The Bend

by Terri Tiffany

  Seth rose and joined her. “Not if you tell your story.”

  ###

  She froze. So there it was. She met Seth’s gaze with a hard one of her own. “You have been waiting to ask me, haven’t you?”

  He had the decency to blush. “If I wanted to write it, I would have. I don’t need your permission.”

  She let out her breath. He was right, of course. He could have gone to the media the moment she left his house. She sat back down, her fear of what confronted them a lump in her stomach. “I have to think about it.”

  Seth joined her. “I understand. I get your fear but you also need to think about the others. What’s happening here now. Today. The halo around the church. We still don’t know what happened to Shelly.”

  Her heart sank as she considered his warning about the missing waitress. They hadn’t found her nor knew anything more about her. At least Debbie was alive. For now. “If I expose who I am, do you believe that knowledge will stop Earl?”

  A silence mounted between them. Finally, Seth spoke. “It might bring attention to what’s going on here again. If we say you recognize the signs and you don’t want to happen again what happened to you. I think I could present it that way.”

  She pushed aside selfish thoughts. Thoughts about how coming forward would destroy any chance she had for a normal life. Maybe she had been worrying about something that was no longer a big deal. Maybe her memories of the press hounding her grandparents’ home had grown as she grew. Maybe no one cared like she imagined. She drew a deep breath.

  “But I am never telling anyone about the pictures.”

  “Of course not. No one would believe you anyway.”

  “Thanks a lot.” She scrutinized the terrain they still needed to cover. “It’s almost light. Let’s do this and we can talk later. I’m not sure how long my bladder will hold out and those trees don’t look too inviting.”

  He gave a chuckle, pushed off the rock and grabbed his backpack. She followed, stopping for quick breaks to catch her breath. His idea to expose Earl and what his plans were for the community rolled through her head with each step.

  By the time they reached the summit, she was out of breath and out of arguments.

  CHAPTER 68

  Kate dropped Seth at his house and agreed to meet at the office after a quick shower. She wanted to pull up Shelly’s photo once more even though she feared what she might find. She turned onto her road, her brain racing over the details. Were she and Seth imagining what was happening in the Bend? What made them think Earl had anything to do with a girl who had gone missing? Ludicrous. That’s what it was when she tried to sort out everything and think clearly. They had nothing to go on except hunches that everything was not as it seemed in the community. Even if there was a decent police force, who would believe them? If Seth wrote his article, he might lose all credibility in the journalistic community. Adding her story and beliefs about cults to it might not change a thing.

  Kate steered into her driveway. The rising sun made her wince. Maybe she should run. Leave the Bend and all its craziness. It wasn’t her battle. She wasn’t some modern day Goliath who could topple the giant. Earl and the men who followed him held the town in the palm of their hands. They controlled almost everyone and everything.

  She left her car and entered her home through the front door. A heavy stuffiness greeted her. She rushed to open several windows, ignoring Seth’s warnings. Whoever broke into his cabin wanted electronics. What were the chances someone would bother this old place?

  With a banana in one hand, she headed for the shower. As she did, a knock pounded on her front door. Kate’s pulse shot up to her throat. Then she chided herself for overreacting. Seth’s over-the-top warnings again. She veered toward the living room, dropping her banana on an end table. Already she could see David’s familiar smile through the glass.

  The last person in her world she wanted to talk to.

  Besides that, it was early in the morning. She opened the door. “David. What are you doing here?”

  “I was driving past and noticed your car gone earlier. Just checking to see that you're okay.”

  His concern was sweet but still a sickening feeling tugged at her stomach. “I’m fine. I'm getting ready for work.”

  He looked down at her muddy jeans. The sneakers she hardly ever wore. Then his gaze met hers. “Doing a little reconnaissance?”

  How did he know? She swallowed. “I need to get ready. Tim's a stickler about being on time.” She reached to close the door. David’s hand shot up and held it open. His grin turned nasty.

  “David, I have to go.” Could he hear the tremor in her voice?

