Chapter 12 #2
After two months of looking for her, God only knew how angry Briggs was by now. Given the fact he hadn’t given up the hunt and had possibly broken a law to find her, she suspected his rage was probably burning out of control.
Theo grinned widely at her response. “I was hoping you’d agree to that one. Edith isn’t the type to step aside if someone she loves is in danger.”
Gretchen blinked a few times, hating that she was on the verge of crying again. Not because she was sad but because Theo’s happiness at her agreement, paired with his assertion that Edith loved her, was too amazing.
Theo rose. “Let’s go to Edith’s, tell her the plan, and pack you a bag. Then, with your permission, I’d like to invite my entire family over for dinner to let them know what’s going on. I like the idea of having an army at your back.”
Gretchen laughed, even as a tear slid down her cheek. “I like the idea of that too.”
An hour later, Gretchen made her way downstairs in the Millholland House, after packing a bag and saying goodbye to her beautiful room at Edith’s. She knew it wasn’t forever, but she was still sad to leave the first home where she’d felt welcomed, warm, and safe.
She’d reached the bottom of the stairs when there was a knock on the door.
Edith and Theo emerged from the living room, both looking as alarmed as she felt.
She drew in a deep breath, steadying herself in case this was it, as Edith went to open the door.
Theo, meanwhile, had crossed the foyer to stand partly next to but mostly in front of her.
When she saw Sheriff Anderson standing at the door, her heart started to race.
She’d tried to warm up to the man, since making an ass of herself by running to hide in her bedroom the night of her welcome dinner.
She and Theo—well, Theo—had chatted with him at the Fall Harvest Festival fair, and then again that same night, at the dance.
Gretchen hadn’t contributed much to the conversations, but at least she’d been able to stand her ground.
She had even served him last night at Sam’s victory party, though she’d done little more than take his order, then deliver his beer and pizza.
When the sheriff’s gaze traveled to her, her stomach clenched.
“Edith,” the sheriff said, turning his attention back to the older woman. “Can I come in?”
Edith stepped aside—but uncharacteristically, she didn’t invite him to sit in the living room. She had noticed the sheriff’s interest in Gretchen as well. “What’s this unexpected visit about, Jacob?”
Sheriff Anderson took off his hat and raked fingers through his thinning hair. “Got a call this morning from a police officer in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He was asking me about a Gretchen Parker,” the sheriff said, looking straight at Gretchen. “Your last name is Banks, right?”
Gretchen nodded, her throat closing.
“As I recall, you’re from Harrisburg.”
“I am,” she replied, her voice too weak to hide her unease.
“What did he want?” Theo asked.
While Sheriff Anderson was answering Theo, his gaze was locked on her. “Said he was looking for a mentally unstable woman who’d gone missing a couple months ago. Mentioned she’d gone off her meds and her family was worried about her.”
“Bullshit!” Theo cursed. “What was the cop’s name?”
Sheriff Anderson pulled a small notebook from his back pocket, flipping through the pages before responding. “Briggs Howard.”
“He’s her ex,” Theo said. “And an abusive prick.”
Sheriff Anderson’s eyes narrowed slightly. “He’s not a cop?”
“He is.” Gretchen forced herself to enter the conversation. This was her fight, not Theo’s. Jesus. If she couldn’t stand up to a sixty-year-old sheriff, what chance did she have against Briggs? “We were together for six years. He… He wasn’t a nice guy.”
“Is he dangerous?”
“Only to me,” Gretchen replied, hoping that remained to be true. She’d die if anything bad happened to Edith, Manny, or the Storms because of her.
The sheriff shoved his notebook back in his pocket. “So your family isn’t looking for you?”
Gretchen shook her head. “I’m estranged from my mother and stepfather. My brother is stationed overseas with the Navy SEALs. I’m pretty sure he doesn’t know I’m not still living in Harrisburg.”
Sheriff Anderson nodded. “And the medication? The mental instability.”
Gretchen stepped out from behind Theo, tired of hovering in the background of her own life.
“I tried to leave him several times,” she said to the sheriff.
“Once, after a particularly bad beating, I stole money from his wallet after he fell asleep—because he never let me carry cash—and got a cab to the bus station. I didn’t bother with luggage or even a coat, too afraid he’d wake up and catch me.
