Walk the Wire

Chapter 39

“And Bogart said he was on it?” asked Decker.

He and Jamison were walking to a restaurant where they were having dinner with Baker and Caroline Dawson.

Decker had changed into another pair of pants, a clean white shirt, and his worn corduroy jacket with elbow patches, which constituted his most elegant set of clothes. The weather had changed; the temps had dipped into the sixties and the humidity had vanished.

Jamison had on a dark skirt that hit at her knee, ankle boots with zippers on the side and chunky heels, and a white blouse with a jean jacket over it.

“Yes. I talked to him just a bit ago. And since it has to do with the military he was going to call Harper Brown.”

Harper Brown was with the DIA, or Defense Intelligence Agency, and she had worked with them on a previous case.

“Good. Anything on Cramer and why she’s important to the Feds?”

“No. I asked him and he said he had come up empty. Boy, the wind really makes it chilly,” said Jamison as she pulled her jean jacket tighter.

“Two days ago you were complaining about the heat.”

“As I recall, it wasn’t just me complaining.”

As they drew closer to the restaurant, Decker said, “So dinner tonight. What am I supposed to do?”

She looked at him, not in surprise, because she had more or less expected this query.

“Well, first of all try to enjoy yourself. It’s been an intense few days, and even you need to recharge your batteries. Next, be supportive of Stan and Caroline. Don’t go in there thinking that she’s trying to replace your sister.”

“And if I say something stupid?”

“Just think about what you’re going to say before you say it.”

“Easy for you to say,” muttered Decker.

An etched bronze sign next to the front door of the restaurant read MADDIE’S. “That’s her mother’s name,” said Jamison.

“No coincidence there, obviously,” replied Decker.

Maddie’s was on the first floor of a restored brick building with a pair of flickering gas lanterns on either side of the polished wood door.

Jamison glanced at the fiery lanterns and quipped, “Great, more methane.”

Dawson and Baker were at the bar having a drink. Baker was dressed like Decker: khakis, white shirt, and a jacket that had seen better days. Dawson was glammed up in a turquoise dress with a leather belt, black tights, and low heels. Her hair was down around her shoulders. They moved over to their table and sat down.

Jamison looked around at the interior space that appeared both brand-new and very old but was fleshed out with thought and in spots even artistry. “Wow, this is really beautiful. Didn’t expect to see something like this here.” She shot Dawson an embarrassed glance. “I didn’t mean it that way, sorry.”

Decker gave her a funny look, leaned over, and whispered, “Think before you say something.”

Dawson smiled in understanding at Jamison’s remark. “No, I get that. This is actually my baby.”

“What?” exclaimed Jamison.

Baker grinned and said, “She runs the whole place, not her dad.”

“We spoke to your father,” said Decker.

“Why did you need to talk to him?”

“Just routine questioning.”

“So this is really your restaurant?” said Jamison, deftly changing the subject.

“My dad technically owns it but I worked out the financials, did the planning, the build-out, the hiring, everything from the utensil choices to the drapes to the types of gin in the bar. The place has a website and a social media platform, and we also cater and do special events.”

Jamison stared around the crowded space. “Well, if this is any indication, you’ve got a real winner.”

“We’re booked up for the next three months, in fact. It’s pretty much the only fine dining choice in town. I got the chef from Napa Valley.”

Baker added with a chuckle, “We only got a table tonight because she owns the place.”

She laughed and gripped his big hand. “Thing is, my dad thought I was crazy. He said don’t try to make this town into something it’s not.”

“Meaning?” said Decker.

“My father will always see London as a one-horse place that will never rise above that status. Even with all the wealth being generated by the fracking. But I see things differently. I think we’re past the boom and bust cycles. People aren’t just coming here to work and get rich and then get out. They’re coming to stay. I know the weather can be a real challenge, but it is in lots of places. And warmer spots are a short flight away. The point is, if you have nice things here people will want to stay and put down roots. And North Dakotans are nice people. Salt-of-the-earth types.”

“I’m a Midwesterner,” said Decker. “So I agree with that.”

“And with the money that’s here now, people can both afford and appreciate the amenities and service like I’ve tried to offer here.”

