Barely Breathing

by Ancelli

  “Yes, that’s why her files are sealed. In my opinion, someone powerful is helping her stay hidden.” He finished his lunch.

  “Is she in danger?”

  “The cops believe Terrell didn’t act alone. They think he had a secret partner, and I believe that’s who she’s running away from. Those people are dangerous, but one by one they are falling.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “The cops have been getting leads on his crew, and they’re busting them one by one. I understand why she doesn’t want to be found. She has been protecting her niece for over six years. I think she should turn herself in. I mean, she can beat this. I can help her. She’s a good cop who made wrong decisions.”

  “She would never agree. That little girl is all she has, and she’s afraid.”

  “You’re a damn good lawyer, John. Convince her before it’s too late.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Terrell Williams will be released in a few months.”

  “But you said his parole was revoked.”

  “It was.”

  “I need a huge favor. I need you to find Sophia Dean as soon as possible.” He pulled out a piece of paper and handled it to Jerome. “Here’s her license plate number, and just in case she registered the car in another state, there is the VIN number to her car.” He stood, dug into his pocket, pulled out some cash, and placed it on the table. “Now I owe you one.”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Days later

  It was after seven and everyone had left for the night. John was in his office, thinking of all the information Jerome had told him, and how it all made him feel. He thought of Sophia’s baby. Why didn’t I stop her from having that fucking abortion? She’d sacrificed herself for her niece. Why didn’t she trust me enough to tell me the whole truth?

  He powered down his computer, picked up his briefcase, and walked out of his office. He heard voices and things being thrown coming from one of the junior partners’ offices, and decided to check it out. He was about to knock on Charles Morris’ door, when he heard a familiar female’s voice.

  “Mmm, Charles…I can’t wait to get out of here.”

  “We can do it right here,” he answered her.

  As John swung the door open, he could feel his ears burning and his nostrils flaring. Amy sat on Charles’ desk, in between his legs, and as soon as they saw him, she jumped down and away from him.

  “John!”

  But he didn’t respond. He’d been so fucking stupid. “Is this why you were so worried about my wife?” He angrily stared at Charles.

  “John, it’s not what you think. He was coming on to me, and I tried to leave but he wouldn’t let me,” Amy said, moving closer to him. “I came to see you.”

  “What? Amy, what are you saying?” Charles asked her.

  “Amy, you’re a fucking liar. This is who you’ve been cheating with all this time?”

  “No, John, I would never cheat on you with one of your partners.” She tried to grab his hand.

  He forcefully brushed it off, then pushed her away. “Sophia knew you were fucking him, didn’t she?” he yelled. “I was so fucking blind. Everybody knew but me.” He chuckled sarcastically. “Why didn’t I see this before? I’m such a fucking fool.”

  “He tried, but I said no.”

  Charles was getting angry enough so John could see it. “Amy, it’s time for the lies to end.”

  She gave him a dirty look.

  “John, I’m sorry, man, but you’re right. Amy and I have been having an affair for a while now.” Charles glared at her. “It’s time for the truth. She did leave to get help at a ninety-days’ rehab retreat, but she didn’t go alone. I went with her.”

  “So I guess you got the help you needed with the person you wanted.” He thought for a second. “Ninety days. Where were you the other four months?”

  She lowered her head and Charles continued. “She needed to clear her head and make a decision between you and me.”

  “Was the baby yours?”

  “In all honesty, I don’t know, but I do know I love her.”

  “How long?” John yelled, looking at Charles, trying to see if he resembled Johnny. “How long?”

  “Almost two years,” Charles answered.

  She stared at both of them, tears running down her face.

  John balled a hand into a fist and charged at Charles. He connected first with the man’s jaw, and then with his right eye.

  Charles went down to his knees, and that’s when John pulled back. What am I doing? She’s not worth it. “You can have her. The divorce will be final soon.”

  She ran up to John. “I don’t want him.”

  He moved and she grabbed at him.

  “I told you not to touch me.” He pushed her away. “I’m too good for you.”

  “Kiss your job goodbye,” Charles said, wiping the blood from his mouth.

  John chuckled, and picked up his briefcase. “Tell your old man I quit.” He turned and left the office, to the sounds of his soon-to-be-ex-wife and her lover arguing.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Sophia picked up her cell phone, dialed, and a man with a deep voice picked up.

  “I need to see you.”

  “Sweetie, I’ve told you. It’s too dangerous for you to call me.”

  “I know, but I need you. I feel so alone.”

  “Sweetie, I want to see you, too. You know I would do anything for you.” He sighed. “I’ll text you my address, and please be careful.”

  “I will. I love you.”

  “I love you, too.”

  She hung up, and received a text telling her where to meet him.

  ***

  John wrote up his resignation letter and turned it in, but Jason tried to convince him to think it over. The partners sat with him and convinced him to take a short leave of absence instead. Through all of this, he had one person on his mind: Sophia.

  He arrived at the address Jerome had given him. The garage door opened, and he watched her from his car. He could see Cara in the back seat.

