Virtuous Deception

by Leiann B. Wrytes

  Lisa rambled something about money in her sleep. Charlie thought maybe she could convince Lisa to help her out. Charlie figured it was more likely that Lisa would run as soon as she realized the truth. She didn’t think Lisa ever truly considered her an option anyway. They never discussed Lisa leaving her husband, and Charlie never asked or inquired about him at all. She hoped that Lisa would decide on her own that Charlie made her happier than anyone ever did. No one ever chose Charlie. Her lifestyle had left her alone and isolated from her family. She had not let anyone touch her in the way that Lisa had.

  Desperation lent itself to bring her the deepest connection she had ever had with another person and simultaneously caused her to sever that very same tie. She wasn’t certain if she could stomach Lisa’s outright rejection. Time revealed all truths, and it was beckoning this one to the surface. Charlie had no choice but to sit and wait.

  Chapter 24

  Brianna was enjoying the salt air and the cool breeze along the beach’s edge. She carried her pink flip-flops, one each in hand, and savored the feel of the gritty white sand beneath her feet. Things had gotten complicated, and it was refreshing to return to something so basic: a beautiful sunset and the sound of an ocean wave. She had been walking for some time and thought herself to be alone on the shoreline. She did not notice the men that had trailed her from afar were slowly, but surely, closing the distance between them.

  She thought about her dad sitting in jail and could not understand why Michelle was so adamant about their staying in Cancun. Brianna could not shake the urge to go to him, but there wasn’t anything she could do for her dad anyway. If their staying a few extra days would help Michelle to relax a bit more, she didn’t mind staying. It wasn’t like she had much to go back to, anyway. She was losing her walking path to a forested area and her light to the starlit night sky.

  She paused briefly to take in the scene. The moon’s light seemed to dance across the water’s surface. As she turned to make her trek back to the resort, she bumped into a man. She jumped backward, startled by his sudden presence.

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t see you standing there. Excuse me.”

  She attempted to walk around him, but he quickly wrapped his arms around her, pinning her arms at her sides. Her legs sliced through the air as the adrenaline pushed its way through her veins, forcing her to fight. Instinctively, she began to scream, but her voice could not travel the mile or so down the beach to the nearest ear. The second man immediately gagged and taped her mouth. Terrified and disoriented, Brianna twisted and squirmed violently, trying to break free. She managed to wiggle an arm loose enough to grab a fistful of short black hair which she pulled as hard as she could.

  The bigger of the two men screamed, grabbed her hands, and threw her to the ground. Brianna landed on her back, sharp pains surging through her body from the impact.

  “John! Why did you do that? We agreed not to hurt her.”

  “That shit hurt, Mike.”

  “I don’t care what she did, stick to the plan. Period.”

  “Fuck you.”

  “You need to cut that anyway.”

  Brianna was forced to listen to the senseless babble, to endure their lighthearted chatter, as they bound her hands and tied her legs together, forever changing her life as she knew it. They had destroyed, in only a few minutes’ time, her sense of security, rewriting her reality. She lay there, helpless and afraid. Tears began to stream down her face before she heard her name. It was faint, at first, but it kept getting louder.

  It was Michelle! Michelle was coming! “Brianna! Brianna! Someone, help!”

  Michelle’s cries slashed through the air like lightning, igniting Brianna’s fight, giving her a little bit of hope. Maybe she could get out of this and away from these men.

  “Brianna! Brianna! No! Stop! Let her go! Bria!”

  John turned toward the voice and could make out someone sprinting toward them. “I thought she was alone, Mike.”

  “She was. I only saw her.”

  “So, who in the hell is Flo-Jo?”

  “I don’t know, but we need to get out of here.”

  “Aren’t you glad we moved the car to this end? I’m too pretty to run.”

  “Why would we run? Scared of a woman, man?”

  “No, but I don’t feel like dealing with her. Do you?”

  “Nah . . . Let’s move.”

  “Come on.”

