Excerpt:
Over the next
couple days, I picked up applications from the couple of banks and other places
in town as well as in Shasta, the next town over. On Thursday, Kristy, Lizzy,
and I hung out and went for ice cream downtown. We hit a couple of stores as
Kristy wanted to get some clothes. I loathed clothes shopping. I peeked at the
racks while Kristy tried stuff on and Lizzy weighed in. She got a text. One of
the other servers had called off, and Mason needed her to come in.
“I have to get
to work. Sorry, Kristy,” Lizzy said.
“That’s fine,”
Kristy said. “Can we get some lunch there when we take you in?”
I shook my head
slightly at her scheming.
“Absolutely,”
Lizzy said, looking at me. “Let’s go.”
We piled into my
car and headed out onto Old River Road. It was a great day for a convertible
ride. The late summer sun beamed on us as we drove down the road. I had AC/DC
blaring, and as we rounded a curve, I heard a siren. Peering into my rearview
mirror, I eyed the red flashing police lights atop one of the town’s two SUV
police units.
Kristy glanced
back. “What the fuck? You weren’t speeding.”
I looked down. I
was just below the speed limit. After I pulled over, I got out my registration
and insurance. The cop approached my door, and what I saw caused a huge lump to
form in my throat.
Campbell had a
smug look on his face as he spoke. “License, registration, and proof of
insurance please.”
I handed them
over without making eye contact.
He examined my
license, which still had my Sacramento address on it. “A little way from
Sacramento, Miss Bennett, aren’t we?”
“Yeah, I guess I
am.”
“Where are you
headed right now?” His tone turned from mocking to icy.
“I need to get
her to work,” I said, indicating Lizzy.
He eyed Lizzy,
who appeared annoyed by his questions. “Oh, a Cowan sister. How fitting. Tell
your brother I got a nice cell waiting for him.” She didn’t say anything as his
attention moved back to me. “So, are you here on vacation?”
My blood boiled
as the dream I had with Jimmy came back to me. I glared at Campbell. “I’m
visiting family for a while.”
“So, what is the
address you’re staying at in town?”
“What does that
matter?” Kristy interrupted any response I was about to make. “What the f—?”
“Smart ass like
your brother,” he said, cutting her off. “He’s a great bunk mate for Jonas.”
Now speechless,
she sat there.
After opening my
door, he indicated for me to move. “Please step out of the vehicle.”
Not wishing to
cause a scene, I complied and stood by my car.
He turned me
around. “Face your car, hands on the hood.”
Kristy found her
voice again. “Are you fucking kidding me? We weren’t doing anything!”
Campbell flashed
her a look. “Shut up and don’t move.” He then patted me down. “Do you have any
weapons or drug paraphernalia I need to be aware of?” He spun me back to him.
Looking at him
dead in the eye, I answered, “No.”
Holding my
elbow, he walked me toward his vehicle as he eyed Kristy and Lizzy, who were
clearly uncomfortable with what was happening. Despite my apprehension, I
followed him. He took me behind his patrol truck and returned my license.
“I suggest you
watch yourself, Miss Bennett. These back roads are dangerous, and if something
were to happen, it could be quite a while until you’d be found.” My stomach
churned as he leaned into me and whispered, “A woman like yourself, all alone,
might entice trouble.” He reached for my breast, and I reacted quickly.
Shoving the
bottom of my palm up into his lip, I knocked him back but didn’t wait to see
his reaction. I returned to my car, got in, then took off. I was sure he was
going to follow, but he didn’t.
Kristy turned to
me. “We need to report him, Evaline. That was wrong in so many ways.”
Shaking my head,
I said, “It will make things worse, trust me. Just forget it, okay?”
She gave Lizzy a
concerned look, who then asked, “Why did he take you back there?”
I didn’t say
anything as we drove into the parking lot, parked, then got out.
Kristy was still
fired up. “This is such bullshit. He made a move on you, didn’t he?”
“Just drop it,
Kristy, okay? It’s over. I wanna forget it.”
The dust kicked
up in the parking lot as we made our way through the front doors. A few patrons
were seated at the bar, and several booths and tables were occupied. We headed
to an open booth as Lizzy returned to the back.
While still a
bit shaken from the encounter, I pondered what had just happened. A knot was in
the pit of my stomach as thoughts raced through my mind.
Does he know I
know what he is? Will he try to hurt what family I have left? Will he hurt me
to find out what I know? I thought of my dream again—Jimmy had warned me. Or
will he kill me?
