by Wyatt, Dani
I’m getting worked up, but I’m trying not to show it. Turning over a new leaf, and all that. I take a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Where are you taking her things?”
“Storage. She’ll get a notice, and if she pays her arrears plus the storage costs, plus administration, she’ll get it all back.”
“Unacceptable. I’ll pay her arrears right now. I’ll pay whatever needs paying. Just tell me how much.”
He looks me up and down, then visibly swallows. “Thing is, he said someone might turn up offering to pay. Said I’m supposed to stick to the rules this time. Said to dump the fish as well, with pets being against the terms and all. Not our problem. The demand will come through in the next day or so—”
I shake my head. “You don’t seem to be listening. I said that’s fucking unacceptable.” It’s clear that this guy has no authority and I’m done chatting about the weather. “Who’s really in charge here?”
“Wesley Havers. County clerk oversees senior services, which is who manages this building.”
Fuck. And all the dominoes suddenly fall into place. I reach into the pocket of my blazer and pull out the card that fuck gave me last night when he was harassing Nicci. When I read the name on the card, I have to fight to keep the anger out of my voice.
“He come ‘round here often?”
The guy nods. “Sure. More than I’d expect, to be honest, but him and Nicci seem to be pretty close. I thought maybe they were an item.”
“They’re not.” Red flames flicker in my vision.
“No, so I see, it’s just...” He trails off, probably wondering whether he wants to get involved. Well, fuck it, he’s involved whether he likes it or not.
“Spill it, if you know what’s good for you.”
“Well, I’ve seen him coming out of her apartment a few times.”
“She there as well?”
He shrugs. “I guess so. He wouldn’t be allowed to enter her apartment without her permission.”
Shit. I know exactly what’s going on here, and I’m going to put an end to it. Unable to keep my cool any longer, I grab the old guy by the collar and slam him up against the door to let him know I’m not kidding around. “Stop loading her things into that van. I’ll send a vehicle to collect everything, including the fucking fish.” I grab my wallet and take out one of my many credit cards, then shove it in his face. “Whatever needs paying, you charge it to this, you hear me? If everything is done as I say, you’ll never see me again. If not, I’ll be back. Do you understand?”
“I’m not allowed to—”
“I said, do you fucking understand?”
He swallows and nods, and I release him, putting the card in his hand.
“And one more thing,” I say as I’m already turning and heading for my Suburban. “I will break one of your fingers for each dead fish.”
13
NICCI
I CAN’T BELIEVE WHAT I’m hearing.
“Oh really, how long ago was that?” Wesley is leaning over the back of Mrs. Morrison’s chair at work, talking to her, but his eyes are on me. “The drinking.”
Mrs. Morrison tries to turn her head to him, but she can’t quite turn it that far. Her face screws up and she giggles. “How long? I don’t know, he took me to the bar just the other night, and I had to call us a cab.”
First, she tells me he lends people money when they need a little extra, and now this? He’s an alcoholic? This can’t be real. Mrs. Morrison must have it wrong.
Wesley laughs. “I bet he can get a bit violent too, right?”
“Only when people can’t pay him back. I mean, it’s his money, he’s entitled to get a bit angry if someone takes him for a sucker.”
I can’t listen anymore. She might not have said the words, but it’s pretty clear what Geo does for a living. A loan shark. How could I have been so stupid? Of course, that’s how he met my mom; that’s why she slept with him. She owed him money, and he took his payment in other ways.
Mrs. Morrison isn’t all there, but things fall into place. The way he refused a drink at dinner, the guy in the bar. The trading money comment.
Turning away, I head back toward the bus, not because I need to drive it anywhere, just because I need somewhere quiet to sit and think. Maybe there’s an explanation. I want there to be an explanation. But Wesley has other ideas.
“I’d like to see you in my office, Nicci.”
“What?” I turn around, tears streaming down my face. “I need a minute.”
