This
Is How I Disappear
Chapter
Three- American Witch
The thing about Eden is that she wasn't the most honest person alive. She had a knack for lying, in fact it was one of the few things she did best. She was one of the best, top of the class and a master at her horrible skills. She couldn't help it though. It's just her nature. She had more secrets than most people have in a lifetime, but Bobby didn't care. He would still kiss her lips and hold her in his arms even if she lied straight to his face.
Don't think that was the only thing about her that drove him insane. No there were many others. He hated her odd addiction with the Martha Stewart show, her silent phases where she'd go for hours without saying a word too lost in her thoughts to speak, her need to document everything that happened in her life with a camera, and that she was far too forward for his liking. She'd rather have him scream at her than say nothing and that drove him insane. No one enjoyed being screamed at but for some reason she craved it. Her worst trait by far though was that she was completely selfless. He'd seen her first hand run into the line of gunfire to save someones life. Luckily that time she only earned a few cuts and bruises but he knew that she would have died right there for that stranger and she had no regrets about it. He on the other hand loathed it. She had absolutely no reason to throw her life away. Especially not for a stranger and more importantly not ever for him. Which he knew at the moment she was more that willing to do.
He stared her down as she positioned herself between him and the hockey goal.
"Your going down Mercer," she laughed.
They had been out taking turns shooting goals and playing a one-on-one game for the last two hours and they were still enjoying themselves. Spring was on it's way trees were starting to get new buds, fresh green grass seemed to be sprouting from every dry patch and the the sun was now able to cut through the cool air and it's warmth could easily be felt on a clear day. He'd only been here for five days and already the weather was going nuts. It's constant change from below freezing to mid sixties was aggravating but still on those warmer days he found himself in a much calmer mood.
He was about to hit the puck when he caught her glance behind him and her face twist into an angry scowl.
"Shit," she muttered standing up straighter.
Bobby glanced behind him and instantly grew furious. Two cop cars had pulled up to the curb and four officer's were walking over in their direction. Eden winked at Bobby and then plastered at big smile on her lips.
"Good afternoon officer's, how may we help you?" she spoke in a pleasantly perky voice.
It seemed her four months of acting classes had paid off.
"Bobby Mercer you are under arrest," spoke one of the cops as he held a set of handcuffs in between his fingers.
"For what?" he bellowed glaring at them in utter disbelief.
The other three officer's began to pull out their guns.
"Bobby," Eden snapped. "Just let them take you in?"
He rolled his eyes but allowed them to handcuff him and shove him in the back of one of the cruisers.
"I hate you," he mouthed to Eden as the cops drove past her. She just watched them take him away before pulling Bobby's keys out of her pocket and heading over to his car.
"Well, well, well if it isn't the one and only Bobby Mercer. Do you have any idea how jealous the boys back home are?" asked the nosy overweight balding man who had been chasing Bobby around all his life.
For once Bobby didn't have anything to say. No smart ass comments about the man's sexuality, no reason to defend himself. He knew why he was here, he always knew the past would catch up sometime but not so soon.
"You know why you're here Mercer?"
Bobby nodded. Of course he did there was no way he couldn't. Alfred or Al as most people knew him by, had been after him for years scrounging for any little piece of shit evidence that would get him locked up for at least ten good years.
"You sure about that?" Al chuckled.
Bobby didn't move just sat there tense and for once in his life completely nervous.
"Well when you put it like that-" Al punched him square in the jaw.
"Listen up Mercer they can't prove you killed Sweet but your brother Jerry they have good evidence against. So to keep him and Angel out of jail I'm giving you an option."
Bobby looked up at Alfred and glared. There was no way out of this one without doing the "right" thing.
"You remember back in the day when we first met Bobby? Back when you didn't run by yourself."
It all flooded back in a rush of vivid memories. Gwen and her stupid Mafia invested night clubs, Max and the floor plans to every bank in a five state radius, Sammy and his computer program that could hack into even the most sophisticated systems, Travis the hustler known for his con artist skills and drug trade, and then Nellie and her never ending hit list. What did they have to do with Sweet?
"All you need to do is hand over the others and your a free man."
"I don't even know where they are."
"Well then you better start looking because your brothers trail is in two weeks and if I don't have all of them in my custody you can kiss your brothers asses goodbye."
Eden sat uncomfortably in one of the plastic chairs near the front door. She looked up when she saw Bobby step out of the interrogation room his face starting to bruise on his jaw and left eye. She waited patiently as he got his things from the main desk and noted how flushed he looked. He threw on his coat and reached into his pocket as he headed toward the exit.
"Where the fuck's my keys?" he hollered.
Eden rolled her eyes and tossed the keys low enough that he wouldn't be able to catch them.
"Think faster next time," she muttered as she strolled out the door.
She didn't say anything else until they were well on their way back to the apartment.
"Bobby?" she whispered snapping him out of his thoughts. "What did they want?"
He glanced over at her and instead of seeing his wonderfully forgiving Eden he saw her malicious alter ego, Gwen. The instant memory of the honey brunette with her hair pinned back each strand set perfectly in place, wearing a black fur coat, expensive stilettos, a black lace corset, pinstripe pants and in each manicured hand a revolver. He looked away quickly and then glanced back one last time before focusing on the road. As if on cue she changed back to the girl he loved to hate, Eden. His darling Eden with her caring eyes and messy ponytail in a simple red tee and loose jeans.
"Nothing they were checking in," he finally replied.
"And so they decked you because they are just oh so caring."
She always knew how to make things worse.
"Basically."
"That's the biggest load of-"
"Eden! It's nothing leave it alone."
Her eyes suddenly changed from caring worry to fuming rage. He was facing Gwen.
"You just think I'm so naive. Well fucking news flash I'm NOT! Your going to betray me I know it. I can see it in your eyes. And you of all people should know not to cross me. It'll be the last thing you ever, EVER do."
He parked the car outside of the apartment building and turned slowly to face her. Her hands were curled into tight fists between her crossed arms.
"If I don't they'll put my brothers in jail."
"Well that's just a Greek tragedy."
"Your shallow."
"No I'm just looking out for myself."
"I don't have any other choice right now."
"They'll send me straight to death row. How can you do that to me?"
"Your smart you'll get out of it."
"Oh right I'll just pull that right out of my ass."
Bobby sighed and threw his head back in frustration it hit against the head rest with a thunk. Eden reached over and laced her fingers between his.
"We'll think of something we always do."
There she was again the optimistic girl who always had his back, his Eden.
