Page 88 of Five Mountain Daddies

Janet shakes her head. “Nothing today,sorry.”

“Thanks.” I head back into my office and sit behind my desk,frowning.

I was supposed to meet with Samuel and the union guys today, but I haven’t heard anything from him. It’s been a few days since the picnic, and I know Samuel had a shift down in the mine last night. I know it’s irrational, but I’m afraid something happened to him down there, although I would have heard about it rightaway.

I call his cell, but I don’t get any answer. I spend a few hours fretting, feeling powerless and angry, before my phone finally startsringing.

It’s not Samuel. “Amelia? This isRoy.”

“Oh, hi, Roy,” I say. “I missed you guystoday.”

He sounds a little distant, like something’s wrong. “We’re really, really sorry about that,” he says. “Truth is, Samuel’s not feelinggood.”

“What’s wrong?” I askhim.

“Oh, you know. Just a little sick, isall.”

I pause a second. “Roy,” I say. “Tell me what’s reallyhappening.”

He sighs. “I’m not convincingyou?”

“Not even a littlebit.”

He laughs softly. “Hell, I guess I always was a bad liar. Look, truth is, Samuel got jumped last night and he’s not up for a meeting. Can wereschedule?”

My mind starts reeling. “Where is he?” I askhim.

“Uh, er, at home,” he says,surprised.

“Where’sthat?”

“83 Orchard, just a little house, red shutters.Why?”

“Thanks,Roy.”

I hang up the phone. I don’t know why I’m reacting like this, but I can’t help myself. I grab my things and leave theoffice.

“Hold my calls,” I tell Janet on the wayout.

I get into my car, type Samuel’s address into my phone, and start driving. It’s close by, takes me less than ten minutes to get there. His truck’s parked in the driveway and there’s another sedan out front. I park behind his truck and get out, walking fast to his frontdoor.

His house is a tiny little thing, but it’s cute and well maintained. I don’t know what I’m doing here, since this is entirely inappropriate, but I can’t help myself. My mind just keeps reeling, obsessed with what Roy said on thephone.

I knock a few times, and finally someone answers, a woman in her mid-thirties. She blinks when she sees me. “Amelia?”

It takes me a second to recognize her. I met her briefly at the picnic. Vernon’s wife. “Hi, Sarah,” I say. “I heard aboutSamuel.”

She nods, looking confused. “Uh, are you here to see him? Does he know you’re stoppingby?”

I shake my head. “Roy called me. I wanted… I heard abouthim.”

I suddenly feel stupid. This is so obvious, so insanely transparent. I don’t know why I’m making it so fucking clear how I feel about this man, but I can’t helpmyself.

“Come inside,” Sarah saysgently.

I follow her into a simple living room. Big screen TV against one wall, decent couch against another wall, plain coffee table. Nothing in the way of decorations, which doesn’t surprise me, although there are these interesting antique-looking clocks scattered all over theplace.

“Sit,” Sarah says, gesturing at the couch. I sit down and she pulls a chair up from the far corner, sitting across from me. “What did Roy tellyou?”

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