by T. R. Graves
CHAPTER 17
Lost Love
Emily
I'm stunned speechless. At least I am briefly. "Who are you, and where the hell is Levi?"
Unfazed by my hostility, the tall woman, whom I've never met before today, treats me with the casualness of someone who knows me well as she walks around my room. She picks up every tiny thing—magazine, pen, crossword puzzle—and studies it as if she's memorizing its every trait.
I have so few belongings at the hospital that her snooping is short-lived. Soon, she's sitting on the sofa. In spite of her boots, she crosses her legs like she's more model than soldier. She stares up at me, closes her eyes for a brief minute, and nods her head. It seems she's finally ready to answer my questions.
"I'm Ainsley Knight, and I work for Tope. Levi came by the office about an hour ago and asked me to do him a favor. Since Tope had already given me yet another errand to run for you, I told him I would. He was acting so weird I couldn't even joke with him like I normally do. Usually when he needs a favor from me, I get a peck on the lips, a playful slap on the ass, and a rain check for a night of hot, passionate sex one day in the near future," she says, rolling her eyes. "...Which so far has never happened. Today, he was pushy and demanding. A real bundle of nerves. What on Earth have you done to my carefree Levi?" she asks with every ounce of accusation she feels.
I study her with the same intensity she'd studied my belongings with. The woman before me is apparently trusted by both Levi and Tope. For me, that's interesting. She's interesting. She has piercings—two hooped rings at the corner of one side of her lip, one stud underneath her bottom lip, and another stud on the side of her nose opposite from the lip rings. She has tattoos, and they are obviously symbolic of life traumas.
On one wrist, she has a black, silver dollar-sized heart that’s bleeding red drops because of the golden knife stabbed through it. On the other wrist, she has numerous lifelike bleeding slash wounds.
I wonder who broke her heart so viciously that she felt the need to permanently embed the memory into her skin. I also wonder if the wrist slashes are there to hide real scars—evidence that she's tried to take her life before. Either way, the pain she's endured is as evident as she wants it to be.
Even though her baggage is palpable and heavy, she's as Barbie-doll beautiful as Angelina Jolie, which means her piercings and tattoos do nothing to distract from her natural beauty. The fact that she has no idea she’s beautiful makes her even more stunning. The fact that her lips have touched Levi's annoys me.
I knit my brows and say, "What do you mean?"
Ainsley rolls her inappropriate-for-daytime smoky eyes and pouts her perfect, bubble-gum pink lips. "Where do you think the clothes you have on came from? I got them after Tope ordered me to go to the mall and buy them for you so you'd have clothes to wear home. I suspected you'd love the clothes from Abercrombie and Fitch, so that's where I went," she said, cocking her head to the side and considering my outfit. "Yeah. I knew they would be right for you. I guess the store's perfume assault was worth it."
I look down at my clothes and wonder how a complete stranger could know me as well as she seemed to know me.
Because I've been conditioned my entire life to be polite, I say, "Th-thank you. I do like them."
Ignoring my gratitude, the very irritated Ainsley continues on. "As if I haven't done enough, Tope calls me and tells me"—she goes into a baby voice that I'm sure Tope's never used in his life—"Emily doesn't like the hospital food. Can you go by Piccadilly and get her some of everything? After I gag a little bit, I agree. Right before I leave the office to get your lunch, Levi comes by and asks me to drop a package off to you. Jesus, it's like they think I've suddenly become your assistant rather than Tope's."
Even though I've had no hand in the errands she's been running for me, she's put out with me. I'm not sure I blame her. Levi and Tope are awful hard to get angry with. It's probably a lot easier for her to direct her resentment toward me.
I glance toward the bag and can't help but wonder what's in it and why Levi sent her by. He promised me he’d be here as soon as he could.
"Did Levi tell you where he was going after he left Tope's office?" I ask.
I hope the disappointment—worry—I feel over Levi's absence is hidden. When Ainsley snaps her head toward me, I know it isn't.
