Search for Contentment

by Marlene Bierworth

  Had she not covered that already? “I hate repeating myself, Drew. My memory has not returned in the last ten minutes. I’ve lost an important part of my life. This will drive me crazy,” Melanie said.

  “It’s probably the drugs. Might never fully recover from that.”

  “You’re a big help.” She studied him. Had she mentioned drugs?

  “Why don’t you phone your roommate? That’s a good place to start.”

  “Right,” Melanie agreed. “And I won’t speak unless it’s Chrissy, I promise,” she added, not sure why he appeared so concerned that someone might be lurking at her place.

  The phone rang six times before the answering service picked it up. She hung up when her own voice sounded on the other end directing her to leave a message.

  “No one is there.”

  It was one thing investigating the murders of complete strangers, but the personal connection almost made Melanie want to quit before she’d started. She gripped her hands together on her lap until they turned white.

  Drew brought her back to the present. “You’ve got that far-away, brain-dumped look on your face. I take it you received no answer?”

  Anger engulfed her again. Her younger brother could be so irritating. “Do you hear me talking, Drew? Use your head for something more than a hat rack.”

  “A mite touchy, aren’t we?” was his smarty-pants comeback.

  Melanie stared in disbelief. “You’re kidding, right? Do you have any idea what I’ve been through tonight?”

  Something in his expression alerted her. She’d seen it on guilty faces while drilling suspects at work.

  “Do you know something you’re not telling me? Spit it out, Drew Braxton.”

  “I don’t know much. But…when I drove up the street toward the apartment building last night, your car sped out of the driveway with a van on its heels. I decided to follow you. I felt ripped off that my surprise had backfired – I came all this way for your birthday.”

  “You never cared about my birthday before, and we just visited you in Georgia last week.” Drew put forward his best pout, but Melanie noted a shadow marring his boyish face.

  “Thank you for the surprise that backfired. So, that’s why you were on the dirt road – looking for me?”

  “Yeah. Lost sight of the vehicles at one point, but kept driving around. Lucked out when I saw those huge, round eyes startled in my headlights. Guess it all worked out in the end, right?”

  “I suppose.” Melanie rubbed her forehead and winced in pain. “It only makes sense that Chrissy was the other prisoner in the car. We were together when the men arrived, and now, she’s gone missing.”

  “Sounds logical,” Drew said. “Sorry about your friend, Sis.”

  “I can’t believe this is happening. At the lake, I overheard the men say that I was in the wrong place at the wrong time, hanging out with bad company.” She shook her head. “Chrissy – what was she into?”

  “You’re pretty scraped up, Mel. Let me go to the all-night drug store and get some first aid supplies.”

  Melanie shrugged. The little strength the shower had rejuvenated was fast deserting her. “Sure. I’ll wait here.”

  “Why don’t you lay down and rest? I won’t be long. And remember – don’t answer the door for anyone. I have a key to get back in.”

  Melanie shooed him away and dropped back against the pillow. Sleep sounded good.

  God is not the author of confusion.

  Chapter 4

  A car door slammed, and Melanie jolted back from her brooding. Drew must be back. She walked toward the window, pulled the curtain back, and gasped – a van was idling in the parking lot. A man emerged, and when her brother moved into the headlights to confront him, Melanie’s heart shattered. Their conversation appeared heated but hushed, interrupted by the occasional rough push or finger poke. From where she watched, fear exploded onto Drew’s face and marked his timid stance, while the bully’s threatening posture never let up. He slugged Drew, sending his body careening through the air and landing in a heap against the wall. The man wiped his hands on his pant leg and turned to get into his car.

  Melanie debated running to his rescue, but that would give her away. Drew had neglected to mention that he knew the person in the van, but he did know it was one of the vehicles that had kidnapped his sister. His birthday surprise story had some holes in it, but she was afraid to challenge his involvement. Her brother was reckless on occasion, but she’d graciously passed his behavior off as growing pains. Twenty-four was still considered playboy age amongst his circle of friends, and Father did not feel the need to rush his maturity. He claimed that boys in society needed to sow their wild oats before settling into adulthood – the entire system bred irresponsible men.