“I think it’s terrific,” said Jamison.

Baker raised his glass. “To terrific things.” He nodded at Dawson. “And terrific people.”

After they ordered their dinners Dawson asked about the investigation. “I heard there was another murder and that Hal Parker went missing.”

“That’s right. Pamela Ames. She used to live at the Brothers’ Colony,” said Jamison.

“But why would someone have wanted to kill her?” asked Baker.

“Could be wrong place, wrong time, if Parker was the target.”

“But why would he be a target?” asked Dawson.

Decker said, “Did either of you know Pamela Ames?”

Baker shook his head, but Dawson said, “I worked with Milton Ames on some business matters. I knew Pamela was his daughter, but I wasn’t friends with her.”

“But why was Ames at Hal Parker’s in the first place?” asked Baker.

“They might have known each other,” said Jamison vaguely, shooting a glance at Decker. Shifting gears, she said to Dawson, “We went to see your father at his home. It’s beautiful.”

“After Mom died, we both needed something to occupy our minds. Since we weren’t moving to France without her, I decided building a new home for Dad would be a good thing. Give him something to focus on. He loves getting into the details. He just finished it. Took nearly two years with crews working around the clock.”

“And how did you cope?” asked Decker.

She smiled sadly. “I buried myself in work, too.”

“Your mother died in a blizzard, I understand,” said Decker.

Dawson nodded and rubbed at a ring on her pinky. “From carbon monoxide poisoning in her car,” she said in a low, halting voice.

“What was she doing out in a blizzard in the first place?” asked Decker.

“Alice Pritchard, an elderly neighbor, had called. Her power was out and she was in trouble. She had health problems.”

“Why didn’t she just call 911?” asked Decker.

“My mom would have gotten there faster than the 911 folks. And we had a backup generator, so Alice would have been fine at our house. It had happened before, and each time Alice would call us.”

“But your mother never made it to Alice’s?” said Decker.

“No, and Alice died, too.”

“My God,” said Jamison.

Decker said, “If the neighbor died, how’d you know she had called your mom and that was the reason she was out in the blizzard?”

“My mom had texted me when Alice called. But with the time difference I didn’t see the text until the following morning. The first I knew about it was when they found her in the car after the blizzard had passed.”

“I’m very sorry,” said Jamison as Baker tenderly patted Dawson’s shoulder.

There was a moment of silence until Decker said awkwardly, “Um, your dad said you’ll be running the world before long.”

Jamison eyed Decker nervously, but before she could say anything, Baker chimed in. “Daddy’s perfect little girl.”

Decker noted that Dawson did not seem happy about this remark. “And we understand you had a brother?” he asked, drawing another stern look from Jamison.

She said, “I’m sure Caroline would rather talk about something else.”

Dawson coughed and took a drink of her water. “No, it’s okay. Yes, my brother, Hugh. We called him Junior. He... died.”

Decker said, “Joe Kelly told us he and your father didn’t see eye to eye on things. But he wouldn’t elaborate.”

Dawson gazed at Decker with an intensity that made him feel uncomfortable. “Good old Joe. He does like to keep things close to the vest.”

“Was that wrong of him?” asked Jamison.

“No, I suppose he was just trying to shield the family from undue attention. Joe’s always been loyal that way. The fact is, my brother was gay and my father had a big problem with that. He cut him out of the will, out of the business, out of his life. In the end, Junior couldn’t live with it, I guess. So he decided to end his life. He took a bunch of pills. I was the one who found him.” She dabbed at her eyes with her napkin.

“Damn, Caroline, I had no idea,” said Baker.

“No reason you should have known. I cared deeply for my brother. We were very close.”

“That... that must’ve made things difficult between you and your father,” said Decker.

“We didn’t speak for about a year after Junior died. But then we lost Mom, and... and we decided as the only family left we needed to seek a truce. So we did.”

“Do you think the truce will hold?” asked Decker.

She tapped her ring against the wood, as though for luck. “I don’t think I have a choice,” she replied.

Decker said, “Well, like Stan said, I think your father does see you as his perfect little girl.”

Dawson said firmly, “I don’t think there’s any such thing.”