by T. Jones
"Oz, fuck! What about the girl?"
"She shouldn't have gotten into it, but don't hurt her! Be sure and wear your mask, then knock her out or lock her in the bathroom or something. Just get me that fucking tape, and deal with the old man. Call me back when it's done." Billy Ricks took a deep breath, pulled his mask over his face and the handgun from his pocket, then eased the door open and walked quickly down the hall to the open door. Danielle was still talking softly to Johnathan Marsh, but saw Billy as he raised his gun, aiming back and forth between them. He didn't speak, but motioned for the tape. Danielle backed up slightly, still holding the tape in her left hand, her right hand searching for the poker she had seen leaning against the wall. Jonathan Marsh stirred slightly, blinking. He shook his head and palmed his eyes.
"What the hell is going on? Did I pass out? Who the fuck are you?" Billy Ricks was a small-time drug dealer, probably responsible for a couple of overdoses during his sordid career, but not a cold-blooded killer, at least not yet. He stood, trying to gather his courage, or come up with some justification for pulling the trigger. The gun shook slightly in his hand and he shifted it back and forth between the pair, motioning in the direction of the tape again. Johnathan Marsh was no coward, foolishly brave in this situation. He stood quickly. "Billy Ricks, Jesus Christ, I know it's you! Get your ass out of here. I don't know how she got that tape, or who the hell she is, but you're in way over your head. Turn your ass around and walk out of here, and you won't end up in prison. I don't know what Ozzy promised you, but he's too hopped up on dope to know what he's talking about."
"Shut up." Billy reached up and yanked his mask off, giving Danielle the briefest of seconds to close her hand around the butt of the poker. "I need that tape, Danielle. Sorry you got into this, I didn't want to shoot you too." There it was, Danielle thought, Billy was supposed to shoot Marsh, but he couldn't leave a witness, not after she saw his face. Risks are easy to take when there's nothing to lose, and he had left her with no option but to act. She just needed an opening, and Johnathan Marsh gave it to her. The big man stepped quickly from behind his desk, reached out, and pulled the tape out of her left hand.
"Give me that Goddamn tape." Billy's eyes flicked down, following the path of Marsh's big hand. When Johnathan Marsh stepped back, the path was clear, and the poker was on its way in a fraction of a second. The two-pound projectile spun end over end as fast as Danielle's muscular right arm could throw it. With any luck, it might have struck Billy's head a glancing blow, only knocking him down, or out. But Billy's luck had run out, and the sharp point of the fireplace poker entered his forehead, breaking through bone and imbedding itself into his brain, ending his sorry life. Billy had time to pull the trigger once, a shot that would have done no damage at all, had it not hit the stone mantel of the fireplace. The bullet ricocheted, most of its velocity spent, and buried itself into the back of Danielle's right shoulder. She fell to her knees, stunned by the impact, as blood began to seep through her shirt. The elder Marsh reacted calmly, considering the circumstances.
"Hang on, Danielle, if that is your real name." Jonathan Marsh glanced at Billy Ricks, lying flat on his back with the poker and the gun both lying on the floor next to him. He strode quickly across the room, grabbed Danielle's coat from the chair and brought it back to her, pushing it against her wound as she sat up and leaned weakly against the desk. Then he reached down and grabbed the tape from the floor, turned and tossed it into the fireplace, standing between Danielle and the flames as he called 911. After making the call, he knelt down in front of Danielle. She was in pain, but not hurt badly.
"So, the tape's gone, whatever you were planning to do with it won't work. My son may be a weak piece of shit sometimes, but he's still my son. I'll deal with him when the time comes, not you." He stood and walked over to Billy Ricks' body, searching his pockets, then pulled out his cellphone. He strode over and dropped it into the toilet, flushing it twice. "Probably have to call the plumber tomorrow." He smiled then turned back to Danielle. "So, here's our story. You and I were having a conversation about my son, we're both worried about him, because he's been on drugs. This asshole shows up and pulls a gun. He got in because I left the side door open for you, and he wanted to rob me, I guess. I don't know how you did it, luck or whatever you want to tell them, but you threw the poker and killed him. Self-defense, and you're my hero. I have enough pull with the department to make sure there aren't too many questions. I'm feeling generous right now, since you probably saved my life, or I'd use that poker to make you tell me who you really are."
