Heart of Gold (30 page)

“And when we find out, they'd better leave town,” Lily said.

That evening, Bernadine called an emergency town meeting for the adults. Everyone knew about the infestation at the store, and they were pretty angry.

“All Gary's hard work down the drain,” Genevieve said furiously. “Do we know who did this?”

Bernadine said, “Yes. Let Barrett finish setting up the video first.”

Once he was done, they dimmed the lights and fed the surveillance video through one of the big-screen monitors.

“One of the reasons I went with this camera system was because of the way it's camouflaged,” Barrett said. “If the bad guys think there are no cameras, then we can catch them doing this . . .”

And on the screen was Tommy Stewart, pushing a grocery cart. It was early in the morning, and there were not many people inside the store. He stopped at the deli, picked out one of the prewrapped sandwiches, and placed it in his cart. From there, he and his cart meandered their way to the door of the men's bathroom. He glanced around as if to see who might be near. Seeing no one, he and his sandwich slipped inside. Because there were no cameras in the restroom, it was impossible to see what he might be up to. A short time later he exited.

Jack asked, “Who takes a sandwich into the restroom?”

“Someone who's planning to sue us for having cockroaches in that sandwich.”

“What?” Reverend Paula asked.

She gave them a quick rundown on her meeting that morning with him and his lawyer, and who she believed was the brains behind Stewart's stupidity.

“Wow,” Clay exclaimed. “So she's an extortionist now, too.”

As the video continued to play, Stewart placed the sandwich back in the cart and moved on.

“Now watch closely,” Barrett encouraged.

Stewart was alone in the aisle that held the bread, chips, and cookies. He looked around cautiously, then withdrew a midsize manila envelope from inside his coat. He took another quick glance at his surroundings, then up at the ceiling.

Barrett said, “Making sure he's not on camera.”

“Idiot,” Trent declared disgustedly.

The envelope was quickly opened, and the contents—dozens of cockroaches—emptied onto the floor and the shelves holding the food.

Cries of outrage and disgust filled the room.

They all watched as he emptied the contents of three other envelopes in various aisles around the store before pushing his cart nonchalantly to the cashier stations. He was next seen trying to hit on Gemma, but she wasn't buying. She rang up the few items on the belt and sent him on his way. The last shots were taken by the parking lot cameras. They showed him smiling proudly as he walked to his old Ford and drove from sight.

Everyone began talking at once.

“Where'd he get that many roaches?” Lily wanted to know.

“Probably from the Franklin feed store,” Trent told her. “They sell them to people who own birds and reptiles.”

“Gary said all our turkeys are being thrown out,” said Rocky, “so I've no idea what we'll be eating for Thanksgiving.”

“Oh, dear,” Sheila cried.

Gary added, “I've called suppliers from here to Topeka and back, trying to get more, but all their turkeys have been promised to other customers, so looks like we're out of luck. Sorry, everyone.”

Tamar said, “Not your fault. I'll take care of the turkeys. It'll take more than cockroaches to spoil our Thanksgiving.”

“Are you sure?” Bernadine asked. “We could maybe fly some in from somewhere.”

“No. I have it covered,” Tamar assured her.

“Too bad it wasn't Astrid on the video. Then maybe we could press charges and put an end to her madness once and for all.”

Lily said, “She'll get hers. Karma's only a bitch if you are, and right now, Astrid is in the crosshairs.”

“I hope so. I hate that she's sitting over in Franklin, gloating and toasting the closing of our store.”

Everyone else did, too. Astrid 2, Henry Adams 0.

On her way back to the Power Plant, Bernadine got a text from Roni, informing her that the DNA test results were back. The celebrated rocker Conor Sullivan was indeed Zoey's father. Bernadine was glad to finally have something to smile about.

After dinner, Roni and Reg decided to break the news to Zoey about the test. Cass was in the guest room, so they'd have privacy. She'd rejoin them when the time came to hook up with Conor and their mother on Skype.

Roni said, “We need to talk to you about something, Zoey.”

She looked away from the Nascar DVD on the living room's big flat-screen and into their faces. “Am I in trouble?”

“No,” Reg reassured her. “Not even a little bit.”

