Sabella And Malcolm Ch 05

Sheriff Carl Jenkins sat at his desk pondering possible ways that would give him access to Malcolm's property.

The main problem was that Malcolm Matheson was a white man, a well respected white man from a well respected family with strong ties to the community.

If he was a colored man the Sheriff could pretty much handle the situation anyway he saw fit. There wouldn't be any cries of unfair treatment because not too many whites cared about the colored people in Culbert County or how they were treated.

This situation wouldn't allow him to just barge on to Malcolm's property throwing out the law as he saw fit.

Doing such a thing in this case could and would raise the ire of the local citizens and his Uncle the Mayor.

No, he had to come up with something or visit the property at a time when Malcolm wasn't going to be there.

'That's it,' Sheriff Jenkins thought to himself. 'I'll visit the ranch when Malcolm isn't there, or maybe I'll catch his guest out and about alone on the ranch.'

The Sheriff smiled as another idea took root in his mind. 'Maybe I can find out about his guest by talking to Mabel, Frank or one of the other ranch hands. Yes, I'll talk to the people who work for him.'

Sheriff Jenkins stood up from his desk, put his hat on his head and headed out the door. He smiled because he now had a plan, a way of solving his problem, and he knew the best place to start was the easiest and that would be with Mabel.

Because everyone knew that if you wanted to find out what was going on in a bachelor's house all you had to do was talk to the housekeeper.

Carl Jenkins sat outside the local grocery store in his patrol car awaiting Mabel's arrival. He expected to see her there because it was Friday the day she did her weekly grocery shopping.

He smiled when just as expected Mabel pulled up to the grocery store in her trusty old pickup truck, turned off the engine, exited the truck, locked the doors and made her way to the front entrance of the grocery store.

Sheriff Jenkins waited until Mabel entered the store and grabbed a grocery cart making her way over to the produce section before he exited his care and made his way inside.

He stood in the front of the store watching Mabel in the produce section checking out the tomatoes, holding them, squeezing them slightly and smelling them checking their freshness.

Jenkins decided to approach Mabel as she made her way out of the produce section towards the back to the meat counter. As he walked up Sheriff Jenkins heard her place an order for six steaks.

"Malcolm having guests?" the butcher asked noticing that Mabel had doubled her usual order.

"Why can't you just fill my order without being nosy Max?" Mabel said to the butcher.

"Just making conversation, Mabel," Max said. "Not my intention to be nosy."

"Six steaks, Max, three pounds of ground beef, a slab of bacon, two whole chickens, a rump roast and six pork chops, please," Mabel said.

"Company going to be staying awhile?" Max asked.

"Charge it to Malcolm's account," Mabel said ignoring Max's question. "I'll pick it up after I've finished with the rest of my shopping."

"Alright," Max replied.

As Mabel turned to leave, she bumped into Sheriff Jenkins, who had purposely positioned himself so that she would bump into him.

"Excuse me, Mabel," Sheriff Jenkins said reaching out and placing his hands on Mabel's shoulders to steady her in case she fell.

"I didn't expect to see you standing there, Sheriff," Mabel said.

"I guess not," Sheriff Jenkins said chuckling. "I came over to see if Max had any decent steaks for sale today."

"The steaks are always decent," Mabel said. "It's putting up with Max that you have to decide if you want to put up with."

"I heard him asking if Malcolm had company as I was walking up to the counter," Sheriff Jenkins said chuckling once again.

"I'm going to finish my shopping Sheriff," Mabel said pushing her cart away from the meat counter. "I'll talk to you later."

"Okay," Sheriff Jenkins said amazed that Mabel hadn't taken the opportunity he'd given her to gossip about Malcolm's guest. "I guess you have to get back home and take care of Malcolm and his guest," the Sheriff said unwilling to give up on getting the information he was seeking.

"I do have to get back to work," Mabel said leaving the Sheriff standing at the meat counter with as much information as he had when he bumped into her.

"How many steaks do you want Sheriff?" Max asked.

"None," Sheriff Jenkins said as he left the meat counter.

It was when he was leaving the grocery store and saw Carolyn Winters heading for the entrance that another idea popped into Sheriff Jenkins mind. He couldn't get the information he wanted from one woman he'd send in another woman to get what he wanted.

"Hello Carolyn," Sheriff Jenkins said reaching up and touching the brim of his hat as he greeted her.

