by Lauren Runow
Pretend all you want. I’ll get mine. Just you wait.
Look, I don’t know who you are or what you think you know but you’re wrong. Leave my family alone!
I slip my phone in my back pocket just as Allison walks in from the bedroom holding Lyric and thankfully not noticing anything that was going on.
“I’m going to put this little angel down for bed, do you need anything from in here before I do?” she says.
I walk over, kiss Lyric on the head before leaning in and kissing Allison on the lips, “No, I’m good. Night buddy,” I whisper to Lyric.
Once I walk out of the room I grab my cell phone from my back pocket to see that there’s a reply:
Meet me in an hour at the front entrance of Pier 39. I’ll find you.
My jaw clenches and my eyes squint, reading the text again. Shit. What do I tell Allison? I can’t tell her where I’m going.
She walks back into the living room and sits down on the couch sighing, and exhausted from the last few days.
I think up a plan. “Hey baby, Paul’s heading to the gym, do you mind if I go get a WOD in?”
Allison looks at me surprised, “You’re not exhausted?”
I laugh, “Yeah, but I think it will do me good. Do you mind?”
“No, not at all. I’m probably going to put on a movie and crash right here. Good idea to get a TV for out here so I can zone out,” she laughs. “Since you aren’t tired you can get up tonight with him so I can sleep.”
I laugh, “You got a deal. Love you, baby.”
“Love you, too. Have fun. Tell everyone hello for me.”
“I will.” I lean in, giving her a long kiss before heading out the door. Once in the elevator I go up to Paul’s place hoping Nichole isn’t there.
As the doors to his apartment open Nichole walks by laughing, “Are you escaping already?”
Shit. “Um, no. Where’s Paul?”
“Right here. What’s up bro?”
“Can you talk?” I look from Paul to Nichole then back to Paul.
“Whoa. What’s that look all about? Look Charlie. Allison’s my sister. What’s going on?” Nichole spats out, not holding anything back.
“Nichole please, I don’t want you or Allison involved.”
“Involved in what?”
Paul grabs Nichole’s arm, “Please doll, can you give us a minute?”
“Look Charlie. If you hurt my sister I will kill you. She has given up so much for you! She’s raising your child for Christ sake!”
“Nichole, I know. Please. It’s nothing like that. I am trying to protect her.”
“Protect her? From what? Tell me what you need to talk to Paul about. I’ll decide if she needs protecting.”
“Fine, have it your way. But please, don’t say anything until I get back. Allison thinks Paul and I are going to the gym.”
“Why are you lying to her? What’s going on Charlie? Where are you going?”
I look at Paul, “Look man. I don’t want to bring you into this because I don’t even know what it is but I would feel better if I knew someone was there to at least look out for me. I don’t want you near me but I want to know that if something does happen then someone will know. Does that make sense?”
“No Charlie, it doesn’t. What’s going on?” Paul replies.
I pull out my phone and show them the text messages. They both read them then look back up at me.
“What the fuck?” Paul questions.
“I don’t know. I have to go find out why I’m getting these texts. They want to meet in a very public place so I’m comfortable with that. I just want someone watching out for me just incase.”
Paul nods, “I got you. Let’s go.”
Nichole places her hands on both of us. “Whoa, wait a minute. You guys have no idea who this person is or what they want. You should call the cops.”
“And say what Nichole? I used to be a male prostitute and I got my client pregnant, oh yeah, the one that you haven’t solved the case for her murder and now some crazy is texting me saying shit I have no idea what he’s talking about,” I say, frustrated.
Nichole backs down, “Charlie, it’s just, what about Allison? What about Lyric? This isn’t safe.”
I run my hands through my hair. “I know. But the text mentioned her and I need to figure this out before whoever this is does something more than text. What if they try to harm Allison or Lyric? I can’t put them in any kind of risk. I’ll go and figure out what they want and how much they know.”
Paul turns toward Nichole, “It’s ok. Pier 39 is a very public place. They won’t do anything stupid. No one is that dumb. We’ll be back. Why don’t you go down and hang out with Allison?”
