Viper's Run(40)

“Now that you’re better, I am hoping to see you in church again. The children in your class miss you.”

“I miss them.” Her class of preschoolers was small, but she was eager to see them again. “I’ll be back this Sunday.”

“I’ll count on it.” They discussed how several of the older church parishioners were doing until their food arrived. They were drinking coffee when Mrs. Langley came in from her beauty shop appointment to meet her friend.

Mrs. Langley was Winter’s aunt. Samantha was her granddaughter, who was as cruel as Mrs. Langley was kind. She sat down at their table to wait for her friend’s arrival.

After both assured each other that they were doing well. Mrs. Langley brought up the uncomfortable situation herself.

“Winter, I heard at the beauty shop what happened with Samantha. I am deeply ashamed at her actions.”

“Aunt Shay, you’re not responsible for her actions, you have nothing to be embarrassed about,” Winter reassured her there were no hard feelings.

“First Vincent, then Samantha. My daughter would be heartbroken if she were still alive.” Mrs. Langley’s daughter had died three years ago. Samantha, who had always stayed in trouble, had become even wilder without her mother’s guidance. A sudden thought struck Winter, she didn’t want to hurt the woman, but the truth needed to be brought out.

“Aunt Shay, has anyone told you that Samantha had a baby three years ago? It was right around the time of Samantha’s mother’s death.” Mrs. Langley’s expression became cautious. Winter knew then she was right, everyone had been so cautious of protecting the woman’s feelings, they were ignoring the only source of information they had. Even Pastor Dean was giving the older woman a concerned look.

“She told Loker James that it was his brother’s child. He is devastated, he loved his brother and the thought of his murdered brother’s child out there with no family caring for it is hard for him to accept,” Winter explained gently.

Mrs. Langley stared at Pastor Dean several minutes before answering in a quiet voice. “She told him it was Gavin’s?”

Winter heard Pastor Dean break into the conversation. “You knew Gavin?” Surprised at the familiarity of the name coming from Pastor Dean, it was only Mrs. Langley’s answer that made her forget to question him.

“He stayed at my home while they were building the factory. Vincent invested in the business and as my home was so large, he asked if Gavin could stay there. Of course I accepted. I didn’t know Vincent was planning on killing him.” Her frail hand shook as she sat her tea glass back on the table. “It probably made it easier to make him disappear.” A tear ran down her withered cheek. Pastor Dean handed her a handkerchief.

“You couldn’t have known, please don’t blame yourself.”

It took several minutes before the older woman could get herself back under control.

“I couldn’t help him, but at least I can help Loker. I knew Sam was pregnant. She came to me when she first found out because she wanted to have an abortion. She was too far along and she stayed with me until she had the baby. When she went into labor, she called Vincent and he came to the house to pick her up. Afterwards, when I asked about the baby they told me Samantha had given it up for adoption. I would have cared for the child, but they told me no. I have no idea where my great grandchild is and they won’t tell me.” Anguish filled the old woman’s eyes.

“Do you know if the baby was Gavin’s?” Winter pushed gently, knowing her aunt had to understand Viper’s predicament.

“It wasn’t. She never told me who the father of the child was, but I know for a fact it wasn’t Gavin’s.

“How?”

“Because I was the one who drove her to the doctor’s appointments when she was pregnant. She became pregnant after Gavin disappeared.”

Winter sat back disappointed. “Samantha gave Loker the baby’s date of birth. He was still in town when she conceived.” Pastor Dean looked as disappointed as Winter.

Mrs. Langley shook her head, saddened by her granddaughter’s treachery. “The baby was premature. Doctors said that it was because Samantha was so young and she didn’t take care of herself.”

“Will you give me the name of the doctor you took her to?” Winter asked.

“Yes.” Opening her purse, she took out a pad of paper and pen writing down the doctor’s name and address.

“The doctor is in Jamestown.” The town next to Treepoint was thirty miles away. Which was a distance that would enable Vincent to keep his daughter’s pregnancy a secret.