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They drove the length of the packed-shell drive to the end, where Tanner’s trailer and the dock sat. It was humid after the rain, and now the darker clouds began to move aside and allow the sun to radiate the late afternoon. It wouldn’t be dark for another couple hours, so the heat and humidity would climb until then.
Carly wore a sleeveless turquoise top with a knee-length cream-colored skirt. She didn’t seem to struggle with the heat, though she had twisted her long dark hair into a clip. Her medium-heeled shoes weren’t exactly the best for trudging through the shells and pathway down to the dock. But neither were bare feet.
Jake and Carly took a seat at the picnic table under his awning while Tanner disappeared into the trailer to snag the beers for the small group. He pulled out a six-pack cooler and added an ice pack to it to keep the bottles cold.
“Hey, Jake, grab those chairs.” Tanner pointed to the two lightweight aluminum chairs with mesh webbing leaned against the trailer. There were already two permanent Adirondack chairs on the dock.
Tanner offered them a beer, which they took.
Leah drove up as they were heading toward the dock, beers in hand.
“Not gonna wait for me, huh?” Leah kissed Jake on the cheek.
“Glad you’re here. It’s been a bear of a day.” Carly said to Leah.
“What’s going on? Is it Carson?” Leah, of course, asked what was happening.
Tanner wasn’t sure how much to share with their respective siblings since they’d decided to keep the circle of information very small.
Carly must’ve realized what she’d done and darted a glance over at him. “Let’s go have a seat where we can discuss this situation.” Tanner figured there wasn’t any way around letting the siblings know what was happening. Jake might even be able to shed some light on the medical part of things where Marie was concerned. There wasn’t anyone they could trust more than these two.
Once they’d set up the folding chairs and made a circle-ish, they seemed to all let out a sigh of sorts. The air was warm and heavy but being with family and sitting on this dock together helped to lighten the burden for Tanner.
“What’s going on now?” Jake started the conversation. “You two seem a little stressed.”
Tanner nodded. “Yes, but this stays between us. You know we’ve been searching for Marie Trichel, our client Lisa’s grandmother?” Jake and Leah both nodded. “Well, someone has been tipped off, and that person sent us a threatening note today warning us to back off.”
“Warning you? Warning you how?” Leah asked before Jake got the chance.
Tanner quoted the note. “But who really knows if it was serious. It’s unlikely anyone would follow through with it.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure about that. This place has some ugly secrets, or so we’ve found out recently. Who knows what lengths someone might go to, to protect them?” Jake’s tone was grave.
“What did you do exactly to cause someone to send such a threatening note? I mean, what bear did you poke?” Leah asked.
“We got a search warrant to compel Marie’s health, property, and financial records from Rapides Parish. It seems Judge Keller is involved with a doctor and a lawyer in town to have Marie committed to Pine Hill as a mental patient.”
“That would do it. Why would Keller have an interest in Marie? And who are the doctor and lawyer involved?” Jake leaned forward in his chair, fully engaged.
“The lawyer’s name has been redacted from the files, but the doctor on record is a Dr. H. R. Miller. You know him?” Tanner asked his brother.
“I know him. He’s an older doc. Doesn’t have hospital privileges anymore though. He’s a psychiatrist. Still sees patients in his office over by the hospital. He’s a buddy of Carson’s.”
“Somehow that doesn’t surprise me. Carson’s name hasn’t popped up with regards to this yet, but I guess it was only a matter of time, given his connection to Judge Keller. Those two grew up together, were roommates in law school, and still hide each other’s dirty laundry.” Tanner shook his head. “And Carson has no problem issuing threats around town.”
“Do you think Carson’s the third person in the paperwork, the one who’s Marie’s legal guardian?” Carly asked.
Tanner ran a hand through his hair. “It’s a decent theory. A place to start, I guess. It takes all three to declare someone legally incompetent: a judge, a doctor, and a lawyer. The trifecta of dread in Marie’s case. Once it’s done, it would be hard to undo legally.”
Carly shrugged. “We’re having to do this dance with what’s legal and what’s right. Finding out what Marie’s mental status immediately is what’s right. But there’s no quick legal way to do that. We’re at the mercy of her court-appointed guardian to get access to her. But we don’t know who that is. We’ll have to show up and try to see her, but if we do that and they refuse us, who knows what might happen to Marie until we can find a better way to gain entry.”
Tanner spoke up then. “DA Litrell is working with us, along with Judge Watkins in expediting things. They believe us that Keller is involved in taking away Marie’s personal liberties against her will. But getting Marie out of the facility will take some finessing since we don’t know if she’s got some legitimate mental deficiencies. Also, we don’t know how many people within the hospital system are involved.”
“Can’t you just spring her?” Leah suggested what Tanner assumed was an idea born of watching too many crime dramas.
Tanner shook his head. “Ha. I wish. We’re hoping to get a court order that will allow Judge Watkins to appoint an interim guardian until it’s settled. Also, we need to get a medical evaluation for Marie immediately. Dr. Miller is at the top of tomorrow’s list of people to contact.”
“This is a whole lot more complicated than it was last week when we were looking through photos at Nana’s house, huh?” Leah’s question was rhetorical and obvious. “Maybe Nana knows more about the family than she realizes, or maybe Momma does.”
