by Vella, Wendy
“Think about that for a minute, will you? We did it, several times. Why the hell wouldn’t Mikey?”
“You’re right, I know you are. But he’s ours, you know? Me and Bran think of him as our boy, and I guess you don’t want to know they’re capable of doing wrong.”
“If he’d smoked normal weed, I doubt you’d have ever found out.”
“You think he’s smoked something laced?”
“My money’s on that.” Noah followed Jake back up the stairs. “It’s a hell of a reaction otherwise.”
“I’m hurting whoever gave him that shit.”
“Right behind you,” Noah added. “We probably need to tell Cubby.”
“I know we should, but this is Mikey and—”
“We don’t hide stuff from him, Jake.”
“Know that too. Right now, my focus is on Mikey.”
Lani was singing to him softly, and the boy had his face pressed into her lap. She looked at Jake as he entered, then Noah.
“Hey there, Lani.” The boy jerked at Jake’s voice.
“Mikey.” Jake sat on the bed and reached for him. The boy lunged. Jake held him close, pressing his lips into his head. “It’s okay now, I got you.”
Lani sniffed, and Noah inhaled as his eyes stung.
“I-I’m sorry.”
“I know, but you have to remember something, Mikey. I was young once and smoked stuff. There’s nothing you do that you can’t talk to me or Bran about. Nothing. Hell, I’ll even help you bury the body if I have to.”
That made Mikey snuffle.
“I’ll be really annoyed if you don’t come to me next time you have a problem. We clear on that?”
Mikey nodded.
“Okay, now let’s get to the bottom of what’s happening with you.” Jake eased Mikey back onto the bed. “Tell me everything. I need to know it all, Mikey.”
“S-smoked stuff.”
Noah and Lani stood at the end of the bed and watched. Listened as Jake drew the information he wanted out of the boy. She stood close enough that he could feel her arm against his. He fought the urge to touch her, hold her, when he saw the tears in her eyes.
She wasn’t his to comfort and never would be. Noah didn’t want that again, he reminded himself. Last time it had ripped his heart out of his chest, and he wasn’t entirely sure it had ever been put back in place right.
“Do you have any of the stuff you smoked still on you, Mikey?”
“P-pocket.”
Jake dug around in Mikey’s shorts and pulled a small bag from a pocket. Noah took it as he held it out. Opening it, he sniffed. “It doesn’t smell right.”
“You need to get it tested,” Lani said.
“Yes.” Jake shot both Lani and Noah a look. “But it will take some time to get it back.”
“I know someone who could do it fast for you.”
Noah turned fully to look at her as Jake continued to check Mikey over.
“What is it you actually did before you came here?” If he could get something personal out of her, he was taking advantage of that.
“Things.” She wouldn’t meet his eyes. “And it’s not me that can do it.”
“What things?”
She shrugged, then took the bag out of his hands before he could stop her.
“Or you’re planning to sell or smoke it.”
“Do I look like the type to do that?” She looked indignant now.
“There’s a type?” he said softly, so Jake and Mikey couldn’t hear. “And how do I know if you smoke the stuff or not?”
“That’s insulting!”
“Very likely, but what do you expect when you won’t tell anyone anything about yourself? Like I said, is Lani even your real name? All I know is you are fanatical about peanut butter, you decorate cakes like a star, and collect stray animals.”
He saw the fear again as she clutched the bag to her chest.
“Lani, you have to know I’d never hurt you.” Noah reached for her arm. Why did he always seem to be attacking this woman?
“He’s going to be okay,” Jake interrupted him. “But I need to get him home to Branna. Mikey needs to be warm and with people until he comes out of this. I can keep an eye on him during the night there.”
Dragging his eyes from Lani, Noah looked at Jake.
“Can you come with me, hold him to my place, then I’ll drop you back, Noah?”
“Of course.”
Lani exhaled, which told him she was relieved about something, possibly because he was leaving. But he would be back, and this time he was getting some answers.
