Don't Tell a Soul

by Travis Szablewski

  "I like this," Harper said with a soft smile.

  "You like hearing about my parent's untimely death and my utterly depressing and heart-wrenching childhood?" Grayson said sarcastically as he laughed.

  "No, I like this; us...talking like friends," Harper said with a smile. "I like this. I like how we can be normal and laugh and joke and talk as friends. What happened with us and what we did...it's the past. It doesn't' have to determine who we are to each other now," Harper added.

  "I like it, too," Grayson said as he nodded. "Despite all the bad shit...despite everything that happened, Harper; I really am glad you were my last, “Grayson said as he stared into Harper's eyes.

  "I'll take that as a compliment," Harper laughed along with Grayson as she patted his back. "They would be proud of you, though. Both of them. You're a good person, Grayson. We all slip sometimes, sure. But just know that they would be damn proud of you," Harper added.

  Grayson slowly nodded as he grabbed Harper and pulled her body close to his. He wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tightly. She could hear his sniffling nose and could feel a warm tear fall down his cheek and onto her own.

  And the man of steel...finally broke. Harper held him tightly as he sobbed quietly in her arms. And she cried too...because she could see it in front of her; his armor melting away and his ego, stripped and ripped to pieces. She ran her hand up and down his back, his chest heaving against her own as he sobbed. She kept holding him...tighter and tighter...until he finally let her go...and stormed off into the distance.

  R.I.P.

  Harper ran her fingers through Rosie's blond curls as she watched her tiny blue eyes slowly disappear behind her fluttering eyelids. Harper was sprawled along the edge of Rosie's tiny bed beside her. She always wanted Harper to stay there until she was asleep.

  "You promise you won't leave?" Rosie said, her soft voice heavy and tired. Her eyes still shut tightly as Harper combed her long, beautiful curls.

  "I promise," Harper said as a smile spread across her face. "You don't need to worry about that. I'll always be here," Harper said as she stared down at Rosie who was clutching her favorite rag doll, Jenny.

  "Don't leave like Delilah did," Rosie said softly as she drifted further and further into sleep. Harper felt her chest tighten. This poor little girl...

  "I promise," Harper said once again as she watched Rosie finally drift off and into a deep sleep. Harper carefully stood up and off of the bed, struggling to keep the bed as still as possible. Harper slowly tiptoed to the bedroom door and shut it tightly behind her.

  Harper slowly rested her back against Rosie's bedroom door as she pulled out her cellphone from her jeans pocket. Patrick still had not called or messaged her back. Harper was convinced now more than ever that she made a terrible mistake by sleeping with Patrick. When she pulled up to the gate outside earlier, Patrick didn't say a word to her; not a glance, not a wave...nothing. She had to have done something. She had to have said something wrong.

  Harper slowly made her way down the grand staircase of the Livingston home and into the large living room. Her work here was finished. She did the laundry, fed Rosie, washed the dishes, and cleaned the bathrooms. She could hear the bottle of Chardonnay she had sitting at home in her cabinet calling her name. After talking to Grayson, this whole Delilah mystery, and now a pissed off boyfriend/friend/whatever he was...it was time for her to sink into a hot bubble bath, light some candles, a finish that whole bottle of wine all by herself. Nicole wanted to go get dinner, but Harper just didn't have the energy to deal with anyone else right now. She needed to be alone and gather her thoughts now more than ever.

  Harper made her way through the kitchen doorway and stopped in her tracks...to see Kyle sitting at the bar. Kyle's polished fingers were wrapped around a bottle of Merlot as she poured it into a large wine glass sitting in front of her.

  "Care for a glass?" Kyle asked as her eyes darted up to Harper. The kitchen as dim...only the spotlights above the bar beamed down through the darkness. Harper almost felt like she had interrupted something...like she shouldn't have walked into the room.

  "No, that's OK. I actually have a bottle at home that I'm going to pop open," Harper smiled softly with a nod. "Do you care if I go ahead and go?" Harper asked softly.

