Wonder Never (The Fairytale Diaries #2) (14 page)

Part IX

Burn Your House Down

Chapter 26

I
t had happened hard and fast.

The day Josh Cross returned from Wondernever was the same day that he met Bernadette Bouchard. He'd been so frantic and confused by his experiences in the woods, he'd wanted to convince himself it was all just a dream. And when he caught sight of her later that day, in a crowd at the carnival, he wondered if she was just a dream as well.

In fact, she'd been with two other girls that day, who were identical to her. Perhaps that was the thing that gave the meeting such a dreamlike quality. They all had the same long blonde ponytails, smooth tan legs, and musical laughter. Despite their sameness, something about Bernadette drew him to her alone.

He plucked a fake rose from the novelty vendor's booth, plastered on his most dashing smile, and jogged to catch up with the girls as they approached the funhouse. He'd made an introduction to the sisters who told him they were Bernadette, Joelle, and Adélaide, recent graduates of Enchantica High. Though all three were friendly and flirtatious, the connection with Bernadette in particular had been instant and entirely mutual. They soon split from her sisters and spent time getting to know each other that evening. They'd been together every day since.

Two days after meeting Bernadette was the day he heard about the Giroux girl disappearing. He listened quietly as Bernadette and her sisters discussed the local scandal. It had given him a chill to learn of the missing girl because he thought of Aspen Briar, whom he decidedly wanted to forget. But when the Bouchard sisters got to the part of the rumor which involved Mr. Giroux's claims that a strangely dressed and oddly speaking boy may have abducted his daughter… Josh broke out in a cold sweat recalling the weird Wondernever citizens. The Bouchard sisters went on to discuss the old wives' tales they'd heard as children of a community of evil people living somewhere in the Enchantica forest.

He knew then, his experience hadn't been a dream at all.

In truth, he knew it wasn't a dream anyway; he simply didn't want to admit it. Admitting it meant Aspen was out there and obviously afraid to leave. It meant Mr. Giroux's ramblings were likely true, and his daughter was in danger… Or worse. It meant… Something had to be done. But who would believe his crazy story? They certainly didn't believe Mr. Giroux.

An electric romance quickly developed between Josh and Bernadette. But a sense of dread in the community mounted as well as more strange disappearances stacked up in the days that followed. Some even cast eyes of suspicion on Carnaval de le Nuit. The intensity of emotion overwhelmed Josh. He knew at month's end he would leave and knew not what would become of his love. Additionally, he'd be leaving behind a crime spree he was indirectly involved with. The thought both relieved him and riddled him with guilt. With each new story he heard, the guilt crushed him further, and leaving would not absolve him.

The morning that Josh learned of Jack LeBeau's disappearance, he couldn't stand it anymore. He had to do something.

Josh used the Internet to figure out a number for Faraway's old police chief. He knew old Jiminy was retired, but he'd been one of the few folks who'd ever been kind to Josh back home. Given the climate of suspicion in Enchantica, Josh wasn't comfortable contacting local law enforcement.

When he got ahold of Jiminy, the old guy had already heard of the disappearance in Enchantica as it had made national headlines. It relieved Josh that the chief had already drawn the conclusion that the situation seemed eerily similar to the tragedy in Faraway. So, when Josh revealed that he'd seen Aspen Briar in Enchantica, claiming to be someone else, Jiminy got on a plane that day.

Neither of them understood the connection but there had to be one.

Josh managed to keep the whole thing from Bernadette. He picked Jiminy up from the airport in one of the carnival's trucks. On the ride back to Enchantica, he confessed to Jiminy about the creepy place in the woods called Wondernever, only leaving out the bizarre method of travel required to get there. He didn't want Jiminy to think him crazy and leave.

"You need to take me there, son," Jiminy had told him.

"Can't," Josh said, keeping his eyes trained on the road. "I already tried to go back. I couldn't find it again. Lost the way."

It was a lie. He hadn't tried to return, and he surely didn't plan to. So, that day, they agreed to meet up again later after Jiminy pounded the pavement.

But, he hadn't heard from him again.

Which brought him to his present predicament, seated uncomfortably at a stool table in the Enchantica Police Department in front of a despondent looking chief named Darling and the familiar face of Faraway's own, Sergeant Hook. Sweat trickled down the back of Josh's neck and he was acutely aware of his own movements. He mentally told his eyes not to dart around nervously, his hands not to wring, and his feet not to fidget. He remembered Hook as a good, but formidable cop.

