Wrongful Kiss Chapter 20: Road Trip September 16th 2011

Wrongful Kiss

Chapter 20: Road Trip

September 16th 2011

 

It was a pretty Friday morning. Thomas thought when he first woke up and went out side to see the sun shining, that he could be in Atlanta by the end of the day. It was not that far and at 65 mph they could be there in less than twelve hours easy.

What he did not know was that he was going to have a hard time getting everyone packed into the RV and ready to go.

Thomas was taking his morning coffee out side at the picnic table just as he had all week long and Ben and Eddie had joined him just like they had done every morning this week. The three of them set there for about an hour enjoying the talk and the sun.

But just when Thomas was getting ready to wake Dakota and Barry he had a guest show up.

First Doris Marla had stopped by to make sure Thomas was ready to start going to see a doctor as soon as they returned. He had to agree to do so in order to get his daughter to stop crying again after she found out Thomas had cancer. This had been another secret that he had not told her, and was hoping she would not find out, but Doris Marla had visited early in the week and tried to get Thomas to agree to go see a doctor, and when he would not do so Doris she had told Dakota about Thomas having cancer.

Dakota had not stopped crying till Thomas agreed to see a doctor.

Now Doris wanted to make sure Thomas was not going to back out of the deal and told Thomas she had already talked to a doctor friend of hers and to make sure to call her when he was on the way back so that she would make the appointment for a few days after his return.

After Doris was satisfied Thomas was going to call her, and had left, Dick drove up. He had a few more things he needed Thomas to sign and would need about three hours to get ready.

Dick had all his bags packed and Ben had loaded them onto the RV; at lease that much would be done thought Thomas.

Thomas and Dick spent over an hour setting at the picnic table talking about money and stocks and bonds with Dick making sure Thomas’s new will was in order.

“You can die happy now you old fool.” Dick told him, making sure Dakota was not around to hear him. He didn’t want her to start crying again; anything but that.

“I have the four accounts set up just the way you said, all of them waiting on a name signature.”

Dick had taken all the money that Thomas had given him, and all the money and stocks and bonds and set up four accounts in the name of four people. One was for Dakota, and one was for Kelly. And then Thomas had also wanted to set one up for the little girl, Kelly’s daughter, Tasha, and also another account for his son, if he was alive. If not then that money was to be used for needed kids in some kind of grant program.

He still needed the boys name but would have to wait till they could talk to Kelly to find out what it was. And that was even if he was alive. Thomas did not even know if his son was alive or not.

In all, each account had close to half a million dollars not counting the value of the stocks and bonds and each was set up in a way that the money could not be removed all at once.

When they had finished going over the accounts and any other details the two could find to argue about, Dick said he would be back in about three hours. He then left.

 

For the last two days Dakota and Barry had been making up for lost time, and they were trying to pump up the baby as Dakota called their actions. Barry added he was just making sure that Dakota got all the minerals she needed for the baby. They would both be grinning. Everyone was tired of the joke already but Dakota and Barry didn’t seam to notice. They still thought it was funny.

And because of all the hard work making sure the baby got it minerals they both over slept Friday morning and it was noon before they were up and out of bed.

Dakota was not a morning person to start with. And now all the extra night work and being pregnant was slowing her down more than normal. No matter what time morning come in at, she was going to drag ass but now she was drag assign more and had Barry jumping to her every need.

In between rubbing her poor feet and fetching her food, Barry was loading needed items into the RV, and then rubbing her feet, and bringing more food and loading more needed items, then rubbing her back.

Only Ben and Eddie had been ready to go on time. Eddie had been in the RV all day and had not only cleaned every spot of the camper, but had placed every item in its own little cubby hold. He knew where everything was. Eddie had even hung his and Bens and Thomas’s clothes up and had set aside places for the others to hang theirs.

He had offered to hang Dicks that morning but Dick told him no that he would take care of it when he returned.

Thomas handed Eddie a box and said put this in a place where we can get to it fast if needed but where no one can find it. It was his gun.

“This gun was given to me by a very close friend. And it has never once been used in anger. Lucky for me the one time I did try to us it, it jammed and would not fire. Other wise I might not be here today.” Thomas laughed.

Eddie then noticed that Thomas had a second gun on his waist. His eyes dropped to the gun and then back to the face of Thomas.

“That one has a story also.” Thomas said. “It also jammed once when I tried to use it. It will not jam the next time.”

Eddie’s smile left his face and for the first time he wondered if the future was going to be a short one. He had a fear sweep over him; a feeling of doom.

 

Dick returned on time. But then there was another problem. James William worked for Dick. He had worked for Dick for a few years. Dick trusted the man. James was going to school now part time to become a doctor.

Dick and Thomas had talked it over and it had been decided that James would come stay in Thomas’s trailer to watch after the animals while they were away. James was okay with this because he lived in a boarding house and Dick was going to keep paying him for working. He would not have to go to the liquor store while Thomas and dick were gone. He could just stay over at the trailer, and watch the animals, and study.

Now James was late getting here. He had been in Dallas for the last two days and was on his way but was going to be a little late.

Thomas did not want to leave until he had let Dog and Sooner know that James was in charge. Other wise they might eat the man.

 

James did arrive and Thomas introduced him to the dogs. They already knew him but Thomas had never taken the time to let the animals know that James was to be obeyed.

This took another hour. But now that it was done, Thomas felt better about leaving the dogs here for a few days without him.

 

It was late in the day when they were finely ready to leave out the gate.

Dick Spray had owned a RV and they were going to use it but when He and Ben had taken it to the local RV dealer over in New Hope to be serviced earlier in the week the local RV dealer pointed out how old the RV was and had talked Dick into looking at a new RV.

The new RV now belonged to Dick Spray and Thomas Saratoga. Dick had used his RV as a down payment and had asked Thomas if he wanted to share payments on a new one. Thomas said yes and Dick and Ben had picked the RV up the day before.

Dick had also charged half of the down payment back to Thomas and told Thomas he was going to take it out of his future pay checks each week.

Thomas just told him he was an old fool. And should have just paid for the RV out right with the money Thomas had given him.

The new RV was a lot nicer than the one Dick owned. It had room for more passengers. It had two small bed rooms and a bath. A kitchen and living room combo were up front next to the driver’s cockpit which had four captain’s seats.

The two rear captain’s seats could turn 360 degree and face toward the driver or the living room. The living room had a TV-DVD entertainment center and a sofa.

There was a full refrigerator, and a stove top cooking area. There was not an oven but there was a microwave.

On Thursday the RV had been serviced. The water tanks filled. All fuels and oils were checked and filled. And even the tires had been checked.

The only problem was that the road that Thomas lived on was small and unkempt. When work trucks come through things sometime fell off the trucks. And the next vehicle coming alone would pick them up, most of the time in a tire.

The RV had picked up a nail when it had been driven down into the yard yesterday and the nail had not made the tire flat all at once but had taken a few hours and no one had noticed it till they were ready to leave.

Thomas was not happy. After all the setting around he had to do on this day waiting for everyone to get ready, now he had to wait for the tire to be fixed. That took another hour to fix because they found out that there was no spare.

Ben was able to fix the flat, while Barry drove to the auto store to buy a pump.

James William drove to New Hope to get a spare wheel and tire from the dealer who said he was very sorry that the RV had been missing a spare. The spare had been taken out the day before and the service man forgot to replace it.

The only thing good about the day so far was that Ben had slept part of the day after making sure the RV was ready to go. Ready that is, except for the tire, so other wise he was ready to go and drive all the way without stopping.

 

So by 6:30 Friday night Thomas thought they were really ready to go. But before they had pulled out of the gate all the way, the Marla’s had pulled up to block the RV.

Thomas Marla was named after Thomas. The two were best of friends, and Thomas really cared for the boy.

Thomas, the younger, called Tommy, was thirteen. When he was born his mother named him after Thomas the older. And because of that, the boy loved his uncle Thomas. That was what he thought of Thomas as, his uncle.

The Marla’s had no other family, just the mother and father, and the two boys.

When Tommy had heard that the older Thomas was going on a trip he had wanted to go also. At first his mother had said no. But then the father had countered this with a yes, but only after hours of debate, sometimes heated, and only after Thomas the younger was able to convince his parents that he was ready for a trip like this without them, and that uncle Thomas would never let something happen to him.

Tommy had also told his mother that he could watch out for Thomas for her and make sure he went to the hospital if he needed to. Doris Marla liked this ideal.

Thomas was home schooled and did really good in his classes, so that was no problem. Thomas had used this as a focal point saying he had always performed well at every task he was given, and that they could now show that they had trust in him to be the son they thought they had raised and prove to him that he had earned that trust. His ploy worked.

So the RV had not made it out of the drive before the Marla’s had pulled in front of them and Tommy had jumped out of the car and ran into the RV. Thomas was headed out the door as Mr. Marla and Doris passed him coming in with a duffle bag and a notebook computer bag.

Doris backed Thomas up till he was again setting in the seat behind Ben. Then she started telling Thomas how sweet it was that he was allowing Little Tommy to go with them. “He has so much loves for you, you know.” She said.

Thomas did not say anything.

“Mr. Thomas, you be sure to watch him and don’t let him take advantage of you.” Doris was giving a warning but in a way she knew would not make Thomas upset.

Thomas didn’t get a chance to say anything before the Marla’s had said good by and turned and left.

Dakota had already taken Tommy into the back bed room to store away his stuff, and Ben had started the RV again and started driving down the road before Thomas was even sure what had just happened. It was his road trip and they had all ganged up on him and taken the trip over.

He looked around and seen Dick watching him.

Dick had a grin on his face as he looked at Thomas. “Any one else you want to invite before we get on the high way Thomas?” he asked.

Ben looked around, not catching the meaning of Dick’s words, he asked, “Do we need to stop again?”

“No Ben! Drive.” Thomas said. “If anyone else tries to get on this bus or stop us, then run them over.” Thomas was not mad, but he was close to it.

 

An hour later Thomas set all alone in a seat behind Ben watching out the front window, his memories rushing past the window as he dreamed of her face and wondered if she would even remember him.

He was on his way to see Kelly. What would she say? How would she feel? He didn’t know. He knew how he felt. He was remembering that beautiful morning way back then, when he had first seen her, her beautiful face. He remembered he could not stop looking at her.

Kelly’s mother was so mad that day. But then she was always mad. The woman hated the world. And Thomas thought she had a reason. She had a hard life he had found out later. She had never been given a break. And then she had to die that way. It was just not right.

But Kelly was not like her mother. She was not like any woman he had ever known. But then how could she be, she was not a woman. She was a little girl. Well not little really. She had been more mature than her mother. But still, he had never known Kelly the woman, the real woman. He had known Kelly the mature little girl.

He snapped his self out of his dream. Don’t start the damn crying again. He told his self. You have been through it a million times. What was is what is and it cannot be changed.

Thomas closed his eyes.

 

The RV pulled up in front of the house. The door opened. Thomas stepped out.

“Are you sure you don’t want one of us to come with you?” Eddie said.

“No Eddie. I have to do this alone.” Thomas replied. Something was wrong with this he thought.

Thomas was now standing on the sidewalk. There was a wall there. In what was the middle of the house were a set of four steps.

Long steps he thought. Behind him on the street was the RV. The door still open, Eddie was standing in the door. He had a smile. Thomas seen a black hand touching Eddie’s shoulder, then Eddie closed the door. Thomas was alone.

The four steps ended at a walk which was followed by four more steps that ended at the front of the porch.

Thomas did not want to walk up those steps. But he knew that he had to. He had promise himself that he would. And he knew that for her, for Kelly, he would. It was only right.

She had the right to spit in his face. She had the right to slap him. She had the right to kill him. It did not matter. He would still love her. He would take what ever she gave him. But he had to let her choose to give it. It was her right.

He had no choice. He stepped on the first step. The iron hand rail on each side, were dirty. They were chipping of paint. And there was rust.

At one time they were beautiful. He remembered them. This had been his old house. He had lived here when he first saw Kelly. He had been setting on that very porch.

He reached the top of the steps then turned around and looked for a way out.

I can run to the truck. He thought. I can be gone before she even knows I am here. He knew that he could not do that. He could not run out on her again. He could not do that. He had to see her. He wanted to see her. He wanted to see her so bad. He wanted to hold her. He wanted to kiss her. He wanted to love her. But he was so scared.

She will hate me. He thought. She will hate me. God help me.

His legs would not move. He tried to walk. He tried to walk to the next set of steps. But he could not make his feet move. They were stuck to the ground. He could not move his feet.

With both hands on the rails, he was doing all that he could to hold himself up. His whole body started shaking. His legs weak, he fell to his knees. He could not get his breath. Just before he hit the ground, he felt the strong arms of Big Ben.

“It’s okay Mr. Thomas. We can come back later.” Ben was picking Thomas up. “When you feel better, we will come back.”

Thomas was dead weight, trying to catch his breath. He had tears in his eyes. The damn things were always wet most of the time now days he thought.

He looked around. He saw Eddie standing there. The boy had a beautiful face, young, with yellow hair, and youth. That was what it was.

Eddie was young and beautiful. But most of all he was innocence. Just like her.

She was a child. She had never hurt anyone. She was just looking for someone to protect her. She had turned to him. And he had hurt her. And now he could see her tears as they rolled down the face of a young beautiful Eddie.

The tears that Eddie was dropping were for Thomas and the pain that he was feeling, but the tears that Thomas dropped were for her. And the pain that he had given her.

But the real tears that mattered were the tears that she had dropped. And they were his tears, because he had made them, and now he had to take them away.

He had to try to take them away; try to make them right. No, he had to make them right.

Two of his friends were here right now. They had saved his life. And for what ever reason, they had given some time of their life so that they could make a right out of a very bad wrong that he had caused.

These two people were standing here, and they were hurting because of him. They were hurting because he had hurt another. And now they were hurting for him, because they were his friends. And they cared for him.

They felt what he had did was wrong, he could feel it in his heart. They could see no right in it. They could not understand. They did not like it. But they did like him. And for him they were standing here with him. To except the punishment that should be for him alone.

“I cannot do this.” He said.

“I know Mr. Thomas, don’t you worry none I will get you out of here.”

“No Ben. I can’t do this. I cannot let you do this. Put me down.”

Ben did not put Thomas down. He had Thomas now in both of his arms. And he was not going to let go.

“I will take you away from her Mr. Thomas. You don’t have to do this.”

Ben was not going to let anyone hurt Thomas. “Eddie and Me, we will take care of you.”

“No Ben. Put me down.”

For a second both Eddie and Ben looked at Thomas, both saying no with their eyes, but both wanting Thomas to do what he had to do. They both wanted Thomas to do what was right.

“Put me down Ben.”

Ben put Thomas down. As he did, Thomas grabbed the iron rails with both hands. He felt better now. The excitement of the moment gone, he could catch his breath again.

“You two go back to the truck.” He said.

Both started to say something. But he stopped them.

“I will be okay.” He said. “I need to do this.” He looked them in the eye.

“I need to do this for her.”

Ben and Eddie turned and went back to the RV. Thomas watched them go.

As Ben and Eddie went into the RV, Thomas turned toward the next set of steps. He started walking. As he reached the bottom of the set of four steps, he stopped. He was watching the door. It started opening.

The weakness came back. Only this time he could not give in to it. This time he could not fall. This time he had to be strong. For the first time in many years, he had to be strong. For her, he had to be strong.

The door opened. A beautiful woman stood there. She is an angel, He thought.

 

Kelly had been setting in a chair. She had been reading a book. But she could not keep up with what she was reading. She laid the book down.

Something is wrong, she started breathing hard. She had a warm feeling, a good feeling. Everything is going to be okay, she thought. She dropped her book.

Tasha was setting there on the sofa. She had also been reading a book. Now she put her book down as she looked at her mama. She smiled, because of the smile on her mothers face.

“What?” she asked. “What’s wrong?”

“Someone is at the door.” Kelly said.

“I’ll get it.” Tasha said as she jumped up and started toward the door.

“No.” Kelly screamed.

Tasha stopped in her tracks. He mother had raised her voice. Not at her, but she could feel the cut that the scream had left in the air.

“It’s for me. I will get it.” Kelly was already walking toward the door, Tasha right behind her.

Kelly touched the door knob. She stopped. She looked at her daughter.

“It’s him.” She said, as she looked at her daughter.

“Who?” asked Tasha?

Kelly looked at her daughter. Then she turned toward the door. She opened it.

 

Kelly and Thomas looked at each other, eye to eye, breath to breath.

Their minds raced back, each in thought, each remembering a love that had filled them both with life. A love that had kept them both living for these many years; A love that had both cherished memories, and also memories of pain that had killed the very life that it had saved.

For the one part of eternity, they looked at each other. Both filled with the love that they had felt for each other. Then the pain stabbed them both. Kelly slammed the door. Thomas dropped his head.

“What is it mama? Is it him? What’s wrong?” Tasha was jumping around. Kelly was standing in front of the door. Her back to the door, as if she could hold him back. If she stood there, he could never come in. He could not get past her. He could not come back into her life.

Tasha was trying to get the door open. She could not. She stood there, her mother holding the door. “Let me out mama.” She said. Her mama had tears now. But she would not move.

“He hurt you.” Tasha said. She was mad. She wanted to fight. And she would. She would hurt this man that had hurt her mama. She ran to the window.

 

Thomas stood there for only a second. He had regained his strength, his will power, he had to. He had to be strong for her. He had to make things right, for her.

“She is even more beautiful than I remember her.” He said to himself.

“She is going to kill you.” A voice said. It was in his head. He thought it was anyway.

“She is gone to get a gun.”

“No, she is gone to call the police. You are going to jail.” This was another voice.

“I hope she kills me.” He thought, but just as fast, he changed his mind. If she did that, then she would go to jail.

“Don’t kill me my love…” he said. “I am dying, and I just want to make things right for you before I go.”

He looked at the door. It was as if he could see her standing there, on the other side of the door. Her body was there, calling to him. He had to go.

Thomas walked up the last five steps. As he did he could see a small face looking out the window right at him, looking him right in the eyes. That was the face of a little girl and she had murder in her eyes.

When Thomas reached the door, he did not knock. He did not ring the bell. He stood there.

“Open the door mama. He is right there at the door.” Tasha was now standing in front of her mother.

“Open the door and I will kick him.” She was standing in a karate stance. She was ready.

“Open the door and give me a chance. I’ll show you what I have learned.” She was not scared. She just wanted to hurt the man that had hurt her mother.

“You will do nothing.” said Kelly. “I want you to go to your room now!”

Tasha stood there. She did not move.

“I am going out there. Kelly said. “You will stay here. Do you hear me?”

Tasha said “Yes.”

Kelly turned. She took a deep breath, she open the door.

Thomas was standing there. He did not move. He did not say anything. Kelly walked out the door, causing Thomas to step back. Kelly closed the door behind her, but Tasha was already standing at the window.

 

In the truck, looking out the window, Eddie was smiling. Ben was not. Both were looking at the man and woman standing on the porch looking at each other. Neither one was moving.

“What do you think” Asked Ben, looking at Eddie?

Eddie returned the look them smiled then looked back at the people on the porch.

Both Eddie and Ben thought that things were going to be okay. Just for a second. Then the woman hit the man. Not a slap. The woman hit the man.

Her fist closed. She hit him with a round house punch across the chin.

Thomas spun around, a 360 degree spin, and as he did, he fell backward. If not for the rail of the steps he would have fallen down. But he was able to catch the rail, and keep himself from falling.

The punch had not broken anything. But that was a surprise in itself. If nothing was broke, then it was no fault of hers. Kelly had put all she had into the punch. And with his age, Thomas should have fell or at lease felt a broken bone.

Now he stood on the first step. “Thank you.” He said. “I have been wishing for that for these past twenty years.”

“You son of a bitch” was all she said.

“I know.” He said. “I just came to give you something.” He reached into the inside coat pocket.

“It’s not much, just some money, something to help you and Tasha.”

“You stay away from my daughter, you fucking monster.” She said. She turned, and started into the house, but before the door closed he had sprang across the porch. He grabbed the door, with her halfway inside.

“I am dying.” He said. Their eyes locked. He wanted to grab her. He wanted to hold her in his arms. He wanted to kiss her forever.

And she wanted to kiss him. She wanted to take him in her arms. She wanted to return to the love that they had shared in a life that had died and past away.

“Die.” she said “Just fucking die.” She pushed him back and slammed the door.

 

When Thomas opened his eyes he was crying. He could hear a scream coming from all around, but did not know from whom.

“She hates me” he screamed.

Barry and Dick were holding him down. Eddie was crying also.

“No she don’t hate you Thomas. You are dreaming. It is just a bad dream.” Dick had him by the hair of the head.

Thomas stopped fighting. He was getting no where anyway. Barry was strong as an ox he thought, too strong to be so skinny.

“Let me up.” Thomas demanded.

Dick let go of Thomas and backed away.

Barry was a little slow and got a back hand across the face as Thomas started to fight his way free again.

After Barry let go and jumped back Thomas set up straight in the seat. Looking around, he saw Eddie.

“I need a drink Eddie.” He said.

 

Wrongful Kiss Chapter 19 : A New Direction September 16th 2011

Wrongful Kiss

Chapter 19 : A New Direction

September 16th 2011

 

It was a pretty Friday morning already, the end of the week, time for everyone to get ready to have a great weekend.

The sun was shinning, and the weather was nice. Not too hot, but not yet cold. The weekend was promising to be beautiful, but not for everyone; not for Dan.

Dan and his two side kicks had gone to the office of Captain Turner James the day before. At the time Dan was still mad at the girl, Kelly, and the way she had cussed him and hung up on him. No one hung up on Dan Johnson. Not unless they wanted to sleep over night in the cross bar motel.

Dan stopped being mad at the girl, Kelly when he found his self being set straight about the facts of life.

First off Captain Turner James had a talk with his daughter; a father daughter talk, and when that talk was over, Sarah James was setting on the office sofa in the corner and was very quite. Before the hour was over Sarah James was going to find out more about her father than she had in all of her life. And before the hour was over Sarah James life was going to change forever. She was praying it was going to be for the best.

Next, the chief of detectives had a heart to heart talk with Mark Punch. By the end of the talk Mark was in charge of the Task Force to catch this Serial Killer. He knew that this promotion was to determine his future as a cop. His future was in his hands. And he knew that what ever direction his future went, he was making it unfold now with every action he undertook.

The chief of detectives told him to find this killer and to be quick about it. He was also told that he was to forget any angles that might relate to the so called Family group that he and Dan Johnson had worked out.

In the future any contact with this Kelly girl or the Family was to be handled through his office and that no one out side that office except him was to have any contact with the girl or any member of the family.

Mark was told that if he had any desire to keep contact with his so called creeper friends then he had better make sure he understood who he worked for. He worked for Captain Turner James.

Mark was then sent home with the last words Turner James said to him. “You chose where you want to be in one year. Here on the police force, or in jail with some of your creeper friends.”

 

After Sarah and Mark had been given their future guidelines, it became Dan’s turn. Sarah was still setting on the sofa when Turner James turned to her and said if you and this man want to keep your jobs, and have a future together, then you had better make sure he understands what I am about to say to him.

The chief of detectives then started to tell Dan and Sarah a story. It was not a full story but instead had many gaps. But the story was told with enough information that Dan knew he had to make a choice.

Captain Turner was born into a poor family. But he had been child hood friends with Andy and Dan Harper who were not only rich but come from a very well known and respected family; a good family; a family that took care of its own.

Many nights when he was growing up, he and Dan Harper had set and talked over what Turner James future was going to be. And for the most part that future had come true.

Now Turner James was the chief of detectives in one of the fastest growing cities in the United States. And there was no roof as to how far Turner James could go. Not unless someone screwed it up for him. Someone that had no clue what they were doing.

Dan could now also reach higher than he ever thought possible. He was being offered a chance to grow in the department. He was being offered a chance to become part of the family.

It was become part of the family or end up maybe face down somewhere in the mud. The offer was made. And the outcome was in his hand.

 

Dan and Sarah set in the office of Captain Turner James for the next several hours. They had ordered food and had mapped out Dan’s future.

In the not to distance future Dan would have Turner James job. Turner his self would be chief of the entire police department.

There was changes coming in the family and this meant some new faces.

Right now Turner James needed Dan Johnson and Sarah to do something for him. The girl Kelly Addison was important to Turner James and the family. Dan was not told why. He was told he had better get over his hate for Thomas Saratoga. And he had better make sure that Kelly Addison was safe and that no harm came to her.

Turner James told Dan that he knew for a fact that someone had make threats against the life of Kelly Ann Addison and her child Tasha Sara Addison. Turner James did not know who this man was but did have a description of him.

