Doubting Thomas (Tarnished Saints Series) (20 page)

“No, I can’t! I will never accept that.” He pulled the check out of his pocket she’d given Gus and showed it to her. “No woman, not even a wife, has the right to ruin a man’s pride.”

She gasped when she saw the check. “How did you get that? Did Gus tell you?”

“He didn’t need to. I know the skinflint well enough to know he’d never eat two grand. And your tactics of remaining discreet need work.”

“I only did that for Dan,” she said. “I knew how much he wanted that car.”

“Want, yes. Need, no. I’m not sure why I did something so absurd as to buy him such an expensive present.”

“Because you love him, maybe?”

“Love doesn’t have a price tag attached.” He tore up the check in front of her and dropped the pieces, letting the paper flutter to the ground. “Remember that next time, Angie.”

Angel sat at the picnic table with the others, and one by one the children were called into the house for questioning. The happy mood of the birthday party turned sour and sullen. Tillie took the girls for a walk, and the Ainsleys excused themselves and headed home. Night was closing in, and Angel knew there would be no more celebrating this day.

She watched Thomas, still pacing back and forth, and every time one of the kids came out of the house, he’d drill them as to what they were asked. Angel didn’t see any problems with the questioning, except for maybe them questioning all the bruises on Zeke. But once the boy told them he falls out of trees a lot, the suspicion of Thomas possibly abusing him was lessened.

“All right,” said Barb joining them, with Bob right behind her. Bob kept his eyes on the clipboard in his hand and continued writing. “We just need to talk to the youngest child and we’ll be finished.”

“No!” said Thomas, stepping in front of the woman. “Eli is not to be questioned.”

“You don’t seem to understand, Mr. Thomas,” said the woman. “We need to speak with each of your children in order to fill out a proper report.”

“Eli doesn’t speak,” Angel said softly.

“He’s mute?” asked Bob, looking up from his clipboard.

“He’s been traumatized by the death of his mother,” Thomas told them. “He hasn’t spoken since that day. The police already know this.”

“Well, then maybe we should bring in a child psychologist,” suggested Barb.

“They’ve already been here,” he told her. “I don’t want Eli going through any more of this pressure. Now leave my land.”

Barb and Bob looked at each other with raised brows.

“Is there something you’re trying to hide from us, Mr. Taylor?” asked Bob.

“Of course not,” Angel said, stepping forward. “Thomas, they need to try to talk to Eli. Now please, let them do their job and don’t cause trouble.”

He opened his mouth, ready to protest, but closed it when he saw the urgency in her eyes.

“Eli, come here,” Thomas said in a low voice. The boy stayed behind the picnic table and did not move. He looked back at Bob and Barb. “He doesn’t want to talk with you.”

“I’ll get him,” Angel said, starting over, but Bob stopped her.

“No. We want Mr. Taylor to bring the child over.”

Angel stiffened, and Thomas knew they were testing him somehow. And when she looked at him and nodded, he decided he had no choice but to obey.

He walked over to Eli and held out his hand. “Come here, son.”

The boy jumped up and backed away, fear in his eyes.

Bob and Barb discussed something in hushed tones between them. Then Angel, against their orders, reached out for Eli, took his hand and brought him forward.

“Eli’s a little wary of strangers,” she told them.

“Looks like he’s wary of his own father as well,” sniffed Barb.

“Where’s his shoes?” asked Bob, looking down at the boy’s bare feet. “He does have shoes, doesn’t he, Mr. Taylor?”

“Eli has more shoes than all of my children combined,” he told them. “But if you want to know where he hides them, you’ll have to ask him.”

Bob shook his head and scribbled something down on his clipboard.

Thomas watched as they headed over to the house, knowing his poor relationship with his son, not to mention the fact he hadn’t been more strict about Eli wearing shoes, was doing nothing to satisfy the case workers.

“Is Eli going to talk today?” asked Jake.

“You know he never talks,” said Sam.

The boys sat there sullen, and even Dan had no desire anymore to drive his new car. Thomas headed for the pole barn, now feeling more than ever that he needed a drink to calm his nerves. Too damned bad he’d broken every bottle of hidden liquor.

Angel said goodbye to Bob and Barb, and busied herself cleaning up the mess from the party. The boys didn’t even ask if she needed help, but pitched right in. All but Eli who was in the house washing the dirt off his feet like Angel instructed.

“So what did they say?” Dan asked her.

All the boys looked up with wide eyes waiting for her response. While she owed them the truth, she didn’t want them worried. And she wanted to talk with Thomas about all this before she told the boys.

“Jake and Josh, take these bags of garbage to the dumpster,” she told them, handing them the big plastic bags. “Sam, I need you to check on Eli. And Zeke, can you check to see if the animals are taken care of for the night?”

