Chapter 0354
“We were just hoping to talk to her,” I said.
The man’s brow lifted slightly. “Are you selling something? Wait – why do you look familiar?” Narrowing his eyes, he gazed at us with suspicion. Then, suddenly, recognition must have struck him because his eyes widened. “You’re those people from the news.
“It’s alright, Ryan,” a woman said, stepping around him. She was in her fifties, with a plain bob haircut and a pastel blouse with white pants. She carried a small bag from a pharmacy, dangling from her wrist. “It would be rude to send these two away without offering them something to drink.”
Logan and I glanced at each other, then back to the mother–son pair.
“Forgive me, ma’am,” Logan said. “Are you Janice Weathers?”
“I am,” the woman Janice said. Sighing, she walked past her son, Ryan, who still seemed annoyed by our presence. “Come inside. I’ll make coffee and we can chat.”
“We don’t want to impose,” I said. Since I’d already felt bad about disturbing her, Ryan’s clear resentment only seemed to amply those feelings. Maybe it would have been best to leave things well enough alone.
Janice gave me a small smile. “A quick cup of coffee. Then you can be on your way.”
Her kindness warmed me, so I nodded.
Inside her house, we stood in the kitchen while the coffee pot worked.
Janice said, “Ryan, why don’t you go grade those papers you were saying you needed to work on?”
Ryan looked at her in confusion. “But… Mom…”
“I’ll be fine, son,” Janice said. “Go on.”
Ryan, a clearly diligent son, eventually relented, though not before giving Logan and me a glare. “Do no upset her…”
I nodded. Logan held his gaze.
“Ryan,” Janice said gently.
With a frustrated huff, Ryan left the room.
When he was gone, Janice’s smile softened with apology. “I’m sorry about him. He’s very protective.”
“It’s fine,” Logan said.
“It’s nice,” Ladded.
“He’s a teacher,” Janice said. “It’s easy to distract him with work. There’s always something he needs to be grading for those kids.”
Janice hummed. As the coffee dripped down into the pot, she began talking. “I’ve seen on the news the way you are fighting Richard. It doesn’t surprise me that he is being so ruthless with you. That’s just the way he’s built. What surprises me is how well you are fighting back.”
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Chapter 0354
Chapter 0354
“We were just hoping to talk to her,” I said..
The man’s brow lifted slightly. “Are you selling something? Wait – why do you look familiar?” Narrowing his eyes, he gazed at us with suspicion. Then, suddenly, recognition must have struck him because his eyes widened. “You’re those people from the news.
“It’s a
alright, Ryan,” a woman said, stepping around him. She was in her fifties, with a plain bob haircut and a pastel blouse with white pants. She carried a small bag from a pharmacy, dangling from her wrist. “It would be rude to send these two away without offering them something to drink.”
Logan and I glanced at each other, then back to the mother–son pair.
“Forgive me, ma’am,” Logan said, “Are you Janice Weathers?”
–
“I am,” the woman Janice said. Sighing, she walked past her son, Ryan, who still seemed annoyed by our presence. “Come inside. I’ll make coffee and we can chat.”
“We don’t want to impose,” I said. Since I’d already felt bad about disturbing her, Ryan’s clear resentment only seemed to amply those feelings. Maybe it would have been best to leave things well enough alone.
Janice gave me a small smile. “A quick cup of coffee. Then you can be on your way.”
Her kindness warmed me, so I nodded.
Inside her house, we stood in the kitchen while the coffee pot worked.
Janice said, “Ryan, why don’t you go grade those papers you were saying you needed to work on?”
Ryan looked at her in confusion. “But… Mom…”
T’ll be fine, son,” Janice said. “Go on.”
Ryan, a clearly diligent son, eventually relented, though not before giving Logan and me a glare. “Do no upset her…”
I nodded. Logan held his gaze.
“Ryan,” Janice said gently.
With a frustrated huff, Ryan left the room.
When he was gone, Janice’s smile softened with apology. “I’m sorry about him. He’s very protective.”
“It’s fine,” Logan said.
“It’s nice.” Ladded.
“He’s a teacher,” Janice said. “It’s easy to distract him with work. There’s always something he needs to be grading for those kids.”
