Before going to check out the Bronco further, Sheriff Richardson strolled into his office. Greta pointed silently toward the back of the station. The sheriff walked back to see the odd family reunion waiting to give him a piece of their minds.
***
Staring directly at George, he said, “Heard from Daniel?”
“Not a word.”
Sheriff Richardson leaned against the wall for a minute thinking about the situation. He knew the entire town was already buzzing about how he’d arrested Annamarie. No one cared about the difference between being held as a material witness and being arrested. It was all the same to them. If Daniel were anywhere close, he would have heard the news. He would have called his father or shown up thinking his name alone would get his young bride out of jail. Neither happened.
The sheriff decided it was time to release Annamarie. His plan hadn’t worked, but it’ll send a message to Daniel that he was in control. He also knew George would keep his word at election time, and do his best to keep him from being reelected. He wasn’t worried about George’s opinion, but George would be sure to remind the voters how he had treated sweet Annamarie Logan. Keeping her in a cold, damp jail cell for no reason at all would fire up the voters against him. George would tell them the sheriff was losing his mind and any of them could be next. That would be the end of his career in Timmus Woods.
He looked at Annamarie saying, “You can leave, but when Daniel comes home your first call better be to my office, or you’ll be right back in this cell. Don’t even think about leaving town. I don’t want you helping Daniel or Garret. If they’re smart, they’ll come in and soon.”
Annamarie wanted to tell him what she thought of his demands, but agreed and left with her parents. She didn’t want to end up back in that cell.
***
If Annamarie had seen the dented Bronco with its broken headlights and torn seats, she would have had the most fearful thoughts. She would have worried it was connected with Daniel’s disappearance. The sheriff had the same idea while he stood staring at the Bronco.
Sheriff Richardson walked to the back door of the station and called for Steve to meet him in the parking lot.
Steve joined the sheriff as he examined the Bronco and noticed the same things the sheriff did. The passenger side of the vehicle was dented and scratched. Its windows were broken. What perplexed them both was the interior. It appeared everything not bolted down was removed. The seats and seat backs sliced open with a knife.
“Someone was looking for something.”
“I agree, but what?”
Leaning against the Bronco, the sheriff said, “Garret has to be in some type of illegal business. Since we never caught him, doesn’t clear him of anything. He may be working out of Oaklin.”
“I don’t think Garret’s clever enough to do anything on a large scale. He must be working with someone where he’s not well known.”
None of their questions could be answered until they found Garret or Daniel. The sheriff told Steve he was heading home for the night. A mechanic was coming by first thing in the morning to check out the Bronco. The sheriff knew Daniel had his Jeep. Now he’d be able to call the State Police and have them on the lookout for the vehicle. Those boys had to be somewhere.
Chapter Eleven: Cursed and Goodbye
Annamarie’s dad insisted she return to his home. She knew Daniel would never call there. She needed to hear from him. She was confident he’d find her.
Her dad finally relented and dropped her off at home.
“I’m coming in to check each room to be sure you’re safe.”
“Thanks, Dad. That’ll make mom feel better, too.”
He walked around locking each window and door. He told her to leave the outside lights burning all night, and a few inside to be sure the house appeared occupied.
“Dad, this is me, the one terrified of the dark. I’ll have a lot of lights burning.”
“A storm’s brewing to the west and I know you hate storms almost as much as you hate the dark. If the town loses power, I’ll be here in less than ten minutes to get you.”
“Okay, I’ll remember,” she said with a smile, “but I’m well prepared.”
He knew she’d do everything she could to stay safe, but secretly he was worried it might not be enough. Mother Nature wasn’t the enemy that worried him.
Shortly before he headed out the door, he turned and looked at her. “I love you. I’ll pick you up in the morning. We can have breakfast at Ray’s, and then pick up your car from George’s office lot.”
She nodded, hugged him and said, “Okay, thanks. I love you, too.”
***
As soon as he left, Annamarie began to feel uncomfortable. Her car wasn’t there. If she needed to leave, she’d have a problem. She knew how to ride Daniel’s motorcycle, but she didn’t like the idea of riding if a storm was coming.
She decided she needed sleep more than anything. Crawling into bed, her head hit the pillow and she was asleep. The next thing she heard were the birds chirping outside the window.
Daniel hadn’t called. Why? With growing concern, her mind raced adding one dreadful scenario on another. Her dad’s knock on the door broke her train of thought.
***
He and her mom arrived earlier than expected. Paula looked as if he hadn’t given her time for morning coffee. Her mom didn’t function well until after her second cup.
He was a morning person. Annamarie had always been a night person. He would wake with the sun. She loved a sunset. They were half-way to Ray’s when she realized her dad should’ve been at work.
“I decided to take a couple of days off,” Theo said.
“I have a feeling that’s going on all over town. This is going to be a difficult week for all of us,” Annamarie added.
“We’ll all help each other make it through.”
“Our little town is going to be tested before this is over.”
“We’re all strong,” Paula interjected, “and we’ll hold each other up.”
