by Shelley Wall
When the last of the sun’s beam flittered down behind the trees, the glow in the sky cast some fairly ominous shadows. Brent noticed that the noise of cicadas and other unknown life kicked up a notch. His ears rang with it. Several cars left the store and headed back toward the city but he stayed put. The lights from inside the store cast a yellow stain across the lot and out into the road.
He perched in his cocoon of underbrush and waited until the lights clicked off and darkness engulfed the road. When a lone set of headlights left the store and headed down the road, he decided it was okay to move.
But not in that truck. He only had a few hours before it would all erupt.
28 CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT
Brent considered his options for the umpteenth time on the short trek to his house. None of them panned out in his mind the way he needed. Admittedly, he’d crossed the line. Not just crossed it, he was practically across the continent from it. Why had she pushed him so far? He’d never wanted to react like that. He wasn’t a violent man. He didn’t do that type of thing.
He strung his fingers through his hair. One of the men that came for Reva had directed the cops to his truck. Brent had watched as they took the license and walked around, surveying his new vehicle as if it were—evidence. Shit.
It was like watching an episode of CSI as they stalked around, surveying the vehicle, running hands along the bed. They knew. He was screwed. He had to get out. Go away. Forget work, he needed a new life. Damn Reva. She could have just left him alone and none of this would have happened. The project would have been completed by now. And he’d have been virtually in command. Of everything. No, she had to be a bitch about it.
It had taken forty minutes to jog the five miles to his house. Thank God it was such a short distance. Trying to hurry in the trails through the trees had been tricky. He could have made it faster on the road but didn’t want to risk being seen. Inside the house, Brent grabbed his backpack from the closet. He filled it with supplies, tossed in his gun and clips, then headed out the back door. Can’t let the neighbors see him leave. The time on his watch told him an hour had passed. He needed a vehicle and planned to make one last stop before saying adios to this town. There was a thrill to starting over. He’d never done it before. Not like this. Brent left his neighbor’s “borrowed” van at the park near Reva’s house. A quick jog put him in the backyard where he’d watched her a few times before. The house was dark. He turned to view the other house where the cell phone had nearly exposed him. Dark too.
He skipped the doors and pried a window to one of the back rooms open with his pocketknife. Once inside, a quick scan of the rooms told him she was still out. The woman had quite the social life. He hunched into an easy chair in her living room, dropped the bag on the floor at his feet, and clutched the weapon in his lap. He’d just wait for her return. No rush now. This was the last item he needed to take care of before moving on.
A loud rap on the door startled him awake. He glanced at his watch. Too dark to read it but the glow-in-the-dark hands told him it was around nine ten. He swiped a hand down his face. No need to answer the door since it wasn’t his house. A scratching noise caught his attention. Someone else wanted in? Without a key? No way. He stood and looked from side to side for a good spot to conceal his presence. The door swung open and a big man with a burr head stepped in.
“Stop right there,” Brent commanded. He raised the run. There was enough light in the room to see the shock on the man’s face.
“Hang on now. Who are you? ” The man held up his hands. “I’m not here to cause trouble. I just wanted to talk to Reva.”
Burrhead wore a starched shirt and slacks as if he were a salesman making a call. At this time of night? Not likely. A motor’s whirring signaled an arrival out front. Brent peeked at the glass to see Reva’s car.
***
Reva had given up the driver’s seat to Todd at his insistence. If he wanted to drive, fine. She’d only grumbled a smidge because the day had been so tiring she really didn’t care. She felt cocooned between the two bulky men beside her and her brothers and Eric in the back. Her Dad had insisted on riding along until they were at Todd’s. She glanced from one solemn face to another.
“Do you ever wonder what makes a person decide to be violent?” She blew upward to ruffle the bangs out of her eyes, her hands were pinned to her sides. “I mean, think about it, one day a person seems completely charming and normal. Then without any warning, something sets him off. Out of nowhere.”
Both men in the front seat shot her a look as they turned into her drive. Neither spoke. She knew they weren’t sure whether she really wanted their opinion or not.
