“Well one night’s reprieve was better than nothing, believe me.” I looked down to my hands where I was turning the cup in circles.
“I see your darkness Angel.” He put the phone down and reached out stilling my hands with his own.
“I see yours too.” I whispered, meeting his eyes with my own.
“Drop the walls. Let me in.” He whispered back.
“I will if you will.” I bargained.
“I’ll make you a deal. We both drop the barriers and battle our darkness together.” He smiled and leant forward to kiss my cheek.
“Deal.” I smiled back and leaned in to his kiss. It was a deal I knew I could keep, one that I didn’t hesitate to make. Something in me knew that Adam could be trusted and that he wouldn’t allow me to hide even when I wanted to. I needed that. We held each other’s gaze for a moment and then he reached to pick up my new phone, swiping the screen and tapping something out on it.
“All done. I already took the liberty of adding my number and texting myself yours.” He handed me the slim silver phone and took his own from his pocket as it beeped. I watched him save my number, frowning at the name he entered.
“Snow Angel?” I asked.
“That’s what popped into my head when I saw you for the first time. You were completely covered in snow, it looked as though you’d been lying in it making snow angels.” He explained, smiling at the memory.
“I must have looked a complete wreck!” I mumbled, embarrassed.
“No, you didn’t.” He said, putting his phone away and taking a sip from our shared cup.
*****
It irritates me that the men in this town cannot leave my lady alone. The ones she calls friends are so obviously attempting to gain more from her, they put their hands on her as though she belongs to them. And she allows this contact, this has always been a fault of hers. She gives her affections too willingly. She should not allow these men to touch her so casually. Not to mention the flirting from countless others that flock to be served by her at that bar. They are pitiful in the way they crave her attention. Soon they will all know I have returned to collect what is mine. Soon they will all know that I never left, that I was here all the time. From the beginning I have been part of their lives.
The red head cries out and those ugly purple boots of hers scrape the floor as she struggles against the chains. She will pay for interrupting my thoughts, she will suffer for that. It may be time to finish her education. I think I will reveal myself to her before the end. She ought to know her teacher’s identity. That way I can be sure she knows why she is suffering. She should know who she wronged in order to be in need of the lessons I have taught her. She will be sorry she crossed my lady.
*****
Me: Got a new number. You know what to do. C. xx
Nick: Who the hell is this?
Me: Callie you dipshit!!!
Nick: Thank fuck for that. I thought the lemurs had found me.
Me: It’s only a matter of time.
Nick: You doing ok?
Me: No. Cam has me under 24 hour surveillance. Come break me out.
Nick: Soon Moonbeam.
Me: Miss you Sunshine.
Nick: Miss you more.
Me: Don’t tell the lemurs that. They’re very jealous creatures.
Nick: I take it back, I don’t miss you at all. In fact, who are you again?
*****
Mick had renamed the pub after he bought it from the previous owners, who had run it into the ground. The Irish Rover was the only pub in Frost Ford and Mick’s charm had been a hit with everyone when he took it over. He claimed he was the Irish Rover, having left home at 17 to travel and work his way around the world. Heartbreak had sent him running from his home town in the south of Ireland at such a young age, a story that was his alone to share and he had chosen not to, except of course with me. I knew. Eight years later he had turned up in Frost Ford and immediately decided he was staying. He’d put two years worth of hard work into re-modelling the pub and building a reputation from scratch. He had turned it around and made it a roaring success. Our town had been crying out for a venue like the one he had created and custom now came from nearby towns as well as our own.
I started work for him about six months after he took over the place and he and I had clicked immediately and become very close. He was easy to be around, he didn’t judge, gave the best advice and always made me laugh. He’d approached me several times about taking on a manager’s position for him. I wasn’t comfortable with the level of commitment that came with a managerial position while I was still at college, so I’d turned him down. He had still taught me practically everything to do with running the pub and I loved working with him. We had a great team of staff and we all got on really well. Sometimes we would have live bands, open mike nights or cheesy 80’s karaoke. Otherwise the juke box was always on and the atmosphere was never dull.
