Degrees Of Distortion (Distortion Series Book 1)

by Aimee McNeil

  The space was newly renovated. A refreshing pale blue paint covered the walls. Framed photos that Lexie herself had taken covered the walls from the last ten years from the moment she fell in love with photography. It had become an addiction, a fascination, a calling. The evidence surrounded her.

  Her mother worked at this diner for the last twenty years. She had bought it from the original owners eight years ago when they retired. Lexie herself worked within these walls until her photography became profitable enough to pay her bills. Lexie continued to visit on a daily basis because everyone who worked there had been a part of her life and she considered them family.

  “Miss Lexie.” Molly’s smile lit up the room when she noticed Lexie’s arrival. Molly worked at the diner and was her mother’s closest friend. Molly had bright red hair and a mischievous personality that tended to get her into trouble, but her heart was pure gold. “How was your big adventure?”

  “Hey, Molly. We had a great time. Mom in?”

  “No, sweet pea. She was off about an hour ago. Did you try calling her?”

  “Yes, but you know how reliable Mom is with answering her phone.” Lexie rolled her eyes with a laugh.

  “So true! It drives me crazy.” Molly set two plates down in front of a couple of regulars sitting at the bar before turning her attention back toward Lexie. “Sit, honey. I’m going to feed you.” Molly pointed toward a newly vacated stool against the bar.

  “Well, if you insist. I can never turn down good food.” Lexie slid into the stool. Lexie pulled out her phone to see her mother still didn’t return her call. A plate slid across the counter. Lexie looked up to see a piece of warm apple pie. The ice cream was melting as it nestled beside it.

  “Oh my god, I love you,” Lexie said as she took the fork Molly held out for her.

  “It’s so nice to see that beautiful smile again,” Molly said, reaching across the counter and placing her hand on Lexie’s arm before scurrying off to serve another customer.

  The bell chimed again, and Lexie turned to see who entered. Lexie knew immediately the two men were not locals. They were dressed casually enough, but the way their eyes took in the entire interior told that this was their first time entering the diner.

  Lexie sat up a bit straighter as she studied them. They had a dangerous energy about them, something that made her instincts flare to life. They were not simple tourists, looking to taste the famous pies from Eats and Treats. They had calculated gazes as they scanned the people in the room. They were both tall and intimidating. One had dark black hair, cropped short, with a neck tattoo peeking out from under the collar of his shirt. The other was only an inch or so taller, with lighter brown hair and a scar that ran through his brow. Their gazes fell on her simultaneously with expressionless faces before they walked to a nearby booth and sat down.

  Lexie turned her back to them. She felt a chill rush over her skin with the sensation of being watched. She tried to dismiss their attention, knowing she did nothing to warrant any trouble. She glanced back toward their table to notice that the dark-haired one was staring at her. They were not even trying to be discreet.

  “Looks like you can add some admirers to your list.” Molly startled Lexie. She wasn’t expecting her to lean over the counter. Lexie placed her hand against her chest, feeling her racing heart. The men had her on edge. Molly was looking at her with raised brows.

  “They give me the creeps,” Lexie whispered.

  “Oh, I don’t know…I think the dark-haired one is cute in a rough cut kind of way.”

  “No way.” Lexie slid her plate across the bar. “I’m gonna swing by Mom’s to see if she’s home.”

  “Sure, hon. Come back and see me when it’s not so busy. I want to hear about your trip.” Molly collected her dish.

  “Of course.” Lexie tried to slide some money across the counter.

  “Don’t you dare,” Molly warned.

  “Love you, Molls.” Lexie slid off the stool.

  “Not as much as I love you. Now go find your Momma. She’s been worried about you.” Molly placed her hands upon her hips.

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  Lexie walked out, refusing to glance toward the two mysterious men. Their gaze gave her the sensation of spiders crawling upon her skin, and she wanted nothing more than to leave them behind and wipe her memory of them.

