Chapter 21

21

Lila stepped back and surveyed the table. She’d thrown a white tablecloth over it, nothing too fancy. With Becca’s help, she had created a quick sign that was simple to understand. Sign up for help with social media. Spreading the word about Sleighville was the main goal and every store owner needed to be on board with it.

She put some candy in a bowl because people always liked to get free stuff while signing up for something. It wasn’t much, but she didn’t have a lot of time to prepare for this.

Right next to the sign she had a clipboard and a pen.

It could use a little more sprucing up, but it would do for now.

“It’s missing something.”

She agreed with Becca, but again, not much time. The meeting would start in thirty minutes. In another ten minutes, they’d open the doors for people.

“Come on. The supply closet has to have something. It needs something cheery.”

She followed Becca to the basement where they stored a whole range of things. Signs for different events. Decorations for each season. The storage unit was huge.

And also dark and dusty and sort of creepy. The lights didn’t illuminate the whole room, and one even flickered in and out but thankfully stayed on. It didn’t help the moody vibes she felt.

“One of these boxes should have like tiny Christmas trees or something. It doesn’t matter what we find, but the table needs a few festive items. It’s too blah right now.”

Lila chuckled. “Agreed.”

Becca pointed to the right side of the room. “You look over there and I’ll take this side.”

They went their separate ways.

The boxes and items on her side weren’t helpful. Most of the stuff was for the outdoors. Thanksgiving items that she assumed went in the center of town. The turkey wearing a Santa hat made her giggle.

She continued on down the line, going past some shelving units before reaching the back wall.

The first few boxes she opened were old election signs for Bryce. Seeing his name had her heart skipping with joy.

Why were they so distant with each other last night?

She should’ve never let her anger get the better of her. He had a right to get mad at her. It wasn’t because it truly made him angry. It was fear. She knew that.

When this whole dumb speech debacle was completed, she’d tell him she understood. That it was okay he was angry and that it didn’t change how she felt. That she didn’t like the tension between them and it needed to disappear.

She opened the next box, feeling triumphant. Small Christmas ornaments for indoors. The tiny Christmas tree would go great next to the sign she made. Though it needed new batteries for the lights on it. She also grabbed a plate shaped like Rudolph, intending to use that for the candy instead of the Styrofoam bowl she had.

She pulled out a small wooden box. The top was carved with one word: Stuart.

Footsteps approached her from behind.

She lifted the lid.

The breath she released was loud enough for Becca to hear.

“You weren’t supposed to come digging all the way back here.”

Lila turned around with the box open and the glass icicles on display. Six slots for six crystal Christmas icicles meant for hanging on a tree. Only five slots held one. The last one was missing.

Because it was a murder weapon. Currently in an evidence bag. She didn’t know a lot about the crime scene, but she knew that part. Everyone in town did. Not much stayed a secret.

“You killed Denise?” Lila couldn’t fathom why Becca would do such a thing. She would’ve never thought her capable of such violence. Why put the evidence in a place where someone could find it? Like she just did. Maybe she thought no one would look down here. Of course, she had to give time for the murder to die down and for time to pass before she could get rid of the evidence. But still. An odd place to hide it.

“Not on purpose.”

“She was killed in the early hours of the morning. Why on earth would you even be at her house at that time, Becca?”

“I’m an early riser. I always have been. That bitch was making Bryce’s life a living hell! He didn’t deserve any of that. She didn’t deserve him. I was checking my voicemails from the office line around four when I woke up. Denise had left one earlier that evening. Around six or so. She wanted me to give her a key to his office. So she could poke around there when he wasn’t around. She called me like I’d do what she asked.”

Becca laughed, the delirious sound sending terrifying shockwaves down her spine. “I mean she didn’t say why she wanted the key, but I knew there would be no reason for her to have one other than to snoop. If she didn’t already have one, then that meant Bryce didn’t want her to have it. It’s his office. His domain.”

“She must’ve been looking for something.” Because it baffled Lila why Denise would snoop. Bryce had nothing to hide.

“Or plant something. She was a bitch. You, of all people, know how cruel she could be. She didn’t even know you and accused you of sleeping with Bryce right away. She would’ve done anything to paint him the bad guy in the divorce. I wasn’t going to let that happen. So before heading to the office, I stopped at their house. Denise was already awake, getting ready for the day. She let me in, probably thinking I was going to give her the key.”

And Lila knew how the interaction ended. But how had it started?

“I can’t picture you hurting her.”

Becca’s expression softened, appreciating the compliment. “I didn’t mean to, Lila. I swear. I let her have it, telling her in no uncertain terms she would never get in his office. We exchanged a lot of heated words. She slapped me. I don’t know, something came over me. I grabbed the nearest thing, and it was those icicles. By the time I regained my senses, I realized what I had done.”

