by A. B. Medley
Just minutes later, Judge Davis and his wife Rayna come rushing in. “Where’s my daughter?” Rhett demands. The nurse at the desk explains they just took her back and the doctors will be with us as soon as possible. They both head in my direction. He looks at me with fire in his eyes.
“What the hell happened to her?” I tell them everything I know, from her asking me to meet her at the outlook, to finding her on the ground beaten and stabbed.
“Detective Trudeau’s on his way after he checks out the crime scene.” Rhett looks at me and nods. I tell him, “I wish I knew what happened. If I had gotten there few minutes earlier, her attacker would be in the hospital, not her.” I feel fire burning through my soul. Rhett puts his hand on my shoulder.
“I know how you feel, son, but we need you on the right side of this.” We just stare at each other as we wait. I pull out my phone to text Dean, then think better of it. I’ll let him know when I know more about what’s going on.
Beep… beep… beep…
I open my eyes and realize I’m in a hospital room, connected to all kinds of monitors. I start to raise my arm and feel a sharp pain. Now I remember—I was attacked! Beaten, kicked and stabbed.
Oh no…my baby! Just as panic starts to rise, a nurse walks in.
“Hey there, sleepy head. We were wondering when we were going to see you.”
“I need to speak with a doctor, or can you answer some questions for me?” She smiles sadly. “You just sit tight, sweetie. You still need your rest. I’ll let the doctor know you’re awake.”
She checks my vitals and sweeps back out of the room. A few minutes later a tall man in a brilliant white coat comes in. “Ivie, my name is Dr. Boyd. How are you feeling?”
“Honestly, I feel like crap. I’m hurting all over, and I want to know what happened.”
“Well, from a medical standpoint, I can tell you all you want to know. But I’m afraid if you need more details into your attack, the police will have to answer those questions. You’ve got two cracked ribs and a broken nose, as well as a concussion, and an array of contusions, plus a significant stab wound to your left shoulder that cut through muscles and tendons. We had to go in and do surgery to clean it all up.”
My sore throat constricts painfully at the news. “What about...?”
His eyes looked pained. “So, you did know. I’m afraid the attack caused a miscarriage, due to the injuries sustained in your pelvic area and blood loss. I’m very sorry, Miss Davis.”
I feel like I’ve been kicked in the gut. Again. Except this time it’s even more painful. “I understand, Dr. Boyd. Thank you.” He manages a small smile.
“I’ll send your parents in. They’ve been wanting to see you since you’ve been in recovery, and there’s a Mr. Brigg that’s been outside your room waiting, as well. Am I to assume he knew?” I look up at the doctor with his all-knowing gaze.
“Actually, no, he didn’t, and if you don’t mind, I’d like to keep it that way. No one knew but me.” I feel my eyes start to burn with tears.
“Of course, Miss Davis. Doctor-patient confidentiality. You’re eighteen, which means you’re legally an adult.”
“Thank you, Dr. Boyd.” I force a smile I don’t feel. There’s a knock on the door and then my parents rush in, looking as if they hadn’t slept in days.
“Oh honey, we’re so glad you’re okay!” My mom squeezes my hand tightly, tears in her eyes. My dad walks over to my bedside and kisses me on the head. He stays quiet, exhaustion etched onto his features.
I catch movement at the doorway and see Sterling peeking in. My mom looks up at him. “Um, honey, me and your dad are going to run to the cafeteria and bring you some food.” Mom tugs Dad’s hand and they scoot past Sterling as he walks over to my side. I feel tears burn my eyelids again, but I won’t give into them. At least not right now. He puts his hand on mine and leans over me, placing a kiss on my cheek. I close my eyes as grief starts to settle in my heart.
“You scared me to death, Ivie.”
I see the pain in his eyes. “So I’ve heard. I think I scared everyone.”
“I’m so glad you’re okay. But what really happened? I found you beaten and stabbed and barely hanging on to consciousness.” He rubs his thumb over my hand and then brings it up to kiss it, eyes filled with worry and something darker.
