You Shouldn't Have Come Here

by Jeneva Rose

“This creepy old gas station attendant a ways back . . . kind of chased after me. I didn’t even get to finish filling my tank because of him.” I twisted up my lips. “Well, shit. I’m sorry about that. You okay?” I nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine now. Just caught me by surprise.” “You don’t have to worry about any of that here. I’ll keep you safe, Grace,” Calvin said with a smile. I let out a small laugh and shook my head. “What’s so funny?” he asked, never letting his smile falter. “Oh, nothing. I just realized how I sounded, like some damsel in distress.” “I didn’t think that at all.” Calvin chuckled. “But let me help you with your bags and get you settled in.” He walked toward the back of the vehicle. “Oh, you don’t have to do that.” I didn’t really like people touching my stuff. “Nonsense.” He pressed the button below the license plate, popping the trunk. “Is this because of the whole damsel thing?” I teased. “No, Grace. I specialize in hospitality.” Hoisting both bags out of the car, he threw one over his shoulder and carried the other. “I’ll treat you so good, you won’t want to leave. That’s my motto,” Calvin said, widening his smile.

There was just something about Grace, something different. But I wasn’t ready to chase after another girl. It was too soon.

“Is it uncomfortable having strangers stay in your house?” I asked. Calvin paused, and his eyes met mine. “They’re only strangers at first,” he said with a serious face before finishing up with a Band-Aid wrapped snuggly around my finger.

We continued walking toward the pond where the ducks and chickens roamed practically free. I had always been a big believer in free range, and I really tried to follow that. But not everything was meant to be free. Some things had to be kept in cages.

There she went again, using my full name, making my stomach get all turned upside down. I missed that feeling, but I wasn’t ready for a girl like her. She was going to make resisting her the hardest thing I’ve ever done. But deep down, I already knew I’d fail at that.

“Got any plans for the day?” She crossed her ankle in front of the other. “Relaxing, reading, maybe go for a run.” I raised an eyebrow. “How about some fishing?” “Calvin Wells, are you trying to turn me into a country girl?” she teased. I folded up the newspaper and placed it in the center of the table. There she went saying my full name again, sending a shiver right down my spine. I sat tall in my chair. “I just might be.” I nodded. “Well, I’d like that.” She brought the mug to her mouth again and sipped. I stood and pushed in my chair. “Go and get your proper dirty clothes on, and I’ll meet you down by the river with the gear.” She started toward her bedroom, calling over her shoulder, “It’s a date.” A flush crept up on my cheeks and my heart rate quickened again as I watched her pad down the hallway. Her nightgown just barely covered her backside. I never wanted to see her walk away from me again.

“Shall we make it interesting?” She raised an eyebrow and glanced over at me. “What’d you have in mind?” “First one to catch a fish, the other one has to jump in this river.” “Let’s make it more interesting,” she said. “Oh yeah? Like how?” “First one to catch a fish, the other one has to jump in this river . . . naked.” There she was, surprising me again. I couldn’t help but smile. She cast her line again and looked over, sizing me up. The corner of her mouth lifted in a challenging way. “You got yourself a bet, Grace,” I said, casting my line in again. Her brows drew together as she focused on her task. “Hope you like fish because you’re going to be swimming with them,” I teased as I cast another line. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that, Mr. Wells.” She peered up at me through her lashes and bit her bottom lip. If that was the look I’d get from Grace if she won, I’d lose every day of my life for her.

She had her catch of the day, and I had mine. Grace just didn’t know it yet. She was my catch.

“It’s just odd. Why would a woman travel alone and stay at a total stranger’s house in the middle of nowhere?” She stood and dusted off her hands. “Lots of women do that these days. All a part of that feminist movement.” I kicked some dirt and grass clippings onto the bloody egg, covering it up. “No, they don’t, Calvin.” I gathered another handful of duck eggs, careful not to drop any of them. If one bloody egg meant death, I sure as shit didn’t want to find out what any more of them meant. “Grace is just independent, and she wanted a break from New York City.” I handed them over, and Charlotte placed them in another container. “She’s weird.” “Everyone from New York is a little weird,” I smirked. Charlotte rolled her eyes and closed up two more containers, stacking them in the crate. “She’s stiff, like a robot.” “Maybe around you she is. But she ain’t that way around me.” Char put her hand on my arm and looked up at me, her face turning serious. “I’m just saying be careful with that girl. I think she’s bad news.”

