A Gripping Touch

Chapter Eighteen: "This is a sticky situation."

Alyssa

The following Saturday evening as mom and I were settled down in the living room, her watching a Rom-Com on the TV and me finishing an English assignment on my laptop, I decided to brace the topic of Colton again.

'So... the other night went well. You know, when Colton came over.' I stumbled slightly over my words. Despite the fact that mom had cooled her attitude, I was still apprehensive about her opinion of Colton and his family.

'Sure.' She smiled and turned back to the TV.

I didn't respond. I continued typing away until she broke the silence again.

'Is there something going on between you two?' She asked, switching off the TV so she could give me her full attention.

I quickly finished writing the last sentence, before saving the document and shutting my laptop screen. 'Um. I'm not sure. We've been on a date, but I wouldn't say we're dating. He helps me out with Math. He's a friend. A good friend, actually.'

I spoke a lot more than I'd expected too, but I pinned that down to being slightly nervous combined with the fact that I, myself, didn't know what was going on between Colton and I. We had been on a date, kissed a few times and I thought about him more than I probably should, but we hadn't put a label on it yet.

'Well, he's welcome here to study. I just want you to be careful.'

I sighed deeply. 'I know we've touched upon this before, but why do you dislike Colton so much, mom? In fact, why does the whole town seem to have a personal vendetta against the Winton family?'

She shook her head and clasped her hands together, as though she really had to think about what she was going to say before it came out.

'It's not just the Winton family; it's their whole brood. They have a very bad reputation around here. They all live in the same, closed off area that apparently no other family can move into.' She sighed before continuing. 'Plus, the Winton's have a second son that isn't really talked about. Suspicious, right?'

A cold breeze suddenly rushed over me and sent a wave of unease coursing through my chest. 'Colton's never mentioned his brother before. Ben told me once, but I've never heard it from Cole.'

'That's what I mean; it's strange. There are rumours, but I don't want to add any fuel to the fire.'

Suddenly the nerves left my body. I wanted to hear everything. True or not, I had to have at least some version of the story.

'Tell me.' I ordered, managing to keep my voice steady.

'If you're sure... Apparently, a few years ago a girl a few towns over was abducted. Her family couldn't find her for weeks. Then she suddenly turned up with the Winton boy. Eventually, she was returned home but from the images in the papers it looked as though she had the face of a child that had been told a horror story and would no longer be able to sleep for weeks.'

I shivered, but didn't interrupt her.

'The police and private investigators were brought in, but nothing much came of it. The girl denied that anything had happened between them, and that she had gone with him at her own free will.'

I let out a breath that I didn't know I had been holding. 'So, Colton's brother was innocent?'

She shrugged her shoulders. 'Perhaps. But there's more. There's rumours now that the Winton's sent their son away so that he wouldn't have to face prison.'

'Prison?'

'Yeah. For murder.'

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