by Dale Cadeau
“I think it might be the office.” Putting his foot down hard on the gas, James sped through the streets. As they got closer, Avery noticed people lining the sidewalks looking up the street.
They were stopped two blocks away from the office by police cars blocking the road. James told her to stay put. Jumping out of the car, he raced up to the first officer that they could see. Avery wanted to follow him but didn’t want to get in the way, so she peered through the front window, keeping an eye on the flames up ahead and James within her sight.
“What happened? I have to get in, my office and buddies are down there.” James grabbed the police officer’s arm to get his attention.
The officer turned and looked up at James. “You can’t go in there right now, they don’t have the fire under control yet.” He put an arm up against James’s chest to prevent him from going forward.
James backed down. Running his hand through his hair, he felt helpless. His friends could be trapped down there. He knew Clay, Angel, and Brad had been watching the store tonight. They were all expecting something to happen soon, but none of them had imagined this.
James heard his name called over all the noise and saw about half a block up Clay, Angel, and Brad walking his way. God, he was never so glad to see them. James took in the three soot-covered men coming his way.
Clay reached him first, putting a soot-covered hand on his shoulder. “God, James, you don’t know what you missed. I’m so glad that you and Avery were away for the evening.”
“What the hell happened? I go out one night and you guys decide to have fireworks. You know it’s not the fourth of July for another month yet.” James knew he was being sarcastic, but he just felt so relived. Things could be replaced, but people, family, could never be.
As James watched them walk toward him, he had thought of all the missions that they had survived, only to come back to civilization where he could have lost them in this senseless way.
Clay red-rimmed eyes looked at James. “I really don’t know. We were all in the kitchen around the table drinking coffee. Angel had insisted that the meeting would go better over coffee. After we made it, Angel just sat at down the table and didn’t budge, so that was where the meeting was taking place. We hear a noise at the front door. I didn’t think too much of it at the time. I just thought that you and Avery were back. When no one came through the door, I got up and had just reached the door of the kitchen. Didn’t make it all the way through the door. I was blasted back on my ass. The heat was sweltering and flames were starting to creep up the wall of the front office. It was growing fast and coming right at us. Angel and Brad picked me up and booted the kitchen window out, with the flames licking our asses all the way through the alley.”
Clay started looking around at the people milling around watching the fire. “Where’s Avery?”
Oh God, Avery. “I left her back in the car. I was in such a hurry to see if you were OK. I told her to stay put in the car while I found out what was happening.” James turned back toward his car that he had left in the middle of the street. He could see it and expected to see Avery in the front seat. Not seeing her, James started to panic and was just about to break into a run. Angel grabbed his sleeve and nodded with his head toward the crowd standing beside the brick townhouse beside them.
Avery was now standing, staring at them. She looked so lost with tears running down her face, her long red dress standing out like a beacon from the rest of the crowd, looking out of place. James strove over to her and gathered her in his arms. He was mad at her for leaving the car, mad at himself for leaving her, but so glad to have her in his arms. Taking his shaky hands, he gently wiped the tears from her cheeks.
“What are you doing out of the car? I left you there and expected you to stay where you were safe,” he whispered in her ear, the relief sounding in his voice
“Why are you crying? Clay, Angel, and Brad are OK. We can rebuild. Nothing was lost that can’t be replaced.”
Clay and the others had now gathered around Avery and she felt enclosed and safe within the wall of large men surrounding her.
“I know and I’m glad that everyone is safe, but all I owned was in that apartment. I lost everything. “Avery looked downhearted at the losses.
“Oh, baby, we can replace all your things.” James tightened his arms around her.
Looking up at James, her eyes swimming in tears, she said, “I lost all of my parents’ memories that I cherished. It wasn’t much after the Feds took everything of value. There was very little left that I was allowed to keep.” Avery reached her hand up to wipe at the tears she couldn’t seem to stop. As she wiped at her face, her charm bracelet touched her cheek. Avery looked at the bracelet. This is all I have left, she thought as she stared at the one treasure she had left.
