Ch.31 - Enid

"Your father is one stubborn man. Always has been, ever since he was a child."

Enid Wilson bounced her granddaughter on her hip as they walked through the back garden. The flowers she'd planted at The Ivy House that spring were ablaze with color. Pinks, yellows and blues poked up from the landscape, turning their blooms toward the afternoon sun. She knelt down, hugging Carter to her, and plucked a wilted blossom from a zinnia, her favorite annual in the garden.

"The doctor wouldn't have given him pain medication if he didn't think he'd need it. But I saw him grimace when he and your mom dropped you off," she continued. She tossed the withered flower to the side and brushed a blonde curl from Carter's forehead. "I bet he hasn't even taken one. Has he?"

Carter cooed happily and Enid kissed her cheek. "I figured as much. He's just going to ride out the injury and suffer needlessly. Just like a man. You know, he's lucky that tree didn't hurt him anymore than it did. If that limb had poked him anywhere else he could have really been in trouble." She shook her head, still perplexed by the story Charlie had told her. "Such a freak accident. Trees don't normally fall down for no reason. I suppose if it was old and weak, maybe..."

All she knew was that Charlie was lucky he hadn't gone hunting alone, like he did often times. If he had, he could have been stuck out in the woods for hours before someone came looking for him. Injured and isolated. That was a scary thought. If anything ever happened to him, she didn't know what she would do. Her family was her life. It was a stroke of good fortune that Ryan had been with him. If anyone would know what to do in an emergency it would be Ryan. With his military background and keen sensibility, he was a handy man to have around. Sure he was brash and self-assured, but it was all part of the facade. Ryan had it tough growing up, everyone in town knew that. Nothing had been handed to him on a silver platter, he'd had to fight tooth and nail for everything he possessed. And he's a stronger man today for it. He might act like a tough guy, but underneath all that bravado was a heart of pure gold. For all they knew, he may have saved Charlie's life.

Enid needed to thank him. She made a mental note to bake Ryan a cherry pie, made special with her top-secret homemade pie filling. She knew it was his favorite.

She glanced at Carter, relaxing against her. They'd spent the morning inside, reading books and sorting foam shapes, and now they came outdoors for some fresh air. The sun was high in the sky as it blazed down on top of them, but a soft breeze made the afternoon pleasant. It was days like this Enid enjoyed most. Summer was winding down and all was right in the world.

But beautiful days could be very deceiving.

"Your mom seemed so sad this morning," she said softly. Enid walked to the terrace and sat down in the shade, adjusting Carter in her arms. Charlie and Talia had dropped the baby off to attend a memorial for Janice. Since there would be no funeral, the women at Healing Hearts decided to honor her in their own special way. They'd had a brass plaque made, engraved with Janice's name, to be planted next to a baby Spruce Pine in her honor. And afterward they would celebrate her life.

"I feel so bad about your mom's friend. The way she died, it's just not fair..." Enid and Carter swayed back and forth in the wicker rocker and Carter's big blue eyes begin to droop. "But I guess no one ever said life was fair, right? Sometimes the world is an ugly, hateful place."

Enid brought her fingertips to Carter's forehead and swept away the curl that continued to spill over. She spoke softly, soothing, as if she were reading a bedtime story. "How someone could hurt another human being... Treat them as if they meant nothing..." She looked down at Carter, her eyes misting over. "I would do everything in my power to protect you, baby girl. I hope you know that."

Carter's gaze grew heavier and heavier until her eyes finally closed. Enid continued to rock, her gaze fixed on the rise and fall of her granddaughter's chest as she drifted to sleep. She'd known Carter was getting tired, she had begun to rub her eyes. She also knew coming outside would eventually lull her to sleep. She'd been unusually restless since her parents had dropped her off and the outdoor breeze had a way of calming the baby, just as it did her. The way it fanned against her cheek and the gentle scent it carried had a peaceful quality to it. But not today. Today it felt different.

Death rides on every passing breeze, and lurks on every flower. The ominous stanza played over and over in her mind like a warning. Enid shook her head, trying to push the thought away.