“Sure,” said Zeke. “We get the hint.”

They left as instructed, all but Dan.

“Dan, I’m so sorry about all this. I wanted you to have a wonderful birthday party.”

“It’s all right,” he told her. “I appreciate everything you did.”

She noticed the boy playing with the car keys, and a frown on his face.

“Why don’t you take the car for a quick spin before it gets too dark?”

“I don’t think so,” he said, his eyes still on the keys.

“You like the car, don’t you?”

He looked up abruptly. “It’s a dream come true. How could I not like it?”

“Then why are you so sad?”

Thomas Taylor wasn’t the only complex male in the household. In reality, the more Angel got to know them, the more she realized how much each of the boys was like their father. Now if he could just see that as well.

“I’m happy,” he told her, “but sad at the same time. You see, I know Pa used the money for this car that he would have been saving for Sam’s operation. I don’t feel I deserve it.”

“Well, your father must have felt you did, or he wouldn’t have bought it for you.”

“Yeah. I guess,” he said, twirling the key around. “Well, I guess I’d better put the top up for the night so the interior doesn’t get wrecked.”

Angel smiled as she saw him not only putting up the top but checking out the headlights, the wipers, and playing with the radio as well. She only wished things had gone differently this night. Thomas had seemed so happy earlier. Almost like life should be.

“Mommy, Mommy,” called Gabby rushing up to her with something in her hands. “Look what I got.” She opened up her palms and there sat a firefly. “He’s broken!” she cried. “He doesn’t light up any more.”

“He will,” she told Gabby, bending over to see it. She blew on it gently and it lit up brightly before flying off into the sky.

Stacy ran up behind her and the two of them jumped up into the air trying to catch it. Tillie joined them, laughing.

“So how did it go?” Tillie asked.

“All right, I guess,” answered Angel. “Except they are not happy about what happened with Thomas and Eli. Eli wouldn’t go with Thomas. They’re very suspicious and will be back for another visit soon.”

“You know, Angel, the more I get to know Thomas the more I like him. I agree with you now. The man doesn’t seem to be that bad.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence, Tillie. Now if I can just convince Thomas of the fact.”

“Can I go back to the Ainsleys with Tillie and Stacy and catch fireflies in the yard?” asked Gabby.

“I can take her for the night if you want,” Tillie suggested.

Angel bent down and took Gabby’s hands in hers. Where do you want to spend the night, honey? It’s going to be your choice.”

“I don’t like staying in the cabin with so many boys,” Gabby admitted. “I want to stay at the bigger house instead with the girls.”

“Okay, sweetie, but you know I have to stay here. It’s my job now.”

“I know. It’s okay.”

Angel hugged Gabby and gave her a big kiss. “We’re going to spend lots of time together soon, I promise.”

She watched them drive away and then headed to the house to check on the kids. Once they were all in bed, she’d talk to Thomas.

Chapter 18

Angel entered the pole barn slowly, trying not to spill the two full cups of coffee in her hands. A lantern burned from inside the barn, and she was surprised she didn’t hear Thomas tinkering away on a car like he always did when things were bothering him. He hadn’t been happy with the way Eli backed away from him, and neither was she. It raised warning flags with the case workers, as this was a sure sign of parental abuse. It was something Angel knew was not true, but still she couldn’t seem to convince her co-workers.

“Thomas?”

She saw him sitting at his desk, an envelope of some sort in his hand. He was just staring at it and she didn’t understand why. She walked up behind him, not sure he’d heard her.

“Thomas, would you like some coffee?”

“Huh?” His head turned and when he saw her, he put the envelope in the drawer and slammed it shut.

“What was that?” she asked, putting the cups on the desk.

“Nothing.”

He took a key from his pocket and locked the drawer.

She felt she shouldn’t pry, and decided to change the subject. “The boys were tired from the party. They went to bed early.”

“That’s fine.” He picked up the mug and took a small sip, then set it back down. “So what did they say?”

“Bob and Barb?” she asked, knowing exactly who he meant.

“My son is afraid of me, and I don’t know why.”

“He’s probably just still traumatized from finding Fawn after she was murdered.”

“Try to convince Child Services of that.”

“They liked the beds and the stove, but we really need to start using the lights. They think the open flame of candles and lanterns are too dangerous around kids.”

“My kids know how to respect fire,” grumbled Thomas.

“They also said they were going to be watching those bruises on Zeke.”

“The kid’s always falling. Those bruises are never going to be gone.”

“I’m going to try to keep him out of trees for awhile. I hear bananas are great for healing bruises. I’m going to get some when I go shopping.”

“What did they say about the party?”

“That was a plus in our favor,” she told them. “Except for the fact Dan told them about how much you spent on the car. They couldn’t justify that when the living conditions are lacking.”

“I don’t suppose you could have told them you paid for half?”

