Page 56 of Letting Go

Jackson is in discussion with the hotel security people, a woman in her thirties and two guys who both look barely twenty. Mateus clears the door so Raymond can access the backstage. He glances up as I approach.

"I get five minutes with him," I say, grabbing Raymond by the arm, pushing him through the door and slamming it.

"What's happened, son?"

I don’t release my grip on his arm. "Don’t. Son. Me." I shove him up against the wall and let go. "You knew your brother was here. You knew he was targeting Chloe. I can't believe you would do all of this—" I gesture towards the empty seats in the hall—"just to find your brother out of the goodness of your heart. You've known what a psycho he is for a long time. Why now?"

He adjusts his tie and though he tries to appear calm, I've struck a nerve. It doesn’t take much to make him talk.

There's a reason he's here and it is to stop his brother. Because Reed is a sociopath with a long history of mental illness. Delusions of grandeur. Of meeting God. Seeing God. Of believing he will find the perfect mate.

He stabbed and killed their family dog. He threatened their mother with a gun. He broke his aunt's arm the year he left for college. But he went on meds, started Everlast, and seemed to calm down. Until now.

Raymond pulls out his phone. "This email came this morning. "You are a false prophet and I am the true one. I am tasked to find you, hunt you, and leave you with the Devil. But I can only manifest this duty when I am whole. When I find my mate. And I have found her."

Raymond's face is pale. "That's why I'm here. I needed her to find him before, honestly, I don't know. He's planning something. I don't think he's just going to take her back."

On the way home I decide to return my gun to its place under my mattress.

Chapter Fifteen

Chloe

Penny, the high schooler with long legs like a filly, her blonde mane in place with an elastic, comes into the kitchen at lunch. She's dependable, quiet, and borders on too serious.

"Someone at table five wants to see you."

I've learned in my short month here that 99% of guests are lovely. It's that 1% that can drive you crazy.

"Jesus," I wipe my hands and after fiddling with the knot, whip off the white apron.

"They seem nice. I think they just have a question." Penny does not like conflict.

As the apron lands on the counter, I dive out the door. There's a cobbler in the oven that has to come out in ten and a cheesecake two minutes after that. With a little glance at the tiny square mirror by the swing doors, I push out into the main dining hall. Table five is in the far corner, up against the windows and a large china cabinet. The dining area is nearly empty, and most people have left to sightsee or lift anchor.

Walking up I feel ice run down my spine and my legs suddenly are leaden.

It's Reed. He's in a shiny light blue suit, white shirt, brown loafers. He's heavier, stocky now than compared to two years ago when I left. I'm just five feet from the table. When our eyes meet, I freeze.

Reed makes a quick move like he's starting to get up and I can't let that happen.

"Don't get up. What are you doing here?" I try to keep my voice down.

He smiles. He's still incredibly good looking, with a strong jaw and a cleft chin. A dimple creases his left cheek, and little crow's feet are starting.

He stands anyway. Of course. He has to be the boss. An then his English accent rings out across the dining area.

"Chloe! What are you doing here? I'm just having a little seaside fun. Came out here too, you know, relax, enjoy the beach weather. Make peace with God." He pauses and sits back down and furrows his brow. "And you?"

"You need to leave."

"Look luv, just came to talk." His voice drops and it’s all I can do to stay rooted and not step closer to hear him. Shit, old habits die hard.

"What you've done here is incredible." He dabs his mouth with a corner of the gingham napkin. "You're doing God's work."

"You need to leave now."

He leans toward me. "It's through food, you can move people."