“I couldn’t stand the thought of not seeing you tonight,” he said. “Is it too late to come by?”
“Come,” she said, only hesitating a second. “Daniela cooked, but I helped.”
“I can pick something up. You don’t have to feed me.”
“That will take too long. Come.”
He got to the beach, and she was waiting at the door for him. Seeing her there brought him such joy, but the second he saw her face, he could see there had been an accident. Going across the threshold, he took his jacket off and reached for her, studying her closely, and she didn’t stop him. He led her over to the couch and sat her down, holding onto her hands. She noticed that he was shaking.
“Both your eyes are turning black. What the heck happened?”
“I wouldn’t have had to say anything to you if we’d waited until Friday to see each other, but I know that would have been wrong. No secrets.”
“No secrets,” he repeated. “What happened, Lisa? You’re scaring me.”
She told him, minimizing it, or attempting to by leaving out the details that Tim had felt her up before he reached into her pants before unzipping his own, or that he’d grabbed her crotch, bruising her there, as well. Instead, she said they’d wrestled when he tried to kiss her and that he’d tripped over his own feet, landing them on the floor with him on top of her.
“Did he strike you? I mean, how did the black eyes come about?”
Lisa did not want to lie. She thought a minute, trying to formulate a story. But she hadn’t hit her face on the floor. The whole bloodied-nose thing had come about when he’d jammed his hand in her mouth to keep her from screaming.
“It sounds worse than it was,” she said.
“Lisa, tell me, please.”
“I tried to scream, but he put his hand over my mouth. It must have happened then. I got a bloody nose, but I didn’t think my eyes would turn black and blue.”
Steve let go of her hands and stood up to pace. Back and forth he walked, rubbing his chin.
“How did it end? Did he get up and apologize to you? What happened next?”
“I was able to get his hand off my mouth, and Valarie heard me scream. I must have locked the door after he came in. Or someone locked the door because she had to break a window to get in.”
Lisa nodded toward the door, and Steve saw a small piece of wood covering a broken pane.
“Lisa, you have to go to the police,” he said.
“No. I’m not doing that. It was a misunderstanding. He apologized. They moved out right away.”
“Do you want him raising your brother’s boy? He’s not right in the head, Lisa. God, I hate that you might end up hating my guts over this, but you have to call the police.”
She started to whimper, little mewing cries, not wanting to wake her children, but she knew he was right.
“Look, let’s call Dan,” Steve said resolutely. “He’ll guide us.”
“Not him,” Lisa cried. “He’s an estate lawyer, for God’s sake.”
“But he knows the law. I’m going to call him. Do you know his number offhand?”
“Steve, it’s too late. You’ll wake him up.”
“Just give me his number, please.”
She rattled off Dan’s cell phone number, and Steve keyed it in.
“Hey, got an estate emergency?” Dan asked instead of saying hello.
“No, but I have an emergency. I’m at Lisa’s. Everyone’s okay, but her face is bashed in with a swollen nose and two black eyes.”
Dan quickly got out of bed and went out into the hall. “What happened?”
“That guy Tim attacked her. Her story is that he just tried to kiss her, but she had to fight him off. I don’t know what to do because she doesn’t want me to call the police.”
Pacing, Dan thought a moment. “Do you think she’ll tell me more?”
“She might. I’ll give her the phone.” He handed Lisa the phone. “He wants to speak to you.”
She said hello and listened to his questions.
“You’re not helping anything by lying for him. He did it once; he’ll do it again. He might take it out on Brent. Is that what you want?”
“No! Steve said the same thing,” she cried, trying to keep her voice down.
“Do you have any bruising anywhere else?” Dan asked.
“I’m sore all over, Dan. We fell to the floor.”
“You need to be seen by a physician,” he said. “I’ll come over and stay with the kids so Steve can take you to the ER.”
“Dan, I’m not going to the emergency room!”
“Yes, you are.”
“Great,” she said, handing Steve the phone. “He said he’ll watch the kids.”
