Physical Distraction: A Sinful Suspense Novel (13 page)

Chapter 21

Tashlyn

Of course, getting involved with Jem while I was in the midst of discovering what’d happened to me sixteen years ago was reckless and probably not the best decision. My head was no longer on straight. In fact, it seemed to be floating a few inches off my body, and my feet weren’t actually touching the ground when I walked either. It was a huge mistake to allow myself to become this vulnerable right now, but it was too late. It was done. Jem Wolfe had curled himself around my heart.

I took stock in what I now knew. There were so many huge holes that I still had no clear picture. I knew I’d been with my dad on his trip. It would have made sense because he’d often taken me on long trips, especially after Greta had gone back home to Europe. That one major piece of the puzzle also explained why I’d turned up in the area. But this new revelation only added to the confusion. How the heck did I survive the accident? I’d ended up at the forest ranger station, hungry, terrified and confused, but that was all. The new, more urgent question was—who wanted me dead or gone? I was sure the answer to that would tell me everything I wanted to know. As long as I could find it out without dying first.

I hadn’t told Jem about the letter. We’d been having such a good time, and I hadn’t wanted to drop a dark cloud over it. But I would eventually tell him. I felt much less afraid knowing Jem was nearby to protect me.

I pulled on my sweater and swept my hair up in a ponytail. Everly had talked me into going to Rotten Apples. She’d made plans to meet Finn there. I knew Jem was there playing a few rounds of poker, so it made my decision to go much easier. I’d teased him about being able to pull himself away from the card table long enough to come say hello.

Everly swept past me and back toward her room as I headed out of mine. “I forgot my lipstick,” she muttered as she passed me.

She returned with pink frosted lips. She held out her arms to show off her new sweater. “How do I look? Aside from the obvious that I’m a scarred circus freak,” she said and then lowered her arms with a sad sigh. “He’ll never like me enough. I’m his friend, but I won’t ever be his girlfriend.”

I walked over and hugged her. “You’re wrong. First of all, how many guys want female friends? They hang out with girls that they like, the ones they want to be with. And you look gorgeous, by the way. Finn suggested this meeting, right?”

She nodded. “Sort of, but I put the seed in his mind. He was eating one of my oatmeal cookies at the time, so that might have helped his mood and his decision.”

“The important thing is that he suggested it. Let’s go. And if Finn can’t see how amazing you are, then he’s not good enough for you.”

We climbed into her car. After a few false starts, the engine finally turned over. We pulled out onto the road. “Uncle Landon promised to look at this jalopy for me, but his hands have been extra shaky. I don’t think he’d be able to do anything but look at it. I’m really worried about him. He seems so weak, so not like the uncle I grew up with. I’ve been trying to talk him into going to a new doctor, but he’s stubborn.”

“It must be frustrating for your uncle too.”

Everly reached forward and messed with the buttons on the dash. “The defroster in this car is a joke.” She reached up and smeared some of the haze from her windshield. The road was made darker by a thick cloud cover blotting out the moon and stars. “Looks like we might get a thunderstorm tonight,” Everly said. “We probably shouldn’t stay out long. I’ll bet Finn won’t even show.”

I looked over at her. “Wow, my usual bottle of sunshine friend is sure miss glum tonight.”

She smiled weakly. “Sorry. I guess I’m just frustrated. I want—” She turned to me, and her smile widened as she pointed to my face. “I want that.”

I touched my face to see what might be there.

“Those swollen lips,” she explained.

My fingers covered my mouth, and I pulled my face away to hide an embarrassed blush.

“I always figured Jem Wolfe to be a bit of an animal.” She laughed. “That’s what I want. To be kissed so passionately my lips swell up.”

“Jeez, I had no idea it was so obvious. Glad it’s dark in Rotten Apples.”

“How is your investigation going? Did you find the newspaper you were looking for?”

I was thankful for the topic change, even if this one was far less pleasant than being kissed by Jem. I’d only mentioned to Everly that I wasn’t able to find the newspaper. I’d decided not to add fuel to her anti-Wolfe fire by telling her that Jem’s dad had taken it. I also hadn’t mentioned the letter or the incident in the mill. I was a big coward, but I knew I was going to have to bring it up. I was waiting for the right time. I just wasn’t sure when that would be.

“I’m going to go see Alice again this week to see if she’s found it.”

Rotten Apples loomed around the next curve. Everly’s attention was whisked away from our conversation to the parking lot. I knew she was looking for Finn’s car, just as I was scanning the area for Jem’s bike. Instead, his car was parked in a corner of the lot. He’d obviously been predicting the same thunderstorm as Everly.

The first thin, cold drops were falling as we stepped out of the car. Everly had lent me an old coat that had a nice hood. I pulled it up over my head.

Everly did the same as she squinted up at the dripping sky. “Hopefully, it’ll pass quickly. Thunderstorms up here usually do.” She glanced back at her car. “I don’t relish the idea of driving home in unreliable ole’ Betsy in a downpour.”

