The Truth About My Scratches (The Carolina Killer Files #3) Read online

  I shut the door hastily and felt tears collect in my eyes. I hurriedly brushed them away and sniffed. Then, I ran as fast as my legs would carry me, until my lungs burned. For the first time in a long time I wanted nothing more than to be far away from the place I called home.

  Chapter 7

  I could hardly focus on anything at school that day. My mind kept going back to what had happened with my dad. The episode this morning had made his tumor all the more real to me. His anger toward me, though I knew deep down that my mom was right, had broken my heart in a way it never had been broken before. My mind also kept drifting back to the nightmare I’d had. I knew that I had been stressed out over all the time I’d been spending with Brayden, but the nightmare had really bothered me, and I couldn’t quite put my finger on why.

  In third hour I realized Brayden wasn’t at school. He had seemed fine the night before, but he wasn’t answering any of my text messages. I was worried about him as much as myself. It seemed as though everything that could go wrong, had.

  When I got home that day, the house was empty. “Mom? Dad?” I called into the silence. There was no answer. It was eerie seeing my house so still. My parents so rarely left me at home alone anymore, I wasn’t sure what to do with the quiet. I walked to my room and threw down my bag, then went to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water. Hearing my footsteps echo on the hardwood floor made me feel even more alone. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d truly been allowed to be by myself.

  I grabbed my phone and dialed Mom’s number, but there was no answer. I walked back to their bedroom, about to walk past the door when a noise stopped me. I pressed my ear up against the aging yellow door and waited. There it was again. Breathing, maybe? I couldn’t be sure. I pushed the door open quietly and peeked in. He was lying on their bed crumpled into a ball, like I so often did when I was upset. He was turned away from me, toward the wall, but I could see his body shaking. At first I thought he may have been having another seizure, but I knew quickly that wasn’t it. He was crying.

  “Dad?” I asked, my voice so quiet I wasn’t sure if he’d even hear it. He rolled over to face me, wiping his eyes quickly.

  “Jaice? Sweetie, what are you doing here? I thought you’d be out with Brayden.”

  I walked over and sat down next to him on the bed, staring at him curiously. “No. He wasn’t at school today. Dad, what’s going on? Are you okay?”

  He wiped his face again. “I’m fine, sweetheart. Listen though, I’m so sorry about the way I acted this morning. I don’t know what came over me. I can’t believe how I talked to you. I never meant it that way.”

  “Is that what this is about? Dad, no. Please don’t even worry about that. I know you couldn’t help it. I’m just glad you’re okay. Don’t be upset over that. It’s done now. I’m not mad at you. I’m just glad that you’re okay now, that you’re better. Please don’t be sad.”

  “It’s not just that. Jaice, listen, we went to see my doctor this morning. The tumor is progressing a lot quicker than they expected. He told me I can’t work anymore. Apparently it’s too much of a liability to work with machines. He seems to think that this tumor isn’t going to stop growing.”

  I felt a lump rise in my throat. I was unable to say anything. I had never seen my dad this way. Even sick, he’d always seemed so strong.

  “I just don’t like not being able to support you and your mom. It’s not who I am. You know that. None of this sits right with me, having to be taken care of.”

  I rubbed his thinning hair gently. “It is okay, Dad. Mom makes plenty of money to support us. We’ll be just fine. We just want you to focus on getting better.”

  He sighed, looking away from me. “Honey, I’m not getting better.”

  “What?” I asked, my voice shaking as I saw the gravity of what he was saying in his eyes.

  “Your mother and I didn’t want to tell you just yet, Jaicey, but I think it’s best that you know. Even with chemo, the doctors just aren’t very optimistic about how long I have. My tumor is inoperable. It’s only a matter of time before…” He stopped, tears swimming in his eyes once more.

  I choked back tears, my chin quivering. “That’s impossible, no. No, Dad. You have to get better, you have to. I can’t lose you.”

