Guardian

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Guardian Page 21

by A L Crouch


  Sulley nodded in agreement with whatever was being said. I sat up and we locked eyes before the paramedic bade me to lay back down. I refused and was about to stand up when Sulley appeared at the ambulance doorway.

  “Please tell him that I am fine. I can walk, I don’t need to be laying in the back of an ambulance when Will is still out there!”

  Sulley gave the paramedic a dismissive nod and the paramedic threw his hands up in defeat before walking away to give us a minute.

  “You’ve been through a lot tonight, you need to do what the paramedics say.”

  “I’m just a little woozie,” I argued. “Some water and I’ll be fine.”

  Sulley shook his head. “You need to go on to the hospital and let them check you out.”

  I got up defiantly, wrapping Sulley’s jacket around me and stood firm even though a strong gust of wind threatened to knock me off balance. We were parked further up the road from the crash site. I saw from the headlights of the nearest squad car that the drop to the ridge was only a slight slope here. It would be an easy hike from this spot.

  “There’s no way in hell that’s happening. There’s nothing wrong with me other than a few cuts and scrapes.” The paramedic handed me a bottle of water and I thanked him and then turned my attention back to Sulley. “We have to go back out there and look for Will.”

  “You’ll be safer at the hospital for the rest of the night. Whoever is after you could still be out there too.” He looked into my eyes. “Did you see anything Alex? Can you give me a description? Anything at all?”

  I took a swig from the bottle and then bowed my head. “I ran before I saw anything. Will screamed for me to run. I looked back, but I didn’t see anything. There were gunshots and then I fell down the embankment and hid under some brush. I couldn’t see his face, just the knife.”

  “Knife?”

  I looked him dead in the face. “It was the same knife Uncle Sulley. It was the same man, I know it.”

  “But did you see him at all? Anything that could help us identify him? Any scars, distinguishing marks? What was he wearing?”

  “No. All I saw were his hands because I was covered in all the debris. He had on gloves,” I grimaced, furious with myself. “He was right there . . . and I couldn’t see him without giving myself away. He was right there!”

  Sulley put his arm around me and hugged me to him.

  “I’m glad you did what you had to do in order to stay safe. You need to let us take care of this guy. This is why I told you not to come out here. Damn it Alex, why didn’t you just listen to me? I’m trying to protect you.”

  I hung my head. “I just wanted to remember something . . . anything that could pin the accident to Brightman. Will was trying to help me remember, and now he’s missing. Have you tracked down Brightman? Has anyone questioned him?”

  Sulley sighed and let me go.

  “I sent Conely to track down Brightman. He’ll call me if he finds anything. We’ll find Will. In the meantime, you need to let these paramedics take you to get checked out.”

  “I told you I’m not going,” I hissed.

  Sulley glared at me. When I didn’t back down he sighed and shook his head.

  “Fine, no hospital,” he agreed. “But you are coming home with me right now so I can keep an eye on you myself.”

  “No,” I cried. “We have to get back out there and find Will. He could be out there hurt. We can’t give up yet.”

  “I told you, we made a wide sweep of the area. There’s not much else we can do until morning, it’s too dark. We’ll send the dogs back out at first light if he haven’t heard from him, when we have a better visual. There’s no way you are going back out there Alex. You look like you could fall right over. When was the last time you ate anything?”

  I thought for a minute. The last thing I had eaten had been the part of the muffin Will had given me that morning. I had to admit, I was famished and unsteady, but none of that mattered as much as finding Will safe and alive. It was my fault that he was even out there.

  “I can’t leave him out here Uncle Sulley.” My voice was a plea and I looked into Sulley’s eyes urging him to understand.

  Sulley sighed. He looked from me to the pickup full of eager, whining hounds. He patted me on the shoulder and nodded.

  “Okay Kiddo,” he said. “Henley and I will take another pass across the ridge with the dogs. Jones!” he yelled and the officer jogged up to us, his breath trailing in white wisps behind him.

