Circumstances Unraveled

by Jean Kelso

  I cut some corners and weave in and out of traffic. Rush hour sucks in the morning, everyone trying to get to work on time.

  My phone rings, I answer to Gabe shouting words. “I called Sebastian. He’s heading to the police station with the files. I’m on my way to the bridge. I’ll meet you there. Stay safe, man.”

  “You, too.” I tell him and hang up. Things are moving fast, but my stubborn woman had to go rogue and make shit fly. We have no choice now. I just hope we get to her before anything happens.

  Looking over my shoulder, checking blind spots, checking mirrors, I maneuver my truck through traffic. I’m not moving as fast as I hoped, but I’m doing the best as I can. I’m on city streets, not the highway so I can’t just hop the curb and drive the emergency lane like I would.

  My phone rings again. I answer, it’s Dex. “She’s at the bridge. I’m on my way there now. I pinged the burner phone and it’s at the bridge too, Jack. We need to hurry.”

  “Fuck!” I yell and throw my phone on the dash. I pray as I drive in traffic and around other vehicles. I finally find an open lane and put my foot to the pedal. I speed as fast as I can to get to the bridge.

  I pull into a parking lot just down from the abandoned place just as Gabe does. We get out of our vehicles just as Sebastian and a couple police cruisers pull in. Belle comes up to me, eyes watering, fidgeting. “Where is she?”

  Gabe wraps his arm around her and directs her back to his truck. “Stay in the truck, babe. We’ll get her. You stay put. Stay safe.” He kisses her on the lips and comes back over.

  I notice Lilly isn’t with Sebastian. She must be at the station. Thank fuck, that’s one thing I don’t need to worry about. Sebastian and a couple of officer’s head in our direction.

  “Hey.” I nod to Sebastian. “How are things on your end?” I ask him, knowing that he brought all the files to the station before he came here.

  “I was on the phone with one of Dex’s connection’s most of the night, and the files are at the station for CSIS to pick up.” He looks to the officers with him and nods. “These guys here are hopefully going to take custody of Douglas and then it’s out of our hands.” He rubs his hands together as if he’s anxious to get things done.

  “Sounds fucking good to me.” I tell him and we gather together to strategize a plan of attack.

  “You won’t pull the trigger. You don’t have the guts. You’re too weak—just like your mother.” My father sneers at me.

  I hold the gun up still aiming, but my arm starts to shake. I can’t let him see my fear, see my weakness. The longer I have a gun pointing at me, the harder it is for me to stay strong.

  “You really don’t know me anymore, father. You never really did know me.” I take a slow deep breath trying to steady myself.

  Douglas takes a step closer and I tense, gripping the gun tighter. “I don’t need to know who you are to get rid of you. All I need to know is that you’re a problem, a problem that I need to solve, so that’ what I’m going to do.”

  I catch a shadow move in my peripheral vision. And then another. My breath catches and my heart rate speeds up. Did my father bring some goons with him? I step back and almost trip. Panic begins to fight what strength I have left. “I’ve never told the police about you.” I mumble quickly, trying to keep him talking, trying to give myself more time just in case the shadows are on my side. I quickly glance to my left, then to my right, the shadows are moving still.

  “I don’t care that you never told. You’re still a pain in my ass that needs taking care of. I should’ve taken care of you fifteen years ago instead of having Sebastian deal with it. That simpleton chicken shit, he’s next on my list.” He sneers moving closer as he talks.

  Shadows move into the light and relief overcomes me. Jack. Gabe. Police. I step back and stumble, falling to the ground, the gun slipping from my hand gliding a foot out of reach. “No…” I cry.

  My father laughs as he stands over me, gun pointing down toward my head. “You lose.”

  “Stop right fucking there!” I hear Jack yell as he runs toward me with a gun drawn. Gabe comes from another direction with a gun in his hand as well. They both stop just feet away.

  “Police. Drop your gun and put your hands in the air.” An officer shouts with his gun pointed toward my father. Another officer comes out from behind a bush with his gun pointed in his direction too. Lastly comes Sebastian. He walks toward us with a gun in hand. We’re surrounded. My father’s surrounded. My chest pounds with relief, but also with fear. I still have a gun pointed at me and it only takes a split second for something to happen.