  He was crying again, rubbing my hand. “I might miss your wedding day. I might never meet my grandchildren. I might miss everything. That’s my worst fear at this point, not getting to watch you grow up, not getting to see the woman you become. You’re going to be a great woman, Jaicey. I have no doubt about it, but I’m your daddy. I’m supposed to be here to watch you. I’m supposed to help you; it’s not supposed to be this way.”

  “It’s not going to be this way, you hear me? You’re going to be fine. You have to be fine.”

  He shook his head. “I need you to be strong for me, okay? And for your mom. She’s going to need you to be strong. Don’t be so hard on her. The next few years are going to be hard on us all, and I know she expresses her grief differently than you’d like, but she loves you. Jaicey, she loves you very much. We both love you more than you could possibly understand, sweetheart. You know that, right? You know that we love you?”

  “I know. I know you do. I love you too.”

  He placed his hand on my cheek and I tried to ignore his tremble as he ignored my flinch. “Ever since the accident we’ve all been a little off, but this tumor has made me realize how messed up we are. It has made me realize that we can’t stay this way. We have to get better. You have to start letting people in, honey, because if you don’t, you’ll stop being who you were raised to be. We raised you to love, and I know after everything that has happened it’s hard for you, but you can’t let him win. You have to be better. You have to promise me you’ll get better. Your mom can’t lose both of us. It’ll kill her, Jaicey.”

  I looked at him, wiping a tear from my eye. “Dad, listen to me. Stop this. You are going to be fine. We are going to be fine, do you hear me? This family will be fine.” I kissed his nose.

  “There’s the brave girl I’ve missed.” His chin quivered as I ran my hands through his graying hair.

  “You’ve got your scared eyes on, Dad. Don’t be scared, remember? I’m here. I’m here and nothing is going to hurt this family,” I told him, tears now streaming down both of our cheeks.

  “I love you, baby girl,” he said with a chuckle, recognition in his eyes.

  “I love you too, Daddy,” I said, then leaned into his shoulder. I lay there until I heard his breathing slow and regulate. When he was fast asleep, I got up and went back to my room. My cell phone had three missed calls, all from Brayden. I called him back.

  He answered on the fifth ring. “Hey, Jaicey.”

  “Brayden! Thank God, where were you today? I’ve been going crazy not hearing from you. Is everything okay?”

  “Everything is fine. I’ve just been really busy.”

  “With what? What does that mean?”

  “I can’t say just yet, but if you want to know, you can come see for yourself.”

  “When? Now?”

  “Well, yeah. Don’t you want to see me?”

  “Of course I do. I’ll come. Where are you?”

  “The house I grew up in. The one that I took you to the other day. Do you remember?”

  “Yes, I think so. What are you doing there?”

  “It’s a long story. How fast do you think you can make it here?”

  “Just give me a little while. If I can try to catch the next bus I should be there in about twenty minutes, depending on traffic.”

  “Okay, hurry. I’ll be waiting.” I hung up the phone and grabbed my coat, leaving a note for Dad and heading out the door.

  ***

  It seemed like the longest wait of my life. When the bus finally came, I jumped on anxiously and hurried to the closest seat I could find to the back. Once I got settled into my seat, I laid my head down on the cool metal frame of the window and wondered what Brayden could ha
ve in store for me. I desperately wanted to know. I was no good with surprises. That was something I thought he knew by now. As I sat there, waiting for my stop, I noticed an older man sitting across from me, staring in my direction curiously. He had to be in his late fifties with a plump belly, a graying head, and a kind smile. He glanced down at his phone screen and then back up at me.

  I smiled back at him softly, unsure of what to think.

  “Excuse me, miss,” he said finally. “Are you J.C.?” he asked, putting unnecessary pauses in my name.

  “Um, I’m Jaicey, yeah. I’m sorry. I don’t believe I know you?” I offered him a small smile but immediately became nervous. My parents didn’t like me riding the bus in the first place, and this guy was seriously creepy. What had I gone and gotten myself into?

  “Oh.” He laughed lightheartedly, waving his hand casually. “No, you don’t know me. I have something for you. I knew it was you. He said you’d be pretty.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded up white slip of paper.

