Cross Falls Saga - Southern Suspense Box Set

by Mallory Crowe

  Who the hell was Drake to go around tossing threats? This was Jack's town. He wasn't going to let anyone under his roof be threatened by that piece of shit.

  As if he'd subconsciously focused his rage on Drake the entire time, familiar lights emerged at the next bend in the road. He slowed the car as he drove up to Drake's childhood home. It was secluded, surrounded by acres of uninhabitable wetlands, but the glowing lights from the barn told him someone was home.

  A barn in perfect condition. Funny that Drake would have a barn since this sure as hell wasn't farmland.

  But the shouts of men and dog growls told Jack what the barn really was used for.

  Another wave of disgust filled him and he cracked his knuckles. He cut the engine and stepped out of the car to slowly approach the silent house. Drake was going to learn never to fuck with a Cross.

  CHAPTER NINE

  Gabrie twisted in the sleeping bag and tried to squeeze her eyes shut tight enough to block out the rising sun. The rational part of her mind told her she'd never fall back asleep, but she refused to listen. She didn't want to get up. If she opened her eyes, she'd have to face what she'd done. Or almost done.

  The first time with Jack was a fluke. She'd thought he was perfect, charming Darren, there to save her from the shambles her life was in. But after the truth became evident, she'd lost all excuses.

  She replayed the kiss from last night in her head. He'd told her to leave. He'd offered her a chance to turn away, but she didn't. She'd kissed him back and pulled him closer. God, she was such an idiot.

  She'd never be able to look Darren in the eye again. Jack either, for that matter.

  Nope. She wasn't dealing with any of this today. She nestled deeper in the sleeping bag. Maybe she would wash the ancient sheets on the bed and sketch up a few plans, but she was not confronting either of the Cross brothers, even if her life depended on it.

  The blaring doorbell rang throughout the old home and Gabrie shot up. She scanned her memory for any mention of someone who was supposed to stop by, but couldn't think of anyone. The only people she expected at the house were Darren and Jack, and neither of them would ring the bell.

  She wiggled free of the bed, suddenly grateful she'd slept in her full pajama pants and a bra beneath her shirt. From now on, as long as she shared the same house as Jack, she would wear as many layers as possible, no matter how hot it got under the summer sun.

  The doorbell rang again and she pushed her fingers through her thick hair as she padded into the hallway and down the stairs. As she reached the front landing, the guest bypassed the bell and went straight for pounding on the wooden door. The house practically vibrated under the force.

  "Hold on!" she called right as she turned the knob and swung open the door.

  Her heart thudded to a halt in her chest, or at least it felt that way. The man in front of her was sure handsome enough to stop a girl's heart, but that wasn't what had Gabrie on high alert.

  It was the police uniform he wore.

  Peephole. This house needed a peephole. She added it to her mental list as she plastered on what she hoped was a pleasant smile. "Officer. Hi."

  The man was well over six feet tall, and his broad shoulders filled out his uniform in a way that would probably make all the locals think twice about jaywalking, but his grin was all charm. "Sorry to bother you so early, ma'am."

  His relaxed demeanor set her at ease, and her smile became a little less fake. "It's, um, no problem. How can I help you, sir?"

  He cleared his throat. "Sorry, we haven't been introduced. I'm Sheriff Chris Benson." He held out a hand and she hesitantly met his handshake. "I didn't realize Philip had anyone besides the boys stayin' out here."

  His grip was warm and firm. Just like all the businessmen she'd used to work with. She didn't really know what she expected, but she'd never shaken a cop's hand before. "I'm a friend of Darren's. He asked me to help fix up the place."

  "Ahh," he said. "Don't suppose he's around?"

  Gabrie narrowed her eyes. So this wasn't a social visit. "Sorry. He got called back north for work yesterday. Last I heard, he was going to try to make it back into town soon. Did you want me to give him a call?"

  The cop shook his head, not seeming too concerned. "So you were here alone last night? Place like this didn't give you the creeps?"