When Dan asked if this could have been the serial killer, Turner did not know. But he said it might be. Carl Price had said the man that killed the young boy had also made threats against Kelly and so unless there were two people wanting to kill her, then they had to be one in the same.

The chief of detectives told Dan it was his and Sarah’s job to make sure nothing happened to Kelly. He also said that there were people watching the girl now but that tomorrow, on Friday they would be pulled away and it would then become Dan’s responsibility to protect the girl.

And that is where Dan found his self at on this beautiful Friday morning. The chief had given him permission to use some cops to aide him in this mission.

Dan was not to tell the cops what was going on. All he could tell them was that they were looking for a dangerous man and that they had permission, off the record, to shot to kill.

 

Dan and Sarah had gone to Dan’s house the night before to get some rest. They had stopped by Sarah’s place to pick up some things for her and then went to his house. After several hours knowing each other, the two had fallen asleep.

By 6:00 in the morning they were parked in a place which gave them a view of the business Kelly Addison was the manager of. There they had been able to pick out the two men that were watching the Kelly girl already.

They were there also when Andy Harper and Greg Ellis showed up. They had been told by the Chief who these two men were and that they were going to be there. And they were told that they would be taking orders from these two men. They were also told to let these two men know they were there and that they were taking over the watch, but to make sure no one else knew they were watching the girl or that they were cops.

 

 

 

 

 

Kelly was setting in the storage office. Tasha was in the back room. Greg was setting with Kelly. And like always, the two were talking.

Andy was outside walking the lot and looking to see if he could find anyone that stood out as watching the place.

Two people walked up.

“Hello Mr. Harper.” The man said. He put his hand out for a shake.

“Hello.” Andy said. He took the hand. But he was careful. He thought the man was twice his age. If this was some kind of trick he thought he could take the man.

“I am Dan Johnson.” The man said. “This is my partner Sarah James.”

Andy knew about Turner James. He had heard his father speak about him before.

“Any kin to Turner James?” Andy asked?

“He is my father.” Sarah said. “He sent us.”

“I see.” Andy said. “Let’s go inside.”

“Okay” Dan said. “But we are supposed to be under cover. We have order to report to you but not let anyone know who we are.”

“Great.” Andy said. “But you will have to introduce your self to Kelly.”

“That might be a problem.” Dan said. “We already know each other and I can tell you now that she does not like me.” Dan was smiling.

Andy thought about this. Then remembered the phone call Kelly had made the day before.

“Oh yes. I remember now. You were the one she was talking to yesterday.”

Dan did not say anything. He was surprised to know that the man knew he had talked to Kelly the day before.

“You still have to talk to her. You have to let her know that you are going to be watching her and protecting her.” Andy paused. “You are going to protect her right?”

“That’s why we are here. We were told that no harm had better come to her or the child.” Sarah said. Dan just looked away.

 

The three of them were now inside the office. At first Kelly had been mad when she seen Dan Johnson in front of her. Then she settled down after she found out that he was here to protect her. He told her he already had four plain clothes cops out side watching her. And that he was now in charge of protecting her.

This did not set well with Kelly.

“Well I feel real safe now knowing that you are going to protect me.” She said to him.

At first he thought she meant it then when he looked her in the face he could tell she was being sarcastic.

“Ms. Addison I know you don’t like me and that is fine. But you should also know I have always done what I thought was right. If I was wrong, it was not because I wanted to hurt anyone.”

“Right” Kelly said.

Dan started to say something else but Sarah stopped him.

“From what I understand you are some what kind of special to the family?” Sarah said. This was more a statement than a question.

Both Andy and Greg looked at each other.

“My father is the Chief of Detectives.” Sarah went on. “And from what I know, he is some what special also in the family. Yesterday he made Dan and I understand that no harm had better come to you.” Sarah stopped to let these words sink in. “You can bet that there is no way the two of us will let anything happen to you or your boyfriend Thomas.”

Sarah should not have said anything about Thomas. She was winning Kelly over till she said his name.

“If the two of you harm Thomas in any way I will kill you both myself.” Kelly said.

Dan did not like this. No one talked to him this way.

“Don’t worry Kelly,” Andy said. “No one will hurt Thomas. Not while I am around.” He looked toward Greg.

“That goes double for me Kelly.” Greg said.

Kelly did not say anything. She just looked at the three men and one woman there in her office. She did not know if she trusted any one of them. But she did know that Thomas was coming back to her. He would be here in a few days. She just needed a few days and then he would know what to do. He had saved her once and he would do it again.

Hell, Thomas had tried to kill a man once because of her. She already knew that nothing would stop him from hurting anyone that tried to hurt her. And she felt that Thomas would do the same for her daughter.

“Thomas will be here in a few days.” Kelly was looking at Dan when she said this. “If you try to stop him from coming, or do anything to hurt him I will….” She did not finish. She did not need to.

 

Dan and Sarah were out side on the lot. Andy was showing them a storage room. They were playing this game out to it fullest and were trying to make it look like Dan and Sarah were just customers. If anyone was watching that was what they were supposed to think.

“We will be leaving soon.” Andy said. “But while we are gone, her life is in your hands. My father told me that Turner James was a very good friend of his and that I could trust him. Father said that if Turner James sent you then I should trust you.” Andy stopped and looked at the two cops.

“I just want you to know how important this is to me.” He said.

“We understand.” Said Sarah.

“Very well. I will leave you two in charge. If anyone other than me or Greg or my father, Dan Harper, comes and tells you to do anything that would put Kelly or her child in danger then you are to ignore them and call me as soon as possible.” Andy made sure to let them know his father was Dan Harper.

“I understand.” Dan said.

 

Dan and Sarah rented the storage room. They would set up a small base here. This would give them a reason to be on site for the next few days. They had already agreed that they would move Sarah out of her apartment and into the storage room. After this was all over they would then move Sarah into Dan’s house.

Dan and Sarah had gone to rent a truck and start moving Sarah’s things. They were even going to hire some men to do the moving. It was going to be a long night.

 

Greg had a long talk with Kelly while Andy was out side with her.

“Kelly, Andy and I have to leave for a few days.” He said.

Kelly’s eyes opened wide. Fear ran through her again for about the thousands time in the last few days.

“Don’t worry. We want be for away. At lease, I want be for away. Andy has to meet with Uncle Andy tomorrow. I am not sure what’s going to happen there. But no matter, Thomas will be here tomorrow or the next day.” Greg stopped talking.

“Is he on his way?” Kelly asked.

“The last report I had said they were packing to leave. They have not left yet but they are leaving tonight. He should be here tomorrow.”

Kelly’s face was shinning. This was the best news she had heard in over a week. She still had no ideal what she was going to do; no ideal what she would say to Thomas. She did not know how he felt about her now. Or for that matter how she felt about him.

Kelly knew that Thomas was older now. He would be almost fifty years old she thought. No wait, he was fifty three now. He had been twenty years older than her.

Kelly thought about the times he had made love to her. He had been so gently. He had given her so much respect. He had showed her so much love every time he had made love to her. And now she wondered if the two of them had been wrong. Everything they had done had been so wrong. Or at lease that is what she had come to think it had been.

Kelly knew she would have killed anyone that tried to have that kind of relationship with Tasha. There was no way anyone could justify doing that with her baby. So how could she justify doing it her self.

Times were different then. Right. It had only been, what twenty years ago? No, time was not a reason for justification. It had been wrong. But she did not care. She love Thomas and he loved her. That was all the justifying she needed.

But could they love each other again. She did not know. But she did know he would protect her. No matter what, he would protect her and Tasha.

For the first time in a week, Kelly thought she had a reason to feel safe. Kelly knew that Thomas would kill anyone that tried to hurt her. If for no other reason, he would protect her for her daddy.

Thomas and her daddy were the best of friends. And Thomas had once told him he would never let anything happen to her. And Thomas was, if nothing else, a man of his word. He gave his word to James Addison to always protect Kelly. And no matter how he now felt about her, he would not break his word.

“Can you not wait just until Thomas gets here?” Kelly asked.

“We have to go. We were ordered to leave yesterday but we stayed until Uncle Dan could get his cop friends here. But we have to go tonight. Uncle Jason will be here tomorrow. He will be able to get us if needed.”

Kelly was thinking. There was nothing to say. She would not beg. She never had begged anyone for anything. She was not going to do so now.

“I want to give you something.” Greg said. He handed her a small gun.

“Kind of small isn’t it.” Kelly said.

Greg was surprised to hear her say that. He had no ideal that Thomas had trained Kelly on how to use a gun many years before.

“It is a derringer. Double barrow 38 caliber. And it has wad cutters. It should stop any one that you shot with it.” Greg smiled.

Kelly opened the chamber and looked into the gun. She took the bullets out and looked at them.

“This will do nicely.” She said reloading the gun.

“If you shoot someone and the cops get the gun, it is okay. It is not hot. But if you can ditch the gun that’s better. It cannot be traced back to you.”

Kelly put the gun into her pocket.

“The two guys that have been watching you all week are still on the job. Only now you will not be able to see them. They will not be close to you, but will be close enough to reach you within a few minutes.” Andy handed Kelly a piece of paper with a number on it. “Put this number into your phone so that you can call it if needed. It is Bob’s number. Just say help and he will come running.”

“Bob?” Kelly said.

“Passenger. The one Tasha kicked.” Greg laughed “Don’t worry. He is not mad about that. In fact he kind of likes Tasha. She made an impression on him. He thinks she had spunk.” Greg was laughing harder.

“She has that effect on people. They either like her or hate her.” Kelly said. She had started laughing.

Andy Harper walked in. He see’s the two people setting there laughing.

“Did I miss something?” He asked.

Kelly did not say anything. Greg said,

“We were laughing about Tasha kicking Bob.”

Andy started laughing also.

 

An hour later Kelly was locking the store. Then she and Tasha were saying goodbye to Andy and Greg. Tasha gave Andy a hug, and Kelly gave Greg a hug. Kelly did not offer a hug to Andy and none was asked for. Tasha had a tear in her eye.

“Don’t cry little darling, spy’s don’t cry. And I will see you again. I am just going to take care of some business then I will return.

After saying goodbye to Andy and Greg, Kelly and Tasha got into the car and drove away.

Andy and Greg did the same but went in the other direction.

 

 

 

 

 

David had been watching Kelly all week long. He had heard from Omar that the men protecting Kelly would be gone by the end of the day. David did not know how Omar could have known this. But as he watched he saw the two men drive away in a different direction.

The other two men that had been watching the girl had not showed up today. So maybe Omar was right. But David would not take a chance. No he would wait. He would watch and if he was sure there was no one watching them then he would make his move tomorrow. He would take the girls Saturday evening at closing time.

Tonight he wanted to have a little fun. After all it was going to be his last day in town. Tomorrow he would take the two girls and he would catch a plane out of the country. David had already talked to Omar who said he would have the plane ready tomorrow night.

And then the real fun would start. He just hoped Omar would let him watch and maybe even join him in training the little girl. But no matter, he would enjoy training Kelly Addison. That was for sure.

 

David set alone in the motel room, in darkness. No wait, he wasn’t alone. There was a girl in the bed. Yes she was a whore, but even they count sometimes don’t they?

She was alive. She could move, but she did not try to move. She was scared to death. Her hands were tied, but not that hard. She could have escaped if she wanted to. But she did not want to. She was making a lot of money for this. She had performed this gig before. And she was safe. She thought she was safe. After all, Mark had told her just a few days before on the phone not to date anyone she did not know. And she knew this man. She had tricked with him a few times already.

So what if he was weird he always paid her good.

David set there, in the dark room, just barely able to see her nude body on the bed. She was wet with oil he had rubbed all over her. The small amount of light coming in past the closed curtains gave just enough light to let him see her nude body lay there. He could hear her breathing. It was relaxed.

As he watched the out line of her body, she let her hands fall free from the ropes holding her, and moved them toward her female self. She started to make her self feel good and she moved the rest of her body to the motions of her hand.

David followed the motion of the girl with his own movement. For David this was sex. The only kind that worked for him; the only kind that is, except for the other kind. The kind the other girl had given him. But that kind was against the law. That kind cost someone their life. That was the kind David thought of now as he watched this girl.

The dance had lasted for over an hour. Not like the girl he had been with the other day. That had lasted for days. When he had finished with her she had died. This one would live. She would never know how lucky she was.

The girl knew not to stop what she was doing once she started. She had did that once and David had beaten the crap out of her. Now she was just laying there wondering how she ever got mixed up with a character like David.

He had been a regular for her for almost three years now. And in those three years he had visited her about once ever four months and never once did he do anything to her except rub her all over with oil, and watch her play with her self.

She knew he was still in his dream world right now. He was still living out her movements in his head. And she knew to lay still and not interrupt him. If she did she would get beat, and not paid.

The first time she did this David slapped her and took her to her pimp. He then paid the pimp with two new one hundred dollar bills, and told him what he would do the next time she screwed up.

The second time she screwed up David beat the shit out of her and then took her to her pimp and would not pay. The pimp then beat the shit out of her also. He had not even thought to hit David. David had scared him also. And not much scared RAF. The RAF stood for Real Ass Fucker. And he had that name because he was bad. But not as bad as David.

The girl had learned after that second time. And now she was the only girl David called on when he was in town.

When David was finished he would get up and go into the bathroom and then when he came out, she would be allowed to clean up and get dressed.

He would then be the most caring man she had ever known. He always had a nice gift for her. A ring or something she could sell for a dime rock. And he always had two new one hundred dollar bills for the pimp. The pimp would also be nice to her tonight she thought.

David set in the chair now and looked at the girl on the bed. He could picture the evil tramp as dead. And he could see his self there over her cutting her. Taking her heart out. He wanted to eat her heart. He had a knife in his hands. The blade was six inches long. And sharp like a razor.

But of course it was sharp as a razor, it was a razor.

He thought back to that night in the bar, that girl with Kelly.

She had been hot. She had been just what the doctor ordered. If not for that damn bitch, the big one, what was her name? Never mind, it didn’t matter, but if not for her David would have already tasted Kelly. But that was okay. He would have her tomorrow.

It had not even been a week sense he had gone all the way with the last girl. And already he had to have another one. That was Kelly’s fault. He could not get over her. No one had made him feel like this sense Julie.

She just would not leave his thoughts. He could not get her out of his mind. He wanted Kelly so bad. And he was going to get her.

Oh yes he was going to get her. And she would pay for being such an ass with him. And he would make her little girl pay. That little bitch was going to pay also. Omar would love her real good. Omar like fresh little toys like her.

And David was going to get a lot of money for her.

David opened his eyes. He saw the whore there on the bed. She was watching him as he held his privates in one hand, and the knife in the other. David had never had a knife before during their love making.

He could see the fear in her eyes. She just didn’t know how lucky she was.

David got up and went into the bathroom. When he came out the girl had gone. She had not even waited long enough to get paid this time. David laughed.

 

 

 

 

 

“I am telling you I didn’t get paid.” The girl said.

“Why the hell didn’t you get paid?” screamed the pimp. He slapped her again.

“I left before he came out of the bathroom. I was scared.” The girl cried. She was covering her face with her arms as best she could. Her face was already sporting a black eye.

There were two other girls in the room also. One was naked on the second bed. Her hands were tied. She looked young. The pimp had found her about a week before and had brought her here to train. The training was going well. The pimp looked at her.

“Looks like I am going to have to make you wait before we continue your training. I am going to have to retrain this bitch first.”

The girl tried to smile but could not. Her face was cover with burses worse than Shella’s, but before the night was over her face would look normal compared to Shella.

“Please RAF Please don’t hurt me. I will go back and get the money. I am sorry.” Shella cried and begged. But it did no good. David had dropped by and paid RAF before Shella had showed up. RAF had known this bitch had left with out getting his money for him.

But David had done something else. He told the pimp he had been paying the girl three hundred dollars each time. This was a lie. But the pimp did not know this. And the pimp was going to make this bitch pay for every dime she had stolen.

David had watched RAF having sex with the new girl. He had wanted to see her trained. And David had told the pimp that when he came back into town he would like to try her out. He was tired of the other girl.

Hour’s later setting in front of Kelly’s house David was still enjoying the thought of Shella being retrained.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wrongful Kiss Chapter 18 : Kelly’s Is Getting Scared September 15th 2011

Wrongful Kiss

Chapter 18 : Kelly’s Is Getting Scared

September 15th 2011

 

Kelly was up early Thursday morning. Not because she want to wake up early, but because she had another bad dream during the night. This time the dream was so real that Kelly woke up crying and could not stop for the longest time. She was feeling fear from the dream and the thought of it maybe being more than just a dream. Maybe it was a premonition of the future.

She did not believe in premonitions or any of that kind of stuff. But she also did not disbelieve in it. She had never really had a thought about it at all, until now. And now, this one was scaring the hell out of her.

In the dream she was with Thomas. He was dead and she was holding him in her lap. That was the same basic dream she had remembered having for years now. Only this time somehow it was different.

Tasha was there this time also. She did not appear in the dream at all till just the last few times. But now she had started appearing each time the dream had come.

This time Tasha was there and she was holding the hand of David, the man from the bar with Mona.

Funny Kelly had thought later. How come this David guy had appeared in her dream? And why was he holding Tasha’s hand?

But what really scared Kelly was what Tasha was telling her. Tasha said to Kelly, Its okay to die because now I am going to go live with Mike.

Who the hell was Mike? Kelly knew the man in the dream. She would not forget those eyes if she could. They were the same eyes she had seen in the truck. Only she was not sure of that until she woke from the dream.

The next part of the dream also gave her a scare. Thomas set up and said bye to Tasha, then he looked at Kelly and said that if David took Tasha’s heart she could have his because he did not need it anymore.

Why the hell would he say something like that?

 

Kelly had been setting in her bed rocking back and forward when she notice someone was holding her and rocking with her. At first the dream come alive again and it was her there with Thomas holding her in his arms rocking her back and forward. Then Thomas started to change forms. He was becoming someone else.

Kelly started trying to free herself from the arms wrapped around her. She wanted them to let go of her.

“Let me go.” She cried. “You can’t have her.”

“It’s okay mama, it’s me.” Tasha said holding her mother tighter.

“I am here with you. I got you.”

Kelly stopped pushing Tasha away and stared at her. Seeing her daughter she reached for her and pulled her to her self. The two of them set there and cried.

 

Later in the kitchen Kelly was making coffee. Tasha had already set the table with two slices of cake, chocolate with strawberry frosting. The frosting said happy birthday Jill. It had been on sale at the market. Someone had ordered it and not picked it up.

Tasha was now setting at the end of the table with her head lying on the table. She had laid her head down waiting on the coffee to go with her cake.

“I am going to keep you home from school today.” Kelly told Tasha. “I have some work at the office for you to do.”

Tasha set up as Kelly set a cup of coffee down in front of her. It was black. Tasha liked her coffee black. She had seen a movie once where a little girl had said she liked her coffee black like her men. Tasha had loved the moved and had drink coffee black like that ever sense then.

“Why do you not want me to go to school today mommy?” Tasha asked. She took a drink of coffee. It was not hot. Kelly always dropped two ice cubes into the cup to cool it off so they could drink it.

“No special reason. I just need you close to me today so you can help me with some things.”

It was okay with Tasha if she missed a day of school. It would have been better if it had been Friday, that way she could have a long week end. But still, this would work also.

“Mama the dream was bad last night wasn’t it?” Tasha asked.

Kelly didn’t say anything. She was eating a bite of the cake. She took her time before finishing so she could think what to tell Tasha.

“Yes dear, it was.”

Tasha knew about the dreams. She had heard them all her life. Never as many as now, maybe one or two a year, but now there had been two of them in less than a week. Tasha knew that was not good.

Tasha did not know she was in the dreams now. She thought they were sad dreams where her mother and this Thomas guy were together and then taken apart. She did not know how the dreams had taken a new direction.

“Are you going to tell me about the dream?” Tasha asked.

Kelly just looked at her.

“You already know about the dreams. I have told you about them a million times.”

“But there is something wrong now. The dreams are making you scared now. Not just sad.” Tasha was not dumb. Even if she didn’t know what the dream was about, she knew they were different.

Kelly thought about telling Tasha everything. She thought about David. Why had he been in the dream? He was the man in the truck. She knew that now. But why was he in her dream, and why was he haunting her life?

“I was told the other day by a friend that they may have found Thomas.” Kelly said. She had said it before she thought about it.

“What?” Tasha said setting up straight now. “Wow”

Kelly smiled. She did not know what to think. How would her daughter feel about Thomas if he did come back into her life?

“Are you going to see him? Will I meet him? Where is he?” Tasha was snapping off questions like an assembly line.

“Slow down.” Kelly said. “I don’t know where he is. Just that someone may have found him. He might be looking for me. He might come see me, but I don’t know.”

“Are you going to see him mama?” Tasha asked. “He hurt you so bad.”

“I don’t know yet dear. I just don’t know.” Kelly looked away from her daughter. She didn’t know what to do really.

“Do you still love him mama?” Tasha asked?

“I don’t know Tasha.”

 

When Kelly and Tasha left the house to drive to work, Kelly was surprised to find that the two men were not out side her house watching. Again David flashed into her mind, and for a split second she wanted to run back into the house and lock the door.

They had not driven two blocks from the house when she seen the car. The two men were there and had been watching her. She felt a flash of relief. Maybe everything would be okay.

When Kelly stopped for her breakfast, again she did not see the car. It had disappeared for the second time. But after she had entered the store and her and Tasha had picked out their breakfast, Kelly saw one of the men in the back of the store making coffee. It was the one Tasha had named the passenger because he was always on the passenger side of the car when Tasha had seen them. This was Bob Indus, the one Tasha had kicked. The other one was Driver.

When they left the store Kelly notice that the passenger left also, but he had not stopped at the counter to pay for what he had taken. He had just waved to Darrin behind the counter.

Kelly drove her car out of the store parking lot and into the storage parking lot. As she did so she watched as passenger followed her. As she pulled into the parking space she seen driver come out of the storage office. He looked to her and waved.

Everything is clear.” He said in a voice she could barely hear.

Kelly knew he had gone into the store and checked the office out and this sent another feeling of relief through her.

 

It was about 9:00 before Andy and Greg showed up today. Kelly was surprised that Greg was late and that Andy was with him and had not went to the school house today but then thought that passenger must had told them that Kelly was keeping the little girl out of school today.

“Good Morning.” Greg said when he came into the office.

“Good morning.” Kelly said.

Andy just smiled and then winked at Tasha. Tasha winked back with a smile also.

“I am going to go walk the lot” said Andy, “Would you like to go with me?” he asked Tasha.

“Sure.” She said.

Kelly looked at them and started to say something but Greg spoke first.

“Kelly I need to talk to you.”

Kelly looked at him, then back to Tasha and Andy.

“We want be gone long.” Andy said.

“It is okay’ Greg said looking at Kelly, “Bob has already walked the lot. Everything is fine. I need to talk to you.”

Tasha and Andy left the office. Kelly heard Andy say something about spy training as they left. Tasha was shaking her head in understanding.

“What did you keep Tasha out of school today?” Greg asked. “Is anything wrong?”

Kelly did not know what to say. How could she tell this man that she had a bad dream and was now acting like a damn fool?

“I needed her help today.” Kelly said.

“Really, what kind of help?” Greg asked.

Kelly did not say anything. She did not know how to tell Greg about the dream with out sounding like a fool. How could she tell him that she dreamed about this guy David and that was who the man in the truck was?

What if she was wrong? She could lead them off in the wrong direction and the real man in the truck could get away.

“Kelly what’s wrong. Why did you keep the child out of school today?”

“Nothing is wrong.” Kelly told them. “I am just keeping her close to me today.” Kelly stopped what she was doing. She faced Greg.

“Have you found Thomas?” she asked.

This time it was Greg’s turn to pause. But for only a second.

“We have. And he will be here in a few days.”

Kelly dropped her pen. Her hands were shaking. She had to hold them to make the shaking stop. They went to her open mouth to cover it.

“He’s coming to see me?’ She asked.

“Yes. That’s what you wanted, right?’ Greg said.

“Yes. Yes it is.” Kelly turned back to her computer. She still could not put her hands on the key board. They were still shaking. She had a small smile.

“When will he be here?” she asked.

“This week end some time. I am not sure. He is in Texas now and will be leaving Friday, tomorrow, to drive here.”

Kelly did not say anything. She was entering payments into the computer.

“Kelly I told you what you wanted to know. Now tell me what I want to know. Why did you keep the little girl out of school today? What’s wrong?”

Kelly started talking before she knew what she was saying. She started telling Greg all about the dream. Kelly told him about the night in the bar and about the man David and that now this David was coming to her in her dreams.