  He stepped over the threshold. Into her house. Uninvited.

  “I want to ask you something. Something important.” His voice softened and he gave her that tender look he did the day they danced. Was she leery of him because of Earl? Was that fair?

  She breathed deeply. Ran her fingers through her messy hair. “I’m sorry I haven’t been able to go out with you like I promised. I’ve been so busy at work and setting up this place.” She waved her hand around the sparse furnishings. But her explanation didn’t seem to make a difference to David. He moved deeper into the room, like a sleek cat, twisting around her furniture until he landed onto that awful couch. He patted the seat next to him.

  She remained standing. Anger growing that she had let him in. Earl might run the town but his brother was not going to run her. “I can’t talk now. Ask your question and then I must get ready for work.”

  His boyish smile reappeared on his lips. “You aren’t playing nicely. I just want to know why you’re avoiding me. Is it that brother of mine? Or is it your cohort in crime? The reporter who doesn’t know where to stick his nose?”

  Her shoulders tightened. “What I do in my free time and with who isn’t your business.” She opened the door wider and tipped her head. She could see that her words, no matter how firm they sounded, didn’t impress David. He yawned. Actually yawned.

  The arrogant man.

  What had she seen in him? What had Becky seen in him?

  “You need to go. Now.”

  He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “You didn’t answer my question and now you’re mad.” He stood, stretched and crossed the room in three steps, towering down at her. “I thought we had something.”

  She curled back on her heels. “You thought wrong.”

  His handsome face clouded. She wasn’t sure if it was from anger or pure surprise. Maybe David wasn’t used to getting turned down by a woman. Her hand crawled to her pocket and her Dad's pocket knife. Not that she would use it but it might be enough to scare him if needed.

  He put his face close to hers. “You’ll regret this.”

  “I doubt that very much.”

  David straightened, grabbed the door frame, and left.

  Once he cleared her porch, Kate slammed the door, locked it, and flattened herself against it. Breathing hard. Fighting tears.

  ###

  Kate skirted past Seth’s Jeep, jumped from her car, and mounted the porch to the office door. She waved at Rhonda, placing a bag of doughnuts on her desk that she had stopped to purchase at White’s Bakery to give herself a moment to calm down. After her run-in with David, her banana had all but fizzled in her mouth. Her black pants were speckled with confectionery sugar.

  Seth raised his head as she dropped her purse and a half-eaten doughnut on her desk. “Tell me you made coffee.”

  “Fresh.” He eyed her treat. “Got one for me?”

  “Sorry. See Rhonda. I dumped the entire bag with her.” She hooked her mug and made for the coffee station. As she did, she debated if telling Sean about David would be a good idea. Maybe David would leave her alone now. He could romance someone else for all she cared.

  She returned to her desk. “I’m going to check the picture.”

  Seth met her gaze. He knew what that meant.

  She searched her files for the photo o
f Shelly. “That’s funny.” She tried another search, flipped through recent pictures of the carnival and the hardware store opening.

  Nothing.

  She swiveled her chair toward Seth. “Were you in my computer again?”

  “Hardly.” He raised both hands in his defense. “Not after the last time you almost throttled me. Why?” He rolled his chair next to hers and peered at the screen.

  “It’s not here. The picture of Shelly is gone.”

  “That’s not possible.” He grabbed her mouse and clicked through settings she already covered. “Are you sure you didn’t delete it the last time we looked?”

  “Why would I do that?” She was certain she wouldn’t accidentally delete the picture. Not when she knew how important it was to track. “Someone else did. I’m sure.” She looked toward Tim’s office.

  Seth followed her gaze. “I don’t know about that. Why would he? He was here when her friend came in about her.”

  “Maybe he doesn’t want trouble for Earl. Maybe that’s his job here in the Bend.”

  Seth rolled back to his desk. His eyes darkened. “We’re never going to know what happened to her anyway.”

  “We are never going to know what happens to anyone here and probably we should accept that fact and move on.”

