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  The fire truck arrived and freed Caroline from the car. She had a puncture wound in her thigh, but it wasn’t bad and she’d be okay. They passed the baby to one of the firemen and gave what information they could.

  Once the wreckage was cleared, Clara pulled them both into the shop. She brought a basket of fresh towels from the back. “Dry yourselves. You must just be miserable. I can make some coffee or hot tea if you’d like.”

  “Sounds good.” Courtney agreed.

  Clara stared through the windows. “I’m so glad the mother and her child were not hurt.”

  “You’re bleeding.” Sawyer pointed to the spot just above Courtney’s knee.

  “Oh!” She slid out of her heels and peeled down the stocking on her injured leg. “It’s not deep. I felt something poke me when I entered the backseat.”

  “You need to be more careful. You could have been hurt worse from all that jagged metal.”

  “Here.” Clara handed him a first aid kit.

  He gestured to the bar rail and Courtney rested her foot on it.

  “Do you have a brush or a comb I can borrow?” Courtney asked Clara.

  “Of course I do. Have you tried that new wet brush?”

  As the women talked Sawyer cleaned the wound on Courtney’s leg—an action he’d done many times before for his sisters. Only this time his brain was offering commentary. What nice shapely long legs Courtney has. Such smooth, flawless skin. He applied antibiotic ointment with a cotton ball and covered the wound with a bandage. “All done.” He then high tailed it to the kitchen to finish his tasks, intent on turning off the overhead report regarding Courtney’s creamy skin.

  Chapter 3

  Courtney was proving tough to shake. Sawyer had thought about her velvety skin and the length of her legs for the rest of the week when instead he should have been thinking about how he would make money, as he was completely broke again. He’d had to take Jess to the emergency clinic two nights ago. She’d had a high fever and her chest had rattled when she’d tried to breath. That had taken all the money he’d had left over from the boar capture. After he’d purchased two volleyball uniforms and a new pair of tennis shoes, thank God. As it was he still owed four hundred and seventy-eight dollars. It may as well be four thousand for all he’d be able to pay on it—zero. He silently prayed for more boar-tracking jobs or alligator hunts, as those brought huge cash rewards.

  He mindlessly swept the cheese shop kitchen as he thought of how he would make ends meet. Luckily he’d been hired on at a new construction gig last Friday. A steady influx of cash would ensue shortly. It wouldn’t be enough to pay all the bills, but at least they’d have some cash.

  “Sawyer?”

  He turned to see Courtney standing in her pretty dress and heels. Today she’d worn pale green with brown and gold accents. As usual, not a hair was out of place.

  “What?”

  “I’ve got a house to show to a guy who made me uncomfortable when I was alone with him last time. Perla’s out or I would have asked her. I’ve phoned my brothers, but couldn’t reach any of them, and my parents are out of town. Would you be able to accompany me?”

  Was she serious? He had a job to do. He wouldn’t be in tomorrow because he’d be working at the construction job. He didn’t have time to spare. He’d need to make sure his duties at the cheese shop were complete. “I can’t leave. I’m working.”

  “It would only take forty-five minutes of your time.”

  “I’m sorry, I can’t leave. I’ve got Liver here because I didn’t have time to run him home after his vet visit.”

  “I understand. I’m just being silly. After all, everything was okay the last time.”

  She strutted out and he commenced sweeping.

  ***

  At two forty-five Courtney was in the driveway of four-one-nine Audubon Drive waiting for Mr. Houseman to arrive. She had an uneasy feeling about meeting him again. It was silly actually…lots of clients requested one more showing before placing an offer. But it was the way his hands had slid over her body the last time that had her on edge. During this showing, she’d keep her distance.

  Normally she would have opened up the home and turned on the lights, but she wanted him where she could see him. When he arrived she unlocked the door and motioned for him to step in. “After you.”

  When he staggered past, she smelled the stale whiskey on his breath. Perfect, he’d been drinking.