“Hey, Calvin.” I turned back. “Yeah.” “There’s something I want to talk to you about after she leaves.” I shifted my stance and slid a hand into my front pocket. “You can tell me now.” “No, it can wait.” Charlotte turned the key in the ignition. “What if she doesn’t leave?” I said with a laugh, only half joking. She put the car in drive and looked over at me. “Then I’ll throw her out myself.” Her eyes narrowed for a moment but then she flashed a smile that could only best be described as sinister.

“There’s something special about Grace. Something different. I know she leaves in six days but maybe she doesn’t have to. She and I could get to know one another on a deeper level. She could be the girl of my dreams, and, what, I’m just gonna throw that away because time constraint, location, or not being completely ready? I think Grace is worth fighting for, worth risking it all for.”

“Don’t worry. I’ve got you.” I’ll always have you.

“You’re not seriously carrying me all the way?” She raised an eyebrow. The sun highlighted her button nose. “I most certainly am. I’ll carry you around for the next six days if I have to.”

I’d take care of Grace every day of my life if she’d let me and even if she wouldn’t.

“I’m following up on a missing person’s report for a woman by the name of Briana Becker. Her sister from Michigan reported her missing early this afternoon. Apparently, she was traveling alone on a cross-country road trip, and they expected her home three days ago but hadn’t heard from her in over two weeks.”

The door with the padlock that supposedly led to the basement made me stop in my tracks. I stared at it, wondering what was on the other side. A shiver ran down my spine as a thought crossed my mind. The missing woman. The scream I heard the other night. The woman’s clothes in the dresser. Maybe they weren’t his ex’s. Maybe they were Briana’s. I made my way down the hallway and closed the bedroom door behind me. When I went to turn the lock, I realized there wasn’t one.

“Whoa!” Joe took a step to the side and looked behind me. “Who is that?” I turned around and saw Grace laying out a towel on the ground. She bent over, her whole behind in view, and placed a book on the ground. Then she straightened the towel and laid down on her back. Joe’s eyes slithered over Grace. I didn’t like the way he was looking at her. “Hey.” I patted the side of his cheek. “That’s my guest. I told you about her last night. She’s the one with the car trouble.” Joe let out a high-pitched whistle. “They don’t make them like that around here.” I shifted and stood in front of him, blocking his view. “Stop. She’s a lady.” “She’s a knockout.” He tried to get another look at her, but I blocked him. I folded my arms across my chest. “I’m going to knock you out if you don’t stop making eyes at her.” Joe’s face turned serious. “You like her?” he said in a low voice. “She’s only here ’til Wednesday.” “That didn’t answer my question.” I shrugged. “Maybe.” Joe patted my shoulder, and his eyes glistened. “I’m glad you’re moving on.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure you’re not stranded here with my big bro.” He laughed. Grace’s eyes bounced from me to Joe and back again like a pendulum swinging. My jaw tightened but I smiled anyway and steered my brother toward the house. The less he said to her the better.

I watched the two of them walk away. Joe was nearly six inches shorter than Calvin, but they were different in more ways than just height. A lump sat in the pit of my stomach. It had begun to form a few days prior, and grew with each passing moment. It was like a tumor; maybe benign, maybe cancerous. Regardless, I’d find out soon enough. Joe’s presence was like Miracle Grow for the lump. There was something off about him. He seemed like a man with a guilty conscience. It gave me that sinking feeling like when you sense something bad is going to happen—a primal instinct for impending doom. Like a cold sweat. Hairs that stand upright. Goose bumps on hot skin. It wasn’t just Joe though. It was this ranch. It was Calvin too. He seemed apprehensive about his brother’s very presence—like a zookeeper with a wild animal, careful to keep their guard up while also anticipating the ferocity of the creature. The two walked side by side, playfully pushing each other and laughing like a pair of brothers would. Then again, looks could be deceiving. I’m sure Abel loved Cain right up until the very end.

