Hyde (Dark Musicals Trilogy)

by Laura DeLuca

  “Thanks for pointing it out,” Justyn mumbled before turning his attention back to Rebecca. He wrapped his arm around her waist, and she was grateful for his strength beside her. Now that the adrenaline rush was ebbing, her legs were starting to feel a little shaky, especially when she thought about how close they’d come to losing their lives.

  “The baby!” Carmen fretted, suddenly forgetting Tom altogether. She turned to Rebecca and took hold of her other arm. “Is the baby okay? Did they hit your stomach? Did you hurt yourself when you fell? What were you thinking anyway, tackling that guy like a sumo wrestler in your condition! You’re such an idiot sometimes!”

  “I appreciate your concern.” Rebecca snorted, annoyed. “But we’re both fine. And I don’t appreciate the comparison to a sumo wrestler. I haven’t gained that much weight. At least not ye—”

  “Well, well, well. What do we have here?”

  Rebecca jerked around to see who owned the sarcastic voice that cut off her sentence. At first she thought it was Fernando, but she realized her boss still sat on the steps, mumbling to himself and wiping his sweaty forehead with a handkerchief. She shouldn’t have been surprised to find a familiar cop standing there instead. After all, Cape May was a small town with maybe ten or fifteen year-round officers. A couple dozen summer cops were added to the roster in the busy season to patrol the boardwalk and other tourist attractions, but they were only armed with tasers and rode bikes instead of squad cars. They would never be called to the scene of a parking lot brawl. That honor was reserved for seasoned professionals like Officer Weston. Still, Rebecca wished someone, anyone else, was patrolling the area.

  “Oh man.” Tom rolled his eyes. “Not the cavalry I was hoping for.”

  Officer Weston’s face was set in a tight frown, and his forehead creased as he stepped across the threshold into the parking lot. His expression never seemed to change. He always appeared angry. Yet somehow, despite the frown, Weston came pretty close to being amused when he saw the familiar group in such a pathetic condition. He studied Justyn’s battered face with a twinkle in his eyes. Nino, on the other hand, was concerned when he saw the guys were bruised and bloodied and the girls trembling at their sides.

  “Couldn’t make it a whole week without getting into trouble, could you, Patko?” Officer Weston sneered. “What will the charges be this time? Assault? Disturbing the peace?”

  “These kids are the victims here!” Fernando overheard the conversation and finally pulled himself up from the steps to intervene. When he spoke, his voice was stern and authoritative, even though the policeman stood a foot and a half taller than him. “I scared off a mob of hooligans who attacked them with no provocation. What is this city’s law enforcement coming to? It’s not even safe for me to walk out of my own restaurant without fear of getting mugged! What if this had happened to one of my customers?”

  “This wasn’t a random act,” Justyn interjected. “Those guys accused me of selling on their turf.”

  Officer Weston was smug. “So this was drug related.”

  “No! It was related to the fact that I was falsely accused!” Justyn retorted.

  “Listen, punk,” Weston started, “I don’t know who you think you’re talking to, but—”

  “Why don’t I take their statements?” Nino suggested when he saw the possibility of a standoff. “You should talk to the business owner.”

  Fernando, ever the actor, picked up the cue and started ranting about how his friend, the mayor, was going to hear all about everything that had happened. Weston narrowed his eyes for a minute before nodding. In a small town like Cape May, it was an important part of politics to keep their most affluent citizens happy. So Weston allowed Fernando to regale him with his heroic rescue while Nino stepped over to Rebecca and her friends with his notepad in hand. He offered to call an ambulance. They all refused, but Rebecca wished Justyn had taken him up on the offer. He looked terrible, and she knew the crowbar had hit its mark more than once. But Justyn hated doctors and reminded her that Darlene’s homeopathic remedies produced better results for minor injuries than the drugs they handed out in the emergency room. Of course, her concern was the possibility of injuries that weren’t so minor.

  “You guys can’t catch a break, can you?” Nino shook his head after hearing the grisly details.

  “Of course not,” Justyn grumbled and tossed a pebble across the parking lot. “Why would anyone give a break to a heroin dealer?”

  “Well, at least they didn’t have guns. In that sense, you’re actually pretty lucky,” Nino offered. Then he went back to his notepad, instantly professional. “I know you said they were masked, but did you recognize any of your assailants? Any distinguishing marks that could help us make a positive ID?”

