Chapter 2
EVERLY
As I stared out into the horizon, the wind began whipping around me.
Kicking up my hair around my shoulders and laying it off to the side.
My hair was getting long. It was almost halfway down my back.
I put on my sunglasses to shield my eyes from the dirt being kicked up as I rocked slowly on the porch swing in my backyard.
Our backyard, really.
“Sis? You home?”
I groaned as Rex’s voice came fluttering out onto the porch.
“What?” I asked.
“Where the fuck’s dinner?” Rex asked.
“In the fridge waiting to be cooked by an able-bodied man,” I said.
“I’ve been working all day. Why the hell didn’t you cook dinner?”
“Because I’ve been working all day, too, asshole.”
“Come on. This was your night to cook.”
“I can order us some pizza. Or Chinese.”
“Damn it, Everly. You always fucking order out on your night to cook. Why can’t you make me that damn stew you’re so good at making? Or that roast? Fuck me, I’d eat that roast any time of day,” he said.
“Sorry. Long day.”
“Wanna talk about it?”
“Not with you, no.”
“Fine. Asshole. I’m good with pizza, then. Loads of vegetables but-”
“None of those black olives. Got it,” I said.
“At least you remember something,” he said underneath his breath.
I sighed as the sliding door to the porch closed behind him.
My brother really was the laziest asshole alive.
My night to cook? I’d cooked the past two nights because of his lazy ass.
And he wanted to hold me to the schedule since it was actually my night to cook?
Hell no. I was ordering our asses some pizza and I was going to eat it while I watched the sun set over the horizon.
It was the only thing about my day I enjoyed anymore.
I’d had a long day at work. I was a newly-appointed General Manager for the grocery store in town.
I’d been working there ever since I could legally work and made sure I positioned myself to run that damn place someday.
So much shit needed to be changed about how that place was run and I wanted to make sure it happened.
Mostly because I knew I could, and partially because the workers there deserved better.
Like Miss Betty in produce who injured her arm and was still forced to work if she wanted her worker’s compensation to go through.
Or Mr. Rodney in the back who would work until he was eighty because his 401(k) was ‘mysteriously’ absorbed somehow in the transfer of ownership of the entire fucking grocery chain.
They deserved better, and I set out to do better by them. Mostly because they were my friends, but partially because they were family, too.
I’d grown up with Mr. Rodney and Miss Betty’s advice.
My parents were constantly drunk and high off their asses when I was growing up.
I’d have to cash my paychecks and go straight to the bank to pay shit before I could go home.
Because once I came home with any cash my parents would find a way to take it from me.
It was like they could smell the damn green walking into the house. They had their noses trained for it.
I dropped out of high school and took a full-time cashier’s position when I was fifteen.
Had my parents sign off on some bullshit when they were drunk off their asses so I could start providing the money our family needed.
We were halfway to eviction and rarely had food in the fridge to eat.
And the only way I knew how to provide was to drop school, work full-time, and bide my time until I was eighteen and could enroll in some fucking statewide services for help.
That was how I became such a good cook.
I was forced to use whatever I could buy on twelve dollars a week for years.
Our parents were eventually arrested and the house defaulted to us.
And thank fuck the place didn’t cost much.
It was small, but it was ours. I went back to school when I was eighteen and promoted to get my GED, but Rex didn’t even make it out of high school.
Dropped out and started doing stupid shit around town.
Running with the wrong crowd. Getting himself into trouble.
I got more calls from the police department on him than I did my own fucking boss asking me to cover hours.
Which I always did.
More hours meant overtime, which meant more money in our damn bank account.
I didn’t know where my parents were and I didn’t give a shit. I had my own job with my own health benefits and my own fucking life. Even if I was stuck living with my brother.
But now, every time Rex walked into the house, I was reminded of what I’d done a few days ago. Who I’d gone and talked to and what I had witnessed that night and how petrified I was that Rex would find out.
I pulled out my phone to order the pizza before a loud crash was heard.
“What the fuck!?”
I whipped my head around at Rex’s voice.
There was panic in it. Loud, unadulterated panic.
I stood from the porch swing and began to walk inside, the sliding glass door swinging open.
I watched the scene unfold in front of my eyes and I began to panic.
Police officers pouring through the front door with their guns trained on my brother.
People were shouting and things were falling off the walls.
The door was hanging haphazardly on its hinges as my jaw dropped to the floor.
I could see two officers wrestling my brother to the ground.
“Who are you?”
I looked up and saw a gun trained at my face as I rose my hands.
“Get that damn barrel out of my sister’s face!” Rex said.
“You’re his sister?” the police officer asked.
I rose my hands in the air, but I was too terrified to say anything.
“What the fuck am I being arrested for?” Rex asked.
“Reginald Ferguson, you’re under arrest,” the police officer said.
“My name’s Rex,” my brother said with a growl.
“What is my brother being arrested for?” I asked.
I knew why they were here. Monroe told me that this would likely happen when they submitted my testimony in court. I knew exactly why they were hauling him off. But if I asked the question and made it look like I was concerned and out of the loop, then he wouldn't suspect me.
Right?
“Rex,” the officer said as he yanked him off the floor, “you’re under arrest for the murder of Andrew Shepard. Also known as Blaze.”
