The Last Thing She Saw...

by Laurel Veil

  I felt nauseated. “No,” I whispered.

  “Based on what we confiscated, Dani’s scalp was the start of a new collection. He had plans to gather more. Thank God we got him before he struck again. He’s a good-looking guy; there’s no telling how many others he could’ve convinced to be alone with him.”

  “Convinced? Didn’t he break-in through the back door?”

  “He told us that he did break-in, but only so that we would suspect that it was a stranger that had attacked Dani. He said he closed the door back hoping Dani wouldn’t notice. He said he watched her get dropped off, waited a short while and then knocked on the front door. She recognized him so she opened it. He told her that you and your friends were at the park and wanted her to come.” He sighed heavily. “She believed him.”

  ♦ ♦ ♦

  I spoke with Nolan’s mom for a moment and then told her I would meet her at the car. I went to the restroom and was caught off guard when I came out of the stall and saw Autumn leaning against the countertop waiting on me. The look in her eyes frightened me.

  “I thought family was supposed to stick together—look out for one another,” she said with disdain.

  “What do you mean?” I searched her eyes. “Do you mean I wasn’t supposed to tell the police what I found?” As I waited for her to respond, anger began pulsing through my veins. “I wasn’t supposed to tell them that I found a part of my friend’s scalp under your brother’s bed?” She winced. “What about the fact that he sneaked into my house, Autumn? He wanted to make sure his secret stayed hidden. He was going to kill me too. Where is your concern for me?”

  She rubbed her bloodshot eyes and whined, “He’s going to spend the rest of his life in jail.”

  I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “Dani’s in a coffin, six feet underground. For forever. Because of him.”

  “He’s never going to get help now. I was dealing with it, Noelle. I was going to get him help.”

  “Oh my gosh.” My heart was about to pound out of my chest. “You knew. You knew he had problems and you didn’t do anything. You didn't say anything.” My head was spinning. Could Dani’s death have been prevented? “Wait—is this why you started all this we’re family crap with me? If Lance ever became a serious suspect, was I supposed to come to his defense because you decided we were family now? You know—never mind. Don’t answer that because it doesn’t matter. Our only connection is that our crazy moms happened to get pregnant by the same sorry man. You are nothing to me.”

  ♦ ♦ ♦

  The next morning, my heart fluttered when I heard Nolan’s voice when he and his dad returned home. I wanted to run to him, but I let his mom explain everything that had happened so I wouldn’t have to. “Where is she?” I heard him ask. “She’s in your room.”

  A moment later, the door inched open, Nolan slipped in and quietly closed it behind him. He sat down on the edge of the bed, stroked my hair, then kissed my forehead. “Hey,” he whispered.

  I sat up and hugged him tightly and seriously considered never letting him go.

  ♦ ♦ ♦

  I punched my time card, but before leaving the pharmacy, I went to the craft aisle and picked out several clusters of silk daisies. They were bright and cheery like Grandma and Dani and I wanted to place them on their graves.

  Nolan held my hand as we made our way through the headstones. I stopped by my grandma’s grave first. A day hadn’t gone by that I hadn’t thought about her. I missed her dearly. I was only sixteen. If I was blessed to live only half as long as she had, I had decades of sadness ahead of me. The thought overwhelmed me so much my shoulders slumped. But just as quickly as the heavy thought had entered my head, a blue jay landed on Grandma’s headstone. I smiled. She wasn’t gone. I just couldn’t see her.

  I wasn’t afraid this time when I spotted Dani’s grave across the cemetery. And as I approached, I remained calm and had a conversation with her in my head. I told her for about the millionth time how sorry I was for what had happened to her. I added, this time, that I was especially sorry it had been my half-sister’s half-brother who’d so unfairly snatched her life away from her. I couldn’t help but feel at least a little guilty by association. And then, I told her how terrible I felt that her mom had abused her, but that despite it all, she was the nicest person I’d ever known. I wiped my eyes and then told her about my job and Amy and how much she would’ve liked her. I ended my one-side conversation by telling her how I no longer wished to be in a clique with Ava and Riley, and that I deeply regretted that she, Amy, and I couldn’t have formed our own. I placed her flowers in the holder at the top of her headstone, and then Nolan and I left.

  22.

  I only had one more aisle to sweep at the pharmacy and then I was off to the police station before heading home. Officer Harvey had told me he wanted to talk to me about something. I couldn’t imagine what it was, and it was making me crazy with wonder. I was so preoccupied I didn’t notice Riley until she said something. “Oh, hey,” I said. “I didn’t see you standing there.”

  “Hey,” she said. She seemed uncomfortable. “So, which do you think is better.” She held up two different brands of conditioner.

  I pointed. “Well, this one smells better, but this one works better.”

  “OK. You’re the professional.” She smiled and put the other bottle up. “So, Ava and I aren’t really talking much anymore.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah. She’s—well, she’s mean.”

  We both started laughing.

  “She’s also bossy,” I added.

