Hall of Mosses

by Evans, Nicoline

  “No. He is dangerous. He played you. What else did you tell him?”

  “Just that you like the forest, because he asked where you were and I said camping, and you’d be back this weekend.”

  “So he’ll be showing up tonight,” she said, more to herself than to Teek.

  “I’m so sorry. I had no idea.”

  “It’s not your fault.” She ran her hands through her hair in panic. “Do you have Roscoe’s cell phone number?”

  “Yeah,” he handed her his iPhone. She stared at the icons blankly. The last time she had a cellphone there were actual buttons.

  “Jesus Christ.” He snatched the phone and found the number for her. When he handed it back it was already dialing. She waited, hoping Roscoe would answer.

  “Hello?” Roscoe sounded surprised.

  “Ros, it’s Juni.”

  “What’s wrong?” His shock turned to worry.

  “Damien is in town. He came into the bar last night looking for me. Teek and Brett didn’t know who he was and he made himself sound like an old friend so they told him the next time I’d be here.”

  “He found you? How?”

  “I have no idea.”

  “Why didn’t Ethan warn you?”

  “I’ve only talked to him four times since I’ve been back, and he was loaded for two of them.”

  “But they’re best friends, wouldn’t he realize he was gone?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe, maybe not. They are grown men, I doubt they are worried about the other’s constant whereabouts. If Ethan is wrapped up in his own problems, anyone or anything unrelated to gaining his next score is at the bottom of his list of priorities.”

  “He was supposed to keep an eye on Damien.”

  “He’s an addict. If you don’t recall, they’re notoriously unreliable.”

  Roscoe groaned over the phone.

  “It doesn’t matter,” Juniper continued. “I just need to handle it.”

  “What are you going to do?”

  “Tell him to leave.”

  “And what if he doesn’t?”

  “Then I’ll threaten to get a restraining order against him.”

  “If you want one of those you’ll need proof that he has actually threatened you. Being a crazy ex doesn’t warrant legal intervention.”

  “I’ll get Ethan to testify that he joked about hiring a hit man. That should back Damien off.”

  “You’re playing with fire. There are a lot of loosely-knotted pieces that could come undone if you go there with him. What if it doesn’t scare him off and only angers him further? What if he then tries to remedy the situation on his own? He’s a wildcard, he could tear your whole world apart.”

  “What else am I supposed to do?” Her voice shook as she tried to hold back her tears of frustration.

  “I’m not sure,” Roscoe offered sympathetically. “Why not talk to him and see why he came here in the first place? If he approaches you with calm, rational conversation, maybe you can get him to leave calmly too.”

  “Let’s hope it’s that simple.”

  “I am working until 8 p.m., but I’ll come by as soon as I’m done. You’ll be okay.”

  “I know I will, I’m just aggravated.”

  “I understand. Can I talk to Teek?”

  She handed the phone back to Teek, who was wearing a look of horror.

  “A hit man?” Teek said as soon as he had Roscoe’s ear.

  “Yeah, this guy is unhinged. You need to keep her safe.”

  “I will. I feel like an idiot for telling this creep anything.”

  “Trust me, I understand. The guy tricked me into a friendly conversation while I was in New York. I had no idea he was a threat until Juniper stormed over and cursed him out.”

  “The dude is a scary good actor.”

  “Yeah, well, now he’s here and no one knows what he really wants. He might show up before I get there tonight. I’m sure she won’t ask for help. The fact that she called me is a miracle, and I have no doubt she can mostly handle him on her own, but just promise me you’ll step in if she needs you.”

  “Absolutely.” They hung up, but Juniper had her hand out.

  “Can I have your phone again?”

  “What for?”

  “I need to call my cousin.”

  There were only three working phone numbers she had memorized: Mallory and Ozzie’s house, Irene’s work line, and Ethan’s cellphone.

  Ethan picked up.

  “Who is this?”

