Depart the Darkness

by Melissa R. L. Simonin

  “Yes. Don’t send in a second PI, though. I’m not willing to risk Dillon Graves becoming suspicious. I do however, want an investigation run on this guy, and a detailed report of your findings. If he’s traveled outside the country, I want that included. When it comes to financial records, be on the lookout for deposits which can’t be accounted for through work or investments. Determine if his lifestyle matches his salary. If he’s involved in any clubs, groups, chat rooms, online forums, or anything else—include that in your report. I want the same report run on his father. I don’t have his first name or other details, but I have no doubt that you do.”

  “Yes sir. I’ll have that taken care of.”

  “Thanks, Jackson.”

  “How about Elliott Reams?” I asked. “During the police investigation, did they look into his financial history?”

  “Yes. Elliott Reams’ lifestyle matched his salary, and there were no excessive expenditures or deposits to his retirement or savings that were unaccounted for.”

  Miles looked at me, and I shook my head. I had no more questions. It made me sad though, to think of Elliott Reams preparing for a retirement he never lived to see.

  “Alright. That’s it for now,” Miles said. “Thanks, Jackson.”

  Miles ended the call, and set his phone aside. We both sat in silence for several minutes as we mulled over what we knew, and wondered what it was we didn’t.

  “Okay. So. Dillon wants Phillip to stay,” I said, ready to mull it over together. “Why? He has to benefit somehow.”

  “It’s emotional or financial,” Miles said.

  “Okay, we’ll start with emotional. Dillon is a spoiled brat, and a bully. He enjoys seeing others suffer.”

  “He does, and according to job and pay grade, Phillip is superior. Dillon’s ego is bruised, and he feels personally insulted by that.”

  “His ego would be most satisfied by humiliating and then getting rid of Phillip,” I decided. “Not by keeping him around.”

  “I agree. Dillon sees Phillip as an insult. No amount of bullying would change that. So if keeping Phillip at Intersect is emotionally rewarding to Dillon, then we’re missing something.”

  “Then let’s move on to financial,” I concurred. “Is Dillon blackmailing Phillip?”

  “That’s a possibility. Perhaps he intended to do that to Aaron, but Aaron went to security before he had the chance.”

  “So Dillon has that example to use as a warning to Phillip. Go to security, you’ll lose your job, come under investigation, and possibly lose your clearance.”

  “We know Phillip is emptying accounts,” Miles said. “What we don’t know, is if he’s stockpiled all of the money or used some of it to pay for his family’s safety.”

  “Dillon and Elliott were friends, and he was shocked by his death. But, Phillip doesn’t know that.”

  “It wouldn’t be impossible for Dillon to convince Phillip he murdered Elliott,” Miles pointed out.

  “That could go along with having Phillip followed, and his house watched,” I said. “Dillon could be threatening harm to him and his family if he doesn’t pay up.”

  “And Phillip doesn’t go to the police because if he does, he’ll suffer the same consequences as Aaron,” Miles added.

  “That’s right, because proving Dillon was harassing him and his family wouldn’t absolve Phillip if he compromised classified information. Even if it was the result of following direct orders.”

  “And so Phillip is afraid for his family’s lives in more ways than one,” Miles concluded.

  “It was an awful feeling when Dad lost his job,” I remembered. “Doreen was sick, and no one could tell us why. All anyone seemed capable of was charging us an arm and a leg—or more like our house, my parents’ savings, and my college fund—then telling us Doreen was making it all up.”

  Miles rubbed my shoulder sympathetically.

  “I’m sure you can relate to some of what Aaron and his family have been experiencing ever since this nightmare began.”

  “I can. He lost his job, too, and was facing extensive legal fees. It was either that, or represent himself at the Department of Defense hearing. Whenever they get around to deciding when to have one,” I scowled, and Miles rubbed both my shoulders. “The psychological toll this has taken on him and his family is deplorable.”

  “It’s wrong, on every level,” he agreed. “They’re not alone anymore, though. We’ll make this right for them.”

