Shona Jackson- The Complete Trilogy

by Vicky Jones

  “Now, this is freedom,” Shona said to herself before continuing on to the beach with the boat. Moments later, Cooper appeared in her path, jarring her out of her tranquility by barking in a way she’d never heard him bark before.

  “What’s the matter, boy?” Shona sank to her haunches to pat him, but he quivered and began to whine. With Cooper now pulling on the hem of her white undershirt, Shona strode up to the back door and into the house where at the end of the hallway she saw Chloe standing motionless facing the front door with David clamped behind her, wriggling. “Chloe, what’s going…?” Shona’s puzzled smile dropped off her face the instant she saw who their visitor was.

  “Well, Shona Jackson, as I live and breathe,” Kyle’s smarmy voice began. “It is so good to see you looking so…healthy.”

  Bile began to rise in Shona’s throat at the sight of the man who had caused so much pain to the people she loved and nearly killed her. “What the fuck are you doing here, you murdering son of a bitch?”

  Kyle recoiled theatrically and tutted. “Please, Shona. Not in front of my son.” David popped his head around the back of Chloe and locked eyes with his father.

  Kyle looked down at his son and for the first time Chloe could recall, his coal-black eyes glinted with light. “Hey boy, come here. Come meet your father.”

  “No, David. Shona, can you take him? Please?” Seeing Shona’s reluctance to leave her in Kyle’s presence, Chloe continued to assert herself in front of the man who’d violated her. “I’m fine. I can do this.”

  “I’ll be in here, OK?” She led David into his bedroom, then turned back to shoot a look of pure contempt at Kyle. “Don’t you try anything or I swear I will finish you.” The door remained open but Shona had disappeared from view.

  “What are you doing here, Kyle?” Chloe asked turning back to face him, her heart thudding.

  Kyle took out a letter from his top jacket pocket. “You sent your mother this. Oh yeah, we still keep in touch,” he added after seeing Chloe’s eyebrows raise.

  “But how…?” Chloe stared at the letter in complete confusion.

  “I can’t believe someone as smart as you, Chloe, would make such a rookie error.” Kyle sniggered as he stared at her, shaking his head.

  “What?”

  “The postmark. You posted it from here, didn’t you? It wasn’t hard to track you down when it says ‘Sunnybrook, California’ on the envelope. And the way you talk about this beautiful beach house with its gorgeous white paint and blue window frames. Why, you make it sound almost unique, which it is. All the other houses along this street have green windows.” He leaned back and spread his arms out wide. “So, it was hardly a challenge, darling. I did watch this place for a few days, just to make sure I was right, before I came to visit my son.”

  Chloe couldn’t decide who she was madder at right that second, Kyle for being here or Shona for forgetting to put her letter to her mother in Elbie’s envelope.

  “I want you to go. Now,” Chloe demanded.

  Kyle took another step forward until he was standing toe-to-toe with Chloe, his six-foot frame towering over her. “No,” He snarled, curling his lip.

  She took a step back, her whole body trembling with the memory of what he’d done to her that night. “But how can they have let you out? After what you did to all those people. What you did to Cuban? What you did to Shona?”

  “Oh, you were hoping I’d get the Yellow Mama, right?”

  “If there was any justice in the world, you would have, but even an electric chair isn’t enough for you—it’s too quick,” Chloe spat back.

  Kyle laughed. “That was never gonna happen. They couldn’t convict me for half of what they charged me with. The evidence seemed to just…” He blew in his hand and waved it away. “Those cops saw sense in the end, along with the dollar signs, when my mother came to visit me. Who says money don’t talk, huh? It’s amazing how me promising to be a good boy can reduce a prison sentence. Six years, that’s all.” His tone turned darker. “But it was long enough to cause me to miss my son growing up. You had no right to take him away, Chloe. No right at all.”

  Chloe erupted in quiet anger. “You wanna talk about rights? After what you did to me? You can’t scare me anymore, Kyle. It’s a new decade now. I got rights of my own.” She set her lips and gripped the door, ready to slam it in his face. “If you don’t get off my property, I will call the police.”

