51

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Zenna sat looking over the letters Debbie had written to Jessica Baxter all those years ago.

“It’s like finding a needle in a haystack!” Zenna exasperated to Julie as she brought her a plate of gingersnaps and an herbal tea. “Grass tea?” she asked, dipping a cookie into it and nibbling the softened gingery edge.

Julie smiled. “It’s a special blend dat I made fer pregnancy, but yes, it has some of our weed in it too. It helps ya relax, keeps yer blood pressure down.”

“Thanks, it’s good.” Zenna replied. She thought about calling her “Mother,” but Julie was the step-mother.

“What does Matt call you?”

“He jis’ calls me Julie. I never insisted on someteen dat didn’t make sense ta him, eh. He was only five, but he remembers his moder like da saint she was.”

Barb came in and sat down, grabbing a cookie from the plate.

“Do you want to help me read through these? There must be a hundred!” Zenna asked.

“Sure,” she said. “Which ones?”

“Help yourself. There must be something!”

Barb nodded and grabbed one from the pile.

“Should I read too?” Julie asked. “Deborah’s asleep, so I have a few minutes.”

“Please.”

It was quiet for a few minutes. The only sounds were the animals outside, the hum of the dishwasher, the fainter hum of the washer and dryer in the other room and the ticking of the weed clock – that matched Matt’s, Zenna had noticed instantly. A crinkle of paper, crunch of gingersnaps or a slurp of tea sometimes punctuated the other noises. Except for the gravity of the current situation and the absence of Matt, Zenna realized that this was how she wanted to live for the rest of her life – loved by the man she loved, a mess of children around – with all the associated work and noise. It was simple and she loved it.

“Zenna, when did John McNally come to Ash Creek?” Julie asked.

“Eight years ago,” Zenna replied. “1994, I guess.”

“Coincidence?” she asked, handing a newspaper cutting to her.

Zenna read the article. “John McNally? His father? Wanted in California connection to burglary, domestic violence and statutory rape charges in California… His mother, Mary?”

“They came out here ta escape her husband’s violence, eh. She seemed happy enough here – dough haunted. I tink she died a few years ago,” Julie said.

“I think John mentioned it when we were dating,” Zenna replied. “But now, I wonder.”

Steve came in. “We have a guest,” he announced, escorting Lisa Maxwell in.

“Hello, Lisa,” Zenna greeted.

“I thought you were in Madtown.”

“Plans changed.”

“Something to do with my cousin, from the rumors.”

“Who knew?” Zenna asked, surprised.

“Either everyone knows – or everyone who knows talked to me about it. I can’t tell which,” the blonde said with a shrug.

“You said you knew something that would help our case,” Steve said.

Lisa looked at each of them, seemingly uncomfortable.

“Come sit down,” Julie invited. “Have a gingersnap and some tea.”

“Thanks! I’m starving!”

Julie looked at Steve, then got up. “Stay fer dinner, Lisa.”

“Thanks again.”

“If ya tink it will help our case, can I record it?” Steve asked.

She looked uncomfortable.

“Should I have Sheriff Clay come? She’s one of our neighbors. If ya need protection, she can arrange fer it, eh.”

Lisa nodded, visibly shaking.

Steve made the phone call. “Sheriff… we’ve had some developments ya should hear… Yah, ya could bring Mr. Johnson if ya want – if he’s around, eh… Tanks.”

“Lisa’s pregnant too, Dad,” Barb added after he hung up.

“It was part of their plan,” Lisa said. “Garth tricked Barb and Keith fooled me at the same time… both of us to bring shame on the family. Garth said as much on Halloween.”

Steve shook his head. “Hard ta believe dat two people can do so much harm...”

“It goes further than that,” Lisa said.

“Hang on until da sheriff gits here, eh?” Steve requested.

The sheriff arrived only a few minutes later.

“What’s up?” she asked as she came in.

“Tanks fer comin’, Sid,” Steve said. He turned to Lisa. “We were in school togeder. We understand each oder an’ I trust her.”

Her gaze had already come to rest on the young ladies at the table. “May I sit here?” the sheriff asked.

“Sure. Have a gingersnap and some tea,” Barb offered.

“Not da tea, Sid,” Steve interrupted.

The sheriff laughed. “Any in da cookies?” she asked.

“Julie?” Steve called.

She laughed back. “The cookies are safe, Sheriff!”

The sheriff pulled something out of her pack. “Do you mind if I record everything?” she asked.

“Anything except the tea,” Zenna replied.

Lisa nodded her agreement, as did Barb.

“Who’s first?”

“We have some letters from Debbie – Matt’s mother..,” Zenna started.

“I need to be first, before I chicken out,” Lisa interrupted.

“Okay. Yer name fer da recordin’,” the sheriff requested.

“Lisa Maxwell. Debbie was my aunt. Matt Nygaard is my cousin. Until a few nights ago, I thought Keith Cowan was my boyfriend,” she began. Her pause made Zenna wonder what had happened. Lisa took a deep breath and continued. “I saw John McNally in the store earlier today – and then Trish Cowan… his actual girlfriend.”

Zenna’s attention was caught now. “John was my boyfriend until this past spring!”

“He wanted you to think that,” Lisa said sadly.

“He has never mentioned Trish in da department,” the sheriff added.

“There’s a reason for that too,” Lisa continued. “Some of this story is Trish’s, but we’ve been friends since Mom and I moved back to Ash Creek… which wasn’t long before John moved here.”

Zenna listened, spellbound, as Lisa talked about John’s involvement in a number of illegal activities, mostly in the physical and sexual abuse of Trish Cowan, aided by her treacherous brothers. “Trish said that John forced her to have sex with him four years ago – just before she was sent to juvie.”

The sheriff nodded and continued. “She was tought ta be involved in da robbery dat Matt was accused of being accomplice ta. Trish was too drunk ta know her own name… so, we sent her ta juvie as a form of rehab. She came out pregnant… an’ the guard suspected went missin’.”

“But it wasn’t him – it was John McNally,” Lisa corrected.

“Then why didn’t he want me to have a baby?” Zenna asked. “I wanted it – he wouldn’t let me!”

“That’s why,” Lisa replied. “If you hadn’t wanted one, he would have done it to you. He’s a psychopath.”

“Probably a sociopath,” the sheriff clarified. “But we’d need Trish ta testify fer any of dis ta count fer anyteen.”

Zenna felt slightly dizzy, but she had to persevere – she wanted Matt back.

“Let’s move dis ta da couch before Zenna passes out,” Steve suggested.

♥♥♥