I wasn’t paying much attention as I tossed the mail onto the desk, but then an odd envelope caught my eye. It was addressed to Cheyenne Wilson, and seemed to be from a bank, but not one I recognized. I picked it up. Hesitating for a moment, I ran my finger under the back flap. Another account? How many were set up for me? And why? It was strange. Why would my parents have so many? Were they trying not to draw attention to themselves? Hiding something? I pulled the paper from the envelope. It wasn’t a checking account statement. It was a billing statement for a safety deposit box. The renewal payment was due in a couple of weeks and would be pulled from the account listed below, which appeared to be yet another savings account.
I didn’t remember my parents saying anything about a safety deposit box, especially at a small bank in Helena, Montana. I didn’t recall ever seeing a key, but I rummaged through the desk drawers looking for one anyway. Was there something I had somehow missed? What was in the safe deposit box? Why was it in my name? Pulling out the third drawer of the desk and running my hand through the papers, I searched for some sort of clue. I felt something strange on the bottom. There was a slight bump.
I pulled the drawer completely out, dumping the contents on the floor. My fingers ran across it again; yes, it was there, and it wasn’t my imagination. It seemed to be a small but deliberate imperfection of the drawer lining. I looked for a corner to pull away; I held it up to the light while gently finding the top and bottom sections. My nail caught an edge, and I delicately pulled it from the drawer bottom. A picture fell out.
It was a photograph of my parents and I at the Helena Cathedral. I fought to keep the tears at bay.
We were at a Christmas Mass in Montana. I remembered it well, because it was such an exquisite cathedral, with majestic twin spires rising from the foundation. I could still picture the stained glass windows sparkling from the light reflecting off them. The marble statues adorning the room. The white marble altar. The scent of incense in the air combined with the carved oak pews, and the music meandering through the halls from the organ.
I pressed the photo to my chest. What I wouldn’t have done to have a hug from my parents right now.
My daydream ended quickly as I realized the oddity of having a picture hidden in a drawer. Why had it been left there?
The picture dropped from my fingers and fell to the floor. I stared.
A note was on the back.
The note read: The key to your future is hidden in the past. Don’t let what is stained deceive you. Music is your guide. GA
GA…my parents’ initials. What were they trying to tell me?
I read through the note once more. The key to my future is hidden in the past. Don’t let what is stained deceive you. Music is your guide.
My mind whirled around the possibilities. What did these have in common?
I pressed my fingers to my head and plopped down into the couch. I hated riddles, had no patience for them whatsoever…but one thing was obvious. I was meant to find this note. Somehow, I just had to figure out what it meant.
Chapter 4
Colt arrived before I was ready for him. I had spent so much time on the photograph and note that the afternoon had flown by. I was hesitant telling him about my recent discovery. I didn’t know what my parents had hidden from me. I also got the impression he didn’t want me to go far from home. And if this was where I thought the mystery was leading me, I was going to be traveling to Montana researching a safety deposit box.
Colt glanced at the mess on the floor by the desk in the living room. “Doing some spring cleaning, Cheyenne?” he asked.
“Sorta. The drawer was stuck, and when I pulled it out, all the papers scattered to the floor. I was trying to put them away and got sidetracked.” It wasn’t the complete truth, but close enough.
“I see,” he replied as he bent down to help me pick everything up. Sliding the drawer back in its place, he tested it to make sure it would operate smoothly. He glanced at me, as if I was hiding something, but said nothing.
“Are you hungry? I could make you some dinner,” I offered, trying to change the subject. I stuffed the remaining items in the drawer and closed it. He had taken a step back to get out of my way, and was staring down at me.
“I’m good. Have you eaten yet?” he replied casually.
“No, but I’m not hungry at the moment.” I quickly needed to think of a diversion. “Thank you, by the way, for helping me with the yard this morning.”
“You’re welcome, but you already thanked me a couple of times.”
“Oh,” I replied and turned towards the couch, knocking over the pile of DVDs that were sitting near the TV. Dang! If he didn’t suspect I was hiding something before, he would know now for sure from my clumsy behavior. He could always tell something was going on. “You want to watch a movie?” I asked, as I began rummaging through the movie pile.
“Sure,” his deep voice made my nervousness even more pronounced, as he dropped into the couch and waited. He knew me too well; he didn’t buy what I was telling him. I put a movie in and sat in the chair, as far away from him as I could get. I don’t know what we watched. I was trying to keep my distance, trying to come up with a way not to tell him. I began twisting my ring with my thumb as I thought it out.
The movie ended too soon for my liking, and Colt bided his time until he had me cornered in the kitchen. There was only one way in or out of the room, and he was standing in the doorway blocking it.
“So, what’s going on?” he demanded.
“Nothing,” I replied a little too quickly and cringed at my own guilt.
“Nothing?” he answered with a reproving tone.
I didn’t reply.
He leaned in the doorway, crossing his arms. I knew he did it deliberately to make his arm muscle bulge beneath his clingy t-shirt. He grinned at me with a twinkle in his blue eyes. He was only a friend, but when he would produce that crooked grin… My face was a dead giveaway for my feelings! I spun around and started digging through the cupboard to hide my blush.
