by Carys Jones
“Uh-huh.” Javier nodded as the thick smoked-filled air of the small room began to claw its way down his throat, making each breath he took feel leaden and awkward.
“Speak clearly,” the man announced, narrowing his eyes and leaning back in his chair. He used one long fingered hand to remove the half-burned cigarette from his thin lips.
“And speak in American.” He added with a wave of his hand.
Javier frowned and glanced at the two men guarding the door in to the room. They each held a sawn-off shotgun, their stony gaze aimed against the far wall, seemingly oblivious to the conversation being conducted between Javier and his abductor.
But Javier knew better. If he so much as sneezed too loudly, they’d shoot a hole straight through his gut.
“They don’t understand American,” the man explained with a sneer. “Which enables us to speak privately.”
Javier coughed nervously. His own American was adequate at best. His scarred eye began to throb as the veins behind it trembled in anticipation of a secondary blow. Javier blinked his remaining eye and spoke as clearly as he could.
“That is everything,” he confirmed. And it was.
Angrily, he remembered the events of the morning. Everything had seemed normal. The sun burned down on the back of his neck as he walked the short distance from the police station to the convenience store to purchase a new pack of cigarettes. He’d just crossed the street when the air was torn apart from the squeal of screeching tires. Javier coughed against the fresh scent of burned rubber as two pairs of hands roughly grabbed him from behind and forced a bag over his head which smelled of mold.
Javier had been bundled into a waiting car which he felt move out at a rapid speed. They drove in silence for thirty minutes. Then he was pulled from the car like an obstinate child and bustled out of the sun into a building. When they removed the bag from his head, his one eye had to adjust to the darkness. Out of the shadows, through a fog of cigarette smoke, he saw Andre Caulerone sitting across from him and his entire body succumbed to any icy feeling of dread.
“Everything?” Andre nodded thoughtfully at the word, his eyes still narrowed in suspicion. In the darkness of the room they appeared to be jet black.
“Everything.” Javier repeated.
“So the American lawyer came here with his questions and you gave him nothing?”
“Nothing!” Javier insisted. “I gave him nothing!”
Fearfully, Javier recalled the last time he’d seen Andre Caulerone. He could feel his body starting to tremble and he tried to fight it, desperate to appear strong.
“Last time we met, you had two eyes to look at me,” Andre declared mockingly, pointing at his own pair of eyes and then across to Javier. “Now you have one.” Andre lazily lifted his shoulders and shrugged.
“I’ve told you everything,” Javier insisted. His mouth was so dry that his tongue had turned to wool, making it difficult to talk. How long had it been since he’d last had something to drink? He was desperate for a sip of water. He imagined the wonderful, cool pleasure of drinking an ice-cold glass of water.
“So what if he returns?” Andre asked, brining Javier back to the dank darkness of the room.
“He won’t return,” Javier told him with certainty. “He has no reason to.”
“You’re right,” Andre leaned forward, his face so close to Javier’s that he could smell the smoke on his breath.
“He won’t return.”
Javier felt his shoulders droop with relief, though his heart continued to hammer manically in his chest.
“But, Javier,” Andre reached out and placed his hand on Javier’s shoulder. He squeezed it and gave a friendly smile but the malice remained in his eyes.
“The next time some American comes here asking about me and my brother, you call me right away. Got it?”
Javier nodded rapidly.
“Because if by some miracle he does return to San Migeno ‒” Andre released Javier and leaned back, putting the last of his cigarette between his teeth. He pointed through the smoke at Javier with his free hand. “I expect you to take care of it.”
Javier nodded again. He understood what was being asked of him.
“It was good to see you again,” Andre suddenly declared pleasantly as though they were two old friends who had just met up for a beer and a chance to reminisce. He stood up and nodded at the two armed men who unlocked their gaze from the wall and briskly walked over to Javier, hoisting him up to his feet between them.
“You take care, Javier.” Andre smiled amicably, revealing two golden front teeth. “I’d hate to see you lose another eye.”
