Page 92 of Small Town Hunter

TRINA

It’s sunset. A week since I last saw him.

“Mamie, I’ll just let you sleep, alright?”

“Alright, baby.”

My grandmother’s taken her headache powder and is lying down, all the blinds drawn to block out the light. These migraines really lay her out. Since she can’t tolerate any light or sound there’s not much I can do to keep her company. And really, I’m not in the mood for company. I’m deep in my feelings; all I can think about is Crash.

“I’ll be in my suite,” I tell her. “Or maybe I’ll take a walk. Let me know if you need anything.”

“Trina, don’t go wandering. I’d feel more comfortable if you stayed in the rooms. Until we’re back in California I won’t feel good with you leaving my sight.”

“I know, Mamie.”

A sigh comes from the bed. “If you go on a walk, call Charles to go with you.”

No thank you. I pretend not to hear her and dip out. One thing Mamie did when she swept through my parents’ house full of sound and fury was poach our family driver, Charles. His kidsare grown, he’s unattached, so he jumped on the chance to leave Tippalonga. He’ll be driving us back to California tomorrow.

He apologized for playing a part in my almost-wedding to the Reverend. He said it was the worst thing he ever did. He was the one who told Mamie I was at the jailhouse in the first place, so I could only forgive him.

Everything is going to be so different now.

I enter my own suite and quietly shut the door.

A wave of pain crashes over me.

Crash…

I’ll never see Crash again.

I go to the window and stare out to the West. Our adventure is over. It happened too fast.

I gave Mamie my word I would not contact him, but right now all I want to do is run out there towards the sunset and find him. He must be still at the hospital. I could make my way there. Talk my way up into his room. Tell him…what would I tell him?

I bite my lip. My silence was Mamie’s condition for getting Crash out of jail and sending him to the hospital. Mamie is convinced he only helped me out of greed. I had to fight tooth and nail for her to believe me, and I believe she only agreed to help Crash out of love for me and a sense of obligation.

I told her Crash saved my life– twice. And he would have done it again in that jail cell if he had the strength.

Now he’s out there, alone.

I owe a lot to Mamie, but what about him?

Mamie went to see him at the hospital and then talked to the doctor afterward. She promised me he made a full recovery. When that McCall man stitched him up and I fed him those antibiotics, it apparently slowed the infection and saved his life. I thought doctors weren’t supposed to reveal confidential patient information — that’s what they told me when I got mycheckup — but Mamie is a force of nature; I’m sure they told her everything she wanted to know.

After what happened at the jailhouse I’m a little scared of my grandmother, to tell you the truth.

And mad at her, too.

She saved me and Crash both, but I’m still angry.

I can’t believe she made me promise not to see Crash again. She held me hostage with his life. Nothing I said could change her mind. I feel shattered.

If only there was a way to tell him everything I wanted to. If only I could look him in the eye and —

“Trina.”

I gasp.

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