by Jay Lang
“So, Jason, are you serious? You’d really sell this place to me?”
“Of course I would. I love ya, you little brat.”
“This is the best news ever. I love you right back.”
After he asks how my father is doing, he tells me that he’ll be in touch and is just about to say goodbye when I interrupt, “You said you had a couple of things to talk to me about? What was the other thing?”
“That’s right. I almost forgot. What I wanted to ask you is if you’ve let that whole Fournier-revenge thing go?”
A hard-lump forms in my throat. I look at Katie who, thankfully can’t hear Jason on the phone. “Of course. I lie. I’ve completely let that go.”
“Good. I was worried that you were going to pursue him, and I didn’t want you to get hurt.”
“You’re worrying for nothing. I let that all go.”
“Smart move, Jules. I’m proud of you. That couldn’t have been an easy choice.”
“Nope, but I paid attention to what you said on our last call and I agree with you.”
We talk for a couple more minutes about general issues like the weather and the costs of things in the U.K versus Canada, then we say goodbye and hang up.
Not sure how much Katie has heard me say on the phone, I set my phone down and turn to her. She’s sitting on the bed, still in the buff, smiling at me, “You’re going to buy this place?”
“Well, I think I should. I like it here. Plus, I’d never be able to come up with a down payment large enough to buy a place this nice if it wasn’t for Jason helping me.”
Katie stands up on the bed and bounces, “This is awesome, Jules. I’m so happy for you,” she says excitedly.
I reach up and pull her down to me, “You know, if you wanted to, you could move in here with me. We could share the cost of the mortgage and then we could be together more.” As soon as I say the words, I feel a wave of anxiety rush over me. Why the hell did I say that to her? I guess I was so excited, and I got caught up in the moment and it just kind of slipped out. Now, she’s probably going to get freaked out by the seriousness of my offer. Why don’t I think before I speak?
“Are you sure, Jules?” She asks, looking earnest.
“Umm, yeah. I mean…if you want to?” Please want to!
She smiles a big grin and then wraps her arms around me, “I’d love to. I’m so happy you asked me.”
Just then, we hear the front door to the apartment open and close. Quickly, we scurry around the room, finding which item of clothes belong to each of us.
Laughing as we straighten up, we open the bedroom door and walk out. Dad is sitting in the front room and smiles when he sees us, “Were you redecorating your room and needed help, Jules?”
“Yeah, something like that,” I say, looking at the floor.
He chuckles and then thankfully drops the subject.
Katie plunks down on one side of Dad and I sit on the other.
“So, how was your visit at Charlie’s?” I ask.
Dad proceeds to tell us how much he liked his visit with his new friend. He says that Charlie is in his seventies and is a widower. Then, he goes on to say how Charlie showed him wartime memorabilia, including a knife and gun collection.
“Gee, Dad. I never thought you liked war or weapon paraphernalia. I always pictured you as more of a peace lover that hated anything representative of violence.”
He nods then says, “You’re right. I do hate violence and I can’t stand war. The truth is, peace and freedom cost a lot of brave military men and women a great deal. I respect their contribution. Also, I love antiques, of which Charlie has a lot. Some of the badges and pins are from family members who served in the First World War.”
“That’s cool, John,” says Katie. “I’m glad you enjoyed your visit. Jules actually has some pretty cool news too.”
“You do, Jules? What is it?”
I tell Dad about Jason’s call and how he said that he’s going to help me buy this place. Then, I add the most important part, Katie’s moving in. He claps his hands together and with more enthusiasm than he’s had since leaving the hospital, he turns and hugs me tightly then turns to Katie and does the same. “This is wonderful news,” he says. “My daughter is going to own a beautiful apartment on the right side of the tracks. Your mom would be so proud.”
His happiness is infectious. Both Katie and I smile looking at each other. Dad insists on having a toast but when he searches through the cupboard for anything containing alcohol, he comes up dry. Instead, we settle for water and clink glasses to celebrate.
