Ok, halfway there now. LOL I bet you're excited now huh? ;) I know I know, but its getting there, next chapter I promise some action...so, Enjoy and let me know what you think.
M
Reality 20
Stepping out of the trees just before dawn, the man who'd sat all night waiting for the lights to go out was angry and frustrated. He decided to come back another night as he would get no satisfaction this night, or rather morning now. With the lights staying on, and the man in the house making several trips during the night around the house; for what reason he couldn't tell; he'd only been able to watch not act on his need. There would be another night though, he made a promise of that. If only because of his needs being thwarted.
xxxx
Louis stood at the coffee pot yawning, waiting impatiently for it to brew enough for him to fill his first cup. He'd been awake on and off all damn night. He now vowed to make it whiskey tonight and every night from now on if that's what it took to stop these damn nightmares and flashbacks. He was well aware of the 'cause' of the problem, and if he'd wanted to be 'found' the 'cure' of it too. But he would deal with this pain on his own, having no desire for anyone finding him yet, if ever.
Even remembering a past 'therapist' telling him not to drink, or rather Bosco not to drink to 'get through it' as it would only add another problem to the ones he already had, he ignored the advice. It no longer mattered to him if he ended up like the others in his family, though he doubted it would happen, he was a bit old for that to suddenly appear. The alcoholism that ripped his father, brother, and even mother apart had passed him by, but abuse of the substance could still hurt him if he wasn't careful. 'Careful', he thought wryly, 'that's a laugh. If I'd been careful I wouldn't be here that's for damn sure.'
Pouring his cup to the brim, he carried it to the front porch. Dropping down onto the rocker closest to the door he set the mug down on the small table between the oversized oak rockers. Sighing in anticipation of yet another day with nothing to do, he was for the second time in three days startled by the sound of a vehicle coming up the drive. This one stopped at the gate, as it was unable to pass through without the passcode he had actually almost missed it the sound of the car that is with the sound of the Atlantic ocean nearly drowning it out. It was almost high tide, and the sound could get deafening then. Only the crunch of tires on the oyster shell drive and the horn bleating gave the car away.
Figuring it couldn't be the Chief, as obviously he had the passcode, a fact confirmed by the security company; in case of emergency they'd explained when Louis had asked why he had to have it and argued with them about changing it. He'd given in finally and let it be figuring there would be no reason that he had to raise the Chief's suspicion by changing anything he did. Then deciding that it couldn't be the Realtor as the hour was too early, he sat there waiting for them to go away. Company was not what Louis Boscorelli needed or wanted.
But again and again the horn bleated, sounding very loud in the early dawn. Again and again he ignored it, becoming more than slightly aggravated by it now. Somebody had a lot of damn nerve! Barely 6:00am and they were blowing a horn at his gate as if they were insane! Shaking his head, he got up and snatched his cup up in anger having decided to go inside until they left, spilling some over his hand, "SHIT" he exclaimed as the scalding black liquid burned molten over his fingers, "okay now they've pissed me OFF!"
Inside the kitchen he was running cold water over his hand when he heard someone on the porch, it had been several minutes since the last horn blast and he'd figured they'd given up and gone away finally. Now turning off the water, he stood there waiting again, furious that someone would dare to walk in through the gate area. Especially since he knew they would have needed to walk all the way to the beach to get around the short but pike topped fence that surrounded the road and back of the house to block it from 'visitors'.
Refusing to come out of the kitchen, waiting for the inevitable doorbell or knock he was again stunned when instead, he heard the door opening! His mouth dropping open in shocked surprise then anger really set upon him as he stalked out of the kitchen to the doorway ready to lambaste whomever dared to enter his house, door unlocked or not!
"What? You didn't HEAR the horn, or you're just too damn rude to answer the gate?" She stood there in the doorway, silhouetted by the morning sunrise, one hand on her hip the other on the doorknob, her face in shadow, but there was no mistaking either the voice or the heat in that comment, "And while that beach is really pretty I had to walk through water to get around to this yard, I'm NOT happy and my feet are cold now!"