"No. I told you he was acting weird. Check the package. Maybe he left a message." Ainsley hops up and spreads a whole picnic of food along the bedside table. "Since I've gone to all the trouble of picking out my favorite foods from Piccadilly, I'm expecting you to eat while you search through that bag."
Ainsley has quite the spread. Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, okra and tomatoes, pea salad, rolls, cornbread, and a fresh strawberry pie piled high with thickly piped whipped cream. The strawberries remind me of the lake where Tope and I picked strawberries to go with the bass I caught. I ignore everything else and pull the strawberry pie toward me.
My choice makes Ainsley raise a brow. I ignore her and grab a black plastic fork before stabbing it into the pie and making sure to get a whole berry. It's as fresh, creamy, and flaky as it looks.
"Hmmm!" I say. I roll my eyes to the heavens. The dessert is completely decadent and absolutely delicious.
Ainsley smiles and nods. She clearly agrees it is the best pie in the world. I push it her way, offering her the side opposite the one I'm eating. She grabs her own fork and takes her own giant bite.
"Oh my gosh! That is as good as I remember. I can't afford the calories, so I usually only allow myself one piece a year, and that's on my birthday," Ainsley says, patting a thigh that doesn't look to have an ounce of fat on it.
Calories are the least of my concerns right now. I've barely eaten in days. I take another giant bite before I dig into the bag. Inside, I find a plain white box wrapped with a perfect red velvet bow. I recognize the writing instantly. It's Levi's elegant calligraphy handwriting.
To: Em, the most beautiful woman in the world
From: The man who, with his whole heart, will eternally love her
The words make my heart burn with love for Levi. I glance up at Ainsley. She looks away quickly. There's no mistaking the fact that she's not pleased with Levi or his declaration.
With a loud gulp, she pushes away the strawberry pie that had just been my olive branch and busies herself by pulling her long black hair behind her ears and looking at her dog collar watch.
"Tope told me to wait here until Levi makes it," she says, making sure I know why she’s hanging out with me and trying to pretend she isn’t curious about the package.
I don't say anything. Instead, I slide the bow off the box and shake the top away from the bottom. I fish around the sea of white tissue paper in search of the present. Soon, I have three sitting on my lap, and the box is back in the bag.
"I need you to make sure this box goes with you," I say to Ainsley as if I'm the person she reports to.
I have no intention of explaining to her that my family will kill me if they find that box in my room or tucked into my things when I make it back to the commune. If I ever go back there.
I take the first gift in my hand and untie the robin’s egg blue ribbon from around its matching box. I quickly snatch off the lid and find an elegantly plain silver watch with an oversized face. It may not be real fancy, but it is stunning and expensive.
"He bought you a watch from Tiffany's. You have got to be fuckin' kiddin' me?"
Ainsley may have tried her best to ignore the words Levi wrote to me, but she doesn't even try to pretend she isn't impressed with the watch.
My hands are shaking when I slide the watch off the silk pillow it's wrapped around. Underneath the watch's band is a perfectly hidden note. I unfold it.
Em, in spite of this watch's simplicity, I hope you like it. The inscription says it all. Happy "Early" Birthday!
I flip the watch over and read the custom engraving that circles the back and spirals inward, getting smaller an
d smaller with each loop. Sitting within the middle of the engraved words are Levi's initials.
The day I met you is the day by which all others will be measured.—LIB
I can't help but smile at the words he'd written in his Quiet Musings journal. I rub my fingertips over the engraving as if they were Levi himself.
My God, I love him!
Annoyed by the amount of time I was spending admiring the watch, the very cross Ainsley interrupts my thoughts. "You have two more presents to open."
I glance over at her and nod before slipping the watch onto my wrist and snapping it closed. Then, I open the other robin’s egg blue box. This one is smaller. I flip the lid open and can barely believe what I'm seeing.
Oh my God!
"Oh my God!"
Ainsley jumps up and stands behind me. We both stare down at the most beautiful ring and band I've ever seen... ever imagined. The ring has a giant emerald-shaped diamond sitting in the center of a single row of smaller baguettes. The band has more baguettes, all of which are positioned up and down and encircled around the entire band. Both are set in platinum or white gold and complement the watch perfectly.
