Viper's Run(63)

“There they are.” He nodded toward the refrigerators.

“Where?” Winter asked confused.

Train walked forward, opening one of the refrigerators. Inside were hundreds of plastic baggies with little seeds inside.

Winter’s mouth dropped open. “When we fill the orders, they can often fall out of place. They are filed based on numerical order.”

“What order? It’s a mess.” Winter was amazed they could find anything the way the hundreds of small baggies were haphazardly placed in inside.

“That’s why they need to be straightened out. By the way, they need to stay cool, so don’t leave the door open long, the fridges are set at a certain temperature. Take a few out at a time to get them organized.”

With a goading smile, he left her alone in the room. Winter opened the door and studied the mess inside. Closing it, she went to the other two refrigerators to find more of the same. She couldn’t understand how anyone could find anything inside; they were long since out of numerical order. Rolling her sleeves up, she began work on the first refrigerator. Twenty minutes later, she was leaving the factory with a determined expression. Rider was outside working on his bike when she asked him to get her keys and purse from the house.

Returning with her things, he handed them to her.

“Escaping your punishment?” He joked.

Winter just gave him an annoyed stare that cut off his laughter. Getting into her car, she was proud of her herself for not hitting him with her purse.

The Dollar Bin was her first stop. Taking a cart as she entered the store, it didn’t take long to find the items she needed. The store was relatively slow for the morning and she was going through the door after paying for her purchases when she passed Carmen with her parents.

“Good morning Ms. Simmons.” Carmen’s parents greeted her. Carmen refused to say anything, not meeting her eyes and giving her the cold shoulder treatment.

“Good morning. I didn’t know you were back in town,” Winter remarked to Carmen’s parents.





“Not for long. We came to town to sell the lot our house was on,” Mrs. Jones replied sadly. “I’m sorry we didn’t come by the hospital to see you. We are so sorry that our daughter’s misjudgment caused Jake to take his anger out on you.”

“Don’t….” Winter started to say when Carmen interrupted her.

“Jake didn’t do anything to her. I keep telling you, but no one will listen,” Carmen angrily glared at Winter. “I don’t know who attacked you, but it wasn’t Jake.”

Confused, Winter questioned Carmen. “But he’s already been sentenced. I read it in the newspaper that he confessed.” Winter had been dreading being called as a witness, she had been relieved know she wouldn’t have to testify.

“He was scared after he burned down our house. He was angry and made a mistake, but he didn’t touch you. The prosecutor offered him a plea deal and he knew no one in this town was going to believe him, so he took it. But I believe him,” she said angrily. “He wasn’t the one who hurt you.”

Winter could tell she was still just as infatuated with him as she had been during the summer.

“I don’t remember anything from that night, but I will ask the sheriff if there is any possibility there could have been a mistake.” Winter saw the hope in the girls face and sought to caution her. “Carmen he was on school property earlier that week, and I know he was pretty angry with me for telling your parents that he was mistreating you.”

“He didn’t do it,” Carmen repeated stubbornly.

Winter and Carmen’s parents said goodbye. Winter hoped they would be able to find a new start away from Treepoint.





The members all stared at her as she walked back into the factory carrying her bags. Returning to the back room, Winter organized the refrigerators for the rest of the day. She didn’t even stop for lunch, wanting to get the job done. She was so occupied sorting the seeds that she didn’t notice the door opening.

Warm arms circled her waist, tugging her back into his warm body.

“Having fun?”

Winter shook her head. “Your system sucked, but it’s finished.”

Viper released her to open the refrigerator to find several baskets with seeds. Instead of hundreds of baggies, she had organized them into larger bags and organized them by numerical order. Viper whistled in admiration as he closed the door and opened the other one, which was also organized. Looking at her with a raised brow, he opened the last one to find it too organized. Winter gave him a gloating smile.

“I’m impressed.” Viper meant the compliment.