“Oh and act like nothing’s going on? She would read my face like a book.”
“Ok, yeah, you’re right. Then stay here,” Paul shrugs.
“No, if you go, I go. If you’re just the lookout then you’ll want someone with you anyway so you don’t stand out. I’ll let you rub my ass like a horny teenager while you spy,” she teases.
Paul shrugs looking at me, “Sounds like a hell of a plan to me,” he laughs.
“Fine you guys. Just stay back. But keep an eye on me, not just her ass.”
“But have you seen her ass?” He hits my back joking around. “No worries man, we got you. Let’s go figure out what the hell is going on.”
It’s dark at Pier 39 but there is still a good amount of people around. I sit on a bench at the entrance patiently waiting for someone to approach me. Paul and Nichole find an area for Paul to lean against so he’s facing me. Nichole leans up against him, facing him as they embrace each other while waiting.
Not long after I sit down a man wearing a low baseball cap approaches me, sitting on the opposite side of the bench. He doesn’t look my way but starts talking. “Continue to look forward. Don’t look at me. Ok?”
I sit up straight when I hear the man talking to me. I look Paul dead in the eyes but don’t look toward the man. “Ok.”
“I know you and your little girlfriend scammed Jacquelyn for her money.”
“Look, I don’t know who you are but you’re wrong. There is no money.”
“Don’t lie to me. I know you got her pregnant on purpose so you could get child support from her.”
I gasp, shocked at what I’m hearing. “Are you kidding me? You think I did that on purpose? Look man. You have it all wrong.”
“Don’t lie to me. There is no way you legitimately were interested in Jacquelyn. Not when you have a little hottie like Allison.”
I swiftly turn toward him, “You leave her out of this!”
The man quickly looks away. “I told you to face forward. Don’t you dare turn toward me or I will involve her, you hear me?”
I turn to look forward again, taking a deep breath, trying to calm down. “Look, I met them at the exact same time. Believe me. Whatever you think you know you don’t. Allison and I definitely did not plan this. If anything, Jacquelyn planned this.”
“Oh yeah. Then why did she kidnap Allison?”
My breath is completely caught, “How do you know that?”
“I told you. I know everything. She found out about your little plan didn’t she? So she tried to turn the tables on the two of you. Didn’t she?”
“Look Mister. You’re wrong. That is not what happened. And there is no money.”
“Yes there is. I know there is. I want $825,000 or I go to the cops with your little scheme.”
“$825,000! You’re crazy! I don’t have anywhere near that. Who the hell do you think I am?”
“You’re the man that just inherited Jacquelyn’s entire estate. Don’t try and deny it. I’m only asking for $825,000. That’s chump change for what you’re worth now.” The man’s voice cracks when he says only and I get the sense there is something more happening here.
“No, actually, I didn’t. Sorry. Again, I don’t know what you think you know but you’re wrong.”
“But
she has no family. And Lyric is her son so it all goes to him…” his voice growing desperate now and I’m actually starting to feel sorry for the guy.
“Nope, sorry to break it to you but you’re wrong. I have no idea what’s happening to her estate. It’s not my problem. Lyric is my son and we have nothing to do with her.”
The man is quickly losing hope. I can tell he’s trying to be strong but he slips out, “But my wife.”
The tension I felt from the man earlier has disappeared so I slowly turn my head to try to get a look at him. “Detective O’Brien?” I say completely shocked to see who’s sitting beside me.
“Shit, no. Don’t look at me. This conversation never happened.” He swiftly stands up trying to walk away.
I grab his arm tightly to stop him. “What the fuck? What’s going on?”
Detective O’Brien slumps his shoulders forward, defeated as he sits back down placing his head in his hands. “Look. I don’t want to be here right now. This is not who I am. I just, I thought…” He looks at me, face to face for the first time and sighs. “Now I really fucked up. This is why I was always made to catch bad guys not be one.”
I tilt my head at him, confused.