"Holy fuck! Is that an engagement ring?" Ainsley says, bringing me back into reality.
When I pull the rings out of the slit holding them up, another note drops into my lap. With trembling fingers, I slide both rings on and unfold the letter. By now, my eyes are watering. I have to blink away the tears in order to read his message.
I never wanted to propose like this, but that's what I'm doing. Will you marry me, Emily Ador Riddle?
No matter your answer... no matter how things turn out, I need to make sure you know that being married to you and having kids with you is exactly what I want for us.
I want to live the rest my life with you. When I make it back, you and I are running fast and we’re running far. We will live the rest of our very long lives together, and it will not be a life where we have to constantly look over our shoulders. I promise that to you.
Love,
Levi Ian Bryson
P.S. Look inside the watch’s pillow. There you will find three keys. They go to our apartment, our car, and our safety deposit boxes. Making all of this official, I've had your name added as the co-owner of my estate in its entirety. Everything I have—including my love—is yours.
My instincts are on high alert. What in the hell is this man doing?
Something about all of this and the messages he's sending me feels like I'm reading his last will and testament. With that thought, I grab the final present, snatch the tissue from around it, and find Levi's journal.
I stare at the words he'd written—My Quiet Musings by Levi Ian Bryson—and wonder what he is doing... what asinine plan he's concocted to get me away from the commune. The only reason I’m not more concerned and panicked is because I know I could call Tope and he’ll be able to track him using the microchip.
I look pointedly toward Ainsley. "I need you to call Tope right now!"
Ainsley doesn't make a move. She just stares as me like I've lost my mind. I have no patience. This time, I yell, "Call Tope, now!"
Ainsley pulls her phone from the baby purse hanging from her studded belt. Seconds later, she has him on the line.
"Tope, Emily wants to talk to you," she says, handing the phone over to me.
"Tope, I'm worried about Levi. Can you tell me where he is?" I ask. My voice is quivering.
"He's not there with you?" he asks, clearly confused.
"No. I haven't seen him since the two of you left this mornin'. He had Ainsley bring me all of these gifts and messages that are makin' me think he's doin' somethin' dangerous," I say, on the verge of tears.
"Emily, I'm looking at the tracking device, and it shows he's right there with you... and his vital signs are out of control like they were this morning when he was... you know... with you," Tope says as if he doesn’t believe one word I'm saying.
I stare at the book Levi sent me. I open it to the last page. There, I find his microchip taped to a page. I feel the blood drain from my face. Without another word, I hang up and look at Ainsley.
Tope
The instant the phone goes dead, I know things are bad. Levi's not with her even though the tracking device shows that he's there. That means Levi, in his infinite wisdom, has removed the device in order to keep me off his trail.
I check the location of his phone and find it's still at Gran's and Meme's. I quickly call.
"Topie, son, I know you've been here off and on, but I haven't seen you once this week. That's no way to treat your grandmother. You know how much I worry about you. You work with too many criminals for my comfort," Meme says
"I'm sorry, Meme. Can you tell me if Levi's there?"
"No. He drove out of here like a bat out of you know where about an hour ago. Why?"
The last thing I want to do is worry Meme.
"Did he leave his phone there? I've been trying to reach him but can't."
"Hmm. I-I see something in the driveway. Hold on for a minute and let me go take a look," Meme says, and I can hear the dinging of the house alarm as she opens the door. "Well, I'll be. He must've dropped his phone, Tope. It was sitting in the middle of the driveway."
God damn him!
"What's wrong, Tope? Is Levi okay?"
I try to calm down enough to lie. "He's not in any more danger than he is every day of his life. If you hear from him, tell him to call me. In the meantime, I'll have some of the police officers keep an eye out for him. I'll talk to you later today, Meme."
"I want to know the minute you find him, Tope. He shouldn't be worrying us like this."
