Jake got up and was going to chase but stopped short; instead he went to Ashley to see if she was okay. “Ashley?” She was unresponsive other than a moan.
He stood upright and went after the attacker, gun in hand. Down the stairs, he trampled with thunderous noise, but his heart eclipsed it all. He got outside, hot on the heels of the figure, but the man was already across the grass and into the door of the blue sedan.
Jake got to the car just as the engine fired up and tore away from the curb. He had no recourse to stop it. He wanted to fire the gun but thought better of that, as there were too many houses around and a stray shot could be deadly. He watched helplessly as the car disappeared into the night with no lights on.
He stood there, unable to make a decision on what to do. As he turned to head back across the lawn, the sirens wailed in the near distance. Someone must have called about the shots. He jogged across the yard toward the front door, but the cop car was there in a second and they only knew one thing, he had the gun.
The car skidded to a stop, the officer jumped out with gun drawn. “Stop freeze! Drop the gun.”
Jake quickly tossed the gun on the ground and stepped back with his hands up.
Chapter 15
Jake didn’t like sitting handcuffed in an interview room, but he was just glad the cops didn’t shoot him. After all, they rolled up onto a scene with him holding a gun. He was a little freaked out right now because he didn’t know what had happened to Ashley or Mike. For all he knew, they were both dead.
Finally, when an older, gray-haired detective came into the room he felt a little better. At least he’d have some information.
“Jake, I’m Detective Bellamy. I just want to know what happened from your side.”
“What happened?”
“That’s what I want to know.”
“Are Ashley and Mike okay?”
“What do you think?”
“I don’t know. You arrested me before I could find out.”
The detective smiled. “You’re not the first man to kill his lover’s husband, Jake. There’s nothing to be embarrassed or afraid of. Love is a crazy powerful emotion.”
Jake winced. “Mike is dead?” He shook his head. “Oh, God. This is my fault. Is Ashley okay?”
“Just tell me how it happened. Did he bust in on you with his wife?”
Jake shook his head. “What the hell are you talking about? I didn’t kill anyone. I didn’t kill Mike. A guy broke into the house. I tried to stop him.”
“So a strange man broke into the house, and killed your lover’s husband?”
“Ashley is not my lover, she’s my friend. I was sleeping in the guest room downstairs.”
“We performed a GSR, a gunshot residue test on you, we told you that will tell us if you shot a gun recently.”
“Then you’ll see I didn’t. I never fired a single shot.”
The detective looked at him. “Well, for your sake, I hope not. But we will know.”
“And you’ll see I didn’t shoot anyone. Is Ashley okay?”
The detective stared at him for probably thirty straight seconds. He didn’t look away. Then he said, “Yes, Ashley is okay. She took a hard shot to the head, a few stitches, but she’s fine. She’s being interviewed by my partner at the hospital right now.”
Jake sighed. “Thank God.”
“Why were you at the house?”
“Ashley invited me. We’d had an experience earlier and we were worried about our safety.”
Detective Bellamy answered his AC/DC ring tone. “Yeah…all right, okay.” There was a long few minutes of silence. Then the detective finally said. “Okay, good work. As long as you have confirmation. All right, okay, uh-huh.” He hung up the phone. “Well, Mr. Wheeler, it seems Miss Robertson confirmed you didn’t shoot Mike. And she said something about you two being shot at earlier.”
“I was going to tell you.”
“We have to follow the laws of probability.”
“I know.”
“Why didn’t you call us after you were shot at?”
Jake looked up. “I don’t know. I guess that was stupid.”
“Very stupid.”
“I’m sorry, I should have.” Jake leaned forward in the chair. “Can I go now? I need to go see Ashley.”
“Yes, you’re free to go.” The detective unlocked his cuffs.
Jake got up and took a few steps. “Can I get a ride back to Ashley’s house to get my car?”
“Actually your car is going to have to be taken into evidence for the shooting incident earlier. Miss Robertson filed an official report.”
“But I don’t think any bullets hit it.”
“You don’t think. But you don’t know.”
“I guess.”
“We’ll have it back to you by the end of the day.”
“Then can you take me to my house so I can get my motorcycle?”
The detective passed a curious look, but then agreed.
* * *
After one of the uniformed cops dropped him off at home, Jake went inside to find his helmet.
“Dude?” Tom stepped toward him as he entered the living room. Reaching out with his hands in stop position, Tom asked, “What happened? I heard some crazy shit.”
“Yeah, bro…some crazy shit.”
“Is Mike Robertson really dead?”
“Apparently.”
“You killed him?”
“No, man—c’mon, why would you believe that?”
“I heard from Rizzo. He was down at Mako’s with Peach and Rip, said one of his cop friends told him you were busted down for murdering that real estate guy. So I’m like what real estate guy, and Rizz said that Mike Robertson guy with his face all over Wilmington, and I was like, no way.”
“No, I didn’t kill him.” He started looking for his helmet as Tom followed him around.
“So what happened?”
“Some dude busted into the house and shot him.”
“Gnarly.”
