CHAPTER ELEVEN

 

TREVOR DECIDED to ride around town before heading back to Snowridge.  He was glad to be there for Randi, but he needed more clothes too.  He’d been looking for Homeless Hal for two days now

Duane Peterson had given him a description. Average height, medium build, gray hair and seemed to be somewhat intelligent based on Duane’s interview.  Trevor figured the old man might be walking the town now that the streets were bare, people ensconced in their homes.

He saw a lone figure walking along the sidewalks of Main Street.  An old man with his hands in his pockets, meandered past the businesses as if window shopping.  He still wore a coat even though the evenings were starting to be warmer.

Trevor parked and headed towards the guy, slowed when they were close.  “Evening,” he said.

The old man slowed, nodded his head but kept walking.

Trevor could see he was nervous.  “I’m working on the firehouse project.”

“Yeah,” the man stopped.  “The deputy told me.  I’ve also seen you on the job.  Haven’t been around there though.  Like some people say I have.”

“You talked to Deputy Peterson?  Hey,” Trevor tried to stop the guy when he started to walk away.  “I believe you.  My foreman and I keep a close eye on our jobs and we’ve seen no signs of anyone staying on the job.  We’ve had some problems though and I just wanted to ask if you’ve seen anything suspicious.  Where do you bunk down?”

“Got me a little hide-away on the outskirts of town. Near the bypass.”

“What about food?”

“Scooter gives me his left-overs.  Couple times I’ve washed dishes for him.”

“I might need some help on the job.  You interested?  Hey,” he looked at his watch, “I know it’s late but have you had dinner?  I’d like to talk to you about a couple things.”

The man gave him a skeptical look.  “I haven’t had dinner but I don’t take handouts either.”

“I’m not offering a handout.  I just want a little information.  I’m sure White Rose is still open.”

Twenty minutes later Scooter set a burger and fries in front of Hal.  “Are you available to work tomorrow?” He asked the older man.

Hal looked up at him and smiled.  “If you need me.”

“Come by around eleven in the morning.  I have a big function tomorrow night and could use some help prepping.”  Scooter smiled at Trevor.  “He never seems to mind chopping the onions.  How’s the firehouse project coming?”

“Good so far.  About another month or six weeks.”

“I know Brina and Randi will be glad to get that done.” Scooter said.  “Ginny wants to get started on the Children’s Museum.  You going to do that job too?”

“She’s mentioned it, but no plans yet.”

“You’ve had your fair share of problems with the firehouse project,” Hal said when Scooter left.  “I’ve heard some of the talk.”

“Yeah.  That’s one of the reasons I wanted to talk to you.”

“Contrary to what people say, I had nothing to do with that fire. I was washing dishes here when it happened.”

“I believe you, but somebody doesn’t want this project moving forward. Do you ever walk that way?  See anything out of the ordinary?”

“I enjoy walking at night. At dusk.  Usually it’s quiet and most of the walkers are home for the night.  Saw a group of kids a few nights ago.”

“Kids, huh.  Were they anywhere near the firehouse?”

“When I saw them, they were laughing, headed in that direction. One of them carried a bag.  Figured it must be beer.”

“You know we had a problem with graffiti a few nights ago.  Think they might be the culprits?”

“I’ve seen them before. Probably bored.  Need something to do.”

Trevor smiled.  He was impressed with the man’s demeanor. If he were to meet him on the street, he would never have pegged him as homeless.

“How long have you been homeless?  What happened?”

“Almost a year.  Retired a few years back and for a while there, life was good.  The wife and I took a few trips, daughter was married so we spent some time with the grandkids.  Then” He paused, took a deep breath as if to compose himself.

Trevor gave him a moment.  “What happened?”

“The wife and I went to bed one night and there was a fire.  It was full blown by the time I woke up.  Woke my wife and we tried to get out but the fire was between us and the exit.  I called nine-one-one but my wife disappeared.  I searched where I could and finally found her upstairs.  She apparently tried to open one of the windows but was overcome by the smoke.  The fire crew came and finally got us out but,” his eyes filled with tears.