"Hello, Sheriff," Carolyn said. "How are you today?"

"I'm fine," the Sheriff replied. "I'm a little disappointed though, I came over thinking I would have a steak for dinner only to find out that Mabel ordered the last six steaks Max had for Malcolm."

"Six steaks for Malcolm," Carolyn replied finding it strange that Malcolm would order so many steaks just for himself.

"I guess he's planning a nice evening for the visitor, that's been staying with him," Sheriff Jenkins said innocently knowing that he had piqued Carolyn's interest.

"Malcolm didn't say anything about expecting a visitor," Carolyn said.

Sheriff Jenkins smiled. Carolyn's reaction was just what he expected it to be.

"Maybe the woman is an old friend of his," Sheriff Jenkins said giving into his desire to further flame the flames of Carolyn's curiosity.

"She?" Carolyn questioned.

"Yes," the Sheriff replied. "I stopped by Malcolm's place to see how he was doing when Frank came out and asked him about someone named Sabella. Very pretty name don't you think?"

"What does this Sabella look like?" Carolyn asked.

"Don't know," Sheriff Jenkins replied. "I never got a chance to meet her."

"I wonder how long she's been visiting?" Carolyn asked.

"I stopped by Malcolm's place on Monday," Sheriff Jenkins said.

"And today is Friday," Carolyn murmured. "If she's still there, she's been there almost a week. I wonder why Malcolm didn't mention having a guest before I left to visit my grandparents? I could've delayed my trip and been here to help him entertain his guest and introduced her to people around town."

"Maybe Mabel can answer those questions for you," Sheriff Jenkins said as he fought to keep a smile off his face that was trying to break free. "She's inside doing Malcolm's weekly shopping."

"Thank you, Sheriff," Carolyn said. "I think I will have a talk with Mabel and find out what's going on."

"Goodbye, Carolyn," the Sheriff said stepping aside so Carolyn could enter the grocery store.

He smiled thinking that he would soon have all the information, he wanted, using the most powerful weapon in the world a jealous woman protecting her territory.

Carolyn Winters a twenty-eight year old, brown haired version of Marilyn Monroe stands five feet six inches tall, weighs one hundred twenty-five pounds, with eyes just as brown as her hair was what everyone in Culbert County considered to be Malcolm's perfect match.

She was beautiful, smart and she came from an established, respected, wealthy family all things that everyone thought made her the perfect woman for Malcolm, and it was for that reason it was expected that Malcolm and Carolyn would one day get married.

It was so expected that most of the single women in town consider, Malcolm to be off limits, so off limits, they turned him down whenever he asked them out.

Most of them because they didn't want to deal with Carolyn's reaction when she found he'd asked them out, and they'd accepted.

Carolyn went into the grocery store searching for Mabel hoping Mabel would tell her about the woman staying in Malcolm's home.

'What is wrong with that man?' Carolyn thought to herself as she searched. 'He's going to make me the laughing stock of this town. How is it going to look, him, a single man, allowing a woman to stay in his home?'

How would she explain it to her family and friends?

'He better have a good explanation for doing such a thing,' Carolyn thought to herself.

Carolyn, knew and understood that as far as Malcolm was concerned the only thing they shared between them was friendship. Malcolm had told her, that he wasn't interested in her romantically.

When Carolyn suggested they give dating a try Malcolm insisted, it wasn't a good idea, he told her it would be the same as dating a family member for him.

Malcolm also told her, he couldn't date her because of her elitist attitude. Her opinion that there was a place for everything and everything had it's place and that included people.

Carolyn and Malcolm had,had countless talks, arguments about the way Carolyn treated people she considered not in her social class.

People who worked for her family, served others, weren't as educated as she was or who wasn't the same color as she was she considered beneath her. She couldn't understand Malcolm's problem with the way she thought.

Especially when it was clear (at least to her and others like her) that people were of the manor born.

Meaning she was born in a wealthy family with power, a family that wasn't afraid to use that power. Hence this was where God wanted her to be.

It was the job of her family and families like her's to look out for things, to keep things as God intended.

That meant when the lower classes or colored got uppity it was their job to remind them to stay in their place. Doing so kept order, kept things calm and running smoothly.

That was why wealthy families only married into other wealthy families. They all understood how things were done, how things were run. At least that was what her father told her and her father would never lie to her.

