Betraying Innocence

by Phoenix, Airicka

  “I think we need to talk to Sheriff Larson,” he decided. “If anyone can give us more information on this, it’s him.”

  “Is he still alive?” Ana asked.

  Rafe shrugged. “Let’s find out.”

  He rose from his seat and offered her his hand. She paused to grab her bag, but he beat her to it, snatching it up from the ground where she’d dropped it and slung it over his shoulder. He unfurled his fingers to her a second time. She smiled at him, accepting and letting him help her up. With his free hand, he closed their search on the computer, grabbed their print out and led her back to Sally’s desk, all the while holding her hand.

  “You two again?” She said it sternly, but there was a grin on her face. “I’m beginning to think you like my company.”

  Ana smiled, but Rafe jumped right in by setting the page down facing her and pointing to the sheriff’s name.

  “Where can we find Sheriff Larson?”

  Sally never took her shrewd, brown eyes off them. “Is this for some kind of school project?”

  “Yes,” Rafe said.

  “Kind of,” Ana said at the same time.

  Sally looked from one to the other, one perfectly plucked eyebrow raised. “Well, I don’t know how much help Larson is going to be. Man’s dead,” she finished when they just started at her. “He died, oh, fifteen years back? Heart attack. You would have both been in diapers about that time.”

  Rafe cursed.

  “Language, young man!” Sally scolded, slapping her book down on the desk.

  Ana opened her mouth to ask if there was anything else she could remember about the Baits disappearance when a voice from behind her called her name.

  “Ana?”

  Startled, Ana turned and stared into Vinny’s grinning face.

  “I thought that was you,” he said, stopping a few feet from her.

  “Vinny, hi.”

  “Hey yourself!” he said. His gaze darted to Rafe, then to the hand Rafe still held and finally returned to Ana. “What are you doing here?”

  “Just looking some stuff up,” she said. “You?”

  “Homework.” He glanced down at her injured arm. “I heard what happened. Are you all right?”

  Ana grimaced. “Yeah, I’m fine, just thoroughly embarrassed.”

  Vinny chuckled. “It wasn’t your fault.”

  No, but she could hardly tell him a ghost made her trip.

  An awkward sort of silence draped over them where no one spoke for a moment. It wasn’t until Rafe shifted that she got some sense back.

  “Um, you know Rafe, right?”

  Vinny nodded. “Yeah, we have a few classes together.”

  “We should go,” Ana said when the same tense silence fell over them. She grabbed the printout off Sally’s desk. “We still have searching to do.”

  Vinny’s gaze dropped to the paper. “Isn’t that your house?”

  Ana glanced at the page as though surprised to see that it was. “Uh, yeah…”

  Vinny craned his neck to have a better look. “Johnny Baits.”

  Ana looked at him. “Do you know him?”

  Vinny laughed. “No, this was before my time, but everyone here knows the story. Nothing ever happens here in Chipawaha Creek so people always remember when something does. Johnny Baits was the only kid to ever disappear like that.”

  “Like what?” Ana took a step forward, anxious.

  He shook his head. “Well, just taking off like that one night. I don’t know all the details, but you should ask my dad. He and Baits went to school together. I think they were even friends. My dad was there that night. You’re coming over for dinner this weekend, right? You should ask him then.”

  Ana blinked. “Sorry?”

  Vinny glanced quickly from Ana to Rafe, then back, confusion crinkling his brows. “Saturday, you and your parents … Mom’s been talking about nothing else since my dad told her you guys were coming. She’s really excited to meet you.”

  Next to her, Rafe released her hand. She felt it almost instantly as he drew away.

  “I’ll meet you back at the car,” he muttered, already walking away.

  She started after him, catching herself only a second too late. She turned back to Vinny, her grin sheepish. “Sorry. We have to go, but I’ll talk to you later, okay?”

  With a last wave, she hurried after Rafe. She caught up to him at his car. He was leaning against the side of the hood, hands lost in his pockets. Her backpack was at his feet.

