“Why? What are you embarrassed about?”
“This isn’t helping? You know why. Christ! It’s obvious to everyone … but you, I suppose.”
“Oh, Kevin, It’s—”
“Stop, please.”
“You’re an awesome kid, but I’m seeing someone.”
Kevin cringed when she called him a kid.
The room went silent as the two teenagers stared at each other. After a few minutes, Kevin said, “Mr. Baker? Our Goddamned history teacher, right?”
“What? No! Where did you hear that?” Her eyes were wide and glaring at him, but Kevin could see the truth in them.
“Wait, you thought it was a secret? Really?” He snorted a fake laugh. “Hilarious.”
“So you become an asshole when you’re jealous, huh? Nice quality to have. No wonder you don’t have a girlfriend.”
“Maybe I should stop looking for partners in my own age group. Why limit myself, right? I wonder if Mrs. Kettleman is busy this Saturday night. I noticed she’s always calling me out to answer her excellent calculus questions during class. That means she’s into me, doesn’t it?”
Jill stood frozen in his room, both holding their breath. Finally, she said, “I’ll see you in school.”
Kevin didn’t answer, and he had sudden assurance that his silence disappointed her. He didn’t know why. Was it the way her mouth quivered, as if she had some witty retort ready to fire off? Or did she want him to concede and bring some ration of goodwill back to the conversation? Before he could test either theory, she turned and walked away, leaving the door to his room open on her way out. He started to follow, but hesitated when he heard her speaking into the phone. She was speaking in a hushed tone, but Kevin could make out every word.
“I need you, that’s why.” There was silence now while she listened to whoever was on the other end of the line.
Who was it? Mr. Baker?
“Fine,” she said, her voice cracking, “I understand. You’re right, you’re right. Of course, you are. I mean, you’re always right and I’m always stupid. I won’t call again. No, no, I won’t. Trust me. Bye.” She removed the phone from her ear and just stared at it, her back to Kevin, mostly blocking his view. She was trying to hide it; but she was crying. Kevin was certain of it.
Shit, now what do I do. Nothing, that’s what. She made her bed … it’s what she deserves.
But, of course, he couldn’t help himself. “You okay?”
She turned on him, rubbing her red-rimmed eyes. “I’ve never been better. Thanks for asking.”
Kevin only sighed.
“I gotta’ go,” Jill said.
Kevin approached her and reached for her arm. “You can’t go alone, it’s a—”
“Don’t touch me!” she exclaimed, jerking her arm from his grasp.
Kevin raised his arms and slowly backed away. The hurt on his face nearly made Jill regret her outburst. Nearly, but not quite …
“Tell your Mom I said ‘thanks for dinner’.” She grabbed her coat and put it on as she climbed the basement stairs.
“Jill, please …”
Jill opened the front door of the house and quickly stepped into the cold night. The sun had set hours ago, but the moon light reflecting off the snow was disorienting.
“Don’t,” Kevin said, standing in the doorway. She offered him a half smile and strode off into the night. He watched her pull the hood of her coat over her head, and then she was gone.
CHAPTER TEN
Jill climbed out of the shower, avoided the mirror, and then reached for the single towel that hung from the rack. It was still damp from a previous use, but she didn’t mind. A smile crossed her face for reasons she couldn’t explain. There was a robe hanging on the inside of the bathroom pantry door, but she decided against it, and instead dressed in the clothes from yesterday, minus the underwear, which she let lay on the floor. She could hear some rattling glass from the kitchen and the deputy’s voice.
Who was he talking to? And what was he saying?
Not wanting to eavesdrop, Jill reached for the doorknob and prepared to announce her presence. Before she could, Deputy York’s word’s stopped her. She stood frozen, unable to do anything besides listen and question the man’s sanity—or hers.
Finally, the one-sided conversation ended. Jill took a deep breath, and then stepped into the hallway that would lead to the living room and kitchen. Trent was sitting on the couch. He had a glass in his hand and an open bottle of bourbon sat in front of him. There was no one else in the room.
