Blind Trust

by Jody Klaire

  The culprit of the gossip was the barman who must have gone into the café to get Mark and Simon, and I was pretty sure, by my experiences in Oppidum that by now, there was probably a fire breathing dragon involved.

  Martha hurried over to me with her eyebrows so knitted together that I was sure her brow would permanently crease that way.

  “What happened? I heard you punched Sheriff McKinley and threatened to kill Brad?”

  Small town assumption vindicated.

  “Nope,” I said. “But I told him that I weren’t too happy with his treatment of . . . well . . . Serena.”

  Martha nodded, her gaze glued to my face as if I would crack and tell her that I really did punch McKinley. “She’s not good?”

  “She ain’t been eating or drinking nothin’ and they just left her like it.” I flexed my hand, still feeling the anger thudding right to my fingertips. “I told him she deserves better and that she needs proper feeding.”

  “I’m happy to help there.”

  All I could do was blink at her for a second. I wanted to wrap the woman in another bear hug. “I was hoping you’d say that. It’ll help her, if she knows there’s somebody there.” I tried to return the smile that Martha was shooting my way but I felt tired all of a sudden. “She ain’t talking, she ain’t responding but if you feed her . . . help her . . . she’ll take it.”

  “You can count on me—”

  “Who do you think you are?”

  I felt Grace Teller’s anger before I heard her voice. Her aura was a yucky green. I pretty much knew she didn’t like me all that much before but now . . . Wow, the cold coming from her was worse than outside.

  “You have no right to come in here and threaten people!”

  “Grace—” Martha started.

  Grace shook her off. “It’s not James’s fault that your friend is . . . is a . . . a nutcase.”

  I folded my arms. Who was this James? Her anger should have made me angrier, should have made me lose it but something odd happened instead, I laughed. “Nutcase? Is that the best you can come up with?”

  Grace took a moment and blinked a couple of times as I continued to chuckle at her. As vicious put-downs went, that was the dumbest I’d heard.

  “Assaulting people is funny to you?” she demanded, opening up the conversation to the rest of the fixated café. “Who will you attack next, huh?”

  Now that was almost like being back home.

  “Get a life.” Whatever her motives, I really didn’t care and so I turned back to Martha. “Will you be able to take . . . Serena . . . her favorite?”

  “Of course—”

  “I’m talking to you!”

  Thud.

  Grace kicked me in the back of the leg. She had on those heavy snow boots.

  The doorbell jingled. Simon and Mark. They froze, as the entire café did. The doctor dribbled coffee down himself.

  I clenched my jaw and turned, slowly, to look at the wide-eyed woman cowering from me.

  “You want to tell her, Mark?” My voice was eerily calm.

  “Grace,” Mark said in the kind of tone that parents used to speak to children who were being dumb. “Aeron went to see Brad because he’s spouting a load of lies, like always.”

  I noticed the irritation in his voice and wondered how many other people in the town felt the same way.

  “He wouldn’t do that,” Grace protested, arms folded, pout on her glossy lips and a scowl that made her scraped back hair shift on top of her head.

  She was dumber than I thought.

  Mark sighed and shot a glance at Simon. “Grace, he’ll tell you whatever he can to get you.”

  “That’s not true,” she said but her resolve sounded shaky to me. “He wouldn’t . . . he just wouldn’t.” She glared at me and her scowl grew, her hair jumping as she did so. “Besides, she,” she poked me in the stomach with a sharp nail, “hit James.”

  I looked down at where she’d prodded.

  Grace snapped her finger away and rubbed it as she stared wide-eyed at my stomach. Did she think it would be anything less than rock hard?

  “James?” Still that odd, calm but not so calm tone came out.

  I flexed my biceps. Grace raised her eyebrows. Yeah, they were bigger than her thigh.

  “Who is James?”

  “Sheriff,” got fired back at me from all directions.

  “Why in blackbear would I hit McKinley?” I unfolded my arms, making Grace flinch. Her eyes lingered on my biceps. “He’s an idiot sure, but I ain’t got no need to hit the guy.”

