by Nikki Rose
"Then we should definitely go someday."
"We should?" Was she suggesting we go to Europe together one day?
"Well, I mean...I was just saying..." She fumbled with her words, making me smile. She was so adorable that I couldn't let her suffer like that.
"I'm just messing with you. Anyway, how long will you need to be ready? So, I can tell Mikey."
"Half an hour or so. I just need to clean up and change clothes."
"Awe, not going to be clad in this season's artist-chic collection?" I teased.
"No, it's just not the right feel for abandoned grocery store attire." She smirked at me and I had to laugh.
"Alright, I'll let Mikey know we should be at the rendezvous point in about an hour."
"Sounds good."
I walked out of the room and called Mikey.
I was sitting at the kitchen table going through my notes of everything I knew about the case so far which wasn't much.
"Hey, all ready to go?" Hana appeared from nowhere.
“Yeah, I was just looking over what little info we have on the case so far while waiting on you.”
“Sorry about that. Paint is a pain to wash off.”
“It's okay. It's only been,” I checked the clock on my phone. “Twenty minutes.”
“Oh, so I finished with time to spare.” Hana smiled.
“Yeah. But you don't need any more time. You already look far too good to be hanging out in an old abandoned grocery store parking lot.”
“You just don't want to wait for me to get ready anymore,” She joked, letting out a chuckle as she picked up her purse and plucked the keys off the hook. “You ready to go?”
“Ready.” I closed my file and tucked it away as we walked to the garage.
I hated having to ride in the trunk while Hannah drove but until my name was cleared, I didn't have much of a choice. I gave her the address and made sure she put it in the GPS right before climbing in the trunk and closing the lid.
I rode for several minutes in the dark confined space. I could feel every turn though Hana was careful to take them as smoothly as she could. She turned out of her driveway and onto her road, from there it was only a couple turns before we reached the long stretch of highway that led to our meeting spot with Mikey.
Once we got on the straight away, I was able to lay back and relax a bit since I wouldn’t have to be bracing myself so often. I pulled out my phone and pulled up the map of the area around the old grocery story. I wanted to make sure that I could spot any potential weak spot where someone might catch us off guard.
I was busy studying the map when suddenly there was a loud crashing sound. I was thrown to the opposite side, my phone was knocked out of my hand and tumbled away into the dark recesses of the car. Once we finally stopped spinning, I scrambled to open the middle console of the backseat to see if Hana was okay and what had happened.
“Hana? Are you okay?” she looked disoriented and was holding the side of her head but nodded.
Just then I heard voices. Angry, male voices coming closer to the car. I needed to get the hell out of the trunk and make sure that Hana was okay. I closed the middle seat back and reached for the glowing emergency latch but just as I went for it, the trunk flew open and I squinted in the bright daylight at two large men. With the sun behind them, I couldn’t make out their faces but if their body language was any indication, they were not there to make friends. They grabbed me out of the car and slung me down onto the rough asphalt.
“What the hell is your problem?”
“You’re our problem, asshole.”
One of the guys kicked me in the midsection, making me curl into a ball in order to protect my more vulnerable sides. When he tried to kick me again, I grabbed the guy’s leg and pulled, making him fall onto the ground beside me.
Seconds later, I managed to use my leg to sideswipe the second man, bringing him tumbling almost on top of me but I barely rolled out of the way in time. I stumbled to my feet, watching as Hana struggled to keep her balance climbing out of the car.
“Mason,” she cried out just before one of the guys wrapped his large forearm across my throat in a choke hold.
“Hana, get out of here. Go,” I yelled at her with all the air I had left as his arm pinched off my windpipe.
I didn’t have time to watch her disappear from sight. I swung my elbow around and into the guy's kidney area which made him loosen his grip enough that I got out of his grasp. His partner, still on the ground, managed to knock me down and I landed flat on my back which briefly knocked the air from my lungs.
The first, larger guy charged toward me. Using my position on my back to my advantage along with his momentum, I managed to fling him over my head and he crashed into the bumper of the car before crumpling to the ground. I rolled over and hopped onto my feet. Before he had time to get up, I made it to his friend and offered one solid punch to his jaw.
He punched back and I dodged him but his second strike snuck up on me and I stumbled back. He advanced but when he tried to punch again, I grabbed his arm and thrust up, causing a sickening crack. His yell broke through the ringing in my ears but he kept fighting.
I slammed his head into the side of the car, finally knocking him unconscious. The first guy came up behind me and grabbed me in an unbreakable headlock. I swung to hit him but couldn’t get a good angle. There was a loud thud of metal hitting bone and the guy released me, falling to the ground. Finally, with the two men incapacitated, I whirled around to see Hana standing there, blood drying in her blond hair and a tire iron in her hand. She’d never looked hotter.
Then, she stumbled. I stepped forward, barely catching her in my arms as she found her footing again.
“I’m dizzy.”
“I can tell.”
“I hit my head.”
“I know. Let’s get you sitting down for a minute.”
I led her toward the front of the car when I spotted another car approaching fast from down the road. They were not out for a Sunday drive.
