by Mia Carson
“Promise me you’ll be careful,” she whispered, breaking through the heavy silence in the car.
“Don’t worry about me,” he assured her. “He’s my damn twin. I can handle him.”
“What are you going to do?”
“I have to go see Princeton, anyway, about getting your things out of the Wrangler,” he said slowly. “I’ll drop a few hints about Frank hanging around some shifty characters and maybe taking what that Marquette kid is ranting about to heart.”
“And if they realize Frank was involved?” she asked, knowing it would tear their family apart for good. What she did with Reider was nothing compared to outright murder.
Fredrick shrugged. “He dug his own grave if he set up that accident.”
The car pulled off the highway a while later, and he drove them to a nice neighborhood with large stone and brick mansions. Nothing as grand as what they grew up in, but definitely not far behind.
“I thought you said you had a small house.” She smirked as she stared at the houses.
Fredrick chuckled. “What can I say? She’s never lived in a house before, and I wanted to spoil her.”
They neared the end of the street, and he pulled into the three-car drive of a timber and stone house on a large plot of land. Cottonwood trees grew along the edge, shading it from the afternoon sun, and the front flowerbeds were filled with lilies and hydrangeas. It was the image of a perfect home, and Johanna longed to share the same with Reider. That morning, she’d believed those dreams were out of her reach, but now, there was a chance they could have the ranch Reider wanted with her by his side.
“Ready to meet them?” Fredrick asked nervously.
“Why, are you worried?”
“Rosaleen wanted to know why I waited until something tragic happened before I finally got up the nerve to introduce her to anyone from the family,” he muttered and slipped out of the car.
Johanna sighed with a smirk. “She has a right to be annoyed, you know,” she said as he grabbed her bag from the trunk. The front door opened, and a fiery redhead stepped out wearing jeans and a paint-covered tank top. The little boy on her hip had bright blue eyes and red hair, but the way his lips quirked in a crooked grin, that was all her brother.
“You two make it out alright?” she asked, brow furrowed with worry as she held out her hand for Frederick’s.
“We’re fine,” he said and wrapped on arm around her waist, kissing her on the lips and his son on the head. “And how’s Travis been today?”
“Unruly, like his dad,” Rosaleen said with a sigh. She lifted her gaze when Johanna stepped forward and handed her son to Fredrick. Johanna wasn’t sure what to say, but the woman embraced her tightly and all she could do was hug back. “I’m so glad to meet you! And glad you’re okay. Fredrick told me what happened. Had to hold me back from going and rescuing you myself.”
Johanna liked this woman already. She kept one arm through Johanna’s and led her to the front door. “Thanks. I had no idea he hid you from us,” she said and shot her brother an accusing glare.
“What? I was scared,” he muttered as he tickled Travis with the hand holding him until his son giggled. “Yes, that’s right. Daddy should’ve been more like his crazy little sister and your mommy.”
Johanna froze for a second. She had never seen such a soft side of him, and she burst out laughing. “Wow, I don’t think I can get used to that.”
“Well, you’ll have a while,” Rosaleen told her. “You can stay here as long as you need to. We don’t mind, and frankly, I’m so excited about hanging out with my future sister-in-law.”
“Likewise,” Johanna said.
Rosaleen and Fredrick put her in one of the spare bedrooms at the back of the house with a great view of the grove of trees behind them and the creek running through the land. Johanna pictured another creek, and when she closed her eyes, sensed Reider beside her, his arms tightly around her.
“Right, I’m off,” Fredrick said with a gentle knock at the door.
“What are you going to tell Mom and Dad about me?”
“What about you? I came home, and you were gone, left a note saying you were staying with your friend Melody for a few days to cool off,” he said.
“Melody? I have to call her,” she said, panicked, but Fredrick held up a new cell and tossed it to Johanna. “You already did? She’s okay with it?”
