my energy to things I can control. Like giving Mr. Tisdale there a job.”
“You just tell me if there is anything I can do to help. People are really rallying around this and shedding the fear they had of Hoyle. I’m not naive enough to think we’re out of the woods with him but we’re on the right track.”
I hear Jordan’s high heels clacking against the unfinished cement floor as she steps through the doorway of the office.
“Can I talk to you, Devin?” I can tell by the jumpy look in her eye it’s something important.
“Oh, Miss Garcia. Good to see you again. You know it’s been brought to my attention that I may have been slightly out of line during our first meeting. I didn’t realize that, but now that I know, I’d like to apologize.”
“Out of line?” Jordan asks as though she’s been faced with the understatement of the century. “And who exactly shined a light on that for you?”
“Click mentioned that calling someone a Spanish hot tamale might be a smidge off color. Also assuming that you were there to become the coffee girl was presumptuous and perhaps chauvinistic. Again, that was not my intention. I hope we can bury the hatchet. You’re doing great things for this town and I want to make sure we’re getting on well.”
Jordan, still looking distracted about the reason she came here in the first place, nods her head. “Sure. No harm done.”
“Good.” Kilroy stands to leave. “I couldn’t stand it if a knock-out girl like you wouldn’t talk to me. No one that pretty should ever be angry. It’ll cause wrinkles.” He’s out the door and around the corner as Jordan locks her eyes with mine. I’m stunned at his words and can’t even laugh.
“Idiot,” Jordan mumbles and then shakes her head trying to get back to her original mission. “Devin, we need to go back to the house. Hoyle paid a visit to Rebecca and Adeline at the park and apparently threatened throwing you back in jail.”
I don’t say a word as I pull my coat off the hook on the wall and head down toward the car. I know there is someone still waiting to be interviewed but I don’t care. I can tell by the seriousness on Jordan’s face that nothing else matters right now. Jordan follows my lead in silence and I’m glad. The only thing I want to do is get to Rebecca right now and tell her how ridiculous his threat is. I’m no kid anymore. I’ve got a bank account that would put most people to shame and plenty of favors I can call in. I’m not going to jail. Not a chance.
When Jordan and I pull up to the front of the house, Rebecca is sitting out on the front steps. Click is at the window, Adeline’s head darting back and forth across the room. Rebecca is waiting for me, to hold me, I can tell. She wants to touch me, to know I’m still okay. She’s afraid to lose me again. I can see it in her eyes as I step out of the car.
“Don’t worry,” I tell her as she scurries into my arms. “There is no way that bastard is going to put me back in jail. It’s not possible.”
“I know.” She buries her face into my shoulder. She’s cold, sitting out here for far too long I’m sure. “I just can’t go through that again. I can’t have you in there, I can’t be that helpless again.”
I see Jordan slip quietly by us into the house.
“I promise,” I whisper into her hair. I can hear a car running over the gravel road behind me and turn to see Luke and Olivia pulling in. I’m not sure if he’s gotten the update on the threat but I’m anxious to inform him. Luke is smart, book smart, business savvy. He knows law and will be able to assure Rebecca even better than I can that Hoyle doesn’t stand a chance at putting me away again.
“I heard.” Luke steps out of the passenger seat. “Don’t get too worked up. You’re fine. He’s nuts if he thinks he’s going to railroad you again for Brent’s murder. He’s lucky he didn’t get indicted for it himself last time. No judge will side with him now. No prosecutor will take him seriously.”
“See?” I say, looking down at a weary Rebecca. “Nothing to worry about. He’s desperate; it was just an empty threat.”
She nods her head and pulls herself away from me. “Olivia, I hope Luke didn’t give you too much trouble today. If he hasn’t scared you off, will you join us for dinner?”
“He was no trouble, actually backed me up on a tough call. He’s a brave guy.” She smiles over at Luke and I’m shocked at how quickly she’s warmed up to him. Most women don’t look his way twice unless they’re gold diggers trying to figure out if he’s rich. It’s not because he’s bad looking or anything. I mean, for a guy, he’s what most women would call good-looking. But he looks smart, and by smart I mean a little dorky. His shirts are all tucked in perfectly, his hair short, his glasses thick-rimmed and trendy. He’s a geek. A well-built one, and the kind of geek some girls are into. And judging by the way Olivia has her shirt perfectly tucked in, her hair just as tamed, I’m thinking maybe she is one of those girls.
