Gold Hill

by Christian, Claudia Hall

“Delphie says Yvonne’s at Tanesha’s house,” Heather said.

  “I’m really glad,” Blane said. “I love how everyone . . . ”

  “I’d look for you all night and all day until I found you,” Heather said. “You will never be a lost boy again.”

  “I love you for saying that,” Blane hugged her close. “But I’d just ask Delphie.”

  Heather laughed.

  ~~~~~~~~

  Wednesday afternoon — 9:27 p.m. MT

  Tanesha bounced on her toes in the familiar penthouse elevator as it rose to the condo. She had no idea what was going on. She had no idea what she would walk into. For the life of her, she couldn’t imagine how her mother ended up in the penthouse. Had Jeraine and his Dad been out whoring around town and found her? Was she alive? Tanesha’s mind reeled at all the possibilities. When the penthouse elevator opened, she paused to listen.

  The place was silent.

  She heard footsteps and saw Jeraine jog toward her. In a moment, she was encased in his tight arms. His shoulder pressed against her face, her strong, raw emotion came forward. She began to sob.

  She wasn’t sure how long they stood there on the elevator. A long time. He held her tight and she wept. There were moments when she would have fallen if he had let go. He didn’t let go. He didn’t say anything or make a joke or try to fix it. He just held her hard and tight.

  “Where’s my mom?” Tanesha whispered when the rawness of her emotions eased.

  “Asleep in the guest bedroom. Dad gave her a sedative so she could sleep,” Jeraine said. “Your Dad’s with her.”

  “Oh God.” Tears flooded forward and this time Jeraine kissed her neck, her face and finally her lips. Stirred by her own emotional release, she kissed him hard and he flinched.

  “What happened to your mouth?” she leaned back to look at him.

  “I got kicked by a donkey,” he said. “And not because I was trying to have sex with it.”

  “Sex with a donkey?” Tanesha laughed. “You say the craziest things.”

  He laughed. Taking her hand, they walked to the guest bedroom. Tanesha opened the door a crack and peeked in. Her mother was lying on the bed and her father on the floor. She closed her eyes tight and when she opened them again her mother was still asleep on the bed and her father on the floor.

  “She’s still there,” Tanesha whispered and pulled the door closed. She stood with her eyes closed and her hand on the knob for a moment. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I called you about 30 times tonight,” Jeraine said.

  “Oh,” Tanesha said. “You did?”

  “I did,” Jeraine nodded. “First, I couldn’t call you because well . . . everything that happened and she was . . . upset. We got CoraFaye’s, ate, and Dad came over to check her. There’s some chicken and cake left for you.”

  Tanesha smiled.

  “I don’t know what to say,” she said. “This is my dream . . . come true. Thank you.”

  Jeraine smiled. He took her hand and led her into the kitchen.

  “I bet you haven’t eaten all day either,” he said.

  Tanesha shook her head.

  “After I made the cake?” Jeraine cut a piece for Tanesha. She picked it up with her fingers and began to eat. “She kept telling me I should meet someone named Tanni. Tanni this and Tanni that. She thinks me and Tanni are soul mates.”

  Her mouth full of cake, Tanesha choked a laugh.

  “Just so you know,” he said. “You are not your mother’s first pick for me.”

  Still choking and laughing, Tanesha got a glass and filled it from the tap. When she finished drinking, she smiled at him.

  “What is my name?” she asked.

  “Tanesha,” Jeraine smiled. “I call you Miss T.”

  “Tan-E-sha,” she said.

  “You’re Tanni?” Jeraine asked.

  “Only to my mother,” she said.

  “That’s very good,” Jeraine said. “We’re perfect for each other.”

  “I don’t even know how you found her. You will tell me every detail, right?”