  “Ethan, it’s Juniper. I’m on my friend’s phone. Damien followed me.”

  “What?”

  “How did he know where to find me?”

  Ethan groaned. “He’s such an ass. I accidentally told him while I was plastered one night. I made him promise to forget the info, but he’s a goddamn rat. He swore he wouldn’t seek you out. I had no idea he was headed there. If I did I would’ve warned you.”

  “I should’ve never told you where I work.”

  “I’m so sorry.”

  “Thank God I didn’t give you my home address.”

  “Please don’t hate me.”

  “What does he want?”

  “I don’t know. He went M.I.A. after the night I let the info slip.”

  “You were supposed to be keeping an eye on him.”

  “I know. I’m sorry. That’s my bad. I’ve been wrapped up with work.”

  “I don’t know what to do.”

  “Just stay calm. When you came back it stirred up old feelings. He misses you.”

  “I told him at the wake that I was not interested in rekindling anything, ever.”

  “Maybe he just needs to hear it one last time before he can let it go. Maybe this is just for closure.”

  “He’s a goddamn psycho. Do you really believe he came out here just to be told ‘no’? Or that he’d simply walk away if I didn’t comply? He doesn’t accept rejection. He doesn’t know how to live in a world that doesn’t revolve around him.”

  “I know. Just stay with friends and see what he does. Don’t let him get you alone.”

  “No kidding.”

  “Keep me in the loop. I feel awful and will do whatever I can to help.”

  “Thanks, Eth.”

  “Love you.”

  “Love you too.”

  She handed the phone back to Teek and he ended the call.

  “You gonna be okay?” he asked.

  “Yup. Now I’m just biding my time till the devil arrives.”

  “Sorry again.”

  “Not your fault.”

  She didn’t want to talk about it anymore. There was nothing to be said that would make her feel better, nothing she could do to remedy the fact that her past had caught up with her.

  Chapter 10

  At 7 p.m., Damien entered. Teek noticed first and intercepted.

  “You said you were a friend.”

  “I am.”

  “You’re an ex she wants no part of.”

  “Let her tell me that.”

  Teek’s chest expanded as he contained his rage. Juniper caught the exchange from the corner of her eye.

  “Stop,” she demanded as she stepped between them. She looked up at Damien with outrage. “Why did you follow me?”

  “After seeing you again, I realized how much I miss you and how wrong I was for all that I put you through. I wanted to apologize, in person, for everything.” He was sweating and breathing heavily. He could barely hold eye contact with her between all the blinking and shifting his eyes were doing.

  Teek stayed close.

  “Apologize?”

  “Yes, I’m sorry.” Damien’s hands were clenched into fists.

  “Fine. Apology accepted. It’s ancient history. Now please leave.”

  “No.” He stepped in closer. “I want to make things right. I want us to try again. I promise it will be better.”

  “Absolutely not. I’m done. I’ve moved on. No chance in hell I’m going backwards.”

 
; Damien’s face contorted with fury but he didn’t make any sudden movements.

  “Let me try. I’ll prove to you I’m serious.”

  “I’m not interested.”

  “Juni—”

  “She said no.” Teek stepped in. Damien glared at him with glazed eyes. If Juniper hadn’t been standing there he surely would have pounced and initiated a brawl. The customers sitting at the tables near them noticed the altercation and began to listen. Aware that he was causing a scene, Damien backed away toward the door.

  “I’m not giving up. I’ll make you love me again.”

  He left and the onlookers returned to their meals, forgetting the incident quickly due to lack of bloodshed. Juniper took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

  “He’s lost his mind.”

  “What are you going to do?”

  “I’m not sure.”

  Teek’s phone rang and an unsaved number popped up on the screen.

  “That’s Ethan,” she said, grabbing the phone. She was learning how to operate an iPhone with great speed.

  “Ethan, it’s Juniper.”

  “I’m coming.”

