Chapter 3
2204 Words
Purple Creek, June 2005
- What do you mean she left? – Bryan stood in Tylers’ living room. He could not believe what Sean was saying. – Where?
- You think we’ll tell you?! – Daniel did not hide his hostility.
- Please! – He felt their anger like something tangible. – I have to find her! Talk to her!
- She suffered enough because of you! – Mark’s words were almost dripping with venom. – We won’t let you hurt her again!
- You’d better leave. – Michael was calmer, but his voice was firm.
- Mike! – Bryan tried to speak to him, but to no avail.
Carter, Christian and Jess stood sideways, silent. News of their sister’s departure was a huge surprise for them. They hoped to find Jay at home and that everything would work out somehow. Deep down, however, Christian sensed that something was going to happen that would change everything. But he did not think it would end with their sister’s disappearance!
Knowing that he would not get the information he needed, Bryan hurried out without hiding his anger and frustration. He decided to look for a way to find Jay by himself. He had enough connections to reach her sooner or later. Though he hoped it would happen soon. Growing anxiety and strange, dull pain in his heart that had not left him since he had read her letter did not give him peace. Although he did not want to let this into his consciousness, he knew deep down that it was a goodbye.
- Bry wait! – Mel caught him by the car. – What are you going to do?
- I’m going to sheriff first.
- But Jay isn’t missing!
- I know! – He was still annoyed. – But he’ll help me track her down. – Seeing the surprise on his sister face he continued. – We’ll find her car, we’ll find her too. – He sighed heavily. – Mel, I have to find Jay! I f****d it up! I let doubts fall on me. – He combed his hair carelessly. – I love her! I can’t lose her! You understand?
- I do. – She saw pain in his eyes. She heard despair in her brother’s voice. – Go! Do whatever it takes to find her. And let us know if we can help you somehow.
He embraced her tightly, thanking her for understanding and to draw more strength from her. He always had good relations with his sisters, but he got along best with Mel. When his buddies begun to look after her, he realized that he would have a lot of trouble with her. And he was right. He was trying to protect her, but he did not always succeed. But every time Mel suffered from a broken heart, he suffered with her. But deep down, he was seething with anger and demanded revenge.
Now that she was in relationship with his best friend, he was relieved. He knew Mel could not do better. She found happiness and love. And she was safe, which brought peace to him. He still had to take care of his own happiness, and it was Jaysabel Tyler.
***
After Bryan and his sisters left, Carter decided it was about time to pull the younger brothers by their tongues and get the truth out of them. He asked, in a serious voice, for a meeting in his room. He did not want to involve Sean and Maria into this, though he expected them to know as much as his siblings.
- Okay! – He went on a direct offensive when everyone was there. – Tell everything in turn!
- What to talk about here?! – Daniel was still boiling with anger. – Jay left because of that asshole!
- You know it’s not like that! – Michael cut in. – She had to leave, and it made a difference!
- What do you mean she had to leave? – Christian cut in.
- She didn’t have to! – Mark was as mad as Danny. – All because of him! I don’t give a s**t about his safety!
- Wait a sec! – Carter was losing his patience. – Quiet! – He entered among quarreling brothers to calm them down. – Tell me everything step by step! Mike! – He pointed to his brother, seeing that Mark and Daniel want to speak at the same time again. – Speak! – He ordered when everyone went silent.
- She came to Purple and it seemed that everything was fine. – He started slowly, the skill of concise and factual expression was his strength. – She told us about the fight you fought and that you almost died. – He looked at Christian. – She said that you’d come in a few days when you get better. It surprised us a bit, but she said that Bry was at some meeting with breeders or something like that. She spent a lot of time in the stable and on lonely horse rides. – He sighed resigned. – We thought that she just missed that. We didn’t know that something was bothering her!
- What do you mean? – Jess asked. He had stood silent up to now, looking out the window.
- On the day of her departure she went to Isabela. – Michael continued. – She avoided her since she returned from Missoula. And when she came back she asked us to talk. She said she had to leave the same day. – He combed his hair nervously. – She told us how Bry found out who we are. At that time, we thought that Jay wants to disappear because of him. That he hurt her!
- And didn’t he?! – Danny cut in.
- Maybe. - Michael looked at his brother. – But you know well, that she left because of the curse.
- What curse? – Christian ignored Daniel’s silent protest. – Speak! – He demanded.
- From Isabela and Sean we found out that Weakfields are werewolves.
- What?! – The eldest twins asked in unison.
- What are you talking about? – Jess was as shocked as the eldest brothers.
- Their ancestor made a pact with our sorcerer, Issa. – Mike continued. – She cursed his beast so as it wouldn’t come back. Her daughter imprisoned the beasts in the next generation, and so on up to our time. – He looked meaningfully at his brothers. – In our generation, it was Jay who cast the spell.
- But what does it have to do with her leave? – Jess was getting more and more irritated.
