Chapter 44: Untying Knots

Roxanne tried to push her thoughts of Baxter and vengeance to the back of her mind when she decided to visit her dad the next day.
The air felt damp from the rain the night before as she knocked on her father’s door, but used her key to enter because she didn’t want her father to expend any unnecessary energy for her.
He’d received treatment at the hospital and needed to rest, take his medication, and watch his diet in order to avoid any more dangerous flare-ups. Both Roxanne and the people Tom hired were keeping a close eye on him to make sure his condition improved.
When Roxanne walked in, she noticed the place looked cleaner and more organized than before with a gentle smell of lemon wafting in her nose.
“Hi, Pop,” she said, toddling over to the couch to sit next to him.
“Hey, Roxy. Sorry to hear about the bar. I saw on the news there was lots of flooding around town. Wish I could have helped ‘ya.”
“I know, Pop.” She slapped his knee gently. “And then you would have thrown out your back or something. It’s probably good you weren’t there.”
“What are you saying? I’m old?” He held his chest and gave her a pained look that he quickly turned into a smile.
Roxanne nodded. “Yep.” She pointed around his place. “This looks good. I see they’re taking good care of you.”
Her father nodded. “The doctor says I’m doing well. That housekeeper Tom sent over is making me some good meals.” He patted his stomach. “But I can’t keep relying on you guys.”
“Pop, it’s fine. It was Tom’s idea. He wants to help.” Roxanne didn’t want her father to worry.
“Roxanne, you’ve helped out your old dad enough. I mean, I never should have gambled all that money.” He frowned, remembering his blunder.
“That’s behind us. The loan shark is going to get his money plus some. Don’t worry. I need you to focus on getting healthy so you can be the coolest granddad around.” She rubbed her hands around her stomach and smiled.
“Tom’s a fine man. I hope it works out between you two.” Her father grinned, then pushed himself up off the couch and ambled to his bedroom. When he arrived back next to Roxanne, he held out a silver necklace with a Celtic knot charm hanging on the chain.
“This was your mother’s. I want you to have it.”
“Dad, this is really special.” Roxanne held the necklace in her hand, running her finger over the charm. “If you had this all along, why didn’t you try to sell it? You could have gotten good money for this.”
He waved his hand at her. “It’s too important. Your mother used to wear it all the time. I didn’t buy it for her, but I used to clasp it around her neck nearly every morning.” He looked wistful talking about the memory. “Her hair, it smelled like coconut. I loved that smell.”
He turned to Roxanne. “When she left, she didn’t take it. I think she meant for you to have it.”
“Thanks, Pop.” Roxanne felt emotional that her father was willing to part with an important item of her mother’s. It made her remember how important family was to her.
“Not much more time now and you’ll have your little one,” he mused. “I knew it would happen one day. For all your toughness, you’ve got a big heart. You’ve been taking care of me these last few years, so I know you’ll be a great mom.”
He shuffled to the kitchen and offered Roxanne a green juice. “Tom’s helper makes it and it’s delicious. She left me some in the refrigerator.”
“I guess it’s better for you than beer,” Roxanne laughed.
He laughed a little, too. “I’m getting back to my job at the bar in no time. Helping you guys out is the least I could do. And anytime you need a babysitter, here I am.” He walked back to the couch with the juice and handed it to her.
Roxanne wished she felt as confident as her father. She still had so much to do to prepare for the baby, but all she could think about recently was how to catch Baxter. Her problem was like a knot she couldn’t untie.
She looked again at the charm. It clearly meant a lot to her father to have kept it for so many years. The Celtic emblem reminded her of other Irish symbols – like the clover leaf. She took a sip of the green juice and a crazy idea popped into her head.
“Sorry, Dad. I have to...”
“Go.” He finished. “I understand.”
She stood up, kissed him on the cheek, and hurried to the car.
But first, she needed to visit Danny.
Compared to the quiet, peaceful construction site the night she saw the cat, the building location looked like a different place, buzzing with action. Cranes and trucks whirred around, dropping supplies and dirt in various directions. Men with hard hats yelled directions and the sound of metal clanging created a hum around the site that Roxanne missed.
She found Danny, busy dealing with a broken crane.
“Hey, Roxanne,” he said.
“Hi, Danny.”
“I don’t mind or anything, but you know you’re not supposed to be here.” He signaled to the crane operator to start the engine, and it whirred to life.
“I know, it’s just that – I was thinking – you said you stole the permit Baxter signed, right?” She bit her lip, nervous he had destroyed it.
“Yeah.” He started to walk toward another machine as Roxanne followed, trying to keep up.
“Well, where did you put it?” She called to his back.
He pointed toward his trailer. “Stashed away in my office someplace, why?”
“I think I can use it for evidence.” Roxanne’s mind whirred with thoughts about catching Baxter. “And do you know if that building where Baxter was going to make beer for his illegal company is producing any product yet?”
“No, they’re still working on it. The construction network in this town is pretty small, as you know.” He turned to look at her and stopped walking. A man driving a dump truck waved to Roxanne, and she waved back.
“So the only stash of that clover leaf beer should be what was stolen from Owen?” she asked.
“Should be,” he said and shrugged. He gave her a skeptical look as if trying to figure out where she was going with the interrogation.
“Look, I have a plan. Do you think you can help?” she asked.
Danny cocked his head, and Roxanne held her breath for a second, unsure if he would agree. After all, his own plan had gone awry and almost cost him his job. Then a mischievous smile formed on his lips.
“I’ll do whatever it takes to catch that b*stard,” he said, and Roxanne realized, without a doubt, that Danny would help with whatever outlandish scheme she cooked up if it meant a chance to punish Baxter.