With her hands clasped in front of her at the waist, Jill cleared her throat. Trent looked up startled, and she resisted the urge to take a step back. She opened her mouth to speak, but Trent beat her to it, “I thought I told you to wait at the Harper house? How did you get here?” He struggled to maintain eye contact with her.
“I … it wasn’t working out over there. I had to leave. I walked here. What’s the big deal?” Before Trent could respond, Jill changed the subject, “I’ve got coffee on. Unless you’re thirsty for something else.” She glanced quickly at the liquor.
Trent closed his eyes and sighed, deciding not to respond.
“You smell like smoke,” she said.
Still with his eyes closed, Trent replied, “There was a fire.” He leaned back into the cushions and almost disappeared altogether.
“I heard the sirens. Was it bad?”
“Yeah. It was bad.”
They were silent for a few moments, the heater almost drowning out the percolating coffee. “The snow looks beautiful, don’t you think?” Jill asked
“But why did you come here?”
Jill stood at the coffee machine, mid-pour and sighed. She topped off her cup and then faced the Deputy. “I’m here to help. You said you needed my help … so, here I am.” She held her arms out. “Ta-dah!”
“This is too much. I don’t think I can handle this.” He didn’t clarify himself, and Jill had no idea if he meant her, or the Barrows’ investigation.
“Of course you can,” she said. “I believe in you, Trent.”
He cringed. “I can’t do this today, Jill. Whatever this is. You can’t be over here … using my shower. I’m a grown man. You’re just a kid.
“You are missing the point, like bad. I heard you … talking. I didn’t mean to, but I heard everything. Leo’s dad dying and his house burning down. I heard what Mrs. Barrows’ said she saw … and some guy named Jerry seeing something too. And you believe it, too. I can tell that you believe them. I heard it in your voice.” Trent glared back at her, his mind racing but his mouth unable to formulate words. Jill continued, “And while all that is going on, your biggest problem is me using your shower? Does smoke inhalation destroy brain cells?”
Trent didn’t answer. He slammed back the last of his drink, and then twisted the cap back on the mostly full bottle of Black label Jim Beam. Jill fought back a smile as she grabbed a second cup from the cupboard and filled it up. With the caffeinated olive branch in hand, she sat on the end of the sofa before setting his coffee down in front of him.
“Jesus, is my reputation that bad?”
Trent huffed and smiled despite himself.
“Seriously,” Jill said, smiling herself. “I knew it was bad, but shit …”
Mercifully, the phone rang. Trent audibly groaned as he stood up from the couch. Glancing at the caller ID, Trent realized it was a mobile number that he wasn’t familiar with. He picked up the phone and listened. A moment of silence before the person on the other end said, “Hello?”
“Who is this?” the Deputy asked.
“This is Kevin. Uh, Kevin Harper. We spoke about Leo.”
“Right. Yes, what is it?”
“I was just wondering if you’ve seen Jill.”
Trent held the phone away from his mouth and cursed under his breath. “Didn’t I leave her with you last night, Kevin? Shouldn’t I be asking you where she is?”
Trent heard Jill chuckle behind him. He
turned and shot her a dirty look, which only made her smile.
“Yeah, well, she wanted to leave and there’s no reasoning with that girl. She’s impossible.”
“Listen, Kevin, don’t worry about Jill. She’s with me.”
“Oh good. Wait, with you? Why? What are you guys doing?”
What are we doing? Trent wondered.
“Cause if you need my help, I could stop by.”
“Don’t come. We’re fine.”
“But I want—”
“I said don’t come. Bye, Kevin.” Trent hung up the phone and slowly turned to Jill. They didn’t speak and, finally, the phone rang again. Trent flinched, before picking it up. “I said stay home—”
“I plan on staying home,” the Sheriff said. “But you need to get your ass over here.”
“Oh, Virgil, sorry, I thought you were someone else.”
“Yeah, well, we can discuss your phone etiquette some other time.”
