Drying myself with a towel, I rush out of the bathroom. I clothe myself, throw on my shoes, and stumble to the door. My face falls when I see Matt.
“Well, you look like shit,” he huffs, pushing past me and entering my living room uninvited.
I slam the door behind him.
“You also smell like I just walked into a bar.”
“What the hell do you want, Matt?” I spit with rage. I don’t want to see anyone if it’s not Coraline.
“I came here to check up on you.”
“If it’s not regarding the investigation, I don’t want to know. I don’t want to speak or see anyone.” I stalk over to the kitchen, dragging my feet. Everything is slowly stirring as though gravity wants to anchor me until I’m lying on the ground. I pour myself a shot of liquor. “You can leave.” I point to my front door.
My eyes linger on the Christmas wreath that hangs in the top center. I haven’t touched the cabin. I left it like it was when she left. The only reason I haven’t dragged her back here is because of the gunshot wound to my chest. I’m giving it one more day before I head out and find her. She doesn’t get to leave me.
“Coraline is leaving on an airplane with her family. She’s already at the airport.”
I can’t breathe.
“What?”
“She’s leaving Sleepy Coldwater. This shitty small town.”
“No. She fucking can’t.”
“Yes, she can,” he counters. “And quite frankly, so should you.”
I shake my head, feeling the weight of her absence. I lost Merelyn. I lost my birth mother right here in this cabin. I can’t leave this place. As dark and fucking sad as it is, my mother stilllives through these walls, and now Merelyn will too. I can’t leave this place. Anxiety rips through me, and I break out into a sweat.
“Leave this place, man. There’s nothing for you here. Don’t drown in it.”
“I can’t leave.”
“Yes, brother.You can.”
“No, you don’t understand…I can’t!” I shout, rushing my words out frantically.
And she can’t leave this place either.
My mama will be all alone. Her soul still hovers. I feel her presence all the time.
Matt has his hands on both sides of his hips, leaning on one leg as he studies me.
“I’m drunk off my ass. Give me a ride to the airport, now.”
“It’s a two-hour drive. I don’t think we can make it,” he replies. I pull out his pistol from his holster faster than I’m processing my own thoughts. I point it at his head and nod at his keys dancing from his pocket. He holds his hands up, nostrils flaring. His brown eyes narrow at me, disappointed.
“Better drive fast, then.”
“This is insane.You’re insane,” he spits, moving past me, still holding his hands up. He won’t fight me; I’ll blow his brains if he tries. He knows I’m not one to fuck with. We’ve spent way too many times in a jail cell when we were active because of bar fights. We didn’t start them, but he knows I always finished them.
“Yeah, well, you already knew that.”
CHAPTER 37
GAVIN
Matt turned on the sirens. Flashes of red, white, and blue guided us through the snow-covered streets down the mountain. The sun is setting, and I keep looking at the dashboard, watching the minutes tick by as if my life depends on it. The traffic opens up for him as we blast through.
