Stand By Me (17 page)

“Going straight for the pepper, Jamie?” Marcus teased from the backseat.

“Aye, I like a little fire, in me woman, Mr. Claiborne.” Kenya smiled then looked down at her itinerary she'd brought to keep track of the testimonies they'll record today. “Aye what's spinning beneath your school girl charm, Kenya Blakemore?”

Kenya looked up. “Daddy did I mention this is the man that threatened to beat me when I went looking for Jonathan in the mountains?”

“Don’t beat my daughter, Jamie. I haven’t always been a gentleman and Kenya can shoot a duck out of the air with a rifle.”

Jamie twisted a look at her father then her, and said eyes tight, “Kenya with a rifle...that scares me.”

“They don't know, do they, little girl?”

“That you took us deer and duck hunting as kids...no.”

“She's gotten away from her roots, but she used to go duck hunting with my brothers and me. Fishing, riding horses, she was my sidekick. Got knocked on her little butt trying to use a shotgun, but she's good with a rifle.”

“I didn't get away from it Daddy, I grew up and learned having guns and shotguns at the ready wasn't normal for other families. Having your father meeting your date at the door while he's cleaning off his sawed off is not normal when you live in the city.”

Jamie nearly ran the Jeep off the road and Kenya clutched her seat. “Guns and rifles, Kenya...” Jamie urged eyes wide. He straightened the wheels over the bumpy terrain continuing down the road.

“I won't be shooting any shotguns, especially with this little one growing inside.”

“Jamie, tell me about your uncle,” Marcus urged a hand on Jamie's shoulder over the seat. “What kind of man is Jonathan’s father to be going after his own flesh and blood?

“Uncle Brian's a mob boss between his ears.” He gave her a quick glance then back to the road. “Och, seriously, if we had ties to the real mafia, they'd prefer Jonathan over Brian and that's what eats at Brian. Jonathan has a legit profitable financial operation and support from the authorities all around the world that he never exploits. Everything Brian is fighting has connections to Jonathan retaining the rights to the estate. He's not fighting any improvements or surrounding families, just Seamus and Jonathan.” He tossed a look over his shoulder.

“He's envious of his son's respect. That's a dangerous way to live.”

“Uncle Brian's always settled things more violently than the rest of the family.” Jamie added. “He carried himself as the powerful head of Blakemore estates when we were little. I think if Aunt Sophie had let Jonathan visit more he'd be as corrupt as Uncle Brian.” Jamie glanced up into the rearview mirror before setting his attention on Kenya. “Kenya here is what's polishing off his rough edges.”

She looked at the faces in the Jeep's cabin. There was more between Brian and Jonathan's relationship than she knew or maybe less. “Jamie now that I'm here in Ireland I don't understand this whole power play between Jonathan and Brian. West Ireland is mostly empty terrain. There's enough open land for Brian to build a good-sized public pub for the fishermen coming in off the Atlantic and retain the privacy the Inn patrons are looking for when they book a room. The two patrons never have to cross paths. Why is it so important to open it under the estate? He could build a new Las Vegas if he wanted to. Heck he could do like Jonathan and build a bar inside the mountains.”

He shot a quick look then back to the road. “Because the gardens, the foundation of the castle, and land are owned by the McGhee's and it's worth millions. It's not only in the historical records along with the foundation for the original house, but it shares the river. No one will ever ask for this estate to be cleared away making it and everything on it, and under it, worth millions.”

“That much Jonathan's told me already.” She set her device on her lap. “There has to be something I'm missing about the worth of his estate.” Tipping her face out she caught Jamie's attention from the road for a second.

“The McGhee's own stock in the whiskey refinery in exchange for them using a portion of the river to make their whiskey. They also gift the family vault with a select number of the first bottles every year.”

“That has to be worth...”

“Millions,” Jamie replied as they came upon the Glasgow's property. Kenya cursed under her breath with that new information. Horses running out over the hill far off being brought down by his field hands caught her attention. Brian would kill all of this natural beauty if he got his greedy hands on the land.

That's why Brian attempted to bribe her with half a million; it was chump change if he gets he estate. He's anticipating owning stock in the refinery along with the estate's wealth. If he opened a pub, he would never pay for his whiskey. Profit off the top.