“Glad to see you out and about.” She tilted her head. “But you might want to keep Joe away from her,” Maxie warned. “It was an accident,” I said in a low voice. “Some people around here don’t believe that.” I shook my head. “Don’t go on believing them rumors.” She squinted her eyes, and I knew then that some of her famous advice was coming my way. Maxie was more than the town’s barkeep; she was the town’s therapist too. Unofficially, of course—she didn’t have a degree. She just knew everyone’s problems and knew what everyone needed to hear. “What one person calls a rumor, another calls the truth. I wouldn’t be so quick to determine which one it is.” She slapped the palm of her hand against the bar top, picked up a wet rag, and started wiping it down. “He’s my brother, Maxie.” I tilted my head. “Ted Bundy had a brother,” she quipped. “Half brother.” I turned back toward Grace and Joe, watching him closely.

Calvin picked up a bouquet of roses and set them in the cart. “Who are those for?” “Oh, just some Airbnb guest of mine.” “I should be the one buying you a present. It’s your birthday.” “You’re my present, Grace.” Calvin smiled wide.

“Who’s Wyatt?” “Charlotte’s ex.” And if I was being honest, I’d tell Grace she was technically my ex too . . . if one-night stands counted for anything.

“Whatcha making?” he asked. “Brussels sprouts.” I finally looked over at him. His eyes were right where I thought they’d be—on me. “That’s odd,” Joe said. He swigged his beer. “Why?” “Because Calvin hates brussels sprouts.” My lips parted but I quickly pressed them together. “Oh. I didn’t know that.” Calvin had lied to me about something as stupid as liking brussels sprouts. I’m sure it was because he didn’t want to hurt my feelings. But it left me wondering what else he was lying about.

“Did something happen between you and Calvin?” I asked. She narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips together. “Why? Did he say something?” If I told her yes, I knew she’d tell me more. If I told her no, I knew it would anger her. Did I want to know more, or did I want to just piss her off right now? I was tired of her hanging around, and I wasn’t sure how much longer I could bite my tongue. “No, he doesn’t talk about you at all.” Charlotte’s eyes looked like glass. She inhaled and exhaled sharply. Her hand clenched into a fist by her side. “You know what. In four days, you’ll be gone, and I’ll still be here.” She raised her chin and smirked. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that.” Charlotte let out a huff and returned the broom and dustpan to their place. She stomped across the kitchen and threw open the sliding door. Before exiting, she turned and looked at me. “I hope Joe keeps you here permanently.” I drew my brows together. But before I could ask her what she meant by that, she slammed the door closed behind her.

“Look at you. My brother’s falling in love with a city girl.” “That girl is going to rip your heart out,” Wyatt said. “Trust me. Charlotte did the same to me.” “I hate to say it, but Wyatt has a point.” Joe lowered his chin. “She’s leaving in four days.” “Not to sound cliché, but I think I can get her to stay.” I immediately regretted the words as they left my mouth. Wyatt and Joe glanced at one another and then gave me a puzzled look. I knew Grace wanted me. And I wanted her. And at the end of the day, there was nothing complicated about that. “What are you going to do? Lock her in the basement?” Joe chuckled. “I got an extra set of handcuffs,” Wyatt teased. Shaking my head, I laughed with them but it was forced because I was dead serious. I swigged my beer, imagining a life with Miss Grace Evans. I hoped I wouldn’t have to imagine it for much longer.

“Cheers, to you, Grace. Thank you for being not only a guest in my home but a guest in my heart too.” It was a cheesy toast, and I regretted it as soon as the words slithered out of my mouth, but she didn’t seem to mind it. She clinked her glass against mine and smiled. “Perhaps I’ll take residence up in both.”

“I’m thinking . . .” She bit her lower lip. “That I don’t want this to end.” I smiled. “I was thinking the same thing.” “Calvin.” “Yes, Grace.” “There are no secrets between us.” I wasn’t sure if it was a question or a statement, but I nodded. “No secrets,” I said.

