Blood Ties

by Josephine Barly

  Being in no rush to get home, I took my time to place my papers in order and to leave my desk cleared.

  As I drove, I considered the possibility of calling my mom, but decided to wait until I got home. I wanted to know what the state of things was, but I’d managed to make it through the workday and I wasn’t looking forward to the drama, so a slight delay seemed fine by me.

  I got home and called Rod as I drank diet Coke.

  “Sammy, hi, how are you?”

  “I’m fine, what’s going on? I’m sorry I didn’t call earlier, I was caught up with work.”

  “It’s okay, there have been few developments. The DA will be presenting both cases tomorrow morning.”

  “And what’s the prospect?”

  “She’s given both Kelly and Noel deals, and right now they’re checking them out with Steven. Kelly claims she’s innocent but the evidence is unavoidable.”

  “And Noel?”

  “He hasn’t stated anything, but on the one hand he makes it clear that he can’t remember Olivia’s murder, and on the other, he talks about criminal activities and Kelly being his accomplice. Plus, there’s the evidence.”

  “Okay, Noel’s kind of filled with contradictions then,” I muttered under my breath.

  “I’ll ignore that and say your brother is stressed and confused; he’s got a lot of pressure on him; even if he caused the situation he’s in, it’s very straining,” Rod said, sounding as neutral as possible.

  “Do they want me there? Where’s mom?”

  “Sara is taking a shower. We spent some time with Kelly and Noel, and Steven’s recommended we all show up and be supportive, but if they’re accepting the DA’s deals, the arraignment will be very brief.”

  “Okay, so…I…” I said, trying to come up with a good reason not to go; I didn’t want to be a bitch, but if my presence wasn’t utterly necessary, I’d much rather work, sleep or stay at home, gazing at a wall.

  “Sammy, you don’t have to be there. Just come over tonight for dinner, okay? Your mom needs you right now, and even if it is for a couple of hours, it’ll do her good.”

  “Okay, I’ll be there around eight, is that fine?” I asked, relieved I would be avoiding the arraignment.

  “That’ll be great, Sammy.”

  “Should I bring dessert or wine?”

  “We’ve got wine. I’ll cook something. Maybe bring ice-cream, it’ll make Sara feel better.”

  “Consider it done. I’ll be seeing you then Rod, bye,” I said, and after he replied the same word, we hung up.

  I watched some TV and took off at around half past seven. I stopped for cookies and cream, and strawberry ice-cream and made my way to Rod and my mom’s place.

  She greeted me with a hug, making her distress evident. Her face showed concern, and there were dark circles under her eyes. Of course I expected her to look like that; how else are you supposed to be when your son and one of your daughters are facing years in prison due to having committed murders?

  Dinner was ready and on the table, so after putting the ice-cream away in the freezer, we sat down.

  “Kelly was very sad today, she wouldn’t stop crying. You should have seen her, Sammy; she needs you,” my mom said between bites.

  “I’m sorry mom, I’ve got a load of work to do and…” I mumbled, looking at my plate, stuffing my mouth.

  “Well, both your brother and sister are facing serious jail-time, and the best you can do is say you’re busy working? I’m sorry Samantha, but I’ve got to tell you I’m disappointed by your attitude.”

  My cheeks burned as I stared at my mom. I hated disappointing people more than anything else, especially my mom. But this was plain annoying.

  “Mom, Noel and Kelly are being charged for attempted murder, actual murders, drug possession, and faking an attempted murder. One of the victims was my best friend. I’m sorry if you’re disappointed by my attitude, but I can’t pretend the evidence isn’t there. Don’t get me wrong, my gut is telling me there’s something weird going on here, but am I supposed to ignore Susie’s death and pretend my siblings have committed no crimes? I understand they’re your children but mom you’ve got to face the truth some time,” I said, trying to keep my tone low, as I felt I was about to explode.

  Rod extended his hand and placed it over my mom’s. He looked at me and sighed; he knew I was right, even if it did hurt.