  “I love that about you,” I said sincerely. “You say that, and it’s the truth.”

  “It’s thanks to you,” he said seriously. “You believed in me, you cleared my name, set me free, married me, and you’re the reason we’re able to get to the truth and help the people who need it.”

  “Well… your money doesn’t hurt,” I said, making him laugh.

  “No, it doesn’t. And it’s ours, not mine, and that subject brings us back to Dillon Graves. I’m inclined to believe that either he’s blackmailing Phillip, or wants him as a fall guy.”

  “So Phillip may be in a no-win situation,” I said, frowning.

  “No wonder he’s determined to take his family and run,” Miles said. “If we’re right. We don’t know that.”

  “No, but if this theory is correct, then Phillip is in so much trouble. He’s already being persecuted. If he inadvertently put classified information at risk by following a direct order, he’ll also be prosecuted.”

  “If Phillip knowingly exposed classified information he’s in even more trouble,” Miles said, rubbing his forehead. “The DOD may not have leniency toward him anyway, but if he was aware of what he was doing, then regardless of motive…”

  “Then it’s bad,” I agreed. “If they ask him why he didn’t tell them about it and seek help, I hope he points out what they’re doing to Aaron!”

  “His attorney will, if he doesn’t,” Miles said firmly. “If it gets that far.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I don’t know Anika, but… we may find that the only way to help Phillip and his family, is to help them disappear.”

  “Why did I feel a thrill of excitement when I heard you say that?” I wondered.

  “Maybe you have a touch of outlaw in you after all,” he said, as laughter filled his eyes.

  “If you’re as smart as I think you are, you’ll never mention that again,” I retorted.

  I must’ve looked more annoyed than I felt, because repentance replaced the laughter in his hazel eyes.

  “I’m sorry, honey,” he said, as he hugged me. “You’re not responsible for anyone’s actions but your own. I didn’t realize you were still sensitive about that.”

  “It bugs me—a lot—that someone related to me was once responsible for your death, and your brother’s. I hate that. But I’m not taking it as hard as you seem to think I am. You don’t have to squeeze so tight, I’m not going anywhere.”

  “If I let go, you won’t roll to the other side of the bed and stay there?” he teased, and I laughed.

  “No. And no letting go. All I want is enough room to breathe.”

  “That, you can have,” he smiled. He loosened his hug by a fraction of an inch, making me laugh again. Then he gave me a melting look, I melted, he kissed me… and further conversation was put off for later.

  Chapter 12

  “Oh, sweet nectar of life!” I whimpered, as I accepted the latte Miles handed me, and took a sip. A smile flashed across his face, but he managed not to laugh. The person in the line behind us looked like she understood, though! She had the same haunted, starved look in her eyes that I did just moments ago.

  We moved away from the counter, and Miles added cream and sugar to his coffee.

  “You know if you broke down and went with a latte, you wouldn’t have to do that,” I pointed out.

  “True, but I prefer coffee. If I ordered a latte for myself, you’d end up drinking it for me. Come to think of it, perhaps there’s an ulterior motive behind this suggestion of yo
urs.”

  I laughed, and sipped my latte instead of answering. He smiled, and handed me his cup. I carried both so he could put his arm around me, and still manage the handle of our carry-on bag.

  The coffee shop was crowded, and noisy, which was pretty much the state of the entire airport this Wednesday morning. Still, it was roomier outside than in, so we followed the corridor to the gate where we would eventually board our plane.

  We were here early, so there were plenty of seats available. We chose an empty row against the wall, and prepared to wait. Even with superpowers, if we missed our flight… The truth was, Miles could prevent a flight from leaving without us. But wouldn’t that alarm people, and raise questions! It would take a matter of life and death to warrant such an action. Getting to the airport early was by far the better, and more responsible, choice. Miles was cautious not to abuse his abilities, just as I was cautious to be truthful in everything I said.

