by T. Jones
"Okay, you made your point, how about we compromise."
"Listening." Danielle smiled, looking into blue eyes.
"We do everything we can to get that tape, since it's the only thing we can really use against Ozzy anyway. If we get it, we'll try our idea of how to decide things inside the Sisters. Since we don't know exactly what's on that tape, maybe Dee, Teri, you and I look at it, see how it actually went down. Maybe it wasn't as bad as you thought, maybe he didn't actually use her as a shield, maybe it looked worse than it was. We'll decide together if we want to use what's on that tape to burn Ozzy. If we need a tiebreaker, we'll get Madeline."
"Sounds good Callie. That isn't how Teresa would do it."
"Well, I don't want to start off being like that bitch." Danielle reached out a hand, and when Callie took it, pulled her into a hug.
"This is the way it should always work Callie, democracy."
"Well, you know which way I'm probably going to vote."
***
Callie spent the weekend with Danielle and Deeann, talking to the Sisters and Teri. Grace's health was slipping away quickly, and she had moved to a nursing home, with hospice care right around the corner. Teri agreed with their idea of having a vote on any action the group was planning to take. What to do about Ozzy was their first order of business. It all depended on getting the tape, if it still existed.
Chapter Thirteen
"Tonight's the night Billy. The old man is about to crack. He's going to get nailed for trading and he expects me to get him out of it, which I can't do, because he's guilty as sin. Then, sure as shit he's going to flip out, probably kick my ass, and give that tape to a fucking reporter. If that happens, I might as well kiss my ass goodbye and go live on the street. You need to step up."
"You couldn't get the new combination? That would be simple."
"No, I told you that, he's not that stupid. You have to go there tonight, wear a mask, and make him give it to you. You have to use your gun, Billy."
"Jesus Oz, I don't know."
"You better goddamn figure it out, you owe me Billy, you said you'd do this."
"Yeah, alright. But when things get straighten out, I get that tape, you're going to owe me, big time."
"Things go the way I hope, I'll be more than happy to give you some more cash. Meet me at the club and I'll give you my key." He explained his plan. Johnathan Marsh would be in the office late, doing his own research on insider trading. Billy would simply walk in, mask on, gun in hand, and demand the contents to the safe. Oz smiled grimly. If he knew his old man, the rest of it would take care of itself.
***
Johnathan Marsh had called Teresa with an update, and she was livid. He said not to worry, that her investment was safe, that she wouldn't be charged personally, but that future profits would temporarily be frozen. He was putting a team on it. That sounded like, at the very least, a reason for Marsh and his firm to bleed off more of her money. She got in her car and drove to the club to meet Jane.
"So, what the hell, Teresa?" Jane was frantic. "This sounds serious. Push comes to shove, I can survive without that money, but I'm not going to prison. I'll skip the country before I end up somebody's girlfriend in the joint."
"Stop being so dramatic, we're not going to jail. Marsh is the one with the liability. But it sounds like the laws are complicated, so I don't know, could be some fines. If we're in trouble, so is Deeann, and she's got lawyers coming out of her ass."
"How's that? As I remember, she gave you the money straight out, didn't she?"
"Shit, is she that good at playing stupid? I swear Madeline Rice is behind this, she's been after Marsh for years, now they're prosecuting just when we get involved. I know she never liked me using the Sisters to make money, her or Bess Fisher, but I didn't think she would set me up."
"Probably not a coincidence. I'm going to lawyer up, and it's not going to be Johnathan Marsh, he got us into this mess."
"Yeah, I'm calling my regular lawyer too. At the very least, we should get our money back. Nobody can prove we knew about the new device, that was between Marsh and his contact in the company. But I've had it with Madeline Rice and Bess Fisher. And somehow Callie is involved in this too, I know it. Everything has gone to hell ever since she got involved with the group. I know enough shit to make her life very miserable, and I'm not just talking about her girlfriend. But I am going to go have a talk with that little ginger, and I guarantee she will hate Callie Fisher as much as I do, before I'm through. I'm going to tend to that personally. Then I'm going to turn around, come back and burn her mother and Madeline. I'm telling everything I know about those two bitches. It won't make me any money, but it will put a smile on my face."