  My mom’s eyes filled with tears; she sighed, took a sip of wine and, after a pause, nodded. She stared at me with big, helpless eyes that watered again. After looking at Rod, she nodded. Both my stepdad and I were waiting for her to talk.

  “I…I…I guess you’re right Sammy. Kelly and Noel, they’re criminals. How could they do that? I did my best, and Rod has been in their lives for over ten years. When did I do something wrong? How did I get them so screwed up? I only wanted Noel to avoid the pressure of being the man of the family after your father died, did I overprotect and spoil him? And Kelly…I suppose there’s no doubting I hovered, but only because she’s always been so fragile.”

  “Mom, it’s not your fault. I came out just fine. You gave us all everything we ever needed, and then some. The fact that they made very wrong decisions is up to them; Noel and Kelly are mature human beings who should be held responsible for their actions, you can’t blame yourself.”

  “Sara, we’ve both given Noel, Sammy and Kelly all the possibilities to lead amazing lives. Using drugs was something Noel decided to do by himself. You have to understand that a time comes when people make their own choices, and I know it hurts, but you’ve got to see that you gave all your children everything, and it’s up to them to make good use of what you’ve given them.”

  My mom stared blankly and started crying. Rod walked next to her, embraced and rocked her attempting to soothe her. She grasped his arms and let all the sadness she felt free. I stretched my hand, rubbing it over hers.

  “I understand why you can’t be there,” she whispered, “Susie was like a daughter to me. If anyone was implied in the murder of my best friend, I’d have a hard time facing them. But I hope you can understand why I have to be there, Sammy.”

  “Of course mom, you don’t have to explain yourself to me. I just can’t stop thinking about Susie. The fact that either of my siblings had anything to do with her death…It’s terrible, but it’s what the evidence is pointing at, and I can’t overlook it.”

  “I understand. I can only pray for Noel and Kelly’s salvation. It’s up to them to seek your forgiveness, as well as God’s.”

  “Exactly mom. It’s their own decision to accept what actions they’ve done, and who they ask for leniency. I can‘t pretend everything’s alright. If they had a part in Susie’s death, they have to own up to it.”

  “Okay then. Sammy has to work; we’ll be with Noel and Kelly. It will be a short arraignment, Steven said they would both accept the deals the DA is offering, and then it’s just a matter of accepting the state of our lives and learning to live with things the way they are. Unfortunately, I can find no positive outcome of this situation,” Rod said as he kissed my mom again and then moved back to his seat.

  We finished eating in silence. I cleared the table and carried with ice-cream with three spoons back, so that we’d eat straight from the containers. My mom looked at me disapprovingly, but gave in to my idea. The three of us found a momentary bout of comfort, for whatever reason.

  Once we were done, I threw the empty containers into the garbage bin, hugged my mom and Rod, made a somewhat feeble attempt of reassuring her—and myself—things would be alright, and returned home.

  I called Jared but his phone was off; I didn’t leave a message, fearing he’d consider it hovering. I changed into my pajamas and went to sleep.

  17

  I got to the office on time, and was pleased to find Maggie already working on Mark’s manuscript. Without waiting for me to ask, she stopped reading, got a cup of coffee and delivered it to my desk.

  “Samantha, I change
d Maxwell’s meeting to half past five. I’m sorry, but he said it was urgent and that he couldn’t be in any earlier. Besides, as you’re done with Andrea’s book and Mark’s is on my desk, I thought you’d be clear for working on Kelly’s text.”

  “Okay Maggie,” I replied as I hung my coat and purse; I wasn’t pleased she’d set me up with Max, and I didn’t appreciate her assumption that I had nothing else to do. “Did you finish Jared’s book?”

  “Yes, it’s under Kelly’s. There were no mistakes; at least, none that I could find. It was very good, and I totally get why you said it’s the next HP. Anyway, I’ll continue with Mark’s,” Maggie stated as she left and closed the door behind her.

  I knew she was lying through her teeth; the manuscript wasn’t anywhere near as good as HP, but Maggie was smart enough not to question my decisions.