“I think we’ve got more company. Let’s get out of here.”
Hana ran with me beside her to stabilize her and I placed her in the passenger seat. I ran around the back of the car, quickly shutting the trunk before hopping in the driver's seat. I said a quick prayer that the car would start before turning the key.
Nothing.
I turned the key again, that time with a little added jiggle and it finally started. I hit the gas and we spun tires as I pulled off the side of the road and into the lane. The car coming up slowed slightly as they passed the two unconscious men on the side of the road but then they sped up with even more determination.
“Hold on tight. I need to lose them.”
I floored the car, pushing it to go as fast as it could. I wished we were in my car because it would go faster, but I’d just have to out maneuver them instead. I put as much distance as possible between us and the other car but they were still gaining on us. We came up to a bit of traffic and I was able to swerve in and out of the cars with ease where they managed to delay themselves by getting pinned in between three cars.
I was still zipping through traffic, trying to keep as much distance as I could from them when I called Mikey.
“Hey man, where are you? You’re late.”
“We ran into some trouble. Aren’t going to be able to make it today. Sorry Mikey. I need to call Hunter but I’ll be in touch.”
“You got it.”
I hung up the phone and dialed Hunter just before having to swerve into the median to avoid hitting two cars and a minivan. Hana gasped, gripping her armrests tight.
“It’s okay, I got this.”
“Hey man, got what?” Hunter’s voice came through the phone.”
“Hey, Hunter. Hana and I ran into some trouble on our way to meet Mikey. We are currently on the 95 headed north trying to outrun them.”
“Shit, man. What do you need?”
“Take this exit up here,” Hana ordered.
I accelerated to make it around a car before swerving in front of them and over onto the off ramp. I glanced in my rearview, not seeing anyone following behind.
“We may have lost them but I’m not sure yet. I need you to head back up the road a bit and see if you see anything. We left two of their guys unconscious on the side of the road so they may be going back there. Look for a dark green SUV with a lot of front-end damage.”
“You got it. Until I find out more, can you find a place to lay low?”
“Yeah, the accident didn’t happen far from Hana’s house so I’m not convinced that her place hasn’t been compromised. We’ll find somewhere to—shit.”
“What?”
“I don’t have my go-bag with me.”
“What do you mean? You always carry it with you. It’s protocol.”
“I left it at Hana’s. I’ve been living out of that thing for a while now. I don’t have any cash for a room or guns or anything.”
“I’ll take care of it,” Hana interrupted and I looked at her perplexed. “What do you mean?”
“I know a place where we can stay for free. And I’ve got my go bag.” She held up her purse and smiled.
“Okay. Call me when you have something, Hunter.”
I ended the call and glanced at Hana again. “We need to get you checked out at a hospital but I’m worried that those guys would be checking there.”
“I’ll be fine. I was just knocked around a little bit. Take this next right.”
Hana led me back out onto a different stretch of highway, calmly telling me which way to go as all the stores, buildings, and traffic faded away.
“Where are we going?”
“My grandma’s place.”
“The farm?”
“Yeah, it's only an hour away. We should be there soon. Especially the way you’ve been driving, but we need to stop by the store to pick up a few things before we get too close. There aren’t any stores for several miles once you get there.”
We rode a way longer until Hana pointed at another exit sign with a billboard for Wal-Mart next to it.
“There.”
I took the exit and Hana directed me to pull into the store’s parking lot.
“We need to pick up a few supplies just in case we have to stay there for the night. No one lives there so it won’t be stocked.”
“Lead the way.”
CHAPTER 10
Mason
I followed Hana’s directions from the store. Ten minutes on the main road, then we turned off, driving until the paved road faded into packed dirt and bits of gravel with trees hanging over the road like we were driving through a tunnel.
“Are you sure we’re going the right way? You aren’t getting us lost, are you?”
“We’re almost there.” Hana chuckled. She seemed almost excited as we drove farther into what looked like nowhere.
I kept driving but I was getting more hesitant by the minute. I hoped I hadn’t misread this girl all this time or that her hitting her head hadn’t confused her. The road wound around large trees and streams that could barely be seen through all the overgrowth until finally we took a turn and the trees suddenly cleared, opening up into large open fields and open sky. By this point, the sun was setting below the rolling horizon, making the whole sky have an orange glow.
“Wow,” I breathed out.
“See why I love it here? It’s the little brick house up there on the right. Just after the pond.”
I pulled off the main road and drove up the long winding drive to the house. To the right there was a small fishing pond and to the left was an old barn that had clearly seen better days. We pulled around to the side of the house and I put the car in park.
“Let me make sure the key still works.” Hana jumped out of the car and ran up the front porch steps before I got out of the car.
“Wouldn’t that have been a good thing to know before we drove all the way here?”
“Well, yeah. Probably.” She chuckled, wiggling the key in the lock before finally opening the door. “There, see. No problem.”
I grabbed our bags of groceries and shut the car door with my knee before following her.
“Oh, I was going to help,” she scowled at my arms loaded down with bags.