“So you think this David is the man in the truck?” Greg asked.

“Yes I do. I am not sure but now that I think about it, I think it was the same man.” Kelly looked scared.

Greg had been making notes. Kelly had notice that Greg had two cell phones. But she had never asked him why. He pulled out the second phone which she had never seen him use before.

“I need to make a phone call.” He said.

They stood there for a few minutes.

“It is busy. That has never happened before. It does not have an answering service but he will call back in a few minutes.” Greg told Kelly.

“Who are you calling?” Kelly asked.

“My uncle Dan.” Greg said. “I think you know him.”

“Yes I know him.” Kelly replied.

The phone ring. Kelly stood there. Greg turned and went into the inner office. A few minutes later he came out. Tasha came running into the office from the out side at the same time.

Both Kelly and Greg looked at Tasha.

“Andy got a phone call from his daddy. Then someone broke into the call with an emergency phone call. He will be here in a minute.” Tasha said.

Kelly looked at Greg. The two of the sharing a look of pain. Kelly knew the game had just changed and that now she and Tasha were alone. At lease until Thomas arrived.

“You are leaving?” she said. More a statement than anything.

“Why do you say that?” Greg asked.

“I can feel it.” Kelly said.

Andy walked into the office. He looked strange. Like he had a mission. He looks like a mad man thought Kelly. He is going to kill me.

Andy looked at Kelly and seen that she was upset. He knew he was scaring her.

“Everything is fine.” He said.

 

Dan Harper had reached his son Andy Harper, on the phone before the older Andy Harper could call him. They were able to talk only a few minutes before an emergency phone call come through from the older Andy to the younger Andy.

The younger Andy took the call. He had already heard everything he needed to hear from his father. The man he called father.

Dan Harper had never lied to Andy about anything except one thing. And he would keep lying about that. But he had always told the truth about everything else to his son.

Dan had told Andy about how his mother and so called uncle had used him and had an affair together behind his back. They were in love with each other Dan had said. Or at lease that is what your, so called uncle told me when I found out that he was really your father. That had been the night that Dan’s wife had died. His brother Andy had come clean with him, Dan told his son. Andy Harper had told Dan Harper the truth the night he killed Dan’s wife.

Dan had told this story to his son when he was fifteen years old. And they agreed to keep it between the two of them till the time was right. And then they would have their revenge.

Dan had not told Andy that he had known all alone about his wife and brother having an affair. He also did not tell Andy that it was he that killed his mother. Dan just let the years do the work and grow the hate his son had for the read dad. Dan waited for time to make his revenge all the more sweet. Time makes everything right.

The older Andy had called and had the operator make an emergency phone call and cut in on Dan’s call. So the younger Andy was ready for the older Andy’s phone call.

The sells pitch that Andy’s real father used on him was not that grand. He did not use any special tricks or fancy words. Just a simple little back ground information and a little feeling.

There was an “I love you or two thrown in.” for good measure. And Andy said that he had always loved the boy, but that now he was able to tell him the truth and show him that love was more than just an uncle for his nephew. It was the love of a father for his son.

But the younger Andy knew what he was going to hear almost from the start. He and Dan had gone over this conversation a million times. And as he listened to his real father talk, he was hearing Dan’s words repeated again. Just as Dan had said they would be spoken, word for word.

The older Andy told his son of the love he had for his mother and him, and that what happened was wrong. But they could not help their self. Then he added that Dan had done something terrible after Andy had been born. He had murdered the younger Andy’s mother.

The boy already knew that he father was going to say this. Dan had told him that Andy was going to try to pin the murder on him. That was the way he kept people in line.

The older Andy said he had only protected Dan because of the family, but that he now had wanted to avenge his only true love.

The older Andy then told the younger Andy about the problem with Kelly. He said that the family was in danger of maybe having to go to war now because of this woman and that as the head of the family he had no choice except to cut her out of the family.

He then said that Dan was not going to allow this to happen and that he was placing his own feelings before the safety of the family. Andy, older, said that Dan had to be replaced. And he said that Andy, younger, was the replacement.

“We cannot allow the safety of the family to be put into danger because of one woman and child. Don’t you agree?” asked the real father of young Andy Harper.

“I agree father.” Andy had replied.

And so with just three words, Andy Harper, the younger, Son of Dan Harper become head of the family in the south east United States. And as of now, he was in charge of everything that pertained to the family. He was the Boss. Andy Harper, the younger, was now head of the family in seven states. He now had the power to do what ever he wanted.

 

Tasha was setting in the main office. The doors were locked. She was just setting there watching for customers.

Kelly was in the back room with Greg and Andy. The two of them were talking about the phone calls. They had shared a lot of what was going on in the family with Kelly. She knew there was trouble. She just did not know how much trouble this was going to be for her.

Andy had also told Greg that he was now in control of the family. He had not told Greg why. He had just said there was some trouble between Dan and Andy, the older Andy, and that they were now splitting. He said everyone would now have to take sides.

“Whose side are you on?” asked Greg.

Andy looked at Greg. He smiled.

“I am on my father’s side, the same as you I think. Dan Harper.” Andy said. “I always have been, and always will be.”

“Well that’s just great but you are not telling me everything.” Kelly said. She was making a statement. Not asking a questing. She did not need to.

“What?” Greg asked. He had almost forgotten about her setting there.

“I know there is something wrong. I just don’t know what. But you and Andy are not here just because some fool tried to play chicken with me in a truck. This man David wants to hurt me and Tasha for some reason. And you two know it.” Kelly was looking them both in the eyes. She had been told many years ago by Thomas to always look a man in the eyes if you want the truth.

“And now I find out your family is breaking up. Is this because of me?”

So for all the two men had told Kelly was that there was trouble and that Andy was taking over the day to day operation of the family here in the south. She had no ideal why. Well, yes she did. She thought it had something to do with her, and maybe Thomas, but she did not know why.

“What is really going on?” she asked. “Is it me or Tasha this guy is after? What does all this have to do with the family?”

Andy did not say anything. He did not know what to say. What could he tell her?

“It is both of you.” Greg said. “We don’t know why. We don’t know who he is. Not unless it is this David guy you spoke of.”

“And the family problem has nothing to do with you Kelly.” Andy said before Greg could say more. He did not want Kelly to know she was the problem. Nor how much trouble she was really in.

Kelly’s stood there. She was looking at Greg, trying to think what to do. What to say.

“We need to leave.” She said.

“No, that’s the worse thing to do. We can protect you here. We have people watching.”

“My father said you will be protected.” Andy said. He was talking about Dan Harper. “And he or I will be in charge of the family here in Georgia. And no matter which one of us is in charge, you will be protected.”

Kelly was thinking, her mind racing at warp speed. It was not every day that you find out that someone wants to kill you.

“So you two are going to stay here with me?” Kelly asked.

“We have been ordered to leave.” Andy said.

“What?” screamed Kelly looking at Andy then Greg?

“What?” Greg almost screamed the word his self.

“No fucking way I am leaving Andy.” Greg said. He stood up and walked to the main office door to look out. Then he walked back over to Andy.

“We will not leave her and that baby alone.” Greg had a look on his face that said do we have a problem with this.

Andy smiled.

“Be cool, don’t worry Dad has every thing under control. Again he was talking about Dan.

“Dad told me this was going to happen. He told me everything that was going to happen and just what he wanted us to do. Dad has someone he knows from the police force coming to take charge.”

This surprised both Kelly and Greg.

Andy looked at Kelly.

“You and the little girl are going to be safe. We have to leave but you are being watched as we speak. No one is going to harm you or the girl.”

Kelly started to say something when Tasha walked into the room. She was crying. “Carl is dead.”

Kelly jumped up from her chair so fast she almost fell on the floor. Greg had to catch her. Tasha ran to her mother and wrapped her arms around her. She was crying real tears now.

“What happened?” Kelly asked trying to get Tasha to stop crying and tell her what was wrong.

“The man on the radio said that someone name Carl was found dead in the woods today.” Tasha would not stop crying.

Greg went into the outer office to find the radio. Andy followed him.

Kelly went down to her knees and took her daughter into her arms.

“Are you sure he said Carl? Maybe you heard wrong?” Kelly was starting to cry also.

“I just heard them say Carl Price and murdered. I was not paying attention.” Tasha had been listening to the radio because Kelly had turned it on so that Tasha could not hear her in the back room talking to Greg and Andy.

“Come on and we will go find out.” Kelly said.

 

It had taken almost an hour for Kelly and Greg to get Tasha to stop crying. They had found out that Carl was alive but could not find out anything else about him. Greg had been told by someone at the hospital that they would have to contact a detective name Dan Johnson for more information on Mr. Price.

Kelly told Greg she knew that name. The name had started to pop up over and over again and again in the past week. That was the man she hated most in the world. He was the reason she had lost not only the man she loved, but her son also.

“I cannot believe this.” She said. “I just can’t believe he is still trying to hurt me.”

“Who?” asked Greg?

“Dan Johnson.” Kelly said. Then she told Greg who he was. She told him about the letter, the tricks and all the bad things he had done to her.

“Call him.” Greg said. “Let’s see what he has to say.”

“I am not calling that man.” Kelly said as she walked away from the phone. He hands in the air.

“We need to know Kelly. We need to know what he is doing and if he is part of this other thing.”

Kelly stood there. She looked at Greg for a second then looked over to her daughter. Tasha had stopped crying but was still very much hurting.

“Please call him mommy. I want to know if Carl is going to be okay.”

Kelly picked up the phone. Five minutes later she was talking to Dan Johnson on the phone.

 

“Yes Ms. Addison I do remember you. It has been a long time.” Dan was in his office. Mark Punch was setting across from him.

“I am calling about Carl Price. He works for me. I need…” Kelly paused, “My daughter is worried about him. He is also a family friend.”

‘Family Friend’, Dan heard that. He is part of the family Dan thought?

“How well do you know him Ms Addison?” Dan asked.

“Well enough.” Kelly said. She did not like the meaning that had come across the phone line. “He has worked for me a few years now and has been a friend sense I was a little girl.” Kelly knew that Dan would make something out of this; something evil and nasty. But she did not care. She hated this man. And she would not be talking to him if not for Tasha.

“I see.” Dan said.

“No you don’t see. I don’t think you have ever seen anything.” Kelly wanted to tell this man just what she thought. Greg touched her on the elbow.

“I am sorry.” She said. “It is just that I am up set. We are worried about Carl.”

“I understand. Your friend is safe. He is going to be okay. But there was a murder and he is more than likely going to be charged with that murder.” Dan knew Carl was not going to be charged, but he wanted to see what Kelly would say.

“Murder, who did he murder? Carl would not hurt a fly. You have got the wrong man again.” Kelly said.

“He killed a young boy name Martin.” Dan had not meant to say this and had let it slip. Mark grunted.

“You have got the wrong person. Carl would not hurt anyone and especially a child anyway.” Kelly looked at Tasha. Tasha was setting there staring at her.

“I want to see him.” Kelly said.

“I am afraid that’s not possible right now, maybe tomorrow or the next day. He is under observation for the next 24 hours.” Dan lied. Carl had not been charged with anything but had been told he would be arrested if he tried to leave the hospital.

“Is he hurt?” Kelly asked.

“No, he is fine. He was in a fight but he is okay. But the doctors want to keep him over night. And then we have to talk to him. After that you can see him.” Again Dan was lying. He was planning on keeping Carl in jail for as long as he could before releasing him. Not because he thought Carl had harmed the boy, but because he was a witness and it just felt like the right thing to do.

Dan also thought that Carl would be in danger now that word was out that he was alive. Who ever did kill the boy would surely want to make sure Carl was dead also.

Again Kelly was in thought. She didn’t know what to say. She knew this man was not going to let her see Carl. She knew he would do anything he could to hurt her. He always did so.

Kelly was surprised by his next questing.

“Tell me Ms. Addison, When was the last time you heard from your friend Thomas Saratoga?” Dan said.

Kelly did not say anything. She was shocked by the fact that this cop knew Thomas’s name so fast. It was like he had known she was going to call and was ready for the questing to be asked.

“Who” Kelly said?

”Thomas Saratoga, you remember, the father of your first child. Let’s see you were fourteen at the time right?

The words shocked Kelly. She knew this man was working his police magic again; trying to trap her, trying to hurt her, and Thomas. Now when she had almost found Thomas, this man was already trying to keep them apart again.

“I don’t see what that has to do with Carl.” Kelly said.

“Well I was just wondering if he had been to town lately.” Dan said.

Kelly thought about Thomas.

“I haven’t seen or heard from Thomas Saratoga in years thanks to you, you son of a bitch.” Kelly said. “Why don’t you just go to hell?”

Kelly hung up the phone.

 

 

 

Wrongful Kiss Chapter 17 : Carl Has A Head Ache September 15th 2011

Wrongful Kiss Chapter 17 : Carl Has A Head Ache  September 15th 2011

 

        Carl walked out of the tree line onto the grass beside the street. There was no side walk here. No side walk had been needed those many years ago when this road had gone from being a dirt road to being a paved road.

Years later after three new lanes had been added, the county still did not believe they needed side walks. At the time the county wanted to stop the big city of Atlanta from sending those poor people up here. If they could not afford a car, they were not welcome.

        The road had five lanes here now at this point. They also had a County bus system. But they still had no side walk.

On the other side of the street there was a side walk. That side of the street had business. On this side was a large patch of trees.

        Carl stood there looking at the store across from him. He could see the signs that said beer. There were many of them, and all of them seamed to be reaching out to Carl to come get a beer.

        Carl did not want a beer. He wanted a drink, a man’s drink. He would settle for a beer.

        Not one person saw Carl as he stood there. Homeless people were not common in this area, but there were a few. And this was close enough to Down Town Atlanta that the people driving by paid no attention any more to a man that looked like he had just rolled around in a mud puddle.

        Carl’s face was dirty. He had rooted around on the ground for a day and two nights. His clothes were dirty and torn and stained with something that looked like blood. It was blood, Carl hoped, other wise Carl had messed his self.

        Carl did not know if the blood was his or Martin’s or someone else’s. He thought it might be Martins because he remembered hitting Martin. But he also remembered Martin had hit him.

        Carl also had a head ache. No not a head ache; that would have been good. Carl thought that the pain in his head was more like a war battle between two armies. And both sides were winning, because he was losing.

        Carl looked at the store and seen a sign. It read coldest beer in town. The brand was not what he liked, but Carl knew the sign was right, and he knew that it would make his head stop hurting.

        Carl wanted a beer, a tomato juice, some head ache powders, and a raw egg. He knew this would make the head ache go away. This was his cure for a hang over and it always worked. He was hoping it worked this time.

        Carl stepped out into the street as the cars started to stop. The traffic light at the far corner had turned red and cars had started stopping already. He was just going to speed up their action by stepping out in front of them.

        It was not because he wanted to be hit or didn’t know better, it was just that his damn head hurt so bad he needed to help the drivers slow down.

        Carl had thought about the fact that he did not have any money. He was not going to be able to pay for what he wanted. So he was just going to take it. Not steal it, because he knew he could not do that. No he was just going to take what he wanted and then wait for the store clerk to call the police.

        Carl needed to talk to the police anyway. And he didn’t have the money for a phone call. Not only that, but there was not a phone around.

        Public phones were almost a thing of the past. Everyone now had a cell phone. Carl had one. Only he did not have it with him. Because of his food stamps that he received every month, he also qualified for a government cell phone.

        The phone came with 250 free minutes each month. And he could get 500 extra minutes for five dollars a month. But Carl never did. He never made phone calls. He never used the minutes. He just took the phone because his case worker told him he had to.

        The government was good to him. The government thought Carl was crazy. And they may have been right. He did not care what they thought. They left him alone.

        Carl’s phone was something he really did not care about. He had never taken it out of his storage room sense the first day he received it. He wished he had it now.

        But it really did not matter. In fact it would have been a problem if he had the phone. He would have called the cops already and he would still need his beer. So he would still have to steal the beer.

        No, not steal, he was just borrowing the beer till this was all worked out and then he would come back and pay for it.

        Carl was now in the fourth lane over from the side of the street he had entered from; only one more lane to go; he heard a horn blowing. Carl looked up to see a tractor trailer coming at him.

        Carl stopped dead in his tracts as the truck rushed pass him in the fifth lane. The truck had made a turn at the light in Carl’s direction. The driver had not seen Carl until he stepped out into the forth lane. By that time the truck was going too fast to stop and would have hit Carl if Carl had stepped into the fifth lane.

        Carl was shaken. Someone was yelling at him, calling him a fool. Two people grabbed his arms and pulled him out of the street onto the side walk.

        “Are you okay?’ asked a beautiful lady. She looked to be about Carl’s age. She was dressed in white and Carl thought she must be a nurse.

        The man was dressed in a suit and looked to be some kind of professional.

        “you almost got yourself killed old man” Said the professional looking man leading Carl over to the front of the store and helping him to set on the curb.

        “I need help.” Carl said. “He needs help. He’s dead.”

        “Who’s dead?” asked the nurse.

        “What are you talking about?” said the man.

        “Someone killed that boy.” Carl said this showing bewilderment in his eyes. “He is going to kill Kelly too.”

        “Who’s Kelly? The man asked. “Who’s going to kill her?

        “We better call the police.” The woman said.

        “I need a beer.” Carl said. He tried to stand but the man held him down.

        “Hold still pop.” He said.

        Carl pushed the man back. He stood up. “Call the cops, but I need a beer first.” Carl walked into the store. The man and woman followed.

        Carl went to the aisle that held the cold food. There he opened a dozen eggs and got two out. He placed them into his shirt pocket. Then he reached in and got two cans of V8 juice. Next he went to the medicine aisle and got a six pack of head ache powders.

        Carl then walked to the front of the store and picked up two lose 16 oz cans of Ice House beer. Looking at the clerk behind the counter he said,

        “I will come back and pay for this when I get back. Please call the police for me.” Carl walked out the door.

        The clerk did not do anything. The professional man was standing at the counter with the dozen eggs that Carl had opened.

        “I have him covered.” The man said. He paid for everything Carl had taken. “Don’t worry about the police, she is calling them now.”

        The nurse lady was standing at the door waiting on the man and watching Carl.

        Out side Carl stopped beside the front wall of the store where a display of propane gas containers set. There he placed his two beers and v8 juice.

Carl then opened the six-pack of head ache powders and took three of them. He then washed them down with a v8 juice.

        “Didn’t work” Carl said to no one as he ripped the v8 can in half then bent the edges down outward.

        The man and woman thought he was talking to them as they walked up to him.

        “What didn’t work?” asked the woman.

        “Damn head ache is still here. Carl replied. He took out one of the eggs and cracked it. He dropped the egg into it and then did the same to the second egg. Then he set the can of eggs down and picked up a can of beer.

        Carl then opened the can of beer then picked up the eggs in the ripped apart v8 can and holding it in one hand and the beer in the other he drink first the eggs and then the beer. This took all of about a minute.

        Carl set both cans on top of the display and looked around.

        “Damn I wish I had a smoke.” He said.

        The man laughed.

        “You must have a really big hang over pop.” The man said as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a pack of Marlboro’s. “Keep them.” He said as he handed them to Carl.

        “I need a light.”

        The man handed Carl a light.

        Carl then opened the second beer and started drinking it.

        “Do you feel any better?” the man said.

        “Much better” replied Carl. “Do you think maybe I could get another one before the cops get here?”

        The woman laughed as she turned toward the store.

“This ones on me.” She said

Carl spent the next ten minutes finishing off the six-pack of Ice House the lady had given him. Then the police pulled up.

At first the police were not very nice. They had another damn drunk to deal with and it was still early in the day. And it was only Thursday.

“Getting an early start, Carl.” asked one of the cops.

He knew Carl from around the neighbor hood. He had never known Carl to put on a public display like this before, but then every drunk had their day.

The cops thought that Carl had lost it at first when he told them about Martin. But then the first cop knew that Carl was not known to be a trouble maker. It would not hurt to check out his story.

The cop and the professional looking man lead Carl back across the street and into the woods and to the camp site Carl had told them about.

At first the cop thought he was going to be sick. The boy’s body did not bother the professional man. He had seen worse in pictures he had taken in Iraq and Afghanistan. He was a photographer for the local news paper.

The professional looking man had been on his way to a meeting. He was trying to buy a house. He had not thought to bring his camera with him today. But he did have his cell phone and was sending as many pictures as he could before the cops found out who he was and made him leave.

 

 

 

 

 

Dan Johnson was more than mad when he arrived at Carl’s Camp. Half the force had been there before him alone with most of the local news reporters.

The two detectives Dan did not like from the day before had first received the call and then because of the boy’s missing heart had called Dan. They were so relived when Dan said this was his case also.

“Where is he now?’ Dan asked.

“The cops that first responded sent him to the hospital. They have a guard on him.” Mark Punch said.

“Why was he sent to the hospital? What was wrong with him?” Dan asked.

“He had a bad cut on his head. Someone had hit him, maybe with one of the broken bottles here. His neck was also bruised like someone had tried to choke him.”

“Do you think he was telling the truth? Dan asked.

“Sounds like it. Mark said.

Sarah walked over.

“They are ready to take the body down now Dan. They wanted to know if it was okay?” she said.

Dan looked around the camp. He looked over toward the boy hanging between the trees, then back to the imprint on the ground where Carl had said he had been laying.

Dan also looked at the foot prints in the camp. No one had thought to make a model of any of them before everyone and his mother had started walking around the camp.

“Damn” Dan said to his self in a low voice.

“Tell them to take him away.”

Sarah turned and walked back over to two men standing next to the body. Then they started to remove the body from the rope holding him to the tree.

“This does not make sense Mark. If this is the same guy then why is he changing his victims?”

“Maybe the kid saw something?” Mark said.

“Maybe but what, I need to talk to this homeless guy. What was his name again?” Dan asked.

“His name was…” Mark started to look through his notes. “Carl Price.”

That name rang a bell for Dan. He had heard the name before.

“I know that name from somewhere.” Dan said.

“Yes, I am sure you do. He was part of a bank robbery about seventeen years ago.” Sarah said this as she rejoined the two detectives. She had over heard the name.

“He was also named in that report that we were looking through last night. He was a friend of your friend.” Sarah did not add anymore to the statement.

Dan thought about what she had said. He remembered now. There was a kid there when he had separated Thomas and Kelly, a young boy that was living with Thomas at the time.

“I remember now.” Dan said. “I need to see this kid. Or man, or what ever he is.”

 

 

 

 

 

Dan looked down the hall toward where Mark was.

Mark was standing there with two reporters. Dan had told him to give them something, but just enough to make them happy and keep them on his side.

The reporters already had Carl’s name, and most of his story. Hell there had been one there when Carl first started telling the story.

Just my luck Dan thought. The first time anyone has seen the dam killer and the first person to talk to him was a damn reporter. Why could a cop not have found him first?

Dan turned to look back into the room where Carl was laying. He was not that badly hurt but the doctors wanted to keep him for a few days.

Carl looked clean now. A nurse had washed him. Dan thought Carl would have loved that. It was probably the closes he had come to sex most of his life.

The thought of Carl having sex and reproducing made Dan have a bad feeling in his stomach. The sight of Sarah setting beside the bed Carl was in, holding his hand did not help.

 

“Are you okay?” She asked him.

“I am okay.” Carl said. He let her hold his hand. But he was not holding hers back. He knew she cared nothing about him. No one did except little Tasha and maybe Kelly just a little.

“Carl, are you sure about what you said Martin told you. About him watching your friend, what was her name, Kelly?” Sarah asked.

 Carl was sure. But he knew he was walking on thin ice. If they did not take him serious they might try to pin the murder of Martin on him. Or worse, they might not help Kelly.

“Are you going to save her?” Carl asked. “He could already be there.”

“Don’t worry we have some officers already watching her. She will be fine.” Sarah was lying. Dan had not sent anyone to watch Kelly. Dan had let Sarah call her father and report this break in the case to him, but Turner James had told them to stay away from the Kelly girl and he would deal with it.

Sarah now wondered if the Kelly girl was going to be okay, or was she going to be bait. She thought that Kelly was going to be bait.

“Carl, I need to ask you something. I need you to think really hard for me. It is very important.” Sarah was getting ready to ask Carl a questing Dan wanted to know.

Dan had set this up so that Carl would be caught off guard when the questing was asked. Dan wanted to see Carl’s reaction.

“Carl, did you know this man that killed Martin. Had you seen him before?”

Carl’s eyes blinked. Why would she ask him that? He did not know anyone that would kill people. Carl did not hang out with people like that.

“No I never saw him before.”

