City in the Middle

by Colleen Green

  Once I put it on the cradle, she sat up and hugged me so hard I nearly fell backward. I returned her embrace.

  “Amber, h-h-he’s—”

  “You don’t have to say it!” I rocked her, gently. Dead. She couldn’t say the word “dead.” I was sure of it. The tears that cascaded down her face weren’t ones of relief. “Alive” would have been easy to say. Her heavy sobs made her rise and fall repeatedly in our embrace. “Let it out,” I said, stroking her hair. She buried her head in the crook of my neck. Her tears soaked through my shirt. Soon, my own joined hers as they flowed down my face.

  She pulled away, her makeup smeared and face flushed. “I’m sorry.”

  “What on earth for?”

  “Before you left, I… You were just trying to look after me.” She choked back more sobs.

  “Don’t worry about that. We’re fine.”

  I leaned back on her pillow and guided her down next to me. She was trying to apologize for yelling at me earlier. Never again would I leave right after a fight. I was sorry too.

  She eventually stopped crying. It came in spurts until she seemed to wear herself out. Each time, I held her.

  Once she managed to calm down, both of our stomachs began to churn. The gurgling sound caught us off guard and made us chuckle.

  “I guess we are both hungry, huh?” I said.

  “Yeah, no kidding.”

  She hadn’t been eating much ever since Cam left to take care of her father’s debt. She needed to be cared for. “I could make soup,” I offered.

  “I could eat some.”

  We had our late-night snack. Fiona managed to eat a little soup with crackers. I had so many questions about Cam, but it was too soon to ask them. Unless she opened up to me first, I wouldn’t pry.

  “You’re probably wondering who I was talking to on the phone.” She wiped her mouth with a napkin.

  “I was.”

  “It was Henry. I knew his father got the paper delivered to the pub, and he would take them home. I wanted him to see if he could find any articles on what happened to Cam.”

  “Oh, we don’t have to talk about it now.” She had been through so much. I could find out later what happened to Cam after she had time to process it and get over the shock of losing her boyfriend.

  “I know, but you deserve to know what happened. You’ve been there for me the whole time.”

  “Fiona, you don’t owe me anything, not even an explanation.” I reached for her hand and squeezed it briefly.

  “I want to give you one anyway. What I do know is the bare minimum the press has found out. According to the police, Cam was killed”—she gulped—“during a shoot-out between him and men that are associated with a drug lord who runs the slums in Jersey. Since the men who killed Cam got away, the investigation is ongoing. Considering these criminals are responsible for the deaths of multiple cops, I figure they will eventually get what’s coming to them.” A wicked grin escaped her mouth.

  “I’m so sorry, Fiona.” I shook my head.

  “Me too. I didn’t think I could hate my father any more than I did. Turns out I was wrong, so very wrong. Cam somehow paid his debt to the mob to save me. But it cost him his life.” Her tears came again.

  I rushed to her side and held her. “No more talking about it tonight. Please, stop.”

  “Okay,” she muttered.

  Since I didn’t want to leave her side, I walked with her back to her room and crawled into bed with her. I couldn’t sleep until I heard her soft snoring.

  ∞ ∞ ∞

  The next day, I awoke before Fiona. I crept out of her bed, careful not to wake her. I was up earlier than normal. By nine thirty, I’d already had coffee and a banana.

  As I brushed my teeth, I remembered the fireman, Gabe, talking about the chili cook-off. It was at noon. I could give Gabe a menu to take to the firehouse, and the firefighters could order from the pub once Henry knew what items we could make.

  There was no way I was leaving the apartment and worrying about Fiona while I was out. Fiona’s well-being took precedence over eating chili and flirting. Maybe Daisy could stay with her.

  After a short phone call, Daisy agreed to stop by just after four. It was the soonest she could come. Although I would miss the event, I would stop by the firehouse and hope to see Gabe. If he was at work later, I would have a chance to reconnect with him.

