There's Only Been You (8 page)

Mike turned his head as Thomas passed by on his way out. Torn, he stared at Jimmy's back, wanting nothing more than to confront the bastard. With a heavy sigh, he got up and followed Thomas.

Mike watched until the ugly yellow truck pulled out onto the street before hopping in his own truck to follow. When Thomas turned into the parking lot of his apartment complex, Mike kept on driving, relieved.

He'd decided to confront Jimmy after all.

Ten minutes later, Mike walked back into T&R's Place.

He felt a moment's hesitation. In his present frame of mind, he was liable to beat the son-of-a-bitch to death if he confirmed Mike's suspicions. Jimmy and his worthless sister had sabotaged Mike and Sara's relationship for their own selfish reasons. And there was a good chance they'd drugged Sara to do it. For that alone he could kill them both with his bare hands.

Mike motioned to the bartender for another beer, then made his way to the end of the bar and sat on the stool next to Jimmy. Mike was amazed by how badly he'd aged. His hair had thinned considerably, and he'd built up quite a beer gut, making him look ten years older than he was.

When Jimmy realized someone had taken the stool next to him, he glanced over and did an amusing double take, his eyes wide with apprehension. “Andrews? That you?"

Mike took a swig of his beer and set the bottle down on the bar. He turned and fixed Jimmy with a look meant to shrivel his nuts. “You remember me. I'm touched."

Jimmy's eyes darted around the bar, as if searching for allies in case things got ugly. Nobody was paying them the slightest bit of attention. His hand shook as he took a sip of his beer. “So, uh, what brings you back to Green Bay? I heard you moved away years ago."

"Yeah, I did. Eight years ago, to be exact. Come to think of it,” Mike swiveled in his seat, his left hand braced on his thigh, his right hand curled around his beer, “I left town the same day your sister showed me a videotape of you in bed with my girlfriend."

Jimmy looked as if he were about to have an apoplexy attack. He opened and closed his mouth a couple times before making a feeble attempt to laugh it off. “Man, I told you then, and I'll tell you now, I got no idea what you're talking about.” He took another sip of his beer.

Mike noticed Jimmy's hand had started to tremble violently. “No, huh? Well, that's a shame. A real shame."

Jimmy eyed him suspiciously. “W-why is that?"

"Because it means I'm going to have to drag your sorry ass out to the parking lot and beat you until your memory returns."

Jimmy swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down convulsively. His eyes circled the room again, then eyed the exit door not five feet behind them.

Mike smiled.

"Holy shit, you're here to get revenge on something that happened eight years ago?"

"No, I'm here for the truth, not what you and your slut of a sister wanted me to believe was the truth."

"Man, I don't know what the hell you're talking about!” Jimmy insisted.

Mike knocked Jimmy off the barstool with one well-placed shove. He reached down, grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, and dragged him out the back exit. The putrid stench of garbage mingled oddly with the fresh scent of the pine trees that surrounded the building.

Another hard shove landed Jimmy on his hands and knees. He climbed to his feet and backed up, only to jump forward when he bumped into the dumpster behind him. He stood, breathing hard, eyes wild with fear.

Mike waited a moment for effect, his eyes pinning Jimmy in place as if by physical force. Then in one smooth motion, he pulled his pistol from the waistband of his jeans and pointed it at Jimmy's head.

A whimper reverberated in Jimmy's throat.

"Now Jimmy, I don't want to kill you, honest I don't. In fact, if you tell me everything I want to know, you'll walk back into that bar without a scratch.” He pressed the barrel of the gun against Jimmy's temple. “That sounds fair, right?"

"M-more than fair."

Holding the gun steady, Mike nodded. “Good boy. Now, the first thing you're going to tell me is exactly what happened the night you and Rachel made that videotape. And don't leave anything out."

"I-It's been awhile, man. I'm gonna need a minute to think."

Jimmy squeezed his eyes shut, looking as if he might piss his pants. Mike had to resist the urge to roll his eyes. “Have I mentioned that I'm not a very patient man?” He nudged Jimmy's temple with the gun.

"Okay, okay, I just don't want to get this shit mixed up.” Jimmy blew out a shaky breath. “Rachel wanted to split you and Sara up. She'd been trying to get you in bed so she could tape the two of you having sex, but like I always told her, who'd want her over Sara? I mean, it would've been like exchanging a porterhouse for a hamburger."

