Page 10 of One Night Years Ago

Natalie looked around desperately. Was Fowler here?

“I’m alone,” the older woman said, looking sad. A couple people stopped to stare at them, like sharks smelling blood in the water.

Natalie stared at her wordlessly for a moment.

Rose Fowler stretched out her hand. “Natalie, I’m so sorry … I …”

Natalie’s skin crawled. At an intellectual level, she understood Rose Fowler wasn’t responsible for her son’s behavior, but her response was instinctive.

“Get away from me, Mrs. Fowler,” Natalie hissed.

His mother stepped back as if she’d slapped her.

“Move along, everyone, move along, nothing to see here,” Emma said, guilting passersby into moving.

Natalie realized she was shaking like a leaf.

“Are you okay, Nat?”

I’m so not okay. I’m never going to be okay.

“I’m okay, Em, I’m okay. I don’t think I’m up for this, though. I’m heading back to the station.”

#

Hunter

Hunter looked up from the fence he was fixing when he heard the car. His mother was back already? She hadn’t spent long in town. He used the bottom of his T-shirt to wipe the sweat off his face. It was hot as hell, but he was enjoying the work. Who was he kidding? He was enjoying being outside, being free.

He strode over to her, his long legs quickly eating the distance to the driveway, to see if she needed some help with the groceries. His mother stopped the car but didn’t open the door. He reached over and opened the driver’s door.

“What are you doing, Mom? Do you need any—”

His mother’s hands were white and shaking on the steering wheel. She looked at him, panic in her expression. It looked like she was hyperventilating.

“Mom?” He reached over and uncurled her fingers from the steering wheel. He pressed the lever and pulled her seat back to make some space and gently pushed her head forward. “Nice and deep, Mom, nice and deep. What’s wrong? Should I drive you to the hospital?”

“No hospital. No hospital,” she gasped.

“Tell me what happened, Mom.”

“Nothing, I just …”

“Please don’t lie to me. Somebody said something to you, didn’t they? Is that why you’re shaking like this?”

Her eyes filled with tears. “Nobody said anything to me. I saw Natalie at the grocery store. She bumped into me, and when she looked into my eyes she was so … so afraid. She’s not okay. She’s been hurt so badly, Hunter. So badly.”

He felt a crack in his armor. He’d seen the sheriff’s fear too when she’d looked at him. He steeled himself against the feeling.

“We didn’t do anything to her, Mom. And I think I paid for it in full, don’t you?”

“Oh, Hunter, my poor boy. I just wish—”

“Let’s go into the house, Mom. It’s too hot for you to sit out here.”

Her legs were shaking too much to walk to the house. He supported her by the waist.

“Should I get the doctor, Mom?” He had no idea how they’d pay for it, but he’d figure it out.