“Only it’s not really out of nowhere, is it? Something triggers it but you don’t know what it is. You don’t even know there’s a problem. You just wander through your day, thinking everything’s all great. Then wham. “ Reva pushed a shoulder into her father. “Let me out Dad, and I’ll run in and get my stuff. You guys can stay here. I won’t be a minute. Eric, you want to go? We’ll get the paint and maybe we can paint a shirt or something tonight?”
She placed a shaky hand over the back of the seat. Todd noticed. They all probably did. Reva needed to stay busy and nothing like a five-year old boy to keep one distracted from personal issues.
“Sure,” Eric answered as he crawled up on the seat. By the time Tim had pulled the handle on the door, Eric had already scurried over the seat and dropped his legs to the ground. “Be right back.” He grinned at Todd.
“We’ll grab your lawn chairs from the backyard.” Todd slipped from the car with Ben and Tim alongside and headed to the gate. “You probably don’t want to do that inside and I don’t have anywhere to manage it-we can spread it across the chairs.”
Reva took Eric’s hand and they swung arms as they pranced up the steps to the door. They were already at the threshold when she looked up to see the door ajar with a man’s back to her. A chill cursed through her, causing an abrupt stillness. A man she had hoped to never see again. Nick. What the hell? She clenched down on Eric’s hand but it was too late. He’d already slipped past her and ran through. “Come on in, boss.”
Brent.
Reva swallowed hard and started to motion to the car. “No, I said come in, now. Don’t make me get ugly.” Brent tilted the gun just a hair, then narrowed his eyes. He was comfortable with the weapon, no doubt. Not a good idea to challenge that and find out.
“Brent,” she stated flatly as she swiveled from one man to the other, “and Nick. What’s going on?”
“Good question,” Brent answered.
Nick glared. “You put a restraining order on me, Reva? On me? Looks like you have bigger issues than someone that’s halfway around the damn globe.” Nick nodded at the firearm staring them down. “Don’t you think you have the wrong guy? They served me at my apartment, right in front of Jessie.”
Reva assumed Jessie was the new girlfriend. “You sent me hate mail.”
“I didn’t send you shit. You left. I moved on.”
“Who the hell are you?” Brent thrust the gun toward Nick. “The fiancé.”
“Ex-fiancé and why are you here? You didn’t fly all the way here just because of a restraining order.” Reva glared. She desperately tried to ignore Brent’s shaking hand on the firearm.
“You had me arrested, then ran out in the middle of the night to God knows where. After no word for all this time, you decide to slap a restraining order on me. What the hell?” The clip-clop of heels on the concrete walk in front, signaled another woman’s approach.
“Shut up. Don’t move,” Brent hissed.
Clump. Clump. Clump. The heels mounted the steps and tromped to the door. Reva could feel Eric’s tiny form snugged against her legs. His fingers bit into her thigh. “Hello?” A female voice. “Reva Zamora? Are you there?” The streetlight behind the fading sun cast an iridescent glow on the short-cropped blonde hair of the woman as she tilted her head in the door. Damn.
“Who the fuck are you?” Brent asked.
Annie flung her hands into the air and evaluated the room. Nick with hands up, Reva with Eric tucked in behind her, one hand on his shoulder, and some unknown crazy man flailing a gun at everyone. Reva could feel the disapproval in her fear-laced glare. “Holy shit! I’m no one. I’m just the wife of her neighbor and I want my kid.”
“Ex-wife,” Reva corrected, “of my neighbor.”
“The peeping tom in the backyard?”
While the others were distracted with Annie’s appearance Reva slipped her cell and Officer Teckley’s card into Eric’s hand. She looked down and mouthed Go call. Then gave Eric a small shove down the hall toward the back of the house. Crack. She turned back to see Nick fling himself on Brent. The gun had gone off but she couldn’t tell whether he’d been hit or not. He tossed out a few curses and landed heavy on Brent’s chest, knocking both to the floor. The gun dislodged and tumbled across the carpet. Nick took the opportunity to straddle Brent, then started pummeling him with bare fists. Bones crunched, flesh turned to raw steak, and Reva could hardly see Brent’s eyes or nose for all the blood.
