UNMASKED: Sequel to Behind the Mask

by Heather Carnassale

  She set the bottle on the counter then moved into the living room. That’s when she saw the safe in plain sight with its door broken off from its hinges. It didn’t immediately dawn on her that his grandfather’s painting was no longer hanging on the wall, but as soon as it did, she began searching for it. It didn’t take long for her to notice it lying on the floor and from what she could tell it appeared to be untouched. “Thank God,” she murmured, picking it up and gently leaning it against the wall. That painting meant the world to Liam, and it would have devastated him had anything happened to it, she thought. She decided right then; she’d take the painting back to her place with her, for safekeeping. She then glanced at the couch that had held so many memories for her. It was now barely recognizable with its foam stuffing oozing out from the cushions, which had been slashed unmercifully. However, his grandmother’s crocheted blanket had been spared, as she spotted it balled up by the sliding glass door. That blanket would definitely be going with her as well. Her eyes gravitated back to the dismembered couch, and her mind drifted to the night when they had both fallen asleep, and she woke up in Liam’s arms, protectively, holding her. She smiled, remembering how he tried to play the whole thing off as if he had been no big deal. All that thinking led her to his bedroom where there was the most damage. There were shredded pieces of the sheets all over the place, while the mattress was literally cut in half. All of the expensive suits from the closet were haphazardly tossed about the room while the clothes from the drawers were no longer neatly folded and just lumped into one massive pile. His dress shoes, pulled out from their boxes, along with the many pairs of running sneakers thrown from one end of the bedroom to the other. Knowing how meticulous Liam was and how much pride he took in his things, she began cleaning up as best she could. But instead of putting everything back, she took all of his clothing, shoes, the painting, and crocheted blanket to her place. For the next hour, she diligently trekked back and forth and brought all the items into her bedroom. When she retrieved the last thing, which happened to be the black tuxedo he wore to Abby’s wedding, she carefully laid it on her bed then laid down beside it. The entire time, she had managed to keep herself in check, and not fall apart. However, her tough demeanor crumbled in a matter of seconds, as she curled her arms around the tux and allowed the tears to flow freely.

  CHAPTER 23

  It was ten o’clock the next morning when a worried Melanie entered Remi’s room to check on her. The first thing that caught her eye was a bunch of shoeboxes stacked up in the corner, along with a large painting leaning against the wall. She then walked over to the dresser, where neatly piled on top were t-shirts, boxers, and sweatpants. It didn’t take Melanie long to deduce what Remi had done, especially when she realized her friend was sleeping with a tuxedo. Melanie released a melancholy sigh, as she lightly tapped Remi’s foot. “Time to get up,” she sang. When she got no response, she tapped again, a little harder. That worked, but Remi wanted no parts of Melanie or anyone else for that matter. “Leave me alone,” she mumbled while shooing her away. “I’m not going to let you do this,” said Melanie, standing near the bed. Remi sighed, as she sat up a tiny bit, revealing her puffy, red eyes, looking as if she hadn’t slept a wink. “Please, just let me be,” she begged, all the while gripping the tux. Melanie was about to say something, but just then Beth poked her head through the door. “Hi, sweetie,” she whispered. Remi feigned a half-smile while quickly feeling ganged up on. “I know you’re all worried about me, but I’m fine,” said Remi. “I just want to be left alone.”

  Beth sat down on the bed, and took note of all the extra items in her daughter’s bedroom. “Are all of these Liam’s?” she asked. Remi just nodded, still keeping a firm hold on the black suit. She then quietly talked about his apartment being in shambles. And how she wanted to preserve the stuff that hadn’t been destroyed, most especially his grandfather’s painting. Though, pleased that Remi was fully cognizant and not in some deep depression, she suggested that Remi talk to Dr. Layton anyway, just to be on the safe side. “I don’t think I need to do that,” she said, quick to jump on the defensive. Melanie chimed in, “It’s not a bad idea.”