  “Liar!” She launched herself forward. Drew back her hand. I caught it before it was even half raised . . .

  “Hey, Grace!”

  Oh, Marie, thank heavens you understand. I just don’t know how I get up in the morning. Why can’t I just forget the dumb oaf?

  “Marie, did you talk to Hal?”

  Why woman? Why don’t you just tell him that you love him. I don’t see it myself, I mean look at him. He’s a weird little man. Besides he can’t even cook his own food. You’re better than some fifties housewife.

  “How are you today? Did the doctor give you anything . . . you know . . . to help?”

  “Oh, Marie, there’s nothing that can make it better. Mamma says it’ll just take time but it gets worse every day.”

  “The least he owes you is an explanation. He said anything at all?”

  No, he never says a word. He won’t even look at me. How can he go from wanting to marry me to forgetting I exist? Maybe it’s her. He’s been silent for months then she shows up and he stares at her like she’s an angel. Ugh, I hate her. Who gets that tall anyway?

  OUCH . . .

  “Hey, watch where you’re going!” Damn tourists, if it wasn’t for the hotel I would have them shot, every last one. “Don’t say sorry then!”

  Idiot.

  “You should tell James. He could have hurt you.”

  Oh, ouch . . . my side. What did he have in that coat anyway? Probably a bottle of something or tools. He’s scruffy enough to be one of those contractors.

  “Go on, Grace . . . Maybe he’ll see sense then.”

  “Maybe you’re right.” Okay, I’m just going to—”

  Bang.

  Bang.

  “James!” Oh please be okay. “James!”

  “I’m fine, Grace. Go get the doctor—” He’s looking at me. He’s worried. “Please, Grace . . . just get the doctor.”

  Doctor, right . . .

  I let go and Grace rubbed her throbbing hand. I knew that I’d probably half crushed it with the vision. I didn’t know what to think. She had bumped into the same guy too and there was something hard in his jacket . . . or waistband.

  “Simon,” I said, turning to him. “What did you see? Please, tell me.”

  “I didn’t see a thing.” He shrugged and made a break for the door again. The bell jingled as he fled and I stared at the open/closed sign as it flapped in the breeze. What was wrong with him?

  “Mark, will you walk Aeron home?” Martha said before patting me on the arm. “You need to rest up . . . I’ll take dinner to her and Evan is itching to help.” She squeezed my arm once more. “She needs you strong.”

  I nodded, jarred by the vision and confused by Simon’s continued denials. That was three times now.

  “And as for you, Madam,” Martha snapped at Grace in the kinda motherly tone that made most kids run for cover. “You have caused enough chaos for one day.”

  Grace burst into tears and fled from the café, Marie hot on her heels.

  I met Mark’s gaze and he shrugged. “They’re even more of a mystery to me.”

  “Sometimes I wonder if I’m a woman at all,” I mumbled as we headed out of the café.

  THE SUN WAS setting in a big orange-and-pink display bathing the well-trodden snow with dabs of color as we trudged our way back to the cabin. “I don’t think I have ever once wailed like that.”

  Mark grinned at me. “I’d say that means you
’re sane.”

  I laughed harder than I should have but Mark had no idea how ironic his words were. I thumbed behind at the café. “How come you don’t have one of those crazies nagging on at you?”

  Mark smiled. “I do. My wife is more of the active type and she flies all over the country.” His thoughts headed off somewhere into memory as we strolled down the road. “She’s a regular guy,” he said with a smile. “Taught me how to change the oil on the truck but don’t tell anyone.”

  “What does she do?”

  “Joanne?” He kicked the snow. “She coaches ice hockey.” He looked up with a crooked smile. “Used to be a goalie.”

  We turned off the main street and up the wooded lane to the cabin. “That how you met?”

  He nodded, brushing the snow off the tree branches as he walked. I got the flash of him as a boy trying to reach up and do the same. “I played for a good while in the NHL . . . Retired a couple of years back to a simpler life but Joanne . . .” He kicked the snow again, his floppy brown hair whipped into his eye. “She lives it still.”

