“P” Is For the Peeping Pat
by: E Walk
(© 2009-2011 by the Author)
 

The author retains all rights. No reproductions are allowed without the author's consent. Comments are appreciated at...

Chapter 20     

Death Strikes Again

It took us three days, but we finally got the house back into a livable condition.  Thank goodness we had taken most of the good things to the cabin, for the summer.  I can not imagine what the house would have looked like if we hadn’t.  It was mostly Shane, Jimmy, Tommy and I who had to do the work, since the other guys seemed to be working more hours each week.  I needed to discuss that with Mrs. Janowski.

The older guys kept checking on Father Skelley, but the parishioners were taking care of him when Travis was at work.  I was to find out that once people found out that he was permanently back in town and that he was living with his nephew, Travis, and his other uncle Seth, they couldn’t do enough for him. 

When we got home on Friday, I did something that I rarely did anymore.  Shane, Tommy and Jimmy went swimming - skinny dipping of course.  I joined them and I realized I had forgotten how good it felt. The two young guys wore me out and I climbed on the pier and was sun bathing.  The next thing I remembered was I was being molested by someone or something.  The thing was standing over me and tickling my nipples with it’s feet.

I looked up and all I could see was male genitals dangling over my face.  The voice was growling, “So this is what you do when I leave you here to take care of the three innocent young males.”

“Are you going to arrest me, Sheriff?”

“I’m contemplating it, but I think I’d better eat something first.  I wouldn’t want to do something that I might regret.”

Our conversation was interrupted by the three young guys.  Shane announced, “Your dinner is served, messieurs.  We’ll be eating under the trees in the wilds of the United States.”

Pat pulled me up and the boys set up a picnic table.  We were eating when the phone rang.  Shane went bounding up the steps, but the phone stopped ringing before he could answer it.  He brought the phone down to where we were eating.  “Sorry, I missed whoever it was.  Perhaps they left a message.”

I looked at the caller I.D. and it said, Columbia Public Library.  I punched the code to get the message.  “Steve, it’s Sally Payne.  I just wanted to remind you that everything is in place for the book signing on Monday evening.  It is advertised to start at seven, but you know how things like that go.  People start lining up at least a half hour early.  The dairy is donating the ice cream and the only thing is that we have to pay the servers for the time they work.”

“The books are already in the library.  Would you have someone who could put them out, so that the people can see all of the books that you have written?  Give me a call here at the library.  I’m closing tonight.”

I dialed the library number, “This is Stephen Sloane.  May I please talk to Mrs. Payne.”

“This is Sally Payne.”

“Sally, thanks for the call.  I had just about spaced off the book signing on Monday night.  We’ve been so busy cleaning our house after some visitors that I haven’t had much time to think about writing.  I’ll bring my three baby sitters with me and they can do the things that you need to have done.”

“Great, I’m going to be shorthanded next week.  We have two staff members who are going to be out of town.”

“Sally, I have a question for you?”

“What is it, Steve?”

“What’s in this for the library?  It seems like you are going to a lot of work to promote my books.”

I could hear Sally chuckling, “Steve, the library benefits several ways.  First, we get some people to visit the library who might not ordinarily do so, and secondly, we get a commission for every book that is sold and that you sign.  This is the first time we have done a book signing at the library.  They are usually done at book stores.”

I shook my head, “This sounds like it could be a win-win situation.  I’ll see you on Monday evening if not before.”

I turned off the phone and was telling Pat and the boys what Sally had said.  We were just about finished eating when the phone rang again. 

Shane answered, “This is the Sloane residence, this is Shane speaking.”

“Just a moment and I’ll put my Dad on.”

Shane handed the phone to Pat, “It’s your sister and it sounds like it’s pandemonium there.”

“This is Pat Kincaid.  … You’re saying that your husband killed our father?  …  Don’t expect me to make the arrangements for his death, and I am not paying for his funeral expenses. … I don’t care.  None of you helped me with the arrangements for Mother’s funeral, or helped pay for the expenses. … No, we can’t be there until at least Wednesday.  We won’t be staying with you, and I don’t know how many people will be coming.”

I could tell that Pat was seething, “Look Leo, you can take care of the funeral.  After all, he was your father and grandfather.  He was just my father. … I don’t care.  I don’t consider you to be a brother.  As a matter of fact, I’m not even sure that you’re part of the human race, from what I seen and heard about you. …  Fine, I’m telling you that I’m not paying for anything.  Now, if you will excuse me, I’m going to finish dinner.”