  I called Henry to see how ordering the new appliances was going. He had ordered a new stove. Replacing some parts could salvage the refrigerator in the kitchen. He hadn’t figured out what items to offer for carryout, but the fridge in the bar was still working. I suggested sandwiches for now. Henry agreed to two of them, along with some potato appetizers. I highlighted the items on a takeout menu I had in the apartment. He suggested we wait until the painting was done and the electrical was working to start the limited menu.

  As promised, Daisy came over at four o’clock. I left Daisy and Fiona at the apartment and went out. The guilt of leaving Fiona the day after she found out her boyfriend died was eased by knowing she wasn’t alone.

  When I arrived at the firehouse, a gentleman answered the door. “I’m here to see Gabe,” I said, realizing I didn’t know his last name.

  “Follow me.”

  We went to an area with a speaker system on the wall. He pushed the button. “MacGrath, you have a visitor.”

  That’s one way to find out his last name.

  “He’ll be with you in a moment,” he said.

  Gabe opened the door. “Amber, what a pleasant surprise! I looked for you at the cook-off but didn’t see you.”

  “Sorry about that. Something came up, and I couldn’t make it.”

  “No problem. We have some leftovers. Do you want to try a sample?”

  “No, thanks. I already ate. Besides apologizing for missing the event, I wanted to drop off some carryout menus. The highlighted ones are the items we can deliver by, say, the end of next week, hopefully.”

  “You deliver here?” He flipped through the small menu. “I never thought about ordering from the pub for takeout. Would you be the one delivering it?” His dimples framed a smile.

  How could I not deliver after that? “I think that could be arranged.” I raised my eyebrows.

  “You let us know when we can call, and I’ll get some orders ready.”

  “Will do.”

  “Since the pub is being renovated, does that mean you’d be free for coffee tomorrow?”

  The idea of being one-on-one with him on a date made me speechless. He looked deeply into my eyes, but I still couldn’t form words. All I could manage was a nod.

  “I work second shift, so coffee is at, like, four in the afternoon.”

  “Where?” I was so overwhelmed by his mouthwatering good looks that I was proud of articulating a single word.

  When he said the name of the diner Fiona and I frequented, I snapped out of my lustful haze. “Actually, I’m not sure.” I didn’t know when Cam’s funeral was. I needed to wait until Fiona got through that ordeal before making dates. “I probably can. I’ll know for sure later.”

  “Can I have your number and call you later? Maybe another day would be better.”

  “Okay.”

  He took out his cell and put my number in it.

  “Thanks. I’ll call you tomorrow.” His dimples formed again. He was so damn cute it nearly made my knees weak. “Meanwhile, I’ll take a look at that menu.”

  “Sounds good.” I smiled and walked away. I couldn’t help but wonder if he was checking me out as I left. God, I hoped so.

  Chapter 23

  Iwent home. Daisy and Fiona were still there.

  “Hey.” I plopped my purse on the end table by the door.

  They looked up from where they sat on the couch. “Glad you’re home,” Fiona said. Her eyes were bloodshot. She held a wad of Kleenex. I didn’t know a person could shed so many tears. My heart ached for her.

  “I’m glad too,” I said.

  Da
isy gave Fiona a side hug and got up. She walked over and followed me into my bedroom.

  Daisy spoke in a low voice. “Leo called. The funeral is tomorrow. I wrote the details on your notepad in the kitchen. Fiona kept saying she couldn’t take more time off of work. She and Cam weren’t married. Work isn’t going to give her bereavement leave.”

  I shut the door.

  She said, “She’s planning on going to it then going to work.” She shook her head. Her voice rose slightly. “That’s insane!”

  “I’ll be there. I’ll make sure she comes home right afterward.”

  “If you get her near the apartment, she’ll be within walking distance to the recording studio. Do you really think you can stop her from going to work?”

  “She’s in shock and devastated all at once. She can’t stop crying, yet she thinks she can be a productive employee.” I sat on my bed.

