“You’ve got it, boss. What time do I start?”
Emma was relieved. “The crowd will start rolling in around six. Don’t be late.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Emma smiled. She hoped that keeping Dane busy would curb her drinking. The questions she was looking into were eating through her like acid, and she wasn’t sure how long Dane could go on like this. She hated to admit it, but she had grown to like Dane. She wasn’t the troublemaker she’d thought she would be, but she was troubled.
With Curtis in jail, Emma was lonely. She was used to having someone to look after, and Dane seemed to need looking after. Emma studied the dark circles that were growing under Dane’s eyes. She was hurting. She studied the scars on Dane’s hand. Did they have something to do with the nightmares Dane suffered? What had happened to Dane’s friend to cause such self-hatred and guilt?
Emma filled Dane’s coffee cup and topped off her own, hoping she wasn’t making a big mistake.
* * *
Dane showed up at the bar early, but the place was already picking up and Emma had her hands full. She went straight to work, clearing beer bottles and food baskets off tables. This crowd was close to being on their way out, but the next round would be the all-nighters. The band had set up in the corner and was starting off with some Charlie Daniels. Dane sang along with the tune, letting the song lift her spirits. Wrestling was playing on the television over the bar, and Dane reached for the remote to mute the volume.
Emma nodded to her as she carried a bucket of beer to a table in the back. She knew Emma had things covered, but she already looked tired, and a band night was always a crazy night. She was glad Emma had asked for her help.
She saw Emma look up from the cooler she was stocking as Trevor walked through the door. He took a seat at a booth with his back to the wall, giving him a clear view of the room.
Dane kept her eye on Emma as she went to the table for his order. She had an uneasy feeling about him being there. Was he there to pressure her to sell his drugs again?
Dane grasped Emma’s arm as she passed behind the bar. “Are you okay with him being here?” A muscle jumped at the side of Emma’s jaw and her eyes were wary. “I don’t like this.”
Emma met Dane’s gaze, her eyes hard as cold stone. “As long as he behaves, he has just as much right to be here as anyone else.”
“Do you want me to wait on him?”
Emma pulled her arm away. “I’ve got it.” She softened her tone, not wanting to take her feelings out on Dane. “Thanks.”
“Just let me know what you need me to do.”
Emma didn’t speak but the softness she saw in Dane’s eyes settled her nerves. She was on edge. It was like all the hair on her body was standing on end. Every time she went to Trevor’s table, she felt like she was facing a snake. Dane was keeping a close eye on her, and it made her feel better knowing she wasn’t alone.
“What else can I get you?” Emma asked coldly, as she stared into Trevor’s eyes, refusing to flinch away.
“I heard Curtis got himself in a bit of trouble. How long till he gets out?”
Emma bit the side of her cheek, trying not to swear. “You probably know more about it than I do.”
The corners of Trevor’s mouth lifted in a grin. “Tell Curtis I need to see him when he gets out. He has something of mine and I need it back.” He tossed a twenty on the table. “Who’s the new girl?” He nodded toward Dane. “I understand she’s been asking a lot of questions around town. People aren’t liking that.”
“She’s not bothering anyone and it’s none of your business.”
Trevor stood. “We’ll see about that. Good seeing you, Emma.” Emma stared after Trevor until the door closed behind him.
“What was that about?” Dane asked as Emma dumped the waste into the trash and put the cash in the register.
“He was asking about Curtis. He said Curtis owed him something and wanted to know when he would be getting out of jail to pay up.”
Dane glanced at the door Trevor had just left through. “That doesn’t sound good. What would Curtis owe him?”
Emma shook her head. “I don’t know. But if Trevor had anything to do with the drugs Curtis was carrying, this could mean trouble.”
A weight began to build in Dane’s chest. What if Trevor decided to take what he thought was his?
“There was something else,” Emma added. Dane snapped to attention. “He was asking about you. He wanted to know who you were and why you’ve been asking so many questions around town.”
Dane was confused. “What’s it to him?”
