Imperfect Truth

by C. A. Popovich

  “Then we’ll have to figure something out.” Kelly looked thoughtful. “Let’s check with Janis and see if Alex left an emergency contact on file with her.”

  “Good idea.” Debby brightened. “She had to leave early today. I’ll talk to her tomorrow.”

  She went home feeling a tiny ray of hope. Please be okay.

  *

  “Come on, Buddy. You liked this food yesterday.” Debby dumped the uneaten cat food in the wastebasket and opened a new can. “This is it. It’s all you’re getting.”

  Buddy sat next to his bowl, looked at the fresh food, then at her, then turned and walked away.

  “Suit yourself.” Despite her warning, she filled another bowl with kibble and set a kitty treat next to it. “There. You go eat whenever you feel like it.”

  Debby dropped onto her couch, called the number she had gotten from Janis for Alex’s sister, and listened to the pleasant voice informing her that the number she had reached was no longer in service. “Now what, Buddy?”

  Buddy had finished his food and sat next to her, purring and cleaning his stretched out left hind leg.

  She made herself a cup of tea and returned to the couch to consider her options. Kelly had suggested that Alex had left by choice, but that made no sense. They had shared a heated kiss good night after dinner less than two weeks ago, and Alex hadn’t said anything about feeling like things weren’t good between them. She considered her list tucked away in a drawer. She hadn’t thought of it for weeks, and she wasn’t sure that was a good thing now. Maybe she should have kept closer track when she first started having feelings beyond friendship for Alex. She’d known there were things Alex wouldn’t share, and that had set off alarm bells. Maybe she shouldn’t have been so quick to silence them.

  Somehow, Alex had managed to get past her defenses and loosen a few of the bricks in her wall. The words she had written years ago replayed in her mind.

  Must be open and honest and feel about me the same way I feel about her, and willingly show it. Must feel her love, not just hear the words. Her actions must match her words.

  She lifted her cup so Buddy could crawl onto her lap. “She’s never told me she loves me. Maybe I’ve been stupid and dropped my guard. I guess I’ll go back to her apartment one more time and see what I can find out. Maybe I should file a missing person’s report after all.” Maybe this had something to do with the things in her life she couldn’t talk about.

  She turned on her TV to the local news station and listened to the problems of the police, the homeless, and the city. She watched the traffic and weather before switching it off. She had to deal with her own worries. Where are you, Alex?

  *

  “What’s going on?” Alex, Jennifer, and their father all spoke at the same time as Joe walked into the kitchen. They’d been cooped up in the house for a week together, and everyone was getting crabby.

  “Give me a minute, please.” He hung his coat on a hook on the wall and traded his boots for loafers after he rubbed his gloveless hands together. “Let me get a cup of hot chocolate and we’ll sit at the table and talk.”

  Alex watched the snow blowing past the drafty window. Maybe we’ll get to go back to Florida. Not without Debby.

  Joe sat at the table and took a deep breath. “Okay. Here’s all I know, and it’s not much more than before. The FBI knows that your guy Miguel Martinez is involved with the drugs in the warehouse, but they don’t have enough evidence to convict him yet. They haven’t heard anything more from their undercover agent, and right now Miguel looks squeaky clean. He’s even held fundraisers at his house for a couple of state senators, so it sounds like he’s got a few in his pocket. I’m afraid we’ll have to keep you all here until we have proof that you’re not in danger.”

  “So does this FBI undercover agent have information that will put Miguel Martinez away for life?” Alex wondered what Joe wasn’t telling them. There had to be something besides speculation that caused the marshals to sequester them.

  “I hope so, kiddo.” Joe drank his hot chocolate.

  Alex wished she had brought a bottle of wine. “Even if he’s head of this thing, he doesn’t know who we were. He only knows me as Alex from the Hyatt.”

  “The fact that he knows you at all is worrisome. If he wasn’t part of the La Familia offshoot, I wouldn’t worry, but he is, and he has so many eyes and ears in the community that I can’t take a chance. You were even asked to go to his house.”

