“When Jerry and Lynn told me all those lies, I couldn’t take it. I took off running and found myself in the meadow where we had our first picnic. I wanted so much to be near you, but that was impossible, so I went to your secret hiding place, took this from your rock collection behind the big boulders, and kept it with me. It might sound stupid, I needed it to help me because I knew you touched it, I needed something of you, I needed it until I could face you.”
“Babe,” he said, “it’s not stupid, when I was not out looking for you, I spent my time holding your pillow or sweater, or whatever I could find of yours close to me. I wanted something of you close and to take in your scent to help me.”
“Let’s pretend that this is the first day I’m home from the army for good and you are here waiting for me and I’m going to kiss you and make love to you until we are worn out, first you must promise me something.”
“Anything Babe.”
“Never do that to me again, I mean leave without me knowing where you are and if you’re OK. There nothing in this world we can’t overcome together. You must trust me when I say that. Jerry and Lynn almost got us once with their lies that will never happen again if we don’t let it.”
“Do you think they’ll try hurting us again?”
“Yes, I think he is a hateful, vicious man and he would try to hurt us and everybody at the farm or anyone else to get what he wants.”
“Honey, I have to tell you something, I think in my rage I made a huge mistake.”
“Go ahead Babe I’m listening.”
“I was so upset and wanted Jerry to go away so badly that I told him something that I probably shouldn’t have. I told him I saw him kill Roberto, the man who followed Jerry and Rosalie to the farm, who supposedly was her brother. I think he was really her husband or lover.”
“Is that true honey or were you only trying to get him away from you.”
“It’s true, he killed him, I saw him from my room, it was horrible. Do you think we should do something about it?”
“Not now, we don’t even know where Jerry is, he might worry that you will turn him over to the authorities. We must be very careful, not scared, only vigilant. I’m not exactly his favorite person either. I wish he would come out in the open I could deal with him then.”
“I promise with all my heart I will never do that again, and I do trust you I didn’t want you to hurt like I was hurting. I thought if you didn’t know it wouldn’t hurt so much. Babe, our favorite monsters are here,” she said, “and I want to let them in, let’s talk later, I missed you so much.”
“Tell them to hurry, I have been waiting for them myself.”
Wilson emailed the group they were all shocked and appalled that Amelia’s own brother and mother would do such a vicious thing to her.
“PS: He wrote, let’s leave them alone for a while, I don’t think they will be coming out of the apartment for a day or two, Wilson added.
Wilson, at Chad’s request, began a search for Jerry’s whereabouts. Wilson put Jerry’s info into several law enforcement computer search engines. When he got the report, it showed that Jerry had been given a dishonorable discharge from the army and that there were outstanding warrants for his arrest in two states for robbery. He was going to run another check with the FBI and others to see if he could find out anything else.
[ Chapter 49 ]
Amelia was back at her job in the lab and Chad started his new job. He liked the job because he didn’t sit in an office all day long. He went to the four locations the fitness centers were at daily and had time to work out himself. Several times a week Amelia joined him, and they would work out together. They loved seeing each other every day and fell into a comfortable routine with their everyday life. Chad missed the guys in the squad and some of the excitement they experienced when they went out on missions, he liked being with Amelia much more. Herbie Grant kept in touch with Chad on a regular basis and told him the guys didn’t like their new lieutenant and missed Chad. Chad told him if he could think of a way to stay with the squad and see Amelia every day, he would come back. You could stake your life on the fact that I’m not giving Amelia up again for anything.
Betty and Darrell were building a new house. They invited Amelia, Chad, Wilson, and Shelly out to the site of the new house. The house was still under construction and had only the studs in place with the roof overhead. They were going to have a cookout and make hamburgers and hotdogs. Chad and Wilson were going to help Darrell with the design of the driveway and clear some of the huge rocks and cut down a few trees.
When the guys were through with the work they planned, Darrell started the grill. Chad was going to cook. He was at the grill, looked up, and saw Shelly and Wilson go into the house. He called Amelia over and said quietly, “look at the house.” They could see Shelly and Wilson kissing through the studs.