  We had a view of the activity outside the airport through the window on one side of us, and the busy corridor on the other. A few shops were visible, and the gate opposite our own. We people-watched while we enjoyed our drinks. We played a game, imagining where people were going, and why. We came up with several scenarios which were so outlandish, we had each other laughing before long.

  “Newlyweds, huh?” I heard a man say, and Miles and I looked up.

  The guy was probably around Mom’s and Dad’s ages, whatever that was, maybe a little older. He was wearing a suit, and carried a laptop bag in addition to his carry-on, so he was probably traveling on business. He dropped into one of the seats across from us, and prepared to wait.

  Ordinarily I wouldn’t care one way or the other, but I didn’t like the condescension in his voice, or the look in his eyes. Miles didn’t either.

  “Something like that,” Miles replied evenly, choosing not to give a direct answer. It isn’t like it was any of the man’s business how long we’d been married, or anything else.

  The guy smirked more than he smiled, and shook his head a little as he took out his laptop.

  “Enjoy it while you can,” he said cynically. “Trust me, it won’t last long.”

  I was hit with a rush of truth and felt a little stunned. Whether it came from the “trust me,” or the “it won’t last long,” I had no idea, but it was way more than this man would ever want me knowing.

  He should’ve kept his big mouth shut.

  “That’s not the truth,” I said. Miles squeezed me with the arm he had around me, and I squeezed back and kept on going. “You say that, because making us feel bad will make you feel better. Well too bad, you picked the wrong couple this time. You say this to all the young husbands and wives you meet, because somehow it makes you feel less responsible for the distance between you and your wife. It was inevitable, bound to happen, it isn’t your fault the relationship grew cold. But it is your fault, and you know that, so quit kidding yourself. You could go home and start fixing this right now. You could spend quality time with your wife, instead of wasting time on everything else. The reason she isn’t nagging you anymore, is because she’s given up on you. Let me tell you something, you will wake up one day and find her gone if you don’t change this right now, while you still have the chance. When you were dating, she was a priority. When you wanted her to marry you, she was a priority. Then she married you, and she wasn’t anymore. You’ve taken her for granted, and if she’s not in love with you now, it’s not for lack of trying on her part. She’s lonely, because she’s alone, even when you’re there. This is all you, and you know that. So put your laptop away, get out your phone, and call her right now and apologize!”

  I was positively blazing with righteous indignation. I wondered if I was actually glowing, the way he stared at me, his jaw hanging open. He looked a little afraid. Okay, he looked a lot afraid. I continued to glare. I didn’t know what Miles was doing. Probably rubbing his forehead and brushing his hand through his hair. Probably wondering if it was safe to take me out in public anymore without a muzzle.

  “You know I’m right,” I glared some more, and pointed at the man. “Stop lying to yourself and everyone else, and go fix your own marriage instead of looking down on other people’s!”

  The man swallowed hard. He stood and fumbled with the strap of his laptop case, putting it over his shoulder as he picked up his carry-on bag. He also took his phone out of his pocket. He placed a call as he walked away, glancing back over his shoulder fearfully. He moved to the far side of the waiting area, and sat down.

  “I wonder if he’s calling his wife, or security,” Miles said softly.

  I glanced at Miles, but he didn’t look concerned. He looked like he thought something was funny.

  “What?” I asked. “I had to do that. If you saw what I did…”

  “Honey, what do you think I’m going to do? Argue with the truth? This is your gift, not mine. I admit your way of expressing the truth sometimes leaves me as stunned as your subjects, as Jenny calls them. I’m starting to get used to it, though. Somewhat.”

  “If you didn’t add the ‘somewhat,’ that wouldn’t be the truth,” I smiled. I felt relieved.

  “Never do this unless I’m with you, though,” he said, serious now. “If people liked the truth, they wouldn’t be lying to themselves in the first place. I don’t want you running a risk and getting hurt. Take down names and numbers if you have to, and… later we’ll hunt them down and be truthful together.”

  “Okay. I promise. When you’re not with me, I’ll keep quiet until you are.”

  “Thank you,” Miles said, and kissed me. “And… be cautious. Sometimes your method of delivery makes it look like you’re mind-reading. We don’t want anyone thinking you can do that.”

