by R Weir
“I am here because of the respect I have for you,” replied Alexander.
“And I for you.”
“I know of your long-haired friend as well,” said Alexander. “His reputation is stellar. What name are you going by now?”
“You may call me Rocky,” he said.
“If I’d known I was sending men to face you, I’d have sent more. I know you are formidable.”
“You would have required quite a few more,” said Rocky with a smile.
“Yes, I’m certain of this. Though no man is unkillable.”
“No one has succeeded yet. I may be the very definition.”
Alexander laughed. At least he had a sense of humor.
“And you would be?” he asked of me.
“Jarvis Mann.”
“Oh yes, the PI from Denver. The one who is pestering my business.”
“It is my highly honed skill.”
An expression I’d been using a lot lately. Another business card slogan, though he did not laugh at my words, which was not a good sign.
“Brandon, we can stand here all day and discuss resumes,” stated Alexander. “But it is too hot to lounge around and socialize. I am here to listen to what you can offer me to resolve this conflict.”
“Well, it seems you have sent men to kill Rocky, Jarvis, and members of the Mann family. We would like this to stop.”
“It will stop when he stops nosing into my affairs.”
“He believes someone needs to pay for the murder of his brother.”
“Is that so? And who do you expect killed your brother?”
“You did,” I said boldly. “Or at least ordered his death.”
“Strong words. Do you have evidence of this?”
“Working on it. Also the deaths of Carlos and the woman in his apartment. You are responsible for ordering them as well.”
“My understanding is it was a murder-suicide.”
“The Des Moines police don’t think so. It’s only a matter of proving it, which I will help them do in time.”
“Continuing will get you killed, along with your other family members. Is it worth this potential cost to wage this vendetta?”
“I run a close second on the unkillable meter.”
“I can snap my fingers right now and these men will gun you down before you can pull your weapon.”
“We had an agreement, Alexander,” said Brandon. “No shooting. We are only here to talk this out. Jarvis understands this as well, don’t you?”
I nodded, for I knew that in this current situation, I couldn’t win.
“Then let us talk,” said Alexander. “Jarvis here must understand there is nothing he can do but walk away and leave the past in the past. Take the information he has found and bury it. Leave my family alone. Don’t come near it again and he will live with no fear from me.”
“And if I don’t?” I asked.
“I can’t make it any clearer than this; you, your sister-in-law, niece and anyone else who stands with you will die. This includes the unkillable Rocky. As I respect Mr. Sparks, I will give you seven days to take care of any personal business and for you to leave Des Moines, never to return. You have my word no attempts on you or your family will be made during this time. You leave and we will never bother you again. If you are still around at sundown next Monday and continue to bother Casey, her father, and her uncle, we will hunt you down. Messing with those in my family and in my business is tantamount to declaring war on me. If the mood strikes me, I may have them bring you to me so I can cut you up into little pieces, which I spared your brother from.”
“What about all you’ve done to my family, in killing my brother?”
“Don’t you see he was nothing? Only a fly speck needing to be washed away. None in your family is of any consequence to me. The same can be said of Carlos and his lover. I am Alexander the Bull, and I call all the shots.”
There it was, he admitted to killing Flynn. I had no doubt, but I now know for certain. I was at the O.K. Corral, warned to be out of town by sundown Monday, a western cliché. I wanted to pull my gun and shoot him right then and there, but knew I’d be dead before I got off a round. with the firepower in front of me. I turned and walked back to the limo and crawled inside, thankful for the cooler air, though uncertain what my next move would be.
Brandon and Rocky joined me, and the limo pulled off back to the airport.
“Well, that went well,” said Brandon.
“I know for certain he killed Flynn,” I said. “And I know he sent the men to kill us. Now, I have seven days to decide what to do next.”
“If I were you, I’d do as he said and leave town. Add it up as one in the loss column. No shame in losing.”
“If they had killed your brother, would you?” I asked.
Brandon leaned back in his seat, a fresh glass of JD in his hands.
“Probably not. But of course, you aren’t me. And, with respect to your talents, which I know are good, you aren’t capable of winning this one. And I can’t stand with you this time and provide support. You are on your own from here on if you plan to continue.”
He was right. This was my battle and I had to decide if the price was worth it. What to do, what to do? Jack Daniels wasn’t one of my favorites, but I was going to learn to like it. I reached over, grabbed the bottle, and poured myself a full glass. Drinking was what I was going to do until a better idea came along.
Chapter 48
I was not good at holding my liquor. A couple of beers here and there was all I normally drank. Hard to say how much JD was flowing through my veins. I only vaguely remember the flight back, the drive to the safe house and then somehow was now sitting at a bar. I wasn’t sure how much time had passed. Through the window I could see it was getting dark. I scanned the room and it appeared familiar. Then it dawned on me: I was at Roni’s Italian Bistro. I pulled out my phone and checked the phone log and found I’d tried to call Melissa. I had a vague memory of not getting her. It was a Tuesday and, depending on the time, she was likely working or at school. Anger and disappointment had filled me when I couldn’t talk with her. I missed her and missed being with her. I needed companionship to pull me through, to help me find a solution. Right now the only answer I had was I had drunk too much, certainly more than I was capable of. I headed to the bathroom, found an open stall, and threw up. After ten minutes of emptying my stomach and cleaning up, I felt marginally better and came back, hoping to get some food. Standing there before me was Roni, looking sad. Apparently she knew I was there, yet I didn’t recall talking with her.