"Seriously, I would not do that Teresa. Madeline is bad enough, but fucking with Bess Fisher is definitely not a good idea."
"Well, fucking with Teresa Blackburn isn't either." Jane MacDonald downed her drink, then made an excuse to leave as quickly as possible. She wanted no part of what was coming.
***
Ozzy glanced at his phone, checking the time. He had been second guessing himself, but the reappearance of his father, threatening him with the tape again, strengthened his resolve. He pulled his desk drawer open, slid the small .22 into his coat pocket, then reached in to grab the bag of white powder. He snorted a small amount, feeling the rush of certainty. He needed to be somewhere else, somewhere he would be seen. He knew the elder Marsh would be furious with him for leaving early, but decided that it wouldn't matter. He slid the plastic bag into his pocket, just in case he started losing his nerve.
***
"Hello, is this the Mconvil residence?" Teresa was in her car, just turning off the interstate and heading west. The sun was settling quickly into the trees along the horizon straight in front of her, making it difficult to see the rode. Fifteen minutes on the state highway, and she would do her best to make Callie Fisher pay for her meddling, along with Bess Fisher and Madeline Rice.
"Yes, it is, can I help you?"
"Hello Mrs. Mconvil, I was just wondering if Jennifer was home? I'm a friend of Callie Fisher's, and I wanted to talk to her." There were only two Mconvils listed in the county, and it was her second call.
"She's still at Walmart, she works until five I think. Can I tell her who called?"
"That's great, I'll swing in there and surprise her. I have a message from Callie for her."
"Oh, those two are so cute together," Teresa rolled her eyes. "I'm glad they patched things up. I think Jenny's heading down there tonight to surprise Callie. Turns out, she doesn't have to work tomorrow."
"I can't wait to tell her my news, Mrs. Mconvil, that Callie is full of surprises, right? I'd better go, I want to catch Jenny before she leaves work. What section is she in again?"
"She's back in electronics, in the back. She works until five. And what was your name?"
"She's there till five, got it, thanks again." Teresa ended the call and glanced at the time on her dashboard. Plenty of time to get there and find the redhead that Callie was so obsessed with. By the time she was done telling what she knew about Davis and Abby Cooper, and why Davis had really killed the Johnson kid, it seemed unlikely Callie would have a girlfriend. Even though she couldn't get into Callie's head, Teresa knew how deeply she felt about the redhead, and how much it would hurt to lose her. She smiled a little. "Payback's a bitch Miss Fisher, and just wait until I get done with your mother." She pushed her foot down a little and the big Mercedes jumped forward into the growing darkness. In the distance an amber light flashed dimly, warning of an approaching intersection.
***
"Everything hinges on us getting that tape." Callie was pacing back and forth in front of Deeann and Danielle, head down, concentrating.
"It isn't just about the tape Callie," Danielle reminded her. "We need to stop Ozzy from killing his old man."
"You do know the money deal is going south? Charges have been filed. Johnathan Marsh has been named for insider trad
ing. Teresa and Jane might go down too." Deeann offered. "I'm not sure if that changes anything, but my lawyers let me know about it."
"What about you, Deeann? I thought you went in for five million. Aren't you a co-conspirator, or whatever they call it." Callie asked.
"Would be if I hadn't given the check directly to Teresa, made out in her name. Pretty sure she planned to screw me out of it anyway, but she needed it to close the deal." Callie's eyes widened.
"So, you knew that would happen? You kept your name out of it, and set her up."
"Me?" Deeann winked. "What do I look like, a mind reader?" Calle laughed.
"Glad you're on our side. So, there's suddenly less reason for Ozzy to kill his Dad. If the old man went to jail, Ozzy would run the company. Will he still try?"
