Page 22 of Nash Falls

That wasn’t unduly surprising to Nash. His father had never had a cell phone, at least that he knew of, though Nash had bought his mother one.

“Okay, but my father had a house phone. Is that still active?”

“Yes.”

Nash recalled the number from his childhood. He repeated it to her to make sure it hadn’t changed and she said, “That’s the number, yes.”

“Okay, I’ll call you after I’ve met with Dickey. I have to travel out of town shortly, so it might be after that.” When tears started to well up in her eyes he said firmly, “Rosie, if my father wanted you taken care of, you will be taken care of, all right? I give you my word.”

“Yes sir. All right. Thank you.”

He stood there looking at her for a moment, his curiosity ratcheting up. “How did you and my father meet?”

“I work at the VA. He came in for treatment for his… troubles.”

“I see. And what do you do at the VA?”

“I… do the bedpans, turn the patients on their backs and stomachs, pick them up when they fall. I help them safely walk the halls during their rehab. Whatever they need. I’m very strong and I work hard. I really do, sir.”

To Nash, it seemed Parker wanted to communicate that she was no freeloader.

“Thatisvery hard work that not many people would be capable of doing. I’m sure you have helped a great many people who needed it.”

She glanced at him. “You’re nothing like Ty said you were.”

“And what did he say I was like?”

“He said you were one mean bastard. That was why I was so nervous at the church.”

“I am many things, but a mean bastard is not one of them.”

“What Shock said to you at the church? It wasn’t right,” added Parker firmly.

“But hewasa wonderful friend to my father. Especially after my mother died.”

“How did you know that? Your father told me that you two weren’t close.”

The information about Shock’s consoling his father had come from the neighbor, Harriet Segura. She had told Nash that she had seen Shock over there nearly every day for six months after Nash’s mother had passed away.

Out in the backyard, holding Ty in his arms while the man was sobbing his heart out. Never seen two men, especially two men like that, act that way. What friends are supposed to be. That Isaiah York—love him or hate him, he’s the real deal.

“I had ways of keeping tabs on my father,” he replied. “Though I didn’t know about you.” He appraised her. “But you were clearly very important to him, Rosie.”

“He was a complicated man, your father. But he was real good to me.”

“Do you have any idea why he would have made me the executor of his estate? Did he ever mention me other than to say I was a mean bastard?”

“A few things here and there,” Parker said cautiously.

Nash checked his watch. “Look, when I get back to town we can meet.”

“You can come by the house. I mean, it’s your house now.”

“We won’t know that until the will terms are disclosed. But that would be nice. I haven’t been there… in a while. I’ll give you a call.”

“Thank you, Mr. Nash.”

“Please, I said it was Walter.”