“I was standing in line to buy a ticket when a siren sounded right outside the station. I turned around to see Briggs dressed in his police uniform, striding over to me. I tried to run, but two guys stepped in front of me, stopped me from escaping. Briggs loudly assured the handful of people in the station that they weren’t in danger, that I was only a danger to myself.
I realized that I probably looked that way, standing there in disheveled clothing, bruised face and arms, my hair a mess, no coat, crying.
Briggs handcuffed me and read me my rights, while I kept begging someone to call 9-1-1, shouting that I wasn’t crazy. ”
Edith stepped closer to her, reaching out to take her hand, as Theo claimed her opposite side, his arm wrapped around her waist.
“Do you know the most surefire way to sound crazy, Sheriff Anderson?” Gretchen asked.
The sheriff shook his head.
“Tell people you aren’t crazy. Briggs put me in the back of the squad car, drove me home, and beat me so badly, I couldn’t get out of bed for two days. I had to crawl to the bathroom, unable to walk.”
Sheriff Anderson frowned, his bushy brows furrowed in anger over her story.
“You didn’t tell that man she was here, did you, Jacob?” Edith asked.
“No,” the sheriff said. “I told him I’d look into it. Now that I have, I’m going to call him back and tell him there’s no Gretchen Parker in Gracemont. Because there isn’t.”
Gretchen stepped forward, reaching out to take the sheriff’s hand. “Thank you, Sheriff.”
Sheriff Anderson shook it, then offered her one short nod. “If Briggs Howard shows up here, I want you to call me immediately. He’s not laying a goddamn finger on you in my town.”
“I will,” she whispered, overwhelmed by his support.
The sheriff said goodbye, while she, Edith, and Theo talked a little bit longer.
Gretchen, who was becoming a regular crybaby, teared up when Edith gave her one of those nice, tight hugs and made her promise to come back home soon.
Theo took her bag in one hand, wrapping his other arm around her shoulders as they walked to his truck.
“You okay?” he asked when they pulled out of the driveway.
“Yes,” she said, realizing that despite all the crap going on, she really was.
Because she was no longer alone.
Gretchen had finished lighting the candle in the center of the table when Theo entered their cabin. A week had passed since the two of them had essentially moved in together. True to his word, Theo gave her the bigger bedroom, moving into the one on the opposite side of the great room.
With each passing night, the separate bedrooms felt more like a punishment than a good idea. Probably because after dinner, they plopped down together on the couch, watched TV, and made out like the plane was going down.
“What’s this?” Theo closed the front door behind him.
The main area of the cabin consisted of one large living space that contained the kitchen with a small dining table, both separated from the living room by an island.
Off each side of the living room were the doors to their private bedrooms and bathrooms.
“You’ve been feeding me all week,” Gretchen said. “Tonight, I wanted to make a special dinner for you.”
Theo came over, taking his seat at the table, his eyes growing wide at the meal she’d prepared each of them.
Gretchen had been delighted to finally be able to put some of Edith’s cooking lessons to good use.
Tonight, she’d prepared chicken cordon bleu, twice-baked potatoes, and fresh green beans sauteed in garlic and butter.
“Holy shit, this smells fantastic.”
She smiled at his compliment, joining him at the table.
“But I’m not sure I can claim the credit for feeding you all week, kitten, considering we ate at least three of those meals with my brothers and they did the cooking.”
“Semantics,” she said, waving her hand. “I wanted to find a way to tell you how much I appreciate everything you’ve done for me. And not just this week, when you uprooted your life to keep me safe here. But for everything that came before, too. The job. The driving lessons. All the fun nights out.”
She stood briefly, pouring them both a glass of Chardonnay before resuming her seat. Theo lifted his glass to tap against hers.
“You look beautiful tonight.”
Gretchen laughed. “You say that every night.”
Theo shrugged. “Because it’s always true.”
They ate together, the conversation flowing easily as they spent a few minutes discussing work and the weather and a bunch of other subjects, like Remi’s obsessive love for the donkey they’d purchased for the event barn, and what Gretchen could expect from a Thanksgiving dinner with Theo’s family.
He’d invited her, Edith, and Manny to join them this year, insisting there was plenty of room for everyone.
Apparently, Kasi’s dad and brother were also new participants.
For the first time in her life, Gretchen was looking forward to the holiday season.
In the past, it’d been the worst part of her year, as she was painfully aware her holidays were never as festive and bright as those of the other kids in her class.