Educating Callie

by Emma Jayne Mills

  “Cal, even if this is him, he won’t get within an inch of you again. Between me, Adam and the others we aren’t letting you out of our sight.” He tried to calm my nerves.

  “So you admit you’re keeping something from me?” I could read him like a book, “They’re the same aren’t they? He’s hurting them the same way isn’t he? You think it’s him that has Jase’s phone don’t you? I see all the secret huddles that you and Adam get into y’know? Why won’t you tell me what’s going on Cam?”

  Cam didn’t have to speak, I knew by the look in his eyes he thought it was him and not Jase leaving the messages and gifts.

  “Alright look, I don’t want to you to read too much into it now, but I found something. In Mum and Dad’s room.” Cam admitted.

  “What does that have to do with any of this?” I knew Cam had been clearing out our parent’s room recently. He had told me I didn’t have to help because I still found it too difficult to go in there and I was grateful to him for that.

  “Remember when the murders first began last year and how we thought the killer had been around before? Like ten years ago or something?” Cam asked.

  “Yeah, they thought he was connected to some other murders, right?” I frowned at him.

  “Right. Well it turns out Dad was looking into those murders.”

  “But Dad wasn’t a detective Cam, he was just a normal copper. Why would he be looking at them?” I was confused.

  “Because he thought his sister, Aunt Caroline, was one of the victims. At the time they couldn’t find enough evidence to say for sure, so when her case was closed Dad decided to look into it himself. From the files I found, it seems he got pretty close to figuring out who it was.” Cam explained. Our Aunt Caroline had died when we were children, neither of us had a clear memory of her. But that she was murdered wasn’t new information for us. Our parents had told us her killer had never been found and left it at that. They never spoke much of her death, only the happy times.

  “Why did he stop?” I was almost certain I knew the answer.

  “Because he died. The dates on the files end a few weeks before Mum and Dad’s accident.” Cam was looking at me with concern.

  “So, Aunt Caroline was murdered, possibly by the same man who abducted me and Dad was looking into it on his own time.” I mused.

  “So it would seem.” Cam nodded his agreement. “I passed the files along to the detectives in charge.”

  “Cam, do you think Mum and Dad died because of this?” The idea filled me with dread, yet I couldn’t help but wonder.

  “I don’t know sis. I reviewed everything on their accident. The brakes went out and Dad lost control, the roads were icy. It’s a straight forward accident on paper.”

  “On paper...” I whispered.

  “Yeah.” He answered quietly.

  “Why didn’t you tell me Cam? You’ve been dealing with the fact that our parents may have been murdered on your own.” I asked him.

  “Adam knows, I’ve talked to him. Plus, it’s not definite Cal, the chances are it was an accident.” I doubt either of us believed his words, but I think it made us both feel better to think that it was still an accident.

  “So, it’s definitely him then.” I said quietly.

  “Twin, I’m going to keep you safe.” He reached over and stilled my hand, stopping me from picking the muffin to pieces.

  “And what about the others? Who is going to keep them safe?” I asked, shaking my head.

  “Don’t Cal, don’t do that to yourself. That is not your responsibility.” Cam told me, he knew what I was thinking. It had plagued me since I’d gotten away from that house. The writing on the cellar wall where he kept me flashed into my mind.

  “If all this goes back to Aunt Caroline and Dad then it connects me to him Cameron. It gives him a reason to be coming after me. What if that message on the wall truly meant I would be his last? What if it meant he would have stopped after me? If I hadn’t escaped, if I had stayed with him, he might not have hurt anyone else. Amy might be alive now. Who is Callie Wilson that her life is worth more than anyone else’s? Why should I get to live when they don’t? When I could have stopped it?” I barely held back the tears as I rambled.

  Cam’s voice was full of emotion and his grip on my hand tightened as he spoke. “You can never be certain he would have stopped with you. We can’t prove it’s all connected and you will never know what was going on in his head. And what if he had stopped with you? What about the rest of us? Were we supposed to just carry on without you like it was ok, because he hadn’t killed anyone else? Callie Wilson is my favourite person. She is the other half of my soul and I can’t fucking live without her! So maybe you could take that into consideration when you’re trying to destroy her.”