Emma met Dane’s gaze. “Who knows? But I warned you about asking questions around here. If he has something to hide, you might be making him nervous. You’ve been spending a lot of time with Curtis. He may think you know more than you should. Be careful, Dane. Trevor is bad news.”
Dane glanced around the room. Her nerves were stretched and edgy. She’d never felt more out of place here. “I don’t know anything. No one has talked to me except one old woman, and she told me the same story you did about Thomas. As for Curtis, he hasn’t said anything about Trevor, except to try to convince me he was his friend.” Dane stilled, and her blood went cold. She had almost forgotten the drug deal Curtis brought her to at the trailer. “Oh shit.”
“What?” Emma’s voice edged with anger.
“Curtis took me to a guy’s house once. I think his name was Mark. Curtis sold him marijuana. The guy was real paranoid about me being there.”
Emma grabbed Dane’s arm and pulled her into the kitchen. “You saw my brother sell drugs and you didn’t say anything to me?”
Dane tried to recover. Now she’d made Emma mad at her. “I’m sorry. It was one time right after we met. He thought the guy would know something about my family and took me along. He swore it wasn’t something he was into. He said it was a favor for someone and wasn’t a big deal. I made him promise he wouldn’t do it again, and I just put it out of my mind. I wasn’t thinking. I didn’t think he was doing it on a regular basis. I’m sorry.”
Emma was fuming mad. “What else haven’t you told me?”
“Nothing. It’s not like I was hiding anything from you. I just hadn’t thought about it. I was still trying to figure you guys out and looking for my own answers.” Dane felt her own anger rise. She knew Emma was scared, but she was tired of being on the receiving end of Emma’s ire. “It’s not like I was his babysitter, and you weren’t exactly open to talking to me anyway. What do you expect?”
Emma’s face blazed red. “You’re right. I know better than to expect anything.” She stormed off.
“Damn it. That’s not what I meant,” Dane said to the now empty room. She kept her distance the rest of the evening. She guessed it was a good sign Emma hadn’t told her to get out. She pulled the garbage can to the back door and closed the bag. She already had three bags stacked outside, and she needed to carry them to the dumpster across the parking lot. The fresh air would do her good.
As she lifted the first bag over her head and tossed it into the bin, something slammed against the back of her head. Dane fell against the metal dumpster and hit the ground hard. Someone grabbed her by the belt, yanking her upward as they dragged her into the dark. She was thrown to the ground and kicked in the back. Another blow landed against her cheek. She rolled into a ball, putting her arms up around her head.
“Fucking Fed. When are you going to learn to stay out of here? We don’t answer to you.” He kicked her again. “This is our land, our people. What we do here ain’t none of your business.” A rough hand yanked her wallet from her back pocket. “Dane Foster. New York.”
“I’m not a Fed,” Dane groaned. She licked her lips and spit out a pool of blood that had gathered in her mouth.
“You sure got a lot of questions for someone claiming not to be a Fed.”
Dane clutched her side and squinted up at the dark figure looming over her. It was too dark to make out any features other
than general size. A grizzly bear came to mind.
He leaned down and closed his hand around her throat. “What are you lookin’ for if you ain’t no Fed?”
“My family,” Dane croaked. “I’m looking for my family.”
The big man laughed. “Right, and I shit pink Easter eggs.” He leaned close, turning Dane’s face away so he spoke directly into her ear. “Mind your own business, Fed bitch. We have to talk again, I’ll be putting you in there with the rest of the trash.” He pushed Dane’s face into the dirt as he stood. He gave her another kick to the back of her thigh. He laughed as he walked away.
Dane lay on the ground waiting for the pain to recede enough for her to move. Little by little she managed to sit up and brace herself against the bin. The lot was almost empty. She pulled herself up and staggered back to the bar. She had to get inside before Emma closed up, or she’d be out there all night. She held tight to the doorframe and pulled herself inside. She stumbled and fell to the floor. The band was packing up and the last customers were on their way out. The room fell silent as everyone looked at her.
Emma ran to Dane as she tried to push herself up. “What the hell happened to you?”
