I quickened my pace when the fog rolled across the road hazing my sight against the darkness. Who was I going to call, anyway?
Tears mixed with rain as they streamed from my eyes and I launched the useless phone into the woods. There was only one man I could call for help, but I couldn’t bring myself to face him and admit my role in Cal’s murder.
Anger rose from deep within matching the raging storm. My fury ignited an inner fire that kept my weary legs moving further down the road.
When the raindrops faded with the calming storm, I allowed myself to inhale the crisp country air taking it deep into my lungs. The sharp, sweet scent of wet evergreens filled my nose. Through my tears I glimpsed the shimmer of dim lights against the glistening road ahead.
Civilization.
The soft glow of the early morning sun peaked out over the rooftops of brick buildings running up and down the quiet street. Steam rose from the pavement as I passed by people opening their storefronts. Their lips smiled as they nodded hello but their eyes questioned my arrival. I kept my head down, so I didn’t attract unwanted attention.
The aroma of coffee beckoned me. Like a hound dog, I followed its scent crossing the road in front of Pace’s General Store offering an array of preserved goodies. I followed it further past Hartford Antique Shop and Parson’s Pub advertising live entertainment featuring Local Legend C.C. Saturday night. Each shop had its own unique architecture and custom sign hanging over the door. The small time charm settled my nerves. The aroma grew stronger as chimes rang on the opening door of the Silver Spoon Diner.
Black and silver stools lined a walnut stained counter between an old-fashioned cash register and a tiered pastry display of freshly baked muffins and pies. Red and black checkered curtains hung above large windows allowing a touch of warmth to shine through. Two waitresses dressed in matching red uniform dresses with peaked black trim, black collar, aprons and tiny hats stood in front of the pass-through window talking to the cook dressed in all white with a tall chef’s hat on. My nerves tensed, when all eyes watched me make my way to the furthest booth in the back. My wet boots squeaked on the tile floor. My muddy pants stuck to the vinyl seat as I slid into the warmth of the window.
The youngest of the two waitresses walked over to my booth. She wore her long sandy blonde hair pulled back in a loose braid with softened blunt bangs trimmed to her eyelashes and angled down at the temples framing her oval face and sparkling blue eyes. Her short dress showed off a pair of long legs and her unbuttoned collar exposed the top curves of her breast. Her wide smile was contagious, lighting up the whole room.
“You look like you could use a hot coffee,” she said filling a mug on the table, “Can I get you anything else?”.
“Coffee would be great. Thanks.”
The hollow pit in my stomach screamed for nourishment but I wasn’t sure if I could hold anything down.
“We don’t see too many strangers in these parts. Are you from around here?” she asked. “I’m Carra.”
I used to be able to read people but lately I was lucky if I could make head or tales of anything. I had been on autopilot for weeks, my mind a blur. There was something comforting about her soft-spoken voice but loose lips would get me nowhere. I had to be careful, who I trusted, I didn’t know how far Angelo’s reach extended.
“Nice to meet you, I’m Brie Morgan.”
“Are you traveling?” she asks observing the map I sprawled across the table, “or are you on the run?” Laughter overtook her gentle voice.
“No, of course not.” I smiled back trying not to show shock at how accurate her joke was. Besides, I was already tired of running. Something about this town called to me; something about her comforted me. I wondered if I could I stay awhile without forming an attachment. All I wanted was to find a safe place to hide out and reinvent myself, I prayed I could leave the past behind and start a new life, where Angelo would never find me.
“You are here, Ashe, North Carolina,” she said, using her pen to circle a spot on the map in an empty corner in the north west part of the state.
“Wait, what?” What belongings I had, tumbled about the table as I pulled the envelope from my backpack and retrieved the photograph from the envelope. “Do you recognize him?”
The sunny disposition on her face fell when her eyes landed on the photo.
Her hands shook as she picked it up and slid into the empty both across the table, staring at it. “It’s hard to say. It’s not a clear picture. Are you looking for him? Who is he to you?”
“Someone I used to know.” I had no idea what I had hoped to find.
I continued to rummage through the contents of my bag until I found the small piece of paper I was looking for. The words ‘Ashe, NC’ scribbled under a layer of dried blood.
I didn’t believe in fate anymore. Fate has failed me. Or had it? It led me here, to a town so small it’s not on the map; A town somehow connected to the man in the photo. Figuring out what Lanah and Emilio had been trying to tell me may be the only way to escape this deadly game of cat and mouse.
Chapter 26
Carra
Lost. That was my first impression when Brie Morgan walked into the diner during the early morning hours. All eyes were on her. People whispered in hushed tones questioning who she was. Others glared at her wondering how she got here. Ashe was a small town where everyone knew their neighbors and she was not one. Tourist couldn’t find this place on a map, you either grew up in the area or you knew where to look. Perhaps, some just got lucky. Our small town nestled between the dense forest surrounding the Blue Ridge Mountains, the only through traffic was that of the cargo train hauling equipment to the quarry a few towns to the south. The closest town was twenty miles East, down Route 9. The winding road was the only passage through the dense woods running along Kilby Creek.
