CHAPTER NINETEEN Chad

"So how is he?" I asked, finally getting to the real purpose of my call, checking on Clint. Lucas was quiet on the other end. I sensed bad news. "What's wrong?"

"I wish I knew how he was," he said. "Perry and I haven't seen him in more than a month."

I was silent as I took in his surprise news. Clint and Lucas were close. They'd survived a harrowing experience. "That's not like the two of you," I stated.

"We had words," Lucas confessed. "Not good ones."

"Uh-oh," I whispered. "But hey, you guys need to let it go. Clint made up his mind that I wasn't the one, and that's how it is." Lucas cleared his throat and hesitated to say any more. "I appreciate you defending me and hoping we'd figure things out, but we didn't," I added, hoping to make him feel better since I assumed he and Perry had been defending me to Clint.

"That's not it, buddy," Lucas said. "Hey, hang on a second." I heard a bell chime as he walked out of his gas station's front door. "Sorry about that. I needed to get out of earshot of Clayton Hayes, my new hire. He's friends with Clint and…" He stopped mid-sentence.

"And?" I asked.

"Jesus!" he muttered. "I didn't want to have this conversation today, Chad."

"Then you don't have to," I said. "I don't want to cause your friendship with Clint any harm."

Lucas let out a long sigh. "We don't have a friendship with Clint any longer," he admitted.

His news was shocking. Clint adored, practically worshipped, Lucas. And with me and Clint pairing up and becoming fast friends with Lucas and Perry, we'd all been very tight.

"No way," I insisted. "Is it me?"

"I wish it was you, buddy. At least then we could make sense of it."

Now I was worried about Clint and pushed further. "Can you tell me?"

"You aren't going to like this," he began. "Perry and I are still confused by the whole thing."

"Lucas, please," I begged.

"He's taken back up with Rhonda," Lucas revealed.

His announcement floored me. Rhonda was his ex. Her primary concern after Clint was shot was whether she'd get paid out on his life insurance if he didn't die within thirty days. Apparently, Clint only had accidental death life insurance.

"No, he didn't," I stated.

"Chad! Honest. He did," Lucas confirmed. "I wish it wasn't true."

"But… but, why? How?" I garbled, panic running through my brain.

Rhonda was toxic. She ruined Clint's friendships and reputation after she found out he was living in upstate South Carolina with me, and was in a gay relationship. There wasn't a soul left in Beaufort, South Carolina, that she didn't tell that Clint was a ‘big ol' fag.' Her exact words.

Her words destroyed every friendship he had, distanced his already distant and limited family, and caused him to lose two jobs while we were living in Beaufort before returning to Columbia for college. In fact, he primarily agreed to move because of the problems she'd caused him in his hometown.

"Perry and I tried to figure out why he'd do such a thing, but he's shut us out since we discovered the news."

"I'm stunned," I admitted. "I mean, after everything she put him through. None of this seems possible."

"That's not the worst of it, buddy."

My heart sank. I hated to think that Clint might be in trouble or hurting. I'd since healed my heart and got my mind off him as my ex-partner, but I still loved him as a person, even if he didn't return any messages I sent him.

"What's worse than being back with that woman?" I asked, trying to be respectful, but failing, of a woman I really didn't know other than what I'd witnessed in the hospital.

"He's been withdrawing large sums of money from his investment accounts that Perry manages for him."

"For the beach house he's building?" I inquired.

"He abandoned that project after you two broke up. He told us it was a reminder of you and he didn't want to live there," Lucas explained. "As you know, the house was nearly completed."

"Then what's he spending the money on?" I asked before it dawned on me. "Rhonda?"

"We assume as much," Lucas said. "He won't speak to Perry about any of it. He refuses to listen to advice regarding his money, or anything concerning her."

"Shit!" I muttered.

"Agreed," he said. "One big pile of it named Rhonda. We figure she came sniffing around once he returned home without you. The entire county knows we won all that money at trial."

"Damn," I said to myself more than anything.

"That's two swear words in one call, bud. That isn't you."

"I'm worried now, Lucas."

"We all are. He won't listen, so don't waste your time or concern," he said. "We'll be here for him if he needs us, but so far it seems he doesn't."

"I'll keep the news to myself then," I said. "No sense in piling on. How are the two of you? Life still good with Mr. Jackson?"

"Mr. Jackson is just perfect. Still commuting to Charleston a couple of days a week, but he loves living here in Beaufort. Who'd a thunk?"

"Give him a hug and let him know I miss his handsome face," I said. "I'll let you go. I know you're busy at the station."

"One quick question, buddy," he said, holding me from hanging up. "How's the new neighbor?"

I laughed out loud. "Who told you about a new neighbor?"

"Perry, of course," he answered. "Who else would know about another hot, gay, eligible, multi-millionaire from New York? They run in packs, dontcha know?" he quipped.

"He's good looking for sure. Don't care about his money, though," I stated. "He's not over his ex, so I'm avoiding that like the plague."

"But yet you have gossip about his ex already?"

"Well, of course I do," I laughed. "I'm not looking, but who doesn't like a bit of gossip on occasion?" I asked. "Besides, my mind is working overdrive and I still haven't received a vibe or message concerning the man."

"Perry has a theory," Lucas shared. "Thought you might like to hear it, since you're the spirit whisperer."

I'd heard all the descriptors, but spirit whisperer was a new one. "Lemme have it."

"Perry says Jack sent him."

As shocking as it was to discover a picture of Jack on my new neighbor's side table, I wasn't convinced of that just yet. "No, Jack has been silent," I said, unconvinced. "I would've felt something."

"I'd double check if I was you," he suggested. "We all know the power of Jack, now don't we?"

"Stop," I said, suddenly listening to my unconscious mind for any messages or feelings.

"Just saying, buddy. I'd check again. Nice chattin' with ya," he said, laughing at my dumbfounded silence.

After our goodbyes, I laid my cell phone on the counter and stared at the ocean.

"Jack?"