Jason's Princess: A King Brothers Story (16 page)

Charlie just shook his head and stared at his half-eaten slice of apple pie.

Josh clapped Charlie on the back, as he returned with a beer. “You sure you don’t want to talk about it?”

Charlie put his fork down but remained silent. Jason understood that he had been close with Josh long before the Armstrongs had died. It was odd that he was reluctant to speak in front of them. James, who was sitting next to Charlie, put a fatherly hand on his shoulder like he did with Jason and his brothers when something was obviously wrong.

Charlie looked up at him and smiled a sad smile. “I was just thinking how much I miss my parents. Things were different when they were alive. Being here reminds me of those times,” shrugging his shoulders. Jason wanted to hug him but knew that would embarrass everyone at the table, so he stayed put.

His father came to the rescue, “You know, Charlie, you are welcome to come visit us anytime you like. Cami and I think of you and Julie as our extended family and I hope you feel the same way.”

Charlie cleared his throat, “Yeah…. I know, Sir. Thank you.” Then to cover up his quavering voice he took a drink of his soda.

Just as things were getting uncomfortable Jarod got a call on his cell. Relieved by the interruption, Jason stood up to put the dishes in the sink. He overheard Jarod saying he’d be right there.

“I need to get to the hospital,” he announced, as he walked out of the kitchen towards the front door.

“What’s happening?” Jason asked.

Jarod stopped but didn’t turn. Jason could see he was debating on saying something. When he finally turned he had on Cop Face.

“A woman has been admitted to the hospital, possible assault victim. She works at Fantasy Five.” Giving Jason a pointed look, he turned and walked out the door.

At the same time, Dane came into the kitchen from the other end of the house and spoke softly in his dad’s ear.

“You better get going. Jarod just left for the hospital.”

“Yes sir. I’ll call when I know more.” He said, following the same exit route as Jarod.

“What’s going on?” Josh asked.

James looked at Charlie. Jason and Josh followed his gaze before Charlie said, “What? No way am I leaving.” He was shaking his head at them, digging in his heels.

Resigned to speak in front of Charlie, he took a breath only to blow it out as the girls returned from the Room of Doom.

“I think we can do something with that extra material for Cafe Armstrong. What do you think, Julie?” Camille was saying as they entered the dining room.

“What’s going on? Where’s Jarod?” Lauren asked.

“As I was about to inform my sons, Dane has gone to the hospital to interview a patient, a young woman. Dane seems to think that she may be a witness to a crime. We won’t know anything more until later. Jarod caught the same case right before Dane informed me of the situation. Jarod is on his way to the hospital to speak to the same woman.”

Jason watched his mother absorb what his father was saying. Julie, Charlie and Lauren all wore blank expressions, clearly not understanding the problem.

“Does she have something to do with the people who are trying to hurt you and my sister?” Charlie asked Jason.

“Maybe. We don’t know yet.”

“What crime did she witness?” Julie asked the room.

Jason looked at his family. He wasn’t sure if he should say anything until they knew more. His dad answered for him.

“We think she was a witness to a hit and run a few years back.”

Jason knew that sentence could describe any number of scenarios. He studied Charlie first, to see how the boy would react. He had a puzzled look on his face but accepted the explanation at face value. Julie, on the other hand, became quite still. Jason knew she was figuring it out, at least the basics. He stepped up to her and spoke softly to her. “We don’t know anything for certain, Jujyfruit. It’s only a possibility.”

“But you must have a pretty good idea about it, right?” Her eyes were huge and her voice was shaky.

“We’ve got a good idea, yes.” His dad was being honest. Good. He never wanted to lie to her or keep things from her ever again.

∼∼∼∼∼

Julie could not believe the size of Camille’s craft room. It was double the size of her living room and kitchen space at her house. The woman had her own hobby store in one room of her home! Julie didn’t have an artistic bone in her body so she couldn’t fathom what even half of the items were used for.