“That looks like fun,” said Chad, “shall we try it?” And he kissed her.
They had just parted when Amelia said, “Look Chad, Wilson is down on one knee, do you think he is purposing?”
“I hope so,” said Chad, “He’s a super guy.”
When they came out of the house, the others were all watching them. Shelly blushed a little and said, “Wilson just proposed to me and I accepted. They all congratulated them.
“You’ll really like being married man, there’s nothing like it,” said Chad, as he looked down at Amelia who smiled at him.
“I guess we will be kind of like you and Amelia were for a while until Shelly is done with her residency, said Wilson. I hardly ever see her now. I want her to move in with me at least maybe I could watch her sleep sometime.”
The girls all gathered together talking excitedly about wedding plans and asking Shelly what she had in mind. Wilson said, to Darrell and Chad, “I didn’t want to say anything in front of Amelia, Philip swore out a complaint for assault and battery against you Chad.”
“What do you think I should do about it?” Chad asked.
“I think you should counter the move and get Buzz to go with you and accuse him of destroying private property and harassment in Amelia’s case.”
“How about coming with me on Monday and we’ll go to see Buzz and get the ball rolling.”
“I will call you on Sunday evening to let you know what time I can make it.”
“You could always say he fell down the steps, couldn’t you?” said Darrell, they all laughed. “Seriously, if you need a lawyer, I have a good friend I could recommend.”
Amelia’s phone rang, she answered it, and it was Deana.
“Hi Deana,” said Amelia, “how are you and the family?”
“We’re all good,” she said, “how’s Chad?”
“He’s just fine, what going on?”
“It not real bad news just news, I wanted you to let you know we heard from Lynn again.”
“What did she want?” Asked Amelia, in a harsh voice, immediately frowning, as she motioned Chad to come to her. She moved the phone so he could hear what Deana was saying. “Deana,” said Amelia, “Chad is here with me, I wanted him to hear what you have to say.”
“Lynn called Roger, last night, she sounded as though she were drunk, she told Roger that she and Jerry were staying at a Motel 6 in Maryland somewhere and he gave her $20 and asked her to go get some beer at the 7-11 down the street. She went to get the beer and when she got back, Jerry was gone and took all the money she had in her suitcase and all his clothes and the car they were driving. She drank the beer and didn’t have anywhere to go after today because the room rent was due.”
“What did Roger say?” asked Amelia.
Roger said, “Mom you don’t know this, Amelia first, and then Deana and Amelia together, had to do all of your work, cooking and washing when you left. They were young girls especially, Amelia. She wanted to go to college so bad she could taste it, but she couldn’
t go because you fucked up the family. So, here’s what you should do now mama go to the nearest town and find a shelter or maybe a salvation army and find a good cot and stay there and rot. That’s what you deserve for what you and sonny boy, Jerry, did to Amelia. Oh, and “Lynn,” don’t call here again.”
“Did she call back? Asked Amelia.
“No,” said Deana, “Roger wanted to let you know Jerry is on the prowl alone now and for you and Chad to be aware of it.”
Chad said, “Deana, Hi, how are you?”
“Good Chad, it’s good to hear you.”
“Deana, could you ask Roger to come to the phone please?”
“I’ll get him.”
“Hey Rog, how’s it going?”
“Hi Chad, how my sister?”
“I’m fine chimed in Amelia.”
“Roger, I appreciate you calling, do you know if Jerry has any friends or contacts in this area or anywhere in the east?”
“No, I really don’t know much about him and his nasty ways or his friends. If I hear anything or he tries to contact us I will call you ASAP.”
“Thanks, Roger, and thanks for giving Lynn that good advice, I would have done the same. You want to say anything to Roger, Amelia?”
“Hey big brother I miss you and I love you, tell the whole family we love them too.”
“I will sweetheart you treat Chad right now, we all love you too.”
