In Pinon Hallow, Colorado things are not always what they appear to be. Couples are drawn together, and yet most of the time never find their way to each other. Enter a world of lovers, friends, and families that find their lives connected, yet something always creating Divisions between them.
Chad rubbed his eyes as he walked into the brightly lit kitchen. It looked almost the same. The only real difference was that a few things had been updated over the years. The canisters containing flour and sugar were different, the fridge had been replaced, the walls no longer a pale yellow—instead now a creamy farmhouse white. The coffee maker now a Keurig, and the mug tree he had remembered existing all his childhood long gone.
12 years. He had been gone for 12 years. Some things felt very much the same as they had when he’d been a teenager. He searched through the cabinets, looking for the things he needed for breakfast.
He knew his father was already off at the DI offices downtown. His mother was probably at her morning Pilates class before going into her own office at the mall. His brother, well that was a mystery to him.
“We’ve got a great day planned, we’re going to go to the Valley Garden for a hike, then we’re going to go and get some paint samples because guys we’re going to set up a new streaming spot!” Kip Davis stopped, his phone he’d been using to record dropped to the ground, screen face down. “Chad?”
“Hey Skipper.” Chad looked to his younger brother, really taking him in. Of course he’d seen some of his videos over the years. He was hard to miss sometimes.
Kip slowly bent down to pick up his phone, thankful the screen hadn’t cracked. “What are you doing here?”
Chad pulled down a coffee mug, “Decided it was time to come home.”
“How long are you staying in town?” Kip gently put his phone down on the countertop as he went to the fridge. Why had no one warned him that his brother was back? Didn’t that at least get a text message? Apparently not.
“I’m not sure. I’m hoping to catch up with some old friends. I guess it depends on who is still around.” Chad put a coffee pod in the maker and selected the largest size. “I’m working on the next book.”
“More about Wick and Sketch?” Kip pulled a few prepared breakfast burritos out. “I read your latest one.”
“Wow it’s only been out a few days. I didn’t know you read my stuff.” Chad never really thought about his family, let alone his brother reading his books. “My publisher would like another book about Wick and Sketch, I’m just not sure that’s the story I need to tell.”
“Online chatter is pretty positive towards them thus far.” Kip told him.
Chad heard the coffee maker sputter with the last drops of his drink, “Skipper, how closely do you follow my books?”
Kip pulled his phone up, “Do you not know you’re trending on booktok right now?”
“I am? Wait, what is booktok?”
“You really don’t use a lot of social media, do you?”
“I have a blog on my website, and there is a Facebook page my publisher has me post to once in a while.”
“No Twitter/X, or TikTok, or Instagram?”
“No, none of that.”
Kip chuckled, “Wow, you really don’t know anything about social media.”
“I write books Kip. I focus on that, not getting distracted online.”
“Is that all I am, a distraction online?” Kip unwrapped the breakfast burritos and put them on a plate.
Chad shook his head, “No, but that’s what online and social media is for me. A distraction. If I get distracted, then I don’t write. If I don’t write, I can’t pay my bills.”
“We have trust funds.”
“And I haven’t touched mine outside of paying for college.”
Kip nodded, “I haven’t either. Mom doesn’t believe me, but Dad helps me with my business stuff occasionally.”
“I’m glad you can go to them.”
“Why did you leave?”
Chad stared at his black coffee, “I wasn’t given a choice. I was woken up one night, told to pack my bags, and that I was leaving as soon as they were packed.”
Kip shook his head, “I know I did some stupid stuff when we were young, okay I did try to revive the cinnamon challenge recently, but nothing got me sent away. What did you do?”
Chad took a slow, long sip of his coffee, “I fell in love with a girl.”
####
Doctor Trista Silversky rubbed her eyes as she checked the last patient she had to check on before going home.
Brighton Simpson.
She pulled her blond hair into a ponytail before she went into the room. It was dark as he slept, hooked up to ventilator, and other monitoring equipment. She didn’t anticipate him waking up anytime soon. Not with the swelling in his brain, and the other damage that had been done to him.
Not exactly how she ever anticipated seeing her high school boyfriend again. Yet here he was. She made notes on the computer in the room.
“He’s going to be okay, right?” the female voice startled Trista as she looked up and saw his older sister standing in the doorway.
“Bethany, um, right now we don’t know.” Trista logged out of her computer station, “He’s better than he was when he was found and brought in. We won’t know until he wakes up and right now, he’s in a coma. We put him in it, due to the swelling in his brain.”
“Do they know how this happened?”
“No, not yet. At least as far as I know. Detective Siobhan Lane will know more, she is working the case along with Detective Lucas Becker.”
Bethany scoffed, “Siobhan is really a Detective?”
“Yeah, and a damn good one.” Trista started to move towards the door. “Visiting hours are until seven, you should talk to him. Let him know someone who cares about him is here.”
“Who is his doctor?”
“I am.” Trista told her before walking off. Of all the possible family members of Brighton’s that could’ve been in town—it had to be Bethany.
Bethany entered the room as she moved closer to her unconscious brother. “Oh Brighton, what mess did you get into?”