  “Guess that’s hard,” I said. “Being without somebody you love so much.”

  We trudged up the steps to the cabin in silence. The clomping of boots mingled with shrill birdsong. The smell of damp wood filled my nostrils and almost took me back to Nan’s cabin. It was one of my favorite smells. For a second, I was back there with Nan and Renee, listening to the waterwheel churn.

  An oddly calm feeling rustled through the snow-filled trees, drawing me back, and I shoved my hands in my pockets. That feeling. I scowled up at the sky. What else was gonna happen?

  “Aeron. Pay no attention to my idiot cousin, okay?” Mark leaned against the wooden rail as I watched him, the walls slipping away in front of my eyes as the truth fell like glitter from his lips. “Brad, he’s a nasty piece of work. He wants anything that someone else has. He’s always been the same.”

  “Why?”

  “Him and his kid brother, Seth.” He wandered to the snow-covered swinging bench and slumped down onto it. “They drive their parents crazy. They weren’t all that spoiled . . . at least no more than me.”

  “The temper?” I asked.

  Mark sighed. “Not from their parents. I mean, ah . . . their dad is a surgeon and commutes from Denver and their mom is . . . well . . . just the sweetest woman on two legs.”

  The rough feel of my jeans against the back of my hand pinched as I leaned on the wall to study him. Mark had run the whole situation over and over in his mind, I could see how wearily it churned around him like years of deliberation had worn away at his zest for life. It was the first time I’d seen just how tired he really was.

  “Did something happen to them?” I asked. “Did they lose a dream or maybe get hurt?”

  Mark shook his head. “Thing is, Brad was like it as a kid. He’d thump Seth just for looking at him. His parents didn’t know what to do with him.”

  “Ah, so Seth’s attitude comes from his brother.”

  “No doubt,” Mark said, leaning onto his knees. “Last year or so though, Brad has been worse . . . been . . . well, I don’t know . . .”

  “Brooding?” My senses swirled with what I’d picked up from him. “Are you sure his dad doesn’t hurt him?”

  Mark looked at me with a frown etched across his handsome features, and I smiled to try and show him I wasn’t judging just listening.

  “I was never there twenty-four-seven but no.” He shook his head to emphasize it after a moment or two. “Their dad dotes on them.”

  “So Brad is just a violent jerk then?” I asked. My voice sounded quiet even to my own ears. I’d missed out on the signs before, had I done so this time?

  “His father is forcing him to enlist,” Mark said. “I talked it over with him last week . . . the whole family did. Brad is still young enough to be let in.”

  “Bet he’s real happy with that.”

  “He doesn’t know yet.” Mark leaned back and closed his eyes. He looked so much older than when I’d first seen him now. Life had weathered him. “God help us when he does.”

  “Probably best you should keep him away from Grace.”

  Mark opened his eyes. He frowned as though he wanted to shake off my observations but then he nodded. “If there’s one man he wants to tear apart most, it’s James.”

  Jealousy would do that to a guy.

  “What will you all do with Seth?”

  “There’s not much I can do. He’s still in high school and his dad is convinced that he may grow out of it once Brad is gone.” Mark got to his feet. The sudden burst of energy from him startled me. “Sorry. I gotta go or I’ll sleep right there.”

  He offered his hand and I knew that now was the right time so I stepped forward and hoped I didn’t end up in a heap on the wood.

  Joanna, wish I could talk to you. Wonder if you got there safe. You should have touched down hours ago. Oh great, Brad . . . hope the service straightens you out or you’ll end up serving time. I should have done something, should have done anything . . . why didn’t I see it?

  Same reason Joanna doesn’t see a damn thing. If she was having an affair it wouldn’t be so bad but having her love a damn puck more than me . . . Dammit.

  “Mark, you coming?”

  I get why you want to drown yourself, Simon, but what hardship has that idiot ever faced? It’s not even noon.

  “Nah, heading to the café though.” At least line your stomach. I don’t want to have to pull your sorry ass up off the floor, again. Who is Brad sneering at now? Serena? What is it with him and blonde women?

