Mistake Me Not

by Scarlett Finn

  ‘I’m selling my place,’ he said. ‘The boys are still clearing it out. I’m not sure what happens now with all of this.’

  ‘I’m not staying with your friend,’ she said and carried on before he could object. ‘We have a lot of catching up to do... It’s been so intense.’

  ‘Do you think that changes things?’ Ryder said.

  ‘Right folks, time,’ the guard bellowed and approached Ryder who stood.

  Lacie scrambled to her feet. ‘We’ll get you out,’ Lacie said. ‘We’ll fix this.’

  His lopsided smile slid up again. ‘Got my girl, there’s nothing they can do to me now.’

  She kissed her fingertips and touched the plastic. ‘I’m here.’

  ‘Now I’ve got something to fight for.’

  After he hung up he touched the screen at her fingertips before he was led away by the guard with a last look over his shoulder. Once again she was alone in this sad room. The boost she’d had sitting in this room with Ryder faded at the knowledge of what he was going back to. Having never spent time in jail she couldn’t identify with him exactly, but she could imagine, though she didn’t want to. Ryder shouldn’t be caged; he was good and deserved to be free, and she’d do whatever it took to make that happen. He’d fought for her and she planned to do the same right back.

  Chapter Twelve

  Lacie saw Shep at his office and the whole experience was surreal because she actually looked forward to seeing his friendly face. This case had kept them all on a rollercoaster together, and they weren’t free of it yet. Something as simple as locating a person had thrown all their lives into the dryer and turned it up to full. Booth was dead, Sorcha was still pregnant, and Lacie hadn’t helped anything. All she had accomplished was to cause trouble and burden. She and Shep had been talking for almost an hour when he asked her to lunch; they carried on their conversation on the walk to the mall.

  At that point, Sorcha phoned to say she was back in the country, and in a cab driving away from the airport. Shep told her where they were headed and Sorcha redirected her taxi for the mall to meet them in the restaurant.

  Lacie was discussing Ryder’s plan to liquidate SW, and his home, with Shep when Shep’s phone rang again. After answering it, he held the phone toward her.

  ‘It’s for you,’ Shep said handing over the device.

  Shep had spoken to Sorcha without passing the phone to her, so whoever was on the line now wanted her.

  ‘Hello?’ Lacie asked.

  ‘I heard you were back in the country,’ Gabe said through the line.

  ‘Hi,’ she said. ‘I don’t have a phone yet.’

  ‘You’ve been looking for me? Have you heard about Ryder?’

  ‘Yes. It’s why I’m back. I want him out,’ Lacie said.

  ‘We all do. It’s bullshit.’

  ‘I know that,’ Lacie said. ‘I’m with Shep and we’re meeting Sorcha but can you meet this evening?’ He didn’t respond. ‘Gabe?’

  ‘Are you sure?’ he asked. ‘Ryder’s not going to be hot on the idea of you with us right now.’

  ‘He doesn’t mean to be hostile. Wallace burned him, he’s being careful that’s all. He’s trying to look out for me even from behind bars.’

  ‘You’ve seen him?’ Gabe asked with incredulity. ‘We heard you just got back.’

  ‘Of course I’ve seen him. I’ll visit every minute that they let me. We have to get him out Gabe. We have to.’

  ‘You trust us?’ Gabe asked.

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Ryder doesn’t.’

  ‘I know,’ she said. ‘I’m sorry about that. He doesn’t trust himself after Wallace. We’ll bring him around.’

  ‘Will we?’ Gabe asked. ‘You left him. You left the country.’

  ‘Why do you sound pissed at me?’

  ‘He’s in love with you Lacie. He was a mess every minute he spent without you.’

  ‘Everyone keeps telling me that.’

  ‘That he was a mess?’

  ‘No, the other thing,’ she said. ‘I’ve seen him. We’ve talked. What goes on between Ryder and I is our business. If you don’t want to help me—‘

  ‘I want Ryder out; we’ve been working on it. What I don’t want is you pissing in his face when this is over.’

  ‘Before Wallace Ryder told me I was part of the team.’

  ‘He did?’

  ‘Yes, he said I had blood in the game... I suppose I have more now. I’ve told you that I trust you but this will never work if you don’t trust me.’