“She said she’d do her best to keep our parents away, but if they show up at the house, there’s not much she can do. It’ll work out, Jo, I promise. I have to run. Take care of my family while I’m gone,” he added and tapped his forehead in a lazy salute like the twins used to do when they said bye.
She promised she would and watched him leave. After a few minutes, she tried Reider’s number with the cell, but the number was disconnected. She had no way to get a hold of him.
“Hey,” Rosaleen said gently at her side. “Travis is down for a nap, and you look like you could use a drink.”
“A drink might be a good idea.”
“Great, and when Travis wakes up, he can officially meet his aunt.”
Johanna remembered the little boy’s grin and nodded. “I’d like that, I really would.”
16
When Johanna wasn’t in class Monday, Reider accepted she might be taking a day to let things cool down. James wasn’t there either, and a sub stepped in to give them the hour to work on their projects. He ignored the questions from his friends and the curious stares at the bruises and cuts on his face caused by the fight. Micah was forced to drive him to campus since his dad saw fit to leave his vehicle impounded. Reider didn’t care until his dad took his cell and disconnected the number.
Tuesday, he stayed in his room all day and prayed Johanna would appear on Wednesday, but a note posted to the classroom door said class was canceled for the day. He stopped by James’s office, but the door was locked and there was no answer. Each passing hour away from Johanna, not knowing what she was dealing with, not able to be there for her, drove him mad. He hardly ate and didn’t speak a word to anyone. Micah tried and earned another black eye along with a quiet threat of more to come if he continued to harass Reider.
“You should be thanking me,” Micah snapped, groaning as he held his face.
They returned home, and Reider stomped towards the front door until Micah’s words hit him. “You think I should thank you for driving away the woman I love?”
“Yeah, you should. Her family’s a bunch of liars and murderers,” Micah muttered darkly.
“She isn’t, you asshole! When are you going to get it through your head that not everyone in her family is like that!” He backed Micah up until his cousin was trapped between Reider’s raging body and the car. “If you ever talk to me about her again, her family’s going to be the least of your worries.”
He stormed into the house, leaving his cousin to either stay outside and cower or follow. He needed to see Johanna and didn’t care anymore how he got there.
“There you are,” his dad called from the kitchen. “You’re coming with me.”
“Not in the mood,” he snarled and moved for the stairs.
“Your Wrangler is being released, and we have to go get it,” Peter said. “You will drive it home and will hand the keys back over.”
“Why would I do that?” he asked and glared at his dad.
Peter’s lip twitched, and Micah came inside. “Micah, you’re coming with me. I need you to drive the Wrangler home.”
Reider twisted around to walk away, but his dad called him back again. “What? You don’t need me if you have him.” He pointed, and Micah flinched at the action. Reider smirked until his dad spotted the new black eye blooming on his cousin’s face.
“Touch your cousin again, and you’ll regret it,” Peter growled. “Let’s go. I don’t have all afternoon, and I’m not leaving you home so you can try to contact that woman.”
The three men drove to the station, and Reider sulked the entire way, sitting in the
front seat with his dad so he didn’t have to deal with Micah glaring continually at him. Peter opened his mouth a few times, and Reider braced for the lecture, but his dad never said a word. They walked inside to get the keys, and his dad cursed under his breath. Reider glanced up and spotted Fredrick at the counter, speaking quietly with Sheriff Princeton.
But when Fredrick straightened and his eyes caught Reider’s, there was no hate in them nor the usual haughtiness. A sense of urgency and apology stared back at him. His hands twitched, and he took a step towards Reider before he shook his head to stop himself.
“I would appreciate if I could have that duffel, Sheriff,” Fredrick said.
“It’ll be brought up in a minute. Be patient,” the older man said, but his face scrunched in worry as he turned away, leaving the deputy at the desk to deal with Peter about the Wrangler.
Peter told the man they were there for the car, and when he walked away, he leaned against the counter and glared with open hostility at Fredrick. “How is your brother doing?”
