Looking down at the older man Gabriella let out a small breath and put her best smile forward. "Good morning."
"Morning," he said looking up from the menu.
"What can I get you today?"
The older man looked at her oddly, taking in her uniform and then glanced back behind the counter. "You must be the new girl," he said with small smile.
"Yup," Gabriella looked at her notepad, desperately more than anything she just wanted him to order some eggs and coffee.
"You must be new in town," he put his menu down and lean back in his booth seat, "where you stayin?"
Gabriella inwardly groaned, as she began her story for the fifth time that morning, "My son and I are staying at the Paxton, just until I can scrape some money together."
"Small towns are perfect for young boys," the older man said as he looked back down at the menu. "You got him going to Highland Meadows Elementary?"
"Enrolled him 2 days ago."
"Smart girl, we have a fine school system here."
"Is that so?" Gabriella smiled as she looked back at her notepad, "Is there anything I can get you this morning sir?"
"Please call me Jeff," he said picking his menu up again, "I'll just have some pancakes with a cup of fruit on the side."
"Anything to drink?"
"Water's fine hon," he smiled tenderly and Gabriella nodded as she wrote down his order.
"I'll get it out as soon as I can." Making her way back to the kitchen the door chimed and she looked back to greet the new costumer. Only to come face to face with stone face and a tan uniform.
"Time for a break."
"Not right now, but how about the day after never," she said putting in the old man's order.
"Betty," his voice called over the counter and Betty came around from the kitchen with a fresh coffee pot in hand.
"Morning Sheriff, What can I do you for?"
"I need five minutes of your new girl's time."
Betty raised a brow as she looked from one to the other, "Alright."
Troy raised a brow as he motioned for her to come around the counter, "If you will, we can have a seat right over here."
Gabriella bit down on her bottom lip as she came around the counter and followed him into the booth where he ushered her into a seat. Once she was seated she watched as he lowered himself into the booth and sat across from her. For a moment they stared at each other in silence.
"Child abduction, have you heard of it?"
Gabriella stiffened. "Minding your own damn business, have you heard of that?"
"You came into my town."
"Your town?" Gabriella huffed as she shot back in her seat, "I'm sorry, I must have missed the piss spots on the welcome to Highland Meadows sign post."
"What's the story Ella?" Troy said grimly.
"There is no story."
"Not from what I hear," Troy countered as he leaned in closer. "From what I hear it sounds like I have a friend whose husband beats her up."
Gabriella's lips fell from her angered stubborn frown line into a free fall of fear. "This is not your problem and I'm not your friend."
"Look, there are better ways to handle this situation."
"Really?" Gabriella crossed her arms as she looked away from him.
"Did you go into the police station and file a complaint. If there's physical evidence of the abuse on your part, they'll come out and arrest him."
"And if he has money, he can bail himself out, right?" Gabriella questioned looking back at him as she brought her finger nails up to her teeth.
"That's correct."
"And then he's free 'til it goes to trial?"
Troy let out a sigh, "If it goes to trial. It's up to the district attorney whether to prosecute."
"So your grand advice is that I go down to the police, have him arrested, and piss him off, and for what," Gabriella huffed, "there's no guarantee that he won't come after me?"
"No," Troy shook his head, "You could get a restraining order."
"Oh yeah," Gabriella leaned forward in sarcasm "What's that? A little piece of paper that says he can't come around?"
Troy nodded.
"Great so when he does comes around... what am I supposed to do Troy? Throw it at him?"
Troy brought hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose. "You call the police Ella."
Gabriella let out another huff as she uncrossed her arms, "And what about the Eliot? Is that magical little piece of paper of yours good for him, too?"
Troy shook his head as his eyes filled with concern, "That's a matter for the family courts to decide, unless you can prove he's a danger to your son. You just can't kidnap him and then expect to legally bar him access-"
"You know what I think?"
"Ella."
"I think this is bullshit. I think the law is bullshit. I think there isn't a damn thing in the world you can do for me. And you have no idea what I'm going through so you can cut the white knight bullshit. If you really want help me. Leave me alone."
Gabriella stood up from the table and went to leave only to be stop by Troy's hand on her wrist.
"Hey, there's one more thing."
Gabriella's eyes narrowed as she shrugged her wrist out of his grasp, "What?"
"Your old house."
"What about it."
"It's still yours," with that he took an envelope from his pocket and placed it on the table. "The property is vacant and paid for."
"So."
"So. It's listed to the next of kin, and that's you."
"Since when," Gabriella crossed her arms. "That's my father's house. He can have it, sell it or use it for his cigarette money, whatever it is he needs these days."
Troy frowned as he narrowed his eyes at her in concern, "No one told you."
"Told me what?"
"Ella, you're father died nine years ago."
A cold flicker of nausea waved through her and she immediately placed a hand on her stomach.
"Ella, are you-"
"I'm great," she said bringing her hand up toward him to stop him from talking. Blinking back unwanted tears she made her way back behind the counter. "You can see yourself out. We're done."
"Ella."