Javier shuddered as the armed men bustled him towards the door, each holding one of his arms. They opened the door but before Javier could look round, the bag was once again lowered over his head.
*
Brandy heard the first rumble of thunder echo above the house and her hands instantly ceased playing. Turning, she looked out at the small garden, noticing how it had become unnaturally dark for such an early hour.
“Dammit,” she mumbled fearfully to herself. She had always loathed thunder storms. She had hoped that Aiden might have returned from work before it hit but it wasn’t looking likely. The rain had yet to come but the boom of thunder was enough to announce its imminent presence.
Standing up, Brandy tentatively approached the patio doors. The sky was dark with malice and the clouds seemed to swarm together like a disgruntled hive of bees just waiting to direct their vitriol at someone.
There was another boom of thunder and Brandy physically jumped, backing away from the glass. A sound startled her from behind and as she turned she wilted with relief when she saw Aiden coming in through the front door, his loosened tie swinging around his neck.
Brandy smiled and headed for his outstretched arms but she paused as she noticed the pendulum like swing of his tie as he moved. It remained her of the sickening movements of the noose. Suddenly she felt dizzy. Pausing, she put a hand to her temple which was clammy as overhead the thunder roared once more, boasting of the power the approaching storm contained.
“Oh, hey,” Aiden was instantly at her side, wrapping his arms around her and holding her up.
“I know how much you hate storms,” he said sympathetically. “It will be over soon.”
Brandy leaned against his chest, listening for the reassuring beat of his heart. She quickly found it and used the steady drum beat to help settle her own frantic nerves. Aiden’s strong arms gripped her tightly and she felt her fear beginning to melt out of her, collecting at her feet and then disappearing all together. As much as she feared the storm, she felt safe in Aiden’s arms.
“I feel better,” Brandy stepped back from him, avoiding looking at his tie.
“Good,” Aiden smiled warmly and leaned down to softly kiss her lip. Brandy let the kiss linger, savoring how when they touched her entire body tingled.
“What shall we do tonight? I’m starving,” Aiden admitted, placing a hand over his stomach. More thunder groaned though it seemed comical, like the rumbling of Aiden’s stomach. Brandy laughed lightly, her cheeks starting to glow once again.
“I’m not that hungry.” Aiden smiled, glancing up briefly towards the source of the storm. “But I could eat.”
“I could put a pizza in the oven?” Brandy suggested.
“Sounds perfect.” Aiden moved off towards the kitchen and Brandy was about to follow him when she saw something move out of the corner of her eye. Glancing in the garden, she saw the bushes on the far fence swaying as if an animal had just passed through them. Brandy bit her lip and hoped that there wasn’t a bobcat out there. They could be extremely vicious, especially when cornered.
“Hey, do you want a beer?” Aiden called from the kitchen. Brandy snorted at the question, her gaze pulled back inside the house.
“Since when do I drink beer?” she laughed, placing her hands on her slender hips.
“That was a test.” Aiden stuck his h
ead out from the kitchen, a boyish grin making him seem even more handsome than normal.
“And congratulations, you passed,” he added with a cheeky wink. Brandy rolled her eyes and struggled to suppress the massive grin which was pulling on her red lips. The thunder continued to rumble overhead but she no longer cared. She was safe in her bubble with Aiden. She followed him into the kitchen to start getting dinner ready.
*
The apartment was still as Isla came in. She straightened her dress and tidied her hair before approaching the couch on which the sitter had fallen asleep.
“I’m back,” Isla whispered, gently nudging her shoulder. She awoke with a murmur and her cheeks flushed with embarrassment when they realized where they were.
“Sorry I’m late,” Isla added apologetically, slipping in an extra twenty dollars with the payment she held in her hand. It was one in the morning. She had promised to be back before midnight and it was the second night that week that she’d been out with Guy and had needed the sitter’s services.
