Chapter 3.13

Wednesday, May 22^nd 2023

It had been several days since French and Brandy had told them what happened to Gerald Parks.

Marcia had hoped they would find that the saw cuts had been made after death – maybe the killer initially planned to dispose of the body in different locations? That wouldn’t be great, but at least it wouldn’t be torture. But no, there was clear evidence that the sawing was done while the poor man was alive.

She found it hard to conceive that people could do things like that to each other. She wished she'd never found out about this case, but she desperately wanted to prove that Bruce had nothing to do with it.

She wasn’t alone in that, but a recent addition to the group was Wanda Gregory. Her son worked on Bruce’s farm, and in fact, he’d been hired by him.

Wanda had also taken an interest in Fraiser, but was determined to avoid the type of behavior her husband had become infamous for, even as her heart ached. Thus, she made sure that she became friends with Melissa, Fraiser’s wife, and was glad that she had.

In getting to know the Fraisers, Wanda also ended up getting to know her customers; the Chathams, the Johnsons, and their kids. What she learned surprised her. All of them seemed to revel in helping others. She had heard of the hijacking of the 737 on the way from Seattle to Anchorage, but when she found out that it was Mike Chatham who had flown the plane in and landed it at Kodiak, she was astonished. The man was obviously a wonderful man, who loved his wife and kids dearly, and accomplished great things, but there wasn’t any arrogance. He was obviously proud of his family, but he preferred to revel in their merits, rather than his own.

6PM

Melissa and Ron had moved to the farm. Without their jobs in the police force, they didn't see it necessary to stay in town. They were surprised that Chet and Mage were willing to pay wages near what they'd been bringing in from the police force. And they were building a second house not far from the main one. It was to be a split level with complete living quarters upstairs and down. In addition unlike most split levels, the entryway was at the end of the building, and walled off from the apartments. It was essentially a duplex, but built so another duplex could be built onto the end with the entryway.

In another display of cleverness, a pair of garages had been built at the other end of the buildingand since it was being built with the downstairs at ground level in front, and the upstairs at ground level in back, the garages were on the same level as their respective apartments.

Well, that was not quite true. In the lower apartment, one took a few steps up to the door into the apartment, and in the upstairs, one took a few steps down. This was to accommodate a two-foot-deep pit in the outside bay of the garages, for ease of mechanical repairs on the underside of vehicles. Both Chet and Mage were big on maintenance for their vehicles, and in fact, were building yet another garage with a lift for even more ease. Thatthe people who lived and worked on the farm could use the lift as well was an intended bonus.

What shocked Wanda the most was when Chet and Mage paid the bond for Bruce, and then took him back as the manager of their farm. Knowing the Fraisers, she wasn’t surprised that they would like Bruce. If he was anything like his brother, it was completely understandable. But that they would go the extra mile and pay the bond’s steep price to release him from jail, then trust him and put him back in his job?

Melissa told Wanda that Chet was afraid he might lose some workers on the farm, but he couldn’t turn Bruce away. The man had done incredible work as the manager of the farm since before Elysea, the Matthews’ daughter, bought it.

6PM

Melissa and Ron were invited for dinner at the Johnson home, and when they arrived, they found that, like Chet and Mage, they didn't do things halfway. Chet and Mage were already there with their kids.

A few minutes after the Fraisers sat down, the front door opened and Darryl and Marcia entered. The family had standing permission – well, orders –to not make someone get up and answer the door. Thus, when Mike, Gloria, and their kids arrived, they simply walked in.

"We're just waiting for a couple more people, then we'll eat," said Bob as he entered from the balcony looking over the lake. He went into the kitchen and returned holding a platter of burgers and hotdogs, and took them through the door to the balcony where his grill was. In response, Melissa jumped up and hurried into the kitchen to see if she could help Liz with anything.

The doorbell rang, and Chet stood to answer it. He had a feeling who it was, but he was surprised when he saw Wanda Gregory standing there.

"Hi, Chet," she said. "Are Bob and Liz here?"

