Adaline glanced toward the window and squinted against the sunlight reflecting off the glass pane. She shielded her eyes and looked toward the man again. Her pulse raced, and her mouth felt dry.
No. It can’t be. What is he doing here?
She hurried into the bathroom, fixed her hair and makeup, and dusted her hands off before pulling some lip gloss out of her pocket. The red tint helped to make her flushed cheeks look more natural. Adaline hadn’t seen him in twelve years, and the last time she saw him wasn’t on good terms. He still had the same boyish charms that intrigued her when she was younger. Blond hair, blue eyes, a grin to melt her heart, and more muscles than she remembered ever seeing on him.
Why now? Couldn’t he just let me live my life?
“Are you okay, Miss Adaline?” Seth asked, walking toward her.
“Um…I mean, yes. Yes. Yes.”
“You already said yes.” He grinned.
She smirked at him. “I guess I did. I know him from a long time ago. He’s…an old friend.”
The sound of tapping glass echoed through her store. She fidgeted with her fingers and hurried to the door.
Slow down. You don’t want to look excited.
What am I going to say?
Adaline opened the door to let him in. The news crew ran like a herd of elephants to enter.
She froze.
“That’s enough. You’re not getting any comments out of her today,” the man at the door said. “Move along.”
Adaline let out a breath that she’d been holding since she saw the news crew stationed in front of her store.
“Hi,” he said, closing the door and moving closer to her.
“Hi back, Sam.” Adaline wiped her sweaty palms on her shirt and reached to shake his hand.
He chuckled. “A handshake. Surely, I get more than that. We’ve been through way too much to only give each other handshakes.”
“I know, it’s silly. I don’t know what to say after leaving things the way we left them.” She looked at the ground. “Sam, I’m sorry I left you. I was afraid. Afraid to let you get closer to me.”
“Addi, I know you, and I knew you back then. I knew what I was getting into when I asked you to marry me.”
Sam took her hand and brought it to his face, clearly seeing the wedding ring. Adaline slumped.
“You were able to let someone else in,” Sam said. “I hope he treats you well.”
“His name is Cache. I would introduce you, but we’re not exactly talking right now.” She twirled her wedding ring around her finger and looked down at her watch. “Can we catch up another time? I need to start pulling some customers in.”
Sam’s face dropped. “Sure. I’ll be in town for a few days. Here’s my number.”
“Thank you.” She moved to embrace him. “It’s good to see you again.”
“You too. We do need to talk, okay?”
She nodded. “Right after work, I’ll give you a ring.”
Sam smiled and left the store. Adaline glanced at Seth and noticed him hiding behind boxes but clearly glaring at Sam.
Why is he so protective?
Adaline raised her eyebrows and took a better look at Seth. He appeared to be in his late fifties. His shoulders rose while he watched Sam leave in the way she’d imagined an older brother would react. Being an only child with abusive parents, her reoccurring dream as a kid was to have a big brother who could protect her from all the evils she’d witnessed. Maybe he had a younger sister, and that’s who he protected that put him in prison. She caught one last glance of Sam before he disappeared around the street corner. Seeing him brought back memories she wanted to leave alone, but they immersed her anyway.
Twenty-Six
Sam Wendell
Wednesday, November 10th
10:30 a.m.
Strolling down Ivy Lane after leaving Adaline’s store, he didn’t know what to think. She seemed happy to see him, which was a great sign. He had missed her, but it was painful to see her married to someone else. He spat on the sidewalk to get the distaste out of his mouth that had been sitting on his tongue since he saw her wedding ring. He’d kept tabs on her through the years, so he knew about her marriage, but it hadn’t hit him until just then.
They’d been best friends in Owling, since the age of seven. That was, until he proposed and she ran. They had shared everything. She’d confided in him, and he’d kept her secrets. Whenever her mother beat her, they would meet in the cornfields, and he would hold Adaline until it turned dark. He wanted to protect her from the one person that should be taking care of her, but her mother didn’t have a soul.
He stared down at a barking dog that was rubbing a little too much on his leg. “Shoo, go find someone else to rub on,” he said, gruffly.
Laughter arose behind him. “Wow, you sure told that dog, brother. Don’t you have a heart? You can’t even pet a tiny dog?” Officer Abbot asked.
“Sure. It just didn’t come with me today,” he said with sarcasm.
“You saw her, didn’t you? Cause you’re in that mood.”
“What mood?” Sam asked.
“You know, the mood that only a woman can create. You’re happy-go-lucky one minute, you feel like a complete screw-up the next.”
They both laughed.
“Wanna grab a doughnut or a cup of coffee at this bakery? They’re pretty good. You have to try the jelly-filled one,” Abbott said.
“Jelly-filled doughnuts?”
Abbott glared at him. “What?”
“Jelly-filled doughnuts?” Sam wiped at his eye.
“Aren’t you funny? Only little girls wipe tears from their eyes.”
Sam punched Abbott in the arm and walked into the bakery. “Why don’t you go get a seat and I’ll get the doughnuts. They’re on me,” Abbott said.
“What next? Do I need to hold your hand and walk you to the bathroom, too?”
