Firefly Hollow (28 page)

“Kathy? What happened? Did she have an accident?”

To his surprise, Shirley pressed her lips together and looked away. She picked up a napkin and blotted her eyes. “No. It’s awful, Owen. I’m surprised you haven’t heard the news, even down in London.”

“Our phone’s been out for over a week. Shirley, you’re worrying me. What happened to Kathy?” He started to stand, but Shirley stopped him.

“You need to know before you go over there. From what Sarah has told me, and from what people are saying, Kathy was planning on leaving her husband for another man. He found out, and he… he didn’t take it very well.”

“Oh, dear God. Did Randall go after her?”

Shirley’s lips trembled. “It’s so much worse than that. Owen, he called the other man to their house. He attacked Kathy, and then killed her lover. Then he killed their children, and then he killed himself. All of it in front of Kathy.”

Owen’s vision narrowed to Shirley’s white face and her trembling hands. The room faded around them. He thought about the baby Kathy’d been holding just a week ago, about little Moira, and nausea roiled in his stomach. “No,” he whispered, shaking his head. “Why? Why would he do that?”

“From what Sarah said, he did it all to punish Kathy. That’s why he didn’t kill her, so she’d have to live with what he did.”

He didn’t realize he was crying until Shirley handed him a napkin. Unashamed, he wiped his face. “When did this happen?”

“Monday evening. I know they tried to call you, but they couldn’t get through.”

Owen felt her words like a stab to the heart, and in that moment, he hated himself. “How’s Sarah? You’ve seen her, I take it?”

“She’s holding up for now. Her mother’s on her way from Georgia, should be here today sometime. Sarah and Gilly have been taking turns sitting with Kathy, and Jack has, too. They’ve all been staying here in town with Gilly’s parents.” Shirley went to the refrigerator and got out a pitcher of cold water. She offered Owen a glass, and he accepted it.

Shirley poured herself one and sat down again. “I want to ask you something. This is coming from Sarah’s friend, not from your librarian. Understand me?”

“Of course. Ask away.”

“Where the
hell
have you been, and why haven’t you contacted Sarah? Do you know what she’s thought? What we’ve all thought? She’s called you, and you don’t answer. She’s written, and you don’t answer. I’m ashamed of you, Owen Campbell.”

Owen flinched. “I don’t have any excuses. None. I didn’t consider how my not writing or calling looked until this week, and by then, it was too late.” He looked at where his hands wrapped around the glass. “Do you think Sarah would see me if I went to her?”

“You know, I’m not sure. If this hadn’t happened with Kathy? I think you would have walked in the door today and gotten knocked flat on your behind, and you would have deserved it. But now? The girl has had about as much tragedy as she can cope with. She can’t take much more. So I don’t know if she’d see you or not, but I think you’d better try. If you care about Sarah at all, you’d better try.”

Chapter Forty

S
ARAH WAS STANDING AT THE window, staring out across the hospital parking lot when Kathy stirred on the bed behind her.

Turning, she moved to her sister’s side. “You’re awake.” Sarah thought her bruises looked a little better, and her eyes didn’t seem to be as swollen. If there was an inch of skin on her sister that hadn’t been cut, bruised, or battered, Sarah would be surprised.

Kathy grimaced as she tried to sit up, and Sarah helped her get into a more comfortable position. She poured her sister a fresh cup of water.

Kathy managed to drink about a third of it before she handed it back. “Thanks.”

“The doctor was in a little while ago. He thinks you might get to come home tomorrow,” Sarah said. She sat down in the chair beside the bed.

“I won’t go back to that house.”

“No. You won’t have to. The rest of us can go get your belongings, and you can stay with us at the farm.”

Kathy plucked at the blanket. “Heard from Mama yet?”

“She called early this morning. She and Nancy are in Tennessee and should be here later today.”

Kathy slumped against her pillows with a tired-sounding sigh. “Did you bring anything to read today?”

