by Allen Dark
“No. Eric will follow him. Nepolai knows your face but he doesn’t know Eric’s. We need to be cautious here okay?” They didn’t say anything. “Eric I want you to track where he’s going and pay attention to who he’s hanging out with. Even though they might seem harmless on outside they could possibly know something that could lead you in the right direction to catch Nepolai slipping. More importantly please be careful. If I could have Lane do it I would but like I said it’s too risky.” Eric nodded his head a little. He had more questions but couldn’t get them out. Like why Nepolai?
“I need you to be clear minded and to pay attention because this man is dangerous.” Gibbs tapped his finger on the table constructively at every word he uttered. “If we not only want to get justice for your mother, and to get me the hell out of here this is what you have to do.” Gibbs said.
Eric started to wonder what his father wanted more. Was it to get justice for his mom or was he just focus on getting out and getting his name cleared. Whichever it was there was really nothing Gibbs could do about Chloe. He couldn’t bring her back although he spent those few nights wishing that he could. All he really could do was focused on what was necessary for him to regain his freedom. No one wants to sit in a cell and be sentenced for a murder they didn’t do.
“Okay so if I do this what exactly am I supposed to do if I find this guy with mom’s heart?” Eric asked
Gibbs nodded and rubbed his hand over his goatee.
“If you find anything send the information you recover directly to Detective Lane. Don’t speak to anyone else about it and if you can’t contact her just wait for her to contact you.” Gibbs looked at Lane. “And I want you to check in with him every day. Can you do that?” Give asked sliding his hand over her clasped hands.
“Yes course.” She nodded.
The back door buzzed, and the guards announced that visiting time was over. Gibbs stood up along with all the other inmates who started walking back to their cells.
“Okay if the information is good make sure you get it to the chief as soon as possible.” Gibbs gave his son another quick hug. “I love you boy. I’ll see you soon.”
Chapter 5
Nepolai ordered his fourth glass of rum while Rylan was on her fifth shot of scotch. She was a bit of a drinker but Nepolai did mind. He was just glad that he finally he was able to get her out the house. Her sitting there alone thinking about what happened to Madison and how her killer could still be out there wasn’t good for him. Although he hasn’t known her that long he could sense that she is rarely the person who gives up or let’s go of things fairly easy. Which made him wonder how many times he would have to get her drunk to forget about Madison. Rylan did seem like she was feeling a little better but that was only thanks to now shot number seven.
Rylan thought she should slow down after almost throwing that shot back up. She slammed the small glass on the table and clenched her face at the flavor.
“I should really get going. If I’m going to avoid sleeping in again I should probably get a head start on some rest.” She said. Rylan put on her jacket that hung on the back of her stool almost stumbling as she climbed down. She stared at Nepolai watching him sip on his rum. “Thank you.” She said softly before kissing him on the cheek. Nepolai swallowed and glanced at her at the corner of her eye before watching the rum circle around the ice cubes in his glass.
“For what?” He said knowing exactly what she was thanking him for. He just wanted to hear it. After all this is all new to him. It wasn’t normal for him to spend time with people for the benefit of the individual. If it didn’t pertain to entertaining him or served a desired purpose than his time was better spent on himself.
“You know, for getting me out of that empty house and into some clothes that are actually presentable to the world. But I do have to say you trying to get me wasted was a nice attempt to distract me.” She laughed.
“Try?” Nepolai turned around. “No, Your wasted right now.” Nepolai Smiled at her. She was pretty wasted and he could tell that she was trying to play it off.
“I’ll see you tomorrow?” She asked. Nepolai grabbed his keys and stood up from the bar.
“Yeah but you don’t want me to take you home?” He asked.
“No, I’m good. Thanks.” She said walking backwards towards the door. He didn’t fight her on it not only because he was a bit drunk himself but he was convinced that she would be fine sense he was the one that was the predator.
Nepolai sat back down in his stool and continued to drink his unfinished rum.
Twenty minutes had flown by pretty fast but Nepolai didn’t notice. Besides knocking them back he was replaying the dreams he’s been having. Trying to identify a piece of a puzzle he was unaware of before. Like that wreath. But what was he supposed to do? Unlike Rylan the alcohol was unable to stop him from thinking about it.
A young woman not to order than Nepolai sat in the stool next to him. Her hair was cut in the Bob but one side slightly longer than the other and wild ends. Her facial features were soft and her dark scarlet lipstick insinuated her small but full lips. She watched him from the corner of her eye. She just sat there without speaking or ordering a drink. He gaze was becoming obvious.
Nepolai caught one of her eyes before she looked away but he ignored her and continued to drink. He didn’t think much of it mostly because of the dream.
The young women looked down at his drink and told the bartender that she wanted a smith & cross. Identical to what Nepolai was drinking. He turned his head a little towards her and watched a grin grow on her face.
Who are you? He thought to himself. Nepolai took another sip from his glass before opening his mouth.
“You do not look like Rum type of girl.” He said.
