As Tommy’s motorcycle turned off Caribou Road, he yelled back, “Love you too, Mr. O!”
***
Angie spent the day driving around Dansville, Sunbury, and Shepard’s Grove looking for work. By the time 3 P.M. rolled around, she had a manila folder filled with job applications. She rolled into Elkhart around 3:30 as pangs of hunger began ravaging her stomach. She hadn’t eaten anything since her greasy egg sandwich this morning and she needed to fill her stomach. Trixie’s graduation party didn’t start until 7 P.M. and she wasn’t sure that she could wait that long to eat. Angie walked into a packed house at Monte’s Café and there wasn’t an empty table in sight. She waited by the front counter for someone to assist her.
Joe Piedmonte greeted Angie warmly, “Hey! Look who’s back in town!”
Angie smiled broadly at Joe. He was always so friendly. The memories of living next door to the Piedmontes for all those years brought back pleasant memories for Angie.
“Jenna… You remember Angie, right?” Joe asked.
Jenna DiNolfo turned around on her barstool to face Angie and Joe. She was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt and was clearly enjoying her afternoon off as she picked at her cheese steak and fries that Joe had just served up.
“Oh, of course I do!” Jenna exclaimed happily. “We went to high school together. It’s been a long time, Ang…” said Jenna politely.
Jenna wiped her hand on a napkin before reaching to shake her hand. Angie was surprised to see Jenna. She never thought that Jenna would stick around these parts for long. Angie always thought Jenna was the type of girl that was on to bigger and better things, beyond the borders of tiny little Elkhart. Regardless of her story, she looked great and she seemed to be really happy. Unlike Angie.
“Hi Jenna! Good to see you!” gushed Angie, happy to see a familiar face.
“What are you up to these days?” asked Jenna curiously.
“I actually just came back. I’m looking for work. How about you?” asked Angie.
No need to tell them your life story, Angie.
“I came back a few years ago… I was in Pittsburgh for years.”
“Oh, what do you do?” asked Angie curiously.
Jenna raised an eyebrow as Joe took over the conversation. He loved telling people he was dating the town police Sergeant.
“She’s the Sergeant,” said Joe proudly.
Angie was taken aback and she smiled in surprise. That was the last thing Angie expected to hear Joe say. She assumed Joe would say sales clerk or secretary. But Sergeant?! No way.
“Damn, Jen! I never expected that… Good for you,” Angie said in a sugary sweet tone as she eyed the dining room to see if any seats had opened.
“Well, it was good seeing you,” said Jenna as she turned back around to her dinner.
“You, too,” replied Angie.
“I’m not too sure how long the wait is…” said Joe apologetically.
“It’s okay. I’ll wait.”
Suddenly, Angie noticed that someone was waving at her from the back of the restaurant. She squinted her eyes as she tried to make out who it was. A man stood up beside the last booth on the right and Angie couldn’t believe her eyes. Standing at six feet two inches with tan skin and tattoos from his neck down was none other than Hunter McCord. Hunter was Angie’s high school boyfriend and the only guy who hadn’t broken her heart. Angie approached him with a big smile on her face.
“C’mere beautiful…” said Hunter in a raspy voice.
Angie kissed Hunter on the cheek as he pulled her into a tight hug.
“What the hell are you doin’ here?! I thought I’d never see you again,” said Hunter excitedly.
“Me either! Going through a divorce, so I’m home now,” said Angie.
“Good for you… Good for me, too. Hey, join me,” Hunter said pointing to his booth. It was more a demand than a request.
For the first time since arriving in Elkhart, Angie felt like she was exactly where she was supposed to be.
***
Hunter and Angie talked for a long time in the back of Monte’s café. He immediately ordered Angie a platter of chicken parmesan and he watched as she slowly ate, savoring each bite. Hell-bent upon catching up, Hunter and Angie revealed what events had transpired since they last saw each other.
Angie learned that Hunter had done five years for a drug related crime, but he claimed that he was now completely rehabilitated. He worked at the gas station on I-80 and did some inspirational speaking gigs at the local high schools about the dangers of drug use. Hunter listened intently as Angie told him about the circumstances surrounding her separation.
“You know, I’d never treat you like that…” Hunter assured her.
“I know, Hunter. You’ve always been good to me.”
“Give me a chance…”
“Let’s see how things go… The separation is still very fresh to me.”
She hadn’t even signed the divorce paperwork yet, but already her heart was wandering elsewhere.
“Hey, do you have plans tonight?” Angie asked as Hunter’s face lit up.
“Not any that can’t be broken…” Hunter said slyly.
“Come to my parent’s house. Were having a party for Trixie,” Angie suggested.
