She looked over at him when they finished. “I’ve been meaning to ask you. On Monday at my office, you seemed like you had some serious issue with that guy. Erik Wennerman.”
Josh shook his head, his face darkening. “Don’t get me started on him.”
She arched a brow. “Why? He seems like a decent enough guy.”
“Well, he’s not. And after what they did to Mom and Dad…”
“They?”
“Wennerman Incorporated.” Josh said the word like it tasted of moldy cheese. “That family’s bad news, Becks. I take it he’s an advertiser? Guess I’ve seen their ads.”
“Yeah. What’d they do to your parents?” She remembered Josh’s mom and dad a little. She hadn’t known them, really; her friendship with their son had been limited to casting lines on the river, but from Josh’s stories, she knew they were good people, a little older, the kind who’d bring a casserole if someone was sick or spenda Saturday helping a neighbor in need repair their home. They’d had a small family farm and often sent fresh blueberries with their son to give to Rebecca for her Granny. His dad was a handyman of sorts, drove a truck that said something like “At your service.” She hadn’t even asked him about them.
“During the recession, Mr. Wennerman, Erik’s dad, made my parents an offer they couldn’t turn down. Offered to buy the farm, let them stay till they both passed on, but as soon as the ink was dry, the story changed. There was some loophole, and the attorney didn’t catch it, and before you knew it, they were out on their fannies. The house was torn down to make room for the big hospital expansion, and Mom and Dad had to move to my Aunt Dell’s place, out toward Aberville.”
He shook his head, looked away, the cupcake wrapper balled in his hands.
Rebecca wanted to touch his arm. “Your childhood home.”
“I didn’t mind for me, but Mom was real broken up about it, and Dad, well, it killed his spirit. He went and talked to Mr. Wennerman about it, said the guy laughed and told him that’s just business and he shoulda read the fine print.” Josh’s lips were tight. “Dad passed on not long after, and Mom a couple years later. They’re in a better place now, but I sure would’ve liked their remaining days to have been smoother.”
They were quiet a moment. “I’m sorry, Josh.”
He waved a hand like he was clearing away smoke. “Water under the bridge now, and I don’t like to be carrying all that anger inside me. It’s not a Christian way to live. But sometimes a guy can’t help it. Especially when you see the man responsible out and about in your own town.”
“You know, a son’s not necessarily always like a father.”
Josh made a face. “That one is. Known him for years. He’s all smoke, and his brother’s just about rotten.” He eyed her. “Youknow they buy up little newspapers, too, not only farms. Fold ’em into a chain of generic fish wrappers.”
Her mouth went dry.
“Be careful is all I’m saying.” He shrugged. “If something a Wennerman offers sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”
???
She stewed all the way home, stewed up the stairs and into her bedroom, where she pulled out her laptop and typed “Wennerman Incorporated” in the search box once she was nestled in bed.
The Wennerman company website was high on branding and low on content, with slick, professional photography featuring smiling older adults with taglines much like the ad markups Erik had given her Monday. Retire in style. Enjoy the better things in life. Sophistication at its finest. You, at your best. The “Partners” page listed a number of hospitals—and, at the bottom, W Media.
Her eyes narrowed.
She did a search for “W Media,” then “W Media South Carolina.” A few clicks later and she struck gold.
By the time she finished reading a handful of news articles, she realized she was gripping her pen so hard her knuckles were white. Scribbled notes covered two full pages of the legal pad at her side. That lousy, lying, no-good son-of-a—
She fumbled in her purse, pulled out her cell phone. And dialed Erik Wennerman.
CHAPTER 24
Devon
The sun was high and bright as Devon and CJ slammed open the school doors and headed off, down the steps and out to the bike rack.
“See ya tomorrow,” Devon said as they passed Shenise, Gabby, and Mariana, where they gathered in a tight group of girls. Gabby didn’t have the braids today, he noticed, and she’d pulled her long brown hair into a high ponytail. It looked cute, he thought, and too late realized she’d noticed him staring. He shrugged and waved at the group. Shenise wiggled her fingers back.
“See ya, guys,” Shenise said.
He and CJ unlocked their bikes and pedaled toward Baker Street. There was no sign of Marquis, Johnny, or Big Ty, and Devon felt a surge of relief. Marquis had been giving him extra bad looks lately, like he was looking for trouble or something. Come to think of it, he hadn’t seen them for a few days, now. Maybe they’d found something else to do in the afternoons besides messing with them.
