Nora came up coffee in hand, “hey guys, who’s going to mess with me?” Nora was standing there with a shawl over her shoulders, covering her blue knit shirt; she wore a long skirt with little beads on the end of them, and sandals. She looked very earthy. Her long straight hair was tied back in a slick braid. Her eyes surveyed Coura, with Skye’s arms wrapped around her. Nora came to her and hugged her. Skye let go of her long enough for them to hug, then he was right there with her again. He couldn’t find the strength to separate his body from hers. She couldn't bear to either when she needed his comforting touch even if it did raise some eyebrows with his dad and family. “Here you go dear,” she handed her the warm coffee cup.
“Thank You,” Coura said. Nora responded with a question. “Is there any news?” “No not yet,” said Roy “just that Richard’s vitals are stable, but he is still unconscious.” Nora looked to the Sheriff, who was adjusting his belt and staring at her. “Do you know who might have done this? Or better yet, why they did it?” She asked.
“I’m afraid not,” said Nickels. “But I give you my word,” he turned to Coura, “I will find who did this and whoever they are they’re going to pay. I will not stop until that person faces justice for what he or she has done.” He was facing Nora, even though partially talking to Coura, and when he realized he was staring decided to look down and adjusted his heavy utility belt. “You keep her safe,” he said to Skye. “I’m not sure who the assailant was targeting, so be sure to keep the house locked up and call me immediately if anything happens since the Reservation doesn’t have a permanent officer yet.” Skye agreed he would. “I don’t think there will be any problems,” replied Nora.
“Nothing’s going to happen on the Reservation,” Nora said matter-of-factly. “It is simply the safest place for her to be right now.” “Besides,” she said, “You already know that I know how to protect myself,” she said. The Sheriff gave her a knowing smile, remembering the last time she defended herself and the black eye and broken arm her burglar had. “Still, please be careful he said.”
“Well, there’s not much any of us can do tonight,” Roy said. “Nora why don’t you take Coura on back to the house?” Asked Roy. “Skye and I will collect some of her clothes and drop it off on the way home. If it is ok with the Sheriff. The Sheriff responded, “I think that would be ok, forensics finished up there about six this morning. Just try not to move anything, except for her clothes.” “Sure thing,” Roy replied.
They all left about the same time, after checking in again with nurse to let her know that Coura would return, and to call Nora’s phone if anything were to come up. Coura was quiet on the trip to Nora’s house. She spent the drive peering out the window, flashbacks of what she saw from the night before playing in her mind. She gave a silent prayer, please Lord help my father.
Nora’s house was in a wood setting at least a half mile from the other two houses around. There were tall pines surrounding the house and large bushes all around the property. The drive was covered in pine needles, and as they pulled in the circular driveway her truck tire missed the pavement making a loud popping noise jolting Coura from her thoughts.
“We are here,” Nora said. Nora got out of the car and walked around to Coura’s side. Nora opened the car door and gave Coura a big hug. “It’s going to be alright sugar you’ll see, your father is a strong man, and I know he will pull through.”
Coura started crying again. “I just wish it was me Nora, I feel like this is my fault.” She looked up through tear streaked red eyes at Nora. “Don’t wish that sugar,” said Nora. “There is not a thing in the world your Daddy loves more than you. I’m afraid that if you were there, he would not be around right now he would have fought his hardest to protect you and in doing so would have died. It is for the best that it happened this way. He will be ok, and everything will work out. He loves you so much, I know, she said, he tells me quite often.”
You know my dad? Coura said through soft sobs. Yes, dear we have been close friends for many years, just like you and Skye. Even though we may not see each other for a time, there is always the bond of friendship between us.” Coura nodded in understanding. “I know you're right she said. It’s just hard to accept you know?” Nora knew exactly what she meant. She gave her a big hug and let Coura cry while she held her in her arms softly patting her head.