  “And tell them what? The husband you said was dead is now on your doorstep asking to see his son?”

  Chloe’s face froze.

  “Oh yeah, I’ve been in town a few days now asking about you. Poor little Chloe, struggling to raise a child alone with only her sister for company. Which story was it again? I was ‘away in the war’ or I ‘was dead’.” He licked his lips as he taunted her. “Oh, I’m sure that will go down very well with the police when they find out you’ve been lying to everyone.”

  Shona burst out of David’s bedroom and went to grab Kyle’s suit lapels, but Chloe pulled her back just in time. “No. Shona, don’t. That’s exactly what he wants you to do. Kyle, get off my property now.”

  Seeing Cooper bare his teeth behind Shona and David’s wide, confused eyes, Kyle stepped backwards down the porch steps. “I’m staying at the motel on the highway. I want to see my son. I will see my son,” he said, pointing his finger at Chloe as he paced backwards towards his brand new shiny black Lincoln Continental.

  Chloe turned to Shona, her eyes red and filled with angry tears. All Shona could do was stare back, heartbroken.

  “I am so sorry, Chloe. I’ve fucked up.”

  “You promised me we would be safe here. You swore you’d keep me safe.”

  “I know. I know. Argh, I’m so, so sorry.” Seeing Shona crumble with complete desolation over what had just happened, she called David over and wrapped her arms around both of them, embracing them in an impenetrable hug.

  “We’ll fight this. He won’t win,” Chloe assured her family.

  Chapter 39

  “Hey sweetie, how was your weekend?” Bill Everett said to his daughter who’d just walked through the door with a strange expression on her face. “You OK?”

  “Yeah. I think so. Just some guy asking me to get in his car. Real sleazeball he was.”

  “Description?”

  “Black hair, grey suit. Good looking, but just a little creepy the way he was looking at me. I think it was a Lincoln Continental he was driving. A black one, with an Alabama license plate.”

  Everett smiled at her eye for detail. “You really are your daddy’s daughter alright.” He kissed her on the forehead and took the grocery bag from her. “I’ll ask the boys down at the station to keep an eye out for a new guy sniffing around town before I go back up to Portland for the week. Don’t worry, I’m sure he’s just another douchebag who thinks he’s good enough for my baby girl.”

  “Oh Dad, no man’ll ever be good enough for me,” she joked, walking over to hug him. “He was way too old for me anyway, at least forty.” She winked at her father.

  Kyle circled the Sunnybrook town square three times, eyeing up all the amenities like a tourist, before pulling into a parking spot just outside the bakery. Stepping out of his car, he breathed in a lungful of morning sea air and smiled. “I think I’m gonna like it here,” he said, straightening his tie and smoothing down his expensive suit. Sniffing, he caught the scent of freshly baked pie and headed towards the bakery, where he swaggered over to Alice who was sitting behind the counter reading a newspaper.

  “Anything interesting in there today?” Kyle asked, flashing his perfect white teeth.

  Alice looked up, her face unmoved by Kyle’s penetrating stare. “The usual,” she answered abruptly.

  “What’s a stunner like you doing wasting away behind this counter?”

  “Umm…I work here. Can I get you somethin’?”

  “Hmmm, now then, what would I like?” He leaned into her and sniffed at length. “What is it, apar
t from you, that smells so good in here?”

  “Pie. Pork with apple sauce today.”

  “Sounds good. I’d like one, please… And your number.” He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a shiny gold pen. Sliding it across the counter to Alice, he let his fingers brush against hers. Immediately, she snatched her hand away.

  “No thank you, sir.” She reached behind her and found the coldest pie she had on the shelf. Sliding it into a brown paper bag, she pushed it across the counter to Kyle, followed by his pen. “That’ll be thirty-five cents, please.”

  Kyle passed her a half dollar. “Keep the change, honey.” As he turned to leave, he looked out of the bakery window, his interest newly piqued as a thought crossed his mind. “That garage. Out of curiosity, who owns it?”

  “Oh, Clark’s? That’s Shona’s place. Why?”

