*Adelaide*
July 14, 2018
I lay on the couch, a pint of strawberry cheesecake ice cream resting on my chest as I scoop spoonfuls into my mouth.
I scrunch up my nose in disgust as I shove the ice cream to the sides of my mouth to avoid the taste buds on my tongue. Once it melts a reasonable amount, I swallow and let out a groan of discontent.
I hate strawberry cheesecake ice cream. Absolutely loathe it. The fruitiness on my tongue is nearly enough to make me dry heave. But I’m craving ice cream to give me a morsel of comfort as my family flies off to Chicago to deal with a masochistic gang leader and the only ice cream in the fridge is Missy’s favorite, because Maddox ate all mine two days ago with a promise of restocking it.
So, here I sit, eating dissatisfying ice cream as I try to ward off the feeling of complete uselessness.
I know Missy and Adam want Kristy and I to handle all the chores around the house while they’re gone, but how could they ask that of us? Every second, I worry about whose life is currently in danger. Who, right at this moment, is looking down the barrel of a gun?
Sighing, I roll on the couch and hug the cold container to my chest as I look out the window at the beautiful farmland.
“This is a joke, right?” I hear Kristy say as she walks into the living room, dressed and ready to tend the land. I look up at her with a pout on my lips. “Adelaide Crane, you hate strawberry cheesecake ice cream with everything in you. Give that to me.” She snatches it from my chest and the moment is bittersweet.
I happily bid the nasty dessert goodbye but dread the absence of its comfort.
“Get up. We have work to do.” Kristy tosses me my black cowgirl hat and marches to the kitchen to stick the ice cream back into the freezer.
I roll off the couch and make my way into my bedroom to change into jeans and a simple t-shirt. I pull on black boots and set my hat atop my head as I jog out of the house to meet Kristy at the barn. She smiles at me, already leading Boaz and Raven to the second pasture. I snatch two lead ropes and first grab Phoenix then Eowyn. I drop Phoenix off at the first pasture and then follow Kristy to let Eowyn loose with her friends.
The three horses kick up dirt as they bound around the pasture. Kristy pushes on my arm, giggling as she jogs ahead to get her horse ready for our morning runs. I roll my eyes, following after to get Serendipity tacked up.
We race our horses down the path along the pastures, leading toward a forest trail. I smile over at Kristy as she clicks her tongue for Dexter to go faster. I’m not bitter as the slim chestnut gelding soars ahead of us. Serendipity is not as young as the spirited Dexter.
I pat Serendipity’s neck as I slow to a walk, laughing lightly as I try to catch my breath. The gray horse lets out a snort, her sides expanding and contracting under my legs with every breath. “Good girl.” I lean forward to whisper in her ear.
I hear the crunch of twigs as Kristy leads Dexter back around to us.
“As much as we love riding and can do it all day long, we have work. I was just getting used to having Maddox’s extra set of hands back. Now the work load has doubled,” Kristy says and I huff in agreement.
He wasn’t even back for two full weeks yet we fell into a normal routine so easily, having him help with chores. And now he’s gone, along with Adam and Missy.
Kristy runs ahead, almost as if she believes we’re racing back. I, on the other hand, return to the ranch at an easy canter, feeling Serendipity nearly glide underneath me. I place a hand on my hat, making sure it’s snug, and smile at the small memory of Maddox it brings.
Every time I touch or look at the hat, I always think of Maddox. Of him placing it atop my head at the store in town.
When I finally return to the ranch, I see Dexter is already in the pasture with Phoenix but Kristy is nowhere to be seen. Perhaps she went inside to get a glass of water. I hear a bark and smile as Cooper runs over to Serendipity’s side, looking up at me with a goofy grin.
“Hi, good boy!” I praise. I hop off Serendipity’s back, tying her reins around a post on the fence. I peel off her saddle and blankets, gently setting them on the ground. I grab a brush Kristy and I always leave out for the morning runs and quickly brush away her sweat marks. Once she’s glistening under the sun, I place a kiss to her snout and lead her into the pasture, taking the bridle off.
Phoenix lets out a whinny, thrashing his head to the side as he practically leaps in the air and bolts to greet his mother. I latch the gate closed and return to the barn to put the tack away, Cooper at my heels.
I crack my neck and let out a sigh as I try to loosen my sore muscles. I hear footsteps behind me and silently pray Kristy brought me a glass of water too.
I turn and let out a sharp gasp at the sight before me. Cooper lets out a harsh bark, baring his teeth as he presses his body against my legs.
Right now, at this very moment, it is me staring down the barrel of a gun. I tense, my eyes widening as I focus primarily on the gun. I have only seen one other in my life and it was in the hands of Maddox, when he geared up to protect Missy and myself.
But this man is not Maddox, and trust me when I say the purpose for his gun is anything but to protect me.
I avert my eyes away from the gun slowly and take in the monster of a man who is holding it. My heart jumps to an erratic pace as I stagger backward with fear. Who is he? The malicious intent is pure in his eyes.