After having a nice evening with just the three of us, Katie retires to bed first as she’s got to get up early for work. Unfortunately, her car is at her apartment, so I have to haul my ass out of bed just as early. I can’t wait until she’s living here and her vehicle is parked downstairs.
Dad and I sit up for a while before I tell him I’m hitting the hay too. He tells me that he has to be at the parole office tomorrow at eleven. When I offer to drive him, he thanks me and says that Charlie already offered to take him. I hug Dad and walk to the bedroom.
I can’t sleep worth shit. It’s two am and I don’t want to wake Katie, so I head to the couch, grabbing a blanket from the linen closet on the way. At about three am, I hear my father’s bedroom door open. When he walks to the bathroom, he leaves the door open while he takes a pill bottle out of his pocket and shakes out a couple of tablets. After he fills a glass with water, he downs the pills. I quickly move my head from view and wait until I hear his bedroom door close so I know he’s gone back to bed.
My poor father. He must be in pain again. As I sit and stare out the window, I wonder how often he is hurting in the daytime and he hides it? He is such a brave and strong man. Still, I feel helpless. I wish there was something I could do to stop his suffering. My mind flashes back to what he said at the graveyard today when he leaned over and put his hands on Mom’s and Abby’s headstones, “I’ll see you soon.” I shiver at the thought of his words coming true. I love him so much and he needs to get better and stay here with me. I’m crazy about Katie and I’m so excited to be starting a life with her, but regardless of the years Dad and I have spent apart, since he’s been out of prison, we have become close again. Not to mention, he’s the only link I have left to my mother and sister.
Just as I’m feeling relaxed enough to go to sleep, I hear Katie’s alarm going off from our room. Shit. I guess I’ll be tired and dragging my ass today.
I put the coffee on then go to the bathroom to splash water on my face. On my way back to the kitchen, Katie walks out of the bedroom.
“Good morning,” I say, giving her a hug.
She rubs her eyes and then smiles. I’m baffled at how she even looks good first thing in the morning. Not me. I look like I could ride a broom when I first get up. My hair is usually sticking up and knotty and my skin looks red and blotchy.
We sit together and drink our coffee while talking about her moving in. She wants to spend the next couple of days at her place, weeding out and sorting what she wants to bring. I’m glad that I don’t have a lot of stuff, I hate moving. For most of my adult life, I had not much more than a duffel bag that fit all of my belongings. I guess the reason that I never accumulated a lot of non-essentials is because I grew up not having much. Though, the one good thing about it is, no clutter. I hate clutter. I’ve been in some people’s places that look like a trinket store with ornaments and crap everywhere. I never understood the purpose of that. The more stuff that you have, the more you have to pack and carry when you move. Katie's place has a few non-necessity things but not an overbearing amount.
* * *
When I pull up in front of Katie’s building to drop her off, we kiss and embrace.. Both of us are excited by the fact that we’ll soon be sharing the same space and won’t have to drive back and forth between residences anymore. I pull away from her apartment and turn onto Cardero Street when I notice a car following closely behind me. It’s
so close that I can barely see its grill. When I turn onto Georgia Street, I speed up and get a better look at the car behind me. Sonofabitch, I don’t believe it. Its Fournier’s black Lincoln. I step on the gas and dart in between cars then make a fast turn down another road. The Lincoln is too long and bulky to deek in and out of traffic as I just did, so it doesn’t take long before I’ve lost it.
I pull over on Denman street and shut off the engine. Why in the hell was Fournier’s car on Cardero Street and so close to Katie’s? Whoever was driving, had to be following me. The time that Fournier gave me to pay the fifty thousand isn’t up yet so he’s probably just trying to intimidate me and show me how easily he can get to me and the people I care about. This has to stop, but something tells me that even if I do pay him, it never will. I have to call Slinky and find out if he has heard from Darlene and when his big plan will go down. I hope it’s soon because I’m afraid that Fournier will do something bad to Katie.
I see a Starbucks across the road and decide to get a drink. Once I’m out of the truck, I’m on high alert for the black Lincoln. I feel like an owl, pivoting my head around, watching as I walk to the coffee shop. When I’m inside, I stand in a long line up of people waiting to get their caffeine fix before they start work.