  “Hey, Ice Queen, where’s your knight?”

  “Hey, Brad . . . how’s your paw . . . heard Ice Queen showed you her moves.”

  Hal, shut up. You have taken one beating, just learn to back off.

  “You want me to fix that face of yours, hillbilly?”

  Hillbilly? Brad you are the biggest idiot I’ve ever met.

  “You want me to slam your ass in a cell?”

  What is that guy doing? No—”Down!”

  Bang.

  She turned. Gun Raised. Fired.

  Bang.

  “Stop wailing, man!” Where was the other bullet? Where, what?

  Mark gave me a quick hug and headed off down the steps. I watched him, replaying the vision over and over. He’d only seen Renee hit the guy with a bullet, only one bullet. Two shots, one bullet and I felt exhausted. I headed into the cabin with one idea only . . . sleep.

  I CURLED UP onto the sofa ready to snooze with Blob. He had decided that sleeping next to my feet was a good place. He was weirder than I could cope with at that moment so I just went with it.

  A knock at the door stole any chance of peace. I got a disinterested huff from Blob as I swept my feet through his icy coldness.

  “Comin’.”

  The knocks got louder this time. They were nervous and it made me feel all jittery before I’d even opened the door.

  “Simon?”

  He nodded, looked around the darkness as if somebody could be following him, and rubbed his nose with his hand. “Can I come in? I won’t stay long, it’s just—”

  “Sure.” I stepped out of his way and he eyed the room as if he was looking for cameras. “Can I help?”

  “See, I don’t want any trouble,” he said. His tangled black hair was curly, his gruff beard in patches. “I’ve seen enough trouble.”

  “At sea?” I asked, getting a jolt of his panic as response. “I heard from Mark that you served.”

  He rubbed the tip of his nose. The guy was as weather beaten as it got. I was pretty sure from his energy that he was not much older than me but boy, did he look a lot older.

  “It’s money,” he said. “Dad did the same . . . Navy . . . For a boy who’d never seen the sea before, it was an adventure . . . see the world . . . money.”

  “I guess it’s pretty hard though?”

  He nodded, wringing his salt-worn mitts-for-hands in front of him. “I lo
st a guy . . . a buddy . . . storm . . . wave just smashed him off the deck.” He hugged himself, looking like he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Don’t know why I’m telling you this.” He shook his head. “Just . . . can’t get it out of my mind.”

  If there was one person who knew survivor guilt as Renee would call it, it was me.

  “I lost somebody close to me once . . . I blamed myself until it tightened a noose ’round my whole life.”

  I wasn’t a doctor but I hoped that how I’d scraped through it could help him.

  “Thing is, nothin’ can bring your buddy back. You can stand there and watch him die until it drives you crazy but it changes nothin’.”

  “Should have been me,” Simon said. “I should have been where he was . . . Should have made sure he had his lifeline attached. It was my job but he said he’d go.”

  “Then maybe you owe him enough to stop drowning in liquor and take the chance you’ve been given?”

  He glared at me first and I got that I was being blunt but I’ve learned that deep pain makes folks, and that includes me, blind to everything but its suffocating walls. Pain, doubt, fear in my eyes are the dark that tries to suck the light right out of their victim like vampires. I prayed I was throwing the guy a lifesaver and socking one to the dark at the same time.

  “Maybe,” he mumbled and squeezed himself tighter. “I can’t go back.”

  “That why you won’t go up against Brad?”

  Simon nodded.

  “He giving you money or somethin’?”

  His shoulders slumped as he let go of the secrets that were eating him from the inside out. “He owes me money from back when we were dumb kids . . . bailed him out . . . I called in the favor.”

  “He paying up?”

  Simon met my eyes and he didn’t need to tell me “no” out loud.

  “Tell you what,” I said. “How ’bout we just shake on it and you don’t have to tell me nothin’. That way you ain’t betraying Brad.”

  “I was next to the wall on the left,” he said. “I was over from the other two ’cause I was trying to tie my damn shoe lace.”