Free Bird (Anna Series Book 1) Read online

  Comfort food was her secret weapon to uncover the truth. Julia wanted to make this a special homecoming, so she’d splashed out on a sure winner: special shrimp enchiladas. She’d already covered the plump pink crustaceans in her own special spice recipe and mixed them with salsa, before placing them in the refrigerator. The delicacy came with hand‌–‌made flour tortillas and a creamy, green chili sauce.

  “You’ve got no chance against this menu, kiddo,” she said, adding an extra drop of cream.

  ***

  Twice, Anna wondered if the car would make it to Scottsdale, and the busy highway traffic didn’t make matters better, either. The delay was not entirely unwelcome, however, because of the crippling indecision tormenting her. Should she tell Julia the whole story?

  Surely if the police started searching, this would be the first place they would try to find me. She didn’t care, though. The need for comfort overrode any other consideration.

  A little after eight, she stepped from the car outside her sister’s little‌–‌whitewashed bungalow, still unsure of what to do. Almost three years had passed since her last visit, and the quiet neighborhood appeared just as peaceful as she remembered. It was the kind of area where old couples strolled and people said “good morning.” She took a deep breath, as if the air itself could lift the impending doom sitting on her slim shoulders.

  Julia came straight out and gave her a long hug before looking her over. Immediately, she fixed her gaze on the ugly mark on her sibling’s cheek. Big Bird’s pretty face flushed red with anger.

  “I swear, I’m going to kill him,” she said.

  Anna tried to contain her strained emotions, but something about Julia’s shocked rage brought her close to cracking. Tears welled once more. In response, the anger drained from her sister’s face and was replaced by concern. They held each other tight while quiet sobs of despair escaped Anna. After a moment, she felt gentle fingers lift her chin.

  “Sweetie, he can’t hurt you here.”

  Anna stared into Julia’s dark brown eyes and found love staring back. She looked good‌—‌in fact, she looked great. Compared to her own wiry frame, her sister had a perfect hour glass body, and her attractive, freckled face glowed with health. Her red lips pursed with worry.

  Julia led her into the house before insisting she sit in the massive, leather recliner, which had belonged to their late father. Too tired to protest, Anna flopped down, appreciating the sensation of soft cushions against her aching thighs.

  “Lemonade?” Julia asked.

  “You kiddin’?” She replied, managing a wan smile.

  Seemingly satisfied that her guest looked comfortable, Big Bird disappeared into the kitchen. Anna’s parched throat ached for the sweet liquid with an intensity she hardly thought possible. She also experienced the first smells of something delicious drifting through the cozy home.

  Julia returned a moment later with two ice‌–‌filled glasses topped to the brim with hand‌–‌pressed juice. She set both drinks on the table between them, staring at her sister the whole time.

  Anna lifted the drink to her mouth, swigging the bittersweet mix. The cool sensation felt heavenly. Julia looked on, sipping politely. It took several moments before either of them broke the silence. In truth, she hadn’t a clue about where to start. It all seemed so bad that she feared even her beloved sister would reject her. Instead, she let the seconds drag by, staring at the residue left by the lemons in her glass, as if they would provide the answer.

  ***

  Julia couldn’t take her eyes off the way Anna slouched. Her thin frame hunched, while her trembling hands restlessly picked at the stitching on Dad’s big chair. More than anything, she looked completely exhausted‌—‌haunted even.

  What the hell happened to you, Little Bird? She thought, knowing Anna was too frail to be pressed. She decided to provide simple comfort instead.

  “You’re home,” Julia said finally, wishing the weight of the statement would sink in. But to her dismay, Anna didn’t appear to hear. Although shocked at the evident level of trauma, she did her best not to show it and went about the task of setting the dining table.

