Chapter 27 Trapped In Your Head
TRAPPED IN YOUR HEAD
Ford looked up at the knock on his open office door.
He’d driven home faster than he’d ever done in his life if he wasn’t racing to a call.
He wasn’t one to take advantage of his position and break the speed limit that much. He was in a sheriff’s SUV, no one would stop him, but he didn’t make a habit of going as fast as he had.
He’d called Gale, filled her in on everything he could. His sister said she’d talk to Reenie at some point, but there didn’t appear to be any legal issues to deal with.
“Come in.”
“I didn’t know it was your girlfriend,” Patrick Dugen said. “She should have told me.”
Yep, she should have. He’d have to find out why that hadn’t happened before she handed over her license.
“It is what it is,” he said. “You were doing your job. She’s not in trouble with the law.”
“She said that she had a nasty breakup and left.”
“That’s right,” he said. “She did. She doesn’t owe anyone an explanation. Between us, you pulled her over, confirmed it was her and she was safe and sound, then let her go. End of story. You didn’t hear where she lived or where she worked.”
“Shit,” Patrick said. “Could someone come after her?”
His lips were tight. “Come in and shut the door.” He didn’t want to get too in depth with things that might not come about, but he wouldn’t hide anything either.
“She’s in trouble, isn’t she?” Patrick asked.
“No. Not legally. I won’t get into her past. I took care of her case file so she’s not listed as missing anymore. As far as anyone knows, she was passing through and was stopped.”
“That’s all it is,” Patrick said, nodding.
“Good.”
Patrick left after. Ford finished up a few more things, then locked his office and drove home to shower and change. It was after eight, but he’d told Reenie he’d come see her.
He pulled in front of her cabin, saw the lights on and the curtain move, then the door open.
She came running out the front door into his arms.
How he dreamed of this greeting for decades.
“Hey,” he said, kissing her quickly, then smoothing her hair. “It’s okay. The good news is, you’re no longer missing. It’s taken care of.”
“How?”
“I reported that you were fine. It’s not mandatory for you to give an official statement. You told Deputy Dugen that you left on your own, you were of sound mind and body and alone. That’s all. It will just close the case so that no one is spending energy on it.”
It was best to tell her this, not that if Oliver did have connections in the Gainesville PD that he might find out sooner rather than later where Reenie was.
“That’s it, nothing more?”
“Do you know how many people are reported missing who only went out of town without telling anyone? It happens all the time. On that end, it’s good.
Oliver had been questioned by an Officer Stiles, who took the statement, went to his house and looked around, found no evidence of a crime and that’s it. ”
Clay had already talked to Grady to get more boots on the ground and find out if anything had changed.
“Really?”
“Trust me,” he said. “I know it’s hard, but you have to. Why didn’t you tell him you were my girlfriend when he pulled you over?”
“I don’t know who I can say things to,” she said. “I really don’t. Some officers get pissed if you do that.”
A simple infraction like this wouldn’t have caused much of a ruckus. “It wouldn’t have happened over a brake light.”
“I told him I was returning to work at the orchards. He has to know it’s your family business. I was testing the waters to see if he’d say anything else.”
“By doing that, he would have most likely reduced any other ticket if you were speeding or something else because he might think I’d get the call to do that anyway. But he had to run you being out of state. I can’t fault him.”
If she was a local, he might not have run her information. There wasn’t anything he could do about what happened other than plan what to do in the future.
“So stupid,” she said. “I make sure I obey all the traffic laws. I never thought to check my brake lights.”
He should have thought of it. He’d even made a comment to Clay that the car wouldn’t pass inspection in New York.
“Let’s go inside. It’s chilly out here.”
She’d left the front door open when she ran to him. They walked in, him shutting and locking it. He didn’t need to lock it, but he wanted her to know it had to always be done.
“Do you want something to eat? I know you left early and it’s been a long day.”
“I could use something to eat,” he said.
She went to the fridge and opened it. “I’ve got a chicken breast and potato salad.”
“That works,” he said.
He got himself a glass of water while she heated the chicken in the microwave and made him a plate. He didn’t need her waiting on him, but he also understood that it gave her something to do.
She was nervous again when he hadn’t seen her like this in weeks.
She was tugging at her shirtsleeves while she stared at the chicken spinning inside the microwave.
When it dinged, she jumped, even though she knew it was going to happen.
He took the plate out of her hand and pulled her to the table to sit with him while he ate.
“I’m going to stay tonight,” he said.
“You don’t need to,” she said. “There is no way he could get here this fast and no saying he could even find me. I’ve got no record of being here.”
Which was smart that she didn’t. No job on file, no bank or credit cards, nothing to trace her here.
