Millie's Second Chance (The Town of Pearl 4)

“Okay. You go that way and I’ll go this way,” Millie stated, and they separated.

It was a beautiful, sunny day and the temperature warmer than usual. Millie felt the perspiration reach her brow. She was nervous, concerned for Jessie’s well-being as well as the friend Sally mentioned. It would make sense as to why Jessie would disappear sometimes. Millie, Cindy, and the others felt it was her way of dealing with her emotions. Jessie wanted to be alone and that was acceptable. As the social worker assigned to each woman who came to the shelter, it was her responsibility to get through to the women and help them with whatever they needed. Cindy was doing well getting the women to share their stories of struggles and then providing what they needed to heal and put their pasts behind them. Millie, Anna, and Stacy recently connected with businesses in Turbank where the women could work if they didn’t feel comfortable working for the bed and breakfast or on the ranch. There were delis, clothing stores, shopping centers, and other much larger stores that Pearl didn’t have.

As Millie entered the thicker area of fields right before the dirt path that led out of town, she spotted Jesse’s green shirt.

“Jessie!” she called, and sure enough Jessie came out of the pathway and began walking to her.

“Millie, what are you doing out here?” she asked, looking rather surprised and a bit nervous. Millie had that uneasy feeling in her gut. Something seemed off and the best thing to do was to walk back to the ranch and call one of the men for help. She began to turn.

“Come on, let’s head back and you can tell me why you’re out here and why you missed your meeting with Cindy.”

Millie felt Jessie grab her arm.

“Wait, I can’t go back yet,” Jessie stated, and Millie turned toward her.

“Why not?”

Jessie looked back toward the fields and then to the ground.

“I can’t say, but I can’t go back yet.”

“What is it, Jessie? Tell me what’s really going on.” Millie didn’t want to let Jessie know that she knew about the girl. She was afraid that Jessie might get angry with Sally for confiding in Millie about her friend.

“I just need to go over there, at the end of the trail. I’ll come back later.”

“Who are you meeting, Jessie? Are you in some kind of trouble?” Millie asked.

“It’s just a friend of mine. You see, she’s scared. Really scared, Millie, and I’ve been bringing her things.”

“Why won’t she come to the shelter? You see how we are there? We’d be more than willing to help your friend if she needs it.”

“Like I said, Millie, she’s scared. Some guys chased her through the woods in Turbank. She got away, but it frightened her. She won’t go far, but today I got her to meet me closer to Pearl. I think if I can convince her that it’s a nice, safe place then she’ll come and you can meet her.”

“What if I talk with her? Do you think she’ll run if she sees you coming with someone?”

“I’m not sure.” Jessie looked back toward the path as if deciding what to do. Millie reached over to touch her arm. She understood her fear and Millie wanted to help.

“I won’t upset her. Why don’t you let me try?”

Jessie smiled then swallowed hard before nodding her head.

“It’s just a little ways past the end of the trail,” Jessie told Millie, and they headed that way.

The farther they walked the more uneasy Millie was becoming. She didn’t know what made her turn back to take a look at how far they walked, but when she did she sure as hell wasn’t expecting to see Frank sneaking up behind them with a knife in his hand. Millie lost her breath and her ability to scream. She looked quickly toward Jessie, concerned for her life, but Jessie didn’t look scared. She looked relieved.

* * * *

Wyatt pulled up to the Triple C by the main house. He was going to have lunch with Anna, but just as he made it up the drive, his cell phone rang. He placed the truck in park and pulled out his cell phone. In the rearview mirror he noticed Dalton’s truck approaching. He must be meeting Millie for lunch, too.

“Sheriff Wyatt Cantrell,” he answered his cell.

“Wyatt, it’s Detective Flynn. I’m glad I caught you. I just received a call from FBI Agent Michael Benz. They got a lead on Frank.”

“That’s great news. Where’s he at?” Wyatt asked.

“He’s somewhere in Turbank by now, perhaps in Pearl. They received a frantic call from the psychologist. She claims to be hiding from Frank and that he’s right outside her hotel door. They’ve got people on their way to the scene.”

“What? What the hell do you mean? He’s here somewhere?” Wyatt asked as he looked out across the fields and around the house. He was immediately concerned for everyone’s safety. That’s when he saw Anna running toward his vehicle. She looked upset.