  I went over Jared’s manuscript swiftly and sent it to the designer. Even if it wouldn’t go to press, Aidan had called to let me know to keep the ruse up for a few more days. Something in his gut told him the case wasn’t closed.

  At around eleven, Rod called me; my mom couldn’t speak due to being too upset. The arraignment had taken place and Kelly and Noel were now being escorted to their respective jails. The judge had been swift and direct; as my siblings had already settled on Violet’s offers, there were no reasons to disagree, especially as the judge had agreed that the deals were fair.

  Kelly would be serving twenty years in jail, with the possibility of parole after fifteen. Noel would be spending twenty-five years imprisoned, with his first parole interview on the seventeenth year; Violet had decided to change the deal for my brother on the basis of the drug use.

  I didn’t really know if the sentences were fair or not; the fact that they both had DUI’s in their respective records had meant less leniency.

  I didn’t feel relieved or comforted by the outcome. My sister hadn’t acknowledged her guilt; my brother had accepted his involvement in the murders, as well as drug possession.

  I wanted to talk to Susie. I needed her to ease me out my concern and dazedness. I required her company, her friendship, and it wasn’t until that very exact moment that I was able to fully grasp the fact that she was dead, as in not living…dead.

  I spent the next hour crying. The tears eased some of the pain I felt in my heart. I was distraught over my loss of Susie, I felt terribly betrayed by Noel, bewildered and disappointed by Kelly…and lonely. I wanted to feel Jared’s arms wrapped around me, holding me tight, stopping my shudders, but his cell phone rang endlessly until it gave me the possibility of leaving a message, and I was reluctant to do so in my current stage.

  I sat on the floor, attempting even breaths but failing. After trying to stop the continuous flow of tears, I gave in to the wretchedness and let it pour out of me.

  As I’d been crying for a long time now, it was only a matter of twenty minutes before I was both drained and parched. I breathed slowly, giving my body the time it needed to stop shuddering, focusing my eyes on the wall; if I’d looked down, I would have probably thrown up.

  I remained seated on the floor until one sharp, when I grabbed my coat and purse and took off. I bought a burger, French fries and a diet Coke, sat on a bench, enjoyed my unhealthy food and spent forty-five minutes staring at passing cars.

  At two I was back in my office. I continued reading Kelly’s text, even if it was the last thing I wanted to do.

  As I flipped through the pages, I found a sudden interest in what I was reading. I grabbed a green highlighter and a green pen. I proceeded to select parts that drew my attention and I scribbled on a small pad the pages that contained what I was highlighting.

  Once I was done, I started searching in internet numbers, places and names I’d selected. Kelly had not changed as many facts as she’d claimed, which meant that most of the stuff I was searching was real.

  I called Jared and ended up getting his voicemail. Usually, I leave stammered, incomplete sentences as messages because I do not feel comfortable talking to a machine, without the certainty of knowing when I’ll be heard, or even by whom. But this time I was steady.

  “Jared, it’s Sam. I’m reading Kelly’s manuscript and I’ve found some things that I think may link Maxwell to some fucked up felonies. I’m not really sure, because I don’t understand much of what I’m getting into, but just call me, okay?” I finished, just as I heard the ending beep.

  I sighed and left my office to get some coffee. I’d gotten so wrapped up in Kelly’s text that time had flown by. Most people had left, others were getting their things together, and very few remained focused on their work.

  Maggie was returning from the bathroom as I made my way back with my coffee. She smiled and resumed the correction of Mark’s text; she was almost done.

  “Maxwell said he’d be running late, but he begged for you to meet him today, so I took the liberty of telling him you’d wait until half past six, and not a minute longer. Is that okay?”

  “Actually, I need you to cancel the meeting. I’ve got to check some things out, and seeing Max today, it just won’t do. So call him, Maggie, please. Tell him I’m sorry but an emergency came up.”

  “Okay, but will you leave now or will you be staying a while longer?”

  “I have stuff to finish, so I’ll be in a bit longer. Leave whenever you want to, I’ll be okay.”