  “Okay. I’ll try to hold back, even when you are with me. I wonder if the Apostles felt like this on the day of Pentecost, though, when they started speaking in tongues. I’m not sure I could’ve stopped myself. And that’s the truth.”

  “I don’t know. The effect was just about as shocking. But look…”

  I followed Miles’ gaze across the waiting area. The man had his phone to his ear and his head bowed. He was actually crying.

  “He’s not talking to security,” Miles said, and smiled at me. “Good job, superhero wife.”

  I focused in on the man for a couple of minutes. Then I smiled, and hugged Miles. A whole coffee shop full of lattes wouldn’t provide the rush I felt at seeing what the truth accomplished.

  “Whatever he’s saying, it’s the truth. Maybe that’s why I had to say something. Because he was ready to accept it.”

  “Maybe so.”

  We resumed people-watching until our plane arrived. Then we watched it pull up to the gate. Supplies were replenished, luggage was loaded, and it was fun to watch. Maybe not if we flew more often, but we seldom had reason to.

  We watched the sharply dressed pilot, co-pilot, and stewardesses as they reached the waiting area. They disappeared on the other side of the gate, and soon after, it was time to board.

  Traveling together was fun, but we both breathed a sigh of relief when we reached Glen Haven again, our Lodge, and our suite.

  Chip and Trixie were waiting at the door, and both wriggled with happiness when they saw us. We dropped everything, including my purse and our carry-on bag, and gave our dogs a good petting. We missed them as much as they missed us.

  Night and Pandora came hurrying out of our bedroom, their relief at seeing us overriding their determination to regard everything with indifference. We picked them up and pet them too, until their need for attention was satisfied.

  Then, we walked quietly to the puppy nursery and looked in on our twelve golden angels.

  We needn’t have tiptoed. They weren’t sleeping. They were too busy wrestling and playing, to even notice the door open.

  Spaz and Ed were latched onto the sleeve of one of the sweaters formerly known as Miles’. They took their game of tug seriously. Being evenly matched in size, they
were barely moving, but their little back muscles twitched, and I couldn’t help but laugh. Hearing that, the rest of the pups looked up and began to squeak and yap excitedly, as they swarmed us. We carefully waded into the nursery and had a seat, then proceeded to play with them.

  “Feels good to be missed, doesn’t it,” Miles smiled, as puppies fought for a place on his lap and in his arms.

  “Yeah, it is,” I said. I had to scoot against the wall to keep from getting knocked over. The puppies weren’t all that big yet, but they were a great example of strength in numbers!

  “What, the suits and sweaters aren’t enough?” Miles asked Linux, as he loosened the hold Linux’s little puppy teeth had on the hem of his jeans.

  “I guess not,” I said, freeing the sleeve of my sweater from another. I scooped up Fidget when she came close, and cuddled her under my chin. She wasn’t nearly as rowdy as her brothers. Neither was Lacey, who climbed up on Miles, and begged to be held. He, of course, obliged.

  The boys were soon back to rough-housing, and playing tug with anything and everything within reach. They growled fiercely over one of Miles’ ties, making us both laugh.

  “I wondered where that went,” Miles commented. One of the service dog pups fell hard against Miles when the other pup released its grip. The puppy looked up at Miles, the tie still gripped between his little teeth. Miles smiled and scratched behind the pup’s ears. “You can keep it. I’ll get another.”

  The puppy looked happy. Then another pup seized the other end of the tie. Determination filled his brown eyes, and the game began again.

  “Do they seem more… aware, or something, than other puppies?” I wondered.

  “Having no experience with other puppies, I don’t know,” Miles said.

  “I don’t either, but it seems like they understand an awful lot. Can you talk to them?”

  “I just did,” Miles answered, looking at me funny.

  “No, I mean can you communicate with them. The way you do Trixie.”

  “If they understand, they don’t give any sign,” Miles replied.

  “Well… they’re extremely intelligent,” I said.