She exhaled audibly. “Good.”

They sat down.

Reggie took the lead. “Remember the test we had you do with the cheek cells a few weeks back?”

“Yes.”

“Well, we lied about what it is was for. It wasn't for your cousins, but for a paternity test.”

Confusion knitted her brows. “Like the ones rappers have to take for their baby mamas?”

Roni chuckled, and Reg nodded. “Someone was claiming to be your bio dad, and if it turned out not to be true, we didn't want you to be hurt.”

Zoe's eyes widened. “Was he telling the truth? Who is he?”

“He was telling the truth. It's Cass's brother, Conor.”

Zoey's hands flew to her mouth, and tears filled her eyes. “For real? He's my dad?”

They nodded.

“Oh god,” she whispered.

“Is that okay?” Roni asked. “If you don't want to be part of their family—”

“No. I do. I do.” Then she paused. “I don't have to go and live with him, do I?”

They laughed. “No.”

“Good, because I don't want to leave you guys.”

Tears filled Roni's eyes. “That's nice to hear.”

“As Amari says, let's not get this twisted. So, that makes Cass my aunt?”

“Yep.”

“Oh, wow! Now, that's sick. Crystal is going to be so jealous.”

“And,” Reggie added, “you have four little sisters.”

“Get out!” Her jaw dropped.

“True,” Roni said, tickled by the utter awe on her daughter's face.

“I'm the oldest? What're their names? Do they live in Ireland, too?”

“How about we have Cass come in and get your dad on Skype, so they can fill you in on everything you want to know.”

Tears ran down Zoey's cheeks again. “I thought nasty Aunt Yvette and her kids were my only other family outside of yours.”

“Nope. You have lots of other people to love now.”

She came over and gave Reg a big long hug and a kiss on the cheek, and did the same with Roni. “Thank you for finding my dad.”

“You're welcome, but thank Cass. She was the one who figured it all out.”

“Can I go get her now?”

“Go right ahead.”

She took off running. “Auntie Cass!”

Roni looked at Reg. “It worked out.”

“Indeed it did.”

They shared a hug and a kiss and left the living room to join Cass and Zoey.

Over at Bernadine's, the doorbell sounded. When she answered it, she was surprised to find Austin Wiggins and a tall, beautiful young blonde standing on the porch under the light. Was this his daughter?

“Hi, Ms. Brown. Hate to bother you, but can we come in for a sec?”

She hesitated, wondering if Astrid was somehow involved in the visit, but then stepped back to let them enter.

As she closed the door, Wiggins said, “I just wanted to stop by before I leave town. This is Lindy. Lindy, this is Ms. Bernadine Brown.”

“Pleased to meet you, Ms. Brown,” the blonde said in her baby-doll voice.

“Same here, Lindy.”

“I've filed for divorce. Lindy and I are on our way to Vegas. We'll get married as soon as I'm free.”

Bernadine picked her jaw up off the floor. “Congratulations. I hope you'll be very happy.”

Lindy volunteered the answer to the question burning inside like a lit match.

“Wiggy and I met a little over a year ago. I was runner-up in the Ms. Heifer contest at the county fair, and he was one of the judges.”

“You were robbed. You should've won.”

Lindy giggled and kissed his cheek. “Isn't he sweet?”

The encounter was so bizarre, Bernadine didn't know what to say, so she settled for smiling.

Wiggins said, “I just wanted to stop in and say good-bye and apologize for the hell Astrid's been causing. When she told me I couldn't run for reelection, that was it.”

“I see.”

“Well, guess we'll be going. Make sure you see the Franklin paper Thanksgiving morning.”

“Astrid's going to be so surprised,” Lindy said.

“Oh, okay. Thanks for the tip.”

A second later they departed, leaving a very confused Bernadine standing in her foyer.

C H A P T E R

24

T
wo days before Thanksgiving, the guests began flying in. Bernadine had Nathan rent a few more town cars and hire a couple more drivers so he wouldn't kill himself driving back and forth.

That evening, the residents and guests met up at the Dog for a preholiday get-together. As she made her way around the place, she met Jack's parents. His mother was so enamored with Henry Adams's quaint charm she declared she wanted to build a house and move in. Eli, Jack, and Jack's dad choked on their sodas. Rocky, sitting with them, laughed.

