Chapter 3: The Deacon’s Daughter

I decided to keep the rental car and drive it home. Mostly I decided that because Marty told me, “Ed wants all your shit out of our house. You still have that one heavy ass duffel bag.”

I agreed to take the bag off her hands. With the bag, I definitely couldn’t fly on a commercial plane. Not only was it filled with weapons of all kinds, also most of them had been taken from criminals. Criminals who I knew would never be convicted on the evidence I had on them. I also knew they wouldn’t want to risk having the weapons checked too closely against the national crime data base. It was kind of my own personal plan to take guns off the streets.

I wasn’t even sure exactly what was in the duffel bag. I supposed I should take an inventory before I stashed them in my attic storage space. At that moment they resided in the trunk of a new Mustang It was the car I had driven for the last three and a half weeks.

Since Marcy, for reasons unknown to me, decided to recuperate at her mother and Ed’s house, I drove out of Trenton N.J. headed for Grenada Ms alone. I was not happy about that since I felt I would be a better medical custodian than Marty. Not only did she faint at the sight of blood, she tossed her cookies when she had to empty a bedpan. No one liked doing that, but I had an idea it would be Ed’s job.

I stopped for lunch before entering the web of interstate highway, which would take me close to my newish small town home. I called Sarah who was the grand daughter of a friend. She was also the daughter of my sometimes lover, and last but not least she was also a sometimes employee.

“Sarah when you get this message call me. I’m on the way home but I’m driving not flying so I need you to meet me at the drop off point for my rental car.” I left the message because her phone always went to message. Sarah and I had a complicated arrangement at the moment. She used my equipment to keep the pick up and delivery service going. All the calls for service came to my cell phone. I took there number, then had Sarah call them back to set an appointment. Since it was winter and we weren’t busy. That being the case there was no need to worry about her fucking up. We likely would never hear from these customers again regardless of the level of service she provided.

I was still in N.J. when she returned my call. “So, my soon to be step dad, what time you coming home?”

“Knock that shit off. I should be there by five tomorrow. I’ll call you with the when and where to pick me up tomorrow afternoon, so keep you phone on tomorrow,” I demanded.

“Roger that dad,” she said and broke the connection.

“Bitch,” I said to the Mustang’s radio.

I spent the night in a cheap motel somewhere in Knoxville Tn. It was a nice enough place since it was close to he interstate. I was on the road again by 7AM. I carried breakfast with me in the form of take out from a Mcdonalds. They have damn good coffee and their biscuits aren’t too bad these days...

I waited until 1PM to call Sarah again. She answered the phone on the first ring. “Well Dad when are you going to arrive, and where are you dropping off the car?” she asked.

“Stop with the Dad shit or I’m going to tell you mother. I said that first, then added. “Look up the National car rental at the airport in Jackson. I’m going to be there by 5PM.”

“Fair enough Deacon,” she said. “Don’t you want to know about the business?”

“It can wait,” I explained. “I have to get off this phone. You know I can’t talk and chew gum.”

“Okay, see you in a few hours,” Sarah said just before the line went dead. As usual she hadn’t waited for an answer before ditching the call. It was like telling me she didn’t care what I thought. That was beginning to really piss me off.

“So how is Marcy?” Ester asked on the cell phone while I was still a few miles from Jackson Ms.

“She is getting there. How are you and Sarah?” I asked.

“We are fine. Sarah is on her way to Jackson as we speak,” she said.

“I’m on my way there now. It’s going to be about an hour,” I said.

“Do you want to come have dinner with Sarah and I?” Ester asked.

I hadn’t expected that. “Is everything okay?”

“We can talk about it over dinner tonight,” she said sounding hopeful.

“Sure, why not,” I replied.

“Good, why don’t you and Sarah can come straight here,” Ester suggested.

“Sure, you sure everything is okay?” I asked.

“It’s nothing serious,” she said.

“Okay, I’ll just wait,” I agreed. Of course I worried about it all the way to Jackson. I didn’t know if it was me or Ester. Hell it might even be something about Sarah, I thought.