Just as on their previous date, Isla hadn’t wanted her evening to end. She’d dined on fine food and drank expensive wine. And Guy actually knew about wine. Isla could barely contain her admiration when he knowingly went down the restaurant’s wine list. Aiden knew only of three kinds of wine; red, white and pink. He liked to drink a beer after a day’s work but Guy had more refined tastes. He drank whiskey, but not the cheap stuff. He shipped in the best Scottish malts which he enjoyed neat, never on the rocks which risked diluting the taste. All this Isla had learned over dinner as she sat hanging on his every word.
“It’s ’kay,” the sitter mumbled as she sleepily rubbed her eyes. As she focused more, she nodded gratefully at the handful of dollar bills which Isla extended to her.
“Thanks.” She stood up and began pulling on her coat.
“Was everything okay?”
“She was as good as gold.” The sitter smiled. “We watched the game on TV, she fell asleep straight after and I put her to bed. Haven’t heard a sound from her since.”
“Ah, good,” Isla grinned, walking the sitter towards the front door.
“Looks like you had a good night,” the sitter noted with a smirk.
“Um, yes.” Isla frowned in confusion as she opened the door. She waved the sitter off and turned on the main lights, banished away any lurking shadows. She was about to go and check in on Meegan when she spotted her reflection in a wall mirror. Slowly Isla approached her own image, her cheeks burning with surprise and shame.
Her red hair now dangled in mad spirals around her head, half of it having broken free from her the various clips Isla had carefully employed to hold it in place. But it was the state of her lipstick which gave her the most cause for concern. The deep-red glaze was streaked around her mouth and partly over her cheeks. Isla began to giggle at her disheveled appearance. The taxi ride home had certainly been hot, but she hadn’t realized quite how much she had got carried away. Isla pressed a hand to her smudged lips and smiled as she remembered how hungrily Guy had kissed them. She felt like a smitten teenager, coming home in the dark and trying to hide the signs of her date.
Guy had hungrily kissed her in the back of the taxi as Isla gave in to him. He was powerful, sophisticated and impossibly sexy. She could feel herself falling under his spell and she didn’t care. Isla knew that the best part of any relationship was the initial fall.
Chapter Six
Eye of the Storm
The sky started to spew rain like an endless river of tears. Each drop was propelled towards the earth with fierce intensity. Aiden sat on his bed, watching the rain thrash against the window. Brandy was curled up beside him, her doe eyes wide as she too observed the unfolding storm.
The darkness was briefly shattered by the brilliant flash of lightning, shortly followed by the deep, menacing growl of thunder. Brandy flinched as more lightning forked across the sky, illuminating Avalon with an eerie glow.
“It’s alright.” Aiden squeezed her tightly. “The storm will soon pass.”
“I know.” Brandy nuzzled closer to him, bringing the bed sheet up to their chests. “I feel safe here with you.”
Aiden smiled but noticed how she remained tense in his arms.
“Why don’t I shut the curtains?” he suggested, uncoiling his arms from around Brandy and lowering himself off the bed.
“But I want to watch the storm.” Brandy was yawning as she spoke.
“It’s been going on for hours; we should really try and get some sleep.” Aiden closed the curtains as a flash of lightning shone brightly close by, its fierce glow only slightly dulled by the thin fabric now covering the window.
“I don’t think I can sleep through it,” Brandy objected but she was yawning once more, her mouth opening wide as her eyelids drooped heavily over her pretty eyes.
“Just try,” Aiden suggested as he climbed back into bed. Brandy rolled onto her side and he drew his body up behind her, placing one arm protectively over her.
Outside, the storm continued to rage. Aiden lay awake and listened to it for a while as he felt Brandy’s breathing slow and the tension ease from her limbs.
The bedroom was sporadically bathed in brilliant bright light as more lightning split the sky. Aiden pressed his head against his pillow and tried to shut out the storm. But with each ominous boom of thunder he found himself feeling further away from the respite of sleep.
He tried to focus on the relentless pattering of the rain upon the window, like eager little hands desperately knocking to be let in. When the hands on the clock united beneath the number twelve, Aiden eventually loosened his grip on Brandy and fell asleep.
