How to Live and Die in Crescent Rock (Crescent Rock Series)

by Bree Wolf

  Later that night she called Julia, wondering why she hadn’t heard from her and worrying that Luke had retained a serious injury after all. After a couple of rings, she hung up and dialed again. This time Julia answered, her voice sounding strained and tired.

  “How is Luke? Please tell me he is alright!”

  “He is,” Julia said, emotion showing in her voice. “Dr. Barker couldn’t find anything wrong with him. He wasn’t even dehydrated. I’m sorry I should’ve called you.”

  “Gosh, don’t worry about me,” Quinn assured her. “I’m just glad the little monster is fine. Will you be at school tomorrow?”

  There was a slight pause. “I don’t think so.” Julia sounded weak again. “I think I’m going to need a little time.” There was a strain in her voice but again she didn’t say anything or ask Quinn what exactly had happened.

  “Alright, give me a call if you need anything,” Quinn told her friend before hanging up.

  Chapter 22 – Far, Far Away

  Friday started like any other day but it wasn’t long before it reared its ugly head.

  After a relatively peaceful breakfast, Quinn’s first two classes maintained the peace and quiet and passed without incident. However, by the time she walked into Ms. Grainer’s Math class, the whispers started again. At first she tried to ignore them, afraid she wouldn’t be able to keep a straight face at the news of Mr. Sanders’ death. But when lunch time came, the whole cafeteria was vibrating like a newsroom of a sleazy tabloid.

  A part of her was surprised that Mr. Sanders’ body had been found so quickly but she also felt incredibly relieved to have the charade over with so soon.

  According to Danielle who had heard it from Sheriff Monroe, Mr. Sanders’ had died in a climbing accident. His body had been found by a group of amateur hikers at the foot of a gorge in the Crescent Rock hills. The police suspected no foul play – to Danielle’s great disappointment. That girl was all about gossip.

  Quinn however felt relieved and had some trouble hiding it from the people around her. They were probably justified in considering that an usual and even strange reaction to the sudden and tragic death of one of the school’s favorite teachers. Once or twice she saw someone look at her in a questionable way and made a mental note to try and behave more normal in front of her parents.

  Her parents however had their own way of dealing with this most recent tragedy in their otherwise peaceful small town. Apparently freaked out by yet another untimely death within only a few weeks, not to mention their own daughter barely escaping a fatal car accident, they decided to pack up and spend the weekend with the family of Mrs. McPherson’s younger brother.

  Paul and his wife Mindy lived about a two-hour drive south of Crescent Rock on an old farm. They had spent the last decade turning it into a miniature, ranch-like holiday resort. The main attraction were horse-back riding tours into the surrounding country. Cora loved it there. She was one of those girls who couldn’t get enough of the gentle beasts. Plus, a bonus for her was their cousin Tamara, who everybody just called Tami, which was so fitting that it almost hurt. With her auburn curls, her hazel eyes, her dimples and not to mention her constant smile – it wasn’t smiles, just smile because she never stopped for it to turn into another – their fifteen-year-old cousin was such a cheerful person that everybody within walking distance found her undeniably delightful. Cora shared that enthusiasm and was happy as can be when their parents waited for them in the school parking lot after their last class.

  Quinn however couldn’t have been more bummed out.

  “Do I have to come?” she whined after her parents had announced their weekend trip. “It’s awful there!”

  “Honey, believe me, it will be good for all of us to get away from here,” her mother said. “Even if just for a few days. We’ll be back for school on Monday.”

  “Oh great! Not only do I not get to enjoy my weekend, I won’t even get a day off out of it! Perfect!”

  “Oh c’mon,” Cora said, eagerly climbing into the minivan. “We can go horse-back riding and we haven’t seen Tami in forever.”

  Annoyed Quinn frowned at her. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

  Narrowing her eyes, Cora stuck her tongue out at Quinn.