  Melanie chose not to tip off Drew that she’d observed the encounter outside the motel window. She perched on the edge of the bed and waited, inhaling deeply upon hearing the lock click open.

  Drew walked in. He’d wiped his face clean of any signs of blood, but the discolored section and a threatening goose egg were evidence of the encounter outside. Melanie remained quiet and let Drew take the lead.

  He lifted the shopping bag and shook it. “Supplies to render first aid to m’lady.”

  “Looks like you need first aid yourself. I never noticed the goose egg before now.”

  “Well, you were a little groggy when I found you. My face probably wasn’t a priority on your recovery list. Walked into a wall, can you believe it?”

  Drew wasn’t going to tell her. She had no idea whether his secrecy was intended to protect her or only one of the many things he chose to withhold.

  Curiosity and partial desperation got the better of her.

  “People don’t bruise that easily walking into a wall. More like someone punched you into a wall.”

  His face flushed red with anger, but he subdued it and moved further inside the room. “Come over here, and I’ll bandage you up.”

  Conversation dried up and Melanie felt more confused than ever. She had to reconnect with Drew if she were to expect any cooperation from him.

  “About that birthday surprise,” she said, opening the conversation, “I hope my present is something big and expensive.”

  “On my budget?” he asked.

  “Is the great Mr. Braxton cutting the apron strings from you, too? Best get your act together if you intend to continue in the lifestyle you so enjoy.” Her heart grieved at the mere mention of her father.

  She reverted back to the lighter side of the conversation. “So, I suppose a new car is not in my cards, huh?”

  Drew attempted a chuckle. “Did it go in the river with you?”

  “Not sure.” Melanie jumped to her feet. “Maybe we should go back to the crime scene. Even if my car isn’t there, the men might have left clues.”

  “They don’t sound like sloppy murderers.”

  “You’re right. After I got lost in the woods, I discovered one of my captors cleaning up the area.”

  “Really? Did he see you?”

  “No, he heard me and thought I was his accomplice, John.” Drew acted surprised when she mentioned this new information. “I heard him call it out when he mistook me for him. John obviously left after I was dumped in the lake.”

  “Then he started chasing you? But he never saw you, right? It’s important that he thinks you’re dead.”

  “He might think so, but I’m not! And I have no intention of running and hiding in fear for the rest of my life.” She got to her feet. “We need to go to the police.”

  Drew began pacing. He ended at the window and peeked through the curtains into the parking lot.

  Melanie wondered if he was thinking about the man in the van. It was time to plunge into the deeper waters. “Did you say that a van followed my car out of the driveway? The police may be able to find it. Did you get a license number?”

  “No. At the time, I didn’t know I needed to. I was hoping you were leading us all to a birthday
party.” He was sidestepping, and Melanie lost patience.

  “Drew, was it the same man in the van that knocked you into the wall a few minutes ago?”

  Drew let the drapes fall, spun around, and stared at her fear-stricken. She’d cornered him. She understood her brother – the child who had repeatedly been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

  “Fess up and spill the beans, Drew.”

  “You shouldn’t have seen that.”

  “There’s no one sorrier than me to see you conversing with my captor. The only consolation is that he obviously doesn’t like you.” She laid a hand on her brother’s arm. “I don’t want to doubt you, but you’re lying, and I need to know everything. I will search to the ends of the earth to find the guy who murdered my friend – if she was the one in the car. I need to put this incident behind me, jig-time, and get back to my job and life.”

  Drew dropped into a chair, bent over, and buried his head in his hands. His body shook with silent tears as she waited for him to gain control – he wouldn’t want his big sister to mush all over him.

  Finally, he looked up at her. “You’d better sit down.”

