The Grim Reader Read online

  Derek nodded. “Yes, and dangerous.”

  “Why does he care about the festival so much?” I wondered out loud.

  “I think he’s trying to gain respectability,” Mom said with a shrug. “He thought that buying up wineries would do it, but that’s turned into a disaster. So now he’s looking to the book festival to raise his social standing.”

  “It’s not working,” I muttered.

  “No, indeed,” Derek said.

  “I’ve been putting up with him for months now,” Mom said, waving one hand as if wiping away our concerns. “I mostly try to ignore it because nobody around here will do anything about him. They’re all afraid of him.”

  “Robson isn’t afraid of him,” I said.

  “Neither am I,” Mom responded quickly. “Besides, I don’t want to have to depend on Robson every time I have a run-in with someone.”

  I frowned. “Mom, you never have run-ins with anyone.”

  “And this was hardly a simple run-in,” Derek said. “The man just threatened you with murder. I suggest you don’t go anywhere alone while we’re here.”

  “Oh, Derek dear, don’t worry so much.”

  “I’ll talk to Robson myself,” I vowed.

  “There’s no need for that,” Mom said. “This will all blow over in a few days. You’ll see. When Banyan figures out that he’s not going to get what he wants, he’ll crawl back under his rock and leave us alone.”

  “It won’t be that easy,” I said.

  “Positive thinking is what is required here,” she said, though she was starting to sound fed up with the whole situation. “However, I admit that Banyan tasks my abilities to smile through trials and tribulations.”

  One thing Mom hadn’t talked about was my father’s response to all of this. I couldn’t imagine he was taking it well. “What does Dad think? Why wasn’t he at the meeting?”

  Clearly insulted, Mom gave me a head shake. “Your father knows very well that I can take care of myself.”

  I wasn’t fooled. “Uh-huh. So he doesn’t know what’s going on?”

  She sighed. “Not everything, no.”

  “Mom . . .”

  “Rebecca, he should know,” Derek said. “Everyone should know. Including Robson and the local police.”

  “Oh, I think that’s a little much.”

  Derek smiled at her. “I don’t.”

  “I suppose not,” she said.

  Derek pressed a button on his key fob to unlock his car. He held the front passenger door open for Mom.

  “I’ll get in the back,” I said, stopping her before she could try to climb inside. “You sit up front with Derek.”

  “Oh, honey. That’s not right.”

  I chuckled as I sat down in the very comfortable back seat of Derek’s Bentley. “It’s just a short ride up the hill. I can survive without Derek next to me for at least five minutes.”

  “Funny girl,” she said, and managed a smile as she took the front seat. She waited until Derek was in the car before she said, “I know you’re both going to lecture me, and that’s fine. But first I need to ask you not to mention anything to your father. I don’t want to upset him. That’s why I haven’t told him.”

  “Come on, Mom. You know that’s crazy. Dad needs to know.”

  Derek started the car, then turned to face Mom. “Jim will be far more upset if he finds out that we were keeping this from him.”

  Realizing Derek and I were a united front and she would not win this fight, Mom slumped in her seat. “Okay, fine. I know you’re right. But I hate having your father think he’s got to fight my battles for me.”

  I reached up and squeezed her arm. “But you’d do the same for him, wouldn’t you?”

  She grumbled under her breath.

  “And by the way, Mom,” I continued. “It won’t be just Dad fighting this battle, but all of us. We’re all going after this slimy snake.”

  “I love doing things as a family,” she said wryly, “but this is ridiculous.”

  “Now who’s the funny one?” I said.

  Derek eased away from the curb and as soon as we were out of range of the tourist traffic pouring into town, he took hold of Mom’s hand. “Don’t underestimate the danger here, Rebecca. You’ve made a formidable enemy of Banyan and his threat is quite credible.”

  “I suppose you’re right,” she muttered, and stewed in silence for a few minutes. “I’m not sure why I’m suddenly the target. There were eight other votes against him.”

  “You’re the chair of the committee.”

  “Co-chair.”