  With his gun still aimed at me, my father looks around at all the weapons and the faces attached to the weaponry.

  “Stay back! I’ll shoot her.” Douglas yells out, flexing his hand around the gun. His jaw ticks with anger and obvious frustration.

  Jack takes a cautious step forward. Setting his gun on the ground, he raises his hands up. “Let’s talk about this.

  I watch as everything plays out. My father whips his head around, looking where everyone is—though he appears scared from his lack of options. The gun never leaves where it’s pointing…still at me. Jack takes another step in as the hustle and bustle of the surrounding ground works its way a little closer as well.

  “I said don’t fucking move!” My father screams as he leans down and grabs me by my hair, pulling me up to stand beside him. He points the gun to my head and growls. “Take another step and I’ll put a fucking bullet in her head.” He looks to Jack as he’s in mid step. Jack stops.

  With his hands still raised, Jack nods. “Alright, I’m stopping. What do you want? We’ll get you whatever you want.”

  My father grips my hair tighter and I wince. Clenching my eyes tight, I do my best to hold the tears back. I’m not ready to die. I look around at the men, staring each of them in the eye, pleading with them, begging for them to do something. My hearts racing, chest constricting as my breathing turns to gasps for air with fear of the worst outcome.

  “Please, Dad. Don’t do this.” I beg him, reaching my hands up to my hair, to his hand, trying to get him to release his tight hold. “If you ever loved me, you’ll end this now.”

  I feel the barrel of the gun press harder to my skull and I sob. “Love is just a feeling that destroys lives. I hate feelings. I have no feelings. Especially for you.” He grits out as he looks me in the eye.

  While he’s distracted talking to me, the men change positions. This catches my father’s eye and immediately turns his attention back to everyone else. “Let me leave with my daughter. This has nothing to do with you.” He grunts as he pulls on my hair and tries to start moving forward.

  I can feel my hair ripping from my skull. It hurts like hell. I can’t stop the tears from falling down my cheeks. I swallow and cry out. “Please, stop this. I beg of you.” A gun shot rings in the air and it’s like my heart stops. The grip on my hair is gone and my father falls to the ground beside me. Everyone begins to run around, toward me, to my father. I look around, bawling, in shock. My eyes drop to my father’s now lifeless body. Blood starts to pool around his head. I look up and search for the man I love.

  I find who I’m looking for and run to him. With his arm’s open, I hit his body hard and wrap my arms around him, squeezing tight. Safe. I let the tears go. Jack holds me in his arms, tucking me into his body allowing me to be free, to be safe. He’s my savior, my angel in this life. Without him, I don’t think I would’ve survived these nightmares I’ve been through. I owe him my life. I owe him my heart. He’s now my everything and always will be. “I’m so sorry I didn’t wait for you.” I mumble through my tears. “I love you so much.” My emotions take over as my adrenaline dwindles.

  I did my best to control the situation. If Mel ever figures out that I was the bait for the operation, she may never forgive me—but hell, it was worth it. Douglas Waters is gone. While we discussed our strategy to take him down and bring him into custody, even the offi
cers thought outside the box. What’s one life, compared to the many that the man has already destroyed? So instead of getting cuffs on the man, we planned to put him down. If I was getting shot in the process, it was going to be my due diligence. I’d do anything to save Mel, in this lifetime and the next.

  Confusing the senator with us surrounding him having too many faces to watch, worked out well. Distraction was the key. I don’t think Mel even realized that she played a part and she played it well. With Douglas frustrated and his plan off key, Dex snuck around behind him and when the shot was clear, he took it. One bullet to the head and the senator’s gone for good. Thank fuck for that.

  I wanted to be the one to kill the fucker, but Dex said it’d be less of a hassle with him doing it since he’s an actual agent. With the files to cover his ass and the fact that the senator was putting innocents in danger, Dex said that his badge could explain the situation better than a contract PI shooting a political benefactor.