“He’s fine. I’ll tell him you asked after his well-being,” Fredrick sneered, but the tone of his voice was off. Reider studied his face again. His usual hostile stance was relaxed, and his hand twitched at his side as if trying to tell Reider something. “I assume Reider is healing?”
“He’s fine as long as he stays away from your damn sister,” Peter growled.
“Dad, don’t,” Reider warned.
Fredrick watched them both closely, but when he spoke next, his words were only for Reider. “She won’t be anywhere near the families again, I swear it.”
Reider straightened at his words. They weren’t a threat, but a message? His mind racing, he tried to make sense of them, but another officer handed him Johanna’s duffel from the Wrangler and Fredrick excused himself quickly. He wanted to run after him and ask what the hell he meant, but he was gone too quickly. A few minutes later, Peter handed a set of keys to Micah. Numbly, Reider followed them out, his only respite watching Micah’s face pale as he climbed into the Wrangler and started the engine.
“The nerve of that family,” Peter ranted as they followed Micah back to the house. “They always think they’re better than everyone, and now look at them. One daughter shaming the family with her affair and the other a lesbian, running away to paint for a living.”
“Don’t forget, I was part of that affair, too, before you start judging people,” Reider mumbled.
“I won’t ever forget what you put this family through, trust me,” Peter replied, his hands gripping the wheel until his knuckles whitened. “And you will pay for it the rest of your life.”
“Right, keep telling yourself that, Dad.”
“You think I’m kidding? You think your actions only affected you or her?” he asked. “Tell me, have you seen my cousin on campus lately?”
Reider frowned. “What did you do?”
“What that damn headmaster should’ve done when that man first paired you two together. Fired him and sent him packing. He doesn’t belong anywhere near us—any of us.” Peter nodded firmly. “He’ll be gone soon, and then everything can go back to normal.”
Reider scowled at his dad and leaned his head against the window. “No, it won’t, Dad. You can’t make me forget that I love Johanna, and no matter what you do to me, that will never change.”
Firing James from the college wasn’t the only person Peter Marquette took his anger out on, as Reider soon found out. Benny, the guy who had helped him switch vehicles the first weekend he spent with Johanna was let go the same day. Reider raged at his dad for getting rid of one of their best employees, but his dad simply turned the blame back around on Reider and told him to grow up. This was what it meant to be an adult and clean up his son’s mess.
The next few days passed in a blur, and before long, the weekend was there again. He’d heard not a word from Johanna, and the few people he did ask about her on campus said they hadn’t seen her at all either. He considered walking to her house and banging on the door until someone answered, but if her brothers were home, another beating would be imminent. Sheriff Princeton wouldn’t be so lenient the second time, so Reider stayed locked in his room all weekend, fuming at the world. He put more than one hole in his wall, venting his frustration the only way he really could.
Sunday night, the house erupted in a fight as Micah screamed at Reider’s parents. Worried he’d finally lost it, Reider charged out of his room and downstairs. His mom was in tears, and his dad snarled at Micah on the other side of the foyer.
“What’s going on?” Reider yelled.
“Your cousin has gone insane,” Peter yelled.
“You’re all too stupid to see it!” Micah argued. “They did it, and I’m going to prove it!”
“No one murdered your parents,” Reider said, but stopped short and rubbed at his neck. “Micah, did you go to the sheriff with your questions about the case?”
“Reider, what are you doing?” Peter warned. “There’s no case. Don’t encourage him.”
“Shut up,” he snapped at his dad, stunning him into silence. “Micah, listen to me, I know the PI you hired said he had proof, but what if I told you I heard something else that might help prove it wasn’t an accident.”
Micah eyed him and shook his head. “Why would I trust you?”
“Why would I help you after you ruined my life, you mean?” he raged. Quickly, he reined in his anger. He needed an ally if he were going to see Johanna again, and if he managed to get his cousin back on his side, he would have one person in the world he could trust. Well, two, if he saw James again. “I’m telling you the truth, but if you keep spouting off conspiracy theories about murder, no one is going to take you seriously.”