  They ate their food in silence. Julia resisted the urge to ask questions until they were done. After they’d finished, she observed Anna staring at her still half‌–‌filled plate. Wordlessly, she cleared away the dishes while pretending to ignore the wrongness of the situation. It broke her heart to see just how low the woman she treasured above all others had fallen. Uncertain of what else to do, she tried to distract Anna with trivial things, asking if she had any clothes or toiletries. Anna shook her head like a small, frightened child. The two dark circles beneath her blue eyes, filled with unshed tears, emphasized how close to collapse the poor kid was. Julia smiled reassuringly and placed a comforting arm around her shoulder, trying to project a calmness she didn’t feel.

  Within thirty minutes, she had helped Anna shower and change into a pair of Garfield‌–‌themed pyjamas.

  “Night, Little Bird. Love you,” she said after tucking her beneath crisp sheets.

  “Love you more, Big Bird.” Anna finished the ritual they’d started as children.

  Chapter 4

  Dawn’s harsh light crept into Anna’s little haven. She wasn’t sure how long she’d slept, having lost count of the minutes she’d spent tossing on a sweat‌–‌soaked pillow. Over and over again, her mind had replayed the attack in the apartment, occasionally adding a pinch of spice from the worst imaginings of a sleep‌–‌starved mind. The dream she found cruelest was the one in which she’d arrive at the apartment, take a hot shower, and then nod off in a comfortable bed, only to wake to the nightmare of the real world.

  The pattern of night terrors continued for hours until she was finally interrupted by mouth‌–‌watering smells. Her stomach rumbled in sympathy, and, despite the protests emanating from the darker corners of her consciousness, she found herself rising and putting on a set of clothes, already laid out in a neat pile.

  She’d barely gotten out the bedroom door when Julia approached with a heaped breakfast platter.

  “Oh, no you don’t, kiddo,” her sister said. “Back in there.”

  With that, she was unceremoniously herded into the bedroom. Despite her present gloom, the fussily protective treatment brought a smile to her face.

  Whatever happens, I’m glad to be here, she thought.

  Seating her sister in the wicker chair beside the bed, Julia theatrically laid a napkin in Anna’s lap and began to point out the various goodies before her. In doing so, she adopted the ludicrously overblown accent of a French TV chef they’d used to watch together as teenagers.

  “Madam may nootice the par ev juicy meloons,” Julia said, screwing her face up in a poor attempt to impersonate the odd celebrity.

  “He never said meloons!” Anna replied, unable to stop herself from laughing.

  “He most certainly did‌—‌outrageously big, juicy meloons!” They both giggled, this time.

  Julia gave her a final smile and then left Anna to bite hungrily into a generously‌–‌buttered croissant. The food had obviously been cooked with love. The melon stuffed with ham proved a refreshing contrast to the rich pastry, and Anna could actually feel the energy flowing into her overworked limbs with every morsel. Munching away, she reflected on how even the blackest of moods could be lifted given a hearty meal cooked by a caring hand. It reminded her of the days when Mom would bring her breakfast in bed.

  She polished off the tasty offerings, moved the empty plate to one side, and then lingered in the chair a little longer, enjoying the early morning warmth that bathed her. Realizing she’d begun to nod off, Anna stepped back to the bed before curling up on top of the sheets.

  ***

  She woke up feeling rested and immediately noticed the serving tray had been removed without disturbing her. Rising from the bed, Anna went to the window and looked out. The sun hung low in the amber‌–‌colored sky, while shadows form
ed beside the other neat, white houses of the avenue. Two little girls in yellow dresses skipped together on the other side of the road.

  All day? She marveled to herself.

  Anna walked into the bathroom and looked in the mirror: her face appeared clean now, with the dirt of the desert washed away. The dark circles under her eyes had lessened, but the green bruise still remained‌—‌just as loud as the previous day. Thoughts of Tony threatened to drift in again, but she resisted them. It took all of her will power but, after a much‌–‌needed rest, it felt easier than it had through the fog of exhaustion which had previously dogged her.