  ***

  Lexie pulled up in front of her mother’s small house, which was nestled on a mature property a short drive from town. It was the same house Lexie grew up in. Coming back always brought her comfort; this place held so many wonderful memories. She wished she could go back to her innocent youth before life told her too many secrets and tainted her view.

  Lexie took a deep breath when she stepped out of her car. The flowers were in bloom, and they made the property smell lovely. Lexie and her mother had a ritual of planting new flowers every year, and the garden had grown vastly over the years, though Lexie hadn’t participated the last two years and the thought suddenly saddened her. That cold dark feeling tightened its claws on her again, a reminder that she was now a stranger to the girl that dug in the dirt, laughing with her mother on hot sunny afternoons.

  The broken trellis still sat under her old bedroom window. She knew her mother would never touch it. Alex had used it for years as a ladder to crawl in her bedroom. Many nights he would come to her and crawl into her bed, kissing her gently and falling asleep with his arms around her. A tear slipped free, and Lexie quickly wiped it away.

  “I want to keep you forever,” Alex whispered in her ear, his arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her close.

  “I’m yours,” Lexie whispered back. The only light was the moon filtering in through her curtains.

  “Forever?”

  “Forever.”

  Lexie’s mother knew she could not keep Alex from her. The two of them were inseparable until everything changed and Lexie discovered forever has an end.

  Lexie pushed her key into the front door and stepped inside. Her mother’s car wasn’t outside, so she dialed her mother’s number again.

  “Hey, baby.”

  “Hey, Mom. Where are you?” Lexie walked into the kitchen and noticed her mother had picked flowers and placed them in a large vase upon the table, bringing the delectable scent inside the house as well.

  “I had a few errands to run after work, just finishing up. How was your trip?”

  “It was nice to remember him…go to the places he loved.” Lexie tried to make her voice light, but she could not fool her mother.

  “I’m glad. You know I would tear the world apart to find your happiness again if I could. I want to put that smile back on your face for always. You deserve it more than anyone.”

  Lexie took a deep breath. “Thanks, Mom.” Lexie ran her fingers over the silky petals of the flowers. “I made a strange discovery on my travels…”

  “Oh yeah?”

  “I did, Mary Connors.” Lexie teased lightly. She was met with a silence that scared her. “Mom?”

  “What did you just say?” Her mother’s voice was now small, retracted with traces of fear.

  “Mary Connors. We were at this bar in Sugar Hill…”

  “Who did you talk to?” Her mother’s voice exploded with a rush of emotion.

  “I noticed your pictures on the wall and this man named…James—or no, Jason maybe. The bartender knew you too. I got a strange vibe so I said it wasn’t who I thought it was.”

  “Where are you now?” Her mother’s tone was unsettling.

  “I’m at your place.”

  “Were you followed?”

  “What? Mom…you’re scaring me.” Lexie swallowed the fear that climbed up her throat.

  “Listen to me, baby. Go upstairs in my bedroom right now. Hurry.”

  “Okay.” Lexie darted up the stairs and into her mother’s room with the sensation of fear nipping at her heels. “What’s going on, Mom?”

  “Move my dresser out from the wall. There should be a
plug cover directly behind it.”

  Lexie held the phone against her shoulder and pulled the dresser out. “I see it.”

  “The plug isn’t real. It’s just a false plate. Kick the wall to the right of the plug.”

  “What the hell, Mom? You want me to kick a hole in the wall?” Lexie stood in front of the plug; disbelief felt heavy in the pit of her stomach.

  “Just do it, Lexie!”

  “Fine, but I’m not paying to fix it.” Lexie kicked at the wall; it gave slightly, but her flip-flops did little damage. Lexie pulled the plate out of the wall and reached in to pull part of the wall away. “What am I looking for exactly?”

  “A bag.”

