A Clandestine Rendezvous

The frozen ground crunched under Harvey's feet as he made his way over to the oldest part of Sunset Oaks Cemetery. An eerie silence met him as he walked down a path between the trees, secluded from the flat grasslands of the modern burial sections by scattered groves of oak trees. Emerging on the other side, the ground had become uneven over time due to the roots of the centuries-old trees.

Here, the earliest citizens of Honey Hollow rested beneath elaborate headstones. Harvey bypassed these monuments to the forgotten past, making his way to a foreboding stone building. Slowing down in front of the vault of the dead, he glanced around before heading toward the large, partially open door. That must be hard as hell to open. Harvey thought as his body barely slipped in past the stone door.

A haunting vibe met him inside the tomb. With no electricity in this room of a past era, only two flickering lamps provided light. A soft voice spoke quietly in the dim room.

"I hope you're not casting a curse on me," Harvey said, announcing his arrival.

"I'm only talking to myself," a woman's voice replied.

Harvey watched as she turned around, revealing herself in the flickering light. Bundled up in a long winter coat with faux fur around the shoulders and a faux fur cap, he mused that she looked like a Russian or Eastern European countess from a time past. Her flawless face and strands of silver hair that hung loosely below her cap only reaffirmed the look in Harvey's mind. Although hidden underneath the bulky coat, he knew she had a fantastic figure. One that was slim and athletic with large breasts and a toned ass. Gray eyes shimmered in the light as she appraised him.

"Talking to one's self in a crypt might be considered creepy, Fiona."

"Crypts tend to be underground, Harvey. We like to call this our family mausoleum," Fiona Wynwick corrected him, but good-naturally.

"I felt the term crypt as more appropriate when one considers how your ancestors must feel having a Diamond inside here with them," Harvey explained, waving his arm in the direction of the stone coffins.

"Most might be rolling over in their coffins, but a few would understand. Those that viewed what's best for the people of Honey Hollow as mattering more than our family rivalry," Fiona commented as she walked over to push the door shut further.

With the mausoleum closed off to the elements, Fiona removed her fur cap, allowing her silver hair to fall down her shoulders. Eight years younger than Harvey, Fiona looked even younger despite her silver hair. A heredity genetic quirk, the premature graying of her hair announced her as a Wynwick. One of the oldest lines in Honey Hollow, the Wynwicks, had once been one of its wealthiest and influential families. A house that crumbled from the inside as bitter family feuds splintered it into different factions both in and out of Honey Hollow. The Wynwicks still had wealth and influence, but it was divided amongst various members. No longer involved in their old logging and mining business, they shaped the city through their family charity, the Wynwick Foundation. Fiona had shocked most everyone when she defeated her cousin, Kermit, to become only the second-ever chairwoman.

"I'm picturing the Wynwick version of the Cryptkeeper rising up to teach me a lesson in crossing your family," Harvey replied, fighting off a shudder. The Wynwicks and Diamonds were Honey Hollow's version of the Hatfields and McCoys. A bitter feud that had resulted in several deaths over the last century.

"Fine, you got me. I was telling him to hold back for now when you walked in," Fiona joked, flashing her perfect teeth.

The friendly rapport between Harvey and Fiona would've shocked even them once upon a time. But they had found common cause over a citywide disagreement about the new cheerleader uniforms several years back. A conservative family values organization had decided to make an example of what they saw as the sexualization of teenage girls. However, their tactics to shame the teenagers enraged many citizens in town. At the urging of Whitney, who planned to be a cheerleader in the future, Harvey became involved. He found an unlikely ally in Fiona, one that helped put an end to the controversy. The two agreed to fund the new uniforms and the cheer program for the rest of the school year. In the process, they discovered they had similar views on life and what they wanted for Honey Hollow. The thawing relations between the two brought hope and anger to others in the city. Still, they kept quiet over their growing closeness.

"How is Whitney?" Fiona inquired, shifting the conversation to a more serious matter.

"She's still in the hospital for observation but doing better. Thank you for asking."

