Exposed (17 page)

Chapter Twenty - Seven

     “Hello?” Charles said, answering his cell phone.

     “They’re safe. They don’t have to go. It’s okay. They don’t have to run anymore.”

     “Jake? Are you okay? You’re not making any sense. What are you talking about? Slow down and tell me everything.”

     “Alyson. Cassie. They’re..safe.”

     “Of course they are. We took care of everything. Remember?”

     “No, you don’t understand. They don’t have to leave now. He’s gone.”

     “Are you trying to tell me your father is...gone? He...he isn’t going to hurt them? Ever again?”

     “He’s...he’s...”

     “Are you trying to say he’s...dead?”

     “He’s...yes...dead.”

     “What...what happened? How? Where’s...the body?”

     “Here. He’s here. Next to me. On the floor. Bad wire. Wet hands. Gone. He’s...gone.”

     “Are you okay?”

     “A little shaky.”

     “Did you call anyone?”

     “Just you.”

     “We’ll be right over.”

     “Alyson and Cassie? They’re still with you? They haven’t left yet? I’m not too late. I...we can still be together. She’s still here.”

     “No. They left just a short time ago. I already drove Rachel home and was on my way to see Alex. I’ll pick him up and meet you at your house. Don’t move. Don’t touch anything.”

     “We’re too late? I’m...too late? They’re gone? My dad is...and I’m never going to see her again? I can’t...I need...”

     “Relax, Jake. Take a deep breath.”

     “I have to see her. I have to see Alyson. She needs to know. She’ll want to know.”

     “We’ll try to contact them in a few days after they’ve reached the destination. Until then, we need to take care of you and the situation. Stay where you are. Alex and I will be there soon.”

     Jake ended the call and sat in the silence of the room. He looked down at his father’s lifeless body and scooted himself away. He picked up the empty glass from the floor and stared at it intently. Almost as if it held all the answers to his burning questions.

     “How? How could he? How could he try to kill me? I’m his...son. Flesh and blood. How? I don’t understand. I thought he loved me. He said he loved me. Did he ever care about me? Only his research. That was the only thing he ever loved. Not me. Not my mom. Just his stupid research!” Jake screamed, smashing the glass into the floor, his white knuckles clinging to the broken, jagged edges.

     He squeezed hard until he crushed the last remnants, then opened his hand and dropped the bloodied slivers. They lay there, like wounded soldiers, abandoned on the floor. He leaned back against the couch, closed his eyes, and waited for Charles and Alex. His mind drifted as he fell into a light sleep. An hour later, the sound of knocking jolted him awake.

     “Who..who is it?”

     “It’s us, Jake. Charles and Alex. Open the door.”

     Jake stood up, stepped over his father’s body, and opened the door for his welcomed guests.

     “There it is,” Jake said, pointing to his father’s corpse.

     “What happened?” Charles asked, scanning the room for answers.

     “He knew. About you. Us. He found out. He found out we were working together.”

     “How? We were very careful.”

     “I got careless. Earlier today. I was in such a rush to go see Alyson before she left, I forgot my phone at home. It’s my fault.”

     “It was an accident. We’ve all been under terrible stress. Don’t blame yourself.”

     “Charles is right. We’ve all been running on fumes since Alyson and Cassie first went missing.”

     “But it was because of me that he found out about our connection. He found my phone and checked the history. He saw the calls we made to each other.”

     “What happened here? How did he end up...you know?” Alex asked.

     “He flipped out when he saw me. He tried to..he tried to..kill me. He got this crazy look in his eyes and he started choking me. He kept squeezing and squeezing. Finally, I was able to break free.”

     “Did you...kill him?” Alex asked.

     “I grabbed the first thing I could -- a glass of orange juice that was on the table. I threw it at him and then backed away. I wasn’t trying to kill him. I was just trying to get away. Just trying to save my life.” 

     “If he didn’t die, he surely would have killed you. Nothing was going to stop him. Your father was nothing if not relentless.”

     “So what happened next?” Alex asked.

     “His hands were wet so when he reached for the lamp, he got electrocuted. I told him that lamp needed to be replaced when the wires got exposed, but he was always too busy to do it. He was so caught up in work. So consumed by his research. He never fixed anything around here. I never thought I would be happy he was like that, but this time, it saved my life. That lamp saved my life.”

     “We’ll have to call someone to take him away. We can’t just leave him here,” Charles said.

     “Why not? We should leave him here like rotting garbage. He doesn’t deserve any better. He was going to kill me. He tried to kill me.”

     “I know you’re upset, Jake, but there’s protocol that must be followed,” Charles said.

     “What’s going to happen now? Where do I live? Do I stay here, in the house where my father tried to murder me? The house where he died?”

     “One step at a time. I’ll make the phone call. Why don’t you go with Alex? He’ll check you over at the lab.”

