The Road to Justice/Sins of the Son combo pack - A John Fowler Novel (John Fowler (Books 1 & 2)) (21 page)

             
Margery
“
Mag
”
George answered the door, looking like death warmed over.  Veronica started to speak but began to bawl.  Mag, not wanting to create a scene, quickly brought her inside. 

             
“
Mag,
”
Veronica sobbed. 
“
I
’
m so, so sorry.  They
’
re gone
,
Mag
.  T
hey
’
re gone.
”

             
Mag was fighting a serious hangover, but she was sober enough to get the drift.  Mag sank to the couch.  What would she do?  Maybe she was misunderstanding.  But if she wasn
’
t, what would she do without
the
money she got from the govern
ment for those two little brats?

             
“
Veronica, sweetie,
”
Mag began. 
“
I don
’
t understand what is going on.  Tell me exactly what happened.
”

             
Veronica went to sobbing just enough where she could talk. 
“
I found this by the old mine shaft.
”
 
She was holding up the empty vodka bottle. 
“
The boards were broken.  I think they drank the vodka and then . . . and then . . . they fell through!!
”
 
Veronica sobbed hysterically.  Mag was devastated.  What would she do for money?  The only steady income Mag had was the money she received for those two. 

Mag began to panic.  I
’
ll have to get a full-
time job, Mag thought.  No, that wasn
’
t possible; there was no way she could pass any drug test.  Mag began to think her life was over, but then Veronica said something that made Mag think all her problems were solved.

             
“
I
’
m gonna get in so much trouble for even showing them that shaft.  If only there was something we could do where no one would miss them.
”
 
And with that, Veronica baited the hook.  Mag realized that Veronica and her family were loaded. 
             
“
You know the onl
y money I get was the money I go
t for the kids,
”
Mag sobbed.  Veronica looked at Mag through the tears in her eyes.  Inside Veronica knew she had her.

“
Mag, maybe Daddy could help you.  I mean you
’
ve lost the only two children you have.  You should be compensated in some way for that.  What if he were to give you $10,000.00?
”
 
Veronica asked softly.  Mag smiled.  Veronica continued.

             
“
Mag, you do realize if someone found the bodies of your children, you could face charges.  You don
’
t want to go to jail Mag.
”
 
Mag shook her head no.  Veronica pressed on. 
“
Mag, you have to understand, if anyone were to find out what happened, you could go to jail for a very long time.  People could say that you neglected your kids.  They might make you take a drug test.  Do you understand me
,
Mag?
”
 
Mag nodded.    Veronica smiled and took Mag
’
s hand into hers. 

“
You know
?  I
f anyone asks, you could jus
t tell them that Beth and David
went to live with their father . . . or fathers
. . .
however it worked out.  No, I don
’
t want to know.  If I don
’
t know, I can honestly tell people I don
’
t know where they are.  If anyone presses you on it, just tell them it
’
s none of their business.
”
 
Mag nodded. 

“
Do we have a deal?
”
 
Veronica put out her hand and Mag shook it.  Ver
onica chuckled inside.  She
understood
people
and how their minds worked
.  They would se
ll anything for the right price.  Appar
ently
,
the going rate
to keep someone quiet about the death of two trailer park kids
was $10,000.00.

             
Veronica made her way to her father
’
s office after leaving the trailer park.  She was a little upset with herself.  She probably could have gotten Mag to take less than $10,000.00 but it was done with little or no fuss.  She thought Daddy would be pleased.  She had taken a negative and turned it into a positive.  She walked into the building and up to her father
’
s office.  The secretary saw her and nodded for her to go in.  Veronica walked in, saw her father on the phone, shut the door and locked it.  He father noticed her lock the door.  He ended the call quickly, buzzed his secretary and told her to hold all of his calls.  Her father offered her a seat.  Veronica sat and then told her father everything.  She didn
’
t sugarcoat anything, and he didn
’
t flinch with anything she said.  When she finished
,
he sat qui
e
t for a minute lost in thought.  Then Veronica spoke again.

             
“
Daddy, I think I messed up.
”
 
Her father looked at her sharply. 
“
I really believe Mag would have accepted $5,000.00, but I didn
’
t want to take any chances.
”
 
Her father smiled.

