Blood Loss - A Magnolia Novel

by Ashley Fontainne

  Shaking her head, LiAnn forced a smile. “I’m sorry you experienced such a thing honey, but you’ve got to admit, it’s kind of funny in a sick, twisted way.”

  Rubbing the sore spot on her lower back, Karina pulled up her shirt, turning around so her mother could get a better look. “Yeah, fucking hysterical. I’m going to have one hell of a bruise from landing on his weapon. It still hurts. I’ll sue the city and county if I lose a kidney over this.”

  “Oh, it’s already a nice vibrant blue. No wonder you look so rough and why you puked on the jerk. Hold still and let me take a few pictures.”

  Karina groaned. “Mom, seriously? What’s the point?”

  “Don’t argue with me, Karina. You know full well why we need to keep a record of this,” LiAnn admonished while snapping several shots. “If Bo sees this, he’s liable to head down there and get himself into trouble.”

  Lowering her shirt, Karina nodded. “Which is exactly why he won’t see me naked until it heals.”

  “Why didn’t you say something when you got back instead of helping with dinner? You might need to have that looked at. What if the impact caused some internal damage?”

  “Mom, I’m not going to the hospital for a boo-boo. It’ll heal. My pride suffered the majority of the impact.”

  “You’re sure?”

  Smiling at the motherly concern oozing from her tough mother, Karina nodded. “Positive. So, back on topic please. Any more investigative insight you wish to add?”

  “Not at the moment,” LiAnn answered, trying to hide the concern from her words. “Except I guess I was on target about a cover up—one that obviously passed on to the next generations.”

  “It seems to still be quite the sensitive subject. I mean, all I did was print copies of old news articles and less than ten minutes later, my life is threatened, which makes no sense at all, especially after this last piece of the puzzle I found today.”

  “Ah, the dessert portion of the meal. Must be a doozy.”

  Karina sighed while picking up her purse. Extracting a single piece of paper, she held it out. “It’s more than a doozy. It’s a nightmare. I haven’t even shared all the blog posts or message board entries I read online today with you, and I don’t intend to.”

  “Why? It could help shed light on—”

  “Read this and you’ll understand.”

  LiAnn noticed the pain on Karina’s face as she took the paper. “I don’t like the sound of that.”

  “You aren’t going to like reading it either. I believe that little tidbit is what made me blow chunks all over Officer McHunky’s boots and why I’m fighting the urge to yak again.”

  Glancing down at the photocopy of an article from The Camden News dated April 25, 1956, LiAnn’s brows furrowed in confusion as she looked back at her daughter. “I don’t understand. Maud and Carolyn went missing in 1957.”

  Karina pointed to the bottom corner, grimacing when she noticed the slight tremor in her hand. “They did. The piece isn’t about them.”

  Scanning the page, LiAnn gasped. “Oh no. Is that…? Damnit! Mom was right! We should have kept our promise!”

  “I know, and I wish I would’ve listened to her and not gone snooping. Like a fool, I did, and now my heart physically aches. I know the last names are different, but come on. How many females do you know with the middle name of Berle?”

  “Maybe we’re jumping to conclusions here. Betty never married. At least I don’t recall any mention of a marriage.”

  “Come on, Mom. Last names are easy to change. It’s just too odd to be a coincidence. My instincts are on fire. Aren’t yours?”

  LiAnn took a deep breath and nodded.

  “Do you think Gram knows? It would explain her little outburst and request earlier.”

  LiAnn looked back at the obituary notice of Betty Berle Carter. She’d been a boarder at Maud and Clyde Crawford’s residence and was killed in a car accident where alcohol was a factor, along with two soldiers. The article alluded to possibly a fourth passenger fleeing the scene, but no name was mentioned. LiAnn wished the article would magically disappear. “God, I hope not.”

  “Ditto.”

  LiAnn resumed pacing, her voice rising with each sentence. “Mom met Betty at work at the Rheem plant in 1959! They were secretaries on the same floor and discovered they only lived four blocks apart and both were from the south! That’s how their friendship started. Since Betty was younger, Mom sort of took her under her wing and showed her the ropes. But like I said, Betty never married and had no children.”