Gabriella disappeared into the back kitchen her body immediately pressing against the wall behind her to hold herself upright while the room began to spin. Her breathing got heavy her lungs pulled into overtime and she felt a tear roll down her cheek.
Troy tapped his steering wheel as he watched the Paxton parking lot from a distance. Lifting his coffee cup to his lips he winced as he took a sip of the already cold brew. His jaw locked a slightly and he shrugged the feeling off as he looked back up at the parking lot. The same station wagon was parked outside since nine this evening after her shift and he was determined to be here all night if he had to.
Someone was following her, he didn't know who it was. He had a pretty good idea who but until he was absolutely positive who was driving the mysterious dodge challenger he couldn't be too careful. Reaching for the file on the seat next to him he opened it and looked at the information inside it. He ran a background check on one Gabriella Catania the moment the license plates information came in. Surprise, surprise when Gabriella Catania and Gabriella Montez turned out to be one and the same.
Of course it was something he had to see for himself. The minute he looked at that photo and saw that face looking back up at him, he dropped the file on his desk and headed straight for the dinner and that was when he saw her through the windows. Following after Betty like a lost pup taking in everything she was being told and occasionally glancing over at the little boy in the booth by the third window.
His head was still spinning from the whirlwind of memories that came roaring back to the present just from the sight of her. She was the perfect sandstorm of regrets, wishes and possibilities. Looking at the empty parking his memories began to slip back through the years, back to his first encounter, back to the first time he saw her walking across the school parking lot.
"You're not even going to try?" Gabriella turned around walking backwards as she faced Kelsi.
Granted he wasn't listening in on their conversation on purpose he just happened to be walking by at the time. However there was just something about the way she spun around that just caught his attention. Her curls spun out in this fan like twirl that kept going even after she stopped. It was then that he notice the light brown in her eyes, the way they glowed with excitement, mischief and innocents all at the same time.
"No, because I don't have a death wish."
"Oh come on, it's a school play not massacre," Gabriella assured her as she pleaded for her friend's corporation.
"No, it's worst. It's a musical. In front of our entire High School class," Kelsi shook her head, "seriously I'm not into it Ella."
"You worry too much about what other people think. It's going to make you wrinkle Kelsi." Gabriella turned to back around facing front again depriving Troy the view of her soft features but giving him the amazing view of her backside that seemed to sway with just a little sass and charm.
"I can live with premature wrinkles," Kelsi laughed.
"You say that." The girls were quiet for a moment as they continued make their way to the bus stop. Troy came to a stop in front of his truck pulling his keys from his pocket while his eyes remain glued to the petite little waist that seemed to be unknowingly taunting him.
And then she turned towards him offering a small wave of her fingers, "Next time take a picture."
His lips pulled into a smile and in that small second he been shot right through the heart by over assertive, take no prisoners, brown eyed, gorgeous sophomore.
Troy looked back across the parking lot the passing of random ford truck chasing away his thoughts of that girl he once knew. His eyes shifted through the dark shadows.
His cell phone buzzed in his pocket and he ignored it for a moment as he looked up at the curtains to her room that remained still. The buzz continued and he let out a sigh as he reached into his pocket. Looking at the screen he let out a groan and slid the green bar across the screen.
"Sheriff," he said leaning back in his seat.
"You're going want to come see this." Taylor's voice came over the line crisply.
"What is this and where is it?" Troy huffed as a movement from the room besides Gabriella caught his attention. Philips must have been up at this ungodly hour for who knows what reason.
"We got a dead body in the woods by the Miller place and it's a weird one."
Troy shot up instantly turning his car on, "Damn it Taylor, Why were you called first?"
"I don't know, you're fathers out here. I figured, I'd clue you in before the crime techs and the M.E. got here."
"Thank you."
Troy threw his cell on the dash and turned on his sirens on and taking off down the street at full speed. As soon as he approached crime scene the wheels of his car spinning to a screeching halt as he wasted no time opening his door and getting out.
"What the hell is going on?" Out by the wood the night was thick with dense, impenetrable fog and he was walking quickly towards one of his deputies.
"Mr. Miller was out looking for his dog, when he found him, said the dog had been sniffing around the body."
"Why wasn't I informed?"
The first deputy gulped and looked at the other one standing nearby who quickly rocked back on his shoes, "Habit we guess."
"News flash! I'm the Sheriff not my father." His sharp tone echoed past them purposely reaching past them towards any onlookers who still might also be confused about the change in command.
"Now, now, it was a simple mistake. Don't go getting all drill sergeant on them," his father's voice came from behind and Troy let out a sigh as he swung around to face his father.
"Does ma know you're out here?"
"Does anyone know you're out here?" he countered with a huff as he walked past him jotting things down on a clip board.
Troy rolled his eyes and followed suit, "What do have?"
"It's not pretty, thick cloud of flies, pungent scent… that body's been there a long time Troy."
"How long?"
"Two or three days maybe, decomposing in this heat." Jack handed the clipboard over to Taylor, who was talking to someone in a windbreaker jacket. "Something really strange about this one though."
"What's that?"