“One year ago today. Joe was driving that night.” Her eyes widened. “We had gone out for my birthday. He drove us back because Lisa and I had a little too much to drink. He hit an elk going sixty not far down the road from here. Lisa was gored by the elk. She died before the paramedics arrived. I walked away with cuts and bruises. Joe suffered a traumatic brain injury. He was in a coma for a week. He doesn’t remember anything about the night of the accident. Doctors said he probably never will.” I looked to Grace, gauging her response. “That’s awful. But why would Charlotte say something like that?” “Some people think Joe hit that elk on purpose.” “What? How could they think that?” “Because the police didn’t find any tire marks, meaning he never hit the brakes.” I folded in my lips.

“I really wish Charlotte hadn’t said that to you.” Grace glanced over at me. “Me too, but I’m glad I know,” she said, sliding her hand into mine. I squeezed it tight. “I wouldn’t let anything ever happen to you. You’re safe here with me. I promise.” I had every intention of keeping that promise, but intentions were just partially laid plans, and they were subject to change.

And then it hit me. The ranch had no cell service, and if the Wi-Fi was down then, Briana wouldn’t have been able to check in even if she was here.

“I’m really sorry, Grace. I’m going to make this up to you. I want this to work. Us, that is. We still have a few days together. Please don’t shut me out yet.” His voice was deep yet soft. He patted my knee. “You haven’t shut me out yet, have you?” I looked at his hand resting on my body. A shiver ran down my spine. I shook my head. He smiled and leaned in, planting a kiss on my cheek. “I’ll be back soon.” Calvin’s eyes lingered on me while he stood. I thought he’d say more but he turned and left the room, closing the door behind him. I took a deep breath. Calvin was right about one thing: we only had a few more days left, he only had a few more days left . . . and then I would leave all of this behind me.

A piece of paper fell to the floor. I bent down and picked it up. It was a receipt from a bookstore dated two days before I arrived. The total at the bottom was over five hundred dollars. And every book on the shelf was listed on it. An engine outside sputtered. I shoved the book back into its place and peered out the window. Albert’s station wagon crept slowly down the driveway. I let out a sigh, and my eyes flicked back to the bookshelf. It was all a lie, like Calvin had designed a set for my arrival.

“I slept with Joe,” she seethed. “Last night.” Charlotte pushed past me “And I told him everything!”

“I love you, Grace Evans. These aren’t the best circumstances to tell you this, but I do. I’ve fallen in love with you.” Parts of his face twitched. My silence was infuriating him, but he was trying his best to hide the anger. His best wasn’t good enough. When I didn’t speak, he cleared his throat. “And I don’t want you to say it back. I just wanted you to know how I felt.” He stood from the bed and walked to the door.

“You don’t do Airbnb for the money, do you?” Maybe she did have me all figured out. I shook my head and drank. “No, I don’t.” “Why’d you lie to me?” she asked, setting her empty plate down on the table between us. “How’d you know I was lying?” “It doesn’t matter how I knew. It matters why you lied.” Grace eyed me. She must have been watching me carefully this whole time. I let out a deep breath and some of the truth came out with it. “I lied because I was embarrassed. My parent’s life insurance policies left me a lot of money, but I learned quickly that money ain’t everything. So, I started Airbnb simply because I was lonely.” My eyes flicked to her. Grace pulled in her lips and lowered her chin. I think she felt bad for me.