  Again, Remi felt outnumbered. Beth explained that though she had kept her composure while telling her story the night before, and handled herself quite well, in a matter of twelve hours her demeanor had deteriorated considerably. Remi stared at the tux while she listened to her mother ramble until she finally conceded. “Okay, okay, I’ll go.”

  “Your appointment is at one,” said Beth, hopping off the bed. Looking quite perplexed, Remi questioned, “You already made the appointment?”

  Beth replied, “Uh-huh.”

  Remi just shook her head, with a hint a frustration and yet not surprised that her mother had pulled a fast one. Beth offered to give her a ride, and Melanie said she’d tag along. Remi ignored them both as she got out of bed, and carefully hung the tuxedo in the closet. She then shuffled into the bathroom where instead of getting a shower right away, she kneeled on the small rug and placed a towel over her mouth to muffle the crying that soon followed.

  While Warren read a lengthy statement from the district attorney, Liam picked at his lunch, which wasn’t much better than the offering he had received last night for dinner. “Food isn’t very good here, is it?” asked Penny, who sat by watching her son poke his finger into an alleged bologna sandwich. Liam just shrugged as he shoved the plastic tray aside. “I forgot to mention when we got here that Remi had us over to her apartment last night,” she said, which instantly perked Liam’s ears right up. “How is she doing?” he asked. “She seems okay on the outside, but if I had to guess, I think she’s holding back how this is truly affecting her.”

  Liam didn’t think his father had been paying much attention to their conversation. However, it became apparent he had been when he mentioned Remi. “She told us the entire story about you two,” he said. “And I have to admit; she’s something special.”

  Hearing that, completely stunned Liam, as surely he figured his father would have found fault with her for one thing or another. “I can’t believe that she sacrificed that much for you, keeping the truth from her family and especially the police,” remarked Warren.

  Liam’s immediate reaction was defensive, thinking Warren had just insulted him. “So, basically you’re wondering why in the hell someone good like her, would waste her time on someone bad like me.”

  Penny tried to diffuse the situation before it escalated but deemed unnecessary, Liam had misconstrued what Warren was trying to convey. Not uncommon when it had came to those two. “That’s not what I meant son, I meant, you don’t meet genuine people like her these days; people with no hidden agendas,” he said and to make sure Liam understood, he added, “She’s the real deal.”

  Liam grinned while fully agreeing with his father, as there was little doubt Remi was as real as they came. Happy that they cleared up the misunderstanding, Penny encouraged Liam to eat a little bit, regardless of how awful it might be. She feared the lack of nourishment would eventually take its toll and be detrimental to him. Not used to Penny showing much of a maternal side, surprisingly Liam welcomed it. Whether it was the loneliness kicking in with his vulnerability peaking at an all time high, or maybe it was just the overall comforting feeling of having his mother act like a mom for once. Liam pulled the tray back over in front of him and started nibbling on the not so fresh bread, but it appeased Penny. That subtle action, which to most would seem minuscule, was huge to the still somewhat fractured Matthews family. The three got back to going over the case, as there was much work to be done, regardless of his guilty plea.

  Beth and Melanie waited in the hospital lobby while Remi went up to Dr. Layton’s office. Dressed all black, including once again donning Liam’s oversized hoodie, Remi tried to remain incognito as much as possible. Anonymity would be her best friend today, she thought. The moment she stepped inside, Dr. Layton greeted her with a warm hello then asked how she was doing. Rem
i sat down on the beige-colored corduroy loveseat then replied, “Now that’s a loaded question.”

  The doctor smiled while crossing her legs and setting her trusty yellow legal pad upon her lap. She then patiently waited for Remi to get comfortable, as it was apparent, she was anxious. “I assume my mother informed you about what was going on,” she suddenly blurted. Dr. Layton nodded then admitted that she had also watched the news and did a little inferring on her own. Remi realized that the doctor knew Liam, wasn’t just the man involved in Tom’s shooting and the man Remi had feelings for, but also the masked man she had talked about in their earlier sessions. “I know you haven’t always been the biggest fan of therapy, but this would be a good place for you to get out exactly what you are feeling right now.”