All those daddy comments came back to haunt me during the final minuets of the drive. I ran the worst case scenario through my mind. At my age I doubted Ester was pregnant. At least I hoped there wasn’t any shotgun weddings in my future.

Sarah could accuse me of some inappropriate behavior. It would be a lie, but a young woman accusing and older man had a kind of ring to it. She would have a built in audience. I didn’t want there even to be a hint of anything. I still had hopes that Marcy would come down to spend some time with me before she returned to work. It would give me a chance to at least talk some sense to her. The shine should have worn off the badge by now. At least I hoped so. If she came down to Mississippi, I didn’t want even a hint of anything like that.

I had given the clerk a few bucks over a grand as payment for a month’s rental on the Mustang. Since I paid him with cash, he was all smiles. He was still smiling ten minutes later when Sarah came into the office.

“Got to go Gene that is my ride,” I said.

“Nice,” he replied with a leer.

I didn’t say anything, but it did worry me. It worried me that yes I found girl thirty years younger than me desirable. I could imagine her naked young body in my bed. I shook myself hard as I walked across the parking lot to my truck.

“What have you done to my truck?” I asked.

“I washed it,” she said tentatively.

“It looks nice,” I said. “Hell, I hardly recognized it.”

“That’s a good thing then,” Sarah commented.

We were on the road about five minutes when I suggested, “Call you mom tell her we will be at your place in twenty minutes.”

“Okay, sure,” was her reply. “Hello mom, we are on the way. Deacon said we should be there in twenty minutes.”

“I won’t mom, you get to explain it all,” she said.

“What’s that all about?” I asked.

“You will find out,” Sarah said. “You heard me promise mom not to tell you. She thinks she is a better negotiator.”

“I’m sure she is,” I said with a laugh.

“She might be better in bed, but that doesn’t make her brilliant,” she said.

“There is nothing to compare her to,” I said. Sarah’s new look was almost a shock. She had been slightly chubby when I met her the first time, but after a summer of physical work and more food discipline, she had a great body. She was maybe five pounds over weight, if that. Her body was lean, however she still had the chubby girl’s boobs. They were full sized but soft looking.

I knew I had to stop thinking about her. Nothing was going to happen, but it just felt wrong. I could only imagine what Ester would think, should I be stupid enough to mention what I was thinking.

The drive continued for a few more minutes down the interstate highway, then we weaved our way through state and county roads. Finally we came to the housing development containing a couple of dozen houses. One of those house belonged to Ester Martin and her estranged husband Luther.

Ester had explained to me that she paid half the mortgage and all the utilities. If she ever wanted to remarry, there was a clause in their legal settlement allowing her to do a buyout of his half of the house. I thought it was a screwy arrangement, but it had worked for them. I was really in no mood for a serious discussion of anything that night. I had to catch up on things after having been away almost a month and a half.

I imagined the two women knew more about my business than I did at that moment. I was in no rush to catch up on the details. I still had Marcy on my mind to be honest. When I stopped in her driveway, I was glad to be off the road. I looked forward to at least a home cooked meal. If Sarah had a date there might be more. Well it had been a while for both of us.

I got greeted by Ester with a kiss. Her house was warm which felt good after even the sort walk from my car to her front door. The greeting made the warm house feel even better.

“Come on you too, it’s time for dinner,” she said leading the way into here dining room.

“Gee we get to eat in the dining room. So why the fancy meal? I just came home from a short trip,” I asked.

“We missed you Matt,” Ester said.

“You maybe, I doubt Sarah did. Being your own boss is heady stuff,” I replied with a laugh. I noticed the look that passed between them and shut my mouth. I made the decision to enjoy the meal and wait for the other shoe to fall.

After dinner I helped to clear the table for a chance to be alone with Ester. “Okay what’s going on?” I asked.

“Sarah wants to talk to you. We need to all do this together,” Ester said.

“Ester, what the hell are you talking about?” I asked.

“Have a drink Matt while we talk,” she suggested.

“No thanks Ester, just call Sarah in and let’s get this over with,” I suggested. I had no idea what it could be unless she had found the paint buckets. In which case I was going to load them into the truck and move out tonight. I doubted she would call the cops. If she wanted to do that, they would be part of the discussion.