Carolyn knew that she and Malcolm belonged together, all she had to do was to get him to see things her way, and she would do that by making herself the only woman available to him, something she had managed to do before this surprised visitor showed up.

Carolyn wasn't really worried about the woman because Malcolm wasn't a man easily tempted by a pretty face or a shapely body (if he was they would be married by now) it took more than that to get a man like Malcolm interested in you.

What she didn't like was the fact that she knew nothing about this woman, and she appeared out of nowhere and that put Carolyn at a disadvantage making her feel defenseless and

Carolyn didn't like that.

Carolyn found Mabel putting the last few items from her shopping list into her shopping cart and heading towards the checkout counter.

Deciding that the direct approach was the way to handle the situation she made her way over to Mabel.

"Hello, Mabel," Carolyn said a forced smile plastered on her face.

"Hello, Carolyn," Mabel replied. "I asked you to call me Miss. Winters," Carolyn said.

"I'll call you Miss. Winters when you call me Miss. Weeks," Mabel said. "I'm old enough to be your mother, and I know your parents taught you better."

"You're a housekeeper, Mabel," Carolyn said. "That changes things."

"Did you have a special reason for coming over here to bother me?" Mabel asked tiring of dealing with Carolyn.

"I came over to find out about the woman staying at Malcolm's house," Carolyn said.

Mabel didn't respond she just stared at Carolyn.

"Who is she?" Carolyn asked.

"That's none of your business," Mabel said. "If Malcolm wanted you to know who was staying at his home, he would've told you, himself."

"I've told you to call him, Mr. Matheson," Carolyn said, "and you know I've been out of town visiting my grandparents so Mr. Matheson wouldn't have been able to tell me anything about having a visitor."

"I think he would've told you if he wanted you to know since you called him almost everyday you were away," Mabel said.

"He may not have told me because our conversations were short," Carolyn said. "We were speaking long distance and a long distance call can be rather expensive even for the wealthy. I'm sure now that I'm back in town, he's going to introduce me to his guest. I just want to know what to expect when I meet this woman."

"I can't help you, Carolyn," Mabel said swallowing the laugh that almost escaped her lips when Carolyn turned red with anger because she refused to tell her anything about Sabella. "I'm sure you understand since you've seen fit to remind me often that a housekeeper shouldn't go around putting her employer's business out for the whole world to see. In fact, I remember you telling me that a person in my position should treat it like working for the government and keep all family secrets and that is how I'm going to treat the information you're asking for. It was good talking to you, Carolyn," Mabel said as she paid for her purchases and made her way towards the exit. "I'll tell Malcolm, you're back in town and asking about him."

'The first thing I'm going to do after I marry Malcolm is fire that old cow,' Carolyn said to herself as she watched Mabel walk out of the store. 'Looks like if I'm going to have to pay Malcolm a visit if I'm going to find out anything about this Sabella, person, since I can't find out anything from the help.'

"Did you find out anything from Mabel?"

Carolyn jumped at hearing the sound of Sheriff Jenkins' voice behind her.

"You shouldn't walk up on people like that, Sheriff," Carolyn said placing her hand against her chest.

"I'm sorry Carolyn," the Sheriff said. "I saw you talking to Mabel, and I was just wondering if you found out anything about Malcolm's guest."

"Why are you so interested in Malcolm's guest?" Carolyn asked not understanding the Sheriff's desire for information.

"It's my job to keep everyone in Culbert County safe," Sheriff Jenkins replied, "and the way Malcolm's behaving is setting off my alarms. I just want to make sure this woman isn't a threat to the town."

"Malcolm has always been a very private person," Carolyn pointed out. "He values his privacy and the privacy of the people who visits him."

"I know that," Jenkins said, "but he usually introduces his visitors to someone in town by now. He hasn't done that with this woman and that says to me that something is off, and I should look into it. I think you should be a little curious yourself, she is staying with him alone in that house after Mabel goes home."

Jenkins pretended not to notice when Carolyn's eyebrows jerked up a little.

"I'm going to stop by Malcolm's on my way home," Carolyn said, "and prove to you that this woman is just a friend and nothing more."

"Alright," Sheriff Jenkins said. "I'll be waiting to hear wha tyou find out."