  The men picked Brianna up from the ground and began to carry her to the car that was just over the hill waiting.

  Brianna started struggling again, her will revived by her sister’s voice. She did not know that it would help or anything, but she had to try. She wiggled and threw her body to the left and the right, to no avail. She could still hear Michelle screaming for her as they closed the door to the car. She closed her eyes and cried in silence. What would happen to her now?

  Chapter 25

  Michelle ran until she could no longer see the car. Then she fell to her knees and screamed in agony. Brianna was gone, and she had no clue how to get her back. Breathless and overwhelmed, she collapsed into a heaving mass of tears. She reached for her phone and remembered it had fallen along the beach somewhere while she ran. This was her fault. She should have told Brianna, and perhaps she would not have wandered so far from the resort. Michelle lay on the beach weeping until she passed out.

  The sun greeted her. She sat up and looked around the beach. Not a soul in sight. She looked around for Brianna, hoping for a moment that maybe she dreamed the ordeal. That maybe her sister was waiting for her over the hill. She realized she wasn’t being rational, but she couldn’t help herself; she was heartbroken. She got up and walked up the hill, looking at the parking lot where the car had been waiting that drove her sister away. From where she stood, she could see a small puddle of oil; it must have been leaking while it sat. She turned away, downtrodden, and headed back down the beach to find her phone.

  She found her cell buried in the sand about a third of the walk back. She only had a little battery left. She called the only person she could think of . . . Armand.

  “Michelle? I thought I told you . . . I would call you. It’s not . . . safe . . . Michelle? Babe, what’s wrong? Are you crying? What happened?”

  Michelle was overcome with her tears again as she fought to tell Armand. “Brianna . . . They took her. They took Bria.” She cried harder.

  Armand took a deep breath and tried to stay composed. He was not in a place where he could speak freely. He had to be careful not to escalate the situation. Michelle was hysterical, and he needed her to focus because he had more bad news. “Michelle, sweetheart, this is not your fault. I need you to take a breath.”

  “I should have told her and maybe—”

  “They did it. It was the Marx Brothers, and they alone are responsible. We will get Brianna back, but I need you to calm down, okay?”

  “I just got her, Armand! I just got her.”

  “I know, just . . . I’m so sorry this has happened.” Armand couldn’t have explained to Michelle that there was nothing she could have done. He felt bad about Brianna, but he was relieved that it wasn’t Michelle. “I know this isn’t easy to hear, but the reality is that they would have taken you both had you been with her.”

  Michelle understood what he was saying, but it didn’t help. The truth did not ease her pain or settle her mind. Brianna’s absence hurt, and each step she took toward the resort felt like a step farther away from Bria. “I know, but I’m just so scared for her, Armand.”

  “We’ll get her back. Trust me.” Armand meant every word.

  “I trust you.”

  “Good, because I need you to come back, but I need you to do as I say.”

  “Come back? They could have Bria here somewhere, Armand! You need to come here!”

  “They are not there. I’m almost positive they probably left last night soon after the grab.”

  “Soon after the grab? Armand, that’s my sister! Don’t talk abou
t her like that. I don’t even know who you are.”

  Michelle never pegged Armand to be knowledgeable about this type of thing, but he seemed to have all the answers. How could he be so calm at a time like this? It was one thing to suggest they hide. That made sense to Michelle, but this was different. Brianna had been kidnapped. This was some next level ish. What did Armand know about that?

  Armand bit his tongue. Michelle was really in her feelings, but he understood. This was a huge ordeal for her; it would be big for anybody. Regardless of whether he liked it, her words were true; there was a lot Michelle did not know about him, and it was for her own protection; he needed her to focus.

  “I’m sorry, love. I didn’t mean to sound insensitive. I love you. We will get your sister back. I will. You didn’t lose faith in me that fast, did you?”

  “Of course not. I just wish this wasn’t happening. I miss her so much, and I have no idea if she’s okay. She was fighting, but I couldn’t get there in time. I tried . . .”

