Saving Us (Mitchell Family #6)(21)
Author: Jennifer Foor

Elena Brewer Martin Dies After Falling Down Stairs

I read the article and looked up at Heather. “So, it says she died from falling down the stairs. It doesn’t say anything about her being murdered.”

“Search Elena Martin death.” Heather stood there waiting for me to do it.

Sure enough, in black and white, it said that police had accused the husband of foul play. “Apparently they had lived in a small town in Colorado and everyone there turned against him, especially his in-laws. They won custody of his son and refused to let him see him anymore. He was questioned and taken into custody, but was cleared for lack of evidence. The thing is, why would he change his name and never talk about it to anyone? I mean, he has a kid out there and never mentioned him before. That night I found that little book shoved between his seat, I never said a word until I went home. When he called me, I asked him who Elena Martin was to him. Amy, he started flipping out and threatened to kill me if I told anyone. I could hear the pure anger in his voice. The next morning I went to go out to work and he was standing outside waiting for me. I made it to my car before he took a bat and busted out my window. Thankfully, I managed to floor it and pull away before he could get to me. He called me and told me that if he found me, I would be dead.”

I heard what she was saying, but was so shocked that I didn’t know what to say to her. I was so angry for living with that man that I obviously had known nothing about. What else could he be hiding and was he really capable of killing the woman? “Well, why would you want me to get involved?”

“The last time he called and threatened me, before I got rid of the phone, he said he was going to take care of me and you. Amy, I think he wants us both dead.”

I shook my head. “We need to call the police.” I picked up my phone and dialed.

Heather stood in front of me with tears streaming down her face. Once the police were on their way, I made sure all of the doors were locked and we sat there waiting.

“I am really sorry, Amy. After Conner told me about what happened to Miranda, I just wanted to clear my conscience. I didn’t know that Rick’s big secret could warrant our safety. I pretended to still be into him to get dirt for you. Now I think I may have just got myself killed.”

“Don’t talk like that. The police will pick him up. It’s going to be alright.” I was shaking like a leaf, but trying to reassure her. “I need to call Conner.”

Heather grabbed at me again. “Please, just wait to tell him. I can’t face that family right now.”

“He is the father of my child. Rick has already threatened me before. Conner needs to know this.” I started dialing just as my phone was knocked out of my hand. It went flying across the salon and onto the concrete floor, where the battery went falling out. “What the hell?”

“Amy, please wait! Conner is going to flip out and try to take matters into his own hands. Do you want him out there looking for someone who could potentially be that dangerous?”

She had a point and with his temper, Conner wouldn’t back down.

The police finally arrived and we told them about the threats Rick was making. Unfortunately, we didn’t have proof to back it up on. Heather had gotten rid of her phone and he hadn’t called me for a while. The police wrote a report, but said that they couldn’t do anything unless he was there trying to hurt us. Even a phone conversation was just hearsay at this point.

As the officers left, Heather broke into tears. “What am I going to do? He’s going to hurt me.”

“Leave town.”

“I don’t have any money and now the window in my car is busted out. It got down to twenty last night and I was sleeping in my car.”

I hated this girl, but somehow she and I were in the same boat. I had a family to go home to. Heather had nothing. Maybe I shouldn’t have felt sorry for her. In some ways she deserved this. Karma was a real bitch. Still, I couldn’t turn my back on another human being. If something happened to her it would be on me and then I would have stooped as low as her. “I will give you everything I have in the safe.”

She didn’t argue about it. “I will pay you back every cent.”

Once I handed her the money, she thanked me again and left out the front door. Customers started coming in right after and it was too late to close the doors and head home. Every time the phone rang, I jumped. My heart raced all morning. By lunch time, I was calling my appointments and rescheduling them. I told them I wasn’t feeling well and they all bought it. It was the honest truth. I felt like I was going to vomit.

I literally ran out to the parking lot and locked myself in my car before starting it. On the ride home my hands were shaking so bad that it was hard to hold the steering wheel. When I pulled onto the dirt road, I saw Conner walking toward me. I was going to have to tell him the truth. He was going to go ballistic.

Chapter 14

Conner

I knew something was wrong the moment that I saw her pulling up the driveway. I met her at the spot where she normally parked her car and opened the door. “What happened?”

She stood up and wrapped her arms around me tightly.

“Amy, what’s wrong?”

“I think we need to go inside and talk about it.” She never moved her head up to look at me. I was more than concerned considering the way she was clung to my chest.

I grabbed her purse and followed her into the house.

My sister had both of the boys in high chairs and was feeding them. “How come you’re home so early?”

Amy sat down at the table and put her head down. I looked over at my sister and she seemed just as concerned as I did. I knew her driving to work was a bad idea. Her going to work at all was a bad idea.

“I don’t even know how to explain this. There is so much that I don’t know. Heather didn’t even know all the details.”

I heard that blondes name and thought my sister was going to lose it. “What did you just say?”

She turned around to face me. “Conner, I need you to sit down next Miranda and listen to me. Something happened today and you both need to be aware of it.”

“If that little bitch did something, I will kick her ass,” Miranda threatened.

I held up my hands. “Just calm down and listen to me. For once she didn’t do anything, well, at least not to me. She’s in serious trouble, actually.”

I had about enough of the waiting. “Amy, spit it out!”

For the next ten minutes she explained how Heather had come into the salon in disguise and warned her about what Rick was up to and what happened in his past. I have to be honest and say that none of it was shocking to me. The guy was a total punk.