“I couldn’t lie to them. If you hadn’t showed me the check and torn it up, I might have convinced them you were letting me pay for things. But they asked, and I had to tell them you wouldn’t take my money to help raise the boys.”

“Well, you might just want to tell them that it’s a hell of a lot easier to feed six mouths during the winter when I’m allowed to hunt. Since the cops took my shotgun the last time there were here, I can’t even do that. They’re ruining me on purpose, I tell you. This whole damned town wants to see me fail, and I don’t know why.”

“You’re exaggerating, Thomas. No one wants to see you fail.”

“I’ve sat back long enough, trying to ignore it. I can’t live this way any more. Everyone thinks I killed Fawn, but I tell you I didn’t.”

“I thought you weren’t sure. You said you were drunk that night.”

“I thought about it long and hard, Angie. I couldn’t have killed her. Besides the fact I was passed out on my desk, even if I had killed her, I was too damned drunk to have hid the gun. The cops went through this pole barn as well as the house and yard with a fine tooth comb. If they couldn’t find the gun, then that means the murderer took it with him. Don’t you see, I couldn’t have killed Fawn. She was laying on the floor behind me. If I’d gone to hide the gun, why the hell would I have come back? I would have needed an alibi. I wouldn’t have waited for the cops to come and get me.”

“You said Eli was the one to shake you and wake you up when he found Fawn dead on the floor, right?”

“Yeah. The poor kid. He was so scared his whole body was shaking.”

“So did he see the killer? Do you think that’s why he’s not talking? He’s scared?”

“I don’t know. Even the child psychologist couldn’t figure it out. If only he would talk, maybe he could tell us something to shed light on this whole situation.”

Thomas stood up, pushing his chair back forcefully. “It’s time I stop relying on the cops. I’m going to find the answers for myself.” He grabbed his mountain-man hat from a hook and slapped it on his head. Then he blew out the lantern and headed out the door.

“Where are you going?” asked Angel, rushing after him.

“To find Fawn’s killer. And I know the first place I’ve got to look.”

* * *

It was already three in the morning, and still Thomas had not come home. Angel had lain on that big empty bed wide awake all night, hoping, praying he’d walk through that door. He’d been so angry and determined when he left, she felt as if he’d do something foolish. He couldn’t risk that right now. He had to keep out of trouble and uphold a good image if he wanted to remain in custody of his children.

She’d married him to keep the kids out of foster homes for now. But CPS could find all kinds of loopholes and reasons to take the kids away. Not having consummated their marriage wouldn’t help matters any, if they ever found out. And the fact he slept in the barn every night would only make them think they had a dysfunctional marriage that was affecting the children in a negative way.

She got out of bed, dressed in the dark, and made her way to the front door. She slipped out onto the front porch, and almost screamed aloud when she saw someone sitting on the steps.

“Thomas?” she said instantly, hoping it was him. But when the figure turned around, she could see it was Daniel.

“You couldn’t sleep either?” he asked.

“I slept fine,” she lied. “I just wasn’t tired anymore and decided to start the chores early.”

“I heard Pa drive out last night,” he said. “And you’re a horrible liar. We all know how you like to sleep late.”

“Sorry,” she said, sitting on the step next to him. “Yes, Dan, I am worried. Your father left here very angry and very determined to find Fawn’s murderer. If I knew where he went, I’d go get him and haul him home before he gets himself into trouble.”

“I can guess where he went,” Dan told her. “There’s only one place Pa would go to find anyone associated with Fawn.”

“Where’s that?” she asked.

“Burley’s. It’s a bar on the edge of town.”

Angel looked back to the house and knew the boys were tired and would sleep late if she didn’t wake them. She didn’t like leaving them alone, but knew she had to do this. She’d be back with Thomas before they even knew she’d left.

“Can you take me there?” she asked. “I’m not familiar yet with these back woods roads and I’m afraid I’ll get lost in the dark.”

“Sure,” he said, pulling the keys out of his pocket. “I’ll drive,” he answered with a smile.

* * *

Thomas sat on the bar stool in Burley’s bar and strip joint, feeling like he was going to retch. Cigar and cigarette smoke hung heavy in the sour air even tho there was a sign that clearly said no smoking. Flashing lights from the stage blinked on and off as one of the dancers twirled around on a pole and then stepped forward and flicked off her bra and threw it into the crowd. The drunken men reached out and placed bills in the girl’s g-string as she teased them, running her long red nails along the rim, pretending to take that off as well.

“Give me another whiskey,” Thomas told the bartender, laying a few bills on the counter. He had only about three hundred dollars left from his original car sale to Gus, since he’d used the money from the Grand Marquis sale to buy Dan the car. He was thankful now he’d decided to only bring a small portion of that with him. He needed to pick up another car to refurbish and if he got a junker he should still be able to make it.