"Of course. Wasp Lake is dangerous during the winter. Those hot springs cause patches of thin ice," Fiona conveyed. "My grandfather lost a close friend as a teenager. He fell through the ice and died."

"I heard that story many times from my grandfather," Harvey recalled. "I'm...we're very fortunate that she had a friend nearby that risked his life to save her."

Fiona nodded. The subject was fresh and raw for him. She shuddered to imagine if her son had been the one to fall through the ice. Knowing that only a pressing matter would pull a father away from his daughter at a time like this, she moved on to why Harvey wanted to meet.

"Your brother said you had new information about the attacks on Mayor Dunkley."

"Oh, yes, sorry. Have you heard anything about Orrin Rusk planning a mayoral campaign?" Harvey queried.

"There have been some rumors. I know he's been offering help to any businesses connected to cars. Helping pay for improvements or upgrades for car repair garages, auto body shops, and auto parts stores. These are all independent stores. He claims he's helping to fight back against large chains."

"Yes, I heard a little of that as well," Harvey relayed, thinking about the new garage doors at Wirchie's.

"But I've doubted he would actually run," Fiona remarked.

"How come?"

"Some people like to flirt with the idea of running for office even if they never plan to. It makes them feel important and wanted. In Orrin's case, he can bitch and moan about problems without having to think of practical solutions."

"So, you don't believe he's running?" Harvey further inquired.

"He still might, but it made more sense to announce it last spring or summer. That gives him time to fundraise and work on his positions," Fiona explained. "At this point, there are only four months until election day. He'll be playing catch-up."

"Well, what if I tell you that I've heard he has a wealthy benefactor or two behind him?"

"Like who?" Fiona asked.

"That's what I wanted to check in with you over. I know you're committed to Dewey, but are you sure about your friends?" Harvey challenged.

"I can assure you that the Thirlbys and Nobles are supporters of Dwight."

"And other factions of your family?"

"I can vouch for the local branch for sure. I might not agree on much with Kermit, but he backed Dwight before I took over. And he would never buck against Uncle Myles while he's still alive. The Rattle Ridge Wynwicks are the only other branch close enough to care about what happens in Honey Hollow, but they wouldn't meddle in an election here. They have no reason," Fiona rattled off.

"Good. I didn't think so, but I wanted to double-check," Harvey said, nodding. "That narrows down the possibilities."

"Are you sure Rusk has one of the wealthier families backing him? He might be making an amateur mistake by waiting this long to announce his candidacy. Lots of wannabe politicians half-ass their way into an election," Fiona pointed out.

"No, someone is behind him. I can feel it," Harvey insisted. "And I think that someone is funding The Stinging Truth."

"The Stinging Truth? I know they've been running some awful attacks on Dwight, but I'm not sure it's for his opponent. They post ludicrous articles about many other people."

"Have they gone after your family?"

"Not quite. They repeated some urban legends about the abandoned lodge. Stuff about its past deaths, ghosts, and buried treasure," Fiona revealed. "They have run a few kooky conspiracy theories about the foundation. Crap about our soup kitchen being a front for pharmaceutical companies to test new ****. I didn't think anything of it as crazy conspiracy theories seem to be the rage on the internet these days."

"Well, they went after me this morning." Fiona nodded at his statement. "They somehow knew to be in the ER waiting room when I was there. And they've done some serious research on me. Very few people knew some of those details from more than twenty years ago."

"You think they're going after you because you're friends with Dwight?" Fiona questioned.

"It's very possible. I think the time has come to investigate why a website cares enough to cover Honey Hollow at this level of detail. It's unlikely a city this size generates enough revenue to hire staff and conduct research," Harvey speculated.

"This does seem fishy. Let me make some inquiries. Quiet ones," she added, seeing Harvey start to interrupt.

"Of course, I trust your discretion, Fiona. Perhaps we can discuss this again tomorrow night. The hotel offers opportunities to keep our alliance secret for now."

