I’m not
comfortable being locked in a room, but without her here I feel
relieved. My eyes wonder around the room. That’s when I notice a
makeshift bed on a floor, a suitcase full of clothes and a couple
of tatty books on a bedside cabinet.
“Is this where
you’ve been staying?”
“Yes,” My
father sighs. “When the police came looking for me, Mel suggested I
stayed here. At the time I didn’t know about her involvement and
thought she was helping me.”
Something
clicks in my head and I jump to my feet. My eyes glaring down at
him, I am filled with anger. “Why did you do it?”
He bows his
head. “Because I’m a foolish stupid man. The first case I took on
was easy. The money offered to me helped us buy the house. From
then on it began to snowball out of control. More people came to me
and business began to boom. I was greedy…” He pauses to catch his
breath and with one of his hands he wipes his eyes.
“How did you
get involved with this Mario man?”
He looks up at
me shocked. “How do you know so much about this?”
“Answer my
question first!”
“Okay,” he
quickly replies. “He requested me when he was arrested. He had
heard about all the cases I had won and how I won them. He offered
me a lot of money and I was pretty sure I could win. My ego was
huge at this point, I thought…” he shakes his head and gives a
laugh. “I thought I was invincible.”
“Then what
happened?” I sit back down next to him as I begin to feel weary
again.
“Your mother
began to get suspicious about all the money I was making and slowly
began to piece everything together. She would scream at me to stop,
but I thought I knew better. Mario transferred the money the day
before the hearing. I always insisted I had the money up front.” He
places his head in his hands. “That was the day your mother left
with you girls. Everything seemed so normal, I didn’t have a clue
she had wiped out the bank account…”
“You lost the
case, didn’t you?”
“Yep, no matter
what I did nothing was getting the man out of jail. I knew I had to
give back the money and raced straight to the bank. It was gone, I
went home and you were all gone.” I watched as he breaks down in
front of me. “My whole world fell apart and I started drinking
heavily. I had lost my family and I owed Mario Lopez over 100,000
dollars.”
“How does Mel
fit into this?”
“She dropped by
one day while I was in the middle of drinking binge. I ended up
confiding in her. She said she would help me and just stuck around.
Things began to get worse… The police began to investigate my firm
and discovered my secret. Mel said I had to go into hiding.”
I rub my brow.
“How did you find out Mel is involved with Mario?”
He gives a
little chuckle. “There’s one thing about Mel I know. She never does
anything for nothing. During my time with your mother she let me
know how much she despised me. I did my own research and found the
link. I confronted her and have been here ever since.”
“Why does she
want the money so much?”
“Who knows” he
casually says.
I look around
the room again… My mind fills with more questions. “Why don’t you
just go to the police and tell them everything.”
“Believe me I
want too… I can’t rid of Mel...” He stops talking and just stares
at me. “Will you answer my question now?”
I think about
what he asked me. Am I allowed to tell him about Ayden, I think he
has a right to know? I suck in a deep breath and tilt my head to
the side. All those times I wanted to be near and speak to my dad.
I never thought this was how the moment would occur.
“Ayden” I say,
just saying his name fills me with hope. “He’s an undercover swat
officer. He was assigned to watch me because of threats Mom was
getting. He finally told me everything and I persuaded him to bring
me here to find you.”
“Why did you
want to find me?”
“I thought it
was you behind all the threats. Me, mom and Lacey have been moving
around for two years. We’ve finally settled and I want to have
stable life. I thought if I came here and spoke you, everything
would finally end.”
His hand
reaches over and grabs mine. “I would never hurt you, Jennifer. I’m
really sorry that I caused all this and I promise once we get out
of here. I will be heading straight to the station and giving
myself up.”
“Talking about
this place…” I smile, feeling comforted about his words. “Where
exactly are we?”
A little smile
plays on his lips. “Home sweet home.”
CHAPTER
FOURTEEN
Ayden
I lean against
my car bonnet and stare at the house in front of me. I had put all
my faith in her being here, but nothing. The house is empty, all
the doors and windows are locked. I run a hand through my hair and
try to let out a breath. It’s beginning to get difficult to
breathe, my heart is racing and I am on the edge of breaking
down.
She’s gone, a
voice in my head constantly says. Tucker comes running from behind
the house and up to me. “Nope, nothing behind there” he says,
taking a seat next to me. “Where do you want to try now?”
My mind goes
blank. “I have no idea” I sigh. Even though we have spent almost
the last month together, I don’t really know anything about her. I
don’t know her favourite book, colour or TV show. Is it possible to
fall in love with someone without knowing all that information? My
heart bleeds a little and the guilt creeps over me. I should of
never had of gotten close to her. There was something that couldn’t
keep me away. The first moment I saw her beautiful face in that
careen, I was hooked. The more I avoided her, the more I wanted
her.
My mind thinks
back to the kiss we shared in front of Natalie – was that real? Did
she feel that intense wanting that I did? I close my eyes and
cringe at my next thought. Will I ever get to find out? No, I
mustn’t think like this. I am going to find her and I am going back
sure all those bastards get what they deserve. Each one of them is
going to suffer and rot in prison for threatening a sweet young
woman.
“Do you think
she just headed to a mall?”
My eyes fling
open and I look over at Tucker. He is now puffing on a cigarette
staring at the house. A beautiful house, that is full of Jen’s
child hood memories. “No,” I grunt. “I doubt she slipped off to go
shopping.”
“Hey,” he
growls. “Don’t start on me. I’m here….” He points his cigarette at
me. “And I’m trying to help. I am thinking logically. After all she
isn’t 21.”
“Says who?”
