Hope Falls Season 2 - Eagle Valley (8 page)

She stared down at her left hand and at the ring twinkling there. The diamond at it's centre flashed brilliantly and it took her breath away every time she looked at it.

The rational part of her brain told her that she was getting married to a man that she still knew little about but her heart didn't care. She loved him completely. She had missed him when she had woken this morning to find he wasn't there.

She thought briefly of Miriam than. It seemed that their lives kept coming back to her, that she would continue to haunt them. But the happiness of her engagement pushed all the darkness away from her, made her glow from the inside out.

Until she saw the blue script page.

Susan remembered Miriam describing them, how they would appear in the middle of a day's script and that she would know then. She would know that someone was going to die. Someone was going to suffer.

Along the top of the page, Susan saw the words:

INT: HALLIWELL KITCHEN,
EAGLE VALLEY
NEW MEXICO

[SUSAN reaches toward the blue pages with a shaking hand… And, just like the stage directions said, she reached towards the blue pages with a shaking hand and began to read.

Chapter Seventeen

Susan scanned the page quickly once, then a second time. She felt her breath growing shallow in her chest; She felt as if the world was closing in around her. There was only one page, but it seemed as if it would take forever for the words to sink in. With a shaking breath, she read the pages a third time

* * *

INT: HALLIWELL KITCHEN,
EAGLE VALLEY
NEW MEXICO

[SUSAN reaches toward the blue pages with a shaking hand. She clutches them to her chest, quickly, as if they might burn her. She looks around the kitchen, its walls feeling as if they were moving slowly inward.]

SUSAN: Who left these here?

[Silence greets her. SUSAN tires speaking again]

SUSAN: Hello?

[She puts a hand to her throat, her nightgown low cut, revealing the shadow of cleavage]

SUSAN: Won't someone answer me?

[Dark laughter comes from the shadows around her]

SUSAN: Please, is someone there?

YOU ARE BEING WATCHED

* * *

Susan looked at the page quizzically, as if it would hold a clue of some sort. It was a game, she thought suddenly, someone's sick idea of a game. It didn't feel like a game though, this letter felt very real.

It almost burned her hand to touch it.

Susan paused for a moment and then slipped the paper into the pocket of her housecoat. She pulled the coat around her, so that she would be covered. Could they see her now? Was she really and truly being watched?

She decided not to tell Derrick and Cleo about the page. Or Sophie. She would keep this to herself for now. She didn't want to spoil the happiness inside her, the warmth that the ring on her finger spread through out her whole body.

She would wait and tell them when it was right.

Sighing, she went to the liqueur cabinet and took out the bottle of Baileys. She added two healthy dollops to her coffee and a third for good measure. Susan took a greedy sip of her coffee and smiled, in spite of everything.

It was going to be one of those days.

* * *

The blond woman by the door laughed softly and came in. She closed the door to the attic behind her and stood there like a vision. "I want you Derrick." She whispered. She stepped closer to him and laughed again. She was wearing a simple cotton dress. Derrick could see her nipples underneath the dress, could see the sun shining through the fabric.

"Miriam." He whispered. The word came out in a choked half sob.

"It's all right, Derrick." The woman purred. "It's alright. I'm here now. Let me take care of you." Slowly, she reached behind her head and undid a loop, letting the dress fall to the floor. It pooled at her feet like water and Derrick watched the rise and fall of her breasts. "I want to take care of you." She said.

"I've missed you so much, Miriam." Derrick said. He approached her and reached out to touch her, to feel her in the flesh. The woman reached for his hand and cupped it around her right breast.

"I'm real." She said. "You can touch me. I want you to touch me, Derrick, make love to me."

Slowly, Derrick took off his clothes and let them fall to the floor beside hers. She took her in his arms than and crushed his lips against hers. He thrust his tongue into her mouth to taste her, to breathe her in. He never wanted to let her go.

"Oh, God, Derrick, I need you now. I need you now Derrick." The blond woman purred.

The sound of her voice set Derrick on fire and in one swift motion he thrust into her. They fell onto the floor with Derrick on the bottom. Riding on top of him, the blond smiled widely.

