Thomas set and talked to Dan Harper for well over an hour, he had removed his self with Andy’ cell phone, to set inside the Pontiac GTO.
Barry Dove had looked at Thomas but had said nothing when Dakota, looking at him, said no with her eyes.
Dick set Andy down at the table and Ben served him a beer as Eddie placed a serving of food in front of him.
Dick and Thomas were both fans of the book, the Count of Monte Crisco. They did not know for sure, but felt that if Andy was really here as a friend then he would eat and drink at their table. In the book the count would not eat at the table of someone he did not think of as a friend.
Andy started eating as soon as the plate was served. And he finished everything and was ready to try some apple pie Eddie put in front of him. He also accepted a second beer.
Dick had opened a bottle of Johnny Walker and poured two glass shots. He killed one and had then taken the second shot to Thomas.
Thomas refused the shot but Dick stood there and held the glass in front of him until Thomas took it and drink it.
Dick then went back over to the picnic table and set in a lounge chair that had been placed at one end of the table.
So far Dakota had not introduced her husband to anyone yet. She was still not sure if she was going to keep him or send him back. She had so many feelings running through her body right now that she wanted to cry, laugh, and craw out of her skin all at the same time.
Dakota said “Uncle Dick this is Barry, my husband.”
Dick looked at Barry, really for the first time sense seeing him here, and said, “How long have you had that GTO.”
Within a few minutes Ben was setting beside Barry in another lounge chair and the three of them were talking cars. Barry worked in a garage.
Doris and Dena Marla were helping Eddie clean up from an early supper which this had become.
Tommy was talking to Dakota. She was the daughter of his hero, Thomas. He had always been fascinated by Thomas and had grew up around Thomas and found him to be almost like the mysterious Count of Monte Crisco.
Tommy was a fan of the book also because Thomas had read it to him, twice. The first time he had been only nine years old. Thomas had read the book to him and Dakota, and at the time, Tommy had seen Dakota as the Haydee’s character from the book, and he had a crush on her.
“Are you really Thomas’s daughter?” Tommy asked. He had not seen her in three years and he was not sure he was remembering her right. Was this his pretty Haydee’s all fat now?
“Yes I am.” Dakota giggled.
Tommy thought about this. He chose to lie about his feelings and what he was thinking.
“That’s why you are so beautiful.” Tommy said. “I remember you.”
Once the baby is born he thought she will lose the fat.
Dakota’s eyes opened wide. She did not expect a thirteen year old boy to make a pass at her.
“Thank you very much.” She said.
“For what” Tommy asked, “For telling the truth.”
Tommy had heard this line from Thomas. Thomas was a big flirt. But that was all he would do. But Thomas did like to charm the ladies.
Dakota did not say anything. She just smiled. This was a cute little boy, she thought, I hope my baby is cute like this.
“Did I say something wrong?” ask Tommy sensing he had.
“No. Everything is okay.” Dakota said. “I was just thinking about my little baby.” Dakota rubbed her belly.
“Would you like to feel my baby.” She asked.
Tommy’s face turned red. Now he had been caught off guard. He did not know what to say as Kelly raised her large pull over shirt up to just below her breast. His eyes grow so wide from the size of her tummy that he thought she had to be eating too much.
Just then Doris Marla walked over,
“May I feel your baby?” she asked setting down beside Dakota.
Dakota shook her head yes, in a few minutes Doris, her husband and Tommy were all three there taking turns rubbing Dakota’s tummy.
Eddie also joined them but he refused to touch Dakota’s tummy till Doris Marla took his hand and placed it on Dakota’s belly. At the moment Eddie’s hand touch skin, the baby moved. Eddies whole face lit up with enjoyment when Dakota said “Looks like he likes his Uncle Eddie.”
Ben was still setting with Dick and Andy but had heard what Dakota said. He saw the happiness that was in Eddies face, and he also felt a happiness he had not known for a long time, for he and Eddie had been alone for so long, and now were part of something. He did not know what, or how long it would last, but he knew that for now, they were with family.
Kelly and Greg set there in the office and talked the day away. Tasha come in from school and was surprised to find her mother setting with a strange man doing nothing. It was not like her mother not to be working.
Tasha wanted to go see about Romeo, the ferret she was going to buy this day. Tasha had been saving up her money in order to buy a ferret and Kelly had told her they would get him today.
Tasha had already chosen the Ferret she was getting and the pet shop owner had set him aside in a cage all of his own.
Kelly told Tasha she could not go to the pet store alone. This was something Tasha had done many times before and she could not understand why she could not do so now.