  ‘You’re the key to this,’ Gabe said. ‘Ryder trusts you, and he doesn’t trust us. You have more access than us as his girlfriend... I’ll come and pick you up.’

  ‘Give me an hour,’ Lacie said then gave the address. ‘Sorcha will be joining us and I want to fill her in.’

  ‘Ryder won’t be keen but if you want I can have your things picked up from the hotel and brought to Ryder’s bedroom.’

  ‘He said you were taking the place apart.’

  ‘We are,’ Gabe said. ‘But it’s still more secure than you at a hotel alone.’

  ‘Ok. If you could do that I’d appreciate it. I’ll see you in an hour.’

  By the time she rang off they were in the restaurant. Shep took his phone and dropped it into his pocket then sat to peruse the menu he was given by the waitress who then left them in peace.

  ‘That was Gabe?’ Shep asked.

  ‘Yes,’ she said reading her own menu.

  ‘Ryder came to me because he didn’t trust them.’

  ‘He doesn’t trust you either,’ Lacie said.

  ‘More than he trusts them though,’ Shep said. ‘I was the one watching his back the night he came into that house. He wasn’t coming in for you; at least that’s what he said. But I knew if he laid eyes on you that he wouldn’t come out empty handed.’

  ‘I’m talking to you too,’ Lacie said. ‘But I think we need as many hands to help as we can get. I’m going to stay at Ryder’s. I’m sure you and Sorcha could stay too – strength in numbers.’

  ‘She hasn’t told her parents,’ Shep said. ‘She’s still avoiding them.’

  ‘She told you?’

  ‘About the baby,’ Shep said. ‘Yes, she did.’

  ‘And you’re still interested?’

  ‘I don’t know what I am; your friend can be a complete bitch but... I find myself going back for more.’

  ‘You can’t mess her around,’ Lacie said.

  ‘Haven’t you just got off the phone with Ryder’s buddy warning you off?’

  ‘The difference is I know how I feel about Ryder, and I’m not about to become a single catholic mother with judgemental parents. If you’re with her then you’re with her, if not leave her alone.’ He didn’t say anything but a smile crossed his face. ‘What?’

  ‘You two are unbelievable, do you know that? She’s pregnant and terrified then she finds out the kid’s father is dead but her concern is you so she jets to the other side of the world to make sure you’re ok. But you, you do her a favour and find yourself taken prisoner and put through god knows what, you try and get yourself better then you find out your boyfriend has been locked up for drug crimes but here you are telling me not to mess with your friend.’

  ‘What’s your point?’

  ‘Even when your own lives are falling down around your ears you still pay attention and take time out of your lives to look out for each other. It’s incredible.’

  ‘It’s called friendship, are you going to listen to me? Decide, put it to her, work it out, or walk away.’

  Their conversation had conjured her because as soon as the words were out of Lacie’s mouth Sorcha entered and was directed to the table. Time was scarce because Lacie wanted to call the police and the jail before Gabe picked her up but now was the time to fill Sorcha in and make some decisions – they needed a plan.

  By the time Gabe picked her up from the restaurant, Lacie had completed the majority of her tasks. The car journey was sil
ent and that continued even after they pulled into the SW garage; maybe it was trust issues, or shock at what they were facing, Lacie didn’t know. Words were as scarce as movement when he parked. They sat silently and neither of them moved.

  ‘The last time I was in here...’ she said exhaling something of a laugh. ‘It’s odd isn’t it? The turns in life that we don’t expect.’

  ‘I usually find that they are the best ones... though I guess that hasn’t been your experience,’ Gabe said.

  ‘Being in that place... I wouldn’t want to go back; it’s changed me though I still haven’t figured out in what ways exactly. This situation started so innocently, I... Sorcha told me I wouldn’t have to talk to Bruce but... I ended up watching his demise.’

  ‘Are you sure he’s dead? Can you tell me what happened?’

  As before, the memory made her shiver, and as tightly as she squeezed her eyes closed, she couldn’t erase the pictures.

  ‘I’ve never seen... it was barbaric, and it wasn’t—Wallace just snapped I suppose.’

  ‘Wallace did it himself?’

  ‘Why do you sound surprised by that?’ she asked.

  ‘He wasn’t one to get his hands dirty. He’d delight in others torture but always stopped short of pulling the trigger if he could. I suspect it was more a case of deniability than sensitivity.’