  Cam sat back heavily in his chair and brushed a hand through his messy hair, “You need a haircut.” I told him quietly.

  “Yeah. You wanna go home? I’m not happy with you being at college while he’s out there.” he asked, a mixture of concern and stress masking his pretty face as he reached across the table to take my hand in his again, this time more gently.

  “No. I need to be doing something. I need to go to college and work. I need to keep everything normal.” I decided. It was my turn to be the strong one again. That’s what Cam needed to see, so I gave it to him.

  “Whatever you want Callie. But you ring me straight away if you change your mind. I’ll leave immediately.” He told me firmly. He looked weary, as though he hadn’t slept in months. This was all taking its toll on him too. And now with this new information he had so much more to think about. I was glad he had been leaning on Adam; I’d rather he had told me sooner but at least he hadn’t tried to take it all on himself.

  “I will.” I promised him.

  “Nick’s picking you up yeah?” he asked as we stood. He was on a nightshift again tonight and I knew he didn’t want me alone in the house.

  “Yep. He can’t stay over before you suggest it. Ethan isn’t around tonight so he needs to be at home. I’ll lock the doors and windows. I’ll be fine Cam. Go home and get some sleep.” I told him as we walked towards my class, but I knew it had fallen on deaf ears. I could almost hear his brain working at warp speed as he put a plan into action to make certain I wasn’t left alone for a second.

  “Nick is going to come inside to your class and collect you, I’ll go into the studio and talk to him on my way back. You text him the room number and do not leave without him. Do not set foot outside that building without him, do you hear me? Stay inside, preferably around other people. I’ll sort something out for tonight. You can’t stay at Nick’s with the boys there, we’re not bringing them into this.” He replied and I had no doubt, as I tiptoed to kiss his cheek, he would be on the phone to Adam as soon as he left me to get him to stay at the house with me that night.

  Adam: Dinner?

  Me: Dinner?

  Adam: That meal you eat in the evening, comes after lunch...

  Me: Rings a bell.

  Adam: Tonight?

  Me: Tonight?

  Adam: Are you just going to keep repeating what I’m saying?

  Me: Are you just going to keep repeating what I’m saying?

  Adam: You’re so fucking sexy. Your body blows my mind. One day soon you’re going to let me all the way in and I’m going to show you exactly what you do to me.

  Me: What about dinner?

  Adam: Coward! You. Me. Dinner. Tonight. Together?

  Adam: Cam’s on nights. I can come over so you aren’t alone.

  Me: That old chestnut.

  Adam: You want chestnuts for dinner?

  Me: Yes. I forgot to tell you I’m actually a shape shifter. My animal form is a squirrel.

  Adam: I do have nuts.

  Adam: You drive me nuts

  Adam: But I’m still nuts about you.

  Adam: I can keep going...

  Me: No. Please. No.

  Adam: So if you’re a squirrel what does that make me
?

  Me: A weirdo with a freaky animal fetish? You should talk to Nick, you two have more in common than I thought. Ask him about the lemurs.

  Adam: Are you suggesting I have animal sex with Nick?

  Me: Only if you sell tickets.

  Adam: Do you want my nuts or not?

  Me: Not. But why don’t you come over for dinner tonight?

  Adam: You drive me insane woman.

  Me: I aim to please.

  I wandered out of the IT room in a daze later that afternoon, feeling drained. It had been a long day and I couldn’t wait to sink into a hot bath before Adam came over later. I knew the whole “you shouldn’t be alone while Cam is on nights thing” was only part of the reason he wanted to come over, but even though my chat with Mick had made me feel slightly better about the situation, I still wasn’t ready to confront my feelings for him yet.

  “Hey day dreamer.” Nate’s voice pierced my thoughts and I looked up to find him leaning against the wall opposite the room I’d just come out of.