Greg told Kelly it would be okay to let her go. He then pointed out the window at a car setting in the parking lot next door to the storage company on the other side away from the service mart.
“Those men will watch her.” He said. “They work for me.”
Kelly did not say anything. She looked at the car, the men, and then back at this man she really did not know.
“I am here on behalf of the family.” He said, “Your family, Thomas’s family.”
Kelly still did not say anything. Tasha didn’t move, her eyes opened at the sound of the name Thomas..
“Andy Harper said to tell you he is still watching over you and your daughter also. You are both safe.”
Over her shoulder Kelly told her daughter she could go to the pet store but no where else. Tasha started to speak, but Kelly said, “Go now.”
As Tasha left and walked by the car, Kelly saw two men get out of the car. Greg called a number and placed the call on speaker phone.
“Did you see the child walk by just now?” he asked.
Kelly saw the man out the window, and heard his words come out of the phone. “Yes sir.”
“Very well, I want her protected at all cost. If anything happens to her, you should not be around to pay for it.” Greg was looking at Kelly.
“Understood,” Was the reply from the other end.
Kelly watched as both men walked away from the car in Tasha’s direction.
“Who are you?” she asked Greg.
“I am just who I told you I was. I am the cousin to Jason Harper. You knew his dad, Uncle Dan Harper and Uncle Andy Harper.”
“I didn’t know them. I knew of them. I talked to Dan a few times. Thomas would never let me know anything about the family that much.” Kelly set back down.
“That’s true. Thomas did not want you involved with the family in anyway. If not for that incident that night you would never have become involved. But Thomas asked for the families blessing on both you and he that night.” Greg wanted Kelly to know he knew about everything.
“So now you have come to collect I guess?” Kelly said. “I know a little about the family and I know the family does not do anything for anyone without getting something in return.” Kelly had to know what they wanted. She wanted to know if Tasha was safe, or were these people now going to become a problem in her life also.
“That’s true Kelly. We take care of our own, and we ask them to take care of us.” Greg was smiling. “You do not have to worry. We are not here to ask anything of you. We don’t require anything from you. We are here only to make sure you are safe. And to make sure Tasha is safe.”
“And why would you do that?” Kelly asked.
“Kelly, a long time ago your friend Thomas did something for the family. And the only thing in the world he has ever asked for from the family is that your safety be guaranteed. And by extension that same guarantee applies to your daughter.” Greg was smiling.
“So some crazy in a truck tries to run over me and then you and the army show up to protect me?” Kelly asked being sarcastic.
“Yes and no.” Greg stood up. “Uncle Dan really does own this place, the storage company. So when we heard what happened to you we were concerned.” He paused.
“A few weeks ago there was a private detective snooping around asking questions about you, and Uncle Dan and Uncle Andy. Then this morning this truck thing happened. We wanted to know what is going on and why.”
Kelly thought about what he had said.
“Why would a private detective, be asking about me?” she asked.
They were silent for a minute,’ both thinking about that last questing.
“Why indeed.” said Greg. “I guess someone wants to find you.”
Kelly thought.
“Thomas.” She said.
“Maybe, we don’t know yet. But we will find out.
Again there was silence.
“If it was Thomas, would you want to see him?” Greg asked.
Silence then “No.”
More silence, then “Yes. Yes I want to see him. If it is Thomas then I want to see him.” Kelly looked as if she was going to cry.
The door opened and Tasha ran in. She ran over to her mother.
The larger of the two men from the car came into the office
after her limping. “She kicked
Greg burst out laughing. Kelly followed him laughing also. Then the smaller man from the car walked in pushing Carl Price.
“Carl what is going on?” asked Kelly.
Carl didn’t get a chance to say anything.
“I was talking to Carl Mother when these two men attacked us. So I kicked him.” Tasha did not come out from behind her mother. She did stick her tongue out at the man she had kicked. He stepped back like she had kicked him again.
“I got it from here.” Greg said. “You two can go.”
“What about this one?” asked the man holding onto Carl’s shirt?
“Let him go. I know Him.” said Kelly.
Both men looked at Greg then left.
“Are you okay Carl?” asked Kelly.
“Yes Ms Kelly. I wasn’t doing anything. I just seen Ms. Tasha at the pet store and asked her if she was getting her ferret today.”
“I know Carl. Listen I am a little business right now but Tasha and I want to take you out to get a hamburger when I close today for your birthday.”
“Aw Ms. Kelly you don’t have to do that.” Carl said.
“I know, but we want to. So be ready in about an hour.” Kelly was checking the time on the clock above the water cooler.
