Where Petals Fall

by Melissa Foster

  Junie went under again, searching for Sarah. It was Ellen’s face she saw beneath the water. She opened her mouth. Ellen, she said. Her lungs filled with water. Ellen, Ellen.

  Brian came to the top of the water, holding Sarah under his arm. He lifted her to the dock, scrambling up next to her.

  Junie thrashed wildly, her head bobbing in and out of the water. She coughed and choked.

  Brian lay Sarah on her left side; water dribbled from her mouth. She coughed up water, sobbing between gasps. Brian dove back into the water, fishing around for Junie. Junie’s body convulsed, then went limp. Ellen. She felt her body being pulled out of the water, felt her chest heave with a giant cough. She choked, pulling herself onto her hands and knees and throwing up what felt like gallons of water.

  Brian rushed to Sarah’s side.

  Junie fell to her stomach, panting and coughing, reaching for her daughter’s hand.

  “She’s breathing. She’s okay,” Brian said. Tears streamed down his cheeks. “Holy shit,” he said, looking up toward the sky.

  Chapter Forty-Seven

  That evening, Ellen’s body floated through Junie’s dreams, her eyes staring blankly up toward the sky, her arms dangling from her sides. Flashes of Brian interrupted the gruesome scene; his arms above his head, giant rock in hand.

  Morning found Junie sitting up in bed, the covers pulled up to her chin. She inched away from Brian, clutching the blanket to her chest. Her heart throbbed against her ribs, set off by her mounting fear. The hero shine from yesterday that had made Junie look at Brian with new, schoolgirl-crush eyes had been washed away with her dreams, exposing a dangerous stranger that lay beneath.

  Junie thought of his behavior of late. Brian had been like Jekyll and Hyde. Her mind traveled down dark paths, back to the images she’d seen when Sarah fell into the water, her dreams from the night before. Was he playing her to get her and Sarah alone in the remote cabin? Had she been swayed too far by her mother’s advice? Junie’s heart raced. She had to get out of there. She slipped from the bed and rushed through her shower.

  In the kitchen, Junie made coffee and tried to think up an excuse to go home. She couldn’t say that Sarah had an appointment with Theresa. It was Saturday. Maybe she could use Bliss as an excuse. No, Brian knew it was rare that there was an emergency that Shane couldn’t handle. Shane. She could call Shane and have him show up to protect them. She nixed that as just plain stupid. Shane was no match for Brian.

  Sarah walked into the kitchen, blanket dragging on the floor behind her.

  Sarah. Junie would be damned if she’d let anything happen to Sarah. She scanned her daughter’s clothing, silently hoping that she hadn’t had an accident. She was dry. Dry. Sarah was doing better—and her mother was falling apart.

  Brian sauntered into the living room and kissed Sarah on the head.

  The hair on the back of Junie’s neck stood up. She couldn’t look at Brian without seeing him as an angry teenager, a giant rock held high above his head—aiming at Ellen. She felt Brian looming behind her.

  He put his arm around her lower back and whispered, “Can we talk?”

  Junie stiffened, swallowed hard. The last thing Sarah needed was to see an argument between her parents. Junie closed her eyes against her thoughts. You hurt Ellen! “Sure.”

  He took her hand and led her onto the porch. Junie looked at the landscape that was so beautiful just twenty-four hours earlier. Now, as she gazed at the lake and the backdrop of the mountains, she saw places that a body could disappear. Was Ellen’s body there somewhere, decaying in a shallow grave or eaten by fish in the same deep lake that Sarah fell into? A shiver ran up her spine.

  No, he saved us yesterday. If he had intended to hurt her and Sarah, he’d have let them drown, she reasoned—unless he wanted to torture them. Oh God.

  “I think we should go home.” Junie’s words came fast. “Sarah should see a doctor after yesterday, and I’m not feeling great, either.”

  “Really?” He wrinkled his forehead. “She seems fine to me. She didn’t even have an accident. I think she’s okay.”

  Damn it. Junie bit her lower lip, trying to figure out how to get home.

  “Besides”—he reached for her hand—“there’s some stuff we need to talk about.”

  Junie withdrew her hand.

