A Snow Covered Nightmare: Refuge Series Book Two by Debbie Zello (15)

Chapter Fifteen

Aiden pounded the steering wheel of his car, nearly bending it. He wanted to hit someone, kill someone, but it was the steering wheel he punished. She was up there crying, alone in that hospital bed. He could feel her sobbing.

The look on her face when he delivered his blow to her nearly killed his resolve. As much as he hated to admit it, she was better off in protection than with him. He couldn’t protect her from someone hell bent on killing her.

When he had calmed down enough to drive, he started the car and backed up. As he left the parking lot, he had one thing in mind. He desperately needed a drink. Not that he was much of a drinker, but some situations simply required it, and this was such a case. He pulled up to the first bar he saw.

He walked in and looked the occupants over before he sat down at the bar. When you’re a cop, you tend to size up everyone you come in contact with. He had every intention of drinking enough to be completely shit-faced and didn’t want to have any trouble doing exactly that.

“What will it be?” the bartender asked.

“Grey Goose, straight up. And keep it coming, please,” Aiden answered.

“Women trouble or the job?” he asked.

“Both,” he said as it was really both. He would have never met her if it wasn’t because of his job. He would have never loved her and now lost her, if he had never met her.

“Here you go,” he said setting the shot glass down in front of Aiden. “To your health!”

“Thanks,” Aiden said placing the glass against his lips and tipping it back. The clear liquid slid down his throat leaving only its burn behind. It hit his stomach and he felt the warmth spread there. He set the glass down and the bartender filled it again.

“I think you’ve had more than enough, buddy,” Aiden heard through the dense fog that had formed in his head. “I’m going to look through your phone and call someone to come and get you. Anyone in particular you want me to call?” the voice continued.

“Pete, he’ll come. Pete’s a good man,” Aiden slurred.

“Pete it is,” the bartender said searching through his phone for Pete.

“Aiden, what the hell happened?” Pete said taking the seat at the bar next to him. “Blain has been calling you. I’ve been calling you. Then I get a phone call from a bartender that you’re here, drunk and you can’t drive. You have a death wish or something?”

“Maybe I do. So what?”

“I heard what happened from Blain. It sucks, but I would have done the same thing, under the same set of circumstances.”

“Easy for you to say. Easy for Brice to tell me I’m doing the right thing. For Blain to agree with both of you. You didn’t see her face, and you don’t love her.

“You and Blain can go home and fuck your wives and Brice can fuck whoever it is he fucks. Briah was mine, and I love her. This whole thing has been one giant clusterfuck right from the beginning. Why did she go to work that day?” Aiden said groaning.

“First of all, I’ll forget you said anything about my wife. I hope that was the booze talking. I believe you know that I don’t fuck my wife and neither does Blain. I’ll give you Brice, because only God knows what he does.

“Secondly, if she didn’t go to work that day, you wouldn’t have ever met her. You wouldn’t have had these last few months with her. A small piece of the pie is better than no pie.”

“I’m never going to see her again. I’ll never speak to her again. It’s like she died. But I have no grave, no place to mourn. She was just plucked away from me.”

“I know. Let’s get you out of here, Aiden. Maybe tomorrow will be better,” Pete said, helping Aiden up from the stool and half carrying him outside. He managed to get him into the car before saying, “If you think you’re going to be sick a minute or two in warning will be appreciated so I can pull over. If you get sick in my car, I’ll kill you myself.” Aiden tried to give Pete a disgusted look but failed and began laughing instead.

“You said you’d kill me. That almost makes me want to get sick, my friend. You’ll put me out of my misery.”

“Aiden, right now, you’re as low as anyone can go. Your heart is broken and your mind is drunk. In a few days, it will be better.”

Pete was wrong. The next morning, Aiden was sure that Sasquatch had taken up residency in his head and was stomping around. Even the sound of the water running so he could brush the hair from his teeth, sounded like Niagara Falls. Calling in sick, he spent that day on the couch with his arm over his eyes.

He went in the next day and apologized to Pete for what he had said. Then he thanked him for being his friend and not leaving his ass at the bar.

Aiden went to the courthouse and testified at the trial. He told about meeting Briah. How distraught she was and scared to death that David would hear about her. Aiden testified as to her helpfulness in sitting with the artist to get the drawing done.

He tried to focus on Blain and not look at David. For in fact, it was David, that had set this whole thing in motion. He should go to prison for that alone, Aiden thought. Staring at David would be interpreted as being hostile. Aiden didn’t want anything to happen to this prosecution. No point from which to appeal. Aiden would exact his pound of flesh.

“She is leaving tomorrow. I thought you might want to know,” Blain said.

“Thanks, but today, tomorrow, what difference would it make?” Aiden said.

“I am so sorry it all turned out this way. I thought once she had testified, there would be no point in hurting her. I was wrong. I’m sorry, Aiden,” he said sadly.

“Did you sum up yet?”

“Tomorrow. I doubt it will take more than a day or two at the most. The case is solid, thanks to you. Jeanette is leaving tomorrow, too.”

“Okay. We’ll have a drink after the verdict.”

“I’d like that. Take care.”

“Good luck tomorrow,” Aiden said. He hung up and put his head in his hands to scrub his face. He looked up to see Pete staring at him.

“What’s up?” Pete asked.

“That was Blain. She’s leaving tomorrow. He thought I might want to know.”

“And do you?”

“I don’t know where she is now. So I guess it doesn’t really matter where she is tomorrow.”