Bernadine's heart swelled with love upon seeing Diane sitting with her kids. She had her granddaughter on her lap. Even her son Marlon and his partner Anthony were at the table. Although they were bunking at her house, seeing them seated as a family was wonderful.

While the jukebox blasted out “One Nation Under a Groove” by George Clinton and his Funkadelic gang, she stepped aside to allow the harried Crystal to pass by, carrying a piled-high tray of orders. “Hi, Mom. 'Bye, Mom.”

Bernadine stopped next to speak with the Garlands. Zoey looked so content seated beside her grandma Jasmine, grandfather Charlie, and the rest of her large extended family. Zoey asked excitedly, “Ms. Bernadine, did Mom tell you I have two dads now?”

“Yes, she did.”

Cass was seated with them as well.

“And,” Zoey added, “he's a rocker!”

Reg was grinning. Bernadine was happy that he didn't seem to be having issues with adding the Sullivans to his daughter's life. “I heard that. Are you going on tour?”

“No. You know I have school.”

“Oh, that's right.”

Roni and the others at the table grinned.

Next stop, the Paynes. Bernadine was so taken aback by the sight of the woman sitting with them, she had to catch her breath. Preston's bio mom, Dr. Margaret Winthrop, stood and gave her a huge hug. “Thanks so much for putting me in touch with Preston.” A beaming Preston looked on.

“So glad to have you here.”

“Of course Mother wasn't invited. I wanted my first Thanksgiving with Preston and his family to be perfect, and so far, it has been that and more.”

Bernadine was touched by Margaret's sincerity, and apparently Sheila was too, because she picked up a napkin and wiped at her teary eyes. Bernadine was asking Margaret about her flight into Hays when the music died and the interior of the Dog suddenly went deathly quiet. She turned to see a few people run to the windows and peer out. In the center of the room stood Griffin July, in all his handsome glory.

“Dad!” Amari cried.

Bernadine, like everyone else, stood tensely waiting for the entrance of the over-the-top Oklahoma Julys, but Griffin raised his hand reassuringly. “Relax everybody. It's just me. The rest of the family's in Florida for the holiday.”

Tamar could be seen chuckling.

Griffin added, “I come bearing—” He glanced around. “Rocky, where are you?”

She stood.

“I come bearing . . . turkeys!”

Pandemonium erupted, and shouts of “Griffin! Griffin!” filled the place. The guests looked on, bewildered, but Bernadine was sure their family members would explain.

“They're in my truck. Amari, Trent, Mal. Need some help bringing them in.”

So they hurried outside to help.

The morning of Thanksgiving dawned cold and bright, with two inches of snow. As Bernadine and the other parade goers stood dressed warmly but still freezing along the route in downtown Franklin for the annual Thanksgiving parade, she prayed for summer. It was a typical small-town event. There were fire trucks and politicians in classic convertibles. Astrid waved from the seat of an old restored Caddy. Decked out in her black fur, she bore a striking resemblance to Cruella de Vil. Upon seeing Bernadine, Astrid blew her a big kiss. Bernadine countered with a silent curse. The Franklin high school marching band came down the street next, playing “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” while the majorettes in their short-skirted uniforms and white tights and boots twirled alongside. Mal and the Buffalo Soldiers wearing their parade blues rode their mounts proudly, and everyone cheered. As they passed on, Bernadine looked up the street. The only thing left now was Santa, who was usually played by Austin Wiggins. She wondered if anyone else knew that he and Lindy had lit out for Vegas.

Apparently not. As they waited and waited for Santa to show, Astrid could be seen stomping angrily back down the parade route. In the end, she had to get on the microphone and tell the children that Santa had called in sick. She declared the parade over and sent everyone home.

The Thanksgiving dinner was a huge affair. Everyone was dressed in their Sunday best, and there were mountains of food. Reverend Paula stood to bless the food, but a tremendous noise outside stopped her, and people rushed to the windows to determine the source.

“It's a helicopter!” Amari cried. “Wow! That's sick. It's landing right outside.”