Wild Card by Karina Halle

Author:Karina Halle [Halle, Karina]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Metal Blonde Books
Published: 2017-08-13T04:00:00+00:00

12

Shane

PAST - 20 years old

Rachel is asleep on my couch, and I’ve covered her in a quilt. She’s breathing deeply, her chest rising and falling. There’s a red mark on her forehead where she had to headbutt her father in self defense, but other than that, there’s no sign that anything happened.

And yet I know she’s carrying a million scars underneath her skin. They’re imprinted on her heart, tarnishing her soul. She hides them deep inside so no one will find them. She believes they make her dirty, but I think they make her strong. She’s the strongest woman I know. She’s endured years of abuse at the hands of a monster, a man who has been sworn to protect her, to protect his wife, to protect the citizens of this town.

And I’m going to end that all. I’m going to make sure that he protects no one ever again.

Rachel confided in me tonight with something she’s kept buried and tonight she let it all out, a hand reaching out from the grave, skeletons rolling out of the closet. She’s trusted me with this and I can’t break her trust, even when I know I should. Even when I know I have to.

I get it, too. I get that she doesn’t want this to come to light, that’s she afraid she’ll lose, that the town will see her in a different way, maybe as a victim, maybe as a harlot. Who knows. People talk. Rumors spread. I’ve seen people here turn on each other. It happens all the time. For all the good things that happen in small towns, the very people who wave at you as you drive by, who know you by name, are sometimes the very people willing to throw you under a bus. Small towns don’t always breed compassion and solidarity. They breed intimacy, but that’s not the same thing, not by a long shot.

There’s a chance that Rachel could be dragged through the mud, especially if her mother isn’t willing to come to her side. Clearly the woman is also a victim of abuse, but I know she’s probably living in extreme denial of what’s going on. If she’s afraid, she could take his side. And where would that leave Rachel?

No. I know that’s the right thing to do, but the right thing usually only pans out in movies. I’ve got something else I want to do, the justice this man deserves.

“Rachel,” I call out softly.

She doesn’t move. She continues to breathe deeply. I gave her a lot of whisky and sleepy tea in order to relax her and calm her down. I don’t think she’s going to stir all night.

Quietly, I slip on my coat and take the shotgun off the gun rack.

I step out into the night, gently closing the door behind me.

The air is crisp and cool, but inside I’m a barely contained fire, just dying to spill out.

I get in my truck and drive across town, all the way to the Waters’ house.

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