  I took it from him, unfolding it lightly. Handwriting was scrawled across it in black ink.

  When you arrive to the house, go all the way to the back, the last bedroom. You will see a hall to your right. Your next clue is waiting.

  I looked up at the man, a quizzical look on my face.

  “I hope you don’t mind.” He smiled. “I read it. He never said I couldn’t. I just wanted to be sure of what I was giving you.” He sighed. “Young love—there’s not a thing like it. Good luck, honey.”

  I smiled, not really sure what to say. Going to the house with Brayden was one thing, but going there alone to look for “clues” was a completely different story. I waited patiently for my stop, my heart pounding as we grew closer. I watched the sun begin to set, trying to remember the night we shared on the rooftop. I wanted to make sure that I entered the right house.

  I found myself staring at the map on the back of the seat in front of me and gasping. There was no bus stop in that area. I would have to get off at the next one. I picked up my phone, dialing his number hastily. It rang four times before going to his voicemail.

  I slammed my phone down, frustrated and scared as the bus came to a halt. We were nearly two miles from my destination, but this was as far as I could ride. I stood up, trudging my way to the front, hand on my phone. Please call back. Please call back, I willed him silently.

  I climbed down the bus stairs looking at the abandoned street. It was nearly dark. The streetlights would be on soon. I hadn’t thought to bring a flashlight. Picking up my pace, I headed for the community where Brayden had lived, watching over my shoulder like a hawk. A man sat on a street corner with a suitcase and a cigarette.

  I kept my eyes down, praying he wouldn’t speak to me. He didn’t, but that didn’t make me feel the least bit better. A woman stood on a doorstep, pounding on the wooden door and screaming at whoever was inside. I didn’t recognize what language she was speaking. This was too much. I turned, racing back to the bus stop. He would just have to understand. I wasn’t this girl. I wasn’t brave. I couldn’t do this.

  As I arrived back at the bus stop, I checked the schedule. The next bus wasn’t due to arrive here for another hour. I was stuck and stranded. I thought about calling my mom, but I knew she would be furious that I had gotten myself into this mess. Reluctantly, I realized my only choice was to find Brayden. To find him, I had to find that house. I sighed, accepting my situation and walking toward the sunset and ultimately, my fate.

  ***

  When I arrived at the house I was pretty sure was Brayden’s, I did as I was told. I entered, after knocking, through the side door. The sun had all but set, and the house was pitch black. I reached for a light switch, but as I had assumed, it didn’t work. I failed to keep quiet, as I kept bumping into broken pieces of furniture. Finally I pulled out my phone, using its screen for light. I walked down the first hallway into the last bedroom and turned to my right. Something moved in the corner of the room. I jumped, letting out a scream.

  It was a mouse, scurrying across the room. This was all just too scary for me. How dare he do this? I looked around the second bedroom and hallway to no avail. The rooms were empty. I started to rush out when something caught my eye. I walked to the corner of the hall and bent down. It was a dust-covered teddy bear. It was so small I’d barely seen it. As I picked it up, I noticed the note pinned to its side. I pulled it off, dropping the bear.

  Well done. I didn’t know if you’d make it this far. Keep going, Jaice. I promise it’ll be worth it. Your next clue: my secret place.

  I pushed the note into my pocket and walked out of the hall, trying to remember what bedroom had been Brayden’s. When I laid eyes on the old wooden ladder, I approached it and began to climb. I was seriously going to kill him for this. As I got to the top, I pressed the door open with a loud groan. It was heavier than I remembered. I looked around, thankful to see the setting sun again. There was nothing to be seen. I glanced around the dusty roof, trying to find my next clue. Suddenly, I saw something move in the shadows below the house. I scrambled down onto my knees, trying not to be seen, listening. I tried to quiet my breathing, my heart pounding in my chest. Two cats began growling down below, probably fighting for food.