  “I could have her spend the night with me,” Daisy offered. “I could have a taxi take us back to my place after. Maybe if you call her boss and explain that she won’t be in, then Fiona would listen to reason and stay at my place. If she insists on going back to work, we probably should let her. I don’t think it is a good idea, but people handle grief differently. All we can do is support her and offer for her to stay with me. I’ve already taken Monday and Tuesday off of work. She can stay with me those days. I’ll have to go back on Wednesday.”

  “She needs her friends now more than ever. Thank you for comforting her. I’m so grateful you could sit with her while I was out.”

  “Amber, I think she needs out of this apartment. Take her out to dinner. She keeps talking about Cam spending the night here. There are too many memories.”

  “I am getting hungry, and you’re right. Do you want to join us?”

  “I’m doing some work tonight in exchange for the days off. I’ll see you both at the funeral.”

  I followed Daisy into the living room, and she left. I looked at Fiona. She sat on the couch with her knees pulled close to her body. She stared at the floor. Tears streamed down her face. I needed to get her out of there.

  She agreed to get out of the apartment if I did her a favor. I would have done anything for her in that moment. Per Fiona’s request, I called her band members to ask that they come to the funeral. She didn’t want to talk about it but wanted them to come for support.

  Shortly after we got back from eating dinner, Fiona said she was going to take a nap. I watched her go to her bedroom. She looked like a scolded dog, with slumped shoulders and her head hanging.

  Sitting alone with my thoughts about Cam’s death, I tried to absorb what happened to Fiona’s beloved. I was mad that Leo didn’t come to Fiona sooner to give her the bad news. The other part of me was sad for him—after all, he’d just lost a brother. Maybe he didn’t share the news with Fiona earlier because he couldn’t talk about it yet.

  What little Fiona and I knew from the newspapers was the bare minimum. It seemed like the police told the press something without giving them the full story. I wondered what they weren’t telling the public.

  I wondered if Cam’s family, and maybe Leo, knew more. Did Cam use his mob connections to sell drugs? When he got shot, why didn’t they have his back? Maybe they were outnumbered. Leo was a salesman. Would he even be informed of what really happened? He’s Cam’s brother. Doesn’t he have the right to know?

  At the funeral, I was going to find out what happened. Even though I hadn’t known Cam long, he was Fiona’s soulmate. Anyone who spent any time with them could see that. Cam’s soulmate needed closure. I needed closure. We had to know what happened to Cam. We needed the whole story. When Daisy took Fiona to her place, it would be the perfect time to get some answers from Leo.

  Chapter 24

  Before I showered, I noticed the message light blinking on our phone. I listened to it. Gabe, the fireman, asked that I call him back. It was Monday, the day he asked me out to coffee. I returned the call and left him a message, offering to meet him Tuesday.

  The thought of going on a date lifted my mood. It was the second funeral I was attending since I moved here—first, Marta’s, and now, Cam’s. The fire in the pub devastated Henry and nearly killed me. If Gabe hadn’t come along, my funeral would have been the third. Among all of the chaos, I found a ray of hope in the opportunity to get closer to the man who pulled me out of the fire. Gabe was handsome. He was thoughtful enough to check on me after the fire. Even though he had dumped beer on me the first time we met and was rude, all of that seemed to disappear when he saved my life. The initial rudeness was probably him having a bad day. I was about to get to know the real him. I had no idea if the coffee would lead to other dates, but I needed something to believe in. Maybe Gabe could restore my faith in humanity.

  ∞ ∞ ∞

  After the service, Daisy and Fiona went to Daisy’s apartment in the city. Daisy said she’d call me before Fiona came back home. Even though Leo invited us to a small gathering of family and friends at his parents’ house after the service, Fiona showed no interest in going. I attended to give my condolences to Leo.

  Leo had a rough year. He had lost Marta, a friend he had known since high school. When she died, it demolished his car. Cam, his brother, was dead. I couldn’t image losing my sister, Isadora. The anguish Leo must be feeling after losing a twin was unimaginable to me. He probably felt like he was losing part of himself.

  Yet, I needed answers about Cam’s death. The debt had been paid, but how? Could Cam still owe them something? Did he promise future deals? Even then, it couldn’t come back to haunt Fiona, could it? They got their way once by beating her. If Cam still owed them future services and couldn’t do them, would they try to hurt her again? The thought sickened me. The only thing that would set my mind at ease would be to get answers about how Cam died.

