Chapter 13

Leigh woke up with a start. The alarm clock was making annoying beeps from the dresser. She reached out blearily, barely touch the edge of the dresser. She reached across the smooth surface, but could reach her target without getting out of bed. She changed tactics, moving her hand along the wall until she felt a cord in her fingers. She yanked the cord from the socket, groaning tiredly. The noise cut short, but that was when the images in front of her eyes started to focus. She fell back against the sheets with a plaintive cry. She'd never be able to get back to sleep now.

Her mind began to brim with activity as she remembered the night before with sudden clarity. Apparently the detective wasn't their only problem. Now there was some guy named Grady who was trying to knock them off. It was the Vince's fault, she decided in a matter of fact way. There was no anger in the thought. Nothing eventful ever happened in Lampton Hill until the Vince's moved into town last October. First Bella was kidnapped and now there was a hit man after them. Yep, it definitely stunk of Vince.

Leigh was no longer angry and irritable—those emotions were usually only a byproduct of her fear. She only felt a burgeoning curiosity and something…She couldn't quite place the emotion. She only knew it rose in her every time a picture of Doug formed in her head. Understanding? Anxiousness? Protectiveness? She knew for sure that it wasn't disgust. Her accusing feelings toward Doug had slowly faded as the evening had worn on. And now? Her feelings were so muddled and confused between wanting to help him and wanting to knock him over his thick head. His mind was so haunted she only wished she could rip those memories from his head and fill them up with light and good. She'd thought her situation was bad, but it was nothing compared to what his had been. She realized that she had a lot to be grateful for.

Leigh rolled to the floor. Her feet met an endless pile of clothing and old homework assignments. Papers crackled beneath her feet. I really should clean this place up sometime, she thought. She hadn't planned on sleeping here last night but the Carlyle's garage had been locked last night. Mr. Carlyle must have locked it absentmindedly when he had come in last night from closing up the pharmacy. That left only one alternative that she could think of: sleeping at home. She would never invite herself to sleep on Porter's or Alec's couch. As close as she was to them, it would feel like an intrusion. But she'd been having sleepovers at Amber's house since she was a little girl.

She nearly stumbled over an old shoebox as she made her way to the closet. Her lightening reflexes saved her from a certain fall. She pulled a pair of jeans from the closet and pulled them up under her nightgown. They fit snuggly, accentuating her hips. She exchanged the nightgown for a gray sweater and headed downstairs. There was the drone of voices at the kitchen table.

"But do you really think it will work?" her father was saying. "If Jamie was right about this, then the detective was only tipped off by another enemy. What was his name? Rollson! So even if we get rid of all the evidence, we'll still have a 'wolf hunter after us."

"That may be," Jamie's mother was responding. "We may have to end up eliminating Rollson, if possible. But there are more pressing matters at hand. We can't afford to have Mr. Maxwell go to court for the murder of Mr. Vince. The others will be conducting the mission tonight and have asked for our help. I think it is our duty to go."

"Of course, I was never disputing—"

Her father's voice cut short as her feet padded softly across the living room floor. It was a sound no human ears would have picked up. She moved into view to see her parents eating bowls of raw hamburger. The smell was nauseating. Ground meat had always bother Leigh.

Her parents smiled at her fakely.

Ever since last fall, the parents hadn't been forthcoming with information on important events. They were still very angry with Leigh and her friends for showing up on the hillside to help battle it out with the Colonel and his men. They were probably afraid that if they let on what they were doing, the "kids" would try to interfere again. Leigh resented to condescending attitude. They were adults themselves. Her parents obviously thought her old enough to go and live on her own. How was this any different?

She feigned a smile of her own. She thought about pulling some raw chicken strips from the fridge, but she didn't know if she'd be able to eat in her present condition. She had too many things to think about: The parents dashing off on some dangerous mission, and she herself was planning on doing something very risky.

"Where have you been lately?" Her mother asked. Her eyes narrowed and her lips pressed in a thin line.

"Out," Leigh replied for lack of a better answer.

She unfolded a clean pair of socks that were balled in one hand and began placing them on her feet as her mother scrutinized her with disapproval. After a long moment she muttered almost too low for Leigh's ears to pick up. "I see…hanging out with those no good friends again."

Leigh sent her a withering glare. She would have deigned a response if it had made any difference. Her mother would flat out refuse to believe that Leigh had stopped hanging out with that no good crowd two years ago.

"Look at that truck outside!" Mr. Bennett interrupted suddenly—probably to prevent a fight. He disliked arguing in any form. "Where do you think it came from? Who just parks their vehicle in someone else's driveway and walks away without another word? I suppose we'll have to tow it."

Mrs. Bennett whipped her head around to the window, examining the vehicle for the first time. "That is odd," she commented. "Who would…"

Leigh lifted one of her fingers to draw attention to herself. "Uh," she managed, trying to keep her explanation down to as little information as possible. If she raised their interest, then she would only cause more problems for herself. "It's my friends truck. He let me drive it home last night so I wouldn't have to walk."

Too much information. That much was clear as she felt her mother's aura buzzing with curiosity and unasked questions.

"Who is this friend?" Mr. Bennett asked casually, but Leigh could feel the curiosity burgeoning beneath it.

Leigh shrugged indifferently, hoping to guide them away from the subject by feigning her own lack of interest. She was twiddling her thumbs nervously beneath the table. "His name's Doug."

"Is he a friend from school?" Mrs. Bennett posed a question at last. Leigh knew her mother could never hold her curiosity in forever.

"No." She knew immediately after she responded that she should have lied.

"Is he a college boy?"

Leigh didn't deign a response.