Fabric ripped. The starched shirt tail pulled loose from Nick’s waistband. He’s really not going to like that, she thought. Then she noticed the blood drips seeping through the fabric.
A voice boomed from the open door. “Oh, hell no. You’re not doing that again!” Reva’s Dad barreled into the room, grasped Nick’s head in a vice grip and yanked back. “Hey!” Nick yelled.
“You are not ever beating on one of my kids ever again, you piece of shit.” José Zamora held tight, and dragged Nick away from Brent. Nick went limp in his arms and sagged to the floor. Reva hadn’t seen the hole in his shirt from behind, she’d registered the blood but thought it was Brent’s. The stain of blood seeping through the shirt told her otherwise. “He’s shot, Dad,” she mumbled. “Let him go.”
Brent flailed around for his handgun but the blood in his eyes seemed to make it hard to find.
“Looking for something?” Todd’s voice called from his back. Reva hadn’t seen him come in. Hadn’t seen him creep around Nick. Yet, there he stood with the gun pointed dead at the man’s eyes. “I’d recommend you calm down and have a seat.”
The sound of sirens in the distance sent a relieved sag through Reva’s shoulders. Eric had called. Thank God. “Todd, what the hell is going on, and where is my son?” Annie yelled. “Who are these people and what have you gotten yourself into with this crazy woman?” The fear in her eyes was replaced with fury. “Eric, get out here! We’re leaving.” “He’s not here, Annie.”
“Yes, he is. He came in with that bitch.” Her finger jammed at Reva.
“He climbed out the window and came and got me in the backyard right after he called 911. I sent him over the fence to my house and came back. He’s fine, but he’s not here.” “You’re done playing Dad with my son, Todd. I don’t know what kind of crazy—”
“Shut up Annie. I’m not playing Dad, I am his Dad. Don’t you remember the adoption papers? I’m the only dad Eric knows and you should be glad about that, since you have to be the shittiest mother on earth.”
“How dare—” Annie started.
“No! How dare you. Dumping your kid off like a sack of groceries whenever you want to go have some fun with your married boyfriend. Not even checking to see if he’s okay. Did you see what Reva did? Did you see—”
“Yeah, I saw. She put my son in front of some crazy man with a gun.”
“Our son. And she saved him from the crazy man with a gun, in case you didn’t notice. What the hell is wrong with you that you can’t understand how to be a mother? Or a wife?” “I—”
Todd’s shoulders drooped. “Just stop, Annie. Just stop.” Officer Teckley and his crew swarmed the room, cuffed Brent, and called an ambulance for Nick. Great, Reva thought, we spent most of the evening giving statements and now we go back and do it again.
“Hey Todd.” She waited for him to cross the room to her. He’d handed the gun to Teckley as soon as possible and stood back while the others did their jobs.
Todd pulled Reva in and hugged her. “You okay?” “Yeah, but do you mind if we just do something normal and boring next time you want to impress me? You know, like maybe grill burgers in the backyard or order KFC?” He stared at her and she knew he couldn’t muster a laugh, though she’d tried to lighten the moment. He clenched his eyes for a second, then opened them and lifted a lip in a forced grin. “I guess we could do that.”
The police hefted Brent to his feet and started to escort him to a waiting squad car.
“Brent?” Reva summoned.
“What.”
She felt the coldness in his body language. Every nerve – ice cold. “You are so fired.”
29 CHAPTER TWENTY NINE
Reva was pretty good at running away from places that held bad memories. She’d learned that when she escaped from Nick. It had been four weeks since the police handcuffed Brent and took him away.
He had been charged with murder. Two counts apparently and Reva was stunned. His truck apparently had dna evidence that pointed to the disappearance of a woman. She’d seen it on the news for days and was stunned when they connected it back to Brent. Once in custody, Brent had confessed and explained it as an accident. Reva was saddened that she hadn’t seen the depths of darkness and anger during the time he worked for her. Sure, she had feared him a little, but she thought it was a result of her own issues, not his. Nick’s death came as a shock at first.