     “I’m fine.”

     “Your hand is a bloody mess and before it scabs and heals completely, you need to get all the glass splinters out so you don’t get an infection. You also have a nasty imprint of your father’s hand on your neck.”

     “That’s something we have in common. I can still see where he wrapped his hands around your neck.”

     “Your father was a very violent man when things didn’t go his way. He didn’t handle rejection or failure well at all.”

     “Are we going to call the police?”

     “I’ll handle everything, Jake. Don’t worry. Go with Alex.”

     “Mr. Pierce?”

     “Yes, Jake?”

     “Why couldn’t my dad be like you?”

     “Let’s go, Jake,” Alex said, leading him out of the house.

     When Charles heard the car door slam, he walked over to the couch, careful not to step on the broken glass, and sat, looking down at his former enemy.

     “Howard, Howard, Howard. I’m finally free of you. We’re finally free of you. You will no longer be that thorn in my side. I can’t say I’m sorry it’s come to this. Knowing you, I wouldn’t have expected things to end any other way. I really should call the police. You’re starting to stink up the place. Your son deserved a lot better than you. Don’t worry. I’ll watch over him. I’ll be the father he never had.”

Chapter Twenty - Eight

     “Thank you for letting me stay here, Mr. Pierce. I’m just not ready to go back to that house yet. I don’t know if I’ll ever be ready.”

     “That’s okay. Don’t worry about it. You’re welcome to stay as long as you like. The house would have been too empty and too quiet if you weren’t here. It’s a big house for one person.”

     “Not for too much longer. Isn’t Samantha coming home soon?”

     “Another day or two. I know Alyson hasn’t been here for more than a night or two in the last couple of months, but it seems so final now. I’m glad she’s safe, and I’m sure she’s learning a lot, but I miss her terribly.”

     “I never thought I could miss a girl so much. I need to see her. Can’t we go there? It’s not like we have to worry about anyone following us anymore. Alyson and Cassie don’t even know what happened. They don’t even know they aren’t in danger anymore.”

     “That’s because I haven’t been able to make contact with her yet. I’ll try sending another message to the center where she’s interning. I don’t know if she’ll receive it, though. I don’t think she received the last message I sent.”

     “Please. You need to try.”

     “I’ll let her know we’re coming, but you must understand, she might not be the same as you remember. Are you ready for that?”

     “The only thing I’m not ready for is living my life without her.”

     “Then I’ll make the reservations. We’ll leave as soon as I have Samantha settled in.”

     “I really should thank her,” Jake said.

     “Who?”

     “Samantha. If it wasn’t for her, Alyson wouldn’t be here. There. Well, you know what I mean,” Jake laughed.

     “That’s a sound I haven’t heard in a very long time. It’s good to see you relax.”

     “It’s a strange feeling. I still feel guilty about what happened. I know you said it wasn’t my fault, but I wish we didn’t have to go through all that we did.”

     “Life is like that. It’s how we grow as people.”

     “I’m ready to stop growing.”

     “Sometimes, I feel the same way, Jake.”

Chapter Twenty - Nine

     “Are you sure you’re going to be okay here by yourself, Samantha?”

     “You need to stop worrying about me, Charles. I’m a grown woman. Besides, I’ve been home for more than a week now.”

     “I know, but you’ve been through so much. We’ve been through so much. I don’t want anything to take you away from me.”

     “I love you, too. If I need anything, I’ll call Alex. Unless he’s going with you. He hasn’t seen Cassie for so long.”

     “He’s going to be staying behind so if you need him, he’s only a phone call away. Jake and I shouldn’t be gone too long. We’re hoping to bring Alyson and Cassie home with us.  I sent a message, but I don’t know if they received it. I haven’t spoken to anyone there so it’s possible they don’t even know we’re coming, yet.”

     “I’m sure it’s going to be a wonderful surprise and a great relief for them to know they don’t have to hide anymore.”

     “Are you ready, Mr. Pierce? The cab is honking for us.”

     “Just a moment.”

     “I’ll grab the bags so you can have another minute alone with Samantha. Thanks again for letting me stay here,” Jake said, grabbing the suitcases as he walked outside and waved to the cab driver.

     “I’ll be back soon. I love you,” Charles said, his hands wrapped around Samantha’s.

     “I love you, too. Now go get your daughter and bring her home.”

     “Don’t you mean our daughter? We are married now. We share everything.”

     “Yes, I like the sound of that. Our daughter. I’m looking forward to getting to know her better. And you. You’ve changed so much through the years.”

     “One thing that will never change is how I feel about you. I love you.”

     “You better go. The cab driver is honking for you again.”

     “I’ll call you when I get there,” Charles said, kissing Samantha before he headed out the door.

     He watched her sitting by the window, waving good-bye. Then he got into the cab and slid in the seat next to Jake.