  The officers rush to Douglas, making sure he’s down for good. Sebastian stands still, in shock. Gabe starts to check the perimeter in case the senator brought back up. The only thing on my mind is my woman. Mel. I look to her and see her moving my way. I open my arms just in time for her body to crash into mine. I wrap my arms around her and feel her body shake, tremble as she cries. I hold her tight and let her get it all out. She apologizes and tells me she loves me, things I already know, but let her say the words anyway. I rub my hand up and down her back, kiss the top of her head. “You’re safe now, baby. Nothing can get my firecracker now.” I turn us both and start walking us toward the parking lot.

  I look to Dex who’s on the phone, probably calling the situation in and getting back up to clean things up. I nod to him to indicate that we’re heading out and he nods back.

  As soon as Belle sees us walking toward the vehicles, she jumps out of Gabe’s truck and runs at us. She grabs Mel from my arms and pulls her in for a hug, tears running down her face. “I’m so glad you’re okay. I heard a gunshot and I was so scared.” Belle rambles on.

  I give them a few minutes, watching the girls who are like sisters hold each other close, crying, weeping from the fear of the possible loss they both just experienced. “I was beyond scared. He had a gun to my head. I’m so stupid for thinking I could’ve done this on my own.”

  “Damn right you are. I should spank your beautiful ass for even thinking about doing it.” I mumble to myself, but I know she heard me. Mel looks over her shoulder at me and frowns.

  “I’m sorry, Jack. I didn’t want anyone getting hurt. Especially the people I love.” She turns from Belle’s hold and walks into my arms. Looking up into my eyes she pleads with tear stricken puppy dog eyes. “Will you forgive me?” She licks her lips and blinks.

  I hear a car door shut, Mel jumps in my arms. The noise was loud, so I can only assume it scared her a little. Gabe’s back from the bridge. He comes over and wraps his arm over Belle’s shoulder. I kiss Mel on the forehead and whisper in her ear. “It was just a car door, baby. Breathe. You’re safe now. And yes, I forgive you, but I still think you’re going to get a good spanking.”

  She lifts her head up and looks to me. She smiles although I see with her fear, love, and curiosity of the unknown.

  “Can we go home now?” She whispers.

  Belle looks to Gabe biting her lip. “Yes, let’s get out of here. My nerves are shot. No pun intended.” She looks at Mel as we grimace.

  Sebastian comes walking up to us. His expression’s grim. He nods to us as he heads toward the patrol car where his little girl, Lilly sits waiting. How I never noticed her in the car, I don’t know. I thought she was safely sitting at the station. Stupid officers should have left her there, not brought her here. “Hey, Sebastian?” I call out feeling bad that his kid has been here the whole time. No child should have had to hear what just went down. I’ll file a complaint later.

  He looks back at me. “Yeah, man?”

  “Thanks for everything. You’re welcome to stick around here if you want. Stay at Mel’s place for a while.” I look down at my woman, take her all in. After everything that has gone down, I’m not letting her out of my sight for a long time. “She’s staying with me for a while, so you’re welcome to her place.”

  “I think I’ll take you up on that. I don’t feel like going back to Washington right now. Thanks.” He kneels down after he opens the car door and pulls Lilly into his arms.

  Unmarked government cars start to roll into the parking lot, that’s our cue to leave. I help Mel into the truck, just was I watch Gabe and Belle pull out. Sebastian has Lilly in his car and they’re just leaving, too. It has been a stressful morning and it’s not even eight o’clock yet. I don’t know if we’re needed for questioning. If so, Dex will give us a call. I help buckle my woman up and walk around the front of my truck. I look toward the crime scene once more and blow out my breath. It’s over. Relief lifts from my chest and I smile. I open my door and hop in the truck, buckling myself in. I left my keys in the ignition when we arrived, so I start the truck and put it in reverse. I back out of the spot and stick it in drive.

  Traffic is still heavy as shit. I’m beginning to hate city driving. Mel’s quiet on her side. I look over and see she has her head leaning on the side window. She stares at nothing in particular with her hands in her lap. I reach over and take a hand in mine and give a little squeeze. “Hey.”

