“Hey! It’s Dina! Hi, Dina!” Grey announced excitedly and waved at her.
Dina eyed him and appeared surprised by his jovial condition. “Looks like someone’s on the good stuff,” she replied.
“Oh, yeah. I’m loving this spaceship,” Grey informed her then patted the bed alongside him while grinning. “Come fly with me.”
“Maybe later,” Dina informed him while returning the smile then approached Casey, who hadn’t even looked up when she entered. “Hey, how are you feeling?”
Casey finally looked up with a hardened expression. “Like someone ripped my insides out with a butcher knife.” She wasn’t inaccurate with her description either.
Dina immediately frowned and became tense as if harboring some terrible secret from her friend. “I guess they told you,” she said softly.
“Yeah,” she grumbled under her breath. “They told me about the hysterectomy.”
Dina sat on the edge of the bed and hugged Casey while fighting her emotions. “I’m so sorry, Casey.”
“It’s okay,” Casey said with a sniff and wiped her tears. “I wasn’t sure if I wanted children anyway, so that’s one less thing to worry about.”
Dina frowned while holding her and rubbed her back. For some reason, Dina’s coddling wasn’t making her feel any better. Casey just wanted to be left alone in her misery, but everyone kept trying to cheer her up. Dina pulled back far enough to look at Casey and attempted a more cheerful conversation to get her friend’s mind off the hysterectomy.
“The doctor said if I get a visiting nurse, I can take you home in a couple of days,” Dina announced. “I have a company cleaning the house--”
Casey felt alarm sweep through her. She pulled away from Dina and stared at her with horror. “I can’t go back there!” She couldn’t believe her friend was even suggesting it.
“My apartment is too small,” Dina gently replied. “Staying at your house is the only way I can take care of you and Grey.”
Grey grinned and chuckled from his own bed across the room. “Oh, yeah. Dina running around in her lacy panties--”
Casey appeared defeated and once again looked down at her covers. She was stranded in her own, personal hell. She didn’t know how to free herself from the haunting memories of her parents’ murder, and her and Grey’s near death experience. Her mind was filled with every conceivable emotion all of which were playing tug-o-war with her sanity. She wanted to lash out at someone. She wanted to hurt someone. She wanted someone to be accountable, but she didn’t know whom to blame. It seemed a long time had passed since either of them had spoken. Dina was content to just sit with her and be comforting. Casey didn’t want comforting. She wanted revenge. She knew she couldn’t say those feelings aloud. They had to be suppressed. She had to bury those emotions. She finally allowed sorrow to fill the void.
“I heard the rumors around town,” Casey said softly.
“Small people with small minds,” Dina assured her without even knowing to which rumors she referred.
“I heard everything from them blaming the murders on my father’s boldness; my mother being too pretty; to me being a tease.”
“And none of them are true,” Dina firmly announced. “Most people around here know that. You know how people like to gossip.”
Casey continued to stare at the covers while her mind again raced. Feelings of revenge once again filled her head. Although her voice was soft, her tone was harsh. “I heard it going around that the killer sexually assaulted me.”
Dina suddenly tensed and uncertainly looked at Casey. She seemed surprised at what she was hearing. “That’s not true,” she firmly insisted then appeared concerned and sought reassurance. “Right?”
Casey snorted a laugh, glanced at Dina, and now wore a twisted smile. “No, I wasn’t worth the effort.” She hesitated only a moment. “I didn’t tell anyone about it, since nothing actually happened. Deputy Holt must have witnessed the attempt and put it in his report. I guess the story grew into something far worse as it spread around.” She shook her head with disgust. “Why the hell would he report that? I mean, if I didn’t feel the need to mention it, why would he?”
“Maybe we should stay off the subject of certain deputies,” Dina suggested.
Casey’s disgust quickly turned hostile. She could feel herself slipping into a dark place. Her anger was becoming harder to control with each passing hour, but she feared admitting it to anyone. She feared mind-altering medications and the dreaded psychological evaluations. If she could just hit something or break something, she was sure she’d feel much better.