  She drove down the road. He followed her as she dropped Cara off in front of the elementary school and then followed her to a cheap, rundown motel. He saw her talking on her cell phone, and then she finally stepped out the car.

  She was more beautiful than he remembered. She wore her hair up in a high ponytail. He studied her body from head to toe, and then the wind blew her summer dress. His heart stopped, and then began to race. “She’s pregnant.”

  She knocked on the motel room door, and a tall, older Spanish guy opened it. He pulled her into a hug, kissed her cheek, and closed the door.

  “Who the fuck is that, and why is she still pregnant?” He didn’t even have to ask. He knew it was his baby.

  How could she lie to me too? He had questions he needed answered. He stepped out of his truck and marched to the motel room.

  John banged on the door.

  ***

  Someone banged on the door, surprising Sophia.

  “Someone must have followed you.”

  “Sophia, open this fucking door!”

  The man’s voice sounded familiar. “It’s John.” She turned.

  “Who’s John?”

  “It doesn’t matter right now. Please hide.” She walked to the door.

  Her companion rushed into the bathroom.

  She slowly opened the door, and smiled when she saw John’s handsome face. She’d been waiting for his call, but never received one. She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him.

  He hugged her back. “Why did you lie to me?” he asked, pulling away.

  She scrunched her face. “I didn’t lie to you.”

  He touched her stomach. “You told me you had an abortion.”

  “I’m sorry.” She grabbed his hand and pulled him in.

  “I went to the clinic, and they told me you were done.” He raised his voice. “How could you do that to me?”

  She gazed at him. “I did
go to the clinic, but I couldn’t go through with it.” She took a deep breath. “The doctor was prepared to do the procedure, but this baby means too much to me.” She touched her stomach. “I love this baby,” she whispered.

  “So you run like you always do.” He glared at her. “I thought you were different. I thought you would be honest with me, at least about our child!”

  Her eyes filled with tears. “I told you months ago that I didn’t have an abortion.”

  His brow arched in surprise. “No you didn’t.”

  “I left you a letter with Kay…and I called you. I left you messages, but you never called me back.”

  “Don’t lie to me. I never received any messages.” He pulled out his phone, and searched it, and then he remembered he’d lost her letter. “That’s what you wrote?”

  “You didn’t read it.” She wiped her tears.

  “I never got a chance to.”

  “John, look at me.” She stared at him, and he glared back at her. “I told you in the letter that I couldn’t go through with it, and I asked for your forgiveness. I called you, and left you several messages.”

  “Jason gave me the letter, but I lost it before I could read it. And I never received any messages.”

  “Did you change your number?”

  “No!” he yelled, shocking her. “Why didn’t you try harder?”

  “Because I thought you didn’t care. I knew you and Amy were back together.”

  “Did Kay tell you that?”

  “It doesn’t matter.”

  “It does matter. You should’ve known me better than that. I wouldn’t turn my back on that baby, not even for Amy. Wait, why didn’t Kay tell me about the baby?”

  “Kay doesn’t know I’m pregnant.” She looked away. “There’s a lot she doesn’t know.”

  She went to walk away and he grabbed her arm.

  She was startled by the hurt she saw in his eyes. She honestly had called and left messages—what else could she have done?

  “Why all the lies, Sophia?”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Everything,” he shouted. “Where is he?” John glared at her.

  “Who?”

  He looked around. “The man hiding.”

  His grip was getting tighter. “You’re hurting me!”

  She saw the emotion in his eyes, and his hold turned soft. “I’m sorry.”

  The man opened the bathroom door and walked into the room with a gun pointed directly at John. He gently pushed Sophia behind him.

  “Take your hands off my daughter,” the man intoned.

  “Daughter…?”

  Sophia moved from behind him, and walked up to the man. “Dad, please put down the gun.”

  “He was hurting you. I swore I would never let another man hurt my only child.” Her father still pointed the gun.

  John just stared at both of them.

  “Dad, this is John Morgan. He’s the father of my baby.”

  He finally lowered the gun, and placed it in his holster.

  “John, this is my dad, Antonio Delgado.” Sophia sat down on the bed, covered her face with her hands, and started crying.

  John rushed over to her side and sat. This wasn’t the same Sophia he knew. He grabbed her into his arms. “Don’t cry, Soph.”

  “Don’t you ever put your hands on my daughter again,” her dad said, looking at them.

  She sniffled. “John didn’t mean to hurt me.”

  “Sophia, he’s right. I should’ve never grabbed you like that. I’m sorry.”

  She just cried harder.

  Her dad sat next to her. “Ashley, it’s time to stop running. You finally need to live a normal life.”

  John couldn’t let her go. His life was in shambles, but even so, he felt at home with his arms around her.

  “Sophia, I can help you, but you need to tell me the truth.” He cupped her face in his hands.

  Her dad just looked at them. “You trust him?” he asked.

  She nodded. “I’m sorry for not telling you the whole truth, but I didn’t want to involve you any further.”