  “But, so what if he’s part of that cartel? You’ve erased us from the world. He can’t know who Dad was or what happened, can he? What exactly did this undercover agent tell you, so far?”

  Joe shifted in his chair and sat quietly for a moment as if deliberating how much to say. “Miguel Martinez’s uncle was one of the guys caught on the fringes of your dad’s testimony. He was sent down and died in prison from a heart attack. Miguel blames the ‘snitch’ who put him away for his death and has vowed revenge. We don’t know exactly what Miguel knows, or if the drugs are the only reason he’s in Michigan. The agent said that he overheard one of the goons tell Martinez about a guy who told him ‘there’s a way out of the drug gang’ and that it was via being a snitch. We’re sure Martinez knows that the man who put his uncle away went into WITSEC. What we don’t know yet is if the goon told Martinez who the guy is. But based on his interest in you, it seems likely.”

  “But you said you don’t know what Miguel knows for sure, so why aren’t we safe?”

  “You are safe. Here. I won’t take any chances until we find out who this goon is and if he’s talking about your dad.”

  “Joe, there’s no way he can know who Dad is now. Who would tell him?” Alex began pacing.

  “I understand what you’re saying, Alex, and you’re right, but I want you all here until I know for sure. It’s entirely possible he saw pictures of your dad and you girls from the trial. If he tracked you down somehow, he knew the moment he saw you.”

  “I almost forgot about his grandmother.” Alex pulled out her chair and plopped into it. “She’s in the nursing home where Debby works. Maybe that’s why he’s in Michigan. Maybe it has nothing to do with us.” Hope flickered in her belly.

  “I’ll check into the grandmother, but I really believe he’s here because of the drugs. Maybe it was coincidental he found you at the same time he moved his operation. But it doesn’t seem likely.”

  “Are we supposed to just sit here and wait? It’s almost Christmas, and Phil told me he had something special planned.” Jennifer stood and paced while running her hand through her hair. Her eyes were puffy from all the crying she’d been doing.

  Alex glanced at her father, who sat looking shell-shocked. “Hey, Dad. It’ll be okay.” She placed her hand over his trembling ones clenched on the table.

  “I’m so sorry. This is all my fault. I think it’s Willy. I think he’s the goon.” He lowered his head and shook as the tears fell.

  “What do you mean?” Joe asked.

  Her dad wiped his eyes with his sleeve. “Willy’s in my NA group and my friend. At least, I thought he was my friend.” He took a deep breath before continuing. “He was always talking about getting out and staying clean. I thought he was talking about getting out of NA, not some cartel. He doesn’t believe it’s a program for life. I tried to tell him that there was a way out, meaning a way out of the life of drugs overall, and he probably thought I meant out of the cartel. He must have said something to Martinez about me.” He lowered his head and groaned. “Oh my God. I told him my last name, when I told him I’d put some drug dealers away. But I never told him my full name. I never said a word about before. Honest. But if he told, then Martinez might suppose I’m the snitch.” He covered his ears with his hands and shook his head.

  Jennifer glared at him and huffed as she escaped to her bedroom. Alex didn’t follow her. She had pushed aside her own anger and resentment at their situation long enough to know how it could eat away at her, and it was important for Jennifer to
have her feelings.

  “Why would Willy tell Martinez anything about a friend in NA, anyway? What does this mean, Joe?” Alex’s throat tightened.

  “Who knows? Maybe Willy knows he’s after revenge for his uncle and is trying to get on his good side. I’m only concerned that he knows your name and where you live. I’m afraid we’ll have to relocate you all again.” Joe finished his hot chocolate and rinsed out his cup.

  “What? You think you’ll have to move us again?” Alex rose and stood face-to-face with Joe.

  “I don’t see an alternative right now, kiddo. If he knows your last name, then we need to get you far, far away from him.”

  “Damn it, Joe. We have lives here now. I don’t want to go anywhere.” She began pacing where Jen had left off.

