Beautifully Broken

“Sounds like a plan,” I agree, knowing it will make her smile. I take a deep breath and stare back out the window.

“We’re almost there,” she suddenly says.

I glance at our surroundings that consist of wide-open fields of green.

When we pull up a dirt road, I get out to open a rusted gate. It rattles as it swings. We drive quite a way up the dirt road before we reach a house. It’s simple looking and stands in the middle of a field.

“It’s one of those trailer houses. They bring them on wheels when you buy one,” Annie explains. I get the feeling talking puts her at ease. “It works for me. Who needs more than two bedrooms and a bathroom? The kitchen’s big enough to cook what I eat, and I can rest my old behind in my living room. I don’t need something fancy. The land is out back, closer to the river, so I don’t have to walk far for water. I’ll show you later. Let’s get ourselves settled first. My back feels like it’s going to break in half.”

I follow her into the modest house, not sure what to expect. Her home is… peculiar. But I suppose it’s just like her in a way.

Little relics decorate just about every space, and mismatched carpets cover the floor. The two couches are from another era, and I’m not sure they make that kind of television anymore. It still has those knobs you have to turn, and it reminds me of my childhood.

The kitchen is another story. Pots and pans hang from the ceiling, along with dried chili and garlic. A row of little herb pots fill the windowsill, and there are tiny magnets with bible verses decorating the fridge.

“It’s home, honey,” Annie sighs happily. I smile at her because she’s right. “This way,” she says, pointing down a short hallway.

The guest room is decorated in shades of purple. I swallow as I take in how pretty it is. A single bed stands in the middle of the room, with a simple chest of drawers against the one wall.

“Thank you for letting me stay,” I whisper, the words not nearly enough for how grateful I feel.

“At night, I like to sit outside before I go to bed. I talk to my Lord, tell Him of my worries, and give Him my thanks. I don’t know who you talk to, honey, but the stars sure shine bright out here, and they don’t talk back like us nosy folk.” Annie gives me a warm smile. “I hope you’ll feel at home here. I’m happy to have some company.”

Annie leaves me standing alone in the room, and I glance around the space.

I’ve never been the praying kind, but I might just give the stars a try because nothing else has worked so far.

Chapter 17

DAMIAN

I’m up early as always, and walking down the hallway, I glance into Cara’s room. When I see her bed’s empty, an eerie feeling skitters down my spine.

I search through the rest of the house, and it’s only when I notice the alarm’s been disabled that the eerie feeling turns to cold, hard fear.

Where the fuck is Cara?

Frustrated, I rub my hand over my beard. I would’ve heard if someone broke in. I would’ve heard something if someone came for Cara.

There’s no way anyone could’ve found out where she was staying.

She’s been different the past couple of days, but I thought it was from the blows she took.

Worry claws up my spine.

“Fuck!” I race up the stairs to my office and check if anything is out of place, but it’s exactly as I left it. I pace the floor, and dark thoughts start to brew in my mind.

Where the fuck is she?

Did something happen I’m not aware of?

My gut instinct tells me to search for the answer so I can fix this mess. I stalk to the filing cabinet, and I take out Cara’s file. Maybe there’s something I missed about her. I open it, and for a moment, it looks weird, then it hits – the passport and I.D. are gone.

“Fuck,” I curse as anger ripples through me. “She’s been planning this all along. That’s why she’s been acting so weird the last couple of days.” I throw the file and papers scatter across the floor. “Shit! I should’ve seen this coming.”

One panicked thought after the other starts to slam into my mind.

They’ll find her. Fuck, this time, they’ll kill her.

I rush to my safe and quickly open it. Taking out my guns, ammunition, an I.D. with the name Damian Weston, and all of the cash and important documents, I shove it all into a backpack.

I spare a moment to set the laptop to default status so it will clear everything on it. I quickly destroy the memory cards, and then, glancing over the office, I make sure I leave nothing behind that can trace to Cara and me.