Blind Trust (21 page)

“That’s not true,” she said but her resolve sounded shaky to me.
“He wouldn’t . . . he just wouldn’t.” She glared at me and her scowl grew, her
hair jumping as she did so. “Besides,
she,
” she poked me in the stomach
with a sharp nail, “hit James.”

I looked down at where she’d prodded.

Grace snapped her finger away and rubbed it as she stared
wide-eyed at my stomach. Did she think it would be anything less than rock
hard?

“James?” Still that odd, calm but not so calm tone came out.

I flexed my biceps. Grace raised her eyebrows. Yeah, they were
bigger than her thigh.

“
Who
is James?”

“Sheriff,” got fired back at me from all directions.

“Why in blackbear would I hit McKinley?” I unfolded my arms,
making Grace flinch. Her eyes lingered on my biceps. “He’s an idiot sure, but I
ain’t got no need to hit the guy.”

“Liar!” She launched herself forward. Drew back her hand. I caught
it before it was even half raised . . .

“Hey, Grace!”

Oh, Marie, thank heavens you understand. I just don’t know how I
get up in the morning. Why can’t I just forget the dumb oaf?

“Marie, did you talk to Hal?”

Why woman? Why don’t you just tell him that you love him. I don’t
see it myself, I mean look at him. He’s a weird little man. Besides he can’t
even cook his own food. You’re better than some fifties housewife.

“How are you today? Did the doctor give you anything . . . you
know . . . to help?”

“Oh, Marie, there’s nothing that can make it better. Mamma says
it’ll just take time but it gets worse every day.”

“The least he owes you is an explanation. He said anything at
all?”

No, he never says a word. He won’t even look at me. How can he go
from wanting to marry me to forgetting I exist? Maybe it’s her. He’s been
silent for months then she shows up and he stares at her like she’s an angel.
Ugh, I hate her. Who gets that tall anyway?

OUCH . . .

“Hey, watch where you’re going!” Damn tourists, if it wasn’t for
the hotel I would have them shot, every last one. “Don’t say sorry then!”

Idiot.

“You should tell James. He could have hurt you.”

Oh, ouch . . . my side. What did he have in that coat anyway?
Probably a bottle of something or tools. He’s scruffy enough to be one of those
contractors.

“Go on, Grace . . . Maybe he’ll see sense then.”

“Maybe you’re right.” Okay, I’m just going to—”

Bang.

Bang.

“James!” Oh please be okay. “James!”

“I’m fine, Grace. Go get the doctor—” He’s looking at me. He’s
worried. “Please, Grace . . . just get the doctor.”

Doctor, right . . .

I let go and Grace rubbed her throbbing hand. I knew that I’d
probably half crushed it with the vision. I didn’t know what to think. She had
bumped into the same guy too and there was something hard in his jacket . . .
or waistband.

“Simon,” I said, turning to him. “What did you see? Please, tell
me.”

“I didn’t see a thing.” He shrugged and made a break for the door
again. The bell jingled as he fled and I stared at the open/closed sign as it
flapped in the breeze. What was wrong with him?

“Mark, will you walk Aeron home?” Martha said before patting me on
the arm. “You need to rest up . . . I’ll take dinner to her and Evan is itching
to help.” She squeezed my arm once more. “She needs you strong.”

I nodded, jarred by the vision and confused by Simon’s continued
denials. That was three times now.

“And as for you, Madam,” Martha snapped at Grace in the kinda
motherly tone that made most kids run for cover. “
You
have caused enough
chaos for one day.”

Grace burst into tears and fled from the café, Marie hot on her
heels.

I met Mark’s gaze and he shrugged. “They’re even more of a mystery
to me.”

“Sometimes I wonder if I’m a woman at all,” I mumbled as we headed
out of the café.

THE SUN WAS setting in a big orange-and-pink display bathing the
well-trodden snow with dabs of color as we trudged our way back to the cabin.
“I don’t think I have ever once wailed like that.”

Mark grinned at me. “I’d say that means you’re sane.”

I laughed harder than I should have but Mark had no idea how
ironic his words were. I thumbed behind at the café. “How come you don’t have
one of those crazies nagging on at you?”

Mark smiled. “I do. My wife is more of the active type and she
flies all over the country.” His thoughts headed off somewhere into memory as
we strolled down the road. “She’s a regular guy,” he said with a smile. “Taught
me how to change the oil on the truck but don’t tell anyone.”

“What does she do?”

“Joanne?” He kicked the snow. “She coaches ice hockey.” He looked
up with a crooked smile. “Used to be a goalie.”

We turned off the main street and up the wooded lane to the cabin.
“That how you met?”

He nodded, brushing the snow off the tree branches as he walked. I
got the flash of him as a boy trying to reach up and do the same. “I played for
a good while in the NHL . . . Retired a couple of years back to a simpler life
but Joanne . . .” He kicked the snow again, his floppy brown hair whipped into
his eye. “She lives it still.”

“Guess that’s hard,” I said. “Being without somebody you love so
much.”

We trudged up the steps to the cabin in silence. The clomping of
boots mingled with shrill birdsong. The smell of damp wood filled my nostrils
and almost took me back to Nan’s cabin. It was one of my favorite smells. For a
second, I was back there with Nan and Renee, listening to the waterwheel
churn. 

An oddly calm feeling rustled through the snow-filled trees,
drawing me back, and I shoved my hands in my pockets.
That
feeling. I
scowled up at the sky. What else was gonna happen?

“Aeron. Pay no attention to my idiot cousin, okay?” Mark leaned
against the wooden rail as I watched him, the walls slipping away in front of
my eyes as the truth fell like glitter from his lips. “Brad, he’s a nasty piece
of work. He wants anything that someone else has. He’s always been the same.”

