Keeper of the Peace (Graveyard Guardians #2)

by Jennifer Malone Wright

  “I don’t know, Dad!” She threw her hands up. “I guess I don’t want him marching back into town thinking that things can just go back to they were.”

  “I doubt he thinks that, honey.” Greg Sr. shook his head. “David is many things, but stupid is not one of them.”

  “Ugh, this is too much.” Hannah buried her head in her hands.

  Her father tilted his head and stared at her for a moment before asking, “Is there something else that’s bothering you?”

  Yeah, I killed a Reaper and now I’m probably going to prison. Nothing much. “No.”

  “Well, I think you should at least give it a chance. If he loves you and you love him, it would be wrong not to try.”

  Strange, Hannah hadn’t expected her father to react this way. She had always known him as the voice of reason, tell it like it is, kind of man. But, he was also fiercely loyal, just as all of the Estmonds were, so she thought he would be more like Dan, angry with David for hurting her.

  “I still need to think about it,” she told him and then stood, swiping at the dust the bench had left on her jeans.

  “That’s understandable. Just remember that no one is perfect. We all make mistakes.”

  She nodded and gave him a weak smile, wishing that it was possible to give him a hug. “Thanks Dad.” She glanced over at the house. “I’d better get back now.”

  “I love you, Hannah.”

  “Love you, too.” She replied as she headed back down the trail.

  CHAPTER

  14

  DAVID

  Once he was back in Summer Hollow, he drove by Hannah’s place. Her car wasn’t in the driveway so he didn’t stop. She was probably over at the family home, which was officially Lucy’s place now.

  With no destination in mind, he found himself headed toward The Springs. Once he had made the turn into the small community, he wound his way down the narrow road toward the recreation area, the spot he and Hannah had always gone when they were younger.

  It hadn’t changed much. Even the harsh summer heat couldn’t wilt the lush greenery surrounding the fresh water pools which were filled from the creek that was hidden beyond the trees and blackberry bushes.

  The pools were actually on a continuous fill, the opening let water in and another let water out, emptied by another opening where the water was released. The release was located under the small foot bridge where he had told Hannah that he was leaving. Under the bridge, the water spewed back into another portion of the creek, creating a small waterfall.

  One side of the recreation area was pavement with one section for parking and another with picnic tables. The other side was a sloped lawn with lush green grass. The pools took up a good portion of the space, but not a lot of people spent time there, mostly just locals from The Springs.

  David parked and got out of his car, slamming the Chevelle’s door behind him. He stood for a moment staring at the dark water before him. Without warning, he suddenly delved into unwanted memories.

  Beyond the trees, behind the recreation center, the creek ran gently. But, further up, it became deeper and ran faster. One sweltering summer day, he, Hannah, and a few of their friends decided to walk up the creek.

  They had picked their way along the rocks and water, sometimes having to walk up into a neighbor’s yard to get around a difficult area where the banks wouldn’t allow them to pass. Eventually, the creek got so deep and the land so high, that they had literally been walking on a ledge that would have led to certain death had they fallen.

  After several hours, the group had emerged before one of the most beautiful sights he had ever seen. Waterfalls, yes, more than one, fell majestically into bluish green pools of untouched water.

  None of them had a clue that the waterfalls were there. It was one of those moments in life where you felt like you were the only people in the whole world who knew the meaning of life. The whole gang had just stared in awe, and he knew right then the trip upstream had been worth it.

  For the next couple of hours they stayed by the waterfalls.

  He and Hannah sat side by side on one of the large rocks while the others frolicked in the water. “How is it possible that we never knew this place was here?” Hannah had asked him.

  David shrugged. “I don’t know, but I’m sure they aren’t a secret. I don’t think we’re that far from the highway, and a lot of people explore the creek.”

  She shook her head. “Still, this is just …”

  Her voice had trailed off as she gazed out upon their friends enjoying the chilly water. “I know,” he whispered in agreement.

  As the sun threatened to set, the little group decided to keep going forward instead of back down the treacherous path they had come. After only ten minutes of walking, they found themselves on a paved road that led up to a factory at the top of the hill.

  “Holy crap,” Kevin Morris frowned. “I know where we are, the highway is like two minutes away.”

  Indeed, their friend was right, in no time they were trekking down the side of the highway back to The Springs. They had certainly taken the long way that day, but the adventure had paid off in the end.

  David shook off the memory and brought himself back to the present. Nothing warranted the visit back in time, but it was one of those special times he would always remember because it was what he considered a perfect day.

  Since no one was around he took off his blazer and draped it over his arms as he headed up to the bridge. Once he was up there, he had a better view of the water, which looked even darker from above. Even though the water was dark, it was peaceful and calming. He could hear the water falling back into the creek beneath him as he removed his shoes and sat down in the center of the bridge, letting his feet hang down over the side.

  He had to tread delicately on this situation with Hannah, she had just come around to talking with him … among other things, and he didn’t want to ruin that. If she did murder this guy, there had to be a reason. He knew her and without a doubt, she would never commit a murder just for the sake of killing. She was a good person, he felt that all the way down to his bones.