“Your wife died?  Did they determine what caused the fire?”

Hal shook his head.  “Not for almost a couple weeks.  Some insinuated that it was my fault. I guess because I got out alive.  Even my daughter was upset with me.  Wouldn’t speak to me.  Refused my calls.  The funeral took almost all I had in savings. Afterwards, I just disappeared.”

“I’m sure your daughter was just reacting to her grief.  Probably having second thoughts now.”

“I don’t know.  She’s headstrong.  All I know is I couldn’t stand the looks.  I just walked away.  Happened to find an old bike and took the clothes I could salvage and headed up the road.”

“You didn’t have any money?  No savings?”

Hal shook his head.  “Paid off the mortgage a few months after I retired.  I didn’t want to have any bills hanging over our heads.  We were living comfortably and saved for the few trips we took.  But the funeral took all that.  I think I had two hundred dollars in the bank so I withdrew that and left town.”

“Have you talked to your daughter?”

“Called her once but when she answered, I just couldn’t say anything.  Miss the grandkids though. They’d be six and nine now.  Probably be getting out of school soon.”

Trevor thought of Scott and Sandy.  How they enjoyed being with Sebastian.  He was sorry Hal had been denied a relationship with his grandchildren.

“Been here in Edmondsville for about six months now.  Help Scooter from time to time and do other odd jobs.  I’ve found that I don’t really need all that much money when I work for my meals.  Got a tent in the woods on the outskirts of town.”

“What about this past winter?  It was cold?  How did you survive?”

“It was tough.  A couple times Scooter let me stay in the kitchen after he closed.”

“What if I could offer you a cot in a building.”

“I already told you, I don’t take handouts.”

“I’m not offering a handout. Considering the problems we’ve had with the project, I need to do something if I want to complete it.  Stanley, in the garage behind the firehouse said I could set up night surveillance if I wanted.  I’m offering you a cot if you’ll keep an eye on the firehouse at night.  Don’t know if anything else will happen but if it does, I want to find the culprits before it gets worse.”

Hal pushed his empty plate aside, wiped his mouth.  “I guess I could do that.  When do you want me to start?”

“Tomorrow night if you can.  I’ll meet you there around seven?  I don’t want anyone to know you’re doing this, though.”

“Not even the sheriff?  I don’t want to be accused of trespassing.”

“I’ve already discussed this with Deputy Peterson. You won’t have to worry about them.”

 

The following morning, Randi pulled into her driveway after taking the boys to school.  Maybe she’d give Carolyn Payne a call and try to finish up her project.

She noticed a beige Honda parked in front of the Harper house, thought she knew all the vehicles on their street.  The Harpers must have company, she thought.  Somebody was sitting in the car so maybe they were getting ready to leave.

When she checked an hour later, the car was still there.  So was the person.  Her heart raced.  Was someone casing their street?  Many of the people on her street were older but they all kept a close eye on one another.  And it’s not like they lived in a wealthy neighborhood.

There was only one explanation for why someone would be sitting in their car outside her house.   Surely, Tim didn’t still have a private investigator on her.  He knew where she lives.  Had seen the boys.  Dropped his little bombshell.  Why would he still have someone watching her?

Unless he wanted to see how involved she and Trevor were.

It angered her that someone might be observing her every move.  She didn’t have to live like this, she fumed.  She reached for her cell phone and keyed in the sheriff’s department.  No sense in dialing nine-one-one when Duane Peterson could take care of things.

 

“Caught up with Homeless Hal last night,” Trevor said to Duane.  The deputy usually stopped by the job each morning.  “He said he’d watch the project for me.  We’re supposed to set up this evening.”

“I hate to dump this on you but we just don’t have the staff and unfortunately, it’s not that important a case for the Sheriff to put anyone on the case.  We drive by whenever we can though.”

“That’s okay.  It’ll give Hal something to do. You know, I talked to him and he seems to have hit a run of bad luck.  Said something about a fire destroying his home and killing his wife.  I’d like to help the man.”