“Hey, have you seen my street lid?”
Tom ran his hands over his head in thought. “Oh yeah, it’s in my room. I used your bike the other day.”
“Did you put gas in it?”
“Sure did, bruh, full tank.”
Jake retrieved his blue and yellow helmet and headed outside to remove the tarp from his red Honda sport. His bike wasn’t fancy, or fast. But it was reliable, comfortable, and got about 60-plus miles to the gallon. He didn’t mind if Tom used it as long as he replaced the gas, which he usually did.
With a flick of his thumb, the bike was running and he was off down the road. The air was hot inside the helmet. Today was a sun-drenched summer scorcher. The ride to the hospital was good. It cleared his mind. He’d ridden his bike a lot after the accident; it felt safer than getting into a car again for a long time. It was a very slim chance he was going to kill someone while he was on his bike, even if he’d done something stupid.
He parked, headed inside, and was about to walk up to the front desk when Ashley appeared from out of the silver elevators. Without a word, he went up and hugged her.
Finally, he pulled away. “Are you okay?”
She moved back into him and hugged him harder and longer. Her soft sobbing broke his heart. This was his fault. He may as well have pulled the trigger himself.
Ashley pulled back. “I didn’t want him dead.”
“I know you didn’t.”
“He was a pain in my ass, and I was going to divorce him, but I didn’t want him dead.”
“I know, Ash, I’m so sorry. This is my fault.”
“It’s not your fault, Jake. It’s the psycho who broke into the house who’s at fault.”
“The cops thought I did it.”
“I know.” She wiped her tears with a tissue. “They were certain you’d done it until I told them you didn’t. Now they probably think we were both in on it.”
“They do?”
“Not in so many words, but that lady d
etective was sort of suspicious of me. She hinted that they’d find whoever did this. And get this, she said, even if someone was hired to do it.”
“Seriously?”
“I know, right?”
“They think we’re lovers who wanted your husband out of the way.”
“Pretty much.”
“Well, let them investigate. We know the truth.”
She wiped her tears with her palm. “What is the truth, Jake?”
He raked his teeth over his lip. “I told you the truth. You just don’t want to believe it.”
“Can you blame me?”
He sighed. “Maybe there’s a way I can prove it.”
They headed out to the bike. Jake unhooked the spare helmet and handed it to Ashley. “Oh—no.” She waved her hand. “I’m not getting on that thing.”
“Why not? I’m a great rider.”
“I’m sure. I’ve just never been on one.”
“You’ve never been on a bike?”
She snipped, “I feel like I just answered that question, Jake.”
“Trust me.” He swung his leg over the machine and held out his hand.
She reluctantly put the helmet on and got on behind him.
“Just hold on real tight,” he said.
“You can count on that.”
She gripped him tightly around the mid-section, and squeezed so hard he could barely breathe. “Not that tight.”
“Sorry.” She let up. “I’m just scared we’re going to die.”
“Relax. I’ve only crashed once and that was years ago.”
“Oh God, you just jinxed us.”
“Never.” Jake headed out of the parking lot and into the Seventeenth Street traffic, quickly picking up speed. The squeal that came out of Ashley sounded like something between delight and fear. He wasn’t sure which one until after a few minutes, her soft sounds started to seem more like exhilaration and less like terror.
They headed down the beach road, chasing the sun.
* * *
The cove beach wasn’t busy. People were starting to make their way to their cars. The rocks were empty and the sunset was drawing near. Jake led Ashley up onto the boulders and picked a nice place to sit.
“Why’re we here?” she asked. “We’ve wasted the entire afternoon.”
“Wasted it?”
“Well, in a matter of speaking.”
“You hate the bike.”
Ashley smiled. “Okay, I have to admit I liked it a lot.”
Jake nodded to the ocean. “This is where I see her.”
“Just like that, she just comes up to you?”
“Pretty much.”
“Why?”
Jake looked out to the waves. The smell of the salt air calmed him. “For about three weeks, I came to this spot with a gun. Each night, I’d put it to my head.”
“Jake.” She touched his arm. “I didn’t know you were that close. I mean, I’d heard you were…oh God.” She put a hand to her chest. “I knew you were having a tough time, but holy shit, Jake. Were you really going to do it?”
“It was real bad. I was in a bad place. I didn’t want to live anymore. I was going to do it. Technically, I shouldn’t be here right now, and if not for her, I wouldn’t be.”
“I’m so sorry, Jake. I’m so sorry. I wish you’d’ve called me.” She twisted to face him and wrapped her hands around both sides of his jaw, forcing him to look at her. “Why didn’t you call me?”
“I couldn’t call anyone, I was locked up. Then one night, I was finally about to pull the trigger…and Ariel showed up.”
“That is horrible, Jake, I’m so sorry.” Ashley pulled back. “Wait, her name is Ariel?” She chuckled. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be laughing at you.”
“I know it’s ludicrous.”
“A little bit…yeah.” Ashley let her voice trail off.
“That’s part of the reason the first few times I saw her, I thought it was all in my head. I thought I was cracking up.”