             
“
Dear, there
’
s a time when you have to pay a little more to get the desired outcome.  In this case, I think that
’
s perfectly fine.  You were faced with a unique set of circumstances.  I
’
m very proud of you.  You didn
’
t become emotional.  You analyzed the situation and achieved the best possible outcome, exactly as I taught you.  I assume you have a plan for taking care of everything else?
”

             
“
Of course,
”
said Veronica. 
“
I
’
ll meet with the others, and let them know how bad it would be for all of us if they were to find those bodies.  I have explained to Mag how it is possible she could be brought up on charges of neglect if anyone were to find the bodies.  I suspect she
’
ll be dead soon anyway
.  With that much money s
he
’
s likely to overdose.  I was thinking
,
in about two months, if it
wouldn
’
t cause you too much trouble, we could have all the parents of the others sent back to their original homes with a promotion.  Then a month later
,
we could move back to Virginia.  My running for
p
resident is out of the qu
estion, but I could become the
f
irst
l
ady.  Do you know anyone who could change my name?
”

             
He father beamed at her. 
“
Dear, well thought out.  Very well done!  I have a few friends in the DOJ that can help with the name change.  I am assuming you are doing it to make sure no
one can ever link you back to
this town?
”

             
“
Yes daddy.  I was thinking we could falsify some school records showing that I was taught with a private tutor until I start school in Virginia.  That way if anyone ever comes looking for me, I don
’
t exist.
”

             
Archibald nodded. 
“
It will take a little doing to get the birth records straightened out, but that shouldn
’
t be a problem.  Are you sure they
’
re both dead?
”

             
Veronica frowned. 
“
Well, I didn
’
t see them, but I
’
m almost sure that Beth was dead when Jason struck her from behind.  There was an awful sound of bones breaking when the boy went over the side.  I can
’
t see how he could have survived that fall, but it was too dark down the hole to see for sure.  Do you want me to go back and look?
”

             
Archibald waved off the suggestion. 
“
No
,
Veronica, if they survived
the
fall, I
’
m sure they both are dead
from their injuries by now.
”

             
“
Daddy, call me Lisa.
”
 
Her father
was confused for just a second and then realized what she had done.  He
roared with laughter. 

             
“
That
’
s my girl!!  Cutting your lo
s
ses and moving on!!  Well, we can
’
t call you Lisa until we get you to Virginia, but if Lisa is the name you want, th
e
n I will get it started.  I
’
ll also have a talk with the local police and sheriff to make sure
that
if anyone comes around asking or suggesting anything
,
it is properly ignored.
“

             
Veronica stood up to leave.  Archibald stood as well and reached across the des
k
.  He took hold of his daughter
’
s wrist.

             
“
Veronica, two people are dead today
.  A
re you sure you
’
re ok
?
”

             
Veronica looked her father in the eyes; her stare was of blue steel. 
“
Daddy
,
I tried to make their lives better and all they did was ruin mine.  They
’
re lucky that dying was all that happened to them.  No one ever crosses me and gets away with it.
”
 
Her f
ather let go of her wrist and gave her a big beaming smile.  Veronica crossed the office and unlocked the doors.  Her father picked up the phone and made a call.  As she shut the door she heard her father talking to Fred.  She didn
’
t know
his last name, or his exact
title.  He was simply known as the Cleaner.  She hated that someone else had to clean up her mess, or that she had a mess at all.  As she walked out of the building
,
all she could think was sometimes you have to break a few eggs to make an omelet
.

Veronica met with Tom, Colt, Leroy, Amy, and Jason.  She knew this was the last thing she had to take care of.  They met back in the cave.  They stayed away from the shaft that David and Beth had fallen through to their death.  They all seemed a little spooked by the broken boards that were in front of the hole.  Veronica thought about peering down to see i
f
she could see the bodies, but decided that would just be too morbid.  Honestly, she thought, how could anyone survive that fall? 

“
Everyone,
”
Veronica started. 
“
I need you to listen to me.  What happened here today was terrible.  What I
’
m going to say may sound harsh, but it
’
s only because it
’
s the truth, and many times the truth is harsh.  I am sorry those two died earlier, but we can
’
t have our lives ruined over an accident.  Now we could go to the police, but there is the chance they
w
ould arrest Jason.  That would ruin any chance he has of being the starting quarterback next year.  Jason has a chance to go to college on a football scholarship.
”
 
Veronica knew she had to make everyone understand that this was for everyone, not just Jason.