Amber Smoke

by Kristin Cast

  “Not a word, thank God. I guess this means I’m in the clear.”

  “That’s great! Finally some good news.”

  “Right?! See, I told you there’s no reason to worry about me.”

  “I wouldn’t go that far, but—”

  “Get off my ass!” Eva pulled the phone away from her ear as Bridget shouted and honked. “Sorry, I left work not too long ago, and this guy behind me has been, like, two feet away from my bumper ever since. Crazy bastard!” She cleared her throat before continuing. “What were you saying?”

  “So I’m guessing you didn’t get fired for going into work late yesterday?”

  “They wouldn’t dream of firing me. But can you believe I had to go in and open the store this morning? And when I say morning, I mean early morning. I had to be there before nine. My boss is totally punishing me for coming in late last night. Oh, speaking of late nights, how did yours go?”

  “Fine. Alek’s gone. He went to Tartarus to see if his mothers will let me stay down there for a little bit.” She pinched the phone between her ear and shoulder while she dug through the pantry. “It feels so weird saying that.”

  “But more importantly, did anything happen?”

  She balanced a box of crackers, a can of spray cheese, and a jar of olives as she carefully made her way to the counter. “What do you mean?”

  “Do you really need me to spell it out for you?” Bridget asked.

  “No.” Eva turned on the sink and rinsed her hands. “Where are your knives?”

  “Oh my God. You’re killing me,” Bridget whined.

  Eva dried her hands off with a paper towel and rummaged around the silverware drawer.

  “Stop fondling the cutlery and answer my question. Did you have sex with the man, Eva?”

  “What? No, I didn’t even think about it. There’s way too much going on. Besides, it’s not like that between us.”

  “Too much going on? We both know if you tell a guy to hurry it can be over in, like, two minutes. Sometimes, you don’t even have to say anything, and he’s finished before you realize what’s happened,” she snickered. “And you’re hot. So it doesn’t really matter whether or not you think there’s anything between you, because I’m sure he could make something pop up real quick.”

  “Sometimes I wonder how we became friends.”

  “If it wasn’t for my expertise, you’d still be a virgin. You totally need me. And I need you to tell me when I’m losing touch with reality.”

  “Then I think you’ve lost it on this one,” Eva said.

  “You don’t think he’s delicious? You weren’t just itching to tear off his shirt and slide your hand down those sweaty abs?”

  “Why would he be sweaty?”

  “I don’t know. Passion and stuff. You’re totally missing the point. The idea didn’t cross your mind one time?”

  Eva sprayed a tube of cheese onto a Ritz.

  “That’s what I thought,” Bridget sang.

  “Fine. He’s gorgeous, super sweet, has an amazing body, and has that whole I-want-to-protect-you thing going on. I don’t know.” She sighed.

  “If someone that sexy came up to me and said that their whole mission in life was to keep me safe, I’d lose my pants so fast. Guy or girl, doesn’t matter. I’m equal opportunity. So just think about it next time the two of you are alone. He’s too focused on protecting you to not develop some type of feelings,” Bridget said.

  “It’s all business between us. I’m the oracle, he’s the warrior, and there’s some serious, possibly life-ending shit going on.”

  “Okay. I see things just got real. Let me make a suggestion. You need to get out of the house.”

  “You saw that breaking news story last night. I can’t go anywhere. Someone will recognize me, and I’ll end up spending the rest of my life in jail.”

  “I also know that the news jumps to new stories every day, and you’re not a celebrity. No one in that bumpkin ass little town is going to recognize you.”

  “Bridget, we’re technically still in Tulsa.”

  “Yeah, but in the rednecky bumpkiny part. Who knows if they even watch the news?” Bridget said.

  “I can’t. Alek told me to stay here until he got back. Plus, I’m eating,” she said, straining to open the jar of olives.

  “Two things. First, since when do you let a man tell you what to do? And second, since when do you let a man tell you what to do?”

  “I’m not letting him tell me what to do. It’s just because he wants to make sure I stay safe.”