  “Great, thanks. I’ll let you know when I leave,” Maggie said, and I returned to my office, closing the door behind me once I was in.

  I had been startled to find references to Max’s deals, specifically some that mentioned alleged mobsters and Artie Hale, who was a fifty year old, three times divorced man who was rumored to have a business in illegal weaponry sales. This information had drawn my attention because Max had never mentioned any of these men, and I doubted my sister had such creativity in her mind.

  Maggie let me know she was leaving, so I wished her a pleasant weekend and submerged myself into the final part of Kelly’s book.

  I continued highlighting and scribbling words down until I was done with the text. In the end, the felonies I could link Max to included drug smuggling, clear knowledge and protection of a boss of organized crime and even hiring hit men to kill some of his competition.

  My bladder let me know I needed to use the bathroom, so I went. I found the whole office empty; computers and desk-lamps were off, papers and folders were in order, there were no jackets hanging from chairs…

  I rushed to the bathroom and, after doing my business, I washed my hands. As I stared at the image that looked at me from the mirror, I was surprised to find a worn out face and concern lines surrounding my eyes. I splashed my face with cool water, hoping to remove the shabby look, and returned to my office.

  Max startled me as he stood up when I entered the room. He smiled a simple smile, one that hid emotions, so I didn’t quite know what to think.

  “Hello Sammy, how are you?”

  “I’m fine Max, how are you?” I asked as I made my way to my chair and sat down.

  “I’m happy to be here. It’s been hell getting an appointment with you,” Max said, his tone playful and not without accusation.

  “I know, I’m sorry, as I haven’t read Kelly’s manuscript and I gather that’s the reason you wanted us to meet, I thought it was pretty pointless,” I replied, my instincts telling me to deny knowledge of the text’s content.

  “Yes, right, but I wanted to talk with you about other things as well. I mean, I’ve heard Kelly and Noel have been convicted on murders and your own attempted demise. Guess you’ll need a lot of therapy now, right?”

  For whatever reason, I didn’t find Max’s raw sense of humor particularly funny.

  “I’m sorry Max, but I don’t want to talk about that right now,” I was exasperated by the situation and by his presence. He still gave me the chills. “Is there anything else I can help you with?”

  “When I spoke to Maggie earlier today, she mentioned you were already taking a look
at Kelly’s book, and I’d just like to know if that’s the case.”

  “What difference would it make?” I asked as I cursed Maggie in my mind.

  “There are a few details I’d like to check, because I believe your sister has created a fictional character based on me that doesn’t quite make me justice.”

  “I believe, Max, the key word in what you’ve said is fictional. Kelly’s book is not a real autobiography, it’s a work of fiction, an imaginary tale that does base itself on some actual facts of her life, but as far as I can tell, there’s not much reality in it.”

  “So you have read it?”

  “Only the first three chapters,” I replied as dismissive as possible, “but I’m not sure we’ll publish it. I think it’s a bit tacky and, between us, Kelly’s not that good a writer,” I said, keeping my expression sheepish.

  “I see, I see. Yes, of course. It’s just that I’d hate it if anyone read the story and thought I was as appalling as the character that represents me.”

  “I’m sure that won’t happen Max. Sure, we don’t publish literature for geniuses, but our readers are aware that we only publish fiction. Otherwise, they’d believe zombies live amongst us or that our president is a Martian!” I laughingly cried, trying to conceal my nervousness.

  “Of course,” Max replied in a matter-of-fact kind of way.

  “Anything else you’d like to talk over with me?” I asked, hoping the answer would be negative.

  Max paused to think about his reply when a thought struck me; I blurted it out before I could stop myself.

  “Didn’t Maggie cancel our meeting?”

  Max looked at me quizzically and then shook his head. He smiled tightly as he stood up. I reacted by doing the same thing.

  “It’s rather unfortunate Sammy, that you are such a smart woman. You were a good sister-in-law. You’re also fairly pretty, and you’re a great cook. But it’s a pity you never learned to stop yourself before speaking, to take a pause and think about what you’re about to say,” his voice was deep with regret.