Truth or Lies?

by A. Gomez

  “Isabel.” Josh’s voice still low and calm.

  “This is their call sign, the Chinese Triads. At least, this is the one I’m familiar with—the Triads that drifted into criminality. This is the symbol that was tattooed on all the men I saw in the courthouse that day we met,” I offered. “This is the tattoo I told Jill to look for in her pictures.”

  “So, they know where you live.” It wasn’t a question. He let out a loud sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose.

  “Yes, they do and they know my full name, which means they must know a lot of other information about me,” I said, my voice sounding emotionless.

  “You said the Triads you’re familiar with. What do you mean by that?”

  “I don’t really know a lot. I just remember a few things from a world history class I took in college. We studied an entire unit on secret societies. It was really quite fascinating.” I was rambling.

  “Baby. Focus. The Triads.”

  I nodded. Right, focus, easier said than done. “The Chinese Triads are a secret society just like any other secret society,” I began. “You have the Free Masons, Opus Dei, the Illuminati, Skull and Bones and so forth. Most of these societies were founded to better the situation of the time or just another boys club or what have you. However, the Triads are an offshoot of the secret Hong Society, and the Hong were a by-product of the Tiandihui. It’s a long story, one I can’t remember. It goes back to the eighteenth century but the short version is the Chinese Triads, some of them, did not remain true to the Tiandihui ideals of patriotism, loyalty, and justice.” I paused, “But some Hongmen did and those are the Triad members that are still battling the Chinese Triads that we are dealing with today—the ones that sent me this lovely card. I don’t know much about the Hongmen who are also part of the Chinese Triads… they’re the good guys, if you will. I only know what we’re dealing with now and they are evil as Satan himself. They’re modeled on the Italian Mafia and Japanese Yakuza. All new members are subjected to rigorous examination and must pledge an oath to the society, and so on and so forth. Like the Mafia, each group is in charge or has full control of a specific area or region. These men are extremely dangerous,” I declared, glancing at my brother.

  The game was still on and he was fast asleep on the sofa with Samson. Josh was texting. I headed to the living room to turn off the fire in the fireplace and cover Charlie with a blanket. I turned out all the lights, except the kitchen where Josh was on the phone. I headed to my bedroom and decided to brush my teeth. My mind was racing. How did they find out where I live? How did they get my full name? Did they know where I was from and where my family lived? They must if they knew my name and address. If they were watching me… us, then they must have seen my brother coming in and the agents swarm down on him, which meant they wouldn’t try anything at my house because of that. I felt somewhat comforted from that thought. These men were dangerous and evil and they would protect what they believe in to the end. And here I was, no, here we were, trying to put an end to their disgusting and depraved business. If I testified or helped the FBI any further, I could possibly get my family and myself hurt or killed. Josh and the FBI wouldn’t stop; of course, it was their job… they were certainly dead men.

  This was infuriating me the more I kept thinking about it. The thought of it made my blood boil. These men were bullies! How dare they try and intimidate me! Not in my house! Not now, not ever! I looked in my nightstand for my pistol but it wasn’t there. Josh must still have it. I had to make sure and get it back. I decided to crawl into bed but I left my small reading lamp on and just lay there staring at the drapes. It had been a long, taxing day and I had a feeling tomorrow would be worse since my parents were coming. Josh walked in, jolting me from my introspection. I jumped, turned to look, realized it was him and grabbed my head, falling back onto my pillow. I was so angry and unnerved I wanted to scream. Josh climbed into bed with me and pulled me to his chest. We just laid in silence for a moment. He still had his t-shirt on but I could feel how incredibly warm he was regardless.

  “Don’t worry, Isabel, we’ll take care of this,” he said, kissing my forehead. I could feel his warm breath on my forehead.

  “I’m not worried. Not really anyway.”

  “Oh?” he said baffled.