  “I remember. And she was devastated when Gram and Grampa moved back here.”

  “Beyond devastation—Betty was crushed. She lasted—what, six months?—before packing up and moving here? She couldn’t stand being away from Mom.”

  Karina yanked the paper away and wadded it into a ball. “Well, I’m certainly not going to tell Gram that her best friend’s name isn’t truly Betty Dravis, and she’s really someone else. Are you?”

  LiAnn said nothing as the latest piece of evidence burned its way through her mind. Silence filled the room for several seconds as each of them grappled with the ramifications.

  Finally, Karina asked, “Do you think it’s possible…”

  “That the woman we know as Betty is really Carolyn Singleton? God, I hate myself for this, but yes,” LiAnn whispered, finishing Karina’s question, hating the words as they popped out of her mouth.

  Taking a deep breath to steady her frazzled nerves, Karina squared her shoulders. Scooping up all the copies from the bed, she went to the kitchenette, tossing them into the garbage. “Then that settles it. The investigation’s over. You said this morning we should pursue this to make Betty’s remaining years easier by removing a thorn from her side. This isn’t a thorn. It’s a freaking tree, and toppling it will hurt more than it will help. Agreed?”

  LiAnn didn’t respond.

  “Mom, I know ignoring this goes against who we are, but there’s more at stake here than we realized. I’m not going to destroy Gram’s life by tearing down Betty’s. I won’t. If we’re right, and Betty is really Carolyn Singleton and possibly even responsible for Maud Crawford’s death or knows what really happened that night, it’s her cross to bear. Not ours.”

  “I’m not sure how I feel about that, Karina. The treachery…the deceit and years of lies! There are other factors involved—other people’s feelings to consider besides our loved ones. Relatives of Maud who suffered for years without any real closure!”

  Walking toward the bathroom, Karina muttered, “Most of them are dead, Mom. Only a handful are still alive. As Grampa would say, we need to let the sleeping dog snore in peace rather than wake it and get bit.”

  “Karina Ruby, I can’t believe you just said that! Murder has no statute of limitations.”

  “And I can’t believe I’m going to do this again.” Karina clutched her stomach then slammed the bathroom door shut.

  LiAnn winced at the noises coming from inside the bathroom. When Karina whispered, “Oh shit,” followed by a groan, LiAnn’s heart thumped. Stepping closer to the door, she called out, “Honey? Do you want a cold rag or some ice chips?”

  “Don’t come in here. I’m fine. Just give me a minute.”

  The worry in Karina’s voice set LiAnn’s maternal instincts on fire. Opening the door, she stepped inside, wincing at the pool of red on the floor and Karina’s legs. “Fine my ass. I’m taking you to the hospital right now! I knew the bruising and swelling looked bad. You might have a ruptured kidney!”

  Tears raced down Karina’s damp cheek as she stepped out of the bloody shorts. The thick conglomeration of blood about the size of a pea sent waves pain through her chest. The cramping in her pelvis made her vision blur as she glanced to the counter at her birth control pills. The little plastic ring held too many. Obviously, she’d missed some days. The night a little over a month prior when the condom broke during a heated lovemaking session with Bo popped inside her mind. “Not my ki
dney, Mom.”

  Following Karina’s gaze, LiAnn felt her own tears trickle down. “Oh baby, I…let’s get you to the hospital.”

  “I didn’t…know…I…was…pregnant,” Karina choked out between sobs. “I’m…not…late! God…how am I going to tell Bo?”

  Leaning down, LiAnn looped her arms around Karina’s quaking shoulders, helping her stand. “First things first, honey. No arguing with me. You need to get to the hospital. Things…need to be done now.”

  “Yeah, a d & e, I know. It can wait until tomorrow. I’ll just have it done when we go see Betty.”

  “Like hell,” LiAnn snapped, leading Karina to the bed. “If you didn’t expel everything, you might not stop bleeding or infection could set in. Let me get you a fresh pair of sweats. If we go now, we’ll be back in a few hours. Plenty of time for you to rest, and none of the residents will have a clue we’re gone.”