She sat in a nearby chair as she looked at his resting body, “Mom and Dad are aware of this. But Dad can’t come because of his own medical stuff, whatever that is.”
“What are you even doing in this damn town? I wouldn’t be here if my daughter wasn’t here.” She rolled her eyes as she looked around the room, “She’s apparently sixteen. How is that even possible?”
She looked at the smart watch on her wrist and set a timer. As soon as it buzzed on her wrist she would leave. She didn’t need to sit vigil at his bedside. Besides, she came to town for other reasons. Brighton was now just a distraction from them.
####
“We’ve got flowers for Pam Mitchell.” The delivery boy smiled as he stood near the counter of the coffee shop.
“Thank you.” Pam accepted them, looking for a clue on who had sent them.
“You’re welcome, have a great day.” He was gone before she could say anything else. She sighed as she reached up to look at the note attached. No name, no initials, no real note besides they should be delivered to her, to the shop, not to her home.
“Who are the flowers from?” Abby appeared at the counter.
“Don’t know.” Pam shrugged before breathing in the scent of the flowers. “Must be a secret admirer.”
“Do we still have those in 2024? Or would it just be the start of a stalker situation.” Abby opened her purse to pull out her phone.
“Whatever let’s go with the sweet idea. Worst thing that happens is it’s someone I wouldn’t date and I have to let them down gently.”
Abby stared at her friend, “Do you not watch any kind of true crime? This is the start of a Dateline or 48 Hours. This is how you end up dead, especially if they ask you to go hiking.”
Pam blinked trying to decide if her friend was being serious or paranoid. “Abby, this is Colorado. We go hiking. Hell, I was planning on going to Valley Garden this afternoon when my shift is done. Actually, you should join me. I have a feeling you’ve got some creative block since you’re here and not working at home right now.”
Abby sighed, “Mom is working from home again. I was going to get a cold brew and work in the café today.”
“I got you.” Pam rang her up, “Hey, we’re going to moonlight tonight. Come with us.”
Abby tried to find an excuse in the back of her mind, but she knew she didn’t have one. “I will. I should be done with this project soon, so I could use a night out.”
“Wonderful!” Pam handed her the coffee, “I will text you what time we’re all meeting up.”
“Who is actually going?”
“You, Me, Maggie, maybe Trista.”
Abby nodded, “Okay, I think I can handle that.”
Pam chuckled, “You are such an old lady sometimes. Seriously, move out of your parents’ house.”
“When the time is right, I promise you I will.” Abby took her coffee and waved to Pam as she went to go finish the project she was doing.
####
Siobhan removed her sunglasses as she entered the police department. She had waited at the hospital most of the night waiting to see if Bethany would show up. When she left at seven am, she hadn’t shown up yet. Siobhan had gone home, set her alarm for a few hours and slept. She took a quick shower; her hair was still damp now.
She could only hope that Lucas found something so that they could figure out who did this to Brighton.
She went straight to the coffee maker, pouring herself a cup and then adding six sugar packets and a splash of cream.
“Lane, glad you finally showed up.” Lucas was behind her, his arms crossed and a smirk on his face.
“Tell me you have something.”
“Oh, follow me.” He led her down the hall to a conference room.
“Becker, if this is you hitting on me, I will be in HR so fast.”
“Never Lane, never.” He chuckled as he opened the door.
The conference room was filled with several boards. Pictures posted of different players in an organization. A few silhouettes to represent the few parties that had not yet been identified. Sitting at the conference table with his legs up, was Holdon wearing a visitor clip and an FBI badge around his neck.
“What is going on?” Siobhan looked to Lucas for guidance.
He licked his lips as he sat down, “Brighton Simpson is an undercover FBI agent, along with Agent Hart.”
“You’re FBI?” Siobhan sank into her seat.
“Yup, and so is Brighton.” Holdon stood up, “We’ve infiltrated this group, we’re still trying to find a few of the players. Right now, we know that that Dr. Carla Harrison is high at the top. Someone higher than her, however, ordered Brighton to be beaten. I tried to get him out before it happened, but obviously I couldn’t.”
“Great, what do we need to do to be able to arrest the guys that beat Brighton?” Siobhan stared at her former partner.
Holden sighed, “Work the case. I don’t know exactly which ones did it. Carla has some big wig of the organization coming into town. I’m hoping to get a face or a name for this person.”
“I hope so too.” Siobhan pushed herself up from her seat, “So what do we have to work together now?”
“Yeah, we do.” Lucas snickered.
Siobhan rolled her eyes. “I’m going to go see if I can put the pieces together, maybe read that statement from that damn delivery boy.”
Lucas and Holdon watched her walk out when Holdon leaned over to Lucas, “Wait the delivery boy, that blond guy?”
“Yeah, that one.”
“She still doesn’t know?”
“Nope. She always pawns the kid off on me.” Lucas shrugged, “I keep waiting for her to go through the notes and catch it, but she hyper fixates on something or someone else every damn time.”
Holdon laughed, “One day she’ll find out and I really, really hope I’m in the room for it.”
“So do I.”