He gives a
little chuckle and pushes himself off the bonnet of my car. He
stands in front of me, smiling. “Don’t insult me, Forbes” he takes
another drag of his cigarette and drops the butt on to the floor.
“I knew when you said it the other day you returned. You can see
she’s a high school kid.”
I jump to my
feet and come face to face with him. “She isn’t a kid” I hiss
through my teeth and both my fist clench. I have never wanted to
hit someone so much. “And you know nothing about anything.”
He holds his
hands up and takes a step back. “Whoa, chill! I wasn’t saying
anything bad. I can see how much you care about her and I am
willing to do what ever it takes to help you.” He takes a pause and
runs a finger across his broad nose. “Let’s think about it from a
professional’s point of view….”
My hand slowly
unclenches and I can see the logic in what he is saying. Jen blinds
me, my feelings for her take over everything else. He is right, its
time to get professional. I give a little nod.
“See,” Tuckers
hand pats my back. “You know I’m right.”
“I won’t admit
it though” I smile back at him.
“Come” he walks
round to the driver’s side of my car. “We’re check out all the top
hang out points. She could have met up with old friends.”
Just as I am
about to the car my phone begins to vibrate in my pocket. I quickly
pull it out and press the answer the button. “”Forbes,” I say
sternly.
“Forbes, we’ve
managed to track Jen’s whereabouts. Her phone was used at 2367
Spring Avenue. We have sent armed men. It’s going to take at least
another ten minutes. Get there now” the chief booms down the phone.
My mouth drops open in shock and my eyes look back towards the
house. “Forbes!” He yells again.
“It’s okay,
chief. We’re already there…” I end the call, placing my phone back
in my pocket. I run back to the house.
“Ayden!” Tucker
yells after me.
I turn back to
him and place a finger over my lips. Then head gesture for him to
follow me. He rolls his eyes and slams the car door. It feels like
forever till he finally gets to me.
“Keep your
voice down” I warn.
“Why?” He looks
confused. “We have already looked around here. It’s empty…” I stop
listening to him and head back round to the back of the house. I
walk towards the sliding doors, but just as I thought they are
locked. How can she be here if there is no sign? I bow my head and
place my hands in my pockets. Maybe we are too late, maybe she’s
been moved on. “Fuck!” I hiss, kicking a stone next to my foot.
I have spent
all my life being an underachiever. Nothing has ever worked out
they way I have wanted it to. I even thought at one point I would
fail my training and end up working in a burger joint. I thought
this job would show everyone what I was capable of, once again I
have messed it up. Why did I bring her here? One reason, I wanted
to spend time alone with her. I followed my heart instead of my
head. I will never be doing that again. Love is a mugs game and I
don’t intend to be getting stuck in that trap again.
“Hey, Ayden”
Tucker calls out. I look up to see him squatting on the other side
of the house. He’s smiling, a big 100 watt smile. “I’ve found
something…” I walk towards him and look down at what he is pointing
at. It’s some wooden hatch buried into the ground. “Do you know
what it is?”
“No,” I groan,
I am beginning to feel tired and my mind is doesn’t want to
thinking. I need to call the chief and tell him I can’t do
this.
Tucker jumps to
his feet and wipes dirt off his hands. “It’s a door, stupid” he
shakes his head and gives me a little push. “This means these guys
have a basement. All these fancy houses do...” He pauses and
scratches his head. “We just gotta think how to get in…”
“FREEZE” says a
voice. “Put your hands in the air and turn round!”
A wicked grin
hits Tuckers face and he winks. “I think my question was answered.”
He raises his hands in the air and we both turn to look at whose
talking to us.
It’s a smallest
man; he wouldn’t stand at chance with me and Tucker. He looks as if
he’s been dragged through a hedge backwards. His dark hair is
overgrown and so his beard. His eyes are a deep brown and there’s a
scar just above his lip. I’ve seen him before, he works for Mario
Lopez.
“What are you
doing?” His voice is slightly high pitch and his Spanish accent
makes it hard to understand what he is saying. My eyes focus on the
gun he is holding up at us. Obviously he’s not that smart either.
Its broad daylight in a suburban area and he’s waving a gun.
I take control
of the situation. “We’ve come to repair the leak.”
“Leak? We have
no leak.”
“Course you do”
Tucker says casually. “Your neighbours have water creeping up
through their drains. We’ve checked it all out and the problem must
be here.” The man looks slightly confused. “You see,” Tucker brings
his hands down and places them in his pockets. “All these old
houses water pipes are connected. There must be a blockage in your
basement.”
The man’s
eyebrows shoot up. “Basement!” he slowly brings his gun down. “We
don’t have no basement.”
Tucker hilts
his head to the side and gives another smile. “Look man,” he begins
to walk over to the man, who seems a little preoccupied with
something. “If we don’t get in there and sort this problem out. The
whole house will be flooded and I doubt your insurance will pay
out.”
I laugh quietly
to myself, he’s good. The poor man is looking more and more
confused and is slowly letting his guard down.
Tucker
continues to move towards him. “Do you know if they found out you
were offered help and refused. God,” he tuts. “You could be in
seriously trouble. I wouldn’t want insurance Freud on my
conscience.”
“Freud” the man
says in an anxious tone.
“Look man”
Tucker throws his hands in the air. “I haven’t got time for this
shit. All I want to do is check out your basement and get out of
this place. I’m a very busy man…”
Before the
little man can answer, Tuckers hand grips hold of the man’s wrist,
twisting his arm behind his back. Tucker uses all his weigh to push
the man to the ground. I hear a slight crack as the man’s arm
breaks, making him scream out in pain and dropping the gun. “Go!”
Tucker yells, as he pressing his knee in the man’s back to keep him
firmly on the ground.