Dear Edward - Heather Parsons (smart books to read .TXT) 📗

I kicked in the door. She has to be in there somewhere, she has...” Edward sentence trailed off when he saw the officers tears. His worst fears coming to light, he wasn't fast enough in getting to her.
“She was in there.” Sgt. Edding dropped down beside him, his body seemed to lose everything that held it together. “She was taken two years ago and no one's seen her since today. Do you understand what I'm saying?”
“Sure, you're saying she's in there and you're out here. You need to help her, she's hurting!” Edward yelled. He couldn't believe he'd sit down and give up when Brianna needed help. And when the officer didn't move, Edward stood and walked deftly towards the cabin.
“You don't want to do that, son!” Sgt. Edding yelled. Gathering up what was left of his will he ran over to the boy and stopped him before he'd made it to the doorway.
“If you're not going to help her, then I will.” Edward demanded, trying to shake off the officers grip.
“You can't help her anymore than I can.” Sgt. Edding stressed. “She's dead! Brianna's dead.”
The words didn't sink in first. “This is not funny!” He screamed, wrestling with the officer.
“I'm not trying to be.”
Tears flooded Edward's eyes. This wasn't happening, he thought. If he'd just stayed instead of running away then she'd be fine, safe.
Sensing his inner struggle, Sgt. Edding said, “she's been gone a long time. The most we can do for her is give her a proper burial.”
They wrapped their arms around each other and held on for dear life. Stunned to tears Edward still didn't want to believe what the officer was saying was true.
When at last Brianna's body was recovered and taken out of the cabin, all eyes were teary and looking right at her. Even though they couldn't see her through the black bag that covered her they all knew in their minds and pictured her as she was.
“You can't cover her up!” Edward screamed, still wrapped up in Sgt. Edding's arms and trying hard to break free. They can't treat her like that, he thought.

~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~

The sun rose the next day and all the excitement from the celebration was gone. Bringing the body of Brianna Sampson home was the saddest day they'd had. No one come out of their houses, there was no one calling anyone and the town itself looked like a ghost town. All activities ceased when the news spread. There were no flags flown on this day.
Edward with no place to go found himself wondering around Brianna's home. The house itself looked lived in but wasn't and no one around ever thought of selling it, even now with knowing she'd never be back. They'd all hoped she would have come back and lived in it and right now Edward wished the same.
Laying down on her bed made him feel close to her. He could still smell her scent on the sheets and when he closed his eyes, he saw her standing in front of him. The dream was peaceful and he wished himself to never wake up again.
“Edward,” Brianna whispered, she reached across her bed and gently brushed her hand across his cheek.
“Hmm Brianna,” he said, smiling with his eyes closed. Her touch felt so real he couldn't stop the tears from falling. Being in her house did bring his dreams to life.
“Wake up Edward. I need your help.” Brianna whispered closer to his ear. She'd hope he'd help her but wasn't certain of it. Would he be afraid of you? Would he ran away and leave? She didn't want to believe but after what he saw, he just might.
“Brianna I tried to help but wasn't fast enough.” Edward murmured. This dream was surreal.
“No. Please wake, Edward. I need you.” She said moving across the bed to watch him open his eyes. She needed to see them, longed too.
Finally his eyes opened and what he saw in front of him scared him to near death. “Brianna! Oh, no, no, no!” He jumped off the bed and ran out of the house. His heart raced in his chest, this couldn't be happening, he thought. You saw her body being carried away, she couldn't have been standing in front of you, that's not possible.
He'd run clear out of the house and made it as far as the middle of the drive before turning around and chancing a look back. Standing in front of one of the windows he could see her standing there. She looked alive and well with no sign of any harm done to her but was she? You could still be dreaming, Edward.

