Randy White - Seduced

I stopped, faced the grove manager. “A party with me, I suppose.”

“She’s a jealous one. I believe I mentioned that.”

“I wasn’t asking about her. What do you think?”

“I’m paid to grow citrus, not think, but I took your side. Or tried to. That’s when she told me to get the hell out.” After a pause, he added, “Hope I’m right.”

I pulled the tail of my shirt up just enough to expose my jeans. “Does a woman who wears fishing pliers on her belt strike you as the party girl type?”

“I’ll be darned,” he said. “Are those stainless?”

“Let’s have this out right now,” I said. “That’s what I do. I’m a fishing guide. I do have a few orange trees, but I’m not in the citrus business.”

“I knew you weren’t in citrus,” he said, “and I’m not accusing you-”

“She is, apparently. A third glass of whiskey, who else could it be?”

His soft brown eyes did not waver when they locked onto mine. “Could have been me who drank from that glass. Ever think about that? Me and someone who ran off when you and Reggie showed up in the limo. I’m surprised that wasn’t your first suspicion.”

Overhead, an osprey was whistling a wild circle above the trees. It was an excuse to look away when I asked, “Why in the world would I suspect you?”

“Because of what you told me earlier. Mr. Chatham was here most the day, you said. You and Reggie didn’t show up until later. That’s the way it happened, right?”

From the gentle way he said it, I feared he’d known all along I’d been lying but was giving me another chance.

For some reason, Kermit’s daughter popped into my head, a girl with an adoring father whose job might be on the line if I dragged him any further into this mess. I couldn’t let that happen… nor could I allow myself to ruminate on the consequences. If I did, I would lose my nerve.

I did an about-face and started toward the cabin. “Go on and tend to the gates. I’ve got something I need to clear up.”

“Hold on,” he called. “That’s not what I was after. Don’t poke a hornet’s nest unless there’s a darn good reason.”

I walked faster, aware he was hurrying to catch up.

“Whoa, there. This isn’t going to accomplish anything. And it won’t get Reggie off the hook.”

“My reputation might have something to do with me telling her to her face,” I replied, and kept going.

“Hannah, listen. I’ll back your story. Whatever you say, I’ll go along with it. And what’s it matter now? Chatham’s already dead-unless he was murdered.”

This was the last thing I expected to hear.

I stopped, and fumed, until he was close enough to speak in confidence. “Now what are you accusing me of?”

The man made a calming gesture with his hands. “I’m not, but she’s capable of anything. You’ve got no reason to trust me, Hannah, but I wish you would. Someone needs to guard you from how she might react.” He looked toward the cabin in a meaningful way.

I replied, “I don’t need guarding. If I did, I’d buy a dog.”

“You don’t know Lonnie Chatham.”

“You don’t know me. She knows even less,” I answered. “Whatever the coroner finds, it’ll show Mr. Chatham died of natural causes. That much I’ll guarantee. I’m doing you a favor, Kermit, by not saying more. Go on, now”-I swept a hand toward the maintenance barn-“go open those gates, and, from here on out, just tell the truth. It’s advice I should’ve learned to follow myself.”

Worry lines creased the man’s forehead while he studied me. “I don’t know why I’m doing this, but… Okay, here goes. I’m going to tell you something I shouldn’t. It’ll make you see the situation differently.”

“If you shouldn’t, then don’t.”

“I’ll risk it. You stood up for Reggie. That’s all I needed to find out. You could have snuck off, could have let him take all the blame, but that’s not the kind of person you are. I just proved that for myself.”

“Suggesting I’m a murderer is your idea of a test?”

He took a quick step to place himself between me and the cabin. “Look, I don’t always do things the smartest way, I admit, but-”

“Smart? Rude and unfair, is more like it. Cruel, too. I thought the world of Mr. Chatham.”

“That’s exactly why you need to hear what I have to say.” He reached to place a confiding hand on my shoulder, then abandoned this small liberty when he saw my reaction. “Walk with me a bit. I want to show you something.”

I didn’t budge. “I’m picturing an ambulance and police cars at the gate, waiting to help a grieving widow. Maybe you deserve to be fired.”

“You’ve got a temper.”

“A conscience ,” I said. “That’s the way I choose to think of it, but you’re entitled to your opinion.”

The grove manager sighed in an exaggerated way. “Every cop and fire station in this county has the combination to those gates. Mr. Chatham was lieutenant governor, remember? Plus, they haven’t had time enough to get here. Come on, Hannah. Please?”

Along this branch of the Peace River, oaks traced a shady ridge, a canopy of elevated turns and mossy switchbacks. When we were near the water, the grove manager said, “There’s not much of a current, but I always swim upstream. Fifteen minutes, close to a half mile. The swim back, I more or less just drift and enjoy the sights. Real quiet, you know?”

“What about gators?” I had to ask.

The man chuckled in a self-deprecating way. “I’d rather you think I’m brave than admit what I don’t want the wildlife cops to know. But I’m no braver than the next guy. Mr. Chatham wouldn’t tolerate any gator big enough to bother his livestock, or his grandkids. Truth is, I’d already put a couple down before he told me to do it. I bring Sarah here sometimes and let her splash around. Can you imagine risking a child to save a gator?”

Thinking about his daughter, again.

“Here’s what I wanted to tell you.” My eyes followed when he pointed to the boathouse. “I caught Lonnie inside there with another man, their horses tied outside. Actually, I heard them before I saw them-understand what I’m saying? She didn’t see me, but I think she suspects.”

“Good Lord,” I said. “This happened today?”

“Not more than five minutes before you showed up. You would’ve caught them yourself if I hadn’t stopped for a swim.”

Stumbling onto Mrs. Chatham-with her husband dead in the back of the limo-was a scenario I didn’t want to contemplate.

“Friday afternoons,” he continued, “there’s usually no one around. Lonnie and the guy she was with, they didn’t see my truck, or my stuff on the railing, so they were… well, let’s say not afraid to make all the noise they wanted. I didn’t want to surprise them-hell, I didn’t know what to do, but I needed my clothes. So I did a breaststroke upriver for a hundred yards or so to give them time, then made all the racket I could coming back. Even then, I cut it too close. I got a glimpse of those two hightailing it toward their horses but pretended not to notice.”

“I suppose it took them a while to get their clothes on,” I said, “when they heard you coming.”

“Nope. Both of them were bare-ass naked, elbows and feet flying. The man, he damn near fell on his face when he dropped a sock, but that Lonnie, she never looked back. She’s kept herself in shape, by god, I’ll give her that.” Kermit grinned, picturing it. His grin faded. “Trouble is, she suspects I saw them. I could tell by some of her comments, and the way she treated you. Why else would she ride back here to check?”