The Charity (66 page)

Old Liam knew his words were lost on the group. The money meant more guns. More power for the men who bought the guns. He looked at the grin of the beast that was thirsting for the lives of innocent people.

“May God have mercy on our souls—if He can find them.”

Phoenix raised his head and gave a quick ‘heh heh heh’ of anticipation when Jessica arrived at Bleauvelt’s barn. Seeing his velvet muzzle peeking over the stall door gave Jessica a great sense of pride. Her training was doing the colt well and his eagerness rewarded her efforts.

Her session this morning, as every other morning, was watched with interest by a few of Bleauvelt’s stable hands and Bleauvelt himself. The slightly paunchy aristocrat always stood at the far most end of the paddock, leaning his frame against the split rail fence, his crossed arms bearing his weight. His constant companion was a very tall, thin man that Jessica learned was the trainer Bleauvelt hired while she was in Boston. The two men watched every exercise she put Smokey and the other horses through, taking careful notes as they did so. Neither man hid the fact that they were trying to learn as much as they could from her while they had a chance. Invariably the trainer would lope away to perform the exact maneuvers Jessica used with the horses he worked on. Jessica tried not to let it get to her, knowing it took more instinct than recipe to be a good trainer, but it still hurt and further underscored the fact that she was replaceable and not wholly wanted.

The sun reached the highest point in the sky and the air remained chilly and damp, sending the men to warm themselves by the fire. The Kentucky winter droned on with determination, occasionally teasing with a warm, almost spring like day. This late February day was not one of them. The sky was overcast and the dampness in the air seemed to force the chill further into her bones. Jessica tried to ignore the chill and fended it off with exertion.

After working with Phoenix, she decided to take Empress through a series of trotting exercises in the far corner of the arena. Even being indoors did not help. The dampness worked its way into her fingers and she tried to burrow them deep into the horse’s thick winter coat. Nothing seemed to be going well. The bay mare was sluggish and not responding to any command with even a glimmer of enthusiasm. The great brown body with a black mane and tail plodded around the ring, head down, one ear cocked forward and the other tilted back toward her rider. Finally, Jessica leaned down and stroked the horse’s long neck.

“You are the most gentle creature I have ever known. A strong hunter you will never be. I guess I can’t expect miracles with you, can I girl?”

“Now, why would you say a thing like that?”

The booming voice took Jessica by surprise. Looking toward the source, she smiled. “Father Steeves! How are you?”

Jessica dismounted by swinging her right leg over the mare’s neck and hopping the distance to the ground. The mare followed her over to the observation port at the side of the arena where the clergyman was standing. “How long have you been there?”

Father Steeves looked at Jessica and surveyed Jessica with mock severity. “Not very long. I had to see for myself Perc’s new citizen. I’ve heard so many interesting things about her these past weeks.”

Jessica laughed. “Ooohh! I’ll just bet you have! And some are even true!” She leaned against the railing and looked directly at the priest. “It’s good to see you.”

“And it’s very good to see you, too.” He firmly grasped her hands in his and added, “I am very pleased to meet you, Jessica.”

“You seem to be the only person who is.”

The mare allowed herself to be led through the gate and into the far barn corridor that was flanked by roomy stalls. As usual, no stable hands were to be seen when actual work needed to be done.

In motions that were reflex after so many years of caring for horses, Jessica quickly placed Empress into crossties and took the bridle and saddle off. Grabbing a brush, she vigorously stroked the animal’s coat. “What brings you here?”

Father Steeves followed at a respectful distance behind the massive animal. Even though Empress was a small horse as measured by conventional standards, she seemed enormous to the clergyman. For a man who preferred cats even to most humans, keeping an ample distance between himself and Empress was the only sensible thing for him to do. He cleared his throat a little self-consciously.

“Well, I hear that you have been spending a lot of time up at the Franklin School.”

“Yup. I try to get up there almost every evening to lend a hand. Why? Is something wrong?”

Father Steeves looked down at his callous free and manicured hands. “May we speak freely here?”

“Go ahead.”

“Perc is a very tight community, Jessica, and the school is a large part of it. Most of the people here live their own lives without so much as a whisper of scandal. Having someone amongst us with a story such as yours is, well, heart-stopping.” The clergyman finished dusting his trouser legs off and began picking at the stray specs of dirt which clung to his overcoat.

“I just want to go about my life. I think they’ll see that I’m the same person they accepted just a few months ago.” Empress shifted her weight and lifted a hoof in response to Jessica’s grooming.

“It’s not really that.”

“No? What is it, then?”

“It’s not about you. The additional interest you bring to the school is not welcome. It has fought hard to be an institution beyond reproach and question. Your presence brings with it reporters. Reporters ask questions.”

“I don’t get it. You don’t want me to go up there anymore because some reporters are asking questions? I thought all schools liked free publicity and the additional donations notoriety brings.”

“The school does not need the money and its directors do not need notoriety.”

Jessica squeezed the tears back from her eyes. “This will all go away. It’s been weeks now and the reporters left after Electra’s article.”

“The dumb ones left. Others are still poking around.”

“Father Steeves, I just don’t get it. What’s it trying to hide?”

“Local events with local news is quite different than the national attention focused on everything connected with you.”

Before she had time to think about her words, she spat out “What
is
this? I don’t think it’s very Christian of you or anybody else to tell someone to get lost.”

“Christianity has nothing to do with it. It’s business. Nothing more. Nothing less.”

