41. Kali

CHAPTER 41

Kali

A door swings open, and my gaze locks on Martinez walking toward me. The Texas Rangers found Pearl two counties over from Blackburn, headed north, and brought her in just a little while ago. He’s only been in there with Pearl for five minutes. While he allowed Paxton to watch the interview, I had to wait out in the hallway.

“What’s wrong?” I ask as he approaches.

He shakes his head. “She won’t talk until she talks to you first.”

I bite my lip. A part of me needs to hear what she has to say while the other part is being shredded at the mere thought that the woman I looked at like a mother had something to do with my nightmare.

Yet, she might tell me where Ari is.

I stand, taking a deep breath. “Okay.”

“She knows everything she says is being recorded,” he says as we make our way through the doors.

With a nod, he opens the door for me. The room is bright, with a table in the middle and three chairs. Pearl watches me as I scoot a chair back. The chair’s screech against the cement floor bounces off the walls, making me wince as I sit down. She waits for me to get settled. She’s aged at least ten years in the past twenty-four hours. Of course, it could be the unforgiving glare of the fluorescent lighting.

“I’m so sorry, Kali.” She extends her hands across the table, but I jerk back, hiding my hands in my lap.

“Don’t touch me.”

She frowns, as if I just offended her. “You have to know my heart was in the right place.”

Is she trying to justify burying me alive?

I force myself to swallow the knot of bile in my throat as I stare at her in utter shock. No apology can make this right.

“The light of a hero shines brighter from the darkest of moments.” What the hell did she just say? Why is she speaking like that? I replay her words in my mind, hoping I misheard them. “You and my son were meant to be together.”

Nope. I heard them correctly. Paxton was right, this lady is nuts. She doesn’t even sound like the Pearl I know.

My mouth gapes open, but there are no words. Anger digs in and takes root, and I have to take a couple calming breaths so I don’t fly over the table and slam her head into it a few times.

“Let me get this straight…you had me buried alive so I could meet your son?”

“So he could save you,” she says with pep and a smile, as if that changes everything.

So he could save me? Who thinks that way? Who believes drugging someone, locking them in a box, and tormenting them— thump, thump, thump —would be a recipe for romance? Why not let nature run its course? He sent me a pie and then came back to the diner. Wasn’t that enough?

She’s delusional. Her heart is in the wrong place. Wired wrong. Something.

She doesn’t care about her son. She only cares about herself. She left him. She chose someone over him. So, why now? Why does she want to offer me up on a silver platter to him?

Was it the money?

Was she going to wait until we got married and then kill us both so she would end up with the money? Shit. This is a rabbit hole I don’t want to go down.

I see why Paxton hates her.

Don’t kill her, everyone is watching.

“This is not a fucking fairy tale!” I slam my palms on the table, causing her to flinch. “Thanks to you, I have mental and emotional scars I live with every day. Fears! I was stuck in a box, thinking my last breath would be any minute. I couldn’t move. I felt spiders on me. I peed myself!” Not able to keep still, I jump up and start pacing. I stop and turn toward her. “What if he hadn’t come?”

“He would,” she insists. “I knew he would find you.” Grinding my teeth, I spin away from her and stare at the mirror where Paxton and Martinez are watching. Do they find this as absurd as I do? “And you got help. You were better, and you were so happy with my Pax.” Nails dig into my palms as I fist my hands. “But that idiot, Carl, had to mess everything up. He was like a cat who had his first taste of blood. He acquired the taste for tormenting women.”

The tension knots between my shoulders, spiraling up to the base of my neck. A small voice in my head screams at me to leave. Walk out of here because I’ve had enough. But there’s more she needs to say, more they need to hear, and she might not tell them. So, I take hold of the power she’s given me and spin around, determined to get more answers.

“Who’s Carl?”

“My crazy ex-husband. Pax’s stepfather.” Did she just call someone else crazy? Hello pot, meet kettle. “I should’ve never had him help me.”

My eyes close, and I ask between gritted teeth, “Where’s Ari?”

