Page 156 of Heart So Hollow

Now Hailey’s talking in vague terms about police reports and Facebook posts and timelines and patterns and cover-ups…

“Stay tuned for the next show dropping in three days…make sure to turn on your notifications…”

“Brett,” her voice breaks me out of my stupor, “this is it.”

And she’s right. Social media is the wild, wild, West. Web sleuths find things, people talk, and it spreads like wildfire. Nothing is ever truly forgotten. It just depends who’s listening…

I open my mouth to speak, but something catches my eye in the reflection of the microwave. I spin around to look out the dining room window at the line of pine trees. A branch bobs back and forth and a bluejay flies into view, landing on a limb. It gives a shrill squawk and hops to a higher branch.

I saw it. I know I did.

There’s crackling, like she’s chewing something, “Brett, are you still there?” she calls.

“Yeah…yeah, I am…” I linger on the branches a few moments longer and then slowly scan the rest of the landscape, “I thought I saw something outside.”

“You saw him, didn’t you?” she asks, already knowing the answer.

“Yeah,” I steady my breathing, which takes more effort now that I’m alone on the property, “it’s the first time since your brother left.”

“How do you feel?” she asks, gauging my anxiety.

She knows what’s happening. She’s been here through everything that happened years ago, dealing with the aftermath, the anxiety and the panic attacks, recognizing all the triggers, trying to move on…

“Alright,” I reply, my voice evening out. And it is, talking to her makes it better, because I’m not really alone. “I just have to focus. Keep my head in the game.” I give a laugh, “Saddle up or get left behind, isn’t that what your brother always says?”

“He says a lot of things,” she snickers, “I wish I could come and stay with you while he’s gone.”

“I know, but it’ll be fine,” I reassure her, “it won’t be for that long. And the next time I see you, everything will be different.”

“We’re attached at the phone,” she states gravely, “if you need anything, I’ll be watching.”

“Thanks,” I smile, her calming influence contagious even over the phone. “Speaking of which, I need to call Valerie and let her know the status of my car.”

I’m actually looking forward to making plans with Valerie. Granted, I shouldn’t be surprised I like her so much. In many ways, she reminds me of who I used to be. Maybe that’s why she’s here. Scratch that—I know that’s why she’s here.

Like I said, no coincidences.

But, in other ways, it’s unfortunate. It only adds insult to injury, because it’s like watching myself live out the nightmare all over again and there’s nothing that I can do to stop it.

She’s here, she’s part of this story, and when the times comes, I’ll have to shatter her world, too.

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

Brett

One Year Ago

No amount of coffee can quell the disappointment that washes over me whenever I refresh my inbox and there’s nothing from a literary agent. No rejections, no requests for more chapters, not even a confirmation of receipt.

Crickets.

I know it’s not instantaneous, and I may never hear back from anyone, but I hate waiting without any end in sight. I used to fill my spare time by working on the book, but now I don’t even have that, which is both a blessing and a curse. Maybe I can start a new book and finish it in a matter of days with all the spooky inspiration I’m getting from Colson and his deranged behavior.

I feel better having told Barrett everything, and I’ve made a point to stay away from the office as much as possible until I figure out what to do. But even with the extra space, I can barely concentrate on anything, including reading books I put off so I could finish mine.

This is what I’m doing on Saturday afternoon after I’ve run out of distractions. I finish another chapter in a thriller that would, at any other time, make me blind to everything else around me and get up to pour another cup of coffee. Bowen is running back and forth between the basement stairs and the garage door, carrying duffel bags and gun cases out to his truck.

He looks like he’s packing up to go to war, but it’s really just paintball with Jay, and after that, they’re going coyote hunting. I shouldn’t think anything of it, but I don’t want him to leave. I don’t want to be alone.

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