  ∞ ∞ ∞

  As I stepped into Cam’s parents’ house, I found Leo talking. He even had a small plate of food, which was an improvement, since he’d admitted on the phone that he hadn’t eaten well since he found out about Cam’s death.

  He came over, and we embraced. “Leo, it’s good to see you,” I said. “I can’t tell you how sorry I am.”

  “Thanks.” He pulled away. “Would you like a drink? I know I could use another.” He shook what was left of his drink. The ice clinked against the double old-fashioned glass.

  “Sure.” I followed him down to the basement.

  We sat at a bar. Nobody else was around.

  “I needed to get away from shaking people’s hands. There’s only so much they can say,” he said in a wobbly voice. “Nothing is going to bring him back.” He poured bourbon into two glasses as his lower lip quivered.

  “Leo, I want to ask you some questions, but I don’t want to upset you anymore than you already are.” I held his hand briefly.

  He sipped his drink. “You’ve helped me through this nightmare. You listened to me babble on the phone. So ask.” He took another drink and slid mine over.

  I picked it up and sipped it. “The only thing Fiona and I know is what the papers wrote. I’m guessing they aren’t telling the public everything. They probably don’t want to tip off the bad guys, but I don’t think the information they gave is enough to give Fiona or you the closure you need. Do you know anything else? Anything you can tell me?”

  “He was shot. I know as much as the newspapers, and some other stuff too. Family, business… rumors.”

  “Shot by whom?” I asked.

  “Drug dealers, according to the papers.” He rolled his eyes. “Cam didn’t do drugs. Why would they want to kill him?” He pressed his lips into a thin line.

  “He was getting money to pay off Fiona’s father’s debt to the mob. He was desperate, which would explain him getting involved with drugs. In fact, he did pay them off. They beat up Fiona and told her if her father didn’t pay soon, they’d be back.”

  “Which family?” Leo asked with hatred in his eyes and flared nostrils.

  I didn�
�t want to answer his question. If I tell him, will he seek revenge?

  He took my hand and squeezed it gently. “Which one?”

  “I don’t remember,” I lied.

  He nodded.

  “Leo, what does your family do?” I asked then held my breath. I knew the answer. Fiona had hinted around it enough.

  “They have lots of businesses. Construction, the car lot—I’ve managed to sleep with a clean conscience because I don’t ask a lot of questions. Maybe Cam would be alive if I’d been able to protect him.” He looked down at his glass. His eyes glazed over, and tears pooled at the edges of them. “Maybe he would have come to me for the money if I wasn’t a used car salesman or if I had better connections and more authority in the family.”

  “Leo, his death isn’t your fault. The person who pulled the trigger killed him.”

  He kissed me on the cheek. “I know, my sweet Amber.” He placed his forehead on mine, connecting us. “I wish I could have prevented it somehow.”

  “I’m sure Fiona feels the same. I think we all do. I’m here for you, Leo.” I kissed him on the forehead.

  I hoped he meant “my” in a platonic way. Even though he had hinted that he had wanted more than friendship, it wasn’t the time to ask him to clarify his feelings for me. I needed to make sure he understood how I felt about him, but not now. I had pushed it with the questions. His grief ran deep. His twin was dead. Out of respect for our friendship, I wouldn’t ask any more questions of Leo, not in that moment.

  Chapter 25

  Istood in line for a seat at the diner at three thirty on Tuesday. A manager came out and asked the number of people in each party and wrote it on a pad of paper. I was glad I arrived early. I was meeting Gabe at four.

  I would eat dinner with him before my shift at the pub. That night, for the first time, we would do carryout orders and limited seating in the newly renovated space. Unfortunately, that meant wearing a uniform to meet Gabe. It was coffee before his shift, so I figured he’d be in a uniform too. If we planned another date, then I would make sure it wasn’t right before work. The line moved faster than I expected. Before four, I sat down.