“I swear, Kali, I don’t know. I don’t know anything about that other girl, either. Carl’s gone off the deep end,” she says, her accent heavy with emotion.

“So, Carl is the one who kidnapped me?” I ask, my voice strained.

She nods. “But I didn’t tell him to do all the other stuff. I swear.”

I’ve had to deal with a lot in my life. Mentally, physically, and emotionally, but I’ve survived each time. And there’s no doubt I’ll survive this. But right now, the pain from her deceit hits right in the center of my scarred heart.

She was my friend.

“Was this revenge for what my dad did? For killing your son?”

Her stare hardens as I hit a nerve, no doubt. “I know you had nothing to do with that.”

“Then what brought you to Blackburn?”

“In a weird way, I kinda felt closer to my Jack. And then I met you soon after I got to town, and we formed a special bond. I knew I was meant to be there.”

My fingers grip the back of the metal chair, and I lean on it, trying to understand. But no matter how I look at it, there’s nothing to understand. What burns me the most is meeting the one person I loved in this world was orchestrated by this vile woman.

Anger and humiliation churn inside my chest. “Why the name change?”

She leans forward on the table. “I tried to get away from that bastard. I figured the last place he’d look for me was the town that took my baby. It took him a few years, but he found me, begging for me to take him back. So, I told him if he did this small thing for me, I’d consider it.”

Small thing?

“I can’t. I can’t do this anymore.” I glance over my shoulder at the mirror. “I’m done.”

“I’m dying, Kali,” she calls out to my back. Her words hang in the air for a beat. No, she didn’t. Does she think I’m going to fall for that? Show her some sympathy? Erase the torment she caused me?

I don’t think so.

“Well, I know where there’s a hole. It’s ready for you.”

The door opens, and I storm past Martinez. I can’t hold the tears back anymore. As I head for the quickest exit, I catch concerned glances from a few officers as I wipe my cheeks. Paxton catches up, grabbing my arm to halt my escape.

“Kali. Wait.”

With a deep breath, I turn, shaking my head. “She manipulated us.” I swipe another tear. “I feel like a fool. Like nothing is real.”

“Don’t.” Paxton moves close, maintaining a firm grip on my arm. “Don’t let her discount our feelings. They are one hundred percent real.”

“Are they?” I clip. He jerks back in offense.

“I fell in love with you the second I saw you in the diner.”

“I just don’t know what to think. I can’t trust my own feelings and thoughts right now,” I say out of frustration, disregarding his sweet sentiment all together. Everything she did was in vain because look at us. We’re not even together. “You lied to me, and then I had someone who I trusted throw me in the trenches of her convoluted game.”

His grip loosens, and he drops his hands, shoving them into his jeans, and I can’t help the sob that escapes my throat.

“I’m sorry,” he murmurs. Regret knocks the wind out of my anger at the resolve in his voice. “I didn’t know she was connected to our story. I really didn’t. And now…now I’m just as lost as you are. Mostly, I’m sorry I brought her into your life.”

I squeeze the bridge of my nose. “I…I can’t do this right now. What we had isn’t important anymore.”

Because there isn’t a we.

“I fucking beg to differ.”

“Paxton, I have to keep my focus on Ari.” My voice shakes. “I have to go.”

I spin around before he can say anything and storm out of the police station. The humid air hits my already heated face, and I scowl at the beautiful sunset, feeling a disconnect between Mother Nature’s tranquility and the turmoil inside me. I look up at the sky. “Why can’t you be on the same page as me?”

Back at the hotel, I can’t seem to sit still. My room feels suffocatingly small, almost claustrophobic. There is barely enough space to pace around the bed. My mind jumps from Pearl’s excuse to what Ari is going through to Paxton’s words— I beg to differ. The way he said it. As if there’s something there.

There’s enough energy running through my system, I could run a marathon. And we know how much I love running. My muscles tighten, and my scalp tingles when I hear a knock at the door. It has to be Martinez . He’s the only one who knows which room I’m in.

I glance through the peephole, and intense brown eyes meet mine. I rest my forehead on the door. Am I ready to see him again? Rehash the past? Because that went well earlier.