Sarah smiled. “Of course.” She pulled two books out of her bag and held them up so Kathy could see them. “Which would you like me to read?”

“The McLemore, please.”

The first day after the shootings, Sarah had been sitting at Kathy’s bedside, keeping vigil. The silence in the hospital room was deafening, and out of self-defense, she pulled out a book and started reading aloud. By sheer accident, the book was one of Owen’s that Sarah hadn’t yet returned to the library.

When she stopped reading, Kathy, who had been silent ever since she’d been brought in, had spoken, her voice a bare whisper. “Don’t stop. I like that.”

So Sarah had continued reading to her sister. The action soothed them both, even though Kathy’s choices so far had been mostly Owen’s books. Calling herself ten kinds of fool, Sarah felt closer to him by reading the words he’d written. She thought maybe the reading helped her pretend he hadn’t left her and helped Kathy pretend everything she loved hadn’t been destroyed.

“This is a new one,” Sarah said as she put the other book aside for later. “Well, new to me. It’s been checked out ever since I started reading the series. It finally came in to the library last night, and Shirley grabbed it for me. This one’s called
The Summer Folly of Tobias Hedge
.”

Kathy’s battered mouth moved in what Sarah thought was a smile. “I like Toby. He’s funny.”

“He is, at that,” Sarah said as she opened the book. “But I like Hootie Grey Feather, too.”

Toby and Hootie were a deer and an owl, respectively. Toby was a young teenager who could shapeshift, and Hootie was an old man whose spirit roamed the land when he slept. Together with Minerva, a shapeshifter who turned into a surly bobcat, they had adventures. The stories were always centered around traditional Appalachian myths and folklore. Hootie and Minerva usually ended up getting Toby out of trouble, as they were older and wiser. Owen had done an excellent job of blending fiction with folklore.

“So what’s Toby into this time?”

“Let’s find out.” Slipping off her shoes, Sarah curled her legs up under her and started reading.

“
The morning was cool as Toby gamboled through the woods, fog nipping at his heels. It was late spring, and the young buck was in a playful mood. He hadn’t been able to change into his deer form in recent days, and the energy soared through him as he ran. He stopped here and there, nibbling on soft green leaves and tender shoots, but he didn’t linger anyplace very long. He wanted to get to the pond, where he was meeting his friends.

Toby’s excitement turned to uncertainty when he reached the cool, calm pond, for there, sitting on a rock in the bright sun, sat a girl.

‘Oh, no,’ Toby thought. ‘What do I do?’ His parents had warned him against interacting with humans while in animal form, but they’d always been more worried about hunters with guns. They’d never said anything about what to do if he encountered someone close to his own age.

Moving slowly, Toby approached the girl. She didn’t see him at first, as she was enraptured by the book she held. Feeling bold, he edged closer, stepping on a small twig as he did. The sound startled the girl, and she looked up, straight into his eyes.

Toby’s heart sighed and fluttered. She was the most beautiful girl he’d ever seen. Her eyes sparkled a deep blue that fairly shone with intelligence. Creamy white skin and dark, shining hair completed the picture. He’d never seen her before, and wondered where she’d come from, who her people were.

She smiled. ‘Are you really standing here?’ she asked. ‘I’ve never seen a deer before, except in pictures.’

Toby thought that was strange indeed, but he couldn’t ask her about it while he was in deer form. A sweet, tart scent reached his nostrils, teasing them. Looking around, he realized the smell was coming from a sliced apple in the girl’s lap. Apples were one of his favorite foods, in deer or human form, and his mouth watered. Even though he knew he shouldn’t, he moved closer and cast a longing glance at the fruit.

The girl took the hint and offered him a slice. He moved carefully so he didn’t scare her and took the apple from her fingers. It was so good and crisp, he huffed out a sound of deep satisfaction as he ate. He’d never had an apple so sweet, and he figured the girl must have worked some sort of magic over the apple to make it taste so good. He went back for more, and she freely gave him the rest of it.”