  Karina’s protest dried up as another round of pain wracked her body. She didn’t say a word as her mother helped her get dressed and then led her to the elevator down to the parking lot, all the while whispering words of love and encouragement.

  No wonder I’ve been such an emotional mess! God, it’s all my fault! I shouldn’t have gone to Camden or lost my cool with the cop. I’m sorry, Bo. I’m sorry my temper made me lose our child.

  Once in LiAnn’s new Tahoe, Karina doubled over, arms clenched around her stomach. “Please don’t tell anyone about this. Not a soul.”

  “Karina—”

  “I mean it, Mom. Not a soul. This secret, and the one about Betty, remains between us. Please?”

  LiAnn turned onto Central and gunned the engine. She had no problem with keeping one tale to herself, but the other one gnawed at her gut. Swallowing the bitter pill of secrecy against her better judgment, she finally agreed. “Of course.”

  Chapter 10

  Hot Springs, Arkansas – Friday Evening, March 3, 2017

  A loud knock on the bedroom door startled Karina from restless sleep. Assuming it was another sweet resident coming to check on her since she’d stayed inside her room most of the day, feigning a cold that might be contagious, she responded, “Don’t come in. I still have a fever!”

  “I’m not afraid of a bug,” Cal replied from the other side of the door.

  Groaning, Karina pulled the covers tighter around her naked torso. “You should be. The side effects are terrible. Besides, you know how cranky I get when ill, so go away before I start yelling.”

  “Again, not afraid so if you aren’t decent, I’ll give you to the count of ten to get dressed and then I’m coming in. We need to talk.”

  Karina’s anger spiked despite the pain in her stomach muscles. She’d refused the pain pills the doctor offered and opted to take Tylenol instead, a choice she regretted as pain thrummed through her stomach and pelvis in time with each heartbeat. “Calvin Benson, don’t you dare. Whatever you need to share can be done in a text or over the phone.”

  “True, but that only works if the other party responds. Unless your phone is busted, of course. Down to five. Oh, and I know your mom just left with your grandparents, Seth, and Wiley to go visit Betty, so calling for backup is useless.”

  Gritting her teeth, Karina pulled the covers to her chin while glancing at Ranger. His fluffy black tail thumped on the bed. “You’re supposed to protect me from bad guys, not salivate over seeing them, you traitor.”

  Cal opened the door and stepped inside. Ranger jumped off the bed and ran around him in circles like a puppy.

  “I didn’t hear ten.”

  While giving Ranger plenty of love, Cal replied, “And I swore I heard you say come in. Hey, buddy! How’s my boy?”

  If she felt better, Karina would have slapped him. Seeing the two of them playing together brought back painful memories. The only difference was Cal had more gray in his hair and Ranger was fully grown. “He’s my boy, remember?”

  Nodding once, Cal walked over to the opposite side of a bed, pulling a chair behind him. He studied Karina’s face, noting the extreme paleness of her skin and the dark undereye circles. “I remember a lot of things, Karina. Hmmm, seems I owe you an apology.”

  “You’re a little late for that,” Karina shot back. The familiar scent of his cologne and body odor drifted over, making Karina’s stomach lurch.

  “I mean for assuming you were lying about being sick. You look awful. Good thing your nose stopped running and you don’t seem to have a cough. Must be on the mend.”

  Karina detected the note of sarcasm and didn’t like it. “I’m not in the mood to play games, Cal. It’s a stomach thing, not nasal. What did you want to talk about? Make it quick so I can go back to sleep.”

  Glancing at the dresser, Cal noticed Karina’s phone. “Is it broke?”

  “No.”

  “Then you should already know what I want to discuss.”

  “Cal, it’s turned off because I was resting and didn’t want to be interrupted, so if you called or sent me a text, I missed it.”

  “You weren’t concerned you’d miss a call from lover boy?”

  Karina glared at him, refusing to rise to the baited statement about Bo. “As I said, I don’t feel good, so what is it that you want? If this is about Lucas again, I already gave you an earful yesterday and don’t wish to talk about your shady dealings with him today. So, you’ve got one minute to spill whatever’s on your mind before I puke all over you.”