Louis was so stunned that he stood there speechless his mouth open like he was catching flies. Then his heart leaped in his chest and began to pound, both with joy and with fear. The second because of both the reaction he was expecting from her and the danger she put herself in by coming here. The first because he was so glad to see her he could take whatever she dished out and still be the happiest man on earth right now. But the second outweighed the first, and as usual his mouth led before his brain did. "What the hell are you doing here? I don't want you to be here!" his voice harsher than he'd intended, instantly regretting saying anything after hearing himself.
But Jamie was use to his unrestrained lip, so shaking her head in exasperation she mearly stepped inside and closed the door behind her before she grumped, "I smell coffee. Is it fresh?" and walked right past him to help herself in the kitchen, "I hope so, because the damn six hour layover in Atlanta was a murder of my damn time and with the crappy coffee I was forced to drink I'm not in the mood to wait for a fresh pot!"
He turned watching her as she passed him and went to the kitchen without waiting for him to respond to her comments, her perfume hitting him like a hammer to his brain his mind and senses reeling with everything she'd brought with her. Her voice was like a balm to his soul, even though he could tell in her tone she wasn't talking about the damn airport or coffee, but him and she was indeed pissed off. Seeing her now in the kitchen preparing a cup for herself as he stood watching frozen in the doorway, he felt more alive than he had in weeks. And more frightened at the same time. Louis wanted to go to her, hold her, ask her to forgive him. But instead he stayed put and stayed silent, afraid.
She looked up a moment, "Oh and either open that damn ridiculous gate or walk your ass down there and get my bags. That cab is running up on that charge you know! I would have carried them myself, but I recently had surgery from being shot and nearly killed!" She paused as she narrowed her eyes at him, then added with some acid in her tone, "But you wouldn't know about that would you, leaving and all like you did." Glaring at him, she turned, tossing the spoon into the sink, turning back she remarked more lightly, "Well, you still here? Or do you expect them to magically appear on the porch?"
Louis without a word, turned and went to the security panel on the hallway entrance. Hitting in a code, he quickly closed the panel then stood leaning his head against the wall a moment, breathing both a sigh of relief at her not leaving when he'd snapped at her and that he was still alive after she threw that spoon into the sink instead of through his chest before with another breath of relief he went to the front porch to wait for the taxi as ordered.
Jamie stood looking now out of the kitchen window, sipping the coffee and trying to calm down. She realized she was a whole lot angrier than she'd anticipated being. His 'greeting' was not unexpected nor was his silence or his lack of enthusiasm at her appearance he was after all still Boscorelli. But she was surprised at her reaction realizing she'd wanted to smack him as much as kiss him she knew now, this could be harder than she'd thought. She'd not expected open arms or a big romantic greeting of 'oh thank god, I've missed you so, what a fool I was to leave' but at the same time she'd hoped for more than them glaring at each other or biting the head off of one another. Maybe she shouldn't have 'surprised' him after all, but she'd been afraid that if he knew she was coming he'd run again. Hell for all she knew he still would, but she'd bitten the bullet this day, and if it went off in her face, so be it.
Louis stood on the steps and watched the Taxi pull up then watched as the driver got out and walked around the back to open the trunk. Walking quickly down the steps he waited until the man pulled the two bags out. Greeting him as he waited with a short nod, and quiet, "Hello," he took them from him, asking, "What do I owe you," as he set the bags down, pulling his wallet out.
"That'll be 80 bucks, plus tip," the Pakistani sounding driver replied.
Louis jerked back in shock, "Did you say, EIGHTY? As in eighty dollars? As in American dollars?"
"Yeah, 80 bucks, plus tip!" He saw that he was about to have yet another argument with some rich guy in a private house about him charging too much money and exclaimed, "Hey I brought her all the way from the airport!"
"FROM WHAT AIRPORT? ATLANTA?" Louis snatched the money from his wallet, almost throwing it at the driver, "HERE! YOU'RE WORSE THAN NEW YORK CABBIES! OR DO YOU JUST ALL GO TO THE SAME 'RIP OFF' SCHOOL TO LEARN THIS SHIT?"
