Stubborn and in Love (Book Three)

21.

Jack's POV

Well, 'talking things out' went about as well as I expected it to.

By the time I had woken up the next morning, Melody was already off. I assumed she was joining Peggy and Angie for breakfast and was probably set to spend the rest of the day with them.

The wedding was only three days away now, and the rehearsal dinner was the following night.

The sound of the telephone in the other room disturbed my brooding. When I pressed it to my ear, a familiar voice answered me.

"Goodday, is this Ms.Luna?"

"No, she's out at the moment. Who is this?"

"This is Mr.Gray from Starry Bank."

My ears perked up at the sound of the establishment.

"Go on."

"Well, I'm afraid there's been some trouble here. A woman came in today and tried to withdraw from the Russo bank account. She claimed to be Ms.Luna."

Melody's POV

Between the argument with Jack and tea with Peggy and Angie, I had pushed the thoughts of the folded paper tucked in my waistband out of my mind.

I'd left the restaurant we were eating at and headed back to Wolf Lodges.

The morning air was still cool as I strolled through the vibrant garden, paper clutched delicately between my fingers. There was a small secluded area with a stone bench just out of view of the main house.

I took a moment to pause and hide myself away so I could properly analyze the next clue.

The paper left for me felt fragile, like a thousand hands had run over it through its lifetime. Upon unraveling it, I knew in an instant what it was.

"What are you reading?"

Jack's gruff voice rang in my ears.

"A poem, left for me."

He rubbed his forehead and shifted in his overbearing stance.

"I could use some more context."

"When I was a young girl, I always carried around a book of poems. Frankie would read my favorite ones aloud to me. He left this," I pointed to the paper, "as another clue. It's by John Clare, entitled On a Lane In Spring." I began to read the poem aloud:

A Little Lane, the brook runs close beside

And spangles in the sunshine while the fish glide swiftly by

And hedges leafing with the green spring tide

From out their greenery the old birds fly

And chirp and whistle in the morning sun

The pilewort glitters 'neath the pale blue sky

The little robin has its nest begun

And grass green linnets round the bushes fly

How Mild the Spring Comes in; the daisy buds

Lift up their golden blossoms to the sky

How lovely are the pingles and the woods

Here a beetle runs; and there a fly

Rests on the Arum leaf in bottle green

And all the Spring in this Sweet lane is seen

Jack had grown quiet and lost in thought as I read. When I finished his face seemed to soften.

He took a seat next to me on the stone bench, pressing his fingers into the rough sides.

"Look, I know this whole thing has been really hard on you. Brought up a lot of painful memories, but, you have to realize that, he's dead. That evil man is gone. Don't let him have control over your life like this. Let him go."

"I know I'm stronger than this, and I know I should hate him for all that he's done, but I can't. I can't let him go until I reach the end of this."

I looked at him as a single tear slipped down my ivory cheek. His face looked forgiving, but then he changed. His posture grew stiff.

"Well, apparently you aren't the only one who won't let this whole thing go. Mr.Gray called and informed me that a woman went into the bank, impersonating you."

Shock consumed my emotions, freezing them in time.

"I saw an unusual woman at the tavern last night..."

"Probably the same woman. And even more likely the same woman who left that glove in your apartment. The same woman who took Frankie's weapons."

"But, how? When I saw her, her hair was blonde. She was taller than me by the looks of it as well."

"She's good at disguise, that we know. Mr.Gray said if you hadn't come into the bank before her, he would've gone ahead and given away the note to her."

"I don't understand, whoever broke into my apartment was inexperienced, clumsy. The rest were more thoughtful."

"Then she's not alone."