“I just can’t believe this town actually thinks we somehow brought this heinous act down upon ourselves,” she lashed out with bitterness in her tone. “That we stirred the pot and got burnt because of it.”
“No one thinks that,” Dina quickly interjected in a quick attempt to keep Casey’s anger from rising.
Casey eyed her friend and raised a cocky brow in response. “I hear them at the nurse’s station, Dina. All day I’ve heard things from around town coming out of that nurse’s station,” she hissed. “I know what’s being said.”
“Well, I haven’t heard anyone blaming any of this on you or your family, and I work in gossip central,” Dina said firmly. “Sure, people are talking about it. Nothing like this ever happened around here before. They’re going to talk, but no one’s blaming your family that I’ve heard.”
“These people were supposed to be my parents’ friends. It’s very disrespectful to them and their memory,” Casey said lowly while staring into Dina’s eyes.
Dina saw the look in Casey’s eyes and tensed. There was something frightening and unfamiliar about Casey. She brushed it off. “Those are just words from the small-minded people; not the ones who really matter. In fact, the town is having a memorial for your parents on opening day of the fair,” she announced, managing to swiftly change the subject. “Any relatives you want me to contact?”
Casey felt her body once again sag with exhaustion. There were too many drugs coursing through her system. She speculated the nurses were giving her more than the standard painkillers that she had requested. Despite the sore subject of relatives, Casey maintained a more sedate state.
“No, my uncle is a lush and hasn’t been around since I was born,” Casey replied and once again felt defeated. The anger was gone and depression was quickly taking its place. It was a vicious, never-ending circle.
“Oh--” Dina continued to maintain the lighter mood. “You and Grey will attend, right?”
Casey drifted out a moment. Her mind was everywhere but on the current conversation. She snapped out of her trance and realized Dina was still waiting for a response.
“When Grey comes down from his high, we’ll discuss it,” Casey replied without enthusiasm.
†
It was two days later. The town was going about business as usual while preparing for the upcoming town fair. Dina stood outside the antique shop with a stack of memorial fliers clutched in her hands. She stared at the building with a look of confusion. Boards covered the door and windows. They hadn’t been there yesterday, and how they got there so fast was a mystery. Mayor Lance approached Dina on the sidewalk, appeared bewildered, and stared as well.
“Are Grey and Casey selling the shop?” Mayor Lance asked with a look of surprise on his face.
Dina uncertainly shook her head and appeared unable to take her eyes off the boarded up antique shop. “I don’t know,” she replied. “I went by their house to inspect it after the cleaning crew had been through. The house is boarded up too.” She remained stunned and continued to stare at the building. “Casey called me last night and said something about her uncle visiting them in the hospital. She said they were moving in with him.”
“And he had the house and shop boarded up that fast?” Lance asked with surprise.
“I assume so,” she replied softly. “Her horses are gone and the barn’s been cleaned out.”
“Tha
t’s strange.”
“Yeah, especially since she’d never met this uncle of hers,” she informed him. Dina slowly shook her head and fought her tears. “I just get this bad feeling that I’m never going to see her again.”
“Casey and Grey were put through hell only a few days ago,” Lance said to Dina. “She’s dealing with a lot right now. She probably just needs time to sort through it. Maybe a few weeks away from here is what she needs.”
“Maybe,” Dina muttered then looked at the memorial fliers in her hand. “I just wish she’d confided in me, that’s all. She didn’t even leave a forwarding number or address. She just said she’d let me know when she was settled.”
“I know you’re worried about her,” Lance said gently. “You just work on posting those memorial fliers. She’ll attend; you’ll see.”
Dina stared at the building and frowned. She obviously wasn’t convinced of it.
