Riddle (21 page)

Chapter 36

              After David left the parking lot he sped along the main road into Riddle. Cursing under his breath he wondered if she was sleeping with the tall, angry man who’d confronted him fearlessly. The investigator he’d hired had hinted there was something going between the two of them. He knew enough about Kort’s history to be concerned about confronting him. Furious at the man’s interference, he headed to the small motel where he was staying, barely able to contain his fury. Located just off the highway, many of the guests seemed to be truck drivers who parked their big rigs along the back fence.

              He kicked off his shoes as soon as he got into the room and began checking his phone for messages. Emily had called several times. He knew he should call her back but he wasn’t prepared to speak to her at that moment. He stretched across the bed fully clothed and stared at the ceiling.

              David was irate that he had allowed her to get under his skin. There was a time she would never have spoken to him the way she did at the diner. He closed his eyes and remembered the anger in her eyes. They had arguments in the past, all couples did. But Grace had always realized he was right, she had always acquiesced to his requests.

              He had a gut feeling she was fucking that dark skinned hulk who had dared interrupt him when he was trying to reason with her. If he had a little more time he could have brought her to her senses. He opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling again, noticing the fly specks that dotted the dingy paint. He couldn’t understand how Grace could allow herself to stay in a town like Riddle. It was a Podunk town of undereducated bumpkins. He had raised her up from such low places. How could she bear to live here after the beautiful home he had made for her? She would probably end up living in some double wide with that brute. Just looking at him David could tell he sat in front of the television every night drinking beer and watching ESPN until bedtime. Then he would climb onto her and take her with the stink of old beer and nachos on his breath; it would be over in five minutes, and he would roll over and snore the night away. There were no dinners at elegant restaurants, vacations at high end hotels, or fine wines on the deck of an expensive yacht in that relationship. She had become a trampy little waitress in a dive diner in a town in the middle of nowhere. David still believed he could save her. He contemplated bringing her a gift, something classy and beautiful to remind her of what she left behind. Frowning, he realized he wouldn’t find anything that fit the bill in Riddle. Perhaps he could drive to some near-by city and find a decent jeweler.

              If gentle persuasion didn’t work, David decided he would have to find a time when she was alone and confront her. If necessary he would threaten her. She needed to return with him and go through with the wedding. Emily would have to understand. It didn’t mean they wouldn’t be able to see one another. Maybe for a little while they would have to be more cautious. But he would be damned if some little rube from the wrong side of town was going to make him look bad in front of his family and friends.

              He had already thought of an explanation for her temporary disappearance. He would tell people quietly and confidentially that she was overcome by the responsibility of becoming his wife and part of his family. Suddenly realizing she was stepping into a cultivated world of respected townspeople she had felt unworthy. However he had convinced her that he didn’t care what anyone thought, he loved her. And he would defend her to people at the club and the various societies they were expected to belong to. People would view him as a hero of the people, someone who could put his own image aside for the woman he loved.

              As he wove the story, adding embellishments here and there, he began to grow drowsy. He might have fallen asleep if there hadn’t been a soft knock at his door. Irritated, he got up slowly, tucking his shirt into his pants. He was not in the mood to be disturbed. That feeling changed quickly when he saw who was there and heard what his guest wanted to talk about.

Chapter 37

              When Grace awoke Kort wasn’t in the bed. She hurried into the living room to find him sitting on the couch. He held his arms opened and she curled up next to him. “Are you okay now?” He rubbed his chin against the top of her head.

              She looked up at him. “I’ll be okay when I’m sure he’s gone. I can’t believe he found me.”

              Kort looked at her thoughtfully. “I didn’t know you were running from him. Why is that Grace? It can’t be just because he cheated on you. Are you afraid of him? Did he hurt you?”

              “He never laid a hand on me. He grabbed me now and then but he didn’t hit me. But he has a temper. I always thought it was the stress of getting ready for the wedding. I mean, he got into fights sometimes when we were in high school. But that’s just boy stuff.” She stopped. “I’m making excuses. I know it. I think I was a little afraid of him. Maybe catching him with Emily was just the shove I needed.”