He shakes his head, his expression one of amusement rather than compassion or anger. “No, Nicci. Now.”
I open my mouth as I try to find words, but there aren’t any. He’s in charge here, and I’m a nobody. Still, with my mouth open, I nod, then sniff back the tears as I follow him. As soon as we’re inside, he starts drumming his fingers on the top of the desk, perching on the edge as he looks me up and down.
“This doesn’t look good, Nicci. You really need to be more careful who you associate with.”
My mouth gapes, my mind racing, and I talk without thinking. “Mrs. Morrison has dementia.”
“I’m well aware of that.”
“For all we know, she might be thinking of someone completely different.”
I’m not sure if I’m trying to convince him or myself, but if it’s myself, then it’s not working. There’s no way Mrs. Morrison is wrong about this. Everything fits.
The reluctance to tell me what he does for a living, the marks on his knuckles, the house that probably cost more than some countries make in a year, even the guy at the bar who looked so scared and made the empty pockets gesture. Geo even said he was a currency trader and I was too dumb to realize what he meant.
And if she’s right about that, then she’s also right about him being an alcoholic.
I’m such an idiot.
“I don’t think so. There’s also this.” Wesley swivels his computer screen to face me, and I read what’s on the screen.
It’s a news report from a year ago; charges dropped against Geo Klement after he was accused of killing a man who owed him money. “It says the charges were dropped,” I say out loud, barely recognizing the sound of my own voice.
“Sure. You think someone like him can’t make sure something like that goes away? Are you willing to take that chance? I have a friend who’s a cop, he sent me this.” He hands me a stack of papers. “It’s his record. There’s a lot there. From what my friend told me, seems he used to work for a few different crime families as well. He runs his own business now, has for a long time from what that record looks like. He’s definitely doing well for himself. But then, maybe that’s what you like? A bit of a bad boy? I thought you weren’t like that.”
I shake my head. None of this makes sense; it doesn’t fit with the man I know. I thumb through the pages, my eyes flitting on words like aggravated assault, bodily harm, drunk driving, public intoxication...I throw the papers onto the desk. I don’t need more. I don’t need to know more about him.
The man I love.
“I’m not like that,” I mutter, trying to convince myself but I already know in my heart my fairy tale is over.
“So, as you can understand, this puts us in a difficult position. You are associating with a known criminal, when you’re around very vulnerable adults all the time. I’ve already made a call to have his association with Mrs. Morrison looked into, he might well be preying on her. And these other seniors sometimes get into difficulty managing their money. I wouldn’t like any suggestion that one of our employees helped a known felon to find victims.”
“I wouldn’t...I’m not...” I babble, my head spinning.
I can’t believe what he’s saying. What is he saying? Is this where he tells me I’m fired? I love this job.
“I can’t lose this job, it’s all I have.” I meet his eyes, pleading the truth of my words more clear than ever. “There must be something...”
Wesley takes a deep breath through his nose, then scrunches his mouth, deep i
n thought. “I like you, Nicci, you know I do, but things being like this...you can understand my position” He raises his eyebrows, then a smile spreads slowly over his lips. “Well, maybe we can come to something of an arrangement. You’ll have to end your association with Mr. Klement, of course.”
I nod, not speaking, still trying to process everything. But one thing I’m sure of is, I never want to see Geo again.
“Good. Now, you just need to sweeten the pot.”
He grins, and I don’t like the way he’s looking at me. My heart is thundering, even though I’m not sure what’s going on. “What do you mean?”
Instead of answering, he reaches over and touches the top of my head, putting pressure there while his other hand goes to the front of his pants. It takes me a moment to realize what he’s doing, and I hear the rasp of his zipper before it hits me.
A second later, I’m up on my feet, and I’ve slapped him hard across the face. My nails have found their mark, leaving welts that are starting to pool with blood.
“What the fuck?” he snarls as I back away, his hand going to his face and coming away red. “You’ve just blown your only chance, Nicci. Fuck you, you crazy bitch, how am I going to explain this?”