“Calvin’s taken everything from me. I think it’s time I take something from him.” His lips curved into a sinister smile. He hurled the beer bottle. As it shattered against the wall behind me, Joe wrapped his hand around the telephone cord and yanked the phone. It fell to the floor with a thud, breaking into several pieces. “I never remembered driving the night Lisa died.” He gazed up at the ceiling like he was trying to conjure up a memory. I furrowed my brow. “What are you saying?” “I remember going out with Calvin and Lisa. I really didn’t want to because I’d worked twenty-four hours straight between the ranch and the auto shop. I just wanted to sleep, but it was his birthday. We took my truck to Pine Tavern. That’s the last thing I remember.” “So, you must have fallen asleep on the drive home,” I said, inching away. He stared into my eyes, moving his jaw side to side. My back pressed against the wall. It was as far away as I could get from him in the small kitchen. Charlotte’s words sprung to the front of my mind again. I hope Joe keeps you here permanently. “Maybe. But Char told me something that makes me think otherwise. She said she saw us leave that night.” Joe coughed and blood trickled out of his mouth. He spit it onto the floor and wiped his lips with the back of his hand. “What did she tell you?”

“You shouldn’t have come here, Grace.”

“I’m saving you, Grace,” he said. “From Calvin.”

“Calvin the golden boy always saving the day.” Joe shook his head and let out a huff. I threw my hands up. “What the fuck are you doing?” I took a few steps toward him, squaring up, ready to beat his ass again. “It should have burned down the first time,” he said. I tried to look him in the eyes, but it was like he was looking right through me. “How could you say something like that, Joe?” He opened them a little more, making it clear he could see me. “The fire didn’t kill Mom and Dad. Mom killed Dad and then killed herself.” “No, they died in the fire.” I shook my head. “You’re lying.” I heard the screen door close behind me and quickly glanced back. Albert scurried out of the house. “No, I’m not Calvin. Looks like you and Mom have something in common.”

“You’re lying,” I said in disbelief. “You know I’m not the liar in the family.” He shifted his stance, trying to stand upright on his own. But his body slumped to one side. “You are. There’s a darkness here. Can’t you feel it?” Joe stagged past me, through the living room and toward the front door. “I know you can feel it, Calvin, because it’s in you too.”

“The house is evil. It infects everyone,” she said just above a whisper. “Nothing good happens here.” “Betty, are you okay?” She didn’t react. She just continued whispering. “You shouldn’t have come here because now I’m not sure you’ll be able to leave.” “Betty,” I said again, but this time I grabbed her hand. She flinched and let out a gulp, like all the air had been sucked out of her body. She blinked several times. I must have come into focus for her because she turned her head toward me almost robotically. “Grace, I’m sorry. I don’t know what I said.” Betty shook her head and took a step back, bringing her hands to her face. She rubbed at it violently like she was trying to wake herself from a bad dream. I was going to tell her to stop but my voice got stuck in my throat. Betty turned and scrambled toward her vehicle. “Please don’t tell Calvin I was here.”

When I reached for the lock, it was then that I noticed what Calvin had done. The handle had been installed the wrong way. Instead of locking others out, it would lock me in. It was no longer a bedroom. It was a cage.

When she appeared in the kitchen, I let out the breath I didn’t realize I was holding in. Cliché, I know. But it’s true. Grace always took my breath away.

“I’m sorry, Grace. I lied about Albert. He’s my uncle, my degenerate uncle. And I’m just embarrassed of him. He shows up every few months and crashes with me, picks up some of his stuff from the basement, and then he’s gone after a few days. I just didn’t want you to associate him with me.” Calvin folded up the photo and slid it into his back pocket. “I’m such an idiot. I’m not good at this type of stuff. I like you, and I didn’t want to give you any reason not to like me. It’s why I’ve told some dumb lies.” He shook his head. “I don’t get many chances with girls like you, and I didn’t want anything screwing it up.” Calvin just kept talking in circles, playing the I’m-a-dumb-country-boy routine. I wasn’t buying it, not this time. He was cunning and meticulous. “You can trust me, Grace.” His eyes were intense. Trust. I nearly laughed out loud, but I was walking a thin line between safety and whatever the hell Calvin would do to me. “Did Bri Becker trust you?” I narrowed mine and pressed my lips firmly together. He raised his brows. “Bri Becker?” “The missing woman. The one the sheriff came here asking about.” “I already told you and the sheriff. She never showed up. I didn’t lie about that.”

