Chapter 12
The day after her eighteenth birthday, Jo awoke late in the morning to many chirping birds outside the window. It was not a sound she was familiar with, since there weren’t many trees in the mobile home park where she had spent most of her childhood. She got up and padded across the room to the dresser where she had stashed her small supply of clothing. Alex had emptied out two drawers for her use, but her sparse inventory barely made an impression in one.
She gathered clean clothes and headed to a bathroom and changed out of the T-shirt and sweats she had borrowed from Alex. She had to get something else to sleep in today, she pledged. Alex’s things were too small for her to be comfortable. Jo quickly dressed and brushed her teeth with a new toothbrush Alex had given her.
She went back into the bedroom where Alex was still slumbering and sat down on the bed. It was the first time she had been alone since her mom’s death. She wasn’t alone, she knew, but this was the first time she was able to collect her thoughts. She decided to put on her shoes and go outside in the brisk air and walk around in the Turner’s garden.
Once outside, she tried to organize her thoughts. So much had happened, and she had been so tired from lack of sleep, that her birthday day had just vanished. It was only four days ago that she had told her English teacher how much she had been looking forward to turning eighteen. Where was that excitement? What had changed? She missed her mother every moment, of that she was sure. The loss of the home was huge, but it seemed petty in comparison to losing her mother. The loss of the birthday day didn’t even count. Was she so grown up all of the sudden that she no longer could take childish pleasure in celebrating herself? No, Jo didn’t think that was it. She was sure that if she talked to Alex’s mom she would be told that she was still in shock, and hadn’t finished grieving, but she had no desire to talk to Kendra today. No, today she wished to talk to her mother.
Out in the yard of the Turner’s home there were gardenia, lilac, and rose bushes. There were oleander bushes, too, by the scores. Everywhere she looked, Jo saw beauty and life, and it made her miss her mother.
“Mom,” Jo spoke to the beauty surrounding her. “I know you are here with me. I know you will always be with me, but Mom, I need to know what you wanted me to do about Daddy’s family. We never finished talking. Then you left, and I have no one.” Jo failed at her attempt to stop the tears from spilling down her face. “Mom, there’s so many things we didn’t talk about. And, Mom, you aren’t going to believe this, but someone tried to kill us. Someone burnt down the mobile home, and the police think they wanted us in it when they did, or at least wanted me in it. Mom, why would someone do that? You didn’t teach me about evil people. I know they exist, but I don’t know why they want to kill.” Jo wiped her face with her sleeve.
“Charlie’s dad became my lawyer when you left, Mom. He fixed up all the insurance stuff from the car and the mobile. I will have enough to pay all the bills, but not much else. Do you think Mr. Wells at the supermarket would give me a job?” Jo actually felt as if she was talking things out with her Mom. It was almost as if everything she asked, she instinctively knew what her mom would say. Well, most things. There was still the huge question of her grandparents. She tried again from the beginning. “Mom, I need to know what to do about the Becker family. You told me about them for a reason. Can you tell me what to do?”
“No, but you can make the decision yourself. You are a woman now, a responsible adult.” Jo was startled by the voice she heard, until she saw Alex coming out into the yard. Alex came over and embraced her. “Jo, you don’t need to make any decisions right away. You have just been through crisis, and it’s still ongoing. Give yourself time to heal. Besides, if there really are any Beckers, they’ve waited this long, they can wait a little longer.”
Jo smiled up at Alex. “I guess you’re right.” The girls walked arm in arm toward the house. Jo was still thinking, and Alex could tell something was bothering her.
“Jo, what is it?”
Jo considered whether she should share her burdens with her already over-burdened friend. Alex was also taking off this entire week of work to be with Jo. That was a burden on the whole family. Jo felt as if she was taking advantage of the Turners, and she did not like that feeling.
“Jo, come on, tell me what’s bothering you.” Alex demanded.
Jo sighed. “Alex, something the fire chief said yesterday is still bothering me. He said that the fire was intentional, and that the person who set it probably wanted me dead. Now, we know there was that black car, but we never saw the guy in it. I don’t know if the driver of the black sedan was the same man I saw wearing the exterminator uniform. Or even if it was a man in the black car. What if it was a woman? But, Alex, why does someone want me dead? What did I do?”
“I can’t answer that, Jo. I’ve been wondering that myself. You and I both smelled that foul smell when we left for the hospital, though. Yes, I believe the investigation was right, that someone tried to kill you.” Alex thought for a moment, and then asked, “Did you ever report the black sedan to the police like you promised me you would?”