“Yes Mam.” Carl said as he was pulled out the door by Tasha.
Kelly could see out the window that the two men were once again watching Tasha.
“Don’t worry they will not let her out of their sight.” Greg said.
“How long have you people been watching me?” Kelly asked.
“We watched you a long time before you come to work here. This job was offered to you because we knew you would not turn it down and it was a way to have you close so we could ensure your safety.”
“How long” Kelly asked again.
“The family looked for you a long time. We found you the day Tasha was born. A cop on the force knew the father and reported that you might be the girl we were looking for.”
“Why were you looking for me?” asked Kelly.
“Because of Thomas and your mother” Greg said.
“What about them?” asked Kelly?
“Your mother was murdered Kelly. And someone tried to murder Thomas. He asked us to find you and make you safe.”
“What?” Kelly said, “Who?”
“I can’t say. I don’t know. But I do know that had been taken care of. The person that killed your mother has paid for the crime. And in fact they are still paying.” Greg looked out the window.
Kelly was thinking. “Why didn’t Thomas try to find me his self?” she asked.
Greg didn’t say anything for a minute.
“Tell me why!” demanded Kelly.
“Because of the letter you wrote.”
“The letter” She didn’t write a letter. Then she remembered. She did write a letter.
“He said he would lock Thomas up for fifty years if I didn’t write the letter.” Kelly was now crying. “I was only fifteen.”
“You were fourteen. You had a month and a half before you become fifteen.” Greg said.
Kelly looked at Greg. He did know her.
“Do you people have a big file on me? Do you set around and read about my love life and make fucking jokes about it?” She was mad.
“I am sorry Kelly. No we do not. Only a few people know any of this. I am one of only a few.”
The two people just watched each other. Judging the words the other person was saying.
“They gave him the letter? Kelly said. “That’s why he never came for me. He didn’t leave me because he didn’t love me. He left because he thought I didn’t love him.”
Kelly was smiling now. She still had tears, but they were happy tears. Because now she knew Thomas never left her, never stopped loving her.
“The last thing he did before he left was make Uncle Andy and Uncle Dan promise that they would find you and keep you safe.” Greg said. “And that is a promise I intend to make sure is kept.”
Kelly looked at Greg. For the first time in a long time she felt like she had a friend that was a real friend. Mona was the only other person she thought she could count on in this forsaken world.
“Find him for me Greg. Please find my Thomas.” Kelly cried.
Greg looked Kelly in the face. She could see tear in his eyes. Not large cry baby tears, just small little watery tears of sadness for her. Kelly felt that this man in front of her was sharing her pain.
“It would break my heart and I would want to die if I lost the only person I ever loved.” He said. “I will find your Thomas for you and bring him to you. You have my personal word on that.”
For the first time in many years Kelly hugged a man.
A few hours later Greg was gone. He was going to meet with his
Uncle Dan who was just arriving in Atlanta from
Kelly and Tasha took Carl to eat at the Waffle House, and then Kelly made Carl go to the Targets store so she could get him some new shoes. His old ones were wearing loose on his foot.
Carl begged her not to do it, but Tasha said that if he did not let her and her mother buy him a birthday gift, then she would never speak to him again. So Carl got a new pair of shoes.
After that Kelly dropped Carl off at the pet shop. She and Tasha went into the store to get the ferret. She did not want to drop Carl off at storage because he was not supposed to be there after hours.
After picking up Romeo the Ferret, Kelly and Tasha went home. Kelly noticed that the same car the two men were in at the storage company was now following her. She thought the family must really be worried if they are keeping a watch this close on her.
Carl did not go to storage right away. He had made out like a bandit today and had scored almost sixty dollars. He went to the Service Mart first and picked up an eighteen pack of Bud Light.
After that he went to his eight by Ten storage unit and went in. On the out side he locked the door in the open position so no one could lock him in. Then he opened the door and went in and pulled the door down.
Carl had a sofa and a desk. He also had a TV with an old VCR connected to it. And he had a few hundred movies. He had seen them all already, but he liked to watch the movies over again after a few years had past between viewing.
But tonight he just set there and looked at a few old pictures he had. He really did not feel like watching a movie. He was in a crying way.
Carl and Tasha had watched Kelly in the office with the strange man after they had went out side the office. Carl and Tasha saw Kelly hug the man. Carl was heart broken again. He had lost Kelly to yet another man.
Kelly had hurt him. He knew she had taken him out for his birthday because of Tasha. That and because she felt pity for him. That was all she would ever feel for him, pity. Carl was in love with Kelly. He had been in love with her sense that first day he seen her in the electronics store, way back then, when he worked for his old friend Thomas Saratoga.
