Chapter 10
At the End of Firefly Lane
Between her new job at Duke’s, spending time with her family, and having her nose stuck in a book most afternoons, Georgia settled into a peaceful rhythm for the summer. She enjoyed having the bit of structure to her days while also still having plenty of time to herself. She had needed that after living in the dorms with three other girls and no privacy to speak of.
Plus, with her new summer gig, Georgia had refined her barista skills. She now had a greater appreciation for coffee, and not just for its pick-me-up effects in the early mornings. People she normally wouldn’t talk to would open up as she brewed them a drink of their choice, unintentionally letting their guards down. Georgia didn’t mind at all, as she had always preferred listening to others rather than talking about herself. There was something about the exchange of coffee for conversation that was both natural and ritualistic to her. In fact, Georgia liked it so much that she was now considering applying for part-time barista gigs once she returned to school in the fall.
Georgia had also grown accustomed to seeing certain people on a daily basis. There was Dr. Young that would come in almost every morning for his latte. There were the farmers that would arrive bright and early and were usually less adventurous, preferring their coffee black and poured by Duke himself. Then there was the group of younger men from the cotton gin that would come in for their mid-morning breaks, and the rush of lattes, Americanos, and cappuccinos would ensue, forcing Georgia to work at a break-neck pace. She didn’t mind the rush, but she was always a little relieved when they headed out the door to return to the cotton gin.
It was seeing all of these people nearly every day that reminded Georgia of why she loved small towns, especially her hometown of Willow Creek. Even though throughout middle school, and even in the beginning of high school she had openly despised the small town and its rampant rumor spreading, she saw things differently now. Maybe it was just maturity, or maybe it was simply gratitude for the people she had never really appreciated before.
All too quickly, over two weeks of her summer had already slipped by. Georgia had just finished her shift and was sweeping up the area around the espresso machine, making sure she had gotten all the grounds she had spilled from her busy morning. As she swept the floor, Georgia reflected on her short, yet satisfying employment at the diner so far. Things had been going well at Duke’s, and she was even earning extra money from tips from her regulars. She had seen most of her regulars again this week, except for Dr. Young.
Georgia looked around the diner once more to make sure he hadn’t come in when she was sweeping. She had grown used to seeing him almost every morning at his usual booth, but she hadn’t seen him since Monday this week, and it was already Wednesday. She wondered if he was working more hours at his practice.
“Headin’ off, Miss Georgia?” Duke asked as he walked by.
Georgia looked up as she put the broom away. “Yes, sir. Lots of happy, caffeinated customers today, Duke.”
Duke laughed. “You know, I wasn’t sure how this machine would take at first, but I’m sure glad I got it. It’s definitely gonna pay for itself with all the business we’re gettin’ thanks to you.”
Georgia felt her cheeks grow rosy from his compliment. “Well, thanks Duke. I’m glad it worked out this well. I really appreciate this job.”
“The job is yours for as long as you’re around, even when you come back home again for breaks from school.”
Georgia grinned. “Really? That’s great, Duke. Thank you!”
Duke looked pleased with her response as he opened up the register. He began to break open a roll of coins, and then added, “And if medical school doesn’t work out for some reason, you can always be a barista here at my diner.” He winked at her.
Georgia giggled. “I appreciate that, Duke,” she answered as she went around the long counter. “I’ll see you bright and early tomorrow morning!”
“See you then, Miss Georgia,” Duke answered, and then slammed the register shut.
✽✽✽
It was around dinnertime when the phone rang. Georgia was outside reading with Millie, but the phone was just loud enough for her to hear from the porch. Georgia snapped her book shut and walked briskly inside, Millie following closely. She wondered if it was her dad. She checked the time on the microwave clock as she headed into the kitchen. He should have been home by now.
Picking up the phone on the fifth ring, she got it just before the answering machine did. “Hello?”
“Hey, Georg. It’s me.” She heard her dad’s familiar voice.
“Oh. Hi, dad.”