“Well, in fairness that still remains to be seen.”
“Very funny. But she never comes out when anyone else is around, which was another thing that made me feel crazy.”
“Why do you think she will now? Should I go hide?”
“I don’t want you to. I want her to make the choice to introduce herself.”
They waited in silence, letting the soft waves be the only sound for a long while. Jake then said, “I guess she’s not going to come.”
“I told you I should have hid.”
“Maybe. I thought she’d trust me.”
Just then, a familiar female voice said, “I trust you.”
Jake stood and looked down over the last boulder. Ariel floated in the water with her elbows propped on the round wooden posts.
Ashley got up and let her jaw fall open. There was just enough light to see her body under the water. She moved a step to the edge of the rocks to get a better look, but remained speechless.
“Ariel,” Jake said, “this is Ashley.”
Ashley finally found her voice. “Oh, my God. Is this for real?”
Jake smiled. “Told you.”
Ariel splashed her tail in and out of the water. “It’s real.”
“Ariel,” Jake said. “Bad things are happening. People are trying to kill us, and I think it’s because of you. Remember what I told you about? Well, it’s gotten worse.”
She looked confused. “I don’t understand. How could it be because of me?”
Jake shrugged. “I was hoping you could tell us.”
Ariel twisted her face. “I haven’t the faintest idea.”
“Someone out there doesn’t like me seeing you and they’ll stop at nothing to make sure I don’t again.”
“But no one knows.”
“Someone does.”
Ariel sank underwater for a moment, then popped back up. “I don’t know what it means.”
“You have to think hard. There has to be someone.”
“No one but you and Father even know I exist.”
Jake blew out an audible breath. “That has to be it. Your father must know you’ve shown yourself to me.”
“Impossible.”
“It has to be him.” He glanced over at Ashley, who continued to look at Ariel as if she was waiting for her to disappear.
Ariel huffed. “He wouldn’t know. He doesn’t follow me. No one does.”
“Someone did.” Jake quickly returned.
Ariel starred at him for a few long seconds. Then, “What do you think?” she looked at Ashley.
Ashley opened her mouth but didn’t speak. She looked to be counting numbers in her head. Then in a distant voice she said, “I don’t know what to think. I’m talking to a mermaid.”
“It’s not all that strange,” Ariel offered. “The world is full of things that look strange to some but are common to others.”
“Yeah,” Ashley agreed, her voice restored. “But you’re a mythical creature. This isn’t supposed to be happening.”
Ariel narrowed her eyes. “Be that as it may, I am a creature, I am here. Now what do you think about our problem?”
Ashley shook her head and looked at Jake. He lowered his head to her and she bucked up with an affirming nod. “I think Jake has a point. Someone knows about you showing yourself to him. And now you’ve shown yourself to me.”
Ariel swam away from the shore a few strokes. “Do you see someone now?”
Jake and Ashley both looked around. He didn’t see anyone, but the more he thought about it, the more he felt like he could have been being watched all the other times too. The darkness away from the beach was so absolute anyone could be lurking in those shadows. There was no way to know.
Jake wondered. “It’s too dark to see if anyone’s out there. Maybe they are and we can’t see them.” He glanced around again and started to feel like someone was watching them. It was just a gut feeling. But perhaps it was just because he thought he was being watched.
He peeked at Ashley, looked away then back again when he saw the intensity on her face as she stared into the darkness. “What is it?”
She rolled her lips inward. “I don’t know, but I thought I saw something over there.”
“Like what?”
“Like someone lit a cigarette.”
Jake immediately thought of the odd man he saw in the parking area. That could be a coincidence, of course, but it was sticking in his brain. It was just too much of a coincidence…so much in fact, that it was definitely not a coincidence.
Jake took a few serious steps off in the direction Ashley was looking but she grabbed his arm.
“No, Jake, don’t.”
“If someone’s over there—”
“What? You’re going to confront him with a snarky grin and get shot?”
“No, I’m—”
“You’re not doing anything.”
Jake looked down at Ariel but she was gone.
Chapter 16
Ariel
Ariel swam back home with more urgency than usual, ducking under the docks and swimming underwater for twenty seconds to get deep enough to enter her room. It was a long swim from Fort Fisher to her home up the river.
She popped up into the light of the room in which she’d spent her entire life. Her indoor pool was very much an outdoor lagoon. In the daytime, she had lots of natural light that fell through glass ceilings and walls with windows from nearly top-to-bottom. Natural rocks, smooth and comfortable, bordered the entire pool. Large automatic windows opened and closed to allow the ocean breezes to pass through.
She swam up and used the hanging rope to pull herself up onto her hammock bed from where, if she wanted, she could let her tail hang in the warm water. It needed to stay wet as often as possible, but it also didn’t dry out that quickly. She’d never done it but she could probably go a day or two without being in water.
Just as she closed her eyes, she heard soft footsteps coming down the stone stairs that led up to the main house. She’d never been up there. Father was a doctor, as all the mermaid keepers had always been.
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