"HEY, mister," the driver retorted as he snatched the bills from Louis's hand, "It's the standard fare out here! It's all the way across Charleston you know, and in case you didn't notice this ain't Charleston! It's two towns over!" the man looked down counting his fare, then with a frown glared up at Louis, "PLUS TIP, or can't you hear?"
Frowning, his 'Bosco' side surfacing, Louis snatched the tip out of the wallet, shoved it in the mans chest, saying, "Don't you have to be somewhere ripping money off old ladies who need their hair dyed blue before they go play bingo or something? Or is this your day for nursing home scams? Get the hell out of here before I get the Chief to take a look at your license Mohammed!"
The driver backing down at the insults moved away hurriedly to quickly get into his car yelling obscenities out as he did so, "YOU ARE THE SON OF A FLEA COVERED SHE DOG! NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR A CAMELS GIT!"
"OH THAT DOES IT!" Louis yelled picking up a handful of crushed oyster shells as the Taxi roared off and tossed them at the speeding Taxi as it rounded behind his car making its getaway. None of the offending shells hit the Taxi, but instead bounced off the windshield of his own car, leaving several pits and scratches on both the glass and paint of the hood as they skidded across the top.
"SON-OF-A-BITCH! SHIT! DAMN IT!" he yelled seeing the damage. Turning in frustration and anger to grab the bags he looked up to see Jamie standing watching him from the porch, coffee in hand. Her right eyebrow was raised, the beginnings of a smirk on her face. They stared a moment at each other, him turning red-faced with embarrassment at having been caught in a temper tantrum, she suddenly finding something in her cup to look at that was extremely interesting.
Louis snatched the bags up, and stalked up the steps. Standing beside her a moment but not looking at her he asked, "Where do you want these?"
Not looking at him either, she replied as she lifted the cup to cover her smirk at his 'fight' with the cabby softly commenting, "Biggest bedroom you're not using."
Not quite the answer he was expecting, and suddenly realizing not the one he was hoping for, he gave a curt nod, "Fine, the one all the way down that hall next to the kitchen," and went to place them in that very room.
She followed behind him at a distance just watching him walk, a slight smirk still on her face. Noticing the longer hair, his slight tan, that he seemed thinner but toned. Her eyes moved lower to his jeans, 'yeah', she thought, 'more toned, definitely.' The beard he was wearing light though it was she found kind of cute, then she found herself wondering how it would feel against her skin as he suddenly turned to her. She found herself the one blushing as he stood back from setting down the suitcases and turned to face her.
"Everything you need is in the bathroom, towels and stuff. I got rid of most everything else, so if you don't have it, just ask. I can get it in town for you if you want or if I have it you can use it," he noticed her blush, but not getting the 'why' he just figured she was laughing at his 'display' in the yard.
They were standing only a foot or so apart and now he was looking slightly down at her, her hair catching his eye as he smelled her perfume again. Swallowing hard, reaching up with his right hand he touched her hair lightly, somewhat in a daze at the nearness of her before he snatched it away as he realized what he was doing. Swallowing again, mumbling 'sorry' to her he quickly moved around her and down the hall, exiting the front door to stand on the porch a moment he took a deep breath then called back to her, "You probably want to 'freshen up', rest after the trip, I have to, I'll be, oh hell, I'll be back later." He took off down the steps heading to the beach, walking rapidly away from danger.
Jamie standing as dazed as him from feeling him touch her hair and his nearness before he ran away, now turned as she heard him call out and went to the living room. Seeing him hauling it away from the house, she sighed, but allowed a small smile to creep over her face as she whispered, "I missed you too Moe." She turned and went back into the bedroom grabbing the small bag before she went into the bathroom to begin unpacking. The big bag would have to wait as she still couldn't pick anything heavy up.