“Thank you for saving me, Sterling. Thank you for being here for me, but I’m okay, I’m just tired and sore and I don’t really feel up to talking about it right now. Why don’t you go home and get some rest? The doctor says I need to rest, anyway, and you look like you haven’t slept in days.”
He looks hurt when I say that but he nods in agreement. “Okay. Just call me when you feel up to talking.” He stares at me, brushing a chaste kiss across my lips before moving away. “I haven’t told Dean about this yet, but I will. I wanted to make sure you were okay first. I had to see you with my own eyes.”
The tears begin to fall, and I just nod. He looks in my eyes one more time and walks out of the room. I feel the hot tears continue to stream down my face. I’m so sorry, Sterling. Now I know someone’s out to hurt me—not just hurt me but kill me. You’ll never know I was pregnant. And you’ll never know how I’ve fallen for you. As soon as I’m better, I’m going to talk to Mom and Dad about finishing my senior year early. I’ve got to get away from here. For everyone’s safety. Maybe if I’m out of this town, this creep will leave me and everyone I care about alone.
Mom and Dad come back in the room with several things in tow. “I got everything I thought you might eat.” She smiles, despite the worry. I smile back. “Thanks, Mom.”
She sits beside me after piling up my tray. I look at Dad and he’s still staring at me, looking as if the last twenty-four hours have aged him a decade. He smiles tightly and leans over and kisses my head. “I love you, pumpkin. Don’t scare me like that again.” I smile back with newfound sadness in my heart. “I won’t, Daddy. Promise.”
After I see Ivie, I drive home, mad at everyone and everything. Myself, mostly. If I hadn’t let her talk me into keeping quiet about that text, maybe this wouldn’t have happened. I can’t let her talk me into something like that again.
I pull up at my house and get out of the truck. Someone’s after her. I have to find out why and who. Before I just assumed Dean had gotten into something he shouldn’t have and made the wrong person angry. But now they’ve set their sights on Ivie.
I pull my phone out and dial Detective Trudeau’s direct number. We’ve been meeting a lot lately and trying to piece this together. He’s been trying to talk me into going to the police academy and joining the police department. I’ve been putting him off until now. Running Valley B Ranch has always been what I thought I’d do, but sometimes life pushes you in other directions. I don’t want to feel powerless. I want to be able to protect the people I love.
He answers on the second ring. “Trudeau.”
I look around to make sure no one is in earshot. “Hey, it’s Sterling. I think I’m going to take you up on joining the department and going to the academy. Whatever I need to do. Just tell me where to start. I’m in.”
I hear him let out a relieved breath. “Well, Brigg, it’s about time. You have the drive to do this and be good at it. You’re smart and pay attention to detail. Come down to the station and I can help get your paperwork started. The sooner we have you enrolled the better.” I couldn’t agree more.
“What about me still having a few more months in high school?” I ask.
“That won’t be a problem. You can enroll in some basic night classes at the community college and do ride-alongs until you graduate high school, and then go to the academy from there. There’ll be a new class starting there about the time you graduate. It’s a six-month program and then you can continue with classes toward a degree as you begin to work.” I look around the land of my family’s ranch.
“Okay, man. I trust you. I can be there in about an hour.” I hang up and head toward the house. Time
to tell my parents, sister, and my grandad what my plans are. I sure hope they don’t freak out.
I talked to Mom and Dad quite a while at the hospital. They kept me one more night and released me this morning. We just got home. Thankfully, they’re on board with me graduating early and going on to college in January. They’ve already talked to the school, and I had enough credits, so we’re set.
I’ll have to figure out how to officially break it off with Dean. I pray that keeps him safe. My bigger problem is I just don’t know how to tell Sterling I’m leaving. I never knew how much I loved him, and now I’m leaving him. I can’t put him in danger. Hopefully, with me out of the picture, no one will bother him.
I fall back on my bed and close my eyes. Hot tears start to fall again. My face is still so bruised and swollen, and my shoulder is throbbing. I’ll have to do some physical therapy in a few weeks, when the tissues have healed up some.
