Guardian

by A L Crouch

  “Why is that?”

  I sped up the rhythm even more. “Because you are a terrible kisser.”

  Will lost his focus, hitting a throng of wrong keys and the music fell apart. He turned to me horrified, mouth agape.

  “I am not, you cheater, and you know it!” He placed his fingers back on the keys and smiled. “Rematch! And no distracting me with your obvious and outrageous lies.”

  I laughed and started the rhythm again. We played again and again and let the piano distract us from the rest of the world while the sun began to peek above the horizon. As the dim light seeped into the room, I looked into the piano and saw that Donovan never budged from where he sat at the base of the stairs, facing away from us, his gaze lost in thought. Waiting.

  Chapter 10

  When I emerged from the shower I felt refreshed despite the lack of sleep. I was eager to see what the day would bring. I hoped it would bring Brightman to justice. I reminded myself for the umpteenth time not to jump to conclusions just yet, but I couldn’t help it. It all added up.

  I wiped the fog from the bathroom mirror and studied the lump on my forehead. It was healing at least; the shades of black and blue were fading into a greenish yellow. Noticing the dark circles under my eyes, I dabbed on some concealer then put on a pair of jeans, a tank top and my favorite red sweater.

  I made a point to not look into the bedroom mirror as I laced up my sneakers. I knew Donovan was there, I could hear him, but I wasn’t sure I was ready to talk about the last few hours. Not before I could figure them out for myself.

  “You have feelings for him,” he said softly.

  I continued to tie my laces. “I don’t know what I feel, if you want to know the truth.”

  “You probably feel less alone,” he said and I finally looked into the mirror and met his eyes.

  “I already felt less alone, as soon as I found you again,” I whispered.

  Donovan sat at the edge of the bed. He was leaning over, his forearms resting on his thighs, fingers laced. He looked worried.

  “Well, you probably feel more understood, because you see the same pain and emptiness in him that you’ve lived with for so long.”

  I couldn’t deny any of what he was saying. I didn’t have the words to even try.

  “Bonding over tragedy is natural. The closeness you feel for him is normal.” Donovan sighed and looked away from me. “But Alexandra, you mustn’t get that close to him. You have to trust me with this. Keep your distance.”

  “But why?” I asked.

  Donovan shook his head. I thought he wanted to tell me something, but couldn’t. Or wouldn’t.

  “Aside from what I am sensing about him, you shouldn’t trust him. He’s hiding something from you.”

  “Like what?”

  “I’m not sure,” was all Donovan said before the sound of a heavy motor could be heard pulling up the driveway.

  “Chief is here!” Will yelled from downstairs.

  “It’s go time,” I whispered, suddenly feeling anxious.

  “I’ll be with you the whole time. Listen for me.” In the mirror I watched as Donovan took hold of my hand reassuringly.

  I focused on his warmth and took a deep breath. I was about to come face to face with my mother’s murderer. As much as that thought nauseated me, I willed myself to stand up and walk to the door. I turned to look once more at Donovan and saw him standing beside me and reassured, I left the room.

  When I walked into the kitchen Sulley was leaning back on the counter with a cup of coffee in hand. He offered me a full cup and I took it gratefully. Will was at the stove scrambling eggs. He nodded at me and went back to stirring.

  “Long night?” Sulley asked, one eyebrow raised.

  “We got by,” I said and took my first scalding sip.

  Sulley inspected my face, obviously trying to decipher what he had missed last night.

  “Right. Well I’ve got a locksmith coming by to change all the locks. Should be here any minute. We’ll head on out to the school and have a word with your friend Rick once they’re done.”

  I flinched. “Ugh, don’t call him that. Makes me sick to my stomach.”

  “Now I told you, we can’t go jumping to conclusions about the man,” Sulley said. “We’re going to need some hard evidence that links him to last night’s break-in. Or to your mother’s accident. We can’t work on only assumptions here.”

