Chapter six:

The Death and An Expert

"Dad, we're almost out of dog food." I called just before dinner after I had fed our two dogs and my new dog.

"And just where did this other dog come from?" Dad asked.

I looked up in confusion then saw him standing in the kitchen staring at the new puppy. The excuse was on the tip of my tongue that Dad was having one of his drunken delusions but then I saw that his eyes were clear and knew he was stone cold sober. I flinched and looked down. After swallowing a few times I looked back up and nodded. "I found him the other day. He was just so lost and sad and I couldn't just leave him there. What would Mom say?"

"She'd say bring him home, Rich. We can't just leave him." Dad answered sighing. "How do you think I got Passion and Mousketeer? I can't keep taking in strays."

"This is the first stray I've ever brought home. The rest are yours. You brought me and Mom home and then Passion and Mousketeer. Come on he's just a baby. Doc thinks he's barely 12 weeks."

"No way is that thing less than a year old."

"That's what the vet said. They think he may be mixed with a bigger dog and that's why he's not as small as he's supposed to be. Come on Daddy, please?" I begged turning on a full puppy dog pout. "We got to run to town anyway. We're out of milk and beer."

"Alright fine. He can stay but if he gets in the way ..."

"He's gone I know." I grinned and threw my arms around my dad. "Thank you."

"Get in the truck." Dad answered patting my shoulder. I grinned and raced out to the truck. Our now three dogs followed. Dad rolled his eyes but lowered the tailgate as they wagged their tails. Asher our Border Collie and Bingo the Australian Shepherd instantly jumped up into the bed but Terror struggled and Dad lifted him in.

We got the dog food and milk at the grocery store then stopped to get his beer. I opted to stay in the truck as most of the time it was such a hassle for him to get the beer when I was with him. While Dad was in the store I climbed into the bed of the truck and started petting the dogs. Several long minutes later I looked over the cab of the truck and saw my dad at the counter and knew it wouldn't be long now. Then I saw he wasn't alone. There was a man behind him with an arm wrapped around my dad and a hand pressed to his mouth. In his other hand, extended towards the clerk, was a gun. I swallowed then crept out of the truck bed motioning for the dogs to stay put and waved down a passing patrol car.

"What's wrong sweetheart? Are you lost?" The officer asked.

"No. In the store behind me there's a man, he's got a gun." I said.

"How can you tell?"

"Just look in the window." I snapped.

Soon enough the entire store was surrounded by cops and now the gun welding maniac was facing the window. I felt presence behind me as I ran my hands through Terror's fur. "You alright, Kiddo?" He asked.

"That maniac has my dad hostage. What do you think Jeff?" I asked.

"I guess that means you're not. I don't see how I expected you to be. New dog."

"Found him a week ago. Dad just wanted beer, you know? Now, he gets taken hostage." I shook my head. "Do you know what the crazy guy wants?"

"No, but he won't get it. They never do. The negotiator is very good at ending these situations without violence."

"Lizzie?" I heard as Dallas walked up on my left side.

"Dally." I answered. I filled him in and he draped an arm over my shoulders.

"I'm sorry about the other day." Dally gritted out. It was almost as if he regretted saying it but knew it had to be done.

I shook my head. "I don't need your pity. You have your thing, I've got mine." I said.

Then he changed the subject. "Is that our father?" Dally asked looking in the direction of the store.

I looked more carefully and nodded. "That it is." I swallowed.

Then his voice carried across the sidewalk to where we were standing. "Which part of "my daughter" don't you stupid pigs get?" My father shouted.

I swallowed then moved around the right side of the truck. I knew I wasn't in any danger from my father and Jeff wouldn't let the cops fire on me. Before I could say anything I heard Dallas behind me. "Is she crazy?" Dallas asked.

"Maybe," Jeff answered.

I took a deep breath then called to my father. "I'm here, what do you want, Dennis?"

"Victoria?" He asked. "My sweet baby girl."

"I asked what you wanted." I answered.

"The same thing I wanted the other day."

"Fine. Let him go and I'll come with you."

"Those stupid coppers back off. They make no move to come after us. I'll let him go and you come home with me."

"I can't let him do that." The cop, who was holding the door open so the negotiator could talk to my father, said.

"No, but you can let him think that's what he's getting and then when he gets out here take him down." I shrugged. "He just doesn't have to know that."

The cop nodded and slowly backed away as did the rest of the cops. When my father saw that he slowly headed for the door as I stood on the curb. Dennis released my dad when he made it out the door then grabbed my arm. The gun in his other hand was pointed at the ground but I must have whimpered or something because suddenly and out of nowhere Terror sank his teeth into Dennis's wrist. Then suddenly a fist flew passed me and Dennis flew backwards landing on the ground. Terror held tight until I gave a soft whistle. Terror let go and rushed to me as the cops took Dennis into custody. I dropped to my knees and hugged my dog.

"Miss Sanders, I'm sorry but we're going to have to take that dog." A cop said. Both Jeff and Dally looked at him. I glared as I looked up and didn't release him.