  “I’m extremely pissed off,” I seethed. “These men are bullies and they’re trying to intimidate me. Whether I get killed or not, I am not going to let them do this to me. I’m not going to let them scare me…I can’t let them scare me. I will burn my house down before I let any one of those duplicitous men cross my threshold. I would rather die a thousand deaths before I let them intimidate me. These are godless men that fear nothing and no one, and that right there will be their downfall. One needs a healthy sense of fear, it’s what keeps one alive.” I exhaled, exasperated. “Maybe I should dye my hair red or blonde, maybe cut it short.” I was thinking out loud, forgetting that Josh was under me listening to everything I was saying. “Also, I think I should just get it over with and have sex. I may never get the chance if my days are numbered,” I mused. “I’ve always wanted to have sex…” Josh tensed under me, bringing me back to reality. Crap! Did I just say all that out loud?

  He abruptly sat up. “Isabel Grace!” he said in low menacing voice. “You. Are. Doing. No. Such. Thing. You are not thinking straight. This is not what you want, I know it and you know it, so stop all the crazy talk.”

  “Wow. Okay. Yes, sir!” I sat on my knees, not really knowing what to do while he eyed me with confusion. He reclined back against the pillows, closing his eyes and rubbing his forehead. I could see he was worried.

  “Um, could I have my gun back?” I asked shyly.

  “Of course. I meant to put it back but just forgot. I’ll make sure to do that first thing tomorrow.”

  “Also, do you mind staying here with me tonight? I am a little unnerved and I don’t want to take Samson away from my brother.”

  He gave me his boyish smile. “Isabel, of course I will. You don’t have to ask.” He pulled me to his chest, kissing me on the lips. “Don’t cut or dye your beautiful hair, please. I love it the way it is.”

  The man made my heart race and my breath hitch. He was simply irresistible and I didn’t trust myself around him. I gently kissed him on the lips. I stopped to gaze at him He just looked back at me. I kissed him again and stopped to look at him again. Should I go further? I asked myself. I kissed him again, filling his mouth with my tongue; I straddled him, pressing my breasts against his chest and running my fingers through his hair. I could feel his erection between my legs, pulsing and growing larger. Need hit me hard. He sat up with me. I was still straddling him when he flipped me onto my back, kissing me hard one last time and then placed the covers over me.

  “Not tonight, Isabel,” he breathed. “Get your rest, baby.” He turned off my lamp and headed to the bathroom. I heard the shower start and Josh’s voice howling and grunting. I giggled; it must be a cold shower.

  9

  I opened my eyes and looked at the clock. It was nine-thirty in the morning. I groaned, rolling over, still feeling tired. Josh was gone. I looked around my room and in the direction of the bathroom but no sign of Josh. His PJs were on my bed so he must have gotten dressed and started his day. I exhaled: the life of an FBI agent, always on alert. I didn’t envy him. I laid in bed for a while longer, twirling my hair, thinking about last night and the card I’d received. I’m missing something. Why on earth would these vile men care so much about my testimony? I wasn’t not the prosecutor, I wasn’t not the DA; I was only subpoenaed because my victim told me about her sexual abuse. She never talked about any other girls or being sold for money. She only told me that the perpetrator was her mother’s boyfriend and what he did to her, nothing about Tori being her friend and wanting to come to the group therapy sessions. I never even counseled Tori; I only helped her get her GED. However she was going to start group therapy. Could she possibly have had more information on this case than wh
at we thought and our friendly neighborhood Triads didn’t want her coming to therapy for that reason? What was I missing?

  I could hear voices in the kitchen and one of them sounded too high to be Josh or Charlie. My parents must have made it in. I better get up before my mother decides to crawl in bed with me and cuddle. I’m not ready to cuddle and talk with her just yet. I took my time getting dressed only because my mind was elsewhere. I couldn’t shake this feeling that whatever I was missing must be obvious, but I just couldn’t see it. I decided to let it go for now and just look at my notes and my victim’s file after breakfast.