“See you tomorrow at the Potato Festival, Lani,” Jake said as they left the shop. “And thank you for looking after Mikey.’
“Sure. No worries.”
“I’ll come back soon,” Noah said as he climbed in behind Mikey to the rear seat. “I take my coffee with cream and sugar.”
She didn’t comment on that, just closed the door, and, he suspected, locked it. But he’d be back and hammering on that door until she opened it.
“You’ll be better tomorrow, Mikey,” Noah said to the shaking boy in his arms.
He talked, Jake drove, and they pulled up to the McBride home minutes later. Jake carried the boy inside. Branna met them at the door.
“Is he okay? Mikey.” She pushed the hair from his head, then leaned down to kiss his cheek. “You’re going to be all right now.” She looked at Jake, and he nodded.
“He needs to get into a shower, and then bed. We’ll take it from there and see how he goes. But we’ll have to watch him through the night. I’ll take the first shift when I get back from dropping Noah.”
“I’ll walk.”
“No, I’ll drive you,” Jake said. “Just give me a minute.”
Noah did as he was told, as clearly Dr. McBride junior wanted to talk to him. Likely about Mikey.
Who was testing the drugs in that bag for Lani?
“Right, let’s get you back to town.” Jake appeared and followed Noah outside. “So, you and Lani?” he said when they were in his car.
“There is no me and Lani.”
“Then why were you in the Howlery?”
“Dropping off something.”
“Sure you were. Okay, I’ll leave that for now, but from where I’m sitting, which incidentally is right next to you, there is definitely a you and Lani.”
Jake was deliberately driving slower than a snail back into town.
“I don’t know anything about her.” Noah went for honesty. “She’s shut up tighter than Militant Lawrence’s liquor cabinet. What’s her deal, Jake? Her history?”
“I don’t know; no one seems to.”
“Do you think she could be on the run? It’s what I and a few others think.”
“It crossed my mind. The appearance, the belongings in the car. It kind of adds up.”
“I wonder who she is getting to test those drugs?”
“A friend, maybe.”
“I don’t like secrets, Jake. They make me edgy.”
“Everyone has secrets, Noah, even you. Lani’s nice, sweet even. But she’s definitely trying to keep her distance from us, not easy in this town, and there’s no doubt in my mind she’s been hurt—”
“Hurt how?” Noah didn’t like the thought that someone had hurt Lani.
“Now how the hell am I supposed to know that?”
Noah grunted.
“You like her, so why not explore that, Noah. Maybe you could get her to stay.”
“I don’t want a relationship, Jake. We’ve covered this already. Besides, no one knows shit about her. She’s elusive. Hell, she could be a murderer on the run for all we know.”
“Don’t be an idiot. Anyone with two eyes can see she’s a good person.”
“How? Besides that one night in Brook, no one has had a deep conversation with her that I can see.”
“Brook? What night in Brook?”
Noah realized his error and clamped his lips together.
“
Spill.”
“Nope. And I don’t want a relationship with anyone at this stage in my life.”
“Lani is not Samantha.”
“That particular sentence has been playing on repeat for the last few days, and I have to say I’m about over it. Now shut up and go home to your family. Call if you need me.”
“Will do. Go and have that coffee with Lani, and don’t think I’ll forget about the night in Brook comment.”
He watched his friend back down the drive and turned to knock on the rear door of the Howlery. It was only when he looked that he realized the Bronco wasn’t there.
Chapter Twenty-Three
“I urgent couriered you something.” Lani spoke into the cellphone she’d bought a few days ago. “I need you to test it, then call this number with the results ASAP.”
“I don’t hear from you in months and you can’t even say hello?” Mel knew instantly who she was.
“Hello, Mel.”
“Hello, Nutty, where are you?”
Closing her eyes, Lani pictured her friend. She was probably in her lab coat, hair pulled back in a clip, and tapping notes into her computer. She felt a tug of longing to see her face.