“Yes, sir. I can be there in fifteen minutes depending on the conditions.”
“Make it ten.”
“Yes, sir,” Trent said, realizing that the Sheriff had already hung up. Trent headed straight for his front door.
“Duty calls?” Jill asked.
“I’m sorry. You should grab your things so I can drop you off. I have to move.”
“Maybe you should change. You look like … shit.”
“The Sheriff don’t mind.”
“I don’t have anywhere else to go. Can’t I go with you?”
“I’m working … so, no.”
Jill exhaled loudly. “Can’t I stay here and wait for you?”
“Oh my God,” Trent exclaimed, throwing his hands up. “Fine, whatever, I have to go. I have no idea when I’ll be back. Lock up the door when … if you leave.”
“Yes. I will. Thank you, Trent.”
Now it was the Deputy’s turn to exhale in frustration.
“Be careful out there,” Jill said.
“I will,” Trent said. He slipped on his boots, grabbed the coat from the back of the sofa, and let himself out.
“Jesus, he’s whiny when he’s tired,” Jill said aloud with a smile. Through the window, she watched him pull the police cruiser out of the garage and down the snowy street, carefully following the path made by the town snowplow. Eventually, Trent disappeared in the swirling snow. As if to accentuate that, a gust of wind from the north rocked the house, causing every crease in the house to scream. Jill heard the creak of the door in the next room. She turned to look and laughed nervously. She thought briefly about snooping around the house, but ultimately decided the sofa looked far too comfortable to pass up. She yawned and collapsed into it. A few moments later, she fluffed up one of the throw-pillows and sprawled out. Jill glanced at the clock. It was late and she was tired.
So tired.
Just a quick one, she thought, and closed her eyes.
~ ~ ~ ~
The television was still on in the living room. HGTV. A home remodel show. Kevin’s Mother always put that channel on when she needed background noise. He poked his head in and found exactly what he expected: A half-empty glass of red wine, and his mother asleep on the sofa. He covered her with a blanket and quietly slipped out the front door.
Despite the sun setting hours ago, the whole world seemed to be drenched in white, making it seem brighter than it really was. The wind whipped up some fresh snow and it stung Kevin’s face like a tattoo needle in the hands of a novice. He cinched up his scarf and, with his head down, set off for Officer York’s house.
~ ~ ~ ~
Jill rolled over on the sofa, suddenly becoming aware of her own sleeping form; like when you snore loud enough to briefly wake yourself up.
More sleep, she thought. Please.
She rolled over again. This time she heard something, but Jill didn’t open her eyes. For some reason, she was afraid to. Plus, she really wanted to finish her nap; it had been such a long couple of days. But suddenly, she was certain that she could feel someone watching her.
I’m dreaming, she thought. This is a dream.
Someone cleared their throat and Jill’s heart stuttered. Unable to stop herself, she opened her eyes. On the leather recliner, where Trent had sat to watch Leo’s movie (which felt like a million years ago), was a woman. A pretty one. And young. Only six or seven years older than herself.
“Holy shit!” Jill said. “You scared the living hell outta’ me. What are you doing here?”
“What am I doing here? What are you doing here?”
Jill sat up and put her feet on the chilled hardwood. She glanced at the fireplace, noticing that it had burned out. “Trent told me to wait here while he … does whatever he’s doing.”
The woman didn’t respond, and Jill squirmed in her seat. She had a sudden thought that this woman might be Trent’s girlfriend, but she seemed so young. A daughter perhaps? But there were no pictures of her anywhere. Trent was too young for a daughter of this age, anyhow. She was sure of it.
“Are you fucking my husband?”
Jill’s eyes went wide, and her stomach twisted into a knot.
Is this my teacher’s wife? Was he hiding a wife from me this whole time? How the hell did she get in here? And how did she know I was here?
She had a million questions buzzing around her head, but couldn’t find the words for any of them.
“I’ll take that terrified look in your eye as a yes.”