  “Hey.” She jogged up to him. “What’s wrong?”

  He shook his head. “Nothing.” He pushed off, still without looking at her and started to turn away. “We should go.”

  “I didn’t know,” she blurted. “I mean, I did. I was there when Mom and Mr. Andrews made the plans, but it wasn’t me. I didn’t agree or anything.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He circled around to his side of the Firebird and threw open his door.

  She had no idea why her stomach was in knots or why she felt the urgency to try and make him understand, but it was eating at her that he did. That he knew …

  Silently, Ana grabbed her bag and got into her side of the car. He waited until she had strapped in before pulling the car from the parking lot and heading south, back through town. But instead of returning her home as she’d expected, he pulled over next to the diner.

  “I’m hungry,” he muttered when Ana glanced at him. “Coming?”

  He was out of the car and at her side before she could reply. He yanked open the door and offered her a hand out. She left her backpack on the floor of the car as she let him tug her out. He closed her door and kept a hold of her as he led them inside.

  The server she’d had the day before, Wanda, hurried over to them, notepad and pen poised. Her gaze swept over them, the surprise and interest unrestrained. There was a ghost of a smile curling the corner of her lips when she finally reached them. Ana ignored it as she made her order. Rafe seemed to do the same and said nothing a moment as they watched Wanda hurry away, possibly to jump on the phone first chance she got. Ana wondered if her outing with Rafe would reach the ever listening ears of Mayor Andrews by suppertime. She wondered why everyone cared so much.

  “What did you do?” she asked Rafe, turning to pin him with curious eyes.

  Rafe reached for the salt shaker. He twisted it absently until the label was perfectly aligned with the shaker beside it marked pepper. He nudged both back so they struck the napkin dispenser.

  “What do you mean?” He kept his gaze turned on the items at the end of the table.

  Ana shrugged. “Every person I meet tells me to stay away from you, like you’re the plague or a cult member. I’m beginning to wonder if you sacrifice babies in your basement.”

  His lashes lifted just enough for him to peer at her through their sooty fringes. “I prefer virgins.” He paused a full heartbeat before adding, “I have applications if you’re interested.”

  She knew she should be insulted, but the dark glint in his eyes was impossible to ignore. She snorted. “Are you insinuating I’m a virgin?”

  If possible, the intensity in his gaze sharpened, became brutally focused. “I insinuate nothing, but I wouldn’t say no to a demonstration.”

  She laughed and dropped her gaze. “You need to stop that.”

  The leather beneath him squeaked as he adjusted his weight and leaned back. His long fingers threaded together on the table between them. “And what’s that?”

  “Flirting with me.” She raised her head and studied him. “I don’t know why you do it when you just wind up pushing me away. Truthfully, I don’t know why you do anything you do. You’re so conflicting.” She moistened her lips, amusement gone now as she turned her head towards the window overlooking the street and the people going about their business. “I don’t understand you.”

  His tawny eyes skirted away from hers. “We should talk about what’s going on with your house.”

  Grateful for t
he change of topic, Ana nodded. “Okay.” She pulled her drink over to her and stirred the cubes of ice floating along the surface with her straw. “Do you know anything about the people who used to live there?”

  He shook his head. “There were a few.” He drummed his fingers on the table, his eyes squinting as he tried to think. “I don’t think any of them died though.”

  “What about the Baits family?” she asked.

  “Everyone knows about them,” he said. “I mean, you heard it enough today, nothing ever happens here so when something does, people remember. My mom grew up here. So did my dad. Both have deep roots in Chipawaha Creek. Both their families were some of the few first settlers here. My great some odd grandfather was one of the founding fathers so you can kind of say this town is my birthright or something. My dad tried to get my mom to leave after I was born. He hated it here. Hated the people. But she refused even when…” He wet his lips and turned his gaze down onto the table.

  “What?” she prompted, desperate for even a small shred of information on the boy in front of her.