  "Can we talk?" Kyle asked as she smiled. "Just for a moment?" she added as she shifted on the bar stool and tightened the satin robe wrapped around her body. Her long, blond hair was tied up in a messy bun at the top of her head. Her make-up, now washed off. She didn't even have to try and she looked a million times prettier than Harper. She looked so effortless. So well put together...even without make-up and in a robe. Harper envied her almost.

  "Sure, is something wrong?" Harper asked as she slowly walked to the bar in the center of the kitchen and leaned against it. Her sweaty palms slowly gripped the edge of the marble counter top...

  "I want to ask you something and I want you to be completely honest with me," Kyle said as she took a long sip of her wine. "Are you sure you don't want a glass? This is so good. It really hits the spot," Kyle said as she gently winked playfully. Was Kyle...was Kyle flirting with her? No. No way in hell. She was buttering her up. She wanted something from Harper...something more than just honesty.

  "I'm sure, really," Harper said quickly. "So, what do you want me to be honest about? What's going on?" Harper added nervously. Kyle smiled as she stared down at the wine her glass.

  "Did you see Elena and Vera last night?" Kyle asked as her eyes slowly drifted up to Harper's. Harper's eyes slowly widened as her heart sped up. Harper swallowed hard as she stared down at the marble counter top. Should she say yes? Should she just come clean now?

  "I don't know what you're talking about," Harper lied as she wiped her sweaty palms against her jeans.

  "Elena told me that someone was in the cabin last night. She said the closet window was open. I mean, who else could it have been? Grayson was in his office all night and I was here. I mean, the key is right there," Kyle said as she pointed to the key hanging up in the corner.

  "Kyle..." Harper began.

  "I won't tell Elena it was you. I'm not here to start drama. I'm here to help my sister," Kyle said. "You know, she talked to me about you a little bit. She thinks you're very pretty. She might have even had a little bit of a crush on you," Kyle giggled. "But she said that you remind her too much of Delilah," Kyle added. Harper stared back at Kyle, waiting for the fireworks to start. Harper could feel the bomb inside of her...ticking slowly.

  "Elena's heart was broken after Delilah disappeared. She was in really bad shape, Harper. I've never seen her like that in my entire life. She wouldn't eat. She couldn't sleep. She didn't leave her bedroom for nearly a month. She was so lost...so broken," Kyle said as she stared forward blankly, the memories playing through her head. "I know what Elena and Vera are doing isn't right. But please, Harper...don't say anything to anyone. Please don't ruin Elena's happiness. She's already been through hell and back. She's already lost so much. Just please don't ruin this family. Grayson and Rosie...they both need Elena and she needs them. Please don't tell anyone," Kyle said softly as her eyes began to fill with tears.

  "If I wanted to do that, I could have done it a long time ago," Harper spat out as she quickly grabbed her keys from the counter and marched towards the kitchen doorway.

  "What does that even mean?" Kyle snapped as she wiped her tears from her eyes.

  "It doesn't matter," Harper said as she slowly turned. "I won't tell anyone about them, OK?" Harper said. "I got to go," Harper added as she turned and rushed out of the doorway and towards the front door ahead.

  Harper had to get out of the house. She had to go home, now. Kyle now knew that she saw Vera and Elena. What if she told Elena that she stole the key and broke into their cabin? This could end Harper's entire career. She'd never work in this town again. One bad opinion from a family like the Livingston's changed everyone's opinion in this entire town. She needed to get home. She had to
get out of here. It was too much. She was in too deep.

  Harper slammed her car door, peeled out of the driveway, and sped down the road and towards the security gate again. She didn't even want to deal with Patrick right now. She could care less at this point about what they were or what they weren't. There was too much as stake now for her to worry about anything else.

  Harper's brakes screeched as her car came to a stop a few inches from the security gate doors. She glared through her windshield to see Patrick slowly step out of the security box and stomp towards her window.

  Harper rolled down her window as her eyes burned into him. She didn't have time for this right now. She was wanted to go. She just wanted to slam on the gas, plow through the gate, and get the hell out of Briar Grove for forever.

  "Can you just open the gate, please?" Harper snapped as her hands tightened around her steering wheel. She glared at Patrick as he slowly kneeled and stared into the car through her open window.