Sarah stopped reading, as memory tugged at her. The encounter Toby was having with the girl was exactly like the encounter she’d had with the deer at the pool the summer she graduated high school. The description of the girl in the book fit Sarah herself.

“No,” she marveled, “I’m losing my mind.”

Kathy glanced at her, but didn’t speak. Shaking herself, Sarah continued reading.

“
Intrigued by his new friend, Toby decided to linger at the pond for a while. He eyed the girl’s brown bag with curiosity, hoping there might be more apples.

‘Oh, you probably won’t like what’s in there,’ she told him. ‘My granny packed my lunch for me this morning. It’s probably egg salad or tuna. I doubt that’d be to your taste.’

Toby agreed. He wasn’t much of a fan of egg salad.”

“Sarah, are you okay?”

Sarah wasn’t aware that she had stopped reading until Kathy spoke. Feeling as though she were in a fog, she looked at Kathy, then down at the book in her hands. There was no way Owen could know what she’d said to the deer that day at the pool. None. Unless he’d been eavesdropping, and since the deer hadn’t sensed him nearby, Sarah didn’t think that was how he’d known.

“It’s not possible…” she whispered. “I mean, I know the book’s about a boy who can… but it isn’t possible.”

Kathy rose up a little in the bed. “You have the strangest look on your face right now. Are you okay?”

The irony of Kathy asking
her
that question made Sarah laugh. “Yeah, I’m fine. I just… I’m okay.” With an effort, she managed to turn her attention back to the book long enough to finish reading the story. She didn’t remember any of it later. Her mind raced as she started putting together puzzle pieces: the deer’s odd, human-like behavior, Owen’s certainty that Sarah would reject him once he revealed all his secrets. Everything made a strange sort of sense. As she finished the story, another thought occurred to her. She’d gone skinny-dipping that day at the pool.

“That little… I was naked!” she burst out. “And he was there.”

“Who was where when you were naked?” Kathy looked completely confused.

Sarah was saved from having to answer by a soft knock on the door. She and Kathy turned, and Kathy inhaled sharply when they saw who the visitor was.

“Mama!” Kathy struggled to get up, reaching for Eliza, and their mother hurried across the room.

“I’m here, baby. I’m here.” Eliza tucked Kathy into her arms carefully, mindful of her injuries, and Kathy started to cry.

Nancy had stopped in the doorway, and she gestured to Sarah. Understanding, Sarah gathered her bag and joined her aunt in the hall. She closed the door behind her, and Nancy held her arms open for Sarah, who accepted the hug gratefully.

“Let’s get some air, shall we? They’re going to need a while.”

“There’s a little area downstairs the nurses showed me. We can go there,” Sarah said.

The tiny garden was deserted, and Sarah tossed her bag on top of the picnic table that sat to one side of the green space.

“How are you?” Nancy asked. She walked around, stretching her legs and her back.

“Okay. Coping. Did you all just get in?”

“Yes. We drove straight through from Knoxville. What a mess, Sarah. What a damned tragic mess.” She sat beside Sarah and pulled a pack of cigarettes out of her purse. She offered one to Sarah, then lit her own when Sarah declined. “Have you all talked to the funeral director yet?”

“Jack spoke to him earlier this week, and again yesterday, I think. Kathy isn’t able to talk about it, and we wanted to wait until Mama got here. He understood. I expect we’ll have to take care of that tomorrow.”

“God damn Randall Begley. Have you heard from his family?”

“Oh, yes. His mother blames Kathy for everything. Said he should have killed Kathy, instead of himself. They had to sedate her, she was so upset. Randall’s father is almost as upset, as you can probably imagine.”

“Well, they lost a son and two grandchildren, so they have every right to grieve. But Kathy’s not the one who pulled the trigger on that gun. He could have let her walk out. They’ll never see it that way, though.” Nancy stubbed the cigarette out in the tray on the table. “So what about you? Eliza said you’d been having some problems with your beau. Have you straightened them out?”