Pat slammed the phone on the table, “Those people aren’t worth the air they breathe.”

Jimmy went and sat beside Pat, “Uncle Pat, don’t blame Justin, Larry, Lizzie and Ellie.  You need to get them out of there before Leo ruins them anymore than he has.  They’re afraid to do anything because Leo or Mr. Tuesdale would beat them up...  Sometimes Grandpa would smack them for sassing him.”

“Where was your Mother when this was happening?”

“She’d always lock herself in her room so Leo and Dad wouldn’t beat her up, too.”

The conversation was interrupted by the arrival a car.  Ethan appeared on the deck and yelled, “Everyone’s here.  They’re eating in the picnic area by the pier.”

The five guys arrived at the picnic area suitably undressed.  Nathan sat down next to me, “Dads, Mr. Hughes got back from Los Angeles.  The furniture and their other car will be arriving on Monday. They want to get your opinions on some things.  Mr. Hughes would like for you to call him when you have time.”

Don rather quietly mentioned, “Mrs. Janowski fired three people tonight.”

Both Pat and I raised our eyes, “Don’t worry, it wasn’t any of our group”

I took a deep breath, “Why did you tell us, then?”

“There’s a big wedding reception tomorrow afternoon, and Mrs. Janowski would like for Shane, Tommy and Jimmy to work it.”

I looked at the guys, “Guys, Shane isn’t fourteen yet and Tommy and Jimmy are just about to turn eleven.  They’re too young to work.”

Nathan chuckled, “Dad, I told her that you would say that.  She’d like for you to call her, anyway.”

“I don’t know her phone number, so I guess the boys can’t work.”

Tommy came to where I was sitting, “Daddy, please can we work?   We didn’t get in trouble the last time we worked.  It’s fun to meet nice people, and no one is going to hurt us.  I’ll get Mrs. Janowski’s number for you.”

Nathan laughed, “Tommy, I know Mrs. Janowski’s number.  I’ll dial and you can make Dad talk.”

Nate dialed the number and Mrs. Janowski answered, “This is Donna Janowski.”

“Donna, it’s Steve Sloane.  I understand that you want our three youngest to work a wedding reception tomorrow?”

“Steve, let’s just say that they are being paid an honorarium to perform at the wedding reception.  The last time Shane and Tommy worked, they made such a good impression that the people who are having their reception tomorrow have requested that the boys be there.   I’m surprised that you aren’t invited to the wedding.  They’re friends of yours.”

“Donna, I haven’t received any wedding invitations that I know of.  Of course, it’s been so chaotic around here that I haven’t even read all the mail.”

“Can the three boys work the reception, tomorrow?”

“Okay, but I don’t want this to become a common place happening.  I’m guessing our big guys know the directions.  The three young guys can not work later than five o‘clock.”

Mrs. Janowski laughed, “Steve, the boys will probably play out before five.   It’s so refreshing to see young people who don’t have attitude problems.  The guys tell me that Jimmy is almost a carbon copy of Tommy.”

“Donna, I don’t think that’s quite accurate, but there are a lot of similarities.  Talk to you later.”

The guys, except Tommy and Jimmy, decided to go to a movie.  Pat decided to take Billy to get some suitable clothes to be a caterer and of course Tommy had to go along as a technical advisor.

I decided to finish going through the mail that had been sitting in the box.  I found that there were several important papers from the publisher with some checks that I needed to deposit.  Sure enough, there was a wedding announcement for my best friend when I was growing up, announcing the marriage of his daughter on Saturday at the church where Father Skelley was the associate pastor.

I finally finished going through the mail and paid all of the bills, - ouch.  The nice thing was that when I made a deposit slip to the bank it was significantly larger than the amount paid out, I had a sudden thought; ‘I need to have everything direct deposited and paid out of my account, now that life has been overtaken by a man and lots of boys.  I need to sit down with Don and Mike and make sure that everything was taken care of and see what they wanted to do with their house.’

I was putting everything away when Pat and the two young guys returned. “Hi Dad, we saw Mr. Hughes and Father Skelley.  They wanted to know if they could come talk to you tomorrow morning.”