####
Abby sat at the bar of Moonlight. A country song she didn’t recognize was playing as she sipped on her margarita. She didn’t see Pam, Maggie, or Trista. Why did she agree to go out tonight? She could be in bed watching Law & Order reruns.
“Long time no see.” His voice sent a shiver down her spine.
She turned around and looked up into his blue eyes, “Holdon, fancy running into you here.”
He shrugged as he sat down next to her, ordering a microbrew before turning his attention back to her. “I’ve missed you, Abby.”
“Not enough to text me or call.” She took a sip of her drink.
He studied the logo on his pint glass, “Its complicated, you know that.”
She put her hand on his arm, “Then let’s uncomplicate it.”
He placed a hand on her leg, letting it slowly move up towards the edge of her skirt, “Abby, you’re dangerous.”
She licked her lower lip, “Embrace the danger.”
Holdon pulled her stool closer to him, his eyes scanning the room as his hand moved further up. “Abby, you are tempting.”
She leaned close to him, catching that woodsy scent of his bodywash, “I’ve been craving you.”
Holdon closed his eyes, “Come home with me.”
“Anytime you want, Daddy.” She covered his hand with hers as she looked him in the eyes, “You know I’m yours.”
He smiled, he missed this, he needed this. He’d been avoiding her, even though he’d been craving her as well. He leaned as close as he could, “I can’t wait to fuck you tonight.”
Abby smiled, suddenly a Law & Order rerun wasn’t so tempting.
“Yeah, I can pick that up.” She pursed her lips and closed her eyes as she listened to the voice on the other end of the call. “Mom, I got it. I know what size Fallon wears.”
She tapped the end call button and dropped her phone into the opening of her tote bag. She paused for a moment before collecting her bearings of where she was in the mall. She was only a few stores away from Imagination, the children’s clothing store. Pop music filtered over the different speakers until she was closer to the store, and she heard more of the kidz bop version of songs, than the actual songs.
The store smelled like cotton candy; the walls decorated with pictures of kids who looked like they had just walked off the set of a Disney Channel show. Bright smiles, perfectly done hair, bold colored clothing. This wasn’t really her first choice to shop for Fallon, but it was the one her mother wanted her to shop at. Try and keep Fallon a little girl as long as possible, she was almost a teenager though and most of what was available at the shop screamed preschooler instead.
“Shopping for Fallon?”
The friendly voice caused her to turn around, “Hey Maggie, yeah, Mom wants her to have some more cardigans.”
The blond nodded as she led her deeper into the store, “These should work. They’re a bit mature, classic, they should grow with Fallon for a year or two before she becomes a teenager and wants to pick her own stuff.”
She chuckled, “Oh, I sure did. I think that might be why my mom is so insistent on what exactly Fallon wears. Trying to keep her tame before she does something silly and dyes her hair teal.”
“Abby Adams with teal hair? I can’t see that.”
“I was fifteen, I was rebelling.” She searched through the rack for Fallon’s size, “But things happen, like becoming an older sister suddenly.”
“You’re a good older sister.” Maggie reminded her as she pulled out two cardigans in different colors and handed them to Abby, “if Fallon asks these are very Taylor Swift.”
Abby smiled, “She’ll love them.”
“Let me know if you need to find anything else.” Maggie looked around the store to see a customer going towards the register.
“Thanks Maggie, hopefully this is it.” She moved around the area of the store, finding a few more things that would suit her sister, and her mother would approve of.
After she paid and left the store, she made her way to the bookstore. Right on the front table was a display of all the books written by Chad Davis, a giant picture of him. He was a hometown name after all. She picked up the latest title and turned over the back, reading the synopsis; Teenage Wick wasn’t sure he could survive without his girlfriend Sketch. Yet their families kept them apart. Years later Sketch has been kidnapped, and Wick is an FBI agent sent to find her. Will he find more than just his first love?
Rolling her eyes she opened the dedication page, “To the real Sketch, I’m so sorry.” She kept the book in her hand as she moved to another table, looking for a copy of Fourth Wing for her book club. She found one, collecting it with a couple of other books she had found for herself as well as a few she found for Fallon and a book her mother wanted for her own book club.
After leaving the bookstore she walked towards the food court, stopping in at the coffee house. She needed a caffeine boost. “Abby, here you go.” She hadn’t even ordered yet and her best friend since the third grade was handing her a cup.
“Thank you, how did you know I was coming in?” She took a sip of the cold coffee, feeling her body relax as she ingested it.
Pam smiled, “I saw you pass by earlier. I knew you wouldn’t leave without stopping in. Mom, have you shopping for the sister again?”
“And some other errands.” Abby shrugged, “I had to get some stuff for my book club, for Mom’s too so at least I got to the bookstore.”
“You get Chad Davis’s new book? I heard that Marcy wants to make it next months pick.” She rolled her eyes, “Like that is going to help win over his brother Kip, or anyone in that family. I don’t think Chad has stepped foot in Pinon Hallow since high school.”
Abby shrugged, “No clue, and I saw it. I don’t know, his stuff isn’t my usual read.”
“Neither is Fourth Wing.” Pam snickered, “Just be glad that’s not the one your mom will be reading.”
