Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 117443 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 587(@200wpm)___ 470(@250wpm)___ 391(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 117443 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 587(@200wpm)___ 470(@250wpm)___ 391(@300wpm)
Hayley was reluctant to go. This was their last night and they were leaving in the morning, Chris having said that staying any longer was too dangerous. If they’d been spotted, by anyone, either yesterday or today, they had to leave before anyone could do anything about it, that included nosy reporters. Hayley fiercely held each of her parents in a hug and promised to call them when they were safely away.
Chris was on high alert as they left the hospital. Unbeknownst to Hayley, he’d stopped at the rear of the SUV and taken the .38 out of his ankle holster and put it in his jacket pocket. He had no idea if the hospital even had metal detectors, since, so far, they had never used the front doors. He ushered her into the vehicle and skirted around to the driver’s seat.
After pulling out of the garage, Hayley again indicated a right turn and Chris obliged. They got on the highway once more, but she surprised him by directing him to get off four exits later. He followed her directions, coming to a full stop on a dimly lit road. “Hayley,” he said, his voice full of warning.
“There’s no way around it,” she replied.
Chris sighed, noting the resolve in her voice. He once more bade her to stay in the vehicle as he came around. He helped her out, short as she was, and walked alongside her, keeping her close. Though it was dark, she made her way from memory through the dewy grass. Chris scanned the area, and not liking it at all but deeming it as clear as one man could possibly asses it, he nodded. She moved just a few feet away from him and knelt down, pulling her sundress up over her knees.
“Hey,” she said in a soft, shaky voice. Chris didn’t know if she was being purposefully quiet or she was just emotional. He hated like hell to have to eavesdrop on this but no way would he get far enough away from her that he couldn’t hear what she was saying. Because that meant being too far away to protect her.
“It’s been a long time,” she said. “I’m not- I’m not sure if you ever expected to hear my voice again.”
Chris turned a little, scanning the shadows for anything moving among the gravestones .
She dug a hand into the pocket of her jacket and pulled out something small. “I got you something,” she said, putting the object on the headstone. “It’s from the beach. I know you loved it there.
She drew in a long, shaky breath. “I’m so sorry, Jake. You can’t imagine how sorry.” She wiped the grass cuttings of the lip of the stone and brushed her hand over the flowers in the stone pot nearby. She cleared her throat. “I have things to tell you. I- I met someone. And... well... obviously he’s not you.” She swiped quickly at her cheeks.
“And he’s the one, Jake. You don’t know how sorry I am to tell you that. That you weren’t the one. Even when we were dating, I knew you weren’t the one. And then you died. I guess I don’t need anyone to tell me what kind of person that makes me. That you weren’t the one.
“But I care about you,” she insisted. “I did then and I still do. I took this,” she said, pulling another object out of her pocket. “They’re matching seashells. Yours and mine.” She fingered what must have been a small, white seashell on the stone. “I’ll keep it forever. Just so you know. I know your mama and your brothers miss you terribly. And I miss you, too. So you keep that one. And I’ll keep this one. That way you’ll know that between all of us, someone, somewhere is always thinking about you and missing you.”
Hayley reached out and took the entire bouquet of flowers from the little stone pot. She stood up and brushed off her knees with her free hand. Chris led her back to the SUV and stowed her safely inside. She said nothing except to direct him down winding streets in sleeping neighborhoods. He wound his way down southern suburbia until directed to stop at a yellow house with a black mailbox out front. Before he could stop her, Hayley got out, left the passenger door open and sprinted to the house. She dropped the entire bouquet minus one flower onto the doorstep and ran back to the SUV. She got in and closed the door.
“That’s dangerous, baby,” Chris said, hating that he even had to say it.
“She lost her son, Chris. In the most horrific way possible. She deserves to know other people still care about that.”
Chris couldn’t argue with that and silently pulled away from the curb.
Chapter 33
Back in Rapid City, life went back to its usual rhythm. Chris had checked for tails the entire way back across the country. Spotting none, he assured himself that they were out of harm’s way. He wasn’t sure exactly when he’d fulfill his promise to Slick about seeing her family again, but he knew he would. He left her sleeping peacefully, as he did every morning, and headed off to the garage. He only got about two hours’ work in before he was interrupted.