Dane peered through the swollen flesh closing around her eye. “I received a personal message out by the dumpster. Someone around here thinks I’m a Fed.”
“Damn it, Dane. If you keep this up, you’re going to get yourself killed.”
Dane grimaced. “That was the message.”
Emma looked around at the crowd of people watching. “Call the police, Alton.” She pulled Dane into a chair. “That’s it tonight, folks—we’re closed.” She didn’t have to say it twice. The room was empty except for them and the band in seconds. No one wanted to be there when the police showed up.
Emma placed an ice pack over Dane’s eye and handed her a cold beer.
“How about a bottle of whiskey instead?” Dane said, holding the ice to one cheek and the beer to the other.
Emma brushed a smudge of dirt off Dane’s forehead and picked leaves and dirt out of her hair. “Not tonight, slugger.” She handed Dane two Ibuprofen.
Dane laughed. “You think that will help?”
Emma shrugged. “Can’t hurt.”
Dane nodded. She tossed the pills into her mouth and chased it with the beer.
“Are you okay?” Emma asked.
Dane heard the worry in Emma’s voice. At least she wasn’t mad at her anymore.
“Yeah. I’m okay. I don’t think I’ll be running for a couple of days, but I’ll live.”
Emma caressed Dane’s cheek in her palm. She took Dane’s hand and lifted the ice pack back to Dane’s eye. “Keep that on there for a while. You need it.”
The police arrived and took her statement, but without identification or at least a description of the guy, there wasn’t much they could do.
Emma left Dane to answer the officer’s questions. “I have to get back to work. Let me know if you need anything.”
Dane talked to the officer as she watched Emma work. This had to be hard on Emma. It had to bring back memories of her father’s murder. Dane wondered what it had been like for Emma, not knowing who had taken her father’s life. How was Emma staying here, knowing that her father’s killer could be sitting in her bar, drinking her beer, and eating the food she prepared?
Dane sighed. How had her life gone so crazy?
* * *
Emma paced the floor of her room. Trevor had made it clear that Curtis was in some trouble, and that meant she was in trouble. Dane was lucky not to have broken bones after her encounter. She couldn’t prove it, but she knew Trevor was behind what happened to Dane. Emma rubbed her hands up and down her arms, trying to rub away the chill of fear that had settled into her bones. She felt the walls closing in on her. A storm was coming, and she had no idea what she could do about it.
She needed to talk to Curtis, but there was no way she could do that while he was in jail. Not without the jailers using the information against him. His attorney was pretty sure he would get out at the next hearing, but there were no promises. The judge was trying to get through to Curtis, just like she was trying to get through to him. But if she didn’t get some answers soon, she was afraid she would be the one paying for the mistakes Curtis had made. Emma sighed. Maybe it was better if Curtis didn’t get out of jail. He was safe on the inside, at least for now. How long would it be before Trevor got to him there? It sure seemed that Curtis had bitten off more than he could chew this time. A visit from Trevor was as good as a call from the devil.
Emma turned to the photo of her parents hanging on the wall. It had been there as long as she could remember. It was a photo of her mother and father on the day they opened the bar, only one week after getting married. Her father had said he had to choose between the good book and the banknote. He opened the bar to support his family and pay for the farm. Jellico was already a dying town and he knew alcohol was the one thing people would spend their money on.
She’d grown up in the business. She knew everything she needed to know to run the place by the time she turned sixteen. But she never understood the sacrifice Daddy made until it was her turn to make the bar her own.
She touched her fingers to his face, letting them rest against the cool glass. He had always been an honest man. He always stood for what was right. But it had gotten him killed. She had asked herself a thousand times if she should close the bar. It would have been easier to leave it all behind if it hadn’t been for Curtis. He wouldn’t do well anywhere else. This was his home. It was all he knew. Tears stung her eyes as she stared at her father’s picture. Part of her had always hoped his killer would come back. She had dreamed of confronting the coward who had killed him. Like most things in a small town, it was just a matter of time before the secret was revealed.