She chuckled “Why do you say that?” She asked. Nepolai scratched the side of his head.
“I don’t know you look like whiskey is more your thing.” She shook her head no with the same grin on her face.
“And you don’t look like the type of guy who steals women’s hearts.” She said drinking from the cold glass in front of her. Nepolai stopped before taking another drink from his glass. He looked around and watched her continue to sip from hers.
“What did you just say?” Nepolai’s face clinched in. His eyes balled into a knot and his nose flared. Who was this woman? He wondered. At first he was curious because she was she was obviously trying to get his attention. Why would she say that?
She was pleased that now she had Nepolai’s attention.
“Relax, Caesar.” She said drinking more from the glass. “It’s not like I’ve been keeping a very close eye on you. But if I was I do have to say that watching you over the past few weeks have been the most exciting thing I’ve seen you do over the past few years I’ve been watching you. The woman watched Nepolai run through his head knowing that he was probably trying to remember if he had met her before. How else would explain her knowing his name. Maybe he was trying to figure out if somebody sent her to follow him. Anything to explain who she was.
“What the hell are you doing following me?” He asked.
“It’s not important. What is fascinating though is the heart. It’s a delicacy that I have yet to experience can you tell me how was? What it tasted like melting in your mouth?”
Nepolai started to think that the woman was crazy but then he would have to admit that he was also crazy. Although him and Nora never had heart he thought about how delicious it might’ve been.
“Who are you?” He asked. “Since you seem to know who I am I think it’s fair for me to know exactly who you are and why you’re here.” She said.
“Nora is your mom, right? Well at least she’s your adopted mother correct?” She asked turning her body towards him and crossed her legs. She had on a pair of dark blue jeans with black high heeled boots.
He began feeling anxious like everything about him was being exposed. He felt like he was at a disadvantage. How else should he feel? He had no leverage an
d no idea who this woman was. How does she know so much? He thought.
“I’ve heard a lot of things about Nora, she has quite the reputation of being one of the most powerful man eaters in Ohio.” She said.
“Wait a minute.” Nepolai put his hand out in front of her gesturing her to stop talking. He rubbed his eyes for a moment. “When you say man eaters you mean-”
“Cannibals she finished his sentence. But we refrain from referring to ourselves as such.”
“We?” He asked. “Who’s we?”
“There are more of us out there. You and Nora aren’t the only ones in the city. Out of the thousands that I know of Nora seems to be the smartest one.” She said.
“And why’s that?” He asked. She was a little weird to Nepolai but he figured since she wasn’t open about who she was maybe he could dig around a little bit to get some type of information.
“Well she’s a doctor, right?” She asked as if she already knew the answer. Nepolai didn’t get what her being a doctor had to do with anything. “Nora is in a very valuable position. Her being a physician allows her access that many of us would die to have. I do have to say that it does take the thrill of actually hunting for your own food but at the same time I guess it does take an extreme amount of self-control.” She took the last sip from her glass. “I guess that’s why she’s one of the best. Being able to cover herself very elegantly without miss stepping or overstepping and conquering the desire of greed.” She said.
Nepolai thought about earlier that day when he asked about what they would do about food since he had screwed up. He remembered the freezer she showed him full of meat and noticed that there were two other freezers. This is how she’s been doing it? He thought.
“I’ve heard that her body count was well in the hundreds.” She added. Nepolai was shocked, not that she was a good hunter although he always thought she was amazing, but he never knew that’s how she did her hunting.
Is this why she wanted me to go to Madison? He thought.
“I’m sure Nora has taught you everything she knows.” She said but Nepolai doubted it. She told him the basic thing which were more like rules but nothing you would think if she’s supposedly using her job as a hunting ground. Nepolai felt a brief of anger sweep over him. He thought about all the time she told him not to hunt at school and yet she’s doing the same at work. What else was she not telling him?
“But from the way you been acting up I got to say it’s sloppy and not the work of Nora.” Nepolai’s bottom lips wrapped over the top of his bottom teeth nearly biting it. His eyebrows fell low over his eyes and he felt a ball of tension on the left side of his head. He was insulted. “Calm down.” She said while letting out a chuckle. “I can see why you’re so sloppy.” She said.
“You think I’m really going to sit here and just let you talk to me like that?” He asked.
“Well considering the situation you’re in I think you are. You can’t risk it doing anything that would attract attention.” She was right. There was no way he was going to do anything at least not now. “Look I’m not here to fight or to cause any problems I’m merely here to invite you to a dinner.” She said.
“Dinner for what?” He asked.
“Once every month a couple of us get together that’s all. I thought you might like to meet more people who have the same interest as you. Plus I have a friend I’d like you to meet.” She said. No matter how hard she tried to make it sound like something Nepolai wanted to go to he didn’t really care for people. Maybe they were different maybe they could relate somehow and not be used by him. Nevertheless, she had his curiosity. She took a card from her jacket and threw it next to his glass. The card had a sketched circle with a triangle inverted and a line running through the circle. It that didn’t take up much space. He was confused until he flipped the card over and seen an address time and the name Leah written at the bottom. Nepolai looked back to the women who was now gone.
