Black Creek Burning (The Black Creek Series, Book 1) (32 page)

"Oh, no." She took a shallow breath. "Oh, no." She closed her eyes and rested back
on the new pillow.

Dave continued, "We're looking into the whereabouts of persons of interests—"

"Dave." Nathan shook his head at him.

She was sleeping again.

* * *

A glass of warm whiskey lifted in celebration of a job well done. The feeling of power
and the adrenaline rush from swinging the bat were intense and satisfying. The three
fingers of whiskey slid down in one wonderfully painful drink. The empty glass was
hurled at the wall of photos. Uncontrollable laughter erupted as the shards of glass
sprayed the tiny room. The yellow crime scene tape was the perfect finish to a perfect
plan. It would be difficult to wait until it was time to finish her off. The edges
of the dozens of photos flipped in the breeze from the twirl of the office chair.
Laughter bounced off the walls as the table was swiped clear of an assortment of knives,
a rifle, accelerants, wicks and lighters in one quick sweep. The chair continued to
twirl and the laughter roared.

* * *

Sandy Finley sat in a small room with nothing but a metal table and four chairs. Dave
sat with Tanner and watched her sweat through the one-way mirror. Her hand shook as
she sucked deeply on her cigarette, trying to sit straight and poised.

Dave walked in and turned his chair to sit in it backward. He pulled out a manila
file folder and glanced in, not opening it fully. "Thank you for coming in, Ms. Finley.
We just have a few questions. Is there anything I can get you?"

"Out of here. What more do you need to know? I already told the officers everything
on the day of the lockdown and look what that got me." She took a long drag and tapped
her ashes in a battered, metal ash tray.

Dave looked up at her, judging. "Where have you been for the past several weeks?"

"What does that matter? Why is that anyone's business? Can't a woman take some time
off to be by herself?"

"Where have you been for the last several weeks?" he repeated.

"Looking for a job."

"I'd like a list of the potential employers you visited. When did you get back in
town?"

She looked down. "I haven't been keeping track of time. I'm unemployed. Sometime this
week, I suppose."

"Do you own a four-wheeler, Ms. Finley?"

She lifted her eyes to meet Dave's. "Do I need my attorney?"

"That's your right, but I'll tell you cooperation would make things look better for
you. Do you own a four-wheeler, Ms. Finley?" he repeated, allowing his eyelids to
droop half way closed.

"No, I don't. And I don't own a rifle if you're going to ask me that next. You can
search my house if you want. I have nothing to hide. I got back Tuesday night. I wanted
to be here for the results of the board meeting. Is that what you wanted to hear?
Who wouldn't? She breaks lockdown protocol and gets her job back with nothing more
than a slap on the wrist. I make one accidental slip and lose my job. How would you
feel, officer?" She sat back in her chair, looking him square in the eyes.

The questioning continued until he felt satisfied he'd shaken her and gotten all he
was going to squeeze from Sandy Finley. She was annoyingly consistent with her story.
"Don't leave town again without letting us know where you're going. We'll be in touch."

* * *

"I'll agree to taking one more day off work, but that's it." Brie sat in the guest
chair, trying to look poised in her hospital gown. She knew she was acting like a
spoiled child and didn't care.

She also knew Nathan kept his chair close to her. He was slick the way he was never
more than a few feet away, yet looked to be casually hanging out. Why did she think
that was sweet?

He sighed. "You'll have to take that up with the doctors."

"You need a break. You should go home and check on my brothers. I'm tired from the
lunch time crowd and should get some sleep so I look rested when Duncan and Andy come."
She stood up slowly, but steady and walked back to her crumpled white bed. She stopped
to try and smell the flowers Lucy and Molly had sent her. Not yet. She looked over
at Nathan. "Can't hurt to try."

Amanda flew in with a duffle bag in her arm. "I have come to save you."

"You're getting me out?"

"Shit. Not that kind of save you. I brought girl stuff." Amanda pulled out some of
her waffle pants and an NYU sweatshirt. "I think we can talk the doctors into letting
you wear this stuff since it's just your head they need to work with mostly."

"I could kiss you." Brie looked in the bag. "Makeup and real toothpaste? This is like
Christmas."

"So, now that I've offered you gifts, you'd better sit back."

She leaned back on her inclined bed. "Okay. Hit me. What's up?"

"Your brothers are unpacking boxes," Amanda said.

Brie saw Nathan's eyebrows lift.

"I met with the Petersons and gave them your sketches and estimate. Lucy is checking
on your house. Liz is taking care of the dogs. Nathan's mom and dad—"

"Go back."

"Go back where?"

"Go back to you meeting with my client. Who did you say you were? What did you say
about the estimate? Which sketches did you give them?" She felt wide awake now. "Who
did you say you were?" she repeated, flustered at the thought.

"I said I work for you and that you were in the hospital and that it's nothing too
serious... because it's not, and I guess now is a bad time to tell you I have all
of Nathan's plants, shrubs, and trees set to be delivered in the morning."

Her face turned red.

"Fresh coffee anyone?" They ignored Nathan as he slipped out.