  “Every detail.”

  Tanesha smiled.

  “Why don’t you go sit down?” Jeraine asked. “I’ll warm up the chicken and bring it out to you. Come on.”

  He took her hand and led her to the couch in the living room. Pictures flashed across their flat screen television.

  “Who’s that?” Tanesha asked.

  “Um . . . ” Jeraine picked up the remote to turn up the sound. “That’s the State Attorney General . . . uh . . . Alvin? He’s supposed to own that building your mom lived in. I think that’s a retrospective on his life in politics. The Denver Police expect to arrest him tomorrow morning.”

  As if drawn by a magnet, Tanesha floated to the screen. Her eyes glazed over. Jeraine rushed to her side.

  “That’s him,” she said.

  “Who?”

  “That’s the man who . . . ” Tanesha stopped talking. “And Mom . . . ”

  She gestured to the guest bedroom.

  “I thought you didn’t remember what happened,” Jeraine said.

  “I didn’t,” Tanesha said. “But that picture, the one that was on when we came in? That’s him.”

  Jeraine felt a surge of rage for the man who’d hurt her so deeply. Tanesha stared at the television like she’d seen a ghost. Seeing her pain and knowing his anger wasn’t what she needed, he put it away.

  “They’re going to arrest him tomorrow,” Jeraine repeated.

  “What do we do?” Tanesha asked. “Because . . . ”

  “We call Seth,” Jeraine said.

  “No,” Tanesha said. “We call Sandy and she calls Seth.”

  “You’re sure,” Jeraine said.

  “Dead sure,” Tanesha said. “One hundred percent.”

  “Whatever you want, whatever you need,” he said. “I’m here for you.”

  “And the donkey,” Tanesha laughed.

  He smiled.

  “Oooh look at your teeth!” Tanesha said.

  “Dad’s gonna loan me the money to fix them.”

  “Does it hurt?”

  “Nah, he gave me antibiotics and stuff,” Jeraine said. “I’ll go get dinner and you call.”

  Tanesha nodded and dialed her phone.

  Chapter Two Hundred and Nine

  The Spider

  Wednesday night — 9:19 p.m. PT/10:19 p.m. MT

  Seth’s phone lit up the dark room. It vibrated twice and lit up again. He slipped his arm out from under Ava’s head and eased of bed.

  “Who is it?” Ava leaned up.

  “Sandy,” he mouthed and answered the phone. “O’Malley.”

  “Seth, it’s Sandy,” she said. “I’m sorry to bother you. I’m sure Ava’s a wreck and I know you’re upset about the music and . . . ”

  Seth walked toward the sliding glass door then realized he was naked. Ava threw his shirt at him. He put it on and sat at the table.

  “You sound upset.” Seth said. “Bumpy texted me to tell me that Yvonne is safe. What happened?”

  “It’s Tanesha,” Sandy said. “She saw some old photos of that jerk Alvin? I guess they were running a special on his political life on TV. You know, Jeraine has that thing on all the time.”

  Seth’s eyes drifted to Ava.

  “She recognized him,” Sandy said.

  “I think I know what you mean,” Seth said. “But, I’m sorry to make you do this, but you have to say it.”

  “He’s was raping her when her mom hurt herself to get him to stop. You know when Yvonne hurt her brain?”

  “Is she sure?” Seth asked.

  “That’s the weird thing,” Sandy said. “She’s absolutely sure. She remembers the whole thing. He used to incapacitate Yvonne – drug her or tie her up or lock her in the bathroom or other horrible things – then hurt Tanesha so Yvonne would do whatever he wanted. Tanesha even remembers you and Dad. She remembers Dad’s sideburns. I don’t even remember his sideburns. I’ve only se
en them in pictures.”

  “He didn’t have them when you knew him,” Seth said.

  “Anyway, she said that she remembers you taking her bear,” Sandy said. “She said to check the bear. Her mother stole some pictures he took. I guess he used to take pictures of hurting Tanesha and leave them to remind Yvonne what happened when she didn’t do what he wanted. Tanesha said there’s a zipper in back of the bear. Yvonne hid the pictures under the plastic voice box in the back of the bear.”