  He exhaled, the sound pulsing with frustration. “My family isn’t known for being the most upstanding pillars of society, okay? I come from a very long line of delinquents, thieves and m … murderers. We’re not the sort of family you want into.”

  “Did you do any of those things?” she asked.

  The way he was suddenly staring out the window said plenty, even before he replied, “For a while.” He rubbed a hand over his eyes. “When I was younger. I did a lot of stupid things. Never murder, but I hurt a lot of people because I thought it was what I was supposed to do. That it was expected of me. Then I realized the only person I was hurting was my mom. She was the one taking the blows for me. The town turned on her, said the worst things possible to her. They treated her like garbage because of me. I think that’s why she was so quick to fall for Dan. He was the only one who didn’t turn away from her. Everything that happens to her and the twins now is my fault. They’re miserable because of me. I make people miserable. I ruin their lives.”

  “Stop that!” The words hissed out before she could stop herself. “That isn’t true.”

  He leaned forward and dropped his voice. “It is, and I will ruin yours if you stay with me.”

  Following his movement, she folded her arms on the table and brought her face inches from his. She narrowed her eyes and whispered, “I don’t believe you.”

  Their gazes tangled a moment as they searched each other’s eyes. Rafe was the first to grin.

  “Let’s get back to your ghost problem, okay? My problems aren’t going anywhere any time soon.”

  Wanting to protest, but not knowing what to say, Ana just nodded as she drew back.

  “I remember the place being empty a lot,” he picked up as though they’d never deterred from the original topic. “I was five when the Kahn family moved there. They had a son a year older than me in school. I think they only lived there a year. Six months later, there was the…” He puffed up his cheeks and exhaled, staring at a point just above her head, as though the names of the families were written in the air. “Copes … no, Foresters. Then the Copes. Then the…” He grimaced. “Porters? I think. None of them ever stayed for very long. Before you moved in, it had been empty for five years. Before that the Ewines lived there.”

  Ana frowned. “And no one thought that was weird? Did any of these people ever say why they left?”

  Rafe shrugged. “If there was a reason, I never cared enough to listen.”

  Their burgers and fries arrived, putting a momentary pause on their conversation. Wanda puttered around their table for longer than was necessary to serve two platters of fries and burgers, asking if they needed salt or pepper or ketchup. It took all of Ana’s patience not to point at the items already on the table. Not that it would have made a difference. Wanda’s attention had been captured by Rafe and Rafe alone. She kept rapping her pen on the spiral cords of her notepad while she bit her bottom lip and eye-humped him.

  “Are you sure there’s nothing else I can get you?” she kept asking like Rafe’s no, I’m fine, thanks, was code for yes, I’d like a side order of desperate.

  Ana quickly stuffed three French fries into her mouth to keep from blurting out anything she’d regret later.

  “I think we’re good, thanks,” Rafe told her, reaching for the salt shaker.

  Wanda continued to stand there, swaying side to side as he shook salt over his fries. “I could—”

  “Just give him your number already!” Ana finally snapped. “I can pretend I need the bathroom if it’ll make it easier for you to write it on a napkin.”

  Wanda’s cheeks went scarlet. Her mouth gaped as she stared, horrified, at Ana. Across the table, Rafe was staring at her as well, as were the handful of customers occupying the place. Ana squeezed her eyes closed and cursed. Wanda was still frozen in place when she opened them again.

  “I am so sorry—”

  “Bitch!” Wanda hissed. Her bottom lip trembled. She pursed it quickly before spinning on her heels and sprinting into the kitchen. The door swung shut behind her.

  Ana slumped back in her seat. She could feel the eyes of judgment burrowing into her from the other customers … and Rafe. She cursed again.

  “That was interesting.” The amusement in Rafe’s voice only made her want even more to crawl beneath the table.

  “I didn’t mean to say that.” She mashed her face into her hands. “God, I don’t even know why … I should go apologize.”