“I’m sorry. I can’t,” I said. He scratched at his forehead. “I’m leaving tomorrow.” Calvin took a deep breath that sounded more like a grunt. “I know you think you are, Grace,” he said, narrowing his eyes. I blinked a few times and stepped back. “What did you say?” “I said I know you are, Grace.” I took another step back. Is that what he said? I wasn’t sure. I wasn’t sure about anything anymore. “I’m sorry. I just misread things.” He slapped the palm of his hand against his forehead. “Sleep well,” he said and then he slunk back toward the kitchen. I retreated down the hallway, not turning around until I felt the door handle in my hand. I opened the door and closed it behind me. When I reached for the lock, I realized he hadn’t fixed it like he said he would. Before getting into bed, I leaned the desk chair against the door, securing the back underneath the handle. I hoped he’d leave it unlocked for me in the morning.

Lisa sat in the passenger seat beside me while I drove Joe’s truck on the black twisting road. It was dark outside, the only light coming from the moon and the vehicle’s headlights. I couldn’t tell if the rumbling was coming from the truck or Joe asleep in the back seat, snoring away. She glanced over at me and smiled. Her hair was full of blond ringlets and her eyes were green like emeralds. The evening was perfect until it wasn’t anymore. “Calvin, I’m leaving next week,” she said shakily. “What do you mean?” I tried to keep my eyes on the road, but I kept looking over at her. “My assignment is over.” “I thought you extended it already.” I gripped the steering wheel a little tighter. Lisa tilted her head. “I tried. But they don’t need me anymore, so I accepted a temporary nursing position in Alaska. I start next week.” “You didn’t even talk to me about this,” I yelled. She reached out and put her hand on my shoulder. “I’m talking to you right now.” “No, you’re not. You’re just telling me how it’s going to be.” I flicked her hand off and shoved her back. “Calvin,” she nearly cried. “This doesn’t have to be the end for us.” I saw red and pressed down on the gas pedal. The truck sped up from forty to forty-five. “Yes, it does,” I said. “Slow down, Calvin,” Lisa begged. Up ahead an animal prepared to cross the road. The headlights made its eyes glow. Lisa swatted me several times, telling me to slow down. I shoved her again, harder this time. Her head cracked against the pass...

“Are you Grace?” Her voice croaked. I tilted my head. “Yeah. How did you know that?” She let out a howl of a cry, a mix of relief and sadness. “Calvin told me about you. You were going to replace me just like I replaced the last girl.” I glanced around the shed. A couple of empty cans of Coca-Cola and a bowl of rotten brussels sprouts sat near her. Calvin had been keeping her alive out here like she was one of his ranch animals. Of course, he was feeding her my brussels sprouts.

My work here was complete. You might be wondering how or why. Who would do a thing like that? Let me reintroduce myself. My name is Avery Adams. I’m your next-door neighbor. The woman at the café. The girl who jogs in the park every day. Says hello to strangers. Holds the door open. Gives up her seat for the elderly. A volunteer for an animal shelter. I’m the girl at a bar on a Friday night and the woman in church on a Sunday morning. I’m every girl you’ve ever known and every girl you have yet to meet. My name is Avery Adams. I love meeting new people—and I love killing them too.

Everything had gone according to plan—mostly. This wasn’t my first rodeo. This was what I needed to do. It kept my life in balance. It kept me in equilibrium. Have you ever had an itch in the middle of your back, just out of reach? I have, and I’ve learned how to scratch it. From a young age, I knew I was different. I wasn’t like the other kids. Nothing bad ever happened to me. My parents didn’t abuse or abandon me. I was never sexually assaulted. I was just different. My brain was wired like the handy work of an electrician in the middle of an apprenticeship—not right by normal standards, but it still worked, just a bit different. Some people kill because they enjoy it. And I know that’s frustrating to hear. There is no why. There’s no rhyme or reason. I just enjoy it. Call it a hobby if you will. You like to read. I like to watch the life drain from a person. To see the light behind their eyes flicker out. To watch their face go lax. To watch the future they had envisioned for themselves disappear. Like a magic trick. Poof, it’s all gone. Call me a magician, why don’t you? Serial killer has a nice ring to it. But I actually prefer just Avery. You can call me Avery.