“Wait why?” Abby took another sip of her coffee, “Her book club is doing some Hockey Romance or something. I think it was called Icebreaker.”
Pam covered her mouth with her hand, “Oh Mrs. Adams is going to be reading Icebreaker? Who picked it?”
“I don’t know, why?”
“It’s supposed to be spicy; I mean so is Fourth Wing, but that from what I have seen online is tame in comparison.”
Abby put her cup down and started laughing, “Constance Radford picked it, I think. Oh, I bet she has no idea.” She looked in the bag from the bookstore, “Oh I bet she saw the cover and thought it was just cute and sweet. I might have to just steal this copy from my mom once she realizes what it is and is scandalized.”
Pam put her arm around Abby’s shoulder, “I’m going to be honest; I don’t think your mom will be scandalized, but it will be glorious when Constance Radford is, isn’t this for the Church book club?”
“Yeah, it is.” Abby tried to keep the laugh in, but she couldn’t. “Oh, that will be a fun night when they meet.”
Pam didn’t respond, she kept her eyes on the guy walking by. He had several other guys their age walking with them. One had a camera out.
“Seriously Pam, still? Do you not remember what he was like in high school? Plus, have you seen what his videos are like? Maybe it’s an act, but I doubt it. He’s still the same slimeball he was when we were younger.” Abby watched her friend; she could see the defeated expression coming over her.
“I could fix him.” Pam finally suggested.
Abby groaned, “Oh Pam, you don’t want a man you need to fix. You want a man, that wants to build something with you. Create a life with you. Not one that just wants to create content.”
“You know he tried to revive the cinnamon challenge last week.” Pam kept her eyes as he stood in front of the shoe store across the hall.
Abby shook her head, “Think about all the stupid stuff Kip did when we were in high school. We’re in our late twenties now Pam, he’s still doing that stupid kind of stuff and posting it on YouTube.”
“Point taken.” Pam shrugged, “Are you going to join us at Moonlight tonight?”
“I don’t know. I must finish a project that’s due on Monday.”
“Then why are you at the mall right now?” Pam countered.
Abby looked at her bags, “Had to get out of the house. Mom was working from home too and it was just too much.”
“Move out. Why are you still living with your parents?”
Abby sighed, “I’m a freelancer, I don’t have steady work now. I’m just trying to save what I can so one day I am not worried about money.”
“I could always give you a good deal on an apartment.” Pam reminded her.
Abby looked towards the fountain in the middle of the food court, “I know, but right now I need to still be at home.”
“Whatever you say. Please tell me you at least got Fallon something cute and not like a four-year-old would wear?”
“Yeah, Maggie helped me out a bit.” Abby felt a chill through her body for a moment, someone near the fountain caught her eye, but they were gone before she could see who it was.
Pam heard her name called from behind the coffee bar, “Text me later.”
“I will, I got to get going anyways.” Abby thanked her for the coffee again before leaving the coffee house. The mall was surprisingly busy for a weekday afternoon as she made her way past the fountain towards the outdoor promenade of stores, past the valet parking towards the lot. She felt the wind blow, and a shiver go through her body as she got into her Jeep Grand Cherokee.
She attempted to ignore the feeling as she started the engine. Maybe it was just the conversation with Pam, or the display in the bookstore. Yeah, that was probably it.
####
Maggie checked the time on her phone as she left the store. She was feeling rushed this afternoon as she made her way down the hall to the bookstore. She had scoured her bookshelves the past two nights looking for her copy of Emma, only to get a text message from her sister that she’d borrowed it for a book report.
Normally Maggie wouldn’t care, and would be thrilled that Cassie cared to read, let alone read Jane Austin, however it was this month’s selection for the book club she took part in. They had decided to read all of Jane’s books, starting with Emma. She did chuckle to herself at the selection, thinking Pride and Prejudice would be the first pick.
At least getting another copy would be easy enough. Though she wasn’t expecting the store to be as full as it was when she walked through the doors, moving around the display in the front, trying to dodge the booktok table, and almost getting knocked into a selection of cookbooks by people with failed daytime television shows.
“You good Maggie?” Conner McKay had caught her before she took out the pile of discounted cookbooks.
She gulped as she got lost in his eyes for a second, that was all she could allow herself to have, “Yeah, sorry just trying to get to the classics.”
“Cassie has your copy, doesn’t she?”
“Yeah.” Maggie shrugged as she ran a hand through her blond hair, “I’m thrilled she borrowed it; the timing could’ve been better.”
“Which one is it?” He walked with her to the section, feeling the crowd thin out.
Maggie looked around, “What has the store so busy today?”
Conner rolled his eyes, “New Chad Davis book got released. People still think he’ll show up to do a book signing. He never has. I only do the display right in front to keep Adel happy.”
“I fear the day that Kip knocks one of his groupies up and she or he wants a clothing sponsorship.” Maggie confessed as she reached for a copy of Emma.
“That is scary for a number of reasons.” Conner laughed, “I’m going to let you browse, I have to go check on Eric up front.”
“Thanks.” She bit her lip as she watched him walk towards the register area. She had been flirting with him since they met, and well nothing. For now, she would just have to stick with having a book boyfriend, if she couldn’t even get the attention of a real-life man.
