The Haunting of Secrets (14 page)

Chapter
Twenty-Three

~ New Beginnings ~

Football season is in full swing, so of
course the parking lot at Taco Mac is full. Luckily, Logan parks
close and we’re both pleased to be led to a table quickly. Taco Mac
is a sports bar, full of sports minded people drinking and yelling
at the television. Not the usual quiet, romantic place one would
imagine for a first date. Most girls want to be taken somewhere
fancy, where they use real tablecloths and fresh flowers to enhance
the dining experience. But, I’m not most girls. Logan’s knowledge
of the things I like surprises me. The hostess leads us to the
corner booth furthest away from the door. It’s like she knows this
is my first date. My face must give it away. I can feel it
flushing, no doubt due to my nerves. I see Logan give me a weird
look every now and then as if he too is wondering why I all of the
sudden, I can’t seem to keep my usual face of apathy.

The restaurant has typical bar food, with a
selection that appeals to the masses. The waitress greets us,
clearly more interested in Logan than me. I order a burger with
fries and Logan orders some wings. We sit in silence for a bit,
both of us unsure of how to begin a conversation. Logan opens his
mouth to talk, but his voice is drowned out by a loud roar of
approval that suddenly fills the bar. Apparently, Georgia just
scored a touchdown. Ever the sports fan, Logan’s eyes are drawn to
the television, eager to see the replay of the touchdown. I take
this stolen moment to really look at Logan. He is in his usual dark
jeans and shirt. The only difference is that he is wearing a polo
shirt rather than his usual t-shirt. He seems to favor dark colors
like I do since he chose a dark crimson shirt that brings out the
brown in his hazel eyes. He keeps his haircut short, but I don’t
mind that at all, since I have never really liked a boy who has
hair longer than mine. I lean forward a bit, intoxicated by his
smell. It is a mix of soap and Axe deodorant. I inhale deeply,
wanting to remember every moment of my first date.

Before he catches me staring at him, I look
down at the menu and pretend to be studying the desserts. Seconds
later, I hear him clear his voice. I look up to see him staring at
me, his hands folded together on the table in front of him, his
face more serious than I would have anticipated.

“So Aimee, do we start with small talk or get
right into it and you tell me what’s been going on with you
lately?” Logan begins his voice firm but concerned.

I should be surprised by his question, but
I’m not. Instead, I’m mad and getting more furious by the second,
because I wonder if this date could just be a rouse to get me alone
and talking about what Dejana and I have been up to. I wonder how
much he knows about our quest to find a killer, if anything. So, it
seems that it isn’t me he wants, but information. My embarrassment
fuels my anger, but I reel it in, determined not to let him see how
much this deception hurts.

“What do you mean Logan?” I ask, fake
innocence practically dripping from my voice. I cross my hands in
front of me on the table copying his posture. I would smile
innocently if I thought it would do any good. But he knows I don’t
smile, just isn’t in my nature. So, I sit and wait, watching
emotions of doubt and confusion run across his face. I will not
cave in. I need to know how much he knows about the killer. The
more he knows the more in danger that puts him.

Logan sighs and shakes his head. “Ok Aimee.
You can keep your secrets. But, I know something is bothering you.
Ever since the bombing, you’ve been acting strange, paranoid even.
I would venture to say scared, but I like my face the way it is,”
he says smirking.

Ever the skeptic, I lean in and look into his
face, trying my best to decipher what his true intentions are.
However, I see no deception in his body language.

He smiles at me and asks, “What? Why are you
looking at me that way?”

When I make no move to answer, something
seems to occur to him.

He adds, “Oh, sorry I didn’t tell you the
minute you walked out the door at Dejana’s house. You look
beautiful Aim, you really do,” he finishes, an adorable,
embarrassed sort of look on his face.

I’m an idiot. This isn’t about the killings
at all; it’s about his concern for me. I blame jumping to
conclusions on my ill placed skepticism. Touched, my anger begins
to melt away. “As a wise old lady once said, ‘a woman’s heart is an
ocean of secrets’; mine more so than others.’ I really appreciate
all you have done for me, but I’m good. I promise. If, for some
reason there comes a time when I’m not, I’ll let you know.”

