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“No…” Rose says thoughtfully. “Not necessarily…”
“It will. Civil matters like these can drag out for generations sometimes,” Craig sighs. “I don’t mean to be a Debbie Downer, but I don’t want to give you false hope, either.”
“No, I mean… there might be another way.”
All eyes are on her, and she smiles beguilingly.
“What are you thinking?” I ask, but she shakes her head.
“The idea’s still forming, but I think we’re going to need more help.” She turns to her grandmother. “Gran, do you have any friends who are decently educated and a little… eccentric?”
Katherine gawks at her, open-mouthed. “I will try not to be offended by that question,” she replies. “Because I assume it pertains to taking on this soulless corporation.”
“It does,” Rose reassures her. “It requires an acting gig. Know anyone who might fit the role and be up for the part?”
“Maybe…” Katherine murmurs. “But he’s a bit of a curmudgeon.”
“Perfect!” Rose squeaks. “That’s absolutely perfect!”
“What are you planning?” I demand as she rises from the table and begins to collect all of the evidence that her attorney friend found.
“You, me, and Eli need to get online right away,” she informs me, gesturing for us to follow her. “I think I finally know how to get rid of them once and for all.”
* * *
I park my truck in the lot across from the building as Mr. Thomas grunts and adjusts his ascot. I still can’t believe the man is wearing an ascot.
“That’s a little much, isn’t it?” I comment, raising an eyebrow at Rose, but she shushes me, pressing her lips together to smother a smile as Mr. Thomas scowls.
“I’m doing you little shits a favor,” he reminds us, and Katherine interjects to calm him.
“Now, Jeff, come on. You’re doing us all a favor, yourself included,” she coos in a tone I’ve never heard the old lady use.
Jeffery Thomas softens under her sweet talking and smiles bashfully. “Oh, all right, Kathy. You know I can’t say no to you.”
Rose’s eyes pop, but her lips firm more.
Kathy?she mouths at me. I shrug. Mr. Thomas is as much a mystery to me as he is to Rose.
“Let’s go,” she mumbles.
We’ve just dropped her friends off at the Helena Regional Airport for them to catch a flight back to Seattle before picking up Mr. Thomas in Bozeman. Although how Katherine Winterbourne and Jeffery Thomas know one another, I’m still not clear. I fully intend to get the whole story on this at dinner.
However they’re acquainted, he seems to fit the bill for what Rose has asked, but I find my hands growing clammy as we step into the graying day. Sporadic splatters of rain hit my face as we emerge and walk toward the sleek steel and glass office space in front of us.
“Are you sure about this?” I whisper to Rose, watching Mr. Thomas walk stiffly in front of us, his walking cane and Katherine flanking him on either side.
“Are they very close, or is it just me?” Rose asks, not hearing my question, her head still cocked and watching the pair ahead. Her hands slip into mine again, as if she’s inspired by their nearness, and I twine my fingers around hers.
“He used to teach at the college,” Eli tells us, and Rose stops to gape at him.
“Who?”
“Jeffery Thomas,” Eli explains. “He was a professor.”
“What? Really?”
“Sociology or something,” Eli nods. “He was one of the more popular profs, too. Apparently, all the students were in love with him.”