Duane nodded his head.  “You won’t believe some of the stories I’ve heard.  The hardest though are the ones involving kids.  And their mothers.  We have a battered women’s shelter on the outside of town and I’ve encouraged many that I stumble upon to stay there.”

Duane’s monitor beeped with a message from dispatch.  “Got a call from 1597 Idyllwild Lane. Possible trespassing.  She specifically asked for you.  Can you check it out?”

Trevor recognized Randi’s address and sprinted toward his truck.  “I’ll be right behind you.”

Ten minutes later, Duane pulled up behind the beige car and Trevor parked in Randi’s driveway.  He remained in the truck, watched Duane talk to the occupant.  When the car drove off, Trevor got out and headed to the house.

Randi immediately opened the door. “What did he say?” Randi asked Duane when he approached the house.

“Said he was being paid to watch your house.”

“So, it was a private investigator?”

“Looks like it.  I told him he needed to move on and if I heard of his being in the vicinity again, I’d have him arrested.”

“Thank you,” Randi said and turned back into the house.

“You going to stay with her a while?” Duane asked Trevor.

Trevor nodded.  “Thanks.  And I’ll be in touch about Hal.”

Trevor closed the front door and found Randi in the kitchen.  She paced between the sink and back door.

“I can’t believe he’s still having me watched,” she fumed.  “What does he think he’s going to learn?”

“Randi,” Trevor tried to interrupt.

“This is the way it used to be.  I always felt like he was watching me.”

“Randi,”

“I refuse to let him intimidate me,” she muttered. “I mean, we’ve been divorced for five years.  I have a life of my own.  Don’t I?” she exclaimed.

“Randi,”

“He has no right to monitor my comings and goings.”

Trevor reached for her, cupped her head in both hands and stopped her rantings the only way possible.  With his mouth.

“Trev,”

He kissed her again.

“What?”

Trevor took advantage of her opened mouth and deepened the kiss.

“Hmm,” Randi tried to stop him but leaned into him instead.  She wrapped her arms around his middle and gave up.

Trevor had wanted to kiss her since that kiss on the soccer field at the resort.  He deepened the kiss, enjoyed the feeling of her breasts pressed against his chest as she hugged him tightly.  She was intoxicating.  If he kept this up, he’d never get the job finished.

“Whoa,” he whispered when he raised his head.  Randi’s eyes were still closed so he decided to steal another kiss.

Randi was sure she’d died and gone to heaven.  Tim had never kissed her like this.  She was riveted.  Giddy.  Cuddled closer and hung on as feelings thrilled up and down her spine.  She could stay here all day, she thought.  Then she realized what she was doing and nudged him back.

“Trevor,” she mumbled against his lips.  “Trevor,” she repeated when he continued to kiss her.

Trevor released her and leaned against the wall.  He stared down at her, looked as befuddled as she felt.  “You need to get angry more often.”  He smiled.  “I have never locked lips like that.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry.  I kissed you, remember?”

“Yes, but, I don’t know what came over me.”

“Don’t hear me complaining, do you?”

Randi gave him a half-smile and sat at the kitchen table.  “I’ve never been kissed like that.”

“Plenty more.  We’ll have to be careful though.  If we don’t watch it, we’ll find ourselves in bed.  Not that I’m not interested, I most definitely am.”  Trevor laughed and sat across from her at the table.

Randi gave him a nervous laugh.  “I don’t think we have to worry about that.  Two little boys can run interference, create distractions.”

Trevor quirked an eyebrow, looked at the clock on the wall and smiled.  “Not if they’re in school.”

Randi gaped.  Was he serious?  Did he just hint that he wanted to make love to her?  Now?

“We have the firehouse project.” He added when she remained quiet.  “I might have lots of questions and need to spend some time here discussing them with you.”

Randi felt her cheeks blush, her heart swelled.  He looked so sincere, she was touched.  It had been a long time since she’d flirted with a man.  And here she had a very potent one pretty much telling me he was interested.

They stared at one another for seconds.  She was tempted to invite him to her bed.  He enjoyed her confusion.

So engrossed in one another, they jumped when there was a knock at the back door.