He got the call at three o’clock in the afternoon.
“What do you want?” he answered, irritation in his voice.
“I’ve got to have some money,” Gordon Jones said. “Nick Quimbley is pushing me. He got hold of the DVD and recognized me. I need to get out of town until things cool down.”
“Where will you go?”
“I don’t know. I’ll let Tammy decide.”
He had no choice. He couldn’t take a chance on Gordon Jones letting something slip to Quimbley. “I’ll meet you tonight.”
“Where and what time?”
“Can you do the pick-up in Kernersville?”
“Sure.” Gordon sighed with relief. “Nick has us watching the box. I’ll volunteer to do it tonight.”
“After you make the pick-up, meet me at nine-thirty in the Hanes Mall parking lot behind the back entrance to Sears. Park in the area where there are other cars, but as far away from the store entrance as you can. Pull into a space where I can back in behind you. I want our trunks together so nobody will see me put the mail from your car into mine.”
“Nine-thirty, Hanes Mall?”
“That’s right.” He added, “You haven’t mentioned my name to Quimbley or the police, have you?”
“Of course not. You know I won’t. Nick was going to talk with me this afternoon, but too much is going on. We now plan to meet after work tomorrow. He wants to talk away from the office ‘cause he’s trying to keep me out of it as much as he can, but I know Nick Quimbley. He’ll tell the police if he has to. He has a good relationship with the department and always cooperates with them.”
“Just be careful what you say. I hear he’s a pretty shrewd detective.”
“Don’t worry. I can handle him. I’ll see you at nine-thirty tonight.”
* * * *
Rebecca spent the afternoon moving Vernon’s clothes into the blue guest room at the far end of the hall. She thought it fitting to make him sleep in the room her aunt had used. She’d probably have a fight on her hands when he got home, but she didn’t care. She had no intention of welcoming him back into her room nor her bed after learning he’d slept with Mindy.
Though Rebecca knew her sister would take most any man into her bed, she found it hard to believe she’d had sex with Vernon. And to do it when she had just lost the baby? “What kind of woman were you, Mindy?” she asked aloud. “Why would you do this to me? I was a good sister. I didn’t deserve this kind of treatment.”
Rebecca slammed the drawer shut and hit the dresser with her fist. “And you, Vernon Armfield. You could have said no.” The fact that he hadn’t made her very angry. And to let it happen when she was suffering the loss of a child and her ability to have other children made it unforgivable. She didn’t know if she could ever forgive either of them.
The fact that Vernon had slapped her was also hard to take. She almost wished she’d told Nick about it, but she knew it was probably better she hadn’t. Nick would’ve been angry and would have wanted to confront Vernon. Better to let it drop for now. If he did it again, she wouldn’t hesitate to tell Nick.
She placed Vernon’s shirts in a neat row in the guest room closet, stopping to examine his blue sports shirt when she noticed it was missing a button. She took it out and looked at the remaining buttons. They were a common type made of pearl. She tossed the shirt onto the floor. After looking closely, she found two other shirts missing buttons and took them back to her room. She probably wouldn’t mend them, but she’d keep them there anyway.
As she moved the clothing from his dresser to the other room, she found a pair of handcuffs. She looked at them for a minute, but couldn’t understand why Vernon would have such an item. She decided she’d keep them with the shirts.
When she finished the move, she went downstairs into the kitchen.
Wilma looked up. “Hello, Ms. Rebecca.”
“Hello.” She smiled. “How’s it going with redecorating the servants’ apartment?”
“The quarters are fine. We don’t have to redecorate them.”
“But I want to, Wilma.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Wilma said again.
“Did you look over the wallpaper books I brought back from town?”
“A little. I still say the rooms look great to me. I cleaned up some yesterday and made up the bed.”
“Did you find enough linens?”
“I found some sheets wadded up and thrown in there. They were a little dirty and worn, but I washed them and put them on the bed. I also took a blanket from the linen closet. Is that okay?”
“That’s fine for now. We’ll get you some new linens soon.” She took the glass of iced tea Wilma offered. “I moved Vernon’s clothes into the guest room at the end of the hall. I know it will make more work for you, but I couldn’t face him in my room tonight.”
“It won’t be much work. I just want you to be safe.”
“I am safe, but I do feel better now that you’re going to be here.”
“I’m going home when I get off work to get some things. I’ll be back to spend the night.”
“You don’t have to stay tonight if you’re not prepared.”
“I want to. This actually came at a great time. My lease is up on my apartment at the end of this month, and I’m glad to be moving out.”
“If there are things you want to bring here, feel free. We’ll get rid of what is in your rooms so you can put your own things there if you like.”
“I do have some furniture I’d like to keep.”
“Why don’t you make a list of what you want to bring, and I’ll have one of the charities come here and collect what you don’t need?”
“You don’t have to get rid of your stuff.”
“Don’t be silly. I’d much rather have you here than any old furniture I’ve had for ages.” Rebecca took a sip of her tea. “As a matter of fact, when you’re ready to move your things, I want you to call a moving company and let them come, pack you up, and move you here.”
“But, Ms.—”
“No buts, Wilma. You don’t need to be doing all that hard work. I insist you let me get you some help.”
Wilma shook her head. “You’re so nice.”
“You deserve it.” Rebecca waved her hand. “Now, if you need to go home to get some things, I insist you leave now.”
“Are you sure? I can wait until I’ve worked my full day.”
“I’m positive. I want you to go now so you’ll be back when Vernon gets home.”
Before she left, Wilma turned around. “Oh, Ms. Rebecca. I found a stack of papers in the maid’s quarters when I was cleaning. They were stuck behind the dresser. I didn’t know what to do with them, so I put them in the pantry until I could tell you about them. They look like business papers to me.”
“I’ll see what they are. Thank you.”
Wilma went out and closed the back door, and Rebecca got up and moved to the refrigerator. She poured herself another glass of iced tea and went into the pantry with the glass in her hand.
She picked up the papers Wilma had put there and knew instantly what they were.
“Damn you, Vernon Armfield. How could you do this? I never knew you at all, did I?” she said aloud.
She took the papers into the library and sat at the desk. After about twenty minutes, she picked up the phone and dialed Justine Crouse. While waiting for Justine to answer, Rebecca whispered, “I’m sorry, Aunt Millicent. I should’ve paid more attention to what you tried to tell me. She wouldn’t let herself think Vernon had harmed Mindy, but she was now sure he was taking money from the company.
Justine came on the line, and Rebecca explained what Wilma had found.
“Are you sure they’re a set of books, Rebecca?”
“Absolutely. I’ve worked in the financial part of the company. I know books when I see them.”
“Don’t you think you should call Willard Brookmeyer?”
“No. He’s signed some of these things. I think he’s helping Vernon rip off my company.”
“Put them where nobody will find them, and I’ll pick them up when I come for the funeral tomorrow.”
“Thanks, Justine.”
As soon as Rebecca hung up, she called Erica. “What are your plans for tonight?”
“Not a thing. What do you have in mind?”
“I want you to come spend the night with me.”
“Why in heaven’s name?”
“Never mind. Will you do it?”
“I’m on my way.”