Текст книги "Physical Distraction"

Автор книги: Tess Oliver

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Текущая страница: 11 (всего у книги 14 страниц)

Chapter 23

Tashlyn

The incident in the bathroom had left me shaken. I realized that I’d been trying hard to ignore the giant, dangerous pink elephant in town. Someone wanted me gone, whether alive and walking out on my own two feet or the alternative. My presence was a threat to someone. I just had no idea who.

Everly had suggested that since there was no food in the house, we should go to the diner for breakfast. I didn’t have a big appetite, but I didn’t want to say no. She seemed disappointed about how her evening had gone with Finn. I hadn’t asked details and decided to wait for her to tell me. I’d also decided I needed to fill Everly in on what had been happening. I was living in her house, and she might just be in danger too. I wouldn’t blame her at all if she asked me to move out once I confessed everything.

We drove past Jem’s house, but his bike was gone. He was out and about already. Everly turned into the diner parking lot. “Oh good, most of the Sunday breakfast crowd has already come and gone. Be prepared, they usually run out of bacon by ten.”

“I’ll prepare myself for disappointment then. I thought you said this was a truck stop too. I don’t see any trucks.”

“They don’t generally come this way unless there’s a lot of traffic on the main freeway. Plus it’s Sunday.” Milly’s Diner had the usual nostalgic look, only it seemed the decor truly was vintage, as if it had remained the same since the fifties. There were even two coin operated carousel horse rides out front. One man was waiting while his little girl rocked back and forth on a blue horse.

I stopped and watched her. The hair on my neck stood up and an unexplained shiver went through me.

Everly noticed my reaction. “Tash, you all right?”

I shook myself out of it. “Yeah, I just had a major case of déjà vu. Like I’d been here before, riding that horse, just like that little girl.”

She took my hand. “Oh boy, you are hungry. What you need is some pancakes.”

I looked back once more at the little girl as Everly dragged me inside the diner. A woman with silvery hair and a warm pink complexion was filling salt shakers. “Hey, Ever, grab a table anywhere. And we’re out of bacon.”

Everly shot me a ‘told you so’ look. We sat in a booth near the back of the restaurant. I sat facing the front, and immediately, the green, round clock hanging over the door caught my eye. Its hands were covered in rhinestones and the words Milly’s Diner were painted across the face. I’d seen it before. It was possible I’d been in another Milly’s Diner at some point in my early life. It definitely wasn’t the kind of place Aunt Carly would have taken me, but I’d done some long trucking trips with my dad. I stared at the clock for a second.

“Hey, Earth to Tash, what do you think about me ordering French toast and you get the strawberry pancakes and we’ll share?”

“Yep, that sounds great.” The server filled our coffee cups and took our order.

Everly leaned back against the blue vinyl seat and looked at me. “Your lips aren’t as swollen today.”

I took a sip of coffee. “Man, that tastes good.”

“Yeah, yeah, now details.”

“No, you first.”

She sighed dejectedly. “Not much to tell. We sat and talked and laughed. I cooked him some scrambled eggs, which he devoured as if he hadn’t eaten in days. Then he gave me a peck on the cheek and left.” She tossed two packets of sugar into her coffee. “A peck on the cheek, can you imagine? Shit.” Her disappointment was palpable. There was a little heartbreak mixed in too. “What about you? You went straight to bed after Jem dropped you off.”

“I’d had a few sips of some highly potent whiskey. It had been a crazy night, and I wasn’t myself. Jem suggested it would relax me.” I thought about our few hours together naked in his bed, and my usual warm cheeks followed. “It definitely worked.”

She stared expectantly at me over the rim of her cup. “And are you going to tell me what’s going on?”

“What do you mean?”

“The incident in the bathroom. You came out of there looking as if you’d seen that face in the mirror, what’s the name of that lady everyone tries to conjure up at sleepovers?”

“Bloody Mary?”

“Yep. That’s how you looked. What happened?”

I glanced around at the counter and the stools. I’d been here before. It was no longer just an inkling or déjà vu. I’d sat in this diner before. I looked at Everly. “Some stuff has happened, Ever. Stuff I didn’t want to bother you with.”

“Like what? I mean aside from the obvious that you’re dating the town bad boy.”

I took another sip of coffee. It helped clear the slight hangover I was feeling from the whiskey. “I was working late at the mill last week, and I thought I heard a dog in the carriage shed where they make the first cuts. I walked inside to look for the dog, and someone knocked me out. I was lying about losing the sweatshirt. The person ripped the sleeve and tied me to the cradle arm.”