  Melanie sat; her heart reluctant to hear another tale of Drew Braxton’s trouble-making. But this one included her, and she wouldn’t let him away with it.

  “You’re right: I lied. I didn’t come to South Carolina for a birthday surprise. I hoped to get to you before they did.”

  “They – as in my kidnappers?”

  “Yes, but I can’t tell you any more for your own safety. The less you know the better.”

  “Less doesn’t seem to matter to the men who tried to kill me, who have likely already killed Chrissy.”

  “You heard the men, right? You were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Chrissy was the target, but I don’t know why it went down like it did. I have a lead. The woman…” He stopped. “Look, Mel, I love you, and I owe you big time. Please trust me in this.”

  “I always thought I could.” She bit off the rest of her statement: “Until now.”

  “You always cleaned up my messes and made me look good for the folks. I’ve been a mixed-up kid for far too long. This time, I need to take the lead. I owe you that much. Let me look after this one.”

  “You are my little brother – why wouldn’t I look out for you?”

  “Well, now it’s my turn, big sister.” He held out his arms, and she walked into his embrace. Not that she was resigning to his plea – she felt equally confident of her inability to slay the giants – but because they both needed a hug.

  Melanie broke away first. “You mentioned a woman?”

  “There’s always a woman, right?”

  Melanie wouldn’t be sidetracked. “Your woman or someone else’s?”

  “Mine, I think. Maybe she just used me. I don’t know anymore.”

  “So why come after Chrissy and me? Who is your woman?”

  “Mel, I told you to trust me. Take a vacation and go soak up some sun in the Caribbean. I’ll fix this.”

  “But…” she started. A scowl covered his face, so she backed off. Drew did not function well when backed into a corner.

  “No buts. I’m tired, and so are you. We need to get some sleep so we can think straight. I’ll sleep over here. You take that bed. We’ll figure this out in the morning.”

  Melanie went into the bathroom and took out her frustration on the dirt and blood ingrained in her clothes. While scrubbing with hand soap, she muttered her confusion, rinsing, squeezing and ringing until her hands ached. Melanie traced a finger along the fading lines of the duct-tape she’d ripped from her wrists. She felt detached from her inner core, and the option to step back and allow Drew the lead tormented her mind. Justice for Chrissy triumphed, and in that moment, she swore to avenge her death, with or without the help of her brother.

  God’s grace is new every morning and sufficient to cover our greatest needs.

  Chapter 5

  It was three in the afternoon when Melanie awoke. She felt surprisingly refreshed as she drifted forward into reality from the valley of dreams. She’d almost forgotten yesterday’s nightmare until she opened her eyes and glanced at the other double bed. It was empty. The sheets remained tucked tightly against the headboard, and no hollow marked the spot where Drew’s head should have lain.

  Melanie sprung from the bed. She staggered across the room, hopping mad at the repeated stupidity of her trustful nature. A complete repertoire of the angry names she’d ever called her brother entered her mind.

  She took a deep breath and rushed for the window, telling herself to breathe. Perhaps he had gone for food. She was famished, and it was likely he’d woken up that way, too. Twenty minutes later, she had lost all hope. Drew wasn’t coming back. He’d taken off to play the hero and expected her to bury her head in the sand at some island beach. He didn’t know her at all! She hated to be coerced, especially by a man. And Melanie had her condescending father to thank for that character trait. And now her brother had joined the ranks of men she’d like to trample into the earth.

  To the horror of the Braxton men, she’d gone against their wishes and trained at the Police Academy. They’d never taken her seriously. This was the perfect opportunity to prove them wrong. Drew was a pampered play-boy, and way out of his league with this band of murderers. Melanie seriously doubted his ability to save her without getting himself killed in the effort. That left the onus on her to bail him out – again. The woman he’d referred to did not sound like the type to let anyone stand in her way.