  Inside she set her heavy purse on the floor just near the door and waited for him to complete his observations.

  “Aren’t you going to give me the grand tour?”

  “You’ve had it already. I thought I’d give you some privacy while you walk through.”

  “I want your narration. Last time it was cut short by a phone call I had to take. I apologize.” He smiled and swayed on his feet. The asshole was smashed.

  Courtney inwardly sighed. “Let’s just get this over with.” He followed her through the house. She spoke about the positives and highlighted distinct features. Not once did his eyes look anywhere but at her. He didn’t blink. Occasionally he didn’t even seem to be breathing. More than once she watched his nostrils flare. Confused at his behavior she was eager to end the tour. At the bedroom she turned to make her way to the front door, but he blocked her path.

  “Show me the master.” His stale breath assaulted her nostrils.

  “You’ve seen it.”

  “I want to see it again.”

  She didn’t think she could get away so she entered the bedroom, but she wasn’t about to let him corner her in the closet again. Courtney turned to walk through the bedroom door, but his arm locked through hers. Another arm was steering at her back, pushing her body against the wall of the bedroom. He inhaled as he pulled her hair into his fist.

  “Mmm, I’ve wanted you since the moment I saw you.”

  “Well, I don’t want you so please let me go.” She pushed against his chest, releasing her upper body from his hold. “Mr. Houseman, you’re drunk and acting highly inappropriately.”

  “Forgive me.” His head lowered to kiss her neck

  “Mr. Houseman, let me go or I’ll have to hurt you.” He chuckled. With three brothers and an overprotective father she’d been taught, and had thereby demonstrated, evasive maneuvers. In his inebriation, she could easily hurt this man.

  His lips went down to meet hers and she turned her cheek into the wall, feeling the side of her face heat as it rubbed against the texture.

  His lips near her ear whispered, “You and I would fit well together.” One hand held her wrist tight. The other was starting a downward slide on her thigh. She wiggled some more, her cheek grazing the rough wall.

  “Mr. Houseman, I’m warning you”—when his fingers found the hem of her dress she jabbed the heel of her shoe through the top of his foot. He cried out in agony, jerking her around using the hold he had on her dress. He reached out as she brought her hands up. Flailing to keep from falling, he grasped the material at her chest. Her dress ripped as she twisted out of his hold and ran.

  She was out of her shoes, but kept running. Through the back door and out to the woods she ran. She heard his monstrous roar as he cursed loudly. Courtney instinctively kept moving, pushing herself deeper into the woods. She ran and ran, plowing through brush and hopping over felled tress. Her stockinged feet stung as they made contact with the debris of the forest floor, but she kept running. She’d felt her stiletto heel penetrate his shoe and crack the top of his foot. He was thunderously mad. She hadn’t intended on hurting him so badly, but that had been his gamble the moment he’d laid his hands on her. She ran until she couldn’t breathe, finally hiding behind a tree. She forced her breaths to quiet and listened. She heard nothing.

  Her plan was to wait quietly in her position until he’d been given enough time to hobble out to his car and leave. It was the first time she realized she’d left her purse with the keys to her car and her cell phone in the house. With no shoes and dusk about to se
ttle in, she was not in a good situation. She’d just have to head back toward the house now. He’d be mad at her, but she could at least help him obtain medical care.

  Walking back in the direction from which she came, she hoped to make it to the house before dusk. As the sun moved across the sky, she wondered how long she’d been walking. Given the lot sizes, the homes in the neighborhood were spread out. Some sat on one-acre tracts, others on three or four. Nature trails dissected the neighborhood.

  She walked some more and thought it seemed much darker in the woods than she’d remembered. As dusk settled in she began to get nervous. Given the setting sun, she calculated she’d been in the woods for at least two hours. She was officially lost. Courtney wasn’t one to give up hope very easily and she wasn’t about to do that now, but the tears came and she couldn’t stop them. As she cried she continued to walk, not knowing in which direction she needed to go. When she hit the river she knew to tread back in the opposite direction. Pitch black is what it was now. Mosquitoes were out in abundance and sucking the life force out of her. Her tears had dried and her mood elevated with this newfound location information, she planned to swiftly walk back to the house.

