be sure to find you.”
“Great. Thanks, Cami.” I
returned her smile and patted my pocket where the paper rested like a
millstone. “I’m just going to put my stuff in the back and get ready for my
shift.”
She gave a sprightly
nod. I jumped when the front door opened with a tinkle of bells, but relaxed
when it revealed a couple of high school kids playfully pushing each other and
laughing before settling into a corner booth.
Cami rolled her eyes.
“Duty calls,” she said, blowing away a corkscrew curl that had flopped over her
eye. She spun away and crossed the floor to take their order.
I walked past the kitchen
in a daze, scooting past the perpetually nervous Mr. Pinkles in the narrow back
hallway. He gave me a distracted “hello” and continued on his way. I closed
myself in the small bathroom, sitting on the toilet lid with my hands on my
knees, trying to steady my pulse and draw air into my lungs. Blood pounded in
my temples like a drumbeat.
“He’s here,” I whispered
to myself. How could he be here? How did he find me? What was he planning to
do?My mind reeled through possible scenarios. If his first step was to
instill fear, he was succeeding. That was the purpose of the note. He wanted me
in exactly this position, terrified and shaken.
I hurriedly removed my
phone from my purse and dialed Aunt Lu’s number. No one answered. I let it ring
at least ten times before I hung up. Just as I did so, my phone buzzed with an
incoming text. My stomach twisted when I saw that it was from Granton.
Lovely little town
you have here. Such friendly folks. I especially enjoyed my lunch at the diner.
Looking forward to seeing you soon. ;)
The phone vibrated
again.
I’m sure your new boyfriend
will be excited to meet me too. I have so many interesting things to tell him.
I hurriedly typed out a
text to Cayne.
I need to talk to
you.
I had to tell Cayne the
truth before Granton found him and fed him a pack of vicious lies. One thing I
knew about Granton was that he could be extremely convincing. No one else knew
about his secret self. No one suspected that a monster lurked beneath his
smooth and polished exterior. Everyone took him at face value, as the
sophisticated and charming financier who held the world in the palm of his
hand. I knew better. I had felt the crushing fury of that hand, and I was
determined never to feel it again.
I splashed some water on
my face, dropped my phone into my pocket, took several deep breaths, and
returned to the dining room. Cami spotted me and jogged over.
“I have to get going.
Paper due tomorrow. I always put these things off till the last minute.” She
shrugged. “Oh well. I suppose it won’t be a masterpiece.” She chuckled and set
her notepad and pencil on the counter. Are you all set?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.” I
managed a thin, closed-lip smile. “Hey, could you do me a favor though? If you
talk to Cayne, can you tell him that I need to speak with him?”
“Absolutely.” The crease
of worry reappeared between her brows. “Brinley, are you sure everything’s
alright? You seem, I don’t know, out of sorts. Did something happen with
Cayne?”
That was a loaded
question. Lots of things had happened with Cayne. I shook my head.
“Everything’s fine. It’s nothing. Good luck with your paper.”
Cami wrapped me in a
sudden hug. The warmth of her body was reassuring. She trotted toward the door.
Her bouncing skirt and lively hop reminded me of the little girl from dance
class. With a final spirited wave, she was gone.
***
The remaining hours of
my shift passed nervously, with alternating bouts of panic and resolution. Each
time fear threatened to overwhelm me, I reminded myself that Hallow River was
my home. Granton had no power here. He did not own me. He could not control me.
I would stand and face him, whatever the consequences. I would not retreat. I
would not let him win.
Customers came and went.
Whenever the bells
“Great. Thanks, Cami.” I
returned her smile and patted my pocket where the paper rested like a
millstone. “I’m just going to put my stuff in the back and get ready for my
shift.”
She gave a sprightly
nod. I jumped when the front door opened with a tinkle of bells, but relaxed
when it revealed a couple of high school kids playfully pushing each other and
laughing before settling into a corner booth.
Cami rolled her eyes.
“Duty calls,” she said, blowing away a corkscrew curl that had flopped over her
eye. She spun away and crossed the floor to take their order.
I walked past the kitchen
in a daze, scooting past the perpetually nervous Mr. Pinkles in the narrow back
hallway. He gave me a distracted “hello” and continued on his way. I closed
myself in the small bathroom, sitting on the toilet lid with my hands on my
knees, trying to steady my pulse and draw air into my lungs. Blood pounded in
my temples like a drumbeat.
“He’s here,” I whispered
to myself. How could he be here? How did he find me? What was he planning to
do?My mind reeled through possible scenarios. If his first step was to
instill fear, he was succeeding. That was the purpose of the note. He wanted me
in exactly this position, terrified and shaken.
I hurriedly removed my
phone from my purse and dialed Aunt Lu’s number. No one answered. I let it ring
at least ten times before I hung up. Just as I did so, my phone buzzed with an
incoming text. My stomach twisted when I saw that it was from Granton.
Lovely little town
you have here. Such friendly folks. I especially enjoyed my lunch at the diner.
Looking forward to seeing you soon. ;)
The phone vibrated
again.
I’m sure your new boyfriend
will be excited to meet me too. I have so many interesting things to tell him.
I hurriedly typed out a
text to Cayne.
I need to talk to
you.
I had to tell Cayne the
truth before Granton found him and fed him a pack of vicious lies. One thing I
knew about Granton was that he could be extremely convincing. No one else knew
about his secret self. No one suspected that a monster lurked beneath his
smooth and polished exterior. Everyone took him at face value, as the
sophisticated and charming financier who held the world in the palm of his
hand. I knew better. I had felt the crushing fury of that hand, and I was
determined never to feel it again.
I splashed some water on
my face, dropped my phone into my pocket, took several deep breaths, and
returned to the dining room. Cami spotted me and jogged over.
“I have to get going.
Paper due tomorrow. I always put these things off till the last minute.” She
shrugged. “Oh well. I suppose it won’t be a masterpiece.” She chuckled and set
her notepad and pencil on the counter. Are you all set?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.” I
managed a thin, closed-lip smile. “Hey, could you do me a favor though? If you
talk to Cayne, can you tell him that I need to speak with him?”
“Absolutely.” The crease
of worry reappeared between her brows. “Brinley, are you sure everything’s
alright? You seem, I don’t know, out of sorts. Did something happen with
Cayne?”
That was a loaded
question. Lots of things had happened with Cayne. I shook my head.
“Everything’s fine. It’s nothing. Good luck with your paper.”
Cami wrapped me in a
sudden hug. The warmth of her body was reassuring. She trotted toward the door.
Her bouncing skirt and lively hop reminded me of the little girl from dance
class. With a final spirited wave, she was gone.
***
The remaining hours of
my shift passed nervously, with alternating bouts of panic and resolution. Each
time fear threatened to overwhelm me, I reminded myself that Hallow River was
my home. Granton had no power here. He did not own me. He could not control me.
I would stand and face him, whatever the consequences. I would not retreat. I
would not let him win.
Customers came and went.
Whenever the bells
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