Read Online Out of the Storm by Kevin V. Symmons - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kevin V. Symmons
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neutral tone.
“Glad to hear it.” Silence hung in the cool air. “How’s Kylie?”
“Fine. Lu’s taking care of her like she was her own.” Eric recalled her laughter in the back yard earlier.
“I knew she’d be fine with you.” Silence. “Eric,” Ashley whispered. “I’m real sorry.”
“Sorry?” he puzzled. “I don’t…”
“’Bout dodging your questions,” she broke in. “Not answering you today at the hospital. About how we got to your house. You been so nice. Things been kinda scary lately. You get to a place where you don’t trust anybody.” Ashley was silent. He could hear her breathing. “But, I…I should have told you.” She paused a second time. Eric heard a deep breath, then a second. Gathering her courage? “We took a bus. From Norfolk to Boston. Then to Exit 6 on the Mid-Cape Highway. I had directions and enough to pay for our tickets but no cash left so when we got to the exit we had to walk. It was either that or sit at the bus station and…well, we just couldn’t do that. But it was raining so bad. I was worried ’bout Kylie and Rusty.”
“Thanks for telling me how you got here.” He stopped. “But I still don’t know why.”
“All I know is Ralph wanted us to leave. He acted scared. So we did what he told us. He didn’t want me to tell anyone. But I wanted you to know. I know I can trust you.”
“Ralph was really scared?” Eric probed.
“Seemed that way.”
“Thanks.” It made sense. Fit with the phone call. “Look, I appreciate you calling me, but you should go to sleep,” Eric whispered, trying to ignore the pleasant warmth he felt as he talked to her. He felt emotions stir that had lain dormant since that dark night a year ago. “You need your rest,” he insisted. “I’ll be by at one.”
“Okay.” He heard her breathing. “The things he said about you. About you being a good man. He was right. Goodnight, Eric,” she whispered back and hung up.
He stared at the cell for a long time, replaying her soft, smooth words over and over. She’d given him something. Insights that fit with the cryptic call from Ralph. It wasn’t an answer, but it was a beginning. Now, if Ron or Buzz could add flesh to this skeleton then maybe, just maybe, Eric could understand who and what he was dealing with. He lay back, exhaled deeply, and closed his eyes. But it wasn’t mystery or danger that came to mind. It was her, Ashley, her grand, velvet eyes, the delicious drawl, and the intoxicating vulnerability that covered her like a cloak. The alien thing that gnawed at Eric, the sensation this enigmatic girl had awakened in him was caring.
Chapter Ten
Eric lay staring at the ceiling, still replaying Ashley’s call. Was it possible? His brother the caring man the girls described? He wanted desperately to believe them. Was his dislike for Ralph coloring his judgment? Eric’s stomach tightened and burned. A sour taste filled his mouth. He was no detective. This was above his pay grade.
Eric went to the window and looked out on the tranquil Atlantic. The night was calm and soft. So soft. He inhaled deeply. This had been Elaine’s favorite time of year. A squirrel skittered down the porch roof as he put his hand on the screen. Transition was in the air, the time when spring blossoms into summer. Far out he could see the running lights of a ship heading southwest—something small heading to New York or the Jersey Shore.
Eric checked his watch. Ten forty-five. No chance he’d hear from Lip tonight. Eric was drained. Needed sleep. He turned off the ball game, throwing the remote on the bed. As he headed to the bathroom, Eric stopped to stare at the picture of Elaine on his dresser. A five-by-seven of the larger one in the living room. She looked up at him, innocent and exquisite, smiling from the garden on their wedding day.
Eric hated drugs. When his men succumbed to narcotics or alcohol abuse he took a hard line. Catching one of them meant an article fifteen
“Glad to hear it.” Silence hung in the cool air. “How’s Kylie?”
“Fine. Lu’s taking care of her like she was her own.” Eric recalled her laughter in the back yard earlier.
“I knew she’d be fine with you.” Silence. “Eric,” Ashley whispered. “I’m real sorry.”
“Sorry?” he puzzled. “I don’t…”
“’Bout dodging your questions,” she broke in. “Not answering you today at the hospital. About how we got to your house. You been so nice. Things been kinda scary lately. You get to a place where you don’t trust anybody.” Ashley was silent. He could hear her breathing. “But, I…I should have told you.” She paused a second time. Eric heard a deep breath, then a second. Gathering her courage? “We took a bus. From Norfolk to Boston. Then to Exit 6 on the Mid-Cape Highway. I had directions and enough to pay for our tickets but no cash left so when we got to the exit we had to walk. It was either that or sit at the bus station and…well, we just couldn’t do that. But it was raining so bad. I was worried ’bout Kylie and Rusty.”
“Thanks for telling me how you got here.” He stopped. “But I still don’t know why.”
“All I know is Ralph wanted us to leave. He acted scared. So we did what he told us. He didn’t want me to tell anyone. But I wanted you to know. I know I can trust you.”
“Ralph was really scared?” Eric probed.
“Seemed that way.”
“Thanks.” It made sense. Fit with the phone call. “Look, I appreciate you calling me, but you should go to sleep,” Eric whispered, trying to ignore the pleasant warmth he felt as he talked to her. He felt emotions stir that had lain dormant since that dark night a year ago. “You need your rest,” he insisted. “I’ll be by at one.”
“Okay.” He heard her breathing. “The things he said about you. About you being a good man. He was right. Goodnight, Eric,” she whispered back and hung up.
He stared at the cell for a long time, replaying her soft, smooth words over and over. She’d given him something. Insights that fit with the cryptic call from Ralph. It wasn’t an answer, but it was a beginning. Now, if Ron or Buzz could add flesh to this skeleton then maybe, just maybe, Eric could understand who and what he was dealing with. He lay back, exhaled deeply, and closed his eyes. But it wasn’t mystery or danger that came to mind. It was her, Ashley, her grand, velvet eyes, the delicious drawl, and the intoxicating vulnerability that covered her like a cloak. The alien thing that gnawed at Eric, the sensation this enigmatic girl had awakened in him was caring.
Chapter Ten
Eric lay staring at the ceiling, still replaying Ashley’s call. Was it possible? His brother the caring man the girls described? He wanted desperately to believe them. Was his dislike for Ralph coloring his judgment? Eric’s stomach tightened and burned. A sour taste filled his mouth. He was no detective. This was above his pay grade.
Eric went to the window and looked out on the tranquil Atlantic. The night was calm and soft. So soft. He inhaled deeply. This had been Elaine’s favorite time of year. A squirrel skittered down the porch roof as he put his hand on the screen. Transition was in the air, the time when spring blossoms into summer. Far out he could see the running lights of a ship heading southwest—something small heading to New York or the Jersey Shore.
Eric checked his watch. Ten forty-five. No chance he’d hear from Lip tonight. Eric was drained. Needed sleep. He turned off the ball game, throwing the remote on the bed. As he headed to the bathroom, Eric stopped to stare at the picture of Elaine on his dresser. A five-by-seven of the larger one in the living room. She looked up at him, innocent and exquisite, smiling from the garden on their wedding day.
Eric hated drugs. When his men succumbed to narcotics or alcohol abuse he took a hard line. Catching one of them meant an article fifteen
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