I wait for about fifteen minutes before I get my latte. As soon as I push the heavy door open, I see it. Fournier’s car is parked in the loading zone directly in front of Starbucks. My hand shakes so much that if my coffee didn’t have a lid, I’d be wearing most of the scalding hot liquid. When I reach the sidewalk, legs shaking in time with my hands, I see Tank sitting in the front seat staring over at me. I speed up and walk behind the Lincoln and wait for a break in traffic to cross the road.
Seeing my chance, I quickly dash across the street and walk quickly to the truck. A feeling of relief comes over me when I’m in my seat and lock the doors. As I sip my drink, I watch the Lincoln still idling across the road. What the hell is he doing just sitting there? Nobody is getting in or out of the car. Tank's sole motivation for being here must be to scare the shit out of me and make his presence known. Well, it definitely works. I’m a nervous wreck.
I want to pull away but something tells me that if I do, he’ll just follow me so I sit, watch, and wait. I want to call Slinky but I’m worried about Tank looking in his rear-view mirror and catching me on my cell. I decide to text instead. With still shaking hands, I type in, ‘Slinky, it’s Jules. I just thought I’d let you know to keep out of view today, the hounds are out on high alert, in fact, they’re so close I can almost smell them.’
A few minutes pass before my phone buzzes with a response from Slinky, ‘Stay safe, little one. There’s a storm brewing and the wolves probably sense it. Get away and call me when you’re clear.’
What does he mean by, ‘A storm brewing?’ Just as I reply with a thumbs up, I see a city parking attendant pull up behind the Lincoln. As the man gets out of his white little car, Tank drives away.
Finally, an opportunity for me to bolt without being followed. Instead of driving straight ahead in the same direction that Tank goes, I flip a U-turn in the middle of the street and head in the opposite direction. As I drive up Denman, my fear turns to anger. I feel like I’m under a microscope. After that horrible meeting with Fournier in the park, I’ll never feel safe until I know he’s gone for good. Not to mention, now that I’ve seen Tank by Katie’s apartment, it’s only logical to assume that she’s being followed too. I can’t help but feel responsible for putting Dad and Katie in danger. If only I would have known that all of this was going to happen, I never would have asked questions about Fournier. But I guess there’s no sense in regrets. The only thing I can do now is wait for Slinky’s plan. It’s my only hope at finding freedom.
After driving around downtown for a half hour or so, my cell rings. It’s Slinky. I pull in behind a small bike rental shop and answer. His voice is surprisingly alert for the time of day . I quickly tell him about Tank and how I spotted him in the Lincoln in front of Katie’s, then I tell him how he followed me to Starbucks.
“Are you safe?”
“I’m fine, Slink. But really worried about Fournier knowing where Katie lives.”
Slinky pauses for a moment and then tells me to call him back in five minutes. Curious, I hang up and watch the clock on the dash. I manage to wait four and a half minutes before I redial him.
“Jules, I just called Darlene. She said that Fournier’s bar is closing early tonight and she should have everyone out by midnight. If we can be at the pub at one am, she’ll let us in and then take us to the safe to get the book. Are you in?”
“Tonight? This soon? I mean…it doesn’t really give us a lot of time to prepare, does it?”
“What do you need to prepare? All I need you to do is to show up.”
“Yeah, I can do that but what about when or if we get the book? What do we do with it? Are we just taking it to the cop shop? Shouldn’t we know this before going ahead with the plan.”
“Don’t you worry about that. Just and meet me there at one am. I need you to act as look out once we’re in the back room. Plus, I don’t have a ride out of there afterwards, so I’ll need to leave with you. As for what to do with the book, I’ve already got a hold of the authorities. They know that we’ll be bringing it in.”
“So, what are they going to do with it? I mean…do you think there’s enough information in there to get him arrested?”
“Of course. The cops didn’t tell me much, but I suspect they’ll go through the names in the book and get a hold of some of the people then have them testify against Fournier in exchange for plea deals.”
“Really? Will that work?”