     “She’s going to be fine. You don’t have to worry.”

     “What are you talking about, Jake? I’m perfectly calm.”

     “Your eye says otherwise.”

     “That darn twitch. It always gives me away. I know Samantha will be okay. Alex will check in with her to make certain. I’m worried about Alyson.”

     “Why? Alyson is perfectly fine. She’s safe. She’s doing what she loves. Before everything happened, we talked about her internship. Going to Geneva and doing research was her dream. Now a dream come true.”

     “How is it I didn’t know these things about her? We were so close. We talked about everything. Well, almost everything.”

     “We didn’t just do the typical teenage stuff. We spent a lot of time talking about the future. We went for long walks on the beach, sat on our special bench in the park. And all those afternoons in my basement, watching movies, laughing. I really got to know her. Her dreams. Her hopes. You and her have so many things in common. Even though you’re not her biological father, she is so much like you.”

     Charles’ eyes started to water and a lump formed in his throat making it difficult for him to speak.

     “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

     “You didn’t. Just the opposite. I’m just feeling a little choked up. You really think Alyson is like me?”

     “In so many ways.”

     “I never really thought... She’s such a special girl. Thank you.”

     “Okay, That’ll be $22.75. Come on. Come on. I haven’t got all day.”

     Charles paid the fare while Jake retrieved the suitcases from the trunk. Before he could slam it shut, the driver took off -- tires screeching, thick clouds of white smoke wafting.

     “He must have been in some hurry,” Charles said, coughing.

     “Some people can be so rude,” Jake said, checking his watch. “I didn’t realize how late we are. We better go! Our plane is leaving in fifteen minutes and we still have to check in!”

     “That’s the last time I use that cab company. They show up late, rush you out of the car, and then go on their merry way leaving you to scramble to make a plane. We’re not going to miss our flight. Get your ticket ready and follow me.”

     “Okay,” Jake said, sprinting alongside Charles as they navigated their way through the airport.

     “Whew. Just made it.”

     “With seconds to spare,” Charles said.

     “You’ve done this before, haven’t you?”

     “I must confess. I usually show up just as the plane is about to board. That’s how I learned the shortcuts. I’ve never missed a plane, yet.”

     “Wake me when we get there,” Jake said. “I want to be refreshed when Alyson sees me. I’ve missed her so much.”

    “Will do. I have some reading to catch up on anyway.”

    “I can’t wait to see her beautiful smile again.”

     “Neither can I. It used to come so easily to her, but the last few months...”

     “I know. They’ve been difficult for all of us.”

     “No more, though. She’ll be so pleased when I tell her she can come home again. It hasn’t felt right since she’s been gone.”

     “I know what you mean. Everything I do feels empty and pointless. I feel like a part of me is missing. It doesn’t feel right to smile without her.”

     “The fasten seatbelt sign is on. We should be moving shortly.”

     “I probably should have mentioned it earlier, but this is my first time. I’ve never been on a plane before.”

     “You’re not nervous, are you?”

     “Well, maybe a little. Okay, a lot. I’m terrified. I’ve read about all the things that can go wrong on a plane -- birds flying into the engine, mechanical failure. But I would jump out of this plane if I had to for Alyson.”

     “You really love my daughter, don’t you?”

     “More than anything. My life would be nothing without her in it.”

     “You remind me of me when I was younger. I remember feeling the same way about Samantha. That feeling of urgency and complete devotion.”

     “Don’t you still feel that way when you think about Samantha?”

     “Every second of my life. The plane is starting to move. We’ll talk more later.”

     “I wish I could be calm like you are. The rumbling of the plane is making my stomach feel sick.”

     “Get some sleep. I’ll wake you when we land.”

     “I’ll try, but it won’t be easy.”

     “Relax. Just focus on seeing Alyson. That should settle your nerves.”

     “Actually, that stirs up a whole different kind of nerves.”

     “You’re not nervous about seeing her, are you?”

     “What if she doesn’t feel the same about me? What if she’s moved on? She could have met someone else.”

     “That’s a chance you have to take in love. Don’t worry. Everything will be fine.”

     “I think I will close my eyes for a while.”

     The hours passed and Jake’s snoring disturbed more than just a few passengers. By the time the plane was circling the airport, several packets of peanuts had been flung at the back of his head, none of course disturbing his slumber.

     “The plane’s about to land, Jake. Time to wake up.”

     “Are we there? We made it?”

     “Yes, the runway is just up ahead. The wheels will be touching down and then we’ll gather our bags and head over to the facility. Just a short while longer and we’ll see Alyson.”

     “Just a little longer and I’ll see her face. Her beautiful angelic face.”

     The seats rumbled as the plane screeched to a halt.

     “This is it. Grab the bags and we’ll head over.”

     “They’re already in my hands.”