“Thank you for asking me out tonight. I would have been asleep in my apartment at this time of night. I wouldn’t have made it out.” Babbling and in a daze, she stood holding the precious bracelet to her cheek.
“You’re OK, baby. We would have got you out.” James was starting to worry about the look on Avery’s face. Looking at the others surrounding them, James gently took her arm and led her back to his car. Clay, Angel, and Brad followed closely behind, looking around and trying not to miss anything that might give them a lead. They would have to dig into this now, but Avery’s safety was more important at the moment.
James handed Brad his keys. “Can you take Avery to my apartment and stay with her until I get there?”
Avery clung to him, grasping the front of his suit coat.” I don’t want to leave you. Can’t you come with us?”
“Baby, please go with Brad. I trust him with my life. Clay, Angel, and I will be here a while sorting out what happened. If we leave it to later, we might miss clues that would get overrun with all the firemen and spectators in the area. You know I would never leave you if it wasn’t important. Please, Avery, do this for me.” James unclasped her hands from his jacket. Leaning down, he brushed her cheek with a kiss and gently helped her into the car.
Brad ran around and got into the driver’s seat. Closing the door on Avery while she was still crying tore James apart, but he knew they had to get to the bottom of what happened. He had a clue, but would need evidence to back up his gut feeling.
Clay gripped his shoulder, trying to offer him some reassurance. All three watched Brad turn the car and head back uptown.
“She’ll be OK. Brad will keep her safe.” Giving his shoulder a slap, Clay got James’s attention away from the disappearing car and back on the job.
“Let’s get to it.” James resigned himself to a few hours without Avery by his side.
Chapter Sixteen
Avery didn’t pay attention to where Brad was taking her, just kept her head down and thought of all the people and memories she had lost lately. She didn’t know too much about Brad, she had seen him around the office, but he always kept to himself and walked around with his head down. Avery had named him Mr. Atlas. He always seem to walk around with slouched shoulders, He walking like he had the weight of the world on them and was starting to falter under the load. He was always nice if talked to directly and looked like a surfer guy with his long blond hair that most of the time was in his eyes, which were a light blue, almost silver, His appearance didn’t agree with the moods he always seemed to be in.
Looking up as the car slowed and took another ramp up into a high rise tower, Avery finally took in her surroundings. What were they doing at the Braden West building? In all of downtown Detroit this was one of the most pretentious buildings.
Brad seemed to know where he was going as he drove into an underground parking lot. It looked like a rich man’s garage with priceless cars in most of the slots. Brad pulled the car into an empty spot near the elevator. Coming around the front of the car he helped Avery out of the car, her eyes trying to take in the wealth surrounding her.
Brad didn’t say anything, just took her hand and walked her into the eleva
tor. Brad put his index finger on the glass box next to the top button. A green scan started. When done the elevator door closed and it started to rise. Avery felt like she should say something, anything to let him know she felt bad that he had to leave the others to take care of her.
“I’m sorry you couldn’t stay and help but had to babysit me. After we get to the apartment you can go back. I can look after myself.”
Brad looked as if he hadn’t heard her apology or that she had even spoke. He just watched the numbers light up as they passed each floor. Avery tried again. “Look I’m sorry, you can leave as soon as you drop me off.”
Brad finally shrugged indifferently “Doesn’t matter. The guys have it handled.” He hadn’t looked at her, just kept watching the number light up as they passed each floor.
God there were a lot of floors. Finally the elevator stopped at the penthouse floor and the doors opened. A small hallway led to opulent doors. Avery couldn’t hold in her gasp when Brad opened the door with a key card. Ahead was a totally white hall with a crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling. Did they go up so far that they reached heaven?
It didn’t seem to faze Brad. He closed the door then walked in soot-covered boots to the next room and flopped down on the first couch he came to.
