Disgruntled

by Shelley Wall

  “Dad! Where’re you going?”

  He turned back to Eric. “I’m not going anywhere, bud. I was just checking for Reva’s car.” He looked at the cover of the book Eric held. Todd had an idea. “You remember those walkie talkies we used when you and Mom first moved around the corner?”

  “The red and blue ones that I called you on before bedtime?” Eric asked.

  “Yes! They’re under the back seat of the car with the other stuff your mom gave me a while back.” It wasn’t time to explain that Annie had told him Eric needed more independence and his need to call Todd whenever he got scared had been a problem. “Can you get them?” Eric pulled the car door. When it wouldn’t budge, he leaned backward and yanked with both hands. Todd smiled despite his worry as the door gave way and his young son scrambled to get the toys.

  “Got ’em.” Eric held one up and pushed the button on the other. “They’re not working, Dad.” He shook them, then pushed the button again.

  “The batteries are probably dead. Here, take this money in and get some new ones. The guy inside will help you. We’re gonna need them.” It was a big job for a little guy, but Eric was smart and puffed proudly with the trust he’d been given. Minutes ticked off. Todd heard gravel spray as Ben’s pickup flew into the parking lot and spun to a stop. Tim jumped out, followed by a petite blonde, then Ben.

  “You find her?” Tim asked.

  “Not yet. Cops are on the way though.”

  Sirens in the distance punctuated his statement. The blonde stepped forward and held out a hand. “I’m Ben’s wife. Ben talks about you a lot.”

  Todd nodded. She swirled the bottled water in her hand and took a sip. He looked past her to Eric’s small frame running toward him.

  “I fixed them. Look.” His big eyes beamed up as the child held out the walkie talkies. They both clicked into action and hissed as he pressed the buttons up and down. Wasn’t it amazing how a small victory could boost a kid’s confidence? “I knew you would. Thanks. Now, listen up, son. I’m going down the road there and I need you to take this one. I’ll take the other. We’re going to play a game sort of. This is going to be the command post and you and Ben here are going to be in charge of it. Tim is going with me. Reva’s hiding and we’re going to find her, okay? You can be Ben’s lieutenant.” Ben nodded when Todd lifted a brow his way. He understood. They had to get moving. If this guy, whoever he was, had her—they’d already given him too much time. He switched his gaze to Tim. “Let’s go.”

  “Don’t be surprised if we get out of range. I’ll use the cell if there’s a signal.”

  They scrambled into his Jeep and he careened it toward town. The patrol car whizzing by would have to talk to the others. No time for delay. He had no idea where to go or how to find her. He hated not having a plan. The man’s truck was at the store so they couldn’t be far, right? The sun glared off the broken glass he’d noticed earlier on the road and he swerved to miss it. The rearview mirror showed a bottle rolling to the grass by the pavement—not broken glass, a water bottle. A completely full water bottle. He jerked the wheel and did a one-eighty. “What the hell?” Tim peered sideways.

  “Look!” Todd pointed at the ruts that disappeared into the trees beyond where the bottle had slowed to rest. He grabbed the radio from the dashboard and clicked the button to call Ben and Eric. An unfamiliar voice said, “Here.”

  “Where are Eric and Ben?” The radio crackled when Todd released the button.

  “They walked over to talk to the cops.”

  “Who are you?”

  “I’m David, Reva’s cousin. She’s told me a lot about you.” “Yeah, well, she hasn’t told me shit about you.” Todd knew his patience wasn’t making any friends but he didn’t care. “I’m the family lawyer.”

  “Good for you. Tell Ben we turned down the first dirt road on the right.” Todd tossed the radio to the dashboard. “I wouldn’t get on his bad side just yet.” Tim rolled down his window and the scent of leaves and dirt pelted in on them. “He’s going to help you with Eric.”

  “No kidding. How’s he going to do that?” Todd checked the rearview but dust clouded so high it wasn’t possible to see. “You’d be surprised what David can do. He’s a pit bull when it comes to the law and Reva spent most of last night telling him what a great Dad you are. Since David’s divorced and only sees his kids once a month, you’re his next big case. He has a soft spot for kids. And dads.”