Judging by her appearance she looked like the late night storm caught her off guard. Muddy gray sweatpants and a black t-shirt hung tight against her wet body. Her brown hair fell out under the baseball hat and skimmed her shoulders, damp and flattened by the rain.
When I approached her, I noticed the cut on her forehead still stained with blood. Faint yellow markings covered her arms where bruises were healing under her skin. Her eyes were puffy with dark circles. Shadows darkened her brown eyes telling a story I was familiar with.
The smile that masked her face hid the same internal brokenness I once felt. The mental agony that no one else could see, except the ones who shared the same scars. Her wounds appeared fresh and deep. I knew I had to reach out to her.
My instinct to help twisted in the pit of my stomach when I caught sight of the photograph on the table. My hands trembled and my stare widened at the ghostly image. My knees buckled underneath me forcing me to catch myself with the seat of the booth. More questions ran through my mind. Who is this woman and why is she dragging up things that are better left buried?
♥♥♥
The throbbing in my feet matched the one in my head by the end of my shift. A sadness tugged at my heart at the memories brought up by her arrival. I had been so busy that I didn’t even notice her leave. I couldn’t help but wonder what it was she was hiding. Everyone has secrets but not everyone carries around photographs of people they shouldn’t have. The pit in my stomach twisted like a knot. There was more to her story, and I would find out what it was.
Before I could leave, Deputy Nash strolled in. His tailored gray uniform hugged his corded muscles. “Hey Carra, I hear you had a new arrival in here today. I thought you should know an abandoned car turned up about ten miles outside of town this morning. It looks like someone ran it off the road.”
“Do you think it’s hers?”
“I would assume so. I ran the plates, and it’s registered to Bella Deluca. We’re searching the area, just in case.”
A chill ran down my back and my voice stuck in my throat. “She told me her name was Brie Morgan, that can’t be a coincidence.”
“Really? L
et me talk to her before you say anything.” His eyes scrunched in contemplation.
“Why don’t you let me handle this one for now?”
He knew it was useless to fight me on this, I would do it, anyway. “Fine but watch your back. We don’t know why she’s here or if we can trust her.”
“I will,” I replied. This woman may lead trouble to our doorstep and I already had enough trouble to deal with.
The cross tattoo on his right bicep peeked out from the bottom of his sleeve as he leaned over onto the counter. I leaned in from the opposite side, my lips just inches from his. I could smell the mint on his breath and could almost taste him on my lips. Colton Nash and I had been like fire and ice since our first kiss in high school, a decade ago. Even at sixteen he stood six-foot-tall in black boots, worn out jeans and rock ‘n roll concert tees. Besides the uniform he wore when he was working not much had changed. His thick black hair still waved over his forehead bringing out the storm in his gray eyes.
“Can I see you later?” he asked in a whispered tone that warmed my skin from within.
“I don’t know, what if your wife finds out?”
“Come on Carra, don’t be like that. I’m going to Monroe at the end of the week to finalize the divorce. I’m willing to wait but every part of me aches to touch you again, I know you feel the same way.”
No matter how hard I tried to fight it, he was right. Nash was etched in my heart, scars and all. Two years ago, I made the biggest mistake of my life. I was desperate to get out of this one light town even if it meant leaving him behind and the repercussions may haunt me forever.
“Come with me Nash. We can start over, somewhere new.”
“That’s your problem Carra, you’re always searching for something new. Why can’t you be satisfied with what you have?”
“I don’t know! Maybe it’s because I know there is a whole other world out there. A world they have kept me from my entire life. It’s like an endless nagging in my gut. I was meant for more than this.”
“You mean more than me.”
“I didn’t say that, Nash! You can be so damn stubborn. Are you never going to leave this place? Remember when we were kids, sitting under the stars planning our escape from this dusty little town? I was going to be a star on Music Row and you my bodyguard. You, me and our dreams.”
“You mean your dreams. I was a lost kid. I had no direction. I loved you, I would have followed you anywhere.”
“Would have?”
“We’re not kids anymore Carra. I have a life here, a job I’m good at. I can’t just uproot on a whim.”
“Then I guess you’ve made your choice, and it’s not me.”
“Carra, I’ll always choose you but not like this. I hope you find what you’re looking for but don’t expect me to wait on you to come back.”
“I don’t expect anything from you! Besides, I’m not coming back!”
“Suit yourself but someday you will realize that what your searching for is what you left behind!”
Wiping the tears from my eyes, I pulled away leaving him in my rearview mirror. I didn’t even bother to look back. I always imagined him standing there in a cloud of dust. I know I broke his heart, but he broke mine too.
There was an energy under the bright lights of New York City, a stark contrast to a town where not much ever happened. I landed my first gig singing in a smoky bar. There was a crowd of new faces every night. It wasn’t long until I found a man to fill the void. That man never claimed my heart, that was already taken, but he served one purpose and that was to screw away the pain.