“Possibly. I’ll consider that.” He winked at Sam and turned around to give his order.
Sam sat down, weighing the options in his head. Adaline seemed fine, but he had heard otherwise from his sources. Staying a few more days just to make sure seemed like the route to go. Seeing her was harder than he’d imagined, and he hated that she had that effect on him.
“Earth to the princess,” Abbott said, placing a jelly-filled doughnut in front of his face.
“Are you kidding? You really got me one?”
“Would you shut up and take a bite already? This girl really has you all uptight. Who is she?”
Sam took a bite of his doughnut and moaned. “Okay. Good call. They’re better than I thought they’d be. I’m not taking back my comment, though.”
“Wouldn’t expect any less.” Abbott laughed. “Stop diverting the conversation. Who is she?”
Sam grinned. “Her name is Adaline.”
“Adaline.” Abbott paused. “As in Rushner? Adaline Rushner?”
“Yeah, why? You know her?” Sam asked, raising his eyebrows.
“That’s the case I was talking about, man. The case where I might have found new information about my daughter’s disappearance.”
“Back up. Start from the beginning. I need to know everything, do you understand?”
“Whoa, Sammie. Take it easy. Why do you need to know?” Abbott asked.
“She could be in trouble, that’s why.” Sam moved his doughnut to the side as hunger left him. He could only concentrate on how much Abbott knew.
What am I going to do if he knows too much?
He nervously looked around the restaurant and moved his chair closer to the table. “What do you know?” Sam asked, in a whisper.
“Why are you whispering? What are you involved in?” Abbott leaned in, pressing his elbows on the table.
“Nothing. Please answer my question. How did you stumble onto her case?”
“Yesterday we got a call from her neighbor about an incident at the Rushner home. I was the patrol officer who took the dispatcher’s call. I went to check it out and see what the
disturbance was all about,” Abbott said.
“And?”
“You know I can’t share this information with you.”
Sam peered at him and moved in closer. “I know. We’ve helped each other out through a lot of shit. I need your help, man.”
“Will you tell me what’s going on?” Abbott asked.
“I can’t right now. Just trust me.”
Abbott ground his teeth before speaking. “Brother, I’ll be forced to stop you if this becomes a problem.”
“I know,” Sam said, looking down at the table.
“She claims her dead daughters were in her house. I related to her with the feelings I had after my daughter was taken from me.”
“Did you find any proof someone had been there?”
Abbott stared at Sam. “None. Look, I talked to her husband, and he doesn’t even know what to do. She thinks they’re still alive and is acting out.”
Sam shook his head. “What did you find that relates your daughter’s case to the Rushners’?”
“Honestly, it’s nothing. I was upset and sleep-deprived.”
“Abbott, tell me. I can decide for myself,” Sam said.
“Pictures were taken of the crime scene. In one of the pictures, a necklace was dangling from one of the girls’ fingers.”
“What kind of necklace?”
“A gold locket with an owl engraved on the front,” Abbott said.
Sam gasped. “You need to call your Lieutenant Stalk, now.” He looked at Abbott and studied his face. “This was the exact necklace at the crime scene for your daughter, correct?”
“Yes, it was, and Mrs. Rushner wears one around her neck.” Abbott leaned in. “You tell me what you know.”
“She got it as a kid. That’s it.” He closed his eyes remembering the owl necklace clinging to Adaline’s neck the night her parents burned alive in their house.
The Owl Keeper was back in town.
Twenty-Seven
Owl Keeper
Wednesday, November 10th
3:00 p.m.
Adaline’s smile seemed genuine, real in a way he hadn’t seen before. He didn’t like this new side of her, trying to do everything herself.
Full of independence.
Strength.
Stubbornness.
She needed him to save her, even if she didn’t remember, and he was the only person fit to protect her. That was his job.
Vulnerability equaled her beauty. The damaged, broken soul with fire and anger, but such innocence, made her Adaline. His Adaline.
Seeing her vulnerable pleased him. It was an unspoken invitation to be near and present. A teasing reminder she still had a hold on him and he had one on her. He liked that he could see her and she couldn’t see him. Even though he longed to remind her of the bond they shared, watching would do for now—until the urge came again. She needed to be broken again, and he knew what had to be done.
Not for long. Just a little more time.
He rocked himself back and forth singing a tune in his head.
There was a little owl,
High in a tree.
She tried to fly away,
But couldn’t get free.
Twenty-Eight
Adaline Rushner
Wednesday, November 10th
6:00 p.m.
Closing the store with an extra pair of hands made stocking shelves and putting things out for display much quicker. Seth turned out to be a huge help.
She said goodbye to him and put her jacket on. Whipping it around her to get it on, a breeze of Sam’s cologne intoxicated her nose. Adaline closed her eyes and breathed it in. Ferns, rain, and earth lingered in the scent that she knew so well. He wore the same thing twelve years ago. Comfort embraced her for a minute until she opened her eyes and let her mind wander. The way she felt toward Sam confused her. Their chemistry resurfaced today, but she loved her husband and wanted things to work out. With Cache, she never had to look at her past. She wasn’t the disturbed little girl from the headlines.