My eyes drifted back to Rex as his eyes widened. I watched him turn his head to me as his eyes began to narrow to slits. Oh, shit. This wasn't good. I knew that look, and it was never fucking good.
“You did this,” he said.
“What?” I asked.
“You did this!”
“Get him out of there,” the officer said.
“Rex, I don’t-”
“You fucking did this! Who the hell did you tell, Everly? Who the fuck did you tell!?”
I felt my legs trembling as the police officers hauled him out of our home.
He was screaming all the way down the driveway.
Holy shit, was I that easy to read? What was going to happen to me now?
Rex wouldn't come after me-- his own sister.
I raised him. Took care of him. Fed him when he needed to be fed.
The police officers drained out of my home as I walked to the front door, kicking the mangled piece of wood with my foot.
I’d have to replace it. I wouldn’t be able to repair it.
“Did you tell them about Paco?” Rex asked. “Huh? Did you know about that, too!?”
Paco? Who the hell was Paco?
“I’m coming for you!” Rex exclaimed. “Watch your back, sis!”
Tears rose to my eyes as I watched them haul my brother off.
My heart was slamming against my chest. I looked down at the mangled piece of wood that used to be my front door.
I couldn't stay here for the night. Hell, I probably couldn’t stay here at all.
Every single person in Rex’s club knew where we lived, which meant I couldn’t stay here.
I should have gone into witness protection like they suggested.
I had to get in contact with Knox.
I rushed down the hallway and pulled my duffel bag out of the closet.
I began cramming it full of everything I needed.
Shorts. Pants. Shirts. Blouses. Work shirts and socks and underwear and shoes.
I jammed my toiletries into a bag and shoved it all in, then grabbed a few things from my room.
A bit of makeup, some jewelry, and a picture.
Of the only time our family was together, sober, and smiling.
I looked around my childhood room, taking it all in one last time. I had no idea what was going to happen, but I knew I couldn’t stick around. I grabbed my purse and my phone and fumbled with my keys, then ripped my charger cord out of the wall so I could take it with me.
Then I rushed to my car and popped the trunk.
I stuffed everything into the back of my compact car. It wasn’t much, but it was good on gas and had been a reliable source of transportation. I shoved myself behind the wheel of the car and cranked it up, then began riding off into the sunset.
Only it wasn’t the happy ending I was expecting.
When Monroe told me that by testifying that Rex killed Blaze, it would help keep the feds out of Redding.
I figured the police would take him quietly and everything would be okay.
I would testify, be kept safe, and Rex wouldn’t know what hit him until I took the stand.
I could be rid of his bullshit and everyone else’s bullshit forever.
I could live my life and live in my little house and be proud of what I had.
Now, all I had was my car and what I could shove into my bag earlier.
I followed my memory as best as I could. I drove out into the woods before taking one of the dirt offshoots. I got turned around three or four fucking times before I saw the lodge in the distance.
It was the only place I could think of to go.
Dust was kicking up behind my car as I parked. I tucked my keys in my pants and started running for the front door. It didn’t look like anyone was here except for one lone bike out front. I didn’t know whose it was and I didn’t even know if they were here, but I had to try.
And if no one was here, then I would sit on their damn porch until someone showed up.
I knocked steadily on the door, but I didn’t hear anyone answer. I leaned my forehead against the door, sighing to try and calm my nerves. My hands were shaking and my eyes were watering.
They had to know.
All of them did.
“Hello? Knox? Are you there?” I asked.
But still, I was met with silence.
I pulled my phone out of my pocket to try and call Monroe, but I couldn’t get a signal.
Not one that would be strong enough to get a call out to anyone.
I cursed to myself and shoved the phone back into my pocket as the sun slowly began to set beyond the horizon.
It was getting chilly outside and I was beginning to shiver.
I knew someone was here. Maybe they didn’t hear me knock.
I fluttered my knuckles against the door, quicker and at a more rapid pace. I crossed my arms and rocked on my feet, trying to warm myself up. What the fuck? I knew someone was there. I could see the bike in the parking lot and if I wasn’t going completely insane, I could smell food.
Really good food, actually.
“Knox? Anyone? There’s a bike out. Please. I need to talk.”
I leaned my head against the door again and drew in a shaky breath. Shit. I was going to have to wait in my car for someone to come by. I turned my back towards the door and started down the steps, my entire body shivering as the temperature in the woods began to plummet.
Then, I heard it.
I heard the front door open.
I whipped around expecting to find Knox, but that wasn’t who I found. Instead, I found the massive slab of a man who had been flirting with me when I’d showed up a few days ago. Grave. Or something like that.
And I couldn't take my eyes off him.
He was standing in the doorway. So big he almost had to duck to keep from hitting his head on the top of it.
He was wearing a black t-shirt that clung to every ripple of his body.
The swell of his chest. The chiseled divots of his abs.
His arms were threatening to rip the fucking sleeves of the shirt into tattered shreds.
His biceps were throbbing and his piercing gray stare was hooked onto mine.
I felt overwhelmed by his presence.
“Everly? What are you doing here?”
His voice. I could never forget that voice. Like hot caramel dripping off a frozen slab of vanilla ice cream.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
He stepped onto the porch, his eyes looking me up and down as I stood on the steps.
“Rex has been arrested,” I said breathlessly. “And I think he knows I was the one that talked.”