  “Stop beating yourself up. Refocus your energy. Our best shot at saving her is for you to keep it together. You need to survive this.”

  “I am trying, Armand. I’m trying. I’ll come home.”

  “Chances are they think they have grabbed you, and so you can’t go back to your apartment right now.”

  Michelle was listening, but her thoughts were scattered. She kept thinking about Brianna. “I don’t know if I can do this. She must be so scared. Oh my goodness, I just—”

  “Michelle . . . Michelle.”

  “Where am I supposed to go, Armand? What am I supposed to do?”

  “Listen to me. Take the next flight out and take a taxi to the Hilton Anatole downtown. I’m going to reserve a room for you there. It’ll be under Marie LaCroix. Don’t call anyone.”

  Armand wanted the information about her dad to come from him. He couldn’t chance her calling her mom and getting the news. He wanted to be the one to tell her. She was already in a fragile state, and he did not know how she would take it.

  “How will I let you know that I made it back?”

  “I’ll know.”

  Michelle’s phone was about to die. The beeps were getting closer together.

  “Be careful, Michelle. I love you.”

  “I love . . . you too—” Michelle’s phone died before she could finish the sentence. She hoped it would not be the last time she spoke with him. She went back to her room and booked the next flight out. At least it wasn’t the Omni. No chance of her running into Charlie. Michelle did not know what to expect, but she hoped Armand could work a miracle . . . She had a feeling that it would take one to get Brianna.

  Chapter 26

  Lisa sat up and gingerly swung her feet off the bed, trying not to exacerbate the nausea threatening to overwhelm her. Her head was pounding a bit, but she could manage. She looked around the room; there was no sign of Charlie. She walked to the bathroom and splashed some cold water on her face. It did not help. She laughed, thinking that only worked in the movies. Charlie apparently had more movie magic than Lisa. She had vanished, along with all of her things. There was barely any evidence that she had ever been there.

  Lisa did not fully understand what was going on. She stumbled through the ferocious baseline wreaking havoc on her mind to recall the things she heard before her head collided with the door. She remembered it had something to do with Charlie, Jacob, and Indiana. Indiana . . . That was what shocked her and knocked her off her feet. What did Charlie know about her life in Indiana? After her mother passed, she tried to erase that horrid time from her memory altogether. Something was not right about the entire situation. Too many questions, and now, Charlie had disappeared with the answers.

  Things must have been pretty bad to send Charlie into hiding like this. Lisa needed to know where she had gone, and she needed to know now. She looked around the room for some clue about where Charlie might have gone. Luckily for her, she did not have to look long. Charlie left a note on the table where Lisa remembered seeing her last. Lisa picked up the note and sat down to read.

  Lisa,

  I know you are probably confused. I wish I could have stayed and explained it all to you, but I’m just not as strong as you, I guess. I cannot answer all of your questions, but I will speak on the more important ones. Those that will bother you most. I knew you before Dallas . . . way before.

  You may not remember me, but I have searched for you since you left Indiana. My real name is Charlene Grae, and I lived in the house across from you.

  That night . . . The night you left, I saw what happened. I saw him, Lisa. I tried to get to you, but when I saw your mom . . . I couldn’t. I’m so sorry. I felt like I owed you, and I’ve been looking ever since. So, this is my penance . . . my confession. I owe you the truth, so, here it goes: Jacob is an old friend of mine from the old block. I found out where you were from a picture in his office. He’s hurt really bad; currently in the hospital, but I don’t know what happened yet, honest.

  I’m hoping it had nothing to do with Lewis. Before you ask . . . I met Lewis at the club. He wanted someone to keep tabs on you, and I offered myself. I wanted a chance to be with you. Don’t hate me, please. I did it to protect you, Lisa. He’s not who you think he is. He’s a monster. I don’t know what the arrangement is between you, but whatever it is . . . get out. Get away from him. Please, leave him alone. I heard that he might be dead or something, but I don’t know if it’s true.