Nick had not survived the surgery to repair his gunshot wound. He’d lost too much blood. The doctors had been a little surprised that he’d been weakened so by the shot.It had not appeared life threatening. Apparently, he had some blood deformity that introduced complications. Reva’s sadness was short-lived. Relief seemed more appropriate and she hated that she had such brief remorse at the loss. After all, she’d loved the man once. Hadn’t she?
Looking at the obituary, she realized there was little love in the partnership they’d formed. It had been forged in fear and servitude. It had been difficult to call the girlfriend and inform her of his death. After multiple attempts where she’d hung up before an answer, she finally rang through to a voice. The girlfriend had disappeared and forwarded his phone to his office. Like Reva, she’d taken the opportunity to save herself. Reva wanted to applaud the bravery. Instead, it made her sad. How many other lives had Nick tortured? And who had done it to him?
She walked to the front door with Todd at her side. His truck behind them was filled with boxes ready to be packed full. She’d not spend another night alone in this house. Reva sighed.
“Does it make you sad to leave?” Todd asked.
“Not really. It’s more of a cleansing. A chance to finally wash the uglies out of my life.”
“That’s a good way to look at it. I wish you’d stay with me though.”
Reva touched his cheek. He leaned into her hand. She understood that this slight gesture meant something to him, the gentle stroke across his shadowed jaw. He’d said as much when they sprawled across his tangled sheets last night. When he’d asked her again to move in.
“Give me a little time, okay?”
He clasped the fingers and pressed them to his lips. “You got it.”
They lugged boxes inside and spent the next three hours stuffing them full. It amazed Reva how much junk she’d collected in the short time she’d been in the house. Sweat trickled between her shoulder blades, tickling against her spine. A grumble in her stomach encouraged her to check her watch. It was almost one!
The clip clop of heels on the concrete signaled someone’s arrival. “Yoo hoo. Reva?”
Reva turned to share an annoyed look with Todd. “Dammit, Annie, can’t you leave the girl alone?” he said when the bobbed blonde tromped in the open door, shadowed by Reva’s cousin, David.
David hesitated on the threshold, nodding at both occupants. “I have some good news for you. We’ve come to a�
��” He placed a palm on Annie’s shoulder and squeezed before continuing, “We’ve worked things out. I thought you’d want to know.”
Todd and Reva shared another startled exchange. “Yeah,” Annie added, “David and I have spent a lot of time trying to come to some sort of compromise about your time with Eric.” Annie fumbled with the button on the bottom of her too-tight blouse.
David grinned. “Just tell them, sweetie. They need to know.” Sweetie?
“See, I haven’t been exactly straight about Bob. I’m not really seeing him. He dumped me eight months after I left you, Todd. He never really intended to leave his wife and marry me. He just said that to—well, you know.” Annie bit into her lip and worked it hard. Reva thought her eyes glistened a bit as if a tear might drop. “He thought it was the perfect setup with me being married too. What an ass. I just couldn’t say anything. I’d really screwed up. I was so stupid. So, I kept coming over and dropping Eric off. Sometimes because he wanted to see you and sometimes because I needed to be alone.”
The puddle in her eye gave way to a couple of tears that rolled down and ruined her perfect make-up. Reva reluctantly felt her heart tug.
“Go on,” David prompted.
“I didn’t want Eric to see me crying all the time so if I couldn’t face you, I’d just drop him and go home. I’d crawl in bed and cry. I was so mad. I didn’t dare tell you but I thought I wanted you back. Only I knew you’d never have it, Todd. In a way, I also knew that wasn’t right for either of us. Then you met Reva.”
Reva turned and plunked a stack of books into the box behind her. Her face started to warm. Here it comes. “I could see you really cared for her and it made me jealous and well, more lonely.”
David cleared his throat and rubbed her shoulder. “Todd, what Annie’s agreed to is this: Eric will stay with you during the summers and every other weekend, unless you can’t take him. He’ll stay with Annie during the school year. If you’d rather do it differently, she’s open to ideas.”