Page 123 of The Legend
We spent agood hour out there before Jameson said he was tired and decided to take ashower before he went to bed.
The kidswere with Spencer and Alley in Bristol watching the NASCAR race, which I’msure, was part of Jameson’s mood swing as well.
Making myway downstairs, I heard the shower turn-on and then I cried.
I musthave sat in the kitchen for close to another hour when Van came by. He seemedconcerned.
“Van,” Isighed handing him a cup of coffee. “I’m worried about him. I just want myhusband back and right now he seems so distant.”
“Maybeafter the funeral he will have some closure?” Van suggested. “When are theydoing it?”
“Maybe.I guessthat could help.” I said taking a drink from my own coffee. “Axel, Spencer andLane already spread the ashes on Grays Harbor Raceway but the funeral inBloomington will be on Wednesday.”
We werequiet, when Van sensed I needed some advice. “I’ll tell you what I told yououtside Jamestown in the hotel.” His eyes focused on me. “I don’t know if hewill ever be the same. I hope that he can and I think that he will but I don’tknow for sure.”
Nodding, Ipoured more coffee for us when Van cleared his throat. “There’s something thatI need to speak to you about.”
“What?”His demeanor, his voice, the look in his dark eyes, all reminded me the time hetold me about his family and what Darrin had done to them. My blood ran coldthinking of what he could possibly need to tell me.
“It’sabout Grady.” Van began, his eyes remained cold but he looked at the cup in hishands as he spoke slowly. “Jimi had come to me when the engine went missing andasked that Clint and I look into Grady. He seemed too familiar but I couldn’tplace the face.” His eyes darted to mine, wide and weary. “I knew there was aconnection, it was just too familiar not to be.”
“Oh god Van!”Igasped moving away from the counter. “Please tell me he’s not related to him!Please tell me he’s not alive!”
Van caughtme in his arms, his jaw clenched. “No, he’s not alive...but Grady is...his son.”
I couldn’tbreathe. The worst part, the sickening part, was that Jameson trusted him.
“How doyou know?” My heart was pounding thinking of how close he was to our family, mykids, my husband, a place where we called home.
“Clintfound his birth certificate and traced him back to Kannapolis where Darrin wasfrom. Grady was born there to Leslie Andrews. From there Clint found out thatthere was no biological father listed on his birth certificate but that Darrinhad requested a paternity test of Grady Andrew’s three weeks before he wentafter you.”
“And hewas the father?”
Van let goof me backing away from me to lean against the counter. “Yes.”
“What arewe going to do Van? What do we tell Jameson?”
“We tellhim Grady was fired. Tell him I did it...I don’t care but you can’t tell him...shit,” Van dropped his head, his chin nearly touching his chest.“There’s more...and you mightwant to sit down for this.”
It wasabout that time that I nearly had a heart attack. Van told me everything thathad been happening over the last two month. He told that Grady had altered thewelds on the roll cage in Jameson’s car and that he intended for Jameson to gethurt. He claimed to have never touched Jimi’s car but none of us could be sure.
Van heldme while I cried. I cried for myself, I nearly lost my husband. I cried for Vanwho had lost his family over Darrin so many years ago. I cried for Nancy havinglost such a great man. I cried for Jameson and him not knowing and how it wouldcrush him to know this.
Van toldme that Grady had admitted to everything and that he understood that chargeswere going to be pressed against him. And then he broke the last bit of news tome.
“He wantsto tell Jameson himself.”
My eyes wentwide. “Does he have a death wish?”
Vanchuckled, his demeanor relaxing as he sat back on the stool in the kitchen.“That’s what I said but he knows what he’s done. He admitted everything as soonas Axel cornered him in the shop.”
“Axelknows?”
“Yeah, heand the boys were the first to find out when we did the inspection on Jameson’scar and found the partial welds.”
Running myhands over my face, I took in everything he was telling me and wishing itwasn’t true.
“So whathappens now?”