  “Definitely. And the whole magic, satanic, witchy thing.” She pretended to shudder. “Let’s just say, I’ve had enough crazy to last me a lifetime.” She looked down for a moment before continuing. “Look, I could’ve gotten my conditioner anywhere. I was just hoping I’d run into you so I could tell you I’m sorry. For being a jerk. For everything.”

  “OK.”

  “I’m not trying to blame Ava for everything, but—I don’t know. I was just different when I was around her. Anyway, maybe we could try to be friends again. Real friends this time.”

  I couldn’t help but feel hesitant. She seemed sincere though. “I guess…we can try.”

  I could see the relief in her eyes. “OK. I’ll call you.”

  I nodded, and then she went to the register. She waved just before leaving. I waved back and as she exited, Amy stepped in and smiled. “Are we working together?”

  “My shift just ended.”

  She stuck out her bottom lip. “Boo. By the way, wasn’t that what’s-her-name?” She nodded toward the door.

  “Riley.”

  “What did she want?”

  “Conditioner. And to apologize.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah. She seemed sincere. I guess we’ll find out.”

  “We?”

  I smiled. “See ya.”

  ♦ ♦ ♦

  “I’m so glad you could come,” said Officer Harvey when I approached his desk. “Please,” he motioned, “have a seat.” He waited a moment until I was situated. “How are you doing?”

  “OK,” I said.

  “So, I’ll get right to it. I was curious about the dream you told me you’d had about Dani. The syringes—that led us to discover what her mom had done to her. And the part about her hair—that some of it was missing. No one knew that part of her head had been scalped. We kept that detail out of the news. Anyway, I was wondering if you’ve ever had unusual dreams like that before.”

  “No, sir. Only about Dani. I guess because we were friends.”

  “Do you think you might be able to help us with some of the other cases that we’re working on?”

  I was totally caught off guard by his question. This was not the conversation I was expecting to have. I thought he was just going to check on me and then send me on my way. “I would love to be able to help. I really would. But I think this was just a one-time thing.”

  He didn’t
seem too discouraged by my answer. “I tell you what. Why don’t you just take this.” He slid a manila envelope across his desk. “I went through it carefully. There’s nothing graphic in there. Do you think you could just look at it and see if anything happens?”

  “I don’t want to disappoint you.”

  He shook his head. “You won't disappoint me for trying. I’m desperate and so are his,” he tapped the envelope, “loved ones.”

  “He?”

  Officer Harvey nodded.

  The envelope suddenly became more than a thin stack of papers.

  “I’ll look and see if anything happens.”

  “Thank you, Noelle.”

  ♦ ♦ ♦

  I was headed home, and on a whim thought I would go by my mom’s. If she was home and Rick wasn’t, I would stop and say hello and see if she still remembered promising that we would do something. I pulled in when I saw that her car was there, and Rick’s truck was gone.

  I rang the bell and waited. “I thought I heard a car door.” I turned around and my heart started pounding.

  “What are you doing here?” I asked.

  Jason held out his arms. “What? No hug? Not even a hello?”

  Just then, my mom pulled the front door open. “Noelle! Can you believe it? Daddy’s home!” She patted my cheek as she brushed past me and hugged my father. He smirked at me over her shoulder. “Did you finish cleaning the garage, sugar?”

  “Almost. I stopped when I heard Noelle,” said Jason.

  “Well, you’ll need to hurry if you’re gonna have a place to put your car.” She giggled.

  “Car?” I said.

  He slid his arm around my mom and pulled her to his side. “Your mom here was sweet enough to help me out.”

  I couldn’t help rolling my eyes. “Unbelievable.”

  “Noelle. Be nice,” said my mom.

  “Well, I just wanted to say hey. I need to get going.”

  I was surprised when she broke away long enough from Jason to walk me to my car. “So, what do you think about dinner this Sunday?” I couldn’t believe it. She remembered. Before I could respond she added, “The three of us. Just like old times.” I wanted to scream and tell her she was a fool, but she was giddy with happiness. I didn’t know how long it would last, so I decided I wouldn’t be the one to ruin it.

  “Um, I may have to work, so . . . I’ll have to get back with you.”

  She leaned through the window of my car and gave me a peck on my forehead. “See ya, baby.”

  I tried to smile and left.

  ♦ ♦ ♦

  I was elated to see Nolan playing in my yard with Lady and Rascal when I pulled up. They were getting so big now. I sat there for a moment and soaked up the peace I was feeling and admired the new fence that Nolan and his dad had put up for me. I didn’t want Nolan to ask me about Officer Harvey’s envelope, so I hid it under a jacket I draped over my arm. I would tell him all about tonight.

  “Hey,” he said when I walked up. He leaned over the fence and kissed me. “I’m going to go play football with the guys. You want to come watch?”

  “I really need to get some laundry done. And I have some homework I need to finish.”

  “Busy woman.” He grinned. “Can you pencil me in for dinner?”

  “I think I might be able to.”

  “You want to see a movie after that?”

  “Actually, I think I’m going to stay in with the puppies and do a little reading tonight.” I felt the envelope through my jacket. “But you’re welcome to join us.”

  The End