  I snorted. “Lawson Schmidt has never taken a firm stand against anything.”

  “Oh, but he’s a nice man.”

  “He’s nice enough,” I allowed, but I recalled Banyan getting in Lawson’s face. You’re nothing but a thief and a liar. I wondered what he meant. “Banyan’s comment to Lawson seemed to hit awfully close to home. Lawson looked really upset.”

  “He did indeed,” Derek murmured.

  “Lawson’s in charge of the festival funds, so that’s why Banyan was taunting him.” Mom shrugged. “It didn’t mean anything. The truth is, Lawson is amazing with money. We put him in charge of the finances because he’s obsessive about it. He loves to count our money over and over.”

  That seemed a little weird, but who was I to judge? Lawson did come across as nervous most of the time, but that didn’t make him a thief. So why did Banyan attack him on such a personal level?

  Derek’s gaze met mine in the rearview mirror and I saw the concern in his eyes. We needed to nip this Banyan conflict in the bud before the festival itself turned into an armed camp.

  As Derek eased onto Vivaldi Way and maneuvered the car up the winding hill toward my parents’ house, Mom suddenly turned in her seat to face both of us, her eyes narrowed and her jaw clenched in resolve. It was as if she had suddenly found the fire within. “Jacob Banyan overplayed his hand today and you were there to witness it.”

  “Yeah, and it wasn’t pretty.”

  “I’m just glad you’re both on my side in case we have to deal with him again.”

  “Of course we’re on your side,” I said, pleased to see that Mom had regained her fighting spirit.

  “Good. I’ll wager my army can wipe out his any day of the week.”

  “I wouldn’t bet against you,” Derek said with a firm nod. A moment later we reached the top of the hill and Derek swung the car into my parents’ driveway.

  Dad came out of the house wearing his usual work uniform of blue jeans, plaid flannel shirt, and boots. He grinned with delight and wrapped his arms around me. “Hey, kiddo. How’s my beautiful girl?”

  “I’m great, Dad.” I inhaled deeply and smiled at the familiar scents of Old Spice and Juicy Fruit gum. “It’s so good to see you.”

  “You, too, honey.” He turned and grabbed Derek in a man-hug, thumping his back. “Come on in.” He reached for Mom’s hand and led the way back into the house.

  Once inside, he pulled Mom into his arms for a warm hug. “How was your meeting, babe? Did they beat you up again?”

  “A little,” Mom whispered. “I’ll survive.” But she stayed in his arms for another long moment before stepping back. “Is there wine?”

  “We ran out,” he said, and then laughed at Mom’s shocked expression. “Baby, we own a vineyard. We’ll never run out.”

  “Oh, thank heaven.” She was still clearly discombobulated from the angry confrontation she’d experienced only a few minutes ago.

  “I’ll take some of that wine,” I said.

  Dad winked at me. “That’s my girl. I’ve got a bottle of our new Chardonnay chilling. After that, we can move on to the estate Pinot Noir.”

  “Sounds wonderful.” Then I caught Derek’s glance. “Oh, but you know, we should drive the car b
ack to Abraham’s and check on Charlie first.”

  “Good idea, love,” Derek said, taking my hand. “That’ll give your mother and father a few minutes to talk by themselves.”

  “We’ll be back soon,” I promised, giving my mother a steely look. I wanted to make sure she knew that if she didn’t tell Dad what was going on, then we would do it when we returned. “Feel free to start without us if you want.”

  “Take your time, sweetie,” Mom said.

  “We’ll wait for you,” Dad assured us, and we took off.

  * * *

  • • •

  We walked into the kitchen of our home away from home and I set my purse on the counter. Clyde’s book was sticking out of the top and I reached for it. I’d been so distracted by Jacob Banyan accosting my mother that I’d forgotten all about the book. But now I carefully unwrapped the brown paper and took another look at it, mentally tallying the work I would have to do to get it back into beautiful shape for the silent auction.

