Elizabeth C. Main - Jane Serrano 02 - No Rest for the Wicked by Elizabeth C. Main Page A
Authors: Elizabeth C. Main
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probably Bianca. If the book club gets into it, it’d be great publicity for Thornton’s, but, ” I paused, unsure just how to say the next part, “ well, Alix is pretty embarrassed about ever having been associated with him and she’s hoping . . . ”
“ . . . that everybody in town doesn’t have to know about it, too. ” Tyler finished my sentence and gave me a wry look. He knew all about trying to keep embarrassing family history private, given his mother’s continuing trouble with drugs and alcohol. “ I’m cool with that. ”
“ Good. So let’s hope that, for once, Arnie can actually do his job. ”
“ What are the odds? ”
“ I know, but for now , Alix wants us to let it rest. Okay? ” I motioned for him to join me in the cushioned chairs in the bay window. “ It’s been a long day. ”
“ It sure has, ” he agree d. “ Y ou up for one more problem? ”
“ As long as you don’t pull a Bianca and snap if I can’t solve it instantly. ” I was relieved to see that my mild joke provoked at least the ghost of a smile.
“ Check. No snapping. ” He leaned forward and hesitated. At length his mouth settled into a grim line and he began. “ There’s one thing. You have to promise you won’t tell my parents. ”
Uh- oh. Not a good start. I answered carefully. “ I’d like to say okay, but it depends. Are you in trouble? If it’s something they need to be aware of . . . ”
“ I knew you’d say that. ”
“ Well, then . . . ” The silence stretched for several minutes while he made his decision.
When Tyler finally spoke, his words caught me flat-footed. “ I don’t want to go back. ”
“ To Nevada? I thought it’d been settled you’d stay here through high school. ”
“ It’s Mom. Now she’s been clean a couple of months, she wants me back. ”
“ I see. ” My heart ached for this nice kid. How he’d turned out so well after spending the first fifteen years of his life with his screwy parents was beyond me. I was just grateful that he’d found a good home here in Juniper.
“ No, you don’t. You’re a parent. You probably think my parents should decide, but Dad’s halfway around the world and Mom’s … well, she’s still Mom. I’m not going back. ”
“ I can’t believe … why, your grandfather loves having you here. ” My words came faster as I thought through the situation. “ Is that what’s worrying you? Laurence won’t let you go, not if you don’t want to. Besides, you’re old enough to have a voice in this. ”
“ You still don’t understand. I think there’s something wrong with Grandpa. He’s getting senile, or he’s got Alzheimer’s or something. ”
“ Laurence? ” I felt like laughing at the very idea, but there was no mistaking the genuine fear etched on Tyler’s face. “ He’s one of the sharpest eighty-year-old men you’ll ever find. ”
“ That’s what I thought, but you don’t know what he’s been doing lately. If Mom gets even a hint that he’s losing it . . . ”
“ You’re getting way ahead of yourself. Let’s back up and go through this one step at a time. ” I stood up, relieved that the problem appeared to be a simple matter of reassurance. “ Know what? There’s some Coke in the office fridge and I could use some tea while you tell me why you think your grandfather is ‘losing it’. ” As I casually made my way back to the office, Tyler dogged my steps, his words coming fast now that he had decided to talk.
“ Grandpa’s started acting weird over the last few weeks. Maybe he had a little stroke or something, I don’t know . A ll of a sudden, he’s different. He grabs the phone before I can get to it, acts all sneaky and stuff, like today. And he’s starting to fill a drawer with those dumb sweepstakes entries. He never did that before, and he’s trying to keep me from seeing them. ”
“ Lots of people like entering those sweepstakes. It can be harmless. ” Even as I said it, I
“ . . . that everybody in town doesn’t have to know about it, too. ” Tyler finished my sentence and gave me a wry look. He knew all about trying to keep embarrassing family history private, given his mother’s continuing trouble with drugs and alcohol. “ I’m cool with that. ”
“ Good. So let’s hope that, for once, Arnie can actually do his job. ”
“ What are the odds? ”
“ I know, but for now , Alix wants us to let it rest. Okay? ” I motioned for him to join me in the cushioned chairs in the bay window. “ It’s been a long day. ”
“ It sure has, ” he agree d. “ Y ou up for one more problem? ”
“ As long as you don’t pull a Bianca and snap if I can’t solve it instantly. ” I was relieved to see that my mild joke provoked at least the ghost of a smile.
“ Check. No snapping. ” He leaned forward and hesitated. At length his mouth settled into a grim line and he began. “ There’s one thing. You have to promise you won’t tell my parents. ”
Uh- oh. Not a good start. I answered carefully. “ I’d like to say okay, but it depends. Are you in trouble? If it’s something they need to be aware of . . . ”
“ I knew you’d say that. ”
“ Well, then . . . ” The silence stretched for several minutes while he made his decision.
When Tyler finally spoke, his words caught me flat-footed. “ I don’t want to go back. ”
“ To Nevada? I thought it’d been settled you’d stay here through high school. ”
“ It’s Mom. Now she’s been clean a couple of months, she wants me back. ”
“ I see. ” My heart ached for this nice kid. How he’d turned out so well after spending the first fifteen years of his life with his screwy parents was beyond me. I was just grateful that he’d found a good home here in Juniper.
“ No, you don’t. You’re a parent. You probably think my parents should decide, but Dad’s halfway around the world and Mom’s … well, she’s still Mom. I’m not going back. ”
“ I can’t believe … why, your grandfather loves having you here. ” My words came faster as I thought through the situation. “ Is that what’s worrying you? Laurence won’t let you go, not if you don’t want to. Besides, you’re old enough to have a voice in this. ”
“ You still don’t understand. I think there’s something wrong with Grandpa. He’s getting senile, or he’s got Alzheimer’s or something. ”
“ Laurence? ” I felt like laughing at the very idea, but there was no mistaking the genuine fear etched on Tyler’s face. “ He’s one of the sharpest eighty-year-old men you’ll ever find. ”
“ That’s what I thought, but you don’t know what he’s been doing lately. If Mom gets even a hint that he’s losing it . . . ”
“ You’re getting way ahead of yourself. Let’s back up and go through this one step at a time. ” I stood up, relieved that the problem appeared to be a simple matter of reassurance. “ Know what? There’s some Coke in the office fridge and I could use some tea while you tell me why you think your grandfather is ‘losing it’. ” As I casually made my way back to the office, Tyler dogged my steps, his words coming fast now that he had decided to talk.
“ Grandpa’s started acting weird over the last few weeks. Maybe he had a little stroke or something, I don’t know . A ll of a sudden, he’s different. He grabs the phone before I can get to it, acts all sneaky and stuff, like today. And he’s starting to fill a drawer with those dumb sweepstakes entries. He never did that before, and he’s trying to keep me from seeing them. ”
“ Lots of people like entering those sweepstakes. It can be harmless. ” Even as I said it, I
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