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“Dad?” I whispered, barely able to get the word out of my mouth. My throat was sore, and I had no doubt it would bruise from the impact of the force Curtis had shown me.
His intake of breath ricocheted over the line. “Belle?”
“I…” I stared at Curtis, feeling the cool metal of the gun against my legs. I’d killed a man, and it was only now starting to really sink in. “I…I need your help.”
“What’s the matter, baby girl? Where are you?” I opened my mouth to reply, but I heard him shouting, “Jord, trace the call!”
“Dad,” I whispered again, only this time it was broken. I couldn’t bring myself to tell him what I’d done, I couldn’t form the words. I needed to tell him the reality of the situation, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. “I need you, Dad.”
“I’m on my way, baby girl. I’m on my way.” The line beeped several times, and tears streamed down my face—relieved tears, sad tears, happy tears. I was a jumble of emotions, and I wasn’t sure how to handle any of it. The beeping sounded again, and I realized I hadn’t charged the cell for long enough. It was going to die any second. “Just wait where you are, and I’ll come—” Another beep and then…nothing.
I pulled it away from my ear and placed it next to me on the wood floor. It wouldn’t be able to help me right then, but I couldn’t summon up the energy to move to put it back on charge. My body was lagging, all of the adrenaline waning from me at lightning speed. I wasn’t sure how long I sat in the same position, but at some stage, I realized I was directly across from the front door and in the firing line, so I shuffled to the left so the sofa would be between me and the front door, but so I could still see Curtis’ body.
I knew I had a while to wait, I was a seven-hour drive away from home, which meant I had time to process everything Curtis had said. But the time got away from me, and all I could think about was how many times I’d been with him and felt safe. I’d trusted him when he was the very person I needed to run away from.
I’d been naive.
I’d been stupid.
But most of all, I’d been too trusting.
It was a life lesson I’d never forget, and I had no intention of letting my guard down with anyone ever again. I trusted the people I’d grown up with, but other than that, everyone else was off-limits. I couldn’t put myself in the position I’d had with Curtis. It was my own fault, and there was no one else I could blame.
It was my fault he’d killed Justin and Stella.
My fault he’d “taken care” of Ford.
My fault Leopold’s dead body sat outside the cabin.
Tears streamed down my cheeks silently as I sat there, thinking it all over, but I didn’t move to wipe them away. I could feel the swelling in my face, and I was afraid if I moved, I’d cause more pain. So I kept deathly still and waited.
The sun went completely down, and I didn’t expect my dad to turn up until it started to get light, but headlights shone across the cabin at 2 a.m. My heart raced, my hands shook. Was it the people who had come to talk to Curtis the other night? Had they come back to speak to him again? What would they do when they saw Curtis’ dead body in the doorway?
The engine didn’t turn off as the tires squealed to a stop. I heard several car doors opening, and I pointed the gun at the doorway. I’d fought Curtis to the death, so there was no way I was going to give in, not now.
Flashlights swept over his body and into the cabin as slow footsteps moved forward. My finger pressed against the trigger, ready to take a shot if I needed to, but a voice calling, “Belle,” had me letting out a relieved breath.
“Dad?” I whispered.
The flashlight ran across the room again, this time landing on my face. “Belle.” I couldn’t make him out in the darkness, so I had no idea what the expression on his face was. “Where’s the light switch?” he asked.
“In the kitchen to your left,” I croaked out, not letting go of the gun in my hand. I tried to move to stand up, but my body wasn’t cooperating.
“Body,” I heard someone say from outside. “That makes two.” I’d recognize that deep baritone as Jord any day of the week.
A second later, the main lights switched on, nearly blinding me. I covered my face with my hand I held the gun with, reminding me of only hours ago when Curtis had turned the light on in my bedroom. Had Leopold’s dead body been in the cabin when he’d brought me the soup? Had he sat with me while Leopold was bleeding out on the floor?
Footsteps neared, and I pulled my hand down, meeting my dad’s gaze for the first time in six months. The last time I’d seen him was at the lake house when he’d demanded I come home with him, and I couldn’t help but wonder if I’d have been in this situation right now if I’d have just listened to him.
“Dad?” I asked, feeling like the little girl I used to be.
“Belle,” he replied, his body not moving an inch. I wasn’t sure whether he was in shock from seeing me or at what surrounded us. Footsteps echoed behind him, and I glanced at the door as Uncle Jord and Uncle Ky’s faces appeared. They stepped over the body, guns drawn, and checked the entire cabin at lightning speed. I could have told them I was the only one here, but I couldn’t get my voice to work.
I placed my hand on the wall behind me and started to move up it, causing my dad to dart forward, past the sofa. His hands were outstretched as he walked toward me, and when he was a couple of feet away, he placed his hands under my arms and helped me up.
“What happened?” he asked, and immediately shook his head. “Don’t tell me that yet,” he said. “You’re hurt, and you need to get checked out.” He didn’t move his gaze off mine. “But first, you need to give me the gun, baby girl.”
I swallowed, afraid to give to him what little protection I had. Deep down, I knew I was safe with my dad, but I was still scared to hand it over. He backed up a step and held his hand out, waiting patiently. I glanced down at his palm as I tried to steady my breathing. My hands shook as I hovered over his hand, and slowly I let go of it.