  She took a swallow. Was he asking for an alibi? He couldn't suspect her of anything. Hell, he'd just said he didn't know any women were staying at the house. "Jack was with me," she blurted out.

  He blinked a few times with barely hidden surprise. "Is Jack around?"

  Gabrie rubbed the back of her neck as she shifted her weight to glance over the cop's shoulder as subtly as possible. Jack's car was nowhere in sight. "No. He ran out to get some errands taken care of."

  The cop nodded. "What time would you say he left this morning?"

  She straightened as she realized exactly what was happening. The cop thought Jack did something and was fishing for his alibi. She opened her mouth and immediately remembered she'd already lied. She'd inadvertently given Jack an alibi when she'd thought her own ass was on the line. Damn paranoia. It's not as though a small-town sheriff would want anything from her anyway.

  "I'm not exactly sure." She tried her best not to lie.

  "He probably left after sunrise though, right?"

  Breathe normally, she commanded herself. "Honestly, I was sleeping," she said. Jack was not her responsibility. It wasn't her place to lie for him.

  Even so, years of a "her against the cops" mentality were ingrained into Gabrie. The few close calls she'd had when shoplifting a snack to feed her rumbling stomach. The time she'd seen her mother carried away in handcuffs for doing a job so dirty it was considered illegal by all the upstanding citizens.

  "Well, what time would you say you went to sleep? Was Jack with you then?"

  She replayed the night in her mind. Jack had stormed off and she had retreated into her makeshift room, too embarrassed to show her face out in the hall. That was around eleven. He could've come back. He could've been gone the rest of the night.

  "We were watching movies together until one." She sighed and smiled up at the cop. "If that's all you wanted, I really have a full day," she said, cutting the pleasantries. She knew he wasn't paying a friendly visit. If Jack broke the law, that was on him. She gave him two hours of an alibi, but if push came to shove, she would spill the beans.

  About what, she had no idea, but she had a feeling Jack was more than capable of breaking the law. All the more reason for her to stay the hell away.

  The sheriff nodded, grin still in place. "Well then, I'll get out of your way, Ms...."

  "Gabrie Moss." She waited to see whether he'd ask if that was a nickname. It usually confused most people, but it was okay with her. It was what her mother had called her, and she never wanted to be called anything else.

  "Thank you for your time, Ms. Moss." He backed down the porch and headed towards his cruiser. "I hope you enjoy your stay in Hampton Falls."

  She silently watched as his cruiser disappeared down the long driveway as her mind raced. Damn Jack. This was all his fault. He had to go running off and get into trouble, somehow dragging her into it.

  Sure, he hadn't asked her to lie, but he'd put her in the position to be questioned by the cops. She pushed the door shut and leaned against the old wood. Her eyes scanned the neglected hardwood and peeling wallpaper. Her dream job was turning into her nightmare.

  Her original plan of doing laundry all day wasn't good enough. She needed to keep busy. Make her body so exhausted that the thought of touching Jack would hold no appeal. At least until Darren came back. Once he was here, she'd realize how wrong Jack was for her. She could focus on her future and her new career.

  After a quick shower in a bathroom that could use an update but thankfully had decent plumbing, and changing into shorts and a t-shirt, she hopped in her truck and headed towards downtown.

  She scanned the Tuesday mo
rning streets for any sign of Jack's old Crown Victoria. If she thought he was within a five-mile radius, she was getting the hell out of Dodge. Once she was reasonably comfortable he wasn't around, she parallel parked the truck with more skill than she thought she possessed in front of the hardware store.

  An hour later, she came out with her haul of cleaning supplies and the tools she'd need to tear down thousands of square feet of wallpaper. Loading the bags and bags of items into the truck was rather intimidating. It was one thing to think about taking down wallpaper. She clearly remembered how long it had taken to tear the stuff down in the tiny city apartment she'd shared with her mom. This might literally take forever.