'Some people are so easy,' Sheriff Jenkins thought to himself as he watched Carolyn climb into her car and head to Malcolm's house. 'I wish I could be a fly on the wall to see Malcolm's reaction when she shows up at his place. The shit is going to hit the fan and the smell is going to be awful.'

Carolyn found Malcolm sitting on his front porch, as if he was waiting for her when she pulled up in his driveway.

The look on his face said he wasn't at all glad to see her causing her to wonder if Mabel told him about her asking about his guest. After checking her make up one last time Carolyn, opened the door to her car, slid from behind the wheel, closed the door and made her way over to Malcolm.

She smiled as she approached him hoping he would smile in return. He didn't.

"Hello, Malcolm," Carolyn said walking up the path leading to the front porch.

"Hello, Carolyn," Malcolm replied folding his arms across his chest and standing up able to not give into the good manners his parents taught him about standing when a lady inters a room or approaches.

"How have you been?" Carolyn asked.

"Fine," Malcolm said his tone flat and unwelcoming. "How have you been?"

"Fine," Carolyn replied stepping up onto the front porch.

"How are your parents and your grandparents?" Malcolm asked.

"Everyone in my family is fine," Carolyn said waiting for Malcolm to offer her a seat on the porch or ask her inside his home.

"That's good," Malcolm said. "What can I do for you today?"

"Do I need a reason to stop by and visit?" Carolyn replied coyly.

"No," Malcolm said, "but I'm busy today, and I don't really have time for visitors."

"I'm not a visitor," Carolyn said her voice holding a hint of insult. "I'm a friend and you, Malcolm Matheson has always had time for a friend."

"Normally you would be right," Malcolm said tiring of the back and forth conversation, "but today I don't have time for friends or visitors."

"Oh, does that mean your other houseguest has left?"

"No, she's still here."

"I would like to meet her," Carolyn said heading for the front door.

"Not today," Malcolm said putting his hand on the front door knob to keep Carolyn from entering his home. "Today wouldn't be a good time Carolyn."

"When are you going to let us meet your mystery guest?" Carolyn asked. "I understand she's been here a week and no one in town has met or seen her. It's like you're hiding the woman away."

"I think you should leave, " Malcolm said. "Like I told you a few seconds ago today isn't a good time to visit."

"I'm sorry if I offended you, Malcolm," Carolyn said caught off guard by the harsh tone of Malcolm's voice. "I wasn't trying to be offensive."

"I'll talk to you later Carolyn," Malcolm said his tone letting Carolyn know that he wanted her to leave.

Carolyn made her way back to her car, opened the door, climbed back behind the wheel, started it up, put in reverse backed out of Malcolm's driveway, and she headed home.

Malcolm closed the front door and made his way over to the couch and plopped down glad he had managed to ward off another nosy visitor.

He knew when Mabel told him about Carolyn approaching her at the grocery store and questioning her about Sabella that Carolyn would pay him a visit, so he wasn't surprised when she showed up, and he was glad he was prepared for her question and any tactics she might use to try to get into his home.

"How long before she comes back?"

Malcolm looked up to see Sabella standing at the foot of the stairs a glass of water in her hand and a worried expression on her face.

"Until she can think of another reason to pay me a surprise visit," Malcolm said. "I'd give her a day or two."

"An old girlfriend?" Sabella asked wondering what Malcolm's relationship was to the woman who'd just left.

"She wanted to be but I wasn't interested," Malcolm said.

Sabella turned and headed up the stairs deciding not to ask the many questions that filled around in her mind about Malcolm's and Carolyn's relationship.

"It's going to be alright Sabella," Malcolm assured her as if reading her mind.

'Famous last words,' Sabella thought to herself as she gave him a weak smile and made her way upstairs.

Later that night Malcolm was awakened by the light creaking sound Sabella's bedroom door made whenever she tried to ease it open.

Reaching for his robe Malcolm threw covers back, eased out of bed, put on his robe and made his way over to his bedroom door. He pressed his ear against the door, listening as Sabella made her way downstairs.

The creaks in the floorboard that use to drive him crazy now mapped her progress as she made her way to the stairs.

When he heard the familiar creak of the third step he opened his bedroom door and slipped out into the hallway.

He expected Sabella to do what she normally when she came downstairs because she couldn't sleep, go into the living room select a book off of his bookcase to sit down and read or to go into the kitchen, make a cup of coffee and sit at the table to drink and think about things.