“Carl, you said you didn’t get a good look at him. Maybe you did know him but it did not register. Think real hard.” Sarah was getting ready to spring the name on Carl.

“I have never seen him before.” Carl said.

“Carl was it Thomas?” Sarah asked. “Thomas Saratoga?”

Carl didn’t say anything. His jaw dropped open. His mind flashed back to the event when he seen Martin killed. He was seeing the man. It was not his friend.

“Are you crazy?” Carl said. “You must be crazy to say that.”

Sarah didn’t say anything. She did not move. She was surprised when Carl pulled his hand away from her.

“Get out.” Carl said. “Get out of my fucking room.” Carl was now trying to set up.

“Take it easy.” Dan said as he walked into the room. “She just asked you a questing.”

Carl looked at the man. His face was familiar. Carl had thought this when he had first seen the detective but had let it pass. He didn’t want to remember any cops. Carl knew him from somewhere, and now he remembered. This man was there when Thomas and Kelly had been taken apart. This man was the reason Thomas had left. This cop’s mother had given Thomas the note. And now this cop was here to frame him, and also maybe to kill Kelly.

“I know you now. You are that liar that hurt Kelly way back then. You are the one that broke her heart.” Carl was now trying to get out of bed.

Anyone that tried to hurt Kelly was going to pay.

Sarah had stood up and was trying to push Carl back into the bed.

Carl was a drunk, a sick man, and a bum. But he also lived a hard life on the street. He was not a weakling.

“Get your hands off me.” Carl screamed as he came out of the other side of the bed. He pulled some cords lose from a machine on the wall. An alarm went off.

Dan did not move. Sarah jumped back as Carl swing his arm backward in her direction in order to make her let go of him.

Dan started to pull his gun but was shoved aside as two men in white coats entered the room.

“”Get out.” said one of the men to the cops.

The other man held his hands up to Carl.

“It’s okay Mr. Price. They are leaving.” He looked at Dan.

Dan just stood there for a second looking at Carl. Then he turned to Sarah and said “Lets Go.”

Sarah tried to say good bye to Carl as she was leaving but Carl just cursed her.

Sarah seen that the two men were able to get Carl to set back down on the bed as she was leaving the room. She knew he was okay. But she could see the hate in his eyes for her. She wondered why he was so mad.

 

“What do you thinks set him off so bad?” asked Sarah.

“That is a good questing.” Dan said. He was thinking back. He had never really had any contact with this man. But he knew that Carl had been there at almost every turn when he was trying to put Thomas away.

“Maybe he is working with Thomas in this. Maybe the two of them are killing the girls together.” Sarah said.

“Don’t think so.” Dan said. “While you were in there I got a call. I put out a search for Thomas Saratoga yesterday. I was just informed that he is in a little place called Brownsville Texas and has not left the place in five or ten years. There is a report waiting on my desk now.”

“That does not mean he is not behind all this. He could be paying someone to do the job for him.”

“True, but then why go to all this trouble and draw so much attention to his self. No, Thomas Saratoga is not our man. But he is connected in this someway. I just don’t know how yet.”

Sarah shook her head yes. This was a mess she thought. A man was killing girls. That man had now killed a young boy. And that man was now tied to a witness that seen him and knew a girl that her father was told was going to be killed.

“Hell this is so damn confusing.” Sarah said. “We have a killer tied to a witness that knows a girl that my father is worried about being killed.”

The two detectives looked at each other.

“Let’s go get Mark and then find some food. Then we will go back to the office and work it out. Dan said.

“Good ideal. What about Carl?’ Sarah asked.

“Make sure that the cops know that they are not to leave him unattended. I don’t want anyone getting in there.”

“Cool and what about Mark? If he is going to help us he is going to need to know everything.” Sarah was looking at Mark as he was walking down the hall toward them.

“I am going to tell him everything.” Dan said.

 

 

 

 

 

Dan was setting at his desk. The three cops had not gone to eat but had stopped for take out.

Now, back at the office, Dan had set here with Mark and Sarah and had spelled out the entire story for Mark. All Mark could say was “Wow.”

After they had finished eating Sarah had left for the bath room to refresh her self after a hard day in the field. She thought it might be a long night again. That was okay with her as long as Dan joined her on the sofa again.

“So you were thinking this man Thomas was the killer but now you don’t think he is.” Mark asked.

“That’s right. Dan said.

“And you don’t think he has anything to do with this at all.”

“I am not sure, but no, more than likely he does not.”

Mark was holding his hands in front of him, all the fingers touching except the middle finger of each hand which were moving freely in a wild dance with each other.

“And you think that the killer is now after this girl” Mark asked.

“Yes.” Dan said.

“Do you think she was the main victim all alone?” asked Mark.

“I am not sure. She matches the description of the first three victims. But then if she was, then why kill them. After all, the more he kills the better chance of getting caught.” Dan was in thought as he talked. Reasoning out the ideals for his self as well as Mark.

“No, I think that some where alone the way he just found this Kelly girl and now he is driven to kill her. But what he did not know was that there was more to her than just some whore on the street. And now he has a can of worms opened and does not know how to close it.”

“How so” asked Mark.

“Well, Carl said that the Martin kid had warned him that the killer was watching the Kelly girl. Then the next day the killer was there with the kid and killed him. I think the kid tried to get in good with the killed but it back flipped on him. It cost him his life.”

Dan then reached for the folder on his desk that said Thomas Saratoga. He picked it up and pitched it onto the desk in front of Mark.

“I also know that Chief James has information about someone trying to kill this same Kelly girl but yet he wants it handled under the table for some unknown reason.”

The two cops were both deep in thought and did not realize the office door was open or that Sarah James had just walked up.

“I also know that This Thomas and Kelly couple were part of the Heaven family way back when I was working on that case. Chief Turner James was there then also and he was the one that took me off the case.”

Mark looked at Dan; a questing in his eyes that he did not want to ask.

“That’s right Mark. I think the chief of detectives is also a member of the family.”

There was a knock at the door. Dan looked up to see Sarah standing there. She had not said anything. Dan knew she had heard him. He had not yet spoken to her about his ideal. He was still unsure about what to say to her.

“You have a call.” She said to Dan.

Dan just looked at her.

“Tell them to call back. I am busy right now.”

“No, you will want to talk to this one.” Sarah smiled.

Mark turned to look at Sarah. “Who is it?”

“It is a Ms. Kelly Ann Addison.” Sarah said. She turned and left the room. She had a call to make. She was going to call her father.

Dan looked at Mark, and Mark shook his head.

“It just keeps getting better.”

 

The phone call ended. Dan set there. He was lost. He was unsure what the next course of action would be. He was surprised when Sarah walked into the office and said that the three of them were wanted down town at her father’s office now.

 

 

 

   

     

 

 

 

 

         

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wrongful Kiss Chapter 16 : Scab on the Ass September 15th 2011

Wrongful Kiss Chapter 16 : Scab on the Ass September 15th 2011

 

        There is something about Thursday that makes it special. And it is almost the second best day of the week. This is not including Sunday which is Gods day and the day when no one is supposed to do anything except be happy and love God and pray.

        Saturday was the best day of the week. Unless you had to work, then that just always sucked. Saturday is the day we get to play and have no worries and cares. Well, most of us.

        That made Friday the second best day of the week. Because after a hard day at work you could go home, clean up and then the night was free for adventure.

        But Thursday was the day after Hump day. The last part of the week was started, and just damn, you only had two more days.

You always knew Friday was going to be a lay back low account day, but with Thursday you never knew what to expect. Thursday could be the start of the weekend, or it could turn out to be a nightmare.

 

Carl was not having a good day. Well, in fact, he was not having a good week. Hell to be truthful, he was not having a good life.

No matter what the man done, he always ended up on the bottom end of the scab of the ass where all the stinking was. He had heard someone say that once but could not remember who. Right now he did not care who said it, he just wished that for once he could just come out smelling like the rose.

Carl opened his eyes and looked around. He did not move. He could not move. He hurt in places he did not know could hurt. He hurt in places he didn’t even know were there. He hurt so bad he was sure that his grand parents were feeling it.

From a tearful set of deep blue eyes he saw what looked very weird. It was dark here in the camp still early morning and the sun was not yet out.

Carl could not see too well but Damn he thought, was that someone hanging from a rope, their hands tied between two trees?

It looked like their head was hanging over and their eyes were watching him.

Carl tried to set up but a pain went down the middle of him from his head to his toe. This pain did the best it could to reach every part of his body and if it missed any parts, it was only because it knew the second pain to follow it would pick up where it left off.

Carl passed out again. It would be another hour before he would wake a second time and then be able to set up. The sun was just starting to rise and shine into the tree area.

Carl had a pint of Canadian Mist in his back pack that had not been removed. By this time he knew he had been robbed already. He had looked for his money as soon as he knew where he was. It was gone. So was all his beer and the large bottle of mist. But for some reason the small bottle was still there.

“There is a God.” He said to his self and the funny looking boy hanging between the two trees. He still was not sure who that was.

After taking a big drink out of the bottle of Canadian Mist, Carl looked around the camp. He was starting to remember who he was and where he was and why he was here like this.

“That damn mother….” Carl said letting the last words die off as his eyes found those of Martin again and a fright come over him.

“Damn, what the hell did I do?” he said. He was thinking he had really gone too for this time. But his mind was starting to clear a little more after the first drink. Well, not really clear. It was slowing down and he was beginning to be able to think.

Carl remembered Ms. Kelly and Tasha taking him home with them to eat. He remembered talking to Kelly about the old days. He remembered she was sad, and so Carl also became sad. And so he had drink to much and passed out.

No, that didn’t happen. He had left and come here to the camp and there had been someone here. Someone had killed him. No, that was not true also. He was not dead. But did he kill someone?

He remembered hitting someone with a bottle. And then he remembered Martin tried to kill him.

Okay so if Martin tried to kill him, then who killed Martin?

Then Carl remembered. There was someone here. And Carl had watched as the man had cut martin. Carl had watched as Martin cried and looked at him, begging for him to do something.

But Carl had not done anything. Carl remembered wanting to laugh but not being able to make any words come out. He had wanted to watch the boy die. He knew the boy should die. The boy was bad. He was evil. He needed to die.

“No, No, No” Carl screamed all at once. The boy did not need to die. He needed a good ass kicking, but no one needed to die like this.

Carl tried to stand up. He had to get Martin down from the tree. He had to help him. Carl fell on his face and knew that he had just broken his nose because of the sound he heard before he felt the pain.

For a few seconds Carl just lay there and cried, then looking up again he saw Martin.

Kelly, he thought. He had to find Kelly. He had to save Kelly.

Carl fought his way to his feet and then standing he turned his bottle up to finish off the drink. The he turned and walked away.

 

 

 

 

 

 Dan Johnson set straight up in his chair. His head spinning, he felt sick to his stomach. He had been sleeping in his chair with his arms hanging at his side. His head back and chin high in the air.

Dan slept like this often when he was working late at night. He would work till his eyes were so heavy he could not hold them open and then let his head fall and pass out.

He never slept more than a few minutes, maybe twenty or thirty minutes at the most. And he would always wake up sick with his head spinning.

God he hated this feeling. Why did he do it? He could have just taken a nap on the sofa. Sarah was there now. He could have lain with her. He knew he would have liked that. But then that might have lead off into another direction other than sleep. And he needed the sleep right now.

He also did not want to sleep. He had just needed a few minutes.

At first he did not know where he was. He looked around the room, wondering how he had gotten here. Where was here? Then slowly it came back to him.

Dan wiped his chin. It was wet. Somewhere alone the way he had drooled on his chin.

Dan looked over to Sarah. She was still lying there sleeping like a baby. It was still early, but people would start showing up soon. He would need to wake her so she could get ready and put on her morning professional face.

No one needed to know they had been there all night. No need for the rumors to start.

Dan looked down to the desk. He had two files in front of him. On top of them was a list of names. The first name was Thomas Saratoga. Under that was Kelly Ann Addison.

Dan had spent the night going back over that case. That was when he had the ideal of putting together a list of names tied into these two names. The list had made no sense at first but then he remembered a phone call.

The phone call that he had received from Captain James late Tuesday night had been a surprised. Then the next day the Captain had wanted the file on the Addison girl.

Dan had started putting the puzzle together. It was beginning to make a picture.

Those many years ago when he had first had contact with this Thomas Saratoga, when he had molested that first child, Dan have been removed from the case. Last night it hit him and he remembered that it had been a young Lieutenant Turner James that had delivered the message to him that he was off the case and was to forget everything about this Saratoga man.

He had later found out that this Saratoga fellow was somehow connected to the so called Heaven family. Two other names had also turned up at that time, one Andy Harper and Dan Harper.

Both of these names were now on the list in front of him right under Kelly’s name.

Dan remembered that the night the Captain had called him he, Captain James, had asked him if he ever heard the name Andy Harper. Dan had told him no because at the time he had forgotten all about the Kelly girl and any of that event.

But something did not set right with Dan after he had learned that the Captain was asking about Kelly, and as he started to poke into the old case he started to put one and one together. And now it was adding up, not to be two maybe, but three would be close enough for him.

There was something wrong and he was not sure what it was.

So what did he have?

Well for one, a high level police detective in the department was asking about people from a twenty year old case he had worked on. One of the people in the case was supposed to be in danger of being a target of assassination. This was from a informer that had called the Captain and Dan did not know who it was. Was there really an informer or was the Captain covering up for someone again?

Two, There was a child molester that had been let to go free from that case and he could very well be the man that Dan was now hunting, involved in murdering young girls. That was more than likely a cover for killing his true target which was the Kelly girl.

Also that same Child molester was the one that the Captain had been covering up for those many years ago.

Maybe this Thomas guy wanted to cover his trail and make sure no one could ever finger him with his past crimes. Maybe this Thomas guy was someone special now that did not want his past crimes to come back and bite him. Dan had already sent in a request for a current update on one Mr. Thomas Wayne Saratoga’s where about and history for the past twenty’s years.

Maybe the Captain had saved the man’s ass those many years ago and had now found out he was back and that he was going to kill one of his early victims. Maybe the Captain was now trying to cover his own ass?

If that was the case, then Dan was between a rock and a hard place now because of Sarah.

 

Dan had also tried to get the data file on the heaven family but found that it was classified and only available to certain people. He was not one of them. He knew as soon as he had requested the file that his name had been flagged and he knew that he would soon be receiving a visit from someone. He just did not know who, or when.

 

Captain Turner James. How was he connected to these people? He had been there twenty years ago. He knew about this Thomas fellow and had stopped Dan from locking him away. Why? Was he part of the family? Thomas had to have been a part of the family. That meant that the Captain had to be part of the family also.

Damn, that was not good. If the Captain was part of a crime family, then what did that say about Sarah? Was she also part of the family? He thought so. She may have even been assigned to him to keep an eye on him.

No, that cannot be true. She was assigned to him months ago. No one could have known all this was going to happen way back then.

That did not mean she was not part of the family, but she could not have been assigned to be a spy. That also did not mean she was not spying now. Maybe she was just in the right place at the right time.

Dan looked over at the woman he loved. She was so beautiful. What was he going to do? Somehow all these people were tied together. And somehow he knew the key was close to his hand, but where, and what?

The phone rang. Sarah opened her eyes, looked at him and smiled as she set up.

“I love you.” She said blowing him a kiss.

Dan remembered something the Captain had said.

Turner James had told him that there was a scab growing on the ass of the world and that he may need to call on Dan in the near future and that he was hoping that Dan could be a loyal and true team player. He had also said doors may soon open for the right people who knew which team they were on.

“Are you going to get that?” asked Sarah as the phone rang again for the forth time.

“Dan Johnson.” He said as he picked up the phone.

After several minutes he said “I will be right down.” He hung up the phone.

Sarah had now gone over and poured a cup of coffee. It was old, black and strong. It could have walked itself over if it had legs.

“What’s up?” Sarah said. She had a feeling something was wrong. She had been Dan’s partner too long not to know he was worried about something.

Dan looked at her. She was right, the thoughts running through his head at the speed of light.

“They found another body, a boy this time, hanging from a tree.”

 

 

 

 

 

Thomas opened the door and walked out side. Sooner was at his feet and Mama was right behind her.

The morning sun was shinning down on him, giving him a warn feeling like everything was going to be great today. The warm embrace of the sun light took hold of him like a woman arms and he closed his eyes and lifted his head to except a kiss.

Over the years the night stars had been his lover and his only connection to her, ‘the beat of his heart’ Kelly. That was what she was. She was the beat of his heart. He may eat, drink, and live for his self. But his heart only beat for her, and because of her.

Now this sun that was holding him in a warm embrace was also somewhere holding her, and the two of them were sharing a kiss. For the first time in years the sun was a beautiful sight for him and bestowed upon him a dream of a future.

“Silly ass fool” He thought as he opened his eyes and looked around. Dog was setting over at the picnic table waiting. Thomas smiled. He then walked over to the table and set down. He had a cup of coffee with him. It was a special mix coffee. One he had drunk many years ago. He called it tea then.

He had given up drinking over the last few days, and had now only started to have a drink in the morning. This was the way he had done it when he had first met Kelly.

 

A hard wind ran pass Thomas and he felt a coolness that give him a chill. It only lasted a second but it was enough to let him know something was not right. Something was not right at all. In fact, something was wrong, dead wrong.

Thomas dropped his coffee as a hand touched his shoulder.

Jumping he turned his entire body so fast that Eddie also jumped back. He tripped over his own feet and fell onto his ass dropping a cup of coffee into his own lap. It did not burn him because Eddie never drank hot coffee. It was just slightly warm.

“I am sorry Eddie.” Thomas said.

Eddie jumped up laughing. No sound coming out, and put his hands on Thomas’s shoulders trying to get him to set down at the table. With his hands he was waving Thomas that it was okay.

Thomas looked at Eddie and then seen that his pants were wet. He looked like he had pissed his self.

Eddie made a motion for Thomas to set still and he then picked up the two cups and left for the trailer again. In about four minutes Ben came out with two more cups of coffee.

“This is your tea.” Ben said. “Mixed the way you like it.”

Thomas wondered about that. How would Ben know how Thomas liked his tea. Well this was Ben. The man was not a fool. He watched everything. Thomas thought something bad happened to Ben for him to be here like this. The man was very much above the life style he was living. Something had made him give up on life.

Thomas could see now that there was new life in the eyes of Ben. It looked like he had a new direction to travel.

“How do you feel today Ben?” asked Thomas.

“Great Mr. Thomas, just great, I think we are going to have a wonderful day today. With your permission I am going to go today and get my driving licenses renewed. Then I am supposed to go with Mr. Dick to get the RV.

You don’t need my permission, or anyone else’s permission Ben. Who’s taking you to get the licenses?” Thomas Asked.

“Mr. Dick is driving me over, but I will be driving back after I get the renewal.” Ben was watching Thomas’s face for approval.

“That sounds like a plan Ben.”

        “Well to be honest all I have to do is go get a picture made. Mr. Dick made a phone call and he has a friend that is going to get us pass having to retake the test.” Ben was smiling.

“Dick knows everyone.” Thomas said. The two men laughed.

After a few minutes Ben looked at Thomas and said,

“Something is not right?”

“Why do you say that Ben?” Thomas asked.

“I see it in your face sir. You are worried about something I think.”

Thomas smiled as he took a slip of tea.

“Nothing is wrong Be. I am just an old worry wart.” The two men laughed again. But Ben didn’t think that Thomas was the kind of person to just worry without reason. No Ben thought, there must be something wrong.

“Ben, you were in the Military right?” asked Thomas.

“Yes sir I was.” Ben replied.

“Do you mind if I asked what your MO was.” Thomas said.

Ben didn’t say anything. He looked down. For some reason Thomas thought, Ben does not want to talk about this.

“You don’t want to talk about it do you Ben.” Thomas said.

“Oh no sir, it is not that. It is just that, well I am not supposed to talk about it. Some of the things I have done are… “ Ben paused.

“I understand Ben.” Thomas said. “I was in the army myself once.”

“I have a great deal of respect for the army Mr. Thomas, but I was in the navy.” The two men just looked at each other. Nothing was said. Nothing was needed. Thomas understood the words.

“Ben can you get a gun permit.” Thomas asked.

“I have one sir.” Ben said. “I have a life time permit to carry a weapon.”

Thomas didn’t say anything. He was learning that there was so much more to this man than he had ever given him credit for. Thomas tried not to judge people. He his self had been judged. And he knew that even these people close to him now were judging him. They were now judging if he was a man or a monster. And even his own daughter thought he was a monster deep down in her heart. Well, maybe not that deep down.

Thomas often thought he was a monster his self. But then he always judged his self that way. Ever sense his wife left him.

Kelly had been the only person in the world that ever made him think he was more than a monster.

Kelly’s father had also made Thomas feel good about his self. James had been a good man. He had made Thomas think of his self as also a good man. But he had died.

Had it not been for Kelly Thomas had no ideal where his life would have went. He may have remarried and had a large family and might have been living somewhere in a no where life with a no where job, and wishing he was dead.

Or he could be off happy somewhere also. He just didn’t know. He was not sure what had happened to set him on the course to where he was now.

He just knew that with the lost of Kelly, he also lost the will to live. And he had no regrets. He didn’t care.

And now with this big man before him, he was seeing it all over again.

This man had been hurt also. And the will to live was gone from him. He had given up life, and had chosen to just live a life of loneliness.

What made men do this. Some men would pick up their hat and coat and get on with life. But others would just stop living. Were they weak. Were they the scab on the world, the stink closes to the ass? Someone had said that to him once, but he could not remember who. But it was true. That is where he was.

Thomas had never seen the man that was Ben. He had known Ben for a few years, but he never knew Ben. For the first time in years Thomas was making a friend.

Dick was a friend, but yet, not a true friend. Not the way that Thomas was seeing Ben as now.

Thomas could set and drink with Dick, and own part of a business with Dick. They would always be friends, but Dick was not like Ben.

In all the years that Thomas and Dick had been friends Thomas had never told Dick about Kelly. It was not till he thought he was dieing and wanted to reach out to Dick for help that he even thought to ask Dick for help with Kelly.

But now he wanted to talk to Ben about Kelly. Ben would understand he thought. Ben has been there. He will understand.

 

“Do you have a gun?” asked Thomas?

“No sir. I have not had a weapon in years.” Ben said.

Thomas set there looking at Ben. This man needed a gun.

“Do you have a problem carrying a gun?”

“Not when I need to.” Ben said.

Thomas again went into deep thought.

“I want you to tell Dick to take you and get you a gun. Any gun you like. Get several in fact. What ever you think you need to protect this crew of misfits. I am putting our safety in your hands.” Thomas watched for Ben’s reaction. He thought he was seeing a light click on. He thought he had just given this man a reason to live.

“It might cost you a little bit of money” Ben said.

“I don’t care. Get anything you want. Hell, get a tank if you want it. Just be sure to get a trailer to put it on that the RV can pull.”

Ben laughed. Thomas joined in.

“Can I also have a jet fighter, maybe a small one, an f-111 or something?” Ben asked still laughing.

“Sure” Thomas said, “Can you fly it?”

“Yes sir.” Ben said. Thomas stopped laughing and just shook his head.

 

 

 

 

 

“Damn it Dan, don’t you see my back is up against the wall. What the fuck you want me to do. If we go to war we are going to die.”

Andy Harper was very mad and he could not get his brother to see reason.

There was no sound. Andy wondered if the phone had died. He wondered if his brother had hung up on him.

 

        Dan Harper was setting there. He was on the other end of the phone, and he was pissed off mad as hell. For the first time in his life he did not care what his brother had to say. For the first time in his life, he was against what he was told was right for the family.

 

        “Are you there brother?” asked Andy.

        “I am here.” Dan said.

        “Then talk to me. We have a big problem here.”

        “There is no problem here Andy, not unless you turn your back on your word.” Dan said. He had bitterness in his voice. He wanted his words to be as sharp as a knife and to cut deep into his brother’s soul.

        “You are trying to pill the scab off the ass Andy, and you know that is fucked up.

        This was a personal message to Andy. Dan always talked about the scab on the ass of the world when he was against something. Anyone that knew him knew he was not happy with events when he said this. He had told Turner James the other night that the scab on the ass of the world was bleeding. Turner James knew Dan’s phone call was for real.

       

“Damn it Dan, we don’t have a choice. We have to give this girl up. Other wise we are going to war with Omar. He has already taken this up the ladder and has permission to do what he wants.”

Andy stopped to wait for his brother to think about his words. Then started again,

“No matter what we do, the girl is dead.”

“And the baby?” asked Dan. “Do you know what that animal will do to her Andy? Do you even care?”