  As she walked around to climb into the front of the truck, the delectable scent of some sort of pastry wafted past her nose. She turned to see the bakery a few doors down. Her mouth watered at the smell. She hadn't eaten breakfast, and if she even did half as much work as she wanted to, that would burn a ton of calories.

  Screw it. She needed a muffin. Preferably one loaded with chocolate chips and that more closely resembled a cake than any sort of breakfast food.

  The bell clanged as she opened the door to the bakery and she realized she wasn't the only one with a hankering for morning sugar. A line of five people stood in front of her. A man in a suit, a couple of women in pretty sundresses, and a few guys who looked as though they were geared up for a hard day's labor.

  As she waited for the line to go down, Gabrie let her mind wander. She was in the South now. She really should invest in a nice sundress or two. Not that she had any reason to wear one. Most of her time would be spent getting down and dirty at Cross Falls.

  Maybe she could keep an eye out for a good deal, though. Those sorts of dresses never really went out of style, and she'd probably need a nice one at some point. As the person in front of her went up to order, Gabrie fished some crumpled singles out of her pocket and squinted to read the price of a muffin.

  Out of the corner of her eye, she realized the man in the suit was still there. In fact, he looked right at her. She tried not to pay attention. She knew how this worked. She was the newbie in an old town. Everyone knew everyone else, and she was the outsider. It would take time for the stares to go down.

  She quickly said her order, and, because she wasn't getting any coffee, it only took seconds for the girl behind the counter to bag her muffin and hand Gabrie her change. She muttered a quick thanks and turned to leave. As she crossed to the door, she realized the suited man was still there and held the door open for her.

  "Thanks," she said as she quickly swooped by and out onto the street.

  "Ma'am," he called from behind her.

  She stopped and smiled at him. "Yep?"

  He let the bakery door shut and moved into the shade. He didn't look like the small-town type. For one, his suit would start to cook him alive once the temperatures hit the nineties in about half an hour. Considering the wrinkles around his eyes, she figured he was old enough to know how hot suits could be in the summer. He probably cared more about looking professional.

  Yet another reason Gabrie never wanted to work in business again.

  "I'm sorry, but I can't place your face and I know most people around here."

  She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. The other good thing about the city was that people didn't stop her in the middle of the street to ask who she was. "I'm staying at Cross Falls for a little bit." She worked to keep the smile on her face.

  He nodded. "Gabriella Moss?"

  Her smile dropped. "You know me?"

  "I'm Robert Carson. I am Philip Cross's lawyer."

  Oh crap. He couldn't be suing her, could he? "Listen, Philip didn't seem happy about getting the place redone, but I offered to leave! He said it was okay as long as Jack was there to make sure I didn't do anything stupid."

  Robert's lips tightened. "Ms. Moss, I suggest you get a hotel room for the next week or two."

  She rubbed her temples, wishing more than anything that she could bite into her massive muffin. "If he really has a problem with it, I'm sure I can work something out." As much as it pained her to give up on the beautiful antique of a home, she wasn't about to stress out a dying man by going against his wishes.

  "I don't think you understand. This isn't about you decorating Cross Falls."

  She cocked her head. "Then why would I possibly want to stay at a hotel?"

  He took a few steps closer. "I think you should know. I talked to Philip last night and he made a drastic change to his will."

  "Okay. Why are you telling me this?"

  "Because he named you his sole beneficiary. The house, his investments, his funds, everything is going to you."

  Gabrie felt as though the world spun at twice the normal speed. "What?" she squeaked out.

  "I don't think you should be living with the boys when they find out. They've always seemed like decent enough kids, but money makes people do strange things. Especially money they feel entitled to."

  She shook her head. "They should feel entitled to it! Why the hell would he leave me a damn penny? He practically threw me out of the room yesterday!" Her heart beat out a frantic rhythm as she looked around, half expecting a camera crew to jump out and yell "got you!"

  "Ms. Moss, trust me. He was adamant that everything go to you, and he refused to tell me why. But I've seen families get torn apart over inheritance disputes. I think you should strongly consider finding somewhere else to stay."