“Kali, I saw you look through the hole. Please open up.” I open the door and stare at him. “Can I come in?” He’s angry. Well, I am too. I open the door wider and then shut it after he passes.

I follow him into the brightly lit room. He peeks through the connecting door that’s wide open into the other room. I paid for Ari’s room, just in case she was able to get back to it.

“That’s Ari’s stuff.”

He nods and walks to the window, staring out, and sighs. I can’t believe it’s been a year since we saw each other. In some ways, it feels like yesterday, but in others, it feels like a lifetime ago. “I wasn’t done earlier.”

I lean against the dresser, crossing my arms. “What’s left to say?”

He whips around. “I thought I could get over you. Hell , I thought I was over you. But the moment I saw you standing in the police station, right then and there, I knew that wasn’t possible. Do you know how hard it’s been not to touch you? Not to pull you into my arms? You could be married for all I know. And I don’t know how to ask.”

“I’m not,” I whisper and then the next word slips out before I can stop it. “You?” He shakes his head.

“I know this is the wrong time to be doing this. But you being here and me acting like you were just someone I knew back in the day is killing me inside. I had to tell you.” I stare at him, stunned by his admission. Between Ari and now Pearl— his mom —words aren’t coming easy. “That’s it. That’s all I had to get off my chest. I just needed to tell you that I’m here for you.”

“That means a lot to me,” I finally say, finding my voice. “And hey, what I said earlier about it not being important, I didn’t mean that. You will always be important to me.”

He sighs, nodding. “I have a shift tonight, but if you need me, I’ll find a way to be here. You still have my number?”

I chuckle once at his sarcastic, raised brow. He’s wondering if I erased him entirely from my life. I could never. “Yes.”

As he walks past me, he grabs my hand and squeezes. In that fractured moment, the simple two second touch, where every raw nerve sparks, proves that I, too, will never be over Paxton Turner.

He stops at the door and glances over his shoulder. “Will you have lunch with me tomorrow?”

Can I? Should I? A layer of guilt engulfs me as I think about Ari. I can’t go on a date when my best friend is missing. There’s too much going on in my head. I can’t.

“Paxton,” I start.

He holds his hand out. “First lunch. And then we’ll go door to door, looking for anyone who might have seen Ari last night.”

I chew on my inner cheek. It’s a good idea, and at least I’ll be doing something rather than waiting around. “Okay.”

“Meet me at the precinct around noon?”

I nod, and he lets himself out.

Ari, don’t give up, girl. We’ll find you.

An hour has passed since he left when my phone rings. It surprises me when I see who’s calling. He’s probably heard by now what happened.

“Hey, Chip.” I sigh into the phone.

“Hey, kiddo. How are you doing?” I crack a smile at the once-familiar voice.

“I’ve had better days.”

“Yeah. We got the BOLO for Carl Houston, and I saw the arrest report for Pearl.” He pauses, his breaths heavy on the other end of the line. “But Pearl? I’m having a hard time accepting that she had anything to do with what happened to you. And the other girls? What the hell is wrong with people?”

It’s a question I’ve been asking myself since I was eight.

Silence hangs for a moment. “Kali, there’s no way you could have known. There’s a special place in hell for people like her and Carl.” I think hell is too luxurious for them. “I have to come to Austin to give a statement mid-morning. Are you going to be around? We can grab a coffee beforehand?”

My mind races with conflicting thoughts. I want nothing to do with anyone in Blackburn anymore, but this is Chip. Once I head back to Phoenix, I’m not sure if there will ever be a reason for me to come back. Except Paxton . And I don’t even know what the heck is going on there yet.

“If it’s too much, no worries, kid. You have a lot to process.”

“No. I’d love to see you.” This might be the last time I ever see him. “How about ten? I know how much you need your coffee before you can function,” I say, surprising myself with a bit of humor.

“You know me too well. Text me the address where we can meet, and I’ll be there.”

Instead of searching for a nearby coffee shop, I text him the address of the hotel. They have a little café on the first floor, and with Carl still on the loose, I shouldn’t be wandering around.