"You are not touching my dog." I growled. Then I noticed Bingo and Asher next to me. Bingo growled softly and I nodded. "You're not getting my dog."

"He was just protecting her." Jeff said. "We'll let it go this time, Greg. I can't let you take that dog. Besides who ever cares what Winston wants? He's been in and out so much his opinion doesn't matter anymore."

"Fine. You deal with them." Greg said walking off. I looked up at Jeff and he nodded.

"We should get home." Dad said leaning heavily on the truck.

"I need you to give a statement first." Jeff said. Dad sighed and gave his statement as I loaded up the dogs. Soon though Jeff let us go home.

At home I had some ice cream then Terror and I went to bed. He jumped up on the end of my bed, paced in a circle a few times, then laid down. I smiled and tucked myself under the covers before falling asleep.

The next morning I went to check on my dad to make sure he hadn't gotten sick over night as he had drained an entire six pack from what I saw in the living room. Unfortunately there he was on his back with a bit of dried sick on his face. I shook him a couple times and called to him but nothing woke him up. I reached to shove him on his side when my wrist brushed his arm and I noticed how cold his skin was. Having heard the horror story from my father about how they found my grandmother dead I hesitantly reached for his throat to find a pulse. There wasn't one. I pressed my hand to his chest and still found nothing. I raced to the phone in the kitchen and with my heart in my throat called the cops. The operator told me to stay calm and wait at the end of the drive for both the cops and the ambulance. It took 20 minutes longer before the ambulance to arrive and the cops were shortly behind them.

The county cops kept me on the porch as Bingo curled up at my feet. The cops sat with me until an EMT walked out and said something to one of the cops. Suddenly the cop glared at me then walked inside. I looked at the other officer but he just shrugged. When the coroner arrived I swallowed knowing my life was about to change forever. Sure enough the other cop came back out and silently they had a conversation. Suddenly the cop still sitting with me stood and escorted me to the cop car. Though they put me in the back of the car I wasn't handcuffed. They took me down to the county station as we lived outside city limits.

Once I got there the sheriff sat me down at a table and looked at me carefully. Then he started shooting questions at me. Thankfully Jeff had drilled it into me never to speak to a cop in an interrogation room without a parent or lawyer. Since both my parents were now dead I knew I had to call a lawyer. Unfortunately I didn't know any off hand. I sighed and didn't say anything other than asking for my phone call. The sheriff stared at me long and hard but eventually offered me a phone. I thought for a few moments then remembered that my friend Shawn Ridder had been in trouble more times than I could count so I called him. Shawn told me to remain silent and a lawyer would be there momentarily.

I sat down at the table and waited. When half an hour had passed I hopped up on the table and lay down on my back. Two hours after the phone call someone finally entered the room. His face entered my sightline as he looked down at me and my jaw dropped. "You're Aaron's dad."

"Ah the ex he liked the most. I thought the name sounded familiar. Get off the table." Mr. Fitzhugh said.

I swallowed but got off the table and took a seat.

Mr. Fitzhugh turned to the one way mirror and spoke. "I need a privileged conversation with my client if you don't mind." He said. After a few moments he turned back to me and sat down across from me where the sheriff had sat before. "So tell me what happened."

I explained how I found my dad that morning and looked up at him from the interesting wood grain on the table when I finished. "Do they think I had anything to do with this?" I asked.

"Would you?"

"I don't gain anything from his death as a minor. He was dead when I went in there." I said.

"Is there anyone who would want to hurt him?"

"My biological sperm donor of a father. He wasn't a dad to me but I guess with my dad out of the way he would get something from it maybe. You know we did run into him yesterday." I said then explained the encounter at the quick stop.

"Recount your entire day yesterday from the moment you woke up." Mr. Fitzhugh said. So I did. "And you're certain he was dead when you went in there and you wouldn't have a reason to kill your father?"

"He's not my father he's my dad. My father is a true jerk. My dad took in a beautiful woman and her kid from a one bedroom apartment and gave them everything one could possibly dream of. He gave me a life worth living for and I'd never hurt him." I answered. "I lost my mama a month ago, I just lost my daddy. They don't think I killed him do they?"

"I don't believe so. If they do however, I will not let you take the fall for something you didn't do."

"Thanks Mr. Fitzhugh."

"It's Dave." He smiled. Then he stood and left the room. When he came back a guy in a suit was with him. I had never seen the man in the suit before and hoped I wasn't in trouble. "This is District Attorney Frank Thompson. Due to what they have, or rather, what they don't have they are releasing you."

"To who? Both of my guardians are dead." I said.

"Family?" Frank asked.

"My big brother Dallas is a minor so not there and my real father is Dennis Winston—"

"Who was just charged with criminal possession of a firearm inside city limits among other things. He will be serving time so that's not really an option." Frank said.

"Well the rest of my family lives out of state and technically I have a restraining order against my father too so I wasn't really counting on him to do anything." I said.

"Who is your family?" Dave asked.

