Lovely Shadows (19 page)

“Already?” he chuckled, the tips of his ears turning red. “Kid moves fast.”

“And Billie moves even faster. I'm worried they're in over their heads.”

“Oh, I wouldn't worry about them. Sounds like they're being smart about it.”

“Still...” I took a drink of my water.

“How about we just focus on us tonight. I have a surprise for you.”

I raised an eyebrow. “A surprise?”

He nodded happily. “Something you won't ever forget.”

“Well, that sounds promising.” I felt a knot in the pit of my stomach. If he was alluding to what I thought he was alluding to, then I really was in for a night I would never forget. I just wasn't sure I was ready. Not this time.

After dinner he drove back to Browton. He parked the truck in the orchard then placed a blindfold over my eyes.

“I don't want you peeking,” he instructed. “I'll be back in a minute.”

I heard the driver door open as he scooted out. I wanted in anticipation, my mind whirring with the possibilities. Still, a small part of my brain was consumed with Laura. Was she safe? Where was Darren? For that matter, where the hell was Aidan?

“Okay,” Levi said, startling me. He took my hand and slowly pulled out of the truck.

“I cannot see a thing,” I complained.

“I won't let you fall. Just let me lead you.” He kissed my hand then guided me alongside him. I stumbled a few times but I did not fall. Just another testament to Levi's character: He always did what he said.

We stopped about a hundred feet or so from the truck. He told me to keep my eyes closed as he removed the blindfold.

“Before you see what I have for you, I want you to know that I love you more than I've ever loved anyone. Since we were five, I've known I'd spend my life with you. Tonight, I want to show you a small glimpse of how much I love you, of what I'm willing to do for you...Of how much I cherish you. Now, open your eyes.”

I squeezed them tightly for a moment before obeying. What I saw took my breath away.

“Levi,” I whispered. Every tree in the row was strung with twinkling white Christmas lights.

Sheer pink and white curtains were draped between two trees and brushed the ground like a canopy. Underneath laid a blanket and a radio.

“What is all this for?”

“You.” He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me against him. “Words cannot express how much I love you. So I decided to show you.”

“I'm convinced,” I said with a smile. “I already was. You didn't need to do all this.” I gestured at the trees.

“I didn't have to, but I
wanted
to. Jessa, there is going to come a day where I am going to make you mad or make you cry. It kills me knowing that as much as I want to prevent it, I can't because I'm not perfect. I want to give you as many great memories as I can to cover up the pain I know I'll some day cause.”

“Why are you so good to me?” I asked.

“Because you deserve it.” He twirled me in a circle then pulled me close. We danced under the starlit sky and among the twinkling trees. I kicked off my heels, letting my bare feet embrace the earth beneath them. Levi dipped me low and kissed my neck before righting me once more. I slightly stumbled.

“Head rush,” I laughed dizzily.

“Oops! Sorry—I thought I was being suave.”

“You were, just vigorously.”

“Do you want to sit down for a moment?”

I nodded.

He swept me into his arms then laid me down on the blanket. It took a few minutes before the orchard stopped spinning.

“Better?” he asked, gazing down at me.

“Much.”

His smoldering eyes were hard to ignore, even in the darkness. My breath caught in my throat as I thought about what might happen. My heart beat frantically as my mind shouted that I wasn't ready for this. But all he did was kiss me once before pulling me up.

“This has really been some night,” I complimented, filling in the sudden silence.

“Well, this only the beginning of what's to come,” he gestured towards the sparkling trees.

“Only the beginning?” I teased, ruffling his hair. He looked angelic under the Christmas lights. His blond hair looked like a halo.

“Oh, I have big plans, baby. You have no idea.”

“I guess I better strap on my seat belt.”

“You better because you're in for one hell of a ride.” He kissed my nose then helped me to my feet. I snuggled close to him as he drove me home. All the lights were off; it appeared Luke and Grandpa already retired for the night. Levi and I kissed for a few more minutes before he let me go. I waited until he backed out of the driveway and was out of sight before I sprinted into the house and up the stairs. Aidan wasn't back yet. I felt a measure of defeat and disappointment, yet I was grateful as well. I felt flushed from my time with Levi. I needed a moment to breathe.

I changed clothes then called Laura. The call when straight to voice mail. That didn't help me at all so I hung up without leaving a message. I sent a text message to Billie who promptly replied with:
Called 2 times. Answered both. Yelled @ me the 2
^nd
time. Think she's fine for now.

I thanked her then turned off my phone. I stretched out on my bed and tried to get comfortable. Everything felt wrong, not physically but emotionally and mentally. I rationally cheated on my boyfriend; I made out with a dead person. I was chasing down a suspected killer, and pretty much lying to everyone in my life, including myself. I hardly recognized myself anymore. The person I saw in the mirror now wasn't the same person I saw only a mere month ago. That I could change so fast, that I could overhaul my life with a blink of an eye, astounded me.

Yet, I couldn't regret a single thing that had happened, no matter how much I searched within myself. I wasn't sure what that meant for me. Maybe I wasn't a good Christian, or maybe I wasn't a good person. Maybe I didn't deserve the love of two of the greatest people I'd ever known. Maybe, as Billie continually pointed out, I was playing with fire; maybe I deserved to be burned.

I'd take whatever consequences awaited me, whether in this life or the next. Because deep down, everything I'd been through, and everything the future held, seemed worth whatever price I had to pay.

15.

I called Laura twice more in the morning. Billie called her as well and was met with a slew of curse words that, according to Billie, would have made a sailor blush.

“I guess we're annoying her,” I said. “I think I'm just going to call the police.”

