Page 9 of The Agency

knew what plants and drugs to put in the concoction to put her to sleep for that long. Plus there are no mausoleums around where she is. She explained that no one could afford one probably. Let alone get a casket, so she would literally be burned alive so she could be put in a cremation jar. But I'm desperate and am willing to try just about anything to bring her back here. She belongs here more than the little town her family lives in. I know it sounds a little insensitive but it's the truth. I just need a plan and a good reason to break her out.

  During dinner I can't help expecting to see Macey come out from the hallway all happy and dancing like she does. She doesn't actually dance but it seems like she does. It's kind of weird to be thinking all of this considering I'd never liked anyone as much as I like Macey. It seems as if every thought I have turns to her somehow. Oh, my gosh that’s cheesy. I don't feel much like eating dinner or watching the television.

  Considering the fact that I feel like crap and don't feel like doing anything I decide to go to bed. I try my best to not to get caught as I head down the hall to the bedroom. I must not have been very careful. Once I lay down on my bed the door opens, Maria walks in not seeming to care about the unimpressed look on my face I give her as she comes in.

  "Hey, Chest. What's up with you? It's not like you to not miss a meal or any family time." Maria asks as if nothing has changed in the past couple of weeks.

  "Go away Maria. I don't want to talk to you. Or as a matter of fact anybody, but definitely not you." I tell her putting my pillow over my head trying to both use it for emphasis and to block her out. But she just sits on the side of my bed and pulls my pillow away from me.

  “What’s bothering you; Chest. You know that you can tell me." She coaxes.

  "I don't want to talk to you considering it is your fault." I snap at her with no remorse.

  "I don't know what you're talking about Chest. Enlighten me a little will you." Maria says innocently.

  "I'm talking about the reason Macey was taken away. No one knew who she was or where Amy and Tim had found her. But you couldn't stand someone with another sob story come in and show that they are stronger at handling their problems than you are."

  "Chest I still don't understand."

  "Shut up Maria! For heaven's sake you have been mourning your lost childhood not the fact that you don't even know if your mother is dead or not for the past three years, then when Macey shows up you get all defensive. You’re not in your right state of mind since Amy found you and Benjamin in that alleyway."

  "Get to the point Chest. I can tell that you have something you want to say now say it!" Maria says getting angry.

  "Fine! I know that you are the one that called the police and told them Macey was here! All I want to know is why. Why did you do it? You can't tell me that you’re that selfish." I say sitting up right now.

  "I did it for one good reason Chest. And one reason only. I did it for us Chest us." She says in a whisper of anger trying not to draw attention from the rest of the family.

  "What do you mean Us Maria? There was never any us. I thought you understood that, heck you told me that you understood."

  "Yeah, I did. You just hadn't realized it. I had bad timing that's all, don't you understand? I still love you and I know deep down you love me too. It just needs some time to surface." She says sitting on my bed now gripping my hands in hers.

  “No. I told you then and I still stand by it today Maria. I love you like a sister nothing more. Even if I did I sure wouldn't now, what you did was ruthless. No one deserved that. Especially not Macey."

 

  She was almost on the verge of tears now but tried to hold it back," Just as I said bad timing. I should have waited a while before I tried to make a move. I should also go and make that officer give up his job. He shouldn’t have been that blunt. If he hadn't you might not have been so upset." Fed up with her I get up from the bed, grab my helmet and leather jacket and leave the room. I hear Maria following trying to make up for what she's said. But by the time she knows what to say I've already grabbed my keys and am about to walk out the door.

  I turn to her right before I leave and say in a menacing tone," Leave me alone, I don't want to talk to you, and at this moment I don't want to look at you. You claim that you want to be a private investigator? Well forget it. If you can't stand people you have a crush on being in love with someone else then you have no business trying to help them. This is a perfect example of that. Macey explained what had happened but you turned your back to her. Not all that good on a report if you ask me." With that I turn on my heel and walk out the door. Being sure to slam it in good measure.