“I didn’t realize she had a name,” I said as we hunkered down and hurried to the bar.

“Just decided to name her, and I thought Betsy worked. I think that’s what all the farmers used to name their old plow horse. Seemed appropriate.”

“I’m sure she’ll wear the name proudly.”

We reached the door. The rain was falling in heavy drops, and thunder rumbled in the distance as we stepped inside. Finn was a big guy, and he was easy to spot. Everly took hold of my hand to lead me across the room to him.

“No, Ever, you go first and talk to him. I’ll go grab us a couple of apple martinis.”

“All right. Make mine a double. I’m going to need it.” She pressed her lips together to smooth out her lipstick. “How do I look?”

“Absolutely too good for him. Remember that.”

The place was packed. People were talking loudly over each other and over the music pouring through the overhead speakers. Like Finn, Jem’s height made him an easy target to spot. I saw his brother at a side table with a couple of girls, but Jem was nowhere in sight. He’d mentioned that the poker games were held in a backroom. I hoped I’d see him tonight.

Finally reaching the bar counter to order drinks took some effort, but carrying the drinks through the maze of semi-drunk people was even harder. My fingers were wet with apple martini before I’d even made it halfway. I seemed to garner more than my share of attention as I made my way through the maze of people. I was sure there had been plenty of talk about Jem and me. Most people had some connection to the mill, and this town did seem to love gossip.

I stopped to take a sip of my drink, hoping to make it easier to carry, when I heard a voice in the crowd that made me freeze. I swung around. Everyone was deep in conversation, and it was impossible to know where or who the voice had come from. It was just one word, one syllable, ‘that’, but something about the sound of it brought back those terrifying moments in the mill.

My heart was racing as I hurried to where Everly was standing. When we’d walked in, she had wanted me by her side. Now, it seemed she would prefer a little alone time with Finn. I placed the drink in front of her. I was hoping, more than ever, that Jem would step into the bar area. It would give me something to do other than intrude on their date, and I always felt safer with Jem near.

I looked around causally. I only recognized a few faces, mostly men who worked at the mill. How could one word sound so familiar? I pushed the whole thing back as the result of a vivid imagination. I was overreacting for nothing.

I turned back to Everly and Finn. “How are you feeling, Finn?” I asked.

“I’ve still got a bump on my head, but I’m ready to get back to work. I’ve run out of video games.”

“I know Jem is anxious to have you back. He’s been working late every night to finish up.”

Finn had a great smile and wonderful hazel eyes. Everly gazed up at him as he spoke as if he was made of pure gold. “Yeah, when I heard Stan was stepping in to
help
, I knew Jem was in for a tough week.” Just as he finished his sentence, a streak of lightning flashed outside the tinted front windows, lending some natural light to the poorly lit barroom. The room fell silent as the power shut off, and the crowded room fell into darkness. The electricity popped right back on, and a simultaneous nervous chuckle vibrated through the room. A crowded bar was not the best place to be standing without light. And with the clouds outside and the remote location of Rotten Apples, for that brief moment, it was truly pitch black.

Finn dipped his big head to get a view outside to the parking lot. “It’s coming down out there. You’d be able to hear it drumming on the roof if it wasn’t so noisy in here.” He glanced around the bar. “I see Dane. Where’s Jem? Wait, never mind. Poker game tonight.” He laughed. “Wonder how they felt about being dropped into temporary darkness.”

“They probably didn’t even notice,” Everly quipped. She reached up and wiped a bit of beer foam from Finn’s mouth. He didn’t seem to mind.

A good sign and my cue to make myself scarce. Unfortunately, I didn’t really know anyone else, and I didn’t want to walk over and strike up a conversation with strangers. “You know, I’ve got to go do the nose powder thing, whatever that is.” I winked at Everly. “I’ll be around.” I headed to the ladies’ room, hoping I could fritter away enough time, doing heaven knows what, until Jem finished playing poker.

A clap of thunder rumbled loud enough this time to be heard over the din in the room. The storm must have been directly overhead. I smiled thinking about how Aunt Carly and I would count in between lightning and thunder when I was a little kid. It always made me feel less scared of the noise.

I walked into the bathroom. There were three stalls and two sinks with a long, hazy mirror. Everything was covered in white tile, but someone had taken the time to put a basket of fake flowers on a small table near the door. I walked to the window at the end of the stalls and smeared away some of the condensation from the glass. It was hard to see anything through the raindrops pelting the window, but lightning was still slicing up the night sky.

A small trail of cigarette smoke curled up from one of the stalls. Smoking was prohibited in the bar, but with the rain coming down outside, a diehard tobacco addict had no choice except to sneak a smoke in the bathroom.

I washed my hands to get rid of the stickiness left behind by the martini. As I reached for the paper towel, a bolt of lightning exploded outside the window.

“Hey, pussycat.” A deep, chilling voice floated up from the smoker’s stall. It was him.