“The promise was if I ever saw it again, but the last time I remember seeing it was graduation night, when that strange accident happened right behind us as we were leaving the parking lot. It seems like that was months ago, Alex, but I know it was only a few days ago.” Jo thought back to that night, the fender bender that allowed their escape from the black car. She had never really considered it since then – there had been no free time, but now she remembered the long black car swerving sharply into the parking lot, and into the little sporty car. She remembered the man getting out of the long car to check damage. She never thought of it at the time, but now, hmm. He seemed familiar to her. She tried to place him in her mind.
Jo stopped short right as they were entering the house. “Alex, I know him. I know the man.”
“Which man, Jo? What are you talking about?”
“The fender bender at the high school. There was a man who got out of the old luxury car, the big one.”
“Yes, I saw him. He went to check the bumper of his car, and talked to the couple who got out of the other car too.”
“He was at the mobile home park yesterday, Alex. I talked to him.”
“He was? When?”
“When we were just finishing sifting through the debris; he was an older man in a big floppy hat.”
“Wait, I remember him talking to you there at the trailer. You think he was the same guy who rammed the sports car at the high school?” Alex tried to picture the accident, to see what Jo was telling her. She remembered the couple in the red car. The woman had bright red hair. The man with her was blond and dressed preppie, but the older man? Alex tried to see him in her memory. She glanced quickly at Jo, stunned.
“I think you are right, Jo. They did resemble each other a lot. Come to think of it, wasn’t that big car parked a few doors down from you at the mobile park?”
“It would be if it’s the same man. He lived four or so mobiles down from me, moved in about three weeks ago I think. Maybe it was two. He was constantly out walking his dog.”
“Do you think he was the man who set the house on fire?”
Jo considered that, but shook her head. “No, I don’t think so. He was very sincere when he told me he was sorry for my loss. I think he meant it. It was almost as if he felt guilty, but why would he?”
“Because he set the fire?” Alex threw it out there, but smiled.
Jo smiled too. “No, it wasn’t him, but it is odd that he was the one who prevented the black sedan from following us that night.” Jo tried to remember anything else she could about the man. “No, he is definitely not the exterminator. I remember now that I saw the floppy hat guy walking his dog at the same time the exterminator was heading to my house. So if the exterminator guy is the black sedan guy, then the floppy hat guy isn’t involved with them.” Jo concluded.
“Jo, your life is turning into a mystery novel. Let’s get some breakfast before someone comes to kidnap you.” Alex laughed, and Jo smiled back. They knew it was serious business, and yet they tried not to think about it. It was hard to imagine that someone really and truly tried to kill Jo.
“There you girls are,” Alex’s mom greeted them as they came into the kitchen. “Jo, Brad Allen called for you earlier. One of the insurance checks will be ready by noon today, and he wanted to know if you wanted to go get it?”
“Oh, that would be great, thank you for telling me. I will call him soon. We have to eat first or Alex will keel over.” Jo smiled at her friend, and Alex playfully punched her in the arm, glad to see Jo’s spirits were up a bit.
They grabbed a quick breakfast of toast and juice, and then Jo requested to use the phone. She got the papers that the fire chief had given her the day before and went into a small office that Kendra used when she worked from home. Some of the papers she had given to Brad after the dinner at their house, but she kept the list of companies that did disaster clean up. That was her first chore today, getting the remnants of the mobile home cleaned up.
She dialed the first number on the list, and asked for a quote for removal of debris from a house fire. The person on the other end of the line asked her questions such as what type of home; single story, two stories, modular, mobile, etc. “Mobile,” she answered. More questions followed. Was the site released by law enforcement? Were multiple structures involved? Had the site been picked through for recovery yet? Was there insurance? How large was the structure?
After answering all the questions, Jo was given a quote of four thousand, five hundred dollars. She nearly choked. Well, the home insurance would cover that. She supposed she should be grateful.
Jo called three more places on the list, wasting nearly an hour getting more quotes. All the companies were in the same range, within two-hundred dollars. Then she started over, calling back the first one, and asked when they would be available. She decided to hire the one that could take care of it immediately. After finalizing the details, and giving Alex’s home phone number for a contact number, she hung up the phone.
“Well, that’s done at least,” she told Alex with a sigh as she went back into the bedroom where Alex was reading a book on her bed.