  Instinctively, Remi yanked the sleeves of the hoodie over her hands while bending her legs up onto the couch. As she buried her head into her knees, it was clear she was attempting to hide. “I feel all alone,” she whispered. “You have your family and friends who obviously love and support you,” said Dr. Layton. Remi nodded slightly. “Yeah, I know that, but the one person I need right now isn’t here and is sitting behind bars.”

  The doctor jotted a few things down then gently pointed out that it was Liam’s own doing that put him there not Remi’s, and that she was sensing there was some underlying guilt coming from her. “I’m well aware that Liam’s actions put him in jail, but he didn’t need to set himself up and make a full confession to guarantee my immunity, that’s why I feel guilty,” she stated angrily.

  “I see, he bargained for your freedom?”

  Remi nodded. “Yes, he should have just taken off and never looked back.”

  “With or without you?”

  Remi smirked. “If you’re asking me if I would have run with him, the answer is a resounding yes!”

  She watched the doctor write a few more things down, all the while with an expression of complete confusion on her face. And she knew where this was headed—yet again. “You still think this is all Stockholm syndrome, right?”

  “Did I say that?” questioned Dr. Layton.

  “You don’t have to; I can tell that’s what you’re thinking.”

  “I have explained to you that it’s not uncommon for a hostage to trust and gain affection for his or her captor, but I can’t say that’s necessarily what has happened here,” she said, attempting to get through to her patient.

  “Good, because that’s not what it is,” declared Remi, who then announced, “Liam saved my life at the bank.”

  “And at the warehouse,” the doctor pointed out. Remi nodded. “There’s an old saying that when a person saves someone’s life, he or she feels responsible for that someone’s life forever,” said Dr. Layton, who then asked, “Sound familiar?”

  Remi smirked. “Kind of.”

  She continued to write while she spoke. “I assume your memory of what happened during the heist has fully returned?”

  “Yes.”

  “Did this occur before or after our last session?” she asked. Guilt instantly set in as Remi replied, “Before.”

  The doctor reassured that it’s always up to the patient on what she chooses to disclose in their sessions. Remi half-smiled, appreciating that reminder. She then asked if there was anything Remi wanted to talk about specifically. In a surprising move, she decided to open up some. “Yesterday, I could function and hold conversations, and things seemed okay in spite of what was going on,” explained Remi.

  “And today?”

  “I’m a fucking mess.”

  Dr. Layton sympathized, just as she did the very first time she had met Remi. “It’s not uncommon to go through a myriad of emotions when dealing with something of this magnitude,” she said. “One minute you feel fine, the next you feel sad, then you aren’t sure what you’re feeling, it’s completely normal.”

  For a couple of minutes, Remi stared off into space, deep in thought, silently pondering on the many what ifs. She then looked Dr. Layton square in the eye and confessed, “My life hasn’t been normal since the moment those five men entered that bank.”

  “At least you can admit that.”

  With a smile of relief, Remi chuckled slightly. “So, there’s hope for me yet.”

  Dr. Layton joined in on the much-needed light-hearted moment, by commenting, “I think you just might surprise yourself and everybody else as well.”

  Remi sighed with an underlying hint of uncertainty. “Liam gave me a house,” she all of a sudden divulged. The doctor’s eyes widened, unsure she heard correctly. “A house?” she questioned. Remi nodded, as she elaborated, “It’s in Miami, on the beach. He bought it when he was away on his little sabbatical.”

  “That’s quite a gift,” remarked Dr. Layton, who then immediately asked if Remi planned on moving down there. “I have no idea what I’m doing, because right now, all I want is for Liam to be out on bail, and be with me.”

  “Is bail an option?”

  The smile that Remi had been wearing during the last few minutes completely faded away, as she replied in a despondent tone, “No.”