Still, he had a feeling this would pay off in the end because he knew he’d find out information about Fawn’s murder somehow by coming in here. He’d been here all night, talking to people trying to find out who would be angry enough to kill Fawn, but everyone in here had seemed to like her. A little too much in his opinion.

The bartender slid the glass down the counter and collected up the money. Thomas felt the bile rise to his throat, remembering the way a man earlier had described Fawn’s lap dances which seemed to be a favorite among the patrons. If he’d had any love in his heart at all for her, he would have beat each one of these men to a pulp. But he knew that would only give them more ammunition to think of him as an unfit father, and would most likely land him in jail.

Instead, he’d done something else to quench his burning desire to pound his fist into flesh. Instead, he’d downed a whiskey for each man he wanted to fight, and because there were so many candidates, he’d drank more than he should have. How would he ever drive home now?

The door to the bar opened, and something made him turn around and look. Sheriff Bert Grimkel strolled through the bar in full uniform, gun in his holster. This was one man Thomas hated more than the others. Fawn had been infatuated by men in uniform, and he never mistook the look of lust in her eye when she’d looked at Bert.

“Good evening, Sheriff,” he heard from behind him, first from one of the patrons, and then the others.

Thomas pulled his hat lower on his head and tried to hide his face. Interesting that the establishment didn’t stop their illicit doings when the man walked in. Instead, the law seemed to condone these goings-on.

Thomas sat in a dark corner at the bar, and the sheriff didn’t notice him at first. He watched as Bert walked over to the stage, all the men giving him room. The stripper bent over and Bert reached up with a fistful of money and stuck it in her g-string. Then he swept her off her feet and carried her to a chair where she straddled his lap while Bert fondled her bare breasts.

Thomas turned back to his whiskey, disgusted by what he’d just seen. These were the kind of men who were icons to the rest of the community? No wonder Sweet Water was going to the dogs.

“Hey, did ya see thet?” asked the drunk next to him, slapping Thomas on the shoulder and making him spill his whiskey down his shirt. Thomas put down the glass and removed the man’s hand from his shoulder.

“Yeah, I saw. So what?”

The drunk laughed and took another swig of beer. “The law gets all the action around here. Now that his sweetie’s gone, he’s lookin’ for another. He’s been tryin’ out all the girls for the past six months.”

Something about the words ‘six months’ caught Thomas’s interest. “Really?” he asked. “And who exactly was his sweetie?”

The man drained his beer and squinted down into his empty glass. Thomas dug in his pocket laying down whatever money he had left onto the counter and motioned for the bartender to refill the man’s beer. He did, and the drunkard smiled.

“Sheriff’s sweetie is gone now. And I can’t say the man was sad to see her go. You see his wife doesn’t know he comes down to Burley’s on his shift. The girls like his gun and give him special treatment when he wears his uniform in here.”

“What kind of special treatment?” Thomas asked with a raised brow.

“Well, I can’t rightly say as I’s never got it, but Bert likes to brag and tol’ me once that he gets ta go up to the rooms upstairs and get his rocks off. His favorite was that big busted gal – you know, his sweetie. What was her name? Fun, I think he called her.”

“Fawn?” Thomas asked, dreading the answer he knew was to come.

“Yeah, that’s it. Fun Fawn she called herself. Fun until she found out her stud sheriff got her knocked up.”

“What did you say?” Thomas jumped from the stool and grabbed the man’s shirt in his hand, lifting him up off the chair.

“Hey, let go of me,” he yelled, getting the sheriff’s attention.

“Damn,” said Thomas, releasing him and straightening out the man’s shirt. Too late. Sheriff Stud pushed the stripper off his lap, readjusted his pants and made his way straight for Thomas.

“Taylor,” he said with a smile, chomping on a piece of gum. “Didn’t think I’d ever see you in here. Looking for a new wife?”

It was all Thomas could take. His fist latched out and he labeled Bert in the jaw. The man stumbled backward, pulled his gun and aimed it right toward Thomas. The music stopped suddenly, and no one moved.

“We don’t allow murderers in here, Taylor,” the sheriff spat.

“The only murderer I see is holding a gun to my chest. So, Bert, are you going to kill me just like you did Fawn? You wanted to shut her up so she wouldn’t tell your wife you knocked her up, didn’t you, you bastard?”

He would have lunged forward and knocked the man senseless, probably getting shot in the process if it wasn’t for Angel bursting through the door at that moment.

“Thomas!” she cried, and all eyes turned to her.

He looked over in surprise, even more startled to see Daniel right behind her.

“What the hell are you two doing here?”

“Saving your ass,” said Bert, clicking the safety on the gun and putting it back into his holster. “I should have you arrested for that comment and for hitting an officer of the law.”