  I stole a glance at Will who gave me a told-you-so shrug. Sulley wanted hard evidence. I wasn’t sure how possible it was going to be, but I was determined to find some. If Brightman was the killer, he was not going to go free like he had the last fifteen years.

  I was suddenly very anxious to get to the school. I needed to see Brightman. I needed to gauge his reaction to some questions. I needed to know.

  “Can’t we go now? The locksmith could take a while and I don’t think I can sit here that long,” I pleaded.

  “Why don’t you have something to eat? I mean, I know I’m not the greatest cook, but you should eat something,” Will suggested.

  “He’s right. Maybe by the time you’re done, the guy will be here,” Sulley said.

  I shook my head. “No, I can’t. My stomach’s a mess. I just want to get up there. I have to know.”

  Will sighed and started dishing eggs onto a plate.

  “More for me I guess. You guys go on. I’ll stay here and wait for the locksmith.”

  “Really?” I asked. “You wouldn’t mind?”

  Sulley held up a hand. “I don’t know that I like this idea. I wanted to see to it personally that Alex and I were the only ones who touched those keys, no offense.”

  Will took a sip from his coffee cup and met my pleading eyes.

  “Look,” he said, “as SOON as the guy is gone I will lock up and take the keys straight to the station and lock them both in the safe. You’ll probably be back by the time I get there anyway, in which case I’ll hand them right to you.”

  “That’s a great plan, since we’re just going up there to ask him some questions, right? We won’t be gone long.”

  I understood Sulley’s concern, but I was too desperate for closure to let it stop me.

  “I don’t like it Alexandra.” Donovan’s voice whispered in my ear.

  “Please, we’ll be right back. Will can give the keys right to you,” I pleaded to Sulley, but was really answering Donovan.

  I needed to get out to the school, to get answers. Nothing else mattered to me in that moment.

  Sulley tugged from his coffee cup and looked from me to Will.

  “Fine. But only because I have somewhere to be later.” He jabbed a finger at Will. “I want those keys in that safe or in my hand. No one else so much as looks at them.”

  Will nodded and shoved a forkful of eggs into his mouth.

  “You got it. Mind if I grab a shower before the guy gets here?”

  “Yeah, sure,” I nodded and gulped down the rest of my coffee. I gestured for Sulley to do the same.

  Sulley took another long drag and then grabbed a fork from the counter and scooped some eggs from Will’s plate into his mouth as Will gawked at him.

  “You’re right. You’re not the greatest cook,” Sulley said and then taking one last sip of coffee turned to me. “Okay Kiddo, let’s go.”

  Will took another bite of his eggs and shrugged as Sulley walked out of the kitchen.

  “Thank you,” I said to Will.

  Will nodded. “Just don’t let me regret it. Be careful. Feel the guy out, but don’t push him. Let Sulley handle it. If he’s the one, we’ll find a way to prove it.”

  “Got it,” I said. “I’ll see you later then.”

  I turned and jogged out the door and hopped into Sulley’s truck as he started the massive engine.

  “Alright, now we are just going to ask Brightman some very basic questions about the house and what he may know about the break-in last night. Let me do all the talking.”

  I nodded and turned my attention
to the window while Sulley navigated us to the road that would lead us to the school. The morning was overcast with a light, chilling breeze. The darkened sky muted the fall colors and added a grayish tinge to the atmosphere.

  I stared, mesmerized, out the window. I hadn’t been on this road since that night, coming back from my recital. How fitting it was, I thought, that we were driving up to confront the man who murdered my parents off this very road. Why? That would be my first question to him. Why?

  The truck hugged the curves of the road and I held my breath and looked at the steep drop on the left side. We were getting closer to the accident site. I turned to Sulley who was concentrating on the road. He turned to me and smiled, oblivious. I had almost forgotten; Sulley was still in Iraq when the accident happened. He didn’t know the exact spot. But when we turned the next curve, I remembered vividly.