  A large piece of wall gave way, and a black bag came into view. “Hold on.” Lexie pulled it through the small opening. A small journal fell to the ground that had been wedged under the bag. Lexie picked it up and flipped through the pages. It was filled with her mother’s handwriting. The dates indicated it was from before Lexie was born. Lexie decided to keep it, shoving it into her purse. She planned to ask her mother about it later. “Okay, got it.” Lexie unzipped the bag. “Oh my god, Mom! It’s filled with cash!”

  “Listen to me closely, baby. I need you to take the cash and get out of town for a bit. Do not go back to your apartment. There’s an envelope in the bag with your name on it. It has an address for a place I want you to go. You’ll be safe. I need to stay there until I contact you. Under no circumstances can you use your bank or credit cards. Do you hear me?”

  “Can you at least tell me what’s going on?” Lexie gasped in disbelief. She felt like she was suddenly dropped in someone else’s life. Her mother did not stash bags of cash and make escape plans. The whole situation seemed surreal.

  “We don’t have time right now. I need to make sure you’re safe.”

  “Safe from what? You’re freaking me the hell out.”

  “The key to the place is with the letter. Did you notice anyone suspicious since you got home?” Her mother’s tone was disturbingly calm as she carried on with the ridiculous conversation.

  “No…well, yes. At the diner, there were a couple of strange men with tattoos that showed up when I was there.”

  “Shit!” Lexie’s mother swore uncharacteristically.

  Movement outside caught Lexie’s attention, and she walked toward the window. “Mom? Did you just pull in the driveway?”

  “Get out of there, Lexie! Go out the back; leave your car. If you run a few miles through the trees, you will come out near the old gas station. I need you to go to the bus stop and get on the bus.”

  “Mom…”

  “Hang up your phone and leave it at the house. There’s a phone in the bag. I’ll call you.”

  “I can’t leave my phone. All my pictures…”

  “Goddammit, Lexie. Do what I say now or none of it will matter! Hang up and go now!”

  Lexie covered her mouth as a sob escaped her. She hit end and glanced at her phone for a fleeting moment. It had all her favorite pictures of Alex. The sound of a car door closing snapped her focus back into play. Terror pumped her heart furiously. She dropped her phone on her mother’s bed and threw the bag strap over her shoulder. She ran into her old bedroom. It looked strange without her belongings filling the space. It was now only a ghost of her youth. She pulled the window open and slipped a leg outside until she felt the roof ledge beneath her foot. Her eyes widened in panic when she heard noises inside the house—downstairs. She slipped out, sliding the window closed, and climbed over the edge of the roof, using her feet to find the trellis below. When she was close enough to the ground, she let go and jumped down onto the grass. The weight of the bag caused her to stumble slightly, but she quickly regained her footing.

  Lexie pressed herself against the house and glanced through the window. She noticed one of the men from the diner walking into the kitchen. Her stomach fell, and panic closed around her throat. Ducking under the window, she took off through the trees at full speed.

  The sound of her heavy breathing completely enveloped her hearing, drowning out everything else. She continued to run as adrenaline pumped through her system. She pressed forward when her muscles began to burn and her chest ached. She was familiar with the woods, knew exactly where she was going. She and Alex used to go to the old gas station and stock up on their favorite snacks when they were younger. In fact, the last time she stepped in these woods, she was with Alex. The memory of her hand in his washed over her. Sometimes when she thought about Alex she could almost feel him, like he was still with her. She needed him now. She needed his strength. She needed him to take her hand and pull her the rest of the way because her body was growing tired as she ran over the uneven ground.

  The trees began to thin, and finally she broke free of the forest. Lexie leaned on her knees and desperately drew breath into her starving lungs. She needed to collect herself before she headed toward the bus stop; she didn’t want to raise any flags. If she ran to the bus like a crazed girl, someone was bound to notice. Her mother was insistent she slip away unnoticed, and until she got answers, she would do just that.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Lexie walked to the back of the nearly empty bus, collapsing in a seat. Her legs felt like they could no longer hold her weight. She was exhausted and unsure what had just happened. She was trying to find a reasonable solution to the insanity that just fell into her lap. Ringing sounded from a side pocket of the black shoulder bag. Lexie scrambled to retrieve the phone. The screen indicated a blocked call when she held it up.

