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“What?”
“I’ve never heard you sound happier.”
25
“It’s about damn time you called me back, old man,” I growled into the phone.
“For someone who leaves a message saying they need help, that’s a piss-poor way to start a conversation,” Bernie responded. The asshole didn’t even sound perturbed.
“Yeah, well, I just got a blast from the past, and the only time I would have liked to have heard about or seen this guy again was if I had an opportunity to spit on his grave.”
“Arthur,” Bernie said with disgust.
“Yep. And he’s causing trouble.”
“That’s one of his specialties. Another couple of them are greed and cruelty.”
“Those fit. He’s filed an Unconditional Quit Notice on Beau’s house. It states that Marlowe is living in the house unlawfully because he’s the owner.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Bernie demanded.
“Nope. You need to get Beau on the line and tell him what’s happening.”
“Wait a minute. Wait one goddamned minute. What right does Arthur say he has to declare hisself the owner?”
“Simon Clark says he’ll have the court documents today. Not through normal channels. But he’ll have them. Anyway, what the county clerk said is that he has the deed to the property.”
“Something he had made up at some one-hour-copy-shop, knowing that old bastard,” Bernie grumbled.
“Did you know my dad?” I asked. I’d never thought to ask Bernie that before.
“Sorry, kid, talking out of turn. When I said knowing that old bastard, I was just basing it on what others had said about him. I got here when Beau was about fourteen years old. Went fishing with him more than a few times. Quiet kid. I liked him.”
“How’d you end up acting as his rental agent?”
“It was about the time I was renting out my old cabin that Beau’s Mama— Sorry, I mean your Mama—passed. He was getting ready to go into the service. We were out fishing and he was talking about selling the house, and I didn’t want to see him cut all ties with Jasper Creek. I felt like he’d regret it in the end. Especially with Maddie and all.”
“Maddie?”
“That’s a long story. Anyway, I talked him into keeping the house and I promised he’d make money on it every year. Hell, I even made sure he re-financed it when he could, so he’d get better loan rates. So, the idea that Arthur owns the house is utter bullshit.”
“Do you have that paperwork?” I asked.
“Fuck no. That wasn’t for me to keep. That was Beau’s paperwork. I would send that mail to him at Pendleton, out in California. That’s where he’s based. Not that it does him any good. Swear to God, he’s hardly ever there.”
God, do I understand that.
I wonder if he ever tires of the life?
“Okay, well, you explained it all,” I agreed. “But without the paperwork and without Beau, it looks like Arthur is holding the winning hand.”
“Not on my watch,” Bernie declared. “And it sure as shit shouldn’t be on your watch.”
I smothered a grin. I was seriously, seriously, seriously liking the people in this town, more and more.
“I’m not giving up the ship. Marlowe and I aren’t moving out.”
“Oh, so you’re shacked up now, are you?”
