Chapter 44
I Am Legend
Brooke
The finger-pointing and whispering started almost before Brooke climbed out of the driver’s seat of her car. Guess the boring gray Intrigue wasn’t invisible anymore.
Ironically, she wouldn’t mind a little invisibility right now. They were taking Alex away soon—back to Halifax. Brooke was going to miss her more than she’d ever admit to anyone. Certainly not to those in town who watched her so closely. On that thought, she blinked back her tears, put on her best screw-you smile, climbed out of the car and slammed the door.
Shouldering her bag, she locked the car with her remote and crossed the parking lot to the mall.
She was headed for the little coffee shop opposite the food court, more to get a sense of public opinion than for the pathetic excuse for coffee she would get there. Their idea of cappuccino involved a sad-looking blob of foam floating on top of poorly extracted espresso. Brooke was no barista, but even she could do a better job with a home espresso machine than these rubes could do with professional equipment.
By the time she reached the mall doors, she had a small following behind her. And by the time she reached the café, she’d collected enough curious onlookers to double the population in the food court.
Yes! Now we’re talking.
Concealing her jubilation beneath a bored expression, she ordered her drink—a straight shot of espresso; she’d long ago learned that was the best bet, followed closely by the Americano—and sat down at an empty table.
“Hey, Brooke!”
She glanced up to see Danielle Mann, who was hailing her from a nearby table.
“Come sit,” she invited.
Perfect. Dani would give her the straight dope on what people were saying. Brooke got up and joined her.
“Thanks. I feel less like a lab specimen, sitting with someone I actually know.” She indicated the crowd with a tilt of her head. “My money was on the science fair nerd to make the first contact.”
Dani scanned the crowd. “Oh, yeah, he’s very hot to meet you, but he’s way too inhibited to approach. I was betting on Cathy Wilks, to your right, wearing the Lolita skirt and the thigh-highs. Biggest gossip in town. Well, next to me.”
Brooke grinned. “Thanks for saving me.”
Dani grinned right back. “Yeah, like you’re intimidated by this attention.”
“Okay, you got my number,” Brooke said, laughing. “I really don’t mind. And to tell you the truth, I don’t even care what they’re saying.”
Dani’s face sobered. “Mostly, they think you’re a hero. I heard that old bastard C. W. assaulted quite a few girls over there at Harvell House, and spied on a bunch more. Not to mention what he did to Alex.” She picked up a spoon and toyed with it. “I hear Alex’s mom is arranging to have her transported back to Halifax.”
Brooke nodded. “It’s true. Originally, I think they thought she’d come out of the coma within a matter of days, but the longer it drags on, the less hopeful they are. So they’ve decided to move her closer, so her mom can get back to the rest of the family.”
“That sucks,” Dani said. “She really seemed to be turning it around this year. It was like she’d found some purpose beyond the partying.”
You have no idea, Brooke thought. She cleared her throat. “So, if I’m mostly a hero, what is the flip side of that coin?”
Dani laughed. “You would ask, wouldn’t you?”
“Naturally.”
“I think they’re a little scared of you, actually. Maryanne, too. I mean, you guys dug up a freakin’ body! Most people, once they’d read that diary, would probably have just called the police and let them search for it.”
“So everyone knows about the diary, then?”
“Hello? This is Mansbridge. Of course they know. Too bad that creepy short-eyes C. W. destroyed it.”
“Yeah,” Brooke said. “So, you were saying... folks are a little scared of us?”
“Awed might be a better word.”
Awed. That was a good word. A damned good word. Brooke let a small smile curve her lips while Dani continued.
“Like I said, most people would have called the cops. But no, you guys went down there and literally exhumed a body. That took some serious cojones.”
Brooke shrugged, then rolled out the message she and Maryanne had agreed to put out there. “Yeah, well, you know how it is. What if the diary we’d read was a fake? Some Reject Row resident’s idea of a practical joke? We’d have been the laughing stock of the town if the cops had dug the shit out of that basement and found nothing. Hell, they probably would have charged us with public mischief. None of us needed that.”
“So instead, you became the girl who put down a pedophile and a murderer with one swing of a shovel.”
“Hey, it’s not like I did it on some vigilante bullshit head-rush. It was self-defense. He was waving a gun around.”
“So I heard.” Dani grinned. “Speaking of which, I guess a nickname change is in order, huh?”
Brooke frowned. “How’s that?”
“You’re going to have to retire Miss Gun-to-a-Knife-Fight in favor of—”
Brooke groaned. “Oh, God, I can see it coming.”
“—Miss Shovel-to-a-Gun-Fight.”
The two of them dissolved into giggles. “Do me a favor, okay?” Brooke said after she’d wiped the tears from her eyes.
“What’s that?”
“Give me an escort to the drug store. I need to buy toothpaste.”
Dani snorted. “You know, they’re just going to mob me after you leave, demanding to know all the juicy deets.”
That suited Brooke fine. As appealing as it might be to hold court with a fascinated audience, it really didn’t fit with the legend she wanted to build. Aloof. Untouchable. And yeah, a little scary.
“And you’ll hate that, right? You being so shy and retiring.”
Dani laughed delightedly. “Okay, I guess I can overcome my introverted nature to handle that.” She drained her coffee mug. “Come on, then. Let’s go.”
As they stood, Brooke caught a glimpse of Seth in the crowd. Well, she spotted Bryce first—he was considerably taller—but her eyes went straight to Seth at his side. And God it hurt. Still. That she’d wanted him so much, loved him so much, and he’d just discarded her like garbage. They both regarded her now with stony, implacable faces. Safe to say they weren’t among her new fans. Would never be fans, no matter what she did for the town.
Well, that was okay with Brooke. Better than okay. If they weren’t such jerks, she’d feel guilty about continuing to haunt them. And continue she would. The night was hers, and she wasn’t done with Seth Walker. Not by a long shot.