  “I want you to take Alex home to get her stuff and then take her straight to my place. I want you by her side every minute, do you understand? Do not leave her until I get there.”

  Jones nodded but I started to protest. Sulley cut me off.

  “You’re not doing Will or myself any good by being out here. If you want me to find him then I need you safely out of the way. Henley!” he called behind us.

  “Yessir?” Henley yelled back from his pickup.

  “Your dogs fit for another pass?”

  I watched Mr. Henley remove his cap and wipe his forehead with the back of his hand.

  “I’d give ‘em another hour before I need to get ‘em inside and fed. There’s a storm coming too. Best get moving,” he said and began to gather the leashes.

  Sulley turned to me and placed both hands on my shoulders.

  “One hour. That’s all you get. If we haven’t found him by then, we’ll have to call it until morning. I’ll meet you at my place exactly an hour from now. Jones doesn’t leave your side.”

  I thought about arguing, but I knew there was nothing else I could do. Sulley was being gracious by giving me this much.

  “Okay,” I said and with one final pat, Sulley walked to the pickup.

  I followed Jones to his squad car and climbed in the passenger side as the first smattering of rain began to fall.

  “Wait,” I called as we rolled up to Sulley and Mr. Henley before they started down to the ridge.

  Sulley turned and I shrugged out of his jacket and tossed it to him through my window. Sulley grabbed it and flung it over his shoulder.

  “You need this more than I do,” I said. “Find him Uncle Sulley.”

  “One hour.” He hollered back before he disappeared down the slope and Jones pulled the cruiser onto the road towards town.

  When we pulled up to the house I hopped out of the cruiser and ran through the stinging drizzle to the door. Lightning was flashing in the distance and the wind was picking up. I patted my pockets and was relieved that the new key was still inside. Shivering, I turned the knob.

  “Stop,” Jones called from behind me. “Let me go in first!”

  I sighed and stepped aside so that the officer could get by. I followed him into the house and waited just inside the door as he flipped on the lights and meticulously checked every room and window. When he cleared the kitchen I made a dash for the bag of Gram’s cookies and devoured three in the time it took Jones to come back into the kitchen.

  “Bottom floor is clear. I’m going to check upstairs. You stay right here.”

  “No worries. I lack the willpower or desire to move from this spot and these cookies at the moment,” I mumbled, my mouth full of oatmeal goodness.

  By the time Jones came back into the kitchen I had downed almost the entire bag. I felt better with a full stomach, but I was still shivering in my damp clothes. My body ached all over. I tossed Jones the rest of the bag and headed out of the kitchen.

  “I’m going to take a shower and grab my things. Please yell if Sulley radios in about Will.”

  “I’m not supposed to let you out of my sight, remember?” Jones set the cookie bag on the table, all business. Was this guy serious?

  I sighed. “I just spent twelve hours buried in grimy underbrush or trudging through knee-high wilderness. I’m wet, muddy, scratched all to hell and freezing. I am taking a hot shower and I don’t care if that means you are standing right there to hand me the soap.”

  When Jones didn�
��t waver I added, “Look, you already checked upstairs. No one’s getting past you down here. I think you can relax a bit.”

  Jones sighed and backed down. “I’ll give you twenty minutes. If you’re not down here by then, I’m coming up . . . and it won’t be to hand you the soap.”

  “Fair enough,” I agreed and made my way painfully up the stairs, gripping the railing for support.

  When I reached my room I shut the door behind me and looked into the mirror. My own reflection startled me. I was more of a mess than I thought. The once white tank top and blue jeans were now a sick shade of brown. I had small cuts and scrapes up and down my arms. My hair was littered with small bits of leaves and mud.

  “Do you feel as bad as you look?”

  I looked to the right of my own reflection and saw Donovan bracing himself against the door. My heart warmed at the sight of him.

  “I’ll feel a lot better after a shower.”

  “Hurry Alexandra, I don’t like you being here. It’s too obvious. We should leave as soon as possible.”

  I nodded and started to gather clothes from my bag. “Do you think he’ll come here?”