  He stopped her before she could slide out of the booth. “I wouldn’t.”

  Ana frowned. “But I—”

  “She’s upset and in a place full of sharp objects…” He gave her a pointed look. “Trust me. You should let her cool down first.”

  Seeing his point, she returned to her seat and stared down at her food. “I feel awful.”

  He leaned forward, resting his hands on either side of his plate. “I thought it was damn sexy, seeing you all jealous like that.”

  Ana stiffened. Her eyes widened. “I wasn’t jealous!” she protested, her voice going an octave too high with her lie.

  Rafe smirked. “Too bad.” He took a chomp of his burger and chewed, all the while grinning at her around the mouthful. “Like I said.” He swallowed. “Sexy.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Ana

  He drove her home nearly an hour later. Neither of them spoke as he pulled up behind her father’s truck. Leaving the keys in the ignition, Rafe rolled out of the car and jogged around the hood to her side. He pried her door open, took her bag and helped her out.

  “Thank you,” she said as he closed the door behind her. “For everything today. I really appreciate you helping me with … whatever’s going on.”

  He just nodded, still holding her bag with one hand and her injured hand with the other. He shook his head when she reached to take her backpack from him.

  “I got it,” he said.

  She gave him a small smile as he led her past her mother’s Mercedes towards the front porch. There was a sort of calm to the dimming light of dusk. The slow whisper of rustling leaves and chirping insects wrapped around them, muffling the scuffle of footsteps up the porch steps. The boards creaked beneath their combined weight as they approached the door.

  “Will you be okay?” he asked, peering down into her upturned face.

  Ana shook her head. “I don’t know.”

  Something flickered behind his eyes. It could have been nothing more than the dance of shadows caressing the perfectly defined lines of his features had it not been for the tightening of his fingers around hers.

  “Stay with me tonight. I’ll sleep better knowing you’re safe,” he quickly went on before she could protest.

  She shook her head. “I can’t stay at your place forever.”

  “No,” he agreed with a slight nod. “But you can until we figure this out.”

  The warmth of his grasp was nothing compared to the w
eight of his concern resting heavily over her with every desperate search of his golden eyes along her face. He stood so close, consuming her with his presence. Ana swallowed audibly.

  “Why are you doing this?” she asked. “Why does it matter so much?”

  There was a distinct thud as her bag hit the floor at their feet. His newly freed hand went up to slip around her waist. She was drawn further against him, closing what little space had been between them. His breath was warm against her skin where his lips brushed her cheek.

  “Because I can’t stand the thought of something happening to you.” He pulled back a notch to search her eyes. “Because every time I see fear in your eyes, I want to kill the person responsible.” He brushed his fingertips over the gauze wrapped around her injured wrist. “And because I get this … rage building inside me every time I think about you getting hurt.” He released a quiet chuckle. “Crazy, huh?”

  Heart a wild rabbit in her chest, Ana shook her head. “No.”

  The humor faded from his eyes. They became intense once more. His slow, even breaths tangled with hers and she became painfully aware how close they’d gotten. His lips were mere inches from hers.

  “Stay with me,” he murmured. “Or I’ll camp out on your back porch.”

  Ana laughed. “And get caught by my father?”

  Not a flicker of hesitation passed over his features when he replied, “I’m willing to risk it.”

  God she didn’t understand him. She didn’t understand him one bit.

  “Okay.”

  Relief reflected in his tawny eyes. His shoulders visibly relaxed. He gave her a small grin. “What time do your parents go to bed?”

  Ana shrugged. “Ten, sometimes eleven.”

  He nodded slowly. “Mine go to bed at ten. I’ll come by around eleven thirty.”

  Ignoring the warm flutter of excitement in the cavity of her chest, she agreed. “I’ll meet you out back.”

  He gave her fingers a light squeeze and began to draw away. Ana felt the loss of his closeness almost instantly. Her body started to inch in his direction, following his warmth only for common sense to take hold and save her the humiliation.