  ‘He didn’t do it himself,’ Lacie said. ‘He got the men into such a lather they were... it was like watching dogs pick off the weakest member of the pack.’

  ‘They turned on him? They beat him?’

  ‘Yes,’ she said. ‘Wallace was taunting him and the men, telling them about how Bruce was the only one they couldn’t trust, the only one who could shop them all. Even when they started hitting him Wallace carried on deriding him.’

  ‘Where was Eric for all of this?’

  ‘He was there,’ she said. ‘He was always there. He didn’t say much. The only time I know he opened his mouth to say more than one word was... the first night.’

  ‘What did he say?’

  ‘Wallace wasn’t there... he told the men to...’

  ‘To?’ Gabe asked.

  ‘He told them not to touch me,’ Lacie said.

  ‘They were touching you?’

  ‘Look Gabe, I want to help Ryder. He doesn’t deserve to be where he is, and I think if we all work together then we can exert enough pressure on enough weak spots to get him out of there for good. But, I’m not there yet. I’m not able to get into all the nitty gritty of what did, and didn’t, happen. There were a dozen men working for Wallace to do whatever it was he was doing. Booth was beaten to death at Wallace’s urging, and then he sent Eric away to get rid of the body. I don’t know where he is. I can’t tell you where he’s buried, or even if he was buried at all. I’ve spoken to the police. I’ve been as helpful as I can. But I’m not going to tell you about what I went through; it’s irrelevant.’

  ‘Stone won’t see it that way when he gets out,’ Gabe said. ‘He’ll want to know everything.’

  ‘He won’t push me,’ she said. ‘I’ll want to talk about it eventually, but not yet, not here, not with you.’

  ‘Understood,’ Gabe said with a nod. ‘Your things will be up in the house. I’ll take you up and let you get settled in. There will be something on the go in the kitchen, come down to eat whenever you want.’

  ‘Thank you,’ she said. ‘I appreciate everything you’ve done.’

  ‘Just be ready for Stone to hit the roof when he hears you’re here.’

  ‘I’m here of my own freewill, and Ryder has the most amazing Jacuzzi bath. If you guys decide to hold me captive, make sure it’s up there.’

  Her joke had him smiling. ‘Understood.’

  When he got out of the vehicle he came around to open her door. Then, just as he’d said he took her up to Ryder’s room turning on all the lights and checking all the corners and closets without her behest, which she very much appreciated. When he left her alone she found herself focusing on Ryder’s bed that dominated the middle of the room. He’d kissed her on that bed, she’d felt the promise of what would be available digging into her as he devoured her mouth. Only they hadn’t got there, and she hadn’t enjoyed him in this room. Looking out at the view of the town laid beneath the ledge the house was situated on she was hypnotised by the twinkling lights. She hadn’t realised how late it had gotten, and she’d had a long day. Stripping out of her clothes, she lay on the bed promising herself that she would just close her eyes for a moment then she would enjoy Ryder’s bath.

  One of those twinkling lights was his, was on the building that he was currently in, on a hard single bed, probably staring at the ceiling without thought for sleep. She had come to be close to him and for now this was as close as she would get but tomorrow things would be different – she had to believe it, she just had to.

  Some sort of squawking bird jolted her awake the next morning. As Lacie tried to clear her vision she sat bolt upright completely at sea as to her location. Then she saw his watch by the bed, his boots in front of the closet, and she remembered. The smile that formed when she realised she was in his bed quickly cleared when she remembered that he wasn’t here with her, and why he wasn’t here. In an instant she was up, bypassing the bath she went for the quickest shower of her life, changed clothes, and ran down the stairs looking for someone, anyone.

  Gabe was in the kitchen laughing with most of the boys at a joke she hadn’t heard. When they caught sight of her the joke ceased to be funny, and each of the men examined her in turn.

  ‘I fell asleep,’ she said to Gabe.

  ‘Twelve hours ago,’ Gabe said. ‘You must have needed the rest.’

  ‘It’s something about that bed,’ she said making her way to the centre island. The kitchen was huge, and filled with all the mod cons. A glass-walled corner was the location of the huge round table that had capacity for at least twenty.

  ‘Doesn’t say much for the boss man,’ Rocco said nudging the man at his side, while Sonny at his other flank turned beetroot red.