She was stopped on the main road that one would turn on to get gas right off the Northway. It couldn’t have been more perfect for someone to assume she was still heading north. Maybe even after this time, heading back south from being north.
All it proved was she was alive and well and a long way from Florida.
“That’s right. I keep telling myself we need to continue as we were, but I couldn’t live like this forever. I’m glad I won’t have the missing person part hanging over my head.”
“That is one positive thing,” he said. About the only good thing in his mind. “I don’t want you to get trapped in your head with anything. I’ve got you. My family has you.”
“I talked to Gale. Clay is angry with me.”
That didn’t surprise him. “Why didn’t you tell him you were leaving?”
Those were the rules and she’d been following them. He didn’t know why she hadn’t today.
Would it have stopped what happened?
Who was he to say? Clay might have watched her leave, would have seen the light out. Paid attention to his phone that he answered when she called before handing her information to his deputy. Anything to have changed the narrative.
It was more wishful thinking in his mind. His mother was already beating herself up over this too. For not arguing more that she’d take the delivery as was the plan.
He didn’t want his mother to feel guilty. It wasn’t anyone’s fault.
Things couldn’t always be controlled and this was definitely one of those instances.
“I thought nothing of it. I swear. Your mother was going to do it and I said I would. I didn’t think I’d see you tonight and it’d give me something to do. Then she told me to go early and since it was still my shift, she knew where I was going.”
Any other time he’d say it was okay. But this time it bit them in the ass.
Or did it?
None of this could have been prevented unless he inspected her car every time she left.
There was no running forever and, in order for her to move forward, this had to be put to bed.
It was sooner than he would have preferred and he and Clay had to get all the information they could now.
There wasn’t anyone he knew or could trust or would risk talking to at Gainesville PD.
Reenie knew the name of the officer who searched Oliver’s house and found no crime. Also the same dick who ignored a medical professional expressing concerns. But that didn’t mean that others might not also be connected.
He reached his hand over and laid it on hers. “Hey. We are going to get through this. I promise.”
“I want to believe you, Ford. I really do.”
“Then do it,” he said.
He finished dinner, then stood up to wash his plate.
“I’ve got it.”
“I don’t need you to take care of me,” he said.
“You take care of me.”
He ran water over the plate, put soap on the sponge and cleaned it, then rinsed and put it on the tray to dry. “That’s different and you know it.” He looked at her face in the dim light. “You’re tired. It’s been a long day.”
“I took a nap earlier. I never nap.”
He pulled her into his arms to hold. To savor this quiet moment not knowing when they’d get more. “It shows you how much of an exhausting day it’s been.”
“I won’t deny it,” she said. “But you don’t have to stay with me.”
“What if I say I want to?”
“I’m going to argue with you. I need the night to myself. I really do. I’ve got a lot of thinking to do and I can’t do that if you’re here.”
“Why?”
He didn’t appreciate the shot his ego took at those words.
That he wasn’t needed.
Maybe not even wanted.
He’d waited years for her return and she was pushing him away.
“Because you’re a distraction. I’m not going anywhere. You have my word. Besides, I can’t. My brake light is out.”
Her half smile didn’t make him feel any better. “Not funny, Reenie.”
“I know. That’s why I didn’t laugh.” She squeezed his waist tighter. “I only want to think and reflect some. I want to clear my head. Understand, I’ve never had someone I can rely on before. This is how I function.”
“I don’t want to leave you,” he said. But if he wanted her to trust him, he had to trust her.
It was the only way things could work with them.
He wasn’t someone to force an agenda even if his heart was telling him otherwise.
Randy whipped the door open to Oliver’s, marched upstairs and into his cousin’s bedroom. He didn’t give a shit Oliver wasn’t alone or that it was barely after dinner. Fucking cousin always was lazy.
“Get your ass out of bed.”
“What the fuck?” Oliver said, rubbing his eyes. His cousin was barely awake, couldn’t even focus. Every time he took shit to sleep, this happened. You’d think he would have learned after being drugged with his own damn meds.
“Oliver, what is going on?” Carol, or whatever the hell her name was, had the covers up to her chin covering her massive tits.
“I’ll take care of it,” Oliver said, sitting up. “Go back to sleep.”
His cousin climbed out of bed, then followed Randy down the stairs. He didn’t bother to turn the light on, he wasn’t staying.
“She’s in New York.”
“Who?” Oliver said. He was unsteady on his feet and still rubbing his eyes.
“Maureen, you dick. She got pulled over and her license plate ran. It was triggered. She’s there and we need to get there fast. You said you had a lead and that didn’t pan out to shit! It’s always me covering your ass. Our time is running out. Let’s go!”
“Oh fuck,” Oliver said. “I hate flying.”
Randy shoved him. “I don’t give a shit what you hate. We are getting my stash back now!”