  Unfortunately, I was still distracted by that maniac’s assault and couldn’t concentrate, so I wrapped up the book and then began to pace the length of the kitchen. I punched my palm with my fist as I moved, even angrier than I’d been when we confronted Banyan on the Lane. “I want to hunt that big creep down and put the fear of God into him.”

  “I feel the same way, darling,” Derek said. Stopping me mid-pace, he rubbed my shoulders. “But in my experience, men like Jacob Banyan are too stupid to fear God. They have much too high an opinion of themselves.”

  “You’re right.” I scowled in frustration. “I’ve met a few of those types in my life.”

  “Don’t I know it,” he murmured.

  Of course he knew. We’d both confronted egocentric men—and a couple of women—over the past few years. Occasionally they wanted to kill me, which indicated that they just might be psychopaths.

  With a sigh, I let him go and sat at the kitchen table. Derek leaned against the counter and we gazed at each other. “So do you think she’s telling him?” he asked.

  “I hope so. That’s why I wanted to leave them alone for a few minutes. On the other hand, she might wait for us to return first, knowing Dad will go ballistic when he hears what Banyan did. Probably thinks we can help hold him back from killing the guy with his bare hands.”

  “I’ve never actually seen your father lose his temper,” Derek mused. “I’ve seen him get angry, but I don’t believe he’s ever gone ballistic in my presence.”

  “It’s a rare sight,” I admitted. “And it’s only happened when one of us was being threatened.” My father, the original Deadhead, always said he was mellow to the marrow. And it was true. He was a lover, not a fighter. But that philosophy was about to be put to the test.

  I was ridiculously pleased when Charlie hopped up on my lap. “Hello, sweet kitty,” I murmured, petting her soft fur and listening to her contented purring. “I think she had an okay day. She seems happy.”

  “I’m quite certain she is.” He leaned forward and scratched Charlie’s chin. Her eyes closed and she purred even louder.

  “Who wouldn’t be happy with all of her favorite things around her?” I scratched her ears and hugged her, then set her down on the floor. With a heavy sigh, I stood. “Are you ready to go back to Mom’s?”

  “Yes.” He wrapped his arms around me for one long moment. “I know you’re upset about this, and so am I. But there’s no question that your father should be told about Banyan’s threats.”

  “Oh, absolutely. In fact, I think I’ll call Robin and ask her and Austin to stop by. Safety in numbers, right?”

  “Yes. Everyone in the family should hear about this and realize that your mother will need protection for the next few days, at least. I’ll call Gabriel and ask him to join us at your parents’ house.”

  “Sounds like a party.” But we both looked pretty grim as we locked the door and hiked back up the hill, holding hands. On the way, I called Robin. With no hesitation, she said that she and Austin would come by in a little while.

  Then Derek pressed Gabriel’s number and spoke to him for less than a minute.

  “He’s on his way.”

  “Good. Do you think we should call the police?”

  He twisted his lips in a frown. “I’ll talk to Gabriel about it.”

  All three of my sisters were working, but I’d be calling them later, too. It made me smile to know that our friends and family would be there at a moment’s notice if we needed them.

  When we reached the edge of my parents’ property, I hesitated.

  Derek stopped and turned. “What is it, love?”

  “I’m just so bummed,” I admitted. “I was hoping we would be able to relax and enjoy the week leading up to the festival, but now I’m so stressed out and worried about Mom, I don’t know what to do.”

  “We’re doing it,” he assured me. “With all of our family and friends aware of the situation, your mother will be perfectly safe.”

  “Yes, she will. Even if we have to lock her in a closet to guarantee it.” I leaned against him for sheer comfort and sighed. “I love you so much.”

  “I love you right back.” He grinned and grabbed my hand. “Come on now. Let’s go inside and get a glass of wine.”

  “There’s a good idea.”

  We climbed the steps and pushed open the front door. I could tell the minute we walked inside that Mom hadn’t said a word to Dad about Banyan’s threat.

  “Here you go,” Dad said cheerfully, handing us each a glass of chilled white wine. He and Mom already had theirs and we all clinked our glasses together.