“Feel any better?” she asked, her hand on my shoulder.
“I need food. Something plain an empty stomach can handle.”
“I can whip up something,” she answered, then spoke to the female bartender. “No more liquor for Jarvis. Sierra Mist on the rocks.”
She walked away while I sipped my soda. In a few minutes she returned with plain pasta and cheese ravioli.
“I’m assuming you can still feed yourself?” she said with a grin.
“Ha, ha. I’m sure I can handle it without stabbing myself.”
I slowly ate, in hopes it would stay down. I knew it would help some, but only time would clear the booze from my system.
“How the hell did I get here?” I asked.
“Brandon dropped you off.”
“Really.”
“Yes, he wanted to talk business, which we did. He is quite charming.”
“Did you close the deal?”
“Not yet. He wanted to have dinner tonight.”
“So you two have plans?”
“I told him not tonight. I needed to make sure you were okay.”
I felt a pang inside, but it wasn’t from the booze or the food. I was flattered she wanted to see me through this, since it was hardly my finest moment.
“I’m definitely feeling the effects of too much Jack Daniels.”
“My experience says when you drink like this something
is troubling you. Do you need someone to talk to?”
I nodded.
“Let me check on a few things and we can go somewhere quieter to converse.”
I finished my pasta and soda, feeling more human than earlier, though still not myself. She returned in about fifteen minutes and led me outside to her car, helping me in, buckling my seatbelt and kissing me on the top of the head. She drove carefully and soon we arrived at her place. She got me inside, seated on the sofa, returning with some ibuprofen for my throbbing head. She had changed out of her work clothes and was sitting next to me in shorts and T-shirt. She smelled wonderful as she turned to look at me.
“So tell me what is bothering you? I’m all ears and yours for the evening.”
“This damn business with Flynn,” I stated. “I’m in so deep and I don’t see a way out. If I quit on it without bringing his killer to justice, I will have failed.”
“Certainly you’ve failed before,” she replied. “It can’t be the first time a case hasn’t finished the way you hoped.”
“No, I’ve been down this road before. But it’s personal. Not only have I failed Flynn, but Helen and Jolene as well.”
“So where are you at now with it all?” Roni asked.
I spelled out the details of my meeting with Alexander the Bull, the timeline he laid out, and his ultimatum. She listened to every word I said, no judgment in her eyes, no concern or fear. When I finished she reached out her hand and held mine.
“Take your time to decide,” Roni said. “In the end, you have to do what is best for Helen and Jolene. Helen loved and hated Flynn, all at the same time. I’m sure finding his killer is of some importance, but being able to live her life without fear for her and Jolene is paramount. Don’t let your pride get in the way of making the right decision here. It seems you have no choice but to walk away.”
“It all makes sense, but it’s hard to let go.”
“Though I’d be sad you can never come back to Des Moines, I’d be even sadder, even crushed, if you were to die, knowing there was no possibility of seeing you again. You must let it go. If not for yourself, then for those who care for you.”
I felt the heavy burden hit me as I slumped over onto Roni’s lap. I wanted to finish what Flynn had started, bring his killer to justice. But it wasn’t going to be. I had to walk away, no matter how much I hated to. I wanted to cry, but the remaining booze in my veins held the tears in check. I rested on her lap for some time, feeling her hand gently running through my hair, then I heard her speak.
“Well, I hate to say it, Jarvis, but you smell,” she said. “You should take a shower and maybe brush your teeth. It will make you feel better.”
She got me up and led me to the bathroom, pointing out where everything was. She provided a fresh toothbrush and robe and, though it felt odd, I stripped before her so she could take my clothes and launder them. I stepped under the water and enjoyed the stream. It cleared my head some as I rinsed my stench and troubles away, my mind a blur on what I was doing here. I had minty breath and soapy aroma when I stepped out of the bathroom in the robe. Roni was standing there waiting for me, also in a robe. She grabbed my hand and led me into her bedroom. She put her arms around me and began kissing my neck and ear. Her lips moved to my mouth and I found myself kissing her back. I wanted to escape it all and she was there for me to get lost. The kissing became stronger and more passionate. She opened my robe, removing it, pushing me down to the bed. She opened her robe, her naked body before me, and she crawled on top. My mind said no, though I couldn’t for this moment say why, my body taking precedence, aroused and ready. All my anger and concern were gone as I plunged deep inside of her, escaping the hell that had occupied my last month, releasing a passion with a woman I shouldn’t be with, though I couldn’t see myself with anyone else at the moment. There was no regret at the first or second climax; we would enjoy this night. Regret would come later with a throbbing headache in the morning light and the realization of the mistake I’d made and the trust I had broken.