"Believe it or not, I'm someone who cares about your son. I was trying to save him from himself. Ozzy sent Billy here to kill you tonight, you do realize that, right?" Danielle said through clenched teeth.
"Maybe. I'll let the little fucker stew for tonight. When Billy doesn't call him back he'll shit bricks. I've been pushing him too hard, he can't handle pressure, and he's all hopped up on something. Needs another ass kicking, is what he needs. He really did like that Clark girl, he took that pretty hard. He likes you even more, but none of it was real, right?"
"Some of it was." Danielle said coldly. "He could be a really good guy, if you weren't his father."
The senior Marsh reached out a large hand and slapped Danielle's shoulder, making her groan.
"Just be glad the cops are on their way, or I'd make you regret saying that. I don't know what your game is pretty girl, but you'd better stay the hell out of my business. Next time you get shot at, you might not be so lucky."
***
"What do you think Callie? Is Danielle alright? We should go up there, don't you think?" Callie was leaning against Deeann's car, her eyes closed.
"She's okay Dee, I can feel she's alive at least. Something happened up there though. I thought I heard a noise, could have been a gunshot."
"But Danielle's okay, you can tell that, right? I can't sense it, not alone."
"She's alright Deeann, I'm sure of it. But somebody isn't, maybe, I don't know." The distant wail of a siren pierced the night and Callie felt a sudden rush of panic. "Dee, can I take your car? I have to get back to the loft. Or can you drive me?" Deeann jumped out of her car and handed Callie the keys.
"I'll stay here and make sure Dani's alright. I'll make up some story for the cops."
"Thanks, I think it's Jenny, she's in trouble. I have to get to the loft." It was fifteen minutes to the loft and every light was red. She couldn't shake the feeling that Jenny was in trouble, even though she knew she should be on her mother's couch, watching reruns of Jeopardy. But as she pulled up in the street in front of the loft, she saw Jenny's car parked outside beside the Camry, the trunk standing wide open. The front door of the loft was cracked too, and she ran inside as fast as she could.
Jenny stood, eyes wide, staring at her. Ozzy Marsh stood behind her, an arm around her neck, a small gun in his other hand. His face was flushed and he was waving the gun wildly.
"Callie Fisher! Not who I was hoping for. I can't get ahold of Billy, which means something happened with the plan. Probably means your friend Danielle has the tape I need. But you know all about it, I'll bet. I don't know why Danielle would want that tape, were you planning to blackmail me? I was actually falling in love with that bitch. You call her, right fucking now, tell her to bring me that tape, or your girlfriend here is going to get hurt. I don't want to hurt her, I don't want to hurt anybody, I just want that tape, okay?"
"Really, Ozzy? You never want to hurt anyone, do you." Callie was walking toward them. Her voice dropped, the color beginning to fade from her eyes. "Like you didn't want to hurt Natalie? She was a sweet girl Oz, and she loved you, she loved you so much, and you killed her!" Oz stepped back, releasing his grip on Jenny's neck. The redhead stepped back, moving behind Callie. Both Ozzy's hands had dropped and he backed up slowly, starring fearfully into Callie's eyes. She kept walking toward him.
"I didn't," He choked out, his voice a weak rasp. "It was Eliot!"
"It was you! You murdered her. You didn't deserve her, and she took a bullet for you." Callie kept moving toward him. All he could see were those pale blue eyes, piercing his soul.
"It happened too fast, I panicked. But I loved her, really." Ozzy had backed into a corner and dropped the gun. He sat, or fell down, staring into Callie's eyes and kicking at the floor, trying to get further away from her. He was wheezing, gasping for breath. She was still moving closer.
"You know you should have died instead. You don't deserve to live, Oz. You don't deserve to breathe." Ozzy gasped, choking, and trying to sit up. He continued to stare into Callie's eyes, terrified, as she crouched down over him. The corners of his mouth and lips were turning blue.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." He croaked out, struggling to inhale.