  “She remembers all of this,” Seth said.

  “Clear as day,” Sandy said.

  “She’s sure,” Seth said.

  “She’s positive,” Sandy said.

  “And she’s willing to come forward?” Seth asked.

  “That’s the weird thing,” Sandy said. “She wants to. I think knowing Yvonne is finally safe, and with Jeraine and med school, she’s ready to close this chapter of her life.”

  “Okay,” Seth said. “I’ll make some calls. And Yvonne?”

  “She’s asleep at the penthouse,” Sandy said. “Rodney’s with her.”

  Seth let out a breath.

  “You okay?” Sandy said.

  “Just relieved,” Seth said. “We’re not out of the woods yet, but . . . I’m glad Yvonne is finally home.”

  “Me too,” Sandy said. “I’m off to bed.”

  “Sleep tight,” Seth hung up the phone. He stared off into space.

  “What was that?” Ava asked.

  “The end of a long day,” Seth said. “Yvonne is home and safe with Tanesha. Would you like to go dancing?”

  “Not really,” Ava said. “I was thinking about starting the whole thing over again – swim, make love, dinner in bed . . . ”

  “I need to make some calls,” Seth said.

  “About my dad?”

  Seth nodded.

  “It’s bad?

  “Worse,” Seth nodded.

  Ava shook her head at him. She got out of bed, went into the bathroom, and closed the door.

  Seth dialed the phone, “Ferg?”

  “Hey Seth,” Captain Ferguson said. “Are you living the life we all envy?”

  “I spent a couple hours getting my blood filtered today,” Seth said.

  “I’m sure the care package I sent you helped warm you right up when you were done,” Ferg laughed. “Not that I meant anything unsavory or . . . ”

  Seth laughed.

  “What’s up?” Ferg asked.

  “I know you’re getting ready to arrest Alvin tomorrow,” Seth said. “Can you pull up an old case for me?”

  “Sure,” Ferg said. “What’re you looking for?”

  “Just a second,” Seth said. He got his reading glasses and went through his phone where he kept a database of all his old case files. He gave the number to Ferg.

  “We have that up from the warehouse already,” Ferg said. “Interim chief said make sure the ducks are in a row for tomorrow. We’re reviewing every case he’s been involved with.”

  “Is there a Teddy bear in there?” Seth asked. “I remember one but . . . ”

  “Uh . . . ” Ferg said. “Let me get the box.”

  Seth waited. Ava came out of the bathroom. She pulled on a pair of shorts and a fleece sweater and went out to the deck off their bedroom. She pulled the sliding glass door closed.

  “Ok go,” Ferg said. “I see a blood stained chocolate brown bear.”

  “Is there a zipper on the back?”

  “Uh . . . ” In the background, there was a sharp “snap” as Ferg putting on latex gloves. “Sure. It’s one of those talking bears.”

  “Unzip it,” Seth said. “There’re some photos under the plastic voice box.”

  “Doing bear surgery,” Ferg said. “I have the zipper open. I see a pink plastic box. I am lifting the pink box through the zipper and . . . Holy mother of God, I have to go.”

  Seth hung up the phone.

  “You look grim,” Ava said.

  “Some things about your father . . . came to light,” Seth said.

  “Should I go home?” Ava asked.

  “I’d rather you stayed here,” Seth said. “This is going to blow back pretty hard.”

  “But my mom . . . shouldn’t I be with her?”

  “To comfort her?”

  “Yeah, I’m never much comfort to her,” Ava said.

  Seth watched her closely.

  “They’ll say I’m selfish.”

  “They say that anyway,” Seth said.

  “The blow back starts tomorrow?” Ava asked.

  Seth nodded.

  “Let’s go dancing,” Ava said. “Take me out on the town.”

  Overwhelmed by her capacity to live in the face of life’s awful moments, he could only stare at her. When she blushed at his intense attention, he got up, got dressed, and took her out.