Chapter 49
When I awoke in the morning I felt like a cad and hungover like I hadn’t felt in many years. It was not a good combo and I really wasn’t sure what to do. I could try to sneak out, but my clothes were still in the washer or dryer and I had no idea where they were. Being a detective, I could have searched for them, but for some reason didn’t make the effort. I crawled out of bed naked and found the bathroom, and more ibuprofen to ease the pounding.
Looking at myself in the mirror revealed a worn down man with more guilt to deal with. Guilt for not being able to find my brother’s killer and for sleeping with someone else when I was in a committed relationship. I could spin it all I wanted, but this was a major screw up. Sure, I had been drunk earlier, but I knew what I was doing when she pulled me into the bedroom. I could have put an end to it, but didn’t. Deep down, I was afraid I had wanted this. Maybe to give me an excuse to end it with Melissa. No matter how much I tried to tell myself, the facts were I was in many ways like my brother when it came to relationships. Even with a good woman, it never seemed enough for me. It was a failing I couldn’t seem to overcome.
Roni stepped into the bathroom, hugging me from behind, her lips kissing my shoulders, her naked body pressed against me. I tried to remain calm. I turned around and kissed her softly, for it seemed the correct thing to do.
“Can a girl get a little privacy?” she said. “Then you can join me in the shower if you’d like, and afterwards I’ll make some breakfast.”
Out I walked, finding the bed to sit on. When she finished, she called me in and we showered together, each of us washing away the night of desire. I wished for colder water to ease my blood flow. We stepped out without getting further aroused, dried off, and she retrieved my clothes. Once dressed, she made a nice breakfast. I wasn’t sure what to say and she was quiet herself. I could see contentment in her eyes.
“I believe we should talk about last night,” I said finally, the silence killing me.
“I agree, but I must get off to work soon. It’s was nearly eleven and it would seem we would need more than a few minutes.”
I hadn’t noticed it being so late.
“Yes, I agree,” I said. “I have some things to work out with Helen and Jolene. I promise to call you when we have more time. It may be a day or so, but I vow to reach out to you.”
“No worries, Jarvis. Last night was wonderful. But it doesn’t have to be life-altering. I know you needed a release and I was happy to provide it. Let me finish getting ready and I can drop you wherever you need me to.”
She left the room and I called Rocky to see how things were going.
“Where have you been?” he asked.
“Sleeping off a lot of booze,” I answered.
“Alone?”
“No comment. How are Helen and Jolene?”
“Fine. They were both worried about you. I told them you had some thinking to do and you were fine.”
“Thanks for explaining to them and covering for my inebriation. Need you to come get me. I’ll be at the Merle Hay Mall in about twenty minutes.”
“Never thought I’d be a chauffeur in Des Moines, Iowa.”
“If it’s any consolation, you are the toughest driver in the Midwest.”
It wasn’t, and he cursed at me before hanging up the phone. Roni walked out in her work day clothes, ready to leave. We went to the car silently, as was the drive. When dropping me off, she reached over to kiss me softly.
“Don’t worry, everything will work out for the best,” she said.
I turned on my main cell phone. It had been off for a day now. A familiar chime informed me of a voicemail and, tapping deeper, I saw it was from Melissa. I couldn’t bring myself to listen to it, standing outside the north entrance feeling like an ass, both happy and sad thoughts rolling through my brain. I needed to push all to the side. I had more important items to work on. Rocky pulled up and the two ladies got out to join me. I had suggested shopping a
nd maybe some lunch, but Rocky didn’t care to shop, so he would go off and do his own thing, returning when we were done. Maybe he was tracking down some new cooking recipes. Inside, the ladies stopped at various stores, mostly fashion and spent some money. Helen and Jolene seemed to have grown closer in the tragedy. It was good to see, for my connections to them in Des Moines would have to be severed, at least when it came to visiting. This saddened me. They were all the family I had left.
An hour, a few hundred dollars, and several bags later, we sat in the food court for some fast food. Partway through the meal, I finally broached the subject.
“We need to talk about where we are in our current situation,” I said.
Both of them turned their full attention to me.
“Rocky said there may be a solution, but you’d need to let us know what it was,” said Helen. “From his tone, it didn’t seem ideal.”
“It’s not, from my perspective,” I stated. “I know who the person is behind Flynn’s murder. Unfortunately, I will not be able to do anything about it.”
“Why not?” asked Jolene.
“Because he will send an army of people to kill you and me, and there won’t be anything I can do about it.”
Both women sighed.
“He is a powerful man, who can do unspeakable things to you both. I can’t have that. With my connection, he agreed to leave you both alone if I stopped pursuing this case and left town within seven days, never to return to Des Moines again.”
“So you believe this will work if you leave?” asked Helen.
“My associate, who is a powerful man himself and brought us together, says he will keep his word.”
“He is the one who killed Dad?” said Jolene.
“Yes, he admitted it.”
“He can’t get away with it. He must pay and go to jail for his crime. You promised you’d catch him.”
“I did and I’m sorry. This man is too connected, his reach brutal and precise. He failed in his first attempt because he didn’t understand what he was up against. He is likely not to fail again.”