- Everything! – Michael said. – Because Jay not only imprisoned the beasts, but she can also release them. And as it turned out, Bryan’s beast has already responded to Jay’s weak power wave. If Bryan’s wolf wakes up, he’ll have to undergo a change he may not survive, because he wasn’t prepared for that. And if he survives… - he made a short pause, - he’ll pull Jay with him.
- Can you explain that? – Carter asked.
- Isabela says that an inseparable thread has formed between Bryan’s beast and the wolf in Jay. If Bry wakes up, so will she.
- Accumulation of power will kill her. – Christian said quietly.
- That’s it. – Mark confirmed. – That’s why Jay left. We still don’t know where to. She promised to contact us when she’ll reach her destination.
- She did it to protect him! – Daniel said bitterly. – And he didn’t deserve it!
- Whatever guided her, we must support her. – Carter cut off all discussions.
- Bry will try to track her. – Christian pointed out.
- You think she won’t take it into consideration? – Jess cut in. His eyes were shadowed. – She’ll change the car before he’ll find her. – Their sister’s leaving, in addition his twin, hurt him badly. – All we can do now is to wait for some sing form her. – He added quietly and left.
He directed his steps to the stable. Here he felt her presence, which he now lacked the most. He approached her favorite mount, and the animal, as if it sensed familiar energy, stuck its head trustfully. The horse nudged Jason on the shoulder, demanding caresses. He stroked his nostrils until regret and anger eased away. Then he returned home and went straight to his sister’s bedroom, where he stayed all night.
***
Bryan continued his search. He cooperated with the sheriff, he left the city, each time in a different direction, and he stopped in motels, at gas stations and near roadside bars. He showed her photo everywhere, described the car, but no one could tell Bryan if he saw her.
- She must have left some trace behind her! – Frustrated, Bryan walked around the sheriff’s office.
Donnie Somers had been the deputy for only a year, but he loved his job. He was tall and slim. He had weather-beaten face and blond hair faded from the sun. In his blue eyes one could read sympathy for the whole world. He used to be a troublemaker and nobody expected anything good from him. In the meantime he became the deputy sheriff in his hometown and quickly gained the trust of the inhabitants.
- We’ll find her, Bry! – He tried to calm his friend down. – Eventually someone will notice something and let me know.
- I can’t wait with my arms folded! – He leaned against Donnie’s desk and looked into his eyes. – I love her! I can’t imagine my life without her!
Surprised by the look of Bryan’s eyes, Donnie was silent. He was ashamed to remember that he had once dated his older sister. At that time he thought he loved Brenda crazily. But what his friend felt for Jay was much deeper.
He was about to say something when the phone rang.
- Deputy Sheriff Somers, I’m listening. – He answered.
For a long time he listened, nodded or denied, he asked additional questions and scribed down important information. He thanked his interlocutor and said goodbye quickly.
- We have her! – He said, handing Bryan a piece of paper. – Someone saw her in Reno. In few places. I wrote the addresses for you.
- Thanks Donnie! – He squeezed the scrap of paper like a precious treasure. – I’ll call you. – He threw over his shoulder running out of the office.
- Good luck! – He muttered to himself, but honestly kept his fingers crossed for his friend.
***
Bryan returned to Purple Creek with heavy heart. He had been away for two weeks, during which he tried to follow Jay’s trace. But Reno turned out to be a dead end. She just vanished. Now Bryan was standing in Tylers’ living room and reporting to his friends what he had found out. Even the youngest brothers stopped treating him with reluctance when they saw how much effort he put into finding their sister. He did not realize that they were mainly driven by compassion.
- She sold the car. –He said quietly.
- How’s that? – Christian was surprised. – She loved her Range Rover.
- I checked the gas station where the cameras caught her. – He explained. – Then the roadside bar, the waitress remembered her clearly. The car stuck in her mind as well. She said that she saw similar one in Craig Connor’s used cars. I went there out of curiosity. – He combed his hair nervously. – The guy said she didn’t haggle! She only requested to remove the audio equipment!
- So she changed the car. – Mark pointed out. – For what?
- She didn’t buy any car from him. – Bryan growled. – I checked all dealers in the city, no one remembers her.
- Either she’s still in Reno or she has left the town in other way. – Carter suggested.
- You think I didn’t take it into consideration?! I checked every motel, hotel, estate agency, even hospitals! Later I went to the airports, train and bus stations. – He sat on the sofa and buried his face in his hands. – Like a stone into the water.
- She’ll call. – Michael assured him. – She promised she will.
- She’s running away! – He jumped to his feet. – She doesn’t want me to find her. Even if she contacts you, she won’t tell where she is. She won’t risk that you may reveal it to me.
- Bry! – Christian tried to stop his friend, who already headed for the door. Bry!
- Leave him. – Carter stopped his brother. – He’s probably right. Jay wants to protect him. She clearly blurs all traces behind her.
- Let’s call Jess. – Daniel Suggested. – Maybe he has some news. Yet we still have to tell him everything.
- Okay. – Carter agreed. – I wonder what’s going on in Richmond.
- Writer