Tonight, Mick and I were busy re-enacting the dance routine from Dirty Dancing behind the bar. The place was busy, but the customers were happy to wait for their drinks as they laughed at our antics. Vinnie was working the door and stood just inside it, laughing at us. Liv was at her usual perch at the end of the bar. She was keeping me company while I worked, as per our regular Saturday night routine. Cam was backed into a corner by some big boobed blonde that I thought he’d had a fling with a few months ago, he didn’t look happy about it. The rest of our friends usually turned up at some point during the night. I thrived on nights like these when the bar was packed and everyone was laughing and having fun. They made the darkness disappear for a while and it was easier for me to live in the light.
“We’re re-choreographing the lift part!” As the song came to an end, Mick picked me up and threw me over his shoulder and slapped me on the arse before spinning in a circle and putting me back down on my leopard print wedge ankle boots. Dana had talked me into buying them on our last shopping trip and I’d resisted at first but now I loved them, even if they did cause me to wobble on landing when Mick set me down.
“Back to work love. Pints to pull. Money to earn.” Mick laughed and moved to serve a group of people who had just come in. As he walked down the right side of the bar he paused to ring the bell and announce a free juke box until last orders.
The long silver pendants that I was wearing around my neck had become twisted during our dance and I untangled them as I wandered down to the other end of the bar towards Malcolm, one of our regulars. He had just sat down on what we considered his personal bar stool next to Liv. Nobody sat on that stool apart from him, even when he wasn’t here it was left empty. Mick had often joked he was going to paint a big M on the seat of it. He even had his own glass behind the bar. Every night at the same time in he strolled, sat on his stool, drank his three glasses of Jameson’s and chatted to everyone around him before setting off home. He was always happy, never a bad word for anyone. It was people like him who helped make the pub what it was. Liv chatted to him while I prepared his usual.
“How are you tonight Mal?” I asked him as I set his whiskey down in front of him. Malcolm and his wife had been friends of my parents and had both been a fantastic support to Cam and I after they died.
“All the better for seeing your pretty face.” He smiled and picked up his glass. “How are you Callie? We missed you around here last week.”
Malcolm was a familiar face around town. He knew everyone and everyone knew him. A real old fashioned gentleman, he had adored his wife and had been devastated when she had died a year before. A sudden heart attack had taken Irene before her time. Almost the entire town had attended her funeral and Mick had thrown a massive wake in her honour.
“I’m good thanks. Give me a shout when you’re ready for a re-fill.” I told him and tapped the bar top beside his glass before moving onto the next customer. We both knew he wouldn’t have to shout for a re-fill, Mick and I would keep an eye on his glass and one of us would automatically fill it when he was ready, as always.
>
“Hey Cal, heard you’re finally back on the market? How about a drink next week?” Matt, who was the lead singer for “Frost” one of the bands we regularly hired to play at the pub, called to me from the other end of the bar. He was good looking enough and a nice guy, all his band members were. Being local boys, they always drew a big supportive crowd when they played in the Rover. But I was not in any way back on the market as he had put it.
“How about I book you boys for next weekend and we don’t have this conversation again?” I flashed a grin at him, knowing he was just messing around, having a joke with me. It was all part of the banter I loved that came with working in the pub.
He laughed, “Friday night honey, it’s a date!” He winked and raised his glass to me. Ziggy, their drummer nodded in my direction and held a thumb up, confirming they would be there the following weekend.
“That’s what I like to hear Matty. Now go put me a tune on that juke box.” I laughed as I left the Guinness I had poured for another customer to settle and prepared the rest of his order before topping it up.
“Callie, when you’ve got a minute sweetheart.” Cam’s busty blonde waved her glass in my direction and I nodded back to acknowledge her. I didn’t know her name, but I knew her face and her drink. I noted Cam seizing the opportunity while she was distracted to sneak out the door, and I smiled to myself as he waved at me on his way out.