Conner was silently cursing himself again as he walked away. Why could he never actually ask her for a cup of coffee, or a drink, or what did people even do these days for dates. He hadn’t gone on one since he was in college—and that had led to a baby and marriage shortly after. A daughter who was now sixteen, who only saw her mother in TikTok videos of all places—at least it wasn’t only fans.
“You didn’t ask her out again, right?” Eric shook his head as he worked on stocking the reusable shopping bags under the counter.
“No, I didn’t.” Conner sighed as he looked around the sales floor. “Lysa adores her, Bethany is never coming back—and I wouldn’t want to repeat that anyways. I don’t know what I’m scared of.”
“Moving forward.” Eric started to shrug and then stopped midway as he looked at the entrance of the store.
Conner followed his glance to the entrance, “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”
Eric shook his head, “Shouldn’t she be trying to live in some random country for like $200 a month?”
“Yeah, last I knew.” Conner rolled his eyes as he walked over to the one woman he didn’t want to deal with. “Hey Bethany, looking for a travel book?”
She smiled, “Hey Conner, I was looking for you.”
“You should’ve called.” Conner crossed his arms over his chest as he looked down at his ex-wife, even in heels she was still tiny. “Have you spoken to Lysa?”
“Not yet.” She adjusted her purse strap, “I wanted to talk to you first.”
“Are you even going to see her this time?”
“I am.” She took an unsteady breath as she looked at him, “I’m going to be in town for a little bit. I’m working on a travel book. I have a deal with a publisher in Denver.”
“I hope you found a nice Air B&B or something like that.” He was terrified she was about to ask to stay with him and their daughter.
“I have my parents house.” She told him, “When they moved to Arizona, they sold it to me.”
Conner bit the inside of his cheek as he listened to her, “Good for you. If you want my help with Lysa, I can’t give it to you. You need to be the one to call her, to tell her you’re in town. You want to see her; you work to set it up. She’s sixteen now, she can make the decision to see you or not herself.”
“She’s fourteen Conner.”
“Sixteen Bethany, you’ve been gone for twelve years.”
Bethany was frozen for a moment, “You’re right.” She couldn’t believe she had gotten her only daughter’s age wrong. “I’m still jetlagged obviously. I will call her and set up a lunch this weekend.”
“Good luck with that.” Conner looked towards Eric, “The sooner, the better. People have seen you. It’s only a matter of time before Lysa finds out you’re in town. The longer you wait to tell her, the less likely she’ll be to talk with you or see you.”
He didn’t wait for her to reply, he walked back to the register desk. If Bethany didn’t call Lysa by tomorrow night, then he would sit her down and let her know. It really was a matter of time considering Eric, who loved to spill the tea as he said mentioned something if she dropped by the store.
“Is she gone?”
“Yeah Boss.” He passed him his phone, “Lysa was calling while you were over there. I didn’t answer.”
Conner looked at the young college student in the eyes, “Do not mention that Bethany was here. It’s the last thing Lysa needs to find out.”
“Yeah, Maggie didn’t look thrilled either while she checked out.”
“Maggie knows about Bethany, everything she’s done.”
Eric lifted himself onto the back counter to sit, “Boss, if you and Maggie are close enough that you can tell her about the ex. You’re close enough your daughter likes her, then just ask her out. She is clearly crazy about you.”
“I doubt that.”
“Fine, she’s just trying to get to you for the book discount. She did buy five books today.” Eric picked up his phone, “Yes, my food is almost here.”
Conner rolled his eyes as he checked the time, “I have to go. Can you handle this on your own?”
“Yes, I’m not going to burn the store down or anything.”
Conner knew Eric wouldn’t burn the store down, he really did. He just was afraid he would get sucked into whatever hot social media app was at the moment.
####
“Thank you for coming Detective Lane.” The officer led her under the crime scene tape as they moved through the wooded area of the local park.
“What do we have?” she pulled her dark hair back into a short, tight ponytail as she got closer to the crime scene.
“White male, early thirties we believe, beaten, left for dead.”
She nodded as the paramedics started to transfer the body. “Any ID?”
“Just this.” He passed her a Colorado Drivers Liscense.
“Shit.” She saw the name and then looked at the victim, “Get him to Memorial, we’ll work on notifying the family. Hopefully they’ll have some answers about what happened.”
“It doesn’t look like this is where he was attacked, just dumped.” One of the crime scene engineers pointed out several aspects of the scene. “If he hadn’t been found when he was, he would probably be dead.”
“Who found him?”
“He did.” The uniform pointed to the young man giving a statement to another uniformed officer.
“This kid, seriously?” She shook her head.
“Something wrong Siobhan?”
The thick voice caused her to turn around, “Lucas, you’ll never believe who discovered the body.”
He followed her glance, “Wait, seriously? The delivery boy?”
She nodded, “I can’t deal with that kid, will you please take his statement?”
He chuckled, “Fine, I got this but that means you notify the family.”
“I got it.” She watched as he was loaded into the ambulance before she took out her cell phone and walked away from the crowds of people. She searched through her contacts, she had lived in this town for so long, she almost always knew a victim’s family. This one though, he hadn’t been in town in many years.