“I’ll take her as soon as you get here,” Steve said.
“I’m going to call a friend of mine in the police department and make a visit upstairs first, and then I’ll come down.”
“He doesn’t live here anymore,” Steve said, turning to Lisa. “Where’s he live?”
“He’s not going there, is he? That’s just great.”
“Lisa, where does he live?”
“In the famous executive apartments. Tell him I’ll call my mother to come down.”
“Okay. I’ll take her over as soon as her mom comes to watch the children,” Steve said.
Dan hung up and went back into the bedroom to get dressed.
“What’s wrong?” Julie asked, getting up on her elbows.
“Tim beat up Lisa. I think there’s more to the story.” He stopped and looked at his wife, who had jumped out of bed. “Did she say anything to you?”
“Not a word! Not a damn word! Do you think he tried to rape her?”
“I don’t know. I’m going to call Alan Stone and have him meet me over there.”
“I’m sure Lisa is having a fit. I’ll call her.”
“Her new guy is there. He’s the one who called me.”
“I thought she called you. That makes more sense.”
“Lisa would never call me over something like this. Too much pride.”
“No, Dan, she’d be worried you would murder someone, and then I’d be left with a jailbird for a husband.”
He bent down to kiss her and left to call his friend in the police force while she phoned Lisa.
In the familiar surroundings of the house he’d bought with Julie, with the close proximity of Lisa and his boys in mind, Dan looked around it, feeling—nothing. It held no special memories for him. Julie’s mother had died there, another good reason to leave. Moving to the beach would be nice, but again, it only meant as much as the people who were in his life. Julie would love it there. She loved Lisa and Pam like her family.
Shaking his head to get back to business, he keyed in his friend’s number. Alan Stone and Dan had gone through undergrad together. Dan went on to law school, and Alan joined the police force, working as a patrol officer and now a detective.
“Someone better be dead,” he answered, obviously awakened.
“Ha! Or about to be dead. What will it take to get you up?”
“Besides a naked broad?” Alan mumbled. “What’s up?”
“A turd roughed up my ex. Do you want to make an unofficial visit? It happened earlier today, but she’s on her way to the ER now.”
“We can do that. Is she going to press charges?”
“Probably not,” Dan said. “It was a close friend of the family. I’ll try to talk to her, but I doubt it will do any good.”
“She needs to press charges.”
“I know that,” Dan said. “If her boyfriend hadn’t called me, no one would know. She’s slippery that way.”
“She was married to you,” Alan said, pulling a T-shirt over his head.
“I rest my case.” Dan read the address off. “I’m in Hauppauge, so give me thirty minutes.”
He went back into the bedroom, and Julie was still on the phone with Lisa.
“Why isn’t she at the hospital?” Dan asked.
�
�She’s waiting for Pam to come down, Dan.” Then she put her hand over the receiver and whispered, “It’s a lot worse than she admitted to you. He tried to rape her.”
Dan bit his lip, grabbing his wallet and comb. He went to her side of the bed and bent over to kiss her. “Get some sleep.”
She nodded and resumed the conversation. Lisa had admitted the truth after she convinced Steve to get something for his dinner out of the refrigerator.
“I was afraid he’d go after Tim himself if I told him everything. I’m not happy about going to the ER, but it won’t hurt to have an ultrasound of the baby. He touched my belly, but he grabbed my crotch. I have a bruise. If I didn’t shave, it wouldn’t be visible. And my thighs are bruised. I didn’t realize how rough it got until I saw my thighs. He’s injured, too, though. I bit his hand, hard.”
“Did you tell Dan?” Julie asked, grabbing her cell phone and texting to Dan, Lisa bit Tim’s hand.
“I don’t think so. Steve’s done eating, so I’ll hang up. Anyway, my mother is here. Joy, joy.”
“Poor Pam. Cut the woman a break,” Julie said.
“I will. I’m sorry,” Lisa said. “It’s been rocky lately.”
“She could die tonight, and then you’d always feel like shit. Remember my mother.”