“It does not matter to me Dan. I care more about what will happen to you and your little grand daughter there with you. What will happen to you if we try to fight this?” Andy cried into the phone.

Again there was silence.

“Where are you Dan?” Andy asked.

Silence again. Dan did not say anything.

“Dan where are you I said. You had better not be in Atlanta. Do you fucking hear me Dan?” Andy was screaming now.

Dan paused. Thinking hard, he said, “I am not in Atlanta Andy. I am on my way to the office. I am in traffic.”

Andy did not say anything. He set there. He was also deep in thought. Both men could feel the others thoughts. Both men knew what the other was thinking and what they were going to do.

Andy knew that his brother was in Atlanta or on the way to Atlanta. Andy knew that if he turned his back on the Kelly girl and her daughter he was going to have to fight his brother. Andy knew that the family was going to lose in this battle one way or another.

Dan was thinking the same thoughts. He knew that the family was the one that was going to be hurt in this war. But he did not care. His brother had given the word of the family. And that word had never been broken.

Not only that, but He his self had told Thomas he would make sure that Kelly was taken care of and he would not break his word to his friend.

“Okay brother, I think we have said all that needs to be said. I am now going to place a call to Omar and tell him that his man is on his own and that he has the family’s permission to do as he pleases and if anyone gets in his way to deal with it.” Andy was sending his brother the message that if he went against his words his life was in his own hands.

Dan understood this. He was willing to except this. He was not worried about this. He was a little worried about who be could count on to be on his side.

Dan had talked to Turner James and had told him what he thought was going to happen. Turner had said he would back Dan fully. But had he meant it. Would Turner really back Dan over Andy?

Dan had been the one to recruit Turner those many years ago. And they were friends. But would he follow Dan against the family? And what about young Andy Harper, and Greg Ellis, would they follow Dan in this split? And how many of the Angels and Ghost would follow him.

“Did you hear me brother?” asked Andy.

“I am sorry Andy, what did you say?” Dan replied.

“I said I am giving Omar the go ahead.”

Dan did not say anything. There was silence between the two men, a long silence then the phone went dead. Which one had hung up first the two men would never know. Both men knew that the other one had hung up with out a word. Both knew that the family was now broken. Both knew that one of them had to die.

 

Dan made a phone call to his son also named Andy Harper; The son that was not his son, but was his brother’s son. Dan called his brothers son that he had raised as his own son, and had groomed for this day.

Dan was sure young Andy Harper wanted to avenge his murdered mother. Dan had made sure Andy would want to do so. Dan also knew young Andy Harper had only waited all these years because of him. He would wait no longer.

 

Andy Harper also made a phone call. He was calling his son, the man that thought that Andy was his uncle. He would now tell the young Andy Harper the truth. He would let him know that the father, the real father and son shared the same name. Then he would give command of the south sector of the family over to his son. The phone was busy.

“Damn.” Andy said.

   

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wrongful Kiss Chapter 15 : Another Body September 14th 2011

Wrongful Kiss Chapter 15 : Another Body September 14th 2011 

Dan was a good cop. He thought he was a great cop. He could have been a great cop, but the years had taken a toll on him. He had started out on fire wanting to serve the public and wanting to take the bad guys off the street and put them behind bars. Only, somewhere alone the way, what was bad in the world, really bad, and what he thought was bad, become mixed together. As time went by, he had replaced the law with his own ideals of what was right and wrong, and by doing so he had become one of the problems.

Dan did not think he was one of the problems, and he thought he knew how to clean up the streets, and it would not be with a slap on the hand like so many other cops had done, or at lease, what he had thought they had done. No, the best thing for some people was to just give them a good old ounce of lead. That would clean up the streets, and it would also open up jobs for the unemployed. It would do away with the need for welfare and food stamps, and the need to fight drugs.

Hell, Dan thought, the best way to fight drugs was to open a drug house on every corner and let the fools just come in as they please and have as much as they could take. And when they killed themselves in over dosing then just take them out back and put them in a bon fire and be done with them.

Drugs addicts were a scab on the ass of the world anyway and needed to die. Who needed them anyway?

 

It was no surprise that over the years Dan had bent a few rules to make sure that the bad guy always paid in the end. And Dan never looked back to see if he had made the right choice or not. He knew he had, or at lease, that is the way he saw it. He knew he had always done the right thing when called upon to do so. And the bad guy always paid.

Now Dan was heading up the task force trying to find a killer; a serial killer. And Dan was more than willing to do the job. He would catch this man. And he would make him pay. Oh yes, he would pay alright.

Dan was not happy that the news had already leaked out about the killer being loose on the streets killing young girls. But it had not been his call. Someone from higher up had chosen to warn the public about that.

Damn it, could they not see that it was only going to slow down his ability to catch this guy by letting the public know. But there was nothing he could do now. The deed had already been done.

The details had not yet been given, but it would not be long till someone found out.

The Heart Break Killer, or The Heart attacker, or some other dumb ass shit like that. The news papers would have a field day with this. And he and his men would be the butt of the joke.

Damn, what kind of person did this kind of thing?

The car pulled up to the drive way and turned in. Sarah James was driving.

The two cops standing at the drive way entrance let Dan’s car pass.

The cops on the end of the street had also let them pass with out any problem. Dan was well known on the force. But then after twenty five years, people get to know you. That was how long Dan had been a good cop. Twenty-five years, and he was tired of it.

Sarah James was also a good cop. She was not tired of it yet. In fact, she loved her job. He father was a cop. Her grandfather had been a cop, and her kids, if she ever had any would be cops.

Sarah had been assigned to work with Dan almost six months ago, before this serial killer had even been known about.

Dan was the best, or so his superiors thought, and Sarah’s father was one of Dan’s superiors. Captain Turner James, Chief of detectives.

As her father, Turner James wanted to make sure Sarah had all the breaks he could give her, and Dan was the right man to guide Sarah’s future on the police force.

At first it had been only business between the two of them. But then Sarah had fallen in love. She was now so much in love with Dan Johnson that she almost worshipped him. She had heard about Dan when she had first joined the force. He was known as a super cop.

She had also heard that he cut corners sometimes. Some people said he was dishonest. But no one ever said it to his face. And no matter what they said about him, he was a damn good cop in her book. And he was very much a man.

Not bad looking also, even if the years were catching up with him. He was fifty years old now but he was holding his own, and he could easy pass for a forty year old.

Sarah her self was also getting on up there. She was now thirty two. And still she had no child. Her father, Turner James was always giving her hell about that. He had told her to pick out a cop and he would order the damn man to have a child with her. That was how much he wanted a grand child.

Sarah wanted a child also. Her time was getting close, she didn’t have many more years left.

Now she had chose Dan Johnson to be the father of her child. Only she had not told him yet. She did not know how to do so. He might turn her down. She did not know how he could do that. She was a fine looking lady even if she had to say so her self and any man in his right mind would think that. None would turn her down, not unless he was gay. Dan was not gay.

She had made her mind up. She was going to find a way to get Dan Johnson alone and she was going to abuse him in the worse way, and when she was finish with him, he would beg her to marry him. And if not, then she would have her father order him to do so. She thought that was funny. But damn it, she would do it, if he turned out to be that dumb.

Mark Punch was not married. He had an eye for Sarah, but he knew she wanted Dan, so Mark had given up on that ideal going anywhere a long time ago.

Mark was never any good with woman. He was a good guy, but he was over weight. He weight almost three hundred pounds. That would not have been much of a problem except he was only five foot six inches tall. There was some fat there, but most of it was just body size. He had always been a big man and he had the strength that went with being big. He was just short.

Marks problem with woman was that he did not know how to have a meaningful relationship. He could talk to women, they found him cool as hell, and he was a charmer. But when it come to a real conversation of the heart with real feelings, Mark had found no one that he had feelings about, real feelings, the kind that come from being in love with someone.

That was not all the way true, because Mark had feelings for all women. Maybe that was the problem. He liked women too much to have just one.

Mark was on the sex crimes squad but had been reassigned to Dan’s unit because of this killer that was now stalking the city.

At thirty two years of age, and three hundred pounds, Mark did not look like a cop. He could go places where other cops would stand out like a sore thumb.

And even if Mark did have a problem with having a meaningful relationship with a woman, he had no problem with having sex with them.

Mark had been on the sex crime unit for four years, and he had a large following of woman, the night creepers as he liked to call them, that worshiped him.

Dan Johnson was not the only man that could get a woman to worship him. Only Dan didn’t know he was worshipped, Mark knew. Mark had locked the girls up a few time, but he had always done so only when he had to. And he always respected them when he did so. And they always knew that he had tried to warn them away first. Mark loved the girls that worked for a living on their back and he spent a lot of time with them.

Mark now set in the back seat of the car. He was talking on the phone to one of his creeper girls. She was scared and wanted to know what she should do. He told her to stay home and not to date anyone she did not know. He also told her to tell her friends to keep an eye out for anyone that looked out of place and to give him a call.

Mark heard the phone click and then the girl told him to hold on one second, she had an incoming call. When she came back she said she had a friend that wanted to see her and that he was going to loan her some money. Mark knew she meant she had a date but it was a regular so he should not worry.

Dan had been listening to Marks phone call and when Mark hung up Dan asked him, “was that your wife?’ He laughed.

“Very funny.” Mark said. “No, it was yours.” He laughed also.

Dan stopped laughing and didn’t say anymore. Dan was not married.

As they pulled up to the front of the house two detectives come walking toward Dan’s side of the car.

“Here we go.” Dan said, getting out of the car.

“Dan Johnson, long time, no see.” said a tall detective smiling and reaching out his hand. This man had to be every bit of seven feet tall. Dan had always thought the man had been put into one of those racks chambers found in a dungeon as a kid and stretched. Dan had never liked the man and he had no ideal why.

Dan shook the man’s hand only because he did not want to be rude. He didn’t really care to do so. He just never liked the man.

“What do you have here?” Asked Dan?

The short cop stepped up and around the taller cop. If the tall cop could be called more than just tall, then the short man was on the other end of the scale because he was really short. At five foot three inches he was one of the shortest men Dan knew.

“White girl,” said the short cop, “She was maybe around twenty years old I am guessing. She has cuff marks on her arms and legs. She also has a chest wound.” There was a small smile on the man’s lips that said that the small wound was more than just a wound.

“What kind of wound?” Dan asked.

“Looks like someone split her open. I could not tell for sure. I didn’t want to touch the body till you arrived. I think it was your man.”

“Just Damn.” Mark said coming around the car to join Dan. “I need to see her and see if I know her.” Mark knew most of the regular girls from the streets.

“This way” said the tall detective pointing toward the house. He turned to lead the way.

“How did you find her?” asked Dan looking at the short detective.

“A phone call from the brother of the owner of the house; he said his sister was on a cruse with her daughter and son in law and that she had received a phone call from neighbors saying they seen someone drive up to her house. She called her brother to come over and check the place out. He said when he opened the kitchen door and seen the mess in the kitchen he call 911. He said his sister would never leave her kitchen like that.”

“I want that neighbors name and I want to talk to them.” Dan said.

“Got it right here,” The short detective said. “The brother has already called his sister and I talked to her and got the name.”

The two detectives stood there looking at each other both. They both already knew whose case this was going to be.

If this girl turned out to be one of the killers victims then it would go to the task force unit. Dan hoped it was not his case. If so then the game just got bigger. Up to now all the victims had been mixed raced. If this was the same killer, then he had just changed the rules.

Up to now it was thought he had a problem just with the color girls. Now it looked like he did not care about color. Or maybe he was just trying to throw them off track. They would not know until they found out if her heart was missing or not.

“I need to see the kitchen.” Dan said.

“Right this way.” The short cop said.

There was a frying pan on the stove top with a few pieces of some kind of meat in it. Dan did not touch it. He knew there were no prints but he did not want to take a chance.

There was a tub of melted butter on the table. It was one of the small round tubs from the dairy department in the stores. The top was off and it looked like some one had used their hands to dig out a hand full of butter.

There was a red stain covering the tub and its contents.

“What do you think that is?” asked Dan.

“I don’t even want to guess.” The short detective said.

There was also a plate setting on the table. Some of the same meat was left on the plate covered in what looked like mustard. When Dan looked at the short detective, he just turned and walked out of the room. Dan smiled.

Mark walked back into the room. He had a towel and was wiping his hands on it.

“Okay, she was not any creeper that I know. I don’t think she was working. But she is one of our girls. She is missing her heart.”

Mark looked at the frying pan at the same time Dan did.

“This is one sick mother fucker.” Dan said.

“I don’t think sick is the right word.” Mark answered.

“Okay, get everyone out except the CSI unit. I am taking control of this case.” Dan said this to Mark, as he turned to see Sarah walking in the kitchen door. She was putting her cell phone back into its case.

“Dad said hello and wants a report as soon as you can have it ready.” She said to Dan.

“Damn” Dan said. “This is all I need, another dead body.” He looked to the short detective who had just walked back into the kitchen with the tall detective trailing him.

“It’s my case.” Dan said. “Take the string bean and go. You are off the hook.”

The shorter detective just smiled. “Thank you very much.”

 

For the next two hours Dan and his two partners and the CSI unit were all over the house. Someone had found the neighbor and she had been questioned as to what she had seen.

She did not really know much. She had seen a black truck pull into the drive a few times, and had seen a light on in the house once she thought. Other than that she knew nothing.

The house set on a street that was heavily traveled. And there was a main street crossing in both directions about a mile away with traffic light camera. Dan ordered that these cameras be checked and see if any of the trucks could be identified by the neighbor. If they were lucky they would find the truck, but Dan did not think this would be much help. The killer had used a truck before in one of the other killings and that one had been recovered. It was a stolen vehicle. But maybe if they were lucky, something would give.

Finger prints were found all over the house. Using high tech equipment and computers, they identified them as the owner of the house and her son who had just moved away to college.

Two prints were found in the bathroom. They could not be identified. The CSI unit said they were fresh prints being maybe only a few days old.

Dan thought this was going to be the victim.

A third print had also showed up, and this one had made Dan a very happy detective because it was on the handle of the frying pan. Dan felt he could now give a name to his killer if he could find out who owned the print.

That would have to wait because it was not in their data base, and they would have to run it through the fed’s data base back at the station.

It was early into the afternoon when Dan told mark to take over the crime scene. He said he was headed back to his office and would be waiting for marks report there.

Sarah left with Dan and the two drove back to the departments head quarters.

 

“So what is it your father wanted?” asked Dan. He was watching the road but his mind was clicking away.

Sarah looked at him. Her right eye opened, a smile come across her face. “How did you know?” she asked.

“Know?” He asked. He gave her a confused look.

“You knew dad wanted something. How did you know?”

Dan laughed. “Just a guess, what did he want.

“He wanted some information about one of your old cases. Some girl you locked up years ago. He was looking for her file and was pointed in your direction. I told him I would get the file for him when I returned to the office.”

“Why did he want the file? He could get all the information from the data base?” Dan said.

“He said he had a report that she was in danger from one of his sources and did not want to go on record as looking into the case. He wanted to find out who she was first.”

“That makes sense.” Dan said. “Who was the girl?”

Sarah took out a small index file case to look for a card she had made notes on. Sarah liked to make her notes on index cards so that she could file them into a file box she had. Later she would put the data into the computer, but she always kept the index card. One never knew when they would need some old information again.

Sarah pulled out a card from the small plastic index card folder and looked at it.

“Kelly Ann Addison is the name.” she said.

“What?” Dan said. The name hit him like a rock being thrown at him. He had been trying to remember that name for almost a week. He had seen her at the drive through that night. That was the first time he had seen her in years, but he remembered her. He remembered the first time he had saw her. He remembered that years later he had locked her up and had help to take her son away from her.

“Addison. There was a man with her. His name is in the report also. She is a mixed race girl. Her father was black I think, a drug dealer or something that disappeared. She was a whore.” Dan did not like Kelly at all.

“I don’t know, I have not read the file.” Sarah said.

“What did your father say about her?” asked Dan.

“Just that information came to him, from an unnamed informant that this girl was going to be killed. He was looking into her back ground and seen that you had locked her up a few years back and that her file had last been signed out to you.”

It all made sense now, Dan thought. It was him. That guy, what was his name? Dan always knew he was a sick mother, and it just had to be him.

“This is beginning to make sense.” Dan said.

“What is that Dan?” Sarah asked.

Dan took his eyes off the road and looked at Sarah. She was beautiful he thought. He should tell her that. He would tell her that, except he knew she was way too young for him. He did not want to be turned down by her, and it was not the professional thing to do.

Sarah I need to speak with your dad. I need to know where he got his information from.” Dan said.

“It will not happen.” Sarah said. “Dad said you might ask and that I was to tell you no and that finial. He also said that both you and I need to know that under no circumstances are we to ever tell anyone that he was asking about this girl. We are not to show any interest in her what so ever, and we are to forget the name. He said our future as cops on this body of law enforcement depended on this. I am to just find the file, get it to him without anyone knowing about it and then forget it.”

Dan’s chin was lying on his chest. His eyes were straight ahead. His fingers were turning white from blood lost because he was holding the steering wheel so tight.

Sarah looked at Dan. She looked at his hands. She reached over and put her hand so gently on his. She stroked his hand with her fingers. Ever so gently, she rubbed his hand, one then the other. Blood started to flow back into Dan’s fingers.

When Dan stopped the car at a stop sign, Sarah moved across the car and put her mouth to Dan’s mouth, her tongue going into his mouth and hooking his tongue. There the two cops set for several long minutes their tongues going in an out of each others mouth. Their lips sucking the others tongue. Their hands exploring the others …, well they were adults.

Dan had been on the phone for several hours. He had made several calls to friends he had known throughout the years; other cops, most of which owed him in one way or another.

Dan and Sarah had made out in the cop car for a good five minutes till a little old blue haired lady with two small girls had honked her horn behind him. Several cars had already gone around him and drove on, but the blue haired lady wanted him to move.

Sarah had laughed and Dan turned red as he drove through the stop sign and on to the police department. God he hoped no one important had seen him and Sarah acting like school kids.

 

In his office, Dan had gone to work locating the file on Kelly Ann Addison. He then started his phone calls, finding out ever bit of information he could on her and the man she had been shacking up with, a man named Thomas Wayne Saratoga. A child pervert, Dan called him, a child molester.

Sarah had made copies of the file and had then taken the original file to her father. She had met him for dinner at a local restaurant. She did not tell him that Dan had asked her to make copies of the file for him.

Later that night Mark had called in to make a report. Dan told him to go on home and to be at the office bright and early the next morning.

By 9:00 P.M. Dan and Sarah James were alone in his office going over the case. But not just the case, there was also some small talk between the two detectives as they tried to feel each other out on how they felt about each other.

 

“Did you ever think about the fact that I am twenty years older than you are?” asked Dan.

“Not really.” Sarah said. “It was never an issue to me. “Why should it be?”

Dan thought about it, then a memory of Kelly come to mind. Dan had been the cop that had been able to keep Kelly and that child molester apart. He had used his mother to tell a lie and had destroyed the man.

“This Kelly girl was a mixed race girl just like our first three victims.” said Dan changing the subject.

“She was about fifteen or so I think when I first met her.”

Sarah looked at him wondering if he was comparing her and his self to this Kelly girl and her boy friend.

“I saved her from a monster that had been using her for a few years for his, own enjoyment. He had her all mixed up inside. She even had a baby with him. I was just thinking, what if this was him come back to get revenge? Maybe he is killing girls to just throw up off when this Kelly Addison is the real target.’

Sarah just looked at him. “I see where you are going with this. It might be worth looking into just in case?” Kelly said.

Dan scratched his head. She really is beautiful, he thought as he looked at Sarah.

“Ok, I will check it out.” Sarah said. She smiled at Dan. She could see his approval of her in his eyes. She just hoped he could see she was willing.

“Fifteen years old, twenty years ago, she is about the same age as me. Sarah said.

“Yes. And he was my age.” Dan said. They were looking each other in the eyes.

“Well I am legal and I have the right to sleep with anyone I want to.” She said.

Dan was surprised to hear this and didn’t know what to say.

“And right now I want to get on that sofa over there and sleep with you. Only I don’t want to sleep.”

Sarah stood up and took Dan’s hand.

An hour later, Sarah was asleep on the sofa alone. Dan was setting at his desk. As he thumbed through the reports of some of his old cases, he watched Sarah sleep. He had never told anyone he loved them until about an hour ago.

Dan Johnson had never been in love in his life. He was now. And it hurt to feel this way. He was scared it might be a dream and he would wake up and Sarah would be gone. Or she might change her mind about him tomorrow. And then he would be all alone again.

Dan found another report about Kelly Addison. This one had been missed filed and so was not sent to Captain Turner James.

Kelly Ann Addison. Her mother had died. The boy friend had been in the hospital with a heart attacked. The girl was taken away to live with other relatives. When she had returned the boy friend had disappeared from town and had never been seen again.

There was a side note in the report added much later to the file. He remembered that this girl was beautiful. He had kept up with her for a few years and had arrested her a few times on shop lifting charges. He remembered thinking at the time she was a prostitute but could never prove it. No matter, he knew that even if she didn’t sell the stuff she gave it away freely. She was just another damn whore.

The side note said she was claiming to be the spouse of a dead cop and that she had that same cop’s child. She had been turn down for support.

The tramp had been able to hook a cop. Dan did not think that was a big surprise. He remembered the first time he had seen her. She was beautiful. She had even made him have some funny ideals.

That was the day her mother had died. The day the boy friend had gone into the hospital.

Dan remembered that she begged him on that first day to please help her find her daddy.

He had at first thought she had meant her father, but soon come to understand it was the child molester. She has said that he was all she had left in the world and he was the only person that ever loved her, as her.

Dan had thought her crazy. And he told her he was going to save her one way or another from that evil man, with or without her wishes.

She cried and spit at him and said “Some day you will understand the pain I am feeling now.” She said she hoped it killed him.

He thought that her words had come true. Dan looked at Sarah and prayed he never lost her.

 

 

 

 

Wrongful Kiss Chapter 14 : The Week Is Almost Over September 14 2011

Wrongful Kiss

Chapter 14 : The Week Is Almost Over

September 14 2011

 

It was a pretty day. And Thomas was setting at the picnic table with Ben and Barry. They were all three drinking a cold beer.

Dakota and Eddie were in the trailer making lunch. Eddie had tried to give the kitchen to Dakota when she had arrived but Dakota told him no, it was his kitchen and she would be his helper. She had also said she would make the men do the dishes. That had not happened. Eddie did the dishes and Dakota found her self helping him.

Dakota had begun to love Eddie. Not as a man, but as a sister. She had even said this to him. She told him he was like the sister she always wanted. And Eddie using his broken sign language had told her that he thought that was the best think anyone had ever said to him.

Eddie thought of his self as a girl. Not a woman. He would never be a woman, and he didn’t want to be. But his personality was very girl like and that was what he wanted. He did not want to dress up as a woman, or a girl. But inside he was a female.

Eddie wanted to do the things a girl did. And he wanted a man to love him and treat him like he was special. He knew he could never do all the things a man wanted, but he could do the things the right man needed. And that was all he cared about, as long as it was the right man.

Eddie was now training Dakota how to be a girl.

Dakota had grown up as a loner. Her aunt could not have children so Dakota had become her child. Living on a farm, her aunt had home schooled Dakota, so Dakota had not had many friends.

The three of them, Dakota, and her aunt and Uncle, lived on the farm alone. Dakota had helped out with the chores, so she was more boy than she was a girl; maybe even more boy than Eddie. Their rolls were reversed.

Now the two together were for the first time in their life finding someone they could call friend, that wanted nothing except to be the others friend.

Eddie was not like Barry. He did not want what Barry wanted. And Eddie was not like her daddy or Uncle Dick. He did not have to like her because she was kin. He was just a really nice person that liked her for her.

“Okay Eddie I got the dogs and buns. You get the dressings and drinks.” Dakota said as she started for the door.

Eddie reached for the twelve-pack of beer that had not yet been open and a basket which he had already stuffed with plates of fries and other goodies. Then he followed Dakota out the door.

 

“All right boys, lunch is served.” Dakota said as she started to lay out the paper plates. “We have hot dogs and hamburgers, and fries.” She looked and seen Eddie coming out the door. He had a large bag of potatoes chips under one arm.

“And we also have potatoes Chips.” She said laughing.

Everyone started laughing then.

“That boy sure does like his chips.” Thomas said.

“Yes sir he does.” This was Ben. “I sometimes have to make him eat something else just to make sure he don’t starve to death.”

Eddie was turning a little red with all the attention.

The small talk went on for a few minutes till everyone had made a plate of their favorite. Ben had two hot dogs and two hamburgers each. Barry had only one each. And Thomas had just one hot dog.