Nights like that always went quickly and it was soon time to clear the bar at the end of the shift. Cameron having disappeared earlier on, avoiding his admirer, came back in just before last orders to meet me and walk me home; he was sitting at a table with Adam and Mick, looking uncharacteristically miserable as I finished clearing the bar. My brother was generally a light hearted person and spent a lot of the time joking around, so when he wasn’t all smiles I knew there was a problem.
“Hey sis, you up for hanging out with Jack tonight?” He called across the bar at me. Knowing he meant Jack Daniels told me he’d had a bad day at work and my good mood immediately plummeted. If Cam was down I was down with him, definite twin thing. “Adam and Mick are coming back to ours, you in?”
“Always,” I said, wiping down the bar top. “Rough day bruv’?”
“That’s putting it mildly.” Cam mumbled, downing his beer and slamming the glass down on the table. I gave Adam a questioning look and he grimaced, shaking his head. I nodded in understanding, knowing to let it lie until we got home.
“You coming Liv?” I asked as she teetered on the edge of her bar stool, grinning wildly.
“Nah witch, I’m exhausted.” She hiccupped, waving her hand around precariously. “Gonna get Vinnie boy to drive me home.”
“Alright, come over after you take the lightweight home Vin?” I asked Vinnie when he came in; securing the front doors behind him so no stragglers could follow looking for a lock in.
“I’m all yours sweetheart.” His smile fell when he saw the state Liv was in. He pulled her to her feet. “Come on witch, let’s get you home before you fall asleep on Mick’s floor. Where are your car keys?”
“Oops!” Liv swayed as she stood, giggling and linked one arm with Vinnie while she fished around in her bag for her keys. “Maybe matching Malcolm drink for drink wasn’t a good idea after all.”
“Good luck!” I called to Vinnie when she triumphantly jangled the keys in the air.
“Save me some Jack, I think I’m gonna need it!” Vinnie snatched the keys, hauled her up into his arms and carried her towards the door. I was glad he didn’t throw her over his shoulder, that could have gotten messy.
*****
Me: After hour’s drinks at our place with Uncle Jack.
Nick: No can do short stuff. Nobody to watch Heath. You come here.
Me: Can’t. Something’s up with Cam. Need to stay with him.
Nick: Should have known if he got the Jack out. Give him a kiss from me and I’ll see you both soon.
Me: He doesn’t want your dirty lemur kisses.
Nick: My kisses fucking rock woman!
*****
“Incoming!” Vinnie announced as he came into the house later on.
“How’s Liv?” I asked from the sofa where I was curled up next to Adam, passing a glass back and forth between us. Adam and I were still standing by our unspoken agreement that all drinks were to be shared. I also couldn’t seem to stop my body from getting all tangled up in his when we sat next to each other I realised, as I draped my legs over his like they belonged there and he rested an arm across my knees.
“Unconscious! Who left her with Malcolm all night?” Vinnie enquired, helping himself to a glass and filling it halfway with the Jack Daniels that was on the sideboard.
“I didn’t notice. I mean, I knew she was drinking whiskey. But I only served her two.” I said eyeing Mick who suddenly looked very guilty.
“What? She made a bet she could keep up with Mal, we all know he has more than three on a Saturday night, I had to see her try!” He defended himself and downed his drink.
“You’re mean Micka!” I laughed with him.
“Ah, but you love me. I’m totally hot!” he said with confidence.
“That’s not what I said. I said the thing where you jumped over the bar was totally hot. Not you!” I pointed at him.
“Ah, sure it’s the same thing love and you know it.” He teased.
“Is not!” I argued, taking the glass from Adam, who was frowning in Cam’s direction.
“Afraid so witch.” Vinnie chimed in. “You think Mick is totally hot. It’s only a matter of time before you two Marvin Gaye and get it on now that Jase is out of the picture. The whole town’s whispering about it!”
Silence overcame the room as I stared, wide eyed, at Vinnie. Cameron looked as though he might punch him. I had been centre of enough town gossip over the years what with our parent’s deaths and my abduction at the hands of a serial killer. Jase and I had always been well known around the place, but it hadn’t occurred to me that people would talk about our break up. My heart sank and the cracks began to open.