  “You’ve got to be kidding me,” she mused, shaking her head at her sister’s immature behavior. “Okay, I’ll just ignore that. Dad!” She turned to her father. “This is torture and after everything I have been through in the last few weeks, you can’t do this to me! You just can’t! I need time to … recuperate.”

  Her father smiled at her. “I know and I’m sorry, believe me.”

  Quinn’s eyes narrowed, searching her father’s face. “You don’t want to go either,” she accused, her voice lowered to a whisper.

  Her father looked up alarmed. “Don’t tell on me or I’ll never hear the end of it!”

  “Fine,” Quinn replied, a sweet smile on her face. “Then help me out!”

  Now her father’s eyes narrowed. “I’m starting to doubt if you really are my child,” he said, shaking his head. “Blackmailing her own father. What do they teach you at this school?”

  But nevertheless he turned to his wife, who sat in the passenger seat, studying the map on her lap, looking for a possible shortcut. “Listen honey, maybe we should allow Quinn to stay here. It’s her weekend too and if she really doesn’t want to go …”

  Mrs. McPherson looked up, eyes shifting from her husband to her eldest daughter. “I’m not leaving her here by herself.”

  “Mom, I’m almost eighteen. I can spend a weekend on my own without killing myself.”

  The moment the sentence was out, Quinn flinched at the very wrong choice of words. Her mother’s face took on one of those determined expressions that were fueled by panic.

  But her father didn’t give up yet. “How about not the whole weekend? We can drive out today, in two cars, and then she can come back early. Say, after breakfast tomorrow. This way she’ll be only one night on her own and the days she doesn’t spend with us anyway.”

  After a bit more begging and pleading, resignation crossed her mother’s face and Quinn jumped on it. “Mom, please! I’ll promise you anything you want, just don’t make me stay there the whole weekend. I really, really don’t want to!”

  Leaning her head to the side, her mother looked at her with sad eyes. “Why is it that you don’t like them? They are such sweet people, and they are family.”

  Quinn shrugged. “Don’t know. Just not my kinda people.” A careful grin spread over her face. “Can I take that as a yes?”

  Slowly, her mother nodded. “Fine.” Quinn shrieked with joy. “But you’ll call me the second you get home. No parties. No staying out late. Nothing you pretty well know I wouldn’t approve of, are we clear on that?”

  “Crystal clear.”

  The arrangement wasn’t perfect, but Quinn had to admit that the weekend could have been much worse. And so she spent the next two and a half hours behind the wheel following her parents’ car on many very deserted looking roads until her uncle’s farm – Quinn refused to call it a miniature ranch – came in sight in the middle of nowhere. Compared to this place, Crescent Rock was a city.

  “Why did you come in two cars?” Aunt Mindy asked, pulling everyone into a rib-crushing hug.

  “Eh, Quinn can’t stay the whole weekend,” her mother said, looking a little embarrassed that her eldest didn’t value family as much as she would have liked her to. “She needs to get back tomorrow.”

  “Why?” Mindy asked, looking disappointed.

  Putting on a fake smile, Quinn jumped in before her mother could say another word. “I have a group project due next week and we have barely started.”

  “That’s what happens when you wait till the last minute,” Tami sang, her voice all honey, but Quinn thought she detected a hint of deceit in those hazel eyes.

  Not faltering in her own smile, Quinn sang back, “It was only assigned yesterday. And since we do not w
ant to wait until the last minute, we have to work on it over the weekend.”

  “That sounds very reasonable,” Uncle Paul said, nodding. “A well-thought-out schedule is all you need.”

  Quinn nodded. Her uncle was big on schedules and plans and anything that made him feel like he was in control, as far from the truth as that might be.

  The two-storey farm house running in an uneven half-circle around a small duck pond in the yard currently harbored eleven guests, two families with children and an elderly couple. The latter was currently sitting on a tree trunk, which had been cut in half and turned into a bench, by the duck pond while throwing bread crumbs into the water. The ducks went after them with loud quacking and splashing noises. Although Quinn wrinkled her nose at the smell of horse and hay in the air, she had to admit that the remodeling of the main house, that had been keeping Uncle Paul busy since the millennium, was going well. The big logs framing doors and windows looked like they had only been cut yesterday from the forest surrounding the farm on all sides.