  “Hello?” Lexie answered hesitantly.

  “Are you on the bus?” Her mother’s tone was nothing but direct.

  “Yes. The men from the diner were at the house, but I don’t think they saw me leave.”

  “Good. I’ll call you soon.”

  “Mom?” Lexie tried to catch her, but the line disconnected. “Dammit!” Lexie cursed. Anger was starting to bubble to the surface. Her mother left her completely confused, unprepared, and running from her entire life.

  Lexie threw the phone back into the bag and leaned back against the seat, closing her eyes. “Wake up…please just wake up,” Lexie whispered, running her hands over her face. She pulled out an envelope that was in the same pocket as the phone. It had her name written across it in her mother’s handwriting. Ripping the seal, she pulled out a piece of paper and unfolded it.

  Lexie,

  If you are reading this, things have probably gotten out of control. I’m sorry I had to keep you in the dark. I need you to follow the directions below to a place I set up as a safe house should the situation arise…

  Lexie looked at the detailed instructions that followed her brief, unsatisfying explanation and sighed. She tipped the envelope up, and a silver key fell into the palm of her hand.

  Despite the fatigue that gripped her, Lexie couldn’t rest. Her mind was running rampant with possibilities of what her mother may be involved in. Every idea that came to mind seemed entirely unlikely of the woman she knew as her mother. She could only stare out the window and watch the horizon become more and more unfamiliar.

  Lexie remembered the journal she had found. Retrieving it from her purse, she opened it up to take a closer look.

  March 2, 1992

  Last night was one of the most wonderful nights of my entire life. Karen and I were waiting in line to get into The Compass, our usual dance club of choice because at happy hour drinks are only a dollar. It is, of course, the most logical choice for students.

  We were approached by a well-dressed gentleman named John Stodden. He was beautiful and made my head spin. He was the kind of beautiful that made music play from nowhere and your heart race. He had a wonderful charm about him and a face that I could not stop staring at. He offered to take us to Obelisk. We had heard about it but never imagined actually going. It was a club that tailored to the rich and famous. We couldn’t imagine our luck.

  It was everything we envisioned and more. The music sounded be
tter, the drinks tasted better, and the people…wow!

  John introduced us to many new faces throughout the evening and always made sure we had a drink in hand. We felt like celebrities.

  We danced our asses off and met some of the most beautiful people I had ever seen. John kept me by his side, his hand constantly touching me. I loved it. He never let me out of his sight. I felt beautiful.

  I am practically jumping out of my skin.

  Before he dropped us home, he asked for my number. He wants to see me again. I keep pinching myself. This definitely calls for a new outfit!

  The entry sounded innocent enough. Lexie closed it up when guilt began to claw at her. Maybe she shouldn’t be reading her mother’s personal journal. Tucking it back into her purse, she decided to leave it alone for now.

  ***

  Hours passed, and after one stop to switch buses, Lexie finally came to her stop. Grabbing her things, she headed for the unknown. Stepping off the bus, her stomach tightened. She wanted to stomp her feet and scream out in frustration, but it would solve nothing. It would only draw attention and possibly the police if someone thought she was crazy enough. She wondered why her mother didn’t call the police to deal with what was happening. The only thing she could come up with as a solution was that her mother wasn’t innocent.

  Night had already settled; everything seemed eerie. At first glance the stop looked like it was in the middle of nowhere. The long street was heavily lined with thick trees. She knew she was in the right place based on her mother’s description. A lone bench next to the bus sign was painted to look like it was covered in tiger stripes under a bright street lamp. A narrow road a few yards from where she stood was marked with multiple signs for various house numbers. The number of her destination was not indicated, but she knew it wasn’t far. She began the walk down the long, dimly lit road.