The lights went out. A scream stuck deep in my dry throat. My eyes hadn’t adjusted to the darkness. I felt along the wall, hoping I could reach the door before the man in the stall reached me. My hands knocked the flower basket to the floor. I heard the squeak of the bathroom stall door amidst the quietly building panic in the bar. My hand hit the door handle just as the lights burst back on. I didn’t look back. I swung open the door and ran smack into a hard chest.

I sucked in a terrified breath as arms wrapped around me. A cry of relief fell from my mouth as I clutched Jem’s shirt to keep from sinking to the ground.

“Tash? What’s wrong? What happened?”

My throat was parched and tight. “The bathroom,” I squeaked out. “He’s in the bathroom.”

“Go to Everly and Finn now.” Jem kicked open the bathroom door, getting the attention of the already nervous crowd. Faces were a blur as I looked around for Everly. The owner was on stage telling everyone to finish up their drinks, that it would be last call due to the storm.

A hand grabbed mine, and I startled. “It’s me, Tash.” Everly looked at the bathroom door. “What happened? Why did Jem go inside?”

I shook my head. I’d been keeping so much from her, I couldn’t explain it quickly, in the midst of the chaos. It would be like starting in the middle of a story, instead of the beginning. “There was a man in there,” I said. “He scared me, that’s all. I’m fine.”

The owner came over, looking a bit frazzled by the tumultuous night. “What’s happening back here?” he asked sternly. The bathroom door opened, and Jem stepped out.

“Wolfe,” he barked. “What the fuck are you doing in the ladies’ room?”

Jem ignored him and walked over to me. “There’s no one in there. The window was open, so they took off.”

The owner, an older man who looked as if he could still handle himself pretty darn well, put his hand on Jem’s arm. Jem stared down at the hand but kept his cool.

The bar owner quickly pulled it away. “What’s going on, Jem?”

“Tashlyn was in the bathroom, and there was a man smoking in one of the stalls. He just jumped out the window.”

The owner seemed to accept that explanation and returned to his bar for an announcement. “If you’re not ready to drive home, especially in this storm, you can stay until you’re sober. We’re readying flashlights.” His voice thundered over the heads of the disgruntled customers who’d all just had their beer supply cut off.

Jem’s arms went around me again. It was all I needed at the moment. Even standing in the narrow, dark passage to the restrooms, we managed to be the center of attention. Plenty were casting harsh scowls at Jem as if he could be blamed for the chaos of the night, thunderstorm and all. And, as always, Jem ignored their disapproving looks. It was a town of busy bodies, whose opinions were sealed in cement no matter what a person might do to sway them. And, all the while, truly dangerous people ran in their circles, free of their harsh judgment.

Everly came over. “Finn and I are going to go back to our house,” she said, trying unsuccessfully to hold back a smile.

“That’s fine,” I said. “Jem will bring me home later.” I leaned my face closer to her. “Take care of those lips though.” She laughed and gave me a hug.

I looked up at Jem, the only face I wanted to see at the moment. “Get me out of here.”

He dropped his hand to mine to lead me through the crowd. Dane was still sitting at the same table, but there were different girls with him. He was draining the last bit of beer from a pitcher, no longer bothering with the glass. He never looked up as we walked through.

The downpour had slowed to a heavy drizzle. We pulled up our hoods and jogged over to Jem’s car. He opened the door for me and I slid inside, happy to get away from this place, happy to be with Jem again.

He sat in the driver’s seat, turned the key and let the engine warm up. He reached over and pushed a wet strand of hair from my face, just a simple gesture, yet I felt the warmth of it in my chest.

“Did you see the person at all?” he asked.

I thought back to the few terrifying moments in the bathroom. “Whoever it was, they were smoking a cigarette, but I didn’t even take note of the shoes. It was the same person who tied me to the log carriage, I’m sure of it. He called me pussycat just like he did in the mill.” A shiver ran through me, but it wasn’t from the cold. “I’d heard a voice in the crowd at the bar, and it made me freeze for a second because it sounded eerily familiar. Then I went into the bathroom. I just thought some girl was in there sneaking a smoke.”

“Shit, I wish I’d been out there longer so I could have seen who was out in the bar tonight. I’ll talk to Dane later and see if he noticed anyone. Although
noticing
details isn’t really Dane’s thing. Unless it’s a fine pair of lips or . . .” He stopped and smiled. “Well, let’s get out of here.” He went to put the car in reverse, but I put my hand on his arm.

“Jem, there’s something I didn’t tell you.”

He looked at me.

“I got a letter in the mail. Everly brought it in from the mailbox. It was originally from my aunt, but someone had opened it. They’d shredded my aunt’s letter and replaced it with a scribbled note that told me to get out of town or die. I didn’t want to worry you and I sort of ignored it. I figured it was someone just trying to scare me.”

He reached over and pushed my chin up with his fingers. His brow lowered over his brown eyes. “From now on you tell me everything, Tashlyn. Do you hear me?”