Taylor sighed as she turned to stare at them both, "That would be the satin blue ribbon that we found wrapped around the body with a large grotesque bow planted right on the chest plate."
"Excuse me?" Troy said looking at the two of them. "You mean to tell me there is a blue ribbon attach to a body out there like it's something you'd find on a gift box."
Taylor's frown lifted a little as she looked at Jack's notes, "It seems like our killer thought it was funny that Christmas come a little early this year."
"Victim is male," Jack said looking back in the direction he came from, "You want take a look for yourself?"
Troy watched as the crime techs began unloading their equipment, "I might as well do something while I'm here."
Jack watched as Troy disappeared behind three of the crime tech guys on their way to the body. "He's having a hard time adjusting."
"So did I," Taylor said quietly as she jotted down some information. "Being the district attorney after being dinner girl for so long isn't easy."
Jack let out a huff as he placed his hands on his waist. It was weird being on a crime scene out of uniform. To be honest it was odd being on a crime scene at all, Highland Meadows hadn't really been a hot bed for crime since the 70's. The mention of a body found on the miller property was had him out of bed and in his car before he even realized he should have called Troy first.
"I just talked to the Doc, he's coming in. Says he'll work all night if he needs to, to complete an autopsy."
"Right," Jack looked back at Taylor brought a hand up to his chin rubbing it a little in puzzled wonder. What change could have brought a murder to Highland Meadows?
"Did your deputies find anything near the body?"
Jack let out a breath as he tried to bring his focus back to the present. "Nope. In fact, their taking a short break and then their going do another search along the scene with the techs. See if those black light pick up anything."
"Well if you need me you know where I'll be, tell Troy I'll be by in the morning with more information."
"Will do."
Sweat poured off of her body as she thrashed around wildly, fighting off an invisible assailant. She gasped for air, her breathing shallow and erratic. She could feel his hands on her neck, choking the life out of her. Fear enveloped her as her heart pounded so hard she thought she might pass out.
Though she put up a resilient battle, he'd beaten her. It was only a matter of time now. Even though part of her subconscious knew she was only dreaming it was still real. Every nightmare felt like real life. Every nightmare left her trembling, shaking and unable to fall back to sleep. It was like she was in constant, perpetual state of exhaustion. And he always won.
Her eyes flew open and she found herself in the motel room staring at the ceiling. No one was there but her and Eliot. Looking over in the bed next to her Eliot lay peacefully sleeping undisturbed by her tossing and turning.
Taking a deep breath Gabriella forced herself to take a few deep breathes and then with an unsteady hand she reached over a switched on the bedside lamp. Warm light flooded the room as she swung her legs over the side of the bed. Her bare feet on the floor felt cold but it was alright, almost welcomed as a reminder that was grounded. Far away in a motel, nowhere near her Victorian styled home with wall to wall carpeting that took her 3 hours every Sunday to vacuum.
It was also a reminder that she was alone. There had been a time in her life when the prospect of being alone had been nearly unbearable. She'd felt like it would surely be a fate worse than death. Experience had made her older over the years. She'd learned fast. When you're alone, no one can hurt you.
Padding out to the bathroom she turned on the tap and filled a glass with water. A quick glance at the clock on the nightstand told her it was still in the middle of the night. But she knew she wouldn't be going back to sleep anytime soon. After quenching her thirst, she made her back to the room and fished some clothes out of a duffel bag.
Walking back to the bathroom she shed her sweat damped clothes and hopped into the shower. It wasn't soon after she poured the generous amount of jasmine scented body wash onto the coarse exfoliating bath mitt that she set to work on scrubbing herself raw from head to toe. It wasn't necessary. Even as she did it, she knew it. But it was though an unseen hand was controlling her. It was as though she was trying to rid herself of the memories along with the sweat that coated her cold clammy skin.
By the time she'd gotten out of the shower she was able to stand in front of the mirror for a moment and stare back at herself with the passive indifference of a stranger. Her body didn't feel like her own, it hadn't for a while. At least not until she gotten the courage to take off in the middle of the night with her son.
Her skin was angry red courtesy of the harsh cleansing she'd given herself. It would be sore tomorrow, raw and chafed. She bit her lip a bit as she looked away from the mirror, a small apart of her stopped caring a long time ago. Quickly she pulled the big t-shirt over herself and pulled up her shorts and tied the drawstring.
Looking back into the room she watched as her son slept peacefully. His features were soft almost doll like, with long lashes and button nose. A small frown tugged at her lips. At the same time that he was innocent there was a weariness about him that suggested he'd survived a war.
Surviving and thriving were two very different things, she thought to herself wryly as she stood there with water dripping off her hair. A sound from the room beside them made her still and she watched the wall carefully listening for any other noise. The sound of a door closing made her breath hitch and she quickly reached behind her to turn off the bathroom light.
Quietly she watched as two feet stood outside their motel room door for a moment. The shadow of someone on the ground just beneath the door frame. Just before she could manage to reach her purse where she'd been keeping the gun she purchased on the way out of LA the figure was gone.