  Well,hell.

  26 CHAPTER TWENTY SIX

  Reva took a sip from the bottle of water and rested her arm on the open window. The day was still young but the trees blocked the afternoon sun. As she lifted the bottle for a second sip it slipped from her hand. She reached down to grab it, saw the bag from the store, and tossed both out the window.

  She slid a glance toward Brent. “There’re bike trails down here?” she asked.

  “Yeah, it gets a little rough, but when you get closer to the river it opens up and there’s a lot of trails along the water and up into the trees. It’s more for mountain biking, not street bikes. You ever do any of that?”

  “No. I jog. Never took up cycling. I’m not sure why, I just didn’t. I think it’s cool that you do that though.”

  “You play softball too.”

  “Yes.” She remembered when she’d been in a hurry to get to practice. “So, were there a lot of people out here today? I don’t see any cars or bikes.”

  “Just my group. Not many. Turn up there where the tire tracks are.”

  She gulped down the last of the second water and tossed it out the window as she spun the wheel. It was a long shot but she had nothing else to use. From what she saw, very few traveled this way. What possessed a person to take off on a deserted road just on a whim?

  “You shouldn’t litter.”

  “It’ll deteriorate. Those new bottles are biodegradable.” “Yeah, in a hundred years.” His voice grated. The birds chattered away in the trees. A siren in the distance increased in volume to signify an emergency vehicle approaching. Brent rested an arm over the seat and glanced back. “Must be a fire somewhere.”

  “Hope not. We’re right in the middle of a forest full of dry trees in the middle of a drought. How far is this place where your friends are?”

  “Just up there.” He pointed at an opening in the trees where a dock extended over river water that barely rippled. Reva pulled to a stop just clear of the trees and got out. The only sounds were birds and wind rustling through the leaves. Brent stepped out also and walked toward the dock. She thought it odd that he wore a fanny pack on his hips. Didn’t those go out of style years ago?

  “They’ve already gone,” he said without turning back. “So, what do we do now?”

  “I can take you back to the store. My friends are waiting for me.”

  He whirled around. “Who? There wasn’t anyone with you.” “They were in the bathroom.”

  He nodded and she knew he didn’t believe a word. Brent smiled and strode toward her. “So, what is it with you and me, Reva?”

  “Huh? There is no you and me. What are you talking about?”

  “Why is that? You obviously are attractive and so am I. Haven’t you thought about it?” Brent stepped in a bit too close.

  Reva went into her protective mode. She stared down and kept a monitored awareness of his movements. “Off limits, Brent. I’m your boss. But since you’re asking—no, I hadn’t thought about it.”

  “Never?”

  “Never.”

  “Why not? You’re fairly active, socially.”

  “What?” Her eyes shot up. Active?

  “Well, you date a lot. If that’s what it is.” The chill of his forefinger trailing down her arm caused a shiver. She stepped back. Her shoe crunched on dried leaves and twigs underneath.

  “How do you know whether I date or not? That’s none of your business.”

  “I’ve noticed.”

  The only way he would possibly notice something like that would be if he had w
atched. He had watched. With another step backward, Reva glanced into the trees on both sides. The birds ceased their chatter as if sensing a pending storm. The silence punctuated his movement as Brent clamped a hand around Reva’s forearm.

  “Brent, let go. We need to get back. My friends will be concerned.”

  He laughed a single snort but dropped his grip. “Yeah, right. There’s no one back there. And we’re going to stay right here. It’s kind of romantic, don’t you think?”

  No. No. Not Romantic. Not a bicycle trail. Not even safe. Reva’s gaze swiveled again to the trees, searching for an escape. She glanced back at her car. She’d left the door open, keys in her pocket. Unfortunately, his door was also wedged open and ready.

  “I’m going back,” she announced. “You can either go or stay. That’s up to you.” She turned and tromped three steps toward the car. Three steps that took great strength and escalated the tension building in her gut.