It must be because of Charlie's accident, or maybe because of Janice...

She couldn't be sure, but the uncomfortable sensation had been nagging at her since she woke up that morning and no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't shake it.

Gently, Enid rose from the rocker, careful not to wake the baby, and carried her into the house. She'd left the windows open overnight to clear away the paint fumes and the house smelled fresh and clean, like new. She looked around at the lively shade of Tangerine that now decorated the walls. Not overly bright, just enough to add a splash of color to an otherwise tired room.

She crept into the nursery and arranged Carter in the crib, nestling her favorite pink blanket against her cheek. Enid watched for a moment to make certain she was asleep. When Carter was a newborn, she would rock her while she slept, even though Charlie had asked her time and time again not to. "You're spoiling her," he would say. "She'll come to expect it every night." Enid knew he was right, but she just couldn't help herself. She'd never realized how much a having grandchild would mean to her, and the special feeling she'd had on the day Carter was born was something Enid couldn't describe. It was like kismet. Still to this day Carter preferred being rocked while she slept.

A moment later, Enid flipped on the baby monitor and slipped quietly from the room. She went into the kitchen and poured a tall glass of lemonade, added a few ice cubes, then sat at the kitchen table to enjoy the breeze as it wafted in through the open window. Ice clinked against the glass as she sipped at the sweet beverage and decided which room she would paint next. Charlie and Talia offered to help out after the service and she wanted to make sure she had a game plan in place. That way they could make the most of the afternoon.

Outside, gray clouds rolled in, covering the blue sky that had been there before and an unexpected burst of wind stirred the lace curtains. Enid shivered. She hadn't been expecting a storm. The trees bent in the wind and the leaves rustled noisily, slapping against one another in a frenzy.

She was so mesmerized by the abrupt change in weather she almost didn't hear the soft knock at the front door.

Mr. Easterwood? she found herself hoping. Enid couldn't believe how excited she was about their upcoming date. A night of dinner and dancing...it'd been so long! She only hoped she didn't step on his toes. She fluffed her hair and stood up from her seat, tucking the chair under the table.

Butterflies fluttered in the pit of her stomach as Enid made her way to the door. To her great pleasure, William's visits were becoming more and more frequent and she found herself thinking about him when she had no business of doing so. Like when she woke up in the morning, and at night before she drifted to sleep. It had been so very long since she'd felt this way about a man that the sensation made her giddy, like a young teenager in love. But this couldn't be love--she and William barely knew each other! But getting to know him sure did make her heart pound.

Enid craned her neck to get a better look and her smile fell.

Jackson...

The flutter in her stomach collapsed. From the porch, Jackson smiled and waved when she came into view. Enid hadn't realize it, but she'd frozen in her tracks. She didn't trust this man, not one bit. 

Enid forced herself forward and opened the door. "Hello, there," she said, trying to sound natural. But there was just something about him that made her tense and on edge. "What can I do for you?"

The wind howled through the trees, tossing around the wind chime that hung from the rafters. The long silver rods made an awful clash as they thumped against each other, a sound much different than the musical melody it was meant to create.

"I'm looking for Charlie. Is he here?" Jackson hunched his shoulders and tucked in his chin, bracing himself against the storm.

The first fat drops of rain began to fall, pounding on the shingles overhead. Even though she didn't want to, Enid held the door open wider, allowing him inside.

"Boy, that storm came out of nowhere," he said, running a hand through his wind-blown salt and pepper hair. He wore khaki pants with a tailored fit and a denim button-up shirt, tucked in. His face carried a stubble that looked awkward on him. "I stopped by Charlie's house first but no one was home. " His steel-blue eyes held hers. "There were some errands I needed to run in town so I thought I'd swing in. I wanted to check on him, make sure he was feeling better."

This took her by surprise. "He's not here." Her gaze flicked over him, sensing a quiet agitation. "You know he got hurt?"

"Yes, I was with him. He invited me along for the hunt."