  “I’ll have you back before he even knows you were gone. I promise. It’ll be my treat. Pleeeeease?”

  “Fine, I’ll go. But we’re just going to run in and eat really fast and then leave. Deal?”

  “Deal. I’ll be there in a couple minutes. I’m just down the road.”

  “How can you be down the road? It takes way more time than that to get here.”

  “I knew you weren’t going to say no, and if you did, I was going follow you around all day until I was able to guilt you into leaving,” Bridget said.

  “You’re awful.”

  “I know. You have to watch out for me. I can be a real bitch.”

  Eva shook her head. “I’ll be outside. I’ll see you in a minute.”

  She hung the phone up on the receiver and wiped the crumbs off of the counter.

  She slipped on a pair of Bridget’s Nikes and threw a hoodie over her arm before leaving out the backdoor. The first sign of fall crept into the air and spun its cool breeze around her. She shivered against the sudden cold and stuffed her arms into the baggie sweatshirt.

  “Let’s go! It’s happy hour somewhere!” Bridget leaned out of the window and shouted. The gravel path leading to the house crunched under the heavy wheels of her rental car.

  “I’m coming! I’m coming!” Eva jogged to the passenger door and hopped into the lifted SUV.

  “The restaurant selection in this part of town is awful. We really only have two choices: pizza or Mexican,” Bridget said.

  “I’m always up for chips and salsa.”

  “El Toreador it is!” Bridget cheered, backing down the long driveway and onto the road.

  Eva fastened her seatbelt and pushed the baggy sweatshirt sleeves up her arms. “I can’t believe it got cold so fast.”

  “I don’t know how you’re dealing with any of this. I’d lock myself in my room and be curled up in the fetal position if it were me.”

  “The thought has crossed my mind,” Eva replied, massaging her temples.

  “Are you still having those headaches?”

  “I’ll be fine after I eat something,” Eva mumbled.

  “Can’t you use your insane magical healing power?”

  Eva groaned. “I don’t know. I don’t know how it works.”

  “Does this mean you’re going to live forever? Or at least until someone chops off your head or stabs a wooden stake through your heart?”

  “I’m not a zombie or a vampire, Bridget. I’m still me.”

  “I know. Just throwing out ways to kill the unkillable.” Bridget pulled into the restaurant’s parking lot and let the SUV run while she rifled through her purse. “Gloss?” She offered the tube to Eva.

  Eva landed on the pavement and shut the heavy door. “Okay, act natural. No one’s going to recognize you.” She tucked her long hair into the hood and tossed it up over her head. Two cords rested on her chest and she yanked on them, tightening the fabric around her face. Her stomach growled as she walked closer to the scents wafting from the restaurant. “You’re just a regular person about to have lunch with a friend. Totally normal.”

  A car sped into the parking lot and squealed to a stop behind her.

  Her hands trembled as she slowly turned to face the car.

  The door opened and an officer stepped out slowly. “Eva Kostas?” he shouted.

  The navy Charger rhythmically flashed concealed blue and red lights at her, and the officer stood behind the
protection of the open door with his hand hovering over his gun.

  “Put your hands above your head, turn around, and back up slowly,” he instructed.

  The thought of running flitted across her mind, but her feet felt glued to the pavement. “W…What’s going on?”

  “Eva Kostas, turn around and put your hands in the air,” the officer repeated.

  Slowly, she turned and raised her shaking arms. “I haven’t done anything,” she said, shocked by the anger penetrating her voice.

  “Walk back toward my car,” he commanded.

  “Whatever you’ve been told about me isn’t true,” she said as she forced her legs to move backward.

  “Keep coming back.” His footsteps brought his demanding voice closer to her. “Eva Kostas, you’re under arrest for the murder of Madeline Bailey. It would be to your benefit if you told me where I can find your partner, Alek.” He grabbed her wrist and yanked her arm down.

  “Partner? He’s not my partner. What are you talking about? I didn’t kill anybody and neither did he.”

  Handcuffs clinked as he unsnapped them from his belt. “You sure you want to protect him? You want to take this all on your own?”