  On the other hand, he had trusted criminals before and look where that had gotten him.

  No, she wouldn’t have done this for no reason. It had to have been self-defense, that’s all there is to it. But, how in the world was he going to talk to her about it.

  As if on cue, Hannah’s car pulled into the parking lot. He watched as she parked and stepped out of the car. She glanced at David’s car for a moment and then her gaze lifted up to where he sat on the bridge. Their eyes locked and he knew she had come here for the same reason he had, to think about things.

  She wore a small, tight fitting tank top with blue jeans and her red hair shone brightly in the midday sun that filtered through the branches of the trees. As she made her way up to the bridge, he stared down at her and wondered how he had ever left her in the first place.

  “Hey,” she greeted him as she removed her running shoes and sat down beside him.

  “Hey.”

  For a few more moments neither of them said anything. They both sat in silence, listening to the water and the light breeze rustling through the leaves. Hannah was finally the one to break the silence. “Do you remember that time we walked up to the waterfalls.”

  David let out a small laugh. “Yeah, I was just thinking about that when I first got here.”

  She sighed. “You know what I loved most about that day?”

  “What?” He turned to face her, but she continued to stare out at the water.

  “That day … it was perfect. It was like we had conquered the world and nothing could stop us from doing the things we wanted to do. We were kings and queens.” Her voice was soft, but strong. “We had no idea what life was going to deal us in the future and we didn’t care either.”

  Struck dumb by her thoughts, he couldn’t reply right away. It was true, the day was timeless and perfect, but what it had to do with their future at the
time, he didn’t know. “I cared,” he whispered.

  She nodded. “I know you did. You wanted something for yourself before any of us did. But, that day, I bet you didn’t think about your parents even once.”

  Without taking his eyes off of her he reached over and felt for her hand and entwined his fingers with hers. “I never thought about them when I was with you.”

  She laughed a little bit. “Whatever. Anyway, what I’m trying to say is that, now, in this time and the age we are, time doesn’t just stop like it did then.”

  He understood now. “Yeah, reality is beating down our doors no matter how hard we try to ignore it.”

  “I wish we could go back to that day and just start over.” Her voice wavered as she said the last word.

  “Are you all right?” He squeezed her hand, silently letting her know that she could talk to him.

  She shook her head. “No, David, I’m not all right.”

  “What is it?”

  “A multitude of things.” Her hand pulled away from his and she reached up, tucking a stray hair over her ear.

  “Do you want to talk about it?” It bothered him that she wouldn’t look at him. “Hannah?” he asked again when she didn’t respond.

  “I want to tell you everything, I really do, but I can’t right now.”

  “Is it that bad … that you can’t talk about it? Or is it that you just can’t talk about it with me?”

  She finally turned her head and locked gazes with him. “It’s not you. I just can’t.”

  “Hannah, I’m not going to pretend to understand why you don’t want to tell me. What I am going to tell you is that whatever it is … don’t let it fester. Things can only get worse if you keep them inside.”

  She let out what sounded like something between a laugh and a sob. “When did you become so profound, David Foster?”

  “I’m not. I just don’t like to see you like this.”

  Her fingers entwined with his again. “Give me time.”

  After a short pause, Hannah tilted her head and rested it on his shoulder. “I’ve missed you,” she murmured.

  It was a simple statement, but there was so much behind it. Only the day before, she had wanted nothing to do with him and now here they were, sitting in their spot from the old days, and she was telling him she missed him. He hadn’t expected her to come around so quickly. “I missed you too,” he told her.

  “Have you been to see your mother?” Hannah asked him.

  The change of subject took him by surprise. His parents weren’t a subject he liked to think about, much less talk about. “No. I haven’t seen her for years. The last time I went up to San Francisco to see her, she was living with my aunt and they were both so high they probably don’t even remember that I was there.”

  Hannah seemed saddened by his words. “Has she gotten worse since your dad died?”

  “Yeah,” he nodded. “There was a time I didn’t think it could get much worse, but it did. She’s a junkie, just like when I was a kid, and she will probably be like that until she overdoses like dad did.”

  “I heard about that,” she whispered. “I’m sorry.”

  He smiled, but it was a thin, emotionless smile, “Don’t be sorry. He lived life the way he wanted to live it. That’s just how it ends for people like that.”

  “He was still your dad.”

  “Only by blood.”

  She didn’t argue with him because she had met his parents. He would never forget the day he had brought Hannah to his house. She had insisted on meeting his mom and dad. They had been together for a long time and she had never officially met them.

  That day, with his hand on the door knob he stared into her eyes and said, “Please don’t judge me from anything you see in here. This … is not me.”

  “You know better than that,” she’d told him.

  “Just promise.”

  She had let out an exasperated sigh. “I promise! Now let’s get it over with, all right?”

  Taking her in to meet the people who were his parents, but didn’t give a crap about him, just seemed wrong.