All it would take now, she thought, was time.

Chapter Eighteen

Erin
studied herself in the mirror. Her chin length red hair suited her green eyes. She had a smart suit on, a soft purple wool number made by Prada. She wanted to look like she came from money. You always had to make a good first impression.

Her shoes were Jimmy Choos, and she wore a small Tiffany necklace around her neck. On her finger, she wore a small ruby on her finger. Okay, so she had gone shopping. But she had wanted to look the part. She had to be convincing after all.

She checked her watch. She had just enough time for a quick bite to eat and then it was off to her destiny. Okay, so she had gone shopping and had postponed her trip to the
Eagle
Valley
house. She was nervous, dammit. She had never done anything like this. It would take all of her concentration.

"Okay," She said to her reflection. "Get a bite to eat and then it's time."

* * *

When Derrick awoke, the blond haired woman was gone.

He sat up slowly and looked around the attic. The sun, higher now, was slanting the shadows, but there was no sign of her.

Derrick looked down at himself and was shocked to find himself naked. He hadn't imagined her than. Miriam had come back.

* * *

Madder sat outside
Erin
's hotel and watched.

He had a set up in the car. Food, plenty of beer. And other things, should the need arise for him to use them. He eyed the black bag on the floor of the car beside him. A slow smile spread across his face. It would be fun, but hopefully not necessary.

Madder snapped to attention when he saw
Erin
leave the hotel. And idea had occurred to him and, rather than listen to the sensible part of his brain, he was going to follow an impulse and do what needed to be done.

Man, was she gonna be pissed.

* * *

She sat outside the house.

She was a little cold. The afternoon had turned chilly and she had neglected to bring a sweater. She swatted at her dark gray hair as the wind blew around her. She heard a shrill sound.

Reaching into her coat pocket she took out her cell phone and flipped it open. "Yes?"

"Are you in position?"

"You know damn well I am."

"I'm sorry, Betty, but I just can't afford screw ups this time. Understood?"

"You know I'm not gonna screw up." Betty spat into the phone. The branches in front of her waved in the wind as if they were saying hello. She wanted to set them on fire. "Why else would you hire me for this job?"

"Because I want the best." Howard's voice grew soft. When his voice was soft, it was best to watch your footing.

"And I am the best." Betty said. "So how about you let me do my fucking job?" She flicked her phone shut and smiled. Let him stick that up his butt and stuff it, she thought.

She was to observe the house for another twenty-four hours. Then she would strike. She had a score to settle. When Miriam had knocked her down, it had taken her more than a year to get back her reputation as a cold hearted, no survivors assassin. It was hard enough to keep afloat in this business without some blond messing it up.

She knew that Miriam wasn't in the house. But someone would pay. Howard had seen to that. This time, for her, it was personal.

She ducked down further into the bushes when she heard a car driving up in the driveway. Inside as a young woman with shiny black hair and soft make up. She stopped the car and got out, reaching in the car for her purse.

Who the hell was this woman? Betty thought. She had been observing the house for a week and she had never seen her before. What was going on?

There was more to this than met the eye, Betty thought. And she wanted in on the action.

Chapter Nineteen

Erin
adjusted her coat and closed the car door. She flipped out her shiny black hair and surveyed her make up in her rearview mirror. Satisfied with her appearance, she took one more fortifying breath and calmed herself. "I can do this." She said. "I can do this, I know I can." I have to stop talking out loud, she thought. I'm starting to sound like the little train that could.

Steeling herself, she ran to the front door and rang the doorbell several times before she could change her mind. Oh God, she thought. What am I getting myself into?

* * *

In the kitchen, Susan heard the doorbell. She looked up when she heard footsteps on the stairs and saw Cleo looking as shaken as she was. Susan wondered vaguely what was troubling her mother, but she pushed that aside. There were more pressing matters at hand.

The last time they had had a guest, it had been a visit from the past. Both Cleo and Susan eyed the front door with caution. "Maybe they'll go away." Susan said. She jumped when more footsteps sounded behind her. Cleo and Susan both turned to see Sophie coming into the kitchen.

"Don't do that!" Susan said.

"Do what?" Sophie said.