Her eyes widened.
“We had gone out for my birthday. He drove us back because Lisa and I had a little too much to drink. He hit an elk going sixty not far down the road from here. Lisa was gored by the elk. She died before the paramedics arrived. I walked away with cuts and bruises. Joe suffered a traumatic brain injury. He was in a coma for a week. He doesn’t remember anything about the night of the accident. Doctors said he probably never will.” I looked to Grace, gauging her response.
“That’s awful. But why would Charlotte say something like that?”
“Some people think Joe hit that elk on purpose.”
“What? How could they think that?”
“Because the police didn’t find any tire marks, meaning he never hit the brakes.” I folded in my lips.
“I don’t understand. Why would he even do that?”
“Joe’s always resented me. I don’t blame him though. Dad was harder on him even though Joe did everything he asked. He stayed here working on the ranch while I left. And when they died, they still left it to me.” I let out another sigh.
Grace pulled the teddy bear to her chest. “Do you remember anything? Do you really think he would do that on purpose?”
I laid back and stared up at the sky full of stars.
“I just remember the car going sixty and then not going at all. I was in the back seat, half asleep, so I didn’t see it. I wish I could sit here and say there’s no way my brother could have done that, but I really don’t know.”
“And he’s not in jail for vehicular manslaughter?”
“He got a year in county but was released after six months. Since it was an animal-related accident, they went easy on him. If he hadn’t been going five over the speed limit, they wouldn’t have charged him at all.”
“I don’t know what to say, Calvin.” Grace laid beside me, staring up at the sky.
“That night changed Joe.” I looked over at Grace. “When he came out of the coma, he wasn’t the same.”
“How so?” she asked.
“He’s angry, reckless, impulsive. It’s like there’s a darkness in him, festering. I’m not sure what he’s capable of now. I think killing someone changes you.”
She swallowed hard.
Joe had demons. Deep down, we all did. The things we think we’re the least capable of are the things we end up doing, and they are what define us. The town redefined Joe that night. To some, he was a victim. To others, he was a murderer.
“I really wish Charlotte hadn’t said that to you.”
Grace glanced over at me. “Me too, but I’m glad I know,” she said, sliding her hand into mine.
I squeezed it tight. “I wouldn’t let anything ever happen to you. You’re safe here with me. I promise.” I had every intention of keeping that promise, but intentions were just partially laid plans, and they were subject to change.
Day Seven
31.
Grace
It wasn’t the birds chirping that roused me or the burning sun on my bare skin. I think it was the almond-shaped part of my brain, the amygdala, that woke me. The part that senses fear. My eyes burst open like a star exploding, and I quickly sat up—discovering I was alone in the pasture, naked, with only a picnic blanket covering me. I snapped my head to the right, nothing. To the left, nothing. I looked ahead toward the ranch, my hand shading my eyes from the sun, and I saw nothing. Where was Calvin?
From behind me a raspy loud purr grumbled—the sound of an overgrown housecat. Slowly, I turned my head, and there it was, the thing Calvin said I had nothing to worry about, the creature that never came this far. Its coat was tan with black markings decorating the tips of its ears and snout. Its head was lowered, and its shoulders raised as if it were hunting its prey. Its eyes were yellow like the fresh flame of a candle. Ten yards separated me from the mountain lion. I stood up deliberately, keeping the blanket wrapped around my body, trying to make myself look bigger. It didn’t budge. It crept closer, a few more steps. Without taking my eyes off of it, I bent down and picked up the platter of cheese and grapes. I tossed it at the animal like I was throwing a Frisbee, hoping that it would distract it or scare it away. But all it did was bring it closer. The creature sniffed the food but lost interest immediately. Eight yards away. It returned its gaze to me, dropping its head, creeping closer. Never breaking eye contact, I picked up an empty bottle of wine and threw it as hard as I could. When it hit the ground just in front of its paws, the mountain lion jumped back and paused for a moment—like it was considering retreating, but it didn’t. It kept tiptoeing toward me. I picked up the full bottle of wine Calvin and I hadn’t drunk. Winding my arm back, I hurled it. It must have hit a rock because as soon as it touched the ground it shattered, red wine splashing everywhere. The animal crouched back, but curiosity got the best of it. And it walked to where the wine bottle had crashed, only seven yards away. I started backing up as it sniffed and licked at the spilled wine, hoping that would give me the time I needed to get away. Where the hell was Calvin?
I backed up several more steps before it looked up again, losing interest in the spilled wine and regaining curiosity in me. I glanced around in search of a rock or something to throw, but there was nothing.
“Calvin!” I screamed as loud as I possibly could. My voice cracked, my heart raced, and my skin perspired. Is this what it felt like to be hunted?
I continued edging backward while it persisted toward me. It had its mind made up.
“Calvin!” I screamed even louder.
How could he have left me out here? Was everything he told me a lie?
My heart rate increased as the creature’s steps doubled mine. I tried to make my movements bigger and bigger. I refused to turn around and run. I knew it could easily outrun me, so if it was going to attack, I wanted to see it coming. My heel caught on something large and hard, and I fell to the ground—only realizing it was a rock after I hit the earth with a thud. The mountain lion went from a walk to a jog to a full-on sprint when I was horizontal, knowing that I was at my weakest, an easy prey.
I forced my eyes open, waiting for it. It must have leapt or pounced or whatever it was that large cats did because it was in the air flying at me. Its dandelion yellow eyes fixated on its prey. Its retractable claws fully emerged. Time slowed down. I think time slows down for everyone’s final moments.
Then there was a burst of red followed by a loud, echoing bang.
The mountain lion slammed onto my lower half. Red sticky blood sprayed all over me. The smell of iron invaded my nose. I shimmied away, pushing the corpse off while keeping the blanket wrapped around my body. My breaths were quick and uncontrolled as I crab-walked away, digging my heels into the ground, propelling myself farther from the dead animal.
Turning my head, my eyes found Calvin. He stood twenty yards back, looking down the scope of a hunting rifle, dressed in only blue jeans and untied farm boots. He lowered the gun and ran toward me, screaming my name.
“I’m so sorry. Are you okay, Grace?” he said, kneeling beside me. His hands wiped at the blood that covered my skin, but I’m sure it just smeared it around.
I gritted my teeth. “You said mountain lions didn’t come this far.”