Chapter 3 What's With This Town

• I couldn’t catch a wink of sleep no matter how much I tried. I left an anonymous tip at the police station to let them know something wasn’t right at the restaurant despite better judgment. I knew how things worked they would come after me because I was the only witness. Those men were dangerous and from the looks of it, Tim was involved.
• He could have gambling debts or he borrowed money for other things. The list was endless. I found Tim in the kitchen heating oil and dropping pans the next day. He shot me daggers from his workstation. I backed off. He didn’t want to talk but I needed answers later.
• The usual breakfast rush came and went. The tips were good I could even afford two cans of paint for my little rotting house. A guy named Owen told me I could use it rent-free for a month when I moved here but I hadn’t heard from him in days.
• My co-workers Mindy and Trina went out back to smoke while I cleaned the tables. That was when my two favourite siblings walked in.
• “Isn’t it the Belle of Elvira Falls,” Noah said.
• I tucked a strand behind my ear. “Stop.”
• “Yeah, Noah you’re not romantic,” Selma scowled.
• “And you’re bitter and jealous.”
• I smiled. “I missed this.”
• Selma and her brother settled into the booth I was cleaning. They could be spotted as siblings from a mile away. They shared the same nose structure, sharp pointed noses identical brown hair and the same shade of bright blue eyes.
• “You haven’t been in for a minute, Noah,”
• “Yeah… a lot’s been going on in town lately. Still, I should have made time for my favourite girl.”
• Selma gagged. “He tells all the girls that.”
• Noah bumped Selma’s shoulder.
• Noah was three years older than me. He was charming, slightly corny but he felt safe and I wanted that. Not to mention he was handsome! Clean shaved and lean. Unlike the dangerous jagged and ragged man who walked into the restaurant last night. That man was a flame. A demon of the night.
• “What? I don’t want you to lie to her and speaking of lies Noah and I have been talking and—”
• “Stop,” Noah snapped.
• “Lies?” My heart slammed forward.
• I moved to this town leaving my past behind me. No one knows who I was or what I did. I made sure no one would find out.
• “Forget it Paris, Selma’s talking nonsense,” Noah growled.
• “Nonsense? Paris, isn’t going anywhere, right?”
• “Uh, not in the near future, why?”
• “Great! Keeping secrets from her would be pointless especially when we want Paris to stay so much.”
• “Why are you guys talking in riddles? What secrets are you talking about?”
• Selma cast her brother a side-eye. He directed his clear annoyance at her.
• “Nothing and we’re disturbing your shift.” Noah stood grabbing his sister’s arm.
• “Come to the party next week on Friday. Town’s square eight o’clock. I’ll pick you up!”
• “Selma! You can’t do that!” Noah blasted.
• I rubbed my chest at the rejection.
• “I won’t show up if you don’t want me to Noah. No big deal.”
• He sighed heavily and rubbed his head.
• “It’s not that, Paris. It isn’t a good party and…”
• “Noah has no excuse. Are you coming? We love parties!”
• I still got the feeling Noah didn’t want me there so smiled at them.
• “I’ll think about it.”
• “Great! Noah and I have dinner at our grandparents later. See you later!”
• ***
• Selma had been acting strange and the encounter with her brother was weirder. She wants to be honest about something but he’s hiding. I shouldn’t want them to reveal their baggage when mine’s been buried and I hope will never resurface.
• Every town has its secrets and every newcomer has their past.
• My shift was over I was about to leave when I ran into Tim smoking in the alley. I should have kept my head down and walked away but we’d avoided talking all day.
• “Tim,” I said.
• “What do you want kid? I’m on my break.”
• I laughed in shock. “You’re not serious. What was that?” I hissed.
• “None of your business. Count yourself lucky you made it out without a scratch.”
• “What are you messed up in?” I demanded before I thought about it.
• Did I want to know?
• He puffed out his cheeks and rolled his eyes. “You don’t need to know.”
• “Fine. I do need to know if it’s going to happen again. I work here and
• Tess—”
• “Tess doesn’t have to know a thing and if she finds out I’ll know it was you. Then you and I will have a problem, got it?”
• Keep moving, Paris, we moved to get away from the danger and threats. I lifted my chin in response.
• “As long as it doesn’t happen again you and I are good.”