“Hey, I’m gonna be a little late tonight. There was an accident on the interstate that they need help directin’ traffic with. I’ll probably be home close to nine, maybe ten.”
“Sure, dad. Do you want me to wait to eat?” Being the daughter of the local sheriff, Georgia was no stranger to the frequent late nights and interruptions that her dad’s job entailed.
“No, you go ahead, sweetheart. I’ll eat when I get home.”
“Okay. Be safe out there, dad,” she urged.
“I always am. See you soon, Georg,” he responded, his sure voice familiar and reassuring to her.
“Love you.”
“Love you, too.”
She hung up the phone. Though Georgia had received countless calls like this from her dad throughout her childhood, she always worried about him. She crossed her arms over her chest and sighed, looking at the clock on the microwave. It was almost seven-thirty, but she still wasn’t hungry. She looked down at Millie, who was gazing back at her with her soulful stare. “Well, girl. What shall we do?”
Millie wagged her tail and perked her ears.
Georgia bent down, stroking the fur on Millie’s back. “Should we go on a walk now?”
Millie jumped up, her tail waving around enthusiastically.
“That’s what I thought,” Georgia said, smiling as she stood up. She grabbed the leash off the coat hook next to the door.
They took their usual route to Maple Leaf Park, and though it had cooled off a bit since the afternoon, it was still hot enough to work up a sweat. Georgia was thankful for the thick shade of leaves overhead once they reached the park. She wiped the sweat from her brow and looked down at Millie, who was panting heavily.
Georgia led Millie over to the spigot that was just off the road and turned it on for her. As the spigot gurgled and the water made its way up the pipe, Millie licked her lips with anticipation. The water then rushed out, hitting the grass forcefully underneath and gently spraying Georgia’s bare legs. Millie took a long, satisfying drink. Once Millie was finished, they made their way back to the walking path and began their loop around the park.
It was a calm, beautiful evening in Maple Leaf Park that night. The long shadows of the trees stretched out as the sun sank lower in the sky, its golden light reaching where the shadows couldn’t. The cicadas sang their song overhead in the trees, visible to no one yet heard by all. It was a peaceful setting in Maple Leaf Park, seemingly untouched by all the turmoil in the rest of the world.
Georgia and Millie were nearing the turn-off point for Firefly Lane when Georgia was jerked backwards by Millie’s sudden stop. She turned to look back at Millie, the leash taut in her hands. Millie stood there, unmoving, her usually energetic tail still. Her hackles were raised along her back, and her eyes were unblinking as she stared in the direction of Sage River.
“What’s wrong, girl?” Georgia tried to guide her back onto the walking path, but Millie tugged at the leash towards the paved road.
Curious as to what was going on, Georgia let Millie lead her off the path, thinking that she must have sensed a little animal nearby, perhaps a rabbit, or even a snake. They reached the paved road and Millie began to move faster, her nose to the ground as she continued to sniff along an invisible trail. She turned off the paved road and onto Firefly Lane, pulling Georgia after her onto the dirt path. As t
hey neared the dense grouping of trees that divided the park from the river, a low growl began in Millie’s throat, and Georgia could sense something was wrong, too. Georgia felt the hairs on her arms standing on end, and her breathing quickened with fear. Millie began to bark, yanking on the leash to move faster towards Sage River. Georgia ran after her, holding onto the leash as tightly as she could.
Millie sprinted through the trees and out into the clearing. Georgia raced after her, trying to keep up, and then she saw it. There at the end of Firefly Lane and at the water’s edge of Sage River was a 1957 baby blue Cadillac Coupe DeVille. Georgia knew it from the moment she saw that striking blue color that it was Dr. Young’s car, his pride and joy.
She could hear the engine of the car running. She looked around, hoping to see Dr. Young walking along the river. Or perhaps he was waiting for the fireflies to come out? Georgia’s mind raced with potential scenarios. She could feel her heart pounding, threatening to burst from inside her chest. Something felt sickeningly wrong about this scene, and both she and Millie could feel it. Georgia stared at the Cadillac, knowing she should check inside the car. Millie was now straining against the leash, still barking.