  “Let’s all just calm down. It’s my job to keep you safe, and I’ll continue to do that by whatever means necessary. Now, I’m going to my office to see if I can find out anything more.” Joe put his coat and boots back on and slipped on a pair of gloves from his pockets. “Oh. I almost forgot.” He pulled out a small, prepaid mobile burner phone from his pocket. “This is to be used only for emergencies and calling me. Understand?” He handed Alex the flip phone. “I’ve programmed in my number.”

  “Thank you.” Alex pocketed the phone and contemplated how to get away with using it to call Debby, and what to say if she did. She had no way of knowing if or when they would be moved, but she figured it wouldn’t be long. She couldn’t leave without saying good-bye. That she knew for sure.

  *

  “Thanks for coming with me, Kelly.” Debby pulled into the parking lot that she still considered Alex’s.

  “No problem. I’m nosey enough to want to know what’s going on.” Kelly grinned and stepped out of the car.

  Snow piles surrounded them as they traversed the plowed section of the walkway toward the manager’s office.

  “Good morning.” A short Asian woman sat behind an old metal desk. “Can I help you with something?”

  “Yes. I’m looking for a woman who lives in one of your buildings. Her name is Alex Reed.” Debby watched the woman’s eyes narrow as she stood and switched off her computer screen.

  “Who are you and why are you asking?”

  “My name is Debra Johnson, and Alex is a friend of mine. I haven’t been able to get in touch with her for a few weeks, and I’m incredibly worried about her, so I thought I’d see if you could help me.”

  “I’m not allowed to let anyone know who lives here. If she’s your friend, you should know where she is.” The woman stood taller and leaned her fingertips on the desk as she looked back and forth between them. “And who is this?” She pointed to Kelly with her chin.

  “Another friend of mine who’s trying to help me find Alex. Listen, she lives in apartment fifty-two, in the first building on the right at the entrance. Could you please just check on her and make sure she’s all right? Just make sure she’s not in there, hurt or sick?”

  The woman seemed to soften at the implication that she might have a sick or dead woman in one of her units. She sat and turned her computer screen back on. She clicked a few keys on her keyboard and scrolled for a minute. “Alexandra Reed’s lease was terminated on the first of December. She no longer lives here. That’s all I can tell you, Debra Johnson.” She turned off her computer screen again and sat back in her swivel desk chair.

  “She has a sister I can’t find either. Apartment number eighty-nine, in the same building.” Debby tried to look hopeful as she smiled at the woman.

  The woman sighed and repeated the computer process. “The lease has been terminated for whoever was in that apartment, too.” She turned off the monitor and the computer this time. Apparently, she wasn’t getting any more information from this woman, and Alex was gone.

  You just up and left me. Why would you do that?

  Chapter Twenty-six

  Debby circled the Twelve Oaks Mall parking lot three times before finding a spot. She loved Christmas, but hated shopping. She repositioned her scarf and trudged toward the building, ignoring the way the lights on the trees sparkled and reflected on the snow. Light flurries danced across the tops of cars and converged on the ground to form a white blanket over the blacktop. She left a trail as she dragged her feet through the snow, her heart as heavy as her boots.

  She and Alex had planned to Christmas shop together. They had discovered their shared enjoyment of people watching and were going to sit on the couches inside the center court and watch as they scurried back and forth. She had wrapped Alex’s gift, a signed hard cover copy of her favorite romance novel, in red and green paper, with gold horses on the ribbon. She sighed in resignation. Alex was gone and she didn’t know if she would ever be back. She had lost her heart once again to a woman who had left her, only this time she couldn’t figure out why. She wondered if the not knowing was worse than having an actual reason.