I put my hand over my lower abdomen. I lost our baby, Sterling. I wasn’t planning on this baby, but the moment I knew I was pregnant, I loved the life growing inside of me, and there’s nothing I wouldn’t have done for this baby. I lost a piece of my heart I’ll never get back. This sick person has now taken a life and tried to take two more. It has to end.
My phone beeps.
I almost got you. If your boy hadn’t shown up, you’d be dead. How does it feel knowing I can take whatever I want from you? I feel the anger rising within me, but it’s washed out by a tsunami of grief.
You win. I’m leaving.
I shut my phone and hold my middle as the sobs start to erupt from my chest.
Present day
“Yeah, Mom. You know I’ll be coming home soon.” I open my fridge as I cradle the phone with my shoulder.
“Okay, honey, but your dad’s anxious to see you. He’s retiring in a couple months, you know. He’s not a spring chicken anymore, and besides, you know I need help planning his surprise retirement party.”
“Yes, Mama, I know. Listen, I have to go. I’ll call you back tonight. I’ve got to get going this morning. Can’t be late.”
“Okay, honey, have a good day and remember—the Greendale Valley Press is hiring. Jake Boyd keeps telling me he’d love you to come work for them. Just keep that in mind. We miss you and wish you’d move back to home. Call me tonight. I love you.” I smile.
“I will, Mom. Love you.” I click off and shut the fridge and pour my orange juice. I just don’t know that I can bear to live in that town again, surrounded by the mystery and tragedy of my teenage years. Lost love, pushed away love and—absently I touch my flat abdomen—lost child.
I could never face Sterling after telling him I was leaving. He was so angry with me. I can still remember clearly the pain in his eyes and voice when I told him I was leaving. That I never should’ve gotten so involved with him— it was just me rebounding from Dean hurting me.
But the truth is, I never loved Dean in the whole time I dated him as much as I loved Sterling in the weeks I was involved with him. That took another part of my heart and soul, telling him he didn’t matter—and I’m sure he’ll never forgive me. He’s probably married, and if not, then definitely in a relationship. You don’t look like Sterling Brigg and not have a love life. And that’s fine with me. I date.
Besides, I don’t need a serious relationship. I’m just getting myself established at the Camden Springs Journal as a serious journalist, and who knows, maybe one day I’ll try my hand at writing books. I’ve been jotting down ideas. I think I can do it. That’s one of my dreams.
I can’t even think about maintaining a relationship. No one is Sterling. No one can ever measure up. That’s one of my dreams that died many years ago. It’s just safer to have career dreams.
“Toughen up, Ivie. No time to dwell on pain and memories.” I check the mirror in the hall and my makeup and hair are on point for once. I grab my bag and head toward the door. Let’s get this day started.
“Jake, you know I have no comment on the Johnson case. You’ll have to talk to the PD’s public information officer,” I say, not bothering to hide my annoyance.
“Come on, Sterling. We go way back. We played baseball together. You know I’d never print anything to reveal you as my source or anything that would affect that idiot getting a jury to convict him.”
I groan under my breath. “No Jake. I’m not talking. Final answer.” I put the phone back in the cradle as I hear Serena Lawson’s heels clicking toward my desk.
“You look stressed, Brigg.” I rub my hand over my face, and even though I shaved this morning I can feel the stubble growing back. “Yeah, Serena, I’ve got a stack of reports to fill out. What do you have for me?” She hands me an envelope with my name on it.
“I don’t know, this was in my mail stack this morning. I don’t remember seeing it yesterday, but here you go, from my pile to yours.” With that, she smiles and turns on her heel, headed back to the front desk.
“Gee. Thanks for that, Serena.”
“You know you love me,” she spouts off as she sashays down the hall. Serena’s pretty much everyone’s mom here, nearing sixty with platinum hair and a remarkable frame for a woman her age. She takes care of all the officers at the PD.
I open the manila envelope to see what someone’s sent me so anonymously. I pull out a picture of the crime scene at Taylor Rich’s house the night of Dean’s attack. “What the…?” There’s also a picture of Ivie lying on the ground at the outlook, with me hovering over her, then one of her in the hospital, unconscious or sleeping.
