“I contacted the travel magazine Candy put her ad in, Haley. Anyone answering the ad had to call the magazine to get Candy's phone number. I talked to a Mrs. Mitchell. Mrs. Mitchell told me many people, over forty people, called her to get Candy's phone number. Candy had the ad removed shortly after she hired Sandy.”
“I bet she did,” Haley huffed.
“Candy hired Sandy, Ralphie, and Marty. Three people.” Brad held up three fingers. “Ralphie is from Brooklyn, butyou know that, and Marty is a retired high school principal from Bangor, Maine. I don't think Candy searched out three dangerous criminals, Haley.”
“How do you know that?”
“Because Candy is a sensible, decent, God-fearing woman,” Brad answered in a stern tone.
“Who just happened to win the largest lottery America has ever had and then buys an island and hires three mysterious people? Yeah, right.”
“Candy didn't buy the island that sits out on the lake, Haley. I found out that the man who did own the island gave it to Candy and Betty. As a matter of fact, the man in question is the cousin of Betty.” Brad sat on the edge of Haley's desk and folded his arms. “We all know Betty Vance is a good woman.”
“Who just happened to inherit a fortune after her husband died, right?”
Brad read his sister's eyes. He could tell Haley was determined to sink her fangs into Candy no matter how much logic was injected into her mind. “You're not going to listen to reason, are you?”
“I'm a reporter, Brad. My nose tells me something fishy is going on out on that island. I'm going to find out one way or the other.” A devious determination consumed Haley's eyes. “I despise the ground Candy walks on, Brad. In high school, she was always the popular girl. Everybody liked her. Nothing has changed. She makes me sick.”
“Candy is a nice woman, Haley. She's never hurt anyone and never will. You...” Brad could only shake his head. “You've always had a mean streak. I don't know why. Our parents raised us to treat people with love and respect. You, even in church, always scorned people. Why? Why do you insist on having a black marble for a heart?”
“It’s because I'm an intelligent woman who depends on facts and logic, not emotions.” Haley finished the wordemotionsas if it were poison.
“Or maybe because Jim dropped you like a hot rock on your wedding day,” Brad added.
“How dare you!” Haley threw back her right hand and launched the pencil she was holding at Brad's head.
Brad moved out of the way. “Haley, we both know that ever since Jim walked out on you, well, your world went dark. You were already living in a dark world to begin with, but when Jim walked out, your world turned darker.” Brad stood up. “Jim walked out on you because he saw something in you that he just couldn't love.”
“Get out!” Haley screamed.
“Yeah, I'll get out, and you can call the FBI and make as much of a fuss as you want.” Brad walked to the office door. “Candy hasn't broken any laws. Until she does, I'm not going to bother with this matter another second, and I'm telling you right here and now to leave the woman alone. Is that clear?”
“I said get out!”
“If you continue to bother Candy, I'll arrest you for harassment.” Brad pointed at the miserable office Haley called home. “Your job is to report facts, not harass people, Haley. Now, I've told you all I know about Sandy. The girl is broken and, it seems to me, she needed to get away from a very dangerous situation. When she saw Candy's ad in the travel magazine, a magazine the owner of the business she worked for subscribes to...well, I think she saw a door open.”
“You're a fool, Brad. You always have been and always will be,” Haley hissed. “You believe every lie spilled on your plate. So, leave me alone and go eat a donut. I'm going to make a few calls...and yes...I'm going to call my friend at the FBI. If you refuse to help me, then I'll go over your head!”
It was clear as crystal that Haley was going to make contact with the FBI. But what could Brad do? “Haley, please don’t do this.”
“Get out!”
Brad put on his muffler hat. “The reason people like and respect Candy is because she likes and respects almost everyone she meets. She shows love the way we all should. You, on the other hand, you're a miserable soul.”
“I said get out!” Haley yelled at the top of her lungs.
Brad shook his head and then left the office, closing the office door behind him. He walked into a small room holding two desks. Charlene Griffith was sitting at one of the desks working on a crossword puzzle. She was old and tired, and she worked at the newspaper part-time, answering phones. “She's just no good,” Charlene told Brad without raising her eyes. “You wasted your breath.”
“I know, Mrs. Griffith.” Please tell Mr. Griffith I said hello.”
“I will.”
Brad walked out into the heavily falling snow. Instead of going to his jeep, he pulled out his phone and called Candy. She answered on the third ring. “Candy, this is Brad Huntington.”
Candy tensed up. She knew Brad, not on a deeply personal level, but enough to call the man a friend. “Yes, Brad?” Candy was in the library having a cup of hot coffee, and she was alone for the time being.
“Candy, I hate to be the bearer of bad news,” Brad groaned as heavy snow struck his face, “but my sister is determined to prove you are a dangerous criminal who is currently building some sort of criminal enterprise on the island you own.”