“Leave me alone!” I scream as I turn, not looking back as I flee from his office and the job I love.
TEARS ARE STILL FLOWING down my face as the taxi approaches my apartment building. I can’t believe what’s happened to me.
Geo is a loan shark. Possibly a murderer. On top of all that, an alcoholic.
Wesley tried to...
I shake my head. I don’t want to think about what Wesley tried to do. I mean, I knew he was attracted to me, there’s no mistaking the way he looks at me sometimes.
But this?
The driver pulls to a stop in front of my door, and I pay him as I get out. I don’t bother to take the change, letting him keep it, but as he drives off, I wonder if maybe I should have. I don’t have a job. I’m so far behind on my rent. That money might have been the difference between eating and not eating.
I push open the door to the building and climb up the stairs to my apartment, and then I see it.
Pinned to the door is a notice.
An eviction notice.
Effective immediately.
I fumble with my key, dropping it once as my shattered nerves fire on all cylinders. What am I going to do? Where am I going to go?
Beth. I need to call Beth.
Grabbing my phone and dialing her number, I finally get the key into the lock and—to my relief—the handle turns. They haven’t changed the locks yet, and I’m clinging onto that good news like it’s a life raft in the middle of the ocean.
And then my whole world collapses.
“Hey, Nicci! So, what’s happening?” Beth’s voice on the phone sounds like it’s a million miles away, the way my ears are ringing. “How are things going with Geo?”
I almost drop the phone as I look around the apartment. “It’s all gone,” I mutter, my heart in my throat. “Everything’s gone.”
“What’s gone? What the fuck are you talking about? Where are you, Nicci?”
“In my apartment.”
“Right. And what’s missing?”
“Everything. Oh my God, my fish...” I wander over to the space where they should be. Weirdly, the tears I was crying are all dried up. I guess I just don’t have any more left.
“What the fuck? Have you been robbed? That’s it, I’m coming over there. Stay where you are, we’ll get this all sorted.”
I hear the click as she ends the call, but I don’t care anymore. None of this seems real.
“Nicci.”
At first, I think his voice is in my head, that maybe I’m going mad. It wouldn’t be such a bad thing. At least someone else would have to take care of me then, I could just go into a home and let them do what they want to me.
“Baby, what’s wrong?”
His voice is so soft, so gentle. I look up to see him standing there in front of me. Why is he here? How can this man, and the one I know really exists, be the same?
“You should leave,” I say, backing away from him. “Beth will be here in a minute, and I’m going to go to her place.”
“What? Why? What’s going on?”
A sudden laugh escapes from my throat, and I can’t believe I’m laughing but suddenly I see how stupid I must look and it’s hilarious. Stupid Nicci, believing everything can be perfect when it’s never been before. “I know everything, Geo, so there’s no need to pretend anymore. And it really was nice while it lasted, so thank you for that, but you can go back to your life now.”
“While it lasted? Precious, I’m not going anywhere.”
“Don’t you understand? I know everything. I can’t be with a loan shark, Geo. And I definitely can’t be with an alcoholic. I saw enough of that with my—”
He cuts me off. “Recovering. Twenty years clean.”
“What?”
“I don’t drink. I have zero desire to drink. For that matter, I’m not a loan shark any more either.”
I shake my head. “Really? So that man the other day was showing you his pockets because he was proud of them, right?”
Geo takes a step forward, and I don’t move away from him. What would be the point? If he’s going to kill me for what I know, it wouldn’t be much different from the way things are right now. “No, I was a loan shark then. I’m not now. I’ve just seen the last of my clients, told him his debt is written off. He got lucky. They all did. But that’s not me anymore, Precious, not now I’m with you.” He reaches out and cups my cheek with his hand, and I lean into it, feeling its warmth.
“Don’t lie to me. Please. Just no more lies.”