xxxx
When he returned nearly an hour later, no less disturbed than when he'd left, Louis discovered the house was quiet. Walking to the kitchen he expected to find her there, finding it empty he walked to the bedroom she'd taken, or rather he'd put her in. The door was open slightly but not hearing anything he grew slightly concerned, she'd after all only recently gotten out of the hospital, a fact that like a fool he'd not even asked about. Opening the door a bit more, he stood still upon seeing Jamie was asleep on the bed, lying on her side across the width of the mattress. Louis carefully opened the door wider looking around but not see what he was looking for, he hurriedly went to his bedroom to retrieve a blanket as the house was chilly still. Upon returning to Jamie, he gently lay the blanket over her, making a note to pick one up in town for her or himself deciding she could keep this one as it was already washed and soft. He stood over her a moment, just watching her, wishing he'd made a different choice now in his greeting earlier. But still not wanting her in danger, he chased the wish away, knowing it wouldn't make it any easier to make her leave if he'd done so.
Sighing, he quietly left the room, going into the kitchen where he made another pot of coffee, this time making something to eat for breakfast to go with it. Waiting for his breakfast to cook he looked out the window at the ocean smiling now to himself, wondering how she'd found him, then narrowing his eyes as he knew there was only one person who would have told her and reminded himself to 'thank' Faith someday.
Jamie, having woken when he entered the room the first time but had pretended sleep, was still awake when Louis returned. But she remained still as she felt him lay the blanket over her, pretending to be asleep was one of the hardest things she'd had to do as the scent of him enveloped her, both from his nearness, and the warm soft throw blanket he'd obviously slept with at one time or another. After he'd left the room, she gathered it up in her hands, burying her face in it, breathing deeply of him. Tears came to her eyes as she 'missed' him again, holding it close to her, she relaxed finally, the trip having taken more from her than she had wanted to admit. Now falling asleep this time feeling things might be okay after all she had a small smile on her face.
Waking to discover it was late afternoon, Jamie was surprised at how long she'd slept. Folding the blanket Louis had draped over her, placing it at the end of the bed, she yawned stretching. Wincing as the stretch pulled at the scar over her ribs from the bullet and surgery, and again at the longer one on her back where the bullet had exited. Moving into the bathroom, standing looking in the mirror she pulled her shirt off to check it the site, she noticed there was finally less bruising in the area where the staples had come out the day before she'd left the hospital. It was five inches long, angry red still with staple marks, and it was still tender, but better. The one on her back a bit more sore and a few inches longer, again with staple marks, but again better now that the staples were gone. Each day she was stronger, though the trip had obviously been harder than she'd expected it to be. "Not ready for any marathons though, that's for sure," she winced again as another yawn and stretch appeared. Looking at the bottles of pills she was still taking to help in the healing process she shook her head, 'who would ever think it takes so long to get healed from getting shot?'. She exited the bathroom deciding to unpack the large case, planning on a shower after. Pushing the suitcase over onto its back, it banged the wooden floor more loudly than she'd anticipated as it hit. She unzipped it and opening it she began pulling out clothes on hangers a few at time, walking to the closet to hang them up.
Opening the doors to the walk-in closet she was startled to see the bedroom door fly open and Louis charging through calling out loudly, "WHAT HAPPENED? DID YOU FALL? ARE YOU OKAY..."
He stopped, his words cut off, staring at her, or actually at her chest, his mouth dropping open as his words were cut off. Jamie at first didn't understand why he would think she'd fallen, or why he would be staring his face cringing up looking as though he were repulsed . Realizing she still hadn't replaced her shirt, she lifted the shirts she held as she crossed her arms over her chest covering herself, ready to comment to him about knocking first and ask him why he suddenly found her lack of clothing a problem. But he spoke before she could say it, his next words nearly lost they were so quiet, "oh my god."
The look of shocked horror on his face as he broke his stare, his eyes rising to her face, he saw her embarrassment and confusion, stumbling now over his words, "I'm sorry, I heard, I thought," involuntarily glancing again at her chest, now covered with the shirts, "I, I, oh my god, I had no idea they would be so awful, Jamie, I didn't think they'd be so...Jesus, I'm sorry, I," he voice still filled with horrified distress he turned quickly exiting the room, the door slamming behind him.