“And Brian knows Jonathan would never abuse that family,” Kenya thought aloud.

“Then that's another reason he doesn't use his influence to get out of prison. Everyone knows they supply Blakemore estates pub with liquor. If he didn't get out by the law it could bring the law to watch the refinery for illegal dealings, just by association.” Jamie said.

Kenya added, “Jonathan wars with right and wrong all the time. Brian taught him how to deal with people his way and Sophie and Seamus taught him the legitimate route. I saw that in the mountains with the kids. It angered him to see those kids lose their childhood because their parents were knocking heads over child support. I'd wondered why he didn’t just pay for the kids to go and ease some of the stress from his life. Instead he made them earn it through their behavior and grades in school.”

Marcus said, “I'm thinking he was teaching them their actions have consequences and if they want to get anywhere they have to work for it, no matter the situation they're in.”

“And now,” Kenya started. She felt the heat on her face and knew she flushed bragging about her husband. The man had her in a knot with sweaty skin and she loved him to her soul. “The thing I’m most proud of is that he knows if he uses his influence to get out, the schools he financially supports could decide to refuse his help; along with the other countries he's worked hard to ensure that they saw the family in a good light? And as much as I want him home, need him home with us and the wrenching my heart took during that trial, this is too important to not stand proudly by his side.”

Katherine said, “I think he's worried more about placing a blemish on his wife's financial reputation if he doesn’t go through the legal system the way anyone else would and prove his character to back his actions to save the lives of his wife and unborn child.” Kenya bounced her attention from her father to Jamie. That she hadn’t thought about.

The passing landscape through the window of the Jeep filled her view and held her attention. There was nothing but grassland up and down the shoreline. It was a perfect spot for tourist coming in off the Atlantic to have a direct route to the castle. This was the landscape expected when visiting Ireland. Kenya rested her chin on her fist; her shoulder pressed into the seat and prepared her mind to address the town’s people.

Jamie said, “My father, Calder, says Brian's always craved respect and as a teen dreamed of making Blakemore a feared name throughout Ireland. Grandfather saw that too, it's why he assigned Jonathan as his heir for the castle.” Jamie tilted a stare around Kenya, slowed and drove the Jeep down a slightly steep pitched dirt driveway. She caught everyone grasping onto their seats as the Jeep found every bump in the road. She clamped a hand over Jamie's shoulder, her stomach pitching behind every bump. He tossed her a glance over her stomach and grimaced. “Sorry,” he apologized, then his gaze slid past her out the window then back over the hood of the Jeep. Gripping the steering wheel, knuckles bleeding out to white, Jamie squinted out down the road.

Had sheep or deer run onto the road? “Can you grip the steering wheel any tighter? What's wrong?” He kept his attention on the road and she trailed his attention out over the hood, the Jeep bumping along and could only see the pits and dips in the ground.

“Someone's been out here...on the road,” he suggested the muscles in his jaw bunched tight behind his words.

Marcus leaned over the seat following Jamie's concerned with an expectant look in his eyes. “Why do you say that?” Marcus asked behind deep furrows above his eyebrows when he spared a look between the two of them. “Most country roads are bumpy, so what are we not seeing?”

Jamie shot a quick glance to Marcus before jerking his chin up indicating the road. “The bumpy road… Glasgow keeps his land smooth. He’s anal about running his ponies over pitted ground he would nae chance breaking a leg on one of his ponies,” his brogue thick with a line of anger running through the center creasing the skin around his lips with each word. “He would nae allow his roads to be in such disrepair.”

“Jonathan warned me against walking on uneven grounds out in the field said to take you or Carl with me. Uneven ground is normal. Why should that be a flag?” His hand slapped over her knee and tension flared up through her skin when he told everyone to hold on and the Jeep careened sharply to the right off the road. The other two trucks following did the same just as overly bright lights came barreling for the Jeep bouncing down the road. Tearing up the ground, it swung into their path. Jamie masterfully with one hand worked the steering wheel keeping a hand on her knee. The pressure from his hand kept her from sliding off the seat. The other truck missed tearing off the front left panel, clipping the lights instead. Kenya braced a hand to the dashboard, screaming for her parents to hold on.