“So will you stay for dinner?” Rebecca asks again as she heads for the front door.
“I don’t think I should. That’s not really part of the job, not sure it would be appropriate.”
“Oh please.” Rebecca shoos off the idea with a wave of her hand. “It’s like an episode of a bad reality show in here. All of us living together like a bunch of college kids, drama and all. I don’t think we’re following traditional rules here. No reason you should have to.”
“I’m not sure Click would—”
“Don’t worry about what Click wants. This is my house; I’m allowed to have whatever guests I please, and I think I just might be wholly insulted if you turned me down right now.”
“Well I guess I’ll stay for dinner then.” Olivia smiles and I find myself proud of Rebecca; she’s the matriarch of this odd little bunch, keeping us all grounded, keeping us all fed and focused on more than just logistics.
The sound of another car on the gravel road sends a knot to my throat. Everyone I expect to be here tonight already is. I turn slowly to see Nick’s car accompanied by another car pulling up. Every eye in the driveway is now on the approaching cars. Silence overtakes us all as Click steps outside, Jordan behind him with Adeline in her arms.
“Devin,” Rebecca says a tremor in her voice.
“It’s Nick. He’s not going to let anything happen, Rebecca, he’s on our side,” Luke says, stepping in closer to her, closer to me. Protective. And I can feel Olivia falling in behind him.
The look on Nick’s face as he pulls himself out of his car tells me maybe Luke is wrong. Maybe he is here for me. He’s here for something and it’s not good. Two other Marshals step out of the blue car behind him and they look equally as somber.
“Nick, you look like someone’s killed your dog, what’s going on?” I ask, trying to keep the tension down, though it seems like a losing battle.
“I’m here on business, Devin, and not good business I’m afraid.” He tips the front of his hat to all of us, but this time keeps his head down slightly, afraid to look at us.
“There have been two witnesses who have suddenly come forward regarding Brent Hoyle’s murder.”
“Nick,” Rebecca shouts in a tone I’ve never heard from her before. It’s a mix of anger and sheer terror.
“Luke,” I say quietly, “you stay with her. Don’t let a thing happen to her or Adeline, you hear me?” I’m preparing myself for another stint in prison, though this one will be shorter, I can guarantee that.
I watch as Luke rests his hand on her forearm, attempting to calm her. “Nick, you know as well as I do the implications of arresting Devin for a second time for a murder he didn’t commit. Especially based on some hearsay he-said-she-said witnesses. I can’t imagine your boss would have signed off on this. The media would get a hold of this and your office would get raked over the coals. They have to know that.”
“They do,” Nick says, still averting his eyes from me. The two other Marshals are standing just as solemnly, but also seem to be on the ready, warned about me maybe? Warned about the emotions of this particular situation, how Rebecca might react. “I’m not here for Devin.” Nick looks up at me, then to Rebecca.
It hits me like a cannonball to the gut. I know in an instant what he means and I feel my knees growing weak under me.
“Nick, you can’t be serious. You know she didn’t have anything to do with Brent’s murder. This is Hoyle.”
I hear Click hop down the front stairs, and he’s at my side in a flash, standing in front of Rebecca, ready to do whatever I ask him to.
“Devin, I know that, but a warrant has been issued for her arrest. I need to take her in, sort this out. If there is no credibility to it, which I’m sure there won’t be, she’ll be fine.”
“Like I was? It took ten years to sort things out for me. You’re crazy if you think I’m going to let that happen to her. How could you do this? You should have called me, given me a chance to get her out of here.”
“And what? You’d spend the rest of your life running from this? Looking over your shoulder, moving Adeline around to God knows where just to stay one step ahead?”
“I don’t understand.” Rebecca’s voice is different now, chillingly cool and flat. “Someone is saying I killed Brent?”
“Two people,” Nick says, his eyes down at his boots again. “Marie Louise Harper and Cali Sorenson.”
I recognize the names from high school, cheerleader friends of Rebecca’s. I use that term lightly considering none of them ever really had her back.