Lila glanced at the box, the lid still open. “Why hide it here? Why even take it? You left one in her chest.”

“I panicked, Lila. Okay. I didn’t go over to her house that morning to kill her. I wanted to let her know she wasn’t going to boss me around or keep getting away with hurting Bryce. I didn’t mean to kill her. You have to believe me.”

Lila nodded. “I do.” She closed the lid with a quiet snap. “And when we tell the police, they’ll understand too. She hit you first. You can claim self-defense.”

Becca laughed. “You don’t honestly believe that, do you?”

Well, no, but Lila had to talk her way out of the room somehow. They were in the basement. Alone. And no one knew where they were. It wasn’t as if they stopped to tell anyone.

“What do you purpose, Becca?”

“It’ll be our little secret. She was not a nice woman, Lila. You know she wasn’t. No one is sad she is gone.”

Except her parents. Lila assumed anyway. She never met them.

And Bryce.

He might not act sad, but her death had destroyed a part of him. He hadn’t grieved yet. He hadn’t come to terms with her death. So, Lila would have to disagree. Some people were sad she was gone.

“Lila?”

They weren’t going to agree on the matter. Which meant she had to get out of the room.

She threw the box at Becca, startling her. Then she ran around the black shelving unit to the other side, running as fast as she could toward the exit. Noises could be heard where Becca was and pounding feet going in the same direction as her.

Freedom was in her sight. If she could get the door closed, she could lock Becca in.

She made it a few feet from the door when a sharp, excruciating pain hit her shoulder and she went down hard. Twisting, though it killed her to do so, she looked up, screaming as Becca took another swing of the axe.

An axe! Which was why her shoulder wailed with pain.

She managed to roll away before the axe would’ve hit her square in the gut. Becca kept swinging and she kept dodging until she was able to get to her feet. Though the wound in her shoulder was bleeding profusely, causing her vision to go wonky. She was losing blood way too fast.

“Becca, don’t do this.” She stumbled to her right, feeling behind her for her own weapon. Becca stared at her with wide, manic eyes. “You won’t be able to talk yourself out of this one.”

“Sure I will. You confessed to killing Denise. Jealous of her. Wanting Bryce for yourself. I had to defend myself. I’ll make sure to hurt myself and make it that much more real.”

She swung the axe again, grazing her chest. More pain erupted at the slice now visible, saturating her light-yellow shirt with red.

“Bryce will never believe your story.”

Becca clucked her tongue. “I’ve known that man for far longer than you. Don’t you worry about what he’ll believe or won’t believe.”

She swung again. Lila jumped back to avoid the sharp device, falling to the floor, taking several Christmas props with her. Becca made another charge at her. Her hands swept around the floor, grabbing the first thing they touched. She raised it at the same time Becca leaned toward her, piercing her right through the chest.

Lila stared in horror as the realization swept through Becca’s eyes. That she had lost. That a wooden staff from the outdoor nativity scene had pierced her heart.

The light from her eyes disappeared. The heavy weight of her body became too much. She screamed as she shoved until Becca toppled to the side of her.

Her gaze roamed to the exit.

The very, very far exit away from her.

Dizziness attacked her when she tried to stand up, plopping back down to the floor, shrieking in agony.

She’d never make it out of here before the blood loss would make her lose consciousness. Digging her phone out of her pocket made tears gather and fall. It had been busted in the fight.

Okay.

She needed another way out.

Her hand brushed another prop. It made her gag to see another staff. The curved handle. The smoothness of the wood. The craftsmanship from top to bottom. The sharp, pointy end of it. No doubt so it would stay upright by pushing it into the ground next to a shepherd.

But it would help her walk. So she erased the memory of how it sounded crushing through Becca’s skin, at the way it slid through her so easily, and used it to stand up.

She wobbled, her vision blurring even more.

All she had to do was make it to the elevator. The hallway would be full of people for the town meeting.

That’s all she had to do.

Make it fifty feet or so to the elevator.

So she put one foot in front of her, crying out in pain. Then another. And another.

Bryce stood outside the assembly hall, smiling and greeting people as they walked inside. The meeting would start in five minutes and his heart wouldn’t stop beating a mile a minute. His hands even felt clammy, so he made sure to keep them clasped together behind his back so no one would get the urge to shake hands with him. They’d know in a heartbeat how damn nervous he was.

Juliet and Eve had already arrived and taken a seat in the front row. Aster had as well, though the man himself was strutting toward him.

“He always looks so mad at you,” Griffin, who stood right next to him, muttered under his breath.

Bryce couldn’t agree more. Considering the weird heart-to-heart they had an hour ago, why did he look so angry?