  “I didn’t notice any—” Justyn began

  “Yes!” Rebecca interrupted. The rest of their eyes widened in surprise, and she realized she hadn’t had a chance to tell them what she’d discovered. “The one with the crowbar, I recognized his tattoos. He works here in the kitchen. His name is Albert. I’m not sure of his last name.”

  Though he remained quiet, she heard Justyn’s teeth start to grind at the revelation. His face fell into shadows. Rebecca knew he was plotting something but was afraid to ask what, especially with a cop standing there. The look on his face was eerily Hyde-like, and it made her more than a little nervous.

  “I’m sure your employer will have that information,” Nino said. He turned to look over his shoulder to make sure Weston wasn’t listening before continuing in a lower volume, “Listen, I’ve been checking into this stuff like I promised. What you told me makes me think I might be on to something. I’ve heard some crazy rumors about Tamilio’s that started long before you guys worked here. Folks were saying there was some kind of drug ring going down. You’d be surprised how many small businesses in this area are fronts for the Pennsylvania mob. Maybe this thing with Justyn was a way to take the heat off the real dealers.”

  “Are you saying you think Fernando is in the mob?” Carmen looked incredulously at the short, plump man who was still pasty-faced after the incident. “I don’t believe it.”

  Nino snickered. “Not all folks with mob ties are greasy-haired Italians in pinstriped suits and fedoras. They usually blend in, especially if they’re trying to run an undercover job. But that doesn’t mean you should jump to conclusions. Just because there are rumors about drugs circulating through here doesn’t mean the owner was part of it. It could just as easily be one of his employees.”

  “There’s definitely something going on here.” Rebecca told him about Steve and the marijuana.

  Nino crinkled his forehead. “But you didn’t see who he bought it from?”

  She shook her head. “No, but I would put my money on Albert.”

  Nino didn’t seem as enthusiastic as Rebecca had expected. “I’ll do some background checks on this Steve fellow. Albert is already gonna to be wanted for questioning after what happened tonight, and you’ll have the option of pressing assault charges. But don’t be disappointed if not much else comes of it. Buying a little weed is barely illegal anymore. Selling is a different story, but even if you had seen the dealer, it would be your word against his.” He finally shut his notepad and shoved it in his back pocket. “I’ll keep my eye out though, and I’ll let you know if I find anything helpful. In the meantime, try to keep a low profile.”

  Nino shook hands with Tom and Justyn, and they thanked him for his help. Afterward, the rookie headed back to Officer Weston to compare notes. The older cop didn’t seem impressed with their story, and while he reluctantly agreed to seek Albert for questioning, he definitely wasn’t eager about it. It was obvious what he really longed to do was slap his handcuffs on Justyn for the second time.

  “If they don’t get that bastard and throw him in jail, I’ll kill him myself,” Justyn promised as they watched the cops drive away.

  Something in the tone of his voice made Rebecca shudder, and she wondered how far
her fiancé was really willing to take that threat.

  Chapter Twenty

  A few hours later, Rebecca and Justyn found themselves back at Darlene’s house. After waking Sherry for assistance, the three women set to work on mending Justyn’s wounds. Willow bark tea was brewing, bandages were unraveled, and witch hazel was applied. All the while their patient sat with his eyes closed and knuckles white as he waited for the remnants of blood to be disposed of.

  Rebecca studied her fiancé as she cleaned his cheek. The wound wasn’t nearly as severe as she had originally imagined. Darlene had already removed all the gravel, and once the blood was cleaned away, there were only a few minor scratches. No stitches were required, and hopefully there wouldn’t be any scarring once it healed. The dark bruises already appearing along his bare torso were much more concerning. Darlene was amazed nothing was broken, but she still fretted over the possibility of internal injuries. Of course, her stubborn son wouldn’t even consider heading to the hospital for X-rays.

  “I’m fine, Darlene,” he insisted. “You don’t have to make such a big fuss. Parking lot brawls are nothing compared to your yoga classes.”

  “Well, there’s certainly nothing wrong with his smart-alecky mouth,” Sherry observed. “I’m guessing he didn’t get hit in the jaw.”