The number she selected dialed, and the line started trilling. Before she had even taken one deep breath the call answered, “Hey, perfect timing.”
“Not really.” She didn’t give a greeting, “I’m actually calling on police business.”
“What’s going on?”
“Brighton, he’s on his way to Memorial Hospital here in town. He was found beaten, near death this afternoon.” Siobhan looked over as her partner laughed with the witness. She felt herself shiver.
“I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
“If you give me your parents number I can call them. They can probably make it faster from Arizona.”
“I’m in town. And my parents won’t help Brighton.”
“Oh, okay. I’ll see you at Memorial then.” Siobhan hung up, processing the information she’d just been given.
“Lane, you, okay?” Lucas waved his hand in front of her face.
She blinked a couple of times, “Yeah, I’m good. I just wasn’t expecting this family member to be in town.”
“We’ve got to get over to the hospital, see what the situation is, okay?”
“Yeah, you got the kid’s statement?”
“I did.” Be shook his head, “I don’t know why he irritates you so much.”
Siobhan looked back at him as he got into his Nissan, “He was delivering a pizza three weeks ago to a house just as we went in for a raid on their drug lab.”
“Wait, that was--.”
“And then, he was the one who witnessed that incident downtown when that guy drove into the shoe store.”
Lucas nodded, “Yeah, he’s got some bad luck.”
“Anyways, let’s get over to memorial and hope that Trista is on duty.”
####
“I don’t want to lose them. They’re a major anchor store for the mall.” Adel Davis paced around the living room of her family’s large estate, her phone on speaker.
“We understand, but we might not have a choice.” The person on the other end spoke.
“We need to keep them, and if God forbid, we can’t then let’s make sure we can get that space filled within a month. An empty space like that could ruin us.” She ended the call, for a moment wishing for the days when she could slam the phone down.
“The mall is always bustling Mom, no need to worry.” Her youngest son came into the room, for once not followed by the so-called camera crew he usually had trailing behind him.
“Kip, what brings you away from the cameras?” Perhaps she should’ve sent him off to school with his brother, at the very least he had a career, but he never came home.
“Getting ready to go and meet the guys for Taco Thursday.” He picked up one of the decorative glass balls sitting on the coffee table, “I saw dear Brother’s new book came out.”
“Yes, it did.” Adel braced herself, never sure what Kip would notice, say, bring up.
Kip tossed the glass ball in the air as he leaned on the arm of the white sofa, “I read it on my Kindle this morning. What a silly story. I can’t believe people buy his books.”
“Your brother is a very talented writer.” His father told him as he came into the room. “You are a talented content creator, even if I still don’t really get it.”
Kip rolled his eyes, “About that.”
“Yeah?” Adel perked up, perhaps her son would finally use that college education he had for something, anything besides sitting in his room and streaming video games all day.
“I was wondering if I could use the pool house, turn it into my studio. I’m looking to expand the kind of content I create.”
Adel looked towards her husband, mentally trying to tell him to tell Kip no.
“Go for it. It could use an update anyways. Redecorate it and use that for content too Kip.”
“Thanks Dad.” Kip smiled before looking to his mom, “You cool with that?”
“Yeah honey, though any thought of using that business degree?”
Kip shrugged, “I use it every day. I know you don’t think streaming is a job or anything, but I haven’t even touched my trust fund in five years. I sell merchandise, I have paid subscribers. I get it you want me working under you or under Dad, but it’s just not going to happen.”
Adel, “It’s getting late, you two figures out the logistics for the pool house. Just please Kip don’t knock down any walls.”
“Whatever you say Mom.” Kip slowly sighed as his mother left.
Doug sat next to him on the couch, “She loves you; she’s concerned, she doesn’t get it.”
“I’ve noticed.”
“Just maybe no more prank videos, especially done in the mall.”
Kip nodded, “Yeah, that probably doesn’t help her take this seriously.”
“Not at all.” Doug turned his iPad on, “Figure out what you want to do with the pool house, I mean besides move in it to get some distance from us.”
“You figured that part out huh?”
“Kip, you’re beyond old enough to have your own space. Okay yes you have a suite of rooms upstairs, but it’s time for you to move out. Even if it’s just to the pool house. Let’s be real that’s as far as your mother will let you move out without interference.”
“But Chad lives in New York, she sent him off to private school when he was in high school. He never comes home.”
Doug took a moment, “Chad’s situation is very different. What I can say is that might be why she holds on as tightly as she does to you.”
Kip tried to remember what he could about when his brother had been sent away. Whatever it was had to be bad, really bad. Kip had his own hiccups and scandals in high school, yet Chad had been sent away. “Think Chad will ever come back?’’
“When the time is right he will. Don’t know when that will be.”
“Thanks Dad, I’ll see you in the morning.” Kip gently put the glass ball he’d been playing with back in the bowl on the table.
“Be safe.” Doug called out as his youngest son left.
####
“Has he been disposed of?” she questioned as her chair faced the wall of Higher Education Degrees.
