Page 34

Chapter 34

Dylan

T he inner sanctum. I had finally arrived. Elise’s bedroom was everything I expected it to be. No barfy girl things like posters of random guys, or lace everywhere. Nope, she was a no-nonsense woman who kept things organized and didn’t bother with decorative crap that didn’t have a purpose.

Which made it even more surprising that when she’d seen my room, she hadn’t gone running for the hills. Okay, so she had been running a lot, but not technically away from me.

We kept the door cracked, and I stuck to the recliner while Elise stretched out on her bed beside Bessey, working on homework. I didn’t really have a reason to stay after watching her and her grandma thrash Grannie and Edna in a game of pinochle, but she didn’t seem to want me to go. Then there was the nervous pit I got in my stomach every time I left her, making me wonder if it could be our last goodbye.

So, here I was, tossing a hacky-sack, stealing glances at Elise while she chewed her pen and read her textbook. How had I scored such a not only hot, but also intelligent, and super nice girl? More importantly, how was I going to keep her alive? People were dropping like flies, and she wanted to throw herself right in with them.

Maybe this whole Tara thing had scared her away from crime solving. Except for our chat with Jerkface, she hadn’t said anything about her dad’s murder since we found the woman.

Tapping the pen against her lip, Elise looked up at me. “Who do you think did that to Tara?”

So much for that wish.

“I honestly don’t know,” I answered as I dragged a hand across my face. “It could have been those guys her husband was involved with. My cousin finally got back to me, and he said that there isn’t anyone looking into an operation like that down here, which means whatever they’ve gotten mixed up in, it’s totally off the police’s radar right now.”

Elise sat up. “I’ve been thinking; drugging someone instead of shooting them doesn’t make sense for an organization like that. Whoever did that must have been hoping to make Tara’s death look like an accident.”

“Are you sure about that? Needle marks and welts on her wrists aren’t something good detectives are going to miss.”

She shrugged. “Maybe they’re just sloppy, or things didn’t go as they planned. Besides, why would a drug lord, or loan shark, or whoever those guys are go to all the trouble of killing my dad, then hauling his body for miles out on a hiking trail just to dump it off? Why not just stash it in a dumpster or a nearby lake or something?"

“Okay, that just sounded really callous,” she said with a shudder, “but you get my meaning. It’s far more likely that someone he knew took him out there, maybe even ran with him. That was one of his favorite trails.”

Creepy.

“How do you feel about me sleeping on your couch again tonight?” I squeaked like a kid who’d just hit puberty.

She nudged my foot with her own. “That would be terrific. This is all starting to seem a little too real.”

“Agreed. I should run home and grab my stuff. Any chance you could give me a ride to campus tomorrow so I can pick up my car?” I laid the hacky sack on the desk and prepared for a speedy dash to my house and back.

“Wait.” Elise laid her hand over mine. “Um, before you go, I just wanted to say thanks.”

I froze. Judging by the way she wasn’t meeting my gaze and the color of her cheeks, this wasn’t easy for her to say.

“It’s been really nice to have someone else besides me and Grandma when all this has been happening. I know for a fact that couch isn’t super comfortable to sleep on…And thank you for writing that song. I don’t think anyone’s ever done something so nice for me. Don’t get me wrong, my dad and grandma are great, but Dad was always the kind of person who expected you to know he loved you because he spent lots of time with you. Not that that’s not great too…It was just nice of you to do something that showed that you care about me.”

All I wanted to do was grab the girl and kiss her senseless, but if Elise was in the mood to talk, then I was going to listen. So, I squeezed her hand but stayed silent.

“You really seem to have gotten the hang of poetry. That song was great.” She gave a nervous laugh.

I brushed light blonde wisps of hair out of her face and behind her ears. “I learned from a master.”

“Thanks…um do you have a minute?”

I plopped to the floor beside her. “Of course I do.”

She walked to her bag and undid the zipper. A few seconds later, she returned with a familiar notebook, which she handed to me.

