Chapter 3 Welcome To Pleasant Grove

• Kelsie
• Texas is hot. Even though it’s the middle of September, I’m sweating. Kade arranged for us to move into a small run down farmhouse and he even gave us a rusted blue Chevy pickup truck to ride in. He tossed Felix the keys earlier along with his new fake ID. He was no longer Felix Miller, but Holden Montgomery. He set him up with a construction job. When Felix asked why construction Kade replied “a lot of the local fathers work there. It’s an easy in and I know you dabble in woodworking.”
• That I didn’t know.
• Next Kade handed me a backpack, some school books, and my fake ID. Now I am Kelsie Montgomery. I frowned. “How come you kept my name the same?”
• Kade didn’t have a chance to respond because Felix answered for him. “It’s easier for me to call you by your real name in case I slip up. You’ll just be calling me Daddy so it doesn’t matter.”
• My face flamed again and the bastard just smirked. “I will not be calling you that.”
• Once again we began to bicker. Kade kept on smiling and laughing and saying we were perfect for this role. I had to agree. Felix was always bossing me around so I felt he would fall into the role of father quite perfectly. We were almost sent on our way when Kade’s expression turned serious. “Listen you two. This is a small town. Population 800. People talk and more importantly people don’t talk unless they trust you. You must do everything in your power, use everything in your wheelhouse to gain their trust. It’s the only way this case will crack.”
• He was right. These people were used to each other. Any outsider would immediately be seen as a threat so it was best for us to assimilate quickly. We were already at a disadvantage because neither Felix or I had any type of southern drawl so we’d have to be careful. Act natural and complacent. How threatening could a single dad and his teenage daughter be?
• We pull up to our new house for the time being. Kade hired some movers and bought thrift store furniture to make everything look legitimate. The movers were already bringing in a god awful green sofa that was the color of vomit. I must’ve made a face because Felix chuckles. “What’s the matter, sweetheart?”
• “Don’t call me that.”
• He turns to me with a hardened gaze. “Watch your tone, little girl. Remember who you’re speaking to and remember where you are.”
• Chills.
• But he was right. I did agree to play the part once we were in Texas and well... here we are. I swallow my insults and plant on a fake smile. “Sorry, Dad.”
• He raises a brow as if expecting something else but I’m not going to say it. I’m definitely not going to call him Daddy. Instead, I hop out of the truck and sling my backpack over my shoulder. I walk into the house and leave my ‘Dad’ behind. The house had definitely seen better days but it was quaint and had a little charm. I was used to my city apartment so this country farmhouse was kind of refreshing. The walls were covered in flowery wallpaper and the kitchen overlooked the living space and was all wood paneling. The cabinets had porcelain handles and the fridge looked older than I was. I turn toward the stairs and head up them. Every time my foot made contact with the wood, the stairs let out a deafening creak that made me inwardly cringe. The floor to the hallway squeaked under my feet and the wood was definitely scuffed up and worn. I push open a door and find a small bedroom all done up in soft blues and whites. I place my bag on the twin bed. This looks like my room.
• I hear Felix speaking to the movers downstairs as they continue to bump and fumble the second hand furniture into the house. As strange as this situation is, I couldn’t help but feel excited. This is my first undercover mission and my first time away from my desk and I’m going to make the best of it. With a grin, I walk back down the stairs and out of the house. I grab my bag and bring it back up into my room. After I finish that, I decide to sit at the island and play a stupid game about candy on my phone. It seems like a very teenage thing to do.
• I barely register Felix speaking to the movers and I see him lift boxes and bring them into the house out of the corner of my eye but I’m too focused on mixing groups of three in a row to care. “Well howdy, neighbor!” This is a new voice. I look up from my phone and see a plump man with a receding hairline and beady eyes standing in the doorway. I figure it’s time to be an antisocial teen and stick my face back into my phone, playing the character. As much as I want to get right to it, I know it's better for Felix to handle this one anyway.
• “Hello there.” Felix responds and I assume he shakes his hand. I can’t make it out from my peripheral vision but I can see their shapes as I match a row of blue candies. The entire board shifts and I’m closer than ever to winning this level.
• “You must be Holden Montgomery?” The man asks and my ears perk up. So he already knows us when we’ve barely been in town? Interesting. But I don’t respond. I simply match a special candy and the whole row clears. I smirk in triumph. As stupid as this game is, it’s quite fun.
• If Felix is shaken, his voice doesn’t show it. I assume he lays on the charm thick with his dazzling smile. His teeth are so white and straight and he makes panties practically melt. Damn him and his perfect teeth. “Yes I am. Forgive me but you seem to know me already and I don’t know a lick about you.”
• I scoff to myself. A lick? Really Felix? Laying it on thick aren’t you?
• The mystery man chuckles and it’s a deep hearty laugh. He doesn’t seem to be a threat. “Forgive me! Name’s Martin Hanson. I’m your new coworker that’s how I know ya. I ain’t no stalker or nothing, don’t worry.” His laugh sounds a bit strained.
• That’s exactly what a stalker would say.
• But Felix handles it well. He simply chuckles back. “It’s a pleasure to meet you Martin. We’ve just moved in today actually, me and my little girl.”
• Fuck.
• I frown. He’s not gonna call me over now is he? I see his silhouette turn around towards me out of the corner of my eye. Dammit. He is.
• “Oh, Kelsie. Come meet the neighbor.” He turns back to Marin and chuckles again. “She’s quite a handful.”
• I put my phone in my pocket and sigh as I walk over there. I’m partially playing a moody teen but I also really didn’t want to meet this Martin. He seems shady. He studies me with a smile, looking down at me. Most of the population looks down at my 5’2 frame anyway but the way he does it doesn’t give me a thrill down my spine like when Felix looms over me. “Nice to meetcha, Kelsie. I’ll say, you’re quite the looker! I bet your daddy is gonna have to beat the boys away with a stick.” He laughs again and I cringe.
• I’m fuming and I know I can’t say anything polite so I stay quiet. That is, until I feel the heat of my ‘father’s’ gaze on me. I look up at him and he is intense in every way. “Honey, Mr. Hanson, just give you a compliment, what do you say?”
• “Thank you. It’s nice to meet you too.” I get out through gritted teeth.
• Martin just laughs loudly again. He turns back to Felix and grins. “She’s a spitfire, ain’t she? Well no worry Holden, the Principal has the perfect solution for her attitude. I bet she’ll be sittin’ pretty for ya in a week or so.” He winks.
• I have no idea what he means but I really don’t like it. I see that Felix is also confused but he laughs it off and agrees even though I can tell he has no idea what he’s agreeing to. I’ve been in this town for an hour and things are already really strange. I don’t like Martin and not because I think he’s a bit sexist. He’s odd. He rubs me the wrong way and his smile unnerves me. I look up at Felix again and I can tell he’s thinking the same thing.
• There’s more to this town and there’s certainly more to Martin Hanson.