A Different Shade of Violet? (8 page)

Midas runs up to me smiling like he always does wagging his tail manically.

“Hey boy, I’ve missed you,” I say in that stupid voice you make when talking to your animals.

Hudson turns around to see me patting Midas and he half-smiles.

“He’s missed you too,” Hudson says and I bite my bottom lip to stop it from quivering.

“And what about his owner? Has he missed me?” I ask and he exhales and turns back around to face the frying pan. “Sorry,” I say under my breath and walk to the fridge to get out the orange juice like I always used to when he would cook for us.

“How are you feeling?”

“I’m okay,” I reply quietly.

The tension in the air is thick and suddenly the feelings I had of being safe and secure are outweighed by feelings of insecurity and loneliness. Even though he’s in the room with me, it feels like we’re a million miles apart.

“Leave the OJ, I’ll do it all. You go and sit in the lounge room and relax. You must be sore still?”

I nod even though I know he isn’t looking at me. I swallow hard and place the orange juice on the counter and walk toward the lounge room. There’s no point staying here if he’s going to ignore me the whole time. I already feel like I’m worthless, he doesn’t need to prove it.

I take a seat on the sofa where I always used to sit and rest my head back. I close my eyes and suddenly a thought pops into my mind. I open my eyes and look over at Rock, in the google-eyed goldfish’s tank. And Spider is still in there too. I smile and my nerves are settled slightly. At least he hasn’t gotten rid of her. I turn around and look in the wall cutout and see that Lizzy lizard is still in her tank as well. Midas comes in and jumps up on the sofa next to me, laying down and resting his head on my lap. I smile down at him and caress his soft head.

“I really did miss you, boy. I wish things were different so I could still be here to play with you, but your daddy doesn’t want me anymore. But, I promise I’ll try to visit every now and then, okay?” I whisper to him and then hear Hudson clear his throat. I look up to see him standing there with a plate of food and a glass of orange juice ready for me. I swallow hard and look into his eyes.

“How much did you hear?”

“Enough, and just so you know, Midas would love to see you every now and then,” he says placing my plate and drink on the coffee table in front of me. “Eat up, you need your strength,” he says leaning down and patting Midas on the head and then he walks back to the kitchen.

I exhale and look down at the monster plate of food and decide there’s no point letting it go to waste, so I start to eat… in silence… and without Hudson. Once I’ve finished my breakfast I look at the time on the clock and see it’s after three p.m. I guess I did sleep in, but after getting home at dawn I think I was entitled to a good rest.

I pat Midas again who hasn’t left my side and then gently move his head from my lap. I stand up and grab my plate and cup and head into the kitchen and Midas follows closely behind. It’s like he doesn’t want to leave my side. I guess he figured I left once before so he will get in as much quality time with me now as he can. Don’t blame him. After we go to the cop shop, I’ll be heading back to Cupiditas and he will probably never see me again. The thought almost cripples me and I feel like doubling over in pain as I walk into the kitchen to see Hudson sitting at the table playing with his food. He looks like he’s hardly eaten anything. I don’t say anything but make my way to the sink and place my dirty dishes onto it.

I turn around leaning on the counter and look at him, but he still isn’t looking at me.

“Hudson, I’m not infested or anything. I don’t have the plague or Aids. You don’t have to avoid me you know,” I say and he exhales and rests his head in his hands. He really looks like he’s struggling and it’s breaking my heart.

“I don’t know how I’m supposed to feel, Vee,” he says so quietly I can hardly hear him.

I swallow hard and walk over to the kitchen table and pull out a seat opposite him and sit down.

“You just feel how you do. There’s no particular way you’re supposed to feel. You can’t help the way you feel. Do you want to talk about it?” I ask and he finally looks up at me.

“I don’t know how to be around you. I want to hold you and look after you and tell you everything is going to be alright, but then what would that achieve? It doesn’t change the fact that we’re just not meant to be.”

My heart thuds in my chest so forcefully it’s making it hard to breathe.

“What makes you think that we’re not meant to be?” I say, but it barely comes out as a whisper.

“Vee, you’re a madam… I’m a cop, nothing will change that,” he says putting his head back in his hands.

I exhale and bite my bottom lip. “Does that really have to stop us? I mean, I love you Hudson, that’s got to count for something, right?”

He shakes his head and stands up abruptly. “C’mon, we better get you to the station and make this report,” he states, taking his full plate to the counter and scraping the bacon and French toast into Midas’ bowl. I stand and wrap my arms around myself. He really doesn’t see a way past this, and I guess I always knew it would stay this way.
Can’t blame a girl for hoping though.

He puts his plate in the sink and walks toward the front door not looking at me.

“Hudson, for God’s sake, you can look at me you know!” I say loudly and he turns back.

“I have trouble looking at you, Vee. I hate seeing you all banged up like this knowing if I’d done my job properly and put Mad Dog away, this never would’ve happened. You looking the way you do right now is my fault, and looking at you just reminds me of how much I’ve failed you, as a cop, as a boyfriend and as a human being, I’m a failure Vee, and that’s on me,” he says grabbing my car keys and walking out the front door.

I stand there shocked at his admission. He blames himself for me being beaten, but it’s not his fault at all. Technically it’s Papi’s if we want to play the blame game. But really it’s just the Rebel Dogs doing what they do best, intimidation and threats until they get what they want.

I inhale a deep steadying breath and walk to the front door to see Hudson sitting in my car waiting for me. I close the front door locking it and walk to the passenger side and slide in. He starts the ignition and proceeds to drive the car toward the police station. The car is filled with an awkward tension and I hate that we’ve been reduced to not even talking to each other. This is ridiculous and I regret that he’s feeling down on himself.

“This isn’t your fault, Hudson,” I whisper and he glances at me sideways.

