Chapter 21 – "Too Close"
When Rick pressed the play button on the audio tape, he was scared of what he might have heard. He would die if he heard Daryl's last words or last screams or him pleading for his life on the tape. At first, there was static on the line and then he heard the panic voice of a woman and Daryl's.
'I think he knows!"
"Did he say something to you?!"
"No...but I know him! I do! He's manipulative and always gets what he wants no matter who it hurts!'
'We can't stop! We are too close!'
"I'm scared.'
'You wouldn't be for long. Once we get what we need and start an investigation…he wouldn't be able to touch you without everyone pointing fingers at him. You will be safe. I told you to let me tell my partner. He could help.'
'No. I don't know if we could trust him.'
'I trust Rick. He's one of the good guys.'
'No. I'm already taking a risk with you. We don't know who else is in his pocket.'
'I don't like this. I don't keep secrets from my partner.'
'Well…you don't have a choice.'
'If this gets too ticklish I'm coming clean to Rick, whether you like it or not.'
That was the end of the conversation. Rick felt relieved that Daryl considered telling him about what was going on and he was right. They have never kept any secrets from each other…personally or professionally.
Now that he heard what was on this tape he was more curious and more determined than ever to find out what happened to his best friend. He needed to find the proof Captain Ford told him that would make him get involved.
He walked over to Justin as he as finishing putting the pictures in chronological order.
"What the hell is going on Rick?! What have you gotten yourself and me into?!"
"You know better than to ask me those questions Justin."
"I think this is an exception…don't you think?"
Justin sounded worried. He was too. Clearly whoever Daryl was trying to help and whatever that person was mixed up in was serious enough for them to want to pull out. He suspected it was the same woman who answered the phone, hung up on him and now is refusing to answer the phone again. She asked for him by name. She knows who he is but who is she?
"Truthfully Justin, I don't know what's going on. I am seeing these pictures among other things for the first time myself. Just give me alittle more time to figure out what's going on and you will be among the first people I will update."
Justin looked at Rick and for the first time, he saw that Rick had no idea what was going on. That scared him even more.
"You know what…don't tell me. Whatever it is please…just leave my name out of it."
"As far as I am concerned Justin…you were never here."~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
6 months ago…
Daryl walked into the Crystal's Diner to meet one of his CIs.
"This better be good."
"A friend of mine has a problem. He's in prison and he has information about some murders and illegal back alley deals."
Daryl eyed his CI Bugsy suspiciously.
"OK. Tell him to go to the cops."
"He doesn't trust the cops."
"So what makes him think he can trust me? I'm a cop."
"Because I trust you and he trust me."
Daryl said nothing for a couple of minutes. Bugsy has given him a lot of good information over the years as his CI. Almost all of his tips have paid off but that was information that Bugs had gotten himself.
However, this is different. This is second hand information from a source he knows nothing about and he needed to be cautious.
"Do you trust this man?"
"Yes."
"Ok. I am not fully on board but what does your friend know?"
"Besides the murders?"
"Yeah."
"He knows who's doing the killing and underhand dealings."
"Ok. Who?"
"Your very own brothers in arms...the FBI."~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Negan pulled up into his sister's driveway. He had been fuming since yesterday by what Michonne had said to him. He needed a place to vent. Becky opened the front door as he walked up the steps.
"To what do I owe this pleasure of your visit?"
Negan said nothing as he just looked at her. She stepped aside and he walked in. Becky followed Negan as he walked straight to her refrigerator and took out a beer. He popped it open and took two gulps. He was glad she was at home alone.
"What's wrong Negan?"
"It's Michonne."
Becky eyed him cautiously.
"Go on."
"She doesn't want me coming to the house again to see Sydney."
"What? She can't keep you from your daughter."
Negan realized that Becky misunderstood what he meant.
"No no! I could still see Sydney. I just can't come to the house to see her."
"I don't understand."
"She wants to arrange for Sydney to spend weekends here so I could see her."
Becky cocked her head to the side. She had missed a call from Michonne earlier the day but haven't had the chance to call her back as yet. This is probably what she wanted to talk to her about.
"What did you do Negan? What did you do to Michonne?"
Negan looked at his sister incredulously and slightly ticked off that she automatically assumed that he was the bad guy in this situation.
"I didn't do anything! Why do you have to always come at me with that bullshit Becky?! Michonne is not an angel!"
He walked away from her into the backyard and Becky followed.
"She is compared to you."
He took another gulp of the beer.