              “And now? We never talk about what will happen now. When your car is fixed there won’t be anything to keep you here.” He brushed her hair back from her face. “So what’s the plan Grace?”

              She ran her finger over his lips. “I don’t want to stay in Riddle, Kort. But I don’t want to go back home either.” She shook her head. “I mean I don’t want to go back there. It was never really my home. It was the house where David allowed me to live. I don’t know the answer.”

              Biting her finger lightly he laughed softly. “You can’t keep driving forever Grace. Sooner or later you have to stop running.”

              “Do I? Can’t I just keep moving? Can’t you come with me? There has to be someplace better than Riddle, someplace where we don’t have to keep looking over our shoulders.”

              “Are you certain there is such a place? Sometimes you just have to take a stand and push back.”

              Grace moved out of his embrace, standing, and going into the kitchen. As much as she cared about Kort she wasn’t ready to make a commitment yet. There were still too many unanswered questions. Sensing her withdrawal like a curtain that had dropped between them Kort moved toward the door.

              “I’m going to head out.” He put on his jacket and waited for her to say something. When she finally spoke it was only to say she understood.

              “I’m sorry Kort. I’m just shook up.” She began to move toward him but he held up his hand to stop her.

              “It’s okay Grace. This isn’t the time. I’ll see you tomorrow.” With that he left closing the door softly behind him.

              He had never left without kissing her good bye. Suddenly overcome by the feeling she had made a mistake, she hurried to the door and threw it open, leaning over the railing to look down into the parking lot. The taillights of his truck glowed red as he drove off leaving Grace unsettled and uncertain.

Chapter 38

              Kort sat in his truck in the garage for several minutes before going into the house. Agnes was in the kitchen on the phone as he entered. Catching his eye she held her finger to her lips. Listening to the conversation he realized she was talking to Norma. After a few more words she hung up the phone and frowned at Kort. “It was Norma, obviously. She said she’s been trying to call you and you never answer. Did something happen?”

              He ran his hand through his hair. “I can’t believe she called you. Mother. Norma has gotten the impression that our relationship is more than just a friendship and I don’t know how to straighten her out without hurting her feelings.”

              “Oh my.” Agnes sat down at the kitchen table. She looked down at her folded hands and asked, “Why would she think that?”

              Kort paced the kitchen. “I guess it’s as much as my fault as it is hers. Things got out of hand.” He stopped speaking and with his back to her he said, “I let things go too far.”

              Agnes said nothing. The silence hung heavy in the air. Suddenly Kort felt like a misbehaving teenager all over again. He turned slowly to face her.

              She looked up. “I have never liked that woman. That being said, we all make mistakes Kort. Sometimes the hardest thing is owning them. I know that. I’ve had to own my mistakes.” Her lip trembled a moment. “You need to tell her. If you don’t, she will continue to think there’s a future with you. I won’t even ask if that is a possibility. You’re a smart young man. You tell her face to face. It might not be pretty but it must be done and it should be done soon.”

              Sitting at the table with his head in his hands he groaned. “I knew when I came home that things would be hard. But I was determined to be strong and keep my head up. I would do everything right. Now I’ve made a mess of so much.”

              Agnes pulled his hands away from his face. “No you have not. You have a job and you know what you want to do. You’re a young man who gave in to natural instincts. It was a mistake. But Norma is a grown woman. She knew what she was doing. She will be angry and she may hate you. My opinion is, it’s not a big loss. You’re very strong Kort, you have a strong heart. And I’m proud of you.”

              He stared at her letting her words sink in. He could not remember a time in his life when she had told him she was proud of him. He wished she had said it even one time when he was growing up. She saw the look in his eyes and knew what he was thinking.

              “I’m so sorry. I should have stood up for you. I should have been stronger. I can’t make it up. I know that. But I promise I will stand by you from now on. Maybe in time you can forgive me.” Her hands were shaking and he looked down at them noting again how frail they were. She had aged so much in the past few years and her hands were wrinkled with faint age spots dotting them. The lines on her face looked deeper than usual. Agnes stood up and went into the other room.