Georgia broke out in a cold sweat as she approached the car, sensing that something wasn’t right. “Dr. Young?” she called out loudly as she bent down to get a better look through the window, the heat of the car’s engine blasting her legs. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the shadows in the car as she peered in. Then she gasped as she realized the horror of what she was seeing.
Georgia staggered backwards, dropping Millie’s leash as she held her hands over her mouth in a silent scream. Millie continued to bark at the car, knowing something was horribly wrong, the fur still standing tall on her back.
Georgia clutched at her chest and tried to breathe, praying this was all a terrible nightmare. She closed her eyes and heard a long, pained scream. The screaming finally stopped and, as she caught her breath, she realized it was her own scream that she had heard. She forced herself to look again through the window, not wanting to believe her eyes.
There inside the Cadillac lay Dr. Young, his body in a pool of dark, crimson blood. A small handgun rested on the floor close to his head—not far from his outstretched hand. Though Dr. Young’s face was completely unrecognizable with all the blood from the gunshot wound to his head, she knew it was him from his thin figure and the dark suit he always wore. She stared at his bloodstained suit, thinking of how she had seen him just two days ago at the diner, and wondering why he had done this.
Georgia’s eyes traveled across his body, and she saw something white peeking from out of his pants pocket. Without thinking, she opened the car door. It creaked open and the smell of death washed over her. She felt lightheaded from the smell, and she clutched the hood of the car to keep from falling over. Covering her nose, she reached in and turned off the car’s engine before snatching the white slip of paper from his pocket. She slammed the car door shut again and leaned against it, her breathing shallow and ragged.
Georgia looked down at the paper and began to unfold it. She could see through the thin paper that it was a handwritten note, as the black ink of cursive lettering had bled through slightly.
Georgia then stopped. She should give this to her dad. Whatever was written on this note was not for her to read. She folded it back up, and slipped it into her pocket. Georgia held her hands over her mouth again and closed her eyes, unsure as to what to do, but knowing she couldn’t stay here any longer next to a dead man.
She picked up Millie’s leash and began to run, Millie following her. She ran through the trees and back through the park, her legs moving swiftly, almost robotically. The scenery passed by in a blur as she ran, sprinting all the way to the police station across town, not stopping once.
She arrived at the police station and ran up the steps to the front door. Being after business hours, the door was locked, but there would be somebody inside. Georgia banged on the glass, screaming for help until a policeman rushed over to the door.
He unlocked it and stepped outside. “What’s wrong?” he asked her, his voice concerned.
Georgia tried to speak, but she couldn’t. “At the park…Dr. Young,” she spluttered. She tried to catch her breath from running, and then realized she was crying. She heard someone else open the front door and come outside. Looking up, she saw that it was her dad. Without thinking, Georgia threw her arms around him, burying her face in his starched shirt.
“Georgia? What’s wrong?!” Her dad’s usually calm voice sounded panicked. He stepped away from her arms and put his hands on her shoulders, forcing her to look at him. “What’s wrong?” he repeated.
Georgia caught her breath and finally spoke, her voice wavering, “It’s Dr. Young. I found his car next to Sage River in the park….” Her voice trailed off as she lost her breath again. She shook her head, feeling the tears stream down her cheeks. “He’s dead, dad. Dr. Young is dead.”
Her dad blanched, and a few moments of silence passed as he processed the news. Then, not taking his eyes off his daughter, he pulled his radio from his belt. He cleared his throat. “Ten thirty-three. We have a report of a dead body outside of Maple Leaf Park near Sage River. Exact coordinates are unknown.” He slipped the radio back onto his belt and nodded towards the other officer. “Can you handle this for a few minutes? I need to take my daughter home and I can meet you at the river.”
The officer nodded solemnly. “Yes, sir.”