“We did exactly what you asked us to do.” He told her, his hands behind his back, “Unfortunately luck was not on our side this afternoon.”
The chair spun and she slammed her arms on the desk, “What do you mean?”
“The police have already discovered his body. Someone passing by running on the trail caught sight of him.”
“Why wasn’t he deep in the river?” She ran a hand through her white, blond hair.
“It’s April, the runoff hasn’t really started, and so the river is not as deep as we would’ve liked for this. We were hoping the current would take him downstream a bit more before he washed up.”
She rubbed her forehead, “Take care of this. We can’t be found to be connected to him in anyway.”
“Don’t worry, everything will work out in our favor.” He told her as he left the office. He knew he’d just lied to her. But that was everything he did these days, lie. He lied to her, to the people around him, none of them knew the truth. He was surprised he had reached this high in the organization, gotten in deeper.
Once he was alone in his car, he pulled his phone out and pressed stop on the recording. If Carla ever found it, he would play it off as him covering his ass if she ever turned on him. Really though he was uploading it as part of the case his department was working to bring against her.
“Hart” he answered his phone as he pulled out of the medical suite parking lot, “yeah, that’s good to hear. Yeah, I’ll swing by the hospital.”
####
Siobhan paced in front of the nurse’s station while Lucas had gone to get them coffee. She had let her hair down once they were back in their car, giving her the chance to twist it around her fingers as she put together the information she had already about the victim and what had happened to him.
She couldn’t ignore the fact that his sister was back in town, the same day he washes up on the edge of death in the river. Not that Siobhan realized he was even in town either. What the hell were either of them doing here? Was it a coincidence or a connection?
“Detective?” the doctor stood in front of her, “You, okay?”
“Yeah, just going over the pieces. What do you know?”
She frowned as she put her hands in the pocket of her black scrubs, “He is in a coma right now, a lot of swelling in his brain. He’s got broken ribs, and a lot of bruising and swelling. Right now, it’s touch and go.”
“Trista, any idea of what caused these injuries?”
“I’m not a medical examiner, but these aren’t the kind of injuries in a car accident, not even the kind that lands you in the water.” Trista looked around, “I’m still waiting on the tox screen.”
“You think he was high?”
“I’ve seen a growing number of patients you wouldn’t expect.” Trista confessed as her name got called over the speaker system, “I’ll check back in with you soon.”
“Thanks.” Siobhan called out as the doctor walked away.
“I’m looking for Brighton Simpson.”
A voice crossed Siobhan’s ears and it was not the one she was expecting as she turned around. “Holdon Hart?”
She saw him cringe at the sound of her voice as he turned to look towards her. She tried to ignore how good he looked in the tight white T-shirt that stretched across him, the leather jacket he wore. He had total bad-boy appeal all over him.
He gave her a smile, hoping to thaw the freeze he saw from her, “What a small world.”
“Why are you asking about my victim?” She had a new piece of the puzzle and at this moment she wasn’t sure she would like where this could be going.
He looked around, trying to see who was around him, them before leaning in close. “I’m just asking about a friend.” He knew he couldn’t tell her in such a public place. “Where’s your partner, or do they have you going on cases alone?”
“He’s getting coffee.” She kept her eyes steeled on him, “Why are you even in town, I thought the feds cut you. Shouldn’t you be somewhere disgraced?”
He smirked, “If I remember correctly Siobhan, you liked my disgraced side.”
“Shut up Holdon. I don’t have time for your nonsense. Or maybe you know exactly what happened to Brighton.”
“I promise you Siobhan, I don’t. I just wanted to check on him.”
“How do you know him?”
“We worked together.” That was all he could tell her; all he could say. It wasn’t a lie; it was the truth. He just knew that Siobahn Lane wouldn’t be ready for the truth right now, and not in such a public setting.
“He’s alive, for now.” She finally let her eyes go to the entrance, wondering why she had believed his sister would show up quickly.
He nodded, “Thanks Lane, I’ll see you around.”
“Hart, how about we don’t count on that?”
“Oh, but you can count on it.” He licked his lips as he walked out of the hospital. He had gotten way too close to blow his cover. And now he wouldn’t be able to sleep because he would be haunted by memories of his former police partner.
####
“Enjoy your stay in Colorado.” The attendant at the rental kiosk handed over a stack of paperwork and a car key.
“Thanks.” He gave her a smile before throwing his carrying on over his shoulder and dragging his wheely hardshell behind him. He knew he still had over an hour drive to Pinon Hallow—if traffic on I-25 wasn’t bad. He couldn’t be sure of the reception he would get when he arrived.
He found the car he’d been assigned and loaded his bags in. His phone automatically connected to the Bluetooth system in the car, and he listened to the messages he had received while in the air. He would deal with it all tomorrow.
He set the phone to play a podcast, listening to the story of a woman who ran away as a teenager to join a cult. Her family didn’t know what happened to her for a decade and a half.
He was almost at the end of the podcast episode when the familiar silhouette of Pinon Hallow came into view. It wouldn’t be long now; he would be home soon. He moved down the streets he’d known for his entire childhood. He was surprised by how familiar and foreign they were at the same time.