"I wasn't in the country when things started to go south between the two of you and when I came back none of you wanted to talk about it. What the hell happened Negan? I know you cheated on her but there must be some other sh*t that went down to cause Michonne to leave you for good because she forgave you once for cheating on her and I know something must have also happened again to cause her to not want you at the house when you see your daughter."
"She has a boyfriend! That's what happened!"
"So what? She's entitled to move on with her life Negan. You have."
"I have never moved on with my life. She is my life. Her and Sydney. I want us to remarry and be a family like we use to be. I want her to carry my son!"
Becky eyed her brother. The last time she spoke to Michonne, she suggested at Negan doing something unforgivable to her. Although she didn't confirm what it was Michonne only hinted at what it could be and the hint alluded to something sick. She didn't want to believe that her brother, her own flesh and blood would do something like that to his own wife.
"I am going to ask you one question Negan and I want you to tell me the truth."
Negan turned to her.
"Ok."
"When I last spoke to Michonne she said something. She said that you took what you wanted from her without her consent. What did she mean?"
"You are gonna have to ask her what she meant by that."
"I'm asking you!"
Becky saw the look on her brother's face.
"Did you attack Michonne?"
"No." Negan lied but Becky wasn't buying it. She asked a graver question.
"Did you…did you rape Michonne?"
Negan said nothing for a couple of minutes and as the time passed the truth slowly dawned on her.
"I had sex with Michonne."
"With her consent...right?"
"I had sex with my wife as I am entitled to do."
Becky gasped, covering her mouth. Suddenly she was filled with rage and she let Negan know how angry she was at him. She slapped him.
Whack.
Negan touched his face from the stinging slap from his elder sister.
Whack.
She slapped him again.
Negan glared at his sister and she did the same.
"You're a piece of shit and I'm ashamed to call you my brother! How could you do that to Michonne? She was the best thing to ever happen to you! Michonne loved you and gave you a family and you violated her!"
Whack.
Becky grabbed Negan by his shirt collar.
"And you wonder why she doesn't want you around her! Why she has never taken you back! Why she doesn't want you back!"
Negan stared Becky in her eyes.
"Michonne will take me back…she will be mine again."
Becky pushed him away from her and pointed an angry finger at him.
"You stay away from Michonne! Leave her alone! Do you hear me?! I will not her take away my niece from me because of you and your bullsh*t! I will not let you hurt her again! STAY AWAY FROM MICHONNE!"~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It was Friday night and the first weekend of Negan's visit with Sydney at Becky's house. When Michonne and Sydney arrived, Negan was already there. After greeting her father and aunt, Sydney rushed to meet her cousins inside. Becky, Negan and Michonne stood at the front door. Becky gave Negan a stern eye and he turned to go inside but not before he smiled at Michonne.
"It's good seeing you Michonne."
Michonne merely looked at him, saying nothing. When he disappeared inside, Michonne turned to see Becky looking at her with sorrow in her eyes. It confused her.
"What?"
Unexpectedly, Becky rushed up to Michonne and hugged her tightly in her arms, apologizing profusely.
"I didn't know! I'm so sorry!"
"Sorry for what?"
Becky pulled away and looked at Michonnne.
"I know Michonne. I know my brother raped you." She whispered.
Michonne gasped suddenly as if a huge weight has been lifted off her shoulders. She closed her eyes as Becky hugged her again.
"You should have told me!"
Michonne hugged her back tightly.
"I told Negan to stay away from you. I will do my best to make sure he doesn't bother you again."
"Thank you."
Both ladies looked at each other. Becky then walked Michonne to her car.
"So Negan says that you have a boyfriend?"
Michonne was hesitant at first to confirm that she was dating.
"Yes."
"Is he good to you? Are you happy?"
"He is and I am. Yes."
"I am happy for you Michonne. You deserve to be happy. Hopefully I will get to meet him one day.
Michonne nodded and smiled. They hugged again and Michonne left. Negan watched as his sister walked back up to the house.~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Rick was just about to make a run to the grocery store when his phone rang. He was glad to see that it was Michonne.
"Hey babe."
"Hey. What are you doing tonight or this weekend for that matter?"
"I was just going to make a run to the grocery store now and I am off for the weekend. Why?'
"Well..I just dropped Sydney off for her first weekend visit with Negan at his sister's so I will be all alone from tonight."
"Hmmm. Interesting."
Michonne heard the cheekiness in Rick's voice.
"You wanna come over to my place?" he asked.
Michonne laughed.
"Are you inviting me?"
"You have an open invitation here. I thought that was understood."
"Now that I know, I will be taking full advantage of it."
"That's the idea."
Michonne laughed scandalously. She haven't flirted in years and was surprised that she wasn't too rusty.
