Chapter One

Alabama, August, 2009

It was larger than the average size mailbox, a rusted red with two sets of deer antlers dangling about the post and a tall magnolia tree with branches reaching out to the highway, perfect for climbing. Chloe could always find the turn off on the dirt driveway to her uncle's house, because of them. Her uncle, Nick Dunn, was Good Hope's finest hunter; he could hunt anything on four legs. It was very common for Chloe to come home to the garage freezer packed with bundles of rabbit, elk, deer and any other kinds of meat you can think of. She used to pitch a fit when there was no room for anything else, but now Chloe would smile seeing it full to the rim. She missed living with her uncle and was thrilled to be moving back home.

She turned her uncle's old blue mini-van, he had given her for college, down the driveway feeling the rocks and sticks crumple underneath the tires. The sun was bright and still burning hot as it had in June. In the south, it is normal for it to be hot more than eight months out of the year. Only a few trees lined the driveway giving Chloe little shade the rest of the mile drive. She rolled the windows down allowing the warm breeze that caressed the fields of corn and pastures nearby to refresh her memory. Her dark brown hair whirled over the head rest like a tornado and she squinted her blue eyes searching for that familiar mark of yellow.

With an abrupt curve to the right, she could see the front of the small garage off to the side and the buttercup yellow house she had lived in since she was seventeen, after her parents had died in a car accident. They were living in Wetumpka at the time and her parents, Joe and Lisa Reeves, left to get some chicken for dinner. Chloe had been doing her Chemistry homework in the kitchen, when a knock on the front door from the officer that had been at the scene came to give her the news. It was hard for Chloe to recall much else of that night or week for that matter. All she remembered was Nick cradling her in his arms as she sobbed into his jacket that smelt of pine and burnt umber; then driving her to his house.

An old red Chevy pick-up was parked to the right of the opened garage, where Nick was sawing through a two-by-eight plank of wood. Sawdust covered the tips of his worn, leather hunting boots and sweat glistened underneath his thinning, brunette hair on his forehead. Chloe pulled the van up next to the truck and jumped out, slamming the door hoping to get his attention.

"Uncle Nick!"

"Well, I'll be…if it isn't Chloe Reeves herself. How are ya, honey?" he smiled setting the saw down to wrap his arms around her. "You look like you've grown another foot."

"I was here for Christmas, it hasn't been that long."

"Sure feels like it!"

Chloe laughed pulling him to the van, "Come on and help me unload my stuff."

It only took a few hours before Chloe had all her belongings back in their proper place in her old room. The full size bed with a purple silk comforter and dresser covered in photos of her parents remained just as she had left them over the holidays. Her bedroom was down the hall from Nick's with one bathroom between the two. A small living room with a beige loveseat and blue recliner connected to an open kitchen was towards the front of the house, it was simple like them. The house had large windows on every side allowing as much southern light as possible to illuminate the rooms. At least that was Nick's justification for them; Chloe believed his reason was to have a sure way to escape if there ever was a fire, as it was a fire that had stolen his wife, Rebecca, and twelve year old son, Jason, from him six years ago. It had been just two years prior to the death of her parents and at the time, Chloe could only imagine what he was going through, but now it was too upsetting.

Ever since, Chloe rarely heard Nick mention them or her parents. It seemed to be a touchy subject for both of them and for quite some time they have done well to move on. As she finished putting her pajama shirts in the top drawer, Chloe could smell the spicy seasonings and sausage aroma drift into her room. She hadn't realized how hungry she was from the day's travel until her stomach growled loud enough to be heard over the radio by her bed. She switched it off and hurried to the kitchen where her uncle was cooking dinner.

"Oh, I didn't know you could cook Jambalaya" Chloe said jumping up to sit on the counter next to the stove. "Smells good, but don't you think it's a little hot to be cooking something spicy?"

"No. It's perfect for cooking something special for your homecoming dinner."

"Oh" she laughed leaning over to sniff the bubbling rice in the pot. "I guess your right; it isn't everyday you get to have New Orleans Jambalaya in central Alabama."

"Oh be quiet and get off my counter" he yelled with a smirk playing at his lips. One of Chloe's favorite things about being home was her uncle was an exquisite cook. He always made sure she was fed more than just cereal and frozen dinners whenever she visited. "So, how did graduation go at AUM? I'm sorry I couldn't be there; I had some dire business to take care of."

