“If you hadn’t told me about the ponies, he may have gotten away with a whole lot more.”
“Yeah, it was so strange how those memories came at such a random time, and thenbamit all made sense. People are strange.”
“Tell me about it.”
She laughed. If anyone knew that, it was Randy. “I don’t know how you trust anyone, with all you see every day.”
“Because good people are good. I surround myself with the few good ones. And for every bad guy I take down, I meet lots of good ones too.”
“Perspective, right?”
“Exactly. So focus on the good stuff, okay?”
She knew what he was talking about. It was that conversation between Tucker and Orene. Her mood had been low ever since and she just couldn’t shake it. “I’m trying.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
RANDY WASthrilled to have gotten what he needed to get Bellamy out of circulation. It was even better that they’d already recovered some of Natalie’s things. The money would be harder to solve for, could take years, but there was hope. Despite all the good news, though, Natalie wasn’t able to shake her concerns about what she’d overheard at Orene’s.
The detective in him couldn’t let that go.
He traced the facts he knew and the hunches he had about the people of Chestnut Ridge.
It wasn’t that hard to unbraid once he started connecting dots, and he was pretty sure it wouldn’t take but a few conversations with people in Chestnut Ridge to confirm his suspicions.
He looked up the number for Orene and called her.
“Orene. My name is Randy Fellowes. I’m a friend of Natalie’s.”
“Hello! I’ve heard all about you.”
That sounds promising.“I’m sure you have. I’d like to come up this weekend and surprise Natalie, but I’ll need a place to stay. I know you don’t run an inn anymore, but do you think I could trouble you to rent a room from you for the weekend?”
“You most certainly cannot, but you are welcome to be my guest.”
“I couldn’t impose.”
“You won’t, and you won’t have a place to stay unless you do it my way.”
Her response didn’t surprise him, from what Natalie had told him about the old woman. “You are one tough cookie.”
“I like to think so.”
“I’ll take you up on that, then. I thought I’d come up tonight if that is okay with you.”
“The sooner, the better.” Orene hung up without a goodbye.
With that settled, he called Natalie. “Hey, gal. How are you?”
“I’m great. I’m out here in the field painting beehives. I have quite a kaleidoscope of beautiful colors going on. Like my own painted field of wildflowers.”
“Are you going to be raising hippie bees?”
“Maybe. Got a problem with that?”
“Me? Nope. Whatever makes you happy makes me happy. I’ll even paint the peace signs for you.”
“I’ll let you.” He hoped she would.
