Not My Solution Read online

  He smiled at her outburst, but she suddenly liked that smile. It was different, not mocking but appreciative.

  “Okay, how about the students on the Student Council? Are any of them hostile toward you or maybe they wanted this other teacher to be the advisor?”

  She had to think about that for a moment then it hit her. “Why yes, there is one. Her name is Heather Mitchell. She’s in band and all the choirs as well.”

  She thought some more. “Yes, I would say she and Darla are quite close. And, she’s the Student Council treasurer.”

  He clapped his hands together. “Bingo! Do you smell a rat here like I do?”

  She leaned back in her chair and thought. “Why yes. I guess I was so involved in trying to defend myself that I never thought about who may have actually taken the money.”

  He was still smiling then seemed to think for a moment and the smile disappeared. She missed it already.

  “I’m afraid with the fact that I’m in the process of establishing my practice here that I’m not in the position to offer a break from my normal fees.”

  She glared right back at him. “I assure you Mr. McCracken that I am quite capable of paying your normal fees.”

  Without answering her, he turned around and picked up a sheet of paper from the credenza behind him.

  “This form outlines all the fees we might encounter. You may notice that the fees are much lower if we don’t have to go to court. That’s when the expenses begin to mount.”

  She looked over the figures on the form and realized they were fairly standard if not a bit lower than she’d seen in Kansas City.

  She folded the paper and stuck it in the pouch attached to her left wheelchair armrest.

  “Should I agree to you representing me, Mr. McCracken, what would be your first step in doing so.”

  He leaned back in his chair and looked up at the ceiling for a moment then looked back at her.

  “I think I’ll just take a little trip over to the Sheriff’s Office and see if I can find out what’s going on at that end.”

  “Okay. You may call me at the number you called before.”

  She could see he was trying to figure that one out, so she was kind to him.

  “I have a special phone that is very much like the closed captions on TV. Whatever you say will show on my screen in print form with only the slightest delay.”

  “Wow! That’s really great. Okay then, I’ll call you as soon as I find out anything.”

  He rushed around his desk to open first his office door and then the outer door.

  She paused in the doorway. “I will look forward to your phone call Mr. McCracken.”

  Once she was inside her van and hooked up, ready to drive, she sat there for a few minutes thinking about the meeting she’d just had. She was also thinking about the man she’d just met as well. He may look like his brother, the sheriff, but he certainly didn’t have the same pushy, bossy personality his brother had. That was good.

  * * *

  Roger stood in his outer office doorway watching Miss Nicole Fuller wheel her chair down the hallway until she disappeared from his sight. He finally returned to his office and sat there at his desk with his elbows on the desk and his head in his hands.

  What in the world had just happened here? Who was that woman? Yeah. Who was the very prim and proper Miss Nicole Fuller?

  He’d often wondered what his first client would be like, but he’d never even come close to imagining someone like her. She had to be the most interesting woman he’d ever encountered.

  He laughed aloud. Quite possibly the most beautiful woman he’d ever encountered too. Man! It sure was a shame she was confined to a wheelchair. Then he remembered that she was deaf too.

  Well, enough of those thoughts. He had a job to do. Yeah! His first client needed him.

  He grabbed his light jacket and headed out the door.

  Outside, the early October air had its usual cool dampness, and he was glad for the jacket before he reached his car.

  As he drove slowly to the sheriff’s office, Roger thought about all the things that had changed in his life in the past few months. Not only had he quit his job in the city and moved back to Crowleyville but his whole lifestyle had changed too.

  He laughed as he looked around at the traffic, or lack of traffic. He suddenly realized a big reason he’d come back home. At five-thirty in the city, he’d be crawling along in bumper to bumper traffic. He met an occasional car or more likely a truck and they all waved at him.

  He laughed when he thought about his little brother, Myron, telling him he would have to get a pickup now or at the least a Jeep like Floyd drove. He had to admit that his four-door sedan looked a little out of place on Main Street in Crowleyville. Even the sheriff’s deputies drove SUVs.

  Oh well, first things first. He had a job to do, and he’d better get to it. He knew Miss Nicole Fuller would fire him immediately if he didn’t do what she expected him to do.

  That was a thought. Exactly what did she expect him to do?

  Well, that thought would have to wait. He was entering the sheriff’s office now and Bev Meyers, behind the glass, waved him over to the door she’d just buzzed open for him.

  He called out to her as he passed and headed down the long hallway to Floyd’s office. The door was wide open, so he stepped into the doorway and saw that Floyd was on the phone, but he waved at Roger and pointed at the four armchairs in a circle in the corner of the room.

  He smiled to himself. His big brother had a system of how he treated those who came into his office. Being six foot four inches tall, Floyd already towered over most people, but he’d had his desk fitted with extra long legs and along with his high desk chair placed him far above anyone he put in the guest chairs directly in front of his desk.

  If it was someone he wanted to be friendly with, Floyd would seat them in an armchair where they could talk eye to eye.

  Roger took the chair farthest from Floyd’s desk which also faced his brother as he finished his phone conversation.

  Floyd hung up the phone and took the chair directly across from Roger.

