"I haven't minded. Truly. But yeah, let's try something normal if that's even possible with you."
"How about I cook for you? Is that normal enough? I can pick you up at six and take you back to the lodge. You like Chinese? I've got mad skills with a wok."
I cocked my head and raised a brow. Somehow, the image of Bas stir frying anything made me laugh. "I'd like to see that. And here I was thinking you'd come up with a wild game dinner or something. Chinese sounds so, normal."
"Good. Normal is just what you need."
As he merged back into traffic, I shook my head. "How come I suspect normal with you is going to turn out to be anything but?"
Chapter Sixteen
I found the perfect reason not to go into the office the next morning. After yesterday's meeting, I didn't hate the idea of steering clear of Dale for a little while. I took the opportunity to head to government offices in downtown Wild Lake. So far, the land ownership research he'd given me hadn't kicked up anything interesting. For Bas's sake, I was glad. But, I still had one more stone to turn. Dale wanted title research on two large tracts of dead center on the wooded lands surrounding Wild Lake itself. The land had stayed in one family for so long the property records were still on microfiche at the Register of Deeds office. So, I headed there.
Bas texted me twice this morning and once last night. Each time his name popped up on my phone, my heart swelled. But, I needed to focus. I couldn't afford a single misstep where Dale and the congressman were concerned. I had ten long weeks left with them. After that, well, I'd figure out my next step.
The Register of Deeds office was deserted when I got there. They issued marriage and birth licenses out of the same office, all run by a single clerk named Kathy. Kathy was round, pleasant, and about eighty years old. She slid her Coke bottle glasses up her nose when I handed her the stiff, pink request card for the records I needed.
"Hope you don't have asthma or bad allergies," she said in a voice that seemed scrubbed with sandpaper. It was incongruous to her bright smile and the yellow carnation pinned to her sweater.
"No ma'am."
"Good. You'll have a little bit of dust to contend with on some of these canisters, but the machine's just been fine tuned. You know how to work it?"
I didn't. Kathy came out from behind the counter and walked me down to the hulking, ancient microfiche machine and showed me how to thread the tape and advance the screen. It was easy, and actually a little fun once I got the hang of it. Kathy gave me a pat on the back and wished me good luck as I started scrolling through the records, each frame blurring as I turned the knob.
I grabbed my pen and notepad once I found the record I needed. Two deeds more than sixty years old. I marked the records for printing and took pictures of the screen with my smartphone too.
"Hmm, that's strange." I squinted at the screen.
"What's that, honey?" Kathy peered over my shoulder and slid her glasses down her nose.
"Oh, it's nothing. This property is held in a life estate."
The Wild Lake property had been transferred to Patricia and Harold Bonner from what looked like the estate of maybe Harold's father, or at least some other relative. But, they only had the right to stay there and use the property during their lifetime.
"Are they still alive, do you know? Mr. and Mrs. Bonner?"
"Pat and Harold? Oh, yeah. They're alive and kicking those two. But they're not married, hon. They're brother and sister."
"I see. Well, I thought I could put this to rest here. But, it looks like I need the probate records. Are those on microfiche too?"
"Lloyd Bonner's estate? Oh, no. Those would be across the hall in the archives."
"Perfect! Thanks so much for your help, Kathy." I gathered my things and went to the Probate office. Once I showed the clerk the case file I needed, she wrinkled her nose and pointed me to a cubicle around the corner. The records themselves were old and brittle, on account of water damage from a courthouse flood back in 1978. I had to put on white gloves before they'd let me handle the fragile documents. The ink on them was blotched and faded, almost impossible to read. But, I found what I was looking for. My heart stopped cold when I did.
"Son of a bitch." I meant to whisper it, but the building's high arched ceilings carried the sound all the way down the counter.
"Sorry," I said, sheepish. I spread Lloyd Bonner's estate filings out on the table and snapped a few pictures with my phone.
"Can you make me a certified copy of this one?" I pointed to one of the pages and the clerk smiled.
"You betcha." She picked up the delicate paper and hustled over to the copy machine. Checking the record against the copy, she stamped her seal on it then handed it to me. I slid the copy into my messenger bag along with the deed Kathy printed for me and thanked her again for her time.
"Oh, don't mention it. It's kinda fun rooting around in the archives. Makes me feel all Da Vinci Code."
I laughed and said my goodbyes then made the brisk three block walk back to the congressman's office. The place was quiet; Grace had the day off. I set my messenger bag on my desk and walked toward the break room to get a midday cup of coffee. My phone buzzed from the breast pocket of my suit coat and I fished it out. My heart skipped when I saw the caller I.D.
"How's your day going?" Bas asked.
"Interesting. Almost done. I just have to type a few things up, then I'm heading home."
"I can't wait to see you. I've been thinking about you all day."
"Good. And I hope you bought lots of food. I'm starving already."
"Don't you worry. I plan to keep you well fed." Heat shot through me at his wicked double entendre. I pulled the phone away from my ear and checked the time. It was only 2:30. I still had a few hours before I could see him again.
"Pick me up at six?"
"Unless you're ready sooner."
God, I wish I could be. I still had to write up a summary of what I'd found. I wasn't entirely sure what it meant, but I had a sick feeling in my stomach it wasn't good. Whoever Pat and Harold Bonner were, their father had only granted them the right to live on the Wild Lake property during their lifetime. After they died, it reverted back to his estate. Under his will, another man named Willis Gaither or his heirs would get the land then. It seemed a strange way to set things up, but without knowing the family history it didn't mean much. It surprised me that Bas himself wasn't in the mix of ownership somehow. But, I couldn't ask him about it. Not without breaking confidentiality.
"I'll try to get things finished up at the office, but I doubt I'll get out of here anytime before five."
Bas grew quiet on the other end. "Is Dale there?"
"Foster's office door is closed, and I haven't seen him. He and Foster had some meetings this morning down in Lansing. I don't know if they were planning to drive back up or stay down there overnight."
"Hmm. Well, just hurry. It's driving me crazy not having you with me."
I knew the feeling. "I promise. I'll be greased lightning. Can you pick me up at Kendra's apartment? I'll text you the address. I've been staying there sort of house sitting while she's back home in Atlanta."
Bas positively purred on the other end of the phone. I made a cat joke and he promised to pay me back for it. The idea of it made me purr. When we hung up, I went to the fridge and opened the freezer door, fanning myself with the cold air.
There was nothing left in the coffee pot but the dregs, and I actually contemplated drinking that. Anything to keep me focused as I pored over the documents I'd gathered and the last bits of research I needed to pull it all together. If I could bang it out in the next hour or so, it would leave me free for the whole weekend. He hadn't asked, but I hoped I might be able to spend all of it with Bas.
I opted for cold bottled water and made my way back to my desk. The heat coursing through my blood at the thought of a whole weekend with Bas leached straight out of me when I turned the corner.
Dale stood at my desk pulling documents out of my bag and reading them with a cold, calculating eye. When he looked up, he gave me a wide, ominous smile that made my blood run cold.
Chapter Seventeen
"Does this mean what I think it means?" he asked. "It's been a while since I've done anything with property law."
"I don't know what you think it means. There's a reversionary interest on both of those land tracts you had me research. It's a little odd, but I don't know who the players were in all of this. Is Willis Gaither related to the Bonners? Is he still alive? I've got to find out who his heirs are to be able to tell you for sure what happens to the property."