Eddie was eating chips, and Dakota was watching. Eddie would have only been watching also if not for the chips. He liked to feed people and make sure they were full before he would eat. But there was nothing that would keep him away from the chips.

And Dakota had picked up this habit from Eddie. Not the chips part, but the waiting till the men were finished eating, she thought it was the girly thing to do after seeing Eddie do it.

Dakota also didn’t want any of this food. What she wanted was a banana split: maybe with peanut butter on it. Or even a pickle, or maybe just the pickle. There were pickles on the table so she reached for one.

Ben and Barry were talking about cars. They had been talking about cars for two days. Every time they were alone, they started talking about cars. At first Thomas had joined in with them but he soon grew bored of talking about cars.

Thomas had been in a fowl mood all day and he did not know why. He had a bad feeling that something was wrong. He didn’t know what, but something just did not feel right.

Why had Dan not called him back? Or why had that young Andy guy not showed back up? Were they going to be trouble?

What was Kelly doing right at this minute, he thought? I wonder if she ever thinks about me, he asked his self silently. I wonder if she will even remember me.

Thomas had a million things going through his head.

“What are you thinking father? Dakota asked. She had eaten half a pickle and then laid the other half on Barry’s plate.

Thomas just looked at her supporting a small smile.

“I was thinking how great it would have been if you and Kelly had been able to be together. She would have taken very good care of you. She would have been a great ….” Thomas stopped, He thought, “Mother.”

Thomas rubbed his eyes. Dakota thought he was crying and said “Don’t cry father.”

Thomas said, “I am not crying. I have something in my eye.” He looked up and seen that everyone was watching him.

Thomas started to say something, thought, then said, “Kelly took it upon herself to find you when you were a baby. We never believed you were dead. They could not show us a grave or death certificate. So Kelly was always sending off letters and finding new ways to see if she could find you.”

“Why did she want to find me so bad father? Dakota asked.

“For me; she knew I missed you and so she wanted to find you and bring you home to me. Her own father had gone missing and she once told me that she missed her father but she was old enough to handle it. But you were a baby and we needed to find you and bring you home.”

“I remember you telling me about her when I was younger.” Dakota said. “We use to set here and talk about her at night. You would drink until you passed out. And sometimes you would start talking about her.” Dakota smiled. She was not being mean, just remembering her father and the way he was. He seamed like a total different person now, almost alive.

Thomas just looked at his daughter and returned the smile.

“You were enough to make anyone drink.” He said still smiling. The other started laughing. Dakota hit Barry in the shoulder with a fist. He hushed and so did Ben when Eddie gave him a side ways look.

“How old was she father?” Dakota asked.

Here it comes thought Thomas. Up to now Thomas had avoided this part of the story. He was sure Dakota would find out sooner or later. He was hoping it would be later. How in the world could he tell his baby girl that he had been living with a girl not much older than her? Granted it was a long time ago, and he was much younger, but he still did not know what to say.

“She was just a little girl,” Thomas heard his self say, “a Baby.”

“Well she was about the same age as my grand parents were when they married.” Ben said.

“They were the same age Ben.” Thomas said.

“Maybe so, but that doesn’t matter. It shows that a young person can make a choice of what they want their life to be at that age and live with the consequences. They were both the same age as your Kelly and chose each other. Your Kelly chose you. That does not make her choice wrong unless she was forced into it.”

“No one forced her.” Thomas said.

“Then I guess she knew what she wanted and went for it.” Ben said.

“How old was she father?” Dakota asked again. She already knew Kelly had to have been in her teens. At lease she hoped so.

“She was almost thirteen the first time she kissed me.” Thomas said.

“Almost?” Dakota’s jaw dropped. Barry gasped.

“Drop it.” Thomas ordered.

“Father?” Dakota said.

“I said drop it.” Thomas looked at his daughter. “I don’t care what you think about it. It is done. It is her and my business. And only she and I have the right to judge if we were right or wrong.”

Dakota was silent. She was counting.

“Father, you were over twenty years older than her.” Dakota said.

“Not quite.” Thomas said. “But over nineteen for sure.”

“Way to go pop.” Barry said. Looking at Dakota when he said it and wishing he had not. “Sorry, my bad.”

Ben laughed.

“Dakota, you were not there. You do not know Kelly, or even who I was then. It happened. It was not something we had planed or set out to do. It just happened.” Thomas was shaking again.

Thomas hated his self for what he had done. He hated that he had not been stronger. He wished he could go back and change it. But he could not. And really, he did not want to. Damn these fools. Could they not see that he loved her? Could they not know that he never set out to hurt her?

She had done it. She had kissed him. He had not asked for a kiss. Did not expect one. And would not have taken one. But she had kissed him. She had reached up and took his face and pulled it to hers and kissed him.

He should have known better. And he should have stopped it. But he could not stop it. Her kiss was magic to him. And it took his strength away. He was lost to her spell. With that one kiss she had forever captured his heart. With that one kiss, his soul was lost in her love. And with that one kiss, a million tears had been released to fall. And those tears were still falling, even twenty years later.

“You don’t have to except what she and I did. Only that we did it because we loved each other. And you can think what ever you want about us. But do not try to make it dirty. It may have been wrong. But it was never dirty. We loved each other. And I still love her. I don’t know if she still loves me. But now that I found her, I will give her the chance to love me or hate me. But one way or the other I will make it up to her.”

Thomas stood up. “Now I need a fucking drink.” He turned and walked away.

 

The four people set there and didn’t say anything for the longest time. Then Ben said “I think the 302 short blocks was a little weak for an engine.”

Barry didn’t have time to say anything before Dakota spoke.

“Ben why are you helping father in this?” she asked.

Ben didn’t say anything. He set there and thought about the questing.

“Well Ms. Dakota it’s like this. I know a lot of people think that Eddie and I am a couple. And if that is true, then it is our business. I would not want anyone trying to say we could not be together because it was wrong.”

Dakota just looked at him.

“Black people have been told for over three hundred years that we could not do some things because it was not right. And I am not sure that it is right for one man to tell another man what is right or not right.”

“But she was a little girl Ben. She didn’t know what was right or not right. She was not old enough to know.”

“That may be Ms. Dakota. But then who are we to say she didn’t know right from wrong. Maybe what was right for her at the time was what she did.” Ben said.

Ben reached for the wine bottle that Eddie had pulled out and took a drink of.

“To tell the truth Ms. Dakota, if I saw a man trying to do something like that with a little girl I would stop him. And I would not be easy on him. But I was not there then. And I don’t know what happened or why it happened. All I know is Mr. Thomas is my friend. He has been a good friend ever sense I come to Lucky Tree. I have to be on his side.”

Ben took a drink of the wine.

“I also trust Mr. Thomas. And I don’t think he would have done this thing if Ms. Kelly had not wanted too. I bet she had a hand in helping make what even happen to happen.”

“But she was only a little girl Ben.” Dakota said.

“So was my grand mother.” Ben said.

“But that was along time ago Ben. Things were different then.”

“How so. My family has always been rich. My name speaks of richness. My name is Rothschild. My grand mother or grand father neither one had to marry. They wanted to marry. They wanted to be with each other.” Ben was thinking about his grand mother now.

“Well I think that one way or another, we will find out if this was real love or not in a few days.” Barry said. “After all, we know your dad still loves her. But does she still love him? That is the questing. And one I cannot wait to find out.”

Dakota looked at her husband. “I love you.” She said.

“I love you more.”

“No you don’t. I love you more.” Dakota said.

Barry opened his mouth and started to speak, but Eddie put his hand over Barry’s mouth.

“Eddie wants you to know that unless you want to sleep on the sofa tonight, you might think about which one of you love’s who the most.” Ben said.

Dakota smiled. Barry did also.

“I am the luckiest man alive.” He said. “I have the most beautiful wife in the world.”

 

 

 

 

 

Thomas was setting in his room behind his desk. He had a picture of Kelly in his hand. She was fourteen in the picture with a pink bikini. He remembered the day he had taken the picture. He had not wanted her to wear the bikini. It was more or less a string he told her. But she said she just wanted a picture with it on so he would have it to remember her always.

Thomas had never let anyone see the picture. It was their picture. And it would stay that way. He lay the picture down and picked up another one. Kelly was about eight or nine in this picture. She had given it to him. James, her father had taken it on the day they had first come into the store. The day he had first spoken to Kelly.

“What a beautiful child.” He said again looking at the picture. That was what he had said on that first day. It was the first thought he had about Kelly. And she never let him forget those words. And she loved it when he said it to her.

Thomas was thinking about her. The first time he saw her. She had looked at him, and smiled at him. He had taken her entire view in, and consumed it. It was like a fire burning deep into his soul. He had wanted her then, he thought. But no, that was wrong. She had been just a baby. But yet, his heart was crying for her. Even on that first day, he felt something was not right.

Thomas lay the picture down. He asked his self, would I have made this happen if she had not? Kelly had kissed him. She was in danger, and he had saved her. She felt the need to bond with him. Maybe only because she wanted the securities of having him love her deeply. Knowing that that love would keep her safe.

But if she had not kissed him, would he have kissed her. That was what he wanted to know. He could accept the fact that she had put her lips to his and kissed him first. But he was unsure how he would feel if he thought he had kissed her first.

Letting her kiss him and then following up on that kiss was a sign of weakness he thought. But kissing her first was taking advantage of a child. Did he do that?

He remembered the first time he seen her. He had wanted her then. Not to make love to. But to replace a hole in his heart. He knew he had fallen in love with Kelly the first time he seen her. He just did not know how much he had fallen.

 

 

 

 

 

Tasha ran into the office and laid her books on the counter.

“I will be right back” she said, “I am going to see Carl.”

“Wait” yelled Kelly stopping Tasha before she went out the door. “He is not there hon.” She said. “I was just down there a few minutes ago and he has not showed up today.”

Tasha’s jaw dropped and her eyes went wide. She looked like she was going to cry.

“I am sure he is okay.” Kelly said. “You know Carl. He sometimes does this.” She was thinking she would have to have a word with Carl about other people’s feelings. She was a little worried herself after all that had been going on, but she could not let Tasha know about it.

“Should we call the police, mama?” Tasha asked?

“No, I don’t think so. Carl can take care of his self. But if he does not show up by Friday then we will call when you get home from school.”

Tasha thought about this a minute. It made sense to her. Carl had disappeared before. There had been a few times when he had been paid by Kelly and not show up again till the next time he had to work. She was sure he would be here Friday morning.

“Do you have any homework?” Asked Kelly?

“I did most of it already on the bus. But I have to write a paper on current events.” Tasha said. She pulled out a Weekly Reader from her book bag. The Weekly Reader was a small four page news paper that was given to school children with current events for the week.

“The teacher said to pick out a subject and write a report on how we feel about it. She also said we could pick out something else if we wanted too but it had to be something that was in the news now.”

“What are you going to write about?” Kelly asked.

“Murderer’s” Tasha said.

“What?” Kelly asked.

“I am going to write about this guy that is going around killing people.” Tasha said.

“I don’t think that is a good ideal Tasha.” Kelly had stopped what she was doing and was looking at her daughter.

Greg was also listening to Tasha. He had been reading email on an I-Pad computer. He looked at Tasha.

“Why not mother?’ asked Tasha.

“Well,” Kelly thought, “Tasha I have tried to raise you to think. But some of the kids in your class might not be as mature as you. You might scare some of them by talking about a subject like this. It might not be a good subject for the sixth grade.”

Tasha thought about this. “You are right. Maybe I will wait and watch the news tonight and pick something to write about.”

Kelly stood there and watched her daughter. Had her daughter just played her? Kelly was feeling a little foolish.

“Thanks for the help Mom,” Tasha said, “I am going to go over to see Gilda and tell her all about Andy the spy.” Tasha reached and took Andy’s hand. He had just walked into the room and had not heard the conversation.

“We will be back soon.” Tasha said as she led Andy out the door. Andy was looking at Greg trying to see what to do.

Kelly had not said anything as Tasha and Andy disappeared around the corner of the building. She was standing there with her mouth open. She looked at Greg. He was laughing silently to his self.

“Did I just get played?” Kelly asked.

“I think you did.” Greg said. “And I have never seen it done better.” He broke out with laughter. Kelly joined him.

“I should have known she was up to something when she said Mother.”

 

 

 

 

 

William was awake when the door opened. A cop was standing there.

“Come with me.” The cop ordered.

“Where are you taking me?” William asked.

“Don’t worry.” said the cop. “They just want to ask you a few more question’s then they are going to let you go. Come with me.”

William got up with a smile on his face. That was the best news he had heard in a long time. It would be even better than hearing that he had received the job promotion.

William was taken to a small office. Not like the room he was in the night before. This office had a desk, and some shelves. There were books on the shelves, and this office looked like it belonged to someone.

He was told to set in a chair in front of the desk, and not to touch anything. Then the door was shut, and the cop was gone.

As William set there, he notice that a mirror on one of the walls was a little too oversized for normal. This is another game they are playing with me, he thought. They are watching me.

William set there for what he thought was at lease thirty minutes before anyone came in. Had this been only thirty minutes he thought, or I have I been here for hours.

“Hello Mr. More. I’m Mark Punch. Detective Mark Punch.”

Mark walked over to the other side of the desk and set down.

“You can call me Mark.” He said. He had a file in his hand. He opened it to the first page. “You spell your name M O R E. that’s a little strange isn’t it. Most people spell it Moore.”

William only said “Yes.” Meaning that was the way he spelled his name. The two men set there and looked at each other.

“Mr. More, we know that you did not kill this girl.” Detective Punch stopped, waiting for the reaction on William’s face. “But we don’t know how she came to be in your house. We need your help to figure this out.” Mark closed the file and laid it on the desk. “Let’s go over your story again.”

They did. William told how he had left Atlanta on Friday the second, and returned on Wednesday the seventh. He drove straight home making no stops. When William arrived at his house, at first everything looked okay. Nothing seamed to be missing. But someone had been there. They had cooked something and left the kitchen a mess. So William called the police.

It had not taken the police long to arrive. Two cops, one asked him if anything was missing. He told them nothing that he could tell.

They asked him if he had looked all through the house, and he said he had not. So they asked if it was okay for them to look.

William gave them permission and that was when they found the girl in his bed.

 

Mark punch knew all this. William had been over it a dozen times with Dan Johnson. Mark had watched through the one way glass just like Dan was doing now.

“Please let me go home.” William said. “I did not hurt anyone.”

“We know you didn’t.” Mark said.

“Then why can I not go home.” William asked.

“Someone used your house to kill and eat part of a girl. We need to find out who did that.” Mark said.

“But I don’t know who did it?” cried William.

William did not know the girl. And he had no family here in Atlanta, no girlfriend, and no friends that he would have left in care of his house.

“We checked out your computer.” Mark stopped. He was watching William’s face for a reaction.

“You like to go to some strange places on the Internet.”

William didn’t bat an eye. He was scared. William had a deep dark secret. One that he had never acted on. But one that he wanted no one to know. He was gay. No not gay, he did not like other men, but he did like little boys. He was a pedophile, and it would never do for his bosses to find out about this. He would not only be out of the promotion he was working on, but he would be fired also from his job.

“Why do you go to that man-boy site so much?” Mark asked. “Are you into little boys?”

William gave the detective a look of discuss. William thought about his mother, it would kill her if this got out.

“How sick can you people be?” William asked. “I like to study. I go to all kind of places on the net. That doesn’t mean I like them.”

“It doesn’t matter.” Mark said. “Hell I like the little guys myself. Looking at their little butts. Looking at their little swingers.” He had a big grin on his face. He licked his lips.

William was sick all at once. This cop was saying things that William only thought. And things that he wished he did not think.

He’s trying to trick me, thought William. He’s trying to get me to say something.

“It is not a crime to have a computer. And I can go where I please on the net. It’s none of your business.” William was looking the cop right in the eye. He was tired and wanted to get out of here.

“I did not kill that girl. I do not know who did. Are you going to book me or let me go?”

William stood up. “Do one or the other. But stop this sick stuff right now.” He looked like he was ready to leave.

Mark looked at him. No expression at all on his face. “Set Down.” Mark said.

“Set Down now.” He meant it. And William set down. He had tried to be strong, but he had given his best shot. He was shot down by this cowboy, and he knew he was dead.

“I didn’t kill that girl.” He cried. He was holding his head in his hands now. And the sobs were coming out with uncontrollable ease.

“I have never hurt anyone.” He held his head up. Tears were coming out of his eyes. The crying was real.

Mark was watching the man in front of him. He hated the man. He knew that this man was a sick pervert. But he also knew that this man had not killed that girl. That did not stop him from hating the man.

“We got a long day in front of us William. If you help me, we will finish up here, and I’ll have you home by the end of the day.” He did not smile, but he did look William in the eye. “But you better know one thing. I’ll be watching you from now on. For the rest of your life.’

The two men just looked at each other. Then the door opened. Dan Johnson walked in.

“Put him back into his cell. Then come with me. They just found another girl.”

 

Wrongful Kiss Chapter 13 Hump Day

September 14th 2011

 On the Saturday, after meeting Kelly in the bar, David went back to see if he could find her. He already had someone waiting for his attention. But Kelly would just not leave his mind. He had not stopped thinking about her sense first meeting her.

At the bar David was able to find out that Kelly was the manager of a storage company. So with a little detective work he was able to find out the closes storage location to the bar. Guessing that this had to be her place of business David drove to the location and there on the door was the name of the manager, Kelly Ann Addison.

David then went on the internet and found what he was looking for.

Within an hour David knew as much as there was to know about a Ms. Kelly Ann Addison. David thought it was strange that he could not find a listing for Kelly on any of the social net works. She just did not have a My Space, or Face Book, or any other kind of web site. David wondered if Kelly even owned a computer.

Kelly may not have had a computer but the company she worked for had a Computer and they also had a file on her, and that file had her address and other personal data.

On Sunday David was setting in front of Kelly’s house when she and Mona left with Tasha to go eat and see a movie. David wondered if Mona might live with Tasha but then remembered Mona had said she lived alone.

The little girl had to be Kelly’s daughter. She was beautiful David thought and at the same time thought of someone that would pay a nice price for her. David started taking pictures and within a few minutes had sent them off with an email saying he had found a new model for the collection.

Sure enough within a few hours he received a reply telling him that he would be paid $10,000.00 cash for the child. There were also details on when and where he should go to meet a flight that would take the girl child from the United States to the buyer. He was to deliver the child to a private jet at a local airport on the Monday after tomorrow and there he would be paid his commission.

After watching the girls most of the day, and receiving his reply, David left the girls to return to the house where his guest was waiting for his touch.

So far she had been unable to make him happy, but David knew that with the right trailing she would learn what he wanted. He would train her again that night.

On Monday morning David had been at the storage location when Kelly and Tasha had showed up for work. David took more pictures, snapping away on his new 35 mm digital camera, zooming in on both Kelly and the little girl. The pictures from the day before had been okay, but the buyer wanted some higher quality pictures of the girl.

It was when he seen the little girl getting on the bus and leave and Kelly went next door that he thought to him self that he should have a little fun. He really was not trying to hurt Kelly but he did want to see how much he could scare her. It was always nice to know your victims trauma point.

After leaving Kelly standing there in shock, David returned to the house and making sure his guest was still secure.  He then sent off an email with the new pictures of Kelly and the little girl.

The rest of the day was his own to do with as he pleased. He pleased to give attention to his guest. He spent the rest of the day and well into the night training the new girl.

After he was finished with her David wanted to check out the house Kelly and the child lived in again. There he saw that she now had what looked like a team of security watching over them.

After again using the camera, and the internet, he was able to learn that a local family was watching over Kelly for some reason. The game had become interesting.

David then contacted his contact and told them what he had learned and asked for instruction. After that David went back to the house to enjoy the last few hours of life that his guest had left, and to wait for a reply.

It was several hours later and David had been in the kitchen eating when the call come in telling him everything that he needed to know about the family know as Heaven, and their God.

He was also told arraignments were being made to make sure he had no problems, but just in case he was to deliver the girl child on the following Monday no matter what.

 

David had then waited all day Tuesday to see what the security on the two girls would do. Seeing that there was no change, David had thought to get things moving. That was when he made contact with Bob Indus. And he loved it. Seeing the look on the two men’s face was priceless. He had shocked both of them.

By daylight on Wednesday David had already picked out another truck. Anyone that had seen David over the past few weeks would have thought David owned a truck sales company. That was how many times he had changed trucks. He did not use cash.

David had also rented a hotel room. He could not go back to the house. His guest had made a mess of everything there.

Now David was setting across the street from the storage company in the parking lot of a Mexican restaurant. He could see the two men but they had not seen him yet. They should have been given the orders to leave already but so far they were still there. Not only that, but two more had showed up and were now in the office with the girl, Kelly.

Okay so maybe Omar did not have all the power he said he had. For some reason this security team was not leaving. David wondered who Kelly might be, was there something special about her that made giving her this much attention important? He had not seen anything in her file. Maybe she was screwing someone rich or famous. If so then the child might also be worth more.

But that did not matter. Omar did not make deals. He told you what was going to happen and you did it. There was no way to get more money from Omar. He had already set the price. But then, Omar did not want Kelly. So maybe she was worth something to someone? David made a phone call.

 

 

 

 

 

Dan Harper had been having a late dinner with Little Andy and Greg when Bob Indus had called him. After listening for several seconds Dan told Bob that he was not to leave Kelly unattended for one second until Greg and Andy arrived. He also told Bob that no one was allowed to countermand these orders, and asked Bob if he understood what he was saying.

Bob said he did understand and would not leave the girl alone till little Andy or Greg told him to do so.

Next Bob tried to call his brother Andy. There was no answer so Dan thought he had gone to bed. But that was not right, because Andy always had this phone next to him and always answered it. This was the first time Dan could ever remember trying to call his brother and not getting an answer.

Andy and Greg had not stopped eating while Dan was making his calls. They were just finishing when Dan finished his calls.

Dan then told the two men to drive to Atlanta as fast as they could and to take charge of security on the girls. He told them that under no circumstances were these orders to be overridden by anyone, and he said that meant anyone.

Both Andy and Greg were up and moving by the time Dan finish talking and left the house within the half hour.

Dan then picked up the phone and called a very important man in Atlanta, Chief of Detectives Captain Turner James.

 

“Do you know who this is?” he asked when the man on the other end of the phone answered saying “Hello.”

“Yes.” The man replied.

“We have a problem. I am going to need your help. And you may have to make some very tough choices.” Dan paused to let that message sink in.

“I understand.” said Turner James.

An hour later and a few more phone calls, Dan Harper was getting into bed.

Turner James was on the phone with Sergeant Dan Johnson who was his daughter’s boss.

 

 

 

 

 

Andy Harper had not gone to bed after talking to his brother earlier that night. He has set here and wondered about the course of actions taking place around him.

He was in a pickle of a predicament and he didn’t like it.

On the one hand he had given his word to keep this girl Kelly safe. And he had never broken his word. But this child was not part of the deal, so really he could not be held responsible for her.

No that was not right he had always accepted that the baby was part of the deal by extension. But still, he had also pledged his word to someone else to obey some other rules.

 

The brotherhood was old. They had many names. There were many smaller groups that were part of the brotherhood. And Heaven was just one of the smaller groups that made up the bigger picture.

The best kept secret about the brotherhood was the fact that it was a secret.

Andy had several smaller groups under him that took orders from him, and not one of them knew who was over Andy. They knew he had someone over him, but they did not know who it would be. Likewise they did not know who else Andy might have control of.

Andy also knew that someone was over Omar. He also had someone giving him orders. But for Andy he only needed to know one person, and that someone was Omar.

There was a web site that every head of a family knew about. This site was set up like a dear Abby in that someone could go in and using key words send a message and get a reply. The problem was that you never knew who was sending the reply. And the reply was always the law.

Andy had taken a chance to ask for contact with someone over Omar to talk about the problem with. His message was that he and his brother were having a problem and needed to talk to a bigger brother to act as a go between.

The reply that came back had not been good. It said your brother is in the right and it would be best for you to follow his leadership.

Andy had no choice but to give up Kelly and her daughter and try to make it up to Thomas some way. With any luck maybe Thomas would never find out what he had done. Damn why this couldn’t have waited for another year was beyond him. Or why did it not happen last year before Thomas had turned up.

Omar had won he could do what ever he wanted. He had followed protocol and had informed his superior that he was recruiting a child into his family for breeding purposes, and that this child was coming from an area controlled by a sub group.

He had then been told to make sure to compensate the leader of that area and then do what he needed to do.