And now Kelly didn’t even remember him. She never put together the fact that he was that same Carl from way back then. But then why would she. All she had on her mind then was Thomas.
Now that was a name he had not thought about in a long time. Wonder what made him think of it now, Kelly of course.
Thomas had been good to him. And Thomas was a good man. Or at lease he had always thought so. But he was a little, wrong. Thomas did something that just wasn’t right.
Carl has seen Thomas kissing Kelly once in a bad way. And Carl did not like it. No old man should kiss a little girl like that. He knew he never would.
Tasha popped into his mind. “That’s sick.” He said.
He loved Tasha. And he thought he would have loved her even if she had not been Kelly’s daughter. She was just that sweet a person to him.
But he had never had the first wrong ideal about her, or anyone else for that matter. In fact he had never thought of another person in that way except for Kelly. She had always been the only person he loved. And now she was in love again. He did not like the stranger already. It want be long till he also loses Tasha he thought. Kelly will marry this man and Tasha will be calling him daddy. And she will also for get about me. Carl was all alone in the world. He wished he was dead. If he had not been a coward, he would be dead.
Carl set there that night and drunk his beer and love Kelly in his dreams.
Thomas and Dick set in the back seat of the 1969 Ford Mustang. Ben was driving. Eddie was in the passenger seat. The radio was playing on the oldies channel. The windows were down. Ben and Eddie could not hear what Thomas and Dick were saying.
Andy Harper had left and said he would return in a few days.
Thomas had wanted to talk to Dick and so he had Ben test drive the car so he and dick could get away from everyone else.
“Dan said they picked up the private dick as soon as he started asking around. They followed him back to you and then to me. They knew where I lived but told little Andy to make contact with you first. Dan said he did not want to alarm me.”
“Smart move on their part, or you might have had that damn dog eat them.” Dick laughed.
Thomas was laughing also.
“What did they say about the accounts?’ Dick asked.
“We were not able to go into detail.” said Thomas. “But I told them I still had their books they let me use. I told them a friend was keeping them safe and knew how valuable they were. Dan said he already knew and asked if the friend was as close to me as a cousin. I told him yes, and he said any cousin of mine is a cousin of his.”
Dick was trying to place all this jumbo talk together.
“So what does that all mean then?” asked Dick.
“It means you are part of the family.” Thomas said.
“So they are not going to kill us?” Dick said trying to ask in a funny way.
“I hope not.” Thomas said.
They both set there and thought about this for a few minutes. They were wondering if they were really safe or not. Thomas knew he was and thought Dick would be also, as long as he had control of the accounts. But once he turned the accounts over to the family, then who know what would happen.
“What about the girl?” Dick asked.
“Dan said he knew where she was and they she was okay. The family was watching over her.” Thomas was watching Dick’s face to see his reaction to this.
“Was that his way of saying, or else, you think?” Dick asked.
“I don’t think so. You have to understand, these people value their word above all else. That is not to say they will not break it. But if they do, then you had better know it was for a good cause.”
“What better cause than two hundred million dollars.” Dick said.
“Dick, two hundred million dollars is a lot of money to people like you and I, but for the family, it is just another day at the office. I don’t think they would let Kelly come to harm over money. Maybe if I betrayed them or broke my word to them, then they might feel it was okay to break their word. But with Andy and Dan Harper, I don’t think so.”
“So you trust them?” asked dick.
Thomas just looked at Dick. And then he said, “With your life.”
“Just fucking great” Dick said.
“I told Dan I was coming to Atlanta to see Kelly.” Thomas said.
“And” Dick waited.
“He told me no.”
“What the hell you mean no, how can he tell you no?” Dick asked.
“Dick the last time I saw Andy I asked him to keep Kelly safe. Even from me. Andy gave me his word. Now the family will not even let me close to her without her permission. And I am not sure she will give it.”
“You don’t think she will see you. Even after all these years?” Dick asked.
“I don’t know. I can’t really see why she would. She was so young. She may have out grown me. What ever she felt may have died off over the years. I just don’t know.”
“Well I know.” Dick said.
Thomas looked at his old friend.
“We are going to Atlanta and we are going to find this girl. If she does not care for you she needs to tell you face to face. If she wants you she needs to tell you that also. But this entire mess needs to be cleaned up now.” Dick was angry.
“Dan asked me to give him a few days. I told him I would. I think we can leave Friday no matter what he says. But I have to warn you, if they say not to come and we go then there will be hell to pay.” Thomas gave Dick a look that made it clear, he was not joking.