Jamie grappled with the steering wheel keeping the truck on all four wheels dodging two more trucks now without its lights on bumping over the road.

“Mother fuck,” multiple expletives hit the air as Jamie masterfully maneuvered the jeep, its wheels spitting out grass and earth, eluding small out cropping’s of boulders sticking up out of the ground. Kenya grabbed the bar on the door seconds before her head hit the window her legs bouncing up off the seat under the jostling of the Jeep. Lord her baby wasn't gonna survive this attack. Panic crushed down on her mind worried they were gonna be killed.

She caught a glimpse of Katherine starting to pray in the back and Marcus cursing holding his wife to his heart.

When the dirt settled and the Jeep stopped rocking, axles squeaking, Jamie pulled onto smoother ground but never stopped, but managed to get the Jeep out of sight of the road.

“Someone does nae want us to make it to the barn,” Jamie rasped breathing ragged as he checked the mirrors for the rest of their party following close behind. She caught his hand absently brushing her stomach. “You okay? The bairn?” Jamie was the least inhibited man she knew. He did whatever he liked no questions asked.

“I—I guess,” Kenya stuttered running a hand between her legs terrified she’d feel something wet. When her hand came away dry she blew out her relief on her next words, “Momma, daddy, you okay?”

Marcus pulled out his cell, started dialing. Kenya’s stomach lurched.

“Daddy, don’t. We don’t need that. Violence won’t get Jonathan home it’ll just put you behind bars and i can't take another one of my men in prison,” she let her fear choke the air unable to go through this again, fighting to free another family member.

“Marcus, Jamie got us on a clean road, let’s just concentrate on getting off the road into the barn.”

“This is Jonathan’s father?” he questioned bitterly, holding his hand out indicating the road they were nearly killed on seconds ago.

“Mr. Claiborne, Brian is spiteful. If you retaliate and he has your daughter, Morgan you’ll never see her again. Trust me.”

“Daddy let’s do this the way we planned. Morgan and I may never see eye to eye, but don’t throw her away by angering Brian.” She touched Katherine’s hand on her shoulder.“Why won’t that man give us any peace?”

“Because you have his future growing inside you,” Marcus said angrily flipping his phone back and forth from one hand to the other. “This is the kind of shit the family meetings were formed for. You don't go around terrorizing your family.”

Katherine eased her husband's hand down taking his phone and setting it in her purse to tuck in behind her hips. “Marcus, Kenya wants to do this her way. This is her home now. We can't possy up and bust down doors until we find this guy. She needs the respect of these people not their fear, because the minute someone scarier comes along they'll turn on her.”

Kenya watched her mother calm her father with a hooded stare. Marcus said, “This is why I married you,” patting her hand on his chest, Marcus dipped back kissing her face.

Jamie held up a hand, then said, “No one mention this in the barn. It'll scare everyone and we don't know whose working for Brian. I'm certain those were his men sent to run us off the road.”

Jamie said, “I'll mention it to Glasgow and we'll get someone out here in the morning to get a better look at the grounds.”

Kenya pulled out her little device and jotted down what happened to keep the details fresh in her head. Something told her she'd see them again. Brian doesn't back off that easily.

After twenty minutes, the drive was a bit smoother thankfully and the heat rolling off everyone had cooled. Kenya listened to Jamie speaking to Michael in the second Jeep then Steve on his earpiece, then continued on to the barn.

Kenya found Jamie's fingers closing over hers on the seat between them and could see the pain etching along his compressed lips. The same look when Jonathan told her about the young boy's funeral. It was best just to let him work through it without bringing it to everybody's attention.

“It never made any sense,” he continued,” His scheming always centered on Seamus or Jonathan. Why make Jonathan appear to be harming the estate when everyone knows Brian's been here all these years. As you mentioned Kenya, his inheritance is enough to build whatever he wants on the other end of the estate. There's four hundred fifty square miles of land through the forest including the river.”

“His pride is bruised,” Kenya said grasping a hand over her fathers on her shoulder. “He's not targeting anyone with power. It's a smear campaign to get the shareholders to vote Jonathan out.”