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“Nah. I think I do.”
I tease the living fuck out of him all the way to the Aldergrove turn off. I lose his hand, but Sutter’s game face returns.
Alderchuck scores.
Chapter 23
Patsy Cline
Sutter
The large engine rumbles into my bones, and the smoky diesel permeates the vehicle. Its power fortifies my own, fueling whatever reserve I’ve got for this kind of shit. I know some people avoid their triggers. Others avoid them until they’re ready. I’ve learned to face them when they arise. When life wants me to. Or at least I fucking try. Is it scary? Yes. Does it feel good? No. But whatever the outcome, I’ll emerge at least a little better than before.
I won’t hide ever again.
Because I’ve learned a little secret about triggers. They’ll pound at your life like a repetitive hammer swing if you don’t face them. The hammer begins as a regular toolbox hammer. A hammer’s easy enough to deal with. Sure, it can be deadly if it gets you in the eye, or something, but the swing of its momentum is less than a mallet. The mallet comes for you next. And on and on it goes until that hammer morphs into a sledgehammer.
How do I know? Alderchuck’s my sledgehammer. The thing I spent my life avoiding. That’s one of the reasons I brought him with me, because fuck it. I’ve got metaphorical hammers swinging at me left and right, might as well have them all in the same room at the same time. Bring it the fuck on. And isn’t it fucking curious that the same thing that brings me peace is the most chaotic thing in my life?
As soon as I pull onto the Aldergrove turn off, my tires crunch the snow. It’s not the worst it’s ever been, but terrible motorcycle-driving weather. No wonder Lane can’t get around. He needs a truck. My city car wouldn’t have made it up this hill either. It’s dark, too, but my truck’s got big headlights to guide our path. It doesn’t have any trouble over the ice-slick roads either. I have to go slow, but the wide rubber tires bite wherever they find friction.
“Is it weird that I find all of this hot?” Alderchuck says.
“Not really. Men in big trucks are sexy.”
“Yeah, that and coming to somebody’s rescue. That’s what we’re doing, right?”
I haven’t told him anything. I literally abducted him. Thankfully, he’s into that shit. “Kind of. Maybe kicking a little ass, too.” Charles hasn’t stuck to our bargain. I’m gonna have to deal with that. No idea how, but that will have to wait.
Their lawn’s covered in snow, with no walk shoveled. We trudge our way to the front door, cutting a path across the untouched blanket of white. I have a key, but with how many locks there are on the inside—that should be locked this time of night if Charles followed my instructions—I’ll have to be let in.
The door opens before I can ring the bell. “Before you tell me off, I knew it was you. Was waitin’ for you. Oh, you brought company.”
He makes way so I can barrel in the door. “That’s Casey. Casey, this is Charles.”
Casey stomps the snow off his feet before stepping in the door and waving a hello.
“Where’s Stevie?” I ask. Charles can’t meet my eyes. “Charles.”
“He’s in Langley, with Lane. I … this has been happening for a little bit.”
I see. No one’s been telling me shit. Guess I’m not that surprised after telling Lane I was on the brink of taking action. “Show me.”
He nods, leading the way to one of the rooms on the main floor. There’s a new chain lock on the door. One I know we didn’t put there.
Wham!A heavy thud slams against the door, straining the wood. It’s a thin door and if it’s taken a bunch of slams like that it’s not gonna last much longer. It’s brighter in here than it was in the foyer. Bruises splatter the way up and down Charles’s arms.
“What the fuck?”
“It’s hard to get her in there. That’s all. She doesn’t know what she’s doing, Mitch. I swear. She suddenly goes wild. I was … I was afraid she’d accidentally hurt Stevie. She’s been having these episodes and then it’s as if nothing happened. I’m talking, goes back to baking cookies and shit.”
“I thought you said she was fine?”
“And she was. The medication was working. The therapy, too.”
“What does the therapist say about these episodes?”
“He, uh, he doesn’t know about them. They didn’t start all that long ago. She hasn’t had one when he’s been due to visit.”
