Redemption Chapter Five

“Where’s Krysta?” she asked trying to move the conversation forward. Molly scratched the tape on her hand. It pulled at the edges leaving her skin pink and irritated.

“Working,” Aidan said.

Corbett sipped his coffee. “She works for one of them fancy law firms in the city. About an hour drive each way, but she wants the flashy car and money more than she wants—”

“Dad,” Aidan said in a warning tone.

The distinct feeling of tension washed through the room. Corbett grunted and leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest. Molly’s gaze flickered from one to the other, unsure if she should say anything. She scratched the tape again.

“So how are we feeling today, young heroine?” Dr. Noles came over and checked her vitals, along with the IV, and breaking the awkward silence in the room.

“Mm, better. I wouldn’t mind clearing the room so I could go to the bathroom though.”

Corbett stood up. “Of course, sweetheart.”

He took his plate of eggs, walking out with Aidan and Cody.

Dr. Noles smiled at her. “The food here sucks. Guess it’s a good thing you don’t have to eat it.” She leaned in and whispered. “Don’t tell my boss, but sneaking food in is a regular black-market thing around here.”

She chuckled and then winced. “Your secret is safe with me.” Throwing the blanket back, she stood on wobbly legs. Dr. Noles stayed beside her, unhooking the IV stand from the wall.

Her protesting limbs reminded Molly of the car that hit her. Maroon, large, and a fuzzy face behind the windshield. Her mind couldn’t make it out through the fog.

She gave a soft groan, holding her ribs—which hurt that most, and stood. The world tilted for a moment, but steadied itself in a timely manner. Dr. Noles stayed close, holding her arms out in case Molly were to fall, but still letting Molly make her own slow progress across the room.

A woman with long, sleek black hair and dark skin, slipped into the room. She wore a teal skirt suit, with matching heels and an award-winning smile—the reporter from the execution. “Molly Harper?”

“Uh…” Molly didn’t know if she wanted to answer that.

“I’m Lacey Jones, 7 News out of Raleigh.”

Lacey traveled quite a distance away from home, but Molly stayed quiet.

“I was hoping I could ask you some questions about the hit and run,” Lacey rushed on. “Do you think it had anything to do with the execution of Mommy Murderer, Peter Blake?”

Molly tensed, her heart racing. If she were still hooked to the monitor it would give away her nervousness, but she kept her face stoic and lifted her chin. For so many years, Molly had been careful, making sure no one found out about her past. Now, reporters were asking her questions. Coming back here had been a mistake.

Dr. Noles sighed. “Ms. Harper is still recovering from her injuries. I’m not sure how you got in here, but I will gladly have security escort you out.”

Aidan and Corbett must have wandered off instead of sitting just outside the room. Molly didn’t think they’d let a reporter in to question her. Hell, the Sheriff hadn’t even been by yet, and that surprised her.

“It’s a bit of a coincidence don’t you think,” Lacey continued as if Dr. Noles hadn’t spoken. “A hit and run in a small town that rarely if ever has major crimes on the same day of the execution of the man who murdered four women, marring Bellefort with a bloody history? Not to mention it seems the intended target was Cody Spencer, son of Aidan Spencer, whose mother was—”

“All right, that’s it.” Dr. Noles set the clipboard down and stormed over. “Listen here, missy.” She pointed a finger at Lacey’s nose. “Bellefort is not marred by what one man did. We are strong, we will persevere, and you need to get the hell out of here before I have the Sheriff arrest you.”

Lacey held up her hands in acquiescence. Molly stayed quiet, clutching the IV pole, unsure if the reporter was just fishing or knew more than she’d said.

“If you change your mind about an interview, I’ll be around.” Lacey smiled and walked out.

Molly let her shoulders slump. “Thank you.”

Dr. Noles harrumphed. “I like our local little newspaper. Even when the murders actually happened they had more couth than the big city reporters.”

“Do you think she’s right?” Molly asked, shuffling towards the bathroom again.

“About what?”

“Do you think someone was targeting Cody?”

Dr. Noles shrugged. “I’m a doctor, not a cop. That’s the Sheriff’s jurisdiction.”

“Why hasn’t he questioned me?”

“Because I’ve staved him off. He has eyewitness accounts, and unless you saw the license plate number or the person behind the wheel—”

Molly shook her head.

“Then you’re not going to tell him anything someone else hasn’t. Everything they need to track down the asshat responsible, they have.”

Molly slipped into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. The one good thing about hospital gowns was the ease of which to go to move it out of the way to take care of business. She lifted the flimsy cloth, and groaned, easing down onto the pot.

