The Heritage Paper

Chapter 22



Zach was convinced that Maggie Peterson was the key to unlocking this mystery. She would be his inside source, even if she didn’t know it. And it wasn’t a coincidence that he agreed to accompany her outside.

He took a seat beside Maggie at a patio table. It had a view of the grounds, which reminded him of a country club he worked at while growing up in Michigan. He watched as Eddie and Jamie trudged toward the WWI plane exhibit. Then Eddie turned around like he’d forgotten something.

“C’mon, Maggot,” he shouted.

She didn’t move a muscle.

Zach had the opportunity to observe Maggie during the numerous times she’d come over his house to play nerd with TJ. They didn’t have many conversations, since he was the adult—the enemy! But he’d learned enough to be familiar with her world-class stubborn streak.

Eddie began marching back toward their table. Jamie was right on his heels. The little guy could smell trouble like a shark could sense blood. And he seemed to thrive on it.

Zach was struggling to get a read on Eddie. At first he wanted no part of leaving the restaurant, acting like he was being demoted to the kiddie table. Then in his next breath, he turned into Maggie and Jamie’s personal Secret Service team.

“Let’s go, Maggot,” he barked. “It’s for your own protection.”

Not even a twitch.

Jamie decided to toss some gasoline on the fire, “C’mon, Maggot—let’s go see the airplanes before they fly away!”

This brought the statue to life. “I told you not to ever call me that!”

“Call you what?” Jamie replied with the most innocent of looks.

“Maggot,” she informed him with an earsplitting screech.

Jamie laughed as he pointed at her. “You called yourself Maggot.”

Maggie’s face turned bright red. “Only Uncle Eddie calls me that!”

Eddie flicked Jamie’s ear. “Ouch,” the boy said, baffled by the response.

“Only I call her that,” he re-asserted his authority and returned his attention to the girl. “C’mon, Maggie—stop being such a wuss.”

“I’m going to stay here,” she stated. The terms didn’t sound negotiable.

This set Eddie off again. He was the jolly mall Santa Claus until someone disagreed with him. “I wasn’t asking, Maggie—now come on!”

“You’re not my father.”

Zach winced; she was bringing out the heavy artillery. Eddie’s anger began to overflow … but this time it was directed at Zach.

“If you think you’re going to walk into their lives and then leave when you feel like it, you’re going to have to answer to me.”

“I don’t know what you’re getting at—I’m just trying to help out.”

Eddie got up in his face. “I did some checking up on you. Seems like you have a reputation for not protecting those close to you, and leaving when it’s convenient.”

Zach kept his cool. The guy obviously was trying to bait him and he wasn’t going there. Eddie wasn’t the one who had to endure those painful visits to Bedford every weekend. He never left.

“Like I said, I’m just trying to help out. I didn’t mean to step on your toes.”

“I’m here for the long run to protect this family. It’s how my brother would want it.”

“Did he tell you that?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing—I’m just not a big fan of speaking for the dead. I think they can speak for themselves.”

With a sharp jab of the hand, Eddie struck like a cobra, grabbing Zach’s tie and pulling him close enough to smell lunch. Zach realized if he didn’t take the bait, then Eddie was intent on starting the confrontation, regardless.

“Don’t mess with this family!”

He whipped out his gun and jammed it against Zach’s temple.

As Maggie and TJ might say, or rather, type—OMG! The patrons at the neighboring tables began wildly scattering.

Maggie looked horrified, but Jamie seemed enthralled by what might happen. The kid was a little scary.

Then Eddie surprised Zach again.

He lowered the gun and handed it to him. He read Zach’s confused look and barked, “If someone comes after her, what are you going to do—stab them with your pen?”

Zach forced a nervous smile. “I once had an editor who said I could bore someone to death.”

Eddie turned his back and headed off with Jamie.