  Tires squealed against the pavement, and the clang of crunching metal erupted behind them. And then a voice, familiar, shouting out.

  “Run, Eva!”

  Thirty

  “Run!” Bridget’s screams pierced through the sounds of mangled plastic bouncing around Eva’s feet.

  Eva didn’t hesitate. Adrenaline burst through her body, and her arms felt powerful as she pulled them out of the cop’s grip. She charged down the street and took the first turnoff. Her lungs burned as she raced past dilapidated buildings. Weathered siding hung from the houses and cracks separated the pale concrete sidewalk. Sirens whined in the distance, and Eva pushed her aching legs to run faster. She launched herself through unfenced backyards, and into the thick woods. Thin branches whipped her face and clawed at her hoodie. Dead twigs snapped as her feet pounded the uneven terrain. She pumped her arms and raced toward a patch of sunlight. Her body shook, and she slowed her pace to keep from tripping over twisted tree roots marring the earth. She reached the clearing and sank to her knees in the sun’s warm glow.

  “I can’t keep running,” she gasped, trying to slow her thumping heart. Her face stung, and she used her sleeve to wipe away thin lines of blood. Sprinkles of rain dotted the grass, and she lifted her hood to cover her windswept hair. Her breathing calmed, unveiling the intense throbbing between her temples. She rubbed her forehead and rested her face in her palms. “I don’t know how to do this by myself.” Her tears joined the steady pattering of rain as the sun dipped behind the clouds.

  Faint laughter reached her, and she braced herself for the pain she knew would follow.

  “You sure there ain’t no mountain lions out here, Troy?” The girl’s thick Okie accent and intermittent laughter stretched each word.

  Eva sat still, her muscles tightening in preparation.

  “Shouldn’t be,” Troy answered. “Not on these trails, but my momma always told me you can’t be too sure ’bout nothin’. That’s why I’m always carryin’.”

  The girl’s flirty laughter sounded again. “First the zoo, now this walk. Day was almost perfect if not for the rain.”

  “The day’s not over yet. By tonight you’ll be back to thinkin’ everything’s perfect.”

  The laughter faded as the pair passed.

  “The zoo?” Eva’s head pounded harder as she stood and examined the trees. “I know where I am.”

  The pulsing in her head dizzied her vision, and she stumbled onto the trail. The rain beat down more ferociously and soaked her hoodie, making it heavy and cold against her back. The dirt path quickly turned to slick mud, and Eva grabbed on to tree trunks as she hiked up a small incline. Her shoes slipped in the mud, and she dug her toes deep in the slop and kept climbing.

  “Almost there. Just a few more yards.”

  Pain bulleted through her head and wrapped itself around her spine. She lost her hold on the tree and fell face down in the mud. The pain intensified as she dug her hands into the dirt and pulled herself up the slope. “Just a few more yards.” She ripped at the rough ferns to get to the top of the hill and crawled a few feet until she no longer felt the rain pelting her back. She put her back against the craggy wall and let her head rest against the rock. She panted and stared up through her tears at the chalky white limestone overhang. Fear rattled inside of her stomach, and she hugged her legs against her chest. “Where are you, Alek?”

  • • •

  Bridget drummed her well-manicured fingers against the metal desk as she waited impatiently. They’d removed her cuffs once she arrived at the station, and she studied the raised pink welts circling her wrists.

  “Miss Falling,” Detective Schilling entered the room first. His thick middle made the buttons on his shirt look like they would pop off at any moment. “I didn’t think you would lie to us about seeing your friend.”

  “And I didn’t think I’d be put in handcuffs over a small fender bender.” She narrowed her gaze as he sat down across from her.

  James scoffed, closing the door behind him. “You rammed your car into a police vehicle, Bridget.”

  “How was I supposed to know it was a police vehicle? It was just blue. It wasn’t even marked.”

  “I think the officer standing in front of the car attempting to arrest your friend tipped you off to that fact,” Schilling grumbled.

  “It was an honest mistake. I dropped my mascara, and my foot slipped. I didn’t mean to run into anything,” she said innocently.