Kevin’s Mom’s spaghetti suddenly threatened to hit the eject button, and Jill wanted desperately to get up and run away. To anywhere that wasn’t the Deputy’s sofa.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Jill stuttered.
“Are you stupid? Or just a liar?”
Jill didn’t like either option, and merely shook her head.
“So that’s not your underwear lying on the bathroom floor, then? You’re a little whore!”
Jill had been called a whore before. But, until now, it had been from classmates who were no better or any different from her. Most were just jealous girls that secretly wanted to be her. But this lady was an adult, and there was real venom in her words. And those green eyes. Jill didn’t like the way that they seemed to crawl over her.
“I don’t know what you think happened, but you’re wrong.” She wanted to continue—had planned on it—but this lady wasn’t having any of it. Jill fought back tears.
“A liar too,” the lady said, grunting a chuckle.
“Who are you? What are you talking about? Seriously, you have the wrong idea.”
“I know what you want to do to my husband. I can see it in your filthy mind.”
“I don’t even know who your husband is,” Jill cried, the tears now streaming.
“The Deputy is my husband. Trent York. The man you were dreaming about when I woke you up.”
Jill’s mind raced. This crazy lady is much too young for Trent. Jill had spent her whole life in Chaplin Hills with Deputy York. She had never seen this woman before.
This is impossible.
“I was not dreaming about … How could you be … it doesn’t matter, I’ll just get my things and go.” Jill stood up on wobbly legs and made her way towards the bathroom.
“Yes, please don’t forget your whore panties,” the woman said. “This is no surprise, really. Your mother was the same way. Shame you didn’t know her better. You could have done a mother/daughter whore routine.”
Jill darted into the bathroom and slammed the door behind her. Tears streamed down her face. Hiding from the mirror, she sobbed uncontrollably. She hated herself for it, but she couldn’t stop.
“Stop crying!” the woman shouted from the other side of the door. But was it the woman? Something was different.
“God! You see, this is why I dropped you off with Mom in the first place. You never stopped whining. Like, ever. It was ridiculous. You were the worst baby ever. I should have aborted you like your Grandmother suggested. I’m sure she figured that if I had you, s
he would be the one doing all the work. Ha-ha. She was right about that one, eh?”
Jill stared at the door with wide eyes. Her mouth hung open, and the skin all over her body broke out in gooseflesh. She tried to reach up and lock the bathroom door, but her arms wouldn’t move.
“Go ahead; lock it, if you think it will help. It won’t, but, please, go ahead and give it a shot. Or you could come out here and give your dear old Mom a big hug.”
Jill couldn’t move.
It’s a dream! It’s a dream!
She repeated this mantra over and over in her head. The doorknob started to turn slowly. Jill opened her mouth to scream, when suddenly, the doorbell rang. The scream lodged in her throat, and she only vaguely noticed that the doorknob stopped and slowly returned to its neutral state.
The house was silent until the doorbell rang again. Still nothing, until she heard the outside door open and a familiar voice call out.
“Anybody home? Officer? Jill? It’s Kevin.”
Finally, Jill was able to break her paralysis. She swung open the bathroom door, not sure what she would see. The woman was gone, but Kevin stood in the doorway, a stocking cap pulled down over his ears and wearing an oversized gray parka from at least a decade past.
“Kevin!” Jill cried. She ran to him.
He opened his arms and let her in. She wrapped her arms around him and cried into his coat.
The young man was slow to comprehend the situation, and he stiffened with tension. After all, the last time that he’d seen her, she seemed to want to claw his eyes out. Eventually, he loosened up and hugged her back.
“Are you okay? What’s wrong? What happened?”
His words seemed to snap Jill back into the moment. She pulled away from him and looked nervously about the room. “Did you see anyone leave as you … Did you see anyone in here when you opened the door?”
He shook his head, “No. That’s why I hollered out. Didn’t want to—”
“We should go,” Jill said.
“What is wrong with you? You look terrible—I mean, you look good, but not … you.”
“We really need to go, Kevin. Please.”
The Complete Bleaker Trilogy Box-set Page 29