Bob heard her voice and stepped into the living room. "Hi Wanda!" he greeted her. "Are you hungry?"

She looked around at the group that was sitting in the living room, and smelled the food that Bob had been grilling. Smiling, she said, "Well. I was gonna get something on my way home, but that smells wonderful!"

"Good!" Liz enthused, as she walked from the kitchen holding a huge bowl of potato salad. She went out to the balcony and set the bowl on the picnic table that was near the grill.

Melissa and Gloria both came out of the kitchen with more platters of food, followed by Mage and Marcia who were carrying bags of buns for hamburgers and hotdog, and a couple sticks of butter. Bob beckoned for Wanda to join them and she followed.

A moment later they all heard one car pull up and shut down its engine, followed by another. Ron was standing near the garden doors that opened onto the balcony, and he turned to face the front door as it opened on the other side of the spacious living room. His jaw dropped when he saw who was entering, flanked by the judge and his wife on one side and French and Coleridge on the other.

"Bruce!" He shouted joyously. He hurried into the house and caught his brother in a bear hug.

The group collected around Bruce and he received hugs from everyone. Even Sammy and Amber joined in, putting their arms around his neck and squeezing tight.

“Not that I’m complaining, Bruce, but how’d you get out of jail?” Ron asked.

“That was Judge Matthews and the Chathams,” Bruce answered. “Chet and Mage put up the bail necessary, and Judge Matthews gave a personal guarantee that I wouldn’t run.”

“Under normal circumstances,” Coleridge shook her head, “I’d say that was a foolish thing to do, but from what I’m learning about you all, I don’t think you really care if it was or not.”

“No, Brandy,” French told her, “It’s not that they don’t care. Everyone here is willing to stake their reputation on someone who they believe deserves their trust.”

Chet nodded. “We believe that Bruce deserves that.”

Brandy nodded, but she looked somewhat unconvinced.

Everyone grabbed their food, and sat down wherever they could find a place. Bob and Liz had a large picnic table on their deck, as well as a couple of patio tables. Mike and Gloria had brought a couple of folding tables and chairs, but still, some chairs were brought out from inside, and Chet, Mage, Darryl, and Marcia sat with their plates on their laps, clearly not minding the situation.

Brandy kept her eyes on Bruce, who was sitting at the picnic table, across from her.

“Simmer down, Brandy,” Greg told her. “Bruce isn’t going anywhere. We’ve got you and I, two Air Force colonels, Ron, and Chet. Honestly, I think Chet could probably hold him by himself, but I don’t think that would be necessary.”

“I wouldn’t try anyway,” Bruce told Brandy.

Brandy looked around and saw that everyone else was chatting, and basically having a good time. She and Ron had sat at the farthest table from the doors back into the house. It would be possible to run down the stairs to the dock where the plane was tied up, but Ron was right. Almost everyone here had placed their trust in the man, and he had too much to lose if he even tried to run.

She settled down and started to eat, but remained alert, not that it helped.

“Do you mind if I sit down?” a woman’s voice asked, and Brandy looked up to see Wanda Gregory standing beside the table. She wasn’t looking at the FBI agent, however. She was eyeing Bruce Huff.

Looking up, he gave a slight smile. “Not at all,” he told her. “I’m not sure I’d be very good company, however.”

Sylvia Matthews, who was sitting beside Bruce, slid over to make room. She glanced at her husband who was on her other side and gave a small surprised look.

Chet had wolfed down a couple of burgers and a mountain of potato salad, and after setting down his plate, he slid his chair up to the end of the table that Bruce and Brandy were sitting at. “So, Bruce,” he said. “How do you feel about taking the managerial position again?”

“Nuh uh,” he replied. “That’s Ron’s job now.”

Ron was seated in between Greg and Melissa, and on hearing that, turned to face his brother. “No. I held that job open for you. You’re back now, and it’s your job.”

“Look,” Bruce shook his head. “Everyone is being great, and I appreciate it, but I’ve got a lot of thinking to do.”

“I’ll tell you what,” Ron said. “If it's okay with the Chathams, I’ll hold the job open a little while longer. But you need to do something eventually, after you come to grips with this.”

