Page 28 of Don't Speak
“Hello?” I answer excitedly.
“Hello, is this Nikki Williams?”
“Yes, it is. Can I ask who is calling?”
“Hi, Nikki. I’m Dr. Harrison from Cimarron Creek Hospital in Cimarron, Texas. I have your mother here.”
“My mother?” I question. Cimarron is the city I grew up in, but I thought she left after I did. I didn’t expect her to go back.
“Yes. Dana Williams is your mother, right? You were listed as an emergency contact,” she tells me.
“Yes. Dana is my mother. What happened to her?”
“Well, it seems as though your mother was intoxicated and was in an accident. She’s alive, but she’s in critical condition. She doesn't seem to have anyone else here, so I wanted to call and inform you in case you wanted to come and see her,” she tells me.
“Is she going to survive?” I ask almost coldly.
“We do expect her to make a full recovery,” Dr. Harrison responds.
“Thanks for the call, Doctor. But I won’t be visiting. I haven’t had a relationship with my mother in years, and I don’t expect that to start now. When she wakes up, she can figure out her next steps from there,” I tell her and swiftly hang up the phone.
I set my phone on the table and immediately burst into tears.
The thing about boundaries is that they still have a tendency to hurt when you have to enforce them. Part of me still loves her deep down. That unhealed child in me will always cry for a mother she never had. I don’t like knowing she almost died, but I also can’t forget everything that has happened and rush to her side. I can never face her again.
I don’t think I’ll ever heal from this. I don’t think there will be a day when I’ll not be sad thinking about my mother, thinking about what was robbed from me. I will always battle with loving her and hating her.
This will always hurt. But I can’t help but think that maybe Dean will choose me. That maybe I am worthy of love from him. That maybe he will show me what it is like to be put first.
And for the first time in a while, that thought gives me a little bit of hope.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
I hated leaving Nikki this morning. She looked so peaceful lying there, her chest rising and falling slowly, her lips slightly parted with the cutest little snores escaping her. I just wanted to stay and curl up with her. She didn’t show any signs of having a nightmare, and I’d like to think I am the reason.
I, on the other hand, hardly slept. It was off and on, but the vision of Ben leaving the photograph on Nikki’s doorstep haunted my mind, making it impossible to stay asleep for any solid period of time. I decided to handle it this morning, not giving him another chance to snap and leave another photograph.
Which is how I ended up parked in front of Ben’s house across the street. I’ve been sitting here for about 2 hours, waiting for him to leave. David sent me a file on him, but he seems rather clean. He has no record, only one marriage to his current wife, and has one child. He has been a manager at The Bunker Bar for 9 years and was previously employed at a grocery store. He has no debt and has lived in this city his entire life. He lives a pretty dull life. Well, it's almost boring.
After David did some more digging, he found bank records for Ben’s accounts. Every month, on the day The Bunker is closed, Ben has been making the same deposit. It’s small and probably unnoticeable to most people, but he deposits $500 on the same day every month. My theory? I think Ben makes a pit stop at The Bunker and skims $500 from the office safe.
Just as I’m finished looking over his file, there’s movement at the front door. Ben exits, turning around to give his wife a kiss, and makes his way to his car. Once he’s pulled out of the driveway and on the move, I put my truck in drive, wait five seconds, and follow him.
He’s driving over the speed limit, seemingly in a rush to get somewhere. I maintain a proper distance, ensuring that no suspicion is raised. We made our way through town and are currently headed out toward the next city. The road is long, quiet, and lined with trees. There shouldn’t be anyone for miles out here, but just as I think that, Ben pulls off the road and onto a dirt path nestled between the trees. He disappears, and I keep going just a bit further, not wanting to draw attention. I find another spot with an opening and pull off, driving my truck between some trees. From the main road, you can’t see me back here. I shut the truck off and get out, grabbing my pair of binoculars from the back of my seat and walking through the forest toward the direction of Ben’s car.
So far, it’s nothing but trees, but slowly, Ben’s car comes into view, which is parked in front of a cabin. I remain out of sight, nestled further back in the trees, and bring the binoculars to my face. From here, I can see the cabin’s front porch, and Ben is standing outside the door, seemingly waiting for someone to open it.
What I don’t expect to see iswhoanswers the door.Gotcha, motherfucker.
James stands before Ben, taking a manila envelope from him before Ben enters the cabin. Well, I guess I’ve found where James has been hiding this whole time.
Now that I’ve found the where and the who, I head back to my truck, vowing to return when it’s dark outside to investigate a bit more. I fire up my truck and pull out, heading to the only other place I know Ben will go after this.
The Bunker.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
I’m standing off in the corner, nestled in the darkness, when I hear the employee exit being unlocked. Ben walks in, locks the bolt back in place, and heads into his office. Right on time.
