by J. R. Tate
“Cassie brought a car in the other day. A piece of shit clunker. I think it was an old Chevy Cavalier, early model. Transmission shot to shit, engine smoking, you name it, it was messed up. Anyway, you’ve lost some pounds, but she’s dropped about half her body weight. She looked cracked out. She was spaced out. She had some cracked out guy with her. I’m sorry…”
Charlie held his hand up. “Yeah, I know about all of that, though I haven’t seen her in a while so I wasn’t sure how she looked. Last time I saw her in person, she had the drugs sitting right on the table. Didn’t even try to hide them from me.” Charlie didn’t know there was a guy in the picture. And despite their divorced status, he wanted to know more about him.
“Seriously? What about your boy? She’s doing that with him around?”
“Nah. He’s with her parents. I’ve made sure he’s safe. I’ve visited him a few times, but they watch my every move. I wish I could take him home, but he’s probably better off with them until this is over. He’s confused as hell, but he’s the last thing on Cassie’s mind right now, so she won’t be trying to take him.” Charlie felt like someone was sitting on his shoulders. He didn’t love Cassie anymore, but the state she was in killed him. It was a person deteriorating quickly. Maybe he was too, just in a different way. At least Mary was his safety net. This new guy Cassie was seen with was not one to pull her out of the darkness. He was an enabler, and a person of interest for Charlie to look into.
“At least Gavin is young,” Todd replied. “He won’t remember much of this.”
“Hopefully not. Hopefully this will all be over soon and it’ll fade from all of our memories.” Charlie felt himself get choked up, and he couldn’t allow it to happen, not in front of Todd and the guys. “So, what’s out there to work on? I’m ready to get my hands dirty.”
It was a quick change of subject before he had a break down right there in the office. Maybe it was too soon to come back to work. Maybe going back to work was Charlie’s way of accepting the fact that this was a new way of life, a new normal with no closure. No! It had only been three weeks. It was too soon to give up. He refused to allow her disappearance to get stuck in quick sand. He’d never stop looking, even if the police were only interested in ruining his life instead of finding the real culprit.
Going to work just meant he needed a paycheck. It didn’t mean he had given up – it was just a small detour on the road to bringing his daughter home.
***
Mary glanced at the clock on the wall as she wiped down the bar. She had worked day shift before, but never remembered it being as busy as it was that day. It wasn’t a problem – she was collecting a great amount of tips, but the crowd seemed to ask a lot of questions about Skylar’s disappearance. It put Mary in a tough spot. She knew details but didn’t want to say anything. It wasn’t her place and she didn’t want to jeopardize the investigation. In her eyes, anyone could be a suspect. What if the kidnapper was sitting at the end of the bar and she had been serving him drinks this entire time?
It wasn’t long before quitting time and she’d make it out by the skin of her teeth. She had expected some questions. Everyone knew Charlie’s situation, but she hadn’t realized that pretty much everyone she served would have their own opinion about it all. And Mary hated hearing people’s assumptions that Charlie had been behind it. People who had known him for years really believed that he’d be capable of hurting his own child. Mary corrected some of them, but had to avoid making a scene. She was at her wit’s end keeping her mouth shut, and it took everything in her to mind her own business and let them talk. The small town rumor mill was in full force, and her ability to bite her tongue was dwindling.
She heard the bells above the door jingle but didn’t pay attention to who had come in. It had been a steady flow of customers, but when she heard the voice, it made her skin crawl.
“Well hell, if it isn’t Miss Mary Mary, quite contrary.”
Mary forced a smile, but knew deep down that this is where she’d lose her cool. “What can I get for you, Cassie?”
She noticed the man with Cassie – someone she didn’t recognize. And she also noticed the difference in Charlie’s ex. She had lost a lot of weight in just a few weeks and her eyes were sunken in. It wasn’t from stress or depression. Cassie was on something, and the man attached to her hip matched her appearance, only he looked worse. His teeth were rotting and he had red marks on his face. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out they were tweaking on some heavy drugs, and Mary’s heart sank at the sight of it.
“I wanna know why Charlie has been staying at your house.” Cassie slammed her hands on the surface of the bar and a couple of bottles clanked together.
“Because he’s an adult and he can make his own decisions, Cassie.”
“You’re in this together, aren’t you? You did something to my baby girl, didn’t you?” Cassie’s voice began to rise, but thankfully it still hadn’t captured the attention of most of the patrons.
“You’re paranoid, Cassie. I think you need to leave.”
“You’re refusing me service?” Cassie’s eyes widened and she looked at the guy and back to Mary. “Can you believe this shit? She’s refusing me service? The woman who is shacking up with my husband is telling me to leave!”
“Charlie is your ex husband, and what he does now is none of your concern.”
“So you are sleeping with him, aren’t you? I knew it! I knew it from the moment I saw your car at his place that you were messing around with him! I bet you two were doing it while we were still married! I was always jealous of that bond you had. I never did get that with him.”
“I’m not going to ask you again, Cassie. You need to go calm down. I can’t serve you like this.” Mary looked around the bar. They had caused a scene. She had been able to avoid it all day, up until the last part of her shift, and all hell had broken loose. It was attention Charlie didn’t need.
