“Oh, God, you didn’t—?”
“I did. Had to get the coals hot enough to turn the bones from your sins into ashes. As your husband, it was my job to make you pay for committing murder. You were a good girl, taking your punishment and even stayed all these years after I left. A miserable life was your sentence so I’m afraid a good one just isn’t in the cards for you.”
The fight in me was gone, replaced by utter shock and confusion. Billy’s words opened up my mind to the truth. I did stay, at least subconsciously, in Ridgeport to atone for what I did as a teenager. I shoved my own feet into the mud and mentally tethered myself to the town.
A large piece of my soul died on the edge of the dock.
In the distance, I heard the crunch of tires but couldn’t move.
“Oh, don’t look so sad, baby. Sounds like lover boy arrived. Since it’s so cold, let’s warm each other up and give him a show before he dies. Kind of cold out here tonight. For old time’s sake.”
Billy slid the gun between my legs as he untied the robe. The other hand was cold as it crushed my breast. I closed my eyes, unwilling to look into his disturbed, demented face any more.
I said a silent prayer for Eleanor, hoping Cliff would get her to a hospital in time. I followed it with another, asking God to comfort Cliff’s heart, and a final one to ask for forgiveness for what I was about to do, which was kill again.
“Sink or swim, asshole!” I yelled while bringing my knee up with everything in me into Billy’s crotch. He groaned and doubled over, one hand still firmly clutching the edge of the robe. He lost his balance and over we went.
Right before my head broke the surface of the water, I heard Eleanor and Cliff both scream.
The near-freezing liquid took my breath away. The water was dark and I couldn’t see a thing, though I felt Billy’s feet and fists flop about as he struggled to swim.
For a split second, I considered letting myself join my ex. The urge to let the water swallow me up like I wanted it to not long ago didn’t last long. It was replaced by the will to live.
To help Eleanor.
To see Cliff’s face again.
To not let Billy Runsford win.
To no longer suffer and pay for mistakes of my past.
Forcing my freezing limbs to work, I swam toward the surface. A streak of lightning helped guide me. When I didn’t think my legs could kick anymore, something grabbed my arm and suddenly, I could breathe.
“Renee, oh my, God!” Cliff yelled while pulling me to him.
I couldn’t have moved had I wanted to. I was shaking so hard I was having trouble breathing. Cliff eased me to the ground after my legs buckled.
“Eleanor? Where’s Eleanor?” I asked.
“Right here, baby. Shh, hush now. Save your strength. Clifton, you best get on that radio and call for the cavalry then get us some blankets before this girl goes into hypothermia.”
Cliff pulled his jacket off and covered my shoulders as Eleanor wrapped her arms around me. The dock shook as Cliff took off toward his car, screaming into his microphone while running.
“I’m so sorry, Renee. So very sorry,” Eleanor cooed as she looked behind me and out over the water.
“Me, too,” I whispered, knowing the pain she must be feeling for losing her child, and oddly surprised she hadn’t jumped in to try and save him.
“Don’t be. Billy deserved what happened. I didn’t want to believe my son was a monster but tonight he proved me wrong. He flew into a rage when I confirmed you were getting remarried. At first, he only tore up the house but when he came after me, I…well, I now understand the terror you endured for so long. I tried to get to the phone and warn you but that’s when he attacked me. I swear, if I had any inkling he was planning any of this…” Eleanor’s voice trailed off as she started to cry.
Still shaking, I forced myself to say, “I know, Eleanor. I know. I’m so sorry he hurt you.”
“Ditto,” Eleanor mumbled.
Looking up, I watched Cliff slam the trunk of his unit shut and head back our way. Before he made it back within hearing range, I asked, “Did you…hear everything?”
Eleanor looked at me, her eyes full of too many emotions to read. A few snowflakes floated down, landing on her wet cheeks and bloody gash. She nodded once and smiled while rubbing my back. “Some things are meant to stay hidden, Renee. I know how to keep secrets. Had plenty of practice over the years. I believe you’ve more than paid your penance for what happened out here so many years ago. You just let me do the talking when questions start flying, okay? I’ll make sure this last secret stays at Suicide Lake.”
Had I been able to do anything besides shake, I would have cried and hugged her back. Instead, I hoped the look I gave Eleanor truly conveyed my thankfulness and love. It must have, because she gave me a final pat and said, “Your love is coming back. Take good care of him, Renee. He loves you so.”
“I will,” I finally managed.
Eleanor helped me stand when Cliff returned, blankets in hand. I collapsed into his arms, grateful they were still there to hold me.
And that Eleanor would make sure they always would be.
“Oh, baby, I’m so sorry. It’s my fault! I shouldn’t have left you alone.” Cliff whispered in my ear while hugging me tight.
Sirens wailed in the distance as I shook in Cliff’s arms. “None of this had anything to do with you, Cliff. Don’t even go there.”
“Renee’s right, Cliff. Put the blame where it belongs, which is on my son’s shoulders,” Eleanor added.
“Damn, I lost my ring in the water,” I muttered. For some reason, the loss overwhelmed me and I started to cry. The lake owned too many pieces of my life.
“Doesn’t matter. I’ll get you a new one. The most important thing in my world is still here,” Cliff cooed. “God, I love you.”
I pulled away and looked at Cliff and knew he meant every word. “Me, too. I love you, Cliff Simpson.”
“Enough mushy crap. Cliff, get her into your car where it’s warm until the ambulance gets here. You two have a lifetime to fawn over each other.”
“On it,” Cliff said. He picked me up and carried me down the dock.
With one last look over Cliff’s shoulder, I mentally cursed the lake, thankful I’d never have to see it again. And I vowed to not let its secrets haunt the rest of my life.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Award-winning and International bestselling author Ashley Fontainne is an avid reader of mostly the classics. Ashley became a fan of the written word in her youth, starting with the Nancy Drew mystery series. Stories that immerse the reader deep into the human psyche and the monsters lurking within us are her favorite reads.
Her short thriller entitled Number Seventy-Five, touches upon the sometimes dangerous world of online dating. Number Seventy-Five took home the BRONZE medal in fiction/suspense at the 2013 Readers' Favorite International Book Awards contest and is currently in production for a feature film.
Her paranormal thriller entitled The Lie, won the GOLD medal in the 2013 Illumination Book Awards for fiction/suspense and is also in production for a feature film entitled Foreseen.
Ashley's decided to delve into the paranormal with a Southern Gothic horror/suspense novel, Growl, which released in January of 2015. The suspenseful mystery Empty Shell, released in September of 2014. Ashley teamed up with Lillian Hansen (Ashley calls her mom!) and penned a three-part murder mystery/suspense series entitled The Magnolia Series. The first book, Blood Ties, released the Summer of 2015, and was voted one of the Top 50 Self-Published Books You Should Be Reading in 2015 at www.readfree.ly.
Whispered Pain released in October of 2015 and Night Court released December 13, 2015. Ashley also penned a new zombie/post-apocalyptic series of books scheduled to release in 2016.
Connect with Ashley:
Website: http://www.ashleyfontainne.com – Sign up for Ashley’s newsletter and receive a free ebook!
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ashleyfonta
inne
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ashley.fontainne
Movie site: http://www.foreseenmovie.com
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