Georgia Summer

by Heather Colleen

  “She may be spending some extra time with Maddox today,” his mom said, shrugging her shoulders.

  Landon nodded slowly, concurring with the possibility. It was, after all, their last day in Willow Creek. It wouldn’t be the most unlikely idea for Emmarie to spend additional time with her dad. “I’ll try again later,” he said, his tone resolved.

  “I’m sure she’ll answer then,” his mom assured him. She went to the fridge and took out the creamer.

  Landon watched her as she poured fresh coffee into her mug.

  “Do you want to talk about last night?” she asked casually as she poured the creamer into her coffee. She gave him a discerning look as she took a sip. Although Landon hadn’t given her all the details when he returned from his dad’s last night, Faye Young knew enough to know that their talk hadn’t gone over so well.

  “Not really,” Landon answered plainly, crossing his arms over his chest. He looked down at the floor as his thoughts shifted back to his dad, and how things had ended when he left his place. Dr. Young had made it painfully clear that he would never give Landon his blessing. Landon felt a rush of guilt as he remembered what he had said to his dad about sacrificing his marriage.

  His mom nodded in understanding as she took another sip.

  A few moments of silence passed as both she and Landon reflected on their separate, yet equally distant relationships with Dr. Young.

  His mom set her coffee mug down on the counter before breaking the silence. “I know this is probably not what you want to hear, but it’s your last day in Willow Creek. I think you should try to talk to him again.” She paused, carefully choosing your words. “If not for your relationship with him, than for your own peace of mind, so you can at least know you tried to repair things with your father.”

  Landon looked over at her, heaving a sigh of resignation. He knew she was right. “Fine. I’ll go over again later when he gets back from work.” He uncrossed his arms and reached for the phone to dial Emmarie’s number again.

  ✽✽✽

  It was later that evening when Landon began the short walk over to his dad’s. The sun had already set and the lampposts had come on for the night, their dim light casting halos onto the cement sidewalks. He walked briskly, completely immersed in his thoughts.

  Landon was nervous about seeing his dad again, but he was far more concerned about Emmarie. He had called her at least eight times today, and had even gone by her house when he filled up his car’s gas tank for their trip tomorrow. He had knocked on her door, but no one answered. The windows were darkened and vacant. Landon couldn’t escape the nagging feeling that something felt strange, and even wrong about this.

  Landon turned onto his dad’s street and shoved his hands deeper in his pockets as he continued walking, the doubts entering into his mind as he wondered what had happened with Emmarie today. Maybe she had changed her mind about going to Boston. Maybe she was too concerned to leave Maddox on his own. Or perhaps she had just wanted some alone time today before they spent the next few days crammed in the car together.

  Landon reached his dad’s house and began to walk up to the front porch, his eyes downcast as he replayed in his mind the last time he had seen Emmarie. Though he had only dropped her off yesterday, it felt like it had been weeks since he had seen her. He remembered how she had smiled at him, trying to conceal how excited she was, and the way her skirt had swayed as she walked. Landon’s mouth tugged upwards into a barely-there grin as he thought of her.

  He jogged up the steps, his eyes roving over the familiar, painted planks of wood underfoot when suddenly, he heard something crunch under his right shoe. Landon stopped abruptly, looking down to see what he had stepped on. Lifting his foot, he saw a shard of glass—now shattered from his shoe—on the wooden porch. Landon lifted his gaze. Looking more closely in the weak light, he could see that the entire porch was littered with broken glass.

  Landon froze. The lights were out in the house and it appeared that no one was home, but the glass panes on the front door had been broken. The door was gaping wide open and the entryway was completely darkened. Landon could feel his heart racing as he looked into the unlit house, and his pupils dilated with fear as he realized his dad’s home had been broken into.

  Suddenly, Landon heard movement inside, like a large piece of furniture moving, followed by a crash. Against his better judgment, Landon went inside, carefully stepping around the shards of glass to avoid making any noise. He could hear someone panting as he moved closer, like they were out of breath as they moved something that sounded like a drawer being yanked out. Landon tiptoed down the hall, following the noise to the back of the darkened house where his dad’s study was. He felt like his heart was going to explode out of his chest as he moved soundlessly, the adrenaline now pumping throughout his entire body.