"It's still about the tape Callie. I don't know if he still plans to run for office, or if any of that matters. But if that tape goes public, the whole world sees what happened, and it wasn't his finest hour. Like I said, I have some sympathy for the guy, I've been shot at before, but it would ruin him forever. Asshole or not, he's really ashamed of what he did that night. Considering the bad blood between them, he might even be willing to kill his own father to be sure it never came out."
"It's not enough to warn old man Marsh, we need that tape." Callie glanced at Danielle. "I know you think he's suffered enough, but I still want to see exactly what happened that night. If we're going to decide things as a group, we all have to know the facts. If I don't get to burn his ass, then you don't get to just let him off easy, agreed?"
"That's the deal, Callie. Nobody gets to play Judge and Jury alone, the way Teresa did. But if we get the tape, Ozzy has no reason to kill his Dad, will that change what the group saw?"
"A man in a mask, with a gun," Deeann put in. "that's all the Sisters saw, and we were never able to get more. Teresa claimed she knew it was Ozzy, and that he would go on from there to kill again and again. That was her justification for letting Eliot shoot him."
"An innocent girl dies and the guilty live to kill again, great job Sisters." Callie said bitterly. Deeann bit her lip.
"The Sisters aren't responsible, Callie. The six Elders are the ones who are supposed to make good use of their information. Teresa twisted things, and the rest of us let her. I needed to push back sooner, it's my fault too." Danielle put her hand on the older woman's.
"This isn't just you Dee, we all let Teresa run us over. She always made it seem like she had all the answers, it was easier just to believe what she said, than fight with her."
"Zealots. They think they have all the answers, like my Mom says. That's because they think everybody else is wrong." Callie sat down. "Teresa isn't the problem any more. We need that tape."
"Jonathan Marsh acts like he likes me. But if he's seen that whole tape, he's got to be curious about me, and why I keep showing up around his son. I could call him and see if he'll meet with me. Maybe, close up, you and Dee can help me get in his head enough for him to turn over the tape. Suggestion works like that. I'll make it seem reasonable, like I want to help Ozzy, and with you two pushing him psychically, maybe he'll give it to me of his own free will. Wouldn't be totally his own free will, but at the time, it would seem like it."
"Sooner the better, Danielle." Callie agreed. "Worst case, Marsh knows Ozzy's gone over the edge and protects himself, best case, all of the above, and we get the tape. I say call him right away, let's try it." The two women waited as Danielle dialed the number. It was a brief conversation.
"All set, he knows something's up, but he said to come down to the Law office. He's working until ten and the side door will be open."
***
Oswald Marsh paced back and forth nervously in the bathroom of the Jazz club he frequented. He glanced at his watch, nearly nine o'clock. Even the most dedicated of the firm would have left the office by now, with the exception of Johnathan Marsh. Ozzy was sure he would be staying half the night, probably getting rid of files that could make him look even worse in the eyes of the Ethics Board. It was possible his father would eventually end up in prison, but that could take years. He couldn't wait that long. He was done. No more getting slapped around, being called a coward. No more looking into that disappointed face and hearing that any day the tape of his cowardice might find its way onto the local news. It had to end, and he intended to see that it ended tonight.
He pulled the bathroom stall open and slid the cocaine from his pocket. He needed just a little more, just enough to take the edge off his nerves.
***
Johnathan Marsh rolled the log in the fireplace over, then put the poker down beside the screen as he pulled it shut. He stood for a while, starring into the flames. The fireplace was used rarely. A gas log starter made it easy to light, but he hardly ever took the time. He liked the idea of the cheery flames, as much as the warmth. Something about it calmed him, eased some of the stress. Stress didn't bother him as a rule, he thrived on it. Having the State on his ass wasn't a good thing, but he would find a way around it. That kind of stress wasn't what was troubling him. He was worried about Ozzy. The boy had always been too fond of booze and drugs. He just wasn't as strong as most of the Marshes, and the girl dying had only made it worse. Johnathan had thought pushing him, shaming him, would force him to straighten out. That's what his father would have done for him, or to him, but that didn't seem to be working.