“I do, Julie. I’m sorry. I’ll call you in the morning.”
The expected mayhem ensued when Pam saw Julie’s face.
“This is my fault!”
“Mother, why on earth would you take on this? It’s not about you.”
“Lisa, you don’t understand. I talked to Tim and told him he needed to be honest with you about his feelings. I didn’t know he’d go berserk.”
“That explains his timing. He came down right after you left.”
“I’m so sorry,” Pam said, fighting back tears.
It seemed like she and Lisa were oil and water. With Steve standing there, Pam didn’t want to go into why she thought Tim should confront Lisa. If he cared that much for her, maybe he was the man for her. But now, looking at her daughter’s bruised face, Pam realized how wrong she was. It was a stupid fantasy that would place Brent under Lisa’s care. If she pressed charges against Tim, it might mean Sandra would have permanent custody and prevent Brent from ever seeing Pam again.
“Are you ready to go?” Steve asked, holding Lisa’s coat.
Pam walked them to the door, wiping the stray tears escaping.
“I’ll text you when we’re on our way home,” Lisa said, kissing Pam’s cheek. “It’s okay, Mom. Relax. It isn’t your fault.”
Locking the door after they left, Pam went into the kitchen to make tea. Her phone beeped—a text from her mother.
Is she okay?
Pam texted back—I’m sorry I ever judged you, Mother.
Knock it off, Pam. Have a glass of wine. The answer made Pam smile, and she went immediately to the fridge, and sure enough, there was an open bottle in the door. She’d finish it off and suffer the consequences later.
***
An unmarked police car had parked outside the two-bedroom, two-bath with den or possible third bedroom deluxe apartment rented by Timothy Hornsby. With the engine off, watching the shadows moving behind the blinds, Alan Stone froze in the unheated car, waiting for Dan Chua to arrive. He heard the whine of the Porsche, smirking and shaking his head. So much for sneaking up on the guy.
“Good job, Chua. Glad you went into law instead of PI work.”
“My wife’s car needed gas,” he said. “Let’s go. When he comes to the door, look at his hand. Lisa bit him, evidently.”
They walked up the path together and stood on the porch. “After you,” Stone said. Dan tapped a few times. They could hear the TV in the background, the sound lowered, then footsteps to the door, the chain moving into place, a lock turned.
“Can I help you?” Valarie didn’t seem to recognize Dan from when Sandra lived with him in the same apartments, but maybe she just didn’t want Tim to know that.
“Hi, we’re here for Tim Hornsby,” Alan said.
“Can I tell him your name?”
“Tell him Lisa’s ex-husband would like a few words with him. Unofficially,” Dan answered.
Valarie shut the door, and ten seconds later, Tim opened up, his hand heavily bandaged.
“Come in,” he said, stepping aside.
Valarie shut off the TV and left the room, and they heard a door close in the back of the apartment.
“Lisa’s on her way to the emergency room. I’m giving you an opportunity to tell me what happened, off the record. You know she probably won’t press charges.”
“I tried to kiss her, and it got out of hand. That’s all I have to say to you,” Tim said, his bandaged hand behind his back.
“Can I see your hand?”
Tim brought it out, the tips of his fingers swollen and dark. “You need to get treatment for this,” Dan said. “Human bites are the worst. You could lose your hand.”
“I’ll take it under consideration,” Tim said, wanting to tackle Dan and beat his face in.
Before Tim could hide his hand, Alan took a picture of it with his phone.
“Lawyer up,” Dan said. “I hope they throw the book at you.”
Alan and Dan left the apartment, and Tim shut the door. They were halfway down the walk when they heard a gunshot. Alan grabbed Dan and they ducked.
“What the fuck?”
They heard Valarie’s screams, “Tim, God no!”
***
Dr. Lafferty was already well known—and loved—by the nursing staff at the hospital in Babylon, and when he brought Lisa in, they bypassed triage and put her right in a room. The doctor on staff was an older man, someone Lisa remembered seeing when she’d brought the boys in for possible broken bones, and so was comfortable with him. When it came time to examine Lisa, Steve left the room.