  Peering around the corner into his dad’s office, he could see a large figure, his back to Landon as he went through the drawers in the desk. Their movements were weighted and clumsy, as though they were half-asleep. Landon could feel his palms sweating as he reached around the doorframe to the light switch, preparing himself to attack. He flicked on the light switch and gasped as he realized who the intruder was.

  The figure whipped around, revealing his face.

  “Maddox?” Landon asked, his mouth gaping wide open in shock. He could hardly recognize Emmarie’s father as he gazed wild-eyed back at Landon, Dr. Young’s pistol in his hand. Landon’s eyes darted around the room.

  The study had been torn apart. The desk was on its side with its drawers removed and thrown out, their contents spilled all over the floor. Landon's eyes shifted back to Maddox. Maddox was breathing heavily, and his eyes were unfocused and bloodshot. His usually smooth hair was snarled, and Landon could feel what felt like waves of anger rolling off of Maddox’s body.

  “Landon,” Maddox said softly, his breathing ragged.

  “What the hell are you doing here?” Landon asked, his tone both angry and astounded.

  Still holding the gun, Maddox put his head in his hands and let out a long moan. He swayed as he tried to keep his balance, and Landon realized then just how drunk he was.

  Landon crossed the room to Maddox, no longer afraid. He gently took the gun from Maddox’s hand and placed it on the overturned desk. He then put his hands on Maddox’s shoulders. “Maddox, what’s wrong? Why do you have my dad’s pistol?” he demanded.

  Maddox lifted his head and looked at Landon.

  Landon could see the pain in his eyes as they misted over, gazing back at him. Up close now, Maddox's entire face was visibly tear-streaked, and Landon could smell the overwhelming stench of alcohol on his breath. “What’s wrong?” Landon asked again. “And what the hell are you doing here?!” He shook Maddox by the shoulders.

  Maddox closed his eyes briefly before opening them again. Several moments passed before he spoke, his voice low, “Your dad’s gun…I need it. I’m gonna kill those bastards.”

  Landon felt a cold sweat break out across his forehead. “Why would you steal my dad’s gun? Why would you want to kill anyone?” Landon tightened his grip on Maddox’s leather jacket to keep him from falling over.

  Maddox moaned again and fell to his knees, burying his face in his hands as he wept.

  Landon kneeled down next to him. “Maddox…Maddox!” he yelled.

  Maddox uncovered his face and looked at Landon. Tears coursed from his eyes onto his creased, leathery skin.

  “I can’t help you if you don’t tell me what’s going on,” Landon said. He gripped Maddox’s shoulders through his jacket. “Tell me what’s wrong!” Landon’s voice was panicked now.

  Maddox took a deep breath, his chest rattling from his sobs. “It’s Emmarie, Landon…they hurt her.” He wiped the tears from his eyes as they continued to flow freely.

  Landon felt his heart stop. “What do you mean? Who hurt Emmarie?” he questioned, his stomach twisting with fear.

  “They…assaulted her,” Maddox panted
as he screwed his eyes shut with pain.

  Landon gazed at him in shock, and the room started to spin around him.

  “She was walking home from the store last night, and they wouldn’t leave her alone. She ran into the field and…” Maddox stopped, unable to continue as he let out a sob of anguish.

  Landon sat back on his heels, his breathing shallow. He didn’t want to know any more details. The thought of Emmarie being violated in any way was unbearable. He felt the vomit rising in his throat as the horrendous image flashed in his mind. Landon took a deep breath. “Has she told anyone? The police?”

  Maddox shook his head. “She doesn’t want to talk. She said she doesn’t want to tell anyone.” Maddox closed his eyes to stop the stream of tears.

  “Where is she?” Landon asked quietly.

  “She’s gone now…hitchhiked up north to her mom’s last night.” Maddox sniffed loudly. “Nina said she didn’t want to talk to me,” he said, remembering the painful phone call he had received from his ex-wife that morning shortly after Emmarie had shown up at her place. Maddox put his head in his hands as he wept. “She’s all I had, and now…she’s gone,” he managed to say between sobs.

