Page 31 of Chasing Justice
“Maya, slow down. I think you’re jumping to conclusions. He was injured. Delirious. He probably didn’t know what he was talking about.”
“Maybe, but I think Doug was into something he shouldn’t have been.”
“What makes you say that?”
Maya hesitated. She didn’t want to tell her grandfather about the letters. She wasn’t sure why. Somehow, they felt private, like a last conversation between her and Doug. There was also the money. She’d been snooping so did she need to share everything? Was not sharing information the same as lying? “I don’t think the explosion was an accident. I think that call to dispatch was made deliberately to get us out there. Someone was waiting for us. Doug knew something he shouldn’t have. Maybe Nana knew about it. Like he went to talk to her or something. I also believe he was in a secret relationship.”
Her grandfather didn’t answer. A thoughtful look crossed his face and he stared out the kitchen window. The curtain fluttered in the breeze and the smell of pine trees wafted in. A magpie chattered in the distance, its distinct call answered by a mate. Maya took a sip of her coffee and noticed the mug had the Marine emblem.
“One of my favorite mugs,” Pops said.
Maya leaned back in her chair and took another drink of coffee, her hands trembling. Pops was avoiding answering her. “Are you investigating Nana’s death on your own, Pops?”
“Maybe.”
“Come on. It’s me.”
“All right, yes, I’m investigating on my own. Your grandmother’s death, that is. Doug, well, he came and spoke to me in confidence. I listened and I’m not at liberty to talk about what he told me.”
Maya decided to try to find out one thing at a time. “What have you found out about Nana?”
“Not much so far. I can’t figure out motive. Your grandmother wrote the suicide note. That was her handwriting.”
“So, someone made her.”
“Maybe. Maya, I don’t know. We both know that we don’t want to believe your grandmother did this, but maybe we need to accept the fact that she did.”
Maya reached across the table and took her grandfather’s hand. “Or maybe she didn’t take her own life, Pops. I want to help with this. Please. Let me do this with you. I need to know about Doug too. I want to figure out what happened and put away the people responsible for both of their deaths.”
“I don’t know, Maya. We might not ever figure anything out. Maybe I missed all the signs. Maybe I was so engrossed in my career and took her for granted that I never realized she wasn’t happy.”
“I can’t live with that. And I know you can’t either. There’s something bugging you about her death. Give me the file. Let me look it over and maybe I’ll see something you didn’t.”
Her grandfather paused and then said, “I don’t want you to see the pictures. That’s not how you want to remember your grandmother.”
“I can handle it. You forget that I served. I’ve seen lots of things. Things that most people don’t want to. I can handle it.”
“I’m sorry, Maya. I will keep you posted if I find anything out, but I need you to stay out of this. Let me handle this. My way.”
Maya pulled her hand away and sat back. “I’m not a little kid anymore. You don’t have to protect me.”
“You’ll always be my little girl. I can’t help it.”
Maya changed tactics. “So what about Doug? What did he mean about talking to you because you would know about the explosion?”
“Doug came and talked to me. He let me know about some troubles he was having, but he wasn’t specific. I listened, didn’t ask much. I stayed out of his business. He was asking me for some advice. That’s all.”
“What about?”
“Nothing important.”
Frustration built up in Maya. She sighed and stared out the kitchen window at the grove of aspen that had recently sprouted green leaves. In a couple months they would turn a beautiful gold color. Her grandmother had planted some columbine wildflowers under the trees. They were about ready to start blooming.
Maya allowed the frustration to drain a little bit from her before she spoke. “I hope someday soon you can forgive me. Accept my apologies. Then you can start treating me like an adult. You don’t have to hide anything from me. I know that will take time, but if there’s anything, anything at all that you know about the explosion, please tell me. Maybe we can catch Doug’s killer.”
Her grandfather leaned forward and said, “Nothing he told me would help you. It’s best to leave things alone. Let the FBI and your investigators work on it.”
“Fine,” Maya said, standing up. She should leave before her anger and frustration made her pick another fight.Why does Pops always have to be so stubborn?“I need to go. You know my number.”