Chapter Ten
Two years later. The once beautiful Remington farm was overgrown with tall weeds. The wooden fence was falling down, the landscaping was overgrown, and the boarded up house was in desperate need of paint. The sheriff’s blazer drove up the overgrown driveway and parked in front of the house. Vaughn got out of the blazer and approached the house. He walked up the porch steps, and instead of approaching the door, he comfortably sat on the railing with his back to the support beam. He rested his head against the beam, shut his eyes, and appeared to escape into another world. His uniform proudly displayed the sheriff’s badge on the breast pocket. The months that followed the double homicide of Casey’s parents were the roller coaster ride that changed the town’s perspective in many ways. Although the murders remained unsolved, Sheriff Wiley recommended Deputy Vaughn Holt to become his successor as sheriff. The town unanimously agreed. Somehow, he was deemed a hero. He had saved the lives of Casey and Grey while thwarting the first murderer the town had seen in its history. Despite his skepticism for the reason behind his promotion, Vaughn accepted the sheriff’s position. Now, two years later, he still sat at the scene of crime while no closer to solving the murders than he had been the days that followed.
A thump within the house caught his attention. Vaughn leapt from the porch railing and approached the front door. He uncertainly placed his hand to the doorknob. As he turned the knob, the door opened! It was supposed to be locked. Vaughn removed his revolver from its holster, carefully pushed open the door, and slowly entered the house. As Vaughn entered the kitchen, it was obvious the occupants had left in a hurry. Everything remained within the house, although now with a thick, dusty layer covering it. His eyes immediately strayed to the island counter, but the blood had been painstakingly cleaned two years earlier by the crew Dina had hired. As Vaughn stared at the dusty area before the island counter, the echoing of three gunshots from that chilling night could be heard. Vaughn tensed and took a deep breath. The boarded windows allowed little light to enter, but through the light of the open door, Vaughn saw footprints in the dust across the floor. They headed into the dark living room. Vaughn removed a small flashlight and shined it toward the living room archway. A floorboard creaked within the living room. Vaughn leveled his gun at the archway and firmly gripped the trigger. The flashlight shined in the face of a man in his early fifties. Rory, the real estate agent, gasped with alarm and immediately raised his hands.
“Don’t shoot, Sheriff,” he announced defensively and allowed a tense laugh to escape. “It’s just me.”
Vaughn groaned and replaced his weapon with disgust. Rory lowered his hands and attempted to relax. The rumor had spread rapidly through town of how Deputy Vaughn Holt supposedly shot the killer three times in the chest after witnessing Casey’s stabbing. The cowboy mentality of the town rejoiced the deputy’s quick reflexes and swift actions. They didn’t want a sheriff who was unwilling to pull the trigger when faced with life and death. On the flip side, a large portion of the town suddenly feared the man they most respected. Although he’d only drawn his weapon on a few occasions since that night, most were chilled when they saw Sheriff Holt holding his gun.
“What are you doing here, Rory?” Vaughn asked with the bewilderment clearly on his authoritative face. “How did you even get here?”
“The wife dropped me off. I’m waiting for the electrician,” Rory explained.
Vaughn appeared immediately curious while staring at the realtor. “Electrician? For what?”
“Didn’t you hear? I guess some guy is renting the old place,” Rory said proudly.
The sheriff appeared surprised then said eagerly, “You spoke to Casey or Grey?”
“No, their uncle called and asked us to get the power turned back on and hire someone to clean and cut the weeds around the house,” he replied. “Usually that means they’re looking to rent or sell. He didn’t ask for a sign, so I’m guessing they have an interested renter. Guess those kids went through their inheritance and need to recoup some losses. I expect the place to go up for sale in the near future. Be nice to get someone into that old antique shop too. I’m tired of looking at the place all boarded up.” Rory made a face and appeared squeamish. “Such a grim reminder of what happened, you know.”
“It’s been two years,” Vaughn said with a gentle sigh. “No one expects them to ever come back.” He casually looked around and seemed to have trouble looking past the island counter. Vaughn was almost certainly off reliving bad memories. He finally looked back at Rory and appeared casual. “Looks like they left almost everything behind.”
“Pretty much,” Rory replied. “Although they did empty out the gun cabinet.” He fidgeted but managed a weak smile. “I’ll admit I was concerned about what I might find. I’d heard Dina had the place cleaned after, you know, but I still wasn’t sure what I’d find. I can honestly say I didn’t want to see any grisly reminders of what happened here. I heard it was pretty gruesome.”