"Hard to breathe? I'm not doing this to you Ozzy. Deep down you know you don't deserve to live, isn't that right?" Callie hissed into his face. Jenny was suddenly pulling on her arm, trying to drag her away.
"Callie, no. You are doing it to him. Stop!" The blonde girl continued, leaning down close to Ozzy Marsh's face, which was turning increasingly blue. Jenny tugged on her arm. "Callie! No! Please, listen to me. I can't be in love with a murderer!"
It took a few seconds to register, but then Callie stepped back, bending down long enough to pick up Ozzy's gun. As Jenny sobbed, and Callie held her, Ozzie Marsh got up and stumbled out through the front door.
Chapter Fourteen
"How's the patient this morning?" Callie asked, as she and Jenny walked into the hospital room. "Is she behaving herself Nurse Long?" Jenny snickered and Deeann Long blushed, sliding off the edge of Danielle's bed. The wound wasn't serious, but Danielle had lost enough blood to need observation. The bullet fragments had been removed, but she wouldn't be hitting the heavy bag anytime soon.
"Jen, I know you and Danielle are buds, but can I have a moment alone with her?" Callie asked. "Kind of Sisters' business."
"Alright, I'll buy Deeann coffee and tell her scary stories about you."
"That's what happens when people hold a gun to your head." Callie yelled after the redhead. "You should appreciate that!" Callie waited until they had left the room, then turned back to Danielle. "Good thing she was there, I would have killed him. It was like I convinced him to stop breathing. Nothing will bring Natalie back, and you're right, he is suffering a lot as it is."
"Growth, isn't that what your Mom says." Danielle laughed weakly.
"Mostly it's the redhead, she always makes me better."
"She makes everyone better. We should have turned her loose on Teresa."
"So, you heard about that?"
"Yeah, Deeann told me. What was she doing up there?"
"Jane said she was trying to get even with me, and get even with my Mom and Madeline somehow, too. Jane called me yesterday, all humble, and apologized. Probably wants us to help with her legal trouble."
"Did you tell her to go to hell?"
"Surprisingly no. I told her we'd talk, the remaining Elders and everyone. I'm not feeling my usual vindictive self lately. Just glad we're all alive."
"Probably Jenny again, Callie Fisher's not normally that nice."
"You know me well." Callie laughed. "You should be one of the Elders, Danielle. Grace is fading fast, she'll be gone soon. I can talk to Teri and Madeline, and I know Deeann will vote in your favor." She raised an eyebrow. "What's up with you and her? Stealing my girlfriend?"
"She's a good person, and she's only fifteen years older than I am. She needs someone, and so do I. But it's not going to happen, she's married to a very nice man."
"Who hasn't been awake in four months. I don't think too many people would fault either one of you. You deserve someone nice."
"Teresa wasn't a nice person, but she shouldn't have died. Why didn't the group see it?"
"I had a couple vague dreams, then it went out of my head, like I couldn't remember it."
"That's not normal for you, is it? Almost like somebody kept us in the dark on purpose."
"I don't know who could do that. Not everyone in the group, someone should have picked up on it."
"Maybe they did, and just let it happen."
"I doubt that, I mean, even I would have tried to stop that, and you know how much I liked Teresa." Danielle smiled, shifting a little and wincing when she moved her shoulder.
"What about her funeral?"
"Except for Jane, and a couple of Teresa's hold outs, the family has requested that the Sisters not be in attendance. Deeann is going to call them, I know she wanted to be there."
"Wow, that's harsh. Teresa and I didn't see eye to eye at the end, but I always got along with Frank. Met the boys a couple times, they seemed kind of sullen, honestly."
"Been there, done that." Callie joked. "I don't know who might have prevented us all from seeing what was going to happen, I can only think of a couple people who could have."
"Yeah, we both know who you mean. What happened to Ozzy, and Johnathan Marsh?"