  Mmmm, I could smell bacon, coffee and…brisket? My stomach started growling. I started to move a little faster now. I left my hair down so I could get out quicker. I always loved it when my mom comes to visit. She would cook a lot of food for me and freeze it so I had plenty of healthy meals for several days and we always had fun exploring new places in Chicago… especially because she paid for everything. My dad only joined us when he knew it wasn’t a shopping trip. I smiled inwardly at the thought of her cooking and our excursions. I finished getting ready and opened my shutters.

  The sun shone in my bedroom, waking it up. It was a beautiful morning. I looked outside and saw nothing unusual. It was autumn so the trees were almost bare. I could see a few people walking their dogs, and the usual cars, including Josh’s, parked in front. But nothing strange or out of the ordinary and I doubted I’d see anything out of the ordinary, especially if the Triads wanted to keep their presence hidden. I headed for the kitchen, my mouth watering with anticipation of my mother’s cooking. My house smelled so yummy with the aroma of Texas cooking and the loud chatter in the kitchen. My spirits started to perk up and a smile spread across my face. I walked into a bright, sunny kitchen, biscuits and gravy on the table along with eggs, bacon, waffles and fruit. My brother and Josh were busy inhaling the food and Mom was drinking her coffee and eating fruit with her waffles.

  “Mom,” I chimed. “When did y’all get in?” She stood up to embrace me and gave me a kiss. She held me for a lengthy amount of time and kissed me several times. She held me tighter and we rocked side to side, her kissing me again and again. I gave Charlie a pointed look. He threw his hands up in the air and shook his head no, indicating he didn’t say a word to her.

  She relaxed her embrace to look at me. “Good morning, my sweet angel. I got to your place around six-thirty this morning. I wanted to make sure I was here when they delivered the groceries. Y’all were all asleep except for Josh here. He let me in and helped me put away all the groceries. He even had another agent come and take Samson for a walk.”

  “Another agent?” I asked surprised.

  “Yes, honey, while I was preparing the brisket for dinner, Josh filled me in on who he is, why he’s here and who he is to you. And Isabel Grace, why didn’t you tell me you had such a handsome and well-mannered boyfriend? I would’ve bought more food.” She gave Josh a warm smile.

  “I can see where you get your beautiful eyes and good looks, Isabel. Your mom’s a knockout. Your father is one lucky man.” Oh brother. Where was this coming from?

  “If you’re trying to get in my mother’s good graces, I think you’re already there, so you can stop with the cheesy compliments.” I frowned at him. I looked around the kitchen in confusion. It was as if last night had never happened. The mail was gone, including the card from the Chinese Triads, and everyone was talking, eating and smiling as if they hadn’t a care in the world. My mother sat back down to finish her breakfast and I sat next to Josh and whispered in his ear, “Just what did you tell my mother?”

  He kissed me on my temple and muttered, “I’ll tell you later.” He went back to his food and talking with my brother.

  “So, what exactly did y’all talk about?” I asked.

  “Well, we talked about a great many things, honey. Josh told me he’s an agent for the FBI and he’s here to make sure you stay safe and how much he likes you. I talked about how smart you are and how you graduated early from every school you attended… that’s why you’re one of the youngest doctors at that hospital. We also talked about both your brothers and how they’re both at MIT. He asked me about your daddy’s profession and mine. I said your daddy’s in the car business and I’m a professor of psychology at the University of Texas in Dallas. And a few other things.” She let out a sigh and smiled. “Did I pass? Do you approve of our conversation?” I rolled my eyes at her and took a bite of some bacon. Charlie and Josh were still eating, Charlie chuckling to himself over what our mother said and Josh smiling at both of us.

  “By the way, where are Dad and Thomas Henry?”

  “Oh, your daddy’s gone a huntin’. He’ll see you on his way back. And your baby brother, Thomas Henry, went with him.” She sounded irritated with them.