Then Omar had contacted Andy and told him what he was going to do. And he had also made sure that the family was paid very well for the lost of the girl and mother. There should have been no more problem.

And if not for his word to Thomas, Andy would not have had a problem.

Andy’s special phone started to ring. It was his brother. Andy did not answer it. He knew there was going to be a problem there for sure. There was no way Dan was going to let this happen.

 

 

 

 

 

As always Kelly was early for work. She did not make the stop at the other place this morning instead she parked at the storage office and walked with Tasha over to the service mart.

Darrin Canlove was at the register and was ringing up other early morning customers. He and Kelly talked while Tasha did the shopping.

Darrin or Kelly did not speak about what had happened the day before. But Kelly could tell Darrin knew more than he was showing.

After Tasha was finish shopping and making coffee Kelly paid for everything and they left to go to storage. When they arrived they were surprised to see Greg and Andy there waiting for them. They had already sent Bob Indus and his partner home to get some sleep for the next twelve hours. Kelly looked out the window just in time to see the two men drive away.

Greg introduced Andy as the son of Dan Harper and the brother of the owner of the storage company. Greg told Kelly that Andy was going to be Tasha’s security for the day and that he would be going to school with her.

Tasha wanted to know why she had to have a guy following her around all day, especial a creepy looking guy like Andy. She really didn’t think he was creepy looking and in fact thought he was cute. But an eleven year old girl cannot be telling guys things like that.

It was then that Greg spoke up and told Tasha that Andy was in training to be a special officer in the companies security department, something like a spy, and that he needed a reason to check out the schools security and was going to use her as cover.

Tasha understood this and was very much in agreement with the ideal if she could also help be a spy. So Andy told Tasha that she needed to be on the lookout for any one she did not know that might be hanging around the school. Tasha said she could do this.

After Andy and Tasha went into the back office to work out their plan for spying that day Kelly asked Greg what was really going on.

“Nothing much” Greg said. ‘I am pretty sure that what happened Monday was just a flake of events and just some fruit cake having fun. But we want to make sure before we write it off as nothing.”

Kelly was watching Greg’s eyes trying to see the lie’s her ears were telling her were there. She could not see any.

“It’s just that so much has happened now all at once what with Thomas turning up, the detective asking questions, and the fruit cake thing, we just want to make sure.”

“You are not telling me the truth Greg.” Kelly said. She started working making the store ready to open.

Tasha and Andy come into the main office.

“Mama I am going to see if Carl made it home.” Tasha said not realizing that these two men should not have known Carl lived in the storage unit.

Kelly looked from Tasha to Greg and then to Andy. Her mouth open but she said nothing.

“It’s okay. We already know.” Andy said smiling. “I will go with her and check.”

Kelly did not say anything as her daughter and Andy walked out the door. She finished counting her money for her drawer. It was all there. Greg remained silent till Kelly finished counting.

“You have known this man Carl for a long time? Greg asked.

Kelly looked at him. “I have.”

“And you trust him?”

“I do. Carl would never hurt me or Tasha. I am sure of this.”

Tasha and Andy come back into the office. Tasha had been running.

“He is not there mama.” Tasha said. “He didn’t come back last night.”

Kelly just looked at Tasha. She was thinking.

“Maybe he went to one of his other camps last night?” Kelly said.

“Maybe” Tasha answered with a worried tone.

“I will watch out for him today and tell him you were looking for him.” Kelly said.

“Okay” Tasha said stilled worried. She picked up her books; it was time for her to catch the bus. “I got to go.” She said.

“I am going to go warm up the car.” said Andy. “I will see you at the school.” He was talking to Greg.

Andy went out the door as Kelly come around the counter and kissed Tasha good bye.

“Come straight here when you get out of school.” Kelly said.

“I will.” Tasha said as she went out the door.

Greg turned to Kelly. “We will need to ride over to the school also so that you can go in and make sure the principal or whoever knows Andy is going to be there today.”

“What about the store.”

“We own the store, remember.”

“You know they are not going to let a man hang around the school all day today don’t you?” Kelly asked.

“Yes they will. Andy has ID that says he is a state cop. And there is someone in the capitol down town that will cover his story if needed.”

Kelly laughed. “Who are you people really?”

Greg just smiled.

 

Tasha walked to her spot to wait on the bus. She had about two minutes before it would arrive. From where she was she could see Andy was already in his car. She also could see her mother come out the door with Greg and walk to Kelly’s car.

She then saw someone walking up to her. At first she become scared having not seen him sooner, but then saw it was only Martin.

“What do you want?” she asked.

“Tasha I need to talk to you.” Martin said.

Tasha could see there was a cut going down the side of Martins face. It had dried blood on it. It was not a bad cut, but should have been seen about.

“Who beat you up?” Tasha asked.

“Ca…” Martin started to say, but then changed. “No one beat me up. I fell down.”

Tasha laughed.

“Don’t laugh at me Tasha. You know I care about you.”

“Well I don’t care about you. You are a mean boy now leave me alone.”

“I have to tell you something. You are in danger.” Martin said.

“The only danger here is that you are going to bore me to death Martin Yates. Now leave me alone.”

The school bus drove up and stopped. The door opened. Kelly and Greg were driving up the storage drive way toward the street. Andy had started the car and was also driving toward Tasha and Martin. Tasha started to get on the bus.

Martin reached out and grabbed Tasha by the arm. “Please listen to me.”

“Let go of me Martin Yates, and leave me alone. I don’t like you.” Tasha pulled away and ran into the bus. The bus drove away.

Kelly and Greg drove off after the bus. Andy stopped beside Martin and let the window down.

“Do not be around any where when we return.” He told Martin. Then Andy drove off after the bus.

Martin stood there looking around. He was lost at ideals of what to do. Then he saw the black truck across the street in the Mexican restaurant parking lot. There in the truck was that man again. He was laughing. Martin turned and ran.

 

Martin was no coward. But he was a fool. He wanted to know what this man was up to. So after he ran out of site of the truck he circled back around and come up behind where the truck had been only to find that it was gone.

David had out guessed Martin and had moved the truck. When Martin showed his self at the spot the truck had been David was there waiting for him. He had been right, the boy was watching him.

All David did was watch and the boy showed back up. And the boy had thought he was so cool, he thought he had out smarted David. He had changed into another shirt from his back pack and had on his hat now but David knew who he was as soon as he seen him.

Did this kid really think he was hiding from me, David thought?

Martin had first thought that the man was a dumb as a rock for setting there in the open like he had. But now when he had returned and the truck was gone, Martin was beginning to feel scared.

David had stepped out of his hiding place and grabbed Martin as soon as Martin started to leave. Martin now understood why David had chosen this spot.

David had grabbed Martin between his legs. He had his self a hand full of boy man and was applying pressure. Martin wanted to cry out but the words would not come.

“Why are you following me kid?” David said.

“I am not following you.” Martin managed to say when David released the pressure a little.

David gripped harder. “I will tell you, I will tell you.” Martin cried.

David let him go. Martin fell to his knees. His face was full of tears now.

“I am waiting boy. And I don’t like to wait.”

Martin looked up and with more than a little effort said “You are watching my girl friend.”

They looked at each other. Not a word was spoken. They were feeling each other out.

“Your girl friend” David smiled. “That pretty little doll is your girl friend?”

“Yes.” Martin said. She was his girl friend, even if she didn’t know it yet.

“Well I could see she was your girl friend by the way she ripped out of your hands.” David taunted. Martin did not say anything. The pain was just starting to stop hurting.

“We had some words.” Martin said. “She is just mad at me right now. But she still loves me.”

“Really, know what I think. I think she hates you. And I think you are trying to impress her so as to make her like you.”

Martin just stood there, now that he could. He knew he would not be able to run just yet so he did not try. David stood there and watched him for a few minutes.

“What would you say if I gave you that little girl to do with as you please?” asked David.

Martin’s eyes were sparkling. Tasha’s face appeared in his mind. All the things he had thought about doing with her; to her.

“What do you mean?’ Martin asked.

“I mean, I want the mama.” David watched Martin for signs, trying to read his thoughts.

“I like you kid. You got spunk. I am leaving town in a few days. And if you like, I will take you with me. We can take the girl also, and she will become your slave.”

David could see he had Martins attention. Martin was a dumb fool kid. He was buying this hook line and sinker.

“You like this ideal? Don’t you.” David said. “Come, the truck is parked across the street Lets go some where and talk.”

Martin thought about this. Something told him it was not a good ideal. But the thought of having Tasha and doing as he please was more powerful to him that the fear of David. Martin went with David to the truck.

As they drove, David asked Martin all about himself. And with each new fact learned he told another lie to string the boy alone. He was trying to see what kind of person Martin was.

David did not like to hurt nice people. No wait, that’s not true. He didn’t like to hurt nice people as much as he did bad people, because by hurting bad people, it made you an even worse person. David wanted to be the worse person ever.

“So have you ever killed anyone David?” Martin asked.

“Sure I have.” David said. “Have you.” He didn’t expect to hear the reply he received.

“Yes. I killed someone last night.” Martin was looking at David as he drove. He had started liking this kid. He was cool. Way cooler than his dad. That bastard never did anything except hit him. And he was too scared to fight a man his own age. This was not true of course, just the way David seen it.

David lost control of his self when Martin had said this. He wet his pants a little he thought. This kid was fun. Too bad he was going to die.

“Tell me all about it” David said. He really wanted to hear all the details.

After hearing the story, David asked where this place was that the body was at. Martin told him and said that they could park in a place he knew about and come in from the rear and no one would see them. So David told Martin to show him the site.

Sure enough there was Carl’s body, just laying there on the ground.

“And you say you this with your own hands?” asked David.

“Yes. He hit me with a bottle and so I grabbed him around the neck and choked him.” Martin smiled as he showed David the side of his face.

For a second David thought he should keep this boy with him. Maybe train him. Just the same way he had been trained those many years ago by Julie’s dad.

Julie, now that was a fuck he had not had in a long time. Wonder how she was doing.

David looked around the camp site. Then he saw what he was looking for, a rope that would work.

Then when Martin was not looking, David grabbed him from behind, one hand over the boy’s mouth.

“Is this how you did it?” David asked. He pushed Martin face down on the ground and tied the rope around one hand. Then after hitting the boy and knocking all the fight out of him, David tied Martin between two trees with no shirt on. David then stood there and looked at him.

“Are you going to rape me?” Martin cried?

“Of course not,” David said. “That’s sick. I would never rape a little boy, or little girl for that matter. Or anyone, I am not a rapist.

“What are you going to do with me then?” Martin wanted to know.

David then gagged Martin and reached into his pocket and pulled out his razor knife.

“Martin have you ever eaten a heart before?’ David asked.

Martin’s eyes were now as big as a silver dollar. David could see the fear in the little boy’s eyes. He was feeding on that fear. He was drawing in that fear and allowing it to flow to the deepest parts of his soul.

As a young boy David his self had known that fear. Only Julie’s dad had kept him locked away for two years training him and using him. He didn’t have that long to train this little boy.

“I was going to eat your little girl friends heart Martin. But I hate to do that. I have her sold for ten grand.” David cut a small line down Martin chest.

“But you see I have never tasted the heart of a kid before. I want to see what it tastes like?” There was blood running down Martins chest as David started cutting the second time, only deeper this time.

“Think about it this way. By giving me your heart, you are allowing little Tasha to keep hers.” He laughed.

“And by allowing her, to keep her heart, then she will be able to give it to her new owner when I sell her.”

Martin wanted to cry out but the gag was too tight.

Martin looked over toward where Carl lay. Carl’s eyes were open. The last thing Martin saw was what he knew was impossible. Martin thought he saw Carl’s eyes blinked.

 

 

Wrongful kiss Chapter 12 Bed Time Stories

September 13th 2011

Andy Harper set in his chair behind his desk in his office. But it was not the same desk, in the same office, inNew Yorkwhere he had taken the last call on the cell phone that was now ringing.

This desk was in Andy’s office in his home.

There were four cell phones on the desk. Each had a purpose. This phone was a private encrypted phone between him and his brother. Dan had one just like it and the two never called anyone other than each other using these phones.

Andy pushed a few keys on his key board and his computer then connected to the phone.

“Hello little brother” Andy said without touching the phone. This computer was not connected to the internet like Andy’s note book computer was. But by using a blue tooth and jamming device Andy could send files to the desk top using the phone and the notebook.

“Hello Andy. I talked to Thomas.” Dan sounded tired.

“You sound tired little brother, where are you?” asked Andy.

“I am in my car about fifteen minutes away from home inBirmingham. Greg and Andy are here with me. Greg was with the girl yesterday, and Andy was with Thomas. They are both ready to make a report to you about what they know.”

“Dan you take the report and then let me know what you think we need to do. Thomas was.., is your friend so I am leaving this matter in your hands.”

“Okay then, from what I have learned I now believe Thomas was trying to find us because of the near due date of the accounts. I do not think he ever had any thoughts of doing anything other than what we have agreed on many years ago. His only concern was the girl and if we had kept her safe.”

Dan paused for a few seconds to let this sink in to Andy.

“I also now know that both he and the girl are hunting each other, and in fact have never stopped hunting each other. I have reason to believe that we in fact may have been the reason Thomas has not been able to find her over the years because we have had her hidden away.”

“She was never hidden away Dan.” Andy said.

“She may as well have been because we made sure no one ever found her.” Dan was a little mad. He and Thomas had been good friend going back to college.

There was silence.

“Thomas asked me to make sure she was safe and said that meant even from him.” Andy said.

“I know Andy. And we did a good thing by keeping our word.” Dan let his brother know he also accepted some of the fault at keeping Thomas and Kelly apart.

“But I guess I should have been just a little bit better of a friend and made sure what they wanted.”

“How do you know she wants to see him Dan?” asked Andy.

“Greg asked her.”

Andy did not say anything. Dan knew his brother was pissed off.

“He had a long talk with her and had to let her know we were here. The little girl tried to crippleIndus.” Dan laughed.

“Bob Indus?” asked Andy.

“Yes, Bob stopped her and the old man and when he did the little girl kicked the shit out of him. Greg said thatIndussaid she kicked him in the knee but that the wayInduswas walking Greg said he would not be surprised if she had kicked him higher.”

Now Andy was laughing.

“I remember the first night I seen that little girl. Not her but her mother. She had kicked someone that night also. I remember later when the boys undressed him his nuts were blue as hell with a bruise.” Andy was still laughing.

“I also remember that Thomas almost killed those two boys that night.” Now Andy stopped laughing.

“Your friend Thomas cost me a good friend that night Dan.” Andy said.

“No Andy, your good friend tried to rape a little girl and almost got his self killed that night, which is what should have happened anyway.” Dan would not let his brother put the blame for that night off on Thomas.

“You are right little brother, as always.” Andy said. And he meant it. Dan had been his right hand all his life. Nothing was going to change that.

“So what do we do now?” asked Andy.

“Nothing” Dan said. “Andy told Thomas not to go toAtlantaor call the girl or go around her until the family gives him permission.”

“And how did he take that?” asked Andy.

“He told Andy he was leaving forAtlantaby Friday, with or without blessings.” Dan laughed.

“You think that’s funny little brother?” Andy asked.

“Yes I do. Thomas is not a fool. He knows he is a son and he knows Andy is an Angel. He also knows that Andy has no authority over him. If it had been you are I, he might have listened for a minute but then I will bet he would have done the same thing. This girl is the only thing he cares about in the world.” Dick stopped laughing.

“Do you understand Andy we can’t let nothing harm this girl?” Dan said.

“Well what are you doing to protect her little brother? Andy asked.

“Well I have a ghost on her right now.

Bob Indus was called a holy ghost in the family. His job was to make sure that the family was protected at all times. He would die before letting anything happen to one of his charges.

“We also have the team that has been assigned to her and the kid for the last few years, and we are adding the second team you ordered tomorrow.” Dan said. “I don’t know these men Andy and I don’t like sending them to watch over her without knowing them.”

“Don’t worry about them Dan. I was told they are the best.” Andy said. “So when are you going to give him permission to go for the girl?” Andy asked then.

“I’m not.”

“Why?”

“We are not going to have any contact with him till the three of us meet up here inAtlantanext week. You still have to tell me when you want to meet. Anyway I have pulled off his tail and we are leaving him alone till he arrives inAtlanta.”

“How are you going to know when he is there?” Andy asked?

“He is going by RV. We were able to place a tracker on the RV so we can keep up with where he is. I didn’t want to chance him making any of our guys watching him so I thought it best to let him find his way alone. And by doing it this way he will know that we trusted him and he come toAtlantawithout permission so you will have a slight upper hand when we meet.”

“You are very smart little brother.” Andy said.

“Thank you brother” Dan said.

“What happens if we need to talk to him in the mean time?” Andy asked.

“Andy gave him my number. I told him to. Thomas can call me if he needs to.”

“Not this number?” Andy asked.

“No, never, not this one, he has my personal number.”

“Okay” said Andy. “When did you get toAtlanta?”

“I arrived yesterday but drove toBirmingham. I am going to be back inAtlantaon Monday morning. I am sending Greg back to head up the security detail on the girl. And I am going to keep Andy with me in case something happens and I need someone to react fast.”

There was silence for a few seconds and then Andy said,

“Looks like you have everything in order little brother.”

“Thank you Andy. I don’t want you to worry about Thomas, he is one of us.”

“Okay brother, I will take your word. I will call you in a couple days and let you know when I want to meet.” Andy was ready for bed.

“Okay brother. I will talk to you later.”

They said bye and both hung up.

Dan Harper drove his car into his drive way. Little Andy and Greg set quite. They knew Dan was thinking.

Dan felt like something was wrong. His brother was hiding something from him.

Andy Harper set at his desk. He looked at an email on his note book computer. It read….

Hello friend, it has been a long time. As always when one brother visits another brother, I am sending greetings and a gift. One of my associates has found a young model in your area that I am looking forward to training. My associate is in your area on personal business but will be signing this model up for me. Please accept my gift as payment for any trouble this may cause you.

The email was signed Omar.

Andy knew who Omar was. He was trash in Andy’s eyes. He was also the head of a very large and powerful family from theMiddle East. And he liked little girls, little white girls.

Andy did not like these ‘kind’ of people. And he did not like these “Kind” of deals, but he had no choice. Not unless he wanted a war with the other families. And he knew he would lose in a war with all of the families.

But he was not sure what he could do now. He had only given his word to keep one of them safe, not both of them, and now that word was coming back to harm him.

Andy reached over and took the printed picture from the printer. It was her alright, the little girl, Tasha was her name. And Omar wanted her.

When Carl said he needed to be going, Kelly told him to hold on a few minutes so she could run to the bathroom and get the car keys and that then she would drive him.

Carl then told her no please. He said he would like to walk and that it was just to pretty a night to waste. He wanted to walk and enjoy his self.

It took about ten minutes for him to make Kelly really believe he wanted to walk. In a way she was glad because she did not like to get out at night.

After Carl was gone, Kelly and Tasha were in the kitchen and had made a cup of hot chocolate for each of them. They were setting there talking before bed.

Mama was Thomas a good guy or bad man? Tasha asked.

Kelly looked into her daughters face. “Oh no, Tasha, Thomas was not a bad man, he was a good man. It is just that we did something wrong that we might have not should have done.”

“Sex?” Tasha said. She was grinning.

“We talked about this already.” Kelly said.

“I know, and I am almost as old as you were then. Tasha said grinning.

“Don’t get no ideals little girl.” Kelly warned.

Tasha giggled. This was a habit that Kelly had when she was a little girl also. She still did it sometime.

“So he would have been my daddy if you had stayed with him?” Tasha asked again.

“Yes I suppose he would have.” Kelly said. “But if he was then you would not be you.”

“Does that make you sad mama?” Tasha asked. “That Thomas was not my daddy.”

Kelly looked at her daughter.

“Yes and no. I would not trade you for a million other little girls. So I am happy the way things turned out so that I have you. But I would have loved having another you with Thomas as your father.” Kelly thought, did I say that right? She then said,

“Gary Sara is your daddy. And he always loved you.” Kelly stopped then finished, “And he was a good man. And he loved you and me very much. And I think I hurt him because I had Thomas there in my heart at the time andGaryknew it.”

“What about my other daddy?” Tasha asked. “Did you love him?”

Tasha was asking about Keith. That was her daddy. The man she called daddy. The man she loved as her daddy.

“I did love Keith. I think I may have loved him more than I didGary. But still not half as much as I love Thomas.”

“Thomas must be a really special person to you mama.” Tasha said.

“Yes baby, he was. He is. I think I loved him the first time I saw him but I was too young to know it.” Kelly said.

Silence for a second.

“But, you have a brother.”

“What?” Tasha said. “I have a brother? Why have you not told me this before?”

“I didn’t think it was time.” Kelly said.

“Where is he?” Tasha asked.

“It is a long story. Come on, let’s get ready for bed. You can sleep with me tonight and I will tell you all about it.”

An hour later the girls were lying in the bed and Kelly finished telling Tasha about her brother.

“Mama you really like Thomas didn’t you.”

“No I didn’t like him.” Kelly looked at her daughter.

“I loved him Tasha. I loved him and I still do. He is the only man I ever really loved.” She started crying.

“And I think he loved you mama.” Tasha said. “Maybe he is out there somewhere tonight thinking about you.”

Tasha looked at her mother. “Mama, maybe you two are crying on the same bright star tonight, just like in the song.”

Kelly stopped crying and smiled at Tasha. They both giggled then. Kelly grabbed Tasha on the belly and started goosing her. Tasha broke out in big laughs. Then when Kelly finely stopped they lay there and looked at each other. Then Tasha started singing, “Some where out there beneath the still blue sky …”

With a tear Kelly joined in singing with her daughter.

Carl had been able to make it to the liquor store on time and then walk about half a mile before he started feeling the pain in his leg. Carl wasn’t that old, but he was a drunk. He had been most of his adult life, and had made up for thirteen years of doing without by drinking as much as he could these past few years. Carl needed a drink but was scared to turn the bottle up. There were too many cops around tonight. Something is up with all the cops out like this, he thought, I might hit the up town pad tonight.

The up town pad was one of several camp sites in the woods that he had set up. It was well off the beaten track and not many people knew about it. Most of the people that did know about it would be home in bed tonight at this time of morning.

Carl was so happy when he reached the path that lead off the main street into the woods and to his camp. By the time he had stepped into the camp, off the path, he had killed the pint bottle he had picked up for the trip. Now he had only the two, liter bottles left, more than enough. He also had some secret stash’ hidden away here at the up town pad. That is if no one had found them.

Carl stopped as soon as he entered the camp and took one of the beers he hat gotten from Kelly out of his back pack.

Then Carl looked around. He was looking to see if anyone had moved anything. They had. Someone had been there, and not only that, but they were still here. He had been in such a hurry he had not even seen the boy standing there until he had walked up on him.

“Hey Carl.” said the young boy as he stepped out of the tree line.

“What do you want?” Carl asked. Carl did not like him. He knew this boy. He was okay. But Carl really didn’t trust him.

Martin Yates was fourteen years old. He was big for his age, big and strong. And he had no father figure to show him right from wrong.

Martin did go to school. The law said he had to. But the teachers left him alone because they knew he was not going to do anything they said. As long as he did not cause trouble he was allowed to pretty much do what ever he wanted, just as long as he left everyone else alone.

Carl walked over and set down on a milk crate turned up side down. He set his back pack down beside him.

“That was you she was talking about tonight weren’t it?” He asked.

“That was me.” Martin said. He was a smart kid, and he knew that Carl had left the storage office with Kelly and Tasha. And he knew Tasha loved him. So Martin knew Carl had to be talking about Tasha and she had to be talking about him. “I am happy to know she was thinking about me.” He laughed.

Martin was in love with Tasha. He followed her around and watched her from a distance. But he was too scared to talk to her. She really did not like him and had even slapped him once when he had tried to kiss her.

“If you hurt that baby in any way,” Carl started his threat.

“Don’t threaten me old man. Don’t forget who I am. What I can do to you.”

“I don’t care who you are or what you can do. If you hurt Miss Tasha, I will kill you.” Carl meant it. He had never meant anything else in his life like he meant this.

“Relax Jack. Did she say I hurt her?’ Martin grabbed Carl’s back pack. He took out a beer ignoring the Old Thomas bottles and then pitched the bag back to Carl. He set down and popped the top of the beer.

“No, she said you beat up the other kid.”

“Damn right I did. And I will do it again if he touches my girl again.”

“She is not your girl.” Carl said angrily.

“Well she sure the hell ain’t your girl old man.” He was looking at Carl. And Carl was returning the look, both with fire in their eyes. “Don’t give me that look old man. I have seen the way you look at her. You like that little ass don’t you?”