“You’re assuming I’m gonna beat this, Ron. I’m not sure I can. I’ve got a lot of people to convince, and very little evidence on my side.”

“You don’t have to convince anyone here,” Ron said.

Bruce looked pointedly at Brandy. “Oh?”

She looked uncomfortably down at her plate and put down the hotdog she’d been eating. “Mr. Huff... Bruce,” she restated, when she saw the look Chet gave her for being so formal. “I don’t know you very well, obviously. And, I’m a cop, but if I believed you were guilty, I probably wouldn’t be sitting here having dinner with your family.”

“The best part of my family is dead,” he said to her bitterly.

“Look around you, Bruce. I realize what you’ve lost, and I can’t imagine how you must feel, but you’ve got a family in each of these people. They’re willing to fight for you – to make sure that you’re found not-guilty.” She paused. “As I said, I’m a cop, and I probably shouldn’t say this, but you seem like a decent guy, and my gut tells me you’re innocent. I hope we can prove my gut right.

Thursday, May 23^rd, 2023

6AM

Marcia hurried outdoors wearing a denim jacket. It was lightweight, but just heavy enough to take the nip out of the air. Plus, its pockets could hold an apple for Tigger and the knife that she was going to use to cut it up for Tigger..

Upon entering the barn, however, she found Bruce there. He was handing a slice of apple to Tigger, who was nuzzling up to the man, obviously happy to see him.

In the stall was fresh hay and oats, as well as water. Bruce glanced over at Marcia, grinned, and handed her the rest of the apple.

“Thanks for feeding him,” Marcia said as she cut another piece off the fruit.

There wasn’t an audible response, but she caught sight of him nodding. Tigger nuzzled her hand, trying to get to the fresh apple slice, and she opened her hand so his velvety nose tickled her hand as he took it.

“He’s doing real well,” Bruce said as he watched. “Lisa’d be real happy to see that.”

“Do you want him back?” Marcia asked. They both had been operating under misapprehensions. When Bruce had given the horse to her, his understanding of what had happened to his wife was quite different than reality. She wondered if he’d ever have given Tigger away had he known what actually happened to Lisa.

Bruce turned a kind eye to her. “Absolutely not, Marcia. You’re doing a great job with him.” He chuckled a bit, then said, “Tigger needs a gentle spirit taking care of him. You’re very much like Lisa that way.”

As he went silent, his voice choked off as if he was going to cry. He turned away quickly, but not before Marcia saw his hand raise to wipe his eyes.

Still looking away from her, he walked over to Elmo, Allie’s horse, and stroked the chestnut’s neck.

“You love horses, don’t you, Bruce?” Marcia said quietly.

Continuing to stroke the neck, Bruce replied, “Lisa loved horses.” He was silent for a bit then said, “I’m not sure what to do now.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m not sure what to feel,” He explained. He looked back at her and said, “Before, I thought Lisa might come to her senses and come back.”

Turning back to Elmo and grabbing a curry comb that was hanging nearby, he absently stroked the horse with it. “Now what do I do?” he said after a minute. “That hope’s gone.”

Marcia wasn’t sure how to respond. She felt a lump in her throat and her eyes start to burn as they wanted to tear up too.

“Coleridge is afraid I’d run,” Bruce said sarcastically. “Why? With Lisa gone, I’ve got nothing left to live for. Without her, I’m in prison, so why not go to a real one.”

Marcia thought about what he said, and she understood, but she also knew that if something happened to Darryl, he wouldn’t want her life to end. By the same token, she’d want Darryl’s life to go on if something happened to her.

“That’s not what Lisa would want for you, though,” she said quietly.

He turned back, and for a moment, his eyes flashed, but then they softened. “No. It’s probably not what she’d want.”

“I know it’s not the same, but we’re family. We don’t want you to go away either.”

He knew her brother and sister-in-law felt a familial connection to him, and he had been quite happy to consider them family.

“Just let us figure out who’s done this, Bruce. I promise we’ll figure it out.”