Read Online Relentless Pursuit by Kathleen Brooks - Free Book Online
Authors: Kathleen Brooks
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and Tammy’s hope plummeted. “After all you've done for me over the past couple of days, I have come to realize something. I was stupid and blind. You’re a wonderful woman. More than I deserve.”
“Pierce…” Tammy started to say, but he cut her off.
“I just need to get out of here. Please tell everyone thank you. I just need some time to myself right now.” Pierce bounded down the stairs and hopped into his farm truck he had left at his parents’ house the night of Miles and Morgan’s wedding. Tammy stared after him. What had just happened? She didn’t know for sure, but it sure felt as if her heart had just been broken.
Pierce sat in the beat-up truck and looked out the windshield at his house. Crime tape was hanging from the door, his grass was trampled, and he sat worrying about what he’d find when he got inside. The memory of waking up to Dr. Oldham’s body was all he could think about. The vision just wouldn’t leave him.
Pierce got out of the truck and looked around the farm. He worried about the secret he and Dr. Oldham kept. Heading off into the woods, Pierce decided to make sure it hadn’t been discovered yet before going into his house again.
He pushed through the shrubs and into the clearing. The camouflaged storage unit was still locked and Pierce sighed in relief. He unlocked the door and stood staring at his invention. Satisfied everything was all right, he locked the door back up and headed home. It was time to face whatever demons were inside.
Pierce made the walk back to his house thinking of his close partnership with Dr. Oldham. He had been more than just a mentor. He had been a friend. Pierce stopped at his front door and slowly pushed it open. All evidence of the murder was gone. The carpet where Dr. Oldham had laid was removed, collected as evidence against Pierce. He looked around at the destruction. Fingerprint powder was everywhere. Drawers were emptied, his things tossed about the entire house. “Aw, welcome home. Feed me!” Gus squawked from his cage in the living room.
“How you doing, Gus?” Pierce asked as he opened the cage door. Gus jumped out and climbed up Pierce’s arm.
“Aw, Gus is a good bird.” Gus nuzzled his beak against Pierce’s ear and rode on his shoulder into the kitchen.
Pierce sat Gus down on the kitchen table with a banana as he started the long process of cleaning up his house. As he scrubbed the fingerprint dust from the doorframe, he cursed himself for the way he had treated Tammy—today, yesterday, hell, for the past two years.
When he was in high school, he looked nothing like he did now. Pierce cringed as he remembered how he was all sharp knees and elbows. He was tall, gangly, and had braces. He disappeared into their shadows when he stood next to his brothers. Miles, Marshall, and Cade had all developed early. They played sports, had muscles and girlfriends. He and Cy had taken a little longer to develop. But even Cy had turned into a man sooner than Pierce. Back then, the only reason girls talked to him was to get info on his brothers.
Tammy had been nice, though. She had smiled when they passed each other in the hall and she had never talked to him solely to get the scoop on the other Davies brothers. In fact, she hadn’t ever really talked to anyone. She hadn't been part of the "in crowd" either. The Belles had made sure no one got to know Trailer Park Tammy. Yes, she held her head high and smiled at everyone, but she was never part of the class.
When Pierce went off to college, he grew three more inches and gained almost forty pounds of muscle. His facial hair filled in and he started wearing short stubble just because he could. Girls started noticing him, too. Now it was his roommate who was hounded by girls wanting to know what Pierce liked. Needless to say, college made up for high school.
Though he still worked his parents’ farm, he spent most of his time in Lexington on campus. He chose to hang at the campus bars
“Pierce…” Tammy started to say, but he cut her off.
“I just need to get out of here. Please tell everyone thank you. I just need some time to myself right now.” Pierce bounded down the stairs and hopped into his farm truck he had left at his parents’ house the night of Miles and Morgan’s wedding. Tammy stared after him. What had just happened? She didn’t know for sure, but it sure felt as if her heart had just been broken.
Pierce sat in the beat-up truck and looked out the windshield at his house. Crime tape was hanging from the door, his grass was trampled, and he sat worrying about what he’d find when he got inside. The memory of waking up to Dr. Oldham’s body was all he could think about. The vision just wouldn’t leave him.
Pierce got out of the truck and looked around the farm. He worried about the secret he and Dr. Oldham kept. Heading off into the woods, Pierce decided to make sure it hadn’t been discovered yet before going into his house again.
He pushed through the shrubs and into the clearing. The camouflaged storage unit was still locked and Pierce sighed in relief. He unlocked the door and stood staring at his invention. Satisfied everything was all right, he locked the door back up and headed home. It was time to face whatever demons were inside.
Pierce made the walk back to his house thinking of his close partnership with Dr. Oldham. He had been more than just a mentor. He had been a friend. Pierce stopped at his front door and slowly pushed it open. All evidence of the murder was gone. The carpet where Dr. Oldham had laid was removed, collected as evidence against Pierce. He looked around at the destruction. Fingerprint powder was everywhere. Drawers were emptied, his things tossed about the entire house. “Aw, welcome home. Feed me!” Gus squawked from his cage in the living room.
“How you doing, Gus?” Pierce asked as he opened the cage door. Gus jumped out and climbed up Pierce’s arm.
“Aw, Gus is a good bird.” Gus nuzzled his beak against Pierce’s ear and rode on his shoulder into the kitchen.
Pierce sat Gus down on the kitchen table with a banana as he started the long process of cleaning up his house. As he scrubbed the fingerprint dust from the doorframe, he cursed himself for the way he had treated Tammy—today, yesterday, hell, for the past two years.
When he was in high school, he looked nothing like he did now. Pierce cringed as he remembered how he was all sharp knees and elbows. He was tall, gangly, and had braces. He disappeared into their shadows when he stood next to his brothers. Miles, Marshall, and Cade had all developed early. They played sports, had muscles and girlfriends. He and Cy had taken a little longer to develop. But even Cy had turned into a man sooner than Pierce. Back then, the only reason girls talked to him was to get info on his brothers.
Tammy had been nice, though. She had smiled when they passed each other in the hall and she had never talked to him solely to get the scoop on the other Davies brothers. In fact, she hadn’t ever really talked to anyone. She hadn't been part of the "in crowd" either. The Belles had made sure no one got to know Trailer Park Tammy. Yes, she held her head high and smiled at everyone, but she was never part of the class.
When Pierce went off to college, he grew three more inches and gained almost forty pounds of muscle. His facial hair filled in and he started wearing short stubble just because he could. Girls started noticing him, too. Now it was his roommate who was hounded by girls wanting to know what Pierce liked. Needless to say, college made up for high school.
Though he still worked his parents’ farm, he spent most of his time in Lexington on campus. He chose to hang at the campus bars
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