“Just remember this one thing, Mary my dear.” Cassie held up her index finger, and then pointed it at Mary. “The detectives are watching. They are looking at every little thing Charlie does. Him messing around with another woman while his daughter is missing doesn’t help his case, little girl. Him staying at your house makes it look like he’s avoiding what’s waiting for him back at his place.” Cassie moved closer and lowered her voice. “And I’ve got the cops in my back pocket. They come to me when they want to know something personal about Charlie. Think about that while you’re wiping down those beer mugs. Think about that next time Charlie is screwing you.”
Mary didn’t respond. Instead, she grabbed her towel and went to the back. If she stuck around, she might have said something she would regret, and Cassie wasn’t worth it.
“Hey, Jim, I’m gonna cut out early. I know it’s my first shift back, but…”
Jim held his hand up and smiled. “It’s fine. Mark is here to replace you and you’ve had a hell of a day. Go home and take a load off.”
She untied her apron, smoothed her hands over her hair, and made sure Cassie was nowhere to be found before she went out to her car. When she pulled into her driveway, she was surprised to see Charlie’s truck there. Hurrying inside, she found him on the couch. He was sipping on a beer and watching the news, his stare turning into a wide smile when he saw her come through the door.
“Everything okay?” he asked, sitting up.
“It’s that obvious, huh?” Sitting beside him, she grabbed the beer and took a swig before giving it back to him.
“I take it you had a day like I had?” He kissed her forehead and focused back on the TV.
“I had a run in with Cassie.”
Mary didn’t say anything else, allowing for it to settle in. Charlie took a deep breath and reached for the remote, muting the TV before he responded.
“What happened?”
“You ever think that what we’re doing might get you into more trouble?” Mary spread her hands, her voice shaking. Whatever was going on with her an
d Charlie, she loved, but if it meant messing up his freedom, she’d back off to ensure he didn’t get into hot water with the police.
“What we’re doing?” Charlie arched his eyebrow.
“Sex. You staying here. You know…”
“Why would that get me into trouble?”
Mary ducked her head and closed her eyes. “It’s just some things Cassie said. She said it makes you look bad staying here and moving on with another woman while all of this stuff is happening.”
Charlie leaned his head back on the couch and stared up at the ceiling. “Like I said this morning, I did feel guilty, but no, I don’t think this will get me in trouble. You have to consider the source. It was Cassie, a jealous ex who is doing whatever she can to make sure I do time for this. She knows I didn’t do anything, but she’s been trying to hurt me from the moment we decided to get divorced.”
“You don’t think the cops are going to think it’s odd that you’re here?” Mary rested her head on his shoulder and felt his warm breath on her neck.
“The cops can think whatever the hell they want. They can label me as a person of interest, come question me a million times a month, but they have no evidence against me. They have no evidence against anyone, which sucks. Staying with you shows no guilt or innocence on my part. I really don’t care what anybody thinks of it, including Cassie.”
“I just don’t want it to complicate things. I was being asked questions left and right today. Everyone seems to be an expert on the case, up until it’s time to actually find Skylar. They have theories, they have ideas, and it killed me to hear so many of them saying you did it.” She had debated on telling him, but Charlie wasn’t dumb. He knew what the overall opinion was.
“Well you and I both know that I didn’t do it. And that’s enough for me. I’m not going to let it come between us. I can’t lose you too. To hell with everyone else.”
Mary nodded and relaxed against him. He was handling it better than she had expected, or he was hiding it well. “Have you seen Cassie lately?”
Charlie hugged her closer to his body. “No. But Todd has. She looks pretty bad, huh?”
“Yeah. She’s gotta be under a hundred pounds now. I’ve never gotten along with her, but it hurt to see her like that. And I worry for Gavin.”
“Her parents have been letting me see him. Not that they have the authority to not let me, but at least they’re being civil.”
Mary lifted her head off of his chest and smiled. “That’s good, Charlie. He’s probably affected more than people realize. I bet he’s happy to see you.”
“I wish I could keep him instead of Cassie’s parents, but with Cassie acting crazy and the ongoing investigation, being with them might be the safest spot for him. Once this all blows over, he’ll be with me and things will get back to normal. I have to believe that, because right now it kills me knowing I can’t be with either of my kids.”
“I hope it all blows over soon,” Mary said, attempting to be as positive as she could. It felt like things were going to get worse before they got better, but she’d never say that out loud.
“With the way the police are dragging their feet, I wouldn’t count on it, which is why I’m starting my own investigation. They are supposedly looking through Skylar’s laptop. They have her backpack that was left at my house and some other things, but they are so set on me being the prime suspect, it feels like everything has been put on the back burner. They’re busy trying to dredge up any small shred of evidence to get me taken in while there’s someone else out there with her. I’ve gotta figure something out. I might try to get into her room over at Cassie’s place and see what I can find. We are overlooking something.”
There was desperation in his voice and Mary felt horrible for getting him worked up over it. When she had gotten home he seemed relaxed and calm. Talking about it just seemed to light a fire under him.