Chapter 6
When Bexley’s uncle Arthur and walked to the front door his house was nearly quiet. There was a hissing coming from the kitchen and a smell of bacon lingered in the air. He closed the door behind him clicking shut and he dropped his keys in the bowl siting on a small beach table in front of the door. He noticed Bexley keys weren’t in the bowl and her car wasn’t parked out front either. He assumed that she was gone but that didn’t make sense. Who was in the kitchen? Arthur’s body ached all over and his head felt like it was forming a migraine. Maybe he was thinking too much about the heart. He had no clue where Bexley got it from but he thought wherever she got it, it couldn’t be good. It’s a heart, you don’t just come up with one. What was he supposed to do though? His niece was dying he had to do something. The decision was a hard one for him but over the past few days a side of him was doubting if he made the right call. Both Bexley’s and his freedom is at risk and it’s only a matter of time before someone comes looking for that heart. That is if it’s stolen. He thought. Arthur headed to the kitchen through the living room and heard the news discussing the forecast for the rest of the week. When he walked entirely into the kitchen he saw Aubri over the stove cooking a light snack. Authors eyes widen as his mouth fell open. “Aubri?” He asked sounding more curious than shocked.
“Hey! Look who finally decided to show their face.” Aubri hugged him. He held her back and kissed her forehead.
She let go and rushed back to her patties sizzling on the stove.
“What are you doing up moving around?” He asked. “You just under what major surgery there is no way you should be moving around like this. Come on let’s get you back in bed. You really need to be resting.
“Hell no, I feel great. There’s no way I’m ever going back in the bed.”
“That’s not possible. You shouldn’t be recovering this fast. Come on itches of the couch.[DAB3]
“But that’s a good thing, right? I was a little weak this morning Bexley had to help me to the kitchen but after that I was able to get around pretty easy. I never realize how free it felt to do things for yourself and not to have someone else handing you everything.” She said
It was a good thing and there was no to convince her that it wasn’t. He just wanted her to take it easy. The news switched over from the weekly forecast to the news updates.
“Early last week a Columbus detective who was suspended after he was found coughing up human lung that belong to one Joseph Rodriguez sits at county jail awaiting trial after murdering his wife Chloe Gibbs and possibly Rodriguez. Not much information has been released but we did learn that Chloe and Drake Gibbs have left behind a son who we’ve been reaching out to talk to but haven’t heard anything back yet. If we do get any more information regarding this tragic case, you’ll hear it first right here on 10 TV news.”
Arthur thought it was awfully strange that the detective would kill his wife, but he guessed it wasn’t out of the range of possibility, so he didn’t pay it too much mind. Aubri handed him a plate of eggs but he declined. He wasn’t hungry and now that he thought about it he hasn’t eaten for the past two days. He figured that the bottles of water he’s been drinking had been keeping him afloat but really it was the heart. I was these was he anything [DAB4]thinking about how a person, how his niece, how Bexley would get a healthy heart. Maybe she found it on the black market? He knew he should’ve stopped her before she stormed out the other day. What else Does, taking it and into my own hands mean? Arthur looked around like someone was spying on him and verified if anybody else was around. He knew there wasn’t but he had an immediate inclination to do so.
“Where’s Bexley?” He asked.
“Bexley? You know I never heard you call her that.” She said. Arthur only referred to her as Bex, never Bexley. He didn’t know why he called her Bexley it just came out that way. Aubri eyed him as if he had violated some type of agreement but really she was curious to what was going on. Curious to if they had some fight or anything. Ever since she woke up they both have been acting strange.
“There’s always time for a first.” He said.
“I don’t know.” Aubri said. “I had taken a shower and when I got out she was gone.” Again that was strange to her. She poured some simply OJ into her tall glass. It was the last cup and she was glad to finish it off. She tossed empty carton into the trash and took a sip. “Since when do you guys leave without letting each other where you’re going?” She asked with a slight scold on her face.
Arthur forgot about that promise he made ever since Aubri’s problems got worse. It wasn’t the most important thing on his mind. Author scratched his tiny gray Afro. He didn’t know what to say to her because he knew how important it was to her. Maybe the best way to explain to her what was going on was to tell her where they got her heart. He believed that she deserved to know because she was the one that would have to live with it. Author went into the living room running through ways on how to explain it in a way that she wouldn’t lash out or even dig himself into a bigger lie. Aubri followed him into the living room and placed her sandwich and orange juice on the coffee table.
“Can you please tell me what was going on? It’s kind of making me worried.” She said. Arthur stood there for a moment with his hands sitting on his waist and then rubbing his eye. He grabbed her softly by her shoulders sitting her down and sat in the chair next to her. He leaned forward over his knees and clamps his hands. He is still at a loss for words. He knows what he needed to say but struggled to actually articulate himself. He rubbed his eyebrow again but this time finishing by pinching the skin on his forehead.