CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
I grabbed some food at the grocery store, barbecued chicken and a salad, fruit for the morning, and protein bars to hold me over during the day—without a cooler I didn’t have any way of keeping food fresh. I also bought a few bottles of water—at the ranch I’d had to drink from the hose, hoping I wasn’t drinking contaminated well water or something. I drove by the motel again, but Crystal’s car still wasn’t there. If she’d checked in Monday, she’d only have a couple more days.
I didn’t know where to spend the night—and I really needed a shower. My feet were filthy from all the dust and my hair smelled like manure. I hadn’t seen a truck stop or a public pool around town. Then I remembered Riley mentioning the creek near his house. I headed back toward the ranch and found the dirt road he was talking about. I drove slowly, the car kicking up dust behind me. I had to open a metal gate, drive through, and close it behind me.
I found a clearing on the edge of the creek and parked, got out to have a look around. The creek was shallow, but there were a couple of pools farther down and someone had built a fire. I could see a ring of rocks with blackened wood on the shore, but there weren’t any empties or anything.
It was creepy, being alone in the middle of nowhere—I kept looking around every time I heard the slightest noise—but at least it was private. I hoped Riley didn’t come down to look for me. To the right of the creek there was an open field with small clusters of trees and the odd big tree standing alone, but I couldn’t see any houses. This must be one of the Luxtons’ lower fields.
I sat on a smooth rock by the creek, still warm from the sun, and ate my dinner. After I was finished I smoked one of the joints I’d taken from Crystal’s. I felt lost without my music, used to always having my headphones on, but now there was a different kind of noise in my head. I was worried about Crystal. I didn’t know how I was going to be able to look around more. It seemed like they had hundreds of acres of property and God knows how many outbuildings. Somehow I had to find a way to sneak off the next day. I wondered if I could ask Riley for a tour. He should know if his family had a warehouse. I just had to figure out a way to handle things without making him suspicious.
I couldn’t stop thinking about Brian’s cold eyes, and what he’d done to my mom and aunts. I didn’t want the images in my head, how much more real it all seemed now that I had met him. I felt shattered, like something had broken inside me, but I didn’t know how to put myself back together.
I thought about that girl I’d seen who looked like me, wondered whether we had stuff in common, whether I’d like her. I imagined what it might’ve been like to have a younger sister, and anger grabbed hard in my stomach again.
I’d never have a father now.
I started to cry hard, and I let myself, let it all come out until my face was sore and my eyeballs ached. I felt empty and exhausted, but a little calmer.
I changed into my suit in the back of my car, left my towel on the hood, and found a pool in the creek deep enough for me to wash my hair and shave my legs. It would’ve been nice to have a swim, but I lay in a shallow pool with my back resting against the rocks and let the current nibble at me. I thought I heard a rumbling down the road, stood up and strained my ears.
It sounded like a truck.
I quickly got out, almost slipping on the algae-covered rocks under the water near the shore. I heard a door slam. Was it Riley?
When I walked up, I saw a tall man leaning against my car. He was wearing loose jeans, a white T-shirt, and a blue baseball cap with a red logo on it. My step slowed. He had small mean eyes, a wide mouth, with thick lips, a bit of a gut. He looked strong. He smiled, showing lots of stained teeth.
“This is private property, you know.”
“I’m sorry. I’ll leave.”
“You Skylar?” he said.
How did he know my name?
“Yeah.…”
“I’m Gavin, this is my ranch. Heard we had a new girl. How did it go today?”
I tried to answer but my tongue was thick in my mouth. It was him. I’d never sensed so much danger from someone. It rolled off him in waves, a dark and cold energy, dirty like engine oil and cigarettes.
Gavin’s smile was fading, his eyes narrowing. I unstuck my tongue from the roof of my mouth and swallowed, trying to get some saliva back.
“Good, thanks.”
I was shivering, my arms wrapped around my body, trying to hide anything he might be interested in. I hated the way he was looking at me, his eyes half-mast, his head tilted to the side, this weird kind of smirk on his mouth.
He picked up my towel, held it out. “Well, come on, you must be cold.”