TWENTY

How does anyone react when in a situation like this?
Standing beside her own casket, her hand running along the wood paneling, Brianna fought hard to keep on her feet. Her body shook with fear, she'd always thought when her body was discovered her nightmare would end. And as the casket was being lower into the opened grave Brianna felt her hand slip and fell to the ground beside it.
For the last few months she's tried, giving subtle jesters, trying to tell anyone who'd listen who murdered her. And as much as she would love to curse his name to the depth of hell, she couldn't. His name burned in her throat, scorching flames as the memory revealed her nightmare.
Edward stood in the back looking through slitted eyes, not listening to a single word spoken. Disembodying himself for what was happening and trying to sort through his many thoughts.
The last person he was certain had seen Brianna was Jason. And all the answers to his questions lay inside him. That much he was certain of.
“Are you okay, man?” Adam asked, grasping his shoulder and snapping him back to the here and now.
Edward's shoulders stiffened at his touch and his eyes opened wider. Although he had been looking forward the entire time it wasn't until now that he noticed her.
Brianna was sitting at the edge of her open grave. Her eyes were red rimmed and teary but she looked lost. Her eyes darted back and forth from the grave to the surrounding people who attended her funeral.
Feeling his own eyes tear up he looked away, searching for Jason. Needing answers.
Jason stood off to the edge. His arm draped lightly around an attractive but young brunette. She held a child in her arms but was looking down at the ground in front of her. Shifting her feet side to side, Edward knew she was uncomfortable. But why?
“Jason, can I have a word with you?” Edward asked in low whispers. The less everyone heard the better.
“Maya, go on home. This won't take but a few and I'll meet you there.” Jason said, kissing the young girl then walking away.
Maya looked up meeting his eyes, her own filled with sadness and fear. Nodding her head as her lower lip trembled, she backed away slowly, clutching the child closer to her. When she noticed he no longer looked her way, she turned on shaky limbs and walked swiftly away.
Edward watched her closely until she was out of view and slowly turned back to Jason. She was afraid of him but why? When they'd walked a short distance away from the funeral, Edward stopped leaving an arm's length between them. Unsure of what to ask first, he was even more unsure of how Jason would react to his questions. Taking a deep breath for courage Ethan asked, “what happened between you and Brianna?”
At the sound of her name, Brianna looked up. Was Edward taking her seriously? Was he helping her? Does this mean he believes her? Oh please, she begged within herself, let this be true.
“It doesn't matter anymore. She's gone.” Jason paused in mid thought and looked towards the open grave. His heart plummeted, she'd left him without an explanation to why. “Why are you asking?”
“Just curious. You were the last one to see her, right?” Edward watched him clinch his fists at his side.
“What are you trying to imply, that I killed her? Why would I? I loved her, we fought the last time I saw her but she was still alive when I left. I even went out searching for her everyday!” Jason shouted, his eyes blazing with fire. “Don't you dare accuse me of not trying to find her!”
“I see you moved go quickly.” The words spilled out of Edward's mouth with disgust.
“Screw you!” Jason spit out.
Edward knew what was coming, expected as much from Jason's come-back but when his fist connected with the side of his face, all hell broke loose. They both were throwing punches, both hitting and missing. Not caring if anyone saw them or where they were.
John caught sight of the fight before anyone else and made a mad dash to break them apart. Of course with help from Adam and Chase, the two were separated and both were bleeding.
“This is not the place for this. You two should be ashamed!” John whispered his warning through gritted teeth.
Jason opened and closed his mouth only allowing a low murmuring growl to escape. Of course, he thought, his dad would accuse him as well as all the others that were now watching. And with that confirmation Jason turned about face and marched off.
Once Jason was far enough away, Edward's mind cleared of the hatred and began thinking why the fight started in the first place. What made you point your finger at Jason? Say things to provoke him?
He wasn't a detective like his father once was. And that's what ultimately ended his parents life, snuffed it out of existence. Your not like him so stop trying to be, Ethan.
Shaking his head Edward walked off in the opposite direction, finding a spot far enough away to sit and think about everything. He shouldn't be here, this has really nothing to do with him. Your just passing through, remember.
Edward had his head in his hands, rubbing his temples and trying to clear his mind of every thought. Trying to find an easy path out of the hell