Seemingly appeased, Logan nods. Our eyes
lock, the moment frozen. For a second, it is just the two of us in
the restaurant. There are no televisions, no loud crowds yelling at
football teams. His hands unclasp and his right one moves to take
mine. I don’t dare to breathe, afraid that it would break the
spell. This has been a day of firsts. His hand is centimeters from
taking mine when the world comes crashing back in on us.

“Hey Logan!” shouts someone from across the
restaurant. We both turn to see Tyler waving at us. He’s with three
of his friends and they are all wearing varying degrees of
basketball uniforms. Their shirts vary in both color and newness,
but they each wear matching black shorts. They must have come to
eat straight after a basketball practice. My stomach is in knots. I
slink down in my seat, hoping to blend in so they ignore me. They
all make their way to our table without an invitation. I hear Logan
groan.

Tyler, the obvious leader and, in my opinion,
the most handsome of the group, is the first to speak once they
reach our table. “Dude, I didn’t know you were going to be here!
You said you were sick! But I guess you had a better reason to blow
off practice tonight, huh?” he adds looking at me and smiling. His
green eyes twinkle with charm as he looks at me. It is unnerving to
have Tyler’s full attention. His clear, green eyes are a stark
contrast to his blond hair. His face is perfectly round and his
body is toned and muscular. He was blessed with the face of a sexy
movie star and the body of an Adonis. It’s no wonder that he has
girls falling over him all the time at school. I’m surprised to see
no hint of disgust on his face or hear any tone of sarcasm in his
voice. The other three are a different story, the tall, blonde one
especially.

“No way Tyler, you can’t mean
her
?”
asks the tall, blonde kid, punching his friends in the arms. His
voice is filled with obvious disgust as he drags out the last word
as if it was dirty. I wrap my arms around my stomach, trying my
best to hold in my anger. I’ve spent my whole life avoiding fights,
I’m not about to start one now. I don’t dare look at Logan. I don’t
want to see the embarrassment that I’m sure is all over his face.
Though he’s been there for me in ways I could never have imagined,
he’s never been tested like this. Not many can survive the test of
peer pressure. For all his confidence, even Logan will probably
crumble. I brace myself for the worst when instead, I’m saved by
someone I never would have guessed even knew my name.

“Knock it off, Blake. Just because you’re
dating the school slut, doesn’t mean you can make fun of Aimee. At
least she hasn’t slept with half the guys on the baseball team,”
taunts Tyler, daring Blake to tell him different.

Red in the face with suppressed anger, Blake
is practically spewing steam from his ears, probably from the fire
blowing up his ass. Either way, Blake is smart enough not to
challenge Tyler. Blake turns to his friends and says, “Come on
guys, we better get a table before it fills up. Let’s leave the two
ugly ducklings to their date.”

The three of them head off in the direction
of the patio. Tyler however, stays behind and leans against the
back of our booth. His eye catches mine and he winks at me.

“Thanks man,” says Logan. “You saved me a
pretty big fight.”

“No worries dude. You’re the best player we
have on the team. Can’t have that killer right arm hurt in a stupid
fight or we’d all be screwed. And I’m sure Aimee would not
appreciate it if your face was messed up either,” explains Tyler
winking at me once more.

I feel myself blush. Damn, when did I become
that
girl? I go from no one even knowing I exist, to being
on a date with Logan and giggling like a schoolgirl because the
cutest boy in school pours on the charm and points it in my
direction. I’ll have to get tattoo this weekend just to downgrade
my attitude a bit. I shouldn’t even think of entertaining the
advances of one guy, let alone the attention of two. It is simply
not in the cards for me and I would do well to remember that.

As Logan and Tyler talk baseball for a bit,
my attention’s drawn to the closest of many large televisions that
garnish the sports bar. The reporter for Channel Two Action News
appears and the words ‘breaking news’ fills the bottom of the
screen. I’m not sure why, but the story immediately consumes my
focus. I can’t hear what the reporter is talking about, but I can
read the ticker at the bottom of the screen that types out
everything the person is saying.