Mike's patience was wearing thin. “Stop editorializing and get the fuck on with it."

"Right. Let's see. Rachel had Sara spend the night, and then slipped a few sleeping pills in her soda. They were good ones, too. Prescription."

Mike's hand tightened imperceptibly on the gun. White-hot rage burned in his gut.

"When she passed out, I carried her into my room and, uh...."

Jimmy's words trailed off, and Mike knew he was scared shitless to admit the rest. “And...?” Mike prompted.

"I, uh, p-pretended to have sex with her, and Rachel videotaped it."

Mike hadn't considered until just that moment Sara may have been raped as well. He went deathly still. “Pretended?"

"Yeah, man, pretended! We were dressed and everything! I never laid a hand on her ... well, you know what I mean."

Mike slowly, deliberately, slid the barrel of the gun from Jimmy's temple to the middle of his forehead. “If I ever find out you're lying to me ... that you put your filthy hands on her, there won't be enough left of you for an autopsy."

"Dude, I swear to God, I didn't do anything. I swear on my nuts!” Jimmy's voice rose to a hysterical pitch on the last word.

The relief Mike felt was so intense his knees almost buckled. He had no doubt Jimmy had told him the truth. Only he wasn't through yet. He still needed one more detail before he could fully assess the damage that'd been done.

"What reason did Rachel give Sara for me leaving town?"

"Man, I've got no idea what Rachel told her—"

Mike gave him a quick nudge with the barrel of the gun. “What reason did Rachel give Sara for me leaving town?” he repeated through his teeth.

"All right! She told her you got her pregnant and..."

Mike was a hair's-breadth away from losing what little self-control he had left. After what this lowlife prick and his sister had done, they both deserved to rot in prison.

"And what? I swear to God, Jimmy, you'd better tell me every goddamn thing I want to know, because right now your life means less than spit to me.” Mike pressed the barrel of the gun into his forehead for emphasis.

Jimmy squeezed his eyes shut and said in a rush, “That you beat her so badly she lost the baby!"

Mike couldn't move, couldn't think. He swallowed hard. All these years Sara's thought him to be some kind of a monster, just like his father.
Christ, she thinks I killed my own kid
! Raw fury replaced his initial shock. His blood started pumping, fast and furious.

"That bitch!” He shoved Jimmy away and kicked the dumpster, the sound reverberating into the darkness like a gong. “I've never raised my hand to a woman, and I wouldn't have touched that slut with a ten-foot pole."

Christ, the way Sara had looked at him that morning ... like the sight of him made her skin crawl. A sudden thought occurred to him. “Did that psycho actually have you beat her up just to frame me?"

"No, you
did
give her a black eye. When you threw the camcorder at her."

"I didn't throw it at her. I smacked it out of her hand, the lying witch."

"Well, whatever you did, it hit her in the side of the face.” Jimmy had the balls to grin. “Looked like someone popped her a good one."

Mike clicked the safety and stuck his pistol back in the waistband of his jeans.

Jimmy breathed an audible sigh of relief. “So, we're cool?"

Mike couldn't believe the little prick's audacity. “We're cool,” he said. Then he hauled off and smashed Jimmy's nose with a quick jab to the face.

Jimmy screamed and grabbed his nose. Within seconds the front of his shirt was soaked with blood. “What the hell! You said you wouldn't hit me!"

"I said not a scratch, you weasel. And you don't have a scratch, now, do you?"

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"I appreciate you coming out to talk to me,” Mike said as soon as Nicky opened the passenger-side door of his truck. “Wasn't sure if you would."

"Bullshit, you knew I'd come.” Nicky climbed in, shut the door, and turned to face him.

"Okay, yeah, I figured you would,” Mike conceded. “But knowing what I do, I wouldn't have blamed you if you hadn't."

"Look,” Nicky said. “I'm too tired for riddles. Can you just say what you came to say?"

Mike reached into the front pocket of his jeans and pulled out his digital pocket recorder. He set it on the dash, and Nicky eyed it curiously. “Christ, I don't even know where to begin."

"Well, you've certainly got my attention."

