"You're serious often enough that you sometimes come across as older. You’re cute when you're looking your age."
"Hmph!"
While folding a set of clothes, Gabrielle grinned. "Settle down, kids."
"Says the twenty-six-year-old who acts ten times older," teased Tristan.
"Young man, you know how old I am."
"Age before beauty?"
The unusually loud laughter coming from Gabrielle’s mouth woke up Ash. "All right, Ash, ready to go?"
"Did everyone else already change?" Juliette asked.
"Yes,” Gabrielle answered. “Everything's in the bag here. I'll go next, then Tristan. Ash is behind you."
A warm velvety nose pressed against her face. Juliette gasped. "Hi, Ash. You guys sure like scaring me."
Antlers bobbed up and down.
"We're heading to the town north somewhere about ninety miles. Can you get me there?"
The animal rolled his eyes and shook his head.
Juliette hugged his neck. "Silly Ash." She gathered up the clothing pieces left behind and shoved them into the knapsack. When the pack was ready, she pulled herself onto Ash's back. "All right, let's go."
Ash stepped into the clearing and took off at a run. Juliette watched for the others, at one point spotting a streak of striped orange with a small animal carefully held in his mouth. With a swish of his tail, he was out of sight. "Oh!" Her grip was slipping. Ash slowed for her to get a new hold and then continued running, running as the haze of the morning wore off, running through the later morning chilly-warm sun.
The ferocious growl of a bobcat caused Ash to falter and nearly fall with the load on his back. Juliette sat terrified and clung harder. The golden cat crouched on the ground watching her, the easier prey. Ash stepped backward against the crevice of a large boulder. Juliette’s breathing quickened with her heart rate. "What do we do, Ash?"
Ash took a step to his side, and one of his feet slipped on a mossy green rock. Juliette screamed and tightened her hold around his neck. Ash recovered and kept the front of his body between hers and the bobcat, his head lowered and prepared to deflect an attack.
The cat extended its back legs, lunging itself right at them.
A graceful black panther appeared to fly out of the trees, slamming into the animal and rolling into a bed of large rocks. Sharp talons sliced through the air, two mouths wide open, each aiming to finish the other.
"Tristan!"
Ash took a couple steps to warn her to hold on and then returned to running.
"Ash, we must go back! What if Tristan's hurt? Ash? Ash! Listen to me!"
He ignored her pleas. A last loud feline screech came from behind them, then silence.
"Ash! Stop! We have to go back! If we don't, I'm going to make reindeer stew out of you!" She knew he was not going to stop. “Please!”
The sun shone brightly as high overhead as possible in the last days of summer. The rays didn't shine on any sleek black fur.
"Tristan, where are you?" she screamed. Her stomach grumbled. Well past lunchtime, still Ash wouldn't slow. Tristan hadn't reappeared either. The caribou traveled faster than ever without breaking his stride.
Juliette started to recite to pass the time. “Hear the sledges with the bells, silver...silver bells...” She gave up looking for the black panther she adored, realizing he'd find them if he survived. The dizzying speed made focusing difficult. She continued slowly through the poem, watching the fur on the back of Ash's golden neck. “To the sobbing of the bells; keeping time, time, time...”
Their speed slowed as a car passed on a road ahead. Through the trees, the side of an old small yellow building became visible. Without waiting for a complete stop, she dismounted, grabbing a tree to keep her balanced.
"You owe me reindeer stew!" she yelled at Ash, furiously pulling things from the sack. “You should have stopped.”
Juliette saw the tiger first, eagle resting on his rump, and a lynx lying nearby. Impatiently she waved, tossing two sets of clothing behind a bush. Carrying his wife, Sunil wandered to them.
"Juliette, we had to go on,” Ash quietly said behind her.
She turned around and stared hard at him. "Don't you have any sense of modesty?" she asked him harshly.
"Not after 150 years of this."
She yanked Ash's clothes from the bag and tossed them at him. "Go get dressed."
"Gabrielle, over here!" She laid another ensemble down behind a couple trees close together enough to afford some privacy.
"Jareth? Where are you?" A grunting led her behind more bushes to the large waiting animal. "Here you go."