“It is Vee. I should have found a way to protect you from those Dogs and instead you got hurt… I…” he stops talking as he shakes his head and grips on to the steering wheel tighter.

“Hudson, stop it! This is not your fault,” I say putting out my hand to touch his on the steering wheel. He looks at it and then his tight grip on the wheel loosens and he relaxes slightly at my touch.

“We’ll just agree to disagree, okay? We’re nearly there so you can make your statement and then I can go after Mad Dog and bring him in,” he says and I exhale and take my hand from his and place it back in my lap. He looks at me and I look back and for a brief moment, I thought I saw a faint smile, but he quickly looks away and then the tension is back. I don’t say anything else in the car, and neither does he, but thankfully the trip to the station is a short one and we arrive quickly.

He pulls up my car and then gets out. I exhale feeling frustrated that the man I love feels more like a stranger to me than anything. I get out of the car and everything hurts as I step out and stand up. I wince as the pain in my legs shoots up and into my back.

“Ouch,” I moan under my breath as I shut the door.

“You okay?”

“Yeah, just a bit sore and sorry for myself,” I reply as I straighten up and start to walk toward the station. He follows behind but says nothing.

He leads me in and I follow him as he walks. We walk past the front reception area and he punches in a code on the door and it opens, then he ushers me through. I can’t help but notice all the front desk staff looking at us. Well… no… looking at me. I guess that’s what happens when you look like I do. We walk down the hallway and then into an open area where there’s sectional partition offices with small desks. He walks me down the back to a large office where a man is sitting at his desk talking on the phone. He looks up and notices Hudson and then looks at me raising his eyebrows, he gestures for us to go inside so Hudson opens the door and we walk in.

“Okay, thanks Bill, have it on my desk by tomorrow,” he states and then hangs up the phone.

“Hey Stone, is this the girl you were talking about?” he asks and Hudson sits down opposite him at his desk and gestures for me to sit as well.

“Yes, this is the woman,” he answers looking at me and I can’t help but think back to all the times he has said I’m not a girl, but I am all woman.

“Hi! I’m Chief Thomas. I hear and, unfortunately, can see you’ve had a run-in with The Rebel Dogs?” He seems nice enough, he kind of reminds me of Denzel Washington, but with an Australian accent.

“Yes sir.”

I’ve never been a big fan of the police and being in the station and in such a high-security area is making me uncomfortable.

“So, your name is Violet, Stone tells me?”

I swallow a lump in my throat as I look around the office.

“It’s okay, Vee, he’s here to help,” Hudson says and I nod and relax a little.

“I can’t imagine how you must be feeling right now, Violet. You must be scared and very afraid—”

“More like fucking angry and annoyed,” I reply and Hudson smirks.

“Yes, I can understand those emotions as well. Now Stone tells me you want to file a report on the men who did this to you?”

I look at Hudson not really knowing if I’m doing the right thing or if I’m about to stir up a hornets nest.

“Yes she does,” he says.

“Yeah, I do,” I repeat and Chief Thomas nods.

“Okay, well first thing’s first. Do you know who did this to you?”

“Yes, it was the Rebel Dogs. Mad Dog told his gang to ‘take care of me,’” I say and I see Hudson’s body tense up.

“Do you know why they targeted you, Violet?”

“A few days ago Mad Dog came into my business at Cupiditas, the place where you guys found the four duffle bags of ecstasy tablets. Well, because you took the drugs, Papi, no sorry, Carlos was storing for the bikers, they came back looking for their stash. They couldn’t find it obviously because you seized it, and then they said if I paid them the money for the drugs they would call it even and if I didn’t then they would take an employee every day until I did pay. I paid them after they beat up one of my employees – but we didn’t tell you guys because I thought once I paid them they would fuck off and leave us alone.”

“Why didn’t you tell me they threatened you?” Hudson asks looking at me with sad eyes.

“I didn’t think you’d want to know. I didn’t want to bring in the police because I thought it would make it worse—”

“It got worse, Violet, look what they did to you!” Hudson berates loudly and Denzel looks at him raising an eyebrow. He obviously doesn’t know of our involvement.

“How did this happen, Violet?” Denzel asks pointing at my face.

“After I paid them they came back the next night and said they needed more money. I said no and they took it quite well, they were actually polite and left without any issue. I should’ve known it wouldn’t be the end. When I was walking to my car, they cornered me in a circle and one held me down while one of the younger Rebel Dog’s laid into me. Mad Dog came over and said if I didn’t come up with the rest of the money in twenty-four hours that next time he got to me he would kill me,” I say and take a deep breath.

“So, he threatened your life?” Hudson asks his voice cracking like he’s scared.

“Yes,” I confirm and he runs his hand through his hair.

“Boss, we have to protect her,” Hudson says looking at the Denzel doppelganger.

He rubs his chin and nods. “I agree, a death threat from the Dogs always ends up being followed through, but they cover their tracks so well as you know. Stone—”

“Don’t remind me,” Hudson interrupts.

“Right, I think the only thing we can do for you right now Violet is to put you into protective custody until we can find a way of bringing down the gang. With this new evidence being brought to us… an actual witness testimony if you like, we have something to bring them in with.
No one
has ever testified against them before or has stated it was them who assaulted them. Everyone has been too scared to condemn the bikers, so thank you, Violet, for giving us the break we need. Thank you for being brave enough to stand up against them. Are you willing to testify in a court of law against them if it comes to it?”

“Fucking oath,” I say making Hudson smile brightly.

“Right, that’s settled then. Stone, make some arrangements for Violet to be placed in protective custody and some plain clothed officers to man the front of her business to protect her employees. Let me know when you’ve made the arrangements and I’ll have her transported to the safety house within a few hours,” he states.