The Girl In The Cabin

Chapter Thirteen: The Tip-Off

White lights blink above me. Operating tools clink overhead. "She's awake!" A nurse gasps. "No need to panic. We used a local anesthetic. She'll be fine." Another says. Where am I? My eyes settle on a man in blue scrubs and a facemask that I quickly identify as a doctor. Okay, I'm in the hospital. How? Why? I take another look at the doctor, hoping my memory will soon return. A sheen of perspiration covers the doctor's forehead as he continues to inspect my arm. I can hear my heartbeat quickening on the monitor attached to my chest. Hospitals mean judging social workers with statements like, "Tell me again. How did you get those black eyes and a broken arm?" They don't really care. It's their job to ask. I'm tired of it. I know, deep in my gut, keeping Bryce and mine's secret will be the death of me. "Don't panic. Just a few more stitches. You have a nasty cut, but it's looking better." The doctor says. Thoughts of Bryce flash across my mind. Bryce yelling at me...shoving me...berating me... "Bryce?" I say aloud. My tongue flexes across my bottom lip, tasting blood. "Should we inform the officers? They're waiting outside." A nurse asks. "Let's allow the police to do their job after we've done ours." The doctor replies. What happened to Bryce? I wonder if Bryce is locked up for hurting me. I try to remember what set him off this time, but can't. It's all a blur. Later, I awaken to a pair of detectives, both ready with questions. I apologize and ask them to be lenient with my stepfather. They share a quizzical look before one asks me if I recall what happened the night before. I shake my head only to have one of the detectives frown, jotting some notes down on his black pad. The other detective clears his throat and breaks the news. Bryce is gone, and I killed him.

Present Time...

    Years later, a feeling of deja vu coils itself around me as I stare at the text message Alex just received. The message that revealed Alex was the one who tipped off the reporters. This isn't real...it can't be... That day in the hospital, I had thought the detectives were playing some cruel joke to teach me a lesson, telling me I killed Bryce and then telling me my mother slit her wrists in her hotel room when she heard the news. My mind tries to convince itself the text message is also some unfair jest. I struggle to breathe as I feel my sanity slipping away like a balloon caught in the breeze. Just like those detectives, this text was real. It was all real. Alex Carter is a liar. He betrayed me. He used me. I clutch my stomach as a wave of nausea steamrolls over me. I stare at Alex as he struggles to explain the text message. "What is this?" I demand.
"It was because of Wally." Alex sighs. He takes a cautious step towards me, hands outstretched. "What does Wally have to do with you telling reporters how to catch us having sex?" I demand. Please let this be fake. Please let him have a good excuse. I try to ignore my thoughts, my instinct to hit him as hard as I can. "Stacey, I need you to listen to me. I sent that before I realized you and I would get involved." He says quickly, "I don't trust Wally. I needed a reason to have him stay here. I didn't know the night would escalate like this." I feel my nails pressing into my palm.
"This was the only thing I could think of. Stacey? Do you believe me?" Alex holds his breath, his lips pursed together. "How can I?" I ask. Alex swears under his breath. "Why else would I send that message? It's not like it does me any good to be caught hooking up with my assistant." He says firmly.
"Hooking up?" I repeat, "Is that what you call it? You used me. This is one of the worse things anyone's ever done to me." I fight the tears that are beginning to escape. It suddenly hurts to breathe. "Considering your background, I find that hard to believe." Alex scoffs. It would have hurt less if he had slapped me. I take a sharp breath before turning around and rushing out the door. "Shit. I didn't mean that...Stacey!"
   
I ignore his cry as I run down the stairs. The ground is still soggy from the storm. My footsteps sink into the mud as if it's trying to hold me in place. Sherbert-colored clouds streak the sky as the sun begins to rise. I can still hear Alex calling my name as I round the corner of the shed. I have nowhere to go. Suddenly, a low growl rumbles behind me, stopping me in my tracks. I slowly turn to see a massive dog facing me. The same one that attacked me. Without hesitation, I take off in a sprint, the hellhound close behind me. In seconds, the dog lunges forward, biting into my wrist. I scream for help. "Stacey?" I hear Alex yell. In an instant, jagged teeth are replaced by Alex's cradling arms. "Stacey, what the hell happened? Are you all right?" He gasps. I begin to fight him, still screaming, my arms flailing. "Shh...it's okay." He whispers. "No, let go of me!" I yell. I continue to struggle until Alex lets me free. "Okay, I'm sorry. I was just trying to see what was wrong." Alex sighs. I feel myself begin to calm down as I wipe the tears from my face. "I'm fine..." Alex takes a cautious step toward me. "Are you sure you're okay?" He asks slowly. "No, I just found out you told reporters we're having sex. No, I'm not okay." I scoff. "I meant physically." Alex clarifies.
"I guess. It bit me on my wrist, but I'm fine." I nod. Alex takes my wrist and inspects the bite. I'm lucky it isn't too deep. "Stacey, I had no intention of those reporters catching us together. I just wanted a reason to have Wally stay at the cabin." Alex says, "I needed to keep an eye on him. I had asked him to work for me even before I met you, but he declined. Any excuse I could think of to find out more about him was denied."
"Why? Why would you want him in the cabin if you don't trust him?" I ask.
"Even before I didn't trust him, I wanted to get to know him." Alex waits for a few moments before continuing, "For years, reporters have been trying to catch me in a serious relationship. I've never had one for them to report on. So, after you were hired, I had the idea. It was after I found out Wally was heading to the cabin to help you."
"How would you know that?" I ask.
"My secretary Felicia checked in with Zachary Caldwell to discuss the tap you were running." He replies.
"To make sure I wasn't buying unnecessary items and lying about it?" I scoff.
"It's not as though I wouldn't have noticed if you had been." He laughs, "No, she was settling the account when Zachary told her Wally was delivering a generator. He said Wally was also willing to assist you with organizing the cabin before I returned." I nod, "Wally told me you two had discussed him handling the cabin's furnishings before."
"Yes, I'd asked him, but he declined. Why would he suddenly have changed his mind?" Alex asks. "I don't know." I shrug, "What do you think?"
"To sabotage this place. Either way, I need him here, and he'd already helped you once." Alex says, "Reporters threatening to publish lies about you warrants an escort, doesn't it? Please, I would never have sent that message if I'd known what would've happened between us." I sigh, "Well you did send it." Alex nods, "I did, and I'm sorry for that. I really am. And you're right to be upset. I just want you to believe I didn't seduce you so those reporters could catch us. I just needed a way to get Wally to stay in the cabin, and keep him close. I'm sorry if you feel hurt, it wasn't my intention. I would never have sent the message had I known what could happen. I'm usually much more in control of my actions."