              Kort watched her walk away slowly. In spite of the other signs of age she still walked with a straight back. He recalled how she would tell him how important good posture was when he was a child. When she came back into the kitchen she was carrying a large manila envelope. Sitting across from him once again, she set the envelope on the table. There is a feeling in the air just before lightning strikes, a sort of heaviness. Kort felt that now sitting in the remodeled kitchen across from the new and improved woman he had called mother for years. She rested her hand on the envelope.

              “In this envelope are answers to many questions you have. Your father, my husband, would not allow me to give this to you. He was wrong.” She stared at the envelope as if she was reading its contents. Then she looked up at him. “Your mother, your real mother, is alive. She has written several times. She has written to you and to your father and to me. He told me to destroy everything, even the photographs. I couldn’t do that. You must do whatever you can to find peace.”

              Kort reached for the envelope but she held up her hand to stop him. “Please take it to your room. It is difficult for me.” Without another word she got up and went upstairs to her bedroom.

              Kort sat and stared at the envelope before him. Picking it up, he hefted it in his hand. It wasn’t light. There was a lot in that envelope. In many ways his identity was contained in that mustard colored packet. When he considered that, it seemed really quite light. He stood up slowly and carried it to his room.

              Sitting on his bed he looked at the closed wrapper. Once again he had the sensation he was on a speeding roller coaster, flying up and down on tracks, unable to see where the next drop might come. The world had turned upside down and those he trusted were suddenly not to be trusted, the person he never believed he would trust was reaching out to help him find himself. In the midst of all that a woman had come into his life unexpectedly and she might leave without warning. Kort set the envelope on his night table and lay back on his bed. He would look at its contents the next day when his head would hopefully be clear.

              Suddenly drained he closed his eyes and in a few minutes he was asleep. Sometimes sleep is the best escape of all.

Chapter 39

              Try as she might Grace could not fall asleep. She tossed and turned before finally giving up and going into the kitchen to make tea. Sitting on the couch she sipped the chamomile slowly. Kort’s question was reasonable. How long could she keep running? Because that was what she was doing. She was trying to get away from something back there, and it wasn’t just David and Emily. Maybe she was trying to get away from herself. As much as she hated to admit it, they had hurt her. She felt betrayed. She felt foolish. They had made her question every decision she’d made in her life. If she had been gullible enough to be taken in by them, she might be that gullible again in the future. Closing her eyes she leaned back against the couch cushions. Kort couldn’t leave Riddle. She knew that perfectly well. By refusing to relinquish her nomadic life she was essentially killing any chance they had at a future together. He wasn’t betraying her. So she couldn’t legitimately feel hurt. But she didn’t have to stay and risk the chance he would, in time, break her heart.

              Then she thought about Norma and the repeated phone calls, the fact that he had been intimate with her, the knowledge they had been friends long before she herself had come on the scene. While part of her believed he was not romantically interested in Norma another part feared she was being deceived again.

              Thinking back to the day he took her to the river, the day he had exposed himself to her, she felt her eyes fill with tears. He had the courage to lay his heart bare and risk having her turn away. And no matter how much she denied it to herself, she had almost done that. She had been overwhelmed by his sudden revelation, by his accepting her completely into his life.

              That left one last question for her to answer. Did she love him? Was she willing to jeopardize her heart again? As she pondered the question she finally dozed into a fitful sleep. 

              Dawn was just creeping over the trees when she was awakened by knocking at her apartment door. Disoriented, it took her a minute to clear her head.

              “Who is it?” she called as she stumbled to the door.

              No sooner had he said his name than she threw open the door and stood trembling before him. Her eyes were crusty from the long night and she began to cry silently.

              Kort stepped inside, closing the door behind him. He drew her into his arms and stroked her hair softly. Her arms went around him and she held him tightly, burying her face against his chest.

              “You’re going to be late for work,” he murmured.

              “I’m going to call Jack. I don’t care.” She bent her head to look up into his eyes. “You’re going to be late.”