"Yes, I'll check in with my sister after I leave. Sela's bored and loves to gossip. She might have heard something that didn't seem important at the time," Fiona said, thinking her next move out loud. "You worry about Whitney, and leave this to me for now."

That's one damn fine woman. Harvey praised as he left the mausoleum. I wonder what the reaction would be if we hooked up. No doubt, the sex would be mindblowing. She's discreet in her affairs, but she sounds like one wild filly.

Checking his phone, he saw several messages on his phone. He took longer than expected, and now everyone wondered about his whereabouts. He quickly dashed off a message to Bridget. Slipping his phone back into his pocket, Harvey planned to retrace his steps through the tree-lined path, but his eye caught a familiar sight.

A man with short, messy blond hair strolled up and down the rows of graves, leaning over to check the names on the headstones. He wore a tweed jacket and slacks but not a winter coat. The man next stopped to pull out a pocket watch and stared at it before gazing off at the horizon in confusion.

Lost as always. Harvey chuckled to himself. Taking wide steps, he briskly walked over to the man from behind. Finding a pen in his coat pocket, Harvey pulled it out. Lost in his reading of the headstones, the man never heard anyone approach. Jabbing the pen into the man's side, Harvey deepened his voice.

"Listen up, buddy. Hand over your wallet, and don't try anything. You got it?"

After momentarily freezing up, the man relaxed. "I'd say you found the wrong man to accost, my good man. I'm a lowly public employee, and you're a filthy rich nogoodnik."

"Aw, come on, how did you know it was me?" Harvey complained.

"You've been using that same deep voice since the age of fourteen when puberty hit," the blond-haired man recounted, turning around to face Harvey. "Where is everyone?"

"Larry, you're on the wrong side of the cemetery," Harvey pointed out to his old friend.

"I am? But I thought Cassie was off Evergreen Lane," Lawrence Lufflutz replied, pointing to the small one-lane road. Larry and Harvey had been close friends since kindergarten. While Fredrick Singer had been the class clown of their clique, Larry was the bookworm. He had an analytical brain, excelling at remembering stories and dates. Attributes that served him well as a history professor at Zurbrugg College, but he was also the stereotypical absentminded professor.

"No, Cassandra's located off of Sunshine Lane," Harvey reminded.

"She is? Well, then who's buried off of Evergreen?"

"It doesn't matter. The small service has been over for some time," Harvey informed him. "What did Kimberly tell you?"

A genial man, Larry's face barely flinched, but Harvey noticed it. They knew each other too well for him not to. Harvey practically lived at the Lufflutzes' home growing up. It was his safe place whenever his father's criticisms started up.

"Ah, Kimmie said that Fred's been acting out."

"You could say that. He never told his girlfriend--well, ex-girlfriend--that the whole trip was for Cassandra's **** and the charity starting up. Have you met Skye?"

"Um, is she the stewardess?" Larry asked.

"No, the flight attendant was Velvet," Harvey reminded. Larry had a reputation for never remembering people's names. At least, people he knew. Nevertheless, he could rattle off historical names as if he knew them personally.

"I thought she was the stripper."

"No, the exotic dancer was Champagne. Skye's the model," Harvey said, trying to prod his friend's memory.

"Not ringing any bells."

"She's a hostess at Goforth's."

"Ah, Skye! Yes, a lovely young woman. Been there for years and always remembers how I like my meals," Larry cheerfully recalled. "I didn't know Fred was dating her. She seems more like a good match for Finny."

"Well, she's not dating him any longer." Harvey noticed that Larry seemed to be trying to file that news into what he called one of his brain's file cabinets. "But that's not why Kimberly called you."

"Yes, she mentioned a strange tidbit about chopping through the ice because Clive and Rachel's daughter fell through the ice."

"No, it wasn't Lana; it was Whitney."

"Whitney?! No, I could have sworn she said Lana," Larry insisted with a bewildered face.

"Whitney fell through the ice near Deadman Drop. Luckily--"

"Deadman Drop! I hate that spot. I always thought Fred had a screw loose whenever he dove into the water from there," Larry recalled.