"I know, Meme. I'll call you," I say before hanging up on my grandmother. I know her well enough to know she’ll keep me on the phone for an hour, speculating. I need to jump into action now.
I don't have a minute to waste so I jump into my 1968 version of Levi's 2014 Stingray Corvette. I bought this car after he got his so he'd know what the original model looked like. I'm certainly thankful for this car's speed, but I'm going to regret not having the Jeep's utility once I make it to the commune's bumpy roads.
The car fishtails the second I push the gas and speed toward the police station. I've got to enlist the help of some of Andy's officers if I want to have any chance at finding Levi and getting him out of there alive.
Emily
Dumbfounded, Ainsley is staring at the microchip in the notebook. She knows as well as I do that Levi's in danger.
"I need the keys to your Jeep. Please. If you care at all about Levi, you'll give them to me and wait here for Tope." I beg, deciding right then and there I’ll take them by force if she doesn't give them to me willingly.
"It's Tope's Jeep," she says, pulling the keys from the belt purse where her phone had been. I snatch them and run from the room. Miraculously, I never once encounter the first police officer or security guard. I'm assuming they've been told to watch for Lorenzo coming and not my going.
I know exactly where Lorenzo's hiding, and I'm beyond grateful to have a Jeep at my disposal. I spin out of the parking lot and speed toward the commune like it's a matter of life and death because it is.
The night Lorenzo had the women packing the back of the truck, I watched him take a road that runs alongside the outside of the commune's fence. Until that night, I'd never known about the road's existence.
I have every intention of using the concealed road in order to make it to the cemetery without anyone knowing I'm there. Since I don't have time to ride up and down the main highway, looking for Lorenzo's hidden turnoff, I plan to drive through the woods, head toward the fence, and take a sharp right just before I hit it. That will put me on the quickest and easiest path toward the graveyard.
Right before I make it to the commune's driveway, I jerk the steering wheel to the right and drive the Jeep straight for the ditch. Rather than slowly roll through it, I jump the ditch and bounce my way through the forest. I'm hanging on for dear life
, but the rough landings after getting airborne so often are taking their toll on me. Before long, I'm bruised and banged and aching. After a particularly traumatic bounce, I suspect I might actually have a skull fracture.
It doesn't stop me. I plow through the forest dodging big trees while bowling over small ones. I have a mission, and that mission is to find Levi. Nothing will stop me. Right before I run headlong into the fence, I take another sharp right. There, I see the clear path through the woods I'd hoped to find. It's just as bumpy, but a lot less tree-riddled and dangerous.
When I'm as close to the cemetery as I dare to drive the Jeep, I veer off the dirt road and tuck the vehicle deep into an area where the ground cover is especially thick. After I've made sure the Jeep is as hidden as it can be, I squeeze out of the door and make my way through the barbed brush.
As soon as I clear the thicket, I tuck the car's keys into my pocket and run through the woods, ignoring the scratches of thorns and the slaps of limbs. Soon, I'm at the fence's hole. I don't waste one second. I drop to my knees and crawl through.
On the other side, I dash for the first giant oak tree, hiding until I make sure the coast is clear. I make my way through the perimeter of the cemetery by running from tree to tree. When I'm finally near the shed—the very shed I suspect Lorenzo is hiding in—I run over, tug on the unlocked door, and slip inside.
There's a simple light bulb hanging from the ceiling. It's not bright, but it allows me to see the shed's contents. There are rakes, shovels, chainsaws, tool chests, and tractors. Everything about it, including the overwhelming scent of oil, gas, and freshly mowed grass, is exactly what one would expect from a shed.
Behind the biggest tractor, I see a door that would probably be hidden if it were closed. It's not. It's wide open, and there are familiar voices drifting from it. My heart skips a fundamental beat because one of those voices is Lorenzo's.
I quickly make my way toward the door, staying hidden. I ignore my every instinct to run as fast as I can in the other direction and poke my head around the door. I see Owen, Phil, Brian, Joe, and Lorenzo. I don't spend much time focusing on them. I'm too shocked at the scene before me.
