(Three months earlier)

 Sitting on my sofa I gripped the photo of Annmarie in my hands, willing her to come to life as I did every day since she’d died. As with every day before, it didn’t work.

Rather than sit in my depressive apartment any longer, I decided to clean my car. I’d let so many simple tasks go undone. Maybe the mindless work of cleaning my car would help.

I grabbed a trash bag from under the sink, knowing I needed to clean the inside first. I ducked my head as I exited my apartment, unwilling and unable to associate with my neighbors.

Opening the passenger’s side first, I let out a heavy sigh. My car was dirtier than I thought. In fact, I looked like a hoarder.

I reached inside and grabbed a hand full of trash, shoving it into the bag. It felt good to finally do something, anything productive. As I slowly cleared the mess, I moved underneath the seat, not surprised to find even more trash. How could I have let this go so far. I’d prided myself on cleanliness—once upon a time. 

Just as I was about to throw another wad of trash into the bag, a small card fluttered down to the ground. I reached down and grabbed it, staring blankly at the name.

Deputy Halbert J. Miller - Texas Ranger

The man from the cemetery. I remembered briefly passing out that day I’d met him when he insinuated both my daughter and my ex had been murdered. It couldn’t be true. The man and his appearance had given me a creepy feeling. I didn’t want to rehash Annmarie’s death with anyone, especially this man.

Crumpling the card in my hand I tossed it into the bag just as something prickled the back of my neck. I turned, thinking someone was behind me but found no one. It wasn’t an unusual occurrence, it happened from time to time since Annmarie’s death. Only this time, the sensation was much more startling, a warning of sorts

Uncrumpling the card I stared at the phone number for what felt like a lifetime. Against every warning inside me, I knew I needed to call this man, if for no other reason than to settle things once and for all.

Knowing there would be no more cleaning today, I closed the car door and deposited the trash bag into the bin beside me building.

I tugged my disposable cell phone from my back pocket. I’d learned long ago not to have leave or have trace a reporter could possibly find. They called incessantly after Annmarie’s death. I dialed the cell, chewing on my lower lip. What could he possibly want?

“Hello,” a man said.

I glanced down at the card again to make sure I had the name and number correct. “Is this Deputy Halbert Miller with the Texas Rangers?”

He hesitated. “Um, yes. Yes it is. Who is this?”

My fingers itched to end the call, but I’d come this far. Plus, my day was pretty much shot.

“This is Laurel Taskill,” I said. “You visited me at my daughter’s grave.”

“Oh, yes Ms. Taskill, hello. It’s so nice to hear from you. I hope you’re doing better.”

He was referring to fainting spell I assumed. “Yes, I am, thank you. I actually lost your card and just found it this morning.”

“That’s all right,” he said. “I know you’ve been through a lot and need time to process everything. I dropped a big bombshell on you. Your reaction was normal.”

“Look Deputy Miller I’m not sure what your motive is or why you’re pursuing a new avenue in my daughter’s case but I just want you to know that unless you can bring her back to life, I’m not interested in hearing any other details about the crime.”

“Well, actually, Ms. Taskill—”

“Whether it was murder/suicide or two murders it makes no difference to me. It doesn’t bring back my daughter or change the horrific way she died. I’m just asking that you leave the case alone, leave me and Annmarie alone. Let me get on with my life as best I can.” I bit back the emotion threatening to overtake me. “Now, if you’ll excuse me—”

“I’m afraid I can’t leave this alone Laurel. That’s no longer possible.” His voice was deeper, the sound sending goose bumps down my flesh. His once thick Texas drawl was gone, replaced with something that sounded foreign.

“What do you mean, no longer possible?” My stomach clenched and I thought I might vomit, much the way I felt when Annmarie died.

“It’s more complicated than you realize,” he explained. “Your ex-husband has involved you in a way which gives you no option but to face these facts.”

“What are you saying?” I asked, leaning against the side of my building for support. “It sounds like you’re threatening me.”

“Ms. Taskill, I’m not threatening you, I’m just trying to make you aware of all the facts surrounding your family’s murder.” 

“My family?” I laughed with no humor. “Kevin Barret was not my family. He was the worst mistake I ever happened to sleep with. The only good thing he ever gave me was Annmarie and somehow the son of a bitch found a way to take that from me, too.” Tears slid unbidden down my face.

“Look, Ms. Taskill, I’m not trying to upset you again. We really need to meet face to face so I can explain everything. Maybe that will help ease your anxieties.”

I bit back my emotions, stealing my resolve as I’d done many times since my daughter’s death. “Look, man,” I said, no longer feeling the need to be respectful, “I don’t need this right now. I’m trying to get on with my life, get past this. I don’t want to keep going backward by hashing out the details.”

“Ms. Taskill trust me when I say this. If you don’t meet with me to talk about what I know then your life is about to get even worse.”

I sucked in a breath, my throat constricting.

“You need to know this,” he said in a low, frightening tone. “Trust me. It’s for your protection, I promise.”

My head spun and I feared I may actually pass out. Again. I had no idea what to believe, and worse, no one to confide in.

I drew in a deep, steadying breath. “All right,” I said on an exhale, “I’ll meet with you. In public. Not in the cemetery again. But I’m warning you, this is it. After this meeting I want you and everyone else to leave me the hell alone. For good.”

“I understand.”

He didn’t. But I didn’t bother to say that. “When do you want to meet?” 

“We could get together later this evening.”

“Sure, that’s fine,” I said. “Where?”

“Do you know The Warehouse District in downtown Austin?”

That seemed like a weird place to meet. The area was filled with bars and restaurants. “Yes, I know about it.”

“Let’s meet at the Blue Lantern Lounge at 8:30pm. Is that all right?”

Walking downtown by myself at night to meet a basic stranger, even if he was a Texas Ranger, didn’t seem like the best idea. But I was tired, worn out and beyond devasted. I could take a cab or ride-share just to be safe. “Sure,” I finally answered, “sounds good. I’ll see you at 8:30pm.”

“Oh, and Ms. Taskill, please don’t share our conversation with anyone.” His voice dropped deeper, more authoritative, like my father’s when I was in trouble. “If you do, I’ll have no way of securing your safety. I’ll see you at 8:30pm.” Without another word, the phone went dead.