“The whole town?” I questioned with a squeak in my voice.
“Yep, you’ve got the rumour mill running at full speed since you became a single witch. Although, my money is on your knight in shining armour.” He grinned and gestured to Adam with his glass.
“Witch, ain’t you got no home to go to?!” I bitched at him, deciding not to let the darkness claim me this time, and Mick laughed loudly as Vinnie put his hand to his heart and feigned a look of hurt in my direction.
“Oh, they’re a special kind of crazy in this town Adam, regretting that move yet?” Mick jested.
“Not for a second. My life needed shaking up a little.” Adam replied, taking our glass and re-filling it.
“My sister is off limits!” Cameron suddenly blurted, gaining all our attention when he slammed his glass down on the table next to him. “I already have one psycho ex to deal with. In fact, she’s damn lucky I’m even letting her out at all!”
Vinnie laughed, a hint of nervousness in it. “What’s eating you tonight pretty boy?”
“Cam?” I ventured, he didn’t respond, just looked at the floor and let out a ragged sigh. That worried me more than the outburst.
“You tell me.” I nudged Adam as he sat back down next to me, he looked uncertain and turned to look at my brother.
“They’ll find out soon enough Cam. The press will be all over it by tomorrow.” Adam told him. Cam shrugged and put his head in his hands and my stomach tied itself in knots at the sight of my brother in such distress. I reached out to him and pulled one of his hands away from his face, holding it in mine. He squeezed back tightly but didn’t look at me.
Adam took a deep breath and said, “We found the body of a young woman today.” He explained briefly, being unable to go into detail, that she had been horribly assaulted and her throat had been slit.
“Oh my God!” I whispered, ice hurtled through my veins at warp speed. Memories flooded
my mind. What if it was him? What if he had come back? The blackness was suddenly everywhere and I felt myself slipping into its embrace. Smoky tendrils reached out their creepy, jagged fingers and wrapped themselves around me, digging into my skin, pulling me deeper into the abyss.
“Fight it Angel.” Adam’s fingers fluttered gently on the back of my neck and he whispered next to my ear. “Come back to me.”
“Shit!” Cameron spat and finally looked up at me, knowing what thoughts were running through my head. He reminded me of his presence with a squeeze of my hand and I locked eyes with him. “Callie, listen to me, it’s not him. He’s gone. It’s not happening again. You’re safe, I swear it. I won’t let anything happen to you twin. But you need to know that...the reason I didn’t want to tell you yet...it’s...shit! Callie, it’s Amy. The body is Amy.”
“Amy Donaldson?” Mick asked, shooting a concerned look in my direction and Cam nodded, pulling his free hand through his hair.
“No.” I said, shaking my head and dropping Cam’s hand. “No. There’s no way. It can’t be her. It’s not her.”
Adam moved his fingers from my neck and stretched his arm around my shoulders, pulling me into his side. He spoke gently, “Angel, you should know that initial enquiries are pointing to Jase being the last person to have seen her alive. He was taken into custody this morning to await further questioning.”
“Shit!” whispered Vinnie, sitting down hard on the sofa beside me, he reached out to grab my other hand and pulled it to him.
“He wouldn’t have done anything to her would he Cam?” I frowned, my lip beginning to tremble as I tried to make sense of it. I clung to my brother’s gaze to anchor me as I attempted to stay focused and not lose myself in the darkness. “I’d know if he was capable of that...wouldn’t I?”
I was suddenly uncertain of everything. What if Jase had gotten angry with Amy after he couldn’t find me? What if he’d gone back and fought with her, hurt her, maybe by accident? No. Not my Jase. But then, he hadn’t been my Jase for a long time.
“He hasn’t exactly been co-operative Cal.” Cam said, the exhaustion evident in his voice, “I can’t get through to him, he won’t talk to me or Greg. He’s being held until Detectives from Lochden Marsh come in to question him tomorrow.”
Educating Callie Page 8