  “This town has a woman running a garage?”

  “Yeah, she’s real good. Best mechanic this town has ever seen.” Alice’s cheeks flushed with color at the mention of Shona’s name.

  Kyle sniggered. “Really? You mean people actually trust a woman to repair their cars? It’s absurd.”

  Alice glared at Kyle, who mock saluted her and left, eyeballing the garage as he stood on the sidewalk lighting up a cigarette.

  Waiting for Shona at the garage that morning was Bill Everett.

  “Hi Bill, how’s things?” Shona called out as she jumped out of her truck and rushed over to shake his hand.

  “It’s good, Shona, thank you. I got some news. I spoke to the Chief of Police last week about maybe taking up my old post again over there.” He nodded over to the police station. “He’s been unhappy with the way Lawrence has messed up this town the last few years, so he almost bit my hand off when I offered to come back.”

  “Oh, Bill, that’s the best news. We’ve missed you around here.”

  “Yeah, well, I’ve missed it too. Dad died last month, so there’s really no point in me staying up in Portland now. His automobile business will be auctioned next week so, once that’s over with, I’ll be back for good doing the thing I love. I was no good at selling car parts,” he added with a wry smile.

  Shona beamed, wanting to hug him.

  “Lawrence wasn’t too happy with the decision, but he’s agreed to transfer to Sacramento when I start back. Oh, they had to offer him a pay raise and the sheriff post over there, but it gets him out of this town. Now, you got any more of those wildflowers out back still?”

  Kyle pulled up outside an elaborate red brick building just over a mile outside Sunnybrook, annoyed that he’d had to wait until two o’clock for his appointment slot. He strode down the hallway, passing room after room and staring in the windows, finally reaching the office where his meeting was to be held.

  “Can I help you, sir?” the receptionist asked, noting his smart suit and slicked back hair. Sniffing, she caught a whiff of his cologne and blushed.

  “I have an appointment with Principal Miller,” Kyle replied, placing his palms on the desktop in front of him.

  “One moment please.” The receptionist got up and knocked on Miller’s door, then popped her head inside. Seconds later, she invited Kyle inside.

  “Good afternoon, sir. How can I help you?” Miller looked up at Kyle but remained sitting at her desk.

  “I’d like an update on my son’s progress here,” Kyle replied, sitting down before being invited to.

  “And who is your son?” she replied, her tone clipped.

  “David.” Kyle paused, confusion crossing his face for a second.

  “David what?”

  He laughed. “Well, actually I don’t know what surname his mother is using right now.”

  Miller sat forward in her chair and clasped her hands together on the desk.

  “She left me very suddenly,” Kyle continued, softening his tone. “We had some problems in our relationship and she just left one day, without even telling me she was pregnant. I’ve spent six years trying to find her, then one day she sends her mother a letter with her address and, being the concerned mother she is, she wrote me straight away and, for the interests of the child, said I should go to her daughter and make it all OK again between us. That’s what I’m here to do, ma’am. I just want my family back together.” Kyle fiddled with his cufflink all the way through his rambling speech.

  “I do have a David, of the correct age you speak of. Would that be the one?”

  “Yes. Yes, that’s him. His mother’s name is Chloe.” Kyle leaned back in his chair, shaking his head as if relieved, then out of the corner of his eye watched to see if Miller was buying his act. “She’s probably told you about her sister living with her?”

  Miller’s eyes became keen. “Yes, a woman called Shona.” Again she leaned forward. “Why?”

  Chapter 40

  After sprinting the whole way to Fairview Elementary, Chloe almost collapsed over Polly the assistant’s desk.

  “That’s fine, Mrs. Clark. Principal Miller is expecting you. You can go right in,” Polly cut in just as Chloe tried to breathe out her words to ask.

  Pushing the door open, Chloe saw Miller’s stern face first, then Kyle. “What is going on here?”

  “Sit down Mrs. Clark,” Miller replied, then rose to pull out another chair for her.