“Well, they’re the pros. I’m sure they’ve had a lot of experience dealing with this kind of thing.”
“And then Fournier will get locked up and we’ll free of him forever?”
“That’s the plan, kid.”
As uncertain as I am about it, I can’t think of any other questions for Slinky. We say goodbye and hang up. On my way home, a wave of anxiety hits me. What if while I’m with Slinky at the bar tonight, Fournier walks in? I mean…how does this Darlene lady know for sure that he won’t be back tonight? And what about Fournier’s men? Are they going to be there? I just wish I had more time to get together with Slinky once more before we meet at the pub.
* * *
Back at my apartment, I notice that the front door isn’t all the way closed. Immediately, my mind flashes back to when I came home to find my father beaten within an inch of his life. I try to take a deep breath but I can’t. Slowly opening the door, I see my dad’s wallet and keys on the counter. I call out for him but there’s no answer. my mind instantly goes to a dark place. Maybe Fournier found out that I’ve been planning something with Slinky? If he did find out, he’d probably kill my father this time just to teach me a lesson.
Overcome with anxiety and worry, I thoroughly check the suite. Dad would never leave without his wallet and keys. Something must have happened.
I pace back and forth not knowing what to do next. Then, I think about Dad’s new friend, Charlie at the end of the hall. I know that my father said Charlie is driving him around later today, but I doubt Dad would be over at his apartment this early. Nevertheless, I’d better check and see. I walk down the hall and knock on Charlie’s door. After a few minutes of hearing someone rustle about, the door finally opens. A hunched over Charlie strains to unbend so our eyes meet.
“Hello. I’m John’s daughter. I was just wondering if you’ve…”
“Jules. Hi, honey.” My dad says, poking his head out from behind Charlie. “Is everything ok?”
“Yeah. Of course it is. I was just wondering where you were?”
Dad steps out into the hall, “You look a little flushed.”
“I just got home then I noticed that the door was unlocked. When iwent in, I saw your wallet and keys on the counter so I started to worry. Initially, I never considered that you’d be
at Charlie’s,” I say, forcing a smile.
“Sorry, Jules. I wasn’t planning on staying for a visit, I just came by to ask him what time we were leaving today? Then, we got to talking and I guess I forgot that I left the apartment door open. I’m sorry I worried you,” he says, apologetically.
Relieved to have found him, I go back to the apartment, sit on the couch and call Katie. She’s at work and can’t talk long so I quickly tell her that when she goes home to make sure she’s not being followed before she gets out of her car.
“That’s a strange thing to say,” she says.
“I know. I guess I’ve been watching too many crime shows or something. Just please be extra cautious.”
She’s quiet for a moment and then giggles and tells me that she’ll make sure she’s safe.
I don’t really care if Katie thinks I’m being paranoid. All that matters is that she’s diligent when it comes to being aware who is around her. I don’t trust Tank or Fournier, especially now that they know where she lives.
Chapter Thirteen
When Dad walks into the apartment, he makes breakfast for us then has a shower and gets dressed. As he’s putting on his shoes, I can’t help but notice how slowly he’s moving, although he still looks a lot better than he did in the hospital. I think having a new friend is good for him—less time spent alone to think about his illness.
“Are you going to stay in today, Jules?” says Dad, walking into the living room.
“I don’t know yet. I have some things I need to take care of here and then if there’s time, I may stop by my work and talk to Ed.”
Dad grabs his wallet and keys off the counter and then winks and smiles at me before leaving. I walk over to the window and stare out. I wish so much that I wasn’t going to meet Slinky tonight. No matter how I look at it, it’s a dangerous venture. Even if we are successful at getting the book from Fournier’s safe, that doesn’t immediately get Slinky or me out of danger. I’m sure it will still take time for the cops to come up with their own plan of what to do with the information in the book before they can bust Fournier. A lot could go wrong during that time. As much as I want to have a relaxing day at home, I know that my mind won’t let me relax. I decide to bundle up and take the passenger ferry to Granville Island then walk up to the office. Hearing about what cases Ed’s had lately will help to take my mind off going to meet Slinky tonight.