Avery walked behind him trying to match his footsteps and not create more dirt on the white plush carpet. The hall opened up to a massive living room and like the hall was done in all white with a few black accents to match the giant-screen TV bolted to the wall. Brad just picked up the remote and turned on the TV, still not paying her any attention.
Avery felt small and unimportant the way Brad was treating her. Taking off her shoes, she curled up on the other couch in the room.
Finally, after what seemed like hours to Avery, Brad turned to her. “I don’t talk much. Why don’t you go and find a bedroom and get ready for bed. I don’t think the others will be back soon.” Finally he took of his offending sneakers and laid down on the couch with a pillow behind his head.
“Who owns this place? We just can’t come in and make ourselves at home.” Avery hoped to get a few extra words out of him.
Brad look away from the TV. “James does. We are safe here. You don’t have to worry.” He turned back to the show that seem to holding his whole attention.
“What do you mean James? James can’t own this, He doesn’t have that kind of money, he works just like me. This doesn’t make sense.”
Brad didn’t even look away from the TV. Avery huffed and went around to explore. Might as well make the best of it. Brad sure was not going to answer any questions.
Walking around on stocking feet, Avery found a large kitchen off to the side of the living room, again all done in black and white. All the appliances looked like they had never been used and the rest of the kitchen was spotless.
Opening the door of the massive fridge, Avery poked her head in. She wasn’t hungry, but a drink would sure go down nice after breathing all that smoke-filled air. Finding a pitcher of orange juice in the fridge, she laid it on the counter and started opening cabinets looking for glasses. Pouring two large glasses, she put the juice back in the fridge and made her way back to Brad. His throat must be dry also, he had more exposure to the smoke than she did from her position two blocks away.
Putting the glass in front of Brad on the coffee table, she turned and continued to explore. It would be nice to get out of this long dress. Avery just then realized that these were all the clothes she owned. She had been more concerned about her mementos, not on the necessities of life. With that somber thought, Avery found a hallway leading out of the living room. Opening the last door she took in the large spacious bedroom.
White on white. Well whoever decorated this place had to be color blind. Avery almost thought she should have sunglasses on. Walking to an open door attached to the bedroom, Avery found a big bathroom. What a surprise to find this was done in a mixture of blues. She had to admit it was a relief after all the white. Avery put her glass down on the sink and looked in the mirror.
She was horrified to see her face smudged with soot and mascara running down from her eyes. No wonder Brad didn’t want to talk to her, or even look at her, she was a mess. She needed a shower in the worst way. In the mirror she spotted a large glass shower behind her. Starting to take her dress off, Avery realized she had nothing to change into. Making her way back into the bedroom she found the closet and opened it. Rows upon rows of suits, dress shirts, and ties lined the closet. Well this was not what she was looking for. Taking another look around she noticed a large dresser against the far wall. Going to it she opened the drawer and finally found some T-shirts.
Avery grabbed the top one and, untying her dress, left it lying on the floor of the bedroom as she walked back into the bathroom. Stepping into the shower, Avery found the water was hot and heavenly as it pelted her body. She wanted to cry again she was so confused. How could this apartment, if you could call it that, be James’s? He doesn’t wear the most expensive clothes, his car is certainly not a new model by any means. Avery washed her hair with the shampoo she found on the shelf. It smelled like James. It must be his. Avery tried to think of everything James had said to her that would straighten out the mess in her head. Drying off, it finally came to her. James had told her that his brother was some investment genius, he must be paying for all of this for James.
James didn’t look like he would accept charity from anyone. But that’s all it could be. She now knew in her heart that James and the others were honorable men that would have nothing to do with the drug trade. There was no way he would be able to afford an apartment in this area of town, let alone one like this. Yes, his brother must be helping him. Avery put on the borrowed T-shirt, finished her orange juice, and walked back into the bedroom. She noticed right away that her dress was now lying over the covers of the bed. Had Brad been in here when she was in the shower? James said to trust him, but this was a bit much. Avery marched out of the bedroom, ready to get Brad a piece of her mind.
