by Unknown
“What are the leads y’all are tracking right now?”
Mike held up on hand to signal slowing down and reminded Tommy, “We are working on more than one case, T.J. Yes, Taylor is family and she is catching priority, but we cannot just drop our other cases. Remember that.”
Without another word on it, they jumped right into it.
“The note that lead Jason to Taylor is sloppy like it was written in a hurry, but it’s a match for Taylor’s roommate’s handwriting according to a buddy of mine. We have been trying to get a hold of Jamie but after we verified her whereabouts, she suddenly fell off the grid and no one has seen or heard from her. That doesn’t look very good for the model.” Noah said.
“If there are two stalkers, the alibi that cleared Jamie wouldn’t rule her out.” Candace offered.
“I doubt it’s her, but keep looking. I think maybe y’all should call up to The Ward and check on our dear old friend: Leif Montgomery. Some of these messages have a more intimate feeling that almost seems all too familiar. It may be a bust, but this was the kind of shit he liked to do to her then and it didn’t really click until Matt pointed out the differences.” Tommy said.
“Wait… Leif? Like, the crazy half-sac from high school who couldn’t accept Taylor’s breakup?” Mike asked.
“That’s the one. Daddy has a lot of money but hardly a match for the Kane-Jameson name and Leif got sent away after he got a little too attached with Taylor.” Peyton said.
“It started just a little while after you left Mike. The dick weasel liked to climb through her window, sniff some personals, take a few memorables, call, text, email, and letters, sliced and diced his arms and chest and some other stuff. Creeped Taylor out enough that she asked me to take her to the Sheriff.”
“Yeah, she said he kept saying something like, ‘I’m protecting you so he can’t have you. He is too close to you and you don’t even notice it.’ We just figured he was talking about Tommy. He was always jealous of their relationship.” Noah added.
“No doubt, I’d be a little freaked out, too.” Candace said.
“Why did everyone play it down so much? The story y’all are telling now is a whole hell of a lot more serious than I was told all those years ago.” Mike asked, getting pissed.
“Like we were really gonna tell you while you were in the desert? No thanks, we liked you nice and undistracted. Plus, this is Devine; everyone knows it’s always been safe and despite their need to feed off of negative bullshit and spread the drama, no one was gonna make it seem like some teenager just made it a worse place for anyone.” Noah said.
“And we really didn’t need two idiots hauled down to the station for beating the rat bastard to within an inch of his life. Though, that was probably the only time I have ever seen the Sheriff look a man, let alone Tommy, dead in the eye and say, ‘Son I did not see a damn thing. Get your scrawny ass back home and check on that girl.’” Peyton laughed as he did his best impression of the good old Sheriff.
Tommy chuckled to himself as he remembered his dad hauling him out of the chair by the back of his jacket and making a run for the door before anyone changed their minds.
“Well, did he physically hurt her?” Candace asked.
“A few bruises but he had no idea what he was getting into when he laid his hands on her. Just kept saying he was saving her. Most of her bruises were from self-defense moves we all tried to teach her.” Tommy said.
“I like this woman more and more every time I hear a story about her.” She said, smiling at Tommy.
“She’s somethin’ alright.” Noah agreed.
“Alright, two stalkers.” Mike interrupted their trip down memory lane.
“Whoever they are, whatever their reasons are, one of them isn’t too keen on the other encroaching on what they think is their territory and is seemingly trying to help us catch them.” Peyton suggested, erasing their giant white board and grabbing a new marker.
“I think you’re on to something with that.” Candace agreed. The others nodded their heads in tandem.
“Unfortunately, even if it is Leif again, we still have an unknown and knowing exactly who these twisted shits are, isn’t all it takes to catch them.”
“But at least we have a starting point. Let’s get moving.” Mike tasked.
Tommy shifted away from Peyton, Noah, Mike, and Candace, who seemed to be eyeing him cautiously, and hunched down next to Luke who was now facing his set-up.
“I need you to look into something for me, when you get a chance.”
“Just say the word.” Luke said quietly.
“Complete work up on Matthew Carver. I want to know him like the back of my hand.” Tommy said as he scraped his thumb along his scruffy jawline.
“You mean like your palm?” He chuckled. “He’s next on my list, after Taylor’s roommate, Jamie.”
“Keep me posted.”
“Hey brother, nice shirt.”
Tommy laughed without even looking.
His shirt was gun metal grey with union workers logo in the center reading, “LOCAL 1776 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IGU”; around the logo, it said:
ISIS GRAVEDIGGERS UNION
YOU KILL EM’ WE FILL EM’
The logo was written in white and orange with the combat flag on one sleeve and their company logo, GRUNT STYLE on the other.
If this company had stock, Tommy thought he ought to invest in it because they were only going up from here.
With a clap on Luke’s back, Tommy stood tall and headed for the door muttering a thanks and something about his brothers watching too many fashion shows. The hollowed out feeling Tommy always had whenever he was separated from Taylor was gnawing at his sanity and patience, making him tense from head to toe. More than normal.