  “Yep, you’re sick all right. If you were faking, the threat wouldn’t be about vomit. It would be with that.” Cal pointed to the loaded Glock on the dresser. “Did you catch the stomach virus in Camden, or is it because you’re upset about your boyfriend’s brother being a drug dealer who is so stupid he blew himself up while cooking meth?”

  Anger flushed throughout her chest. “Are you…spying on me? Is that why you moved back here—to become some creepy stalker? Wait, I know! Since Misty dumped you, you figured you’d come here, tail between your legs, and try buttering me up by helping Lucas—”

  “Take it easy, Karina.” Cal stifled a laugh at Karina’s instant attitude. She was a beautiful woman, yet when angry, she was downright irresistible, even when ill. “You’re right. I did forget how cranky you are when sick. I watch the news, you know, and yesterday’s newscast was an eye-opener.”

  “A blip on the news doesn’t explain how you know I went to Camden.”

  Crossing his arms over his chest, Cal leaned back in the chair and smiled. “It was just a hunch. You’re the one who just confirmed it.”

  Frustrated, Karina shot back, “If you came here to use Brice’s mistake to turn my feelings—”

  “Mistake? Blowing up a meth lab isn’t a mistake; it’s a colossal fuck up, not to mention the fact the lowlife was manufacturing and selling drugs! Do you really believe none of his immediate family knew what he was doing? On their land? That there’s no danger to those around him from the thugs and users he deals with on a regular basis? Come on, Karina! I am not trying to sway your opinion about anything, only to make you take off those Bo blinders you’ve been wearing and realize this issue needs some serious consideration. The situation could be dangerous, so maybe you should cut this relationship off before it does. You’ve only been together a few months—”

  “You son-of-a-bitch!” Karina yelled. The mental pain of losing Bo’s child made her vision blur from white-hot fury. On instinct, her hand shot out from under the comforter. The sharp crack as her palm connected with Cal’s cheek made Ranger whimper from the floor. “How dare you say such a thing to me! What…did you decide to switch over to daddy mode since the fuck-buddy portion is over?”

  Though he’d seen Karina lose her temper before and still bore some of the scars from things she’d thrown at him, Cal was taken aback at the ugliness of her outburst. The sting of the slap paled in comparison to the hurtful words. Her blue eyes shot fire and daggers of hatred his direction. He grabbed her hand and held tight as she glared at him. “Fuck-buddies? That’s how you
viewed our seven years together?”

  “You did, so why can’t I?”

  Releasing Karina’s hand, Cal stood. “That was low, Karina. You know I—”

  “Don’t you dare say you loved me, Calvin Benson.” Rage took over, making Karina forget she was naked under the covers. Leaning over to grab the radio on the nightstand, intent on throwing it at Cal before she burst into tears, the comforter slid down. When the cool air reached the bare skin of her exposed back, she let go of the weapon and pulled the cover back around her body. “You don’t have that right. Get out.”

  Ignoring the threat, Cal reached down and yanked the covers away. “What the hell happened to you? Did you find yourself in a tight situation in Camden? I hope so because if that country-bumpkin did this to you, I’ll kill him and no one will ever find his body.”

  “Bo’s not like that, you asshole. Trust me. If he was, he’d look worse than I do. What happened to me is none of your business.”

  “It is if you’re in danger. Again. You’re like a fucking magnet for trouble! So if the injury didn’t come courtesy of your squeeze, then that means you went down to Camden alone and started snooping, didn’t you?”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Karina answered. The response wasn’t as full of gusto as she’d hoped.

  “Actually, I do. Remember, I went to the hospital with two men, one of whom was quite chatty. He told me all about Betty’s bouts with sleepwalking and what he heard her mumble when nightmares took over. Besides, I glanced at a few news clippings on her floor while the paramedics worked on her. All it took was a few clicks on Google using key words. I know you…and you would connect the dots too and start nosing around. You went down to Camden to find out why she’s fascinated with the disappearances of Maud Crawford and Carolyn Singleton. Let me guess: you went to the house and the owner wouldn’t let you tour the place and then got rough when you wouldn’t take no for an answer?”