  “Oh, hey you. This is a nice surprise. ” I smiled, letting him take my bag when he reached for it.

  “Nick couldn’t get here in time, something about the job he was doing taking longer than he expected, so he asked me to pick you up.” He explained while he guided me towards the exit, a hand on the small of my back. “Serious thoughts babe?”

  “Nah, not really. It’s just been a long day.” I didn’t feel like going into details about Cam’s revelations, I wasn’t sure I even could with it now being connected to the investigation, better to just stay quiet. It had weighed heavily on my mind all day and I was drained. However, I perked up at the sight of Nate’s 1966 Ford Mustang. I loved his car.

  “Some crazy shit going on Cal, but you’re going to be just fine. Looks like you could use a caffeine boost?” he asked and I nodded wearily, watching him put my bag in the back seat and then open the passenger door for me. How could I tell them all that it wasn’t me I was worried about? That it was the others that were being killed because he couldn’t have me? I knew I was lucky to have so many people care about me and I was grateful to them for being there for me, but they’d never understand that my real fear was for the other women when they just wanted me safe. Nate climbed in the driver’s side and I smiled when he turned the ignition and the engine growled to life.

  “Still got a crush on my car babe?” he grinned at me. Nate was good looking in a rough, rugged kind of way with his blonde hair pulled back into the hair tie that he used when he was at work. A short beard covered his chin and upper lip and his clothes were always oil stained, making him look as though he never spent time anywhere other than on his back underneath a car. Amy had always compared him to a Viking. I just loved his sense of humour and laid back attitude to life, if we lived near the coast I could have seen him as a surfer.

  “Yep!” I nodded as I listened to the engine.

  “Want to drive?” he asked.

  “You never let anyone drive this beast Nate.” I said, wide eyed.

  “I trust you.” He turned off the engine and got out to walk around to the passenger side.

  “You really trust me to do this?” I asked, climbing across the seats excitedly.

  “You are the only person who loves this car as much as I do. I trust you Callie.” He told me with a wink.

  I was in heaven, absolute heaven. Driving Nate’s car made me fall even more in love with it and I knew if he ever sold it I would be chomping at the bit to take it off his hands. We took a detour through the countryside and stopped at a road side cafe for coffee before driving home.

  “You want to eat while we’re here?” Nate asked absently, looking around, as he held a chair out for me to sit.

  “I’m having dinner with Adam later.” I told him with a shake of my head.

  “So are you and him a thing now then?” He was curious, a smile tipping up the corner of his mouth.

  “Checking out the competition for Jase?” I joked, half serious.

  “Haven’t seen him since Amy’s memorial.” Nate shrugged.

  “Really? But you, him and Luke are normally joined at the hip.” I couldn’t believe Nate and Luke hadn’t seen Jase. They were best friends, like Liv, Dana and me.

  “Not anymore. He hasn’t been around for months, even before you broke up he was sketchy. We’ve texted back and forth a bit, but nothing more.” Nate stirred sugar into his coffee “He’s different now.”

  “You noticed too?” I stared into my cup.

  “Couldn’t not notice babe. I don’t know what he was thinking with Amy you know? I mean, I knew she was after him for ages, but he never went there. He kept telling her he loved you and to leave him alone. It really wound him up that she wouldn’t go away. And then it was like he became a different person or something. He went out of his mind when he couldn’t find you that night you walked in on them. Pinned Luke up against the wall, I thought he was going to kill him, just for suggesting he give you some breathing space for a few days. He was devastated with himself. And it was genuine, you could see it was. Yeah, he loves you. But everything else? I don’t know.” Nate gave up trying to figure it out.

  “That makes two of us.” I agreed, staring into my cup.

  I hugged Nate and kissed his cheek when we got out of the car at my house, “Thanks for letting me drive the beast.”

  “You sure you don’t want me to hang around until Adam gets here?” Nate eyed the house.