  Donovan hesitated. “I don’t know. Something . . .”

  I stood and caught the confused look on his face as he concentrated on something I could not see.

  “Something what?”

  “Something is off . . . I can’t pinpoint what it is, but I don’t like it. Hurry.”

  I knew that he wasn’t telling me something, but I also knew that there was no point in trying to get it out of him. I trusted him with my life.

  Rushing into the bathroom, I started the shower. Within seconds the room was filled with steam. When I emerged ten minutes later, I was warm, clean and dressed in my most comfortable sweat pants and a long-sleeved shirt. I had a fresh bandage on my thigh and my muscles felt much less tense.

  A glance at myself in the mirror assured me that I was looking much better as well. Then I caught Donovan’s reflection. He was leaning against the wall, ear to the door, the palm of his hand pressed against its surface. I knew by the way that he leaned that he was still weak. His eyes were closed and he was concentrating, a startled look in his face.

  “What is it?” I asked, holding my breath.

  “It’s Will . . .”

  I gasped, my pulse quickening. “They found him?”

  I ran to the door and threw it open.

  “Alexandra no . . . wait!” Donovan yelled and I felt his grip on my shoulder but I shrugged it off.

  “I’ve got to go. They might need my help. What if Will saw him? He might be able to identify Brightman!” I cried and ran for the stairs, eager to reach Jones and force him to take me to Will.

  “Alexandra stop! You have to listen to me! Something is wrong . . .” I heard Donovan shout, but I was already down the stairs.

  I paused and searched the room for Jones but didn’t see him. When I heard movement in the kitchen I hurried over.

  “Did they find . . .” I began to ask and then stopped abruptly in the kitchen doorway.

  Will leaned against the counter, the wine bottle tipped to his lips as he guzzled its contents. His uniform was muddied and torn and his face and hair were caked with a thin layer of dirt and sweat. He set the bottle aside when he saw me, his face frantic.

  “Will!” I cried with relief and ran to him.

  He embraced me and held me tightly against him. I closed my eyes and let the relief wash over me. Will was trembling. He let out a jagged breath.

  “I was so scared. I thought you were hurt somewhere or dying.” I breathed against his shoulder.

  Will rubbed my cheek with his thumb and held me tighter.

  “I’m okay. Everything is okay now.”

  “Alexandra no! Get away from him!” Donovan yelled behind me.

  The panic in his voice startled me and I opened my eyes. Over Will’s shoulder I caught a glimpse of something black in the corner of the room. I blinked back the tears of relief that had formed in my eyes and looked again. It was a boot. Pulling away from Will confused, I peered around him while he stood stock still.

  There, lying on the floor propped up against the wall was Jones. He was unconscious, his legs sprawled out before him. I gasped and jumped back from Will. He put his hands up to quiet me before I could speak.

  “I had to get to you . . . he was trying to stop me.”

  “What did you do to him?” I asked backing away.

  “I just knocked him out, he’ll be fine. He doesn’t understand . . .”

  “Wait a minute,” my heart sank into my stomach as I had a revelation. “If he didn’t let you in then how . . .?”

  “Alexandra, come this way . . . slowly, towards me,” Donovan called.

  I backed up to the cabinets and took a few small steps closer to Donovan and the front door. I kept my eyes on Will.

  “When the locksmith came this morning, I . . . I had him make an extra key.”

  “But why? Why would you do that?” I stammered, edging closer to Donovan, my mind screaming.

  Will reached out to me, pleading.

  “I had a feeling I would need it, and I was right. Alex, just listen to me for a minute. I have to tell you the truth, you don’t understand . . .”

  I looked down at the hand Will extended toward me and noticed for the first time that they were streaked with glossy red. I felt wetness on my cheek where he had touched me and I reached up to feel it. When I pulled my hand away, my trembling fingers were tinted with moist crimson. I gawked at Will and took another step back, panic thundering into my chest. The wild look in Will’s eyes sent my mind racing in a thousand different directions. What was going on?