  The inside too looked very homey and comfortable with paneled walls and visible ceiling beams running from one side of the room to the other. Everything was very open, the kitchen smoothly flowing into the dining area, which in turn opened into the living room. Quilted blankets and embroidered cushions covered every couch, armchair and window bench.

  The rest of the late afternoon Quinn did her very best to blend with her background, drawing as little attention to herself as possible. She didn’t really like Aunt Mindy and Uncle Paul. They were – to put it mildly – incredibly dull and boring people, to such a degree that the mere sight of them already annoyed her. But Tamara, or Tami, was just plain awful. What her sister saw in that fake wanna-be diva, Quinn didn’t know. But the two of them took off in the direction of the stables and weren’t seen again until they all sat down to dinner.

  “We’re so glad you’re here,” Aunt Mindy beamed. “It’s such an awful thing that happened. First that poor girl and now a teacher. What is the world coming to?” She shook her head. “I am so glad nothing like that has ever happened here.”

  “It’s not like there are enough people around here to make it worthwhile a killer’s attention,” Quinn mumbled a little too loudly and the chatter around the table died. When she lifted her eyes, everyone was staring at her, various degrees of shock and disapproval showing on their faces.

  Quinn saw her mother’s eyes narrow as she shot her a warning glance before turning her attention back to the rest of their company. “You must excuse her. It’s been difficult for Quinn lately. First she had that accident, then she lost a close friend and now her teacher.”

  “It’s a good thing you brought her here,” Aunt Mindy said. “The fresh air will do her some good.”

  “Yeah, because the air in Crescent Rock really is polluted with all those millions of people living there,” Quinn couldn’t help but say. She knew she shouldn’t, but those people just brought it out in her.

  And right on cue, her mother called, “Quinn! I think we can do without your sarcastic remarks. If you have nothing positive to contribute, you should go to your room.”

  Jumping at the chance to get out of there, Quinn rose from her chair. “That’s a good idea, Mom. I’m really tired,” she said, showing off a yawn.

  Walking out of the dining room, she heard her aunt say, “That accident must have been horrible. Being out on a deserted road in the woods that late all by herself? I would never have allowed that.” The condescending undertone made Quinn want to walk back in and punch her aunt in the face. Since her mother would probably disapprove though, she took a deep breath and tried to calm herself. “If it hadn’t been for that young man, who knows what would have happened,” Aunt Mindy went on. “You said he was new to town? What is he like? Have you had a chance to speak to him?”

  “Yes, he is a wonderful young man,” her mother said, again that admiration in her voice that Quinn had never really gotten used to. “Very polite and obliging. Very few young people these days are that well-behaved.” Quinn couldn’t help but smile. If they only knew.

  Instead of going to her room, Quinn went outside, feeling the almost desperate need to get away from the people in the house. A little space between them and herself would work wonders. If she just didn’t have to hear their voices, their chattering any more. Only for a little while.

  Seeking a little peace and quiet, Quinn walked passed the duck pond and down the trail, cutting through the meadow, that led her past the stables to a little clearing. There was a fireplace there, a circle of different-sized stones around a pile of ash with a few pieces of charred wood marking the place. Around it in an even bigger circle logs for sitting had been placed. A real outdoor barbeque ground.

  The sun slowly lowered itself down the last inches of the sky before it would disappear behind the horizon for the night. Quinn just sat there, eyes fixed on the red fiery ball in-between white fluffy clouds. The dark blue sky was streaked with touches of red and purple here and there. Letting the colors wash over her, Quinn just breathed. Apart from the nights that had her drop and fall asleep instantly from the exhaustion of the last few days, this was the first moment that her mind was unchallenged by the things and people around her. Because right then, there were none. No one and nothing existed. There was only her. And the sunset.

