{Holden Series Book 1: Garrett And Imani}
𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞...
FBI agent Garrett Beaumont returns to Holden, Alabama to care for his aging grandfather. He isn't a fan of intricate love affairs...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Unfortunately, text to speech will not work for this story. Otherwise, I'd have it activated.
First Time Reading (FTR) or Re-Reading (RR)?
─────※ ·❆· ※──────
Garrett
Garrett Beaumont spent the long drive home from D.C. thinking about the terrible things that had happened to him back in Holden, Alabama. When he crossed the bridge that connected the north and south parts of town, his mood turned sour, and his face became sinister.
He stopped at the downtown crossroads, tapped his fingers on the steering wheel, and looked over at the historical buildings on both sides of the road. He had been there before, but the area was tidied up and some new shops had opened. Only Mrs. Barkley's Jewelers stood out, and the thought of his last stop there made him frown even more.
Why, in the name of God, did I return here? I hate this town so much.
When the light turned green, Garrett did not go to the family home by the reservoir. A few minutes later, he reversed course and pulled into the parking lot of the Paradise Lounge. He turned off the engine of his black Chevy and looked at the building.
Nothing had changed here, and for the first time since he left for home, he allowed himself a slow smile. Cracks filled the parking lot, the metal roof was worsening, and the front door and entryway needed fresh paint. One hinge was holding that crooked sign above intact. A powerful gust of wind could blow it off. He couldn't recall the bar being this bad before, but he prepared himself for anything.
The musty air and the odor of old whiskey hit him as he stepped into the poorly illuminated room. The slippery floors and noxious odor were acceptable to him because he hated change.
It was early October on a Monday, and the place was unexpectedly empty for this time of day. Not even batting an eye at the customers, Garrett walked to the bar and sat down in the farthest spot that was free. Shadows of the bottles cast by the bright signs glowed down at him from the ceiling. He brushed aside a saturated old coaster and went for his phone as if it were second nature. He stopped for a moment and then put his arms on the bar to relax.
He didn't think much about work right now when the future felt so far away.
"What can I get for ya, fella?"
A big man with a worn-out black tank top exposing his broad shoulders and arms stood in front of him. Even with his long mustache and thick beard, it was easy to see the tattoos around his neck. His sweaty, freshly shaved head glistened. Garrett muttered and looked to the far end of the bar because he didn't see anyone he knew.
"Is Suzanne around?" he asked, looking for the owner of the place.
The bartender rolled an old towel over his shoulder and narrowed his brows. "I take it that you've been here before?"