“Where’s Lilac?” Aster asked with a strained breath, blocking his view of the people strolling in.

“I don’t know.” Bryce wished he did. Her absence was starting to worry him. That she had changed her mind and fled. He’d be making a different speech if that were the case. “She wasn’t here when I came downstairs. She was with Becca setting up a table for the social media venture idea.”

“Which is void of her or Becca,” Aster said, uttering the obvious.

“I’m sure she’ll be here any minute.” Griffin voiced that with a lot more confidence than Bryce felt.

Why had she disappeared to begin with? So soon to the start time?

Aster cleared his throat. “Did you…” He coughed this time. “Did you speak to her after we chatted? Is that why she’s not in attendance?”

He felt Griffin tense next to him. Maybe because he went rigid himself. He wasn’t even sure why his body went into defense mode.

“I haven’t seen her since after lunch when her and Becca went to set up the table. I don’t know where they disappeared to.”

“But Becca’s with her?” Aster asked. The agitation he’d been displaying toward him turned to worry for his sister. “Because she better not be alone.”

“Becca would never leave her alone. They’re together wherever they are.” Bryce knew that deep in his bones. Becca would never put Lila in danger. She’d been pushing them together as a couple since Lila returned to town. She adored Lila.

Aster flipped his wrist to check his watch. “There’s two minutes until the meeting. They should be here.”

“I have to agree,” Griffin replied. “Lila might’ve…changed her mind, but Becca would not bail on a town meeting.”

And she wouldn’t leave Lila alone either.

“I’ll call her.” Bryce pulled out his phone.

“No,” Aster cut in sharply, “you call Becca. I’ll call Lilac.”

He listened because he didn’t want to argue about something so inconsequential. Who cared who called who? The call went to voicemail. By the look from Aster, so did Lila’s.

“Well, we can’t start the meeting without Lila.” Griffin grimaced. “It won’t look good since the subject is about you two. I can’t imagine they left the building. Even if Becca stayed with Lila because she decided to back out, she would’ve convinced her to stay around the area.”

A large, nasty feeling settled into the pit of his stomach. “Where’s Melody?”

“Duke would’ve called me if there was an issue. Since he’s not here, that means she’s not either. He won’t take his eyes off her,” Griffin reassured him.

“Where the hell is Lila?” Bryce whispered, his words cracking at the end.

The elevator dinged. He turned around as the doors swished open. Lila stumbled out, losing her balance. She crashed to the floor, the staff she’d been using to carry her flinging across the linoleum.

“Lila! Call an ambulance!” Bryce rushed to her side.

She had a large gash on her chest that had saturated her shirt, but it was the even larger gash in her back near her shoulder that had him jerking off his coat.

He cradled her in his arms with her chest to his, pressing hard on his jacket to stop the bleeding from the wound on her back. She cried out in pain at the touch. Aster joined him on the floor, using his strength as well to push the clothing into her wound.

“Oh my god, Lila. What happened?” he whispered, his hands shaking yet not relieving any pressure from her back.

“Becca…” she whispered against his chest, not even able to lift her head.

“Is she hurt too?”

“Dead…”

His gaze met Aster’s. Both of them were wide-eyed and scared to death. Lila’s breathing was unsteady, her body getting limper by the second.

“Stay with me, Lila.” Bryce squeezed harder on the injury. “Stay awake, sweetheart.”

Keep her talking. She couldn’t lose consciousness.

“Who did this? Who hurt you? Are they still downstairs?” Maybe a dumb question. There was only one way in the basement and one way out. They blocked the path to freedom if the culprit was still down there.

“Lilac!” Aster shouted. “Answer him. Stay awake.”

She didn’t lift her head, but a heavy sigh released. “Becca…”

“Yes, sweetheart, we’ll get to her when we can.” Lila said she was dead so there wasn’t anything they could do for her. Lila was his concern right now. And apprehending the bastard who dared to hurt her.

“No…Becca…” She still didn’t lift her head, but her eyes opened and sought his out. “She….killed Denise.”

No.

Not possible.

Becca would never.

Yet, Lila was bleeding out in his arms telling him otherwise. Which meant no one else was stuck downstairs. Becca had hurt her.

And Lila had fought back and won. Barely.

“Where’s the damn ambulance?” Aster growled, looking at Griffin who was on the phone while also trying to keep the crowd away from them.

“One minute out,” he responded, but didn’t give Aster his full attention.

That one minute was the longest of his life. Between him and Aster, they tried to keep Lila awake and talking to them. When it seemed like an hour had passed, the paramedics arrived. So had reinforcements from the police department. Two officers helped push people back into the assembly hall while Griffin followed them outside. Another stood by the elevator to make sure no one used it to go down to the basement. Now a crime scene.