"You know my brothers are calling you bossy-Mandy again? It's like grade school all
over. I was thinking of telling the Petersons to get someone else to do their property.
How am I going to get Nathan's one-hundred-thirty-six trees, shrubs, and plants in
the ground when all I do is sleep? I was going to postpone his planting to fall. I
have my other customers to consider. I'll be lucky to work full days with my teaching
job. And what sketches did you show the Petersons?"

"A monkey could figure out your binder. It's more detailed than a Red Cross relief
report. I gave them the sketches you had labeled Peterson and the price you had ready
for them, and I'm planting for you. Let me do this, Brie. It's been months since I've
been on assignment. This temp job can go straight to hell."

Brie sat for a long time, carrying on a debate with herself. Why did she always feel
the need to do everything herself? Because she could. Why did she push people away
whenever they tried to step into her life? Because it was safer. Why did her friends
and family continue to love her when she was a bitch like this?

"You'll dig the holes twice as big as the pots?"

"I can do that."

"And you'll use diluted root stimulator?"

"Okay."

"You'll mix peat with the soil from the holes you dig?"

"Your directions are easy to read, Brie."

"You'll tuck mulch around and keep the plants watered?"

"A monkey can follow this binder, remember?"

She closed her eyes and rested her head back on her pillow. "How did I get so lucky
as to have such a good friend?"

"And family. And in-laws," Amanda added.

Brie could feel her damned lids drooping yet again. Amanda lowered her bed and covered
her up.

Chapter 28

She was able to nap, shower and eat before Duncan and Andy showed up for their evening
visit. Brie felt almost human again other than the dizziness and throbbing in the
back of her head. And the not being able to wash her hair. And the can't-stay-awake-for-more-than-a-few-hours-at-a-time
syndrome. Oh, yeah, and her inability to smell and taste. She convinced herself she
could pull this off and sat in the guest chair, the better to make a good impression.
The doctor walked in just as she was getting settled in the cushioned wooden seat.

"How's the patient?" He looked surprised to see her out of bed.

His surprise made her feel better. "I'm feeling very well, actually. I'd really like
to go home."

"I'll tell you what. When you can walk across the room without assistance, we'll discharge
you," he said with a sincere smile as he checked her stitches. "You should be able
to get your head wet tomorrow. We'll give the stitches one more day to seal." He glanced
at her chart. "No rubbing the wound just yet, though."

Duncan and Andy walked in with Sylvester and Mackenzie just as the doctor finished
up. Nathan followed him out to the hall.

Sylvester rested a hand on her shoulder and Mackenzie patted her arm as they exchanged
warm greetings and best wishes.

Duncan offered a polite hello and sat in the chair at the opposite side of the room.
Andy absentmindedly walked to her and sat on her leg.

"The kids in class want to know when you are coming back, and Sean says we have to
finish
Charlotte's Web.
And I miss the dogs and I don't like sharing grandma's guest bed with Duncan." He
turned his head to her and smiled. "I miss you. You look tired. Are you tired?"

"I'm just ready to be out of here. I miss you, too." They pressed the sides of their
heads together as Andy continued to catch her up on classroom happenings, and the
boys' plans for their upcoming trip to Colorado with their grandparents. She was relieved
when Nathan finally returned.

"Nathan, would you and Andy please get me a diet soda? I can't drink another glass
of apple juice."

Nathan took Andy's hand. Sylvester and Mackenzie followed.

"I know, I know." Andy followed. "She wants to talk to Duncan about why he's all pouty."

Brie waited until they were gone before standing. She made sure she was stable before
making her way to the dreaded hospital bed. "Come sit with me," she said to Duncan.

He obeyed and sat next to her. She pulled him under her arm, and they sat in silence
for a few minutes. She felt his shoulders start to shudder and tears fell on her arm.

"I heard you saw it happen." She tried to be casual by crossing her legs at the ankles.

Duncan nodded in her arm.

"Thank you." She stroked his hair.

"I didn't do anything," he barked.

"You yelled for Nathan. I could have lost the fingers and toes from my right hand
and foot if you hadn't done that."

"I don't remember yelling."

"Okay." She sighed, thinking... realizing.

"You know, I couldn't get my legs to move when I knew my parents' house was on fire.
I wanted to yell to them, tell them to get out, but I couldn't. I blamed myself for
a long time. I guess I still do, sort of."

"Oh." He sat silently before he went on. "I didn't know that. I'm sorry I didn't help
you." He turned his head and buried it deeper in her shoulder. "Are you going to make
me say what I saw again?"

"No. No, Nathan told me. I just want to make a deal with you. I will stop blaming
myself for not helping my parents if you will stop blaming yourself. You are only
eight, you know. We never know how we'll handle emergencies. It looks like we are
a lot alike, you and I."

"Will you and dad break up?"

Whoa... she didn't see that one coming. "I'll be right across the creek from you."
It was the best she could do.

He sighed comfortably and turned to her. "Dad says you'll be in that damned house
alone over his dead damned body." He grinned. A little.

Brie's eyebrows lifted high and she tilted her head back to get a look at Duncan.
She was relieved to see him smiling.

"Just sayin' what he said."

"Oh, did he?" She pulled him in and mussed his brown hair.

* * *

Brie tried threatening to check herself out. The doctor was as casual as ever.

He must have been between surgeries, because he still had on a hairnet and footies.