  “I’m already involved. Tell me the truth. Why didn’t you tell me Cara isn’t your daughter?”

  She was surprised when he asked her that question. “Because she is…Cara became my daughter the day my sister was killed.” She got up and stood near the window. “It was eight years ago when this whole ordeal started.” She wiped her tears. “I was a cop. Can you believe that?”

  “I can… that’s where your scar came from?”

  She nodded, and continued talking. “I was living in Miami, when my parents sent my baby sister to live with me. She was becoming a bit of a handful.”

  “She was getting involved with the wrong people,” her dad chimed in. “We didn’t know she was pregnant at the time.”

  “That pig was twenty-six, Sarah was only sixteen, and he got her pregnant.” She grimaced. “He was a major drug dealer in Orlando, but when my sister told him she was moving, he decided to move some of his business to Miami.” She paced. “My department found out that my sister was involved with him, and my lieutenant asked me if I would go undercover to bust him.”

  John sat there, listening. “And you agreed.”

  “I thought I could protect her, so yes I did. I went undercover. She was trying really hard to change her ways, and she started pulling away from him. My sister gave me information on him and his dealings, she wanted a better life for her daughter. I had so much on him from what my sister told me, and my investigation, but then my cover was blown.” She stopped pacing. “I came home one day and found him beating on my pregnant sister. As he was hitting her, he told her he was going kill her and her unborn baby.” Tears ran down her cheeks again. “I walked in and beat him to a pulp and placed him under arrest. I couldn’t let him kill Sarah. He was arrested for statutory rape and assault, and I was suspended from the force. ”

  Her father’s eyes shone with tears. “He was bailed out of jail, but Ashley’s cover was blown.”

  “He waited until Sarah gave birth.” Her dad took her hands. “It was late that evening when Sarah brought Cara into my room. She was fussy, and my sister wasn’t a patient girl, so she left her with me.” She closed her eyes.

  John assumed she was remembering.

  “I woke up to the smell of gas. There were flames. My sister was screaming.” Tears continued to run down her sad face. “I tried, oh God, I tried to save her but it was too late. My sister was trapped and there was nothing I could do. I picked Cara up and I knocked out the window and jumped. I handed her to my neighbor, and ran back into the house. I finally got to Sarah’s room, and I got her up and out on the sidewalk and I performed CPR. But I was too late…” She leaned on the wall and cried. “Her last words out of her mouth were ‘Please take care of Carolyn. Don’t let him near her.’”

  John stood and moved in front of her.

  He put his large hands around her and arranged her until they both sat on the floor. “Honey, it’s okay.” He rubbed her back. “Shh, it’s going to be okay.”

  Her dad kneeled down. “Sweetie, this isn’t good for the baby.”

  “She died because of me.”

  “No she didn’t. You tried everything to save her,” her dad said. “I’m so sorry I asked you to run with Carolyn.”

  “You asked her?” John glared at her dad.

  “At the time, it was the only choice. And every day I regret that decision.”

  “Dad, Sarah asked me to take care of her baby if anything happened to her, and that’s what I did. We were admitted to the hospital for smoke inhalation, and I overheard him say he would use the baby to his advantage.”

  “He was arrested for arson, but later released. That’s when we took matters into our own hands and Ashley grabbed Cara and ran without looking back.”

  “Who helped you?” asked John.

  “My dad.”

  “I’m a retired chief of police, with a lot of connection
s.”

  “That’s why your files are sealed?”

  “Yes, but it’s time to stop running,” said Antonio.

  “I agree with your dad.”

  “I don’t want to have my baby in jail.” She pulled away and stood.

  “You won’t.” John got up too. “I would never let that happen.”

  “Don’t make promises you can’t keep.” She wiped her falling tears.

  “I’ll defend you.”

  Antonio spoke. “He doesn’t have the power anymore. That’s why I wanted to see you, darling. His empire has crumbled.”

  “Dad, don’t take her away from me,” she pleaded.

  “I think it’s the best thing to do. No one would know where she is.” He grasped her hands. “She will be safe in Puerto Rico with your mom and me.”

  “No!” She shook her head.

  “Listen to your dad. She’ll be safe, and you won’t have to go to jail.”

  “My heart would never be the same.”

  “You can always come visit her when the time is right,” her dad said.

  “She’ll feel abandoned. What will I do without her?”

  “It’s time for you to live for you, until you can be reunited with her. And she’ll be okay.”

  “I have nowhere to go.”

  “You do.” John took her hand in his. “With me.”

  Her dad pulled her into a tight hug. “I have to go before it is too late.” He whispered, “I’ll pick her up from school.”

  “Are they going let you sign her out?” John asked, concerned.

  “They will. He’s on the list.”

  “I love you, Ashley. Don’t you ever forget that, but it’s time for me to take care of you.” He kissed her forehead and shook John’s hand. “Please take care of her until I can finally reunite them.”

  “I will, sir.”

  Her dad kissed her one more time and walked out.

  John placed his arms around her, as she shook for the loss of her little girl. “I love her…”