"Graduated with honors. I have some pictures in my room I'll show you later."

"That's my girl! Will you set the table?"

Chloe reached into the cherry cabinets for two plates. "Since when do we eat at the table?"

"Since now. Are you going to complain about everything or just be happy you're finally back with me?"

Chloe rolled her eyes to the ceiling and tapped her chin as if to think for a moment. "Um…be happy."

"Good, now git." Nick filled their plates while Chloe fixed some glasses of sweet tea. It didn't take but a minute for the food to disappear as they chatted about what Chloe had been doing at Auburn University at Montgomery. She told him of the friends she had made and the jobs they had gotten in other states. They discussed her major, which was Youth Psychology, and where would be a good place to find a job in town. "You can work at Good Hope Elementary or I'm sure there are some daycares around here who would love to have ya."

"Yea, I could probably look in Wetumpka too. They have more to offer than this little hick town."

"I would rather you find something in Good Hope. I don't think Wetumpka is a reliable place for jobs" Nick said, his face serious for the first time since Chloe's return.

"Okay, I'm sure I will find something around here. I can start looking tomorrow." Chloe wondered why it bothered him for her to be in Wetumpka, even after all those years she had lived there with her parents. It wasn't like she was a stranger to the town, but she had no desire to argue with him on her first night back.

Nick got up from the table and stacked the plates in his hand. "Oh let me do the dishes. The chef is not supposed to do them; you go watch some TV" Chloe said grabbing them from him.

"Have at em. I could get used to this."

Chloe smiled and ran some hot water with soap while Nick went to his blue recliner and turned on some hunting show. It only took a moment and then she went to relax on the love seat watching a man dressed in bright orange hide in a tree as a doe trotted underneath him on the television. Before Chloe realized she had dozed off, it was ten o'clock. The night sky was very dark with the exception of a few stars shining high above and it was quiet. She could only hear the loud rhythmic hum from the crickets and the rustle of leaves on the few trees around the house. Nick had the recliner laid back all the way and his mouth hung open while he continued to breathe through his nose with a faint snore.

"Uncle Nick…"

"Huh? What? What's wrong?" he flipped up in his chair startled, the back catching him.

"Nothing, calm down. I'm going to bed. You should too."

He rubbed his eyes and yawned as he spoke, "Oh, ooookay. I will in just a minute."

Chloe kissed his cheek and turned to the hallway. "Chloe?" Nick said.

"Yeah?"

"I'm really glad you came back to live with me. It has been so boring without you."

"I'm glad too. Night uncle."

"Night."

Chloe went to her room and shut the door behind her, not wanting to disturb her uncle. She knew after her nap in the living room it would take her a while to fall back asleep. So, she thought it would be a good time to search the internet for available positions for a job close by. She grabbed her laptop from her green book bag and sprawled across the bed to research. Even though her uncle didn't want her to work in Wetumpka, she searched for jobs there anyways. A few businesses were hiring that had to do with youth development and children with disabilities. Chloe jotted the addresses down, hoping one day when her uncle was out she could see if they were something she would be interested in.

The phone rang and to her surprise, Chloe's uncle answered it. She wondered who could be calling him at such a late hour. Nick's voice grew louder, but Chloe could not quite make out what he was saying. She became curious as to what had her uncle upset; so she turned out her light and cracked her door open an inch. Her uncle's voice was clear now.

"What do you mean they left again? That is the third time this week! I don't care if they… Look, my niece came home today and I can't just pick up and go now. They're in Wetumpka again? Fine, I will be over in five minutes. Be ready."

Nick slammed the phone down and stormed towards his room. Chloe closed her door quickly before he saw her and jumped under the covers. What is going on? she thought. She listened as he stomped through his room and jingled his keys in his pants pocket. The footsteps now approached her door and stopped just outside. Nick tapped three soft taps and then creaked the door open. Chloe was limp under the covers with her eyes shut tight; she didn't breathe while she waited for him to leave. "Chloe?" he whispered. She didn't respond.

He closed her door back and walked out of the house. She could hear the roar of his truck as he backed it in a circle, turning around. She watched at her window as the engine whined from Nick gunning it down the dirt road, until he was out of sight. Why did he have to leave? Chloe thought to herself. And what is happening in Wetumpka? She had to find out.