  “Hey little brother what are you up to today?”

  Roger grinned at his brother. “I’ve got a client.”

  “Great! Your first one, right?”

  “Yep. But I don’t think it will be much and should be settled pretty quick if I’m not mistaken.”

  The smile left Floyd’s face, and he glared at Roger. “I have a feeling you’ll expect me to take care of this case for you.”

  Roger shook his head. “No, nothing like that. I just need to talk to Rob about one of his cases that’s all.”

  He could tell Floyd wasn’t convinced yet, so he started to get up. “Is Rob around so I can talk to him?”

  Floyd put out a big hand. “Just stay put, I’ll get Rob in here. I’d like to know what this first case of yours is all about.”

  He turned around and called out through the connecting door to his secretary’s office. “Crystal, would you call Rob and ask him to step in here with us please?”

  When Floyd turned back around, Roger knew what was coming next.

  “I’ll find out in a minute, anyway. What’s the name of this first client of yours?”

  Floyd was right, he’d know in a minute.

  He made air quotes. “Miss Nicole Fuller.”

  Floyd jerked his head back like he’d been hit. “The teacher?”

  Roger nodded. “Do you know about her case?”

  Floyd frowned. “I sure do. But wait until Rob gets here before we start, okay. I think you’ll want to hear what he has to say about the case and from the look on your face, I think you will want to hear what I can tell you about Miss Fuller too.”

  There was a knock on the door facing and Rob Salter came into the room, shook hands with Roger and sat down between them.

  When he and Rob had been friends growing up, people had always called them the odd couple. Rob was tall, but he was still
three inches shorter than Roger and two inches shorter than Floyd. But that wasn’t what made people call them that.

  Roger was redheaded with freckles, and Rob had white blond hair with a pale complexion and bright blue eyes. they had certainly been quite the contrast side by side.

  Roger waited, knowing Floyd would start the conversation.

  “Rob, my little brother is now representing Miss Fuller. What can you tell him about your case right now?”

  Rob turned to Roger. “I assume you’ve met the lady in question?”

  When Roger merely nodded, Rob went on. “Man! That is one intense little woman. Exactly what did she tell you about the case?”

  Roger wasn’t sure how much to tell them, so he treaded carefully. “She just said she was the Student Council advisor and there was some money missing from their account.”

  Rob laughed. “I would say that is certainly the simplified version of all the cat fighting that’s going on over at that high school. You remember Suzzette Hollis?”

  It was Roger’s turn to laugh. “Man, do I ever. I thought I’d never get rid of her when she decided that she was my girlfriend back in high school. Don’t tell me she’s still causing trouble?”

  Rob shook his head. “No, not anymore. She’s dead.”

  He waited for Roger to get over that statement.

  “She was basically stalking one of the male teachers there but was killed when her brothers had a shootout with a bunch of Mexicans over the drug trade here.”

  Roger wasn’t surprised. Suzzette had been weird to say the least.

  As if he knew what Roger was thinking, Floyd spoke up. “That was one crazy woman there at the last. She really went psycho and kidnapped the woman who was her rival.”

  Rob waved that off. “Anyway, there’s this music teacher there who was thick with Suzzette and I’d say she’s a lot like her in many ways.”

  Roger knew what was coming next. “Her name wouldn’t be Darla Chadwick, would it?”

  Rob nodded his head with a grin. “What else did Miss Fuller tell you about the Chadwick woman?”

  “Just that the other woman wanted to be the Student Council advisor instead of her.”

  “That’s right. So, I’m not sure what she told you but I’m leaning heavily toward Chadwick and one of the students, being the perps in this case.”

  While Roger thought that over, Floyd leaned toward him. “I’m thinking now that you’re involved, all we need to solve this case is for you to go talk to the Chadwick woman and just tell her you’re representing Miss Fuller.”

  Rob pointed at Roger. “As soon as she finds that out, I’m betting the money will suddenly be found and was technically never missing in the first place.”

  Chapter Two

  All the way home from the lawyer’s office, Nicole’s thoughts were racing around in her head. Could she trust that man? She certainly didn’t like him. He was probably just like his overbearing brother.

  On the other hand, he did seem quite professional. But, could she trust him to do a good job for her?

  As soon as she made it home, she wheeled her chair into the living room and pulled herself out of her wheelchair into her recliner. She might as well get comfortable while she waited for Nick. Normally, she’d be in the kitchen preparing her dinner, but she knew Nick would insist on taking her out for a steak as soon as he got there.

  He always did that. He said she didn’t eat right when he wasn’t around. She snickered. He was right. She seldom felt like cooking on school days. She usually had a salad or a sandwich.

  Back to Roger McCracken, Attorney at Law. What did she really think about him?

  Well, she had to admit that even with his red hair and freckles, the man was good looking. Wait a minute. Where did that come from?

  Then she remembered how he’d stared at her when she first got there. He’d said it was because she was so beautiful, but she wasn’t buying that. He had to be just like everyone else when they first met her. They stared at her wheelchair or her legs. Then when they found out she was deaf too, they really said and did strange things.