  Debby entered the mall and started toward the center when her phone rang. She checked the readout. Unknown caller. She slid her phone back in her pocket unanswered and continued to the seating area. She removed her gloves, unbuttoned her coat, and loosened her scarf before settling onto one of the couches. She could see the entrance from her vantage point and sat back to imagine Alex sitting next to her, commenting on the tall man with a ball cap holding the door for a woman wearing a Santa hat. Normal people, doing normal things, preparing for the holidays. She vowed to return to her normal life without Alex. Her phone chimed again and she ignored it. She wasn’t expecting anybody to call, and she was due back at work in half an hour. She didn’t want to waste time talking to someone when she could be sitting here, thinking of Alex. She turned toward the huge evergreen towering over the children playing on the carpeted area underneath. The lights and ornaments mocked her with their insinuation of joy to the world. She watched a young woman pushing an elderly woman in a wheelchair, stopping every few feet to point out the multitude of lights, ribbons, and garlands strung on the walls and ceiling.

  Debby slipped back into her coat and gloves and headed to the exit. She didn’t have it in her to do any shopping after all. Nothing was the same without Alex to do it with. Her phone rang again, and this time she yanked off a glove and pulled it out of her pocket. Unknown caller. Annoyed, she decided to answer it anyway.

  “Hello.”

  “Debby. It’s Alex. I can’t talk long, but please meet me at the mall tomorrow night at seven. I’m so sorry, but I’ll explain then. I hope I find you there.”

  “Alex…hello…Alex?” Debby held the phone to her ear waiting, but Alex was gone.

  She stood stunned in the path of shoppers flowing around her. Alex had called and wanted to see her. She’d been whispering, her voice tight and anxious. What the hell is going on? She went back to work, the anticipation of seeing Alex again warring with the confusion of not knowing what kind of trouble Alex was in. After hearing her voice, Debby knew she’d been right. Something was seriously wrong.

  *

  Alex sat on the edge of her bed for a minute to review her plan. She had given Joe a grocery list for their Christmas dinner, and he would be back soon. He planned to leave by noon to spend Christmas with his family, and then be back before the first of the year to relocate them. She had paid close attention when Joe brought her to the safe house, so she knew it was within walking distance of the mall, and that was enough for now.

  She composed a note for Joe to make sure he knew that neither Jennifer nor her father had any knowledge of her plans and placed it on her pillow. Then she pulled out the gift she had planned to give Debby on Christmas Day. Jaylin had emailed her a photo of the two of them dancing at Dana and Maria’s wedding, so she’d had it printed and framed. The picture reminded her of Debby’s solid presence in her paranoid life and of how grounded and safe she had felt in her arms. Her hands shook as she wrapped the photo in the red foil paper she had tossed into her suitcase and positioned a white bow on it. Then she sat to meditate and build the cour
age to tell Debby how she felt. She couldn’t imagine her life without Debby in it, but she had no idea how to make that happen. Her gut clenched at the realization she’d probably be relocated again soon and have to start a new life without her, whether she wanted to or not.

  “Hey, sis. You want to play Scrabble with us till Joe gets here?” Jennifer called from the kitchen.

  “Be right there.” Alex tucked the package under her bed and went to join her father and sister.

  Joe returned with a huge turkey, a small ham, and several bags of staples.

  “Thanks, Joe.” Alex began the task of putting everything away. “Would you like a cup of hot chocolate before you go?”

  “No, thanks. My wife’s waiting for me to bring home my kid’s bicycle. He’s been asking for a two-wheeler since the summer. You guys have a good day tomorrow, and call if you need anything. You know I’m always here for you, don’t you?”

  “Sure, Joe.” Jennifer stood and hugged him.

  Her father shook his hand and wished him a merry Christmas while Alex sucked in her gut to silence her angry reply before hugging him good-bye. He got to leave, go back to his normal life with his kid and his bicycle and his wife, while they were stuck in this dour little house, their lives uprooted again, their next destination unknown. It’s not his fault.

  Alex sat at the table after he’d left, measuring her words. “I have to go somewhere tonight.” She looked first at Jennifer, then her father. “I’ll be back before nine.”

  Jennifer tilted her head and glared at her but didn’t ask any questions. “You better be.”

  Her father just shrugged, looking like the lost soul he was. “Be careful, honey.”

  Alex packed Debby’s gift and a bottle of water in a plastic grocery bag and headed out the door.

  *