  Just then, the blare of a police siren could be heard. It was distant at first, but it was growing louder by the second.

  Maddox and Landon stood up quickly as they realized what the sound was, the adrenaline flooding their veins once more.

  Landon spoke first, “Maddox, you’ve got to go. Take the back door and go through the neighbor’s yard. No one will see you if you leave now.”

  Maddox shook his head. “No, Landon. This is my mess—“

  “Go, Maddox. Please, this will be easier for me to get out of than you. Don’t worry about me.”

  Maddox looked at Landon as the sirens grew louder, his face shadowed with fear.

  “Go! Now, Maddox!” Landon yelled. He pushed Maddox away and Maddox stumbled towards the doorway. Maddox turned to run, but Landon suddenly reached out, stopping him as he held fast to his arm. “Wait—give me their names,” Landon demanded, his eyes dark with fixed rage.

  Maddox gazed back at Landon, his heart pounding violently in his chest as he heard the sirens blasting their way down the street. He whispered their names, and fled.

  Chapter 17

  A Second Unwelcome Encounter

  Georgia stood in front of the fridge, holding the door open as she debated what to make for dinner. Her dad would be home in the next hour, and she wanted to have dinner ready for him. Seeing she had the right ingredients, she decided to make meatloaf, the same one her mom used to make, along with peas and bacon and steamed carrots. She began preparing the dish, combining the ground beef with crushed saltine crackers, onion, green pepper, egg, and a few spices.

  As she mixed the ingredients together in a glass bowl, her mind wandered back to her conversation with Virginia, and what she had said about Landon. Georgia reflected on her brief interaction with Landon, and wondered if he had read the letter yet. What would he be feeling? Would he be angry, sad, or relieved?

  Georgia tried to imagine his face with these emotions, and hoped that the letter would bring him peace, as it did for her. She shook her head, wondering how her thoughts had arrived here. Why did she care so much about Landon, anyways? She had never spoken to him in her life before last Sunday, and here she was worrying about his potential feelings.

  And yet, there was something about him that kept drawing her thoughts back to his face, and those steel blue eyes. Georgia sighed as she adjusted the dial on the oven to the right temperature, remembering how Landon had helped her to stand up as she made a fool of herself, his hands holding her, steadying her. His touch had been secure and steady, not at all aggressive or violent. No, something just wasn’t adding up right when she thought of the Landon she had met versus the Landon she had heard others gossiping about. Even her sister’s description seemed faulty.

  Georgia wondered how many people in Willow Creek could actually say they knew Landon Young, without relying on the most recent rumor or hearsay. That was the problem with small towns. Snap judgments were made based on how much you trusted your neighbor’s word over the individual’s in question. You could be tried and convicted without ever knowing you were under investigation. Georgia bit her lip in thought. She placed the ground beef mixture into a loaf pan and slid the pan into the oven.

  After setting the timer, Georgia took out a cutting board and began chopping up an onion and carrots. She checked the time. Her dad would be home soon. Adding the carrots to a bowl, she placed a square of butter on top and sprinkled brown sugar across them before covering it to cook in the microwave. She then sautéed the chopped onion with butter in the skillet.

  As she looked through the fridge for the bacon, she reflected on her conversation with Dr. Young. He had briefly mentioned his son, and asked her whether she knew him in high school. How proud he had seemed when he said that Landon had grown up into a fine young man. Georgia sighed, feeling a surge of sadness for Dr. Young. Spotting the bacon in the drawer, she grabbed it and began adding pieces to the hot skillet, its savory aroma melding with the pungent onion. She then poured the peas into the skillet, mixing it with the bacon and onion.

  The meatloaf was almost ready when her dad returned home from work. “Georg?” her dad called out.

  “Hi, dad!” she called back.

  He came into the kitchen, taking off his cowboy hat and setting it down on the counter. “Somethin’ sure smells good in here,” he said, the aroma lifting the corners of his mouth upwards into a grin.

  Georgia giggled as she stirred the peas in the skillet. “I hope you’re hungry. I made mom’s meatloaf.” She looked over her shoulder at him, smiling.

  “Well, even if I wasn’t, you think I’d ever turn down such a delicious meal?” He squatted down to pat Millie.

