Return To Sender (The Hart Brothers Book 2)

by J. S. Cooper

  “Hmm, Lucy, you’re not helping.”

  “Sorry.” She offered me a wry grin. “I’m just getting so many ideas for movies. I wish I brought my camera with me.”

  “You didn’t bring it?”

  “Well, I did.” She laughed. “I just wasn’t sure how you’d feel if I started taking some footage.”

  “Girl, do what you want. If you feel inspired go for it.”

  “The woods are cool. Maybe we can go for a walk again this evening and I can take some shots. That would be pretty awesome.”

  “Yeah, sure, I don’t mind.” I shrugged. Frankly that was the least of my concerns. She could take as many videos as she wanted. All I cared about was finding out what Wade was hiding. I also, which made me feel stupid, missed Wade. I wanted to see his face. I wanted to hear his voice. I wanted to touch him. I even missed his teasing.

  “So ladies, what can I get you?” Beryl stopped in front of us. “Black coffees or you want milk?”

  “Both with milk.” Lucy shot back. “And we want some answers. No games, please. I think you know something and you can help us. You’re a good lady, Beryl. I know you care about my friend. And I care about her. So let’s do our best to ensure she gets the answers she needs before something bad happens to her. I know you don’t want that to be on your head, do you, Beryl?”

  Beryl was silent for a few moments as she stared at Lucy and then at me. “You have a good friend there.”

  “I know.”

  “Hold on…I’ll put in your order for the eggs benedict and I’ll be back.”

  “I said doughnuts or pancakes…” Lucy started but I just shook my head at her and smiled.

  “We’ll have whatever you recommend, Beryl, thank you.” I gave the older lady a small smile and sat back as she walked away. “That was awesome, Lucy, I think she’s really going to give us some good information now.”

  “She’ll give us something.” Lucy shrugged. “Though I can tell you from now that it won’t even be a tenth of what she knows.” She looked thoughtful. “Old ladies like that, that work in cafes like this, see and hear everything.” She nodded to herself. “Beryl knows a lot, she won’t tell us all, but she’ll give us a tidbit and that will be enough.”

  “How will that be enough?” I frowned. “Can’t we try and get her to tell us everything?”

  “We’d be here all day and night for a year if we tried that.” She shook her head. “All we need are some crumbs. We can go from there.”

  “Where though?”

  “Gordon!” She raised an eyebrow and maybe we can go to the local library, see if we can find out any information there.”

  “I guess so.”

  “Also, you know who we didn’t look up online yesterday.”

  “Who?”

  “We didn’t look up his mom.” Lucy tapped her fingernails against the countertop. “I feel like she has to know something as well.”

  “There’s no way she would tell me, she doesn’t think I’m good enough for her son.”

  “Maybe that’s precisely the reason that she would tell you.” Lucy seemed to be full on detective mode as her voice raised in excitement. “If she feels the only way you would leave is to hear the bad stuff, maybe she’d be more than happy to fill you in.”

  “Hmm, I don’t know. I feel like she would have told me already if that was the case. I told you that this lady cannot stand me.”

  “Most women don’t like the girls their sons date, just like most dads don’t like the guys their daughters date. It’s that whole Oedipus Rex thing.”

  “That’s crazy.”

  “Crazy, but true.”

  “Yeah, I guess so.” I was starting to feel overwhelmed again, Lucy was taking charge, which was nice, but she was almost pushing it too much. Yes, I wanted answers, but not at the detriment of everything. I at least wanted to see Wade again before I found out news that might forever break my heart. I almost regretted telling Lucy everything. A part of me just wanted to live in denial for a little bit. Was that really such a bad thing?

  “Hey ladies, here are your coffees.” Beryl suddenly appeared next to them again with two slightly stained white coffee cups. “Sugar is in front of you. The French toast will be out soon.”

  “Great thanks.” Lucy said and gave me a confused look.

