Secrets

by L. A. Fiore

  “Hey, Dad,” Hank said when he walked over the threshold.

  Henry didn’t turn around and face his son when he spoke. “Wanna tell me why me and your mom haven’t seen you in four days?” His voice was distant, even though he was only a few feet away.

  Hank moved to stand behind his desk, and placed down the bag that held the sandwich he had just picked up from Dehlia’s. He had planned on having lunch with Arissa that day but she, much like Hank, sunk herself into her work since trying to get all the crazies of Summerville together in one place hadn’t been an easy task. With the Blazing Days of Summer fair starting this weekend they were all busy. Their plan was to meet at Hank’s on the second day of the fair. Opening day, the tribe had their prospective duties but all arranged for volunteers to handle the second day of activities.

  “Been busy,” Hank said while he opened the cap on his coke and took a swig.

  Henry turned then, it was slow and his hard eyes hit Hank. “Been living here for thirty-six years, Son, nothing happens in Summerville. Especially anything to keep the sheriff from visiting his parents.”

  Hank drew in a deep breath through his nose. His parents hadn’t only spoiled him; he’d spoiled them as well. Seeing them almost everyday whether it be on Main Street, just stopping by their house, or having his ass at his parents’ dinner table.

  Hank didn’t say anything, so his dad did. “Your mom blames the girl.”

  “The girl’s name is Arissa.” Hank bit out.

  Henry looked down at his feet. He didn’t want to have this meeting with his son but his wife insisted. Saying that maybe he could shake some sense into the boy’s head. “Hank, I know—”

  “No,” Hank shot out, cutting his dad off. “You don’t know, Dad.” Henry’s brows drew down, his lips growing tight because he had never heard his son talk to him with such a firm tone. “I’m in love and trying to build a fucking life with her. And, yeah, my bad I haven’t come to see you and Mom. But you know what, I’m no longer one person, I’m two, and considering that second half of me got reamed by you and Mom, I was thinking it’d be a good idea if I stayed away.”

  Henry’s face changed then, softened a bit before he looked past Hank and took a deep breath. His eyes came back to him and when they did, he took in his son in his uniform. Jesus, he couldn’t be more proud of him. The man he had turned into was a better man than he. “Okay,” Henry said lightly. “I’ll talk with your mom.”

  “Yeah,” Hank muttered and pulled the sandwich from the bag. “That’d be great, you do that.”

  His dad looked to the pastrami on rye from Dehlia’s and said, “Enjoy your lunch.” Then walked out of his son’s office. It wasn’t until he was on the sidewalk and did surveillance to make sure no one was within earshot that he pulled his phone from his pocket. His wife greeted him with a hello, his greeting back, “Something’s up.”

  16

  Arissa had never been a fan of funhouses, but Hank changed her opinion of them when he pressed her up against the mirrored wall and kissed her breathless. It was the first day of the Blazing Days of Summer fair. Hank, as sheriff, had officiated the opening by cutting the ribbon earlier. After he said a few words and kicked off the festivities, he grabbed her hand, pulled her to the funhouse and kissed her senseless. Her body was on fire, she wanted his hands and mouth on her, wanted hers on him, and was tempted to throw caution to the wind, but this was a family event and Hank was the sheriff. Now wasn’t the time.

  His mouth moved from hers to her ear where he whispered, “Maybe we should come back tonight, after closing and christen the funhouse.” Then he nipped at the soft flesh behind her ear.

  The thought of them, all those mirrors, her words were breathy when she replied, “This is a good idea.”

  His hand glided over her hip when he told her, “Anything involving you and me is a good idea.” Then he pressed his lips to hers before grabbing her hand and pulling her from the funhouse, as she marveled that he knew his way out of it. He yanked her close, his dark gaze was making her teeter on that edge again, but the moment was shattered when they heard the shout.

  “Six times, you old fart. Six fucking times.”

  Their heads jerked around to see a soaking wet Hya with her cane lifted over her head, and a felled Sal on the ground rubbing the lump forming on his forehead. Six times, Sal must have dunked her six times. Arissa tried to hide the grin but with Hya doing the dunking station, and the line of people that formed waiting to dunk her, Arissa was pretty sure the town would make their tourist money for the entire summer with that event alone. Hell, they might make it just with Sal’s contributions.

