The Ghost From Her Past

Chapter 11

Chapter 11: The Mystery Girl

Grady finished talking to Sam and immediately called John.

"Hey, John. Can you conduct a background check on Penny Dashwood?" Grady asked.

"Sure thing. "I am currently working on a background check for Alan at the moment, but I will certainly assist you once I have finished," John replied.

"Thanks a lot, man. I appreciate it," Grady said.

As they hung up the phone, he couldn't help but wonder why Victor was traveling to both Seattle and Mississippi. He hoped John could find out. Grady then went to tell Alex what Sam had told him about Victor.

The next day, Jack and I went to Forks. We went to the Blue Crystal. The man that works there looks scary. "Hello, my name is Jack Cooper and this is Willow Mills. Have you seen this boy around the area?" Jack asks.

"My name is Donnie Prize. I am the owner of this bar. I have seen this boy, but I never got his name. The boy would come to see Patty Wakefield. Patty works for me. She is a hard-working girl," Donnie replied.

"Can you please inform Patty that we need to have a conversation with her regarding the boy she was dating?" Jack requested.

"I will tell her to call you. Is Patty in trouble for something?" Donnie asks. "No, we just need to ask her some questions about the boy she has been dating. The boy she has been dating is in trouble. I am this boy's lawyer," Jack replied.

After finishing our conversation with Donnie, we went to get a hotel room. Jack gave Donnie his phone number so that Patty could contact him. Jack called my dad, Hank, to ask if he could conduct a background check on Patty.

"Hank, could you please conduct a background check on Patty Wakefield?" Jack requested.

"Yes, I will conduct a background check," Hank agrees.

"Thank you," Jack replied.

Later, Patty was getting ready for work when Donnie call her.

"What is going on Donnie?" Patty asks.

"A lawyer named Jack Cooper has been trying to contact you to ask some questions about the boy you have been seeing," Donnie informed Patty.

"Did he leave a phone number, so I can call him?" Patty asks.

"Yes, he did," Donnie replied giving Patty the number.

Patty was worried, so she call her brother for some advice.

"A lawyer named Jack Cooper is looking for me. He wants to ask me questions about Eric," Patty replied.

"I knew it was a bad idea to steal money from that jerk," Seth exclaimed. "I told you we make more than enough money to get by. We don't even know if mom is telling the truth. She's been with a lot of men, any one of them could be your father."

Patty looked nervous as Seth continued, "Did Jack leave his phone number for you to call him?"

Patty hesitated before replying, "Yes, he did, but I don't know if I should call him."

Seth thought for a moment before offering his advice, "I think you should call this lawyer. You can't run from this."

I will call him tomorrow," Patty replied.

"Do not panic. Jack is just a lawyer. Jack is not a cop. Just call him to see what he wants," Seth suggests.

The next day, Patty called Jack.

"Hello, this is Patty Wakefield. My boss Donnie told me that you need to talk to me about Eric," Patty questions.

"Can we meet somewhere?" Jack asks.

"We can meet at a coffee shop near the Lake View Hotel in 20 minutes," Patty replied.

The coffee shop was located near the hotel where we were staying. Jack and I went to the coffee shop and waited for Patty.

"I didn't feel bad about what I did," said Patty, her tone defensive. "Ted Goldman owed us that money!"

Jack shook his head, his expression stern. "I'm sorry your mom has to struggle to support you, but that doesn't justify stealing from anyone. Look at my girlfriend Jackie – her dad abandoned her when she was a baby, but she didn't steal from anyone. She went to college and made something of herself. Jackie's a successful lawyer now, and I'm proud of her. And you're a coward, Patty, for having someone else do your dirty work."

"I know I was a coward," Patty admitted, her voice quieter now. "But I was so angry I couldn't see what I was doing."

"No matter how much of a jerk Ted Goldman may be, you have no right to steal from him! Do you know that Eric is in jail for three counts of murder and two attempted murders?" Jack asks.

"Eric did not kill anyone. Who are the police accusing Eric of killing?" Patty asks.

"Someone went to Ted Goldman's store and shot two customers and an employee. One of the customers, Debbie Plumber was killed. Debbie's son Jordan was badly injured and the employee Jerry Conway was also injured. The killer also killed Ted Goldman's daughter Amy and her boyfriend," Jack explained.

"Eric would never harm anyone. Eric is innocent!" Patty protested.

"The police found the gun in Eric's car. Eric is not speaking. I think he is protecting someone," Jack replied.

"I did not kill anyone. I was angry with Ted Goldman, but I could not harm anyone," Patty replied.

"I believe you. You didn't have to talk to us, but you did. You could have run, but you did not. That proves to me that you are innocent. We can go talk to Eric tomorrow," Jack replied.