said.
Nicholas did as he said and stepped into the office, closing the door behind him. “I can come back another time.”
“No, just some city business, politics. Anyways, thank you for coming on short notice. I wanted to see how your first night was,” Chad said as he wheeled around his desk and stopped just in front of Nicholas.
“It was good, thank you. It’s always nice to sleep in a bed,” Nicholas replied, a bit disturbed that he only wanted to ask about his first night.
“Can I get you a drink?” Chad asked, making his way past Nicholas, who was standing at the front of his desk.
“I thought Mormons didn’t drink.” Nicholas snorted.
“Who said we were all Mormons?” Chad asked as he poured a couple fingers of whiskey into a glass.
“You’re not?”
“I’ll be honest with you, Nicholas, and I hope you’ll be so with me.”
“Honest?”
“Yes, honesty is the best policy,” Chad said and spun around in his wheelchair while balancing the glass in his lap.
“Sure.”
“Glad to hear it,” Chad said and took a sip. “I’ll be very sad when I run out of the good stuff,” he continued as he admired the glass. “You sure I can’t get you some?”
Nicholas felt tempted to have a glass but resisted. He wanted to stay clear and focused. “None for me.”
“I guess you could call me a Jack Mormon.”
“What’s that?”
“It’s had a couple meanings over the years, but now it mainly represents someone who was once devoted to the faith but is no longer. I was born and raised in this great little town, and the only time I left her was when I went to college at BYU. Upon graduation I came back and worked for my family’s business. My grandfather started and operated a small gravel pit not far from here. My father inherited the business and made it into one of the largest operations in Utah. I then took over for him and turned it into one of the largest in the West. I would have passed it onto my children, but someone offered me a deal I couldn’t refuse,” Chad said and paused to take another sip. He again looked at his glass and continued, “They say everyone has a price; I’m an example of that. I sold my children’s legacy, but I gave them a trust fund most would only dream of.”
Nicholas could see the disappointment in his eyes.
“And you know what they did with it? They took the money and went somewhere else to live; no reason to stay here when there wasn’t a company to help run. Nope, they took the cash and left, except my eldest, he stayed.”
“I’ve always heard [PN8] the eldest is the most loyal.”
“What about you, any siblings?”
“Just an older brother,” Nicholas replied. He was growing weary of the conversation and his side was aching.
“How come your brother is not with you?”
“Is there something you wanted? I don’t like being away from my family. I don’t mean to be abrupt, but if this was just about having a casual conversation, could we do it another time?” Nicholas declared.
Chad acted as if he hadn’t heard Nicholas. He tipped his glass back and finished it. “Have you spoken to your group about staying?”
“Yes, and we want to wait until the other two get back here before we make any final decision.”
“I can understand wanting to wait. Hopefully, we’ll find your friends soon; I’ve got my best trying to find them.”
“And for that, I thank you.”
“Would you care to join me, my son and some other townsfolk for a welcoming picnic tomorrow night in the park across the street? We have some steaks, fresh from a ranch I have just outside of town. I’d love to sit and just chat, more personal like,” Chad offered.
Nicholas didn’t care much for social time with people he didn’t know, but he figured it was necessary to placate his hosts; after all, they had helped him and were looking for Bryn. “Sure, I assume that invite goes out to my wife and daughter?”
“Of course, in fact, bring the whole group. Brock
Nicholas did as he said and stepped into the office, closing the door behind him. “I can come back another time.”
“No, just some city business, politics. Anyways, thank you for coming on short notice. I wanted to see how your first night was,” Chad said as he wheeled around his desk and stopped just in front of Nicholas.
“It was good, thank you. It’s always nice to sleep in a bed,” Nicholas replied, a bit disturbed that he only wanted to ask about his first night.
“Can I get you a drink?” Chad asked, making his way past Nicholas, who was standing at the front of his desk.
“I thought Mormons didn’t drink.” Nicholas snorted.
“Who said we were all Mormons?” Chad asked as he poured a couple fingers of whiskey into a glass.
“You’re not?”
“I’ll be honest with you, Nicholas, and I hope you’ll be so with me.”
“Honest?”
“Yes, honesty is the best policy,” Chad said and spun around in his wheelchair while balancing the glass in his lap.
“Sure.”
“Glad to hear it,” Chad said and took a sip. “I’ll be very sad when I run out of the good stuff,” he continued as he admired the glass. “You sure I can’t get you some?”
Nicholas felt tempted to have a glass but resisted. He wanted to stay clear and focused. “None for me.”
“I guess you could call me a Jack Mormon.”
“What’s that?”
“It’s had a couple meanings over the years, but now it mainly represents someone who was once devoted to the faith but is no longer. I was born and raised in this great little town, and the only time I left her was when I went to college at BYU. Upon graduation I came back and worked for my family’s business. My grandfather started and operated a small gravel pit not far from here. My father inherited the business and made it into one of the largest operations in Utah. I then took over for him and turned it into one of the largest in the West. I would have passed it onto my children, but someone offered me a deal I couldn’t refuse,” Chad said and paused to take another sip. He again looked at his glass and continued, “They say everyone has a price; I’m an example of that. I sold my children’s legacy, but I gave them a trust fund most would only dream of.”
Nicholas could see the disappointment in his eyes.
“And you know what they did with it? They took the money and went somewhere else to live; no reason to stay here when there wasn’t a company to help run. Nope, they took the cash and left, except my eldest, he stayed.”
“I’ve always heard [PN8] the eldest is the most loyal.”
“What about you, any siblings?”
“Just an older brother,” Nicholas replied. He was growing weary of the conversation and his side was aching.
“How come your brother is not with you?”
“Is there something you wanted? I don’t like being away from my family. I don’t mean to be abrupt, but if this was just about having a casual conversation, could we do it another time?” Nicholas declared.
Chad acted as if he hadn’t heard Nicholas. He tipped his glass back and finished it. “Have you spoken to your group about staying?”
“Yes, and we want to wait until the other two get back here before we make any final decision.”
“I can understand wanting to wait. Hopefully, we’ll find your friends soon; I’ve got my best trying to find them.”
“And for that, I thank you.”
“Would you care to join me, my son and some other townsfolk for a welcoming picnic tomorrow night in the park across the street? We have some steaks, fresh from a ranch I have just outside of town. I’d love to sit and just chat, more personal like,” Chad offered.
Nicholas didn’t care much for social time with people he didn’t know, but he figured it was necessary to placate his hosts; after all, they had helped him and were looking for Bryn. “Sure, I assume that invite goes out to my wife and daughter?”
“Of course, in fact, bring the whole group. Brock
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