  She brushed her teeth and made a half‌–‌hearted attempt at bringing some order to the tangled mess on her head before going to find Julia. The sight of her sister cooking up yet another food lover’s delight greeted Anna on entering the kitchen. Evidently, Big Bird had opted to put something sweet on the menu this evening, as she busily conjured up homemade cookies. A fresh pot of ice cream sat on the draining board, ready to complement the naughty treats. She noticed the table looked beautifully set: a vase of hand‌–‌picked pink roses framed by a stellar white table cloth, completed a simple, yet elegant display.

  “Half‌–‌melted ice cream: yup, that’ll do nicely,” Anna said. “Seriously though, thank you, sweetie. This is beautiful.”

  Julie turned while kneading cookie dough with a ferocity she clearly enjoyed. “I just want you to be happy, sis,” she replied, blushing at the sudden show of affection.

  They spent the next twenty minutes pleasantly baking together and chatting about trivial nonsense, just like old times. It felt great.

  “Thank you for letting me come here,” Anna said while surveying their finished creations with pride.

  “You’ve got no idea how relieved I am to see you,” Julia replied, looking at her with a troubled gaze.

  Anna felt a pang of guilt at the worry she must be causing, realizing she’d been so wrapped up in the situation that it’d hardly occurred to her to consider what Julia must be making of it all.

  “I need to talk to you, Big Bird.”

  “I know.”

  Anna couldn’t bear to look at that deep concern any longer, so she flung her arms around her big sis, knocking a bag of flour over. Left unnoticed by both of them, it continued to spill its contents while they hugged.

  “It’s…‌ bad,” Anna sobbed.

  “Shh,” Julia whispered, gripping her tightly.

  “I came home and he’d passed out,” she began, struggling to find the words. “I’d been working all day and started to clean the place up…‌ it woke him,” she paused. “That fucking apartment is always a mess.”

  “You don’t have to justify anything to me, hon. The lazy bum should pull his weight.”

  There was silence while the hug continued, but finally it felt like a a great dam broke within Anna.

  “He pushed me up against the wall and…‌ and‌—‌oh, you have no idea how much that hurt,” she said as tears flowed freely. “His voice sounded so full of hate, like I meant nothing to him.” She could feel Julia’s body tensing against hers. “He hit me.” The words sat between them, ugly and raw. Oddly, she felt a sense of lifting while making the statement. Just to be able to tell another human being helped expel some of the badness, somehow. “I ran to the kitchen, and he came at me again,” she continued.

  “He hit you a second time?”

  Anna gently pushed her away. “You don’t understand,” she said.

  “Tell me.”

  “He went to hit me and I…‌” It hung there.

  “You can trust me, honey,” Julia reassured her, “Whatever it is.”

  “I, I‌—‌oh, Big Bird, I think killed him.” Anna gave an anguished cry as she spoke her darkest fear.

  Stunned silence followed for what seemed an eternity. With her thoughts entering freefall, a dog barked in the distance‌—‌almost as if it had been alerted to the sense of dread settling between them.

  “Are you sure?” Julia asked at last.

  “No, but it…‌ it was a knife.”

  There was another long pause.

  “You stabbed him?”

  “Yes.”

  Anna waited for the accusations to follow. How could anyone be expected to support a murderer‌—‌family or not? She started to relax her grip.

  I don’t deserve her support, she thought. You shouldn’t have brought this to her door.

  To her surprise, Julia began to cling to her all the harder. “I hope you did kill the bastard.” She said fiercely.

  “But…‌”

  “Listen: you protected yourself, hon.”

  “Julia, I…‌”

  “It was self‌–‌defense, period. Do you understand?” After finishing the sentence, she took Anna’s delicate chin in her hand and turned it until they looked each other dead in the eye.

  “He might’ve killed you. Do you understand?” She repeated.

  Anna found herself nodding, and a weight lifted with every move of her neck. Bless you, Big Bird, she thought as they clung to each other like children.

  She felt an irrational need to change the subject.

  “You have so much here, Julia. I didn’t realize just how lucky you are.”

  “Luck’s got nothing to do with it, kiddo.” Julia kissed her on the forehead. “We can do this together, Little Bird. Whatever happens, I’m here for you.” Julia refused to be distracted.