  “So Beryl,” I spoke up then because as much as I loved Lucy, I didn’t want her taking over. I was a strong capable woman. And I could handle the truth, even if it broke my heart. “You’ve been making comments and little insinuations to me about the Hart men since I came to Herne Hill. I would really appreciate it, if you would tell me what you know. And if you think I’m in any sort of danger.”

  “You found your voice again, eh?” Beryl took the bench next to me.

  “I don’t have much to say. I’m just a simple woman that lives in the village and minds her own business.”

  “Yes, of course.” I pressed my lips together to stop from laughing. If Beryl really thought she minded her own business, then she was as delusional as they came.

  “But I hear things, working here.” She continued. “About them Hart men. I mean, they pretty much own the town or at least they did.” She looked around for a few seconds as if checking to see if anyone was paying attention to us. “Look all I’m going to say is that the Hart men are full of secrets.” She said secrets in a low voice. “Them boys, well, let’s just say there’s more than one actor in that family. Those Hart’s have blood on their hands.” She was getting more heated up now. “Everyone knows that the seeds can’t be good if the core is bad.”

  “Uhm, okay.” I blinked. “Could you please explain that a b…” I stopped talking as she suddenly slid off her stool.

  “That’s all I’m going to say.” She pursed her lips. “Ain’t not a one of them a Cary Grant or Clint Eastwood, that’s all I got to say.” And with that she was gone again. I wanted to call after her, ask her to just talk in plain English and not in riddles, but I just kept my mouth shut.

  “Well that was majorly frustrating.” I shook my head at Lucy. “I’m actually feeling quite annoyed.” I stopped speaking as I realized Lucy was scribbling something down on a piece of paper. “What are you writing?”

  “I’m writing down what she said.” Lucy’s eyes were shining as she looked up at me. “So, she said that there are two actors in the family.” Lucy was excited. “I think she just confirmed your suspicion that Gordon is a Hart brother! Isn’t he an actor?”

  “Yes,” And suddenly my heart was racing as well. “I didn’t think of it like that, but yeah, he is an actor. I really don’t think Wade or Henry are though? You don’t think they’re secretly famous actors or something and haven’t said anything?”

  “No.” Lucy shook her head. “You’d recognize a famous actor, even if you didn’t know them well.”

  “True, especially with all the movies we watch.”

  “What’s the definition of an actor?”

  “Huh?”

  “What’s the def…”

  “I know what you asked, I just don’t know why you asked it.”

  “Let me search on my phone and see. So when I go to Google there are two definitions. One is a person whose profession is acting on the stage, in movies, or on television. The second is a participant in an action or process.”

  “Okay, and what? Wade is going to be trying out for the next stage play in the village?”

  “No, no, I’m saying, what if she didn’t use the term literally. Maybe she’s not saying that the other brother is trying to make it big in Hollywood, but rather is putting on an act or a front.”

  “Oh, hmm. So Wade might be acting like he likes me, when really he couldn’t care less. Like a sociopath? Oh shit, do you think Wade is a sociopath?”

  “That’s one way to look at it, but that’s not what I was thinking.” Lucy shook her head. “I’m just saying I think she was alluding to some big lie, some big secret. That adds up to what you heard Wade saying.”
r />   “I know that Wade has a secret though. That tells us nothing.”

  “The other thing that she said that I thought was quite interesting was that the Hart’s have blood on their hands…”

  “So he’s a murderer?”

  “No.” Lucy shook her head, quite adamantly. “If he was a murderer, Beryl would have said. She wouldn’t have let us stay there. I’m pretty sure.” She sounded uncertain.

  “Then what else could she have meant?”

  “I don’t know.” Lucy shook her head. “And also what does, the seeds can’t be good if the core is bad mean? Are they involved in any sort of farming or food manufacturing?”

  “Not that I know of…” I paused. “Well, actually, kind of. They’re helping over countries with their farming practices.” I tried to remember exactly what they were doing. “I’d have to check.”

  “Yeah, we can maybe check at the library. Why don’t you try and give Gordon a call. I think we need to talk to him.”