  Darlene snorted and tossed her black hair. “I’m not supposed to worry about the fact that my son was nearly bludgeoned to death? Well, I’m sorry, but like it or not, I’m going to worry.” When Justyn only grunted, Darlene put her hands on her hips and continued in her most professional EMT voice, “Just let me know if you feel any lightheadedness, severe abdominal pain, or if you notice any large patches of purple on your skin. It’s different than these other bruises. It would be much darker and very tender. These are all signs of internal bleeding, and it’s a serious problem that would require immediate medical attention. Justyn Patko, are you even listening to a word I’m saying?”

  Justyn leaned back against the recliner. He grudgingly snapped his eyes open just so he could roll them. “Yes. Got it. No purple skin or dizziness, and as long as I avoid your new Paleo diet of chicken brains and cow hearts, I should be able to avoid abdominal pain as well.”

  “Humph. If you ask me, you’re the one who’s acting like a caveman. And for the record, I haven’t tried brains, but cow heart is pretty darn tasty.” Darlene laughed when Rebecca, Justyn, and even Sherry twisted their faces in distaste. “But until you’re ready to broaden your horizons, I’ll go get your tea.”

  Darlene disappeared with a swish of her silk nightgown. Sherry followed her, as though she sensed Rebecca and Justyn needed a few minutes of private time. Rebecca dabbed his cheek with witch hazel even though it wasn’t really necessary anymore. She felt like she needed to keep busy or she would lose her mind worrying about the possible internal injuries Darlene had mentioned.

  “I think you’ve given that scratch enough attention for one evening.” Justyn lifted his hand to take the cotton ball from her fingers and place it on the table, but Rebecca’s concern only increased when she noticed the slight movement made him catch his breath and grimace.

  “Are you in a lot of pain?” Rebecca fretted and brushed a strand of hair behind his ear. “What can I do?”

  “I’ve been through worse. We both have.” His fingers trailed gently along the jagged scar on her arm. It was a lifetime reminder of her narrow escape from Professor Carter, the same way the bullet wound on his shoulder would never fade. “And just think—I may not even need any makeup next time I play the phantom.”

  Rebecca crinkled her nose. “That’s not funny.”

  “You shouldn’t be worrying about me anyway. I should be concerned about you. Becca, when I saw you fall…” he clasped her hand to his chest, “that moment was far worse than any of the times I took a hit. Are you sure everything is all right with you and the … the baby?”

  Rebecca felt a lump rise in her throat but didn’t have a chance to reply. Behind them, there was a startled gasp and the sound of glass shattering. They turned to find Darlene and Sherry standing in the doorway. Darlene still clasped the dish a now-shattered teacup had once sat upon, but the willow bark tea was splattered across the hardwood floors at her feet. Darlene gawked at them, her dark eyes wide as saucers. Rebecca could do nothing but stare back until Sherry finally broke the awkward silence.

  “I guess I’ll be getting something to clean that up,” she grumbled. “And close your mouth, Darlene, before you swallow a fly.”

  Darlene actually did snap her mouth shut, and Sherry rolled her eyes and wandered back into the kitchen. Rebecca held her breath. She couldn’t remember ever seeing Darlene look surprised about anything. Not ever. In fact, it was the first time in four years Rebecca had seen her future mother-in-law appear anything but dignified. No one moved at all until Sherry reemerged. She shooed Darlene out of her way so she could dab up the spilled tea with a kitchen towel. Then, finally, Darlene became reanimated.

  “Justyn, did you say … Becca are y—you…?” she stuttered. “Oh my Goddess. I think I need to sit down.”

  Justyn’s lips turned into a sarcastic smile. “Is it that terrible to hear you’re going to be a grandmother?”

  “Ha!” The thirty-two-year-old Matt guffawed from the stairwell. “Grandma!”

  Matt had chosen the perfect time to appear, clad in only a pair of sweatpants he cut down to shorts for the summer season. His green eyes twinkled mischievously as he watched his wife plop down on the couch. Darlene shot him a dirty look.

  “Call me that again and you’re a dead man,” she told him, only half joking. “Now get back to bed.”

  “Sor-ry. I was coming out the bathroom and I couldn’t help but overhear the happy news … Grandma.”