Everly’s face smoothed to white marble as she listened.

“I was just inches from being killed by the saw when Jem saved me.”

“Holy shit, Tash.”

“That’s not all. That letter my aunt sent me had been opened. Her letter had been shredded. There was a note inside telling me to leave town or die.”

She blinked at me as if she was struggling to absorb what I was telling her. “Tashlyn, I don’t even know what to say.”

“Last night, I was in the bar bathroom. Someone was smoking in the stall. Then a man’s voice, the same voice I’d heard in the mill, called me pussycat, just like he had before he knocked me out and tied me to the saw.”

“Jeez, Tash, why hadn’t you told me all this before?”

“I didn’t want to worry you.” I reached across and took hold of her hand. “I totally understand if you want me to move out. I’ll pack today. The last thing I want to do is cause you trouble.”

“No, you can’t. It’s not safe.”

“There’s more.”

Her shoulders collapsed as if she couldn’t bear to hear more.

“I was in the truck with my dad when he died. I don’t know how I survived or what happened after the accident, but I was in the truck when he went off the road.” I stopped for a second trying to decide if I should tell her the rest.

She looked at me expectantly, her face smooth with concern.

I swallowed. “I think Alcott Wolfe knows what happened, but Jem can’t get information out of his dad.”

She sat back. We fell silent as the server set down our plates. Everly stared down at her French toast. “Suddenly, I’m not all that hungry.” She looked up at me. “Tash, please don’t be mad when I say this. All right?”

I had no idea where this was going, but I was waiting for her to tell me to get back on the bus and go back to The Grog.

“I need to find out what happened,” I blurted before she could tell me to leave.

“I don’t blame you, but it’s not worth your life.” She looked out the window toward Jem’s house, then turned back to me. It was obvious the words she had for me were hard for her to say. “Don’t you think it’s a coincidence that Jem was at the mill ready to save you? And then at the bar? We hadn’t seen him all evening and then all of a sudden he’s there in the hallway?”

I blinked back tears as I leaned back away from the food that was now making me nauseous. “That’s just you jumping to conclusions because of your lifelong mistrust of him.” I spoke confidently, but in truth, her suggestions were poking at my heart. “He saved me both times.”

“Maybe this has all been just to scare you. Maybe they don’t really want you dead.”

“Who’s they?” I asked sharply. “My god, this town is just bursting with evil people, isn’t it?” I grabbed a napkin to wipe away my tears.

“No, I’m sorry, Tash. I didn’t mean to upset you. But you said yourself you think Alcott had something to do with your dad’s accident. Just maybe Jem’s trying to protect him.”

“No, you’re wrong. You have to be wrong, Ever.”

We both sat there staring at our plates, watching the steam slowly dissipate as the butter melted into the food. Everly didn’t have to ask. She waved the server over. “Can we get these plates to go?”

We placed our untouched food into containers and walked outside. The thunderstorm had left behind air that was so clear it almost hurt to take a deep breath. We walked silently to the car. Everly stopped to put the key in the car door. Her eyes rounded as she looked past me.

“Hey, Woodstock.”

The knot in my stomach tightened more as if someone was wringing out my insides. I turned around. Jem was walking toward me with that pale brown gaze that reached right into my chest. Everly’s words were playing through my head, picking at my brain. I’d thrown my trust and my affection, heck even my love to this man without thought. He’d swept me right off my feet, and I’d let him. Even with Everly’s persistent warnings. But he’d saved Finn and he’d saved me. I was nearly shaking with confusion by the time he reached me.

He sensed something was wrong instantly. The crooked smile on his mouth straightened. “What’s up, Tash. I was about to pick you up. It’s a nice day for a ride on the bike.”

“Yeah, I’m feeling kind of hungover from last night. Couldn’t even eat my breakfast.” I held up the box as proof. “I think I’m just going to head back to bed.”

He looked over the top of the car at Everly. Then he took hold of my arm and pulled me a few feet away from the car so she couldn’t hear. I couldn’t lift my face to his, so he pushed up my chin with his fingers. “Want to tell me what’s going on?”

“It’s nothing. I’ve just got a lot on my mind.” Tears threatened again, but this was no time to cry.

“What about tomorrow morning for work?”

I looked away. “I’ve got a lot to do in the office. I think I’ll take the bus and get there early.”

He stood there staring down at me, but I couldn’t look at him. My heart was splintering in every direction.

“Right.” He looked over my head. “Hey, Everly, fuck you and your fucking lies. You think you know me, but you don’t.”