“Tommy, I need to get a wedding gift for a wedding tomorrow afternoon.  It’s too late to go shopping tonight.”

Pat shook his head, “I didn’t know that you were invited to a wedding tomorrow.”

“I didn’t know either until I opened the rest of the mail, tonight.  My best friend when I was growing up has a daughter who is getting married tomorrow at the church where Father Skelley is working.  I feel obligated to go even though I didn’t RSVP.”

Tommy asked, “Is it the same wedding that we’re going to be working at?”

“Tommy, I don’t honestly know.  The daughter’s name is Melanie Hempstead and the groom’s last name is Porter.”

Pat frowned, “Steve, since you obviously don’t know the young couple very well, I would suggest that you write a check to the young couple and they can buy whatever they need.  It will save them time returning the gifts if they already have a duplicate, or if they don’t’ like what you might give them.”

“That’s probably a good idea.  What do Father Skelley and Mr. Hughes want to talk to me about?”

Jimmy answered, “They didn’t say.  Why don’t you call them and ask them?”

“Okay, I’ll call them, but I think it’s a conspiracy to keep me from writing.”

I called Travis’ number, “This is Travis Hughes.  How can I help you?”
 

“Travis, it’s Steve Sloane, your Uncle Seth and Uncle Marty asked me to call them.”

Travis started to laugh, “Mr. Sloane, we’re at this wild party that doesn’t allow anyone over twenty one.  You’ve reached my cell phone.  Your sons are fine.  They’re dancing on the floor with only their briefs on collecting money for the next fling.”

“Travis, I hope your kidding.”

“Well maybe a little, the guys are dancing with some friends.  The two uncles were at home the last time I heard.  Do you need the house number?”

“I probably have it, but why don’t you give it to me and save an old man some time.”

Travis gave me the number and laughed, “I'm glad to hear that someone admits to being an old man.  I’ll talk to you later.”

I called the Travis’ house number and Seth answered, “This is Seth Hughes.”

“Seth, this is Steve Sloane.  I’ve been told that you and Marty wanted to talk to me.”

“Yep, I’ve got some good news and bad news.  First, the good news; I’ve been taken on as a partner of a lawyer whom I knew when I lived here.  He’s so busy that he’s looking for a third partner.  In fact, I think you may know him.  His name is Robert Hempstead.  He said he knew who you were.”

“Bob and I were best friends in high school, but we went our separate ways.  I’m surprised that I was invited to his daughter’s wedding, tomorrow.  What’s the bad news?”

“I need to know where to store the things that will be arriving from Los Angeles on Monday morning.  We’ve decided that we’d go through the things one piece at a time and keep what we needed and wanted and sell the rest.  I’m amazed at what great things my brother and sister-in-law had collected.”

“Seth, I need some time to think about what to tell you.  Right now we have four dwellings that we need to worry about and there isn’t any room at any of them to store anything.  Plus, we just found out tonight that Pat’s father was killed.”

“Steve, don’t worry about it.  The storage company will store the shipment up to ten days for a nominal fee.  Talk to you tomorrow.”

The three young guys had gone to bed, or I should say, to their reading den, when the phone rang.  I picked up the phone, “This is Steve Sloane,”

A slurred voice answered, “Mr. whoever, let me talk with Sheriff Kincaid.”

I handed the phone to Pat, “I think it’s Leo.”

“This is Pat Kincaid.  …  Leo, you’re drunk.  I told you that I’m not making the arrangements for your father’s funeral, and I'm definitely not paying for it. … Let me talk to your mother. … You what? …  Where are your brothers and sisters?  … You’re what? … Leo, go to bed.  I’ll be there as soon as possible,”

Pat stood, “I’m going to need to go to work.  I don’t think you want any of the calls that I’m going to make traced to this house.  Don’t wait up for me.”

I watched as Pat departed in his Sheriff’s vehicle.  I was thinking, ‘I forgot how uncomplicated life was when it was the two boys and me.  I may never get another book written if life is going to be like this.’

To be continued...

Editor's Notes:

Complicated doesn't even begin to describe what Steve has been going through. 

Poor Pat seems to have his hands full, too. 

I really think it might be sensible for the guys to sell some of their property and by a bigger place that is large enough to house the whole family. They seem to be acquiring quite a large number of family members. 

I sure would like another chapter.

Darryl AKA The Radio Rancher

Posted: 03/11/11