* * *
Matt sat watching over Taylor from the far shadows of the room, keeping his word to Tommy. This woman who meant the world to him, who was the closest thing he had to family, was sleeping peacefully for what seemed like the first time in ages. The constant frown in her brow these days was hurting his heart.
While there was not one molecule of a romantic feeling in him for her, that didn’t matter because she was one in a million and when no one else would, she stood by his side. Even if she didn’t understand the depth of her support in his life. Taylor was his lucky charm that kept all of his demons at bay, where they couldn’t eat at him. If protecting her was how he went, so be it; he could be at peace if it meant trading his life for hers. That would be the greatest thing he did in all his life.
From the corner of his eye, as he shifted on his feet, Matt noticed a bright green speck of light glowing off in the distance. He knew he was hidden well enough that no one would see him, even if they were trained to look. Moving with a fluid dexterity that took years of his own training and practice, Matt held the walkie talkie that was linked directly to Tommy’s own handheld and spoke softly into it, so as not to stir Taylor.
“Possible sniper position approximately a half to three quarters of a mile southeast off safe house backdoor.”
A very short “Roger,” sounded back and just as quickly as it came, the light went out.
Matt prayed with all he had that whoever it was, was either friendly or the cut off was mere coincidence and not a breach in their security that tipped off one of the rats chasing Tay.
After a few minutes time, Matt figured Tommy would be marching through the door with a good few couple of questions for him. The jig would be up once Tommy got his answers from Noah, and Matt wouldn’t be upset when Tommy demanded that he leave immediately. Tommy had himself some ghosts and skeletons and other nasty shit in his closet but nothing compared to Matt.
No, Matt’s demons were far worse than Tommy’s and what was chasing Taylor in the here and now; the only one he could protect them from was himself. Matt had more fingers on one hand than people knew about his past and all he had done. Rumors and whispers in the wind was what Matt had been turned into and could never escape. He
didn’t think so low of Noah or any Kane as to think they wouldn’t be able to break past all of the special walls built around the files on him; they would be kicking the door in to kick his ass right back out before any of his shit was riding onto their doorstep. And they would once those files were opened. Lots of very dangerous and powerful people were looking for that information.
Matt began making a mental note to reach out to a few contacts and get a new identity set up when the light lit up again in the distance, signaling what looked like Morse code.
Dash Dash, hold. Dot Dash, hold. Dash, hold. Dash, hold.
M-A-T-T.
Hmm.
Matt held up the walkie and quietly said, “Go.”
The follow up message was of the adult variety referring to his mother as a female dog and his descent from her. He laughed while holding the talk button down and waited for whatever was to come next. The near future was still a little sketchy but one thing was absolutely certain.
There wasn’t a storm he wouldn’t weather, beast he wouldn’t tame or battle he wouldn’t endure and triumph over to keep Taylor safe and happy.
* * *
Waking up alone wasn’t what worried me. It was when there were supposed to be two other people living in the same space as you and the place was eerily silent… that tended to be a bit disconcerting. I slowly and with great care, rolled myself across the oversized bed, sat up and slid my short legs over the edge. Toes barely touching the hardwood floor, I scooted over the edge and set my feet flat before standing up and walking into the bathroom.
Brushing of the teeth was a must in the morning.
A splash of water on my face to wake me up and a look at the clock had my jaw hitting the counter top. It was already ten to noon and not only was it quiet, but I slept like a rock. It was like someone dosed me with rohypnol because I don’t remember falling asleep and I definitely don’t remember the last time I slept so long or so hard.
“I swear on all the french toast in heaven, if someone slipped me a roofie, they are getting kneed in the balls.”
When a faint sound slipped up the stairs and nagged at my earlobe, I followed my curious feet to the doorway and around the bend of the railing to the front side of the house where I had a perfect view of nearly everything exposed on the first floor. While the southern belle, lady part of me poked my ass back to the bedroom, some very small part of me, the small town part, just craved all things gossipy; the gossip hound won.
Tommy and Matt exited the library and by the looks of it, Tommy was not very thrilled with Matt.
Big surprise there.
Seriously, their love hate relationship was like two kindergarteners who insulted each other to show their affection. It was kind of adorkable. Maybe they could have a little bromance when this was all over. Matt shook his head vehemently and turned on his heel to face Tommy again, stopping near the table between the stairs.
“I already told you, no.” Matt said with a tone forged in iron.
“So help me God…” Tommy began on Matt again but immediately stopped and looked around.
That stupid magnetic pull had to be telling him I was up and near. Maybe it was sexually linked too, because I was little lot turned on by the sight of him. I scooted further back and crossed my fingers that he couldn’t see me. Matt must have been the sweet angel who got my desperate plea for a little pass because he caught back on to Tommy’s attention and moved him down the hall toward the kitchen.
“I won’t even insult your intelligence and try to lie or hide anything but find out what you can first and I’ll fill in the blanks then.”
Tommy made a sound of defiance but only asked one thing.
“What’s the word?”
I leaned over the railing, dangerously so and barely caught an upside-down peek of them before Matt leaned in and practically breathed his answer.