Ester began, “Sarah had never held any kind of gainful employment for more than a couple of months. She had worked for you almost a year. She is in better shape physically than anytime in her life. She actually enjoys going to work.”

“So what’s the problem?” I asked. “Is this her way of asking for a raise. If so I haven’t taught her anywhere near enough about responsibility.”

“No Sarah convinced me and her dad to help her go into business on her own,” Ester said. “I personally would like to buy you out lock, stock, and trailer. Make no mistake, if you don’t want to sell out, Sarah will be a competitor.”

“If that’s all this is about, bring it on Sarah. It’s not easy to get a start up going, so when you give up, I will buy your equipment, maybe.” I said harshly. “You guys at least gave me dinner before you tried to screw me.” With that I was headed toward the door.

I got home before 10pm. I was exhausted from the drive, but I check my tell on the trap door. It was a small piece of white thread on the access hatch. It was still in place, so I didn’t bother to do the inventory in the dark, instead I went to bed without waiting for the heat to rise. I just slept in my clothes and rolled into my thick comforter.

I awoke twice for those middle of the night pee calls us old men get. After that it was struggle back into bed with less clothes both times. First thing the next morning I drove to the golden arches for breakfast. I chose speed and mobility over ambiance. When I arrived home with the paper bag, I wasn’t at all sorry. It allowed me to get to the inventory and my to do list sooner. I had a record of the jobs to be done. I wasn’t sure it was complete, but that didn’t stop me from making a day plan. It was really a half day plan since there wasn’t much work in the winter.

I also added some more floor boards to the attic for my duffel bag filled with assorted weaponry. I finished the day’s work about 3PM, then settled in on the tiny porch with a cup of coffee. I was considering enlarging that porch, since I had the cash at that moment. It was also a consideration that the summer housing boom hadn’t started. There would be builders available for smaller jobs.

The dirty and faded SUV pulled down my drive. I had no idea whose car it was. I knew when the almost attractive young woman got out of the car. Sarah was the young woman who had fallen from the almost attractive list after she and her mother decided to screw me, not in a good way. I considered going into the house and refusing to talk to her, but decided that if she had more to say I would listen.

“New car?” I asked.

“I can’t pull a trailer with the Fiat. I still have it just not for business,” She said.

“So what brings you here?” I asked.

“We need to clear the air. You did a lot of good things for me, and I don’t want our friendship to end. I especially don’t want to come between you and my mother. I know you feel that we stabbed you in the back, but that was not our intention. It was nothing personal, I honestly thought you wouldn’t mind selling out,” she said.

“Whatever gave you that idea?” I asked.

“I thought you would like to move back to New Jersey to be close to Marcy,” she said. “I know you and mom are keeping your relation casual, so there is nothing holding you here. I do want your life, so I wanted to buy it.”

It came a long way to bridging the divide that had developed between us. “Okay, I can see how you might think that, but you should have asked me before you built this elaborate plan to ice me out,” I suggested.

“Yes but you know mom she has an A type, take charge, personality disorder. It’s a lot like yours,” Sarah said.

“Well I won’t try to get in your way, so just give it your best shot,” I said.

“Can we work something out so I can continue to work for you? I still need help. I know that,” she said. “If I have a job of my own it would have to come first.”

“I’m going to have to recruit reliable help honey. You can understand that,” I said.

“Is there anything I can do to convince you to give me the first call?” she asked suggestively.

“I don’t think so,” I answered. I was sure that Ester hadn’t approved that comment, or the flirty attitude. Even if I had no plans to see her mother again, I didn’t plan on dating a girl younger than Marcy. That was just plain wrong.

“I’ll need to think all this over, but like you said, I have a lot more important things to think about right now,” I informed her.

“Is there anything I can do for you today?” she asked in that flirty voice.

“I just came back to town. I’ve been passing everything to you, remember,” I said.

“Of course, I guess I’ll just run along. Luther has me checking on job leads,” she said.

“Well good luck,” I replied.

After she left I thought about what needed to be done before spring. I needed to find a helper before things got busy. After having that thought I promptly forgot it. I did one pickup and delivery every day for a week, of course I billed for three. It was a game I had to play during the winter months.

