Shattered Roses

Part III: Chapter 18

September 23, Night

The Road

Nothing but the hum of the car's engine filled her ears. She was turned slightly so she could stare out the side window, hand still pressed to her temple, watching the gloomy forest pass by. She kept poking the bruise on her eye as she thought about Vincent, his hands around Jordy's throat, smacking him with the branch, and him turning to strike her back. All because of Raffa.

He wanted out. For you. Countless moments of wondering if he'd ever get out of the gang lifestyle he was getting mixed up in and to find out he'd been trying to. She'd had no idea how much it would cost him or her. She didn't know if there was a better option. Leaving him in the gang would've gotten him killed or in prison, but apparently trying to leave did the same thing.

She felt lost. No longer sure where to go from here. She didn't know who to trust if even old, widowed Ms. Ingles was somehow on their side. Her only ally was a little girl that she wasn't sure she could protect, but she had to, no matter what. She couldn't protect Jordy, but she would keep Patty safe.

She glanced at Pritchet as she considered him. He knew about Patty. He hadn't revealed her location to Raffa tonight, but how long would he do that? She was running out of options. Tonight when she got home, she'd pack a small bag, and her and Patty would leave Bushfield. For good. There was nothing left for her here. She couldn't save Jordy, she wasn't safe in her own home or town. She had nothing.

"When I became the Enforcement Officer for Bushfield, under the direction of the Milwaukee Sheriff, it was one of the proudest days of my life," Pritchet's voice almost startled her as he started speaking. "Then our town grew and they gave me the position Chief of Police, gave me officers... I never wanted to be this man." He released an elongated breath, "There are those who cooperate, and there are those like us. You agree with them or they hurt you, but hurting you doesn't always mean you."

"What do you mean?"

"Bobby threatened Ms. Boykins."

Just the mention of that man and his subtle threat made her worry, gnashing her teeth together. She understood what he meant. "Is...that what they did?"

"Do you remember Miss Amelia Whittenford?"

Franny turned her head to watch him as his voice cracked. She frowned as the name came to mind, a young woman. Just today, when Patty had her box of newspaper clippings out, she'd come across the article she saved. Amelia Whittenford had gone to the same school as Franny but she'd been a little older so she couldn't claim to know her well. She sang on the church choir before she drowned at the river, waiting on her fiancé.

"She...drowned several years ago. A lot of people said she sang like an angel when she was on the church choir." As soon as she said those words, she saw the grief cross his face, just for a second, before he pulled himself back together. She was waiting on her fiancé...something was nagging her as she watched him in the dark, struggling to keep his wits about him.

"Raffa had her drowned."

"What?"

He gave a short nod, but otherwise didn't move, didn't appear to breathe, for a full minute. Then he said, "I wasn't cooperating. I was going to the FBI. It's bad for business."

Franny frowned at him, her heart hurting a little bit as she thought about the night her life had gone wrong. He'd put his coat around her to keep her warm and she'd found something. It dawned on her slowly. "Is that why there's a ring in your coat pocket?"

His brows furrowed and he reached inside the jacket, pulling the ring out, holding it up with two fingers as he gripped the wheel. "We were having a picnic that evening by the lake, I was going to meet her there. One of my officers delayed me. I haven't trusted any of them since. They chose their side. I did, too, I guess." He tucked the ring back into it's pocket, but his hand palm rested over it, unmoving. "We never got to say our vows... On any account, Raffa was clear on his terms. So I cooperate. I keep things quiet in the town, I keep people out of it that aren't in the business. No one gets hurt."