Mary’s Son (11 page)

A SHORT time later, Jared found himself again standing at the abandoned train depot’s window frame, staring toward the Stone mansion. His three friends sat silently behind him. None of them was joking now. Although none would admit it, they were all afraid.

He said to the trio, “Ready to do it?”

They nodded slowly. Burner motioned toward Hammer and said softly, “Hammer’s got a gun.”

Jared turned to Hammer, surprised. “A gun?” he asked. Hammer lifted his shirt to expose the weapon. “What for? We don’t need a gun.”

“Hank said we might need it. It’s his,” said Hammer defiantly.

“Let’s see it,” Jared held out his hand.

Hammer hesitated, knowing he held some power while he had the gun. But his hesitation ended quickly when he saw the look on Jared’s face. He handed the gun to him slowly. Jared held the weapon, felt its weight, and then tucked it into his own belt. “I’ll hold it,” he said.

JONAS stared out over the gathering throng of revelers. He had already greeted several people with firm handshakes and
a half-smile before he’d been able to excuse himself and jog up the staircase to his room. After refreshing himself and refocusing his attention, he stepped out and looked over the balustrade to the growing crowd. He knew it was his time now to forget the loss of the deal and join those who accepted his invitation to Penford Heights’ annual “Party of the Year.”

Jonas descended the steps and greeted the most recent arrivals as he escorted them into the tent. His eyes flitted back and forth until he spied a table at which sat Michael Fallon, Jonas’s flamboyant but brilliant attorney from the law firm of Morgan, Fallon, Tomes & Kennedy.

Jonas greeted the firm’s young associates and moved around the table to Fallon, who stood up to greet him.

“Good turnout, Jonas,” he said with a broad smile.

“Yes, it is,” Jonas responded and glanced around. “We need to talk for a minute.”

He took Fallon’s arm and pulled him to the side, where he whispered, “You can call your people off the Mokai matter, Mike. The deal’s dead.”

Fallon was surprised. Like Jonas, he had believed it was done except for the final signing.

“‘The company just couldn’t proceed with the transaction,’ Tokyo said.” Jonas shook his head disgustedly as he quoted Mr. Kagumo. “Nine months down the toilet,” he continued.
“We’re going to have to rethink the whole business plan if we can’t get them back.”

“Do you want to talk now?” the attorney asked.

Jonas again looked around at the smiling faces, dancing people, and food being put out for the buffet. He smiled resignedly. “Not now. It’ll hold till tomorrow. I’m having a party, remember?”

AT another table Nicholas handed Sarah a cup of punch. She looked beautiful, like a young woman, yet it was clear she was not quite sure of herself.

“He didn’t even notice,” she said as she stared at her father talking to Fallon.

“He will,” whispered Nicholas. “Be patient.”

She smiled as Nicholas winked and escorted her out to the dance floor, where they began a fast waltz.

“You dance beautifully, Sarah.”

“I’m in cotillion.” Sarah frowned at the admission.

“Martha and I love to dance at home…keeps us young,” said Nicholas, and he began to breathe a little heavier.

At the edge of the dance floor, Jonas talked to a group of business associates. One of them, a stocky, ruddy-faced real estate broker named Sam Wyatt, looked out at the dance
floor and said, “That little girl of yours is sure growing up, Jonas. She looks great.”

“Everyone keeps telling me that, Sam. I haven’t seen her tonight.”

“She’s out on the dance floor…with that guy who looks like Santa Claus in a tux. Who is he?”

Jonas’s eyes wandered the floor until he finally caught sight of Nicholas and Sarah.

“Who is he, Jonas?” Sam asked again.

“Oh…just some help we hired,” he answered absently and stared at his daughter, realizing suddenly that she was indeed growing up. Thoughts of Annie suddenly came to him as he watched his daughter. She looked so much like her mother, a fact he had often acknowledged when she was younger yet that he had all but forgotten in recent years. It had been so painful to see his wife in Sarah’s child eyes…to see her in every expression and every movement that he had subconsciously pulled away. He had tried for a long time and finally succeeded in burying the memory of the wife he’d loved so completely. It was something he had to do if he could ever live again. Yet, as he now stared at Sarah, he realized he’d done more than bury the memory of his wife’s loss. He’d pushed his only daughter away. A sadness filled him for an instant as all thoughts of the broken Mokai deal disappeared, and he knew immediately what he had to do if he was going to save
the one thing that really mattered in his life.

“Excuse me, will you, Sam?” Jonas said.

Jonas walked onto the dance floor and tapped Nicholas on the shoulder. When Nicholas turned to him, Jonas smiled at his daughter and extended a hand. “May I?”