"He said he was coming here to meet YOU, Cross," Hook roared, leaning across the table glaring angrily at Josh with his one dark eye.

Don't flinch,
Josh thought.

"Said you knew where Aspen Briar was," Hook snarled.

"I told him I spotted her," Josh said. Not that I know where she is."

"LIAR!"

Chief Darling stood and pulled Hook back. "Alright," the much more docile man said. "That's enough, Sergeant." He trained his shadowy sad eyes on Josh. "Look, we have nine missing kids, including my own here," he said sorrowfully. "Your own town's former chief is now missing, and one of your town's cold cases is possibly here. Now, if you've got any information, we need to hear it."

Josh couldn't stand the heartache etched in the poor man's face. But, the last person he'd revealed even a piece of the truth to had vanished. He wasn't about to get anybody else in trouble.

He'd handle it himself.

"I don't," he insisted.

Don't look away,
he told himself.

He remained in a stare down with the chief until finally Darling dropped his eyes.

"Alright," said Chief Darling, holding out a business card to Josh. "But you call me if you hear anything. You can go."

Josh shoved back, stood, and then walked briskly for the interrogation room door. He'd just grabbed the knob when Darling spoke again.

"Cross?"

Josh turned to look over his shoulder.

"You're a person of interest. Don't leave town unless I say you can."

Josh gave a curt nod, and then hurried out.

***

The Bouchard triplets had a single mom who was telling them goodbye that day.

She'd raised them well. Each of the three of them had worked and saved in high school and were ready to get their own places. Joelle and Adélaide had rented a tiny house together and Bernadette had gotten her own downtown apartment. Josh arrived after his meeting with the police to help the girls move.

None of them had a huge amount of belongings, so they all hoped to be moved that day. Together, the five of them loaded up the borrowed carnival truck with the first load of Joelle and Adélaide's things. Before long, Josh was behind the wheel with Bernadette tucked against him. Her mom and sisters followed behind.

Bernadette directed him a short way through Enchantica to the run down housing development where her sisters had rented their house. He pulled into the driveway and stopped.

"Wow," Josh remarked. "Is this it? What a dump!"

The house was little more than a shack. The roof was crudely painted to look like thatch and the siding was a façade made to look like bamboo.

Bernadette giggled. "I think it's supposed to look beachy."

"Well, it looks like one stiff breeze would blow this house down," Josh insisted.

She gave his arm a playful shove. "Quit. It's perfectly fine for a starter home!"

Josh helped unload and graciously complimented the place so as not to hurt Joelle and Adélaide's feelings. Even though truthfully, he thought the place unfit even for a pig. When their things were in, the group brought Bernadette to her new home. She'd opted for an apartment in downtown Enchantica. It was much nicer, and situated in a brick building that looked sturdier and safer. His compliments to Bernadette were genuine.

After the Bouchard girls were all moved, he kissed Bernadette goodbye and headed back to the carnival for his shift.

Chapter 27

I
t was an extremely busy evening at Carnaval de le Nuit, despite the tragic occurrences going on in Enchantica. If anything, a macabre fascination with danger brought people out even more despite the police's warning for citizens to stay home.

Thoughts of Wondernever, the police, and Bernadette distracted Josh, and the night went by in a blur of voices and colors. Before he knew it, closing time came. The patrons trickled out and finally it fell on Josh to lock the gates, as the music died down and neon lights began to twinkle out.

"JOSH!"

His hand froze just as he was about to throw the lock.

"JOSH!"

It was Bernadette running full tilt toward the gate. He swung it back open just as she burst through and fell into his arms, weeping bitterly.

"Bernadette! What is it?" he cried urgently. He took a gentle hold of her arms and backed her away just enough to peer into her face. Mascara had run down her tear soaked cheeks, giving her an eerie, lost look.

He could barely understand her through her great, choking cries. "M… M… My sisters' house! It's burnt to the ground!"

Josh gasped. "Come on," he said, taking her hand. "Let's go!"

Together, they sprinted to Bernadette's car.

***

Aimeé Bouchard rested her head on her arms, crying at the kitchen table. Police filed in and out around them. Chief Darling was there and he had Sergeant Hook with him. He couldn't help but notice the Faraway cop couldn't keep his eyes off him.

