Chapter 62 Chapter 62
Tessa
I was staring blankly at the TV when a loud crash startled me. I jumped up and rushed towards the sound; the faint sound of tires screeching away could be heard faintly as I yanked the door open. There was a large rock on the floor on my welcome mat, and a piece of paper was taped to it.
I bent down and picked it up and opened it.
“Murder’s Daughter. Bastard child, a disgraceful bitch is what you are. You’ll suffer the same way. You better start running.”
I stared at the paper. I wanted to crush it up but didn't. I walked back inside and closed the door and walked straight to the kitchen and dropped it into a Ziploc bag.
I stood in my kitchen for two seconds before coming to one conclusion. I needed to handle this myself. I can't depend on Zaiel or the police; I was done, and I would give them a taste of their own medicine. I made a mental list. 1: Mark’s wife was now in Georgetown; she was here to make me miserable. This was just the beginning. She could and would turn the community against me. I needed to let them know, especially the people around me and whom I had gotten close to.
2: I needed to take some classes, self-defense. If it comes to it, I need to be confident enough to protect myself. I can't wait for someone else to do it. I wasn't going to be a victim anymore or a fucking damsel in distress.
3: A gun. I needed one and needed to be able to use one if it came to it.
I went back to the living room, grabbing my laptop on the way. I began searching Texas laws on guns and shooting ranges. I found a shooting range that was about thirty minutes away from me. Shady Oaks Gun Ranges had one-to-one instructions. I grabbed the notepad and jotted the address down. Then I checked for a gun; I found a store on Main Street. I jotted down the address also. Then I made a check for self-defense classes. I found one right on Main Street; I was going to make my rounds tomorrow morning.
I closed the laptop. I dropped the notepad and headed to my room. I had a fitful night; I couldn't really sleep. I woke up and had my morning coffee, and after a shower, I got dressed. I opened the closet and opened the suitcase and grabbed two bundles of the money and stuck them into my handbag. I needed to hide this money better; I closed the suitcase and dragged it all the way down to the small basement and left it under the stairs and headed out.
I drove to the gun store, Shady Oaks, first. I met the man in charge, and I explained to him that I needed lessons. He told me about all the classes; I opted for one-on-one. The price made me raise an eyebrow, but I still paid. My first session would start tomorrow.
Then I drove back into town. I parked in the lot of the gun store. I took a deep breath before walking into the store; I navigated past the fishing rods and camping gear toward the back wall. The gun counter was busy, which made it less intimidating. When the clerk finally got to me, I skipped the small talk and just told him,
"I need something for the house. Protection." He was actually relaxed about it, showing me a few basic guns, and once I picked one, the real process started: my ID, filling out that long, complicated federal form, the 4473, and then waiting while he ran the background check. It was surreal, but twenty minutes later, the system pinged Approved. Signing the final receipt, I slipped the gun into its bag; it wasn't a cool action movie moment, but holding the weight of that thing suddenly made me feel grounded, like a serious, if unwelcome, fucking game had just begun.
I left the store feeling more confident. Decided I needed to let Carol know I wouldn’t be working anymore. I started working at the restaurant to keep busy, not because I needed the money. I drove straight to the restaurant. When I walked in, Caroline was sitting there; when she saw me, she smirked.
“Girl, it’s your day off. What in the world are you doing here?” Brooks asked.
“Needed to speak to Bethany and you guys,” I said.
“Shoot, I reckoned you were still home, all tanked up?” Paige said.
I laughed and shook my head. “I’m heading to speak to Bethany,” I said, heading to the back. I walked to the back and knocked on the door before walking in. When Bethany saw me, she smiled.
“What can I do for you, Tess?” she asked in her warm tone.
“There is something I need to tell you and the others. Can you get them in here, and then they’ll tell the others?” I asked, and I guess she heard something in my tone, and she nodded. She picked up her phone and texted someone. A few seconds later, the door opened, and Brooks came in, along with Paige, Harper, and Savannah.
Harper was about to speak, but Bethany held up her hand. “Tessa has something important to say,” Bethany said.
I took a deep breath before speaking. “My name is Teaas Ray Jansen, born in Fredericksburg. “My father, Arthur Jansen, is currently sitting in a prison for murdering my stepmother, Gracie Rusland, because her son, my stepbrother Alex Rusland, had been raping me for years,” I said and saw the shocked looks on their faces, but I continued.
I relayed the entire story: my fear, my running, and being hunted for years until I met someone and ended up here. “The woman outside is Caroline Rusland, his wife here, to make my life hell. I can't work here anymore because I don't want your business or lives to become complicated. I have to stop running and handle this. I wanted to tell you myself so if you hear anything, then you can decide what to believe.”
Harper rushed over and hugged me. “Oh, bless your heart, honey. We believe you; don't you worry none. We're right here with you.” Harper said.
“We'll get the word out to the others, don't you fret.” Brooks said.
“This here is your home, plain and simple, and nobody is fixing to run you off.” Paige said.
“It's alright, darlin'. I always reckoned you were running from something. You go take care of your business, and when you're done, your job'll be right here waiting on you.” Bethany said.
I thanked them and said goodbye to them and headed out. When I walked out, Caroline was gone. My next stop was the shooting range.