  She decided it would be good to hum Sweet Caroline and maybe her new friend would send her some good karma. As she hummed she thought of the sweet baby and her mother. She’d left work and gone to see them at the hospital on her way home the day of the accident. They were fine and Caroline had invited her over for a meal. That was to be tonight. Oh how she wished she were sitting at the dinner table breaking bread with Caroline and baby Anna. Her skin itched and feet ached.

  She slapped at a mosquito on her chest and attempted to pull the shredded shards of material over her bosom to protect it from the pests, but it was no use. Her dress had been badly torn. She wondered if Mr. Houseman had picked up the tatters of material she’d surely left behind. What of her purse? Her car?

  Maybe she could just sit down for a moment. She’d become so tired. There wasn’t any place to sit unless she wanted the damp ground, so she kept walking. It had been dark for a while now and she thought there might be a good possibility that she’d be in this forest through the night.

  “Oh please don’t let that happen!” Normally her family would expect her and when she didn’t come they’d start calling, but they were busy with their own lives and weren’t available. No one would miss her. Her situation was dire and she was so tired. She sat against a tree trunk just to catch her breath. She’d be okay for a while. She would sit just for a little while, and then she’d start walking again.

  ***

  At five-thirty Sawyer was satisfied with the kitchen and storeroom. He walked to the restaurant bar to find Clara. “Don’t forget I won’t be here tomorrow, but I’ll be back after two on Friday.”

  “Not a problem Sawyer. You’ve done great work. The grout is gleaming.”

  A customer entered and Sawyer began to empty the trashcans.

  “Perla, good to see you again. What can I get you?”

  “Have you seen Courtney? She left a little before three o’clock.”

  Perla kept speaking, but Sawyer couldn’t make sense of what she was saying. Dropping the bag of waste he added up the hours. Almost three. Hadn’t she said it would only take forty-five minutes? Oh God. He should have gone with her. He turned to Perla who was still talking. “Where was she headed?”

  “Pardon?”

  “I need the address of the house she was showing!”

  “Four-one-nine Audubon Drive.”

  Sawyer ran to the kitchen and out through the delivery door, whistling for Liver to follow and load into the truck. He’d done construction in Audubon Place. He knew exactly where Audubon Drive was. He pushed his truck to the limit as he barreled down the interstate cutting off drivers and using the shoulder lane when he could. Next to him in the truck, Liver stared, sensing the urgency. Thankfully the boar had been removed.

  “I’m sorry.” It would have been a small hit to his schedule, but he could have made it work. He should have made it work. He would hate himself forever and take the blame if she were hurt or worse. “Ah!” The traffic was brutal and he felt helpless because he couldn’t get to her faster. Would she even be there? What had she said? She’d shown some guy a house and he’d made her feel uncomfortable the last time. Logically she’d thought to ask someone to accompany her.

  The girls! He thought he’d missed their pick up at school, but he hadn’t. On Wednesdays they rode the bus to Mrs. Roland’s who took them to church at six o’clock. At church they’d be fed. Thank God for small favors. Finally exiting the highway he was able to put pedal to metal to get down the long stretch of highway that led to the wooded neighborhood. Turning in he gunned the truck all the way to the back of the sparsely populated neighborhood. He parked his truck at Four-one-nine and jumped out, whistling for Liver to accompany him. Dog and man approached the house. A white Honda Accord sat in the driveway. Her car? He knocked on the door, but there was no answer. It was however unlocked so he stepped into the entry and right away he saw a large fashionable bag. “Liver, come.”

  “Courtney?”

  He picked up the bag and dug through it to unearth the wallet. Opening it he had confirmation it was in fact her purse.

