12. Romy
12
romy
“ W hat do you think we’re looking for?” Jude asked me. He tied Bronte up outside the stall and was brushing him.
“I’m not sure,” I replied, shoveling out the hay.
Perhaps there was a loose board somewhere.
The anger was slowly dissipating with each scoop of the shovel, allowing me to let off some steam. I didn’t want to say too much, knowing Lina was on the other side of the stable taking care of her horse and tack.
In the far corner, the shovel caught on a board that was slightly raised. I set the shovel against the wall and crouched down to take a better look at the board. It was a shorter board, cut to fit into the corner, and it looked like it was missing its fastenings.
“Did you find something?” Jude entered the stall and hunkered down beside me.
I wedged my fingers between the boards, and it lifted with ease.
“Shit!”
A shoebox lay in the shadows beneath the floor.
“Holy fuck!” Jude said in a loud whisper, close enough I could feel his breath on my cheek.
I hoisted up the shoebox and lifted the lid.
Wads of money wrapped in rubber bands were stuffed in there, as well as a cell phone and a piece of yellow-lined paper that looked as though it had been ripped from a notepad.
My hands shook.
“What the fuck?” I whispered, searching for confirmation from Jude.
His eyes were wide.
I unfolded the paper, scrutinizing Hazel’s blocky letters. She used to dot her eyes with hearts, but not anymore.
If you find this, I’m either already dead or I’ve disappeared. I believe in karma, and Jesse will get his
believe in karma, and Jesse will get his, if he hasn’t already.
Tell Dad and Romy, I did what I had to do, and I love them.
I couldn’t speak. My mouth went dry, my stomach went sour. I handed the note over to Jude to read for himself.
“Damn. She did it,” Jude said.
Yeah, but it still didn’t sit right with me. Did she snap? I couldn’t imagine the sister I knew and loved doing something to this extreme, even if she felt there was no other choice. This was evidence of premeditation. Was she planning to get rid of Jesse before taking off? Did she think Jesse was going to kill her? Was she suicidal? I couldn’t wrap my head around any of it.
“What do I do, Jude? Do I give this note to her lawyer? Do you think it would help her case?”
“I don’t know. This is evidence. Maybe it would prove that she needed help and was running out of options. It may be advantageous.”
“Or it might not. I think premeditated murder is far worse. Maybe it was self-defense? Maybe Jesse was abusive?”
I thought discovering this box would answer my questions, but instead, all it did was create more.
I dropped on my ass, putting my head between my knees. Exhaustion and emotional fatigue dumped on me like a load of dirt and gravel.
Jude returned the note and box to Hazel’s hiding place. The air shifted as he sat down beside me, his arm wrapping around my shoulders.
I leaned into him, welcoming his strength and warmth. Inhaling what I was now recognizing as the fragrance of home —Jude’s scent of fresh soap and spearmint and the stable’s smell of horse and hay. It was comfort and it was peace.
And all I wanted was to sit here and feel both until I could find the motivation to return to my feet.
Lina walked over to us while we returned Bronte to a clean stall and a bag of oats.
“How are you holding up?” she asked, giving me a sympathetic smile.
I’m sure it was painted all over my face. I was barely holding on. I shrugged. “Hanging in there.”
“This is so fucking surreal,” Lina said, shaking her head. “Definitely not on my bingo card. Especially with Hazel. I feel as though we’re all living in an episode of Law and Order .”
“Tell me about it.”
“You know what we need?” Lina smiled, looping her arm around mine and exchanging glances with Jude and me. “We need a bonfire night.”
“I don’t know, Lina. Romy heads back tomorrow, and from what I hear, your bonfires can get kind of wild,” Jude said, closing Bronte’s stall.
“Your last night?” she proclaimed. “Well then, all the more reason to do it! We’ll invite some friends, and I’ll bring the booze. We’ll make a real shindig of it.” Her eyes sparkled.
“You already invited people over, didn’t you?” Jude gave his baby cousin a knowing smirk.
“Well, sure. I told Kale Pardy that when I was back in town, he and his sister had to come out to the ranch. We had nights out while we were on the circuit, but I told him it was nothing compared to bonfires at Thornbrush.”
“Did you ask Uncle Chuck?” Jude questioned.
“Fuck no! What, do you think I’m a child? He’ll be fine. Shit, he’ll probably want to send us with a truckload of food anyway,” Lina brushed off.
A drink, or two or three, did sound good. Anything to get my mind off this shitstorm.