Camille seemed to enjoy making different things for people. She used the room for other handy things as well, like wrapping paper. She had a bank of rollers that held an assortment of paper from holidays, to events, to everyday, to birthdays. The birthday paper could be for children or adults, by gender and by age. It was amazing. She had work space that would accommodate wrapping small and large gifts, to working on crafts. There were cubbies and bins everywhere and little drawers that held an assortment of beads, baubles and do-hickies.

Lauren was opening and closing every drawer, cabinet and storage container. She oohed and ahhed at everything. She even spoke to Camille in some weird crafting language that Julie didn’t understand.

“This is the newest section that James just helped me add. It’s for my sewing.” Camille showed them her state-of-the-art sewing machine that had more buttons than an airplane cockpit. There was another worktable with a wooden measuring stick screwed onto the top, like you would see at a fabric store. On the opposite wall, were bolts of material in a variety of color and fabric.

Julie was speechless.

“How is it that you have kept this room from me all these years, Camille?” Lauren seemed to be only half kidding. Julie had heard that tone of voice before when Lauren thought she had been cheated out of something grand.

“Because Josh made me promise not to show you two my ‘Room of Doom’ for fear that I would lure you girls into helping me with my hobbies, which would force him to spend more time in here with us.” Camille rolled her eyes.

“Spend more time? I didn’t think that Josh was all that handy with a glue gun. Mechanical pencils and draft boards sure, but beads and string?” Julie was confused by the whole thing.

Camille’s grin grew downright diabolical. “I used to punish the boys by making them help me plan for events like birthdays and weddings. They hate this room,” she said, as she burst out laughing.

“Why is that so funny?” Lauren asked with a suspicious grin on her face.

“Because this room is my escape from all of the testosterone in this house.” She sighed and continued, “I needed a retreat and a hobby that didn’t include fighting, dirt, cars, sports or heavy machinery. If the boys got into mischief they ended up helping me with my projects. It worked pretty well too because if they knew they would be elbow deep in flowers, pink ribbon or bird seed, they tended to stay out of trouble a little more often.”

“That’s positively evil. I’m impressed, Camille,” Lauren high fived Jason’s mom.

Julie just laughed outright. She couldn’t see any of those tattooed gods working with all this fluff. Julie listened as Camille told story after story about the boys growing up, what trouble they had gotten into and about the many projects she had worked on over the years for their small community.

“You know, we should collaborate on some events, Julie. Your culinary skills are superb. I know some clients who would love your kind of cooking for their parties. Have you ever thought of expanding your business into catering?”

“I… wow, Camille. You’ve eaten my food?” Julie couldn’t think of when Camille had been out to any of the sites for breakfast or lunch.

“James brings something home for me every now and then. I also have three sons who rave about your cooking. Word gets around, dear. You have quite the reputation around here.” Camille smiled at the double entendre.

Lauren giggled and poked Julie in the ribs, “She doesn’t get out enough to have that kind of reputation, Camille.” She winked at Julie who shoved her shoulder.

“Thanks a lot, Bestie,” she glared at Lauren. Then to Camille, “I have thought about expanding, especially when things quiet down on the shopping mall. I love Cafe Armstrong and the ability to move it wherever there are hungry people. The downside is when business is slow. I still have bills to pay and a hungry brother to feed. I just don’t know how to make it work.”

She shrugged her shoulders and continued. “I don’t know what I would need or what it would take to cater; I guess I could cook out of my truck… but don’t most hostesses want catering services who provide dishes and linens and all of that? I don’t think I could afford to expand that much.”

Julie scrunched up her face in thought. She had to admit to herself that the idea had merit. She just wasn’t experienced enough to know how to make it work on her budget. She looked up to see Camille’s big grin and Lauren hopping up and down, quietly clapping in excitement.

“Julie, my dear, if you are serious about expanding I would love to work with you. I have connections in this town.” She tilted her head at her, “plus, have you taken a good look at this room? I have party supplies, place settings and a huge kitchen.”

“Your kitchen is nice but it’s not that big,” she said.

“No, dear. The OTHER kitchen. The one that James built into the house to host huge parties. It’s commercial grade. Trust me; combining your business with mine would be of little to no cost out of your pocket. All we need is time to cook and plan.”