  He walked through the house. In the bedroom he found pieces of the pale green dress she wore. “Oh God!” He cried and bent to lift the cloth from the floor, letting Liver smell the fabric scraps to hopefully pick up her scent. He saw a tiny spot of what was unmistakably blood. His breathing picked up and he scratched his head. Tracking what he thought to be her heels on the carpet he followed the indentions to the living room where her shoes had been discarded. He picked up one and then the other. At the door to the backyard he saw fingerprints on the glass.

  He followed her tracks to the edge of the forest. Shit! She’d run into the woods. It was as black as tar tonight. He ran back to his truck to retrieve a powerful high output flashlight. Liver followed at his heels

  Running back to the woods where he’d tracked her he aimed the light at the ground. He nodded at Liver and let him lead the way. The path she’d taken was clearly defined given the recent rains and they followed it in earnest. His phone rang—the sound loud among the otherwise quiet night.

  “Hello.”

  “Where are you?”

  “Jess. Are you with Mrs. Roland?”

  “She’s in the car with Riley. I’m at the door, but it’s locked.”

  “Why are you at the house?”

  “I need to change clothes.”

  “Wear what you wore to school. Stay with Mrs. Roland. I’ve got a little problem.”

  “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine. Will you stay with Mrs. Roland? I’ll pick you up from her house.”

  “Okay.”

  “Bye.”

  “Hey Sawyer?”

  “Yeah?”

  “I love you. Be careful.”

  “Jess. Love you.”

  His sister’s admission choked him up. As he followed Liver across Courtney’s footsteps he thought of his little family and why he worked so many jobs. They were the reason he never had any time or money, and yet he wouldn’t trade them for all the time and money in the world.

  The footpath led him to a river. Reflections made by the flashlight revealed a slow moving low banked river. They picked up the footsteps again a little to his right and he followed them due west until they turned slightly north. They rounded bend after bend and Sawyer started to worry. Then he spotted her against a tree, her head resting on her shoulder. He went to her. Kneeling he felt the pulse point at her neck. It was strong. Her eyes blinked awake, and then fixed in place, shocked.

  She slumped into his arms.

  “Courtney, are you hurt?”

  He could see she was a mess. Her dress had been torn, her face swollen from bugs and possibly force. He lifted her into his arms and carried her through the woods. Mosquitoes were attacking her sweet skin. “I�
��m sorry. I should have gone with you. I could have done that.”

  She was asleep and in shock. She heard nothing. He placed her in his truck and waved the mosquitoes away. He spotted a tick on her neck and refrained from pulling it with his fingers, for fear it would burrow. Liver winced. “I know buddy.”

  Under the dim light of the truck cabin, confirmation was made that her face had been bruised on one side. His palm rested on the bruised skin. “I’m so sorry.”

  He buckled her in, and then went inside to retrieve her purse, shoes, and the torn pieces of her dress. He wanted to lock the house, but didn’t see keys anywhere so he left it unbolted. Driving to the emergency room he prayed that she’d be okay. He’d stay with her, he owed her that.

  As soon as he carried her through the emergency room doors, a nurse was there with a wheelchair. He related the story and Nurse Peterson called a policewoman to get Courtney’s story. Sawyer sat in the waiting room feeling helpless as did the countless others who awaited updates about loved ones. He telephoned Mrs. Roland who suggested the girls stay with her for the night. He checked on Liver and waited through two hours of insipid reality television before he was called back.

  “Mr. Murphy, I’m Dr. Chambers, this is Sergeant Lewis.”

  He nodded at the female doctor and sergeant.

  “Courtney is doing well. She was in shock when you brought her in, but we cleaned her up and she’s been prescribed some anxiety medication. I’d like to release her into your care, but Sergeant Lewis has some questions for you.”

  Sergeant Lewis nodded. “Courtney told me she was showing a house to a client—Eric Houseman. Have you ever seen him?”

  “No.”

  “Do you know what time she left to show the home?”