“What’s this?” he asked.
I glanced his way and frowned. I’d left the newly found picture clipped on the fridge.
“Um, just a picture I came across while cleaning.”
“You found it in the drawers?”
I blinked.
He flipped it over and read the note on the back.
“It’s nothing important,” I said.
He nodded and then added. “If it’s nothing important, then why’s there a note on the back?”
I was trying to ignore him as I moved to the pantry in the corner and began clanking cans and boxes around. It took him three steps to cross the kitchen floor and trap me in the pantry. I didn’t turn around. I could feel him behind me, blocking the exit, while he stood in the doorway. I knew at some point I was going to have to turn and face him, and he would probably get the information he wanted. I wasn’t good at lying to him.
Slowly turning, I realized that he had leaned down and his face was only inches from mine. I jumped. He laughed. Angry at his reaction, I pushed at his rock-hard biceps. They didn’t budge. I sighed and flashed him an exasperated expression, while I made an effort to duck under his arm. This time, he caught me by my arms and twisted me around to face him again. Two steps and he had me pinned against the kitchen wall, his musky scent inching dangerously close. I kept my gaze locked on the floor. He moved his hand off one of my arms and cupped his fingers under my chin, gently pulling my face up to meet his eyes. I closed mine, fearful of what I would expose. He patiently waited for me to open them as he kept hold of my chin. I could sense he was smiling. He knew he would get it out of me.
Slowly lifting my eyes to meet his stare, it was just as I thought. He had the biggest grin plastered over his face. He knew that he had won. My gaze wandered from his blonde hair down his face to his lips; he could be very distracting sometimes, especially when I wasn’t sure of his actions anymore. I could maybe tell him part of the truth, but I
couldn’t let him know everything. I didn’t even know everything yet.
“I have to go out of town for a few days and take care of family business,” I said, matter of fact.
“Is that it? You seem more distracted than just going out of town for ‘family business’ would imply.” There was a deeper questioning to his tone.
“Nope. That’s it. I just didn’t want you to worry about me, so I wasn’t going to tell you until I came back. Sometimes, you can be a little overprotective,” I snapped back, slightly miffed that he could make me so confused.
He was still cupping my face lightly with his fingers and grinning while he gazed down. The problem was that I could stare into his eyes for a long time—they were warm and inviting. I kind of liked the way that he was holding me at the moment. I knew my face had softened. I could see the same emotions mirrored in his. A shiver ran through my body. He felt it too and chuckled under his breath. He had been torturing me with his touch for months now, but he kept me constantly guessing because he never made a move.
Moving his fingers from my chin, his thumb gently caressed my cheek, stopping at the back of my neck.
I stopped breathing.
He ran his hand down my throat, pausing at my neckline. I was still staring into his eyes, but his expression seemed to have changed. It was more protective. He took a step forward and pressed me up against the wall. His right hand moved back up my shoulder, briefly stroking my neck, and then down my arm again to plant itself on my waist. My heart was fluttering at this point. I wasn’t quite sure what was happening, and I couldn’t do anything to stop it—I didn’t want to. My arms were limp at my sides.
His voice was soft and serious. “Is overprotective a bad thing?” he asked, in a deep gravely voice.
“No,” I whispered back.
He stared for a few long moments and a flicker of some deeper emotion flashed into his eyes only to be pushed back. He could have very easily leaned down and kissed me, right then. I wouldn’t have done anything to stop him. My breath had returned and was becoming more labored as I looked at his chest, not knowing what to expect or what I wanted. His warm lips touched my forehead in a tender kiss. He let out a big sigh and stepped back, releasing me from his touch.
“Just call me when you get back.”
I inhaled and looked up to see that he was walking toward the front door. His good-bye had almost sounded unconcerned, which was strange, considering the protective way he had been acting since my parents’ death. I barely heard the door open and close, and then he was gone. I stood in the kitchen for quite awhile. My heart was still beating too fast. What just happened? I had no answer. I hadn’t seen that coming. I gradually made my way upstairs, but I didn’t sleep well that night. I was too distracted, replaying the evening's events in my mind. Nothing had actually happened, but I couldn't help but wonder. Would he have gone further and kissed me? Just recalling the look on his face made me blush. Just what was he planning for me? For us? Where did that leave us now…friends or more than friends?
As I was packing, I wondered if Colt would suddenly show up and offer to tag along. I had told him I wanted to go alone, but I wouldn’t have protested too much if he came. I realized that I had unconsciously been trying to distance myself from him. Used to being alone and losing all the people I knew, I guess I was trying to make the inevitable separation easier for me when the time came. I was sure Colt would eventually go off to college or something, although he never mentioned his future plans to me. I never asked—maybe I didn’t want to know the answer. I was on my own now, and I needed to be strong. It was what my parents would have wanted me to do—live.
Carefully placing the spare key on the ledge above the porch, I headed towards the Jeep, only turning to look back once. I was only going to be gone a week or two, but leaving the place that was featured in so many of my good memories of my parents still hurt. I turned on my GPS system and locked in my coordinates. I was on my way, sure this new destination would hold some answers for me about my parents. They had hidden something, and I needed to find out what. I wasn’t going to let them down.