  Though the therapist wasn’t necessarily worried that this information would send Remi into a tailspin of despair, the news worried her to some degree. Her patient’s well being was a priority, plus the notion of her moving a thousand miles away didn’t exactly seem like a good idea either. However, the state in which Remi was currently in, bringing up the negative aspect of that, wouldn’t go over too well. Dr. Layton decided to tread the rest of the session very carefully by focusing on more positive things. Remi immediately began talking about her trip with Liam and how wonderful it was. The doctor honed in on that and had Remi describe in detail all the things they did together. Recalling the sweet memories elevated Remi’s mood, which had been the doctor’s objective. By the time the appointment was over, Remi was feeling much better. She promised Dr. Layton she’d see her again soon then after exiting the office she spotted Scott standing near the elevator. “Hi, stranger,” he said smiling, dressed in light blue surgical scrubs, and looking very professional. She returned the smile, honestly happy to see him. “Wow, you look like a real surgeon,” she remarked. He laughed, “Not yet, but I’ve gotten to assist a few times.”

  “That’s awesome,” she said then sighed, which instantly shifted the conversation to her current predicament. “I was going to call to see how you were doing, but wasn’t sure you’d want to hear from me,” he said. She suddenly felt sad hearing that, because she knew she had hurt him. “That’s crazy, you could have called.”

  That’s when he glanced around to see who was nearby then gently pulled her into an unoccupied patient room so no one could hear them talking. “Did Liam tell the cops that I helped him?” he asked. She shook her head no. “I didn’t ask him but I know he’s not going to say anything,” she replied. “And I’m not going to tell anybody either.”

  “I appreciate that.”

  They stood there motionless, both guilty of playing a role in Liam’s criminal scheme. Although Scott’s not as pivotal as Remi’s, he still couldn’t pretend his culpability hadn’t worried him. “I know you risked a lot helping that night,” she quietly said, consciously looking around as nurses and doctors strolled by the room. “What about you, how much trouble are you in right now?” he asked. “I’m not,” she replied. His expression immediately jumped from concern to confusion, but before he had a chance to question her, she explained. “I got full immunity from any aiding and abetting, no accessory after the fact either; I’m in the clear.”

  Though thrilled that she wouldn’t face any jail time, he was skeptical how she escaped prosecution. Remi cocked her head to the side and with the tiniest of smiles, she whispered, “Liam cut a deal with the police and feds that involved him confessing and providing pertinent information about the bank heist, and in return, I would be absolved of all my indiscretions.”

  “I didn’t think he had it in him,” commented Scott, who then added, “but then
again, he saved your life a couple of times; guess it’s just in his nature to keep protecting you.”

  Coming from Scott that was huge because she knew he wasn’t Liam’s biggest fan. “What is going to happen to him?” he asked. Remi’s eyes began to fill with water while her lower lip quivered. Scott had been reluctant to hug her and unsure if she wanted that type of physical contact, but seeing her becoming visibly upset prompted him to slip his arms around her. With zero resistance, she allowed him to embrace her. She apologized for crying all over the scrubs and for dumping him back at Christmas time. Scott snickered while squeezing her tight. “I won’t lie, things not working out with us did hurt, but I’m okay with having your friendship, and you’ll be happy to know that I have a girlfriend.”

  A complete sense of joy overwhelmed her, as she was genuinely delighted to hear that. He told her about the woman, who happened to be a student nurse. It was a temporary diversion that was greatly needed. He then brought up her relationship with Liam. “I knew that you were in love with him that night I came to your apartment,” he remarked. A frown formed on her lips, and once again she seemed surprised that everybody seemed to be aware of that fact but her. “I wasn’t in love with him then; I had just found out who he really was, I barely knew him,” she protested, attempting to deflect and defend herself. Scott placed his hands on her face and just smiled. “Remi, it’s okay, I’m not judging you; I’m just stating that even back then I couldn’t compete with him.”

  She stepped away feeling worse than she did before if that was even possible. “It was never a competition,” she said. “You know what I mean,” he said. She nodded, because deep down she did. “Liam to you is like Superman, and who or what can beat Superman?” he countered, laughing. Remi smiled then somberly replied, “Kryptonite aka—himself.”