Skidding to a halt the words on the tip of her tongue, ready to blast Brad, Avery took in all the men sitting in the living room. All were soot covered and smelled of smoke. Avery pulled down at the hem of the T-shirt she had found. Even though it covered her to her knees, she felt exposed. James and Clay stopped in midsentence, like they were hiding something when they caught sight of her. James rose from his chair and walked over to Avery, reaching out to hug her, but he stopped when he saw the state his hands were in.
“Are you OK, baby? I’m glad you made yourself at home.” James kept his hand at his side, just giving her a peck on the cheek and a sigh filled with relief at seeing her safe and sound.
“And whose home is this, James? I want to know and no lies. You are all sitting around like you’re very comfortable in this place with your sooty clothes and dirty boots all over the white carpet and sofa. So cough it up.” Standing her ground, doubts again filling her mind, Avery couldn’t let it go, she had to know for sure. She was feeling so very unsure of herself, she felt dizzy her head was spinning so fast filled with questions.
She wasn’t stupid, looking at this place and the men lounging around she knew now that they had to be more than investment brokers. Investment brokers now that the economy had tanked did not make the money needed to maintain this lifestyle. Avery felt the tears start again. She didn’t want to believe they were working with the Feds or Carlos. The whole reception job and what she thought as friendship between her and James, maybe more, was all a lie. She didn’t know how much more deception she could take.
Looking at all their faces turned her way, Avery sunk to her knees and covered her head with her hands, as the tears poured from her.
James knelt down beside her on the carpet. “It’s not all lies, Avery, we were only trying to help you.” James felt helpless watching Avery cry her heart out.
Staring down at his blacken hands again, James said “fuck it” and wrapped his arms around her. Her whole
body trembled with the force of her sobs. James looked over her head at his friends and nodded toward the door. He was silently asking them to leave him and Avery alone.
Clay stood up first and made his way to the door with the others following. “We’ll be down in the office. If you, either of you, need anything., just call.” Clay closed the door quietly behind them and left them in peace.
The only noise in the apartment was Avery’s sobs. James sat on the floor, holding her a long time. He patiently waited and stayed silent, just petting her hair until she was more under control. James would sit there all night if that’s what it took. He couldn’t believe how fast she had gotten under his skin. James knew she would realize that most of what he and Clay had told her had been lies. He hoped that she would let them explain and realize that it had been necessary. Tonight had told him that Carlos had upped the stakes and would be more dangerous. Why would he want to get rid of Avery? James couldn’t think of any reason. He needed her if he was to ever find and get the drugs back. It didn’t make sense. Hopefully the guys would put their heads together and come up with some ideas. All he could think of was Avery at the moment.
James knew the moment Avery realized what was going on, she struggled to get James to release his arms. James held on a little tighter and shook her gently.
“Avery, stop it now, you are safe here, no one can get to you.” Lifting her chin, he held on and didn’t let her squirm away.
Avery pulled her head side to side trying to escape James’s grip on her chin. She didn’t want to look at him. Finally Avery gave up when his grip didn’t lessen. Looking up at James blackened face she stared up at the deep blue eyes staring down at her.
“OK, James, I’m calm, tell me the whole sordid mess, then let me get out of here.”
James got to his feet, pulling Avery up with him, and led her to the couch. Making sure she sat down, James took a seat on the coffee table in front of her. His hand still held her arms as if he was afraid, she would bolt as soon as he let her go. James smoothed his hand down her arms until he was holding her hands in both of his. He looked up from her hands and took in her tear-stained face. He knew the next couple of minutes would be the most important ones of his life. How could he explain to her what his mission had been and also convince her that she was the most precious thing to him? He tried to think of how to tell her without it sounding like a bunch of lies—it mostly was, but not how he felt about her.