Chapter 24

“So, your appointment is for Tuesday the day after tomorrow,” said Blake.

“Yes, the 14th, with the ophthalmologist. I need to get it done.

“And, Thanksgiving is in less than two weeks; and we have that guest list for the wedding to put together, oh, and about a hundred other things,” she said. The man smirked.

“Wouldn’t it be something if we could get the other daddy to come to that happy event,” he said, kind of sourly.

“Yes,” she said, “it would. Bea and I will check out the old homestead, probably tomorrow, just in case as we talked about. I’m still kinda surprised you haven’t put Jacob’s man on this. He’d find him for sure.”

“Yes, but I kinda want us to do the finding. I want to make this personal. If he spots you and Bea checking out the area; it might get him to rethink his total intransigence,” he said.

“Kinda circuitous thinking to my mind, but you’re the boss,” she said.

“Hmm,” he said.

“It’s been forever since I’ve been anywhere near this neighborhood,” said Bea.

“Hmm, I used to live here with Julian, and that for a long time; well and then the bad day...” Ava said, and looked to begin crying.

“Are you crying?” said Bea.

“Just gettin’ a little nostalgic,” said Ava. “Those were good times, good for me, good for Julian. Good times.” Her friend nodded.

“There it is, the house,” said Ava. “Let’s go inside.”

Inside the two women looked around, no sign of life, but the place was clean, almost shiny: just like the last time she’d been by, thought Ava. The cleaning ladies were still doing their job. Going out into the back yard, it too was manicured and the plants were all tended to and green or whatever.

“Well, it doesn’t look like he’s been around,” said Bea.

“No, and I’m not surprised. That would have been too good to be true,” said Ava.

“Hmm,” said Bea.

“I remember he used to hang out sometimes at the Ice House Bar when he drove for Rock and Sand back in the day,” said Ava. “I want to go over there, but I do not want to run into him and seem to be stalking the man. I mean if you know what I mean.”

“I do know what you mean. But, I kinda thought that that was the idea. I mean after you told me what Blake said,” said Bea.

“Okay, yes, I guess. I guess we gotta risk it. That is the mandate from my husband,” said Ava. Bea nodded.

“Yes,” she said.

The ride was short, a single mile. But it was slow. They pulled into the back of the bar’s lot. They scanned the area visually again, and still saw nothing telltale.

Each of the women looked to each other to make the first move. Ava sighed and got out. Bea followed her as they walked down the slight incline toward the side entrance.

Entering they saw a newish computerized jukebox against the far wall and the several tables between them and the bar. They immediately turned and went back outside.

“That was him!” said Bea, as they headed back to the car.

“Yes, and tending bar here,” said Ava, unnecessarily. “Well, it was what he was doing up state.”

“Yes, and he might still know a few folks from around here in spite of his time in prison,” said Bea. Ava, nodded, sadly nodded.

“You know, he might also be staying at that motel up on the hill,” said Ava, just coming up with an idea. “He stayed there for a while after he got out.”

“Yeah, the Hilltop Motel,” said Bea. “Like you say, I did hear that he lived there for a while when he first got out of prison.”

“Yes, almost two years ago now,” said Ava, wistfully.

“So, it’s decided, I’ll be the one to go see him on his day off, Saturday, and I will find out what might be done,” said Bea.

“Yes, it has to be you, because if he sees me; I’m certain he’ll throw something at me or spit on me or something,” said Ava. “I’ll be waiting at the hotel.”

“Okay,” said Bea.

“I’ll have my fingers crossed,” said Ava.

She waited patiently, more or less, near the entrance to the motel parking lot’s entrance. It was almost 6:00 p.m. before he saw the man drive in. It was an older Chevy, an Impala. He must have gotten it fairly recently. He’d clearly traded the truck in for this machine. She smiled. Maybe he did it to help ensure that he would not easily be found. He had to know that his brother could pretty much find anything he wanted to find, including a wanted-to-be-lost brother.

She got out of her car at the same time her quarry did his. She watched to see which apartment he had the keys to: 309.

Ava pulled into her hotel’s lot to wait for news from Bea. She crossed her fingers all right, and her toes too.

She’d be seeing her eye doctor tomorrow. Well, she finally needed glasses. Forty-six years old and needing glasses. Well, it was what it was. She wondered, absently wondered, if her ex-fiancée needed glasses; he didn’t wear any, not yet. Blake wore reading glasses, but otherwise, no. But Blake was ten years older than Julian, so the reading glasses made sense. She sighed. Life had so many speed bumps or some kinds of bumps. She’d hit a few of those. Julian about a million of them and mostly because of her, and she started to cry—again.

I answered the door and my mouth didn’t exactly fall open, but I was breathless with surprise. Ava’s best friend, Beatrice Evans, was standing in front of me; she looked—hopeful.

“So, you found me. I was hoping the lot of you wouldn’t bother,” I said.

“Thank you,” she said, ignoring my greeting. “Yes, I would like to come in and she did without me saying another thing.

“Yes, do, uninvited though you are,” I said., sarcasm verily oozing from my tone of voice.