  Gabrie covered her mouth with a hand as her mind raced. If she left, Darren would know something was up. But she had no idea who this dude even was. He could be the town drunk who decided to have some fun with the new girl in town.

  Looking down at his recently shined loafers, Gabrie discredited the town drunk theory. Still didn't make him a lawyer.

  But what if he was? Darren wouldn't be upset. At least she didn't think he would be. He had a high-paying job and investments of his own, and even admitted he had no idea whether Philip was leaving him the house.

  Jack, on the other hand... Gabrie had no clue what he expected. He and Philip hadn't been on good terms, but it didn't seem as if Jack had much in the way of finances. Not if his car and nomadic nature were any indication. What if he was counting on his inheritance?

  The loud clanging of a truck turning down Main Street pulled her from her tumbling thoughts. Gabrie backed away from the supposed lawyer. "Thank you for the heads-up. I'll keep your advice in mind."

  She turned just in time to see the truck brake at the stop sign across from her car. The tow truck had seen better days, but was still better off than the unlucky son of a bitch whose car was hauled behind it.

  Gabrie let out a sigh as she waited for the truck to move on so she could cross the street and see how many bites it took to get to the center of a muffin. Her plan was the same. Get back to the house and scrape the damn wallpaper off until she was too tired to think about Jack, Darren, or any inheritance that probably wasn't but could possibly be coming to her.

  Muffin! Think about the muffin...

  The truck accelerated and rumbled past, and Gabrie shot one last glance to the crumpled Crown Victoria on the bed of the tow. She squinted as the sun caught on the faded black paint. She knew that car...

  Without stopping to think, Gabrie ran down the street. "Hey!" She struggled to keep her balance as her flip-flop clad feet pounded on the concrete. "Stop!"

  In a stroke of luck, the light at the end of the street turned red and allowed her the precious seconds she needed to catch up with the truck.

  As she finally reached the passenger side door, she paused to catch her breath. "Hey!" she called again between gasps.

  The scruffy driver leaned forward to get a better look at her, and she could tell by his scrunched brow that he probably thought she was insane, but she didn't care. "Are you okay, ma'am?"

  She leaned against the door. "Whose car is that?" She feared she knew the answer already.

  "The one I'm pullin'?" he a
sked, as though he hauled more than one car. He adjusted his hat so he could see her better. "I hear it belongs to Jack Cross."

  Her heart sunk. "Is he okay?"

  The driver shrugged. "Sorry, lady. They don't tell me anything. Jack was probably already back home or at the hospital by the time I got there."

  The light must've turned green, as the car behind the tow let out a long honk. Gabrie jumped back at the sound. "Um, thanks," she called to the driver. There was nothing more he could tell her anyway.

  The tow drove past, and Gabrie couldn't rip her gaze from the crumpled remnants of Jack's car. It wasn't just the front end smashed as if he'd run into a pole. Both ends were scrunched together like an accordion. Whatever he'd done, he hadn't walked away from that crash.

  ~~~ TO BE CONTINUED IN PART TWO ~~~

  Falling Lies

  By

  Mallory Crowe

  Falling Lies

  by Mallory Crowe

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. Fonts used with permission from Microsoft.

  Copyright © 2015 by Mallory Crowe

  Mallory Crowe (2015-03-24). Falling Lies (Cross Falls Saga Part One) Kindle Edition.

  CHAPTER ONE

  Gabrie's thumb tapped out a frantic rhythm against her bare leg. As she realized she'd probably been staring at her hand for a full minute, she ripped her gaze away.

  Not that there was anything else interesting to look at. An endless parade of nurses and doctors walked by, refusing to make eye contact with her.

  Although she'd confirmed Jack was in the ER, no one would allow her to go past the waiting room. All she could do was sit and wait. The same damn thing she'd been doing for two hours now. If Darren got back to town, he could escort her back, but he hadn't answered his phone any of the twenty times she'd called.