  But when she really thought about it, she couldn’t have picked a better lawyer. The man was the sheriff’s brother after all. He had an inside pull with the very ones investigating her.

  The light flashing over the front door and her arm receiver vibrating interrupted her thoughts. She looked at the door in time to see Nick come through and call out. “Hey sis.”

  Nick headed straight for her and gave her a hug. Then he stood back and smiled down at her. “Are you ready for a big juicy steak?”

  * * *

  After Rob left, Roger was getting up when Floyd held out a hand. “Wait, Roger. I think there are some things you need to know about this Miss Fuller if you’re going to be her lawyer.”

  So, Roger sank back into his chair and waited for Floyd to start.

  Floyd blew out a breath. “I’m only telling you what you would find out if you did your own background check on her.”

  Roger nodded and waited for Floyd to continue and he didn’t have long to wait.

  “Okay, here it is. That is one amazing woman. She went through college on the ROTC program and went into the Army as a Second Lieutenant. But she only spent three years there.”

  Roger who himself had been in the Army in Afghanistan, knew what was coming next and cringed.

  Floyd looked at Roger’s face. “Yep, you’re right. She was riding in a Humvee when it hit a land mind of some sort. The driver and a guy in the backseat on that side were both killed, but she was blown totally out of the vehicle.”

  Roger was beginning to understand Miss Fuller better.

  Floyd frowned. “The blast busted her eardrums, and the fall broke her back. That’s why she’s in a wheelchair now.”

  Floyd seemed to know Roger needed a moment for all that to sink in. He leaned back in his chair locking his fingers behind his head and watched his brother.

  Suddenly, Floyd yelled out and smacked his fist into his hand. “I don’t believe it.”

  That got Roger’s attention. He looked at Floyd, knowing he’d soon get an explanation for his brother’s outburst.

  Floyd pointed at Roger. “You’re attracted to her, aren’t you?”

  Roger tried for a poker face but should have known he couldn’t fool Floyd.

  “Okay, little brother. I’ll stop right there.” He frowned. “But there’s still more you need to know about the woman.” He snorted. “Especially if you’re attracted to her.”

  Roger didn’t respond to any of that. He knew Floyd would keep on attacking him if he did.

  Floyd waited but finally went on. “She fought her way back through three years of therapy, both for her legs and her speech. I guess you know she can read lips and speak perfectly?”

  Roger nodded, not wanting to say anything to distract Floyd from his story which was getting more and more interesting as he went on.

  Floyd slammed his open palm down on his thigh. “That is one determined, hard working woman. She hasn’t let her handicaps slow her down one little bit. She has a wheelchair van, a handicap equipped house and one of those phones that prints out what you’re saying to her.”

  Roger was still processing all of that when Floyd changed topics on him. His brother was good at that.

  “Now, if you want to settle this thing for Miss Fuller right away this evening, all you gotta do is be at that new steakhouse out by the Walmart between six and seven tonight. That Chadwick woman will be there with several of her cronies from the high school. She goes there every Friday night.”

  When all Roger did was nod his head again, Floyd went on. “I would say that all you gotta do is tell her you’re representing Miss Fuller and you intend to get to the bottom of the whole thing.”

  “That sounds too simple.”

  “Yep, it is. But you watch. If you do that, then I’ll bet that money appears out of thin air right away Monday morning.”

  “How would you kn
ow all this Floyd?”

  Floyd laughed that booming laugh of his. “Don’t forget I’ve been with the sheriff’s office for fifteen years and sheriff for seven of those years. I know almost everything that ever happens in my county. You of all people should know that.”

  Roger left Floyd’s office with so much going around in his head he had to go home and try to sort through it all.

  Soon, he was kicked back in his favorite chair with his head back and his eyes closed, thinking.

  The first thing that popped into his mind was what Floyd had said about him being attracted to Miss Fuller. Was he?

  Well, she was pretty. No, she was more than pretty. Even with that faint scar on her face, she was probably the most beautiful woman in Crowley County.

  Then he thought about all the things Floyd had said about her being wounded in Afghanistan and all the hard work she’d done since to be able to live a normal life. Man! He really admired her for all that.

  Finally, he thought about the trouble she was in right then and he knew suddenly she was totally innocent. He had no doubts about it. She was too straightforward and honest. He’d had lots of experience with lying witnesses. He could tell she had been telling him the truth.

  Now, he had to get out to the steakhouse to confront this Darla Chadwick.

  As he was greeted by the hostess, Roger scanned the tables he could see. Floyd had given him a good description of the woman. There she was. The petite brunette in her mid-twenties was with three other women and they all looked like teachers.

  He looked back at the hostess and pointed at the table where the four women were. “I just need to speak with one of the women at that table.”

  The women were all laughing at something the Chadwick woman had said and it didn’t take any more observation on Roger’s point to see that she was the leader of that little group of women teachers. Interesting. Something to file away for future reference.

  Roger approached the table, so he would be facing Darla Chadwick. When he stopped, she looked up at him and gave him a fake smile. He knew that kind of smile. She was checking him out to see if she would be interested in him. Good.