  “What did you do? What did you DO?”

  I jumped when the crackle of a radio erupted from Jones’ belt in the corner. Conley’s voice, muffled, filled the channel. Will flinched and glanced behind him and then focused his intense stare back on me. His eyes were locked on mine.

  “Chief this is Conley, over. Come in Chief.”

  “Go ahead,” Sulley’s voice answered.

  “I have a ten-twenty on Birghtman. He’s dead sir. A witness saw someone in uniform matching Galia’s description leaving his hotel room about forty-five minutes ago. Said he took off on foot through the woods.”

  I gasped and looked at Will in horror. He shook his head and held my eyes. He killed him. He killed Brightman; he may have killed Jones. I had trusted a killer. Everything was starting to make sense.

  “Ten-four Conley. I’m on my way to the homestead now. Put out an APB on the deputy and then go check to see if he’s at the station or his house. Radio me when you have a twenty,” Sulley ordered.

  “Ten-four Chief.”

  I backed up further, but Will closed the gap with one hefty step. The intensity in his eyes made the hair on my neck stand on end. The wildness there made him a stranger.

  “You killed him,” I whispered and stepped back again.

  “Alex, listen to me . . .” he stepped closer.

  “Keep coming this way Alexandra. Slowly. That’s right, you’re almost there,” Donovan said.

  Will took another step towards me.

  “I . . . I couldn’t find you in the woods. So I found the road and hiked it to Brightman’s hotel. I thought he had you. But when I got inside his room, he was already dead Alex. I checked for a pulse, but he had been dead for a while. His throat had been slit.”

  Despite his words, the pieces of the puzzle were beginning to come together.

  “Oh my God. You . . . you were the one with the gun this morning. You told me to run. I never saw anyone else, only you. You were the only one there. It was you who shot at me! You wanted me to run, so you could shoot me in the back.”

  My breath left me in a rush as if I had been hit from behind as another realization dawned on me.

  “Gram! Gram warned me that the killer wanted me to trust him. You wanted me to trust you. You were there that night, just like she said!”


  I turned to run, but Will caught my wrist and spun me around.

  “No. You have to listen to me!” he yelled.

  “Alexandra run!” Donovan screamed as he made the knife set on the counter fly into Will’s arm forcing him to , making hi drop his grip on me.

  Darting for the front door, I heard Will charge, close on my heels. I flung the door open in his face and he slammed into it and stammered backwards. I ran out of the house and down the porch as fast as I could. A shriek was ripped from my chest when a crash of thunder crackled above and shook the earth beneath me.

  “Alex stop! Damn it, no! Get back here!” Will screamed from the porch and took off at a sprint after me.

  I darted down the driveway barefoot, the pavement ice cold and rough under my feet. The rain poured heavily making it hard to see past the nearest streetlight. At the end of the driveway I hesitated a second. There was no way I could make it to the station I realized with dread and then ran in the direction of the narrow dirt road that would take me to Sulley’s.

  It took only seconds to get to the end of my street. I was fuelled by terror and sheer adrenaline. I chanced a look back. Through the sheets of rain that fell like glass shards, I could see Will gaining on me.

  “Alex no! Damn it!”

  I took shallow breaths and ran as fast as I could onto the dirt road. The road was murky and drenched in shadows. My breath hovered like white ghosts around my face as I ran. It was hard to see the turns in the road until a flash of lightning illuminated the sky enough for me to see where I was going.

  The gravel cut into my bare feet with every panicked step, but I forced myself forward. I could hear Will behind me, his grinding steps closing the gap between us. I tried to move faster, but my chest burned when I sucked in the bitter air. My mind raced with my feet, trying to make sense of this horrid reality. I thought of Gram and what she had said in the cemetery, and the pieces fit. He was there that night . . .

  Finally, I rounded the last turn in the road and considered running into the dark recesses of the woods and cloaking myself in its blackness, but I was too afraid. I couldn’t be alone in the woods with this man. Not again.

 

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