  “We need a medic over here!” Hya shouted, though with less enthusiasm.

  Hank stomped over to the fiasco, dragging Arissa behind him, and when he got close enough, he ripped the cane out of Hya’s hand. She turned and shot eyes at him and then the words. “What the fuck!”

  Hank leaned in. “Woman, shut up, there are fucking kids around.” Hank looked up and smiled to a few spectators then back to Hya. “For fucks sake, can we show them Summerville is a fucking classy town.” His eyes drifted down to Sal. “You okay?”

  “I’m a little hot, Sheriff.” A woman watching the drama purred, eyeing the sexy sheriff then seductively biting her nail when his gaze drifted to her.

  Elmer nodded his head. “She is hot.”

  Hya grunted, then smacked Elmer upside the head.

  “Can I borrow that cane, Hank?” Arissa muttered.

  Hank looked behind him and caught his girl eyeing the woman who had made the suggestive comment. Hank drew in a deep breath and started giving orders. “Hya, back to your station.” Then he pointed to Elmer. “You, go back to manning the popcorn machine.” He looked down to Mike talking to a concussed Sal and asked, “He good?”

  “I’m sure he will be, but I’ll bring him over to Doc’s, get him an x-ray.” Mike was helping Sal up.

  Hank turned around to Arissa and saw her still eyeing the woman whose eyes were glued to him. “You, go take a walk to the station, cool off. I’ll be there in a minute.”

  Arissa’s eyes drifted to Hank, her mouth went from a thin line to a smile. “I can do that,” she said, turning toward the station. It was then that the squawking was heard right before Hilda appeared, running through the fairgrounds pecking at tourists. Arissa glanced back at Hank, whose head was down, shaking from side to side. “Maybe not quite a minute.”

  * * *

  Hank walked into the quiet station and right to his office. Arissa was sitting behind his desk, magazine in hand, feet on his desk. “Welcome, Sheriff.”

  Hank started unbuttoning his shirt when he kicked the office door closed with his booted foot. “Got two seconds to get those shorts off, Babe.” Once his shirt was unbuttoned, he pulled the sides apart and started for his belt.

  Arissa never took her eyes off him because there was nothing better than watching Hank undress. She stood, dropped the magazine on the floor because it was going to end up there anyway, reached for the button on her shorts and shimmied out of them. “Did you charm Hilda back into her pen?” she asked with a grin.

  Hank was pulling his pants and boxers down at the same time. “Of course,” he said as he started stroking his cock. “Bend over the desk, Sweetheart.”

  Those tingles raced through her body, her heart was tripping behind her ribs but she didn’t hesitate to do as he asked, bending over the desk then waited in anticipation.

  Hank centered his cock at her entrance, still stroking himself. He ran a hand up her back and into her hair, lacing his fingers with the strands, he jerked her head back causing a moan to rip from her throat.

  “What’s the matter, don’t like women looking at me?” Hank asked as he sunk his hard cock into her. “Fuck,” he groaned as the wet heat encased him.

  Another moan escaped as Arissa shifted her hip
s back, wanting more of him. “Oh god,” she groaned.

  He gave another pull of her hair and seated himself in her, stopped moving and grated out, “Answer me?”

  Arissa whimpered, her eyes turning back to him. “No,” she answered breathlessly.

  “No?” He questioned and started thrusting his hips.

  “No,” Arissa squealed when Hank drove in deep.

  He kept up his assault as he pounded into her. Thrust after thrust. “I’m yours right?” Hank said in a groan as Arissa’s pussy gripped his cock.

  Her answer was no more than a breathy exhale. “Yes.” As her mind and body were focused on her pending orgasm.

  Hank let out a guttural groan when Arissa reached orgasm, her walls closing tightly around him…milking him. “Remember that.” A few short moments later, Hank joined Arissa with his own release.