Josh and Bernadette flanked her mother, both trying to comfort the woman, but to no avail.

"Ms. Bouchard?"

A young officer who hurriedly strode into the room earned their immediate attention. "Ma'am," he said gently. "The fire department has just confirmed there are no bodies in the debris. Your daughters weren't home."

Bernadette leapt from her seat and gave a relieved cry as Josh opened his arms to her. But Aimeé shook her head, still weeping.

"If they're not there, then they're missing. I've searched everywhere for them. My daughters have been abducted," she wailed.

***

In another hour, the police officers had cleared out. Josh sat quietly while Bernadette and her mother made another round of phone calls to friends, despite the late hour. By midnight, a depressing sense of not being able to do anything settled over them. After a heavy silence and several moments of three people lost in their thoughts alone, Bernadette spoke.

"Alright Mom, well, I'll be over in the morning. If you hear from them, call me."

Aimeé's jaw dropped. "You're… Leaving?"

"Mom… It's my first night in my new place!"

"You can't be serious…" Aimeé's voice waivered.

"Well, I mean, there isn't anything else we can do right now. I can come back over first thing in the morning, Mom, OK?"

"No." Josh stood and both women looked at him. "Bernadette, you can't go to your apartment; it isn't safe."

"What? Why?" Bernadette asked.

"Because," Aimeé said, picking up Josh's train of thought. "Whoever took your sisters might take you too!"

Aimeé began to wail again and Bernadette embraced her. "Mom, we don't know they've been abducted."

"Of course they have!" Aimeé insisted angrily. "You know as well as I do, they wouldn't just take off and not tell us. And you expect me to believe their house burnt down by coincidence? Please. They've been kidnapped like the rest of those kids. Or… Or…"

She clapped her hand over her mouth, unable to speculate aloud that her daughters could be dead.

After another awkward silence, Bernadette replied. "Well, even if they were abducted, what makes you think the captor would come for me?"

"What makes you think he wouldn't?" Josh asked sharply.

Aimeé's eyes grew wide. "What if he does? And… We're ready for him?"

The three of them stood staring at one another. Josh's heart hammered. "Bernadette, you stay here with your mother. Give me your car, and one of your hoodies; something girly."

Bernadette shook her head. "Josh, no!" she said.

Aimeé took her arm. "Bernadette, let him do this. We could end this… Tonight!"

After a few quiet moments consideration, Bernadette relented. With his hair and face cloaked by a pink hoodie, Josh stole away into the night.

***

Josh slid the car to a stop in front of Bernadette's new building. He lingered a moment behind the steering wheel, trying to bolster the nerve to go inside. Chances were good he'd find an empty apartment and would spend an uneventful night there alone, waiting for nothing.

But then there was another small chance… And with it was the promise that anything could happen.

He shut the car off and hurried to the door, keeping his face bent downward. If anyone watched from the darkness above, he hoped it might appear Bernadette was coming home.

He climbed the stairs up to her apartment's door and let himself inside. A quick perusal of the place showed him it was empty. He didn't know whether to feel relieved or disappointed about that.

As he switched on the lights and took off Bernadette's hoodie, he began to think the idea had been silly. Of course nobody was coming for her; that would simply be too predictable. He was just about to drop onto the couch when he heard the front door click. His bottom fell into the soft cushion as a man appeared looming in the doorway.

The look of shock on the intruder's face mirrored Josh's. For one split second, both men were frozen in time. Then the man in the doorway spun and took off.

Josh leapt up, unable to believe what he'd seen. He tore across the living room and out the door. The man was already at the bottom of the steps and blasted through the door at the bottom. Josh's teeth scraped together angrily as he clenched his jaw. Screaming for the man to stop would be pointless, so he just ran. Blind fury powered his flight.

By the time Josh hit the ground, he saw the man disappear around the corner. He pursued relentlessly. The man was fast and more distance opened between them.

He followed the man down the street past Java Enchantica which lay dark and long since closed for the evening. Josh let out a roar as the man reached the trees in the dead end and crashed into the forest.

He slowed and jogged to a stop as the man disappeared. Doubling over, he rested his hands on his knees trying to catch the breath that seared his lungs.

Josh questioned his sanity once again, for he'd recognized the intruder; yet it couldn't be. But he was certain. The wolf at the door had been none other than Abraham Bar from Faraway, Washington.

Bar absolutely was a murdering nut job. But the thing was he'd been dead for months.