  “Let’s go for a walk.”

  “No—” She stood up and opened the door. “We can’t leave Sarah.”

  Brian jumped up from his chair. “Junie, I just meant down to the lake. We’ll be gone for five minutes. If she comes outside, she can see us.”

  Junie walked into the cabin. The screen door bumped against her butt. “I need to make breakfast.” Junie wasn’t taking any chances. She would pack their things and get home.

  While Brian showered, Junie packed their belongings and threw the suitcase in the car. Brian was coming out from the bedroom when she came back into the cabin. He stood between her and the small kitchen, his face a mask of seriousness.

  “Junie, we really need to talk before we go back.”

  She knew he was angry. His shoulders rode high, and the veins in his arms stood out. “We can talk in the car,” she offered, then walked around him and grabbed the trash from the morning’s breakfast.

  “June.” He glanced at Sarah and raised his eyebrows.

  She ignored him and went outside to the dumpster at the end of the driveway. She lifted the lid, a sickening ache tearing through her stomach. Ellen. Had he gotten rid of her this easily? She closed her eyes and thought of her mother and father, the way Ruth would pull back her shoulders, gathering strength, and her father’s simple and steady confidence in her. Junie’s shoulders drew back. She could do this.

  They rode home in silence. Junie watched the muscles in Brian’s jaw clench. She didn’t care how angry he was. She wasn’t letting anything happen to Sarah. She’d be damned if she’d just disappear like Ellen did.

  She glanced in the backseat, where Sarah watched a movie. When they got home, she’d take Sarah and go straight to her mother’s house. There, she could call Theresa and figure out what was going on. One more hypnosis regression and maybe she’d understand the whole picture.

  New panic swelled within her chest. She pushed herself against the passenger side door. Was she living with a killer? Suddenly the late nights took on whole new possibility. Had other women gone missing over the years? The prospect of her husband’s dark side solidified in her confused and terrified mind.

  Brain looked over and smiled. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have gotten so upset.”

  She couldn’t speak.

  “We can talk when we get home,” he said.

  She glanced over her shoulder at Sarah, mentally planning how they would escape. She didn’t even need to pack anything. They had enough in the car. When he went inside, they’d remain in the car and just leave. Satisfied with her plan, she turned her back toward Brian and gazed out the window. He helped criminals. He was a criminal. How could she have been so blind?

  Chapter Forty-Eight

  Junie sat in the driver’s seat, talking to Brian through the open window, Sarah securely strapped in her car seat in the back of the van.

  “Mom sounded like she was falling apart. I just need to be there for her.” Her lie carried a whisper of guilt. She pushed it aside, not wanting to give Brian a chance to dissuade her. “I’ll call you when we’re settled,” she said as she pulled away from the curb.

  Junie shot a glance in the rearview mirror, watching Brian standing curbside, his arms held out, palms skyward. She let out the breath she’d been holding.

  “Junie, you’re exhausted. You’re letting your imagination steal your sanity.” Ruth sat in her reading chair, leaning forward, fatigue hanging under her eyes like bags.

  Junie shook her head. She whispered, “I don’t think so. I saw Ellen floating. She wasn’t breathing. I saw him with a rock. I know something happened.”

  “They didn’t find her body, Junie. Really
, do you think that A. Brian is capable of killing his sister, or B. that at fourteen he could dispose of a body so well that even the police couldn’t find it?”

  Junie shrugged. She knew it sounded far-fetched, but as much as she hated the thought, she trusted her instincts.

  “You know,” Ruth said gently, “everything you do will affect Sarah.”

  “So I should ignore that her father might be a killer?”

  “Listen to yourself, June.”

  Junie turned away. “I’ve been thinking. Sarah’s behavior changed after we visited at Easter, right?”

  Ruth nodded. “Right after you moved.”

  “Yes, but what if her behavior changed because of something that happened here, not because of some medical issue and not because of the move.”

  “What could possibly happen here? She loves it here.”

  “I know she does, but look at the timing.”

  Sarah came into the living room with a drawing in her hand. She handed it to Junie, her eyes trained on her mother’s face.

  Junie forced a smile and put the picture aside.

  Sarah picked it up and handed it to her mother again.