  His eyebrows met in the middle. “What are you saying? Are you quitting?”

  “Do you think I’d give you that satisfaction? No, I’m saying maybe we better mind our own business.” She should have stayed in the hot shower longer but the fear of David returning had wiped that notion away.

  “Our rendezvous did give us some answers. We know they are strongly encouraging the women in the Bend to change their ways and join their cult. Maybe have their babies and turn into the kind of wife Mary is.”

  When she thought of Mary, poor Mary, she wanted to throw up. Doc seemed so nice. What had driven him to put his lot in with a crazy like Earl? What did Earl have on him? Or David?

  “Maybe Doc's our answer. Are you up for another interview?” He grabbed his keys.

  “Only if you drive. I have an urge for another doughnut and I’ll need both hands.” She scooped up the half-eaten one and grabbed another from Rhonda’s desk as she hurried out the front door after Seth.

  The sun had all but disappeared by the time they crossed the town bridge. She glanced up at the dark clouds. Another storm. As they passed her place, she noted the delivery truck pulling out of her driveway. Funny. She couldn’t remember ordering anything else. Maybe he was turning around.

  Then she remembered the Amazon order. Rhonda had told her about a shampoo that smelled like pineapple. She’d ordered it because David had mentioned he loved the sweet smell of pineapple.

  Dumb.

  What was it about David’s personality that had seduced Kate like that? She had turned into a woman she didn’t recognize when in his presence.

  Until today.

  “Are you okay?”

  Seth’s question interrupted her turmoil of thoughts. “I am now.”

  He threw her a quizzical look and shrugged. Seth was a one-dimensional guy. If he wanted something, he went after it. Like her story. She adjusted her seat belt as he rounded the final curve. Why had she agreed? It would only cause her trouble, not him.

  “Looks like Doc has company.” Seth pulled in behind a familiar van. Earl’s if she remembered correctly from her first night in town.

  “Should we keep going?” They needed Doc, not a run-in with one of Earl’s men.

  He shook his head no. “I’m going in. Wait here if you feel more comfortable. I won’t tell anyone that my camera person wimped out on maybe the biggest story of the year.” He grinned.

  She yanked on the car handle. “Get your pen ready.”

  CHAPTER 69

  Time was running out. The Trainer rubbed the rising welt on his right wrist where his newest candidate had bitten into his arm. Shelly. Poor Shelly. She was a fighter. One of his best. But also his last. Kate would not fight him when she discovered his surprise. He had waited years to reunite with her. Years to tell her how he felt about her.

  Tonight.

  Tonight when she showered.

  Tonight when she laid her head on her pillow.

  His excitement over the coming event sent shivers coursing through his body. Would he be able to wait that long?

  He pulled his truck into the diner parking lot. He’d eat a big lunch. Maybe get take-out for his dinner. A snack for his midnight run. Or should he say rendezvous?

  For years, he had planned this. Practiced his skills on countless women. Trained them and when they failed, he let them go back into the ground where they came from. Dust to dust. It’s what his friend had done at school that fateful day. Returned to the dust where he said he belonged. It was what the Master ordered his friend to do. Rewards, he had told the Trainer.

  Now it was the Trainer’s turn to collect his rewards.

  Kate’s turn, too.

  He entered the diner with the air of a conqueror. A king, yes, that’s what he would be when he fulfilled his final task.

  He recalled that day in the basement of his house. The day his father wiped his mother’s blood across his forehead. “You were born to be a leader. Make sure you don’t waste your destiny.”

  The Trainer had told Burke about his father’s premonition. Burke said his father was right. It’s what the Master taught his family. Everyone has a destiny. Finding it wasn’t easy. If Todd had found his already, then he must pursue it.

  “What’s yours, Burke?”

  Burke had grinned. A grown-up grin for a teenager. A macabre grin.

  “Don’t go to school tomorrow.”

  CHAPTER 70

  Mary opened the door. “Doc’s busy, Seth. Can you come back later?”