  “No, really. I’ll be fine. I just want a hot bath and silence for a while.” I assured him. He still insisted on coming in and looking around the entire house for signs of anything out of the ordinary. After checking the back door and all the windows Nate was finally satisfied that I would be alright for all of the two hours it would be until Adam arrived.

  “So we’re good for next week?” He confirmed, we’d arranged to have dinner the following week.

  “Yep, looking forward to it.” I said as I watched him walk down the porch steps.

  “I’ll bell you babe. Lock the door.” He said and watched until I went inside and locked the door. Then I heard the rumble of the engine as he drove away.

  *****

  Adam had a key. Since when did Adam have a key to my house? After Nate had insisted I lock the door I’d been expecting Adam to ring the doorbell.

  “Incoming!” he called as he let himself in. I was still wallowing in the bath, buried deep in the pages of a book. I was feeling relaxed for the first time in days and had lost track of time.

  “Shit!” I muttered when I heard his voice at my bedroom door.

  “Angel? You in there?” he called around the door.

  “Almost done. I’ll be out in a minute.” I called back, hoping that he didn’t venture into my bedroom because I’d left the bathroom door open and you could see right into my en suite from my room. He’d get quite the eyeful if he came in now. I might not be shy about my short pyjamas but naked was another thing entirely.

  “No worries, I’ll be in the kitchen.” I could hear the smile in his voice; I should have known he’d be the gentleman about it. After a few minutes I heard the clattering of what sounded like pots and pans. We’d said dinner, but I assumed we would order takeaway. Was Adam cooking? I wondered as I dried myself and pulled on a pair of black yoga trousers and a white tank top with the slogan “Property of London” it was a reference to one of my favourite books. I yanked a comb through my wet hair and left it to dry naturally.

  In the kitchen I found Adam, dressed casually in dark denim jeans and a navy blue v neck t-shirt with sleeves that clung to his biceps and stretched across his chest hinting at the sculpted muscle under his clothes. My eyes roamed his body and my mind wondered about those V lines again as I watched him chop salad vegetables. Why did I have such a fascination about this man’s body? I mean, I knew Nick had those lines, shit, Nick had a fantastic body, but I never found myself wondering what it would be like to lick it.

  “Angel.” Adam said, giving m
y t-shirt a knowing glance, I loved that he didn’t have to ask. He pushed a single glass of red wine towards me.

  “Hey.” I replied taking a sip. “Only one glass? I didn’t think you liked wine?”

  “I don’t like that fizzy stuff you girls drink. This?” he said, taking the glass. “This is different.”

  “I see.” I said as I watched his Adam’s apple bob in his throat when he drank from the glass. Can a man’s throat be sexy? Because his was. Not that I was thinking about licking that either, obviously. Nor was I swooning in any way, because I had re-enforced my no swoon zone recently and now had armed guards surrounding it. Adam Butler was not getting through.

  “Cam passed the books to the detectives.” he informed me as he went back to slicing onions.

  “He told me about the files he found.” I blurted.

  “And how do you feel about the information in them?” He set down the knife in his hand and gave me his full attention.

  “My Aunt was murdered and my parents may have been murdered by the same man who locked me in a cellar and treated my body like a chopping board. I don’t really know how to process it at the minute. I don’t want to get caught up in those kinds of emotions, because we don’t know for sure. We might never know.”

  “I’m here when you need me Angel.” he told me.

  “I know. And thank you for being there for Cam too.” I said.

  “You’re important to me Angel, that makes Cam important too.” he said simply, watching me for a reaction.

  “Yeah, yeah, don’t think I haven’t noticed your little bromance going on. You don’t have to pretend you’re doing it for me Adam.” I joked, because it was easier to joke than it was to react to his admission. I eyed the ingredients on the counter in front of him. “What are we cooking?”

  “I am going to cook you good old fashioned steak and chips.” he informed me, “And you are going to sit there and enjoy the wine and allow me to wait on you.”

  “Hmmm, caveman food, my favourite.” I wasn’t the kind of girl who only ate salads, I liked real food. “I could get used to this.”