by A. L Long
Looking over to Colin, I asked, “Can you direct me to the bathroom?”
“Down the hall and to the left,” Colin replied as I continued to cough.
I knew that I didn’t have much time to get a good look around, so the first thing I did before leaving the room was make sure that Colin’s attention was on something else. Looking back at him, I requested, between coughs, “Can you pour me a drink?”
The liquor cart was on the other side of the room away from the doorway, which would take his sights off me. This was the perfect distraction so I could get up the stairs unseen and quickly check out the second floor. Taking the stairs two at a time, I reached the second floor in seconds. Shortly, I began opening doors to the rooms. The first door I opened was a large bathroom, which was well lit by a large window above a sunken tub.
Fortunately, the second door I opened was Tessa’s bedroom. Her back was towards the door as she stood by the large picture window that looked out to the front of the house. I wasn’t sure what she was looking at, but knew that I didn’t have much time before Colin would be wondering what was taking me so long.
In a low voice I said, “Tessa,” as I walked closer to where she was standing.
When she turned to face me, I could see that she had been crying. Lifting her chin, I studied her. Wiping a tear from her face, she said, “I can’t do this anymore. All I want is a life.”
Pulling her close, I felt an overwhelming need to protect her as she looked up and met my eyes. I was so consumed by her that all I wanted was to take her. Not in the way I had taken every other woman in my life, but in a way that she deserved. Lowering my lips to her, I pressed them against the softness of her mouth and slipped my tongue inside, sweeping the depths of her mouth. As sweet and inviting as she was, I knew that it had to end before I put both of us in an awkward situation should Colin walk in.
Rubbing her cheek with my thumb I said, “I am going to get you out of here. Can you be patient a while longer?”
She answered with a nod of her head. As much as I wanted to stay, I knew I needed to get back to Colin. Opening the door, I looked down the hall before heading back down the stairs. When I got back to the living room, Colin was looking out the window, just like Tessa had been doing a few moments ago. Clearing my voice, I asked calmly, “So where is that drink?”
“I was about to send a search party after you,” he stated arrogantly.
“Yeah, sorry about that. Not sure what caused that attack.” Picking up my glass, I took a small sip before adding, “So, why Jonathan Evans?”
His arrogant demeanor surfaced as he turned to face me. “You don’t need to worry about the why, London. Your concern should be how you are going to take care of him. Which brings me to another question,” he paused. “How did Jeffries magically end up on Venice Beach when you told me you stuffed him inside a dumpster?”
~Six~
I had never been more uncomfortable than when the question came up about Jeffries. I knew the minute that Colin inquired about his body showing up on the beach that I needed to come up with a believable story, and quick. Appeasing his curiosity, and more than that, his doubt, I came up with the best story I could. Thankfully, he believed me when I told him that the dumpster I stuffed Jeffries inside was near the beach where he was found, and it was possible that he had one breath left in his sorry-ass body, which allowed him to crawl out of the dumpster and make it to the beach where he died. Even though Colin was beyond pissed that I neglected to make sure the job was done right, at least I was able to walk out of the house alive and not dead myself.
As I headed away from the house and on my way back to my place, there was only one thought running through my mind and that was Tessa. The way she looked at me was beyond anything I could have felt with another woman. It killed me that I couldn’t be honest with her about her father and how she came to be with Colin. With the control he had on her, I wasn’t sure she would believe me anyway. Pulling my car to the side of the road, I remembered that she called me when she needed my help. If I was going to have any success in getting her away from Colin’s clutches, maybe knowing the truth would give her enough incentive to see him for the monster he really was.
Unbuckling my seatbelt, I took my phone from my back pocket and swiped the screen. Searching for her number in my recent calls, I pressed my finger on the small phone icon and waited for her to answer.
Within seconds, her sweet voice came across the air as she said, “Hello.”
Taking in a deep breath, I crossed my fingers and stated as calmly, as I could, “Tessa, there is something that I didn’t get a chance to tell you.”
“Xavier, are you crazy? If Mr. Colin finds out that I am talking to you, he… might… God only knows what he will do,” she stated anxiously.
“That is why you need to just listen and don’t talk.” Listening to only silence, I explained gently, “I have been working for Colin, as you know, but what you don’t know is what exactly I do for him. There is a man by the name of Jonathan Evans.”
“I don’t understand,” she interrupted in a soft tone barely decipherable.
“Tessa, please, just listen,” I warned before I continued. “Jonathan Evans is your father. Colin made some threat against him when you were very young and convinced your father that you were dead. He is not the man you think he is.”
“You’re a liar,” she shot back. “Colin took me in when no one else would. My father disappeared when I was barely able to walk, and my mother left me shortly after. If it wasn’t for Colin, who knows where I would be?”
“Tessa, you have to believe me. What can I do to convince you I’m telling the truth?”
“Prove it, Xavier. Find a way for us to meet. If what you say is true, I will know.”