  ~~~~~~~~

  Thursday early morning — 2:37 a.m. MT

  Rodney was a very light sleeper. He was wide awake the moment she moved from the bed. He watched the dark shadow of Yvonne get up to use the restroom. She walked back across the room to the door. She picked something up from the dresser near the door.

  “Strawberry,” she said in a soft voice. “I do love the strawberry pens.”

  She moved back to the bed and turned on the bedside table lamp. Yvonne sat down on the bed with her back to him and opened what seemed to be a notebook.

  “Dear Mom.” The sound of her sweet voice made him smile. “You’re at my house. You met Bumpy’s son Jeraine last night . . . I wondered how I got here,” she went back to reading. “You remember he’s my husband . . . I didn’t remember but this is a nice place and he’s Bumpy’s son. He was the cutest little boy . . . Your keeper has left Denver and you are finally home . . . That’s just fine, like a dream come true . . . Dad’s sleeping on the floor of your room . . . ”

  Yvonne chuckled.

  “This whole thing must be some joke,” Yvonne said. “Tanni, your Dad is in prison. I might not remember much but I remember my Rodney gets out of prison on June 14, 2020. I’ve counted every day for a very long time.”

  Rodney sat up from the floor.

  “Get some rest and I’ll see you tomorrow when I get home from school,” Yvonne read. “Tanni is in med school. I remember that because I wrote it down. She started this week. There’s something else I’m supposed to remember, but I don’t know what that would be.”

  “Yvonne,” Rodney said.

  Yvonne gave a little scream and clutched the book to her. She turned toward his voice.

  “Rodney?” she whispered.

  He smiled at her. She closed her eyes tight.

  “This is a dream. This is a dream. This is a dream. This is a dream. This is a dream,” she whispered. “When I open my eyes, I’ll be at the apartment and . . . ”

  She opened her eyes. Rodney smiled and she closed her eyes.

  “Somebody gave me drugs. I’m having a hallucination,” she whispered. “My Tanni’s going to be so mad. She said she’d stop seeing me if I did drugs anymore and I’ll lose my Tanni and she’s the very best thing in my whole life and I can’t lose my Tanni and . . . ”

  Tears sprouted from Yvonne’s tightly closed eyes. Rodney got up from the floor. He sat down on the bed and touched her shoulder.

  “This isn’t a dream, Yvie,” he said. “I’m right here with you.”

  She opened one eye to look at him. The eye blinked a few times.

  “Prove it,” Yvonne said.

  He touched her back. Her other eye opened.

  “Did you break out of prison?” she whispered. “Was I supposed to remember that?”

  He shook his head.

  “Do you have to go back?”

  “Lord, I hope not,” he said.

  She looked him up and down. He could almost see her mind working.

  “You’ve been out a while.” New tears ran down her lovely face. “How come you didn’t come get me?”

  “Because I’m a fool,” Rodney said. “I th
ought you were where you wanted to be.”

  “You’ve been talking to my mother,” Yvonne shook her head. “That woman is mean.”

  “I didn’t know until . . . too late that you were caught . . . ”

  “By a spider,” Yvonne whispered. “You know, he would tell me that if I didn’t . . . he would put you in solitary or in a cell with some mean man who would violate you in the middle of the night or get someone to gouge your eyes out or . . . ”

  Yvonne gasped. Her hand went to her mouth.

  “Oh Rodney, I’ve broken our marriage vows,” Yvonne said. “I haven’t been a very good wife.”

  She was so sincere and so sweet that Rodney could only smile.

  “You know what?” Rodney held out his hand to her. She looked at his big hand and put hers in its palm. He smiled. “I’ve broken our marriage vows too.”

  “You have?”

  “I have,” Rodney nodded. “And I didn’t come to save you. I’ve not been a very good husband.”

  “What are we going to do?” Yvonne asked.

  Rodney kissed the back of her hand. In his wildest dreams, he’d never imagined he would ever have a chance with Yvonne again. Of course, Yvonne had never considered that they wouldn’t be together.

  “You might not want to be married to me,” he said. “I didn’t come get you. I left you there and . . . ”

  Yvonne’s dark eyes watched him intently. He stopped talking.

  “What?” he asked.

  “I’ve only ever wanted to be married to you,” Yvonne beamed a smile at him. “Do you want to be married to me?”

  He laughed.

  “You should be really mad at me,” Rodney pointed to the book she clutched to her chest. “In fact, write that down – Rodney didn’t come get me. Rodney failed me – so you’ll remember.”

  “I’m not going to write that down,” Yvonne pulled the book away from his finger. “I’ve waited for years and years for you to come home. If I write that down, I might get mad. If I get mad, I’ll have to live in a prison of anger like my mean mother. Then I would have to live my life in my anger prison and you would be free and we wouldn’t be together. That would be awful.”

  He smiled at her wisdom.

  “Do you want to be married to me?” she asked. “I’ve done . . . a lot of not very good things while you’ve been gone. I mean, my mother won’t speak to me and . . . ”