“What did you do?” Alex asked
“I hired a company to clean up the fire. The Fire Chief told me it should be done as soon as possible, so I took care of it. I was hoping you could take me in to see Charlie’s dad at his office and get the insurance check? I will need to cash it, and then go pay for the clean up.”
“Sure. You ready to go now?”
“Yeah, just have to get on my shoes.”
It was just before noon when Jo and Alex arrived at the office of Mr. Bradley Allen, Attorney at Law. He was expecting Jo, and had told his secretary to send her in when she arrived.
“Thank you for doing this for me,” Jo said as she took the home insurance claim check from him. “It would have been hard for me to track down all the information I would have needed.”
“I’m glad I could do it for you. So what are your plans for the money, Jo, if I might ask?”
Jo told him about the disaster clean up company she had hired, and how much it was going to cost. He seemed surprised.
“I’m sorry I hadn’t thought about that, Jo, or I would have taken care of that too.”
“I wouldn’t have known it was my responsibility without the fire chief telling me about it, and giving me a list of companies to call,” she replied.
“So they will be taking care of that tomorrow?”
“The person I spoke with said that if I paid for it today, they would have it cleaned up by tomorrow afternoon.”
“Good,” He replied. “That will be one less thing to worry about. Now, what about the funeral arrangements for your mother?”
“Kendra went with me yesterday morning and made those.” Jo filled him in on the details, and the cost. “I was going to use the money from the auto insurance to pay back the Turners, and use the rest to buy some necessary items that were lost in the fire. At least a dress for the funeral, and some clothes.”
Charlie’s dad was impressed. “You are truly an intelligent girl, Jo. I am actually a little sad that I don’t get to do more for you, but you did it all yourself.” Jo smiled at him. “I am sure that the auto insurance check will come through by tomorrow. I also spoke with the hospital billing department. They will have their itemization complete by end of business tomorrow as well, so I can tell you if you will get anything from that claim.” He glanced down at his desk. “Oh, I almost forgot. Your mother had a bank account with a few hundred dollars in it, so that has been transferred to your name.” He handed her a checkbook that showed a balance of two hundred thirty-seven dollars and ninety-eight cents at the same bank her mother had used. The checks were in her name.
“How did you get checks so fast? My mom always had to wait weeks for new checks when she ran out.”
Brad smiled. “I have my ways,” was his reply. “You do have I.D. to show when you write checks, don’t you?”
“Yes, my mom made me get a California State I.D. card several months ago, when we started talking about me applying for jobs.”
“Good, then there shouldn’t be any issues writing checks on your account.”
Jo smiled and thanked him again; she and Alex then rose to go.
“One more thing, Jo,” Brad rose from his seat and walked the two girls to the door. “I took the liberty of calling your mother’s employer. The manager at the supermarket sends his condolences, and he will have your mother’s final paycheck sent to me when it is complete. So there will be a little more cash for you there.”
“Oh, I had forgotten about that. Yes, that will help. Thank you again for all your help, Brad. I know, I keep saying that, but I really do appreciate it.”
“And as I said, I’m glad to do it. Go out and buy something frivolous that you lost in the fire. You can worry about the bills later.” He smiled and waved at them, then closed the office door behind them.
Jo grimaced at his last words. Easy for you to say, she thought, since you know there is more money coming. As for herself, she had no idea where she would get another dime after she spent all she had. She sighed. Life was hard.
The two friends left the law office and went to Jo’s bank where she deposited the insurance check. Afterwards Alex drove her to the outskirts of town where the company she had hired to clean up the trailer was located, and wrote them a check for the entire bill. Once back in the car, Alex headed back towards town.
“Time to do some shopping.”
“What do you mean, Alex?”
“I mean, you have about six hundred dollars to spend, so let’s go spend some.”
“Alex, I don’t think I want to. This is all I have. Once it’s gone, I have no more. What if another bill comes in?”
“Well there are some things you have to get.”
“Like what?”
Alex hesitated. “A dress,” she replied softly.
Jo dropped her head. Yes, she needed a dress. She had never shopped for clothing by herself before or even with friends. It had always been her and her mom. Her mother was so sensible, and a terrific bargain shopper. Her mother could find a deal wherever she went. That was how she had kept Jo clothed so nicely with their limited income. Shopping would make her miss her mother even more, she knew.
Just then, Jo’s cell phone beeped at her. She pulled it out of her jeans and flipped open the cover. Low battery, it told her. Ugh. Okay, she did have to buy a cell phone charger.