“I’ll be there…”
***
Angie said goodbye to Hunter and thanked him for dinner. It was nearly 5 P.M. and she had to get back home to help set up for the party. She pulled the car out of the parking lot and turned onto Mountain Road. She was about to speed off when suddenly, she had to slam on the breaks. Someone had run out in front of her car! Angie hadn’t fastened her seat belt yet, and the sheer force of the stop caused her head to crash hard into the steering wheel. The impact caused Angie to see spots. She lifted her head as the warm flow of blood rushed down her face. Jesse Trafford had run out in the middle of the road just inches from Angie’s front bumper. The car came to a screeching halt as gravel and dirt kicked up around them. Jesse stared at Angie through her windshield with an ill-tempered look on his face. Angie was alarmed at the hatred that she saw in his gaze. Angie let out a deep sigh of relief. She thought for sure that she had hit him. Suddenly, Jesse brought both of his fists down hard onto the hood of Angie’s car.
“Watch where y’er goin’ ya old bitch!”
Now Angie was far from old, but she couldn’t quite disown the bitch comment. A deep scowl grew across her pretty face. Angie laid on the horn, causing Jesse to go scrambling across the road, quick and afraid, like a rat running through a maze.
Pathetic weasel.
Angie shook her head as she thought, Home sweet home. Everyone had aged, and the new generation seemed to be as ill-favored as the last. As Angie prepared to hit the gas pedal, the slow, warm ooze of blood dripped down onto her dress shirt.
DiNolfo knocked on her driver side window with a worried look on her face. “Are you okay?”
Angie didn’t hear her at first. There was a loud ringing in her ears and her vision was spotty.
“Angie… I’m taking you to the hospital,” said DiNolfo with an official tone to her voice.
Angie nodded as she moved over to allow room for Jenna in the front seat. Jenna wiped off the steering wheel with a napkin, and drove Angie to Grier Mountain Medical Center where she could be checked out. Jenna thought that she might have a concussion from the impact. After waiting for a half hour, a triage nurse brought Angie back to the emergency room where she waited for a full evaluation. Angie was still a bit dizzy, but overall, she felt better than she had when she walked in. Jenna sat in a chair beside her gurney as she flicked through a magazine. Nurse Bridgette Kilpatrick strolled through the door with an air of authority about her. She grabbed a blood pressure cuff and proceeded to take Angie’s blood pressure.
“Are you still feeling dizzy?” Bridgette asked as she marked notes into Angie’s file.
“A little, but I’m okay.”
“We need to be sure. It could be a concussion. So
we are going to send you for a CT scan to ensure that there is no internal bleeding.”
“I’m fine. This place just makes me nuts… I’ve been waiting forever!” said Angie angrily. Her arms waved around as she spoke, expressing her level of agitation. “That kid just barged out in front of me! Is he insane?!” Angie complained in an irate tone.
Bridgette raised an eyebrow at Angie as she watched her animated expressions and listened to her complaints. Bridgette wrote something else on her clipboard. She watched Angie’s reaction; the flying arms, the shaking hands and legs, the intensely irate look in her eye.
In a messy scrawl, Bridgette notated the chart:
Recommend Psych Evaluation
As quick as Bridgette entered, she left, assuring Angie that she wouldn’t have to wait long for her tests.
***
Angie left Grier Mountain Medical Center with an even bigger headache than she walked in with. She couldn’t believe that nurse recommended a psychiatric evaluation. Angie adamantly refused it and walked out, vowing never to return to that hospital again. As Angie pulled her car onto Caribou Road, a dull familiar ache returned to her chest.
Chapter 7
June 17, 2000
Morrow Manor
Fox Hollow, PA
6:30 P.M.
Tommy Morrow walked across the threshold of Morrow Manor with intense purpose in his stride. He was dressed nicely in a light blue button down shirt and black slacks. Tommy’s heavy footsteps echoed through the foyer as he glanced around with a perplexed look painted upon his face.
Where the hell is everyone?
Tommy walked into the kitchen, but no one was there. The living room was vacant too. For once, the dining room table was completely unoccupied, and even the back porch was empty.
Maybe they left for the party already. The party is in a half hour, after all.
Suddenly, Tommy heard a banging noise emit through the ceiling. It came from the second floor and it was followed by a loud series of grunts and profanities. Irritated, Tommy stomped up the steps to see what was going on. He walked into his old bedroom which had since been converted into a rec room. Shane and Blake were lounging on the floor playing a video game. Tristan was lounged out on the sofa reading a novel with her legs propped up on Jack’s lap. Jack, meanwhile, was sound asleep and snoring at an offensively loud octave.
“Why aren’t any of you dressed yet?!” Tommy demanded with an agitated tone in his voice.
Tristan looked up from her novel and gave her brother an annoyed glance.
“Tristan,” said Shane as he continued playing his video game, “What on earth is he complaining about now. I’m busy trying to defend Middle Earth.”
Shane continued to assault his video game controller with his thumbs.
“What are we supposed to be ready for?” asked Tristan.
“And why are you so dressed up?” asked Blake.
“You guys are the worst with keeping dates straight. Trixie’s graduation party is tonight and Courtney’s mom asked us all to attend,” reminded Tommy impatiently.