  “We’ll wait.” Seth wedged his foot inside the door frame. Hard. Mary’s wispy hair bobbed as it seemed she was considering her options. She peered over her right shoulder into the house.

  “It’s not a good time,” she whispered. Was she afraid? Of old Doc? Maybe he had gone over the edge, too.

  “We aren’t leaving. Besides, Kate’s leg is acting up and she needs to see him.”

  The woman’s eyes floated downward to Kate’s lower torso. He heard Kate sniff but ignored her. She needed to learn how to do things. Good training for a reporter.

  “It hurts. I think I did something last night when I was walking around outside after dark.”

  Seth eyeballed her. Really? That’s the best she could come up with?

  “I guess. I guess you can wait in the good living room.” The door opened wider. Seth followed Mary with Kate trailing behind him. “Wait in here. I’ll tell him.” Mary tucked her head and scooted out of the room leaving him and Kate alone with an antiquated piano and a wall of photographs. Kate limped over to the wall.

  “You can stop the act. She’s gone.”

  “It does hurt. Thanks to you dragging me up a mountainside at a no-mercy rate of speed.”

  “You said you had to go to the bathroom.”

  She shrugged then pointed to one particular portrait. “Doc, with his children. Pity they all left the area.”

  He shuffled to her side. “They were smart. Don’t pity them.”

  “Maybe. But it can’t be easy for either of them.”

  “They made their choice.” He pointed to one particular photo. “Check this one out.”

  A younger Doc sitting on a porch swing. Behind him stood a younger version of Earl and a number of other men in the community. “He’s going to talk. If I have to camp out here all night, I’m getting his full story.” He gritted his teeth and strode to the open doorway. Muffled voices came from the office. He debated barging in and confronting whoever was in there but something held him back. Maybe it was concern for Mary or Kate. Maybe it wasn’t the best strategy.

  The office door swung open.

  Doc's wife came out first, trailed by Debbie and Adriana.

  Debbie froze when s
he saw Seth. Adriana frowned. Both were dressed in long dark skirts and white blouses. The uniform.

  “Debbie.” Kate’s voice behind him broke the stare down. “Adriana? What’s going on?”

  Doc came out of his office and stood behind the ladies. He was wiping his hands on a paper towel. “So we have visitors. Seth. Kate.” He nodded. “Ladies, I’ll see you both later.” Adriana took her cue and grabbed Debbie by the hand. They whisked past Seth toward the front door. A part of him wanted to call out for them to stop but he didn’t.

  Instead, Kate did.

  “Wait! Adriana. What are you and Debbie doing here? Is everything okay?” Kate rushed to Debbie and placed her hands on her upper arms. “You don’t have to do this. We told you we would take care of you.” The girl had guts. Maybe she wouldn’t need as much training as he thought.

  Her gaze shot between both women. Seth kept one eye firmly planted on Doc. One move. He had him.

  “I’m fine. Please let me be.” Debbie shook Kate off.

  Adriana stepped between them. “Let her go. She’s with us now. Like she wants to be.”

  “With you? What does that mean? You go to her home and terrorize her so she’ll join your cult? Brainwash her into believing you’ll take care of her? Is that what you’ve done? And now what?” Kate turned and pointed her finger toward Doc. “What are you doing? Being certain she’ll be a good child bearer? Because that’s the plan, isn’t it? Turn the women in the Bend into your toys. Without brains. Playing by the rules.” Her voice grew louder. Seth stepped closer to calm her down, but she kept on with her rant while Doc stood by. His lips turned upward. Did the old man enjoy this?

  “Listen, we need to talk, Doc. Do you mind if we go into your office?”

  “Sure, sure, Seth. If these women are done. . .?”

  Kate stopped talking. Glared at both of them.

  Maybe she would get with the program and do what they set out to do. He could tell it took all her willpower to let Adriana and Debbie walk out the front door. She straightened her shoulders and followed him into the office. She dropped down in one chair while he took the other, fire burning in her eyes. The girl was mad. Maybe there was more to her than he knew.