“Wow. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in regular clothes.” Chip chuckles as he walks up to the table wearing khaki shorts and a striped polo. He puts his coffee down, and I stand to give him a hug.

“It’s my day off. They told me I could come in street clothes. Lucky me,” he says. His eyes scan the busy café, studying each person. “You here by yourself? Why didn’t they assign someone to you?”

I shrug. “They offered. I’d rather them use their manpower finding Carl. And Ari.” He twists his lips, disappointed. “I don’t have any plans except to have lunch with Paxton.”

“That’s the guy you were with yesterday, right?” I nod, taking a drink of my coffee. “Are you guys together?”

After his confession in my hotel room, I don’t even know.

I shake my head. “I don’t even live in Texas anymore.”

“Really? Where’d you move? What’ve you been doing?”

I give him a quick snapshot of my life, not really feeling like diving into my life. I thought I’d feel better being with someone that I’ve known forever, but it’s just a reminder of Pearl. And how close I was to her. But Chip is close to her too. This has to have thrown him for a loop.

“I can’t believe what Pearl did to me.”

His lips form a hard line, and he shakes his head. “It’s incomprehensible. I’ve seen a lot of shit in my days, but I’ve never…” His words trail off in a heated growl. “I’m so sorry I couldn’t protect you.”

Story of my life.

“Yeah. And now my best friend is missing. Did you ever see Pearl with her ex, Carl? She says he found her, but I never saw a strange guy hanging around.”

He looks at me over the rim of his coffee mug. He swallows. “Not that I was ever at her house, but I never saw him around town. Did you know he’s a retired cop? From up in Oklahoma. Makes it worse that one of my brothers was able to do this. It’s a shame.”

“He was a cop?”

Chip nods and checks his watch. I glance at my phone to see the time. “How are you getting to the station?”

“I’ll call a ride share.”

“The heck you are. I can take you. It’s almost eleven already, so you shouldn’t have to wait long. I’d much rather you be sitting up at the station than having a stranger take you places.”

“All right, Dad,” I joke, finishing off my coffee. “I’m ready when you are.”

He holds the door open, and I step outside, sliding my sunglasses down from the top of my head to shield my eyes from the never-ending sun.

“I’m parked down the street,” he says, pointing to the left.

I nod and gesture for him to lead the way. As we walk, he glances down at me with a sad half-smile, and I wonder what thoughts are running through his head. We just had a great conversation.

“If I’m ever in town, I’d love to meet for coffee again,” I say, linking my arm through his.

He pats my arm. “I’d like that.” I’m surprised when I hear him sniff. I glance up to see the big guy wipe his eyes and then cover them with sunglasses. Is he crying? He clears his throat and says, “I’m right there.”

A Blackburn cruiser is parked on the road. “Don’t you have a normal car?” I joke.

“Nope,” he replies, opening the back seat door for me.

“Well, this is one experience I never expected to have. You going to cuff me too?”

He chuckles. “Sorry. It’s protocol. Considering we’re going to the station, it’s best I don’t break it.”

I settle onto the hot black faux leather seat, grateful for the sun hitting the other side. Playfully, I grab onto the grill separating the front and back seats. “But officer, I swear I didn’t mean to run down the street naked. It was so hot.” Glancing at the seat, I think about all the people who’ve sat here and wonder if I’m occupying the exact spot that a murderer once did. How surreal. “Ouch!” I yelp, holding my hand to my neck where it stings, receiving a familiar pinch. “What the hell was that?” The door slams shut. Chip jumps into the front seat, starting the car and pulling out. “Chip!” I scream. He ignores me. I search for the handle, but there isn’t one. My purse is gone too. He must’ve snatched it before shutting the door.

“Calm down, Kali. You’re going to be okay.”

Each second that passes, I fight, feeling myself being pulled under. Why is he doing this? Suddenly, clarity, like a beam of light piercing through a foggy patch, brightens my mind. I’m not in a seat where a murderer sat, I’m in a car with a murderer.