“Why?”

“Him and his kid brother, Seth.” He wandered to the snow-covered
swinging bench and slumped down onto it. “They drive their parents crazy. They
weren’t all that spoiled . . . at least no more than me.”

“The temper?” I asked.

Mark sighed. “Not from their parents. I mean, ah . . . their dad
is a surgeon and commutes from Denver and their mom is . . . well . . . just
the sweetest woman on two legs.”

The rough feel of my jeans against the back of my hand pinched as
I leaned on the wall to study him. Mark had run the whole situation over and
over in his mind, I could see how wearily it churned around him like years of deliberation
had worn away at his zest for life. It was the first time I’d seen just how
tired he really was.

“Did something happen to them?” I asked. “Did they lose a dream or
maybe get hurt?”

Mark shook his head. “Thing is, Brad was like it as a kid. He’d
thump Seth just for looking at him. His parents didn’t know what to do with
him.”

“Ah, so Seth’s attitude comes from his brother.”

“No doubt,” Mark said, leaning onto his knees.
“Last year or so though, Brad has been worse . . . been . . . well, I don’t know
. . .”

“Brooding?” My senses swirled with what I’d picked up from him.
“Are you sure his dad doesn’t hurt him?”

Mark looked at me with a frown etched across his handsome
features, and I smiled to try and show him I wasn’t judging just listening.

“I was never there twenty-four-seven but no.” He shook his head to
emphasize it after a moment or two. “Their dad dotes on them.”

“So Brad is just a violent jerk then?” I asked. My voice sounded
quiet even to my own ears. I’d missed out on the signs before, had I done so
this time?

“His father is forcing him to enlist,” Mark said. “I talked it
over with him last week . . . the whole family did. Brad is still young enough
to be let in.”

“Bet he’s real happy with that.”

“He doesn’t know yet.” Mark leaned back and closed his eyes. He
looked so much older than when I’d first seen him now. Life had weathered him.
“God help us when he does.”

“Probably best you should keep him away from Grace.”

Mark opened his eyes. He frowned as though he wanted to shake off
my observations but then he nodded. “If there’s one man he wants to tear apart
most, it’s James.”

Jealousy would do that to a guy.

“What will you all do with Seth?”

“There’s not much I can do. He’s still in high school and his dad
is convinced that he may grow out of it once Brad is gone.” Mark got to his
feet. The sudden burst of energy from him startled me. “Sorry. I gotta go or
I’ll sleep right there.”

He offered his hand and I knew that now was the right time so I
stepped forward and hoped I didn’t end up in a heap on the wood.

Joanna, wish I could
talk to you. Wonder if you got there safe. You should have touched down hours
ago. Oh great, Brad . . . hope the service straightens you out or you’ll end up
serving time. I should have done something, should have done anything . . . why
didn’t I see it?

Same reason Joanna doesn’t see a damn thing. If she was having an
affair it wouldn’t be so bad but having her love a damn puck more than me . . .
Dammit.

“Mark, you coming?”

I get why you want to drown yourself, Simon, but what hardship has
that idiot ever faced? It’s not even noon.

“Nah, heading to the café though.” At least line your stomach. I
don’t want to have to pull your sorry ass up off the floor, again. Who is Brad
sneering at now? Serena? What is it with him and blonde women?

“Hey, Ice Queen, where’s your knight?”

“Hey, Brad . . . how’s your paw . . . heard Ice Queen showed you
her moves.”

Hal, shut up. You have taken one beating, just learn to back off.

“You want me to fix that face of yours, hillbilly?”

Hillbilly? Brad you are the biggest idiot I’ve ever met.

“You want me to slam your ass in a cell?”

What is that guy doing? No—”Down!”

Bang.

She turned. Gun Raised. Fired.

Bang.

“Stop wailing, man!” Where was the other bullet? Where, what?

Mark gave me a quick hug and headed off down the steps. I watched
him, replaying the vision over and over. He’d only seen Renee hit the guy with
a bullet, only one bullet. Two shots, one bullet and I felt exhausted. I headed
into the cabin with one idea only . . . sleep.

I CURLED UP onto the sofa ready to snooze with Blob. He had
decided that sleeping next to my feet was a good place. He was weirder than I
could cope with at that moment so I just went with it.

A knock at the door stole any chance of peace. I got a disinterested
huff from Blob as I swept my feet through his icy coldness.

“Comin’.”

The knocks got louder this time. They were nervous and it made me
feel all jittery before I’d even opened the door.

“Simon?”

He nodded, looked around the darkness as if somebody could be
following him, and rubbed his nose with his hand. “Can I come in? I won’t stay
long, it’s just—”

“Sure.” I stepped out of his way and he eyed the room as if he was
looking for cameras. “Can I help?”

“See, I don’t want any trouble,” he said. His tangled black hair
was curly, his gruff beard in patches. “I’ve seen enough trouble.”

“At sea?” I asked, getting a jolt of his panic as response. “I
heard from Mark that you served.”

He rubbed the tip of his nose. The guy was as weather beaten as it
got. I was pretty sure from his energy that he was not much older than me but
boy, did he look a lot older.

“It’s money,” he said. “Dad did the same . . . Navy . . . For a
boy who’d never seen the sea before, it was an adventure . . . see the world .
. . money.”

“I guess it’s pretty hard though?”

He nodded, wringing his salt-worn mitts-for-hands in front of him.
“I lost a guy . . . a buddy . . . storm . . . wave just smashed him off the
deck.” He hugged himself, looking like he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
“Don’t know why I’m telling you this.” He shook his head. “Just . . . can’t get
it out of my mind.”

If there was one person who knew survivor guilt as Renee would
call it, it was me.