Chapter 13

Keith felt like he was losing his mind, or at least his grip. He was short with Nancy for no reason, he showed more patience with his children, but they were young and wouldn’t understand. He wasn’t satisfied with anything, he had a good week, but his staff walked on eggshells, Nancy kept the house clean, the food hot and the children washed, but he still snapped at her. Keith needed help with his wound, Nancy tried to make it as painless as possible but he still railed at her when she had to change the bandage.

It wasn’t fair, Keith thought. He should have gotten to Veronica Conway with no problems. She should be dead right now, not running the town with that infuriating brother of hers who looks as if he is going through another growth spurt. The boy was almost 15 years old and was able to go head-to-head physically with Keith. The brat wouldn’t let Keith anywhere near the bitch.

Keith watched her from several vantage points, he contacted Howard Conway to explain his side of the story. Conway agreed to meet with him and Keith had to think of a way to make sure Veronica was dead or otherwise out of his way.

“I have to say, Keith,” Howard sipped his sweet tea and looked at the man who sat across the table. “I was a little surprised when I got your call. I was sure you were angry with Veronica for injuring you.”

“She is a child,” Keith said smoothly. “The stitches come out in another week, and I can still rotate the shoulder. It was a nice clean cut, the doctor was impressed. There is really no harm done.”

Howard really didn’t want to be here, he wanted to tell the bastard to go to hell and he would take his chances in court, but Maxwell made the point that it would be Veronica who had to go to court. Howard didn’t want Keith to press charges against his daughter, and Maxwell was doing all he could to make sure the district attorney didn’t look too closely at the incident.

“I am glad you can be so,” Howard paused to look for the right word, “generous. Tell me, how did the incident come about? I am just curious about how you found yourself on the other side of her rapier? That is not a weapon she generally carries with her. Lately, she is favoring a blade she absconded from a Lobos leader.”

“She had it and was showing off,” Keith said simply.

“I know my daughter and she knows better than that,” Howard said. “She knows those blades are not toys.”

Keith had to change the subject quickly or defuse the situation. He was sure Veronica told her father that she was in the woods, that Keith chased her and followed her up the tree. What Keith wanted to know was where did the sword come from. She didn’t have it when he was chasing her. He thought back on the previous day, she looked at him and broke out into a run, but she ran in a straight line. She didn’t look back to see where he was until he was almost upon her. She only looked back when he grabbed at her shirt.

“Well, you know how impulsive kids can get,” Keith said, he held up his glass for the waitress to refill. “I am sure it was just an accident. She didn’t mean to stab me.”

Howard knew the score and the game. Keith didn’t want the police to look too deeply into the situation. What did Keith not want the police to know? Howard wished he had a few minutes to discuss this with Maxwell; he needed a good strategy.

“In fact, I don’t see why this has to go any further,” Keith said as he watched Howard absorb the information. Keith knew Howard didn’t want anything to happen to his daughter. “I am sure if Veronica apologizes, admits that she was wrong about me, we can forget this whole thing ever happened.”

Howard saw the predator behind Keith’s smile. Veronica wasn’t safe, even an apology wasn’t going to ensure her safety, but Howard had to play the game.

“I will speak with my daughter,” Howard said. Then a thought occurred to him, “It is a shame this incident prevented us from continuing our business association.”

“Oh, I don’t see why the incident needs to hinder our association,” Keith said. The idea of continuing the connection and getting closer to Veronica increased his anticipation.

“Good,” Howard smelled blood in the water. After all, his wife said one should keep his friends close and enemies closer. “I was wondering if you would get that quote together. Maxwell will want to look at the contract.”

“Of course,” Keith said. “I will get it ready for you in a few hours.”

“Perfect,” Howard said. He felt his phone vibrate, “Excuse me, I have to take this.”

“Go right ahead,” Keith said easily. “I will be right here.”

Howard got up and took the call. Officer William Phelps was on the other line giving Howard an update.

“The district attorney is exercising a bit of discretion in your daughter’s case,” Phelps said. “He won’t press charges unless the victim demands that he presses them.”

“OK.”

“Oh, one more thing,” Phelps said. “Keith Ridgewood has an alibi for the night Casey Hammond was attacked. Just thought you would want to know.”

“Right. Thank you, Officer Phelps. This is a great relief. I will tell Veronica,” Howard ended the call and walked back to the table.

“I hope that call went the way you wanted it to,” Keith said. He didn’t know what it was about but needed to make small talk.

“Yes,” Howard said as he picked up his menu and ordered lunch.

Two hours later, Howard walked into the large kitchen and saw Veronica making a snack for Curtis, Maddison and herself.

“Hey, kid,” Howard said as he came over to hug her. Everything he was doing was an effort to keep Veronica safe. “I spoke to Keith Ridgewood who said the whole incident was a misunderstanding.”

“How was I supposed to interpret the situation?” Veronica asked incensed. “He chased me into the woods. He told me he was going to kill me.”

“That could have been in the heat of the moment,” Howard said gently. “You admitted to kicking him in the jaw.”

“He was following me up the tree,” Veronica pointed out. “He grabbed my ankle. Why would he want to do that if he just wanted to talk?”

“Veronica, I am trying to be patient,” Howard said sternly. He was doing this for her. He believed her, but he needed to check her behavior before she attracted more attention. “I understand you are dealing with a lot, but you can’t accuse men of rape and murder without any proof.”

“Oh, you mean like my friend getting raped and killed and me finding her body?” Veronica spat back. “You know what, never mind. I am going up to my room. I just need to, whatever.”