All she had to be was herself.
Be Cache and Adaline. A certain freedom came with that.
She stared at a picture of them in her wallet and smiled. The faces looking back at her looked happy. At least, until now.
Sam showing up complicated her already heightened emotions and brought the past trudging along with him.
Dammit, Sam. Why did you have to come back into my life?
As Adaline got into the car, music blared through the radio. She didn’t feel like listening to it. There was already too much chaos in her head. Turning it off, she pulled up to her street to spot news crews lurking outside her house.
Leave me alone already.
She had to face them sometime, whether she wanted to or not. Adaline pulled into the driveway and stopped the car as a face crowded her window with a microphone.
“Mrs. Rushner, we have a few questions.”
She didn’t respond and stepped out of her car, trying to move past the overly persistent reporter. Fumbling with her keychain, Adaline tried to find her house key with no luck.
What do I do now?
Multiple reporters gathered on the porch behind her shouting questions at the same time. She braced her hands against the door as sweat dripped off her back. She turned her head toward her neighbor’s house, and a lady waved in a frantic motion.
Is she waving for me?
Adaline breathed deeply and closed her eyes. Counting to three, she ran through the reporters toward her neighbor’s home. The lady who lived there opened the door, ready to give her a safe place to hide. Stepping inside, she fell on the floor, and the woman bolt-locked the door behind her.
“Thank you,…”
“Maggie,” the girl said with a small smile.
“Thank you, Maggie,” Adaline said, brushing her hair away from her face. She glanced around the lady’s house. Her home was full of antiques that made Adaline’s mouth water with excitement. “Your home is beautiful. I can see you love antiques.”
Maggie smiled. “They’re my grandma’s old trinkets I could never get rid of.”
The lady seemed to be around her age with red, curly hair and freckles. She had a warm presence about her.
“Thank you for calling the police the other day. I’m fine, but I appreciate your concern,” Adaline said.
Maggie nodded.
Odd silence filled the room. “So, what’s your story?” Maggie asked.
Adaline flinched. Maggie’s boldness took her aback. She wished she was more of an open book, but sharing personal things with people, especially strangers, wasn’t going to happen. “I’m not sure what you mean.”
“Well, since we’re neighbors now, and I did save your ass back there, I want to know who you are. The only thing I know about you is that you claim to have daughters, and the news doesn’t really paint a pretty picture of you,” she said. “Everyone deserves to be seen in a good light. Frankly, you could use a friend.”
Having someone care about her that knew only the bad things was quite refreshing. “Why do you care?”
“I just do. I don’t know,” she said. “Never mind. Don’t worry about it. You don’t need to tell me anything.” She walked away looking hurt. “Can I get you a hot chocolate?”
“That’d be wonderful.”
Adaline sat down on the couch and twisted her purple scarf in her hands.
Maggie came into the front room and gave her a snowman mug filled with hot chocolate and little white marshmallows.
“Marshmallows?”
“Haven’t you had a hot chocolate with marshmallows?”
“It’s been a while. I used to with my girls, but—” Adaline stopped, realizing she didn’t want to share anymore.
Maggie stared at her sympathetically.
Adaline didn’t want to be viewed as a sob story to someone she knew nothing about. It made her feel weak. She placed her hot chocolate on a coffee table close to the couch and held her hands together.
<
br /> “Is the hot chocolate too hot? I can add whip cream. That always cools it down, and who doesn’t like more cream?” Maggie fidgeted in her chair.
“No, really, this is perfect.” She picked up her mug and brought it to her lips, sipping slowly. Adaline paused, savoring the rich chocolate taste in her mouth. The marshmallows had melted, giving it a small hint of cream. She closed her eyes. “Yum.”
Maggie laughed.
Adaline opened her eyes, not realizing how vocal she’d been about her hot chocolate. She thought she had silently enjoyed her sip. Wiping her mouth with her hand, she smirked feeling embarrassed. It’s delicious and really hits the spot.”
“That it does. I drink at least three cups of hot chocolate a day. Pretty sure that the calories I’m trying to burn while working out is from all the hot chocolate I consume throughout the winter months.” She paused. “You can take off your coat.”
Adaline sat further back on the couch. “I’m okay. I’ll keep it on.” Something pinched her leg and she moved to grasp the object from underneath her. A small picture frame of a little girl no older than eight stared back at her. “Is this your daughter?”
Maggie stared at the picture with sadness and snatched it out of Adaline’s hand. “No. I don’t have kids.” Her eyes seemed to dart around the house with discomfort.
The coziness Adaline felt in this home earlier turned to a sour pit in her stomach.
What is she hiding?
Maggie peered at the clock hanging on her wall and looked out her window. “The reporters still there. I need to make dinner for my hubby. Would you like something to eat?”
Adaline didn’t even realize anyone else was in the house. “No, I’m good. Thank you.” She cleared her throat. “What does your husband do for work?”
“Oh, he’s an artist. He’s actually in his office working on a project right now.”
Adaline stood up. “Do you have a restroom I could use?”
“First door down the hall on the right, but don’t go down any further. My husband doesn’t care for interruptions or…visitors.”
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