  "Is everything between us a lie?" Patrick asked, his nostrils flaring as his eyes burned into her.

  "What the hell are you talking about? I don't have time for this stupid bullshit! Just let me out!" Harper yelled as her jaw tightened.

  "What's your secret, Harper? Huh? You know all mine. I'm starting to think I don't even know you at all," Patrick snapped as he cocked his head to the right.

  "What the fuck are you even talking about right now?" Harper growled. She watched as Patrick yanked his cellphone out from his pocket and held it up to her face. She squinted in the bright light to see the words...the cryptic message written on the rear windshield of Patrick's car. Her eyes then lifted to Patrick.

  "Now...what's your secret? Are you going to tell me or are you just going to keep lying?" Patrick asked, his voice deep and stern.

  "I don't know what you want me to say, Patrick," Harper said, her voice now quivering.

  "The truth! I just want the truth. Who wrote this? What the hell is going on?" Patrick said as he clenched his fists at his sides. Harper couldn't take it anymore. All of the lies. All of the secrets around her. She couldn’t keep up anymore. She couldn't it in anymore.

  "I slept with Grayson, OK! Is that you wanted to hear? Is it?" Harper growled as she glared at Patrick through her open window.

  "You slept with Grayson?" Patrick smirked as he shook his head to himself.

  "Judge away! Go ahead!" Harper yelled through her open window.

  "You're just as bad as Elena and Vera! You're just like her! You're just as bad! Who the hell are you to sit here and judge her, Harper?" Patrick said as he gripped the edge of the car window frame tightly.

  "I didn't know he was married to Elena. I didn't know he was Rosie's father," Harper cried as she felt the warm tears stream down her face.

  "I'm sure you didn't! Is that how you got this job in the first place? I'm sure that really bumped your application right to the very top of the pile!" Patrick snapped as he stood up straight, his hands on his hips.

  "Just open the gate, Patrick," Harper cried as she rolled her window up and stared forward through the windshield. She watched as Patrick slowly walking to the front of her car and rested his hands onto the hood. He stared at her...long and hard as her hands gripped the wheel tighter.

  "I guess it was all a lie? Us? Last night?" Patrick said softly. Harper shook her head to herself as the tears poured down her cheeks. Patrick shook his head to himself as he darted into the security box. Harper stared forward as the iron gate slowly opened. Harper slammed her foot onto the gas and sped through.

  Harper wiped her teary eyes as she drove down the road. She looked into her rearview mirror to see Patrick standing behind the gate of the Tiger Lily Estates as it slowly closed.

  "Fuck, fuck, fuck!" Harper screamed as she beat her hands onto the wheel, her car speeding around a curve. Harper then slammed onto her breaks...and turned her car off as she sobbed. She should just quit. She should just call Elena right now and tell her that she was done. She should just go home, pack her bags, and get the hell out of Briar Grove now. Kyle was going to tell Elena. She just knew it...

  But what about Delilah? What about Patrick? She cared about Patrick. She couldn't just leave. She had to tell him everything. Every detail. How Grayson meant nothing to her. How she never meant to hurt him.

  Harper yanked her keys out of the ignition and stepped out of the car. She slammed the door as her teary eyes traveled along the dark woods surrounding her. What was she supposed to do? She was too far in this. It was too late to just give up; too late to just quit and walk away. She started this and she had to finish it.

  Harper slowly turned as she pushed her long hair out of her face. She had to go back. She had to tell Patrick that she loved him. She wouldn't lose him; she couldn't. He was the only one keeping her sane at this point...

  And that's when she heard it...

  The dripping...

  Drip.

  Drip.

  Drip.

  Harper slowly turned...to follow the sound. She edged around the back of her car...to see a stream of red liquid slowly trickling down from her trunk and onto the hard pavement below.

  It was blood.

  Harper's keys trembled in her hands as she slowly stuck the key into the trunk lock and turned it...

  The trunk slowly lifted a few inches.

  Harper gently grabbed the edge of the trunk lid and pulled it open. Her eyes widened as she stared inside at the bloody scene in front of her. She let out a scream as she covered her eyes in terror and fright.

