“Yeah. Look…”
“Oh, hey, hold up a minute. Someone’s coming onto the property.” He heard muffled footsteps and then Miriam’s voice. “It’s Colby,” Alby told her. He heard her say something. “Yeah, hurry up,” Alby added.
A moment later, Miriam got on the line. “Hey. How are you doing?”
“Good. How’s Kane?”
“Eats like a hog.”
Colby laughed. “Yeah, he’s got a healthy appetite. Don’t overfeed him though. So, what’s the deal, you opted not to take him with you today? Where did you go?”
She cleared her throat. “I had to go on a run into town to see Aunt Hazel.”
“And you couldn’t take Kane with you?”
“Well, you know, she has Jasper. The golden retriever. I didn’t know how the two of them would get along. You said Kane could be aggressive. I didn’t want to put Jasper through that, let alone Hazel.”
“Okay. Fine. You run into any further problems with the Stricklands?”
There was a pause.
“No. I haven’t seen any of them. Maybe they’ve left town.”
She laughed nervously, and he caught it. After ten years away, he didn’t know his sister enough to pick up on anything that would raise red flags. He knew his mother and the others were worried about how she would cope after what happened to her. He still found it hard to believe that Seth and his brothers hadn’t done anything more than strip and beat her. She’d refused to get a rape kit from the hospital and his mother never pushed it. Said she’d handled it and had spoken with the Stricklands and had reached an agreement.
“What about you? I heard about the explosion. Alicia okay?”
“She’s fine. Though I think she is setting her sights on leaving.”
“Leaving? Why? I kind of like her.”
“Yeah, me too. Look, I don’t have much time. I just wanted to check in. Can you put Alby back on the line?”
“Sure. Uncle Alby!” Miriam hollered. A moment later he came back on the line.
“What is it?” Alby said in a gruff voice.
“What I told you was in strict confidence.”
“No, it wasn’t. You didn’t expect me to get out. Nor did she. Look, Colby, I don’t have a problem with your mother or you boys. All I want is what is mine and a place to lay my head until I can find somewhere to go. I can’t go home. So she owes me.”
“Well, just don’t go doing anything stupid.”
“I don’t plan on it.”
“I’ll swing by and pick up Lenny this evening and bring him over. And if I get a chance, I’ll speak to Heath and see what we can do to get you that gold back.”
“I can always count on you, Colby. Thanks.”
Back at the house, Colby noticed how quiet it was when he stepped inside. He thought she’d gone down to the waterfront to blow off some steam.
“Alicia?”
There was no answer. He set his handgun on the counter and made his way upstairs. As soon as he walked in the bedroom, he knew. The suitcase was gone. The closet was open and there were just a few hangers where her clothes had been. Her dresser drawers were open and empty. There was no note. He sighed and took a seat on the edge of the bed and thought back to what she’d asked. “What do you want?”
He didn’t expect her to leave at least without saying goodbye. It wasn’t like he planned on staying but with everything that was happening, he couldn’t just up and leave. He needed a few more days, just enough to make sure that his family was okay, that the city wasn’t going to fall to whoever had attacked ward one.
Once the others found out she was gone, no doubt they would throw in their two cents.
She wasn’t from here.
It was to be expected.
You know it wouldn’t have lasted.
What did you do?
She’s so ungrateful.
He could handle people blaming him but not her. She had every reason to not stay. In many ways their relationship was doomed from the moment they met. She’d always be a pale comparison to Skye. In some ways he wished she didn’t look like her. He never compared them but he knew in time, as the mundane of life kicked in and what was good about the relationship became background noise, she’d eventually use Skye as ammo, or he would.
What did he want? he asked himself.
As he sat there chewing it over, he heard the front door open.
“Hey y’all, anyone home?” Zeke asked.
“Upstairs.”
He heard him double-time it up the steps. He hurried into the room and then stopped, his eyes bouncing to the closet and then the drawers. “What is this, the Marie Kondo TV show? You decluttering or something?”
Colby shook his head. He was too fed up to tell him the truth. “What do you want, Zeke?”
“Besides a harem of women?”
“I’m not in the mood for jokes, dude.”
“Well are you in the mood for cracking heads? We’ve got word that those assholes we brought in have been spotted outside the city. There’s a group of us that are going after them. You up for it?”
“A group? Like who?”
“Who cares. Do you want in, or not?”
“I care. I like to know who I’m running with.”
“Us. Others. Who cares. Grab your shit and let’s get going.”
“Johnson give the order?”
“No. Asher.”
“And let me guess, he’s not going.”
“Why would he? He has to oversee his ward.”
“Because leaders are meant to lead, not stand on the sidelines.”
Zeke gave him a confused expression then his eyes went to the closet and drawers again. “She’s gone, hasn’t she?”
“Seems that way. Yes.”
He walked in and sat beside him and sighed. “I’ve been meaning to tell you to take a shower but I must have gotten here too late.”
“Zeke!”
He laughed. “I’m sorry, man. Do you know where she’s gone?”
“Nope.”
He patted him on the leg. “Well look, if you want to sit this one out then I would understand. I mean, I’m all for killing those bastards and taking the glory.” He smiled, getting up and heading toward the door. “But…”
“All right.