“Honey, thank you for all that,” said Chad.
“I told you I will not hold anything back from you anymore. What do you think Jerry is up to? Do you think he would ever come here?”
“I don’t know, I don’t trust him, and he has tried to hurt you before. I’m not going to take any chances this time. I want to be there if he ever decides to confront you again, then he will have to deal with someone his own size. I’m going to mention this to Wilson too. To see if he has any ideas, the man is a genius at this cloak and dagger stuff.”
Amelia had a frown on her face and looked worried. “I don’t want you to be worried honey, I’m going be right by your side,” Said Chad.
[ Chapter 50 ]
Jerry though he would go crazy. They had been on the road for more than four weeks and Lynn was driving him crazy. They came as far as Maryland, he figured he needed Lynn as a decoy when he was in the states, so it looked like he was traveling with someone, but he had no idea she was so far gone. He told her several times that she was no spring chicken anymore and she should act her age. He no sooner said that and there she would be in the closest bar to wherever they stayed throwing herself at some man. Asking them to buy her drinks and making sexual remarks that were very out of place. Hell, she even embarrassed him and that was pretty hard to do.
Jerry wanted to see if the Feds were still looking for him or if the case was now so cold, no one even remembered it. He was running out of money and had to come up with someplace to get money. I must ditch Lynn, he thought, she’s become nothing, but a pain in the fucking ass. Maybe if I could find Amelia? I have to think about that, she hates me now. If she turned to drugs or alcohol in her grief for her lame marriage, maybe I could con her if she’s not with that big fuck head she married.
A military truck passed them on the highway and Jerry thought about his old army buddy Joey. He thought it might be a good idea to look him up. The next evening after Lynn got drunk and passed out; Jerry packed up his stuff, left her $20, and took off for Virginia. Jerry was trying to find Joey. Joey had taken Jerry to his mother’s house in Virginia once when they were on the lam and Jerry thought he could find it again. The car went as far as route 66 and then broke down. Jerry abandoned it there. Hell, it was a rental and not in his real name. He didn’t care what happened to it.
Jerry hitchhiked into Orange County, Virginia. He stopped at a local watering hole and asked a few men at the bar if they knew Joey Whitney. One of them told him that he knew of Joey’s family. They lost their house and he thought they lived in the trailer park outside of town.
“I’m going pretty close to there when I leave, I could drop you off,” the man said.
“That would be mighty fine, if you could do that,” said Jerry.
Jerry asked the man for directions to the trailer park when he dropped him off at the highway exit. Jerry walked to the trailer park and began looking for Joey’s trailer. He saw a mailbox with the name Whitney on it, in front of a small rundown old trailer with huge spots of rust all over it. The curtains were drawn and there were clothes on the makeshift clothesline out back. A confederate flag was in one of the side windows and a pickup truck was parked next to the trailer. He went up and knocked on the door.
Joey came to the door and said, “Yeah what ya want?” He was a short man with a mustache that needed to be trimmed badly. His greasy looking hair hung in clumps around his face and he had on a baseball cap with the peak turned to the back. He had beady eyes and wore black framed glasses, almost as thick as coke bottles. They were secured to his head with a rubber band tied to each of the glass’s sidepiece. He had on a faded-out tee shirt that read “I’m high what’s your excuse,” blue jeans and a belt that said, “Pigs Suck.” He smelled as if he hadn’t had a shower in days. His cowboy boots were scuffed, and the heels were worn badly on one side making his bowlegged condition obvious. He didn’t recognize Jerry at first.
Jerry said, “Drop them cocks and pick up those socks,” and Joey knew exactly who it was and said, “Well I’ll be,” and shook hands and hugged Jerry.