Lainely pulled the collar of her fox coat up around her ears. Even the full length of the heavy pelts did not ward off the chill. She clenched her jaw muscles tight to prevent her teeth from chattering and stretched a smile across her face. She wanted to look like she was enjoying the out-of-doors. She filled her lungs with air and dramatically exhaled. “Just beautiful, isn’t it?”

Michael barely turned his head in her direction. “Yes it is. How much did you say the owners were asking for this hillside?”

“I didn’t say. Actually, I wanted to get a feel from you if you wanted to add the property to your holdings. Later, I thought I could approach the owners and entice them into a dialogue and see if they were interested in selling.”

Michael noticed Lainely drawled significantly less when it was just the two of them together. There were a lot of things that changed about her when he was around. “You mean they don’t know we’re here?”

“I, well, I did tell them that I would be showing a customer the surrounding areas and asked if we could drive their hillside. It offers one of the best views of the valley and is surrounded by national forest. Jackman’s Ravine is off the southwestern tip. Now all I have to tell them is that you, or rather the ‘anonymous buyer,’ were more interested in their property rather than anything currently on the market.”

“You are always conniving.”

Lainely took the statement as a compliment. “I like to stay one step ahead of the market. You can get the best deals that way. You of all people should know that.”

“It has worked for me in the past.”

“Yes it has! I have already checked on the geological surveys and preliminary mineral analyses. The property falls outside of Perc’s borders, so there would be no prohibition on coal mining. I think the owners have no idea they could be sitting on a fortune.”

“Lainely, as usual you are outdoing yourself.”

“Well, I am just so infuriated ever since I let my Uncle Milliard’s farm slip through my fingers. I use every spare moment to research other properties that fit your profile.”

“You’re not going to let this sale go without a fight, are you?”

“Those idiots who managed my uncle’s trust in Louisville sold the property right out from underneath you! Why! I was just waiting for the other developers to lose interest in the farm and that wench from Utah or Massachusetts or wherever just took it! I have more than a little score to settle there, but that has to wait.”

“Careful, Lainely.”

She continued, her voice dropping to a purr. “It’s a perfect piece of property for you. The northern lot line abuts other land where you’ve already begun coal mining operations.”

“You mean coal operations have started over the hillside. I have nothing to do with that.”

She took the correction in stride. “Right. That reporter is the one who told me that. Oh, I ah, I don’t know where she got her information.”

At the mention of Colleen Shaunessy-Carillo, Michael let a grimace flicker across his face. “She can be very persistent. She seems to think there is a larger story here ever since she found out I made some inquiries on the Smythe farm before Jessica bought it. I don’t know where she got that information, either.”

Lainely tried to shake off Michael’s withering look. “I’m sorry about that. I really am. I had no idea who she was when she first came around. I thought she was a friend of yours or something. We just started chatting and the next thing I know, that just popped out of my mouth.” Her eyes widened with exaggerated innocence.

“It’s not your fault she’s digging around for a story. Any little thread of news linking the local sheriff to vast property holdings or to a previous connection with our local fugitive just does not play well in the press. Think of the misconceptions created by the fact that both your aunt and uncle died on their farm and had to be carried down the mountain. You know the truth on that, but it certainly sounds bad if played the wrong way.” He let a sharpness edge into his words for emphasis.

She ignored the threat. “I know you’re right. You have my word that I will not tell anyone about any of our dealings.”

The cold air made Michael’s breath come out in swirls of fog. He and Lainely had been friends ever since he came to Perc. More accurately, she had shadowed his every move and made an art form out of feigning surprise each time she ‘unexpectedly’ bumped into him. Knowing everyone in the connecting valleys, she even helped him win his position as sheriff. It was just that fact alone that made him more than a little wary of what tales she could tell if given the motivation. He knew he had to tread lightly.

“Lainely. Don’t read too much into this situation. I’ve made some nice real estate transactions, thanks to you, and you have made some very nice commissions. That reporter thinks I’m worth millions and now is hunting for proof. I chose to keep all of this out of my name and in the name of holding companies because I wanted to live here and function as an ordinary person, not as a wealthy man or someone who has power over others.”

He was only half speaking to his companion as his eyes surveyed the surrounding mountains and the river winding its way along the valley floor. A total sense of belonging came over him. Landmarks in the valley could be easily identified from his vantage point. The bend in the river, the small town. A corner of a plateau peeked out from under a far ridge. He recognized it as the field of Jessica’s farm and wondered if she was there.

“You
are
a wealthy man
and
you have power.”

Rage at her presumptions seeped to the surface. He had to keep his mind focused. “That’s different.”

Lainely flicked her thick dark hair out from under her coat collar. Her brown eyes narrowed and she cocked her head to one side in mock puzzlement. “What’s so different about it? I know what you have, Michael, and I know you worked hard to get it.”

“What are you getting at?”

Her voice softened as if soothed by honey. “Sometimes I really don’t understand you at all. Why do you even bother with toiling around as a sheriff when you and Electra could sell the rest of your holdings and live the highlife? God knows the Lavielles don’t need the money, but what about you?”

“Electra? What are you getting at?”

Lainely gave a sly smile. “I’ve done my homework, too. Honestly, Michael, you act as if making a mountain of cash on savvy dealings is some kind of crime, or somethin’.”

“That’s no concern of yours.”

While they spoke, Lainely stepped closer to him. For a long moment, the two figures stood silent as the wind whipped around them. Warmth washed over her and she was reluctant to have the moment end. “You can trust me not to say anything to anyone. I promise.”