  Melanie’s thoughts turned to Chrissy. Her hand instinctively reached into her pocket for the cell phone but came up empty. She muttered aloud and headed for the motel land-line to dial her home number. One last ray of hope surfaced. You could always find Chrissy home at this hour, watching her favorite soap on TV. Even though they could record it for another time, the romance-addict never willingly chose to miss the show in real-time.

  Her hand shook as she lifted the receiver and proceeded to punch in the numbers. The ringing began – one…two…three – and then the click of someone on the line. No one said hello. All she heard was the faint sound of ragged breathing. She remembered Drew’s warning and remained silent, even though her heart leapt through the wires to embrace the possibility it was Chrissy on the other end. The second click disconnected them, and Melanie dropped heavily into the chair.

  What could she do? She felt certain that Drew didn’t want her to go to the police, even though he never voiced it. He had wanted her to trust him. Melanie’s conscience warned her to stick with her training and report the incident. Drew had the potential for greatness, but for now, he still expected his success to fall into his lap with little or no effort on his part. So far, lady-luck had not dealt him a winning hand. Melanie feared that this time Drew had found his party crowd on the wrong side of the law. The thought sickened her, and the sisterly connection kicked in to defend him.

  It appeared to be her lot in life. She’d rescued him far too many times and had tried to direct him down a more straightforward path, but before long, he’d wander back to the easy road.

  Convinced that moving four hours away was the answer to her brother’s growing up had played a big part in her leaving Georgia, but, the lack of her running interference had obviously only served to sink him into deeper trouble. Trouble, perhaps, even too great for her willing spirit to rescue him.

  Melanie shook the negative thoughts away. It was not her style. She wouldn’t hide in the islands, but would allow Drew a bit of grace before involving the police. She knew people there that would help – she worked with them – but at the same time, she did not want Drew to become their prime suspect quite yet.

  She picked up the phone to check in and maybe see if anyone knew about the river episode, but she hung up instead. It was probably a bad idea. Dead people did not use phones. She was torn, not wanting to go above the law but still wanting to save her brother. She’d made law her lifetime’s work. Coming to
a decision helped to relieve the pressure. She was booked off on holidays – maybe she could allow Drew at least some grace to prove himself.

  She hurried toward the bathroom, having decided the first move. Someone was in her apartment and didn’t want to talk to her, and she needed to know who it was. The fan from the bathroom had managed to dry the clothes she’d hung over the shower rung before falling asleep, but a faint dampness remained, causing her to shiver while pulling the pants over her warm legs. Melanie was grateful she’d been kidnapped in her sloppy, comfy clothes. Any piece from her tighter-fitting, designer wardrobe would have proven nearly an impossible task to squeeze into when damp.

  Back inside the main room, she dialed a taxi, hating the lack of independence the absence of her car imposed. Her purse and cell phone were in the apartment, as well as clothes and money. She required enough to keep her until it was safe to return to the apartment and her life.

  The key was no obstacle for she’d hidden one under the fire extinguisher close to their door in the hallway – Chrissy was always locking herself out. But perhaps the back entrance might give her more visual advantage today. She had hidden one there, too. Melanie had to thank her parent’s training for placing keys everywhere. The doors at the estate were always locked and alarms set.

  A change of clothes, toiletries – a list began to form in her head. She sighed heavily, accepting the nagging truth of what she tried in vain to escape – a girl needed her stuff. She’d debated materialism with her father until it had become a righteous fast to somehow live without the luxury his money could offer. Her rebellious escapade in South Carolina only illuminated that she knew discontent with both poverty and abundance. It was a merry-go-round of confusion. She’d needed to discover her own worldview definition and learn to find peace wherever it might lead, but those demons she’d have to face another day.

  Drew had left the motel key on the television stand. Melanie picked it up on her way past and zipped it securely inside her pants pocket. Nervous fingers parted the curtains as she scanned the parking lot, but nothing appeared out of the ordinary.