I sag in my seat. “What the actual fuck? Why would they do that? Is that whole family trying to take a shot at me?”
Josie gives me a ‘duh’ look. “Obviously,” she says. “Make sure you keep your head on a swivel out there. Things don’t feel right.”
She’s not wrong about things feeling wrong.
“I will. Thanks, Josie.”
The day passes in a blur. I do end up getting a call from the police department. It’s Sheriff Dayton. He’s more than apologetic about the trouble the Sheep family is causing me. He confirms that Aria is locked up tight and there will be a hearing on her transfer out of town. Everything is normal, until we’re about to hang up.
“About Brian,” he starts and I freeze.
I grip my phone so tight that I swear the screen cracks. “What about him? He out causing trouble again?” I ask. I already know the answer. He’s dead in the graveyard. Maybe Sheriff Dayton is about to tell me they found his bloated body. Things have been changing so fast that I’d nearly forgotten all about him. What the fuck is happening? How can Brian be walking around? I bashed his head in.
I killed him.
“He is,” Sheriff Dayton says. “Found him wandering out on Hwy 80. It’s, well…you know the road.” I do know the road. It’s the one that leads up the hill to the hospital and out of town. It’s the road my parents died on.
“Yeah, I know it.”
An uncomfortable pause fills the call and then Sheriff Dayton goes on talking. “He was in rough shape. Looked like he’d climbed out of a grave. Was saying your name. Now, we brought him in to make sure he was good to go. He’s been released this morning, and, ah, I wanted to give you a heads up, Maris.”
I clear my throat and look out the window. It’s still raining. The sun is setting now. The sky is a riot of orange and red,it looks like the clouds are on fire even with the rain. Nothing makes sense.
“Thank you, Sheriff. I’ll keep an eye out for him.”
“Anytime, Maris. You stay safe. Give us a call if he comes by.”
“I will. Talk to you later.”
I only stay at the office for another half hour after that. I check my phone but there’s no texts like usual.
Call me if you need me. I’ll come for you.
How would I call him? I don’t have his number.
“Or you didn’t.” I stare down at my contacts list, it’s a short list with most of the numbers that used to be there blocked and deleted but right there below Josie’s number is Julian’s. I tap on the contact to look at it. There’s a heart emoji next to his name that makes me roll my eyes.
“He’s insane.”
He must have put his number into my phone before he left this morning. I almost call him to tell him about Brian but I don’t. I’m not going to risk someone overhearing me. I’ll figure out Brian’s zombie ass later. I drop my phone in my bag and I feel more secure. Safe. There’s someone I can call if I need. I look around the office and out to the street. Vesper Point hustles by outside. People walk in pairs and groups. For most of my life it’s felt like there’s been a club I’d been kept out of. A club for people who have someone to call when things get rough.
Everyone here has someone. Even Mary and Lyle, they’re dating and think I don’t know but I see them on lunches together.
I bid the office goodbye. They’ll stay here late again. There’s no use in telling them to go home at a decent hour. We’ve never had this much to report on. They’re having the time of their lives. I touch the side of my purse and head out the door, my hand still on my bag where my phone rests. Where Julian’s name, number,and stupid heart emoji sit, because I’m not outside of the club anymore.
I have someone now.
Thirty-Seven
JULIAN
Leaving Maris this morning was difficult. Never have I ever wanted to stay exactly where I was because of a woman. I was human the last time I had any kind of feeling that might rival this, and even then Claire and Maris are opposites. There’s nothing about them that feels the same except for the way they make me pay attention.
I look at my phone. There’s no texts or calls, which seems like a good sign. Maris doesn’t seem like one to cling. Between the two of us I’m going to be the clingy one and that’s fine. There’s been painfully little that I’ve genuinely been interested in for so long.
Maris can have all my attention until I’m dust. She’s my mate, what else would I be yearning for but her?
Nothing. That’s fucking what.