Authorities are still investigating, but
this is what we know of this breaking story, Susan. A second
tragedy has befallen the students of Peachtree Creek High School
here in Georgia. It was only four weeks ago that a horrendous
bombing rocked, this otherwise quiet school, killing thirty-seven
young students. Now, tonight, the body of a young girl believed to
be from the same school, is found murdered a stone’s throw from
where the bombing took place. A man walking his dog earlier this
evening discovered a body thrown in this ditch you see right behind
me. Judging from the tracks in the mud on the bank of the road, the
car drove onto the shoulder and pushed the body out of the car in
the direction of the woods that border the school. The police say
there are no witnesses despite the heavy foot traffic from the park
across the street. Channel Two Action News had an exclusive
interview with the man walking his dog and he elaborated on his
initial curiosity at the dark, red stain on the sidewalk. After a
closer look, he found a trail that led to the body a few feet from
the sidewalk. The man revealed that the poor girl’s body was
covered in blood. We still don’t know the identity of the young
lady, but we know one thing for sure, this poor young girl
suffered. Back to you Susan.

The world closes around me as my heart
catches in my throat and my lungs burn for air. I can’t seem to
inhale. Dread consumes me. I chant over and over in my head,
please don’t let it be Brenda
, but my heart knows the truth.
I have to get out of here and check on her; see if she’s safe or if
hers is the body dumped so callously by a killer’s maniacal whims.
If the body discovered really is Brenda, then I have failed, big
time. All our hard work to get to this point wasted because I
couldn’t even stand one day of staking out. All it took was six
hours of torture, one sexy look from a boy to abandon my duties,
and I fall knee deep into a date. I’ll never forgive myself if poor
Brenda was forced to die such a horrible death on my watch. Not to
mention the pain I’m certain she endured before she fell blessedly
into the depths of darkness. All due to my ineptness and inability
to tolerate a few boring hours.

I turn to address Logan, still deep in
conversation with Tyler. I waste no time interrupting. “Logan, I
have to go. Now,” I say, the urgency seeping through my voice.

He and Tyler both turn to look at me at the
same time; confusion rolling off them in waves. It is practically
palatable, like a thick fog hanging between us. Since I can’t
reveal anything more, I slide out of the booth, fly toward the
front door, panic and regret engulfing me. I hear Logan yell my
name behind me and I almost don’t stop. Then I realize I don’t want
my first date to end like this; I don’t want to be the kind of girl
that goes running for the hills with absolutely no explanation. I
turn around and spot Logan in the crowded restaurant, making his
way towards me. He had followed me of course; I should have
expected it. The look of such disappointment on his face almost
undoes me. My heart clenches with the sting of regret.

As he nears me, I see him put his hands into
his pockets, clearly wanting to say something, but uncomfortable
with whatever it is. I need to go, but he remains stubbornly
silent. Despite the urgency I feel, I make no move to leave. I want
to go back to that table and tell Logan everything, but I can’t.
I’m on the verge of begging for forgiveness, but pride holds me
back. The one and only good thing about living alone with a
constant companion of everyone else’s past is that you never have
any regrets. And I’ll be damned if I let begging be my first.
However, it’s so hard to resist when my entire body practically
aches with the need to comfort him. I cross my arms in an effort to
protect myself, but it doesn’t really work. Seeing the hurt in
Logan’s eyes makes me feel about two feet tall. Mentally I slap
myself. I need to remember that I would rather have him hurt now,
so he can remain safe in his ignorance.

Finally, our standoff is interrupted by
Logan’s loud and heavy sigh. A gesture I can hear even in this
loud, crowded restaurant. His hand emerges from his pocket with a
set of car keys. “Go. I’ll get a ride from Tyler,” he says before
tossing me the keys.

I catch them expertly in my hand despite the
surprise that practically renders me immobile. I stand there for a
moment in disbelief; incapable of moving despite the fact that a
few seconds ago, I wanted to fly out the door. I long to say
something; anything that would express the overwhelming gratitude I
feel for his support, but my voice remains stubbornly absent. Logan
never even asked why I had to go. I wonder what I had done right to
deserve his unbending support. Though I had always avoided any kind
of interaction with him, he persisted. To what end, I never knew
nor even cared at the time, but things have changed now. My life is
very different than it was before the bombing. I have changed in
ways I can’t even see yet. And if the media gets hold of anything
else that brings attention to this small town in Georgia that I’ve
been using as my own personal hideout for years, then my life will
have to change again, because I will be forced to leave. But, I
can’t think about that right now; that crisis will have to wait for
another day. My reveries end and my panic returns with a vengeance.
I turn around and run out the door, but at the last minute, I turn
back and look Logan, my ever-constant savior.