  Darlene tossed a throw pillow at him that barely missed his head. Matt snickered as he shuffled down the hallway to their bedroom. Eventually there was the sound of a door clicking shut, and the chuckles faded. Darlene turned back to her son as though the interruption had never occurred.

  “So, were you planning on telling me you two were expecting, or were you simply going to come home for the holidays with a baby in your arms?”

  Justyn shrugged. “I was waiting for you to read it in your tea leaves. Of course now those leaves are all over the floor so…”

  “Don’t get snippy with your mother,” Sherry ordered. She tossed the soiled towel at Justyn, but she gave him a good-natured grin. Even with his injuries, he was able to snatch the rag from the air effortlessly.

  “Mother, even you knew about this?” Darlene asked, awed.

  “Of course, Darlene. Crones know everything.” She winked at Rebecca. “I don’t even need the tea leaves anymore.”

  “A baby!” Darlene blinked a few times before finally breaking into a ravishing smile. “Well, this is the best news we’ve had in quite a while! Surprise or not, a child is always a blessing.”

  Rebecca wished Justyn agreed with his mother, but he didn’t seem overly interested as Darlene and Sherry continued to gush. Darlene brought out mugs of tea for everyone; giving Rebecca a dandelion variety she swore would end her morning sickness. She insisted on touching Rebecca’s belly to try to feel the energy of her future grandchild and came to the instant conclusion Rebecca would be having a boy. Darlene probably would have started planning the baby shower if Justyn hadn’t complained his head was pounding and pleaded for release. Rebecca was exhausted herself, so she was glad when they were able to get away with minimal difficulties. She followed Justyn up the stairs and nodded when he told her he was going to take a quick shower before bed.

  It was nearly three o’clock in the morning when Rebecca stepped into the bedroom. It had been a long night, but as much as she longed for sleep, she knew she wouldn’t be able to rest until Justyn was beside her. She plopped down in his desk chair to wait for him, fiddled with the ammonite necklace she always wore, and struggled with her conflicting emotions. She was worried about Justyn. She hated that he wa
s wrongly accused and the whole mess had led to such a vicious attack. They simply couldn’t catch a break. Their lives were always consumed by the same type of drama they acted out onstage. But as concerned as she was for Justyn, Rebecca was also frustrated with his defeatist behavior. Maybe she was being selfish, but she was completely over his emo brooding. After all, the situation was every bit as difficult for her as it was for him.

  Rebecca sighed. Just like Jekyll and Emma, their problems were pushing them apart instead of bringing them together.

  Buzzzzzz. Buzzzzz.

  Rebecca was startled from her thoughts when Justyn’s cell began to rattle against the desk. She lifted her eyes in time to see New Message flash across the screen. Almost on instinct, she picked up the phone, selected read, and the text appeared. There was only a small light on the nightstand on the other side of the room, so Rebecca had to squint to make out the words.

  Where were U 2day? Got the $$ 4 the next batch.

  The message had come from someone named Dash. It took her a minute, but Rebecca remembered the name. That was the kid who had shown up at Tamilio’s on his bike. He had also called and interrupted them the first time Rebecca tried to tell Justyn about the baby. Who was this kid? What was he paying Justyn for? It seemed a little sinister. For one brief, terrible second, Rebecca wondered if Carmen was right. What if the reason Justyn acted like he was already beaten was because he was guilty?

  As soon as she thought it, Rebecca mentally reprimanded herself. She hated that she had allowed even one small disloyal thought to sneak through. The idea had undoubtedly sprung from exhaustion and hurt feelings. Rebecca knew Justyn was innocent. He would never risk their future together to make a quick buck, and especially not with heroin.

  Shaking her head, Rebecca laid the phone back down on the desk.

  “Are you spying on me?”

  Rebecca jumped at the sound of Justyn’s voice coming from the doorway, not only because it was unexpected, but because the tone was so hard, almost callous. His wet hair was hanging over his narrowed eyes. The shadows the mane cast over his features couldn’t conceal the fury waiting there. She had seen that look, that fury before, but never directed at her. Mostly she had seen it on the stage, when he became the embodiment of some desperate villain. With his cut face and bruised body, it was as if he had somehow managed to merge his persona with both the phantom and Hyde so all three of them could stand there and accuse her as one united front.