Then Camille focused on Lauren. “And you, my sassy friend, would be perfect for networking and helping me diagram events. You have a natural talent for these things.” Julie jumped when Lauren squealed. Then all three of them laughed again.

“I certainly want to talk more about this, Camille,” Julie said.

“I don’t need to talk about anything. I would love to do something like this with both of you. I’m sick of working in that office. It’s killing my soul.” Lauren complained.

“You are too strong to let them get to you.” Julie put her arm around her friend.

“Oh, Julie, you have no idea what it’s like there.”

Camille raised an eyebrow, “Are you saying you don’t like working for my son?”

Lauren flushed a little but admitted, “I love working with Jarod when he’s there. But he’s often out on calls. There are a lot of people in that office who live for their work, not the other way around. It becomes a small realm of dictators and power grabbers that make going to work on Mondays a real drag. I would love to venture out into something more fun. I’ve often thought of being an events coordinator. How did you know, Camille?”

“I have known you girls since Josh brought you both here all those years ago as ‘friends’.”

Julie smiled at her. Those days had been fun.

“Josh, of course, thought he was going to be the only brother to bring home two girlfriends at the same time, something his brothers had egged him on about for weeks. I took one look at you two and knew that you were good girls and didn’t have those kinds of ideas in your pretty heads.”

She put her arms around both of their shoulders. Julie wrapped her arm around Camille’s waste. “Lauren, with your bubbly personality and savvy smarts, you were born to work with the kind of people I have been forced to socialize with since James began his business. So, what do you say, girls?”

For the first time in a long time, Julie felt hopeful about her future. She looked at Lauren who was already nodding her head up and down enthusiastically. “I can’t wait, Camille!” Then all three of them squealed like a group of teeny boppers at a Justin Bieber concert.

After a quick run through of “The Big Kitchen”, they made their way back to the men.

As soon as they walked into the dining room Lauren asked, “Where’s Jarod?”

That girl has it bad
.

Shaking her head and still a little giddy about the prospect of working with Camille and Lauren she felt a chill run down her spine at the look on Jason’s face. She was starting to understand him more; that look did not bode well. Something had happened.

James explained about a woman in the hospital who had witnessed a crime and how Jarod and Dane had left to interview her. The fact that Dane was on the same case as Jarod rang all of her warning bells. This woman, whoever she was, had something to do with Billy. Charlie asked the question that was running through her head.

“Does she have something to do with the people who are trying to hurt you and my sister?”

Charlie swallowed a few times. Puzzling over his emotional distress, she wondered what had happened while they were gone. Jason answered him vaguely so Julie turned her attention to him.

“What crime did she witness?” As the words left her mouth she watched as Jason made eye contact with the rest of his family. They knew something that she didn’t, which meant it wasn’t good. They had been keeping something from her. She immediately put up her guard.

James cleared his throat which drew her attention away from Jason’s piercing green eyes. “We think she was a witness to a hit and run a few years back.”

All of the air left her lungs as she put the puzzle pieces together. This woman, whoever she was, had possibly witnessed her parents’ death. And apparently, that death had something to do with Billy.

As all eyes landed on her, she cleared her throat, “But you must have a pretty good idea about it, right?” She kept the tears from flowing down her cheeks as pain began to throb through her head. She focused what little of her vision she had left on Jason.

But again, James answered. “We’ve got a good idea, yes.”

Julie just stood there a minute trying to get it together. She cleared her throat again. Jason stood and put his arms around her.

“You ok?” he whispered in her ear.

She couldn’t answer so she just nodded. Yes, she was ok but not great. He led her back to the table as Josh handed her a shot of something amber. She threw it back and felt it burn all the way down to her tummy. It helped melt the ice that was in her veins. She looked at Charlie who had his face scrunched up. He would put it together in a second.

“That son-of-a-bitch killed my parents, didn’t he?” Charlie stood so fast that his chair toppled over backward. The rage that was always just under the surface had bubbled up and overflowed. If he didn’t get it under control quickly things would get ugly.