  “Okay,” I pulled my phone out and called him, but the call went directly to voice mail. “I think his phone is off. Let me text him and ask him to call me.” I shot off a quick text and then took a sip of my coffee. Lucy and I just stared at each other for a few seconds before we before just shook our heads. We were smack dab in the middle of a mystery and neither one of us had any idea just what we were involved in.

  Chapter 10

  “Jolene just loves these walks. She’s going to miss all this dirt when we get back to the city.” Lucy’s voice was muffled as she positioned her camera in front of her and took shots of the woods as we walked.

  “I’m sure she will get used to it and it’s not like she doesn’t go to Central Park and Prospect Park, she’s not living in a concrete jungle, just yet.”

  “Thank God that we have that green space.” Lucy was clicking away furiously as we walked and I was just enjoying the beauty of the late afternoon sky and weather. I stared at the tree branches as we walked to see if I could see any birds or animals, but all I’d seen so far was what appeared to be a few lizards slithering away.

  “Shall we go this way today?” I asked as we came to a fork in the woods. The path we’d gone on before looked clearer, but I was in an adventurous mood and wanted to take the road less traveled.

  “Sure, lead the way.” Lucy followed behind me as we took a step over a fallen tree trunk and Jolene came jumping and running ahead as we changed our direction.

  “You never heard back from Gordon right?” Lucy asked as we made our way through the forest.

  “Not a thing, but I also think he knows I’m suspicious and annoyed with him. I might not hear back from him for a while.”

  “That’s sad, I’d really hoped he was going to turn out to be a good guy friend for you.”

  “Yeah me too. That first night we met in the village, he was so friendly, supportive and nice. I thought that we were at the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Now all I can think is that he was using me.”

  “Well, don’t judge him before you know the truth, Savannah, It might not be as bad as we think.”

  “Haha, yeah right.” I was about to say something else when I noticed footprints in the dirt to the side of where we were walking. “Do those look like footprints or animal prints to you?” I pointed to the right as I walked over to check them out a little bit closer.

  “Footprints.” Lucy said as she came up behind me to survey the marks as well. “Definitely footprints. Looks like three different kinds actually. See the patterns all have different shapes.”

  “Hmm, yeah, weird.” I walked back to the main path. “I wonder how recent they are.”

  “And who the three people were.” Lucy added.

  “And why they were at the side and not on the main path.”

  “It just keeps getting curiouser and curiouser.” Lucy said softly. “Hey, have you written any poetry recently?”

  “Actually, I wrote one this morning after I came out of the shower.” I admitted. “Though I don’t think it’s any good.”

  “I wrote one this morning as well.” Lucy said. “How strange is that? Want to do a share as we walk?”

  “Sure.” I said. “Do you want to go first or second?”

  “You go first.”

  “Okay.” I walked for a few more seconds and then let the words spill from my mouth as if I were on a large stage somewhere. “Secrets, things you never told me, things I never should have known. Like your body, a muscular vision on a throne. You touched me and in that instant I was yours. You touched me, and pushed me down on all fours. You’ve got a secret and it’s something I shouldn’t know. You’ve got a secret and all I can think of is my glow. The way you touched me. The way your lips made me yours. You’ve got a secret and I just want to close the door.” I pretended to slam a door shut and then turned to Lucy, who was looking at me with understanding in her eyes.

  “You love him.” It wasn’t a question, but a statement. “This isn’t just a crush or I’m falling for him thing. You’ve already fallen.” She spoke softly, as if she didn’t want to upset me or our surroundings by raising her voice.

  “So what did you think of the poem?”

  “It was so beautiful. So raw.” She looked me in the eyes. “It is a beautiful thing to know love, Savannah. I only hope he is worthy.”

  “Me too, girl. Me too.”

  “Okay, well, poem is nowhere as near as heartfelt as yours, but here goes. I had a friend. I had a sister. I had a vision that spun like a twister. I was alone and living free. I was alone, but I didn’t want to be. I had a vision of my own true love. With a smile so bright, and the angel spirit of a dove. I wanted it to be, so I waited all night. I wanted it to be, but my joy is floating like a kite. Up and away, out of my reach. I’ll be forever alone. With not even my friend to teach.”