Nora’s heart was filled with love for Coura. “Come on sweetie it’s already daylight, you must get some rest before we go back to town to see your father.” Ok, Coura said. Coura followed Nora into the house, Nora showed her to her room. “This is my room she said; I thought it best if we bunked down together tonight,” she said. Coura nodded, to let her know she did not mind sharing the bed. Nora went to her nightstand and took out a set of pajamas, socks and a towel. “Here you go dear; the bathroom is there,” pointing to the door to the right of the window. “There is a spare toothbrush in the cupboard above the sink.”
Coura took a shower and changed into her clean clothes and then folded her dirty ones in a pile by the door. She brushed her teeth and combed her hair, and then took a long look in the mirror. She looked like she aged five years in one night. Worry lines and sleep deprivation was starting to take its toll. When Coura walked out she noticed the bed had been turned down, and Nora had placed a sandwich on the nightstand. “Oh, good you’re out dear, why don’t you sit down and take a bite of that sandwich and then try to get some sleep ok?”
Coura ate and went to bed, in a matter of seconds she was fast asleep. Nora got up and went to the kitchen to grab the cordless phone; she laid it on her nightstand, set the alarm and went to sleep. Nora’s alarm went off and she quickly got up and turned it off allowing Coura to sleep more. She collected Coura’s dirty clothes and took them to the laundry room to be washed. She started the coffee pot and stared out the window.
There is a lot of evil around her lately she thought, I must protect the house. While the coffee was steeping, she went to the living room and pulled out a stick of sage, intertwined with myrrh and lavender. She lit it with a match and started chanting. She walked through the house cleansing it in her native tongue in a cleansing ceremony. She called the spirit of earth to protect her land, the spirit of fire to protect her mind and Coura’s, she called the spirit of water to splash away the evil that had dared to touch their lives. She called upon the spirit for her guidance and love and thanked them and they left her.
Someone is coming she thought, she went to the kitchen and made a sandwich for her visitor. Nora’s gift was unusual among tribe’s women. When she was a child, she had visions of things to come, and a bit of telepathy. Her parents said that she was gifted from the spirit to help protect her people, and if she used it for good, she would have it. Peeking out the window over the sink she saw Skye coming from the woods, good she thought. Coura will be comforted to see him. She sat the stick of sage on an incense burner plate its soft white smoke causing small spiral ringlets to fill the air.
“Well, hello my little pup,” Nora said to Skye as he Strolled up, “it’s good to see you this morning. Nora was standing on the porch holding a sandwich out to him and a cup of coffee. “You were
expecting me I see. Thank you, Aunty,” he drank the coffee in one giant sip and went straight for the sandwich. “Mhm” he said, “that was good,” he looked at Nora who patiently standing there with her hands folded into her shawl.
“What have you learned little one?” She asked her nephew. “Not much” he said. “It seems that it was a man, young, probably in his teens, about five foot nine from his tracks, and blond hair, he left a bit on the wall by the door in Richards room.
“I brought these cloths from Coura’s room;” he said toting a box labeled Coura’s cloths. “She still hasn’t unpacked yet.” He said, “she didn’t have much to begin with, I had to give her some socks, she
came here with only one pair.” “Oh Dear” Nora said. I saw some hurt there, but I had no idea there
was also neglect. I
will see what I can do about helping her with that.”
“The reason I am here is that I have to find out some things from Coura. I’m trying to understand the motivation of this guy, maybe she knew him. It should make it easier to track him anyway. The pack believes that this is not just a random incident, and we would like to know why. It is our job to keep this territory safe, and I would do anything to protect Coura. Do you mind if I stay with you both a while today while I try to get Coura to answer some questions, without actually letting her know what we are doing?” “Of course,” Nora said. “Come in, but I insist first you must rest, you look terrible nephew.”
