Nora
“Authorities are investigating two homicides after two women’s bodies were found in shallow graves last week.” Eve grabs the remote from the coffee table and turns the TV off.
When I leave the house to meet Aubry at the police station, it is a cloudy morning and I gasp when I step onto the porch. A bouquet of wildflowers tied at the stems with twine lays on the porch floor. I snap my gaze up and survey the area. He was here. He is near. My heart leaps in my chest. I want to call out, but I do not. First loves never last and Holden and I share a bond that is impossible to sustain. He is a wanted man. I do not know what to do. I deliberate and finally pick up the flowers and bring them inside. I put them in water and admire them before leaving.
When Ang and Anton enter the precinct, Aubry and I are leaving. I can’t look him in the eye. The police make a big deal out of it. Shouting that someone did something wrong. That I should not have to be exposed to him. This seems silly to me. They should have said that years ago. Now, it is pointless to keep my distance. Ang lets the police escort him inside and quickly joins Aubry and me.
“Nora,” she sobs. I wrap my arms around her neck and pull her close to me.
“It’s okay. It’s okay,” I say. She pulls back and shakes her head at me.
“You shouldn’t be consoling me.”
I smile at her. “Then what should I do?”
She pulls me against her and we hold each other close for a long time. I am strangely detached from the incident. I told the facts without shedding a tear. Holden’s words had echoed in my head. That I would be okay and taken care of. That Anton was wrong. And that it was not my fault.
Agent Brown’s number comes up on my caller ID and I pick up on the third ring. I put the call on speaker, so Eve can hear.
“Coroner confirms the two bodies are the missing girls from my files.” Agent Brown’s voice is light and high pitched. She is happy. This is the news she wanted. Needed, to connect Holden to all the women. “Through dental records, the victims were identified as Julie Nay, nineteen, who was reported missing by family and friends to Pocketville police in 2012 and Tegan Rolk, reported missing in 2013. Both bodies have been sent to the medical examiner’s office.”
“Well, hello to you, too,” I say.
“Right. Sorry. How are you, Nora?”
“I filed my charge today against Anton.” Agent Brown mutters a curse under her breath.
“Sorry. I should learn better bedside manner. And remember dates. I thought that was happening later this week.”
I snort and roll my eyes, but I am not upset. I have learned to understand Agent Brown’s mood swings and manners. “Yes, you should, but it’s okay. Any other news?”
“We found traces of a sedative in the barn and rotten food in the cabin. They didn’t leave too long ago. We’ve put an extra detail on your house, Nora.”
“That’s foolish. If he’s coming for me, it will be the Clarks that need the extra detail. His threat was to harm those I love. You shouldn’t underestimate that threat—I don’t.”
Agent Brown sighs on the other end of the line. “Fine. But I want your schedule for this week.”
“It’s just morning physical therapy. Oh, and I see Dr. Richardson Wednesday at noon.”
“PT every morning?” Agent Brown asks.
“Yes,” I answer.
“Eve, what do you have going on? I don’t want to leave anything to chance.”
Eve rattles off a few errands but other than that, we are both housebound. I hang up when Agent Brown is through rehashing all the safety tips she has for us. Eve goes to the living room and turns the TV back up. Within minutes, Aubry is sauntering in the back door. I suddenly feel overwhelmed with the day. With all the interactions and talking and people.
“How are you?” she asks. Eve turns down the volume.
I look at Aubry. There are circles under her eyes. She looks thinner too and her gorgeous hair isn’t coiffed to perfection.
“I am alright. Anxious.”
“About Anton?” She plops on the couch next to me.
“No. Just anxious. Too much stimulation probably.”
Eve mumbles that she’s going to run some errands, which is strange because she had just mentioned that she was going to lounge in front of the TV for the rest of the day. I give her a confused look but she only smiles and heads into the kitchen.
“Me, too,” Aubry says, bringing my focus back to her. “Remember in high school when we had bad days?”
I nod. “Clueless, popcorn salad and Legally Blonde.”
Eve pokes her head in. “What the hell is popcorn salad?”
“M&M’s mixed in a bowl with popcorn,” Aubry says, before laughing. “Sounds gross but it’s not.”
“We have popcorn,” I say. “And the movies.”
“I could use some down time. I’ll grab the candy.” Aubry claps at Eve’s suggestion.
“Yes! This is exactly what I need,” she says.
I stand and grin. It does sound . . . familiar and comforting. “I’ll get the popcorn going.”
“I will dig out the DVD’s,” Aubry says.
When Eve returns, we dump the two king sized bags of candy into the popcorn bowl and mix. The three of us lay on a bed of couch cushions on the living room floor, with all the blinds closed and spend our afternoon watching movies and pigging out. And my soul finally feels reposeful.