Janice hummed. As the coffee dripped down into the pot, she began talking. “I’ve seen on the news the way you are fighting Richard. It doesn’t surprise me that he is being so ruthless with you. That’s just the way he’s built. What surprises me is how well you are fighting back.”
Chapter 0354
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“We aren’t doing it alone,” Logan said. “Many people have come forward to help.”
“And you are hoping I will do the same,” Janice finished.
“If you want…” I said. “We would never pressure you…” didn’t know what kind of medicine was in her bag. from the pharmacy but I saw the way her hands tremored slightly as she reached for the coffee pot and began pouring out our mugs. “Please. Allow me.” I moved forward to help.
She refused my help. “I’m not helpless yet, Hazel. Let me do the things I can do while I can still do them.”
With a quick apology, I took a small step backwards.
“No apologies needed,” Janice said.
When my mug was full, she passed it to me. Then she gave Logan his, too. When she had her own, she turned back to us.
“I have been wronged by Richard in ways that I’m not sure anyone else has. Undoubted my story would be compelling… but it would also bring trouble for Ryan. He’s a good boy–man, now. We’ve stayed under Richard’s radar for years. If he were to find Ryan”
She glanced at Logan.
“Forgive me, Logan. But I do not want my son to have the same life you are now trying to flee. Richard cares about his legacy. If you deny him, he might try to turn to Ryan.”
Logan’s mouth formed a flat grim line.
“I hope you can understand,” Janice said.
“I can. Better than anyone,” Logan said. “The life I’ve lived until I met Hazel is not something I would purposefully condemn anyone too.”
Janice nodded, satisfied, though pity lingered in her eyes, as well, looking at Logan. “I’m so sorry for the things you suffered.”
“I’m sorry for the things you’ve suffered as well,” he told her.
As we continued to drink our coffee, our conversation turned to other things: the weather, the local stores. and restaurants, and how long our drive is
We drank our coffee and chatted cordially. Once our mugs were empty, it was time to go.
“I’m sorry,” she told us, as she walked us to her doof. I wish I could give you a different answer. But I didn’t spend all this time running just to stop now.”
“We understand,” I told her and gave her a smile of my own. “Thank you for your time.”
Janice nodded, Ryan stood beside her at the door.
When we were back in the car, Janice and Ryan closed the door.
On the way back home, I glanced at Logan, who seemed lost in thought. “I’m sorry…” I told him. We had another three hour drive ahead of us. Six hours of travel in one day, without much to show for it.
“Grandfather knows about her and Ryan,” Logan said, surprising me.
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“But they live a quiet life? He’s not trying to pull Ryan into his legacy,” I said. “Even Janice said if he knew, everything would change for them.”
“She thinks that,” Logan said. “But I’m sure he knows. He is purposefully choosing to leave them alone.”
“How can you tell?” I asked.
“I saw the receipt on her prescription. I didn’t mean to look, but it was there on the table. The insurance she uses is the same that we use at Hatfield Supply. The owner of that insurer is one of Grandfather’s good friends.”
“Prescriptions are supposed to be private. Even if they are friends..
“He knows,” Logan said. “I’m sure of it.”
“Why would he do that?”
A muscle in Logan’s jaw ticked. “I don’t know.”
I hated to think… maybe unlike the rest of his family, Senior might have actually cared for Janice, and maybe for Ryan.
Or perhaps the opposite was true. He didn’t care about any of them and thought Ryan too ill–equipped to carry on his legacy.
With Senior, the latter seemed more likely.
With a manila folder under his arm, Dylan walked into Mr. Hatfield Senior’s office building. The
receptionist at the door tried to stop him, but he walked to the elevator without even looking, and pressed the button for the top floor.
When the elevator doors opened, Dylan stepped out and then walked down the hall. People looked at him, from where they worked, but no one made any effort to stop him. Even the assistant at the desk outside of the door turned their face away rather than face him.
The tides were turning indeed….
Dylan pushed into Senior’s office without knocking.
Senior sat behind his desk. He stood abruptly when he saw Dylan approach.
“What is the meaning of this?” Senior demanded
Dylan walked right up to his desk, and dropped the stack of papers straight on his desk.
“What’s this?” Senior asked.
“Sworn affidavits from over 100 people. Former employees, former friends, former family…” Dylan said. ” You’ve made many enemies over the years, Senior. And they are ready to stand against you.”