They whisked Lila away in the ambulance and it took all his strength not to argue to be by her side. If anyone had the right, Aster did. Yet, he didn’t argue either.

“I’ll drive.” Griffin clamped a steady hand on his shoulder, guiding him toward his vehicle.

He slid into the passenger seat while Aster hopped in the back. The ride was silent until Aster let loose a string of curse words.

“It took the ambulance forever to get there and now the hospital is too damn far away.”

Griffin took a calming breath before responding. “We’re a small town, Aster. Our EMTs are all volunteers. Unfortunately, the hospital is a good twenty minutes away. She’s in good hands, though.”

“What could have made that kind of wound?” Aster’s voice cracked. Bryce didn’t need to turn around to see him on the verge of tears. He could feel his own rising to the surface. “It was so deep. Like she’d chopped into her.”

“I assume they went down there for decorations for the meeting. Right, Bryce? That’s where the city keeps that stuff.”

He nodded, unable to speak. Nothing but tears would escape if he tried.

“There’s a lot of different props down there. It could be anything.”

By the time they made it to the hospital, he couldn’t hold in the tears any longer. They streamed silently down his face as they made their way to the waiting area. She was being whisked to surgery.

His tears eventually abated. Neither Griffin nor Aster made a comment about it. Aster wouldn’t because his own tears appeared. Time passed, and he didn’t realize a small crowd had gathered around them until Juliet sat down next to him.

She slid her hand into his and squeezed. “Griffin says you got to her in time. She’ll pull through.”

He could only pray that would be the outcome.

Eve sat next to Griffin, with Aster on Griffin’s other side. Duke was also here along with Chip and Tabitha from the cafe. He couldn’t believe he didn’t notice anyone walk in.

“Bryce?”

He turned to Juliet. “What do you need from me? You’ve been in a trance since we walked in. Talk to me.”

“I think I need to leave.”

She blinked, confused by the request.

He was too. He didn’t know where the words came from. But he knew he couldn’t wait here with the small chance the doctor wouldn’t have good news. He was barely hanging on as it was. He’d lose it if she died.

“No, anything but that.”

He frowned. His sister wanted to help. He told her how she could, and she was denying his request. What was he supposed to do with that?

“Come on, man.” Duke cleared his throat, suddenly standing in front of him. “Let’s find you some new clothes.”

Yes, clothes without blood on them would be nice.

He ignored Juliet, stood up, and followed Duke out of the room. He didn’t even care where Duke took him, as long as it was far away from everyone else. Duke stopped to talk to a nurse and a few minutes later he was changing in an empty room into scrubs.

Duke held himself back for a good five minutes before he knocked on the door and walked in without waiting for a response. He took a seat on the bed next to him where he’d sat after changing. Bryce couldn’t find the will to move.

“I don’t know what to say. There are no words that can comfort you at the moment. I know that.”

Bryce inhaled and exhaled, then met Duke’s caring eyes. “I was mad at her for getting into Gregory’s face. She knew it too. We barely talked last night or this morning. There was this huge gap between us, and I knew it was over between us. I knew she’d leave me. But I didn’t know it’d be like this.”

Duke clamped a hand onto his shoulder. “You don’t know that’ll be the outcome.”

“You know what hurt her, don’t you? I zoned out in the waiting area. Please tell me what Becca did to her.”

Duke winced but nodded. “We found a bloody axe right next to Becca’s body.”

An axe. Becca. Sweet, loving Becca used an axe on the woman he loved.

“But Lila got her good with a staff. Stabbed her right through the chest.” Duke put pressure on his shoulder. “You know what that tells me. She’s a damn fighter. So she’s not going to let a little wack from an axe bring her down.”

That ridiculous statement produced a snort he couldn’t hold in. Duke grinned himself.

“So you guys had a bad moment in your relationship. When she gets out of surgery and recovery, you can apologize for being an ass. She’ll forgive you.”

“And leave.”

Duke shrugged, dropping his hand. “Don’t make the same mistake I made with Juliet. I held myself back for so long another guy swooped in. A damn decent guy that makes her happy. I can’t even hate Aster for that. Because I haven’t seen her look so happy like that in the longest time. That’s all I want is for Juliet to be happy, even if it’s not with me. If she leaves, she leaves. But make sure it’s because you told her how you felt and she rejected you. Not because you kept it to yourself and she didn’t want to wait around for you to wake up. Got it, man? Do you hear me?”

“I hear you.”

Duke stood up. “Let’s go. Because the first thing she should see when she wakes up is you.”

Bryce wasn’t sure that’s what she’d want to see, but Duke was right. He couldn’t hold himself back any longer.

They never should’ve given each other the silent treatment last night, and now he might never get the chance to make it right.

He loved her and he had to tell her.

Even if she still walked away.