“Yes, I heard everyone was looking for Charlie. My mom was there as well.”
I didn’t remember the last bit but nodded anyway.
“After six months, my mother was emotionally drained. It was decided that my father would take her to France to recuperate. It was a temporary arrangement. Not sure if you know this, but my grandparents had a château which they had bequeathed to my mother and her sister. After some time, though, my mother developed this notion that Maple Grove House was cursed and persuaded my father to stay in France for a while longer. Each time my father brought up the idea of returning, my mother would ask for ‘a bit longer’, which eventually turned into ‘never.’ At that time, we still had a pig farm that was generating some income. It had been profitable until a few years ago when the tenant died, and his kids didn’t want to be pig farmers. Well, my father went back from time to time to take care of some things, but my mother was adamant she didn’t want to set foot in the house again. Gradually, my father stopped coming back as well and things were getting done through our lawyer.”
Jared nodded. “What about you?”
“I spent some time in France, came back to go to university, graduated and have been in the City ever since. Never went back to the house either,” I said and felt that it was a bit too much. The beer wasn’t working in my favor.
Jared pondered his next thought. “He was running towards the main gates, and he was wearing a white shirt?”
“Yes. Why?”
“You know, you might have seen me, not Charlie.”
“What?”
“Well, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about today. I think we’ll need something stronger than beer, though.”
When our “stronger” single malt drink arrived, Jared took his phone and speed dialed a number.
“Freddy, bring it in,” he said and put the phone down. He took his glass, lifted it up and looked through it as if admiring the rich, medium dark shade of orange color of the drink. He gave it a sniff. “Ah, this stuff is the best.”
A tall man with wide shoulders and a square jaw dressed in a black suit walked in the bar with a white paper shopping bag. He approached the table, placed the bag on it and looked at Jared.
“That’ll be all, Freddy. Thanks.” Jared said.
Freddy nodded and left without saying a word.