  “Cheers,” Dad and Mom said in unison.

  “Thanks, Dad.” I took a sip. “Delicious.”

  “This was the first Chardonnay to age in our new concrete tanks.”

  “Is that what gives it the mineral tones?” Derek asked.

  Dad grinned. “Actually, that mineral taste is the true essence of the grape and the vine and the earth. It happens when the wine doesn’t spend as much time in oak barrels.”

  “So the oak tends to overpower everything else?” Derek said.

  “You got it.” Dad grinned and took another sip. “I’m digging these new tanks.”

  I sipped, too, and then stared at the color of the wine. “I love the earthiness, Dad.”

  “Thanks, honey. Me, too.”

  “I hope you guys don’t mind, but I invited Robin and Austin to join us. And Gabriel’s going to show up, too.”

  Mom’s eyes grew wide with suspicion while Dad just said, “Yeah! Better open another bottle.”

  When Dad jogged into the kitchen, Mom moved in on us. “Why are they coming?”

  “They’re family,” I said lightly.

  “That’s not why you invited them, Brooklyn.”

  “Yes, it is. They need to know. So do Savannah and China and London.” Then I repeated what I’d said to Derek a few minutes ago. “There’s safety in numbers, Mom.”

  She rolled her eyes. “We’re making a mountain out of a molehill.”

  “That guy is no molehill,” I whispered. “He’s vicious and I won’t allow him to threaten you or anyone else I care about. So suck it up, buttercup.”

  She cocked her head and stared at me. “Did you just say ‘suck it up, buttercup’ to me?”

  “Yeah.” I sounded a little defensive.

  She stared for another few seconds, then nodded. “I like it.”

  “It’s yours.” I laughed ruefully, then gave her a hug.

  She patted my back, rocked back and forth, and cooed softly as though I were the one that needed a hug. Maybe I was. The thought of that nasty bully attacking my mom was just too gruesome to consider.

  Dad wheeled a liquor cart into the living room. There were several bottles of wine standing on the top shelf and a dozen or so wineglasse
s hanging underneath.

  “Wow, that’s a cool new thing,” I said.

  “I know. Check it out.” He pointed out the features. “There’s room to store ten bottles on the bottom level and at least sixteen glasses above that. And this little contraption on the side holds all your tools, like your wine opener and a knife and stuff. It’s got an ice bucket, too. And there’s a cutting board for your limes when you’re hankering for a shot of tequila.”

  “Very nice,” I said, happy to see that the cart was made of hardwood and steel instead of one of those fancy gold carts with mirrors and curlicues everywhere. This one had a modern industrial feel to it and suited Dad perfectly.

  “Your father loves it,” Mom said.

  “Where’d you find it?” I asked.

  Mom smiled. “Robin and Austin brought it over one day, for no reason.”

  “Yup, out of the blue,” Dad said.

  “They are such suck-ups,” I muttered. Now I was going to have to put some serious thought into how I could one-up my best friend and my brother.

  Mom and Dad both laughed, thank goodness. Dad was in such a good mood that it was once again clear to me that Mom hadn’t said anything yet. I hated to be the dark cloud that destroyed his happy mood, but it had to be done. I would blame it on Jacob Banyan.

  As if on cue, the door opened.

  “It’s only us,” Robin said, smiling as she and Austin walked into the house. She wore an adorable red plaid jacket with skinny jeans and knee-high boots. I smiled and thought about how we’d always been such opposites. She was short with dark curly hair and loved to dress up and party. I was tall with straight blonde hair and loved to curl up with an old book. How we ever became friends was a question for the ages.

  I grabbed her and hugged her tightly, holding on for an extra few seconds.

  Robin had been my best friend since we were eight years old and I missed her a lot, ever since she had moved back to Dharma and married my brother Austin. Those two had been in love since third grade and I knew they were deliriously happy to be together.

  Sometimes it was a little overwhelming to realize how far we’d come since our two little eight-year-old selves had played with our Barbie dolls together.