Page 54 of So in Love
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“Crystal!”Darryl grinned as he came into the conference room with a file folder.“I’ve got a lot of good info here.”
“Yay!”She could hardly wait to see what it was.He’d texted her yesterday saying he’d found some great stuff.She’d come here straight from the airport.
They sat at the table where Crystal had already dumped her coat and purse in one of the chairs.
Darryl set the folder down.“I found a lot of newspaper articles about KKK activity in the 1920s, including here in Yamhill County.You probably won’t be surprised to learn that Hoyt Stowe—he’s Redmond’s oldest son—was the Grand Cyclops.Looks like he followed in Daddy’s footsteps, and not just as mayor.”
“He was mayor when the Bird’s Nest Ranch burned down, right?”
Darryl nodded.“Yep.He’s one of the people I focused in on.He died in 1923 from multiple stab wounds.”He paused as Crystal gasped.“He was out with his crew one night and was killed in some sort of altercation.His killer was never identified.”
“Wow.I suppose I should feel bad, but I don’t.”
“I don’t think you have to feel anything you don’t want to.”He slid the open folder over to her.Inside were a bunch of copies of articles.“I looked into all the Stowe kids, but he’s the only one that shows up with the KKK.In fact, Turner Stowe—he was the youngest—turns up in San Francisco around 1907.He was a lawyer.Did pretty well for himself.”
“He probably wanted to get away from his family.”Crystal understood that.Well, not her family per se, but where she’d come from.Escaping Blueville had been the best thing she’d ever done.
“This is all great.Thanks Darryl.Anything on Dorinda?”
“Not much.Her family was definitely from Syracuse, and I’m just about done tracing them to the present day.There are a few branches so it’s taking some time.Looks like one branch relocated to Minnesota and another to Vermont.Some stayed in Syracuse.If you want to try to talk to someone to see if they have records, it’s going to take some phone calling or emailing.”
Crystal’s job relied upon her to be fearless in making contacts.“I can do that, no problem.”
Darryl smiled.“I figured as much.Congratulations in person about the movie deal.”
She’d told him about it over the phone last week, and he’d been thrilled for her.“It isn’t a movie deal.”
“Yet.But it will be.This is a good story, and you’re going to tell the hell out of it.”
“Thanks, Darryl.”With so many people on her side, how could she not sense at least the possibility?Alaina had encouraged her to write something.Darryl had been a massive help and a huge cheerleader.Kim was eagerly awaiting her proposal.And Jamie had been thrilled with her news.
Why had they only texted a handful of times since FaceTiming a week and a half ago?In fact, she hadn’t heard from him at all in a few days, despite sending him a couple of texts.
She refused to worry about it.She’d see him soon anyway.
After finishing up with Darryl, she headed to the guesthouse at Alaina’s to drop her stuff off.She walked the seventy or so yards to Alaina’s house and let herself in with a “Helloooo!”
Alaina dashed into the entry and waved her hands as if she were directing air traffic.“Shhhh!Alexa just went down for a nap finally.”
Crystal flinched.“Ack, sorry.I should’ve known.”It was afternoon and naptime after all.
Alaina gestured for her to follow her into the kitchen.“Iced tea?”
“Sure.”Crystal leaned against the counter as Alaina opened the fridge and reached into the back for a bottle of Crystal’s favorite.
She handed the tea to Crystal.“I need to put some more in the fridge.I think there’s still a few bottles in the pantry.”
“No worries.I have some at the guesthouse.You overstock everything.”
Alaina grabbed a sparkling water for herself and flashed a smile.“I’m a good host.I suppose we should get to work?”They had some contracts to discuss as well as a few scripts that Alaina had reviewed.
“We should.First let me tell you what I just learned from Darryl.”
When she finished relaying the new information about the Stowes, Alaina looked at her intently.“Are you working on the story yet?”
Crystal hadn’t told her about meeting with Kim.She knew Alaina was interested in producing it, which would be a slam dunk, obviously.Crystal could be an executive producer, and she’d have full creative control.But it was too easy, like it was being handed to her.