Because the IRS weren’t complete idiots, I had to drive about thirty miles a day. To do so without going totally mad, I drove out a ways for lunch on days when I did not have a real job. I ate at a burger truck parked in the lot by the local marina when I could. I got the additional miles on my own truck, and a damn good burger. All that with a view of the fishermen and their boats coming and going. It was a win, win.

It was on a sunny day late in March, when I was approached by the right Right Reverend White. At that moment I was sitting on a picnic table in the city park and marina. “You are the one they call Deacon Andrews?” the man in the dark suit asked.

“I’m the one some people call Deacon. No one who knows me uses both names together. So what can I do for you?” I asked.

“I’m in need of a partner in the homeless shelter,” the Reverend said.

“Sorry I don’t know anything about the shelter business, and I don’t have time to spare,” I said.

“It’s my understanding you work at significantly reduced rates for a good cause. Sometimes you even take a job below cost,” he added.

“Yes, but everybody pays something. There are no free rides on this train,” I said.

“God approves of people taking care of themselves. I follow God’s plan,” the Reverend continued.

“Could we get to the bottom line, I have a business to run,” I said.

“There are several churches in the area who have expressed an interest in helping the shelter and community kitchen. They are reluctant to donate cash since their charity has been taken advantage of in the past. They are however agreeable to donating food and other items to the cause. We must pick up the items on short notice. My understanding is you are equipped to handle that service,” he said.

“How short a notice and how far afield would I go,” I asked?

“Inside Grenada county most pickups would be arranged by you with the donor,” he said. “If you can’t make the pickup we will find a way. You will be our first choice. Several member of my congregation have used your and swear by it.”

“Five dollars a stop to cover expenses, and if I find you are selling the donated items the price triples,” I said. “I warn you, I will try to schedule more than one stop at a time. You might try to get the donor to pay the pickup fee. I’m told they do that some places.”

That’s how I began to spend less time at the waterside park, and more time on the road. It was also how I racked up several positive comments on Facebook. It appeared that Marcy had too much time on her hands. She was promoting my little business. I told her not to waste her time on me, but she wouldn’t stop. Unfortunately her efforts weren’t in vain. My business actually picked up. I was getting known again. My dreams of laying low were slowly vanishing. So slow I hardly notice, but notice I did.

March turned almost over night into May. What ever happened to April? I asked that question of myself. One morning ti was just May. I was expecting May to be nice enough to start the lawn care season, but it started with a chill wind blowing. I should have expected it would not to turn out as I expected. The first day of may never did it seemed.

“Daddy, I would like to come for a visit. I haven’t seen your new home yet and it’s time.” Marcy’s voice said it over my cell phone.

“God I would love that. How long do I have to get the place in order?” I asked.

“You can’t get the place in order. I’m in the Jackson Mississippi airport waiting for you. The fiberglass chairs are terribly uncomfortable so do hurry,” she said.

“You couldn’t have picked a better time for a visit,” I said meaning it. I meant it even though I was about to get busy. “I’m on my way. I will be there in two hours.”

“Great I’ll find a lounge somewhere and pick up a man,” Marcy said.

“Pick one that needs killing, because that’s what I’ll do to him,” I said with a laugh.

As soon as I broke the connection I called Sarah. “Are you free,” I asked.

“Sure what you got?” she asked.

“Marcy is at the Jackson airport and my house is a total wreck. Could you come straighten it please,” I begged.

“I will if I can recruit some help,” she agreed.

“You only have two hours from now,” I said.

“Good thing I’m in the car. I’ll make some calls you drive slowly,” she said. “It’s two hours there and two hours back. Then you need to stop along the way for dinner. You should be at your house at about 7PM. We will be finished and gone by then I hope.”

“Sarah, you are an angel,” I said meaning it.

“Angels don’t charge twenty dollars an hour per person,” she said with a laugh.

“That’s fine just do a good job,” I said.

“I have no idea what you have, so I’ll stop at the store on the way over. Do you have a broom, a mop and a vacuum cleaner.” She asked.

“A broom, a mop, and a carpet sweeper,” I said.