“All right. Let’s hit one department store, but first we need to eat. I’m starving.”
Alex pulled into a fast food restaurant that they both liked. Just as they were getting out of the car, Alex’s phone rang. It was Charlie.
“Where are you guys?” she asked when Alex answered the phone. “I’m bored.”
Alex told her which restaurant they had just pulled into, and Charlie said, “I’ll be there in ten minutes. Wait for me!” Jo smiled. Charlie was so vibrant and cheery. She could use that about now, she thought.
Jo and Alex sat at one of the tables outside of the restaurant and watched people walk by while waiting for Charlie. Jo mentally made a list of items she needed to buy, and another list of items she wished she had. She would take care of the first list today, definitely, and check prices on the rest of the items.
Mindy drove up in her Mercedes just then, and dropped off Charlie. Jo and Alex both waved at her as the car drove away, and Charlie came bounding up to them. “Let’s eat, I’m starving.”
“So were we,” Alex laughed. The girls went in and ordered, then sat in a booth inside, sipping on drinks while their order was cooking.
“Where are we going after this?” Charlie asked.
Jo sighed. “Shopping,” she replied.
Charlie frowned at her. “Wow, Jo. Don’t sound so enthusiastic next time,” she told her melancholy friend sarcastically.
“Hey, shopping is just not my thing, okay? I would much rather hang out in a bookstore. You are the shopaholic, Charlie. I’ve never done the clothing thing before. At least, not without my mom,” she finished sadly.
Alex gave Charlie a look that told her to tread carefully. Charlie finally got it. “Its okay, Jo. I can help you. I know all about shopping. I will be your very own personal shopping expert.” She grabbed Jo’s hand across the table and squeezed it, giving her a huge smile. Jo smiled back in spite of herself and chuckled. It was hard to stay sad when Charlie was around. She was just too happy for her own good, Jo thought.
Soon a server delivered trays of food to their table and the girls dove in. They were all hungry, they realized. Jo was surprised she had any appetite at all considering the stress she was under.
They had just finished eating and were preparing to leave the restaurant when Alex spotted a lady with long, bright red hair, who looked remarkably similar to the lady she had seen in the sports car at the high school three nights earlier. “Jo, doesn’t that look like the gal from the red sports car that was behind us as we were leaving the high school after the sober grad party? You know, the car that got hit by the old guy that lives near you?” Alex nodded toward the woman who was eating a hamburger across the room. Jo glanced over at her. The hair was really bright. It was hard to forget.
“It sure looks like her, but really, there are a lot of people here. I’m sure she just likes to eat here, like we do.”
“Yeah, it’s just weird, seeing so many coincidences.”
“What are you two talking about?” Charlie asked, exasperated. She never seemed to know what was going on, and was tired of being left out. Alex explained whom she was referring too, but Charlie grabbed Jo’s hand and led her out. “That’s just ridiculous. You act as if these people actually are following you around, Alex. I’m sure Jo is right, and she just likes to eat here.” Charlie stopped at Alex’s car and waited for her to unlock it.
The girls piled into the vintage Mustang and left for the mall. Jo stopped at a booth that specialized in cell phone accessories, and purchased a replacement charger for her cell phone, next they entered a clothing store to search for a dress for the funeral.
Charlie picked five or six possible dresses from a rack and brought them to where Jo was browsing. She showed them to her one by one, commenting on strengths and weaknesses of each dress from the fabric to the design. Jo was dumbfounded. She had no idea Charlie knew so much about fashion. She had never paid attention before when they went into stores with Charlie; she just sat and read a book.
Jo tried on the two she liked the most, and, not liking the fit of one of them, purchased the other. Charlie then hauled Jo over to another section of the store to help her choose some everyday wear. She picked some smart slacks and dressy blouses for Jo to try on, and a business dress suit. When Jo protested that these were unnecessary, Charlie reminded her, “Jo, you said you were going to have to get a job, right? Well, if you dress successfully, then you will be successful. An employer is more likely to hire you if you show up in this,” Charlie held up the business suit, “than if you were to show up in that.” Charlie pointed to the outfit Jo had on. It was one of the outfits she had purchased with the money Kendra had loaned her the day after the fire. Simple jeans and T-shirt. Jo looked down at her attire, and realized that Charlie was right. Yes, she would have to look for a job, and soon. She sighed in resignation, took the outfits from Charlie, and went to the dressing room to try them on.