  Turning back to my window, I saw the small side street coming up on my side of the road; the side street the killer had sprung up from before hitting our car. The street was hard to make out because it jutted up from below the tree line and was covered in overhanging brush. I stared at the spot as we passed and tried to remember that split second before our car was struck. I remembered the headlights speeding up from the side street.

  Closing my eyes, I focused and brought the image from the past into my current reality. When I did, I recalled that the headlights were high up, above my eye level, not like the headlights of a sedan or smaller car. No, it had been taller, wider than a car. I concentrated, pulling the image closer in my mind. Red. There had been a glint of red from between the headlights. I gasped and opened my eyes. Sulley looked at me, concerned.

  “What is it?”

  “That was the road . . . the one the vehicle that hit us came from.”

  Sulley’s eyes widened and he nodded with sudden understanding. He grabbed my hand and gave it a squeeze.

  “God, I’m so sorry. I don’t know why I didn’t think of it. I’m sorry. This was the road . . .” he sighed. “I shouldn’t have let you come up here. I wasn’t thinking.”

  “No,” I interrupted, “it’s fine. I needed to come.”

  I squeezed his hand back and smiled. I didn’t want to tell him what I had remembered just yet. I didn’t want anything to distract from the task at hand. Talking to Rick was all that mattered at the moment.

  “Well, we’re almost there,” Sulley said letting my hand go.

  I looked to the window, at the incline in the road. The school was at the top. My heart began to race with fear and anticipation. How long had I dreamt of this moment? How often had I prayed for a chance to see justice served? I closed my eyes and focused on the strumming that came from the back seat.

  When the truck reached the top of the incline I stared at the red brick building trimmed in navy blue which sat among the tall oaks and pines. The school was smaller than I remembered, but had the same quaint charm. I scanned the parking lot for the white pickup truck and spotted it by the main office where it was parked next to a work van and larger pickups filled with lumber and metal extension ladders.

  “There’s the truck,” I said pointing it out to Sulley. “That’s the one I kept seeing.”

  Sulley parked beside it and turned off the growling engine then turned to face me.

  “Now remember, we don’t know anything for sure yet. We can’t just go accusing people of murder or break-ins on a hunch. I’ll do the talking, you just hang back and see if you can pick up on anything, okay?”

  I nodded, telling myself he was right. “Got it.”

  We got out of the truck and walked to the main entrance. I wrung my hands as Sulley tried the door. It was locked. He shrugged and then we heard the humming of a saw coming from the side of the building.

  “This way,” Sulley said and motioned me to follow.

  We turned the corner and found Rick with a half dozen other men in the courtyard between the main office building and the rest of the school. They had set up shop in the center with heavy equipment and lumber. A tent of plastic film covered the opened wall of the auditorium. Rick was bent over a long folding table in the center of the courtyard looking over plans while other men sawed and carried plywood and insulation from the side door. I stopped short when he spotted us and flashed us his signature smile.

  “Chief, Miss Nolan, to what do I owe this pleasure? I hope nothing is wrong with the permits.”

  Sulley shook his head and took the hand that Rick offered him. I stayed back, suddenly without words.

  “No sir, nothing like that. I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind taking the time to answer just a few questions. Do you have a minute?” Sulley asked.

  Ricked look from Sulley to me, the smile disintegrating from his face.

  “Certainly. I hope everything is alright. Shall we?” Rick gestured to the parking lot and walked passed me.

  I could only stare, taking in his heavy work boots and long sleeved flannel shirt. He looked different out of his usual business attire, but that smile was just as off-putting in jeans and a baseball cap. I could imagine his hands, covered with leather gloves.

  We walked back to the parking lot where the sounds of hammering and sawing were muffled and we could better hear one another. Rick stopped in front of his truck and turned to Sulley.

  “So what can I do for you Chief? The look on your face tells me this has nothing to do with our job here,” Rick questioned.

  Sulley sighed and rubbed his chin before starting.

  “There was a break in at the house last night. Someone attacked Alex.”