Tommy thought he could hear the gears grinding in Tristan’s head from across the room.
“It would mean a lot if you all came,” persisted Tommy.
Tristan saw the nervousness in her brother’s eyes and she simply didn’t have the heart to tell him no.
“Give us an hour,” Tristan said reluctantly.
***
“Explain to me again why we are going to Trixie O’Mara’s graduation party,” begged Blake with an annoyed look on his face.
Tristan laughed as she rolled the statement around in her brain for the millionth time.
“Because it will hurt Tommy’s feelings if we don’t.”
“Feelings… This is the same guy who dropped a bucket of mud on your head from on top of the barn and put two chickens in the back of my car because he thought it would be funny. And we’re concerned about his feelings?” asked Blake incredulously.
Tristan smiled at Blake as he casted a most disgruntled glare at her.
“You betcha, sunshine. Now go get dressed before he has a total meltdown.”
Tristan inspected herself in the mirror as Tommy stormed back into the room.
“That is what you’re wearing?!” asked Tommy in a stunned voice. He clearly did not approve of Tristan’s cute but casual attire.
Tristan looked down at her outfit. She was wearing a red top with a cute polka dot pattern, a pair of boot cut jeans, and black sandals. She had just put a pair of silver hoop earrings in, and she tousled her curly hair in wild ringlets down her back.
“Sure is. Love it or leave it,” said Tristan matter-of-factly.
Tommy left the room in a huff and chose to put out bigger fires than arguing with his fashion-inept sister.
***
“Shane…Blake… You guys better hurry up! Tommy’s on the war path. I’m going downstairs to see if Cole is here yet,” Tristan urged, trying to spare them from Tommy’s wrath.
Tristan walked down the long hallway past her old bedroom which was now being used as a closet for all of Jack and Frank’s tools. She poked her head into her aunt’s bedroom. Bridgette was sprawled out on her bed reading a book. Tristan had to stifle her laughter when she noticed the book title. The spine of the book read, “101 Easy Meals for the Unskilled Culinary Enthusiast.” The second that Bridgette noticed Tristan standing in the doorway, she flung the book behind her in fear that Tristan would see it. Tristan pretended not to notice.
“Cute outfit, Tris. Are you going out?” asked Bridgette with a smile.
“Yeah, we don’t have much choice in the matter, apparently,” Tristan said grouchily.
She really did not want to go to this party. Tristan and Trixie were polar opposites and could barely hold a conversation with each other. But since she was Tommy’s girlfriend’s sister, she was required to attend.
“Someone needs to tell that boy to simmer down,” said Bridgette with a healthy dose of attitude.
“You should. He might actually listen.”
“It’ll be in one ear and out the other. But I’ll try. I get that he’s excited, but he has the whole house in an uproar.”
Suddenly Tommy rushed by Bridgette’s bedroom and she had the perfect opportunity to put her fiery attitude to good use.
“Oh, Thomas!” Bridgette called in a sing song voice.
Tommy poked his head in his aunt’s doorway and looked at her as if she was insane.
“Uh… Yeah?” he asked with a question on his face.
“Care to tell me why you’re stomping and yelling like a lunatic all throughout the house?”
It was a perfectly legitimate question.
“They aren’t cooperating,” Tommy whined like a child.
“Well,” began Bridgette. “I’d like your full cooperation for a moment,” she said sweetly.
Tommy looked at her like she had a million heads, and sheepishly replied, “Ok…”
All sense of Bridgette’s former sweetness was removed as she berated Tommy from across the bedroom.
“Simmer down! You’re bossing everybody around, you’ve given your father a major migraine, and your uncle is threatening to hang you by your boots until you start acting right!”
Tommy stared at his aunt with wide eyes.
“Now,” continued Bridgette in a much nicer tone. “If you can promise to act like a decent and civilized human being, I’ll let you go to the party. If not, I’m locking that death machine in the barn. Do I make myself clear?”
Tommy shook his head in agreement.
Damn, she’s scary when she’s pissed.
***
Tristan walked down the stairs as she laughed at her brother’s reaction to her aunt’s outburst. Her amusement wouldn’t last long though, because with each step she took she was moving from one family drama to another. Frank was standing at the bottom of the stairs, red faced and hunched over. At first Tristan thought that her uncle might be choking on so
mething, but then he let out a bellowing laugh. Tristan looked at Frank with a surprised look.
“What’s so funny?” Tristan asked.
Frank held up a finger as he tried to get a hold of himself. He just couldn’t stop laughing. His attempts did him no good, so after a moment he pointed to the dining room as he continued laughing. Wondering if her uncle had gone clinically insane, Tristan looked towards the dining room. The smile faded from Tristan’s face as she reached the dining room door. She could hear her father loudly lecturing someone in the kitchen.
Stolen Innocents (The Shadow Series Book 2) Page 8
