Jeri’s eyes narrowed.“You’re trying to trick me into a vacation.”
“I’m trying to keep you alive while also looking at a business opportunity,” Rich said calmly.“Two birds, one stone.”
“I don’t like it.”
“You don’t have to like it.But Jack’s right.Until this is resolved, we’re targets.”
She was quiet for a long moment, then threw her dish towel on the counter.“Fine.But I’m not happy about it.”
“Noted,” Rich said, already pulling out his phone.“I’ll call the Stewarts.”
“And I’ll pack,” Jeri said, then pointed at Jack.“But you call us every day.None of this protecting-us-from-worry nonsense.We get updates.”
“Deal.”
“And make sure your wife eats actual food.Not just coffee and donuts from that Lady Jane’s place.”
“Hey, their donuts are really good,” I protested.
“They’re sugar and grease,” Jeri said flatly.“Jack, promise me you’ll get some vegetables in her.”
“I promise,” Jack said, clearly trying not to laugh.
She headed for the stairs, then paused.“Rich, tell the Stewarts we’ll be there tomorrow afternoon.I need time to pack properly and arrange for someone to watch the dogs.”
“Tomorrow?”Jack started to protest.
“Tonight we’re locked up tight with the alarm on,” Jeri said firmly.“I’m not driving to Richmond to catch a ferry in this weather.We leave first thing in the morning.”
Jack looked like he wanted to argue, but Rich held up a hand.“Your mother’s right.We’ll be fine tonight.I’ll make sure the security system is armed, doors and windows locked.We’ve weathered worse storms than this.”
An hour later, after Jack had done his own check of the house’s security and made them promise to call if anything seemed off, we finally left.Rich handed Jack a weathered wooden box as we stood at the door.
“Your grandmother’s collection on William Lawson,” he said.“Maybe it’ll help.
Jack took the box carefully.
Jeri pulled him into a fierce hug, having to stand on her toes to do it properly.“You find whoever’s doing this.You stop them.”
“I will.”
She turned to me next, and her hug was softer but no less intense.“Take care of each other,” she whispered against my ear.Then, louder: “And you know, we’re not getting any younger.Be nice to have some grandkids before we’re too old to enjoy them.”
“Seriously?”Jack asked.“That wasn’t subtle at all.”
“I wasn’t trying to be,” she said, grinning.“Your second cousin Keith had a baby.Named him Keith Junior.”She shuddered.“Keith Junior.Can you imagine?Sounds like he should be selling used cars in Petersburg.”
“We get it,” Jack said, but he was fighting a smile.
“I’m just saying.Good genetic material shouldn’t go to waste.”She winked at me, and I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing.
Rich pulled Jack into a quick, hard hug.“Watch yourself.”
“Always do.”
“And Jack?”Rich paused at the door.“William died trying to do the right thing.Murdered by the very people he was trying to stop.Don’t let that happen again.”
The rain had eased to a steady drizzle as we walked to the Tahoe.The box sat between us like a passenger, full of secrets that had waited three hundred years to be told.