  * * *

  “Can’t wrangle the pussy like you, Sheriff!” Elmer shouted when he walked into Hank’s crowded kitchen. “Vern needs to keep those pussies on lockdown.” He stopped by the island, grabbed a chip from one of the bowls and tossed it in his mouth while muttering, “Beer asap.”

  Hank moved to the fridge because Elmer earned that beer. Vern’s cats were no joke and Elmer being able to wrangle them back home was a feat, a feat that earned him a cold one. “Thanks,” Hank said, as he handed him a bottle.

  “Now that the asshole is here, what’s this meeting shit all about?” Sal asked the room as he shoved a leftover rib that Hya brought in his mouth, moaning around the goodness of it.

  Elmer flicked his middle toward Sal and drifted his eyes to Hya where he winked.

  “What was that?” Sal shouted his question.

  “What?” Elmer bit out.

  Sal pointed at Hya. “You winked at her?”

  Hya didn’t meddle in the throwback and forth between Elmer and Sal, which gained her the attention of everyone in the room.

  Elmer waved a hand in the air. “Your old fucking eyes are seeing shit, just gnaw on your rib, will ya.” Silence settled. They were here for one reason and one reason only.

  Arissa looked around the room, knew once she shared why they’d been gathered it was going to cause a stir, but they needed answers and Hank was right, these people were the ones who’d have them if anyone did. “What can you tell us about…” She paused and threw a glance at Hank. He gave her a nod before she continued. “We want to know what you remember about Catherine and Henry when they were younger.”

  Hya chimed in, her focus on Sal and Elmer. “You two geezers have been around the longest, we need you to fill in the blanks.”

  Elmer and Sal shared a look before Elmer asked, “Why?”

  “Just some holes that we need filled,” Arissa offered.

  Elmer perked up. “No one said anything about holes needing filling. That’s more like it.”

  Maureen shivered. “Could we not go there?”

  “Dirty old man,” Hya said, but she didn’t sound disgusted by it.

  Elmer took a long drag of his beer. “That’s asking a lot. Shit, I can’t remember what I ate for breakfast.”

  “That’s bullshit,” Hya said, a gleam in her eye.

  Elmer looked away, took another pull of his beer. “Well, I remember Hank was a little thing when they moved here. Couldn’t be more than a few months old. They weren’t out and about much in those days. Stayed home with Hank. Really I don’t think they started getting active in the town until Hank was about ready to start school.”

  Sal nodded. “Yeah, that’s what I remember too. But once you did, your parents became immersed in the town, always volunteering for shit. Even just work, your dad being the handyman you called. And your mom…” Elmer patted his stomach. “Her cooking is what led to this.”

  “And the fact that you drink your body weight in beer every day has nothing to do with it?” Hya remarked.

  “More of me to love.”

  “Oh dear, God,” Maureen muttered. “I’m eating.”

  “Me too,” Millie groaned.

  “Okay,” Hank said, interrupting the group. “What can you tell me about my school years?”

  Sal put his beer on the table, drew his brows together and asked, “Boy, why you asking these questions?”

  Hank leaned further against the island and looked at his crossed ankles then up at Arissa. When he spoke, he only held her eyes, needing that comfort…that connection. “Got a feeling snaking through my body something is up.” He looked at the table filled with the crazies of Summerville and added, “Not fucking liking it.”

  Sal’s expression changed slightly before he said, “Well shit. Alright.”

  Elmer chimed in, “Have you used that goggle search thingy?”

  “Google you moron,” Millie said, before lifting her glass of wine to her lips.

  “Goggles, Google, whatever.” Elmer waved a dismissive hand. “Did ya?”

  It was Arissa who answered. “Yeah, tried that. Not a lot comes up but then his parents aren’t big on social media, so that’s not surprising.”

  Sal lifted his hand as he practically knocked the chair over when he stood. “Wait, I’m remembering something.”

  “Call the newspaper,” Hya muttered.

  “There was that man…” He looked over at Elmer and Hya. “You remember the man who was visiting local towns asking questions about new folks moving into town. Showed up, I don’t know, maybe a year after your parents moved here.”

  Maureen slammed her hand on the table. “I remember that!” She expressed loudly and kept on. “He was from the city, right?