  She looks over at me with a small smile. “Hey back.”

  I watch the road and glance over at her. “You alright?”

  “I think I will be in time.”

  I stop at a stop light and turn to her. “That’s good. Are you hungry? Want to stop somewhere?”

  She shakes her head and leans against the window again. “No, thanks. I just want to go home—back to your place…if that’s okay with you?”

  The light changes, so I start to drive again. Watching where I’m going, I continue to talk. “That’s fine with me. I’ll do anything for you, Mel. I’d give you the moon if I could.” I glance over and smile.

  I didn’t get to see who shot my father, but I’m thankful they did. That man doesn’t deserve to live for all that he’s done. I can breathe easy now knowing that he isn’t out there searching for me. I don’t have to wonder if his goons are just around the corner. What started with him now ends with him.

  I told Jack I wanted to go home to his place and that’s where he took us.

  I still feel a bit jumpy. Every loud noise has me looking over my shoulder. Jack and I sit on the couch watching Netflix, relaxing. The past few days have been so nerve racking and stressful. Put that together with my kidnapping (and hospital stay) and you have a very alpha man making sure you don’t lift a finger. I’m not fragile, I’m not broken…I’m just out of shape right now. I don’t know if I’ll ever be myself again, but I know as long as I have Jack I’ll feel safe and loved.

  We just finished watching the most recent episode of the new Archie show and now I’m going to make Jack suffer through a girlie movie. I need something upbeat and happy to cover the pain I’ve been suffering. I search the list and find The Heat. A little Sandra and Melissa to brighten the day. I look to Jack to see his reaction when I land on the movie, he just smirks.

  “Want popcorn, baby?” He asks as he stands and heads to kitchen.

  This man claims my heart for sure. He knows I love popcorn with movies. “Extra butter, please.”

  I wait for Jack to return with the popcorn and press play on the movie. Not even ten minutes in and we’re both laughing.

  It’s been two days since the shooting. Things are starting to settle down. My nerves are calmer, my muscles are less tense, and I can breathe easier. I went to the CSIS local office yesterday with Dex and Jack to give my statement. Sebastian was there, as well. Dex was right about the case with him being lead in the lead—his badge being the best cover for a rogue operation. With our stories matching and Dex’s clean shot, it turned into an open and close case. The fil
e’s now being sent to Washington. There are cases that are open that need dealing with, but I’m in the clear. Unfortunately, Sebastian will be needed down there for federal statements, but Dex said he could stay here in Toronto until they need him.

  This morning Jack made me breakfast in bed and then made mad passionate love to me. His touch has seared my soul with so much love. I don’t think he’ll have any chance of escaping my heart, ever. He then ran a nice hot bubble bath for me with candles burning in the bathroom. It was sweet and sincere of him. Romantic— a side I haven’t seen from him until now. A side I hope he’ll continue using because I love it.

  It’s evening now. Jack went out a few hours ago, said he had a few errands he had to run. My mind began to wander, so I picked up a book and started reading. I didn’t realize I had books with me until I dug around in my bag. Belle must have packed them when I was in hospital. When I was released, I just packed more stuff on top of what was inside the bag already. Anyways, the book, it’s by a local author and I just adore her. She brings her characters alive describing them so vividly and the things they do and say. I’m laughing so much, I’m in tears. This Helena chick is an amazing writer. I think I’ll recommend them to everyone at work when I return.

  I’m so distracted by the book I don’t notice the time. I hear a vehicle pull in the drive way, so I look out the window. Jack’s home. I hear the truck door slam and jump. I guess my nerves are still a little off kilter. It may take a little longer to get over things than I think. I set my book down and meet Jack at the door.

  I open the door just as Jack is reaching for the door knob. “Hey, baby.”

  He grins at me, eyes sparkling. “Hey, back.” He walks in and kisses me on the forehead. “What have you been up to this afternoon?” He goes and sets his laptop bag on the floor by the table.

  “Reading about beaver and wood.” I smirk at him and then bite my lip waiting for his reaction.