“It’s no big deal. I got them. But, where can I put these?”
“Oh, kitchen. This way.”
She led me through the living room. All the furniture was covered in white sheets, arranged so that the beautiful large stone fireplace was the centerpiece of the room. We walked into the traditional farmhouse kitchen. It was large with an old yet cared for kitchen dining set.
“You can just sit the bags there,” she flipped the light switch and the room illuminated enough that I could see the old timey blue and white plaid wallpaper.
I carefully laid out the bags on the table and looked around. “This is cute.”
“Isn’t it? I loved coming here as a kid. I spent every summer here and every other chance I had when I was out of school.”
“It sounds like you and your grandmother were close.”
“We were. She was the best.” Hana pulled the curtain to the side and opened the kitchen window. “It’s a bit musty but that’s just because no one really comes here anymore.”
I started helping unload the groceries, putting the food in the fridge. “So, since your grandmother passed, who owns this place now?”
“I do.”
“You?” I stopped and closed the fridge before standing back up and looking at her as though she were a puzzle I couldn’t solve. “Then why do you rent your house with that asshole of a landlord when you have this place?”
“I want to be closer to the city right now. I’m too young to be hiding out in the middle of nowhere. How would I ever get discovered as the amazing artist I am way out here?”
“Good point. So why not sell and buy a place in the city?”
“Because this is home. I love it here and eventually, one day, I do want to move here once I’ve made enough of a name for myself that people seek out my art themselves. Then I can move out here away from the crowds and paint everyday surrounded by the beautiful views and the memories of the happiest times in my life.”
“That is some goal.”
Hana smiled and motioned for me to follow her into the living room where she began removing the white sheets and revealing very nice, comfortable living room furniture.
“How long has it been since you’ve been here?”
“A little over a year. I haven’t been back since my grandma died.”
“Oh, Hana. I’m so sorry. Is it hard to be back here?”
“You know,” she started as she plopped down on the couch, “I thought it would, which is why I put it off all this time but it's not. My grandma lived a wonderful and full life. I still miss her everyday but there is something about being here...it's almost like I’m getting to visit her again.”
“I’m glad,” I smiled at her and she returned the smile.
“I need a shower before we cook dinner.”
“Is that an invitation?” I smirked playfully, teasing her.
She rolled her eyes at me and opened her mouth, probably ready with some good comeback when there was a knock on the door. I put my finger to my lips to tell her to be quiet.
“Did someone follow us? I was careful.” I whispered to her.
“Whoever’s in there better come out. Now...slowly. This is private property and I have a gun,” a man’s voice demanded through the door.
Hana grinned and jumped up to run to the door.
“Hana,” I whisper yelled as I tried to grab her arm to stop her but she just barely slipped from my reach.
I jumped up but before I could stop her, she swung the door open to reveal a nice-looking guy that looked like he just stepped off of a Levi commercial.
“Hana,” the guy looked completely shocked but obviously knew her.
“Jake,” Hana spoke excitedly and grinned at h
im in a way I wished she’d grin at me. I’d never been able to make her smile like that and something deep inside twisted at that realization.
Mr. Levi propped his shotgun on the side of the door frame and pulled Hana into a huge bear hug, lifting her off the ground and making her squeal. I struggled to suppress a growl.
“What are you doing here? It’s been—” He finally put her back on the floor.
“I know. It’s been a long time. We were just in the area and decided to stop in.”
“How long are you going to be here? Mom would love to see you again.
“I’m not sure. A day or two probably?”
“You have to come for dinner...”
I’d had enough of the reunion so I cleared my throat and they both turned to me.
“Oh, Mason. This is my good friend Jake. Jake, this is Mason.”
“Nice to meet you, man.” Jake leaned into the house past Hana and offered me his hand. I hesitantly took it, making sure my handshake was firm. I wasn’t sure why I was feeling so competitive but I wanted this guy to know that I could handle myself even if we were in his arena for now. I felt like a wild animal trying to mark his territory though I had no idea why. I had no claim to Hana but somehow knowing that made it that much worse.
“Well,” Jake looked back at Hana, finally a little less confident after our introductions. “You both should come to dinner. Mom would ring my neck if she knew you were around and didn’t come by for a visit.”
Hana didn’t answer, instead she looked at me. We’d picked up food to cook for dinner and I had no desire to be around the real-life cowboy any longer than I had to but I could tell she wanted to go and I’d be damned if I denied her anything she wanted.
“Sure, why not? We can’t have you getting into trouble with your mom, right?” I forced a small grin at Jake.
He flashed a genuine smile and I seriously wanted to punch him right in his dimpled face. I wasn’t sure what cowboy romance novel this guy crawled out of but I wanted to shove him back inside of it as soon as possible and get Hana alone again.
I shook my head, unsure of what had gotten into me. We’d almost kissed once but suddenly when there was another man around, I turned into some caveman wanting to mark his territory and club any male that got near. Hana was clearly happy to see him. If I acted hostile toward him that would just make me out to be the bad guy.