Chapter 20

When I woke up the next morning, it was very quiet and I was feeling totally refreshed. I looked at my watch and realized it was only 5 AM. Even though I knew they wouldn't release me until after the change of shifts, I decided to grab a bath and get dressed. Myrna had brought me clean clothes and taken my dirty ones with her when she and Sally left last night. I idly wondered how things had worked out after they got home, and I had to smile to myself thinking about it. Those two were closer than most mothers and daughters, but they did have their little falling outs like most people who loved each other.

I managed to get a shower without getting my bandages wet and got dressed. It felt good to have jeans and boots on again after wearing the drafty gown that the hospital had furnished. I had a little trouble spreading the clip on the pancake belt holster, but finally got it in place to suit me. I let the badge hang on the outside of my belt on the opposite side since it was made to be worn that way. I looked into the big mirror on the door and other than being a little pale, I was ready to go home where I belonged. I headed toward the coffee machine to get some of the stuff they called coffee, and almost ran over the nurse that had helped me to bed last night. She was coming out of another room.

"Mr. Morgan, you can't go home until the shift change and the discharge papers are ready for you to sign. Why are you wearing a gun in the hospital?"

I just turned so she could see my badge and when she saw what it said, she shut up and quickly walked away from me. I got my first cup of rotten coffee and was sitting in one of the visiting room chairs, when Kat came around the corner. I quickly stood up and that's when I realized just how petite she really was.

"Jon, you shouldn't be up yet. I just talked to the night nurse and you gave her quite a fright. My, but you do look a lot different fully dressed. I have a sandwich and some good coffee in your room if you're interested."

"You betcha. This stuff is hot, but has no kick to it. What time are you supposed to come to dinner tonight?"

"Well, I'm off for the next two days, so we figured around six or so. That will give me time to go home and get cleaned up. Besides, it's a half hour drive to your place from mine."

We walked back to my room together and she chatted the whole time. I noticed that she barely came up to my shoulder, I was so caught up in the lights shining in her hair that I didn't hear a word she said. At least not until we got to the door of my room, where she abruptly stopped. I banged into her so hard I had to grab her to keep her from falling. That was my undoing, because when she turned to face me, I kissed her. The moment my lips touched hers, I felt like I couldn't stand. She must have been feeling the same thing because I felt her weaving to the side. I backed away and looked at her. She was standing there with her eyes closed so I started to kiss her again. She must have realized where she was because she stepped back, still smiling at me.

"Jon Morgan, if anyone else had done that, I would have slapped them silly, but I liked it too much. If anyone saw us, I will be the talk of the hospital. Now, eat your sandwich and I will see about getting your paperwork together."

She went out the door, leaving me standing in the room, wondering what the hell had just happened. I went to pick up the coffee and noticed my hands were shaking. Damn, I needed to stay away from her if she did this to me with just a short kiss. I sat down on the edge of the bed, fumbling with the sandwich until I finally got it unwrapped. I ate it on automatic because my mind sure wasn't on eating.

I was still sitting on the edge of the bed in a daze when Sally came in.

"Jon, are you ok?"

"What! Oh, Hi Sally. What did you say?"

"I asked if you were ok. What's wrong, you look like you saw a ghost or something? We came in to get you and take you home. I'll be right back, I want to say hi to Kat."

She was back out the door in a flash and Bill came in right after she left. I got what little I had together, and put it in the bag that Kat had brought the sandwich in. I was stalling for time to get my wits back together so I wouldn't look like a total fool in front of Bill. He had a smile on his face. I remembered what Tiny had said about my parents' property and decided to ask him about it on our way home. He walked out to the front desk with me and we found Sally and Kat laughing up a storm about something. I could feel my face getting red as I walked up to the desk where they were.

"Jon, I have all the paperwork ready for you to sign. You do know I will have to wheel you out in a wheelchair though? Don't make faces, it's hospital policy. We do it for everyone, whether they can walk or not."

I signed all the papers and let her push me and the wheelchair into the elevator, with Sally smirking the whole time. I waited until everyone's attention was off me, and then stuck my tongue out at her. That was all it took to wipe the smirk off her face and have it replaced with a look of shock. Then she was laughing at me. When we rolled out of the elevator, she was holding my hand and still sniggering. Kat and Bill were looking at both of us like we were from another planet. Finally Kat couldn't stand it and had to ask, but the question was directed at Sally and I think it caught her off guard a little.

"Sally, what is so darned funny? First you were smirking at Jon, then you were laughing, and now you're holding his hand and smirking again. Would you like to let the rest of us in on the little joke?"