“Oh, I almost forgot,” Dr. Noles said through the door. “You’re being released later today.”

“I am?”

“You are,” she said. “Don’t flush. I need to make sure there’s no blood in your urine or stool—whichever number you’re going.”

Finishing up, Molly exited the bathroom. It felt like someone had connected ten-ton weights to her heels. They made her feet drag. Going to the bathroom with a cast on her arm had been awkward, but she’d managed, and made sure not to flush—she’d almost disobeyed the Dr. Noles orders simply out of habit, but caught herself at the last moment before she pressed the handle. Washing her hands hadn’t been much better, but again, she found a way to do it without soaking the cast.

Dr. Noles walked in after her. “Two gold stars. No blood.”

The toilet flushed, and Dr. Noles washed her hands, before coming out.

Nibbling on her lower lip, Molly walked back to the bed, easing into it. It would be a long drive back to Florida. Her heart and body ached—despite having just woke up, all she wanted to do was sleep.

Dr. Noles went to the door, and let everyone back in.

“Coast is clear.”

Aidan and Corbett walked back in the room. Cody still clung to his father, small hands gripping the back of Aidan’s tan shirt. Molly felt like she somehow scared Cody, like maybe he saw some of the monster that had been her father. The thought made her skin crawl—she tried to distance herself from the past, create a new life and somehow she wound up back in the place where it all started.

Dr. Noles smiled. “I’ll leave you all to it then. Other patients and all.”

She walked out.

Cody peeked away from Aidan’s shoulder. His blue eyes widened as he caught Molly’s gaze and he hid his face again.

“What’s the matter bud?” Aidan rocked Cody a bit. “She’s not gonna bite.”

Cody shrugged not giving any sort of decipherable answer.

Molly wished she knew how to get them all to leave. Since she was being discharged later it’d be easy to slip out of town. The Sheriff probably wouldn’t like it, but she didn’t care. She needed to get out of here before things went from bad to worse.

“He’ll come around,” Corbett said. “Just give him time.”

Molly gave a tight smile. She wouldn’t be around long enough for Cody to become comfortable with her presence.

“Children tend to be a good judge of character,” a woman said, walking into the room. She dropped her oversized bag near the door and adjusted her floral shirt.

Cody’s head popped up and he looked over. “Meemaw!”

With a wide grin he wiggled out of Aidan’s arms and ran to hers. She scooped him and hugged him tight. Her silver colored hair frizzed at the temples, but her smile brightened her soft features.

“Hello, my sweet boy. How are we feeling today?”

“My scabs are oozing,” Cody said in an excited tone. “Wanna see?”

She rolled her eyes. “No, I do not want to see, child. No one wants to see that.”

“Aww,” Cody’s face dropped and she chuckled.  

 “Go see your father. Maybe he wants to see your oozing scabs.” She set him down and he went back over to Aidan, but instead of trying to get his father to look, Cody slid half behind the chair, peering at Molly with uncertainty.

“Well, aren’t you a sight,” Corbett said. Getting up from the chair he walked over and kissed the woman with passion, waving them both back and forth.

She chuckled against him and swatted his arm. “You crazy man.”

“You wouldn’t have it any other way.”

The aroma of breakfast made Molly’s stomach tight with hunger again. She pulled the tray closer and dug into the eggs. They were perfect, if a little cool from transport, but definitely much better than what she remembered hospital food being.

“You seem to think,” the woman added. “Now, introduce me to the woman who saved my grandson.”

Molly smiled bashfully. “You must be Heather.”

“I see Corbett’s been telling stories,” she walked over to the bed. “Only the good ones are true. The bad ones are lies and he’s at fault.”

Corbett put a hand over his chest. “You wound me so!”

Aidan laughed. “All right you two, knock it off. You’re going to scare her.”

Having so many people filling her small room felt almost claustrophobic. When Molly had her appendix out, only her friend Elisa had been to visit, and they’d grown apart in the last few years. Lies beget lies and Molly learned a long time ago keeping to herself was the easier route to take.

“Its fine,” Molly said waving them off. “I think it’s great.”

“Great?” Aidan raised his brows. “You must have lived a sheltered life if you think this crazy is great.”

She shrugged and nibbled on a piece of bacon.

“Well, Molly,” Heather said. “First I’d like to apologize for not coming to see you sooner. Been watching over Cody and all, while the men here have been keeping vigil.”

“It’s fine. You didn’t have to come see me at all.”

“I’ve been told you have no one to look after you while you’re recuperating,” Heather said.