"Yes, luckily, Sean Tarver climbed or fell down and was able to pull Whitney out of the icy water. It was touch and go there for a while," Harvey recounted.

"Sean Tarver," Larry repeated the name, almost rolling it around his tongue. "Aha! Beverly's nephew! Yes, yes, his sister attends Zurbrugg."

"Yeah, that's correct. Whitney's in the hospital--"

"She is?! Is she well?" Larry interrupted to ask.

"She's going to be alright."

"Good, good. Spunky girl, that one. Reminds me of you as a kid," Larry commented.

"I guess she does. Okay, so I wasn't there, but Fred reportedly was drunk out of his mind last night. The rest of the guests at the cabin found him out on Wasp Lake, attempting to chop through the ice. He claimed the ice was owed a life for Whitney surviving. I know it's crazy--"

"Well, there is some folklore about creatures living under the ice. Maybe Fred--" Larry started to launch into a lecture.

"No, Fred didn't know about that. He's on a bender, and it's the tenth anniversary of Cassandra's ****. That's why I need your help," Harvey insisted.

"Yes, that's also a plausible reason," Larry admitted, scratching his chin in contemplation.

"Look, let's meet up with the others and decide what to do."

"It's about time you showed back up," Kimberly complained. However, she didn't join in with the others who flocked to greet her soon-to-be ex-husband. "It's fucking cold out here!"

"You off looking at future burial lots?" Gabriela teased, horrifying her best friend.

"Gabby! Remember what just happened with Whitney," Rachel whispered fiercely.

"Oh, shit. Sorry, Harvey," Gabby sheepishly apologized.

"I'm sorry I took so long, but I found Larry," Harvey reminded everyone, covering for the real reason he disappeared. "So, where to next?"

"We want food!" Jeff cried.

"We're disagreeing over where to go," Clive revealed, flashing a wary look at Harvey. One he understood in seconds.

"We want to have lunch at The Orchard," Gabby said, motioning to Rachel, Kimberly, Lacey, and Austin. "But they don't want to."

Clive, Jeff, and Bridget all shook their head no. Harvey didn't like the idea, either. The Orchard was co-owned by Miranda Rusk. Harvey wanted the opportunity to fill in his friends over what he talked about with Fiona. While not quite the lion's den, he didn't feel comfortable at the moment eating there. Noticing that most of the younger members of their group didn't express any opinion, he had an idea.

"I thought we could go to Luigi's."

"Luigi's? Yes!" Jeff shouted in joy.

"Sweetie, we had that the other day," Gabriela complained. "We want to see Miranda and Annette if they're there."

"We'll see them tomorrow night," Bridget reminded, suspecting the reason why Harvey suggested pizza.

"The Orchard has pizza," Austin pointed out.

"No offense, kid, but your mom has nothing on Luigi's," Jeff stated.

"I think Luigi's is the way to go. Sean requested pizza earlier," Harvey revealed. "We can order an extra one to bring to him."

"Maybe more than one," Peyton chimed in. "Newt and Skye stayed behind at the cabin."

"That's a great idea, Peyton," Harvey responded, overenthusiastically. "We'll order a few extra pizzas to bring back with us."

"Sounds good to me," Clive agreed, nudging Lana.

"Me too," the busty redhead said.

"I'm cool with it," Jared said, causing JoJo to agree.

"Well, I guess pizza is fine," Gabby gave in.

"Yes!" her husband cheered.

"I'm not going," Finn declared, halting the cheers. "I need to check my dad's condo for him."

"Larry's going to do that, Finn," Rachel pointed out. "You need to eat something."

"I'll be fine until dinner; I had breakfast," he responded.

"But--"

"Let the boy go, hun," Clive told his wife.

"Pey, keep my keys. I'll ride with Uncle Larry," Finn told the blonde. He quickly hurried over to the newest arrival's car.

"Oh, I guess I'm leaving," Larry said, overwhelmed by everything happening.

"Keep an eye on the kid," Harvey told his friend before he left too. "Okay, let's go eat."