  Rick’s eyes widened with shock and he looked at me.

  “My God, are you all right?” He asked, sounding genuinely concerned.

  I took a step back, not liking his eyes on me. I didn’t dare speak for fear of saying something Sulley would regret later. Glaring back at him instead, I gauged his response. Sulley stepped between us.

  “Well here’s the thing, Mr. Brightman,” Sulley began, casually, focused. “Alex seems to remember seeing your truck on two separate occasions up near the house prior to the incident last night. I know your family owned the home before Tina . . . before Alex’s mother purchased it from the bank. I was wondering if you might have an idea as to who might want to scare Alex out of the house. Did you see anything unusual?”

  Rick looked to Sulley and then back at me considering what had been said. He nodded and turned to look Sulley directly in the eyes.

  “Oh I get it. You think I had something to do with it,” he said. “What? Because I drove by the place a couple of times?”

  “Now, no one’s accusing you of anything,” Sulley said, clearing his throat. “Do you mind telling me though, just why you were driving past the house? Were you on your way somewhere?”

  Rick took a labored breath, obviously upset by the direction of the questioning. He stared at me, his grey eyes pierced into me, and seemed to pin me to the pavement where I stood.

  “I haven’t been in Saluda for years. I wanted to see the old house. I have a lot of memories tied to that place, some good, some bad. I was just trying to get a feel for the old neighborhood, you know?” he said staring down Sulley. “Last I checked Chief, that wasn’t a crime. I’m sorry if you thought I had anything to do with that break-in. I hope you find your man, I really do.”

  Rick started to walk off back towards the school. I looked desperately at Sulley to see if he was going to stop him. Sulley only shook his head at me and sighed.

  That couldn’t be it. No, this wasn’t over yet.

  “Why didn’t you mention that you were from Saluda on the plane?” I called after Rick who stopped and turned to me.

  “Alex no . . .” Sulley said, but I waved him off.

  “What do you mean?” Rick asked.

  I took a step towards him. “On the plane, when you asked me about my roots in Saluda, why didn’t you mention that you were from here? You made it seem like you had only ever been here on business.”

  Rick conte
mplated and then, growing impatient, walked up to me.

  “Careful Alexandra,” Donovan whispered from beside me. I stood firm knowing that he was with me.

  “What do you think I should have said?” He chided. “‘Hi, my name is Rick and your mother took away the one thing that mattered most to my dying mom.’ Would that have been better for you?”

  Sulley scoffed and motioned for me to get into the truck.

  “Let’s go. This is doing no good Kiddo.”

  Rick snickered and took another step towards me.

  “Oh he never told you? Why does that not surprise me?”

  “What is he talking about?” I turned to Sulley.

  “Get in the truck,” he answered.

  I turned back to Rick, rage mingled with fear in my throat.

  “My mother bought the house at auction. Your family had already lost it.”

  A vile sneer twisted on Rick’s lips.

  “You’re right, we did lose it to the bank. When Mom came down with cancer she couldn’t work anymore. My dad had to take on two jobs just to keep food on the table and the power on. When the medical bills got out of hand they put a lien on the house,” he said stepping even closer. “We had to sell everything we owned, called every family member we had. We could have bought the house back.”

  “There was no way you were going to get the house back. It belonged to the bank straight out,” Sulley argued coming to us.

  Rick kept his eyes on me, unblinking.

  “We could have bought the house back at auction if there hadn’t been any other bids on the table. Your mom bought the house right out from under us,” he said, his voice rising. “That house was everything to my mom. Her heart and soul went into that house. Her children were all born under that roof. She loved that house more than anything. She was devastated when we lost it. She died less than a month later.”

  Looking into Rick’s eyes I could see unadulterated pain and raging hatred staring at me in cold slate. I leaned into his face, my own anguish and anger screaming in protest within my soul.

  “Alexandra, please . . .” Donovan pleaded, but I was too far gone.