  Junie sighed. “Not now, Sarah.”

  Urine streamed down Sarah’s legs.

  “Sarah Jane!” Junie swooped Sarah into her arms, holding her away from her body as urine dripped from her legs. “I’m sorry, Mom,” she called.

  She brought Sarah to the bathroom and ran water in the tub. “What were you thinking?” she snapped.

  Sarah clung to her mother’s sleeve, tears slipping down her cheeks.

  Junie closed her eyes and sighed. “I’m sorry,” she said, and pulled her daughter close.

  Junie set Sarah in the tub and carefully washed her.

  “June?” Ruth stood in the doorway, Sarah’s drawing in hand. “Sarah’s been drawing this for a while now, hasn’t she?”

  “What, Mom?” She snapped her head back to Sarah. She didn’t have time for this nonsense. Couldn’t her mother see that she was a little busy?

  “The drawing. Sarah wanted you to see it. Maybe there’s a reason.”

  “I think Brian’s right. She’s doing this for attention. I’ve been too wrapped up in everything to see her actions for what they are.” Junie sat back on her heels and put her hand to her temples. Her hair formed a veil around her face. “I just can’t do this anymore. It’s all too much,” she cried.

  “Take a deep breath. You can do it, and you will. Sarah needs you to.”

  Junie did as her mother said. “How do you do it, Mom? You lost Daddy and I never see you fall apart. I wish I were half as strong as you.”

  Ruth reached for Sarah and lifted her from the tub. “We all need to be a bit stronger as this little pumpkin gets bigger.” She wrapped Sarah in a towel and walked her into Junie’s childhood bedroom.

  Junie dragged herself behind her mother, exhausted, feeling as though she’d like to go to sleep and never wake up. This had to be a nightmare.

  She watched Ruth dress Sarah in a pair of red leggings and a striped top. “What do you think, little missy? Is there something you want to show your mama?”

  To Ruth’s surprise, Sarah nodded.

  Ruth grasped her thin arms. “There is? Well, okay, then.” She glanced at Junie, who was leaning against the doorframe.

  “Do you hear that? Sarah has something to show you.” Ruth opened her eyes wider, indicating the urgency in her words.

  Sarah brushed by her mother and went into the bathroom. She lifted the drawing and handed it to her mother.

  “Yes, I saw this sweetie.” She sighed. “It’s beautiful.”

  Sarah grabbed her mother’s arm and squeezed.

  “Ouch!”

  “I think your daughter is trying to tell you something,” Ruth urged.

  Junie crouched down and looked into Sarah’s eyes. “Tell me.”

  Chapter Forty-Nine

  Sarah’s silence did nothing to answer Junie’s questions. She ran her hand through her hair, staring at the drawing. She reached for Sarah’s hand. “Come on. We’re going outside.”

  Sarah’s legs moved quickly to keep up with her mother. Ruth walked beside Junie.

  “Where are we headed?” Ruth asked.

  “Peter’s garden.”

  Sarah stopped.

  Junie spun around. “Let’s go, Sarah.”

  They stood at the bottom of the hill that led up to Peter’s house. The green grass lay before them like a red carpet, inviting and intimidating all at once.

  Sarah shook her head.

  Junie and Ruth shared a concerned glance. Junie knelt down, Sarah’s small hand safely held within her own. “Sarah, you obviously want me to see something. Let’s go see. You can show me.” Junie kept her tone upbeat.

  Sarah wasn’t buying it. She shook her head.

  Ruth touched Junie’s shoulder.

  Junie stood.

  Ruth crouched beside Sarah. “Do you want to show Grandma?”

  Sarah looked down. Her curls swayed from side to side with the shaking of her head.

  Junie let out a long, loud sigh. She looked up the hill toward Peter’s house, feeling the pull of the garden. “How can I help you if you won’t help me? Why did you want me to see the picture if you won’t go see the garden?”

  “I can probably answer that.” A voice startled Junie.

  “Peter?”

  He nodded.

  “Dad!” Brian ran across the lawn, his eyes trained on Peter. “Don’t.”

  Sarah hid behind her mother’s legs. Junie looked from Peter to Brian. “What is going on?”