“In a small town, Mel, and you know I won’t tell you so don’t ask.”
Mel was the only friend she’d kept in touch with, a friend she’d had since her first day of college. She’d called her Nutty since that day, because she’d watched Lani pull out a jar of peanut butter and devour it.
“What stuff are you sending me?”
“Drugs. A boy I know took them and ended up really sick. I think it has something in it, Mel. Something bad, and whoever put it there needs to be held accountable. But first we need to know what we’re dealing with.”
“What boy? How do you know this boy? And who are the ‘we’ you’re talking about? You haven’t made personal connections since you left, and now you’re speaking in ‘we’ terms.”
“It’s not a connection, but I need to help him. Just test the stuff, Mel, please. Noah thinks it’s laced.”
“Noah?”
Damn. “Just a guy here.”
“What guy? You never mention guys.”
“Mel,” Lani sighed.
“Spill.”
“He’s nice, all right, really nice, but nothing will come of it and you know why. Now focus, please.”
“Nice as in sexy, or sweet? Have you kissed, or had sex? I mean, this is the kind of stuff best friends talk about, Nutty. I’ve been out in the cold for years. Tell me all.”
Lani laughed. It felt good to talk to her friend.
“The sex was good.”
“What! Did you really, or are you just giving me hope that you’ve actually interacted in a meaningful way with a man?”
“I had sex… twice.” Mel wouldn’t tell anyone, she knew that.
“Twice! You go, girl! Is it serious?”
“How can it be?” She felt a stabbing pain in her chest at the words.
“Oh, Nutty. Have you fallen for this guy?”
Holy crap, had she? No… no, no!
“I don’t think I’m capable of love anymore, Mel. Now can we focus here, please. I don’t like to be on the phone for too long.”
“Okay, okay, but I’m pleased you’ve had contact with people, and sex.”
“How’s Louie?” He was Mel’s boyfriend. He played in a band and was the exact opposite of Mel, but it worked and had for six years.
“He’s great. About to go on a tour, so I’m flying out to meet them halfway.”
“That’s awesome. I’m pleased for him.”
“Maybe I could meet you somewhere?”
“Mel.” Lani sighed again. She’d asked that before. “I can’t drag you into this.”
“But no one needs to see us together.”
“Okay, maybe. Just let me get out of this town first, and I’ll call you again.”
“I didn’t know what had happened to you, Nutty, when you didn’t contact me for so long.”
Guilt sliced through Lani. She often forgot there was someone out there who cared about her. “I’m sorry, it won’t happen again.”
“I forgive you, and I haven’t seen him.”
They always called the man who’d forced her into this life him.
“I think you should come back, and we’ll plan how to deal with him. You can’t run forever.”
“I tried to fight him, Mel. You know what happened.”
“But we didn’t make plans and get lawyered up. We’re older and wiser now.”
“Not yet. I-I just… not yet.”
“When, then? You can’t keep running. You need to come back and face up to this.”
“No. I can’t do that, he’s more powerful than me. No one will believe me. I tried, remember.”
“You need to try harder, and your dad was powerful, he will still have friends. Maybe we should try and contact one of them.” Mel was getting agitated. Lani knew because her voice was squeaky.
“We’ve been through this. I know that I can’t live this life forever, but for now it’s what I need to do. Maybe I’ll feel differently when I’m thirty and can inherit—”
“That’s two years away! Running only works for so long, Nutty. The more I think about this, the more I believe you need to come back, get a lawyer, talk to people who knew your parents.”
“I know running won’t work forever, and lately the pull to stop has been strong. I’m in this town, Mel, it’s… well, it’s hard to describe, but it makes me want to stay. Makes me want to have a home and friends.”
“I want that for you.”
“I know. I need to go now, Mel. I’ve couriered that stuff to you today. I need you to call this number as soon as you’ve tested it.”