  James dropped a handful of papers on the table and took a seat next to his partner. “Why were you yelling at Eva?”

  “I was in shock. I don’t remember yelling at anyone.”

  “You were.”

  “You’re going to have to help me out, Detective. I don’t recall.”

  Schilling sighed, rifled through the papers and held one out at arm’s length. “Says here that you repeatedly shouted at the suspect to run.” Schilling dropped the paper and stared at Bridget. “And we don’t teach our boys to lie.”

  “Maybe he’s confused and is making up a story because he’s embarrassed by his terrible police work. Not everyone can be as impressive as you two.” She smiled the sincere smile she’d perfected over hundreds of charity events.

  “The officer wasn’t there for you. He only wanted Eva,” James said.

  “What’s your point?”

  “You wouldn’t be here right now if not for that little stunt you pulled,” Schilling said.

  Bridget huffed and crossed her arms over her chest.

  “We know it wasn’t an accident. Just tell us what happened,” James said.

  She bit the inside of her cheek. “Someone told me once that sometimes we have to do things that are wrong because we’re protecting people who are right.” She uncrossed her arms and leaned against the stiff back of the metal chair. “I may have seen that in an Avengers movie. It’s a good line either way.”

  “So you did it on purpose?” James asked.

  Bridget pursed her lips and stayed silent.

  “You wanted to give Eva a chance to get away, didn’t you?” Schilling asked.

  The door opened and a well-dressed man entered. “I see you’ve already begun,” he said, adjusting his glasses.

  “Didn’t know anyone else was joining us,” Schilling said. “Take a seat, Counselor…?”

  “O’Brien.” The chair squealed as he pulled it across the tiled floor. “I’m here at the request of Miss Falling’s parents.” He leaned over to Bridget. “You don’t need to say anything else.”

  Schilling glared at the lawyer before continuing. “Did Eva tell you something about what happened to Madeline Bailey? Is that why you wanted to protect her?”

  “What, no? She didn’t even know her.”

  “Miss Falling, please. There’s nothing you can s
ay to help your friend,” O’Brien advised.

  “But Eva didn’t have anything to do with any of that. And neither did Alek,” Bridget blurted.

  “I think this interview is over.” O’Brien pressed away from the table and stood. “If you’re not charging my client with anything else, we’ll be on our way. You can address further questions to my office. Let’s go, Miss Falling,” he said, waiting at the door for Bridget.

  “You won’t find out who did it. Even if you do, you won’t believe it,” she whispered before following her lawyer out of the dimly lit room.

  Schilling threw down his pen and shoved his chair away from the table. “Fucking lawyers. Always making my job more difficult. She knows something, but we’ll never get it out of her with the army of suits her parents can afford.”

  “I’m with you on Alek being guilty. But I’m not on board with Eva being a murderer.” James’s phone beeped with an incoming message. “It’s Winslow,” he said, reading the text. “An off-duty officer spotted Alek. She’s waiting for us there.”

  Thirty-One

  Storm clouds hung low and painted the Oklahoma sky gray. They spit rain from their pregnant puffs and echoed rumbles of thunder. Trapped beneath the thick blanket of clouds, the sun’s rays still illuminated the earth with a sickly yellow. Tall grass, golden from months of heat, bowed to each pulse of wind. Lightning dissected the churning skies and slapped the soil with a crack. Sparks flew from the flowerbed lining the front of Bridget’s country house.

  “Oh, fuck,” Alek groaned, rolling up to a seated position. He wiped his dirty hands off on his jeans and removed pieces of mulch from his hair before standing. “I need to get better at that.” Hunching his shoulders against sheets of rain, he trudged through the bushes to the front porch. Thunder rumbled as he clenched his fist and pounded on the door. “Eva, I’ve returned.” Water beat steadily on the roof as he waited for a response. “Eva.” He knocked again and shuffled to the etched windows bordering the door. The house was dark and still except for the shadows of rain snaking across the floor. He jiggled the handle and thrust his weight against the door. It tore away from its hinges, and fell against the smooth stone entryway.