Chapter 12 #4
“Here.” She leaned over him, grasping the belt and clipping it in place.
She smelled so good was all he could think.
Her glossy dark hair brushed against his face when she leaned over him.
He couldn’t quite place the fragrance, but it held a hint of familiarity; something about it tugged at him.
It was something dark and earthy with a smoky undertone, and when she glanced up at him from under thick, dark lashes it made him think of fire and flame and ash.
Maybe he was going to Hell.
She turned the key and fired the engine. He jolted in shock, tensing as he gripped the edges of his seat.
“It’s okay.” She glanced over at him to take in his widened eyes and the tense set of his jaw. “It’s just the engine, it does growl a bit but then, it’s an old car.”
“What is it?”
“The engine? It’s, well… it’s a machine.”
“A machine?” he repeated.
“Yes, in there.” She pointed through the windshield to the hood of the car. “It’s what makes the car move without horses to pull it.”
“A machine?” he murmured as he reached out with a tentative hand and placed it on the dash curiously. “Truly? May I see?”
“I guess I could–” She glanced across the parking lot and tensed. “Damn it,” she muttered under her breath.
Theo followed her gaze to find a man propped against a fence, watching her intently.
“Who is he?” Theo frowned.
“Chief Walcott of the Mercy Police Department.” Olivia leaned back in her seat, her gaze hardening.
“I don’t like the way he’s looking at you.” Theo’s voice was low and disapproving.
“That makes two of us.” Olivia sighed.
Theo turned and pressed his face to the window, watching in fascination as they drove away.
“What is a chief of police?” Theo asked and turned to face Olivia.
“Uh…” Olivia wrinkled her nose in thought. “He’s kind of the modern-day equivalent of your watchmen, except they’re called police now. It’s their job to keep the peace and uphold our laws. Walcott’s job to make sure the people of the town are safe and that anyone who breaks the law is punished.”
“I see.” Theo mused.
The car slowed down, and Olivia pulled up and parked. “Come on, we’re here.” As they got out of the car, she popped the trunk and lifted out a stack of books. Indicating for Theo to follow, they crossed the sidewalk toward a small apartment complex.
Entering the building, they’d no sooner climbed the first flight of stairs when a door on the first floor swung open, and a tall, well-built young man with dark blond hair stood in the doorway. His eyes held the same wariness as Olivia’s, and his mouth was set in a thin, guarded line
Jake’s hawk-like gaze flicked over Olivia before settling on the tall, dark-haired guy beside her, wearing pajamas and clutching a sketchbook as if someone was going to steal it.
Jake scrutinized Theo thoroughly, his eyes narrowing with suspicion before he finally stepped aside and allowed them to pass through the door. His eyes gave one final scan of the outside before he shut the door behind him and turned to face them both.
“Jake, this is Theo. Theo, Jake.” Olivia waved her hand as she introduced them.
The two men nodded, sizing each other up. After a moment of silence, he stood aside and motioned for Theo to enter.
“The living room is through there.”
Theo glanced back at Olivia who gave a small nod. He turned and moved into the room, but when Olivia moved to follow, Jake caught her by the elbow and held her back.
“A word, if you don’t mind, Olive,” he said quietly.
“You look like you’re mad at me.”
“I’m not. I told you over the phone earlier I’d help you, but are you absolutely sure the guy is who he says he is?”
She nodded. “Yes, I am.”
“Shit,” he swore. “That’s a hell of a head fuck. He’s really been pulled through time?”
“Unfortunately.”
“Look, Olive, I’m really not sure this is a good idea with everything else that’s going on. You should’ve left him at Riverside, at least until we know more about him.”
“I know what I’m doing, Jake,” she insisted.
“I don’t think you do.” He shook his head. “Look at where he’s from, when he’s from. Have you even considered what’s going to happen when he finds out what you are?”
“I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.” She sighed. “Look, I’m sorry I dragged you into this, but there isn’t anyone else I can trust. I can’t take him home with me for obvious reasons, but I also couldn’t leave him at Riverside.”
“Why? It’s probably the safest place to stash him until we know what’s going on.”
“Jake.” She shook her head. “It’s hard to explain.”
“Try.”
“I owe him,” she whispered.
“What could you possible owe him? You don’t even know the guy.”
“Jake.” Olivia tried to find the words. “He saved Hester. He didn’t have to, but he saved Hester and her sister, Bridget. If it hadn’t been for him, I would never have been born.”
“What?” His forehead creased.
“Look, I’m not an idiot. I don’t trust him, and like you said, I don’t know him, but there’s more to him than meets the eye, and I need to find out what that is and what it means.
After everything that’s happened around here recently, and now he’s suddenly appeared? It’s got to be connected somehow.”
“Fine,” he conceded. “At least you had the sense to bring him here where at least I can keep an eye on him.”
“Thank you.”
“There are some other things you should know though.”
“What?”
“The chief is keeping me out of the loop as much as possible, but from what I’ve been able to find out, he has you under surveillance.”
“I figured as much.” She rolled her eyes. “He’s not exactly being subtle about it. There’s not much I can do about that except wait for them to get bored.”
“It’s more than that, though. He’s having the woods by your house searched.”
“Have they found Brody yet?” She chewed her lip in worry.
“No.” Jake shook his head. “And given how long he’s been missing, it doesn’t look good. After what happened to Adam, they are concentrating on the area where his body was found.”
Olivia fell silent, her eyes troubled.
“What?” Jake asked. “What is it, Olive? What are you not telling me?”
She hesitated. “There’s something in the woods.”
“What do you mean... something?”
“I’m not sure yet.” She shook her head. “Jake, I’ve never been afraid of the woods. I played there countless times as a kid.”
“I know.” He ran his thumb over his lip thoughtfully. “We all did.”
“But, it’s different now,” she breathed out.
“Different how?”
“I can’t explain it, but I can feel a presence, an awareness, and it almost feels like…” Her voice trailed off.
“Like what?”
When she turned to look at him, her eyes were dark, and her voice carried with it a hint of warning. “Like it’s waking up.”