“With what?” she sighed. “You have nothing to tell them.”

“I know but what if for one second they do take me seriously? Or even if they think I'm prank-calling them, they decide to watch Laura just to be sure? Either way, I would feel better knowing she's safe.”

“Fine,” Billie conceded. “Just call from a payphone, okay? They can trace these things.”

“You watch way too much TV.” I did see her point. We drove to the gas station and used the car-side payphone. I dialed the non-emergency number for the Blue Rapids Police Department.

“Good morning, Blue Rapids Police Department. This is Sally. How may I help you?”

“Hi Sally. I'd like to speak with an officer on duty, please.”

“Can I tell him whose calling?”

“Um, I'd rather be anonymous.”

“Sure thing, dear. Officer Holden is in. Give me one moment.”

I waited as elevator music filled the line. Billie began filing her nails.

The line crackled. “This is Officer Eric Holden. How can I help you?”

“Hi, um...I'm not sure where to begin.”

“Well, the beginning is always the best. Are looking to make a complaint?”

“No.”

“Do you need to report a crime?”

“Yes!” I nearly shouted.

“Okay.” Some papers rustled in the background. “Where are calling from?”

“I'd rather not say.”

“Okay. Then please tell me what the problem is.”

I looked at Billie who nodded in encouragement.

Taking a deep breath I said, “I have reason to believe Laura Summers is in danger.”

He chuckled. “Laura Summers? Why would you believe she is in danger?”

“Well...” Here was the tricky part. I plunged ahead. “Her brother Aidan died a few months ago. I've been investigating teen driving deaths. Something is suspicious about the accident.”

“Ma'am, I worked that case. Every angle was covered. How does this relate to Laura?”

“What if Aidan wasn't supposed to die? What if Laura was?”

“Wait.” And I did as he attempted to piece together my disjointed thinking. “Are you trying to imply that Aidan was killed?”

“Yes.”

“What would lead you to that conclusion?”

So I explained—and lied through my teeth—about how I randomly called different people and the reactions I received. I didn't mention Darren by name but I relayed his thinly veiled threat. I told Officer Holden about “this guy's” hatred of Laura, and how he spoke kindly of Aidan.

“Are you the girls that have been bothering Laura?”

I inhaled sharply. “What do you mean?”

“Laura filed a complaint this morning about multiple hang-ups she's received.”

“We're just trying to make sure she's still alive,” I explained feebly. Even I could hear how nuts we sounded.

“We? As in, there is more than just you working this supposed murder?”

“Yes.”

“Huh.” I heard a pen scratching against a pad of paper. He sighed a few times. I could only imagine what he was thinking. I know how I sounded now that I'd talked everything out. Conclusively, I was insane.

Finally, he spoke. “Do you have any other evidence that Aidan was murdered?”

Sure, I heard it straight from the horse's mouth
. “No.”

“Listen, without physical evidence, we have nothing except hearsay. If you know anything about law, hearsay isn't worth squat. If you had a letter or some visible proof, I could help you, but...”

“Can't you just watch Laura for a few days? You know, make sure she's safe?”

“I cannot stalk her just because you have a hunch. That is an invasion of her privacy.”

I sighed deeply. I'd done all I could, which felt almost more frustrating than if I'd done nothing.

“Ma'am?”

“Yes?”

“You need to stop calling Laura. I appreciate your concern but what you're doing is borderline harassment.”

“Sorry.”

“If you actually get some hard evidence, then please feel free to call me. Otherwise, let this go. You sound like a nice girl, and you are in over your head.” God I was getting sick of that phrase.

“I feel like I'm drowning,” I admitted.

“Then I suggest you head for shore. Have a good day.” Then he hung up.

I peeled out of the parking lot and floored it out of town.

“Where are we going?” Billie asked. Her hands gripped the dashboard, her eyes wide with fear.

“Crazy,” I laughed, “I'm going crazy!” I whipped the car down a dirt road. We bounced around as I hit every rut and bump. I laughed manically before I pulled alongside a ditch. Leaning my head against the steering wheel, I burst into tears.

“I'm so lost,” I confessed through the pain. “I'm in love with two boys, one I'm about to lose forever. I can't figure out Aidan's death; I can't save his sister. I'm not Atlas, Billie. I can only take so much!”

“Hey,” she said, pulling me into her arms. “Shh. We'll get through this, okay? We're doing everything we can to help Aidan. As for loving them both, I don't envy you. I guess you could look on the bright side: At least you already know who you'll wind up with.”

This made me bawl harder. Billie held me until I felt sober enough to drive home. Luke looked at me then gave me a wide berth. Once I looked in the mirror, I could see why. My face was splotchy, my eyes were red and sore, my mascara streaked down my cheeks. I looked like a poster child from a horror movie.

I splashed cold water on my face and desperately worked to erase any signs of stress. I snapped off the light and went into my room, where I found Aidan sitting at my desk.

“You're back!” I exulted, throwing myself at him. However, he did not return my embrace.

“What's wrong?”

He shook his head. “I'm an idiot.”

“Why? Aidan, what happened?”

His eyes were cold. “I came back last night. Thought you might be out with Levi. Boy, were you ever out with him.”

“You were there?” A thousand memories flooded my brain. Every kiss, every touch...And Aidan had seen it all.

“Yeah, I was there. I knew...I just hoped...I guess I thought maybe what we had was better than that.”

“Aidan, it is,” I argued, feeling defensive. He wasn't being fair. “Levi is my boyfriend. Of course I'm going to kiss him. I don't have to justify myself to you.”