  The timer suddenly went off, and Georgia hastily turned off the peas on the stove before slipping on her mother’s knitted oven mitts. She opened the oven and took out the meatloaf. Baked to perfection, its comforting smell of home cooking instantly filled the kitchen. She then took the carrots out from the microwave, and began to serve them both.

  “Want some water?” her dad asked as he walked over to the cupboard to grab a glass.

  “Sure.”

  As her dad filled the two glasses at the sink, he shook his head. “You know, you may not be the dead wringer for your mom that your sister is.” He came over and set the water glasses down next to her on the counter. “But you sure remind me of her when you’re in the kitchen.” He took a sip of his water.

  Georgia smiled and handed him his full plate of food. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

  “You absolutely should.” He went into the dining room, glass and plate in hand.

  Georgia finished serving her own plate and followed him in, smiling to herself.

  ✽✽✽

  Later after dinner, Georgia announced she was going to go on a walk. “I won’t be gone long, dad,” she added, knowing he would worry. It had been a week since she had been to Maple Leaf Park and found Dr. Young by the river. While she had no desire to go back to Firefly Lane anytime soon, she still loved the park and taking Millie there. It had been their ritual for years, and she wasn’t going to let what happened there keep her from going.

  Her dad leaned back in his chair, knowing he couldn’t stop her from going. He wiped his mouth with his napkin and set the napkin back down on the table. “All right. But Georg, you gotta be careful. Don’t go lookin’ for trouble. And for the love of God, stick to the path in the park—”

  “And I’ll keep Millie close,” Georgia interjected, knowing his cautionary words all too well by now.

  Her dad nodded, capitulating. Standing up, he began to pick up their plates. “I want you back in an hour. And if you’re not home by then...” He tapped his watch on his wrist. “I’ll send the entire Willow Creek Police Force after you,” he said, his tone lighter, but still stern.
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  “I’ll be back in an hour, dad. Don't worry,” she said, knowing her last words would fall on deaf ears. Grabbing the leash from the coat hook, Georgia called back to her dad in the kitchen, “See you soon, dad.”

  “Within an hour, Georg,” her dad reminded her.

  ✽✽✽

  It felt unusually quiet at Maple Leaf Park. It was as if the park could sense the unspeakable tragedy that had taken place only a week ago. The weeping willows hung a little lower, their branches appearing to be weighted with sadness. The cicadas sang a little softer, and their usual pitch had dropped to a haunting, minor key, as if they too were mourning the loss of Dr. Young.

  Georgia walked quietly with Millie, who panted ahead of her by a couple paces. Georgia looked around to see if she was as alone as she felt in the park. Squinting her eyes, she saw a middle-aged couple walking along the paved road. They held each other’s hands in a sweet, innocent way, like high school sweethearts.

  Georgia rounded the path, coming up to the road that led to Firefly Lane. But this time, she didn’t feel any urge to stray from the path and onto Firefly lane where she had discovered Dr. Young’s Cadillac. She shivered as she remembered that moment of peering into his car and seeing his blood-soaked body. Keeping her eyes down, Georgia stuck to the path, walking a little faster so that she could put more distance between herself and Sage River.

  Suddenly, she heard footsteps behind her. Georgia whirled around, instinctively pulling Millie closer to her with the leash. She was surprised to see Jace Montgomery standing there all by himself. “Oh! H-h-hi, Jace,” she stammered, shocked by his sudden appearance. She felt Millie protectively inch closer to her leg.

  Jace raised his hand in a friendly wave. “Hey, Georgia. Surprised to see you here of all places!” he said, gesturing in the direction of Sage River and Firefly Lane.

  Georgia narrowed her eyes at him, wondering if he was being genuine or sarcastic. His tone actually sounded sincere compared to the last time she had run into him in the diner. And for once, he wasn’t sneering at her either. “You shouldn’t be that surprised,” she said stiffly, remembering how he had asked if he could walk with her sometime, or even go out with him. Georgia internally vomited at the thought. She wondered what he was doing here. He didn’t seem like the type to take long walks in the park. “What are you doing here, Jace?” she asked bluntly.