  Quickly I walk around the house and burst in to a run still carrying my helmet and leathers. I find my shed and unlock it using a key on my key chain. I throw open the door to see my 2013 Honda PCX150 motorcycle. I quickly pull on my leather jacket and thrust my helmet on. For good measure I grab my extra one off the wall hook and put in the storage area. I turn the keys in the ignition and hear the calming sound of it starting up. I slowly back it out of the shed and close the door. I kick my motorcycle in to gear and take off down the gravel road of our compound.

  Maria

  Chest's words stung more than a bee sting. Didn't he understand how much I cared about him? I did this for us, yeah what I did to Macey was a low blow, but she had it coming. I was here first; I had my rights to Chest first. He may have said 'no' the first time but that didn't mean anything. He was in shock that first time, and then when Macey came, I don't know what his problem was. But she had no reason to take my rebound shot away from me. It was my right, so I called the police station and told them their missing person number one was here.

  The family is a great friend to the police; we have helped them catch so many of their most wanted that there is hardly any problems in this area. I decided to follow Chest and try to get him to see reason. Macey was gone, there is no possible way that she's coming back. It’s impossible the people at the rehab are going to let her escape. Most likely they'll keep a close eye on her and her parents are definitely going to keep a closer eye on her. She's going to be hundreds of miles from here and won’t remember how to get back here more or less. She told us herself that she was in a druggy state when she wandered off and didn't remember how she got to Sunder.

  I definitely think that she's gone for good. I head outside to tell this to Chest when I hear his motorcycle start up. It only made me move faster to the shed where I know he keeps his bike. I can only imagine what he will put in there for Macey if he finds her and brings her back. I get there a little too late just as Chest takes off down the road. I huff and walk back to the house I can't wait till I can drive. At the moment the only thing I can drive is a four-wheeler around the compound. Even then Amy and Tim don't let me do that alone.

  I feel like screaming. What happened to the girl's code? I know that in my school that if one girl has a guy you like you leave him alone, it’s just plain wrong to steal another girl's guy. Yeah, Chest wasn't really my boyfriend but it’s obvious I have my sights set on him. What does she have that I don't? Obviously I'm stronger and smarter when it comes to fighting Sunder. Getting caught the first time wasn't very good, but it doesn't count when I'm unarmed and they use chloroform. But I was only captured once. While Macey has been caught three times. Twice by Sunder and once by the police. She didn't even try to get free the second time.

  I know I should have said something about the two of them but I didn't feel comfortable with another girl closer to Chest's age than I was being around. Somehow I have to make sure she doesn't stay around. As much as I hate to drag Chest's name through the mud but I don't have much of a choice. He might get in to a little trouble with Amy and Tim but this is what's good for him. He may not see it right now but it’s the truth, and he'll more or less be mad at me in the beginning but later on down the road if I keep him secluded from other girls other than Amy. Elaine, and I then he will be happy.

  It
might take him a couple of months before he comes around, but I'm very patient. I have been waiting for years for him to like me to this point. So what is waiting for a few more months? People always say that good things come to the people who wait. I believe that philosophy, but I don't see a reason why not to help things along a little as long as I don't try to rush them to fast. People's emotions and the outcome of them are like dominoes, once you set off someone's emotions about someone else it’s like pushing over that first domino. Either the line crashes or it turns in to something absolutely amazing.

  To be perfectly honest it could go either way. It all depends on how you do it. So I have to do this delicately or it will all blow up in my face later on. So personally of course I hope it goes my way. This will be good for at least six people. I will get Chest to myself, Chest will get me, and the whole family will be able to be free of the nuisance more commonly known as Macey. Oh gosh I hope this works properly.

  "Sorry Macey but I saw him first, and sorry Chest, my love for having to put you through this mess that you have created for yourself that I am so graciously going to help you
Ann Knightingale's Novels