  “He’s actually extra excited about this huntin’ trip, Isabel Grace,” Charlie said, smirking. “He’s on his way to Canada this time, with one of his huntin’ buddies and Thomas Henry, to hunt elk. Dad called me last week and asked if I wanted to go. He was so fired up he sounded like a little kid on Christmas morning. But Mom’s furious with him ‘cause he chose to go huntin’ instead of coming here and celebrating your birthday with you. Although he will see you when he gets back, but only because he has to bring the company jet here to pick up Mom,” Charlie chuckled. I smiled—it was kind of funny. My father was always doing something that upset my mother and he never understood what she was getting upset at.

  “So why didn’t you go, Charles Andrew?” I wondered.

  “There’s no way I’m going huntin’ in Canada this time of year. Besides, I’d rather be here eating mom’s cooking where it’s warm,” he said, smiling at our mother. She winked back.

  “You know, Mom, it was Josh’s birthday just a few days ago. He and I have the same birthday month except he never got to celebrate his birthday and I dare say he probably won’t get to see his parents either because of his work. I think we should do something special for him as well. What do you think?” This would be a nice little project for her to do. This way I could get a few things done.

  “Absolutely! I think that’s a fantastic idea. I’m going with your brother to buy him a suit and after that I’ll take care of everything. You two go do what you need to do and we’ll meet back here tonight at seven. Sound good?”

  “That’s perfect, Mom. Can’t wait!”

  “Poor boy. Did you at least get to talk to your mama on your special day?” She patted and rubbed the back of Josh’s hand.

  “Yes, ma’am, I did. My parents called me on my birthday but I was at the courthouse and couldn’t talk long, so it was very brief.”

  “My, my, such a hard worker. Well, at least I know my angel is in good, hardworking, honest hands. Don’t disappoint me now.” Her last sentence had a ring of foreboding. She gave him a motherly look and patted his back as she was getting up to get more coffee.

  Josh almost choked on his juice. “No, ma’am. Never.”

  “Where do your folks live, Josh?” My mother was starting to pry. She could have done this while they were having their talk earlier this morning. What was she up to? My mother could be stealthy at times.

  “They’re in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.”

  “Is that where you’re from?”

  “Yes, ma’am. Born and raised. My parents and sister too.”

  “Sister?” My mother looked surprised. “Tell me about them.”

  “Well, my sister is younger than me. Her name is Erica. She’s a chemical engineer for a big oil company. My father is also a chemical engineer but he has his own company. We really don’t speak since I decided to go into the FBI and not into the family business with him, although he does call me on my birthday. My sister worked with him for a while but then couldn’t do it anymore. It’s a long story.” His voice grew quiet as he said this, as if he was perplexed by it or just drained by it all. “And my mother is a first-grade teacher.” His expression looked uneasy. I took hi
s hand in both of mine and gave it a tight squeeze. A smile spread across his face when he looked at me and I knew he was okay. My mother regarded us for a moment and then began to pick up the kitchen with Charlie.

  “Honey, I noticed that Josh has the spare bedroom. Does that mean I get to share your bedroom with you?”

  “Dr. Langley,” Josh interjected through a mouthful of food, “please take the room. I’m not going to sleep much and if I do sleep, I can just rest in a chair in Isabel’s room. I do need to stay close to her.”

  My mother didn’t react or even act surprised. She knew about my virginity and she knew everything that happened with David Summers. She just looked at me with concern. I was sure she was thinking or hoping this wouldn’t turn into another Dr. David Summers situation. Especially since Josh has to be here…with me…indefinitely.

  We finished doing the dishes and picking up. My mother and Charlie headed out to do their shopping and I headed for my office to look over some notes and my victim’s file. I still couldn’t put my finger on why I had this feeling that I was missing something. I read through every file I brought home and all my notes. I looked up a few things on the Chinese Triads and the Hongmen. I got into my old documents to see if perhaps I could find a clue there. Nothing, nothing jumped out at me.