  “Good. He just stopped by my workplace saying he was sorry for all the pain he caused me and that he wanted to make it right. I firmly told him I wasn’t interested and that I didn’t want him to try, but he didn’t care. He left saying he’d make me love him again. It was like he couldn’t hear me at all; like he interpreted what I said completely wrong.”

  “That’s because he’s on all kinds of prescription medicine right now. I told Zoe about our conversation and she filled me in. He’s been seeing multiple therapists and is on a lethal mixture of antidepressants and antipsychotics. I did some research on what he’s taking and I’m shocked he’s still alive. It’s worse than any prescription cocktails he’s cooked up in the past. You need to stay far away from him. He’s delusional and unstable.”

  “Great.”

  “I feel so guilty. This is all my fault.”

  “We can’t change the past.”

  “Don’t go home. He can’t know where you live.”

  “I won’t.”

  “I’m catching a flight in the morning. I’ll be there tomorrow afternoon.”

  “Okay, thanks.”

  “I won’t let anything happen to you.”

  They exchanged good-byes, then she handed the phone back to Teek and filled him in on the update.

  “I need a restraining order.”

  “Do you have the grounds to file?”

  “I have no hard proof, but once Ethan gets here he can act as a witness and relay the whole hit man nonsense to the police. That has to be enough.”

  “Hopefully.”

  Roscoe showed up at Dipper Dive five minutes after eight. There was nothing for him to do except catch up on the day’s events. He offered for her to spend the night at his place and she accepted.

  Two more days until she’d be lost in the woods again. Damien would never find her there.

  She and Roscoe spent Saturday afternoon together in his backyard, waiting for Ethan’s arrival. Teek called Roscoe multiple times to check-in, and by noon all her co-workers were filled in and calling to see how she was coping. While she appreciated the concern, it made her grateful she didn’t have a phone. Their frequent calls made it impossible for her to get a moment without worry.

  When they picked up Ethan, he was still high from whatever he took before boarding. Juniper wondered how long he’d last here in Washington without his fix. Knowing him, he’d find locals who’d hook him up real fast. She tried not to worry about that and just focused on the great relief she felt to see him again. While she felt safe with Roscoe and Teek and all her co-workers, having someone from home who truly understood Damien, her past, and the world she came from helped ease her nerves. Ethan was savvy to this type of crazy and knew how to handle it.

  “I am so glad to see you,” she said as she gave him a huge hug.

  “Same, cous. I missed you the moment you left.”

  “You know how dangerous Damien is. How on Earth could you let such personal details about Juniper slip?” Roscoe asked.

  “I feel horrible. I’m going to fix it though, don’t worry.”

  “Maybe you’ll like it here.” She shrugged. “Maybe you’ll find something worth staying for.”

  “I’m here to keep you safe while I collect that asshole and return him to where he belongs. I’ll escort him back to the Bronx and make sure he stays out of your hair for good.”

  “That’s fine, but if you think you could live a better, healthier life here with me, you’re welcome to stay.”

  He eyed her with a twinge of annoyance. “We’re not getting into that.”

  She dropped the subject; junkies never liked talking about their vices. Especially with people who wanted them to kick their habits.

  Until Damien left they all agreed it was best they hunkered down in Roscoe’s Port Angeles townhouse. Ethan unpacked before accompanying Juniper to work. He hung out at the bar for her entire shift. Damien never showed.

  After closing the bar with Misty and Carine, they all stepped outside.

  “That’s a good sign,” Juniper said in reference to the no-show.

  “Quite the opposite,” Ethan objected. “His absence is troubling. Leads me to assume he’s plotting.”

  “Plotting what?” Misty asked.

  “Not sure. But I have no doubt he’s been creeping around, watching from afar. He’s probably hidden in a nearby shadow right now.”

  “Creepy,” Carine shivered.

  “Tell me about it,” Juniper groaned.

  As they steered Roscoe’s borrowed car out of the parking lot, the headlight of a motorcycle appeared down an alley. Ethan noticed first.