              “I already called Chad and Frank. Go ahead and call Jack. I’ll wait while you get ready for work and I’ll drive you there. And I’ll pick you up after work. And I’ll be here as long as you let me. If you decide to move on I guess I’ll have to deal with it. But I plan to do everything in my power to keep you in my life. I’ve lost so much. I won’t lose any more.”

              Grace felt her heart surge. Standing on her toes she kissed him deeply. Then she murmured, “Can we be a little bit later?”

              Kort’s response was immediate. There was no question they would be late. Their love making was slow and deliberate. Kort held her face in his hands, kissing her mouth softly. Their passion had mellowed to something tender.

Afterward, as she got ready for work, he told her about his conversation with Agnes the night before and the envelope.             

              “What’s in it?” Grace asked as she dressed.

              Sitting on the edge of the bed he said, “I haven’t opened it yet.” He hesitated. “I wonder if you would mind being there when I go through it.”

              Standing in front of him she bent to kiss him lightly. “I would be honored to be there. Maybe you can bring it

over after work and we’ll have dinner, then sit down and open it up.”

              He nodded. “But now I need to get you to work and I need to get my ass up the hill.” With his arm around her shoulder he led her downstairs. “I’ll pick you up at three. I’ll have to go back for an hour or two, then I’ll go home and get the envelope. Should I pick up something for dinner?”

              Buckling her seatbelt she thought about it. “I can cook. Unless you want to pick up a pizza?” She smiled hopefully.

              Laughing and shaking his head, he agreed. “I can do that.” They didn’t speak as he drove down the hill but the silence was not uncomfortable.

              He pulled up in front of the diner door. “So I’ll see you at three.”

              Grace leaned across the center console and took his face in her hands. “I have to tell you something. I love you. I’m not going anywhere unless you go with me. I will stay here as long as we need to.”

              Kort felt his throat tighten and his eyes began to water. Pulling her toward him he kissed her hard on the mouth.

              A tap on the driver’s side window made them jump. Jerry stood outside grinning at them. “Sorry to interrupt.”

              Kort opened the window and laughed. “You nearly gave me a heart attack Jerry.”

              “Ah, you’re a young man. You’ll be all right.” Bending lower he looked across at Grace. “I have a surprise for you young lady. I’m putting a new tranny in your car this morning. You should be good to go by the end of the day or first thing tomorrow.”

              “How much do I owe you?” she asked nervously, mentally calculating how much she had available.

              “We’ll talk about it when you pick it up.” His eyes flicked to Kort who shook his head very slightly. “We can work something out.” He tapped the roof of the car. “I’d

better get to it so I can get you on the road.” With that he tipped his cap and went back to the service station.

              “I’ll still come by at three to take you home. We can always come back down to get your car if he finishes by the time he closes.”

              They said their good byes and Grace hurried into the diner smiling back over her shoulder at him. Kort turned the truck around and was ready to drive out of the parking lot when Butch pulled up beside him and indicated he should open his window. Swearing under his breath Kort slowly obeyed. It was just like Butch to throw a monkey wrench into a good day.

              “Well good morning Kort. Are you not working today?” Butch asked from behind dark glasses as he chewed gum.

              “Are you keeping up with my schedule?” Kort shot back sharply.

              Butch snapped off the glasses. “As a matter of fact I am. You’re on parole. Part of my job is keeping an eye on criminals. That way I can catch them quicker when they re-offend.”

              Kort turned to look out his windshield and slowly counted to ten. When he turned back to Butch he spoke calmly. “I’m on my way to work now. I had something to take care of this morning.”

              Butch looked up at the diner. “I’ll just bet you did. I’ll bet you took real good care of it.”There was no mistaking the implication in his tone. Kort felt his temperature rising again, but before could respond Butch continued. “You have a good day. I’m sure I’ll see you later.” With that he spun the sheriff’s car around, pulled into traffic, and sped down the road.

              Kort watched him go. He told himself it didn’t matter what Butch did or said. But a warning bell was ringing in the back of his mind. Butch was dangerous and he wanted to get back at Kort because he believed he’d killed Desiree. In the end proving who had actually committed the crime was the solution to most if not all of Kort’s problems. Wearily he headed to work determined not to let Butch completely ruin his day before it fully started.