Savannah from Savannah by Denise Hildreth Jones

Author:Denise Hildreth Jones
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: ebook, book
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Published: 2012-03-02T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY

The Cummingses’ box was sectioned off in three different places, by II, III, and IV. Each Cummings had his own section of business ventures and licenses and records, with IV being smaller than the first two. Mr. Cummings II’s file began with the title deed to what was apparently his first home. It was followed by a marriage certificate, only one that I found, and then numerous business licenses.

“Well, at least he’s the husband of only one wife. That’s a nice place to start.” Someone was going to have to talk to me or I would go crazy down here. Mr. II had his own law firm, which was now Cummings & Cummings Attorneys at Law. The formal corporation name change was enclosed. His son had been added in 1962, and he held a partnership in a local grocery store and owned a Burger King franchise and numerous other business ventures that seemed to be locally operated companies right here in Jackson. The file ended with the death certificate of one Cora Lee Cummings on September 14, 1985, at the age of seventy-five, followed by Randolph Cummings Jr. on October 19, 1991, at the age of eighty-nine.

The file of Randolph Cummings III, like his father’s, began with a marriage certificate. On June 20, 1956, at the age of twenty-three, he married Patricia “Patty” Gwendolyn Stryker, who was only seventeen. “That’s just sick. She was only a baby, snatched up by some worldly-wise attorney.”

The IIIs purchased their first home only two weeks after their marriage, the address of which matched the one I’d written down. Mr. III joined his father’s law firm in 1962. He then purchased a local theater, an arcade, a pizzeria, and a coffee shop. Dare Jake know he and this man had anything in common! As I rummaged through the rest of his papers, most documenting his numerous real-estate investments, absolutely nothing seemed to suggest he would care at all who in the world won a beauty pageant.

Heading to Mr. IV’s folder, a tiny file in the back caught my attention. It was marked “Patricia Cummings.” Her folder held evidence of two businesses: a local jewelry store and P&R Printing Co. The jewelry store seemed a logical business for any woman. But the printing company, for some reason, I found rather odd.

About that time, I heard someone coming down the stairs. Not even imagining that almost five hours had passed, the hair on the back of my neck stood up. But then I saw the pizza box and Gregory’s face.

“Surely it isn’t six already?” I tried to stand up, realizing quickly how long I’d been sitting. “Ow!”

“Yes, it’s six. Have you been sitting there this entire time?” he asked, laughing at my pitiful attempt to rise. He reached out his hand to steady me.

“I didn’t realize I’d been looking at this stuff for so long. Do you have any way for us to find old newspaper articles around here, or could we only do that at

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.