"Well there's my mom's side. My cousin Ricky lives in Texarkana and turned 21 less than a year ago and my mom has a brother, Bob or Robert Martin who lives in Arkansas."

"Your father's side?"

"Richard was an only child whose parents died a couple years ago after he married my mom, and Dennis is an only child whose father is locked up for killing his mother in Okie City."

"What about your mom's parents?"

"Both dead. They had my mom when they were in their late 40's so yeah ..." I trailed off.

"Do you know if your dad has a will?" Dave asked.

"No idea, but he did talk to some lawyer in the city after my mama died. If I could get back in the house I could probably find something on it. Maybe in his study."

"We'll find it." Dave said then the sheriff walked back in.

"Dave, if you'll sign for her release we'd be willing to release the filly to you. We don't really have accommodations for such a young girl. Betsy would skin me if I kept her overnight and didn't have something proper for her. It wouldn't be right." The sheriff said.

"Of course, Hank. She can stay with me and my wife. Stacy will set up the guest room for her." Dave said.

Once all the paperwork was signed Dave led me out to a pretty white Cadillac and then drove towards the city. I looked at him for a moment then remembered that Aaron hadn't been in any of my classes in the past year and part of me remembered Chris telling me that he had moved to the south side of the city. As my school district covered a bunch of farms the grade levels were pretty small and I had at least four classes with nearly all the same kids. For the most part our basic classes, math, English, science, and history were all taught in the same room all before lunch and the teachers just rotated rooms and then the afternoons were extra-curricular classes where we did have to move classes.

When we pulled up to the house I had to say I was impressed. Though it was all one story it was a nice looking house with a beautiful yard and from what I could see a garden behind the house. We went inside and Dave introduced me to his wife Stacy who I remembered from the few times I had been to Aaron's house. His mom made me lunch and then left me borrow one of her romance novels as she watched her soaps and we waited for Aaron to come home after school as he now went to one of the schools in town. Dave on the other hand went back to work.

Aaron did come home that afternoon and it wasn't at all awkward. We spent the afternoon talking like old friends as if we hadn't missed nearly a year together and his dad came home as his mom was making my favorite of her dishes. Tator-tot casserole. Dave sat down next to Aaron after putting his briefcase in his home office and he handed me a couple sheets of paper. They had been folded into thirds and looked fairly untouched.

"We found your dad's will in a book of fairy tales on his nightstand. You, the horses, the racing company, and the house go to your uncle Robert Martin until your 18th birthday. Your trust fund on the other hand won't be released until your 21st birthday."

"I knew about that."

"The truck he owned is yours now and the dogs now belong to a William Merril?"

"Buck, he's our horse trainer. Does he get all the dogs?"

"The ones listed in the will are Bingo and Asher. Do you have other dogs?"

"One. Terror we got him ... oh my, it must have been just yesterday."

"If the dog is registered in your dad's name he will also belong to your uncle. However if he's registered in your name you can keep him."

"My uncle is a ruthless and greedy. That company is worth a lot of money." I started.

"Page three, paragraph four. Your uncle can't sell anything. Not legally. If he does and doesn't give you the money or put it in an account for you, he can go to jail for theft among other crimes. I don't think he'll chance it."

"So technically I have to move?"

"Since he doesn't live in state he'll be up tomorrow to pick you up. The funeral for your dad is Thursday; paid in full by his estate."

"What did he die of?" I asked.

"Autopsy hasn't been released yet. You'll stay here tonight though. Stacy will set the guest room up for you. They'll release the ranch and the truck tomorrow."

"And my puppy?"

"He's at Buck's as well. The horses are bedded down for the night so don't worry."

"Dinner." Mrs. Fitzhugh called.

After dinner and dishes I looked at Dave. "May I borrow your phone please?" I asked.

"In the kitchen." Dave nodded.

I went in the kitchen and found the phone on the wall. After dialing the familiar number I waited for him to pick up which he did after a couple rings. "Hello?" Buck asked.

"Hey Buck, have you seen my brother Dallas?" I asked staring at the yellow walls of the kitchen. It seemed like such a happy place.

"Not lately but I think he'll be dropping by tonight."

"If he does can you tell him he needs to drop by my place in the morning? I need to talk to him."

"Okay sure, since I've recently become a carrier pigeon." He answered sarcastically.

"Look man, my dad died this morning and I have no other way to contact my brother before I have to move to Arkansas tomorrow. You could be a little nicer you know."

"I'm sorry. I'll track him down. I can't believe you have to move." Buck said.

"Neither do I. I guess that's just the breaks though. It is what it is. I have four horses and a racing company depending on me now as much as I can before my uncle screws things up. I appreciate you talking to Dally. If he doesn't remember where the place is—"

"Yeah, I'll let him know. You're tougher than your past, girl. You'll get through it."

"I know thanks." I said. We hung up after a few awkward moments then I took a deep breath and reentered the living room.

"Everything okay?" Aaron asked.

"Fine." I said trying not to let the tears escape.

What will Dally say?