  “Why do you hate me so much? Are you afraid I’m better than you? That I’d actually do a better job? They all like me, you know. At the office. They like me a lot more than you because I can talk and joke with everyone. And I make sense when I talk about the project. I don’t try to over-explain or condescend like you do.”

  She kept moving. Step. Step. Step. One after the other, slowly so that it didn’t alarm him. The crunch of his feet on the ground behind her kept pace. “I don’t hate you, Brent. You’re an employee. Your success is important to mine. We’re too big of an organization for it to only be about one individual.” She felt the cold metal of the keys in her pocket but held them still so he wouldn’t hear.

  “The truth is, Reva, dear,” Brent said, “I don’t really care about anyone else’s success. Neither do you. You only care about you. That’s why we belong together. We’re the same, you and I.”

  Brent strutted past and shoved the car door closed. The thump sent a few birds fluttering above. The crunch of tires against the dirt and gravel road caught his attention. They both turned and squinted behind her car. The rumble of a motor signaled an approaching vehicle. Brent growled. Through the fading light behind the trees, Reva made out the shape of a truck bumping along the ruts of the road. The engine revved and sped closer as if the passengers had seen them too.

  “Your friends?” she asked before she recognized the vehicle color and silhouettes inside. No, mine. Relief almost made her giddy. It definitely warmed the cold feeling that had started through her shoulders.

  ***

  Todd saw the light glance off Reva’s car before they were close enough to recognize anything else.

  “Look,” Tim acknowledged, as he pointed at the beam of light flickering between the trees. “There’s a car.” The truck bumped over the worn ruts in the dirt path that had once held gravel. As they eased closer Todd made out the outline of two people on the other side of the vehicle. A man and woman. The woman looked over her shoulder at their approaching vehicle. The simple gesture confirmed what he already knew. Todd pressed the gas and lunged the vehicle forward over the remaining bumps and ruts. He didn’t care that it bounced Tim’s head against the roof, nor did he care that something in the back of the pickup clanged loudly.

  “Call back and let them know.” Todd tossed the radio at Tim, flung the truck into park, and leapt out before it stopped rolling. Reva stood close to the man. He had one hand behind his back and the other at his side. Todd didn’t miss the fact that he’d dropped it from her arm only seconds earlier when they appeared through the trees. He squinted to take in Reva’s face as he approached.

  “Everything okay here?” Todd asked, not shifting his gaze from her.

  The guy shook his head. “Naw, we’re good. I just had a little car trouble and my friend here was trying to help.” The guy had no idea that Reva knew their new visitors. Apparently, he thought they’d just happened onto the scene. Tim had finished his call on the radio and stepped out of the truck, rounded the corner, and came forward with his hands in his pockets.

  “Todd, did you know there’s a target shooting gallery over in those trees? I saw it while I was talking to Ben.” Tim pointed at a series of small white targets nailed to the tree trunks in the woods. “We should come out here sometime.” The guy looked from Todd to Tim, then back. He smiled. “I come out on the weekends sometimes by myself. It’s pretty peaceful. The bike trails go along the river bank though so you have to be careful not to shoot someone.”

  The stranger wiped his hand on his shirt and reached toward them. “I’m Brent and this is my friend, Reva.”

  Reva’s face clouded. Tim studied the guy without offering his hand. “You know her?” Tim asked, “How?”

  Todd noticed the startled expression that crossed Brent’s eyes as well as Reva’s stillness.

  “We work together,” Brent answered. “Right Reva?” “Uh, right.” She slowly stepped forward, a stilted silent glide toward Todd. Todd flicked an eye at the man as he started for her hand, then stopped. “Brent’s friends were supposed to be here and give him a ride but they’ve already gone. You’ll be okay though, right?”

  She glanced back over her shoulder and offered a grim smile before she slipped her fingers into Todd’s. The iciness of her skin cooled his palm and he was thankful they’d found her. He leaned into her hair and whispered. “You scared me. Sure you’re okay?”