Annamarie hoped that would be enough. She was relieved her parents chose not to discuss Daniel. They talked about Ben and how much he would be missed. Annamarie didn’t think she would accept it until the funeral. She’d never been to one before. It was causing her anxiety. Part of her wanted to stay home, but Ben had been a dear friend. She had to be there, wondering if Daniel felt the same way.
All in all, it was a nice breakfast. Her mom became chipper after her second cup of coffee, doing her best to keep Annamarie’s mind occupied. Before they picked up her car, they had to stop at the floral shop and order flowers for Ben’s funeral.
Walking into the shop, she was thankful her mom was there to help.
“I think this one is lovely,” Paula said. “It has summer flowers that grow close to home, and all the white roses are a beautiful touch.”
Annamarie asked, “Is it in poor taste to order an arrangement with more color?”
The florist smiled and said, “Absolutely not. As a matter of fact, Mr. Logan called and said he was going to bring fresh-cut lilies for an arrangement. They will be colorful.”
The florist had some lovely suggestions, and Annamarie settled on an arrangement, adding some vibrant carnations into the basket she chose to hold the flowers from her and Daniel.
***
They left to retrieve Annamarie’s car. Watching her parents drive away, she felt dreadfully alone. She started her car wishing she had someplace to go other than home, but knew she had to be there in case Daniel called. She spent the rest of the day doing chores around the house. She wasn’t sure if she cleaned anything, or merely rearranged whatever she touched.
At dinner time, she was too worried about Daniel to eat. However, she managed to munch on four chocolate chip cookies. She was sitting at the kitchen table anticipating Daniel’s return home when the phone rang.
She answered and heard Daniel’s voice barely above a whisper. “Annamarie, are you alone?”
“Yes, but please speak up. I can hardly hear you.”
“Can anyone hear us?”
“No. I’m alone. I told you,” her irritation apparent.
Convinced she was alone, he told her what had been going on.
“When I left, I was going to help Garret. Someone messed with his brakes and he had an accident.”
“You could have told me that. At least I wouldn’t have thought you were dead when they found Garret’s Bronco.”
“I didn’t want you to know to keep you safe.”
Anger and relief mixed uncomfortably. Daniel seemed safe, yet she was the one who’d spent hours in a jail cell.
Daniel continued, “Garret made it to the pay phone outside the Tangledbranch Saloon. I had to leave fast to help him.”
“Of course,” she replied her frustration growing. “I can understand you’d want to help a friend, but this isn’t the time to do it without telling anyone. You put me in a terrible situation. Why did you stay away?”
Answering, Daniel began to talk about the spirits again. She shouted she wasn’t interested in his damn spirits. She told him how the sheriff held her in a jail cell, and she believed she was going to have to stay there for forty-eight hours.
“I’m so sorry you had to go through that.”
“I’m not interested in apologies. I want you home. There’s a killer on the loose. The sheriff thought the best way to get to you and Garret was through me. He could come for me again.”
The entire situation was more than Annamarie could handle. After escaping the madness at work, she felt abandoned by Daniel when she needed him most.
“If I pack and go home to my parents, I’m not coming back.”
There was silence on the other end of the phone. She thought Daniel had hung up.
She heard angry muttering in the background, and Daniel’s voice was back whispering again.
“Annamarie, if I come home you can’t tell anyone I’m there.”
She promised, and he assured her he would explain. He asked her to wait until dark, and move her car out of the garage. He could then pull his Jeep in without anyone seeing. He said she should turn off the outside lights and keep the house dark. She felt as if she was helping a criminal trying to get back to his hideout. She agreed only because she desperately needed him home. When he said Garret wouldn’t be with him, she breathed easier.
Then he asked her if she had seen spirits around since he left.
She responded with a quick, “No,” rolling her eyes and shaking her head.
“I think we outmaneuvered them and they don’t know where we are.”
“Okay.” She couldn’t think of anything else to say.
Daniel assured her that he would see her shortly after dark. She dropped the phone in its cradle. She was happy Daniel was coming home, but worried he was still convinced there were spirits after him. Now it seemed they were also after Garret. When would it stop? It took all her strength not to call her dad, Steve or the sheriff, but she knew that would make things worse.
***
She decided to phone George and tell him she’d heard from Daniel. She reassured him that Daniel was okay and would probably be at Ben’s visitation Wednesday night. She neglected to mention he would be home soon. She hated to lie, but didn’t want him to worry either. She thanked God Daniel was alive.
Remembering Daniel’s warnings about danger, she felt apprehensive going outside to move her car without lighting or headlights. She mustered her courage and walked out the back door towards the garage. Stepping into blackness, Annamarie made her way slowly. The cloud cover was so thick not a hint of moonlight could be seen. Oddly aware her fear had subsided, even though she was alone, she continued to make her way to the garage. The garage interior appeared darker than outside, if possible. Annamarie had no problem getting into her car, pulling out and parking it on the side of the drive. A slight breeze blew from the direction of the river. She could smell the pines.
Normally she would have run back into the house, but this time she walked slowly and carefully without fear. She felt safe. She had no problem pushing her key into the back door lock and stepping back into the house as if someone were guiding her. Once inside, she turned off all the lights, except in the bedroom at the rear of the house. She sat there waiting for Daniel to come home.