  “No, I can’t have him here. He’s dangerous. I don’t want him here. Please.” Chloe, adrenaline rippling through her body, fell forwards, leaning her hands on the back of the chair.

  “Now, Chloe,” Kyle began, turning to face her. “I’m sure we can sort all of this misunderstanding out together. Sit down.”

  Chloe glared at him with renewed anger. “Don’t you ever tell me what to do, Kyle. Not ever.” She turned to Miller. “Ma’am, the reason I left this man is that he…he.” She paused, but she still couldn’t say that word. “He’s been in jail.”

  Miller’s face hardened towards Kyle. “You didn’t mention that before, Mr. Chambers.” Looking back at Chloe, she waved her hand, insisting she sit down. Kyle began fiddling with his cufflink again.

  “He was sent to jail for being involved in fraud, corruption, several assaults and second-degree murder. I have no idea why they’ve let him out or why he’s here now, but he’s dangerous. I don’t want him anywhere near my son.”

  “Our son,” Kyle cut in. “I made him too, didn’t I?”

  “You really wanna go there?” Chloe snapped back.

  “And the reason you left me afterwards is because of Shona, wasn’t it?”

  Miller held her hands up, confused by the rapid-fire arguments. “Hang on a minute, I’m confused here.” She looked at them both. “Mrs. Clark, you and this Shona have the same last name, yes?”

  Chloe nodded, licking her lips.

  “And that’s the same last name you gave David? Clark, right?”

  Kyle smirked. The penny had finally dropped for Miller.

  “Yes.” Chloe fiddled with the strap of her purse on her lap.

  “But you said when you enrolled him that his father, your husband, was dead. So why doesn’t David have his father’s last name? Chambers?”

  The seconds dragged by as Chloe thought fast. But there was no way out of this one. She took a huge breath and looked intently at Miller.

  “Because I didn’t want people to know his father was a criminal. That’s why I lied. He’s not really my husband. Shona and I both changed our own last names because I wanted a fresh start away from this animal. We’re not really sisters either, we’re…” She paused. “We’re friends. We made a pact to stick together, as one of the things he went to jail for was hurting Shona so badly she was almost killed. So, you can understand why I didn’t want him to find us.” She stood up to leave, but Kyle thrust out his hand and grabbed her wrist.

  “Chloe, please. I just want to see my son. I’ve changed.” He looked at Miller. “I’ve served my time, ma’am. I’m no longer a danger to society. Surely if I was, they wouldn’t have let me out, would they? I just want the op
portunity to get to know my boy.”

  Miller lay her palms on the desk. “I’m sure you do, Mr. Chambers. But I need time to think this over. For now, I think it’s best you both organize this between yourselves. Legally, Miss Clark, you and your friend are down on school records as responsible for David and I’m satisfied with that. For now,” she added. “See me next week and I’ll discuss it with you and Mr. Chambers further. My only concern is for the welfare of the child.” All three of them stood up for Miller to show them to the door. After waiting for Kyle to step away along the corridor, Miller leaned in close, locking eyes with Chloe. “Maybe, for David’s sake, Miss Clark, you should think about letting his father back in his life,” she hissed. “No matter what mistakes you’ve made in the past, a boy should have a proper family around him. I don’t want any trouble brought to my door, you hear? You wouldn’t want to have to move David to a school out of town now, would you?”

  Outside, Kyle struggled to keep up with Chloe, who, stunned by Miller’s opinion, was now striding away down the hallway. He stretched out and pulled her arm back.

  “Get your hands off me, Kyle,” Chloe said, flinging his hand away from her.

  “Look, if you don’t want me marching back in there and telling Miller exactly what Shona is to you, then you’d better let me see my son.”

  “Leave us alone, Kyle. Go back to Alabama and leave us alone.” She strode away as confidently as her shaking legs could manage.

  It was three o’clock and Kyle had gone straight from the school to Sunnybrook’s grocery store. He walked up and down the aisles, then found the perfect gift for David, a little brown bear dressed in a grey suit with a red tie, almost exactly the same as the outfit Kyle was wearing. At the register, he smiled at the Edie, but she glared back at him.