  “Maybe I should take Sarah inside,” Ruth offered.

  Sarah held Junie’s shirt in her clenched fist. She pushed her body against her mother. She was not going anywhere.

  Brian looked Peter in the eye. “Dad, not now.”

  “What’s going on, Brian?” Junie reached behind her and put her hand on Sarah’s back.

  He touched her arm.

  She recoiled.

  “I told you that we had to talk.” He looked at Peter, then said to Junie, “Not here. Let’s go for a walk.”

  The pleading in Brian’s eyes did not escape Junie. Her heart beat a mile a minute.

  “Wait, I think I should be there, Brian.” Peter’s commanding voice had been replaced with one of caution.

  “Dad.” Brian shot him a harsh look.

  “I have no idea what’s going on, but Sarah is obviously afraid to walk up that hill, and I want to know why.” She held Peter’s gaze.

  “Ruth, can you please take Sarah inside?”

  Ruth reached for Sarah’s hand. Sarah wouldn’t budge. She looked up at Peter. Peter wiped his hand down his face. “I’m sorry, Sarah,” he said.

  “What did you do?” Junie yelled, wrapping her arms around Sarah.

  Peter ignored her and knelt down before Sarah. “Sarah, I didn’t mean to frighten you.” He stood and looked at Brian. “I was only protecting your parents.”

  “What?” Junie flashed red toward Brian. “What’s he talking about?”

  Brian let out a breath, closed his eyes, and folded his arms across his chest. He opened them, blinking rapidly as they filled with tears.

  “Brian?” Junie’s tone softened.

  “I think Sarah should go inside,” he said quietly.

  Junie looked from Peter to Brian, then back at her mother. She put her hands on Sarah’s shoulders. “Why don’t you go with Grandma? I’ll be inside in a few minutes, okay?”

  Sarah moved her finger up and down, beckoning her mother closer. She put her mouth up to Junie’s ear. Her warm whisper was magnificent and horrible at once. Junie shivered. She stood and looked at Brian and Peter.

  “What does she mean, can I tell?” Junie’s hands shook. “So help me, if you hurt my daughter, I will kill you. Both of you.” She pushed Sarah behind her again.

  “June!” Ruth exclaimed.

  “Stay out of this,” she said to Ruth
. “What does she mean?” Junie yelled. She turned back to Sarah. “Yes, you can tell. You can always tell Mommy anything.” She crouched, steeling herself for the worst.

  Sarah stared up at Peter. Junie followed her gaze, watched Peter nod. She bent down so her ear was flush with Sarah’s mouth and listened.

  “Papa Peter said not to tell,” Sarah whispered.

  Junie lowered herself to the grass. The world spun before her.

  “I can explain,” Peter said.

  “Dad.” Brian held his hand out to the side, warding him off. “Let her be.”

  Junie held on to Sarah like a vice.

  “It’s my fault,” Peter confessed. “She found…something…something of Ellen’s, when she was digging in my garden, and I told her not to mention it, that it might cause problems.”

  Junie still didn’t understand. She gritted her teeth, pushing her words through them. “So help me, Peter. If you hurt her. If you touched her.”

  “Junie, please,” Brian pleaded. “This isn’t something we should discuss here.” He nodded toward Sarah.

  Ruth took Sarah by the hand and led her back to the house. Sarah looked over her shoulder at her parents, her eyes sad, wet with tears.

  Chapter Fifty

  Junie breathed deeply, pushing herself to her feet. Brian reached to support her and she pushed him away. Her voice failed her the first time she tried to speak. She looked at Peter, and bile rose in her throat. She swallowed it down, then pulled her shoulders back and readied herself for a conversation she did not want to have.

  “Junie,” Peter began. “She found Ellen’s earring.”

  Junie held her hand up and shook her head. None of it made any sense. How would Ellen’s earring cause problems for them? She wasn’t ready to hear it, whatever it was. She stared at Peter’s house, remembering the laughter she shared with Ellen, the fear when she finally realized that Ellen wasn’t coming back. She thought of Peter in his office, ignoring his family, and Brian—golden boy Brian—angry and mean after Ellen’s disappearance.