“It’s my wife. She has Melanoma. Our insurance is denying her treatment and this was my last ditch hope. Dammit!” He slaps his hands on his knees in anger.
I place my hand on Detective O’Brien’s back. “Look, I get it. I would do anything for Allison, too. But no, believe me, we absolutely did not plan this pregnancy to try to get money out of Jacquelyn. And no, we aren’t getting any money from her estate,” I pause. “I actually have no idea what’s happening to her estate.”
“Then what? Why did Jacquelyn do what she did?”
I pause again, looking into Detective O’Brien’s eyes, not sure what he does actually know but I still play dumb, “I don’t know what you’re talking about?”
“I saw the tapes. I saw her tie Allison up. I saw Diane, who’s Allison’s mom, come in after you did. I saw you knee Jacquelyn and I saw the gun go off when you tried to get it away from her. I know you all belong to the same gym. The gym that is owned by the same parent company you work for. But nothing else adds up. So why?”
I sit back in my seat and sigh, “Well… I guess you’ll never know. But you do know that none of us meant to harm Jacquelyn so there really isn’t a case then. Just an unsolved break-in gone bad. And if you drop it then I’ll pretend this conversation never happened. Deal.”
Detective O’Brien sighs loudly, “Deal.” He looks at me, “Look, sorry man. I just… my wife…”
I pat his back, “No worries. I wish I could help. I’d do the same for Allison.”
I get up to walk toward Paul and Nichole when a man walks up quickly stopping me in my path.
“What the fuck is going on here? Why are you letting him go? He killed my wife!” the man yells at Detective O’Brien.
I hold out my hands to the man, “Hey, I don’t know what you’re talking about. I didn’t kill anyone.”
“Yes, you did. I saw the tapes. The same ones he did. Why are you letting him walk away?”
Detective O’Brien stands up quickly to approach the man. “Jack? What are you doing here?”
“What am I doing here?” he returns his question. “What am I doing here? I’m standing up for what is right. Standing up for my wife, Jacquelyn. This bastard killed her and is now going to steal all of MY money.”
“You’re Jacquelyn’s husband?” I ask, shocked.
“Ex-husband,” Detective O’Brien clarifies.
“I was her husband until this asshole came along.” He looks at me, reaching behind him and producing a gun that he points directly at me. “This is all your fault. You set this up. You seduced her to take her money. You pushed me out. I put up with her shit for years, that money is mine. I earned it!”
My heart is beating out of control. Images of Lyric flash in front of me. No way and I leaving this earth. I have a son who needs me. I have to stay calm. This man is obviously as crazy as Jacquelyn was.
I look up and Paul and I catch eyes. He’s standing directly behind the man so I don’t think he sees the gun but he knows something’s up. I watch as he places his hands on Nichole, slowly moving her to the side, preparing for whatever he needs to do.
“Whoa, let’s hold on here, Jack. Put down the gun. Charlie didn’t kill Jacquelyn.”
Jack points the gun at Detective O’Brien who instantly puts his hands in the air. I look at Paul who now has full vision of the gun. Slowly he moves Nichole completely out of the way. I watch as he says something to her and then very carefully starts to make his way toward us.
“He did kill her! I saw the videos. I had to know for myself what happened. I looked this asshole up months ago when I found out he was the supposed father. He didn’t love Jacquelyn. He has that sweet little piece of ass he’s always with.”
“Hey, you keep her out of this!” I jump in.
He points the gun back to me. “You guys were in this together. You knew she was crazy but filthy rich. You knew you would get all of her money. Don’t lie to me. But guess what? It’s not going to happen. That money is mine and I’ll do whatever it takes to get it back. And I came to do just that tonight but watched as you drove out of your place so I followed you here, only to find you meeting with him! Are you in on this, too? But wait, where are the other two people that were in your car?”
He looks around and sees Paul approaching from behind him. Turning around he points the gun at Paul. “Back up! You aren’t part of this mess. Don’t make me kill you, too.”
“Hey, let’s all calm down,” Detective O’Brien says.