He did that well until his fist came in contact with my face. The first time it caught me off guard. I hadn’t expected it to hurt so much but there was enough force to sting. From there, each blow intensified, bruising my body and my ego. I suppose I allowed myself to be his punching bag because the idea of returning to Ashe killed me. Ironically, the last time Lorenzo hit me with a force that almost did just that.
When I eventually did return, Nash was married and my heart broke all over again. I have been mending the pieces for the past year. It wasn’t like I could avoid him, this is a small town and he was everywhere. The realization of what I had given up was as painful as Lorenzo’s aggression.
No matter how hard I tried to fight it, I couldn’t resist him any longer, “Come over after your shift and we’ll talk.”
He was wearing me down but if we were going to get it right this time, I had to be strong a little while longer. I took a moment to collect my thoughts and will the knot in my stomach to ease before heading out.
♥♥♥
Turning the corner off of Main Street, I spotted her sitting on a bench under a large Willow tree in the center of the park. She slumped forward cradling her face in her hands. Her hair had dried into a tangled mess of curls. The sun brought out the subtle red undertones.
Suspicion gnawed at me but my instincts got the better of me as I crossed the street towards her.
“Brie, was it?” I half expected her to have used a fake name but her response was natural.
She lifted her face and I could see the tears in her eyes, the helplessness on her face. “Hey.”
I took a seat next to her and hoped I wasn’t making a mistake. “This may sound strange but I couldn’t help but notice the bruising on your arms.”
Her body stiffened as she crossed her arms in front of her putting up a barrier between us and stared at the ground.
“Please don’t get defensive. I know it sounds strange, you don’t know me but I’d like to help. There are no hotels here but I have a small loft above my place and a warm shower if you need one for a while. You came here for a reason, so let me help you.”
Wiping at the tears that flooded her eyes, she turned to face me. “Your right, I came here for a reason but it’s something I have to work out on my own. I just need a tow truck and some time to figure out my next move. I wouldn’t want to get you involved with my mess.”
“I’m stronger than I look, I can handle myself. I know it’s hard but you have to trust someone at some point. Come on. My place is just on the other side of the park.”
It relieved me when she accepted my offer. Nash needed some time to figure out who she was, and I needed to keep her close to protect our secrets.
Chapter 27
Nash
I spent more than half my life raising hell in Ashe, North Carolina, a one horse town where nothing much ever happened. On my eighteenth birthday the cops arrested me on a misdemeanor charge for fighting douchebag Danny. Carra and I had broken up again, and he wasted no time asking her out. I knew she only said yes to fuck with me but that didn’t stop me from punching that shit-eating grin off his face when I ran into them. The judge had given me a choice to enroll in the police academy or serve a 90-day sentence in the county jail.
I was stubborn, but I didn’t need much convincing. I enrolled and to everyone’s surprise, even my own, I fell in love with the job. I spent five years serving the people of this town, the last two, as Sheriff. I knew every inch of this town and everyone in it. I prided myself on being a keen observer. I knew how to handle the latest generation of bullheaded teens willing to do anything to pass the time, after all I was once one. I was the only one able to deescalate the situation when Bob Riley would knock back a few too many beers and knock around his wife. My only failure was not being able to convince Mrs. Riley to press charges. No matter how many times he hit her, she would show up at the station first thing the next morning and claim she had fallen or some other ridiculous excuse, anything to keep him out of jail. I couldn’t stand a man laying his hands on a woman.
The sun was peeking over the trees as I made my daily walk through town. Dave the owner of the General Store was sweeping off the front step of the aging storefront, like he did every morning. Betty waved hello as I passed by her antique shop, I returned the gesture and a wink to brighten the day of the lonely widow. Levi Jenson caught my attention when he rounded a t
urn and parked his old pickup truck in front of his family’s feed store motioning me over. “Got a minute Sheriff?”
“As long as it’s not about that beer I owe ya. I’ll make good on our bet, don’t you worry.”
“Nah man, it’s about that woman. She’s been waving that picture in everyone’s face and it’s making people nervous. You know we got their backs, always have, always will, but she needs to be stopped before one of these dumb asses falls for those doe eyes of hers and spills.”
“Levi, I will only say this once, it’s Carra’s call to make, and she wants her protected. No one touches her. Just stick to the story and let me handle her.”
“Then you better get to handling her, man.”
“I’ve got it under control. Catch ya Saturday night.”
I’ve been watching her since she strolled into town two days ago. We pulled her car from the ditch and got it out to the Benson’s garage. The windshield was cracked, and the engine flooded but Tim Benson agreed to stall the repairs to keep her in town for a while. After checking her ID matched her registration, I questioned her; she did after all claim to be Brie Morgan only a few hours earlier. When I ran her names through the database, they both raised red flags. The coroner declared Brie Morgan dead in an arson case and besides the fake driver’s license, there was no Bella Deluca matching her age and description. I lifted her prints and DNA from a soda can she threw in the trash and now we wait it out until the results are in. That’s one problem with policing a small town, outsourcing the big jobs to the county, with their backlog it could take weeks. I was skeptical of her story but Carra insisted on keeping her close, while we put the pieces together. Even with everything we knew, something didn’t add up.
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