Skye lay on a cot on the couch and fell asleep, Nora switched the laundry over and was making some eggs when the phone rang. “Hello?” Nora said. The line was silent for a minute. “Hello?” She repeated. “Give the Bitch this message,” said a deep voice from the other end. “I am coming for her, and I will kill anyone that gets in my way. She has no IDEA what she's in for with me!” “Listen here young man I don’t think you know just who you’re dealing with. If you touch so much as a hair on her precious head or cause her harm in any way, I will come for you,” the call ended.
“Shows him, she said putting the phone back on the receiver.” “Humph.” She Said. Turning around Skye was standing there shaking violently, apparently, he had woken. “Skye you must calm down there is nothing that we can do right now, Coura is safe and Richard will be fine. You will do no good by changing now. She looked towards her bedroom door. You must calm down” she said again. “She is up.”
Skye took a deep breath, and then another slowly the violent tremors began to cease. The sight of Coura’s angelic face seemed to calm him immediately. She still looked tired, her already large eyes looked so much bigger with the dark circles under them. She wore pink pajamas and white socks and was standing in the hallway rubbing her eyes. “What time is it Nora?” She asked coming around the corner. She stopped and smiled when she saw Skye’s face, she ran to him and gave him a big hug.
“Oh Skye,” she said. “I’m so glad to see you. I had this dream last night… then she looked around and realized it wasn’t a dream. Everything from the night before came toppling in. She sat in the rocking chair behind her, her hands on her head drawing her knees in for protection. She looked at Skye, it really did happen then, Dads in the hospital?”
“Yes” said Nora, “he is, but he is well. I’m sure he will wake up soon. Skye sat on his knees in front of Coura and laid his hand on her shoulder. You are a strong beautiful woman and you will get through this; I will help you get through this, but I’m going to need your help to do it ok?” He tucked her hair behind her ears and wiped the tears that fell down her face. “Ok she said. What can I do?”
“The sheriff wanted to know a few things, he sent me over here to get some more information about your time in California.” Coura nodded trying to collect her thoughts. “Ok,” she said. “What exactly do you want to know?”
“Well for starters what happened in California? How come you moved out here with your dad?” “Well,” Coura said. “I was living with my stepdad and stepmom on base, in Oceanside. My stepdad was deployed in Iraq most of the time, so I stayed with Barbie, his wife. I really hated her, she said, but I put up with her for my stepdad I didn’t live with them for very long after my mom died.”
“When did your dad remarry Coura?” Just three days after my mom’s death, he said that I couldn’t be alone when he was deployed and that I needed someone around to help raise me, and since I didn’t want to go to Richards staying there with her was my only option. So, I did. She used to tell me that my mother’s death was my fault. She said the reason that she died was because I was a harlot. But I’m not she protested.
Skye just listened and let her get it all out, Nora stood in the doorway listing to. Nora grabbed a chair and Skye sat it in in front of Coura, then Nora took a seat to. “The reason my mom was coming to get me, the night of Prom was because I was attacked by my date. He tried to…he tried to rape me. I fought him and a friend of mine came and kicked the crap of him. The hospital called my mom, I was so scared. Then on the way to the hospital, my mom was car jacked at a red light two streets away. The man threw her from the car and drove away. By the time my mom could get her senses together she was killed by an oncoming car.
“Marshal didn't come to the hospital, my Aunt Vickey picked me up. Then when he did come, he buried my mother and with her his love for me. He wouldn’t look at me, and then he brought Barbie home, and my life was terrible. Nothing was done to Steve, my date from the night except that it was reported to the police. Marshal said that it must have been a misunderstanding and that falsely accusing the boy was just wrong. He didn’t believe me, and Barbie didn’t help the situation either when she came.”
“Steve kept harassing me and following me around. He left a dead cat on my window seal, with a note that said I was next if I pressed charges. I called Richard, the same day in tears. I told him everything that happened, and he came five days later.”
