FanStory.com - Truth Be Told (Miranda)by GWHARGIS

***So far, Miranda Jessup Buckley has been jilted, fired and left to take care of her ex-lover's child. Every day something happens that further convinces her, Missy Toblerone, her former friend from high school, is a dangerous person. Dougie Wilcox is back and asking for money. Her neighbor, Aaron is still trying to get her to help him find his great uncle's submerged car in Haynes Pond.

*************

Fifteen minutes into the movie, there's a knock on my door. Waylon pauses the movie, and I peek through the blinds on the kitchen window. There stands Aaron Earl.

"It's after ten o'clock," I say as I open the door. "What's so important?"

He looks past me and says hey to Waylon. "Can I come in? "

I shrug, step aside and he breezes past me. "Oh, y'all watching a movie. What movie? "

"Aaron. Focus. Why did you come over?"

"It's about my great uncle's car. Have you given any more thought to going back?"

I had hoped that with everything going on right now, Aaron would just forget about it. No such luck.

"My friend, Guy, said we can use his gear this weekend. This might be my last opportunity to bring peace and closure to my family."

He stands there looking like some baby-faced man-child. I know it means a lot to him. We've been with him since the first day he and Waylon found the car. He wants us there with him at the finish line, so to speak. I get it. But Haynes Pond is also where I found Ed Preston's body. For me, Haynes Pond isn't a place of adventure, it's a place where a nightmare started for me.

"Let me think about it. "

He looks a little disappointed. "That's what you said two weeks ago."

I cock one eyebrow and place my hands on my hips. "And, I'm saying it again."

Aaron bites his bottom lip, and nods. "This is really important to me."

"I know, Aaron," I say as gently as I can. "But it's dangerous and I'm really not sure I'm ready to go back."

He says goodnight and I stand at the door watching him walk home. Once he's safely inside his house, I turn off the porch light, close and lock the door.

Waylon is looking at me. He doesn't unpause the movie. He's got something on his mind.

"Yes?" I say, turning to face him as I sit on the couch.

"Were you glad to see my dad today?"

I should lie. A polite little lie that would make Waylon feel okay and make me look like the bigger person. Forgiveness is divine. But I am not a good liar.

"Not really."

"Is he back?"

"I really don't know, Waylon. He stopped by the store and tried to borrow some money. Did he indicate to you that he was coming back?"

Waylon fiddles with the remote. There is something else on his mind.

"Spill it. You want to say something."

He won't look me in the eye. He's afraid.

"Are you scared I won't take him back or that I will take him back?" I ask.

He looks up, briefly, but I can see the fear in his eyes. "It's just, well, I just like it here."

"You think I'm gonna make him take you with him? Oh, no. No, no, no. You can stay with me for as long as you want, kiddo. We're a good team, you and me."

Relief in the form of a smile comes to his face. "I'm the brawn and you're the brains."

Before I get caught up in the moment and start tearing up, I change the subject. "So, about Haynes Pond, you want to go back?"

He nods vigorously. "Yes!"

"I'm gonna talk to the sheriff about it. Better to find out what's involved before we go messing around there."

Waylon frowns. "You're gonna narc on Aaron?"

"It's not narcing. I'm pretty sure messing with dead bodies is a crime. Besides, cars aren't normally ten feet underwater. It could be his great uncle. It could be an unsolved disappearance from years ago. I don't know, you don't know and I know damn well, Aaron doesn't know. Sheriff Mitch will be our best asset."

"Or he'll shut us down."

"Whoever is down there will be recovered. If it's Aaron's great uncle, his family will get closure. And Aaron will get the credit for finding him."

Waylon leans over and hugs me, puts the remote on the coffee table. "We can finish the movie tomorrow night. I'm tired."

He pulls the cushions off the couch after I get up and starts setting up his bed.

"Night, kid."

"Night, Miranda. "

**************

Mitch is at the Little Eagle when I get there in the morning. He tips his hat as I walk past his car.

"Sheriff, you back for a free muffin?"

"Now, that does sound good, but no. Just out here patrolling the back roads of Patterson County. You know, risking my life to keep these streets safe."

"Why, sounds like you're about to run for office."

"Just doing my job. My thankless, dangerous job. Not that I want a fuss made over me, mind you."

"Okay. Have it your way. " I adjust the shoulder strap of my purse and pull open the door. I want to turn around and see his face but I don't want to laugh.

"That's cold, Miranda," he calls as I step inside.

I drop my purse behind the counter, go grab an apple fritter, and carry it back outside.

"Here you go."

"Thank you." He looks the pastry over with unbridled lust in his eyes.

"I have a question for you."

"Shoot."

"Not a smart choice of words for a cop to say."

"Ask."

"First, are you a cop, right now?"

"Of course."

"Then nevermind. I need to speak with a regular guy. The regular guy who was tossing the football around the other night."

"You're scaring me." He tugs a piece of the fried goodie free and pops it in his mouth.

"Hypothetically, if you found a dead body ... or two, and you don't notify the police, is that a crime?"

His head jerks up and his eyes narrow. "What kind of hypothetical question is that?"

"Nevermind, I can see this is getting you upset." I back away, inching towards the door.

"Stop right there. Miranda, I swear to God, if you tell me you found another body...," he says through gritted teeth. "Is this hypothetical or not?"

"Can you come to my house tonight after I get off?"

"Are you asking me out, like on a date?"

"Not really, but sure. I need to ask you some questions and I think it will be better if you're relaxed and have a beer in your hand."

He slides the unfinished fritter into the wax paper sleeve. He removes his hat and his aviator glasses. "I guess I have no choice, now do I?"

"There's always a choice."

At this, he laughs. "You are an amazing woman," he says. "What time?"

"Nine-thirty."

He starts his car, and after a moment, he checks the rear view mirror. "I'll see you at nine-thirty."

My first date with a nice guy. Too bad it's going to be a double date with Waylon and Aaron.

To be continued ...