Mike cleared his throat and tugged on his ear. “I know you think I left town because I got Rachel pregnant and ... beat her so badly she lost the baby."

Nicky nodded. “I didn't want to believe it, but—"

"But what else could you think when I blew out of town the way I did?” Mike looked past Nicky toward the house he'd spent the best times of his life in, hoping to catch a glimpse of Sara walking past the big picture window. “Nicky, I left because I was led to believe Sara was sleeping with Jimmy."

"Yeah, Sara said you'd made some bullshit accusations.” Nicky leaned back and propped his arm on the headrest. “How the hell could you have ever believed such a thing? I thought you knew Sara better than that."

Mike turned solemn. “Believe me, I'll never forgive myself for not questioning the source. But, the evidence was irrefutable. At least, I thought so at the time."

"Dammit, Mike, you and Sara were solid. How could you've taken someone else's word over hers?"

"The irrefutable proof was a videotape. I saw a videotape of Sara in bed with Jimmy."

"No way,” Nicky stated with complete conviction. “I know my sister and there's no way in hell. I don't care what you saw."

"And if I'd only had your confidence back then, I could've saved Sara and me both a lot of heartache.” Mike blew out a heavy breath. “I don't know, I guess some part of me couldn't help but believe it. I mean, I saw the proof with my own eyes. Even though my heart told me it wasn't possible, my head said it had to be true, because I was worthless. My old man had been telling me so for years."

Nicky stared at him for a moment in quiet contemplation, as if not quite sure what to say. “I wish you had called me."

"Believe me, it's one of my biggest regrets. Because you're right. The video and Rachel's ‘pregnancy’ were both staged, and I have Jimmy's confession on tape to prove it."

Nicky's brows shot up. “How the hell did you get that?"

"I, uh, ran into him tonight at a little dump called T&R's Place.” Mike was quiet for a moment before adding, “Nicky, I never laid a hand on Rachel. Sexually or otherwise. I know what Sara and the rest of you were led to believe, but none of it's true. I loved Sara. I would've died before hurting her."

Nicky slowly shook his head. “I don't know what to say. This is all so frigging incredible."

Mike picked up the recorder. “I think it's time you heard the story straight from the jackass’ mouth.” He clicked the play button.

When the tape ended, Nicky stared at the recorder for a moment. “Where'd you hit him?"

"The nose. And he's lucky he got off that easy. I can't tell you how badly I wanted to pull the trigger. Scared the hell out of me."

"This is all so incredible,” Nicky repeated, running his fingers through his hair. “I'll talk to Garrett first thing in the morning, let him decide the best way to handle this. She's going to be devastated, Mike."

"Actually, I'd like to explain things to her myself. Christ, we have so much to talk about."

Nicky murmured something under his breath.

"Come again?"

Nicky cleared his throat. “I said that's probably not a good idea. I understand you're anxious to talk to her, and you will. But the best way to handle this, at least for Sara's sake, is to let Garrett tell her. He's been her rock since the beginning."

Mike frowned. “I don't trust him. He's never liked me."

"I don't think it was you in particular,” Nicky countered. “I doubt he would have liked anybody who was sleeping with his kid sister. Besides, you trust me, don't you?"

"Of course. Never trusted anyone more."

Nicky gave a half-smile. “Listen, it's late. Why don't you head home and get some sleep. I'll call you tomorrow afternoon and let you know what's going on."

Mike set his jaw, but nodded in agreement. “There's something else I need to talk to you about. Sara's date tonight, Officer Thomas."

"How do you know about Jason?"

"I followed him to your house. Long story short, he's a suspected drug dealer."

Nicky's brow creased. He shot a quick look toward the house. “Jesus, are you sure? Garrett's going to hit the frigging roof when he hears—"

"Garrett can't know a thing about this. I shouldn't even be telling you, but I have no idea how dangerous he might be, and I don't want him anywhere near Sara."

"Shit.” Nicky crossed his arms over his chest and leaned his head back. “I'm pretty sure she's planning on seeing him again, too. He called about an hour after he dropped her off. It sounded like they were talking about going to the circus."

"The circus? That's an odd place to take a date. You'd think the smell of elephant shit would be a really big turn off."

They both chuckled.

"The circus is still two weeks away,” Nicky said, “so I'll worry about it when the time comes. I have enough to think about tonight."