"William?" she softly called out.
"Doing what bears do in the woods!"
"Too much information! One of the guys will take you your stuff!"
Dressed, Gabrielle stepped from around the trees. "Where’s Tristan?"
"Attacked a bobcat. I don't know where he is. Ash wouldn't go back."
"Ash was right. Tristan can take care of himself." Gabrielle nodded.
"What if he was hurt, Gabby?"
Sunil and Emma walked to join them. "If that cat could take down Tristan, what could you have done if you’d gone back?" Sunil asked her. “Its teeth and claws can’t break supernatural skin unless--”
An animal crushed through debris and brush. The black panther tore toward them, panting.
Juliette’s gasped. "Tristan! Thank goodness!"
He nipped the bag from her and leapt away. Moments later he reappeared, dressed and with sweat dripping down his face. "Thanks for getting her out of there," he said to Ash, holding out his hand.
"No problem," Ash replied, shaking his hand.
Tristan turned serious, angry eyes to Juliette. "I'm pretty sure Nate knows we're in the area now."
She cast her face down, staring at her hands clasped together in front of her. "I'm sorry."
"Juliette, I told you it was important they didn't know we're out here." His voice shook.
"Tristan.” Gabrielle touched his shoulder. "What's happened has happened."
He crossed his arms. "Juliette, I'm responsible to my family for what you do. That shrieking was not acceptable."
Juliette's cheeks burned. She snatched the knapsack from his hand and pulled her small purse from it, turned toward the road, and started walking.
"Where are you going?"
"Leave me alone, Tristan! I don't want to talk to you."
"Juliette, stop and look at me." He reached for her wrist and missed.
She stopped and blinked, not caring for the tears streaking her face. A hand took hers from behind, and Juliette glanced up at its owner. "I'm sorry, Tristan. Now leave me alone." She yanked away from him and continued walking.
Tristan's anger dissolved. The pain in her eyes cut into him. He stood stiff as she walked off, and Gabrielle and Emma ran to catch up to her.
"Can someone bring me my stuff?" William called.
Sunil tossed the bag in the direction of William's voice. “Tristan, was your response necessary?"
Ash stood beside Sunil, arms crossed over his chest. "She was terrified out of her skull, Tristan. The piece about responsibility to your family was inexcusably harsh."
"I didn’t mean--"
"Doesn't matter." Ash sniffed. “You hurt her. We’re the family she has, and you excluded her.”
"But she's not one of us," Jareth said. "She is an outsider, and she's risked our lives. We should send her back."
William stomped to his brothers. "Screaming wasn't smart of her, but it was probably instinctive. What’s done is done. Sending her off won't change anything for us. She won’t be protected without us, and one of Nate’s pals will probably find her and kill her."
"She stays," Tristan quickly decided, his heart thudding painfully. "Nate’ll probably find her and kill her if she’s sent away. I won’t let her die."
"So we all will instead? You are a fool, Tristan!" Jareth spat at Tristan’s face.
Sunil
put a hand on Jareth's chest. "Check yourself."
"Don’t you dare touch me!"
Emma's footsteps crunched the summer-dried leaves. "We found a hotel and got some… What's going on? What on earth did I miss?"
"Nothing," Tristan said, wiping his face with his shirtsleeve.
"Liar," Jareth hissed. "Juliette needs to go back, Em, but this love-sick fool says no."
Emma scratched her head and hesitantly told her brothers, "She already said she's leaving. Gabby’s trying to talk her into staying."
"She can't go. She could be killed!" Tristan looked around wildly.
"You should have thought before you went overboard," Emma said.
"Where's the motel?"
Emma gave Tristan the directions, and he ran.
In the parking lot, Gabrielle paced.
"Where is she?" Tristan panted.
Gabrielle glared at him, her lips pursed. "Give her space. She needs to cool down. You do too. You're in a room with Will. I'm with Juliette. You’re on 4th floor, number’s on your key envelope. Go shower. I'm going to go grab us some new clothes at a little department store up the road. I repeat, Tristan, give her space. Leave her alone right now. She doesn’t want to see you." She pressed a small envelope against his palm and walked off down the street.