  Snap out of it, I told myself and pressed a button for my cell phone to light up. I turned around, looking all over the roof for my next clue, and then I saw it. A plastic bike horn lay in a corner, a piece of paper attached to it. I ran over to it and picked it up, unfolding the clue.Honk this, it read, and then on the back, Just do it.

  It was crazy how well he seemed to know me, to know my every thought. I did as I was told, honking the horn loudly. It echoed through the quiet square. I spun around quickly, expecting someone to be lurking in the shadows. Thankfully no one was there. I was alone, though that brought me little comfort. In the distance, a dog began barking. I waited for something else to happen, anything else. That was all the paper said. I needed to get out of this house. I was done playing his game. I was tired and scared. The sun was completely gone, and every house in this community was empty. I ran down the ladder, heart pounding, and out the door as fast as my legs would carry me. I had never claimed to be brave. He was asking too much of me. I ran until my legs felt like they were going to give out at any second. Somewhere in the distance the dog was still barking and I knew I needed to find out where it was. There was no reason for a dog to be in this abandoned part of town, and once my head cleared I wondered if this had been a part of his plan. I followed the barking past three more abandoned houses before my cell phone’s glare finally made contact with the dog’s glowing eyes. I jumped, letting out a scream. I slapped a hand to my mouth, looking around behind me. Seeing no sign of life, I walked up to the dog, a small terrier of some sort. It rolled over, displaying its belly proudly for a rub. I obliged.

  “Who tied you up, boy?” I asked, my voice sounding awkward in the night. I stayed crouched down, following the rope he was tied with to find it was attached to a wheel. I held my cell phone above it and realized that it was a bike. On the bike was a note.

  This was supposed to be a car, but I didn’t want to press my luck. Find the light. Follow the light. I’ll be waiting.

  Was this a joke? He had to be kidding. I untied the dog and allowed it to run off into the woods barking happily, leaving me all alone in the dark once more. What was this light? I pulled the bike off of its tether and began to walk with it. I passed a few more houses on my way out of the community. There was no way I would go back. As I exited the subdivision and ended up on the sidewalk, I finally saw it. In the sky, way off in the distance, there was a beam of light, like the ones you’d see coming off of churches.

  I sighed, eyeing the bike. I hadn’t ridden a bike since I was ten, and I was still a bit wobbly as I climbed on, but I wanted more than anything to get far away from this part of town. I knew the bike was my best bet. I followed the light down the road and through a few more communities. When I fina
lly saw people, my heart rate slowed a bit. I pedaled faster, ignoring the questioning stares of faces under the street lights and promising myself that once I found Brayden it would all be worth it. Of course, that was before I ended up at the entrance to a patch of woods. The light was just beyond the trees, but I knew if I went through them I would lose it.

  I sat still for a few minutes, just staring at the trees. I tried his cell again. No answer. At this point I was furious. I put my cell phone back into my pocket and stared at the light. It was straight ahead and slightly to my left, but how deep into the woods? What if I passed it because I lost sight of it? What if it went off? Without options, I was forced to make my way toward it. I pressed my feet to the pedals, pedaling as fast as I could, veering around trees and bumping over rocks. Lucky for me, the patch of woods was misleading in its depth. I was out before I knew what hit me.

  I stopped as my bike tires slid into sand and I could see the light source. I realized in awe that I was at a lake shore, staring at a lighthouse. I thought I had been here before, but I couldn’t be sure. I hopped off the bike and laid it down carefully on the sand, rushing toward the lighthouse. I pulled my cell phone out again and noticed it was beginning to die. I dialed his number, adrenaline coursing through my veins. If he didn’t answer, I’d call my mom. I was going home. I wouldn’t stay here one second longer.

  The second it began to ring on my end, I heard his ringtone in the distance. “Brayden?” I called out, my voice unsteady. “Are you there?”

  He didn’t answer. I followed the sound of his ringtone to a pile of large rocks. I saw it lying on one and picked it up. I saw my face on the screen and hung up. I looked around the shore, really starting to worry about him. “This isn’t funny!” I shouted.