“Good I’ll buy everything else I need. This is really going to cost you,” she said.

“Don’t rush, I’d like for Marcy to meet you,” I said.

“Another time. You two have lots to talk about I’m sure,” she said.

Since I was already on the highway to Jackson, I let it go. The two hours seemed more like two days. I was excited and terrified. I really hadn’t believed all the cheery updates on her condition. I was about to find out the truth and I expected the worst.

When I first saw her sitting in the waiting room with a can of coke from a vending machine, I hardly recognized her. She was so thin and pale I wanted to cry. Her hair had been styled to give her a modern look. It was shorter than I had ever seen it, but it was nice.

“So this is what you look like as a fashion model?” I asked as I grabbed her and hugged her too tight.

“God you are going to put me back in the hospital,” she said. “No bloody way I’m going to look this way forever. I just haven’t gotten my appetite back. I’m also not used to the dental implants yet, so my speech is a little slurred.”

“I’m sure men find I sexy,” I said.

“Sounds like I have just finished a blow job,” she said. She smiled as I mumbled something incoherent. “Come on dad I’m a cop. You do remember what that is like?”

“Yes I do, but you were my little girl long before you were a cop. You were not supposed to do that as long as I was living,” I explained.

“Sorry,” she said.

“It’s okay. Now how about dinner,” I suggested.

“I’m not really hungry,” she informed me.

“That won’t do sweetie. I have a band of gypsies cleaning the house, and I promised them I’d take you to dinner. So you have to at least go into a restaurant and have a drink,” I explained.

“Okay, but it will have to be soda since I have pills that knock my ass out anyway,” she said.

“Honey, I don’t know anything about Jackson. Why don’t you Google a nice lounge for us,” I suggested. While she was googling for a spot I got a call. Sarah asked me about sleeping arrangements. I told her I’d sleep on the camp bed in the spare room. I also said I didn’t have another set of sheets.

“I’ll call mom and have her pick up some on the way here. Yes Deacon she is the third helper for the cleanup crew. This place looks like a pig lives here,” she said.

“Just fix it,” I instructed. I was to nervous to care about anything else.

When Marcy stood I noticed she staggered a bit and listed to one side. I thought the stagger might be from the pills she was taking. The listing to hr left I wasn’t quite sure what that way. Truth is she looked remarkably fit to have been at death door five months earlier.

I was driving home after our coffee in the lounge of the Ramada Inn, it was the only one Marcy could find near the airport, when Marcy opened the subject. “I’m not going back to the patrol,” she said. “They tell me I will never be able to pass the physical.”

“Did you really have your heart set on that?” I asked.

“I thought I did but lately I wonder, if I really have the stomach for it,” she said.

“Don’t even think that way,” I said.

“I came down here for you to straighten me out. Mom is mom and she will baby me to death. As for Ed, he is just Ed,” she said with a laugh. “You are the only one I know who treats me like a person not an extension of yourself.”

“Why? because I was never around?” I asked.

“No because you demanded I do the right thing. Especially when it wasn’t the easy thing to do,” she said.

“Tell me you didn’t really find me some kind of sanctimonious prick?” I asked.

“When I was little yes. Later I had problems with what people said about you, but mom told me how you were at the hospital. I need some help now,” she said.

“Anything you know that,” I said from the heart.

“It will wait till tomorrow. We need to get home. I missed my nap,” she explained.

When we arrived at my small two bedroom one bath home, I found a house I hardly recognized. It never looked so good and I mean that sincerely. The women had been right Marcy needed sleep.

“Mars you take the bed. Tonight I’ll sleep on the camp bed in the spare room.” I said.

“Dad, I don’t mean anything kinky by this, but please don’t.” she said.

I just nodded my agreement. I slept all night holding her most of the time. Sometime in the night my arm went to sleep. I awoke to the pain and had to roll over. A minute later I felt her snuggle against my back. It was disconcerting to say the least.

The next morning I sneaked out of bed. It wasn’t difficult she was a heavy sleeper. When she came in wearing a long tee shirt, I had already finished my shower. I also sat at the table with a bowl of cereal and a cup of coffee

“How about a bowl of cereal and a cup of coffee?” I asked.