Tristan clutched the card key and realized he had no idea where the others would be. He swore under his breath and went upstairs. An eyebrow rose at the pastel abstract painting over each of the two beds that clashed with the brick red and hunter striped covering on the beds. The green office carpeting underfoot matched neither. The accommodation couldn’t have been further from their Ojai dwelling.
Several miniature bottles of shampoos, a couple toothbrushes, and some toothpaste sat on the bathroom counter. He opened a bottle and sniffed. "What the…?" The scent of baby shampoo met his nostrils. Without much choice, he turned the shower on, stripped his sweat-stained clothes off, and climbed under the scalding water, letting the built-up grime slip off his body like a second skin waiting to be shed. The shampoo did the job of cleaning his hair, but the scent put him on edge. He scrubbed his teeth twice and got out.
On one bed a new set of clothing waited for him, and on the other William stretched out, television controller in his hand. "Save me any hot water?" He jumped up and passed Tristan into the steam-filled bathroom.
Tristan vigorously dried himself, then pulled on a fresh pair of boxers, greatly appreciating how good they felt after far too long in his well-worn clothes. The slacks and black t-shirt fit well, but the dark blue button-up at the bottom of the pile made him close his eyes in gratitude. He pulled it over his arms and buttoned, feeling a little like his old self. The trouser socks comforted his aching feet, and he realized too late he should have asked for a hairbrush. A bag waited on the dresser. He opened it and welcomed the sight of the brush, deodorant, and other toiletries. "Gabrielle never forgets anything," he muttered, slapping on some of the aftershave. He finished freshening up, then left the room.
Tristan ran into Gabrielle on the deck outside, not having yet had time to shower herself. "Hey, I forgot to tell you, your clothes and coat are at the cleaners, I put your wallet in the nightstand, and--"
"Gabby, it can wait a while. You look exhausted. Go rest up and take care of yourself, okay? We'll fend for ourselves for a bit." He hugged her quickly and returned to his room to fetch his wallet.
The saloon downstairs was busy, so he went to a nearby diner. Its door brushed against a bell hanging from the ceiling. Juliette sat in the corner, damp hair slicked into a low bun, talking to two elderly men. The smaller man gestured wildly as she furiously wrote in a notebook, the other one speaking little. Her meal went untouched. Suddenly she stared straight at Tristan, her eyes hard, her message clear: Leave me alone.
"I'd like to cover the tab for that table," he told the waitress standing by the register, sliding a hundred-dollar bill to her. "Don't let them know. Keep the rest, and here's a tip." He slid her another bill. "Have a great day." He flashed her a smile and left without giving her a chance to reply.
* * *
On his way back from a long, late lunch at a bar and grill down the street, Tristan walked past the diner door and nearly bumped into Juliette as she left. She jumped away as if afraid to touch him.
"You didn't have to pay," she coolly said, her cheeks flushed and eyes bright.
"I know," he responded, uncomfortable at the careful distance. "Listen, I didn't mean what I said, about my family and--"
"Shut up, Tristan! Did you have to throw it in my face how I have no family of my own?!"
Tristan reached for her hand. A sharp pain seared his chest as she increased the space between them before he could get close. "Juliette, I am so sorry. You are a part of us."
"You know, I screamed because I was frightened, Tristan. You were the closest to family that I had, and you made it clear in front of yours that I don't have one.” Her eyebrows scrunched together and a sob escaped from her throat. "I was scared to death I’d lose you, and it looks like I did."
She shoved her notebook at his chest and ran so quickly he didn't have time to react. The spiral-bound book fell onto the concrete, and he picked it up, reluctantly taking his eyes off her retreating form. He opened the textured grey cover and skimmed her notes. He slammed his palm against his forehead, curling his fingers into a fist before lowering it. He flipped a page and another. The last written-on page had a crudely drawn map and more notes in handwriting he realized belonged to one of the elderly men. The rest of the pages were blank still.
He settled on the low brick wall next to the diner, prepared to read every line of text.
19. Found
“This has to have you feeling like the hugest jerk right now,” Ash said to Tristan while reading the notebook over Emma’s shoulder.
