Ch 3. Enjoy.
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They stopped in front of a brick building. "Seems nice." Jamie observed.
"Oh it's a great area." Joe sneered.
"Why don't I believe you then." Jamie said.
"Because looks can be deceiving." Joe pointed out.
"What do you mean by that?" Jaime's asked with worry.
"Jamie before we go in I need you to promise me to keep calm."
Jamie looked over at his brother. "Why are you telling me this? Erin is okay right? I mean she looks like she did well for herself and Nicki." Jaime scanned the neighborghood.
"Nicki isn't with her. She's with Jack. You'll understand." Joe nodded towards the man walking towards the building.
"What's he doing here?" Growled Jamie as he narrowed his eyes down on the man.
"That's what I have been trying to tell you. Promise me this-don't blame Erin." Pleaded Joe.
"Why would I blame Erin for anything? Joe I want answers. Now."
"Well Erin got a case it was circumstancial at best. The case belonged to Malvesky, he wasn't to happy that she dropped the case. One night after she was leaving her office. He snatched her. She did her best to fight him off. She really did but he won out. He made her write a letter to Jack and to the rest of the family. Sure dad did what he could do to find her. But there was nothing. Malvesky covered his tracks very well. I just want you to be prepared for what you are about to see. The Erin upstairs isn't the Erin we love and grew up with. She's been broken in every way imaginable."
"I can't. No I won't do this take me back." Pleaded Jamie.
"You can and you will. This is what you wanted little brother. You are going to finish this." Joe firmly told him.
"No I don't." Jamie turned around and began to walk away. He turned the corner to find himself right back at the same spot he was at. "What is this? So I can't leave?"
"Exactly. You asked for this. Look Jamie maye I've been harsh on you. For that I'm sorry. But I am trying to get you to understand the impact that you have in the family."
"I get it. We can call it a night." Pleaded Jamie.
"You wanted this and you are going to finish it." Joe nearly repeated his previous sentense.
"Fine let's get this over with." Pouted Jamie as he stormed into the apartment complex.
"Really Jamie? What are you nearly thirty acting like your five." Joe rolled his eyes.
"Shut it Joe." Warned Jamie as the two of them followed Malevsky into the apartment.
"Just a reminder they can't hear you and you CAN'T touch anything." Joe stated in a matter of fact voice.
Jamie nodded.
Malevsky threw his jacket over the back of the couch. "Sweetheart I'm home." It wasn't a soft loving voice. More of a seething nasty voice.
Jamie looked at Joe, "sweetheart."
"Just look," Joe pointed to the doorway that Malevsky went into.
Caustiously Jamie followed. There leaned up against one of the bedroom walls was Erin. Or what had looked like Erin. "What happened to her?"
"After I got shot. Her marriage to Jack began to unravel. He made some pretty ugly enemies. One of them being Malevsky. Then of course there was the case I told you about that brought those two together. And I use the word together very loosly. Malevsky didn't like the outcome wanted pay back. One night while she was heading to her car he snatched her. She's been here ever since."
"What about Jack? Nicki? I mean seriously they should have known something was wrong."
"Malevsky was smart about it. Forced her at gunpoint to write them a letter. Made her say all sort of nasty things. Told them she didn't love them. She was tired of living like this. The usual hate letter. Tore Nicki apart. It did give Jack a wake up call. He is a very attentive father."
Jamie stared at Erin black circles lined her eyes. Bruises along her cheek. "What has he done to you?"
"He broke her in every way possible." Choked Joe.
Malevsky knelt down beside Erin, stroking her hair. "You've been a good girl. You keep this up I might unlock your chains." He chuckled. He stood her up unlocked her bondage and escorted her to the bathroom.
"Time to wash up."
Erin mindlessly walked alongside of him. She slid her arm beside him snatching his gun. "Erin baby put the gun down. Your not going to shoot me." Growled Malevsky.
"Yooouuu, I haattee yyoouu." She stuttered slurring her words. "Yoouu toookkk eeevvverrything," she seethed as her speech began to improve. "My brother. My family. But it all ends tonight." Erin stuck the gun under her chin...
"NOOOOoo," cried Jamie as he ran towards her.
"Jamie," Joe grabbed his little brother's arm. "You can't."
Jamie turned around.
"You are going to see what happens." Joe spun his brother around.
The two of them watched as Erin pulled the trigger. Her blood pouring onto the tan carpet. "Stupid." Malevsky snatched his cell phone. "I've got a probelm. My place one hour."
Jamie fell to his knees. "Erin I'm sorry. Oh I'm so sorry," he sobbed. Her vacant eyes just stared at him. Accusing almost. "I'm so sorry."
Joe knelt down beside him. "If you were born none of this would have happened."
The words echoed all around Jamie. "I take it back, I take it all back. Fix this." Begged Jamie. "I take it all back."
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Jamie sat there rocking back and forth his eyes closed tightly. "I take it all back. I take it all back."
"Take what back?" The voice asked from behind him.
Jamie slowly opened his eyes, he looked around. There he sat on snow cover ground beside Joe's grave. Blinking blankly up at the man the voice belonged to. "Danny."
"Hey kid. Figured this where you would have been at." He stooped down beside Jamie. "Look I'm sorry Jamie. I shouldn't be so hard on you. It's just that I don't want to loose you either." Danny glanced over at the tombstone.
"I know. I'm sorry to Danny I shouldn't needle you. It's just that I've always wanted to do this job. To have you against me it hurts." Jamie openly admitted.
"You're good at your job Jamie I should have told you that."
"Thanks Danny. You think with Christmas and a New Year closing in we can make a fresh start?"
"I'd like that." Smiled Danny. "However if I don't get you home dad is going to skin me alive. Plus Erin and Nicki just came back with pops from shopping."
"What are we waiting for?" Grinned Jamie as he jumped up from his kneeling postion.
"You alright?"
"Beyond alright." He beemed over at his brother.
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Jamie bounced into the house. It filled with laughter and the smell of coffee. "I see you found him."
Danny gave a sheepish smile. "He was over at the graveyard. Visiting Joe."
Frank looked at his youngest who was hugging everyone. "He alright?"
"He said he is."
Jamie listened to the family chatter. "Jamie you alright. You've been fairly quiet." His grandfather questioned.
"Fine, just taking it all in." Beamed Jamie.
"Taking what in?" Chimed his father.
"The family. The love. The closeness we all have. Just thankful that I'm a part of it."
"What brought this on?" Asked his father.
"Let's just say It's a Wonderful Life." Jamie answered. Thanks Joe, he added silently.
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The End. Sorry I couldn't post this on Christmas Eve. Just was so busy. Well with this done. It's now time to get back to Under & Alone. *evil grin*