    I don't answer. "Stacey, I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. Please forgive me." Alex begs. I don't know if I'm ready to forgive, but he could be telling the truth. I sigh, "I don't know. I want to forgive you, but I don't think I'm there yet." Alex nods quickly, "I understand. That's fine. Just know I'm sorry, and I hope I can make it up to you." He didn't tell me about this initially, how do I know he's being truthful now? I don't know what to think anymore. Suddenly, I hear a gasp, pulling me out of my thoughts. "Stacey...do you see that?" Alex points off in the distance. Engrossed in my own thoughts, I finally follow his hand and see her– The young girl, materializing before us, clear as day. Charlotte. She's shrouded in soft hues of red and yellow as the sun rises over the trees. The young girl bends a finer, beckoning us both to follow. "This is really happening, right?" Alex asks, eyes wide. I nod as we begin to follow the young girl, side by side. "We shouldn't be doing this." Alex says quietly. "Of course, we should. We're trying to find out what happened the night Charlotte died, aren't we?" I whisper back. Alex nods, "Yeah, but–" "But nothing. Who better to help us than Charlotte?" I ask. "If that's really her." Alex sighs.

    We trudge muddy ground as Charlotte leads us to the same circle of boulders. "Be careful." Alex says, "The rocks are slippery." He warns me as I march on ahead of him. Charlotte waits for us both before pointing towards the bottom of the rocks. Alex leans in, trying to get a better look. "What's down there?" He asks. "I don't know, but there has to be something." I reply. A burst of sunlight cuts through the blanketing clouds and I see it– reflecting off the rocks. "Oh my–" I gasp and point toward the reflected light. "Is that what I think it is?" Alex gasps. I nod, "It's a knife..."

__________________________________

    Joyce carter reads the article that had been emailed and texted to her from multiple sources. One was from the company's publicists, asking if Joyce had spoken with Alex. Joyce leans back in her chair, her silk gown flowing out as her manicured nails tap against the desk. Her lips are pursed as she thinks things over, weighing the pros and cons of it all. Finally, she stands up and marches to the master bedroom. "Dalton. Dalton, wake up." She shakes her husband awake. "The house had better be on fire, Joyce..." He groans. "Look at this." She says and shoves her phone in front of Dalton, who slowly begins to sit up. "Did someone die?" He asks. Joyce shakes her head, "No."
"Have they started another strike?"
"No." Dalton frowns, "So, what could possibly be so important?" He demands. "It's about Alex..." Joyce sighs. Dalton looks back at his wife, now giving her his full attention. "Fine, fine. Give it to me." He sighs. Joyce watches her husband's expression change as he reads the article and attached picture. His eyebrows rise and fall in both surprise and concern. "What do you think?" Joyce asks slowly. "I think...this article is bullshit." He replies. "Dalton!" Joyce gasps. "What? My son wouldn't hire someone based on whether he's dating her or not." Joyce shrugs, "It's possible the romance is a new development." Dalton shakes his head, "An awfully fast one if it is." Joyce nods, "Kids move faster these days." Dalton looks back at the article. "Who's this girl again?" He asks. "The woman from Pathways," Joyce replies. Dalton raises a brow, "The one you made him hire?" Joyce nods. Dalton is quiet for a moment as he reads the article a second time. He glances up at his wife, then grabs her hand and kisses it. "Don't worry, we raised him well. He'll do what he thinks is right. That's all we can ask for." Dalton smiles. "I can't help but worry. I didn't want him to go out to that stupid cabin to begin with. Now these reporters are out there claiming he's in a relationship with a woman he just hired." Joyce sighs. "A woman who murdered her stepfather," Dalton adds. "I only told you so you'd know what kind of woman our son would be hiring." Joyce huffs. "No, you wanted me to know because it was your idea to hire her," Dalton replies. "It was my idea to hire her, but I didn't expect this. I may have to involve myself." She sighs. "No!" Dalton exclaims. He holds his wife's hand tightly, "Our son can handle this– so let him." Joyce slides her hand away and begins walking towards the door. "Fine. I'll stay out of it...for now." Dalton hears his wife's muttered words before she slams the door behind her. He chuckles at her defiance and grit before grabbing the phone off the nightstand. He presses a few buttons and waits for an answer. "It's me– I had a situation come up in Bayless. I need you to step in."