Tristan leaned against the older headboard of one of the beds in room three. "No, I already was, but that added a gut kick."
Fingers drummed on the table. Emma shook her head and raised her eyes to him, in awe of the information on the pages. "When did she do this?"
"When I was showering. I went to the little diner next door, and she was already talking to people."
"She wasted no time."
Sunil tapped a spot on the crudely drawn map. "So you insult her, and even though she’s sick, she goes right out and finds the biggest clue, maybe even the answer. I can’t believe this."
"Excuse me, I’m losing my mind in here.” The bed’s springs creaked, relieved of Tristan’s weight. “Where's Gabby?"
His family exchanged glances.
"What’s going on?"
"Tristan," Emma softly said, "we aren't supposed to let you know which room they’re in."
"Juliette wants to be left alone," William added.
"I asked for Gabby and you tell me this." Tristan rubbed his face with his hands. "I was stupid and said something I didn't mean. I need to apologize to Juliette. Which room?"
"Can't tell you, Man," A corner of William’s mouth tightened. “Sorry.”
"Jareth? Sunil?
Sunil shook his head. Jareth lowered his eyes. "I don't think she's feeling good, so I'm not saying anything."
Tristan stared and clenched his jaw. "Ash? I'll knock on every door in this place if you don't tell me."
Ash puffed his checks and exhaled, raising a hand in defeat. "They can both get mad at me. Four."
"Thanks," Tristan said, leaving the room. Behind him Emma started to lecture Ash.
The room next door was dark. He pressed his ear to the door and heard the low sound of a television. Bracing for anger, he rapped his knuckled against the badly painted burgundy wood. It creaked open. "Tristan, what are you doing here?" Gabrielle asked with gentle kindness.
Tears sprang to Tristan's eyes. "Please let me talk to her. Please, Gabby."
She peered over her shoulder. "She's ill with a low fever. If you do anything stupid, you will answer to me." Her tone held the hint of
a threat, but she stepped aside to let him in. "Where is everyone else?"
"Three."
"I'm heading over." The door clicked as it closed behind her.
Tristan flicked the television off. Enough light broke in around the edge of the tan curtain to highlight her profile and he pattern of her bed cover that was the same ugly red as the ones in his room. Her body was curled into a tight ball underneath the covers. Tristan fought a magnetic draw to lie down with her and hold her. Instead, he reached out and stroked her cheek, noting the heat of her fever.
"Mon amour, I'm sorry." Each beat of his heart drove an emotional dagger deeper in penance, fearing the loss of even her friendship.
Her eyes still closed, Juliette tightened her fingers around his.
"Juliette?"
She gasped and pushed herself upright, her hair falling from its bun. "Tristan? I thought I was dreaming. Why are you here?"
"Checking on you. Juliette, I was stupid."
"You think?" she whispered, her anger replaced by sadness.
"I am so used to calling them ‘my family’ when referring to them. I didn't mean to exclude you. I accept full responsibility for my carelessness. You were scared, and I understand. When the cat went after you, I was terrified, but took my fear out on you. I won't blame you if you want to back away from me, but I hope our friendship can get through this."
Juliette bit her bottom lip. She reached for his hand and gripped hard, pulling it against her heart without removing her eyes from his. "I want more with you, but what I need is some time. You hurt me."
"Telling you I'm sorry will never be enough. How can I earn your forgiveness?"
Juliette reached for the lamp and pulled the chain. Dim light filled the room. She cocked her head to the side, studying the wrinkle of his brow, the paler denim blue of his irises, a dark rim around them, to his Adam's apple bobbing as he nervously swallowed.
"Did you know your eyes change color when you're sad? Telling me isn't enough, but that shows me."
"I'm so sor--"
"Shh!" She covered his lips with her fingers. "I don't want to dwell on this. We have more important things to do. Where is everybody?"
"Sunil and Emma's room."
Juliette threw the covers aside and rose to her feet. She fell back to the bed. "Whoa! Stood up too quick."
"You should take a nap," Tristan complained. “Work can wait.”
"Tristan…" she warned. "I'm only a little sick. Trust me for once."