“I know you haven’t been sleeping ‘cause you look like shit,” Pete said.

“Thanks, you always could cheer me up.”

“To quote an old song, ‘We gotta get you a woman,’” Pete said.

“I have one,” Aiden whispered.

“I mean one you can touch.”

“I don’t want one.”

“Fine. Maybe I should mind my own business.”

“That’s probably a good idea.”

Briah answered the knock at the door. She could see through the window that it was a woman standing on her porch. “Hi,” she said.

“Hi. I’m Cindy Frost from next door. I saw the movers a few weeks back, so I knew someone was moving in,” she said, smiling.

“I’m Cherie Ames. Won’t you come in?” Briah said.

“Thanks. I made a coffee cake. Do you happen to have coffee? If not, I’ll go back and get some.”

“No bother, I’m all set. Have a seat,” Briah said, taking the offered plate. The two women walked to the kitchen. Cindy sat at the table and Briah made some fresh coffee.

“How do you like it?” Cindy asked.

“The town is lovely. I’ve met Michelle at the Head Shed, and she is wonderful. And now you,” Briah said placing plates, forks and a knife on the table.

“You did an amazing job on the house. I love everything you’ve done. I kept looking for the owner but you were never here when I was,” Cindy said cutting a piece of cake for each of them. Briah thought quickly. What woman would not be involved in the decorating of her house?

“I had the designer send me pictures every day of the progress being made. I wasn’t here until a few days ago. I think they did a great job.”

“You did this long distance? I couldn’t even get my bathroom remodeled correctly, and I was living there. Where did you live before this?” Cindy was on the edge of her seat. Briah was going to have to start to keep notes on what she told people. The only thing a liar needs is a good memory. If your lies really were the nails in your coffin, as her mother had told her, Briah would be nailed shut, no doubt.

“Florida. I lived in Florida.”

“What in hell are you doing here? Every Vermonter I know dreams of moving to Florida and lying on the beach all day. You must like snow and mud because we have both in abundance,” she said laughing. Briah laughed with her. She liked Cindy and was glad she lived next door to her.

“I love the snow. I’ll be working at the mountain for the resort.”

“Okay, that explains it.” The two women continued their conversation drinking their coffee and eating their cake. Cindy let Briah in on all of the local shops and what they sold. She told her to wait for the sales at the end of fall, which translated to the end of the changing of the leaves. All of the tourists go home until ski season begins. You can find some real bargains in-between fall and ski season.

Briah now knew what grocery store to go to, which gas station had the best price and when the sales were going to be. How friendly everyone was and the fact that they barely locked their doors at night. “Are you married, dating, living together, anything?” Cindy asked. Briah felt the scab tear that covered her heart.

“No, not anymore.”

“That sounded like it was sore. I’m sorry for asking,” Cindy said sympathetically. Briah fought the tears that always threatened at the mere thought of Aiden.

“It’s okay, how would you know? I just came out of a break-up. It’s only been a few weeks and it still hurts a lot.”

“I know that feeling well. You need to get back on the skis. I think I know just the guy for you. I work with a great guy, Stu Jefferys. I can fix you up with him.”

“No thank you, Cindy. I’m not dating anyone for the foreseeable future. I have a new job and a new home, that’s enough new for me.”

“Sure, let me know if you change your mind.” Briah’s phone chirped.

“Excuse me,” she said, getting up and picking it up from the counter. She had set a Google-alert for any information on the verdict of the trial. She quickly read the report.

Verdict on murder trial of mobster, David Slater. Guilty on all counts. Sentencing scheduled for two weeks from today. Assistant District Attorney Blain Kurtz states that justice has been served and the victim can rest in peace.

“Everything all right?” Cindy asked.

“Yeah, everything is fine,” Briah said, with a sigh. Not that it helped her heart, but it makes everything better to know he’d be in jail. The two women heard a knock at the door.

“That’s probably my husband Ryan,” Cindy said. “I left him a note telling him I was here and if he got home to come over.”

“Okay, I’ll get it,” Briah said, walking to the door. Standing outside was a man of medium height and the biggest smile Briah had ever seen. He had more teeth than the average person did, she was sure. Briah opened the door and said, “Ryan?”

“I see my reputation has preceded me,” he said laughing. “Don’t believe anything Cindy has told you unless it’s good stuff.” Briah laughed and closed the door behind him. They walked back to the kitchen.

“Don’t you love what Cherie has done with the house?” Cindy asked.

“I do, it looks great!” he said.

“What would you like to drink? Cindy made a coffee cake,” Briah said.

“I know. The smell of it cooking was driving me insane. If you have coffee and the cake, I’ll be in heaven.”

“Coming right up!” Briah said. She walked to the counter and poured a cup for Ryan. Walking back to the table with the coffee, a plate, and fork, she cut the cake for him. “Here you go. So, tell me, how long have you been married?”

“Three years next month. We met in high school, went away to different colleges, and then came back and found each other,” Ryan said.

“Everyone thought our marriage was meant to be. My name was Cindy Furr and he is Ryan Frost.” Briah was trying not to laugh.

“Furr and Frost? That does sound perfect!” Briah said.

“I didn’t have to change my initials on my luggage. So I married him.”

“See! I was convenient. That’s my gift,” he said, taking a big bite of cake. “Honey, this is good.”

“It is good. I’m not much of a baker, you’ll have to teach me,” Briah said.

“No problem, I’d love to.”