"I don't think so Kat. This one is between me and my dad. Besides, you already had your fun this morning."

Kat got red as a beet, even redder than her hair. Bill looked at me, then at her in a bewildered way. Then he looked at Sally, who was smirking again. I figured I had better head this one off before someone got their feelings hurt or even worse, got mad at me.

"Bill, I need to have a talk with you on the way home. I think you have been holding out on me."

This time it was Sally and Kat who looked lost at the direction this conversation had headed. Bill went to get the car and I stood up and waited. Kat and Sally were talking quietly with their heads close together.

"If you two can't say it so everyone can hear, then don't say it at all. I hate for anyone to whisper behind my back. Sally, you know better. Kat, I am going to miss your company, but I am glad to be going home. I hope you don't decide to back out of dinner for tonight. I am looking forward to it."

We climbed into the car, leaving her with her mouth hanging open in shock. I smiled at her and Sally waved as we pulled away from the hospital. We got out of the city before I started on Bill.

"Ok, Bill, tell me about the property in West Virginia. How come you never mentioned that my grandfather and Runt had words over it before?"

He glanced at me with a shocked look on his face, and then it hit me. He hadn't known about Runt and my grandfather. His next words confirmed it immediately.

"I'm sorry, Jon, but this is all news to me. Many years ago, your grandfather bought a hundred and fifty acres on one of the few high spots along the PawPaw River. He had an a-frame cabin built and we all used to go there at least once a month to fish and play cards. I never knew that he and Dwight had argued about the property. How did you find out about this when he never said a word to me?"

"I just found out about it myself. How come you never told me about the cabin, Bill? I need to know where it's located and what kind of shape it's in."

"We have a caretaker who keeps it repaired, so it should still be in good shape. Why is the cabin so important all of a sudden, Jon?"

"The church has a compound that straddles the state line in that area. If the Runt was trying to force my grandfather to sell it, it must be close to their compound or even border it. This could be the break I been looking for, Bill. I need to know more about it and its location. Do you have a plat of where it lies and how close it is to Maryland?"

"I can do you better than that, Jon. I have up to date aerial photos of the whole area that were taken last year. Your mom and dad had so many parcels of land that I commissioned aerial photos of all their properties so we could find them easier. It was all done by a professional. The photos are clear and very detailed with G.P.S. readings for each corner of the boundaries. I will bring them over to you this afternoon."

"Bill, does Jeb know where the cabin is located?"

"Sure, Jon, he used to go with us when his wife would let him slip out for the weekend. She always thought we were bringing women into the cabin. Your mom used to love the place and would go fishing there every summer with your dad. There are some huge catfish in the river and she loved to eat them, just like the rest of us."

We had pulled up in front of the house, so any further conversation was halted. I was greeted by Myrna and Tiny, who had been standing in the driveway waiting for us to arrive. From the way she jumped out, opened my door and tried to help me out, Sally must have thought she was helping an invalid. I just grinned at her and let her put on her little show. Myrna hugged me and said "Welcome home", and Tiny, being Tiny, just stood by with a stupid looking grin on his face. I knew something was up by the way he refused to meet my eyes when I looked at him. Bill said he had to go back to his office for awhile, but would be back later and would bring all the photographs with him. He almost ran back to the car, he was in such a hurry to leave.

"That's it, you three, stop it. What the hell is going on? Myrna, I don't know what you have up your sleeve, but knowing you, it has to be something I won't like. Otherwise, you wouldn't have been waiting for me to arrive. Now what's going on?"

Sally and Tiny looked at each other and started for the front door.

"Hold it you two! I know you both know about whatever is going on, so you can stay and take the heat too. Besides, I don't think it is fair for you two to abandon Myrna when she is so upset and guilty looking."

Myrna looked at me with wide eyes, and then suddenly she had tears in them that were running down her cheeks. This shocked me to the core and without thinking; I hugged her to me, trying to apologize for shouting. I looked up, and Tiny and Sally were disappearing into the house like their pants were on fire. Then I realized that this was something very personal that Myrna wanted to talk to me about without an audience.

"I'm sorry Myrna, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. If you're in trouble, you know I will help you all I can."

"I'm not in trouble Mr. Jon. I have something to tell you, but I feel so ashamed for not discussing it with you before I did it."

"Myrna, you have nothing to be ashamed about. You're the one person I can depend on when everything else is falling apart. Just say what you need to, and I'm sure we can work it out."

"Promise me you won't get mad and fire me?"

"Myrna, you're family and I wouldn't fire you, regardless of how bad you might think it is. Besides, if you left who would look after me and Sally?"