I didn’t know he was coming, he just said that he was going to take care of it. I was at the park when Steve confronted me. He grabbed me by the neck and threw me against a tree, trying to rip my skirt up, dad saw as he was driving into town, he threw the car in park and in seconds Steve was on the floor. Dad punched had punched him repeatedly I had to scream to get him to stop. A passerby had called the park officer over.
“This time, the cops arrested him. He was pissed, he screamed so much he said such horrible things about me. They made me attend his court date and attest to what he had tried to do to me. His lawyer tried to discredit me, said that I had post-traumatic stress disorder from my mother’s death; that I had messed up the events in my head. The judge didn’t buy any of it and sentenced Steve to a year in military school in orange Texas until his eighteenth birthday.”
“After the hearing my dad asked to see the house, I took him on base, and introduced him to Barbie. Dad told me to get my stuff together that I was leaving with him and going back to Many. Barbie threw a fit about it, she didn't want me to take anything with me she believed it was all hers.”
She called the M.P. to come and stop Richard from taking me, but there was nothing that they could do, Richards my dad, I was not blood kin to either Barbie or Marshall. She let me take my clothes and my one picture of mom that she let me keep in the house. The TV, the bed, and most of the things I had growing up with my mom and Marshall was left behind. Marshall wasn’t there, he’d been deployed so I hadn’t been able to say goodbye. I left a note but I’m sure Barbie threw it away.
“Wow,” Nora said, “I had no Idea sweetheart. You have been through a lot.” Nora looked at Skye seeming to know something. Skye thought hard about what Coura had told him and tried to find a link between the murder, the attempted rape, and the assault on Richard. “Coura,” Skye said, “I know you have answered a lot of questions already, but I need you to think about your date, the guy, what was his name?” “Steve Matheson” she said. “What did he look like Coura?” “Why do you want to know that?” “You shouldn’t be jealous,” she said jokingly, “he wasn’t my type I like the tall, dark and handsome ones better.” Skye took a big gulp, thinking to himself that he was tall, dark and handsome. “Oh, really he said, like me?”
Nora interrupted there Segway, “so what did he look like?” she asked pointedly. “Well he was tall about um... Five nine, blond hair, blue eyes you know the type.” “Was he a big guy?” Skye asked. “Not fat but he did have muscular arms, he worked out a lot, and he was very strong. Strong enough to bash someone over the head you think?” Skye asked.
“What are you saying Skye, that Steve did this? There’s no way! She protested he’s in that camp thing for bad guys, In Orange, Texas. There’s no way he could do this. I mean heed be capable of doing this, but I hadn’t heard of anyone escaping a place like that. Plus, what would he gain from it?” She asked. “It just doesn’t make sense.”
Go ahead dear; you’d be surprised how much crazy we Longleafs’ can handle. Coura took a deep breath, well I have been having these dreams, ever since I moved here. There is this man in my dream and he…well… each time I see him he is closer to me, in my dream I want him, like I’m attracted to him, but I know he’s dangerous, but I am under a spell. The last dream that I had he spoke to me and asked me to meet him on the cliffs, were we had met in the dream, he said that I would be his. Gosh I know this sounds crazy, right? It’s just a dream, but you know what the crazy thing is, is that Skye took me to the bonfire the night I was supposed to meet the man in the dream. I went out to the cliff; it was there. But I didn’t see the man from my dream. I stayed there for a while admiring the beauty of the sea when I got to thinking about my Ma,” and then she looked down.
Nora answered for her, “and you considered jumping in,” she said. “Well yes,” Coura answered “but I didn’t! Mr. Pollard, he showed up from nowhere and to my embracement knew what I was thinking, he told me not to jump. I talked to him for a while, and when I felt better, I turned around, but he was gone.” Skye looked at Nora, needing to talk to her, “Thank you Coura,” Skye said, I must go to the Sheriff and let him know what you told me, hopefully we can figure out who did this and get you safe again.
The Guardian (The Guardian Book 1) Page 13