For Jovie's sake I pray that it’s a false alarm but as we step closer to the glow of flickering candles, the hair on the back of my neck stands on end. Everything looks in place but it feels completely wrong.
Deep breath in.
Count to four.
Jovie holds on to the back of my cut, keeping me grounded as I step onto the front porch. Wasting no time, I open the door. My handgun is locked away in the bedroom, but I have access to several other weapons depending on what waits on the other side. Slowly pushing down the handle, the sharp click of the catch being retracted has Jovie flinching behind me.
A lone woman stands facing away from us. She's making something on the kitchen bench. Her shoulders hunch forward, meticulously chopping. Doing her best to act normal. Her clothes hang loose in all the wrong places. Baggy around her hips, loose around her back. If I didn't know my woman like theback of my hand I would almost think they were Brynn. It even looks like the jeans and top she had on yesterday but Brynn would have told me if someone was coming. The guards at the gate would have said if they let someone in. Subtly, I pat my pocket looking for my phone, cursing under my breath when I remember I left it in the truck.
“You going to stand there all day or you gonna come in and warm up. I'll have this apple pie in the oven in no time.” The sweet melody of the unexpected, but familiar voice sings out. Her head jerking at an odd angle, turning around to look at me. A disheveled Sarah looking back. She blinks rapidly, plastering a too wide smile on her face. “Come on, Grizz, you'll catch a death of cold if you stand out there too long.” Twisting her body, she plants a hand on her hip. A pairing knife held tightly in her other hand and a bloody smear across her left cheek.
“Coming,” I grunt.
Keeping one eye on her, she turns back to the bench, humming and swaying her hips to a song only she can hear. Reaching behind me, I unclasp Jovie's hand, giving it a quick squeeze, turning and mouthing the words, “Run. Get help. Run.” I wish I could scream them. To storm across the room and demand Sarah tell me where Brynn is but I might never find out what happened if I do. Jovie steps back. Eyes wide, her hands fidgeting in front of her as she flicks her gaze between me and Sarah in the background.
“Grizz, the cold. You're letting it in.” Her tone, a little more irritated than before.
Mouthing “Run,” one more time. I slowly close the door, regretting that my little girl has to do this part without me.
CHAPTER 27
CHAPTER 27 - GRIZZ
“Come on, now. Come and sit.” Her voice is clipped, patience clearly wearing thin. I look over the room once more, my back to the door, the final barrier between her and Jovie, but everything seems to be in place. No thrown books or slashed cushions. The bedroom door is ajar and from what I can see it's all still intact.
“Sit, Grizz.” She snaps. Her hand reaching for something out of sight. The heavy clunk of her handgun being placed firmly where I can see it.
Fuck.
“It smells good. What did you say it was again?” I ask, slowly moving to the table and taking a seat on the opposite side to where she works. At least from this vantage point, I can see if she reaches for the gun.
“Apple pie. I know it's your favorite, and I wanted to celebrate with a little something nice for us to share.”
Fun fact about me, I hate apple pie. Pumpkin pie, yes, but if I’m having pie, I want it to be creamy and sweet, not whatever the fuck apple pie is. Her shoulders seem to drop a little themore we talk. Whatever delusion this is feeding into, I might be able to use it to my advantage, and if I have to choke back some apple pie to get the information I need, then fuck yes it’s my favorite food.
“Sounds delicious.” I try to sound up-beat, but at most, I grunt the words out. Hopefully, this is all just buying time for Jovie to get help or until she tells me what I need to hear and I decide if I need to kill her.
“Okay, I know you must be hungry so I've made some snacks for you while the pie cooks. Do you want wine or beer?” Her smile is wide as she places down a snackboard with pantry staples on it. Nothing like a pickle to calm the situation.
“I saw your mom at the Krampus parade?” I float the idea of Victoria but other than her eyelids rapidly blinking several times, she maintains her smile. “She came and got Brynn but I haven't seen her after that. I saw Victoria, though… at the Gallows.”
Her laugh is high pitched, slapping her flour covered fingers against her thighs.
“You saw mother, did you. That bitch got everything that was coming to her.” Walking around the table, she pulls out the chair next to me, sitting as close as possible, almost groveling as she says, “We can be together now. She won't stop us anymore.”
What. the. Fuck.
Taking hold of her hands so carelessly placed upon my thighs, I restrain her. She doesn't notice my grip and dips her head to her chest, smiling to herself over something. What does she mean, be together? Sarah knows I’m with Brynn. She was happy when we got together, wasn’t she? We've had a few after work drinks over the years but nothing to warrant this sort of attention. She was someone who needed help, an escape from Victoria's claws and we let her into our fold without hesitation.
“We can finally be together, Grizz,” she murmurs. “I know you were trying to make me jealous with Brynn but she won’t be a problem.” Looking up at me, her gaze warm and tender. “Grizz,” she whispers, trying to move one of her hands from my grip.
“There’s nothing between us, Sarah. There’s never been anything between us.”
“Don’t say that,” she panics. “It’s always been you and me, ever since that first day at the bar. You practically screamed you were in love with me.”
“Sarah, you're wrong. Nothing like that happened.” I'm trying to be compassionate but every minute spent with this is another away from Brynn. Tightening my hold on her wrists, “There is no you and me. I'm with Brynn.”
“No! You said you loved me. We had to keep it a secret, no one could find out about us but then you went and ruined it.” The words froth in her mouth, the hatred spilling over like a tidal wave. I have no clue who this person is in front of me. She's not the Sarah I've worked with all these years. She's erratic and delusional. I would have seen her like this before.
