The Key by Bridget Bundy

Author:Bridget Bundy [Bundy, Bridget]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-05-15T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 24

I’m not in the mood to go on a date with Solomon, but I’m going. Being with him might give me a chance to step outside of the realm of my life. Perhaps, I can forget about Lily, Mom, Savion, and White Sands, even if it’s for just a moment.

This is a bad idea. I’m a complete mess inside and out. My dress is wrinkled, and the shoes are a mistake. I’m wearing uncomfortable flats. I’ve already got dirt in the bottom, and it’s bothering me. I kick them off and shake the dust onto the sidewalk. Once I put on my shoes and stand up, I’m surprised by the sudden appearance of Solomon.

He cleans up nicely in his white shirt and black jeans. His hair is slicked back in a pony-tail, and he’s not dusty.

“Didn’t mean to scare you,” he says.

“It’s fine. I wasn’t…oh.”

Solomon has flowers. They’re purple and pretty.

“You didn’t have to. This isn’t a formal date.”

“Are you not used to getting nice things?”

I see his point and reply, “Thank you. What are they?”

“Texas bluebells.”

“But they’re purple.”

“I said the same thing to the florist.”

“They’re very beautiful. I didn’t bring you anything. I didn’t think this was a date.”

“It’s okay. You know, I thought you wouldn’t show up when I remembered the sunny side eggs this morning. I figured I grossed you out.”

“Nothing wrong with enjoying what you like. You could be doing much worse.”

“True, I could be. Shall we go in?”

“Yes.”

Solomon opens the door to the diner, allowing me to enter first. We sit in the same booth. This late in the afternoon, the sun begins to set. Streets lights flicker on one by one. There’s no heavy traffic, only a truck and a sedan waiting at a red light.

“How was your day?” Solomon asks.

“Eventful and crazy.”

“I heard about you in the news.”

And the fallout begins. I’m left with damage control. I can’t get away from Savion’s lies for anything in the world.

“I don’t believe any of it,” Solomon quickly adds.

“You don’t?” I’m astonished by his declaration.

“No, and I’ll tell you why. I had a neighbor here in Ely. He was eighty-years-old, a normal guy, didn’t cause problems for anyone. I used to take care of his yard so he wouldn’t have to be out in the sun during the summer. When he died, his family cleaned out the storage unit he had in the back yard. They found a corpse. They called the cops. The news got wind of it, and they ran with the story. They reported he killed some guy. It was so bad people started phoning the cops in town, wanting to know if it was their missing loved ones. I heard one caller was from Chimbote, Peru. Have you ever heard of it?”

“No,” I answer.

“I haven’t either. Anyway, when the Medical Examiner for the Nevada Province examined the corpse, she discovered it was fake.”

“Fake?”

“The body was made by some special effects expert out of Hollywood. It was used in a movie filmed out here in Ely.

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