“He has an alibi, Veronica,” Howard called after her. “The police cleared him.”

Veronica walked past her father and went up the stairs to her room and slammed the door. She threw herself on the bed and started to cry. This wasn’t fair, he was an adult and his word was being taken over hers. She could hear Keith now, she was a child, she didn’t know what she was doing. Veronica thought her father would know her better. She thought he would have her back.

“Go away,” Veronica screamed when she heard the knock at her door.

“Veronica, it’s me, Curtis,” Curtis said. “Can I come in?”

Curtis tried the door knob and opened the door when he found it unlocked. He saw Veronica crying on the bed and went over to comfort her. He sat next to her on the bed and patted her back.

“I heard what Dad said and I think he is just trying to protect you,” Curtis said. “He doesn’t want you to get hurt. It was a near thing earlier this week.”

“You believe me right?” Veronica looked at him with tears running down her cheeks. She looked so vulnerable. Not like the powerful young woman who stood her ground a few days ago.

“I believe you and I think Dad believes you too,” Curtis assured her. “He is just following some advice he got from Mom. Keep your friends close…”

“...And your enemies closer,” Veronica said. “You think so?”

“He is trying to convince you so you can convince Keith that you are not a threat,” Curtis said. “You need to take yourself out of the equation and let the police handle it. That is their job. You have too much to lose if Keith Ridgewood decides to press charges.”

“Everything he did, Curtis, he did to get close to me,” Veronica said. “Can’t you see that? The time you spent with his son, the call he made to talk to Dad about insurance, everything was to get more information about me.”

Curtis let the information sink in. He didn’t like being used and understood how Veronica felt. If that was true, Veronica wasn’t the only one who was acting premeditatively, but Curtis already knew that.

“The fastest way I can get out of this mess is to convince him that I am not a threat,” Veronica said. “But what if he kills another girl? That will be my fault. I knew what he was and I couldn't do anything. I should have killed him.”

“You might have to,” Curtis said. “But not yet, let the police handle it. If they catch him, he will blame them, if you catch him he will blame you and you will be vulnerable.”

“So do you think I should apologize? Talk to him and agree that it was all a misunderstanding?” Veronica said. “How am I supposed to pass off his threat to kill me as some misunderstanding?”

“Maybe don’t bring that part up,” Curtis said.

Veronica laughed at him. He was really trying to help her feel better. Veronica sighed and gave him a hug, “You are the greatest, you know.”

“Yeah, I am pretty great,” Curtis said as he put an arm around her. “You are pretty great too. Don’t worry, the police will catch the person who killed Casey, and if that happens to be Keith, he will get caught.”

Veronica nodded, but she didn’t really believe Keith would go down quietly. She had to admit, her best strategy was the one her father and brother wanted her to play. Apologize and keep Keith close. Well, that was just what she was going to do.

Veronica got up several minutes after Curtis left her and went into the washroom to wash her face and clean up before dinner. She made her way downstairs and faced her father.

Howard saw her and decided to speak first, “Veronica, I know you are angry, and frankly you have every right to be so, but I am responsible for taking care of you and making sure you are safe. This means I have to do things and I have to ask you to do things that we both might not agree with. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” Veronica said. “You were only looking out for me. You were only telling me what the police are thinking.”

“That doesn’t mean that is what I am thinking,” Howard said. “If you want to know what I am thinking, all you have to do is ask.”

Veronica nodded, “Do you think I should apologize to Keith Ridgewood?”

“I think that will be the best move,” Howard said. “Tell him that you were mistaken when you said he killed Casey. I am not saying you are, but if the police catch him that is on their end. And, about the sword, you got scared and reacted out of fear.”

“Sounds good,” Veronica said. “I will write it down and practice it.”

“Just don’t make it sound too rehearsed,” Howard advised. “I think Keith is the type of person who can see through that.”

Two hours later, Veronica and Howard were sitting in Keith’s office.

“I just wanted to apologize for basically running you through,” Veronica said. “I was scared, misinterpreted your intentions and reacted out of fear. I am also sorry for telling the police you killed Casey, when you obviously didn’t. It was wrong of me. I am sure you are not capable of such atrocity.”

Howard almost snorted.

Keith didn’t notice and smiled, “Well, I am sure we can put all this behind us and become very good friends. I understand you went through some sort of shock finding your friend’s body in the condition that it was.”

“Yes,” that was the most sincere thing Veronica said during the whole meeting. The fact was not lost on Howard. Veronica still believed this man was responsible for her friend’s brutal murder.

Friends close, enemies closer, Howard thought as he smiled at his daughter then at Keith, “well, I hope we can put all this nasty business behind us.”

“Of course,” Keith said congenially, “Like I said, I will have a scar, but in the end, there was really no harm done.”

“I think we have taken up enough of your time,” Howard got up to leave. “Maxwell said everything should be in order and I will deliver the signed paperwork along with the check for the first quarter’s premiums tomorrow. It was a pleasure doing business with you.”

Keith got up also and shook Howard’s hand, he waved to Veronica and was watching them go through the threshold of his office when a thought occurred to him, “Veronica, blatant curiosity, how did you find Casey’s body?”

“Oh,” Veronica wasn’t expecting that question. “Curtis and I were riding our bikes through the area. We played there as children.”

Keith believed half of the statement. He believed they played in the field as children. But there was no way in hell Keith was going to swallow “They had been playing that day”.

Keith’s mood improved as he watched Veronica and Howard get into the truck. She wasn't going to be a problem. Keith was free to hunt again.