I drove down the long driveway slowly, listening to the wheels crunch on the gravel and turned onto the road. I would need to head through town, and I was convinced that Sheriff Taylor would see me somehow and flag me down if I left without telling him. Since that grave night, he had made it a habit to visit me every couple of weeks. He wanted to ensure that I was taken care of, but he seemed satisfied when he knew Colt was with me.
I stopped at his office, knowing that I would need to be quick about this, just let him know I was leaving town for a few weeks so he didn’t worry. I was a little taken back as I entered the office at the nonchalant expression his face produced…it was as if he expected me.
“Well, hello, Cheyenne,” he said. “I was about to make a trip out to your house today and talk to you about a few things…” he trailed off, seeming preoccupied with the piece of paper in his hand.
I was a little stunned. It wasn’t time for him to make another visit to the house. He had just come last week. “Talk to me about what?” I asked apprehensively.
“Well.” His attention drifted to me again. “I’ve been wanting to talk to you about staying out at your house alone. I’ve been troubled.”
“Oh, well, I don’t think you need to worry about it right now. I was actually here to tell you that I am leaving town today, as a matter of fact.”
“I see. May I ask where you’re heading?” His brows creased with fatherly worry.
“Montana. I’ve been doing some research on a few accounts that my parents held. I need to make a trip to close them.” I didn’t feel the need to elaborate any further. He didn’t immediately reply. His jaw tightened, and he seemed to hesitate over his next words. “I wanted to let you know that I’ve been concerned about recent activities around your home. I’ve noticed some strange occurrences while you weren’t around. I’ll have the deputies run by about once a week to keep an eye on things.” He ran his fingers through his brown hair, pushing his perfect part off-center slightly. “Not many folks drive out towards your place unless they’re heading there for a reason. I don’t like you being so isolated.”
I didn’t know what to say. Actually, I did; it would explain the weird feelings that I would get and the chills when I would look into the forest—the shadows. I had been telling myself that it was my imagination, but perhaps it wasn’t just me. “What kind of strange occurrences?” I warily asked, not sure I really wanted to know.
He once again hesitated, debating whether or not to tell me. “Just strange things,” he hedged. I could tell he was hiding something. He obviously didn’t want to scare me any further; I was sure that fear was now clearly written all over my face.
“Thank you,” I muttered. My head was spinning. I would have to be careful. It wasn’t just my overreaction because I was alone so often—it was real. What were they looking for? I hadn’t found anything of much value…nothing to unlock a great mystery at the house—except the picture and riddle. Did the safety deposit box have something to do with it?
“I would really like you to keep in touch with us,” the sheriff interrupted my reverie. “Just in case I come across anything new.” I jerked my head up and brought my attention back to him.
“Sure, let me give you a cell number where I can be reached.” I quickly jotted down my new number on the pad of paper on his desk. Colt had bought me a new phone, and I had changed carrier services. He wanted to ensure that I could make a phone call when needed, especially after what happened the night my parents died.
“Are you okay?” the sheriff asked, touching my arm. I looked up, slightly distracted.
“I’m good. Just a lot on my mind. I need to get going now. I have a long drive ahead of me. Please tell Joni thank you for me.”
“I will. Take care now.” I could feel his gaze on my back as I walked to the front entrance.
The breeze should have been refreshing, but
it wasn’t. I sat in the Wrangler briefly, trying to calm myself before I left town. I was seriously considering calling Colt and asking him to come, but I just couldn’t do it. I didn’t know what I was going to find, and I surely didn’t need to drag anyone else into it if I was being watched or followed. I also needed to learn to handle things on my own. I wanted him to be around, but there were no guarantees in life—I was living proof.
I sighed. I was going to miss Colt. I knew I had made it like I would only be gone a couple of days, but I suspected that once I was in Montana, I would want to stay for longer. Maybe figure out why my parents had come here in the first place, and opened a safety deposit box for me, why not in Sagle?
I debated with myself about calling him. I didn’t want him angry or hurt that I’d deceived him, and that’s what finally won me over. Dialing his number, I hoped he wouldn’t answer. It would be easier to leave a message. Luck was on my side; my call went straight to his voice mail.
“Hey, Colt, it’s Cheyenne. I just wanted to let you know that I wasn’t completely honest with you last night. I gave you the impression that I’d only be gone a few days, but actually I may be gone a few weeks. I’ll call you when I can or when I get back. Please don’t be angry. This is something I have to take care of on my own.” I hesitated a moment before continuing. “I do like the fact that you’re protective of me, and I hope I didn’t hurt your feelings last night when I said it. I’ll talk to you soon.”
I’d have to deal with him when I returned. My feelings seemed to be all mixed up. I had too many other things to concentrate on, and I needed to focus.
As I drove out of town, the windows were down, and the wind blew loose strands of hair around my face. Thoughts of my parents were on my mind, and as the miles disappeared beneath my tires, I let my mind wander. A strong sense of regret weighed down my heart. I should have expressed my gratitude more…I just always expected them to be around for me.
Cheyenne (A Timeless Series Novel) Page 4