“I’m not, baby. You have to believe me. Things have to be different. I have to be different.”
The truth in his words hits me, and it almost makes me sadder to know that he’s done that for me. That he’s changed his life. My heart almost soars, but it gets dragged back down again.
“I’m happy,” I say, nodding. “It’s good that you’ve given up that life. And I’m glad you’re not an alcoholic. But Geo, you don’t want to be associated with me. I’ve got no job, Wesley fired me this afternoon. I’ve got no apartment. I don’t even know where my fish have gone.” I feel a tear spring into my eyes at the thought of my fish, what might have happened to them. I don’t even want to think about the worst possibility, it’s too—
“The fish are at home, baby. They’re fine. I’ve just made sure they’re settled in properly. That’s where all of your things are.”
“At home?” My heart thunders. What’s he saying?
“Our home, Precious. The home we’re going to share for the rest of our lives.” He puts both hands on my shoulders and pulls me in for a hug. “Did you really think I’d let anything happen to our fish? I love them, baby, just like I love you. This place is paid off. I’ve dealt with it all. As for your job, I don’t think you need to worry about losing it.”
None of this is making any sense. My fish are fine. They’re all fine. Geo has taken care of them; he’s taken care of everything. For me. Can I really be that lucky? “What do you mean?”
“This is going to sound like a strange question, baby, but have you noticed anything going missing from your apartment since you’ve been here? Like intimate things? Panties?”
I feel my face go red. “How did you know that?”
“Earlier this afternoon I went down to the city hall and spoke to some people there. After I told them a few things, they searched the office of Wesley Havers and found some...very interesting items. He’s going to be answering some serious questions. Did you know he had a wife?”
“No!” I shake my head, thinking about what he tried to do to me. “I won’t have to identify the panties, will I?”
“No, baby. Just know that as far as your job is concerned, I think it’s safe. But there is something I need to tell you, and I just pray to God you’ll forgive m
e. Because, baby, this is real for me. All of this is real. And truth is, I’m not letting you go, I’ll chase you down if you try to leave me, but I hope you can find it in your sweet heart to forgive what I’m about to tell you.” He takes a deep breath, and I don’t say a word before he continues. “Baby, I’ve done bad things. I’m going to be in court in a few days’ time for an assault charge. The truth is I was in the wrong. My lawyer thinks we can make a deal for a community service sentence, but it’s possible that might not be on the table. Either way, I’m going to plead guilty because it’s the right thing to do. If I go to prison, that’s on me.”
I take a deep breath. This is a lot to process. But Geo is trying. He’s trying to be a better person. And that takes courage and commitment. As I look at him, I think I fall more in love with him than I ever was before, if that’s possible. He’s done bad things, but to me he’s perfect.
Without even thinking about it, I throw my arms around him, lifting myself against him and wrapping my legs around his waist.
“I love you, Nicci,” he says. “It’s our turn.”
“Maybe,” I mumble, half to myself. “Maybe it is our turn to be happy, after all.”
14
NICCI
EPILOGUE
ONE YEAR LATER
“Yes, I’ll accept the charges.” I look over my shoulder and Geo nods.
“You got this, baby.”
I take a deep breath and return his nod, then hear a click on the other end of the line and my heart jumps. I’ve got her on speaker. I like Geo hearing everything. We hide nothing from each other, which is the way I wanted it.
“Nicci? Are you there?” My mom’s voice sounds far away, as it usually does when we talk on the phone. She gets one call a week, and after not speaking for quite a while, we’ve regularly been talking now for about three months.
“Hi, Mom.” I swallow hard, and Geo comes up behind me, pressing his body against the back of my head, his warm hands on my shoulders. When I told her Geo, and I were together, at first, she was angry. We didn’t talk for a few weeks after that, but we’ve come to an understanding that the subject is not up for discussion. She can wish us well or opt out of asking, whatever she decides. She’s done more the latter, which is fine.