  “Don’t go to Roscoe’s.”

  “Why?”

  “I think Damien is following us.”

  “Where should I go instead?”

  “A hotel.”

  She took them to the Port Angeles Hyatt. The motorcycle trailing them followed them into the parking lot.

  “We’ll go in and wait it out in the lobby. I doubt he’ll follow us in.”

  “Will he be mad to know you’re with me now?”

  “Probably.”

  “I want to file a restraining order against him, but I need your help.”

  “How so?”

  “I don’t have any hard evidence that he has threatened me, but you could testify that he confided in you that he planned to have me killed.”

  Ethan rubbed his brow. “I’m not sure a piece of paper is going to do much good.”

  “It’s better than nothing.”

  “Maybe, but I think doing that might make it worse. I need to get him back to the Bronx, off these meds, and back to normal. He is unhinged; taking this issue to the authorities will only fuel his deranged conviction.”

  “Fine, but if it escalates any further do you promise you will do that for me?”

  “Yes.” He grabbed her by the shoulders and kissed her forehead. “Whatever it takes.”

  “Thank you.”

  They entered the hotel and found a couch at the back of the lobby that was mostly hidden behind a pillar. Ten minutes after they entered, Damien came in through the entrance. Ethan grabbed her and they ducked behind the large pillar.

  Damien went to the front desk and spoke with the concierge for a few seconds before getting angry and storming out.

  “Must not have gotten the information he was hoping for,” Ethan smirked.

  Juniper collapsed onto the floor in relief. Another night free of crisis and one more day before she was safe in the forest. She hadn’t told Ethan her plan to escape among the trees yet, but she would tomorrow. She hoped he would join her. She had a feeling the forest might heal him, might soothe his addictions and give him a reason to stay here in pursuit of a better life.

  Chapter 11

  Roscoe was waiting for them at his townhouse, angry that they were out of touch f
or so long after her shift. Ethan’s phone was on silent and he hadn’t answered any of Roscoe’s concerned texts or calls.

  “He followed us to the Hyatt,” Juniper explained as she entered and gave him a kiss. “We hid in the back of the lobby and watched him enter and go to the front desk. We assume he asked for the room we were staying in, but the concierge wouldn’t divulge the information and he stormed out.”

  “This really is serious,” Roscoe said. The gravity of the situation was finally sinking in. He knew the guy was trouble, but never expected it to grow to this intensity. Most guys wouldn’t chase an uninterested girl across the country, and those that did would leave the moment she rejected them a second time. To stay and drag out the torture for themselves and everyone involved was insane. It proved with solidarity that Damien was having a mental break.

  They resigned to sleep and tackled Sunday as it arrived. Roscoe went to work and Ethan accompanied Juniper to her afternoon shift at the bar. Frank was in, training long overdue new hires. It made Juniper nervous in case Damien showed up and made a scene. She already had a few strikes against her and she didn’t need to give Frank a reason to fire her now that he had more hands on staff and she wasn’t as essential.

  “This is my cousin, Ethan,” she introduced them. “He’s visiting for a while so I hope it’s okay that he hangs here while I work.”

  “Why would I care?” Frank retorted.

  Juniper rolled her eyes and began setting up her station. Brett came in a half hour late. Frank scolded him, using him as a bad example for the new employees. Brett took the punches in stride and helped set up the bar.

  The day began smoothly, not too many customers and no drama. Frank led the new employees around the establishment like little ducklings, mostly leaving Juniper and Brett alone. Soon, the trainees were behind the bar with them, learning drinks and getting acquainted with the set up.

  Ethan took a break from his iPhone games after his phone began buzzing nonstop. Juniper looked at him in question but he did not indicate that it was anything concerning her. He got up from the bar without saying anything and went outside. She could see him talking on the phone through the window. There was a brief rush of orders and when she looked back out the window for Ethan, he was gone.