  There...inside of her trunk...

  Was Grayson Livingston's dead body...

  His throat slit wide open...and a single sunflower laid along his chest...

  Chasing A Ghost

  Harper's leg bounced up and now along the white tile floor of the interrogation room inside the Briar Grove Police Department. She couldn't get the image of Grayson's dead body inside of her trunk out of her head. His eyes, wide open. His throat slashed, and the pieces of flesh cut to shreds. And the blood...there was so much blood. Harper stared down at her blood-stained hands. No matter how many times she washed them...it wouldn't come off. She bit her quivering lip as she heard the door handle of the interrogation room turn. Her eyes darted up to see a tall, broad shouldered police officer enter the room. He held a single cup of coffee in one hand and a yellow file folder in the other.

  "Hello, I'm Officer Brent Warren. I wish we didn't have meet under such terrible circumstances but it is a pleasure to meet you," the officer said as he slowly sat down into the chair across from Harper. He sat the closed file folder onto the table that separated them and gently inched the cup of coffee towards Harper.

  Harper was silent. She was in shock. Someone murdered Grayson. This wasn't just about Delilah anymore. This wasn't just about some crazy stalker. Someone...was out for blood. Someone wanted her dead...

  "Can you just tell me what happened again? I know you spoke to another officer, but I'm in charge of all ongoing investigations," Officer Warren said. "You should probably drink that," he added as he motioned to the Styrofoam cup of coffee in front of Harper.

  "Can I have a...I need a..." Harper said as she could feel her dinner slowly turning in her stomach. She could taste the sour, hot vomit creeping up her throat.

  Officer Warren quickly stood and rushed to the edge of the room and snatched a tiny waste basket. He quickly handed it to Harper just in time as the vomit spilled out between her lips. She heaved and gagged into the waste basket as she struggled to catch her breath.

  Harper slowly rose her head up from inside of the waste basket as she looked at Officer Warren beside her...his hand gently rubbing her back.

  "Thank you...but can I have some water? Please?" Harper asked, her voice hoarse.

  "Yes, of course," Officer Warren said as he quickly rushed to the door. Harper breathed in and out slowly as she placed the waste basket onto the floor beside her. The door opened and Officer Warren came rushing in with a cup of w
ater and a paper towel. "Here ya go," he said as he handed the items to her.

  Harper nodded, too afraid to talk just in case more vomit was to come. She took the cup of water, closed her eyes, and finished it in one single gulp. She gently wiped her mouth with the paper towel as Officer Warren sat back down across from her.

  "Are you alright?" Officer Warren asked softly. Harper slowly nodded. No, she wasn't. But she was as alright as she could be in this kind of situation.

  "I didn't see anyone out there if that's what you mean," Harper said quietly.

  "Just start from the beginning for me, please," Officer Warren said as he leaned forward, his elbows resting on top of the table. Harper studied him for a moment. He couldn't be over forty. But clearly, the job got the best of him. His face, covered in wrinkles. His hair, slowly balding. Dark circles surrounded his warm, brown eyes.

  "I nanny for the Livingston's. I left and then I found Mr. Livingston in the trunk," Harper said as she fiddled with the crinkled paper towel in her hand.

  "I mean, be more in depth for me, please," Officer Warren said kindly.

  "Like, the whole day?" Harper asked.

  "Yes, if you would," Officer Warren said.

  "I woke up. I went to see my father's grave. Grayson was there, too. He was visiting his parent's grave," Harper said as she watched Officer Warren scribble onto a notepad.

  "That's a bit of a coincidence. He just showed up the same time you did," Officer Warren said as his eyes narrowed onto Harper.

  "I guess so, yeah, sure," Harper shrugged, not understanding the importance.

  "Go on," Officer Warren said as he scribbled on the notepad again.

  "I went to have lunch with my friend, Nicole. Then I headed to the Livingston's and watched Rosie. Elena was at work all night. Kyle got home after Rosie was put to bed. Me and Kyle talked for a moment and then I left," Harper said.

  "Why did you get out of your car?" Officer Warren asked.

  "I'm sorry?" Harper asked, confused.