Slowly, his cousin nodded, and his body sagged. “You’re right, I… I know it wasn’t an accident.”
“I know you do, but you can’t do this on your own.”
“What the hell are you doing?” Peter marched forward and planted himself between them. “You are going to drive him straight to the loony bin.”
“You know, if you ever bothered to listen, you’d learn about your family and what we all need from you besides your endless lectures about how imperfect we are,” Reider said, standing to his full height and glaring down at his dad. “I’m going back to bed.”
His mom called him back, but Reider ignored her. The past few days had been Janet trying to explain to Reider how Johanna was wrong for him and how she planned to throw a party soon, inviting all the single women they approved of. Reider shut down after that and refused to even look at her. Peter yelled his name, but Reider didn’t stop. There was no point, not anymore.
Sleep came that night, but it was filled with nightmares of watching Johanna ripped from his arms and he, unable to do anything, like he was chained to a wall. He woke in a sweat, clutching at the sheets and desperate to see her again. Fredrick’s words from the other day plagued his mind, but nothing ever came of them, and little by little, his hope dimmed.
After a cold shower and a quick glance in the mirror to see the bags under his eyes worse than yesterday, Reider grabbed his bag and hurried down to wait by Micah’s car. His cousin, though, was already outside and shuffled his feet.
“Hey, uh, I think… I’m sorry, Reider,” he said lamely, hanging his head.
For the first time since he’d moved in, Reider saw the side of his cousin he always got along with. The fun-loving guy who wanted to see everyone around him smile. Reider rested a hand on Micah’s shoulder until he met his gaze.
“We all do stupid shit, man, but it might take me a while before I trust you again.”
“I know, and if I could somehow get you guys back together, I would. I was pissed, no one was listening, and I messed up. Big time messed up.”
Reider nodded. There was nothing else to say. His cousin had screwed up his one chance at happiness, but he had one more trick to try. While Micah was in class that afternoon, he was going to find a way to get to Johanna’s
house and see where her parents had locked her away. They’d probably call the cops on him, but he was out of options.
On his way to his morning class, he passed by James’s office and paused because the door was cracked open and the light was on. Rustling papers sounded inside, and Reider knocked on the door frame.
“Come in,” James called and glanced up from a stack of papers in his hand. “Ah, Reider. You look terrible.”
He smirked. “Thanks, I think.”
“Pretty sure I looked like that for a few months after I was kicked out of the city,” he said and sat down in his chair. “I was hoping to catch you before I left again.”
“I’m sorry he got you fired.”
“Nah, I knew what I was risking, and I’d do it again.” He spun idly in his chair. “I wish it had ended differently, and I wish I could help you now, but I’m afraid the sheriff has warned me to stay away from Johanna before she goes as far as filing a restraining order against me.”
“She wouldn’t do that. You haven’t heard from her, have you? Johanna?” Reider asked, sitting down in a chair and holding his head in his hands. “I feel like I’m barely hanging on, no one’s seen her, and I can’t call her. I hate not knowing!”
His world had fallen apart in a night, and the pieces were so scattered, he didn’t think he’d ever get them back. Johanna’s amber gaze haunted him at all hours of the day, the way they lit up when she smiled or darkened when he kissed her. How she chewed on her damn pen caps and twirled her curls, tugging on them when she was lost in thought. He missed the sound of her laughter, like rain on a hot summer day, calming him like nothing else could. She was meant to be his, yet they were forced apart.
“You can’t give up,” James told him firmly. “There’s always a chance things will work out.”
Reider didn’t answer but stood in silence. He gripped the strap on his bag and held out a hand to shake James’s when he noticed the phone on the desk. A red light blinked with a number beside it. “Were you planning on listening to your messages before you ran off?” he asked. “There’s quite a few.”