She fanned her fingers through his soft hair and brushed her lips over his, tasting the beer on him. “How about let’s get your mind on something else? I want to get you good and relaxed.”
Her hand trailed down the opening of his shirt and she felt his smooth chest under her fingertips. A low moan vibrated in his throat, and when Mary looked up, his eyes were closed, his jaw clenched as she continued to move her hand downward, right to his belt buckle. Shoving any guilt aside, right now her concern was on Charlie and helping his frustrations fade, even if it was short term.
Charlie pulled away first, his eyes wide as he stayed an arm’s length away from her. She was confused at first. Had she crossed a line? Her question was answered almost instantly, when the shocked expression on his face was replaced by a lustful hunger.
“Stop gawking at me,” Charlie whispered, a playful grin on his face.
Standing, Mary was caught off guard when Charlie stood behind her, his fingers skimming under her shirt. Pulling it over her head, the cold air hit her, sending a chill down her spine. Charlie walked in a circle around her, his thick eyebrow arched as he studied her, standing in her bra and jeans. Though she wasn’t naked, she felt exposed.
She wanted him so bad. His touches were like fire against her skin.
“What do you want, Mary?” he whispered, his warm breath tickling her skin.
He kissed her and he was so intoxicating that she was about to lose her balance and fall to the floor.
“Make love to me, Charlie. Right here.”
“We’ve gotta pace ourselves.”
Mary felt a lump form in her throat. This was exciting and wrong, but the love she felt in her heart made her want him more. They were adults, he was divorced, and he deserved this. It was a stress relief and maybe it’d make him see things clearer. She could justify it all she wanted, but truth was, she couldn’t resist him. How had she gone so long being his friend, harboring these feelings? At least now it was happening. Charlie was hers, at least for now.
Looking deep in her eyes, he cupped the back of her head and planted another kiss on her lips.
They lay on the couch together, their bodies pressed together as one. Mary couldn’t think of anywhere else she wanted to be, and when they were done, she closed her eyes, her breath labored.
“You okay?” Charlie asked, kissing her forehead.
“I’m just fine, Charlie. You?”
“Fantastic,” he replied as he looked up at the ceiling.
Mary could tell something was on his mind, and she turned to face him, his arms still around her, making her feel safe.
“What’s wrong, Charlie?” Her finger ran down the chain of his necklace as the cross rested on his chest.
“Just thinking.”
“About?” Mary looked up into his eyes. Maybe she didn’t want to know.
“About how everything has changed. How it’s all been happening.” Leaning forward, he kissed her.
“It’s crazy how things work out. And it’s crazy how they don’t, too.”
Life was funny. A month ago, she would have never imagined she’d be there with Charlie on such a personal level. She was glad it fell into place. Now hopefully, everything else would too.
Chapter Nine
“Day two back on the job,” Charlie said to Todd as he walked into the office. The shop had several cars lined up to be worked on, and from the way his phone had blown up that morning from everyone calling in, they were going to be short staffed. “You didn’t get the memo to call in sick with the rest of the guys?” He sat down at the desk and clicked the computer on, in somewhat good spirits after the night he had shared with Mary.
“And leave you alone with those cars?” Todd clicked his tongue and shook his head. “But seriously, how’s it all going? Any news about Skylar?”
Charlie looked up from the screen as a knot formed in his stomach. “Nothing. Not a damn thing. The detectives are too busy marking up my reputation to give a shit about the investigation. I’ve gotta find a way to get to the house and go through her room. Cassie has kept it locked up like Fort Knox.”
Todd sat on the edge of the desk. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that. Did she ever get the locks changed after you moved out?”
“I’m not sure. I wouldn’t put it past her.”
“It’s worth a shot. She’s been busy with that new guy of hers, I doubt she’s been at home much.”
Charlie leaned back in his chair and rested his hands on his head. He had heard rumors about her being spotted around town, and from Mary’s observations, she was messing with the wrong crowd.
“She’s really flown off the rails, huh?”
Todd nodded. “Yep. Hell, you could probably break in while she was there. She’s so spaced out, she’d never even hear you. But like I said, she’s probably not home much anyway.”
“I don’t know.” Charlie was hesitant. With the cops watching his every move, how would going into his former home appear to them? Even if it was harmless to get information, they were chomping at the bit to take him in for anything they could come up with. “I don’t even know what I’d find. The cops have her computer and her cell phone was smashed up.”
“I couldn’t tell you, Charlie. I’ve got boys. I do know that a woman’s room is an unknown dimension to me. There’s no telling. If you go digging, you might find something.”
“Kids these days.” He missed Skylar’s laugh, her random text messages, and even her mood swings. He couldn’t think about what she might be going through right now. And he had let her down by allowing it to happen to her. “Her whole world was in her phone and her computer. I feel like the police haven’t even looked at her stuff, or they’d have something to go on instead of harassing me.”
His eyes began to burn and he turned to face the computer again, not wanting Todd to see him upset. It was a rollercoaster – one minute he was on cloud nine after a great night with Mary and the next, his heart ached for his daughter. The feeling would never go away. Even if he found her and she was alive, though it wouldn’t be as harsh, he wouldn’t be able to forgive himself for everything.