Chapter Five: Tormented History:

Lanie was a terrible person. She made everyone afraid and miserable around her. I ended up the target of most of her abuse. I never understood why. But she didn’t graduate with my class. I liked to believe that karma caught up to her. I wanted to forget about her after I left my hometown. I wished that I could turn back around.

But when I saw the Fergus County welcome sigh, I knew that it was too late. I might as well get this over with. I drew down the highway towards home. I vowed to myself once this trip was over I would never come back—again. My hands started shaking at the steering wheel.

I can’t do this. I need… I need some coffee.

I pulled into the parking of the small general store called Logan’s. Heh, it looked the same as it did when I first left. I smiled as I shook my head. This place was my haven. It wouldn’t hurt to say hi really quick. Really quick.

I climbed out of my car and hurried to the door. The old ringing bell held would draw attention to me. There weren’t many people around. Good, I could breathe easily. Just get the coffee and hurry back to the car.

“Good morning, stranger!” I heard up ahead of me. My blood ran cold as I froze. I quickly lifted my head. A woman in her seventies stood behind the counter. She a huge smile on her face. I had a cheesy look on my face.

“Good morning,” I said. She narrowed her eyes behind her glasses.

“Celeste?” the old lady asked. “Celeste, is that you?” I put up my hands.

“Yeah, you got me,” I said. “It’s me.” The old lady looked ready to jump over the counter and hug me.

“Celeste! It’s been so long! How have you been?” she asked. I nervously laughed.

“Good, good,” I lied. “And you?” The store owner sighed.

“Sore and tired,” she said. “Plus, business at this store has been kind of slow.”

“Why is that?” I asked. The store owner frowned and shook her head.

“More of our youth keep going to the city,” she said. “If not for us old folks, this town would’ve been dead a long time ago. It doesn’t help that the town is dying now.”

“Oh,” I said. “I’m sorry to hear that.” The store owner tilted her head.

“What brings you back to Fergus?” she asked. I chuckled to myself.

“Mr. Garrison’s funeral,” I said. I noticed the light in her eyes dying.

“Ah,” she said. “Awful thing, isn’t it? They are saying that he was murdered.” I tilted my head.

“Really?” I asked. I braced myself to fall down a gossip rabbit hole. The store owner had a serious look on her face.

“They found him three days ago stabbed to death in his apartment,” she said in a low voice. “That poor nurse was the one who found the body.”

“Oh no, poor woman,” I said. “Do the police have any leads?” The store owner had that uncomfortable look when she didn’t want to tell me anything that I didn’t need to know.

“What can I get for you, dear?” she asked instead.

“Uh… just some coffee please,” I said.

“Hot or cold?” the store owner asked.

“Warm,” I said.

“Coming up,” she said. She turned to the coffee machine and got to work. I stood on my tip toes and tried to look over the counter. I could already see what she was doing. I frowned as I knew that this was going to drive me crazy.

“Come on, Mrs. Duke,” I said. “We do they suspect did it.” She paused over her work. Mrs. Duke mumbled to herself over the filling coffee pot.

“I’m sorry?” I asked. She turned around with a worried look on her face. Right away, I began to regret asking.

“I’m not going to like the answer, am I?” I asked. Mrs. Duke lowered her head.

“Who is it?” I asked. “Please, I have to know.” She looked up with a worried look in her eyes. The next thing she said made my heart and stomach drop.

“We think that Lanie killed her grandfather,” Mrs. Duke said in a strained voice. The coffee pot started to overflow.