“What are you doing in these parts man I thought you went south? Come on in. Joey lived in the trailer with his mother and younger sister. He introduced Jerry to them and offered Jerry a beer. They talked about their old days in the service. Jerry’s sister was not too bad looking thought Jerry, a little chunky, but a nice face, she worn a lot of makeup and had dyed red hair. She wore cutoff jeans and a ruffled halter-top with much of her huge breasts exposed, lots of bangle bracelets and sandals. The first thing that came to Jerry’s mind was, they must be 44’s and I wouldn’t turn her down. Joey’s mother said nothing, gave a little wave and sat in her rocker and read her Bible. Jerry and Joey sat, talked, and drank beer catching up on each other’s lives. They decided to go out for more beer and left in Joey’s pickup. Jerry told Joey he was down on his luck and his brothers and sister had screwed him out of his share of the farm, so he had to leave.
“Most important, Joey,” said Jerry, “has anybody come looking for me or asking you questions?”
“About what?”
“About the deal we did in the camp that night and the drugs.”
“No, I talked with Willy about six months ago and he said he heard the heat was off. They didn’t have any evidence once that snitch who gave us up died. I guess everything is OK. I sure went through my share of the money like shit through a goose, now it’s all gone.”
“Did the snitch die of natural causes? “Asked Joey.
“He overdosed the way all good junkies want to go,” said Joey, and they both laughed.
Jerry was glad he didn’t have to worry about that guy again. Joey and Jerry got drunk and Joey told him he could stay with them at the trailer. There’s not much room inside with mama and Juzette. It’s warm out and I have a sleeping bag. I have a heavy piece of foam and you could sleep in the back of the pickup. Jerry was too drunk to argue.
The next day Joey woke up Jerry early and told him to come inside and have some coffee and ride along with him to his job. Jerry didn’t really want to, but he had nowhere else to go and he wanted to keep Joey as a friend, so he went with him.
Jerry was surprised to see the amount of cash Joey collected as he made his deliveries. “What do you do with all the cash when you get back?” Asked Jerry, “and why all cash.”
“Some of the customers were deadbeats before, now the boss says we don’t leave the goods if they can’t pay in cash. When we get back
, I put it and the receipts in a drop bag and put it in the slot in the safe.”
Jerry had an idea, so he asked Joey if he could get him a job as his helper, he didn’t want to be a driver because he didn’t have a valid driver’s license.
“I’ll see what the boss says,” said Joey, “one of our guys quit last week, so maybe he’ll hire you on.”
After a week, Jerry was tired of sleeping in the back of the truck. He asked Joey if all the trailers were occupied because the pickup was getting a little hard on his back. I’ll ask around maybe there might be one the next street over. Joey took Jerry to see the trailer park manager’s trailer, her name was Kelly Sue.
Kelly Sue invited them in she told them there were no vacancies. She was a divorcee pushing 50. A little plump, she had long dark hair and dressed in a way she thought was very sexy. She had on jeans that looked as if she was poured into them and a very low cut bright red sweater. She had rings on every finger, large hoop earrings, heavy rouged cheeks and fire engine red lips. Her trailer, which was air conditioned was nice and cool and she asked them if they wanted a beer. They sat down and Kelly Sue started flirting with Jerry after three beers. They stayed for a long time and had a lot more beers.
Within the week, Jerry was staying with Kelly Sue, and worked with Joey only a few days a week. She was older than Jerry, but he didn’t have to pay rent. Jerry told Joey he was shitting in high cotton for the moment. No matter, he couldn’t stop thinking about all that money in the safe and had figured that by the end of the week it held about $20,000.
Jerry had a plan. He would get a grubstake and contact some of the other men he worked with before and maybe plan a big job to get some cash the easy way. He thought Joey might want to join him but wasn’t sure he would leave his mother and sister to fend for themselves, the silly sap. He would ask Joey to see if he could find some of their old gang and make plans with them. Meantime this wasn’t a bad gig. Kelly Sue was sure doing her part. All he had to do was show her a little attention and she let him stay there and bought the groceries too, the sex starved bitch, even cooked for him, and bought the beer. The sex was not so bad and after he had a few drinks he didn’t even remember who she was any more.
Secrets of Amelia Page 31