Before I could tell her that it could be dangerous, the line went dead. At the very least, at least she agreed to meet with him. The only problem as how I was going to make that happen safely and at the same time get her away from Colin for good. In the meantime, I still had to convince Colin that Jonathan was dead. Considering the mishap with Jeffries, it wouldn’t surprise me if Colin would ask for proof of his death.
Easing back onto the road, instead of thinking of Tessa, my thoughts were on how I was going to accomplish what needed to be done.
~*~*~*~
When I got back to LA, I wasn’t ready to go back to my penthouse, so I decided to stop in at Direction 96 instead; check on things and maybe down a few beers as well. When I stepped inside the club, I was completely blown away at the number of people inside the bar. The music was loud, and it was very clear that everyone was having a good time. It was strange, especially for a Thursday night. Walking straight to the bar, I sat on the only empty barstool and waved to Russ to get his attention. When he came over, wiping down the bar as he walked towards me, I ordered my favorite brew. While I waited for Russ to return with my beer, I twisted my chair toward the dance floor and began checking out the area. Since the majority of the crowd were about my age or a few years older, I had no trouble spotting an older gentleman who by all accounts didn’t belong. Curious to find out what his deal was, I grabbed my beer from the bar and headed in his direction.
When I got closer to him, I could clearly see that it was the detective I had spoken to a couple of days ago, only this time he didn’t have his sidekick with him and he was enjoying a drink as well. Taking a seat across from him, I asked in a sharp tone, “You’re a little out of place here, don’t you think? I didn’t figure you to be the bar-going type.”
“Normally, yes, but I thought I would come down here and enjoy a drink,” Wallace admitted, holding up his glass before drinking the last of it.
“There are a lot of nice places in LA to enjoy a drink, Detective Wallace. I have a feeling there is another reason why you are here,” I responded boldly.
“See, the thing is, I think that you know more than you are letting on. Personally, my gut tells me that you may not have killed Jeffries, but you kno
w who did,” he explained.
“Well, I hate to put a dent in your theory, but you are way off,” I rebounded. Even though he was right about not killing Jeffries, I had no idea who polished him off.
I rose and left the table as I had nothing more to say to this man. If I had my way, I would ask him to leave and never enter the doors to my safe haven again, but that would be a mistake and only draw more attention to myself. With everything going on with Evans and Colin, that was the last thing I needed.
Seeing that Russ was busy with other customers, I snuck behind the bar and poured myself another draft before heading up to my office. Russ was running around like a mad man trying to fill the drink orders. It was about time that I hired another bartender to help out during the night shift. The last thing I wanted was for Russ to quit on me because he was burnt out. First thing in the morning, I would be placing an ad for an experienced bartender.
Placing my glass on my desk. I took a seat and gazed out the window that overlooked the bar. As I drank my brew, my thoughts were drawn to Tessa and how amazing her lips felt pressed to mine. I was getting hard just thinking about how much I wanted her body beneath mine. No sooner than the thoughts entered my mind, she appeared in front of me. Even though she wasn’t alone, my eyes were only on her. Returning to my feet, I walked to the large row of windows and stared down at her, watching every step she took. My fists began to tighten as I got a glimpse of her hand in Colin’s as he led her through the crowd of patrons.
When he began heading toward the stairs, I knew that it could only mean one thing; he was on his way to see me. I wasn’t sure why since we had only met a few hours ago. Downing the rest of my beer, I realized I was going to need something stronger in order to deal with him. Just as I was getting ready to pour myself a drink, Colin entered my office with Tessa, looking more beautiful than ever, behind him.
Looking over at him, I asked casually, “Drink?”
“You better make it a double,” he instructed.
“I take it this isn’t a social call,” I said sarcastically as I handed him his drink.
“A Detective Sloan came to see me after you left. He wanted to know about Michael Jeffries,” Colin stated.
“Seems to be a lot of that going around,” I interjected. “Sloan’s partner, Detective Wallace, decided Direction 96 was a good place to have a drink.”
“Are you going to tell me what the fuck is going on, London?” The only sound louder than Colin’s voice was the slamming of his drink on the glass table beside the couch where he was sitting.
I wasn’t expecting was Colin’s outrage, but one thing I knew for sure, whatever he was fishing for, I couldn’t let him know the truth. Leaning against my desk, I gave him a stern, confident look. “I think they are grasping at straws. We are the only connection to Jeffries, but they have no confirmed evidence that either one of us had anything to do with his murder.”
“That’s where you’re wrong,” Colin paused, standing to his feet and moving to the credenza where my finest scotch was kept. Turning to face me, he took a healthy drink. “You must take me for a fool, London.”
“What’s your point, Gates?” I urged.
“I know that you didn’t kill Jeffries,” Colin began. “Do you want to know how I know this?”
“Enlighten me,” I choked.
“Because I did,” he confessed.