*
“Damn rain,” Buck grumbled to himself as he flicked on his windscreen wipers to full strength. The blades furiously darted before the dashboard, struggling against the never-ending tide of water which drained down from the roof of the patrol car.
Leaning forward, Buck tried to see through the rain but it was obscuring everything. It felt like trying to see underwater, the whole world was distorted.
“Dammit,” Buck moaned again to himself as he took a large bite from the sandwich he was holding. The street around him suddenly lit up thanks to a nearby flash of lightning. Buck took the opportunity to scan the area as best he could. The storm had made the darkness of the night denser than usual.
Apart from the rain drops which bounced against the ground, everywhere was still. Buck chewed thoughtfully on his beef brisket sandwich, careful not to let any of the gravy drip down on to his uniform. Licking his lips in satisfaction, Buck savored the taste of his favorite sandwich. It offered him a small bit of comfort as he sat shivering in his patrol car. Even though the engine was running to work the wipers, he didn’t dare waste further fuel by turning up the heater.
Once the storm had cleared, Avalon would once again be bathed in glorious sunshine. The rain-soaked streets would dry up in a few short hours and it would seem as if the storm had never even been there. Buck wished that every storm he had to weather could be so easily erased.
Thunder roared above him, loud and menacing, but Buck remained rigid in the driver’s seat. He knew he was safe where he was. If lightning did strike the vehicle, the rubber tires would direct the charge to the ground. What worried him was if he had to run out from the car whilst the storm was still at the height of its fury.
His granite-colored eyes peered out at the street, focusing mainly on one house. All lights were off inside, signifying that the occupants were probably sleeping. Buck took another large bite of his sandwich and envied their ability to rest. He was spending his second night sat in his patrol car, holding a stake-out for a menace that might never present itself.
The rain-slicked street momentarily shone as lightning forked across the sky looking both beautiful and deadly. In the brief brightness Buck thought he saw something move. He tossed his sandwich onto the passenger seat and killed the engine, allowing the rain to completely engulf his windscre
en but he didn’t care. He couldn’t risk being seen in the car.
Darkness reclaimed the street as the rain desperately tried to wash everything away. Everything seemed as it had been but Buck was certain he’d seen movement. It had been brief and would have been easily missed by the untrained eye. But Buck knew what he was looking for. Slowly he opened his car door, grateful for the loud drumming of the rain which would cover a majority of any sound he made.
He closed the door and pressed his back against the vehicle as the rain began to hungrily soak through his clothes. His Stetson offered moderate protection to his face, allowing his vision to remain un-obscured. Sliding across the car, Buck lifted his head to look back at the house. A light had come on in one of the front windows. Buck placed one hand on his hip and drew his gun. He brought it up to his chest and carefully unlocked the safety.
Lightning flashed over the neighborhood and Buck seized his brief opportunity. He dashed out from by his car and ran over to the house, keeping his body low to the ground as he moved. As thunder echoed over the rooftops, Buck was already behind a large bush assessing the house. His uniform was already sodden and clung to his old frame but he didn’t care. Like a lion stalking its prey, Buck was focused on only one thing. He narrowed his eyes and placed both hands on the hilt of his gun.
A few feet away, something rustled. The sound was almost drowned out entirely by the rain but Buck caught it. His entire body tingled with its own electricity as he cautiously left the cover of the bush and moved closer to the house.
*
Isla sat in her nightdress. Her make-up was now stripped from her face, her hair hanging loosely around her shoulders, each curl now allowed to be free instead of restrained. Meegan had not stirred when she went in to see her. The little girl was sleeping soundly with her thumb tightly clamped in her mouth. As she dreamed, she gurgled contentedly and sucked upon her thumb.
“Night, night, princess,” Isla had whispered tenderly to her. She almost wished Meegan would wake up, that her wide eyes would blink and then brighten when she spotted her mother standing over her crib. But instead she slept.