“Okay, and I love you.”
“Love you too.” She ended the call. She’d never said that before. Mel always said she loved Lani, but she’d never reciprocated, until now.
“It’s that town,” Lani said, getting back in her car.
She’d driven to Brook last night, then slept in her car with Buddy, and as it turned out, Bandit. The cat had simply followed the dog into the Bronco and settled on the floor. When the post office opened, she had the package couriered overnight to Mel before calling her on the drive back to Lake Howling.
“It’s getting complicated, Buddy.” She looked at the dog, who was sitting beside her as he always did. She’d fitted him into a harness she’d bought from the pet store because she didn’t want him getting hurt if she braked hard. It now seemed she’d need one for the cat, who was sleeping yet again on the floor on one of her sweaters. “I mean, before I was happy to move about and never make friends, but now I have you Bandit and Lake Howling. There’s Mrs. C, Hank, and the others.”
The dog wuffled.
Driving down the hill and back into Lake Howling, Lani smiled as she caught sight of the lake glittering in the morning sun. It really was a picturesque setting. She noticed all the activity on the street and in front of the shops. Today was Potato Festival day.
Katie McBride, soon to be Hawker, was standing in the street and waved at her to stop.
“Hey, Lani, how’s it with you?” She leaned on the window. “We’re just letting people know we’re closing Main Street soon.”
Fit and vibrant, the woman was one of those who always looked good in whatever she wore. Today she wore a sweater with a turkey on the front and jeans. She and Cubby were always running or swimming, as far as Lani could tell.
“All good thanks, Katie.”
“I’ve been thinking about the cake for the wedding, and I really don’t want fussy. Mrs. C said I should go all traditional with three tiers and those little white pillars holding them up, but that’s not me or Cubby.”
The Hawker/McBride wedding was soon; in fact, just after Thanksgiving. Lani had thought to be gone by then.
“Could you maybe talk to her, Lani? I mean, you did that birthday cake with a few subtle flowers on for Anna Lynn, and I
was thinking something like that?”
“I can try.”
Katie smiled. “Great, so you’ll be the one to decorate it?”
“If I’m here, sure.”
“You’re leaving?”
“I will at some stage.” Lani was subjected to a steady look. Buddy whined.
“Hey there, Buddy.” Katie bent to look at the passenger seat where the dog was sitting. “The cat’s new. Is that the one you found out the back of the Howlery?”
“Yes.”
“You keeping it too?”
“I’m really not sure. I mean, Buddy will travel okay, but Bandit—”
“He looks comfortable.”
“I’ll think about it.”
“I think they’ve both found their homes with you.”
Katie’s words made a lump form in Lani’s throat.
“It’s nice having a special someone, don’t you think? Before I found Cubby, I was lost. He found me and brought me back home.”
“Oh, th-that’s nice.” Lani sniffed.
“I was in a ton of trouble, and Cubby looked out for me, helped me when I needed help. I just didn’t realize I needed it till he pointed it out to me.”
There is plenty of ugly in this town. It seemed Hope had been right.
Lani looked at the woman leaning on her window, and met the steady gaze.
“Here’s the thing, Lani, I know the look of a person who is not where they want to be in their life, and you’ve had that look since you arrived in Howling. Granted, it’s easing, and I’ve seen you smile, but Cubby and I think all is not right in your world.”
“Wh-what?” That fist had closed around her chest again.
“You in trouble, Lani?”
“I-I…. Why would you ask that?”
“I asked because if you are, then come to me or Cubby, and we’ll help you. I didn’t ask because I want to run you out of town. I asked because I was running once too, and I know the look of a person who is scared.”
“I’m not!” She hadn’t meant to yell, but it came out that way. “I-I need to go.”
“You have nothing to fear here in Lake Howling.”
“I-I know that.”
“Did you kill anyone?”
“No!”
“You on hard drugs?”