  “Thank you,” Anna replied, certain her sister meant it.

  After several more moments locked together, Julia removed her arms. “There’s only one way to get rid of a problem,” she said, leading Anna to answer.

  “Do something about it,” Anna responded to the saying their parents had drilled into them for years.

  “That’s right.” Julia reached for her handbag and removed her smart phone. For an awful second, Anna thought her sister had decided to call the cops. “Say cheese,” Big Bird said, pointing the phone’s camera at her sibling.

  “Why?”

  “Evidence, my dear. That nasty bruise will fade, and we need to make sure the whole world knows what he did, if it comes to it.”

  “Oh, I see,” Anna replied, feeling stupid not to have thought of it before. “But I’ve been crying.”

  “All the better. They need to hear what the pig did to you.”

  Julia took a few pictures and then placed the camera back in her bag. Her face was a picture of calculation.

  “What now?” Anna asked. It felt good to have someone else to share the terrible burden with.

  “That’s just what I was thinking.” She paused, her red lips pursing. “You’re unsure if he’s…‌”

  “Dead? He looked unconscious, and I saw blood.” Anna said, her mind trying to shy away from the grim specter of his face drained of color and lit horrifically by the bright strip lights of the kitchen.

  “It happened so fast. I couldn’t think…‌ and then I ran,” she continued, searching through dark memories to find any kind of indication that Tony had survived, only to draw a blank.

  “We need to find out for sure,” Julia concluded. “If he’s not dead, then maybe he hasn’t gone to the cops. The bastard would be too ashamed.”

  “But how do we find out?” Even before the question had left her lips, Anna knew the answer.

  “We go back.”

  ***

  “A man was found brutally stabbed to death today in Kingman. Police have identified the victim as thirty‌–‌one‌–‌year‌–‌old Tony Eckerman and would urgently like to speak to his partner, Anna Price. The waitress was last seen…‌” The imaginary words played through Anna’s head in a loop. Fortunately, they didn’t become reality, as the two women anxiously listened for news while flicking through local radio stations on the road to Kingman.

  After making the decision to return, they’d set off within the hour. Julia’s new air‌–‌conditioned Chevy made the journey both quicker and far more comfortable
than Anna’s earlier chaotic flight. They pulled up outside the eerily quiet apartment just before midnight.

  The sisters stared at the dark, curtained windows, attempting to discern signs of police activity. There was nothing, except a gentle breeze stirring the dusty, deserted road.

  “Come on, let’s go,” Julia said, gripping her door handle.

  “What if he’s in there?’“ Anna asked, putting a restraining hand on her shoulder.

  Without reply, Julia opened her handbag to display its contents. Inside the purse glinted the black casing of a gun. Shocked, Anna read the words embossed into its textured grip: “Made in Austria. Glock INC. SMYRNA. GA.” She felt her heart beat quicken.

  “Only if we need it,” Julia added.

  Anna swallowed and then nodded.

  The night air felt cool against her bare arms as they quietly left the car and approached the chipped, red door, all the time listening for sounds of life from within. Again, there was only silence.

  Because he’s in exactly the same place you left him to die, Anna thought darkly.

  As quietly as possible, she slipped the key into the latch and turned it, subconsciously holding her breath. They slipped into the dark interior, gripping each other’s hands tightly. The hallway was partially illuminated by a flickering street lamp behind, and Anna could immediately see that her two little angels had been crushed further, but whether from her hasty retreat, she couldn’t recall. They crept onward.

  The dark soon enveloped them, forcing the sisters to pause with their hands clutching painfully with suppressed tension. Anna strained to listen while her inner fears ran amok, but the only noticeable sound came from a heavily dripping tap somewhere in the gloom ahead.

  Better to see him coming,she thought, trying to build enough courage to break their collective paralysis.

  She ran a trembling hand along the textured wallpaper until she found the hall light switch, which she then pressed. The living room looked just as she remembered: the discarded vodka bottle still lay in the shadows amidst the same clutter she’d so fatefully started to clear prior to the attack.