***
Twenty minutes later, Daniel’s Jeep pulled into the garage. When Annamarie heard the back door open and Daniel’s voice, she felt safe enough to come out and turn on a light. She had pulled down all the shades. No one would see he was home.
He walked up to her, wrapped his arms around her holding her close to him and told her how much he loved her and was glad to be home. He apologized for making her face the dark and move her car, but he needed to return without anyone knowing.
“I wasn’t afraid. I thought I would be terrified. I almost felt safe. It was strange. I was all alone and yet didn’t feel alone. I can’t fully explain the sensation.”
“You weren’t alone. Your spirit was near you.”
“I don’t have a spirit,” her voice reflecting her exasperation.
“I believe you do and she’ll keep you safe.”
Annamarie didn’t want to discuss spirits, instead telling Daniel about the way the sheriff treated her.
Daniel was fuming. His eyes mirrored his rage when he heard what the sheriff had done. He stormed around the living room, fists clenched tight. He mumbled to himself and Annamarie could only imagine the fury inside him.
Trying to calm him, Annamarie said, “I survived, thanks to my dad. Your dad raised a ruckus and argued with the sheriff, but it didn’t help.”
“I’m glad my father can get irritated at someone else besides me. He’s going to be livid this time.”
Her eyes intense she said, “This has to be the last time you leave me alone to face the sheriff, the dark or anything else to help Garret. I’m your wife, your family. I think Ben is dead because of Garret. You could be next. If you take off again, I’ll leave you. I truly will.”
“Baby, calm down and let me explain. Garret had been out looking for Bulk because he hadn’t seen him since they were both at the sheriff’s office. I thought Bulk ran off into the woods, and the spirits had taken him. Garret agrees since nothing else made sense. Garret looked for Bulk all over town.”
Annamarie said, “Maybe the sheriff took Bulk somewhere to shake Garret up the way he did when he put me in jail.”
Daniel thought that was a plausible answer, but Garret told him even Bulk’s brother had no idea where he was.
“Maybe the sheriff told Bulk’s brother not to say a word or he would be in trouble the way rest of you are,” said Annamarie.
The sheriff liked Ben, and this killing in his town left him at a complete loss. Annamarie had heard him say several times “this is my town” while she sat in the cell. For Sheriff Richardson, this was more than his job. This was personal.
Annamarie gave Daniel a brief summary of everything that had gone on since he left, from her being held as a material witness to buying flowers for Ben’s funeral.
“I can’t go to the funeral.” A tear ran down his cheek.
“You have to. If you don’t, the sheriff will be sure you killed Ben intentionally. He’ll think you can’t face what you’ve done and there’ll be nothing to stop him from arresting you.”
Her words hit home and after a few minutes he agreed, but he was still afraid of the spirits.
Desperate to calm him down, Annamarie wove her own story.
“If I have a spirit, then you’ll be safe with me. Your spirits don’t know where you are, and if they did, they certainly wouldn’t follow you into the church.”
This seemed to appease Daniel’s fears for a moment.
“Yeah, you’re probably right but remember I told you that Garret thought someone messed with his brakes. They were new. There’s no way he should’ve skidded off the highway because of brake trouble. We discussed all the po
ssibilities we could think of. All we could come up with was spirits.”
“Since when does Garret believe in your spirits? He used to tease you about it.”
“It’s not my spirits he’s afraid of. It’s yours.”
“Mine?” she practically screamed. “Are you nuts?”
“Calm down. Garret said my spirits never bothered anyone except me. Nothing bad ever happened until you put that Gypsy curse on me. He thinks your spirits are after all of us and killed Ben.”
“What, so now it’s my fault Ben’s dead?” Jumping up, she took several angry steps away from him before she continued, “Daniel Logan, you have talked about spirits for so long your ridiculousness has rubbed off on Garret. Did it ever dawn on you whatever Garret is into may have caught up with him? The entire town knows he’s a crook, and bound to be caught at some point. Maybe he’s made someone angry enough to come after him.”
“Okay, but Garret said…”
“I don’t care what he said. Someone killed Ben instead of Garret. This has nothing to do with spirits. It was a murder gone wrong. The sooner you talk to the sheriff and explain that the safer we’ll all be,” she pleaded.
“I won’t call.”
“Who knows who they are or where they are? What if they come after us trying to get to Garret? Two of them attacked me at work. There may be more. I’m calling the sheriff.”
Daniel grabbed her arm and said, “You may be right, but either way we’re not safe, even if the sheriff knows.”
Annamarie dropped back down on the sofa. She couldn’t take any more of this. Now, Garret and Daniel were trying to blame her for Ben’s death.
Gazing at Daniel, she said in a strangely calm voice, “If I have a spirit protecting me, then you and Garret better watch how you treat me. You might be next if you’re so certain my spirit killed Ben.”
She couldn’t believe she said it. Daniel looked completely shocked but hurriedly agreed he and Garret must be mistaken because her spirit was the strongest. If her spirit had killed Ben, they’d all be dead by now.
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