“Pass on the corn flakes, but the coffee sounds good,” she suggested.

“Do you want to go to the diner for breakfast?” I asked.

“I don’t do breakfast,” she said. “Maybe a slice of toast.”

“I have a toaster and I can get cinnamon and raisin bread for the freezer,” I suggested. “Do you want me to do that?”

“We can get some english muffins for tomorrow,” Marcy suggested...

I nodded. “So I have to make a pickup today, you going to come along?” I asked.

“Sure, can you wait till I shower and get dressed?” she asked.

“Of course,” I agreed. When she returned she looked a little sleepy again, but I ignored it. I had no idea how her life had been the last three months. She was dressed in baggy jeans and a loose tee shirt. She looked a lot like a waif.

“So we ready to go?” I asked.

“Sure, what are our plans?” she asked.

“Remember, I’m going to do a pick up and delivery,” I said. “This one is a semi charity job.”

“Marcy you can stay in the truck while I helped the congregation member loaded it. After we finished one of the men handed me a five dollar bill. I thanked him then got back into the pickup. Since I used it for small item pickups during the winter months, I had reinstalled the camper cover

I drove the truck to the Johnson street soup kitchen. It was more than just a soup kitchen, they fed people in need real meals. Marcy spoke with the Reverend and some of the ladies on the volunteer staff. When I finished unloading, I collected her.

“That girl got troubles,” one of the ladies said.

“She has been through some hard times lately,” I said.

“You get her some help Mr. Deacon,” she demanded.

“She has to want it, but when she does, I will see to it,” I said. She just nodded her head.

“So Mars tell me you are going to stay a while,” I said.

“I want to stay until I figure out what the new normal is going to be. Then I need to figure out what I can do.,” she said.

“One thing at a time. First I get you a local doctor and a counselor,” I said. “Then we give you time to get your act together. If it’s the cops you want, we can try to prove them wrong. You know get you fit enough for the physical. If for any reason it isn’t them. We find you something else. No matter which your life does go on.”

“You got any other jobs today,” she asked.

“That depends on how you feel,” I said.

“I feel fine,” she said. She acted more lively after the soup kitchen visit.

“I need to stop by and pay the cleaning crew from last night. So do you want to go or what?” I asked.

“Of course, I want to meet people who will drop everything to clean your house,” Marcy said.

“Good, I want you to meet Sarah. She is one of my helpers and the grand daughter of a former customer,” I said.

“So are you fucking her?” she asked.

“Gee that is a terrible thing to ask your dad. She is nineteen years old,” I said with a laugh. “She is just an employee.”

“So just an employee drops everything to work her ass off for you?” she asked...

“And for you. She knew the house wasn’t fit for a woman to live inside without some cleaning,” I said. I was getting frustrated.

“Okay, sorry dad I guess I was getting insecure or maybe jealous,” she said with a laugh.

“We also need to buy you a bed. Sarah and her friends cleaned out the spare room for you,” I said.

Next I called Sarah, “Sarah I have your money. If you don’t return this call by 2PM Marcy and I will be out shopping for a bed. I’m to old to be sleeping on the camp cot for more than one or two nights.”

“Why did you explain where we were going. It’s really not any of her business,” Marcy said.

“True enough I guess, but it’s also not a secret. Anyway it’s what may prompt her to return my call,” I suggested.

A couple of minutes later the cell rang. I put it on speaker so I could continue driving without being a danger to other motorist. “So Deacon, did you do the soup kitchen run or should I?” she asked.

“Marcy and I did it. They had only one stop this time, so it was a quicky,” I said. “Tell me where you are, and I’ll bring you the money I owe you.”

“I’m headed for mom’s house. She is off this afternoon. We are dying to meet Marcy,” Sarah said in a very pleasant tone of voice.

“We can’t stay long, but sure we will come to drop off the money,” I said.

“Why are we doing this? I don’t know these people,” Marcy commented again

“That’s kind of the point. You are going to need some friends here. You know women friends,” I said.

“Oh you mean the teenager you aren’t screwing, and the mother you probably are,” Marcy said with a laugh.