"Leigh, I don't want you dating college boys. In fact, I forbid it," her mother said sharply, pulling her hand through her hair in a harassed gesture. As if Leigh had in some way caused her to get all worked up. "Not while you live under this roof."

Leigh frowned slightly. "We're just friends."

"That's what you think now," Mrs. Bennett replied sharply. "Why do you think this boy has pursued you anyway? I'm sure there are plenty of beautiful college girls for him to chase after."

"Mom, it's not like that." She was trying to stay calm, but it was getting harder and harder to remain that way. She bit her lip to stop herself from saying something she'd regret.

"Boys like that," Mrs. Bennett was continuing, her voice rising an octave. "chase you because you're too young and inexperienced to think clearly. Well, I'm putting a stop to it now. I don't need any more responsibilities than I already have and knowing you, you'll wind up pregnant within a few months—and then what would I do?"

Leigh's mouth dropped open. She could not believe what her mother had just said. She almost wanted to rewind the whole moment just to see if she'd heard her mother correctly. But her hearing was impeccable. There was no mistaking what she'd said.

She was too shocked and hurt to respond. Slowly, she turned and left the room, feeling her face burning brighter than it ever had before. She was so good at hiding her emotions but her mother brought out the worst in her. Mrs. Bennett probably thought her flaming cheeks were proof of her daughter's naivete.

Gripping a pair of black hiking boots between two trembling fingers, she stepped out the door and pulled it tightly shut behind her. She didn't know the last time she'd felt so shaken and so angry. Even last night's occurrences did not compare. She slumped down on the front steps, just out of sight of the kitchen window. She dropped the shoes on the step beside her, forgetting to place them on her feet.

How could she think Leigh was like that? Leigh was far smarter than she gave her credit for. Does she think I'm some whore who'll give any guy what he wants so long as he gives me the time of day? Leigh could feel her anger rising with each thought. Well, I'm not! Leigh wasn't even ready for that kind of thing.

"I'm not a whore!" she cried out to no one in particular. The tree in the front yard was probably the only witness to her tirade.

She nearly jumped out of her skin when she got a hesitant reply. "Uhhh…I never thought you were."

Leigh's cheeks flamed red again as Doug revealed himself from around the side of the house. He was quiet for a human. She hadn't even heard him—that, or she'd been too focused on her humiliation to care. "What are you doing here?" she snapped sourly. She immediately regretted her tone.

"I came to get my truck," Doug moved toward her tentatively. He sat at least four feet away from her as though he thought she was liable to lash out at him at that moment. He played with one of the shoelaces of her hiking boots.

"Don't you ring doorbells like normal people?" she asked in a softer voice.

"The less I'm noticed in town, the better. Getting noticed only brings up unwanted questions."

That was one statement she could agree with whole-heartedly.

"Something wrong?" He asked, surveying her with knowing dark eyes. Great, now she had a Dr. Laura on her hands. A very male and good-looking Dr. Laura.

"Just another fight with my mother," she responded with a sigh. "She won't trust me no matter what I do. And I'm still blamed for the drugs I did years ago as if it were just yesterday. She'll never let past faults go—she holds on to them like a bulldog. It's almost as if the day she has nothing to blame me for is the day she'll have no purpose in life."

Leigh couldn't believe she was telling him this. She never spoke about this to anyone.

"And now she thinks…" Doug said promptingly, leaving the statement open for her to finish.

"And now she thinks that if I brought some guy's truck home last night that I—" Leigh didn't finish. She just felt too embarrassed—especially since Doug was the guy in question. Doug was smart enough to figure the rest out for himself. For like the hundredth time that day, she felt her cheeks heating up. Oh! This was just so embarrassing! If Doug hadn't been present, Leigh would have been tempted to bang her head against the side of the house.

"Oh." It was his turn to act embarrassed.

Oh? Well, that's very comforting! Leigh tried not to let the sarcasm show in her face. She'd been rude enough to him as it was. It wasn't his fault that her mother thought him to be a sleazy low-life. She'd seen his mind and knew he was just the opposite. Yes, he'd done horrible things in his life, but he still had…honor.

"Parents have a way of disappointing us," Doug said after a few minutes. "I've had my share of issues too. Your mother may have a skewed and tormenting way of caring about you, but I think she does. Care about you, I mean."

He took a breath and continued, staring off into the sunrise as if transfixed. "Nobody's perfect. Everybody has his or her own set of flaws. And no matter how we try, we will all end up hurting someone in someway at some point in our lives. It's inevitable. As much as you want to change her, I don't know if you can. I couldn't change the Colonel."

Doug looked at her then, his dark eyes soft and understanding. "Just don't let it make you bitter. Take what you must from it and learn from it so that you won't become your mother someday."

Leigh somehow found his speech somewhat inspiring. She could feel the anger ebbing away to be replaced by a peaceful calm. She smiled slightly, feeling her lips quirk on the sides. "Aren't you the philosopher."

Doug snorted. "I try."

Then he was smiling back at her—a crooked and genuine grin.

She started as she remembered, tearing her eyes away from his. She rummaged through her pocket until she came up with a single key.

"You'll need this if you want to drive your truck today."

He reached out. Her heart throbbed as their hands met. His fingers brushed hers for a second and then they were gone. Leigh felt the absence.

"See you tonight," Doug said, alluding to their plans for this evening. He sent her a conspiratorial wink.

Leigh nodded and stood feeling a little flustered. Her heart was still moving to an offbeat tune. She needed to get out here before she ended up saying something stupid. She could feel thought and emotions bubbling within her like a fountain.

"I've got to get to class," she said as she turned to go.

"Uh, Leigh?"

"Yeah?" She asked, turning back hopefully.

"Don't forget your shoes."

"Oh," she said, smiling guiltily. "Thanks."