“A rape kit isn’t necessary,” she said. “He hurt me outside of my clothes. But I do have bruises.”
The sexual assault nurse examiner came in with a camera and took pictures of Lisa’s groin and thigh bruises.
“Did he get inside your clothing? There might be DNA if that’s the case.”
“He tried, but I fought him off,” Lisa said, the words bringing all the horror and emotion of the experience to the surface again. “I bit him hard. I tasted blood.”
After she left and Lisa got dressed, Steve came back, accompanied by Dan.
“Go home to Julie,” Lisa said.
“Our friend just tried to kill himself,” Dan replied. “He shot himself in the foot, however, so all is well. They’ll try to get your DNA off his hand. Nice job, by the way. His hand is swollen twice its size, which probably accounts for his terrible aim.”
Steve and Dan high-fived and shared a laugh at Tim’s expense.
“Dan, it’s not funny,” Lisa snapped. “He could have been aiming at you.”
“That’s true,” he said. “Anyway, you about ready to get out of here?”
She hopped down off the stretcher, and with a man on either side of her, they left the department together, with Tim looking on from his stretcher.
***
In the morning, arriving at work, Peter stopped at the reception desk and got his messages from Jennifer.
“We just opened! How can I have this stack already?”
“It was all from the answering service,” she replied. “Twenty-two calls after hours.”
With Randy and Sandra gone, the office was quiet, almost too quiet. Peter fielded more work to Ryan, but it was clear that they were going to need another person to take Ryan’s place now that he was doing more promotional work. But first things first—he went into the lounge for coffee and donuts after throwing his coat and briefcase into his office. The standing order was for two dozen mixed variety, but Peter only liked chocolate, so he balanced three on a plate.
“How do you stay so thin?” Ryan asked, walking past him on his way to the lounge.
Peter didn’t answe
r, as usual, and Ryan grimaced at the pile, hoping Jennifer had brought an extra yogurt for him.
His phone was ringing when he got back to his office with his snack. “Come to my office,” Peter said.
Ryan put the yogurt down and picked up his laptop, standard operating procedure when summoned. When Ryan was at the door, Peter, with the phone to his ear, motioned for Ryan to have a seat.
“I’ve got Randy on the phone. He has an idea, and it involves you. Randy, I’m putting you on speakerphone.”
“Hey, Ryan. Listen up. You might want to take notes.” For the next ten minutes, he outlined the idea Violet had given him. “When I thought about it, you are the natural host. You’re Jack’s son. It’s something to be proud of. He has a legacy in this company and in the city that shouldn’t be ignored. What do you think?”
“I’m floored,” Ryan said. “I’d be honored, of course.”
“I spoke with a group of people from my company. We’re going to produce and sell it ourselves. It will give us carte blanche. I have a few people from my team coming by to speak with you at noon about mostly technical stuff.”
“I’ll be ready. If I can put my two cents in,” Peter said.
“Absolutely. You’re key in all of this.”
“Hardly,” Peter said, smirking. “What does Pam think?”
“She’s ecstatic. You should talk to her, Peter. She feels that this will vindicate Jack. The focus will be on the good he did at last.”
Chills went down Ryan’s spine, his gorge rising when he heard those words. He would be in a position to make his father look good again and sweep all his crimes under the rug.
“My daughter is really interested in the project. She might be a good cohost with Ryan.”
That got Ryan’s interest again, quickly forgetting about Jack. Laura Long reminded him of what Sandra might have been like before just knowing Jack corrupted her. That was all it took.
“Excellent,” Peter said. “I was just thinking we need another body here to help take up the slack Ryan replacing Sandra left. Is she interested in the business, as well?”
Randy said he’d ask her, and the two of them commiserated about business for the next few minutes while Ryan looked down at his computer. The sound was off, but he got an alert from Jennifer on Skype.
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