You Shouldn't Have Come Here

by Jeneva Rose

“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?”