“I know you’re just like your dad,” Everly shot back.

“Yeah, and you’re just like your uncle. Guess we both didn’t fall far from the tree.”

He brushed my hand with his fingers. “Don’t do this, Tash. I need you. I fucking need you, and I’ve never needed anyone in my whole fucked up life.”

The tears flowed freely now. “I just need some time to think.” I turned and stumbled to the car. He stood and watched as we pulled out of the parking lot.

Chapter 24

Jem

I’d ridden the bike fast and hard, with no destination in mind. I just needed to get out of Blackthorn. It hadn’t done much to clear my head. I doubted anything would. It shocked the hell out of me—my reaction to Tashlyn’s coldness in the diner parking lot. I knew she’d taken hold of my heart, I just hadn’t realized how badly until she couldn’t even look at me. The fucked up thing was I had no idea what I’d done. All I could think was that Everly had finally convinced her not to trust me.

The bike rolled along Phantom Curve as I headed back into town. As my dad got closer to meeting his maker, he was letting more secrets slip. Our last conversation had solidified in my mind what I’d always known. My dad was somebody else’s grunt. He was doing the dirty work for someone else. In my mind, I’d always imagined some high caliber urban dwelling mob type calling the shots over the phone. But more and more, it seemed I’d been ignoring the obvious, that someone right here in Blackthorn Ridge was in charge. His comment that I should leave it alone or be killed seemed to prove that theory. But who the hell could it be? Everyone in town had always been scared shitless of my dad.

I turned off onto Main and rolled through town. Sundays were always quiet, and aside from the diner, the only place open was Gregor’s Market. I wasn’t sure if Tashlyn would ever speak to me again, and I needed more than ever to talk to her. Especially now. There was so much to tell her. But first, I needed to find out who was behind all of this. And I knew where to start.

I pulled the bike up in front of my Great Aunt Alice’s shop. The store was closed, but she’d be inside, organizing her collection. Alice was one of those people who fit the idyllic, storybook setting of Blackthorn Ridge. There were a few people in town worthy of this beautiful place. I knocked on the door and peered down into the window on it. I knocked again, a little louder. Dane and I had no other relatives in town. We hardly ever visited Aunt Alice, which was shitty of us. Alice had tried for awhile, when we were young, to keep an eye on us and let our dad know when she thought he was doing something wrong or that we were getting out of control. But Dad had too big of an ego to listen.

The louder knock had urged Alice out from the backroom. She had on her wire rimmed glasses and her tight school teacher bun, which always reminded me of Mrs. Claus. She peered for a long moment through the window and looked slightly alarmed.

“Aunt Alice, it’s Jem.”

It took her a second to recognize the name. She smiled and pulled her keys from her apron pocket. She opened the door, and I stepped inside.

Alice looked up at me. “Jem, look at you. Did you get taller?” She laughed. “Or am I shrinking?”

I hugged her. “I think it’s just been awhile since you’ve seen me. I’m sorry I don’t come around much. How are you doing, Aunt Alice?”

“Oh you know, the arthritis is acting up, but I don’t like to complain.” She took hold of my hand and gazed up at me. “Tell me, Jem. How is your dad doing? The last time he was in here, he looked dreadful. And, do you know he walked out with one of my newspapers. Haven’t gotten it back yet.”

The missing newspaper, it gave Tashlyn good reason not to trust me. I shook my head. “Dad’s not good. He’s weak and he’s lost a lot of weight.”

She sighed sadly. “Such a shame. Such a lost life, that man. He could have done so much.”

I’d heard my great aunt lament about my dad’s failed life many times, and it always surprised me. I’d never seen even a glimpse of a man who looked as if he was destined for greatness.

“Would you like a soda, Jem? They’re cold.”

“That’d be great.”

She leaned into her small fridge and pulled out a coke. Her eyes rounded with surprise as she turned back. “I forget how big you are. You almost fill this room.” She took off her glasses and looked at me. “You always were such a picture. When you were born, I swear the nurses in the hospital were smitten.” Her gray brows squeezed together. “Don’t understand why you put such big holes in your ears and those big metal discs, don’t they hurt?”

“They did when I got them, but I don’t really notice them anymore.”

Her brows were still knitted together when she stepped toward me and lifted her slightly gnarled finger to my neck. “What’s that mark? Is that a tattoo?”

“Yeah, I’ve had it for awhile.” I popped open the can and drank. My throat was parched from the long ride to nowhere. “Aunt Alice, I wanted to ask you something about the past, if you don’t mind?”

