Hope Falls Season 2 - Eagle Valley (9 page)

"Sneak up on us like that." Cleo said, putting a hand to her heart. "You nearly gave me a heart attack."

"I heard the doorbell." Sophie said. "Did you hear it?"

"Yes." Susan said.

"Well, are you going to answer the door?" Sophie asked.

"I don't want to." She said.

"Fine, then I'll answer it." Sophie said.

"No, you can't!" Susan said. "It could be anyone."

"It could be Miriam." Sophie said.

There was silence at her words. Finally, Susan spoke. "What do you mean?"

"You never found her did you? There was never any body? She could be out there somewhere. Trying to find us."

"Mother, do you sense anything?" Susan asked.

Cleo was shocked. It was the first time that her daughter had openly acknowledged her gift out loud. "I do not sense Miriam. She is too far from here. But outside this house, I can't see that. We have a barrier here and I can only see certain things. I'm only shown pieces. I'm sorry."

"It's okay." Susan said, taking her mothers hand. "Don't be sorry." She squeezed her mother's hand and felt tears in her eyes.

The doorbell rang again and all three women jumped.

"So, who's going to answer that?"

"Is that the doorbell?" Derrick came down the stairs dressed in a lose cotton shirt and dark grey cotton pants. To Susan, he was the sexiest thing alive. She smiled at him from across the kitchen and felt some of the tension melt away. He had that effect on her.

"Yeah, did you want to get it?" Sophie said. "After all, you're the only guy around here. You ought to be the one doing the protecting."

"She's right." Cleo said. "Big strong thing like you."

Susan could not help but snort in laughter. "Go get the door babe." She said.

Derrick shook his head. He still felt like he was floating. He had had the best orgasm of his life and Miriam was back. Miriam was back, she was back, Miriam was back. It kept repeating over and over in his head and his whole body felt as if it were on a cloud. He approached Susan, who was smiling at him, but he didn't see her. He saw Miriam, soft and supple. Leaning down he brushed his lips against hers and bit her lip softly.

Turning, he walked towards the door and picked up the small gun they kept on the front hallway table. Opening the door, he was careful to keep the gun hidden behind it. He saw a striking woman in a purple grey pantsuit. She had the most amazing raven black hair. Her eyes were hidden behind small sunglasses in a soft purple tone that matched her suit.

"Hello." She said. "I'm looking for Miriam Parker."

Derrick felt as if he had just been slapped. No one knew Miriam was back but him, no one but him. "I'm sorry?"

"I'm looking for Miriam Parker." She said again. "I'm her cousin, Erin. Erin Parker." She extended her hand and Derrick took it softly, still not quite sure what was going on.

"You want to see Miriam, did you say?"

"Well, yeah."
Erin
said. "She's here isn't she?"

Susan, Sophie and Cleo appeared behind Derrick.
Erin
tried to hide her shock at seeing all of these women in the flesh after studying their lives for so long. She hoped she did not let her feelings show on her face, but out of the corner of her eye she saw Cleo narrow her eyes at her.

Chapter Twenty

"But I already told you who I am."
Erin
said.

"Well, start at the beginning anyway." Derrick said. "I want to hear it again. WE want to hear it again."

They were sitting in the kitchen in the
Eagle
Valley
house, all around the round kitchen table. Sophie was in between Derrick and Susan with Cleo on Susan's left.
Erin
sat on the other side of the round table, an ashtray full of cigarette butts in front of her.

The sun was hanging lower in the sky. A grayness had taken on the afternoon. They had been grilling her for hours and each time her story was the same. She was either a really convincing actor or she was very sincere.

Sighing, she stubbed out her cigarette and lit another. "Alright," She said, "for the final freaking time: My name is Erin Parker. My cousin is Miriam Parker. We never knew about each other because of our two mothers who had a feud when we were younger. A few years ago, I found a picture of Miriam, but I didn't know who she was then. I had no idea." A tear slid down
Erin
's cheek.

Sophie patted
Erin
's hand. "It's Okay, sweetheart." Sophie said. "Here, have a tea. Do you take sugar?"

Susan shot her a death glance. "And then what happened."

"Well,"
Erin
dabbed at her eyes with a Kleenex that Sophie had given her, "I asked my mother who she was, who this girl was in the picture. But no one would tell me. I dreamed of her for years and finally I hired a private investigator. He led me here."

"But how did you track us down? Why did he think that she was here?"

"I don't know."
Erin
said. "He was very mysterious. He just said you were here and that I would find the answers I seek with you."
Erin
looked at them pleadingly. "Please, do you know where Miriam is? It would mean so much to me to find my long lost cousin."

There was silence in the kitchen. Finally, Cleo spoke from the corner in a soft voice. "We still have no proof of who you are."

"Well."
Erin
said, blushing. "I do have this." She reached into her bag. Susan tensed, half expecting a gun to show its ugly muzzle. Instead she was startled when she saw what it was
Erin
was pulling out of her bag.