  Lastly, I love you. Everything between us was real, genuine. I had to leave. I couldn’t handle your rejection. My heart can’t take it, and there is so much going on. The doctor said the stress isn’t good for me. I’m going away for a while. I know you deserve more than this letter, and you’ll get it, but not today. Be safe.

  Love always,

  Charlie

  No, this was not cool. Lisa’s emotions were swirling. She had never felt so betrayed. It was a good thing that Charlie, or Charlene, had taken off; Lisa felt like she could strangle her. No wonder Lewis seemed always to be two or three steps ahead of her; Charlie had been spying the entire time! She didn’t need Charlie to warn her about Lewis. She wanted nothing more than to get away from him, and if Lewis was dead, then it would be her lucky break.

  But Jacob being in the hospital? None of this made any sense. She jumped at the sound of her phone vibrating. She picked it up and saw she had sixteen new voice mails. Most were from associates from the strip club, trying to confirm whether Lewis was dead, but the two from Brianna rocked her to the core. Frank was in jail with an aggravated assault charge. Suddenly, the queasiness she had tried to avoid sent her running to the bathroom.

  She prayed to the porcelain deity as the realization hit her. Over and over again, she vomited until there was nothing left in her stomach. She held herself and cried aloud. Frank must have gone to Jacob after she left the hospital. How could this have happened? Frank rarely raised his voice. He was simply not a violent man; in fact, he was the complete opposite. He was so docile and easygoing that Lisa often questioned his emotional connectivity and wondered if he actually cared.

  This should not have happened, and Lisa had no one but herself to blame. Jacob was in the hospital, and Frank was in jail. The weight of it all was nearly too much. Poor Brianna. She must be worried. Lisa attempted to call her, but like Charlie’s phone, it went straight to voice mail. Lisa sat on the tiled floor of the bathroom with her head propped against the tub. Her thoughts were all over the place, and she was uncertain of her next move. This was not how she wanted things to go.

  It was not Jacob’s apparent health concerns that bothered her; Frank’s incarceration was not a part of her plan. She had no choice but to adjust to the new situation. Lisa felt remorseful, but there was an emotion stronger than that coursing through her, something deeper and more profound than guilt. She felt relieved. Perhaps this was the break she needed to start over. If Lewis was gone, with Frank out of the picture, Lisa could leave unhinged. She did not want to lea
ve Frank, initially, but given everything that had transpired over the last few days, the idea did not seem to be a bad one.

  She recounted her last words to Frank. She had not intended to lie to him, but it happened all the same. Nothing had ever happened between her and Jacob; the story was false. The details were true: she had been violated in the worse way by someone that should have protected her. An incident that sent her on an unfathomable road of self-destruction, but it was not Jacob’s face that colored her nightmares . . . It was that of Ronald James, her father. She could not share that with Frank. It was too close, painful, and embarrassing.

  Jacob’s name had slipped out unexpectedly. Out of all the names available, even she was surprised that it was Jacob’s that the universe offered her. She briefly considered confessing the error, but that meant admitting she lied. How would she explain that type of mistake to Frank without destroying her credibility? Besides, Frank had taken the bait, and once she had him where she wanted him, she could not relinquish her position. Jacob seemed to be a safe substitute, and as she spoke, the words came easily. It felt natural. Frank and Jacob hadn’t been close in years. Frank was angry, and she needed to neutralize him, to turn the tide and evoke some sympathy; soften his heart. She never, in a million years, expected this.

  Frank had given her more attention that day in the hospital than he had in the last several years. In truth, she relished it, even though the exchange was unpleasant. She had never intended to disclose that part of her past to anyone, but, at that moment, she was desperate. She expected Frank to be angry about the money, but not to that degree. Hearing him telling her to move out struck a nerve. She simply could not allow that to stand. Sure, she made mistakes, but he was not without his imperfections. She kept her head down about them during their marriage, unwilling to do anything to jeopardize her good thing; her version of the American dream. But he backed her into a corner, and she came out swinging.