“Um, no?” Molly rubbed her feet together.

“It’s a mite strange that a woman doesn’t have any friends,” Heather said, eyeing her suspiciously. “I can’t say I don’t find that odd.”

“I’m…sorry?” Molly didn’t understand what was going on. She felt small under Heather’s scrutinizing gaze.

“Land sakes, no reason to be sorry, so long as you’re not bringing any trouble with you. It’s not right, not having any family or friends.” Heather shook her head and crossed her hands in front of her.

Molly blinked. “It’s no big deal. I’m used to taking care of myself.”

“Well you better get unused to it,” she said in a stern tone. “Can’t let you go anywhere till I know you can do what you just claimed. Right now, your state of being says otherwise.”

“I don’t understand. What?” Molly looked from Aidan to Corbett and back to Heather.

Heather sighed and   clasped her hands in front of her. “You will stay with us until you’re well enough to be on your way. Can’t very well send you off. Wouldn’t be very Christian of me.”

Molly choked on the bacon. She set it back on the plate with the rest of the food while her throat tried to expel the crumbs that lodged into it.

Aidan’s gaze flickered from the plate to her, but he remained quiet. Molly saw the uncertainty in his gaze. She couldn’t blame him. Even though Molly managed to shove Cody out of the way of the car, she was still a stranger. Not to mention she couldn’t imagine his girlfriend would be too happy about it.

Corbett walked over pouring her some water. “I think that’s a great idea,” he said.

A chant started in the back of Molly’s head. The bad idea was turning into a worse idea—staying with the Spencers would make it a catastrophic, cosmic no-no.

Molly took the cup from Corbett and looked over at Cody. His eyes widened when he noticed and he dipped behind the chair.

“Well, erm.” At a loss for words, she sipped her water again.

“Maybe we’re putting too much pressure on her,” Aidan said. Turning in the chair he put a hand around Cody’s shoulders. His protective nature made Molly shiver.

“I don’t want to be an inconvenience,” Molly added. “I’m fine, really. If I can’t drive, I’ll just take the train.”

Not that she had any money, but they didn’t need to know that. Molly couldn’t stay with them, not considering what her father had done. It wouldn’t be right.

“Nonsense,” Heather said. “You can stay with us till you get on your feet. It’ll put Abbie’s room to good use.”

The food turned in her stomach. All she’d wanted to do was make sure that Aidan was okay—now she was being invited to stay with them. She couldn’t even begin to describe how wrong all of this was.

“That’s okay, Heather, really.”

“No more arguing,” she patted Molly’s hand. “You’re staying with us and that’s the end of it.”

Molly fidgeted, pushing herself up in the bed as best she could. She winced, and the world spun, whether from the painkillers or just the insane situation that had presented itself, she didn’t know. She felt sick, and it didn’t have anything to do with getting hit by the car.

“I appreciate it, I do—”

Corbett put a hand on her shoulder. “You see, when Heather gets an idea in her head, you ain’t talkin’ her out of it.”

She clamped her mouth shut, the muscles in her jaw bulging with stress. Tears flowed from her eyes, and she dropped her head in her good hand to keep from looking like an idiot.

Cody tugged on Aidan’s sleeve. “Why is she crying, Daddy?”

“Sometimes, it’s hard for other people to accept kindness.” He looked at Molly. “Even though they deserve it, they’re scared of it, and so reject it.”

“Oh,” he said. “I don’t understand.”

“Me either,” Molly said and chuckled ruefully.

Cody tilted his head, looking her over like he wasn’t certain. “How come you don’t think you deserve kindness?”

The question caught Molly off guard. She couldn’t tell them that her father murdered four women, that she felt like his sins carried over to her and that her grandmother reinforced it. She sat there, mouth gaping like a fish.

“You can ask Miss Molly some questions when she’s stronger,” Aidan said coming to her rescue. He gave her an apologetic smile.

Molly nodded her thanks and wondered how she’d gotten into this mess. Aidan rubbed his chin, a pensive look on his chiseled face. The soft look in his gaze reminded her and the heart monitor sped up again.

He looked over at her, frowning. “Hey, you okay?”

She nodded. “Yeah. Just a little emotional.”

“Well then stop your fussin’ and accept that you’ll be staying with us till you’re strong enough to be on your own.”

Molly didn’t get the vibe that Heather particularly liked her, so she was confused as to why Heather pressed so hard for her to stay.

“Best agree,” Corbett said. “You ain’t likely to win an argument with her.”

Molly didn’t have the energy to fight. “All right.”

Heather gave a curt nod. “Then it’s settled.”