Nicholas bowed gallantly and released his thrilled dance partner to her father, who whisked her across the floor.

JARED, M.J., Hammer, and Burner were crouched in the thick hedges outside the high, slump-stone wall surrounding the grounds. All four were dressed in dark jeans and sweatshirts with hoods. They peeked furtively through the bushes to the police cruisers that seemed to appear almost every time they were ready to clamor over the wall.

“A lot of cops out tonight,” Hammer whispered.

“Yeah…it’s like they know something,” M.J. responded. “That old guy must have said something,” he continued nervously.

“He didn’t know anything,” Jared responded curtly. He tried to control his own fears by taking a hard line with the others. “There’s a party here. The cops are cruisin’ to make sure it doesn’t get outta control.”

“Like
that
could really happen,” laughed Burner sarcastically.
He and Hammer started giggling softly until Jared glared them to silence.

“Why did that guy come to your place anyway, man? He was with her at the mall,” M.J. continued, still not satisfied their plan was not compromised. “He’s…like…in the family. He knows.”

“If he knew, Hank woulda told us something was up. He’s here all day. Look, M.J., if you want to back out, do it now. The same goes for you guys.” Jared pointed at Hammer and Burner. “I’m going in.” He stared at his three cohorts, angry that he had to keep pushing them when he was doing all he could to keep his own fears under control.

“I’m with you, man,” said Hammer.

“Me, too,” whispered Burner.

“M.J.?” asked Jared.

“I’m in,” M.J. finally said.

“Okay…let’s move.”

The four ran in crouches through the shadows from the hedges to the wall. They peeked around the entry post and saw chauffeurs and security guards milling lazily around the grounds, when suddenly headlights appeared up the street. As Jared pulled back to the others, the beam of a police car began to sweep the street.

“C’mon…quick!” Jared ordered.

They bolted through the entry to some bushes inside the grounds just before the beam swept their former position. They waited several seconds, breathing heavily, alert for the approach of anyone who might have seen them. Finally, following Jared’s lead, they ran through shadows toward the library.

BENEATH the tent, Jonas and Sarah danced. Between songs they laughed and talked. Jonas’s early surprise at his young daughter’s maturity was being replaced with a sense of pride as well-wishers continuously interrupted them and spoke of how beautiful Sarah was. For her part, Sarah was having the time of her life. She had her father’s full attention and could actually see the pride he exhibited when she charmed her father’s numerous visitors.

Just off the dance floor, Nicholas smiled broadly at the Stones’ joy. It never ceased to amaze him how people could be so happy simply by knowing that someone they loved was truly interested in them.

Nicholas sipped from his punch cup and watched Jonas and Sarah complete another dance, just as two of Jonas’s business associates approached them.

Tom Burns led Sam Wyatt by the arm. Burns was still smarting from the shocking revelation that the Mokai deal was dead. His already ruddy, bloated face seemed redder still with eagerness.

“Jonas,” Burns started, “can we talk?”

“Have you met my daughter, Sarah?” asked Jonas. “Sarah, this is Mr. Wyatt, and this is Mr. Burns.”

Sarah smiled politely and shook hands with both men. While Wyatt’s handshake was warm and delivered with a genuine smile of friendship, Burns’s was perfunctory as he turned again to Jonas and whispered, “Jonas, this is important. Can we talk for a few minutes?”

Jonas frowned and turned away from Sarah. “Tom,” he said, “hold on. Can you see I’m dancing with my daughter?”

“Jonas, Wyatt can save the deal. We’ve been discussing Mokai’s withdrawal. Sam can bring them back. We need to talk,” Burns said excitedly.

Jonas hesitated and looked at both men. He then turned to his daughter. “Sarah, I’m going to talk to these gentlemen for a moment. We’ll dance again…okay?”

Sarah nodded slowly, sadly. “Okay, Daddy,” she said as the three men walked away.

She stood alone for several seconds before she turned in frantic search for a friendly face. She finally spotted Nicholas,
looking down at his watch and frowning. He turned sharply and strode purposefully out of the tent.

Sarah pushed her way off the dance floor as tears of self-pity filled her eyes. She followed Nicholas.

In the darkened library Sarah’s maid, Anna, moved cautiously toward the east window. She unlocked and raised it partially. She then turned and scurried out of the room, closing the door behind her. Anna slowed only slightly as she made her way down the hall toward the party where she was helping the servers. She glanced back several times and in so doing almost crashed into Nicholas. In a panic she covered her face and ran into the kitchen. Nicholas frowned after her and picked up his pace to the library.