  ‘I don’t know you,’ Lacie said to the man who nudged Rocco back.

  ‘That’s Will,’ Gabe said. ‘Ty’s on his other side, and you remember Toby and Rocco?’

  ‘Sure,’ she said vaguely remembering the men Ryder had introduced her to before they left for the meeting with Shep that fateful day.

  ‘Guys this is Lacie Hart, who all the trouble’s been about.’

  Lacie lifted her hand in a lame wave while they scrutinised her. Rocco grinned, and slung an arm around Sonny. ‘And you remember our slave.’

  ‘Yes,’ she said. ‘They’re all so mean to you. I don’t know why you put up with them.’

  ‘Not going to be a worry much longer,’ Will said. ‘What with the company folding.’

  ‘Don’t look at her like that,’ Gabe said. ‘None of this is her fault.’

  ‘I don’t believe I said it was,’ Will grumbled. ‘But we’re not thrilled by this state of affairs.’

  ‘You want to argue about this again?’ Gabe asked. ‘Stone says it’s done then it’s done.’

  ‘Yeah, ‘cause we’re all a bunch of criminals,’ Will said.

  ‘He doesn’t think you’re criminals,’ Lacie said.

  ‘Oh yeah? How else do you explain him firing us all and selling the place from under us?’ Will snapped.

  ‘His best friend deceived him. He doesn’t trust his own judgement at the moment,’ Lacie said holding her ground.

  ‘Yet, his little woman is here,’ Will said. ‘Does he know you’re here?’

  ‘The way I see it you have two options. You suck it up, quit the moaning, and get on board to fix this situation,’ she said.

  ‘Or?’ he prompted.

  ‘You know where the door is,’ she said.

  ‘You’re throwing me out?’ he asked.

  ‘No,’ she said. ‘I’m telling you to get with us. If we can get Ryder out of jail and make sure Wallace stays there then there will
be something after this. StoneWall is done, but that doesn’t mean Ryder will be going into retirement. You guys are a team, Ryder needs help – is it your policy to leave a man behind?’

  All exchanged looks, the tentative, and uncertain became fierce and resolved. ‘Do you have a plan?’ Will asked her.

  ‘We’re not going to break him out in a hail of bullets if that’s what you’re suggesting.’

  ‘What are you suggesting?’

  ‘I’m talking to the DA,’ she said looking at Ryder’s watch.

  Lacie had put it on in the hope that having something of his against her skin would be comforting. But she’d taken it all the way up to her inner elbow to fasten it, and it still kept sliding down into view from under her three-quarter length sleeve.

  ‘In an hour,’ Lacie carried on. ‘Then Shep and Sorcha are coming over here, and we’ll regroup. Then I’m going to see Ryder, and after that I have a meeting with his lawyer.’

  ‘And two weeks ago she was living in a squalid basement without food,’ Ty said. ‘You know how to get things done.’

  ‘I’ve cleared up a few messes,’ Lacie said thinking of Sorcha. ‘But this is important.’

  ‘You do know that you’re the victim,’ Rocco said. ‘Are you happy running around like this?’

  ‘A lot of people will think it’s strange that you’re fighting for the people who kidnapped you,’ Will said.

  ‘Ryder had nothing to do with it. Wallace will go down for this of that I have no doubt,’ Lacie said. ‘This won’t be a walk in the park, but when I think of Ryder right now caged in a dark, depressing place kept against his will... I have the inside on what that’s like. I want him out.’

  Will smiled at the same time Ty did and she had a feeling like she’d just passed an undeclared initiation.

  ‘Let’s get to HQ, we’ll get the war room operational,’ Gabe declared.

  The men got moving and she let herself be carried with them towards their shared objective. This group did this for a living, and that was brought into stark focus when she entered their buzzing “war room”. Toby stood near a bank of computers pulling something out of a printer and distributing it to each of the others that approached him. Sonny brought her a stack of sheets and as she flipped through them, she read biographical information on each of the men who had held her captive. Sections were added, highlighted, their previous convictions, credit reports, known associates and aliases, the lot. The SW men weren’t only interested in getting Ryder out they wanted to get the men who had wronged them and her. Lacie had little chance to sift through the histories and connections because Gabe and Rocco took her aside.