“No. I’ve still not heard from him. I guess Mama told you he went to London?” When Nancy nodded, Sarah continued. “Well, Kathy came up to the house Monday. That’s when she told me she was leaving Randall, but she also came to tell me she’d seen Owen with another woman. She and Randall had been down there, and she saw him.”

Nancy looked surprised, and Sarah shrugged. “I wasn’t expecting it, either. I tried again to call him after…well, after. I think he gave me the wrong number because it just rang and rang, unanswered. He’ll show up one day, or he won’t. Not much I can do at this point.” She sighed.

“I do hate that things have turned out like that between the two of you. I was rather impressed with him when I met him. I never would have expected him to act like that.”

“Neither did I, Nancy.” Sarah thought about the connection she’d made between Owen and the deer a short while ago. “I must be more tired than I thought.”

Her aunt sent her a quizzical look. “What makes you say that?”

Sarah laughed. “It’s nothing. I imagine you all are exhausted, as well.”

“It wasn’t an easy trip, no. We didn’t stop to eat lunch today. Neither of us was really able to think about it at the time, but I’m starting to get a little hungry now. Have you eaten?”

“No. We could get something from the cafeteria.”

Nancy stood and held out her hand. “I was thinking about the drugstore, actually.”

Sarah grimaced. “That’s probably not a good idea right now, unfortunately. I made that mistake Wednesday. I either got stared at like I was a leper or questioned nearly half to death. Until some of this with Kathy blows over, I’m avoiding public places as much as I can.”

“I was afraid of that. Cafeteria it is, then.”

After a quick lunch, they returned to the floor where Kathy’s room was. As they got off the elevator, Nancy asked Sarah about her job. “Are they accommodating you, or are you in trouble?”

“They’ve been wonderful. The director’s promised to hold my job as long as she can. Hopefully, I’ll be able to go back in a week or two.”

As they passed the waiting room, Sarah happened to glance inside. The sight of a tall, dark-haired man stopped her dead in her tracks. He had his back to the hallway, but when she gasped, he turned.

“Owen.” Sarah couldn’t move as he hurried toward her, concern etched on his face. When he reached out for her, however, she slapped his hand away with a smack that echoed in the small room. Not waiting to see how he would react, she ran down the hall and into the ladies’ room.

Both stalls were thankfully empty, and Sarah locked herself inside the smallest. She pressed her back against the door, heart hammering in her throat. For a minute, she thought she might throw up. Her hands were clammy, and she couldn’t think beyond the knowledge that Owen, finally, was there.

When Sarah calmed down enough to come out of the bathroom, Owen was waiting for her in the hallway. He’d been leaning against the wall, hands shoved in his pockets, but when she came out, he straightened.

He looked tired, and Sarah was shocked to see that he appeared to have lost ten pounds, maybe more. The beard was unexpected, but he wore it well. She laughed bitterly to herself. He seemed to wear everything well.

“Your mom needs to see you,” he said. “Sarah, I—”

She cut him off by simply walking away. As much as she’d prayed he would return, she didn’t have the least bit of interest in having a discussion with him at the moment. She was too tired and devastated by everything that had happened that week to care what he had to say. She went straight to Kathy’s room and tapped on the door.

“Come in,” Eliza said quietly. “Kathy’s asleep. They gave her something to help her rest.” She met Sarah near the door and pulled her into a hug so tight, Sarah thought she might suffocate. She didn’t complain, though.

Eliza pulled back and looked at her. “You look tired.”

“I could rest. You don’t look like a bundle of energy yourself.”

Taking her hand, Eliza glanced over her shoulder. “I’m going to stay here with Kathy. If you could, take Nancy over to Gilly’s parents’ house and let Gilly get her settled in. Then I’m going to have Owen take you home. The doctor came in while you and Nancy were at lunch, and he’s sending Kathy home tomorrow. We’ll stay here while you, Gilly, and Jack get some rest.”