  “Oh Lucy.” I stopped and looked at her. “I didn’t know you were so lonely.”

  “I’m not, well, at least not all the time. It just hits me, you know. In the late of night, when I’m lying there, when the dreams won’t take me away, and my brain just thinks.”

  “And you think about how it’s just you?”

  “Yeah. You know what I mean?”

  “I know.” I reached for her hand. “You sound like you’re suffering from anxiety.”

  “I thought I was just being a baby.” She laughed. “It’s not like it’s every night and you won’t be gone forever.”

  “Did you ever feel that way when I was still there? In the apartment?”

  “A little bit.” She made a face. “I didn’t feel alone because I always had you. And I love our friendship. But I did feel a little bit solitary and sad. Like I wanted more. Not that you weren’t enough. But I wanted love. Or I should say want. I want love too.” She let out a deep sigh. “Sometimes I wonder if there’s something wrong with me.”

  “You know you’re gorgeous, right, Lucy?” I stared at my beautiful friend. “But I get it. I’ve felt the same way. I think it’s something we all go through when we’re single and don’t necessarily want to be. You will find love as well, Lucy. And trust me, it’s not all that. You could end up in a situation like me.”

  “I want a love and an adventure as well, though. My life is so bor..oh shit.” She exclaimed and pointed ahead. “Shit, is that a pool of blood.”

  “Say what now? Blood?” I looked over to where she was pointing and my eyes widened, “Oh my God, what is that?” We both ran over to the spot and then looked at each other.

  “Let’s follow the trail.” Lucy said softly and I whistled to Jolene to get her to run back to us. We followed the trickling spots of blood through the forest for about fifteen minutes and then we spotted a small cabin nestled between the trees ahead.

  “Shall we go in?” Lucy kept walking. She wasn’t even really waiting for my answer. Jolene and I followed behind her and I could feel my heart racing as we got closer and closer to the cabin.

  “Please God, don’t let us die today.” I whis
pered under my breath as we reached the cabin door. Lucy opened the door slowly and we both grimaced as it creaked loudly. If there was anyone in there, they’d definitely be alerted to the fact that we were entering. Lucy walked in first and I followed. The cabin appeared to be empty and small. There was a rotting smell that filled the air and I felt like I wanted to throw up. To the right of the room was a small wooden table and there appeared to be a ladies’ blouse on the top.

  Directly to the back, there was a sink and small window. Flies were buzzing around the sink and I walked over to it slowly. I stopped in front of the sink and what I saw made all the blood rush from my face. “ARRGGHHHHHH.” I screamed as I looked down at a thick slab of flesh and blood, just sitting there. “We need to go, Lucy.” I screamed and one look at my face immediately made her turn around and run out of the door. I was just about to exit the cabin when a hand grabbed me from behind and stopped me. The arm wrapped around my waist and I felt my entire body growing cold with dread. I turned around slowly and the first thing I noticed was the rifle. It all ended up being too much for me and the next thing I knew, I was falling to the ground, my body unable to compute everything I’d just seen.

  Chapter 11

  “Savannah, are you okay?” Wade looked down at me as he grabbed me to stop me from falling. His strong arms helped me up and then I started screaming again. It wasn’t that I was afraid, but more that my body was reacting in shock.

  “Savannah, stop screaming.” Wade’s eyes were wild and frenzied as he looked at me. His facial hair had grown out and his hair was unkempt and scruffy. His green eyes bore into mine as his fingers pressed into my waist and I’d never wanted him more.

  “What the hell is going on here?” I glared at him, as my heart slowed down and I took a few deep breaths. “I thought you were away.”

  “Savannah, are you okay?” Lucy ran back into the cabin, her face scared. She stopped as she looked at me and Wade and her eyes narrowed. “Who are you and why do you have your hands on my friend?”