  In that moment her cell phone rang.

  “Crap!” she cursed, fishing it from her pocket. The display read Unknown Caller. She picked up, her voice angry. “Who is this?”

  “Where the hell are you?”

  Arnaud.

  “That is none of your business!” she snapped. “And don’t take that tone with me!”

  “Look who is talking!” His voice sounded as angry as hers. “You said you’d come over after school. Obviously you didn’t. What the hell is going on? Where are you?”

  “What is with you?” This day just kept getting better and better. “Stay the hell out of my life, do you hear me? I am so tired of people telling me what to do! Especially people who have no right meddling in my business. Good night,” she yelled and hung up.

  Only a second later the phone rang again, but Quinn ignored the call and turned her phone to mute.

  Turning her attention back to the peaceful scene before her, Quinn cursed under her breath. It was gone. The calm tranquility that had started to descent on her irritated nerves had disappeared, and as much as she tried she couldn’t get it back. Not even the soothing night air or the distant hooting of an owl could pull her back.

  With a last look at the moon, now that it was dark, visible in the sky, Quinn returned to the house, sneaking inside to avoid any further run-ins with people she didn’t care for. She went straight to bed, figuring the sooner she fell asleep the sooner she would be able to leave in the morning, and with it, leave behind those that were at the very least partly responsible for the throbbing headache suddenly knocking on her forehead.

  Chapter 23 – Team Effort

  Behind the wheel, the empty street ahead, Quinn smiled. She had gotten through it without casualties. Granted, over breakfast it had been a bit touch-and-go here and there. Tami had been particularly bitchy – there was just no other word for it and Quinn didn’t care that no one else agreed with her – so that her mother had more than once rolled her eyes, as Quinn had retorted with equal effort and imagination in her own choice of words. But in the end, Quinn had been able to leave and seeing the farm getting smaller and smaller in the rearview mirror, her spirits had been lifted. And they were still improving with each mile she put between herself and them.

  The first days of October brought with them a long-expected, gentle breeze stroking everything with its cooling touch. With the radio blasting, the windows rolled down, Quinn pushed the jeep to its limits, almost feeling herself drawn home. She knew there were other problems waiting for her, but for some reason she preferred them over the ones she was leaving behind.

  As her eyes glanced into the rearview mirror
at the endless street behind her, they noticed a faint red glow on her skin. Frowning, she lowered her head, peering down. Once again she found the stone on her amulet had turned from emerald green to ruby red.

  Absorbed in that bizarre sight for a moment too long, Quinn’s eyes just in time found their way back to the street in front of her. Shocked, they detected a man lying stretched out in the middle of the road.

  For a second she felt strangely reminded of the night of her accident.

  But then instinct or reflex kicked in and she stepped on the brakes, slightly swerving to avoid running him over.

  Again there was that terrifying screeching of tires on asphalt as the jeep fought to slow down. After a short eternity, it finally came to a still stand, only a few paces from the man still lying flat on his back in the middle of the road. Quinn stared at him in her rearview mirror, breathing heavily, trying to recover her wits.

  “This is getting old,” she mumbled, not aware that she was speaking.

  Still looking at him, Quinn felt panic slowly creeping up her spine. He hadn’t moved. Was he dead?

  “I didn’t run him over,” she mumbled, trying to fight down the rising panic. “I’m sure I didn’t.”

  Looking around, she desperately hoped for another car to come by. She didn’t want to deal with this by herself. But the street was empty in both directions and she didn’t remember a car passing her since she set out from the farm about an hour ago.

  She grabbed her purse, fishing for her cell phone to call 911 but the display was dark. When she tried to turn it on there was only a low buzz and then nothing.

  “Damn batteries!” Quinn cursed, again casting a glance in the rearview mirror.

  After taking another deep breath, trying to prepare herself for the worst, she unbuckled her seatbelt, opened the door and got out of the car. Slowly putting one foot before the other, she approached the man.