Chapter 318: Fire & Ice Café
Tuesday, January 31st, Afternoon
Kelly walked into the Fire and Ice Café and was greeted by nostalgia. It reminded her a lot of Keith's Grandma's business. Looking around, Kelly smiled and nodded as she saw Lileas Sheridan manned the café instead of Cait-Lynn Sheridan. Kelly nodded; happily, she didn't feel like hearing it.
"Welcome, please take a seat anywhere," Lileas said, not looking up from what she was doing.
"Thank you," said.
Lileas picked up her head and looked at Kelly. "Oh, Kelly, what brings you down here?" she asked.
"I was in the area and wanted to get something to eat," Kelly said.
"At my mom's place?" Lileas asked.
"Why not?" Kelly asked.
"Your cousin," Lileas said.
"Raquel is my mom's cousin, and I barely know her," Kelly said, "But your sister is married to my brother-in-law."
"Well, anyway, have a seat," Lileas said.
Kelly nodded and went to a booth out of the way. She sat where she could keep an eye on the door. Lileas came over and brought the menu over.
"I'll have coffee," Kelly said.
"They feeding you tonight?" Lileas asked.
"Probably not," Kelly said.
"Just the coffee?" Lilaes asked.
"For now, I'm not sure," Kelly said.
"Okay," Lileas said and walked away.
The door opened, and a man of average looks and heights walked in. He wore a standard off-the-rack suit and looked around the room. His eyes settled on Kelly, and he nodded. Slowly, he made his way across the room.
When the visitor was a few feet away from the booth, Kelly stood up and greeted him.
"Thanks for meeting me, Mister Gordon," Kelly said.
"Please, call me Declan," Declan Gordon said.
"Okay, Declan, please, have a seat," Kelly said.
"I will," Declan said and took a seat on the bench Kelly had just vacated. As he sat down, he made a move to adjust his jacket and something that sat on his hip beneath the jacket. Kelly took a seat across from him.
Lileas came over with a coffee mug. "I see, you have a guest now," she said.
"Get Declan, whatever he wants, and we wish not to be disturbed," Kelly said.
"Okay," Lileas said and turned to Declan, "What can I get you?"
"Coffee," Declan said.
"Okay," Lileas said, left, returned with Declan's coffee, and left them alone.
Declan turned to Kelly, "What's so important that the Mistress of Murphy House is having lunch in an out-of-the-way, hostile place and off the record?" he asked, in a probing way.
"You can't turn off being a detective, can you?" Kelly asked.
"As much as you can avoid having auburn hair," Declan said.
"I could dye it," Kelly said.
"Doesn't change the fact you have auburn hair," Declan said.
"So, on to business," Kelly said.
"What business brought us here?" Declan asked.
"Are you familiar with the Kilpatricks of Kilpatrick Farm?" Kelly asked.
"Been out there a few times, but haven't in years, since the wife passed," Declan said.
"That's been a while," Kelly said.
"I guess so; what's your interest in the Kilpatricks?" Declan asked.
"I'm, their patron, Kilpatrick Farm is on Murphy Land, and the family rents the land," Kelly said.
"Okay, but still doesn't answer a thing," Declan said.
"To keep it short, Kilpatrick Farm has been fallow for years since they get Federal Money. So, I was contacted about the woods on the farmland and the timber rights," Kelly said.
"Why were you contacted?" Declan asked.
"I maintain the timber rights," Kelly said.
"So, something is not connecting here," Declan said.
"One, I wanted to talk to Holden Kilpatrick since they would be on his land, and he has four young daughters, and two, if the lumber rights are on the tenant's land, we give them a share of the money," Kelly said.
"Okay, but telling me your financials is not the purpose you want to talk to me," Declan said.
"Well, every time I headed up to Kilpatrick Farm, Marie or one of the other girls would say I missed him. Overall the visits he's gone," Kelly said.
"Could be just bad timing," Declan said.
"I thought so too," Kelly said, "I sent Huck up there to check on them."
"I'm going to warn about legalities," Declan said.
"All I know is that Huck found Holden, and he's a blackout drunk," Kelly said.
"Okay," Declan said.
"According to Huck, it's a chronic condition. He thinks that the girls are watching themselves," Kelly said.
"How old is the oldest girl?" Declan asked.
"Marie, she's seventeen, a senior in high school," Kelly said.
"Okay," Declan said, "So, you want advice or something else?"
"Well, I don't want the family broken up, but I think the girls need more adult supervision," Kelly said.
"This has nothing to do with the timber rights?" Declan asked.
"As I said earlier, I don't need their permission; it's just a courtesy," Kelly said.
"I don't think there's much I can do," Declan said.
"What would happen if you saw what I told you?" Kelly asked.
"I would have the duty to act to call social services, and they would do an evaluation," Declan said.
"So, can you do that?" Kelly asked.
"I would need a reason to go up there or get a patrolman up there," Declan said.
"Huck mentioned something about a welfare check," Kelly said.
"Someone would have to call it in," Declan said.
"Can we just an anonymous tip?" Kelly asked.
"I'm not sure it works that way," Declan said.
"I don't want them to know it came from me, is there another way?" Kelly asked.
"Maybe through the school, that is where reports usually come from," Declan said.
Kelly nodded, "Thanks," she said.
"You're welcome," Declan said.
Kelly looked at Lileas. The younger woman came over. "Yes, what can I get you?" she asked.
"What would you want?" Kelly asked Declan.
"I'm good," Declan said.
Kelly nodded and looked to Lileas, "I'll have the French Dip deluxe," Kelly said.
"Would that be all?" Lileas asked.
"Yes," Kelly said.
"Very good," Lileas said, left Kelly and Declan alone to enjoy their coffee.