"Ok. Let me go home, get a few things and I will be right over."
"Ok."
They hung up and Michonne smiled all the way as she drove home.~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Rick drove over the speed limit and broke the law as a police officer to get to the supermarket. He had planned on buying a few things in the supermarket but now that Michonne is coming over to spend the night and probably the weekend, he needed to stock up on food.
Before he left, he went over to Ms Elizabeth's house and asked if she had any of the cookies that Michonne liked. She told him no but she would have a batched ready for his lady love by the time she arrived at his place.
She also teased him about his cooking skills and offered to prepare something for them. Rick said that he could handle it this time but jokingly told her to standby just in case his kitchen catches a fire.~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
As soon as Michonne arrived home, she went straight to her bedroom closet and began to pack. At first she packed just an overnight back to spend one night at Rick's. She wanted to be back home and available should Sydney needed her.
But then she changed her mind. She decided that she wanted this to be her weekend with Rick and should Sydney need her, she could still be there. It felt weird to her to be spending a weekend away from home as she has never done it before.
She was always the dutiful wife and mother during her marriage to Negan, being the constant anchor to both her husband and her daughter and was there whenever they needed her.
After the divorce, she still facilitated Negan whenever he visited Sydney on the weekends. She never changed her routine as it kept everyone happy. However, circumstances have changed. She has someone in her life and she would like to spend as much time with Rick as possible.
She has enough room in her life for both Sydney and Rick. This is a giant step for her and she intends on taking full advantage of it. Michonne pulled out a larger travelling bag and began packing more clothes in it.~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Shane saw when Michonne and Sydney left the house just over an hour earlier from where he was not too far away. The cameras he placed on the utility pole just opposite her house were in the perfect position to see everything that goes on in the house.
Twenty minutes later, he was behind Michonne's house jimmying the lock on one of the doors at the back of the house. The neighbourhood is a quiet one and it was dark. It also helped that he was dressed in all black and wore gloves to leave no fingerprints. One minute later he was inside the house.
The house had a homely feel and he immediately fell in love with the ambiance of the place. He turned on a low resolution flashlight and began walking around the house. He checked the refrigerator and saw that Michonne was into healthy living. He was careful not to touch or move anything out of place.
He went upstairs and walked into each bedroom. The first one seemed to be unoccupied for a long time, so he quickly exited. Then he entered the second bedroom, which turned out to be Sydney's. He exited that one as quickly as he went in.
The third bedroom was the grand prize….Michonne's bedroom. He stood in the middle of the room and inhaled deeply. The scent of cocoa butter and strawberry filled his nostrils. Her scent. He walked to the closet and opened it.
It was neatly arranged…business suits on one side and all other clothing on the other. He took out a yellow flower patterned free flowing dress and bringing it up to his nose, inhaled it. He gasped loudly and felt stirring in his jeans. He put back the dress neatly and closed the closet door.
Then he went over to he correctly deduced was her undies cupboards next to the closet. He pulled the draw opened and a slick grin came over his face. There they were…Michonne's panties neatly folded.
Shane passed his hands gently over them, careful not to disturbed their formation.
After a couple of minutes, he closed the draw and was about to exit the room when Michonne's car pulled up in the driveway. He quickly dashed out of her room and barely made it to the hallway linen closet when the front door to the house opened.
He stepped into the closet and closed the door just seconds before Michonne walked down the hallway past him. He heard her go into her room and he waited patiently for her to leave. He felt around in the dark room behind him and realized that there were towels on the shelves behind him.
He hoped for her sake that whatever she do she doesn't decides to take a shower and needed a towel from this closet otherwise he would have to take her with him and Negan will be sorry.~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Michonne packed the lingerie she bought with a huge grin on her face. She can't wait to see Rick's face when she puts them on. Taking her bags, she walked out of her bedroom, closing the door behind her. Her phone rang.~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Hey I was just about to leave to come over to your place. Just need to get a towel and I will be on my way."
"I have plenty of towels at my place. No need to bring one."
"Ok. I hope you cooked. I'm starving."
'I just started but trust me…while you're eating food I'll be eating something else!"
Michonne giggled loudly and began walking down the stairs.
"I'm on my way."
Michonne hung up the phone and left.~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Shane waited until he heard the car pulled out of the driveway. After a couple of minutes, he re-entered Michonne's bedroom and opened her undies draw. It was no longer neatly folded like before.
Clearly she was in a rush. As he left Michonne's house the same way he came in he chuckled to himself. He was looking forward for him and Michonne to be re-acquainted very very soon.~*~*~*~*~*~*~