It was a black and white picture. Of Miriam.

Erin
laid it on the table and they all leaned in to get a good look at it. Miriam looked young, about twelve or thirteen. She had a gap tooth and her eyes were closed but she was smiling and laughing at something. And it was her.

Derrick let out a sound close to a choked whisper and took the picture softly from the table. "Oh, God, Miriam." He said.

Susan's mouth tightened. "I'm gonna go for a walk."

She stomped out of the house through the back door and took a shuddering breath. Reaching into her pant pocket, she pulled out a slim pack of cigarettes. "I'm such a freaking dumb ass. What am I doing?" She took an angry puff and looked at the ring on her finger. "I'm so in love with him and he doesn't know I exist."

INT: EAGLE VALLEY KITCHEN

"So?"
Erin
asked. "Where is she? Can I see her? Is Miriam here?"

Sophie and Cleo looked at Derrick who was still immersed in the picture of Miriam. They knew he was in no state to answer questions.

"Oh, Sweetheart." Cleo said. "You have no idea do you?"

"Have no idea about what?"
Erin
asked. Her eyes teared up again. "Oh god, I hate when people say that? Something's happened hasn't it?"

"I'm afraid so." Cleo said. "You see, child, oh, God, how do I say this."

"What she's trying to say so eloquently," Sophie cut in, "Is that she's dead.

EXT:
EAGLE
VALLEY
HOUSE

Madder got out of his car and approached the house. He was hoping that this was going to go well, but he wasn't too worried. He had faked his way through things before and this was going to be no different. It was all smoke and mirrors, really.

He knew that Derrick would be surprised to see him. Secrets that come to the surface are often those that hurt the most and this would be a blast for the past for him. But he believed in multi-tasking.
Erin
also intrigued him. Erin Parsons now posing as Erin Parker presented him with a challenge.

And Madder loved a good challenge

Smiling, he rang the door bell.

INT: EAGLE VALLEY KITCHEN

Cleo looked at the door with disdain. "For god sake!" She said. "I'm so sick and tired of that damn doorbell. Who the hell else knows we're here?"

She stomped off to answer the door, leaving Derrick and Sophie alone in the kitchen. There was silence in the kitchen for a while, while Derrick was still looking at Miriam's picture. Sophie heard the back door open and close softly and waited a few moments before she spoke.

"I can't get you out of my mind Derrick." She said in a soft, sultry voice. "What we did the other night on the grass."

Derrick's head snapped up, the picture forgotten. "Sophie, don't."

"Oh, Derrick, I keep thinking of your hands all over me, all over my body. Your mouth on my breasts." She smiled and came closer to him.

"Sophie, we agreed we wouldn't speak of this."

"Please, Derrick, I can't think of anything else but you. I can't feel anything but you inside me, I need to feel that Derrick."

Derrick felt himself growing hard despite himself. "Sophie…" he said with longing.

Looking on behind the kitchen doorway, her heart hammering, Susan continued to listen.

INT: EAGLE VALLEY HOUE—In the Attic

The blond haired woman sat in the darkness.

She heard everything. Old houses carried sound and could hide someone well. Especially a house like this. There were places you could hide if you went looking for them, and she knew how to hide. Her survival had depended upon it.

She knew that something was going to happen. All she had to do was wait.

EXT: EAGLE VALLEY HOUSE – In The Bushes

Betty watched the door open, Cleo talking to Madder.

Flipping open her cell phone, she dialed a number, waited until he answered. "All the players are in place." She said.

"Excellent." Howard said, a smile spreading across his face. "Wait a while, will you, and then make the call."

"Alright." Betty said, flipping her phone closed.

Betty smiled her own smile. She had a few ideas of her own too. And she wanted to play. She had a score to settle. If Madder was here, something was going on. She had recognized him the moment he had walked up to the door.

Howard's brother didn't get involved for no reason. She knew there was more going on here. She wanted some action. She wanted to have some fun.

Flipping open her cell phone, she dialed another number.

Chapter Twenty One

INT: HOPE FALLS STUDIOS

It was all like a game of chess, Howard thought.

Hey eyed the phone. He knew that all the pawns were in place, they were just waiting to be moved.

Strategy was all a game, a handsome puzzle that cried out to be solved. He reached into a desk drawer on the right hand side and took out a black and white photograph.

It was a headshot of Susan. In it, she had her lips poised, all pouty and painted a deep red, as if she were kissing the camera.

Howard smiled.

Soon, he thought. Soon.

EXT: EAGLE VALLEY HOUSE

Cleo looked at the man with narrowed eyes. She seemed to be doing that a lot lately. "Yes?" She said, not bothering to keep the coldness out of her voice. "Can I help you?"

"I sure hope you can, Ma'am." His voice was smoky and almost rough. It sent shivers down her spine. "I'm looking for Derrick." He smiled. "Derrick Grey."

Cleo hid her shock. "And who may I say is calling?"

"I'm his brother." The man said. "I'm his brother Madder Grey."