“You are one sick puppy, you know that.” Carl said.

“Maybe so, but I know you got some feelings there. You just make sure you keep them clean. She is my girl even if she doesn’t know it yet.”

Carl wanted to say something. He wanted to do something. But he could not. He had hit the boy once then the boy had then beaten the shit out of him.

Carl knew he could not do anything to this kid face to face. But if he ever turned his back just right, well that would be another story all together.

“I am not here to fight with you old man. I just wanted to drink a beer with you and give you some information I have. Something you need to do something about.”

“And what would you know anything about that I could passably give a shit about.” Carl really did not like this kid.

“Well for one, did you know there was a man over at the Blue light bar the other day asking questions about your girl friend?” The boy had Carl’s attention.

“Not only that, but today when Tasha got off the school bus, that same man was setting in a truck over across the street watching her. I know because I was watching her also. And then I started watching him.”

Carl though to his self, this has to be someone else. I don’t think he is talking about the two guards.

Martin then gave Carl the funniest look.

“What you thinking old man?” he asked.

“What did the man look like?” asked Carl.

Martin described David to Carl. Carl did not know who David was, but he knew that it was not one of the two guards.

“What did the guy do?” Asked Carl?

“Nothing, he just set there and watched all of you till you left. Then he pulled out and followed you when you left. I couldn’t keep up with you of course seeing as I don’t even own a bike.”

Carl set there for a second, thinking. He needed a drink. What was this all about he wondered.

“Did you know him?” Carl asked.

“Like I said I never saw him before. I just know he was old and ugly, just like you. But he was not a run down beat up old drunk.”

They looked at each other for a few seconds not speaking. Carl thought I am going to kill this little bastard one of these days.

“That look does not scare me old man,” said Martin. “But you want to know what did scare me, his eyes. I swear I have never seen anything in my life that scared me like his eyes scared me. They were screaming with death.”

“So why are you telling me?” Carl asked.

“Because you can tell her and point him out to her. I don’t know Tasha’s mother and Tasha will not listen to me. Every time I try to talk to her she runs away.”

“She had taste.” Carl smiled.

“Screw you old man.” Martin reached for the back pack again. When he did Carl hit him on the side of the head with his beer bottle. Martin fell over onto the ground, his head bleeding where he had been hit.

“Damn you old man.” Martin said as he started to get up.

Oh shit Carl thought. I really screw up this time. He stood up to get ready for a fight.

Martin slapped him once then grabbed him from behind around the neck. He had a choke hold. The two of them stood there for several seconds.

Carl had his eyes wide open. He was looking up and could see the stars. They are so beautiful he thought.

“You are killing me.” He said as the stars started to blink out one by one. He really would have been pissed if he knew what Martin done after that.

Back at Kelly’s house, Bob Indus and his partner were parked two houses down from Kelly’s house on the other side of the street.

“Bob do you see that truck over there, three cars down from the girls?” asked Bob’s partner?

“The black one with tinted windows” Bob said.

“That’s the one. I think there is someone in the truck.”

“What makes you say that?” Bob was now watching the truck also. He had been watching the house up till then.

“Ever so often the truck moves like someone inside is shaking it.” The partner had been a cop a long time ago.

“So you want to check it out?” asked Bob.

“I think we should.”

Before the two men could do anything the truck started. Then moving ever so slowly the truck started rolling down the street toward them. The truck stopped in the middle of the street setting beside the car facing the opposite direction; the driver doors setting side by side.

Bob never drove, but he had this time. He liked to be able to move fast. Now he was trapped behind the wheel of the car. He was pissed.

Bob pulled his gun out. He could not open his door. His partner opened his door and stepped out holding his gun.

Slowly the window of the truck driver side went down. David set there. He held his hands up to show he had no weapon. Then he made a sign with his fingers on both hands.

“Get in the car.” Bob ordered his partner.

David smiled.

“Tell Andy Harper to get the fuck off my back.” Said David. He started laughing as he drove away slowly.

Bob’s partner jumped back into the car

“What the hell was that about?” He looked at Bob. “Who you calling?”

“I am calling Dan Harper.”

Bob’s partner did not say anything. He didn’t know what to say. What this man had done was total craziness. But then if Bob was calling Dan Harper then he knew something was not right. No one called Dan Harper just like that.

After a short phone call Bob hung up.

“What did he say?” the partner asked.

“Greg and Dan’s son Andy will be here tomorrow. They will take charge. Until then we are not to take any orders from anyone. And he said this meant anyone. And we are not to let them two girls out of our site.” Bob was a white man. He was now whiter than he had ever been in his life.

“How for up does anyone go?” The partner said.

Dan grin, a scared grin. “All the way to the top.”

“Holy shit!”

Wrongful kiss Chapter 11 Reminiscence

September 13th 2011

The back door of the house opened into a small hall which opened into a closet and the kitchen. Carl walked into the kitchen from the hall. Tasha was right behind him. She always let him go first. She might have been the only person in the world that put him before her own self. No one else was this nice to Carl.

‘Carl you can wash your hands over at the sink there. Tasha you go into the bath room and wash your hands.’ Kelly was setting plates on the table. Both of them answered yes mamm.

“I don’t want to do a lot of cleaning tonight so we will eat in here instead of the dinning room.’ The kitchen was just as big as the dinning room and Kelly never liked the dinning room anyway. This was where she and Thomas had always eaten, and she had always thought families should always eat in the kitchen anyway.

There was another yes mamm, this one from Carl.

“I hope you like chicken, Carl.’ She didn’t have to ask, because she already knew. She was just making conversation.

‘Oh yes Miss Kelly, I love it. I will eat just about anything.” Carl was telling the truth. You never know when the next meal is coming so you better not be fussy. Carl didn’t say that last part but he did think it.

‘Reach into the fridge there Carl and get a can coke for Tasha. And I think there is a beer in the back somewhere that you can have.” Kelly was now putting the forks and spoons on the table.

Carl didn’t say anything. He finished drying his hand on a towel hanging there and then did what she had told him to do. Tasha came back into the kitchen.

“All finish.’ She said.

‘You set over there.’ Kelly said pointing to the side of the table away from the sink. “Carl you can set on the end over there. This was the other side away from where she was setting.’ She reached for the paper towels.

Carl and Tasha both set down in the spots they were assigned. Then after tearing off a paper towels for each one and handing it to them, Kelly set down her self.

“Tasha, you say blessing hon.’

‘Okay. Close your eyes Carl.’ Tasha was looking at Carl watching for him to close his eyes. Then after they were closed she looked to see if her mother had closed her eyes. Then she closed her own.

“God is good, God is great. By his hands we are feed. Let us think him for our food. Amen.’

“Amen’ Carl said.

Kelly didn’t say anything out load, but her lips moved.

‘Carl we have pea’s, mash potatoes, and fried chicken. So dig in and eat all you want. It will go into the trash if we don’t eat it all, so eat it all.’

‘Don’t forget the biscuits mama.’ Tasha said.

“I am not worried about the biscuits. I know Carl like biscuits and I know he will eat all of them he can. Carl I made the gravy special for you because I know you like gravy on your biscuits.”

“Oh yes mam Ms Kelly. I use to eat Biscuits and gravy with Mr. T…” Carl didn’t finish the words. Kelly looked at Carl, but she didn’t catch the almost slip of the words.

They started to eat in silence. The food was that good, and Kelly really knew how to cook.

Thomas had showed Kelly how to cook. He had given her some old family receipts. So Kelly always thought Thomas had made her a good cook. That was before she met Keith.

Keith had been a army recruiter when Kelly first met him but he had been a cook when he first joined. Before that he had worked in restaurants. Keith was a chef. He had showed her how to cook. No sir, this was one skill she was happy to say Thomas did not teach her.

Everyone at the table was hungry. They were filling an empty spot inside. So no one said anything for the first few minutes making the quite was so load that if anyone had spoken, they might have scared the others, which is what Kelly did.

“So which one of you two is going to spill the beans and tell me what is going on?’ Kelly was giving her daughter the eye.

Carl didn’t say anything but just looked at Tasha.

“What?’ Tasha asked. She was totally taken by surprise by this questing. “What do you mean?’

“Don’t give me no lip little girl. I know you are up to something. You two have been sneaking around all day. You can’t fool me.’

“Tasha wants me to help her with something.” Carl said. ‘She wants to be a spy and wants me to help her train.’

Tasha’s eyes were wide open, Carl was ratting her out. She would never have guessed Carl would turn against her so quick.

“We are working out secret codes and secret passwords and such.’ Carl continued, “so that no one can spy back on us.”

Tasha’s mouth was open. Carl had just lied. She didn’t remember talking to him about no secret codes and … Now she got it.

She was a little bit scared she was going to get into trouble. She didn’t know if her mother would go for this or not. She looked at her mother then to Carl.

‘You said you would not tell.’ She said looking at Carl. Then she looked back at her mother. “I can’t be a spy if I don’t have a secret hand shake and password.”

Kelly didn’t say anything. She just kept eating and watching her daughter and Carl. Kelly’s head was moving ever so slightly up and down as if to say sure.

‘You can be a spy if you want to. But only on one condition.’ Kelly said.

Carl took a drink of his beer. He really wanted a drink of liquor.

‘Okay,’ said Tasha. ‘What is it?’

‘You have to keep me informed on all your missions before you do them.’ Kelly took a drink out of her glass. It was a wine of some kind. Not the cheap kind. “Think of me as the director of the spy group.”

‘Deal’ Tasha said, a little too fast. Kelly was watching her again.

‘Carl, I mean you also.’ Kelly said. ‘You had better make sure that you tell me.’

‘Yes mamm.’ Carl said, ‘everything.’

Kelly set there. She was drinking her wine, looking at Carl, thinking who was this man really? What did she know about him? She had known him for a couple years now. And he had never done anything wrong as for as she knew.

Of course she knew that he had been in prison, and she knew why, and that some people had been killed. But she had also known that he had not really been a bad person. She was told that on the day he had gotten into trouble, he was just supposed to be a look out. He was not really involved. But that didn’t stop him from serving over thirteen years in prison.

And everyone she had talked to before hiring him had said he was really a good person. But now as he set here at her table eating her food, she thought to her self what did she really know about him?

Then like someone hitting her up side the head, it clicked to her. She knew who he was.

‘Carl, I know you don’t I?’ she set her drink down. “I know who you are. I remember you now”

Carl looked at Kelly with fear in his eyes. She had figured it out. Now she would make him leave and never let him come around her or Tasha again.

‘Yes Miss Kelly, you know me.’ Carl was speaking is a very small child like voice that sounded like he was frighten to death.

‘Carl, you were there. You remember him. You know him don’t you?’ Kelly asked.

‘Who miss Kelly?’ Who was she talking about? Did she mean Thomas Saratoga? Was she asking him about Thomas Saratoga? ‘Are you talking about ….’

‘You knew Thomas, didn’t you? You worked for him. I remember coming into the store and you being there. I remember talking to you. I remember you being there.’

Tasha’s head went up when she heard the name Thomas. Carl was the man mother was in love with. How was that possible?

She had heard her mother cry over this name so many time over the years, and it was Carl? Why had he not told her?

‘Thomas.’ Tasha said. ‘Mama, is this him?’ Tasha turned to Carl, “Are you Thomas?’ she asked?

“No.” said Carl, laying his fork down and setting back in his chair.

‘Tasha, I want you to go to your room now. I need to talk to Carl alone.’ Kelly said.

‘Mama….’

‘Tasha I am not playing now.’ Then Kelly had a thought, she stood up, “Stay put Tasha. Finish eating. When you are finish I want you to clean the kitchen for me then I will let you come join us out side.’

Then Kelly looked at Carl. ‘Carl I want you to come out side with me. I need to talk to you.’

‘Yes mam.’ Carl said as he stood.

“Bring your plate with you Carl so you can finish eating also.”

“Yes mamm.” Carl said as he reached and took the plate.

The two of them walked out side.

Carl found himself setting on the swing set again only this time it was the mother that was there with him talking to him. He had finished eating and Kelly had called Tasha out to get the plate. She told Tasha to bring Carl another beer. Then said just bring all of them.

‘Carl do you remember Thomas?’ Kelly asked in a low scared voice. She was scared because she was feeling that the past would come back to put her down again.

‘Yes mam.’ He said. ‘I remember him very well.’

‘Can you tell me where he is? What happen to him?’ Kelly was about to explode. Where was Thomas? She had hunted for him for so long.

‘I am not sure what you mean. I don’t know that anything happened to him.’

Kelly was not doing this right she thought. “Carl, I come home from school one day and Thomas never showed up. My mother had died that day.

I was told Thomas was in the hospital and they would not let me see him. I was then sent away and I never found out what happen to him. For all I know he could be dead.’

Kelly didn’t think he was dead. She knew he had sold the store, but then he disappeared. And yesterday she had been told he had left because of a letter she had written.

‘Oh no mam he didn’t die. I remember seeing him …’ Carl stopped, looked up and was thinking. Then he said ‘this was about the last time I seen him, or close to it. I asked about you and he said you never come home. It was when I was in… prison.”

“He said I never come home.” Kelly repeated his words.

“Yes mam. After you left, I was with Mr. Thomas when he was trying to find you. I was there when he was given your letter asking him to leave you alone. It broke his heart Ms. Kelly. That was a bad night.”

“The letter, Carl did you see the letter?”

“Oh yes, I was there when it was given to him.”

“Who gave him the letter Carl?” Kelly asked.

“I don’t know the name. But she lived across the street here.”

“Ms Johnson, that fucking bitch mother, of the cop.” Kelly said.

“Mr. Thomas was heart broken after that Ms. Kelly. She told Thomas you left with someone and said you were not coming back. She said it was a man.”

Kelly was thinking. Her mind was going a mile a minute. ‘She told you I had gone away with a man?’ Kelly said.

“Yes mam. After she gave the letter to Thomas she said that. She was real sweet and caring the whole time.’

“And you never saw me after that Carl?”

No mam, not till you give me a job.” Carl said. He took the last drink of his beer and set the can beside him.

Kelly reached over and pulled another lose from the last three of the six pack. She handed it to Carl.

Kelly already knew that Thomas had sold the store about eight months after her mother had died. He then left town and no one ever saw him again.

After she returned, there was no trace of him anywhere. And she could never find any of the people that they had known.

She had even tried to find Carl. She thought to her self what if she had found Carl wonder what would have happened then. She had been on the streets at the time with a small baby. She had found her self a loser boy friend to care for her and the baby at the time. But what if she had found Carl? What would have happened then?

“Carl you said Thomas tried to find me?” She asked.

“Yes Ms. Kelly. We both did.” Carl took a drink of beer.

“Ms. Kelly, he didn’t do anything except hunt you. He didn’t eat, he didn’t work. He didn’t do anything. All he did was drink and hunt you.”

“But he had to know where I was? He had to know my mother died?

“Ms. Kelly all the police would tell us was that your mother died and that you were sent to live with relatives. When Mr. Thomas said he was your guardian, they asked for papers. When he had none, they said that he had best forget you or he was going to end up in jail.”

Carl stopped and took a breath, and then another drink.

“But that did not stop him, he kept right on looking. Then one day the lady across the street said she had a message for him from you. She said that before you left you had told her to give him a letter and tell him that you were going to live with someone you had met and love very much, and if he ever cared for you, to please leave you alone and never bother you again.”

Carl had a tear running down his face. He was setting there looking down at the ground as he spoke these words. Now he looked up at Kelly, he seen Tasha standing behind her, and he said,

“That was the night he tried to kill his self.”

“What?” screamed Kelly “He didn’t…”

“No mam, but he tried.” Carl looked away.

Kelly was setting on the edge of the table with her hand over her mouth.

Tasha then spoke up, “I found this in back of the bowl of the refrigerator mama, and I am almost done cleaning.’ She set another six-pack of beer on the table.

Kelly didn’t say anything. She looked at her daughter then to Carl.

‘Carl, what did people say about me back them?’

Carl looked down. His eyes were on the ground. He didn’t want to say anything.

‘Carl I want to know. What did they say about me and Thomas?’

Carl looked up. He looked over and seen Tasha standing there. He didn’t say anything.

‘Tasha I want you to listen to me. I need about thirty minutes more alone with Carl.’

Tasha started to say something but didn’t when her mother raised her hand and her pointing finger went into the air.

‘You want to be a spy, or you want to spend the rest of your life in your room?’ she asked her daughter.

‘I need to finish cleaning the kitchen.’ said Tasha.

They waited for her to leave then Kelly looked back to Carl.

“What kind of relationship did they say we had Carl?” Kelly asked.

“Well I heard Mr. Joe say one time that he thinks that Mr. Thomas was sleeping with you.” Carl looked at Kelly. His face was already red from all the drinking he did, other wise it would have been redder.

“Mr. Dick was very mad when he said this and told him if he wanted his job that he had better hoped no one ever heard him say something like that again. And that if it was true then it was only the business of Mr. Thomas and you.”

“What did you think we were doing Carl?” Kelly asked. She knew she was putting him on the spot but she had to know. She had waited too long to know.

Carl didn’t say anything. He didn’t know what to say.

“What did you Think Carl?’

“I thought that maybe you loved him Ms. Kelly. That was the way you acted. I never thought much about anything else.” Carl was lying.

Kelly looked at him. “Carl why did you stop working for Thomas when you did?” she asked. Carl had gone to work for Thomas after his mother died. Carl was about fifteen at the time. Then one day he just up and quit.

Carl did not say anything. Kelly remembered that Carl had been in the store almost every time she had been there, and that he had all at once just stopped working for Thomas and left.

“It was because of me, wasn’t it?” she asked.

Carl dropped his eyes and said “Yes” in a very low voice. “On that last day I saw you Ms. Kelly, you turned me down for a date. I was around sixteen and you were almost fourteen. We were in the store and I was hurt.

Then when Mr. Thomas come in you went in the back with him. I thought maybe you were asking him if it would be okay so I followed you back there and I saw you kiss Mr. Thomas. I stood there for several minutes and watched you and him kiss. Then I just left.”

Oh My God, thought Kelly. He quit because he see us. “Carl you seen us kiss?” she asked.

“Yes mamm.” He said, but she heard him say I seen more with those two words.

“We all thought you were mad because I would not go out on a date with you.” said Kelly. “Thomas spent half the night trying to find you.”

“I know Ms. Kelly. I was hiding and watching him. But I was scared.”

“What was you scared of Carl?” asked Kelly.

Carl set there and said nothing. Then he said, “I was scared I would hurt Mr. Thomas. I was mad at what I seen and I did not know what I was going to do. So I ran away.”

“It was all, my fault. I hurt so many people.” Kelly said.

“Oh no Ms. Kelly, you did nothing wrong. You cannot help how your heart feels. And Mr. Thomas and I made up later.”

Kelly looked at him. Made up? How?

“Made up Carl, how did you and Mr. Thomas make up?”

Carl took another drink of beer.

“Well Ms. Kelly, after Mr. Thomas sold the store he made a deal with the new owners for me to get my job back and they would keep me on. But then the people I had been hanging with talked me into doing something I should not have and I was sent away.”

Carl dropped his head. He did not want Kelly to look him in the face.

“Carl, why was Thomas so nice to you. Did he ever touch you or try to do anything like that?”

“Oh no Ms. Kelly, never Mr. Thomas would never, do something like that. No way. Mr. Thomas was not that kind of person.”

Carl stop talking and started thinking what he was saying. Was Thomas that kind of people? Thomas had never tried to do anything like that with him, but didn’t he do it with Ms. Kelly. He didn’t know for sure, but he thought so.

“No mamm, Mr. Thomas never did anything wrong like that to me.”

“Was Thomas a good guy or bad guy Carl?” asked Tasha. She had let the questing out before she could stop herself. She had did her work and come back out so quietly that Kelly and Carl didn’t even know she was there.

Tasha just had to know this story. It had captured her a long time ago, and this man was a mystery she had to learn, and she had been setting here so quite that sometimes she had almost for got to breath.

She saw her mother look up at her, so she turned her head to the ice cream she had that was now mostly melted. She took a spoon full and ate it.

“Mr. Thomas was the closes person I ever knew to being like a father to me.” Carl said. “He is the only man I know that has never judged me.”

Kelly felt a little bond with Carl. On the one hand she loved Thomas for all the reasons a woman loves a man. But also she had loved the father he had become to her. And here was Carl saying that Thomas was like a father to him also. That would make them like brother and sister. She laughed.

Both Tasha and Carl looked at her with a puzzled look.

“I am sorry Carl.” She said. “I am not laughing at you, but if he was like a father to you, and he was like a father to me, then we are brother and sister.”

“Yes.” Tasha said as she raised her arm with a fist, bringing it down in a victory sign. “That makes you my Uncle Carl.”

Carl smiled, that was a victory for him, but not the one he hoped for.

“Carl when was the last time you saw Thomas?” Kelly asked?

“I am not real sure Ms. Kelly but I think it was around about sixteen years ago. I was in prison and he come seen me. After that he sent me money every month for a few years. The money stopped coming about three months before I was released. But I had $5000.00 waiting on me when they turn me out. I am sure it all came from Mr. Thomas.” He took a drink of beer.

Kelly looked into the sad eyes of Carl. She knew life had given him a bad deal, but then, he had also had a hand in part of the shuffle. He had not had it no worse than anyone else, and better than some.

Kelly was thinking. Crazy thoughts for sure, but thoughts she needed answers for.

“Carl what did Thomas do when he found out I was gone, before he was given the letter?” Kelly asked.

“Ms Kelly, Mr. Thomas hired me to drive him around hunting for you. We went everywhere. He had these old addresses that you had lived at with you family, and also addresses of relatives of your father. We went every where.” Carl paused. He looked Kelly in the face.

“Ms. Kelly he was so drunk most of the time. And crying, and talking crazy about killing his self and hating the world.”

Kelly was so surprised. She had never heard any of these stories before, and it did not sound like her Thomas. He was always so strong.

“That does not sound like my Thomas, Carl.” Kelly said.

“I know Ms. Kelly. But without you, he was just, nothing. He didn’t care about anything. Not even living.”

“Carl what happened next?” Tasha asked?

“Well I ended up staying with Mr. Thomas for a few months. On some days he would be sober and so we would make trips to areas he had heard that you might be at and on the days he was too drunk to go he would give me some money and the car keys and tell me to go find you.”

“He never stopped hunting me Carl?” Kelly said.

“Not until he got the letter Ms. Kelly.

“What happen then Carl?”

“After Thomas heard what that old lady said he went home and really started drinking.” Carl did not use the Mister this time.

“I was there with him that night. And I had a few drinks with him. But then he got his gun out and started playing with it. He was saying things like he was going to kill his self and talking all crazy. I was scared.”

“Carl I bet you were not scared. I bet you are not scared of anything.” Tasha had said this.

“Oh Ms. Tasha, I am not like you. I am a coward. I scare myself sometime.” He laughed.

Kelly and Tasha did also.

“I am not scared of anything Carl.” Tasha said.

“I know Ms. Tasha.” Carl said, and then took another drink.

“What did you do next?” Kelly asked?

“Well I set there with Mr. Thomas for a few hours, and he was getting drunker and drunker. And he was playing with his gun.”

Carl was beginning to shake again.

“Ms. Kelly he unloaded the gun and then put one bullet back into it and spun the chamber. Then he put it to his head and pulled the trigger. Nothing happened so he took the bullet out and retried it.”

Tasha’s jaw had fallen open.

“What happened then Carl?” Kelly asked.

“Well he was saying he was going to kill his self and that with out you he did not want to live. So I told him I was going to leave.”

Then Carl stopped talking. He looked really scared.

“That’s when Mr. Thomas looked at me and said I could leave, but then he pointed the gun at me and said to me if I said anything to anyone, or brought any one back with me, that he would kill both me and them.”

“And I bet you never did tell anyone did you Carl.” said Tasha.

“I have never had anyone to tell it to Ms. Tasha until tonight.”

The three of them set there in thought.

Tasha was thinking about this mysterious man, Thomas Saratoga. She thought he must be a very strong and brave man, like a knight in shinning armor. But at the same time he must also be a poor pitiful lost soul. She had heard her mama say he was a lost soul that needed fixing.

Kelly was thinking about Thomas also. She had never fixed his broken soul like she thought she would. She had only hurt him more. She was now drawing inside her all the pain she could feel that Thomas must have felt. Kelly had always known in her heart that Thomas had never left her alone because he wanted to. Now she knew he had done so because of her actions, because she had tried to protect him, and it only hurt him and her also. But at lease now she knew that he loved her more than life itself.

Carl was thinking about one thing. He was worried if the liquor store was going to be still open when he got there.