Chapter 25

Aria

I found my Seat and sat down. The entire flight back to Arizona, I was worried. I knew it wouldn't be Caleb then who?. Holly was waiting for me when I walked out. On the drive back to Payson, I told her what Amanda said about my mother. I saw the car behind us.

“ Is that car following us?”, I asked her , looking in the rearview mirror. She checked too.

“ Yeah it's Nathan, he followed me”. She said

“ Okay, I want to stop and speak to Chief Mathew “, I said

“ Do you think he's going to tell you anything?”. She asked

“ Who knows, we'll find out When we get there” , I said.

When we entered Payson we drove straight to the police station. It was just Alma and Brett in the station.

“ Hey there girls , what's the problem?”Alma asked, pulling her glasses down.

“ No problem, I just needed to speak to the Chief , you know about my house. I need to start rebuilding “ I said

“ I'm sorry about that sweetheart. He's in his office, you two go on” ,she said

“ Thank you Ms Alma “ ,we both Said.

We walked around the corner and knocked on the door. When we walked in Grant Matthew the Payson police chief was reading.

“ What can I do for you ladies?”he asked, putting his book Down. I closed the door and looked at him.

“ Cassandra Milton ” , I said.

I saw his face go pale. He stood up and walked to the door, opening it and checking outside,he closed the door and looked at me.

“ How Did you hear that name?”,He asked me.

“ Caleb's mother was her best friend, she's been looking for her”. I said

“ Amanda Russo is Your mother-in-law?”he asked me , Holly and I were looking at each other .

“ Yes, “ I said.

He started pacing the office.

“ We can't talk about this here. I'll explain everything but Don't mention that name again. I'll get Arch Baker and Gertrude. We'll meet you tonight at the cafe after closing. I'll need to speak to your mother-in-law also , Angela left a message for her “, he said

“ Okay “ , I said , opening the door. On the drive to the cafe I explained why I didn't take the contract. When we walked into the cafe I stopped short. Taylor Benson was sitting in the cafe. Just sitting there no one really paid any attention to him. The minute he saw me he smiled. I walked over to the counter and looked at Mya.

“ You know him?, he looks kinda creepy ” , she said looking at him. I explained what happened and she nodded saying she would let Grace know. I headed straight into my office. Did he seriously follow me all the way here?. I heard the knock but didn't open the door. If it was Holly, Grace or Mya they would come in.

I let the person knock after a while it stopped. I had to take my wedding ring off when I got back and he probably Saw that I wasn't wearing it. I checked the books and some emails then I went outside. He was still sitting there. I walked over to the back and sat with Holly and Grace. He wasn't getting a chance to speak to me. He sat there all day.

Around four that afternoon the cafe door opened and Ryan walked in followed by Caleb. Okay what was happening here.

“ I'm back, pretty ladies,did you miss me?”, Ryan said out loud.

“ Oh boy. Gertrude needs to know you're back. Aria looks like the Cafe will be open late” ,Mya said, picking up the phone. I just shook my head. I saw the Way Taylor looked at Caleb.

Caleb walked over to us and sat down.
“ How have you ladies been?”, he asked looking at Holly

“ Well now that we've got two handsome men here we're better” , she said, smiling.

“ Speak for yourself ” , I said

“ That's right Ms Garcia is already married. Her husband would probably threaten me or worse Kill me if he found out I was flirting with his wife “ , he said out loud.

“ Precisely “ , I said

I saw the door open and Gertrude walked in. “ Where is that handsome boy?”, she said out loud.

“ I'm here” , Caleb said, winking at me.

The door opened again and the rest of the women of Payson walked in. He took a seat at one of the tables with Gertrude and sat talking to them. I heard some of the questions. They were asking about Catherine and the interview. I found Taylor Looking at me.

He walked over to me.
“ Ms Garcia can I have a word with you?”he said, looking at me.

“ I made it very clear to you earlier today that I have no interest in anything you have to say. I'm already happily married “ I said

“ So ,a lot of married women have a Lover. I would be good for you , you don't have to stay in this godforsaken place,with a man that can't treat you right “ , he said touching my arms.

I grabbed his arm and twisted it. Everyone stopped and looked at us.

“ This godforsaken place is my home. I'm not a whore. I am More than happy with the man I have and he does more than enough for me”, I said as I continued twisting his arm.

“ You would be fucking surprised as to what my so called husband is capable of. Leave Payson and don't ever fucking return and the next time you ever touch me , I'll break your arms”, I said letting go of him.

“ You fucking bitch” ,he yelled , Gertrude was standing behind him with Cheif Mathew.

“ Now listen here boy. This is the south, this is Payson and here we don't play when it comes to our girls. Now she's already married and she made it clear she's not interested so I suggest you leave while you still can” , Gertrude said looking at him

“ Mr Benson,look around you. You're in a cafe filled with women. Try anything and I can guarantee you they'll strip you naked and beat you black and blue before you make it to the door. Now leave my niece alone and get out of Payson” , Chief Matthew said.

He looked around for a second and saw everyone was looking at him. He looked at me then walked out the cafe.

“ You okay sweetie?”, Gertrude asked

“ I'm okay, he's just annoying ” , I said

“ I swear there's never a Dull moment in this cafe” ,Marcy said

Caleb

A few minutes after she left Josh called to inform me he was having some issues that he needed me in Payson so I told Ryan we were going. When Max called me and asked if I upgraded her ticket, I knew without a doubt it was that fucker. When I walked into the cafe he was already there. He probably came back on the same flight as her.

I was sitting with Gertrude Winston and the others. They were asking about Catherine so I told them. The minute he walked over to her, I texted the police chief. I watched as she handled him. When Mr's Winston stood up and the Chief walked up behind him I knew something was happening here.

It was closing time for the cafe, I saw the man that got us married Walk in. Ryan and I were about to leave when I heard her.
“ Caleb, you need to wait ” , Mrs Winston said.

She and Holly closed all the shutters and came and sat down. Mrs Winston looked at us.

“ Go sit next to your wife “ , she said looking at me. I was taken aback for a second, I looked at Mathew.

“ Oh Don't look at him. I know everything that happens in Payson and when it concerns Aria I know everything” , she said looking at us both. I walked over a d set next to her.

“ What's going on?”I asked her, and she shrugged.

“ I will start by saying this. Whatever is said here does not leave this cafe “ she said looking at us.

“ I trust Ryan with everything and she trusts Holly so do I “ , I said looking at her.

“ Very well then. Cassandra Milton Showed up here, twenty something years ago. She was twenty one or two somewhere around there. Beaten and bruised badly. She came here with the greyhound. She was pregnant when she showed up ,she was running from a man. She was running from your father ” , Gertrude said looking at Aria.

“ What?”, she asked

“ Grant was just a Rookie police officer at that time. Arch was now starting at the courthouse and I was working at the bus station part time. You never wanted to know Who your father was and she didn't want you to know but she was also terrified of him finding you “ Gertrude said.

“ Who is her father?”, I asked, looking at them.

“ Senator Aaron Campbell,” Gertrude said, looking at us.