  “Yeah, that’s him. Never really did say what he was after. Just seemed to be prying into shit,” Sal added.

  Maureen spoke. “Yeah, he had that lawyer vibe to him.”

  Hank looked at Arissa at the same time she looked at him. He didn’t have to say anything as she read the words laying in his throat. She stood and went to retrieve the laptop from Hank’s office. She had it open, balancing it on her stomach as she typed on the keyboard. “I’m not finding anything,” she said, her eyes still trained to the screen as she sat back down.

  “Ask Dollie at the town ledger. If he was looking for something, he may have gone to see her. They used to have a feature on the new folks in town, kind of the welcoming committee. And you know that old bird doesn’t throw shit away. She’s got boxes and boxes of shit, not to mention for a crypt keeper, she’s got a damn good memory,” Elmer suggested.

  Hank looked at Millie. “Can you give her a call?”

  Millie stood and went to her purse. “Sure thing, Sugar.” She pulled her cell out and walked outside for peace.

  “Break time!” Elmer shouted, stood and said, “I need some air.” Then he walked out the back screen door.

  “Good.” Maureen rose with her empty glass in hand. “I need a drink.”

  Hya stood, stretched and glanced around the kitchen. I’m gonna check your plants, Honey,” she told Hank.

  “I just watered them this morning,” Arissa informed her.

  Hya waved her hand. “Not like a good southern woman can.” Then walked out the door leaving Arissa to look sideways at her before she turned her gaze on Hank. Crossing the room to him, she wrapped her arms around his waist.

  “You good?”

  Hank kept his arms crossed as he looked down at his girl. He shrugged. “It’s not a good feeling.”

  “No. I’m sorry I opened the can of worms. I think it needed to be opened, but I don’t like seeing the shadow behind your eyes.”

  Hank bent his head, leaned his forehead on hers and muttered, “It was bound to be opened, better sooner than later.” He took a deep breath. “Let’s just hope nothing fucked up comes out.”

  “Yeah, maybe your dad played one too many hands of poker and owed someone money,” Arissa offered lightly then add
ed, “But since you’re already feeling shitty, maybe it’s a good time to mention that the Belles want to reach out to Noah. You okay with that?”

  Hank lifted his head and gazed at Arissa. “At this point, I don’t care, what’s it gonna hurt? Do what you all want to do.” He kissed her forehead.

  “I love you,” she whispered. “Maybe we can have naked steak later,” she suggested.

  Hank’s eyes twinkled as his brows lifted. “I was thinking just naked you on my island later.”

  Arissa’s voice grew hoarse when she replied breathlessly, “I like this plan.”

  Millie walked into the kitchen, but it was the sight of her that turned heads.

  “What’s wrong?” Hank demanded.

  She glanced back, the hand with her phone pointing outside, before she turned back to the room. “I don’t know what I just saw.”

  “What does that mean?” Maureen pressed.

  Millie shook her head, like she was shaking the sight out of it. “Not going there.” She glanced up at Hank. “Dollie said the man was looking for anyone who had moved to town within a two year period of his visit.” She paused then added, “The woman really does have a hell of a memory. She said he wasn’t forthcoming, but that he did borrow her phone to make a phone call. She redialed the number after he left. It was for a law firm in Charleston. She jotted it down, created a file, and kept it because she keeps everything.”

  “What firm?” Arissa asked, moving to her laptop.

  “The one on Twelfth Avenue,” Millie offered.

  Arissa’s fingers flew over the keyboard, her eyes lifting to Hank. “There’s still a law firm there.” Her gaze moved back to Millie. “Tell me you got a name?”

  “Harley Aldridge. Retired now,” she said, and grinned like the Cheshire cat. “But I got his number.”

  “This could be completely unrelated to Catherine and Henry.” Maureen said what everyone was thinking. “Just a coincidence.”

  “Yeah, it probably is just a coincidence,” Arissa said. “But something is eating at Catherine and at the moment we have no idea what.” Arissa’s gaze turned to Hank. “It’s a place to start because if we figure out what’s bothering her, we’ll be better prepared to help her.”