Chapter 26
“We’re here!” Graham called out cheerfully. Clarabelle had since moved to the passenger seat next to her husband when she realized that Elijah had no intention of letting up the grip he had on me.
No matter how awkwardly she looked at us.
I startled awake at the sound of his voice.
Somewhere in between making Clarabelle uncomfortable and listening to the sound of Elijah’s steady heartbeat, I”d fallen asleep.
“Where?” I asked groggily as I rubbed my eyes with the backs of my hands.
The camper eased to a stop and Graham stood up, giving Elijah a grin and a thumbs up before he ushered Clarabelle down the stairs.
“I missed something,” I mumbled as I turned on my side and nuzzled deeper into his embrace.
“Um, just play along, okay? I told them that you’d never been to Smoky Mountains State Park, and well … he decided it wouldn’t hurt to turn around and check it out before taking us up to Kingston,” he finished sheepishly.
I let out a soft sigh.
He took us back to the scene of the most recent crime.
I wasn’t thinking about the whore and her young companion.
They could have very well not existed at all for all I cared.
I was thinking about the monsters that invade his mind from time to time, hoping they had forgotten about him already.
“Come on,” he said as he got up and held a hand down toward me. I let him help me up, interlaced my fingers between his, then followed closely behind him as we made our way down the stairs and out into the sunlight.
Graham gave us a big smile as he draped an arm around his wife’s shoulders. Her eyes were already on our hands, and it took everything I had not to rush her and tear her eyes out.
“Isn’t this grand already?” he asked me proudly.
I glanced around to placate him, forced an interested look onto my face, then turned my attention back to him and nodded enthusiastically.
“Thank you for bringing us, Mr. Graham.”
“Of course! When Elijah said you’d never been here, I made up my mind right then and there that you should see just how amazing of an artist the good Lord can be.”
I inhaled a sharp breath and took a step back, almost stumbling over my feet.
He was …. he was like Mama and Papa. Would he do the same things they did? Would he call out to his god while he tried to do bad things to me?
Elijah let out a chuckle as he pulled me close to him, but when he felt just how hard my body had started to tremble, he cleared his throat and grinned at Graham. “Give us a second? I think the wonder of this place is about to make her pass out.”
“Take your time,” Graham replied kindly as he led Clarabelle away toward a small picnic table.
“Maisie? Maisie, look at me,” Elijah instructed in a stern tone when they were just out of earshot. “You’ll never go through anything like what happened before. I won’t allow it. I’m here now. If anyone wants to hurt you, they have to go through me first.”
His hands were gripping my arms, he was giving me gentle shakes to try and get me to absorb the promises as he made them, but the world was starting to go hazy behind the tears that were threatening to spill.
I was afraid.
For the first time in a long time, I was honestly afraid that I might see Papa again, only this time in someone else, and no one would be able to save me if it started all over again.
“I wanna go home,” I blurted out, my voice trembling as badly as my body.
“Maisie. Look at me.”
His tone was softer.
His grip wasn’t as tight.
Home was anywhere Elijah was, and I let my childish fears almost make me forget.
“I’m sorry,” I finally said as I reached up and wiped the tears from my eyes. “I got scared.”
“I know. But you never have to be afraid again. Of anything or anyone,” he promised as he leaned down and looked into my eyes. “I’m not that easy to take down, remember?”
I saw the corners of his mouth curve upward and I chuckled. Taking a deep breath, I nodded then straightened my shoulders.
“Let’s make this fast,” I told him, feeling a renewed determination as I led the way toward where the Dempseys were patiently waiting for us to join them.
___
“Are you sure you’re up for this?” Graham asked Elijah as we neared the sign for the Alum Cave Trail.
“A walk?” he asked in confusion.
“Well, I think this turns into a bit of a hike too, and I’ve noticed that you walk with a limp …”
“Oh!”
He laughed off the comment as he always tended to do whenever someone pointed out his gait, and then crossed his arms loosely over his chest as he sized up Graham. Elijah was studying his mark and looking for a weakness with a smile on his face.
“I had an accident when I was younger. Lost part of my leg, but I’m faster than most people with two homegrown legs, and can keep up with the best of them,” he explained with a shrug. “Try to keep up with me, old man,” Elijah challenged him, his grin widening as he started up the trail.
Normally, he’d make sure that I was close by, but not at a time like this. He knew he’d have to get rid of Graham first, then Clarabelle would be easy enough.
The thing about Elijah, was that not only did he have youth and strength on his side, but he also had the mania that would grip him. Times like the one that was coming down the horizon, I could never tell if his mind had broken again or if it was just him.
I did my best to keep up, but keep my distance as well. My job would be taking care to ensure Clarabelle was good and distracted while Elijah’s plan unfolded.
Whatever it happened to be this time.
We walked for about an hour, climbing over rocks and hiking up difficult trails.
And through it all, Elijah never showed any signs of struggle, even though I knew his body had to be aching at this point.
Casting a glance over his shoulder at me, I caught the look in his eye. It was almost as if he had read my thoughts, second guessing his stamina when I should have known better.
“How you doing back there, Aunt Maisie?” he called out as he stopped for a moment to catch his breath.
“We’re fine,” I assured him as I helped Clarabelle around a rock and gave her a gentle shove up the trail.
Sooner rather than later, everything else will fall into place, I thought evenly as we exchanged a knowing glance at her obvious signs of struggle.
She was tiring, slowing down.
Which meant it would make Graham vulnerable enough for Elijah to make his move.