“Yeah,” Vaughn said under his breath.
Rory immediately fidgeted with a strange realization. “Oh, I’m sorry, Sheriff,” he said gently. “I almost forgot you were here that night.”
“I never have,” Vaughn scoffed and uncertainly ran his fingers through his hair. He again looked at the island counter, subconsciously wiped his hands on his pants, then looked at his clean hands and frowned.
†
One week later. The fairgrounds appeared deserted in the early evening setting. Storm clouds had rolled in and thunder rumbled in the distance as flashes of lightning lit up the clouds. The annual fair was growing near and would soon be flooded with locals and visitors alike. On the opposite end of the fairgrounds from the horse barn and arena was the stage used for the talent show and bachelor auction. The faint sounds of hammering and shouting voices were heard from near the stage. Mayor Lance and his wife, Abby, rode in a stylish golf cart toward the distant stage. Lance was dressed casual for his fairgrounds inspection, but Abby was dressed to impress, even though there would be few to impress. As Lance stopped the golf cart near the stage, Ernest appeared on stage with former sheriff Wiley. Although a little older and a little rounder, Wiley appeared more relaxed now in his retirement.
“I thought we’d add a few more lights to the stage this year,” Wiley informed Ernest and casually indicated their locations. “Last year it was getting close to dark before we finished.”
“I know an electrician who will give us a deal,” Ernest informed him.
Lance and Abby disembarked their luxury golf cart and approached the large stage. Both walked up the steps leading up to the stage. Abby’s high heels clunked across the stage. She paused and looked around with an approving smile.
“I like the new surface on the stage,” Abby boasted to no one in particular. “Melanie is going to be pleased. She got a splinter in her foot last year.”
“Nothing’s too good for my darling niece,” Ernest announced cheerfully to his sister then grinned. “I paid for the upgrades myself. When Melanie wins this year, it’ll be--what? Four years in a row?”
“Five, Ernest,” Abby playfully scoffed then smirked and shook her head. “Honestly, how can you forget these things? She’s your only niece.”
Wiley tensed and looked around while pretending not to listen to the conversation. There was being proud of your child and then there was stacking the deck in your child’s favor. There was a fine line between the two, and it was difficult to say whether Melanie actually won on her own talents. Most of the judges were supporters of both the mayor and Ernest. Abby suddenly glared at Wiley in an almost scolding manner.
“You’re suddenly very quiet,” Abby remarked and raised a cocky brow. “Something on your mind, Wiley?”
“No, nothing,” Wiley replied. His carefully hidden look revealed there actually may have been, but he wasn’t about to speak his mind.
Lance inspected the stage while grinning proudly. “This year’s fair is going to blow our town away. One hundred years,” he announced cheerfully. “The entire town is psyched for it. It’s going to be spectacular. Our expected attendance is nearly double. We have vendors coming from all over the country to participate.” He then looked at Ernest with a serious expression. “I don’t want anything ruining it.”
“Relax,” Ernest grumbled and apparently took some offense. “My boys have been perfect angels. Now that Wayne’s married, they’ve all settled a bit.”
Abby rolled her eyes. The term ‘settled’ was apparently subjective. Wiley frowned and looked away, possibly in fear of saying something he shouldn’t.
Ernest obviously felt the mood shift, appeared humored by it, and shook his head. “Trust me,” he announced boldly. “Nothing is going to ruin this fair.”
The shrill sound of a horse neighing in the distance caught their attention. All four looked across the fairgrounds toward the distant hillside. There was a clap of thunder. A large, gray horse reared up with a sharp squeal as lightning flashed behind it. The horse’s hooves pawed the air then harshly struck the ground. The gray horse snorted loudly then galloped across the field toward the woods with a loud neigh that almost resembled a war cry. All four watched the running horse as if they’d seen a ghost. Wiley walked to the edge of the stage with his mouth hanging open and watched the horse disappear into the woods.
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