My gut tightens at the memory of her telling me to leave, then another of her crying. Next, a note with letters cut from magazines and newspapers.
It reads: IVIE DAVIS HAS A DARK SECRET. SO DO MOMMY AND DADDY DAVIS.
There are pictures of the three of them. Ivie looks older in the pictures. I haven’t seen her in years, but she’s still as beautiful as ever. Same long, dark brown hair. Pictures of her talking on her cell, holding a cup of coffee as she looks to be getting into a black Jeep Wrangler.
I think it’s time to have a chat with Rhett Davis and see if he can get me Ivie’s contact info, because this appears to be a threat. Someone’s stalking her and they obviously wants me to know. I get my gun from my desk drawer and slide it back in my shoulder holster, grab my badge and keys, and I’m out the door headed to the Davis home— Ivie’s childhood home. Paperwork will have to wait.
I pull up outside the Davis house, and just as I step out of my unmarked cruiser, Rhett appears on the front porch. I head in his direction. “Good evening, Rhett.”
“What’s this about, Brigg?” Always the judge, no nonsense. I hand him the envelope, and he pales a bit as he examines the contents.
“I was afraid it wasn’t over,” he murmured. Meaning he knows something.
“Afraid what isn’t over, Judge?” He doesn’t answer. He just studies me carefully. “Judge, I need to talk to Ivie and find out what she knows about this. She’s being stalked. These pictures weren’t taken with her knowledge, and as you can see, some are from the past. Some are from now, I assume. You know better than me, since I haven’t seen her in years.” He hands the envelope back to me.
“I’m afraid that’s not going to happen. She’s not coming around here anytime soon, and you’re not going to involve her in any investigation, Brigg, so just let this go.” With that he turns and walks back in the house and closes the heavy front door. Now I’m more intrigued than ever. I know I have to find Ivie.
As I open the door to my unmarked cruiser, Rayna Davis, Rhett’s wife and Ivie’s mother, runs around the back of the house and motions for me to follow her. I jog in her direction. She hands me a piece of paper that has a phone number and address on it.
“I heard you talking with Rhett and if something’s going on, I’d appreciate you taking care of it. Rhett doesn’t know, but Ivie and I are planning a surprise retirement party for him in a few weeks, right after Thanksgiving. She’ll be here. Take care of whatev
er’s happening before she gets here, Sterling. Ivie doesn’t need any more drama or pain in her life; she’s had enough. I know you know that probably better than anyone.” She turns on her heel and heads to the back door, and I walk back to my cruiser. Hopefully, Rhett didn’t see his wife go behind his back with this information. Secrets— never a good thing. I get in and head toward home.
Once there, I call Chief Grayson Trudeau, the original detective on Ivie’s case and one of the reasons I became a cop, and tell him I’m taking a few personal days, adding a brief explanation of the envelope and its beguiling contents—and will be out of town looking into it further. “This doesn’t have anything to do with a certain woman, does it, Brigg?”
I smile into the phone. “Now Chief, you know there’s no certain woman for me.”
He sighs into the phone then says, “Brigg, don’t be stupid. Think with your head—not the one in your pants—and be careful, yeah? Call me if you need help—better yet, call me when you’re done with your personal business, so I can rest easy knowing I have my best detective in Greendale, where he belongs.”
I chuckle, “Will do, Chief.” I end the call as I throw some clothes and toiletries in a bag. I open my wallet and pull out a tattered photograph of Ivie. She’s smiling at the camera and lying in a hammock wearing a black dress. The photo’s black and white, and she’s holding a yellow and orange flower that’s in color. It was a picture that Lucy gave me after she left all of us in the dust.
She knew I had feelings for Ivie. I suppose she thought the picture would help me. It did and it didn’t. When I needed to see her face, I pulled it out and stared at those mesmerizing eyes. Other times it served as a reminder of heartbreak— something I wanted so badly but could never have.
I’ve tried to throw the picture away many times over the years but could never bring myself to do it. I put the photo back in my wallet.
