Chapter 6 #2
Right. Of course. I didn’t think she’d have to go outside again, considering we spent the whole afternoon waiting around next to the lake, but I thought wrong. Groaning, I get up. I’ll totally get a bruise, right on my butt.
I pull a jacket over my pajamas and slip into my shoes. My plan is to sneak outside and leave one of the newspapers I saw in his door so I can get back in. However, when I open the door, Abby doesn’t dart toward the front door as I expect her to. No, she rushes right into the living room.
“Hey—” A dark laugh startles me.
Of course he’s still awake. For a moment, I let myself lean my forehead against the door frame.
This godforsaken day won’t cut me a break, will it?
I rush into the living room to find Erik sitting on his couch and Abby sprawled right on top of him, trying to lick his chin off. Either he’s ticklish or loves dogs more than he admits, because he’s handling her like a natural and he’s even smiling.
Smiling suits him.
“I’m so sorry.” Seriously, my girl made herself right at home on top of him. Good for her, bad impression for me.
“It’s okay.” He lifts his chin, trying to escape Abby’s tongue. “I’m just glad I passed the dog test.”
“With flying colors, apparently.” I giggle and awkwardly stay in the doorway. “I forgot to let her out one more time. Am I okay to go out, or do I have to watch out for bears?”
“If you stay within the porch lights, you’ll be alright.”
I freeze. That doesn’t sound very reassuring. “Are you sure?”
“I can come outside with you if it makes you feel safer.”
I stare at him, gnawing at my lip. “I’ve really inconvenienced you enough for one day.”
“Stop it.” He waves me off. “It’s hardly an inconvenience to get a little fresh air. Come on. Down.” He motions for Abby to get off the couch, and to my surprise, she does. She tends to be a stubborn girl when someone who’s not me tries to tell her what to do. But I get it.
That commanding voice would’ve made me get on all fours had it been directed at me.
He walks ahead and all of a sudden, Abby is on her best behavior and sticks right by my side with an expression I can only describe as smiling.
Erik leads me to rocking chairs he has on his porch and I can’t fight a grin. How very grandpa of him. I will totally steal this idea though. Meanwhile Abby sniffs around the lawn, trying to find the perfect spot to pee on.
“It’s nice out here,” I tell him and sink onto one of them, pulling my knees to my chest and giving it a tentative rock. Damn, this is fun! Without a word, he hands me a blanket. I take it with a thankful grin and tuck it around my legs. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen so many stars.”
“You’re from the city then?” He takes a seat too, sprawling his long legs out instead of rocking and stares into the dark.
“Yes.”
“How come you made that big of a change?” He glances at me. “No offense.”
“None taken.” I shrug and take a deep breath.
Then it bubbles out of me with the force of a held breath releasing once you break the water’s surface.
“I got a divorce and couldn’t stand staying in a city where I had so many hopes and dreams for my future.
” My eyes widen. That came over my lips way too easily.
Maybe because he’s a stranger. Maybe because I’m exhausted, lost my filter for the day and ran out of fucks to give.
“So I decided to take the divorce settlement money and change course.”
“Which I’m guessing you’re regretting right about now.”
“Oh no.” I shake my head, making the chair rock right along. “Not at all. Yes, the timing sucks. However, I’m something of a true crime fan, so truly this is almost more exciting than off-putting.”
I freeze. Way to sound insensitive.
“Well, I mean, it’s tragic, and I hope we find out who Svetty the Skelly is and what happened to her and bring her justice. But still, watching a forensic team in action up close?” I whistle through my teeth. “It was impressive and only a little intimidating.”
“I’m glad you’re seeing a silver lining.” His low chuckle sends goosebumps down my arms and makes the hair on my neck stand up. Or maybe it’s the cold breeze.
“I saw the board about your sister,” I blurt out, eyes widening in shock when I realize what I just admitted.
Hello? Brain-mouth-filter, can you please come back? This is the second time you’re failing me within two minutes.
“I’m sorry.” I lean my head back against the chair, close my eyes and pinch the bridge of my nose. “I know snooping is rude, but it was in the corner and I thought it might’ve been a board of all your serial killer victims. Wait.” My eyes fly open and I turn to him. “It is your sister, right?”
“Yes, the girl on the board is my sister.” He confirms with a nod, the corners of his mouth curling upwards ever so slightly. “And you really apologize too much. Has anyone ever told you that?”
“Maybe,” I admit with a shrug. Abby jumps onto the porch and trudges over. The little traitor walks right past me and puts her chin on Erik’s knee, staring up at him with needy eyes until he pets her.
“She got taken when she was five,” he explains as his fingers run through Abby’s fur. His jaw tenses and he takes a deep, controlled breath, staring at the railing of his porch.
“How?” He remains silent for a while, staring into nothingness, a muscle in his jaw twitching.
“I’m sorry.” A part of me wants to reach out, take his hand and give it a reassuring squeeze another part of me doesn’t want to make things more awkward and I’m not sure how receptive he would be to it. “You don’t need to answer that.”
“No, it’s fine.” He shakes his head. “It’s a long story. My mom got jailed because she bribed a politician.”
Slowly, I turn my head to him. What? Did I hear him right?
“She used to be the CEO of an architecture firm and, thanks to bribery, received a bunch of shady government payouts and permits.” His hard stare is fixed on Abby, who is absolutely smitten with him.
Her eyes are closed. I hope running his fingers through her fur is as helpful for him as it is for me when I’m upset.
“Which left my dad all on his own to care and provide for my sister and me. One night he had a little too much to drink and decided robbing a bank would resolve all of our money problems.” His eyes dart to me.
My breath hitches when I see the flickering emotion in them, only for the fraction of a second before he buries it again.
“I’m sure you can guess how his plan went. ”
A humorless chuckle escapes him. The kind so heartbreaking it makes you want to hug a stranger.
“Desperate times, desperate measures and all that.” He shrugs again. “Lilith and I got put into foster care. I’ve been told they separated us right from the beginning. Three days later, my aunt Molly came to get custody of us. But by that time, Lilith was… gone.”
“What the hell?” My jaw drops. “They lost your sister in the foster care system? How is that even possible?”
“It shouldn’t be. Trust me, the older I got, the more messed up details I learned about the system and what happened to us. My aunt raised hell on everyone involved, but still, Lilith stayed gone. We still have no idea where she is.”
“I’m so sorry, Erik. That’s horrible.” As if she senses what’s happening, Abby puts her paws on his knee and licks the side of his face.
“Thank you.” He clears his throat and I’m not sure whether he’s talking to my dog or me. “I’m still searching for her. Hence the board. Now that’s enough, Abby.” He pushes her off him gently.
“Is that why you became a cop?”
“It’s one of the reasons.” He gets up with a groan, and stretches his back. I hide a big yawn behind my hand and pretend not to stare.
“As lovely as this has been it’s about time I head to bed.” I blush. He finds our conversation ‘lovely?’ “You should catch some sleep too, Kylie. You’ve had an eventful day.”
“That sounds like a good plan.” I pull the blanket off me, get up and follow him inside, Abby right behind me. “Goodnight, Erik.”
“Sweet dreams, Kylie.”
As soon as the door clicks shut behind Abby and me, I lean my back against it and slowly slide down to the ground.
There is no way my dreams will be ‘sweet’ after the day I’ve had and that revelation.
Knowing my brain, they’ll either be of skeletons doing a Riverdance, or a little kidnapped girl chasing me along the lake shore.