Page 67 of All Inn Thyme
“We’re not married to Alabama. I’m fixing to retire next year, and your daddy has talked about selling the business if you aren’t interested in it. We can go wherever. I just have to know where that is.”
“I can’t tell you that yet, but I know you’d like it there. It’s real pretty, and the people are real nice.”
“I think it’ll all come together. When it’s right, it’ll be right, and you’ll justknow. We’ll work it all out.”
“I need you to get healthy so you can come to my wedding someday and hold my babies.” I take her hand in mine, feeling scared. I can’t imagine not having her here.
“I’m going to do everything I can, I promise.”
* * *
And that’s why I’m driving to Mellie’s hometown to do a little recon. I want to see for myself what I’m dealing with so that I can know more about how to keep them safe. After leaving my parents, I drive two hours to Diamond, the small Mississippi town where she’s from. I think about what life must have been like for them and how much they’ve been through. It pisses me off, but I need to focus on gathering information so I know what we’re dealing with here.
A couple of quick Google searches bring up her old address. It’s hard to imagine they had a whole other life here before they came to Freedom Valley. I set out on a jog not far from the house so that I can “run” by. As I turn the corner, I see the black semi-truck minus the trailer parked at the end of the street that I’m assuming is Mitch’s.
I’m debating it, but my gut says it’s a good move to try to talk to him. Evan gave me the information that I needed if I did see Mitch. He knew Mitch wouldn’t talk to me unless I could let him know I was legit. I jog by and see him out working on his pick-up out front. I stop jogging and approach him.
Mitch is a big guy, the type who could probably be intimidating to some, but he’s a good guy in my book. Knowing he helped Mellie and Kase when he didn’t have to, putting himself in jeopardy… He just did it because it was the right thing to do, simple as that.
“You Mitch?”
Mitch looks up from under the hood of his car. He eyes me warily. “Who wants to know?”
“Hey, man, I’m Ty.” I talk to him like we’re old friends in case her ex is watching from across the street.
He stands and wipes his hands on a rag from his back pocket, eyeing me.
“I’m a friend of a friend of yours, from up north. Checking in on the status of things around here,” I say, keeping eye contact with him.
“Don’t know you or what you’re talking about,” he says as he goes back to working on his truck.
“Our mutual friend told me to say, ‘Remember the time Halo ate your hat and shit on your bed?’”
Mitch breaks into laughter and turns around to face me again, this time his face relaxed. “I had to sleep on the floor for a week it stunk so bad. Halo was a bastard. I hated that old K9.”
Now that he knows I’m legit with that connecting piece of information to Evan, I feel like he might open up.
“Anyway, just out for a jog,” I say casually as I survey his tools out of habit. “Passing through. Checking in.”
“How are they?” he asks quietly, sliding a wrench out of his tool bag and leaning over the hood again.
“Good. Real good. Any updates from around here?”
“It’s quiet. He’s got a new lady now,” he says, not looking up from the truck as he speaks.
“You think he’s still looking for them?”
“Oh, Iknowhe’s still looking. I think Mellie’s a loose end for him that he wants to tie up. Word on the street is he doesn’t want her found; he wants her dead.” He now looks at me with worried eyes.
My stomach drops and my fists clench for a minute. “That’ll never happen.”
“When you see her, tell her something for me?”
“Sure.” Again, out of habit, I lean over and connect a wire to his alternator and hand him the socket to tighten it.
He looks at the wire and back at me curiously. “I’ll be damned. Been trying to figure this out for an hour.”
“It’s no problem. Raised by a mechanic.” I shrug. “What can I tell her for you?”