The room went silent. And for once, I was totally speechless. Nothing I could say could cover up the truth. Even though I was standing and Colin reclaimed his seat on the couch, I felt as low as the rug beneath his feet. I would be lucky if I didn’t find myself dead after this discovery.
Sinking lower against my desk, I only dared look him in the face. “So, you know. How long?”
“Since just before those two detectives showed up here a few days ago. I was going to let it go, but seeing as how one of them came to visit me, it was time to initiate my plan.”
“What the hell are you talking about, Gates?” I cursed.
“You, my dear friend. I am not going to take the fall for Jeffries’ death… you are.”
~Seven~
I never took kindly to threats, but this one I couldn’t ignore. Even though Colin didn’t go into detail about what his plan was to pin Jeffries’ murder on me, he made it very clear that I was walking a very thin line with him and any more fuck-ups meant that I would be spending the rest of my life behind bars. I only wished I knew what he had up his sleeve so I could stop him, but that was the least of my problems. The way Tessa looked at me when they left more than told me she was beginning to see what type of man Colin really was, given his confession. Little did she know that she was my only salvation in this mess.
Colin wasn’t as smart as he thought he was. If he had been, he would have waited to voice not only his plan to frame me, but the admission to killing Jeffries when there was only me in the room. There could have been only one reason why he spilled everything with Tessa there, and that had to be because he knew she would never go against him. As confident as he might have been, that would soon change. Now more than ever I needed to get her away from him.
When I got to my place, the first thing I did was get in contact with Jonathan. I knew that of anyone, he would know exactly what kind of man Colin was. I had a pretty good idea already, but there was something I didn’t know, and that was what he craved most in life besides Tessa. I figured that if I could coax him away from her with candy, so to speak, maybe then I would be able to take her safely from him and show her that I was telling the truth. I only hoped that Jonathan had proof of his claim that Tessa was his daughter, otherwise this would it would be useless.
As I waited for receptionist to pick up the line, I poured myself a shot of McCallan’s and headed to my office. Answering in the sweetest voice ever, she said, “Criss Cross, this is Darcy, how may I direct your call?”
“Darcy, a beautiful name for a beautiful girl.” I could faintly hear her giggle as I complimented her. “This is Xavier London. I need to speak with Mr. Evans.” I knew that with my sweet greeting, she would be more than happy to put me right through.
“London, I’ve already told you everything I know about Colin Gates,” he stated abruptly.
“Not everything. I need to know more about Colin. I need to know what his likes and dislikes are and if he has any bad habits. Anything that you can tell me about him is important,” I responded.
“Not sure where you are going with this, but I’ll play along. Now let me see,” Evans paused for a moment. “Horses. He loves horses and betting on them. I would say that he is addicted to them.”
“Any particular track he likes to go to?” I asked.
“Yeah, Los Alamitos. He seems to always win there. At least whenever I was with him,” Evans confessed.
Before I hung up with him, there was one more thing I needed to know. “You said that your daughter was dead. Can you tell me how she died?” I questioned hesitantly, but with confidence.
“She drowned. I witnessed it with my own eyes,” I could hear the pain in his voice before he continued. “We were invited to go sailing with Gates. It was just about the time I had found out what he was doing. She got too close to the edge of the boat and fell into the water. She was so small, and an undercurrent took her under.”
Concerned about how this could happen, I had to ask, “Did you see her fall in the water?”
“Not exactly, but I remember the commotion from the crew. The Coast Guard was immediately called, but the divers were never able to find her small body,” he admitted with a crack in his voice.
“Jonathan, do you still have documentation on your daughter as far as birth records, or anything of hers?”
“I have kept everything of hers, even a strand of hair from her first haircut,” he confessed.
“Good. I suggest you put them in a safe place.”
“What is this about, London?” he demanded.
“If I am correct, your daughter is still alive.”
~*~*~*~
I didn’t plan on letting the cat out of the bag just yet, but knowing what Colin was going to do, I was going to need Jonathan on my side. I felt confident when I hung up that he believed what I told him about Tusya, aka Tessa. It made sense that Colin would have her name changed. The only thing that was hard was convincing Jonathan to allow me to get her away from Colin before he did anything stupid. When I told him of my plan to make up some bogus story about a rising thoroughbred being named after Colin and that the owner of the horse wanted to meet him in person to go over the details, Jonathan was all in. He even knew of some people in the horse business who would be more than willing to help since Colin had also double-crossed them.
There was something inviting when I walked inside my apartment and the hint of jasmine and honey filled my senses. I thought I was going crazy, but when I saw Tessa looking out the floor-to-ceiling window, my mind was put at ease. I couldn’t understand what she was doing here or how she got here without Colin knowing. Removing my jacket, I laid it across the barstool and made my way towards her. The sun was just beginning to set and the glow of the light radiating from her face made her look somewhat angel-like. She was the most captivating woman I had ever met. Standing next to her, I took in the view of LA and wondered if she saw the magnificent city like I had.