He pulled up the long driveway towards the stone mansion. The lights were on in many rooms, but he knew there weren’t people to fill them. Not now at least. They wouldn’t tell him they didn’t have room for him, unless they had turned it into a hotel—which his mother would never have done.
He parked in his favorite spot from when he was in high school and took out his carry-on bag. He locked the car out of pure habit as he went to the door. He let himself in, the foyer that led to the living room was empty. He glanced at the time on his phone, if his father was around, he knew exactly where he could find him.
Moving through his childhood home he stopped outside the bowling alley. He could hear the pins falling. “Alright Adel, let’s see what you’ve got.” His father’s voice was older, how had he missed that in phone and video calls.
“I will get this turkey.” Her voice teased.
He watched as his mother took her ball and moved up towards the lane, and then let the ball sail down the hard wood and got a strike. He started clapping as he walked into the room. “Good job Mom.”
His parents both turned, instinctively they knew it wasn’t Kip interrupting them. Instead before Adel and Doug Davis, for the first time in over twelve years was their oldest and first-born son Chad.
“I’m home.”
“Welcome home son.” Doug moved to give his son a hug, unsure if he would accept, but grateful he did.
“Why didn’t you tell us you were coming home?” his mother moved in for a hug of her own, holding him tightly.
“I wanted to surprise you. Why did you turn my room into something else?” He put his bag down as he picked up the blue bowling ball sitting to the side he had used throughout his teenage years, before he’d been sent away.
“No, though Kip did try.” Adel smiled.
“Ahh yes, probably wanted a room for his video games.” Chad put the ball down, “I don’t know how long I’ll be in home. I just knew it was time to come home.”
“We’re glad you did.” Doug told him. “I’ll call Simone and get your room ready for you.”
“Thanks Dad.” Chad watched his father leave the room before he looked at his mother, really looked at her. She was older of course, A sadness over her. “Is Kip home?”
“No, I think he went to get tacos with his friends.”
Chad nodded, “So probably making a stupid video with them.”
“I wouldn’t call them stupid.”
“Uninspired then.” Chad suggested, “Is that bookstore still in the mall?”
“Of course, why?”
Chad shrugged, “I might go sign some copies of my latest book, or if they have any of my past ones.”
“They do, they have a huge display of your stuff.” She gushed.
“Wow, I never would’ve guessed.” But he knew why, it was to stay in her good graces. Sure, he’d made the New York Times list three times already but here in Pinon Hallow, his mother had a lot of pull. Any attention he got, at least in a positive sense, was of her will.
“Do you have any dietary needs or requests. I can make sure Simone has a grocery delivery done early so you have what you want or need.”
“No, I’m not that fussy. Unless you’ve all gone gluten, meat, free.”
“Nothing like that, next week with your brother who knows though.” She sighed a little. “I do wish you had told us you were coming. I could’ve set you up with a proper book signing.”
“I prefer this way. I don’t generally enjoy crowds of people.”
“Simone is getting your room ready.” Doug informed Chad when he came back in. “She already has fresh towels in your bathroom and the sheets are being put on the bed as we speak.”
“Thank you. I think I’m going to go take a shower and go to bed. It’s been a long travel day.” He left the room before they could protest or say anything else.
He made his way up to his childhood room, unsure what he might find. The room had been cleaned up, cleaned out. It had been updated to a more mature style. Almost like his mother had expected he would return—which he had.
He dropped his carryon bag by the door, bypassing the bathroom for a moment. He needed to know if it was still here, after all these years.
The books on the bookshelf didn’t appear to have been traded out. He pulled out a copy of The Hunger Games, and as he flipped through the pages something fell out. He picked it up, the blue in drawing of himself, sitting under the tree at the high school courtyard.
It was here.
It still existed.
All this time he had told himself it had to be gone.
Was this a sign he should try to find her?
If he could, maybe he could apologize about how things ended.
It hadn’t been his choice.
Would she even want to see him now?
She was probably married, had kids.
She probably left Pinon Hallow.
She was probably in Paris or Sydney, exploring the world.
But she was why he came back to town. She had been haunting his dreams for months, years really.
It had to mean something, and Chad was determined to find out what. He would find his high school girlfriend. He would apologize for what happened. It was the least he could do all these years later.
####
Abby sat at her desk, staring at her computer screen, willing the inspiration she needed to finish the project in front of her. It just wasn’t coming.
She read over the client’s information sheet again, sighing. What was in front of her was perfectly acceptable, yet something was missing. She just couldn’t decide what it was.
She turned the monitor off and moved over to her bed, she looked at the bag from the bookstore she hadn’t unpacked yet. Pulling out the book by Chad Davis, she opened the dedication page again, letting her finger drift over the text.
She closed the book and put it on the shelf above her bed. The same shelf that had every other book he had written. Next to them was a box of notes she had received in high school, along with the breakup letter from her first boyfriend. On the other side of the books was a baby picture of Fallon, simple and classic.
Simple and classic.
That’s what her current project was missing. She went back to her desk, turning on the monitor and getting lost in her art.
Tomorrow would be a new day, and she wouldn’t feel the past encroaching on her the way she had today.