  They had entered the trailer and the sunny spring day outside suddenly turned stormy and gray. The interior of David’s home was dark, the paneled walls, the heavily curtained windows, the ugly green carpeting … everything about the place was without light.

  Cigarette smoke filled the living room. He saw Hannah fighting back the urge to choke and led her forward. “Dad?” he addressed the thin man with long graying hair who sat in a recliner watching the small television in the corner.

  “What is it now, boy?” his father asked without looking at him.

  “I want you to meet someone.”

  Only then, after realizing that someone else besides David was in the room, did he set his eyes upon them. “You know I don’t like you bringin’ people in here.”

  “Dad, this is my girlfriend, Hannah Estmond.”

  “Estmond?” His father squinted his eyes and gazed at Hannah through the smoke.

  “Yes, sir. It’s so nice to finally meet you.” Hannah stretched out her hand in offering of a handshake.

  His father only stared down at her hand and then took a long drag of his cigarette, then blew the smoke in Hannah’s direction. “I know the Estmonds. Your one of those goody-goodies who will never know what it’s like to want for anything. Why would you be running around with a nobody like my boy here?”

  Hannah stood up and straightened her spine. “You’re son, David, is not a nobody. He happens to be my everything. I don’t understand how you can sit here and treat him like this.”

  He knew better. His father would never change and yelling at him about it wouldn’t do anything but piss him off even more and then he would have to deal with the violence that followed. “Hannah, let’s go.”

  “What’s going on out here?” A female voice echoed from the back of the trailer.

  David rolled his eyes and tightened his grip on Hannah’s hand. “Mom, it’s just me. I brought my girlfriend to meet you.”

  A petite woman with long dark brown hair appeared from the dark depths of the hallway. Her hair wasn’t brushed and tangles were prominent around her pale, sunken face. She wore loose shorts and a tank top, but both were covered by a worn, pink, terrycloth robe. “Girlfriend?”

  “Yes mom. My girlfriend, Hannah.” He turned to Hannah. “This is my mom, Sharon Foster.”

  Sharon seemed confused but extended her hand out to Hannah. “It’s nice to meet you. Sorry about the condition of the house.”

  Hannah shook her hand. “I don’t care about any of that,” she assured David’s mother.

  “The hell she doesn’t,” David’s father roared from behind them. “Of course she cares how it looks. That’s all she’s here to do, judge us and how we live.”

  Hannah released Sharon’s hand and turned to face David’s father again, fire lit within her eyes. “I already told you I don’t care about any of that.”

  “Then why are you here. Why are you with this good for nothing boy when your pretty little ass could probably be dating the star quarter-back or some other rich preppy.”

  “Dad!” David pulled on Hannah’s hand, “Let’s go, Hannah.”

  She yanked her hand away from his and marched toward his father. She bent down right in front of him and looked him in the eye. “If there is one thing I want you to remember from this visit, it’s that I love your son. I don’t care about money, I don’t care about where you live, I don’t even care about the fact that you are a big asshole. You can hate me all you want, call me names, I don’t give a flying fuck. But this man… that is your son and I’m not stupid. I know he is the only reason you even have food in your refrigerator, so you need to show him some respect.”

  “Listen here, missy …”

  “No, you listen. Your wife did not give birth to him to for him to be your slave. He is a person, a living breathing person …”

  “Hannah, that’s enough.” David desperat
ely grabbed at her hand in attempt to get her to stop. As much as he loved what she was saying, the wrath of his father was going to be worse than ever after this.

  She seemed to realize what was happening, that she had unwillingly lost it and stood up straight. “Oh my God, I’m sorry.”

  “Let’s go.”

  “You get that little bitch out of this house right now.” David’s father stood and pointed at the door.

  He pulled Hannah toward the exit, which was only a few feet away but seemed like the length of a football field at the moment. David threw a quick glance at his mother as they made for the door. She said nothing, but still appeared distant and confused. He knew she was going to be the one who took the backlash from all this, but all he wanted was to get Hannah out of the house and far away from them.

  Coming back to the present, David shook off the terrible memory and used his left hand to tilt Hannah’s face toward him. “I know it makes me a bad person, but I purged my parents from my life even before my dad died. Leaving to go to L.A. was part of that. I couldn’t stay here as long as they were here.”

  “I know,” she whispered.

  He placed a kiss on her soft lips. She kissed him back, and then gently pulled away. “I do understand. I’ve told you that. It doesn’t take away the hurt or bring back lost time, but I do get why you had to go.”

  “I shouldn’t have gone.”

  She closed her eyes for a second as if gathering her thoughts, and then opened them again. She stared into his eyes so he could see the honesty within them. “You had to. If you had stayed, and not gone on to live your dreams, you would have ended up resenting me in the end. You’re back now … and we have that, so let’s start over.”

  Hell yeah! She was giving him another chance. “I promise to do it right this time,” he told her.

  “I don’t need promises, I only need you.”

  He couldn’t help the wide grin that spread across his face. “Well, how about our first date then. Would you have dinner with me at the Davis’ house tonight?”