She held out her hands. “Ask away. No one knows more about this town than me. I’m surrounded by history.” She sat on her couch. I pulled up the footstool and sat across from her. I took another sip. As much as Alice loved to talk about the past, I knew there were stories she preferred not to retell.

“I wanted to know more about what happened the day that dad’s girlfriend, Elizabeth, died.”

She considered my request as she picked up her glasses and wiped them clean on her apron. “Oh, that was a tragedy. She was such a lovely girl, and your dad, well, he was crazy about her. They were only teenagers, but it seemed definite that they would end up together after high school. She would have been the making of him. Instead, her death turned out to be the ruin of him. He never recuperated.”

“Didn’t help that the entire town had branded him a murderer.”

She reached across and patted the side of my face. “You have your dad’s eyes, you know? But that’s where the similarity ends. Yes, the town was unfair to your dad, but he used it as an excuse to do whatever he liked. He could have changed their opinion of him. Instead, he chose to maintain his reputation as a troublemaker.” She stood up. “Follow me and you can find anything you need to know about Elizabeth’s death.”

I got up and we walked down the narrow hallway leading to her massive newspaper collection.

I hadn’t been down the hallway in a long time, and I realized I had to lower my head to avoid the overhead lights. “Do you remember the date?”

“Well, I’ve tried not to think about that terrible day much, but I know your dad and Elizabeth were seventeen. It was the summer before their senior year.” She opened the door to the backroom. The smell of old newspaper almost overpowered the ever-present smell of coconut oil, my great aunt’s elixir of life. “Elizabeth was at the head of the class and so pretty,” Alice continued as she walked to a shelf at the far end of the room. “She rode the Independence Day parade float just before her death. I think July 6th, 1982 is the date we’re looking for.” She lifted her glasses and pushed her face closer to the boxes. Her eyes followed the boxes up. “At the top, naturally. Grab the ladder, Jem. Of course you could almost stand on your tip toes and reach it. So tall. That’s nice to be so tall.”

I picked up the stepladder and positioned it beneath the stack. I climbed up and grabbed the top box. A cloud of dust followed it off the shelf.

“See, too high up for me to clean. Bring the box to the table, Jem.”

I carried it to the table.

“Of course, if your dad hadn’t run off after Elizabeth got hurt, people wouldn’t have been so quick to blame him. He was scared. But anyone who saw his face at Elizabeth’s funeral could tell that he loved her.”

I pulled off the lid. “He ran? He never mentioned that.”

“Not his proudest moment, I’m sure.” She fished into the box and pulled out a paper. “Front page, of course.” She handed it to me. “I’ll let you read it.” She placed her hand on my arm. “Jem, your dad did one thing right and that was he raised you two boys. Don’t sell yourself short. Or your brother. I know Dane has a little harder time of it, but you both turned out all right and that was your dad’s doing. Just make sure you take a different path than him, and you’ll do fine. And follow your heart. It always knows best.”

I leaned over and kissed her cheek. “Thanks, Aunt Alice. Words to live by.” She walked out, taking her tropical sweet fragrance with her. I sat on the couch and stared down at the yellowed paper. Elizabeth Nelson’s picture was on the front page. I’d seen her picture a few times. She was definitely pretty, the kind of girl you’d want to hang out with on a lazy summer afternoon. The article was relatively short, but one detail surprised the hell out of me. My dad never talked about that day, but he’d never mentioned that Rebecca Gregor, Landon’s sister and Everly’s mom, was with Elizabeth the day she died. Rebecca had run for help, it said, when Elizabeth had fallen and hit her head. She had been playing on the rocks near the river with her close friend, Alcott Wolfe, when she slipped and knocked herself out. According to Rebecca, Alcott got scared and ran off. By the time Rebecca had returned with help, Elizabeth had disappeared. Her body was found half a mile downstream. The coroner claimed that drowning was the cause of death and not the contusion on her head. Police theorized that she’d gotten up and, disoriented from the bump on her head, she’d fallen into the river.

I sat back and stared down at her photo. The police theory seemed sort of a stretch. No wonder the town had decided that Dad had had something to do with her death. He was a fucking coward for running off. I read the article once more. Something seemed to be missing from the story. It was no wonder my dad had always avoided the subject. He’d run off and left the girl he’d supposedly loved to die.

It seemed strange that this was the first time I’d heard of Rebecca Gregor’s involvement, especially since she was a witness. I placed the paper back in the right place and put the box back up on top. I stepped off the ladder and walked out of the room, wondering how the hell I was ever going to live on the outside of my dad’s shadow.