“Calm down! Excuse me?” Jack yells, moving the gun back to Detective O’Brien. “Why aren’t you arresting him? Why are you meeting here instead of the police station? You saw those tapes months ago. Am I the only one who thinks that someone needs to go down for Jacquelyn’s murder?”
“Jack, if you truly saw the tapes you saw that Charlie didn’t shoot her intentionally,” Detective O’Brien interjects.
“But he was involved. There was obviously something going on. He’s responsible and I’m going to make it right. Jacquelyn deserves at least that!”
Jack raises the gun up to eye level, pointing it directly at me. “I will make it right,” he says as he pulls the trigger.
My entire life flashes before my eyes. My parents. Growing up in Vacaville. Everything I’ve been through to be where I am now. Allison. Lyric. My entire world.
I hear screams as I hit the floor, hard. I can’t see anything. All I hear is a man yelling, and a girl screaming but everything’s black.
It takes me a second to come to when I feel someone moving over me. I realize that Paul landed on top of me, covering my entire upper half with his own.
“Fuck me!” I hear Paul yell as he sits up and my eyes adjust to the scene around me.
I hit my head pretty hard when Paul tackled me to the ground but other than that, I’m not hit. I sit up, turning to Paul who’s gripping his arm. Nichole is wrapped around him, screaming at the top of her lungs for someone to call 911.
I turn to my left to see Detective O’Brien kneeling on top of Jack, with his hands handcuffed behind his back, talking on his phone.
Shaking my head once more I try to get up but am still a little dazed. On the second attempt I reach out to Paul.
“You ok man?”
Paul looks at his arm that’s covered in blood, sighing he looks up to the sky saying a silent thank you, then looks at me, “Yeah, I think it just nicked my arm.”
He looks at Nichole who is wrapped around him, hugging him as tears spill down her face.
She pulls back from him saying, “What the fuck Paul! You could have been killed!”
“Hey, better me than him. Charlie is my boy. I’d do anything for him. And Lyric needs him. I was raised without a father. There was no way I was going to let that happen to Lyric.”
I sta
nd up, walking closer to Paul and kneeling down. “You saved my life.”
He looks up at me with a small smile, “Don’t get all sappy on me bro.”
I reach out to pat his back, “Thanks man. I owe you everything.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah, don’t mention it. Just get me to a doctor before I bleed all over my clothes here.” He’s trying to joke but I can’t help it.
I reach out, grabbing him a manly hug, “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” he says returning my one arm hug.
I look up and see sirens approaching us. “Come on, let’s get you up. Help is here.”
I glance at Detective O’Brien who is walking Jack to the back of a waiting cop car. I nod and with a small smile he nods back.
Thankfully the bullet just grazed Paul’s arm so he needed nothing more than a bandage to stop the bleeding. Paul and Nichole are sitting at the back of the ambulance with Nichole wrapped up in Paul’s arms. I pull out my phone to call Allison to fill her in about everything that just happened. As the phone rings I turn my attention to Paul and Nichole and watch their interaction. I watch as Nichole says, “I love you,” to Paul and they kiss in a moment they feel that no one else is witnessing.
I can’t help but smile. Knowing that feeling and so happy that Paul has found that love as well.
“Charlie, I know it’s Unwritten Law and I normally wouldn’t miss them for the world but do you really think we should go? I mean, Lyric is only three weeks old and we are heading to Vacaville in a couple of days for this Fiesta Days thing you keep talking about.”
“Allison,” Charlie grabs my hand pulling me in close. “There is no way we’re missing this show. This is where we started. I’m forever in debt to this band. Without them, I would have never met you.”
I smile, “Ok, if you put it that way,” I tease.
“Besides, you know your mom is dying to watch Lyric for us. She’ll be here any minute.”
“Ok, give me a minute, I’ll go get dressed.”
“Hey,” he grabs my arm turning me around and pulling me in close. “Will you wear the same outfit? The black Unwritten Law tank top with the red heart?”