“I’m really sorry I got so mad at you for reading this. I know you weren’t trying to snoop. I just felt so embarrassed. My most personal thoughts are on those pages.”

Nodding, I held the book tightly, Elise’s words were magic, but I wouldn’t read them again until I had her permission.

“I didn’t get a chance to tell you before, but that Saga of the Grans is pure gold.”

She grinned.

“Grannie’s Zumba hips were my favorite part. That and the mysterious guy with blue hair and his amazing tunes.” I was tempted to wiggle my eyebrows at her, but she was being so open right now. One wrong move could send her scurrying back into her impenetrable fortress.

“Go ahead and open it,” she said. “I want you to know that I trust you.”

Reverently, I flipped to a random page.

Mother, Where are You?

Tiny fingers reaching, grasping

Yet empty.

You are there, but not feeling,

Not listening,

Not hearing.

A dried out husk

You bleed to bring me here,

Then bleed even more,

Till nothing of you remains.

You did it for me.

Now here I am,

Empty, motherless.

Are any of us better off,

Me alive, but without you,

Dad a new father turned widower,

All in the same week?

You’re staring down on us from heaven,

Hands that grasp

But never actually feel,

A never-ending sacrifice that only divides.

A chasm so deep,

It will take a lifetime to conquer.

I rubbed my tears on my sleeve, then looked up.

“Of course you’d pick that one to read.” Elise’s cheeks dripped as well. “I guess I should explain; my mom died from a hemorrhage a few days after she gave birth to me. No-one else was home, and when she called my dad to say that she wasn’t feeling well, she downplayed how bad it was. He still hurried home, but she died before he made it back.” She shook. “When Dad found us, I was laying on the ground beside her body wailing.”

I pulled her from her spot on the bed into my lap. “I’m so sorry.” I kissed the tears that fell down her cheeks. How could one person lose so much?

We sat and cried like that until eventually, we fell into a peaceful silence.

“Every year, my dad and I, and sometimes Pete and Clive as well, go to the place where my mom’s ashes are scattered. I haven’t had a chance to go yet this year with everything that’s been happening.”

“I want to go with you, if that’s okay.”

“I’d like that. It’s a bit of a hike to get there.” Elise raised her head to look into my eyes. “Have you ever been to Lake Delilah?”

“I’ve been there once or twice. If I remember right, it’s more than just ‘a bit of a hike’ to get up there.”

“Yeah, we’re kind of an active family. My dad took my mom up there when he proposed to her. There’s this spot on the ridge across from the lake where you can see the whole valley. That’s where Dad scattered her ashes. Whenever we go, I like to sit on the rocks, close my eyes, and listen to the wind. Sometimes, it’s like I can hear her voice in the breeze.”

I laid my chin on top of her head. “What does she sound like?”

“Eagles' cries and soft rain. I think she’s happy.”

“Have you heard your dad speak to you since he passed? Is that how you knew he was dead and not just missing?”

“Unfortunately, no. I want to hear from him. I’ve even tried asking him questions, but all I get is silence.”

Elise’s voice sounded so hollow. Squeezing her, I said, “I know he loves you. I could tell that the first day I joined the team. He gave me the stink eye when he caught me checking you out. That’s how I figured out he was your dad.

“And anyone could see how important you were to him every time you crossed the finish line. Even though he was busy coaching, he would find you and give you a hug before going back to the rest of us. He was so proud of you. Even the times when you were having a bad race, he would still get a goofy grin on his face as he watched you pass by.”

Elise’s warm, wet tears soaked into my t-shirt. Was I making things worse or better? Since I wasn’t sure which, I just held her, rubbing circles on her back.

“Thanks,” she eventually said, getting to her feet and wiping her eyes. “We probably better get to bed soon, so you should go grab your stuff. Tomorrow, we tour the racecourse with the team, and we both have a ton of things to do to get ready for the Invitational the following day.”

She was right, and I fully planned to be with her on every errand she made until this killer was caught.