He couldn't imagine what the girl, Danielle, had in mind, or why she wanted to talk. Blackmail? It was clear there was more to her than she let on. What he had seen on the tape was nothing short of amazing, and it seemed clear that it wasn't coincidence that brought her into his son's life. She was up to something, but there was no way she knew that he had seen the tape. He wouldn't tip his hand, he would wait to see what she had to say. The senior Marsh walked back to his big desk and sat down, flipping open a file he'd been examining. It wasn't long before he heard a rap on his door and Danielle Ogren entered the room.
"Leave the door open, would you? I've got it too damn hot in here. What brings you here, Danielle? I hope things are okay with you and Ozzy." Danielle pulled off her coat and dropped it onto an unused chair. She saw the yellow flame, flickering softly against the dark brick, and decided to use it.
"Sure, we're great. Boy, that fire feels good to me tonight. Cold out there." Danielle left the door open and walked over to stand with her back to the flame. Jonathan Marsh smiled at her, feeling his caution slipping away.
"I like having a fire, but I always get it too hot."
"Fireplaces are nice, don't you think? I just like watching the flames." She turned, watching the flame herself, trying to enter the elder Marsh's psyche.
"Yeah, I like that too." Johnathan Marsh took his gaze off Danielle and returned it to the bouncing flame. It seemed even more relaxing than usual. He felt oddly sleepy. "What was it you wanted to see me about?"
"I just came to talk, to talk about Ozzy, and to watch the flame. It's very soothing, isn't it?"
Danielle lowered her voice, staring into the older man's eyes, easing him into her control. She felt Callie and Deeann, helping her calm him, but wondered if it was even necessary. The flame flickered softly, and he stared at it, spellbound. She wasn't sure if it was psychic control or simple hypnosis, but within a minute his features settled, his eyes seemed vacant, and she knew he was ready to follow her suggestions.
"The fire is so nice." She said softly. "It is very nice, isn't it?"
"The fire is very nice." He repeated dumbly.
"Can you help me do something Johnathan? I want you to do something for your son, Ozzy."
"I can help you, help Ozzy." He continued staring into the flames, eyes half closed.
"Ozzy wants the tape, the tape from the Law Center. Can you get it from the safe for me?" Johnathan Marsh stood and walked slowly past Danielle to the corner of the room. He opened a small door that appeared to be a closet, removed a coat, then entered a code into the small wall safe hidden there. He pul
led the tape out, then returned everything to its original place. He walked quietly back to his desk, put the tape down on the corner, then settled back into his chair, gazing steadily at the flames. Danielle reached out, picking up the tape with her left hand, being sure it was out of Johnathan's sight, just in case he woke up. She was pretty sure, if she slipped out soon, he would just think he had dreamt the encounter. A few more suggestions, then she would just let him fall asleep.
***
Billy Ricks stood looking through the crack of the office door where he had been hiding. It was an unused office down the hall from Jonathan Marsh's suite. It was dumb luck that Danielle hadn't seen him, but she had walked from the staircase and turned so that her back was to him. He turned his phone down and dialed Ozzy, then eased the door closed.
"Oz, Jesus, Danielle is here. What the fuck? I was just about to go in there, and she shows up. What's she doing here?"
"How would I know? That's weird, just wait until she leaves." Billy gently pushed the office door open, just far enough to see the adjacent room.
"Shit Oz." He whispered. "That tape, I don't know if it's the one we're after, but I think your old man just gave it to Danielle. It was sitting on the desk, and she just grabbed it. Now they're just sitting there, like they're best buds. What the fuck? What should I do?"
"Jesus, Jesus." There was a long pause and Billy heard Oz moaning oddly. "I can't believe she would fuck me over like this, her and the old man are in it together somehow! Billy, listen. That tape can't leave the building. I don't know what's happening, but you need to get that tape, that's the most important thing. Billy, listen, and I'm serious. Get that tape, whatever you have to do. I'm just going to say this once, but if my old man didn't make it out of there alive, well, I'd be set for life, and so would you."