Hez’s brain whirred. Who could he trust? “You, Jane Dixon, and I should meet. Now.”
Chapter 35
Savannah frowned when Hez didn’t pick up her call. Again. She’d already left two messages, and the unusual silence alarmed her after everything they’d been through. She needed to know he was all right and Michael hadn’t come after him. She shot off a quick text:Call me—I’m worried.
The last of her packing tasks at the cottage beckoned, and she finished loading a box of things from Simon’s room. Grief pinched hard. Would he ever use the baseball mitt or the basketball in his closet again?
She taped shut the top of the box and carried it to join the others by the front door. Hez would load them in the back of his truck when he came. Movement through the front window caught her attention, and she spotted Nora jumping out of her car to rush to the door.
Savannah didn’t wait for Nora to ring the bell and went to join her on the porch. Her smile faded when she saw Nora’s tearstained face and red eyes. “What’s happened?”
Savannah embraced Nora and hugged her tight as she sobbed against Savannah’s shoulder. “I-it’s Tammy. The police arrested her. I saw Hez heading into the station with Chief Dixon and Hope, but they wouldn’t tell me anything.”
No wonder Savannah hadn’t been able to get ahold of him. “What were the charges?”
“I don’t know exactly, but I have my suspicions.” Nora pulled away and moved past Savannah into the living room where she fell into a chair. “You and I’ve been close a long time, but there’s a lot about me you don’t know. I hate talking about it, but it’s important for you to understand. I did time in juvie myself.”
Savannah’s eyes widened. She perched on the edge of the sofa with the dogs curled at her feet. “You did?”
Nora nodded. “Uncle Michael can be charismatic, and I wasn’t immune to the lure of being with my ‘cool’ cousins.” She made air quotes. “I admired Little Joe, Tommy, and Deke and wanted to be just like them. Until it wasn’t so cool and I got caught driving a stolen car. Looking back, it was the best thing that ever happened to me. I got sent to a great facility, and for the first time, I clearly saw the dark side of what Uncle Michael and the others were doing. I turned my life around, kept Uncle Michael and the rest at arm’s length, and only saw them at family reunions. I saw Tammy going down the same path, and I wanted to help her. I even got her a job at PHPD so I could keep an eye on her, and she seemed to be on the right track.”
Savannah tensed at the word “seemed.” “But?”
Nora swiped at her wet eyes and sighed. “But I caught her in the evidence locker without authorization. She didn’t have a good explanation for being in there, and I didn’t like how evasive she was. I talked to my grandmother, hoping she would help, but she told me not to say anything. That it wasn’t anything to worry about, and if I kept my mouth shut, no one would find out. That should have been my first clue that something was very wrong.”
“Tammy used your credentials, didn’t she? I knew you didn’t steal Ella’s file.”
Nora gave a jerky nod. “We resemble each other, and she could easily pass for me when she borrowed my credentials. I didn’t want to turn her in and begged her to do the right thing on her own, but she refused. Now she’s ruined her life.” Nora buried her face in her hands. “I don’t know what to do.”
“We can pray for her.” Savannah patted the sofa cushion beside her. “Sit by me, and we’ll pray right now.”
When Nora moved to sit beside her, Savannah took her hand and they prayed for mercy and wisdom, but most of all for Tammy to realize her spiritual condition. They were both weeping when Nora echoed Savannah’s “Amen.”
“I have to go.” Nora rose. “I knew you’d help me. Thank you.” She gave her a fierce hug before Savannah walked her to the door.
Sunset was falling, and the streetlights came on. A breeze lifted Savannah’s hair as she waved goodbye. Nora’s car backed out of the driveway, and Savannah started to enter the house again. An envelope lay partially hidden by the floor mat, and she picked it up. The flap resisted her fingers, and she ripped it open. Inside was a phone bill with Deke Willard’s name at the top, and she glanced at the date, which was four years ago. What on earth? An entry halfway down the page was highlighted in yellow.
Hez needed to see this right away. She rushed inside to grab her phone.
Michael’s heart rate went up as he turned into the Oyster Hill Country Club in Nova Cambridge. He’d been anticipating this for a long time.
The clubhouse was an imposing old white building with a pillared porch. It had started life as an antebellum mansion, according to the bronze plaque Michael had read when he toured the place last week before buying his membership. Huge old oaks shaded the clubhouse and grass as green and perfect as an emerald carpet.
Michael spotted Pierre’s silver Mercedes E 350 in the lot, even though his tee time wasn’t for another hour. Pierre must be in the clubhouse or on the driving range. Good.
The sun stood high in a hot, cloudless sky, so Michael parked in a shady spot. He turned to Simon, who was staring at the old mansion. “Have you ever been golfing before?”
Simon’s eyes went wide. “This will be my first time.”
“Then we’d better start you off with some lessons and maybe a bite to eat.”
They walked up the oyster-shell path to the clubhouse entrance and stepped through the double doors into the cool interior. The foyer had a high ceiling and dark wood floors decorated with expensive-looking old rugs. A scattering of antique chairs and tables stood against the walls. Michael inhaled deeply, drawing in the scents of old wood, fresh flowers, and a hint of perfume from a well-dressed woman who walked by. The smell of money.
A glance through the window facing the driving range told Michael that Pierre must be in the clubhouse. Probably in the restaurant. He turned to Simon. “I could use a burger and some sweet tea. How about you?”
Simon grinned. “Sounds great! Can I have a root beer float?”
Michael tousled his grandson’s blond hair. “Of course.”