Enid's eyebrows pinched together. Charlie had only mentioned Ryan when he'd told her what happened. "I'm not so sure he's taking his pain medicine. He seems uncomfortable to me."

Jackson stepped deeper into the house, his eyes roaming around as if he were looking for someone.

"Anyway, he's not here," she said again, inching toward the door. She hoped he would take this as a signal to leave.

"You're alone?" His eyes continued to move through the room.

Enid's heart pricked in her chest. The way he asked seemed friendly enough, but there was an underlying tone, one she couldn't be sure of. It was carefully measured, almost practiced. She swallowed, her throat dry despite the lemonade. "I am alone, but I'm expecting company soon," she lied.

The sound of soft gibberish came through the baby monitor on the table and her eyes darted toward the noise, alarmed.

"Is that Carter?" Jackson looked at the monitor and then back her. He arched one eyebrow. "I thought you said you were alone."

Something about the way he studied her twisted her stomach into knots, and the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. She forced a chuckle. "Well, now. You didn't come to see the baby, did you?" Enid fought to keep her voice even, but it sounded shaky to her own ears, despite her effort. Jackson made her nervous, there was no denying it. Something about his eyes, his demeanor, seemed so...evil somehow. The longer he stood there staring, the harder her heart beat in her chest.

"Would your company happen to be Charlie?" he asked.

Beads of sweat collected on her brow as Jackson took another step closer. Enid wasn't sure how to respond. Who knew what he might do if she said no one was coming? What he might do to Carter? "He'll be here soon."

Jackson stuffed his hands into the pockets of his khakis, his eyes narrowing slightly. "There. Was that so hard?" he asked. "I find it curious why you would feel the need to lie about your company."

Enid swallowed again, the pounding of her heart making her uncomfortable. "I wasn't lying. I mean--it wasn't my intention to." Her eyes moved again toward the monitor when Carter let out another coo. "I guess I just wasn't thinking."

"I make you nervous, don't I?" Jackson's voice was hard yet smooth, like polished stone.

Menacing, she thought, Yes that's the right word. He's trying to intimidate me.

Enid's hands began to shake. "Of course not." She wanted to sit, she wanted to calm her racing pulse and gain control of the situation, but letting her guard down didn't feel like a safe option. The only thing she could focus on was Carter alone in her crib and the two of them alone in the house.

Alone with a madman.

Jackson stepped even closer. "I think I do make you nervous. I'm right, aren't I? I might even go as far as to say you don't like me. The only question is...why?" He cocked his head to the side. "Is that a fair assessment?"

Enid shook her head and placed a hand on her chest. There was a pressure there now. Tight, squeezing, crushing her... And it was increasing. Something wasn't right. Jackson's image began to blur in front of her, like a puddle on the road during a hot summer's day.

"It's okay, Enid. You don't have to answer," he said, soothingly. Too soothingly. "You don't look so well. You're deathly pale. Are you feeling alright?"

A sharp pain shot down Enid's arm and her head suddenly felt light, as if she'd had way too much to drink. She heard Carter over the monitor, her babble turning into a whimper, her voice sounding farther and farther away. Enid hadn't realized she'd fallen down until scratchy fibers of carpet pressed into her cheek. She blinked, then blinked again, her eyelids so heavy she could barely keep them up.

"It looks like we have a situation here," he said, pacing back and forth. The tips of his black leather shoes moved in front of her. Jackson's voice was calm, unhurried. He stepped back and stared down at her. "What to do, what to do?"

In the distance, Carter let out another wail and the last thing Enid saw before her eyes finally closed was Jackson turning and walking toward the nursery.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

Hello and thank you for sharing your week with me and reading Secrets and Lies! If you enjoyed this chapter, please hit that star! This week I would like to thank readers in Tanzania and Mauritius. I am so grateful for your support. Thank you for sharing this journey with me!

Well it seems there is no turning back now, Jackson's true colors are showing. I can't even imagine what is going through his sick, twisted mind.

The next chapter will be uploaded on Friday. I hope you enjoy your week!

With love and respect to you all, Darly