Damnit! I’m here for the good stuff.
Without even turning around, my missing puzzle piece raised his stern voice and pointed it directly at me.
“If you do not get off of that railing and set your feet back on the ground in the next instant I will come up there and whoop your ass.”
“Ooh, sounds fun!” I teased.
As I started tilting myself back upwards, I saw Matt’s twinkling smile flash one of his best and turn away. If ever a man’s footsteps could be considered sexy, it was now. Tommy’s heavy footsteps grew closer and I couldn’t move fast enough – I was trapped.
Meep!
Matt was supposed to be keeping him busy while I ran away to a safe place. He gave me up like a tithing on Sunday.
I ran into one of the rooms nearest me, not even knowing what it was and tried to lock the door. I fiddled with the handle for some time before turning around to find Tommy staring right back at me with a big, fat, stupid grin on his face. Well, well, well, look who was feeling playful today. Not that I could blame him. Before it went to hell, we had had a good few nights together. Also, I woke up like crack was what was for breakfast; I was feeling overly excited and giddy with no rhyme or reason.
“Ah! Since when are you a wizard?” I yelped, laughing and running to the other side of an older looking four poster bed, in an effort to stay out of his reach.
“There are two entrances to this room.”
“A modern day Sherlock.” I shook my head and grinned back at his devastatingly handsome face.
I hadn’t seen him look so carefree and truly happy in so long – years. It almost hurt, it was so beautiful. And such a lie. With all of the terrible things surrounding my, and inadvertently his life, there was no way he could truly feel so light.
“I’d rather be Watson.”
This piqued my interest. I stood tall and absentmindedly walked out from behind the other side of the bed, over to him.
“Please, explain.”
“Isn’t it obvious?”
“Color me clueless.”
“Watson gets the girl.”
I was actually at a temporary loss for words. Physically.
Mentally, about a million and eight billion were all zooming around and smacking into each other, trying to make it to the receptor in my brain that sent them out of my mouth. No winners yet.
The only thing I could do was turn around and reach out for the door handle.
This was no longer playful and I made a pledge to avoid serious like the plague.
* * *
The new setup he had to use was uncomfortably closer to the house but all the better to keep his eyes on Taylor from. His inside man was really turning out to be way more helpful than he anticipated. Taylor was leaning over the banister as he spotted her through the second story balcony doors of the center bedroom, located in the front of the house. That damn house everyone in town raved about. Of course no one knew they were telling him all about it; they had no idea who in the hell he was. Anymore.
“Did you hear that the Kane boy built it for the Jameson girl?”
“It’s magnificent and all done by him.”
“Set back off of the main houses and off on its own for privacy, it is.”
“He built it when he got home from war. What a hero and a good man.”
“Ten rooms, state of the art kitchen for Taylor – she cooks like her mama, you know. Detached oversized three car garage and so much more.”
“Old southern plantation style – the way it ought to be.”
Blah, blah, fucking blah. Who built a house like that anymore?
If Taylor wanted a house, he could have one made for her that would trump any outdated civil war era house.
As he adjusted his position in the overgrown maple tree, he watched as Taylor ran, laughing, from the banister, frantically trying to lock the door behind her. Tommy snuck through another door and stealthily toed over to her back before she turned around.
He cheered noiselessly as she ran from him and out of his reach. Tommy had no business touching her and her actions showed that Taylor knew it, too.
&nb
sp; The first thing he would do when he got Tommy where he wanted him, was cut one of his hands off, very slowly and painfully, for every time he ever touched Taylor and then he would do it all over again to the other for the time Tommy laid his hands on him. He would pay with his life for all he had done.
* * *
“Damnit, Taylor, don’t run away again!”
“I’m not, I just…”
He put his hand on hers, pulling it away from the doorknob.
“This isn’t all my fault, Tommy.”
“I never thought that for one second.”
“Then, why?” She pleaded.
“Why, what?”
He took a step back to give her space, but not too much.
She swiped a tear off her cheek and regained her composure.
“I wanna go to mamas. Charlie said she aint gonna be home today.”
Regardless of her mood, Tommy loved it when Taylor let her country show; he savored her voice. With a nod to no one, he walked around her to open the door.
He was still a gentlemen.
Taylor led the way out, stopping when she reached the overgrown, 100 year old Willow tree in the front yard. She loosened her arms at her sides, tilted her head up to the sky and with closed eyes, took in a deep breath. No words were needed. Tommy understood perfectly well. All around the world and nothing felt or smelled as good as home.
Instead of walking the dirt road, Tommy insisted they drive.
And by they, he meant him.
Though it hadn’t been too long since he was last here, stepping into his unsuspecting mother in law’s home, was cathartic in a way. So many memories, almost as many as were made in his own parent’s home, were sealed up in this precious house. Looking around the oversized kitchen, he focused on the large island where a lot of those memories were made. Considering it was a farm and the Jameson family was mostly men, the kitchen was probably the biggest highlight of the whole first floor. Up the stairs and to the right was Taylor’s bedroom; everything was still in the exact same place she had it when she left.