  She nodded and waited for Brent’s response. He watched the three, realizing the error in his assumption that the truck held random passers-by. “Yeah, sure. I’ll just call and get one of them to come back. No problem. Thanks for trying, boss. I appreciate it. You guys go ahead.” He brushed his hand at them in a dismissing gesture. The smell of pine reached Todd’s nose, along with a muskier tone. There must be a dead raccoon or something nearby. He recognized the scent of decay.

  Todd let Reva slip into the seat between he and Tim, then climbed in behind. Brent stood watching them, hands on hips. A cloud passed across his face and Todd knew there was more to the story than either of them had described. The rearview mirror displayed Brent for easy view as they bounced away over the rutted road. Brent turned his back to them and passed a hand through his hair, a movement that Todd had witnessed once before. Todd frowned. “He’s more than just a coworker, isn’t he?” he asked.

  ***

  Reva darted eyes sideways. “Excuse me?”

  Surely he didn’t think there was something going on with Brent? “How well do you know that guy?” The calm tone didn’t do anything to hide the inference. He did. As if there hadn’t been enough to add to the tension in her life, now this. Reva wanted to scream.

  “Look, I work with him. That’s all. If you think there’s something else going on, that’s your problem, not mine. What the hell is wrong with men that they automatically think there has to be something more than just a work relationship? Can’t you see what he was doing? Do you really think I’d be interested in that guy? You know what…why don’t you and he have a long talk. You both deserve each other.” She hooked a finger at the barely distinguishable figure in the back window. She lifted her hip to pull whatever was jabbing her in the butt out from underneath. A walkie-talkie.

  Todd glanced at the device in her hand. “We were talking to Eric and Ben. Only they didn’t answer. Some cousin of yours was there.”

  “David,” Tim interjected, “they’re waiting for us back at the store.” Tim’s hands were hanging between his knees. He dropped something on the floor and kicked it under the seat then readjusted to give her room.

  “So, we have the whole family out here?” She breathed in deeply. They had rounded the small twist in the road and the pavement of the highway quickly approached. The smell of dust and pine filtrated into her head. Todd’s fingers were white on the steering wheel. They had a search party out for me.

  Todd shrugged. “You disappeared without a sound, so I called your brothers. And I called the police.”

  27 CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN

  Now what? Brent stood watching the tru
ck disappear. Silently, he thanked whatever force compelled them to leave without lingering. The last thing needed at this point was an outdoor adventure by her group tramping around in areas he preferred left alone. They saw the target practice site, he reminded himself. No biggie. There’s no law against having a gun, nor in learning to shoot it.

  Fortunately, they didn’t find what was beyond the targets. He’d said too much though. Things would get difficult at work. Admittedly, the comments weren’t appropriate but he knew she understood. They were alike. That’s probably why she’d been so hard on him in the office. Well, she’d just have to get past that. He’d managed to charm the others—he could manage her too. And, if he couldn’t, then he’d just make sure the others trusted him more, believed him more. Either way, he’d conquer this mountain. With or without her. She was not standing in his way again. Not this time. Not ever again.

  Brent felt behind his back to make sure he’d left the pouch zipped. Yes. Good. He pulled it from his waist, removed the contents and headed toward the target in the trees. It was probably best to stash it and take the shortcut through the woods to get his truck. He needed to kill some time anyway before the commotion at the convenience store cleared. On the off chance that they came looking for him, there was a lot of undergrowth to conceal his travels.

  And they did. Come looking for him, that is.

  He heard the grumble of two engines and, from his perch several hundred yards away in the brush, he saw tracks of dust cloud puff through the trees. It surprised him a little to see two cop cars, but not so much as to panic and run. The officers walked around a bit, called out, then left. This was a good spot to watch. He could see the road in front of the store plus the opening with the dock. He expected to wait long enough to ensure Reva and her friends were gone, then hustle up to get his truck. The cops added a new element he needed to think about. While he’d had a clean record up to this point, he doubted he’d be able to speak with them calmly.