Georgia’s dad turned back to her. “Let’s get you home, Georg. Wait, on second thought, I’m taking you to your sister’s. I don’t want you home alone right now. You can take Millie with you.”
Georgia didn’t say anything. She looked down at Millie, who was anxiously panting next to her. Georgia suddenly felt dizzy, like the ground was shaking beneath her shoes. She swayed, catching herself.
Her dad reached out to steady her. “Georg?”
His voice seemed to echo, reverberating through Georgia’s ears. She felt her insides churning as she thought of Dr. Young’s body, the front seat drenched with his blood. She felt her breathing quicken and knew she was going to be sick. She darted over to the railing and leaned over, expelling what felt like her organs as she vomited over the side onto the grass. Georgia felt her dad’s hand on her back as she continued to be sick, heaving up her breakfast, followed by hot, acidic bile.
When Georgia had finished, she grasped the railing, trying to stabilize herself. She wiped off her mouth and coughed as she cleared her throat.
“You okay, Georg?” she heard her dad ask. His voice sounded fuzzy, almost incoherent.
Georgia nodded slowly. She closed her eyes, and then everything went black.
Chapter 11
The Week After Graduation
Four Summers Ago
Landon pulled into his mom’s driveway and turned off the car. He had just returned from dropping Emmarie off at her house. His mind strayed back to her, thinking of how effortlessly beautiful she always looked. He turned his head and looked again at the backseat, which was already almost full from their packing. Only two more nights and they’d be on their way to Boston.
Smiling to himself, Landon got out of the car and slammed the door shut, completely absorbed in his thoughts of Emmarie and their imminent departure.
“Dinner’s ready, Landon,” he heard a voice call over to him.
Landon looked up, caught off guard.
His mom was standing on the porch, smiling at him. “You okay there?” she asked, her blue eyes twinkling.
Landon nodded. He came up to the porch and, without warning, hugged his mom, holding her tightly.
She hugged him back. She couldn't believe that he would be leaving Willow Creek so soon.
“I’m gonna miss you, mom." His voice was muffled as he hugged her.
“Well, I’ll miss you too, Landon.” She smiled, fighting back the tears. Landon was all Faye Young had, and she couldn’t imagine him leavin
g her. But, she knew how important this move was for Landon, and how he wanted to be with Emmarie. She knew she couldn’t hold him back.
Landon stepped back and looked at her. “Are you going to be okay here all alone?” His forehead was creased with concern.
His mom waved away his question with her hand. “I’ll be just fine, Landon. Don’t you worry about a thing.” She reached out and rubbed his arm. She felt her eyes unexpectedly fill with tears, and quickly blinked them away. Gathering herself, she opened the door for him. “Let’s go in. Dinner’s all ready.” She hoped Landon hadn’t heard the emotion in her voice.
“Thanks, mom,” Landon said. He leaned down and pecked her on the cheek before going inside.
His mom watched him from the doorway for a moment as he walked into the kitchen. He was so tall now that the hair on his head grazed the cord that hung from the ceiling fan. She had to remind herself that he was no longer a little boy, but a grown man.
“Can I serve you, mom?” Landon asked as he took out a plate. He glanced over at her in the entryway.
“If you’d like,” she said cheerfully. She swallowed the lump in her throat and went into the kitchen.
✽✽✽
It was after dinner when Landon left for his dad’s. He had put off seeing him for nearly the entire week, and with only two nights remaining until he and Emmarie left for Boston, he knew he had to at least try one more time to gain his blessing.
Landon could see the light on in the kitchen as he jogged up the steps to the front porch, and he felt the dread churning in his stomach as he prepared for the inevitable argument that was soon to come. He knocked on the door.
Dr. Young opened the door a few moments later. He was still dressed in his suit and tie from working at his practice. His tie was loosened, as if he had just pulled on it. He looked sharp dressed in a suit, his dark, thick hair combed back. He gazed at Landon, his expression stern.
Georgia Summer Page 8