“Wh-what do you want?” I say, my voice stammering. The man cocks his head, his dark eyes nearly black as they look me up and down. His hair is a mixture of black and gray…salt and pepper is what Kristy called this look, one time when we were in town. His skin is tan yet rough, giving him the appearance of a man past the age of 55.
“Don’t worry, Adelaide. Everything is going to be okay.” When I first heard my name, I was intent on demanding how he knew it. However, as the last echo of the last word rings through my ears, I am struck with a bucket of ice water. A yelping gasp escapes my lips as, suddenly, images run through my mind.
“Let her go! Let her gooo!” I hear my mother scream as I try with earnest to meet her gaze. The strong arm wrapped around my torso carries me down the hall, past many bedrooms. I watch as a man looms over my mother, who is crumpled on the floor, suffering from bruising punches and skin-splitting kicks.
“Adelaide! Elena!” I hear another woman yell. I know it is my aunt, however I never get to see her because I am now in my mother’s bedroom, thrown onto her bed. I let out a gasp as I continue to hear screaming followed by thuds.
My mind is fuzzy, I don’t understand what’s happening. But the clear distress from the sound of my mother’s voice entails that whatever is about to happen is not good.
I look up at the large man and I shake my head, hoping he doesn’t hit me. Instead, he grabs my ankles and pulls me to the edge of the bed. “Don’t worry, Adelaide. Everything is going to be okay.”
I snap out of my thoughts and look over at the man before me. My breathing falls in short pants as I take a step back, shaking my head. How did he find me? Who is he?
The man raises a hand to rub his temples, sighing. “When Cameron ran over that poor man, I was gifted with a perfect opportunity. The Crane’s had been trying to give back to the community, to help set troubled kids onto the right path. Perhaps it has something to do with your childhood, perhaps not. But when one of my men told me, I just knew I had to send Cameron here. Cameron had no knowledge of his secret assignment: to worm his way into the Crane’s hearts. I was going to collect Cameron and fill him in on my plan. It would have been his first assignment before he was fully initiated into the gang. He was going to gain access to your little hide-out in the woods. He was going to form a relationship with you and then smuggle you out. However, Cameron grew to love the Crane’s as much as they love him. Therefore, I had to take matters into my own hands. I went to that little house in the woods and killed your mother, setting it up to look like a suicide. Then, I waited three days to send the police. They took you to your only living relatives. The Crane’s. And Cameron fell pathetically in love with you. And I used that to my advantage. Nile threatened your life in order to gain Cameron back, and when we discussed our plan, he refused. We didn’t send him back until he agreed.”
My body tenses further, causing Cooper to snarl. I shake my head, not believing that Maddox only came back as some sick ploy to give me up to the Cicero Disciples.
“Yes, Adelaide. Your devoted man isn’t as devoted as you thought. All we had to do was threaten his father and he was practically on his knees, declaring he’d hand you over.”
“No. No…Maddox said you forced him to kill his father in order to return to me.”
“Hmm…is that what he said? Clever boy. He told me that the only way he’d do this was if he wasn’t here to see the look on your face. So we staged Jeremy’s cry for help and really, it was only supposed to be Cameron who went back, but the more the merrier. He left you here, alone, so I could tell you the full truth…and bring you to my son.”
The nameless man before me tightens his grip on his gun and gives it a little shake, as if reminding me that it’s still in front of him. I shake my head again, hot tears rolling down my cheek. Every fiber in my being screams at me to not believe him. But how could I not? Everything he says lines up. Everything makes sense.
I open my mouth to speak, however I’m cut off by the loud bang of a gunshot. I gasp, waiting for the piercing pain of a bullet. Instead, I hear a thud and look to the ground to see the man lying on his back, groaning in pain as blood seeps from his left thigh.
Cooper seizes the opportunity and leaps forward to sink his teeth into the man’s shoulder. I lift my eyes to see Kristy standing with a pistol in her hands. She meets my eyes. “Don’t listen to a word that bastard said. Let’s go!” she growls, reaching forward to grab my hand. She pulls me toward the car, Cooper running behind us. I drop to my knees and wrap my arms around the large dog, whispering a thank you in his ear. As I climb into the passenger seat, I watch Cooper bolt toward the forest to remain hidden.
Kristy shoots the car into reverse and I look at her in bewilderment as I see another man lying on the driveway gravel. “What…”
“Maddox trained me at a young age to defend myself. He’s just knocked out.” I nod, looking over at the girl who is more my sister than anything else. “Maddox told me they would come. He never knew when, but he knew that they’d never stop until his debt was repaid. He didn’t know who they’d come for. I figured it was Jeremy, but I never let my guard down. I now know it was all a ploy to get you to Chicago. That man was right in all of it apart from Maddox’s involvement. He loves you with all that he is. Jeremy was a set up to get him to Chicago, to leave you vulnerable. And that means our family is in trouble.”