"I guess they threw Oz into treatment. He was completely delusional. He was babbling something about a blond girl with eyes that were burning him." Callie smiled wryly. "I sure have no idea who that could have been. He really does need help with the drugs, that's for sure. Between the Coke and his old man, I get why he's screwed up. Doesn't excuse what he did to Natalie, but I hate him a little less now. I heard the tape is gone, so we'll never know exactly how things went down. I'd like to think he didn't do it on purpose, and I sure hope she didn't think so, in those last moments. She really loved him." Callie choked up for a minute, then continued. "His old man is back to business as usual, working all the angles to get out of the trading thing. Hopefully Madeline can nail his ass."
"It's been quite a winter. I'm kind of used to all this drama, but you're probably wishing for a normal life about now, huh Callie?"
"Since the first time I dreamt about you, Danielle, I knew my life wasn't ever going to be normal, but it doesn't mean it can't be great, right?"
***
"Morning Bess, interesting week." Madeline Rice poured herself a cup of coffee and sat down across from her friend. They looked at each other for a bit, then Madeline spoke. "So, horrible thing about Teresa Blackburn, right? Odd that she would get run over by a truck, two miles from here."
"I guess she was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Fate's a bitch sometimes. But you know what she would have done, why she was coming here. Callie would never forgive me, hearing it from her, that's something I have to explain to her. And she was planning to expose the group, I don't know how, but it was coming."
"Callie's going to know someday. She's started dreaming about him, and I think he's reaching out to her. I can't imagine how he could know she exists, but he does."
"And that surprises you? She got more than those crazy blue eyes of his you know, and she doesn't get all of her abilities from her mother."
"So, what about Teresa? Why didn't anyone in the group foresee that, change it."
"It was her choice to be on that rode, sometimes Fate gets its way."
"Anyone in the group would have stopped it, even me, but nobody had a sense of it."
"Callie did at first, even I had trouble blocking out the memory of her dream."
"It scares me sometimes Bess, how much power you have, but I've always said you're the best of us." Bess Fisher glanced up at her friend, a tear slipping from her eye.
"Fate and I just killed a woman. I don't feel like the best of anything right now. I hope Callie will be that one day, but God knows, I'm not setting a very good example for her."
"She is going to do amazing things, you and I both know that, and the Sisters have a sense of it too. It's why they kept her from Teresa for so long."
"I'm sorry about Teresa, but I saw it coming a lot of years ago. Much as we try, there are some things that we can't change."
"It'll be okay, Bess. You and Callie, I mean."
"Is that you being a friend, or a psychic?"<
br />
"Take your pick." Madeline finally laughed, reaching out to hug her friend.
Chapter Fifteen
"We need to talk, Callie." Jennifer Mconvil slid up on her pillow. The dim light from a half moon made her auburn hair look more brown than red, and hid all but the darkest of her freckles. Her blue eyes were wide and moist with unshed tears.
"I knew it was too good to last." Callie shot up on an elbow. "I can fix it, whatever I did."
"Callie, God. I'm not running off, stop thinking that. I'm here to stay. But that doesn't mean I don't worry. People keep dying, getting in car accidents, getting shot, Grace is dying. I'm worried something is going to happen to you. I want us to grow old together."
"I told you once, before I knew better, I saw you having a long full life."
"But you weren't there."
"Maybe I was holding the camera!"
"That's not funny. You said I'll have children, I want you there too."
"I'll be there Jen. I didn't see a man, but of course you might have poisoned him with your cooking. I just had a quick flash of you being happy, and very old."
"Stop joking, and you love my cooking."
"Like I told you, I can't see what's coming for me, it's in the psychic handbook or something. It's very possible when you go, I will have just tipped over five minutes earlier."
"Is that why I die?" Jenny smiled curiously.
"Of course! Obviously, you couldn't live without me, you would miss me horribly and your poor old heart wouldn't take it."
"You want to have kids someday, right?"
"Me personally, or with you?"
"I don't know, we could take turns." Jenny laughed aloud.
"I'm not sure I'd wish this psychic shit on my kid, I'm fine with you having them."
"Right, that and all the pain of childbirth."
"Yes, that too." Callie nodded. "Seriously, I don't think I would want to subject our child to all this. I'm starting to be better with it, I mean, I think that I can probably do some good things, maybe help a lot of people. But it hasn't been easy."