Emma heard a muffled cry upstairs followed by the gentle creek of the floorboards. She wiped her face with her hands and brushed her hair back. She took a deep breath, filing her feelings away in the deepest recesses of her heart. She slipped down the hall and climbed the stairs to Dane’s room.
She knocked gently on the door and waited. A moment later the door opened. Emma was shocked at the sight of Dane’s swollen face. Her eyes were red and a sheen of sweat coated her skin. Her T-shirt had a line of sweat that ran from her chest around the curve of her breasts. She wore a pair of running shorts and her feet were bare. The smell of alcohol was thick in the room.
“I heard you pacing. Are you okay?” Emma took a step toward Dane, placing her hand against her chest. Dane’s muscles were tense, and a slight tremor shook her body.
“I don’t feel so well,” Dane answered.
Emma spotted the half empty bottle of whiskey on the floor next to the bed. She lifted her hand to Dane’s forehead, feeling for a fever with the back of her hand. “You’re all clammy, but I don’t think you have a fever. What’s wrong?”
“Bad dreams. I don’t think I can get through this,” Dane said, her voice barely more than a whisper.
Emma frowned. She’d seen Dane drink before, but she’d never seen her like this. She wasn’t sure what to do. She took Dane’s hand and pulled her back into the room, leading her to the bed. “Sit down.”
She held Dane’s hand as she sat on the edge of the bed. She could tell Dane was hurting, but this was more than the beating she’d taken. She’d seen this look before in the faces at the bar, men and women trying to chase away memories too painful to forget. “Do you want to tell me about it?”
Dane dropped her head and stared at the floor. “She’s there every time I close my eyes.”
“Who?”
“Michelle.”
Emma swallowed the prick of jealousy at the mention of another woman filling Dane’s dreams. She was surprised by her reaction. She hadn’t wanted to admit she was attracted to Dane, let alone had any feelings for her. She didn’t want to have her heart broken again. It was only a matter of time before Dane would leave to go back to her l
ife. She took a deep breath, pushing her feelings aside.
Dane looked at Emma, her gaze blazing with guilt and regret. “Have you ever done something that hurt someone else and no matter what you do you can’t ever make it right?”
Emma didn’t know where this was going. “No. I don’t think so.”
“Well, I did. I let my best friend down, and I can never make it right.”
Emma remembered the story Dane had told her over drinks and dinner. “Why not?”
“Because I got her killed.”
Emma flinched. Had she heard right? “I don’t understand.”
Dane rubbed her temples. “We had an early shoot scheduled. It was a tight deadline and we needed to get in and out of a war-stricken area in Iraq. I was late for our meeting, as usual. But this shoot meant a lot to Michelle. She’d become obsessed with how the women and children were suffering. The guide insisted we leave. Michelle refused to wait for me. I said I was sorry, but she wouldn’t wait.” Dane buried her face in her hands, rocking back and forth as if her body wanted to escape her mental pain.
Emma waited for Dane to continue. It was clear something bad had happened to Michelle.
“Michelle was awesome. I’ll never know why she put up with my shit as long as she did. She had the most amazing blue eyes I’ve ever seen. You know, the kind of blue that makes you feel like they can see inside you.” Dane shook her head and gripped her hair in her fists. “I can’t stop seeing those eyes. She begs me to help her. She screams my name. No matter what I do I can’t save her.”
Emma’s heart raced. She could feel the danger building. “What happened to her, Dane?”
Dane continued to rock back and forth. “She left. I stood in the hotel lobby and watched her get into her car with one last look back at me. I saw the hurt and disappointment in her eyes. The next second a car across the street exploded. Glass shattered all around me. Pieces of cars, buildings, and people were everywhere. When I managed to get up, her car was on fire and she was pinned inside. I couldn’t get her out. Blood streamed from her ears. She was burning and begging for help. Those desperate blue eyes were burning into my soul, and I couldn’t get her out. People converged and pried the shards of metal away and did their best to control the fire. She never took her eyes off mine all the way to the hospital. I held on to her with everything I had in me. I begged, I demanded that she not give up. But I saw it. I saw the moment the light in her eyes went out.”
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