Standing in shock now herself, not knowing who she was more pissed at right now, him for his reaction to seeing the scaring and bruising, or herself for covering it up as if she were ashamed of how she looked now. Deciding he was the jerk, she angrily yanked open the closet doors hung up the shirts and left the rest of the unpacking for later.
Snatching fresh clothes from the bag, she stalked into the bathroom where she hung them on the back of the door while she avoided the mirror this time instead going straight for the shower, turning it on full blast. Stepping in she shut the door, letting the hot steaming water cover up the sobs that had begun to overtake her. She hadn't expected him to be so horrified by how she looked now, or to 'say he was'. Her hand on the long angry red scar with the staple marks still there, it never occurred to her that his reaction wasn't about how she looked, but about how he'd caused her to be scarred to begin with or the agony and pain that had come with it.
xxxx
Louis stood outside on the porch, the vision of those scars burned on his memory as he watched the ocean trying unsuccessfully to forget them. Guilt at his participation in her having gotten them overwhelming him as he realized what his leaving her must have done to her when she woke up from surgery and he wasn't there. It also never occurred to him that she would misinterpret his reaction, that she would see it as a rejection of her. He'd seen her back as she turned slightly away covering her chest with the shirts she held and he had nearly been undone as that scar was worse than the one on her ribs. He'd stood outside the door, actually expecting her to finish getting dressed and come out but hearing the shower start, he'd realized she'd not been getting dressed but had been unpacking and now he was waiting for her. To tell her how sorry he was about her having to go through such pain alone, ask her to forgive him for leaving.
An hour had passed and Jamie still hadn't left the bedroom. Louis undecided about trying to find out what was taking so long, figuring she was just making him wait, was growing concerned but his worried musings were interrupted by another car, this one rounding the drive was not pausing at the gate. Knowing who it had to be, he started down the steps as sure enough, Chief March's RMP came into view. Parking, he exited the car, nodding to Louis, as Louis greeted him with, "Hello Chief, what brings you out here today?"
"Hello there Mr. Lyons, I came to ask a question. I'm wondering if you've seen anything suspicious around here. We had a call about a boat gone missing last night. Somebody says they saw it this morning, leaving from here," Chief March explained, "you see anything?"
"No," Louis frowned as he stopped in front of Chief March, "nothing. They said it left here? Where here?" He looked around in confusion.
Gesturing with his arm, March waved to the back of the house, "Back around the trees there, on the river side. Must have been around five in the am or so according to the witness. One of the locals, mentioned it in the cafe little while ago, overheard me talking about the thief."
"How'd they see it?" Louis questioned, "They couldn't have been at my dock, I didn't sleep much last night, I was up and down, but I sure didn't hear anything. Are they sure it was here? Not further down?"
Nodding his head, March stared at him hard, "Yes Mr. Lyons, they were sure. Didn't get a good look at who was in it. To dark still an all, but they recognized the boat. It's got a neon mermaid on the side up near the front."
Louis grinned now, "Yeah, I saw that one the other day, she's naked and, um, very um," he laughed, "well endowed."
"Yes, yes she is," Chief March grinned agreeing with a laugh.
"Hell I thought that was the strangest I'd seen out here yet, until I saw the one covered with pictures of roosters!" Louis was laughing at the memory.
Chief March laughed more, "Yeah we get some strange birds sometimes." Realizing what he'd said, they both laughed though it seemed to Louis they were both trying too hard.
"So I've noticed," Louis nodded as he offered, "You want a cup of coffee Chief? I just made another pot. Or a beer?"
"Coffee sounds good, but I'd better pass on the beer. Still on duty, at least for another hour anyway," Chief March joined him moving up the steps and into the house.
Louis wouldn't have asked him ordinarily, not wanting to make friends with anyone, but he realized he was looking for a buffer right now with Jamie, unable to face the apology discussion just yet.
Grabbing a cup down from the rack, "What do you take in it?" he asked as he poured.
"One and one," the Chief replied, eyeing him up as he spooned the sugar and creamer into the cup, "thanks," he added accepting the cup from him.
"Sure," Louis sipped his own coffee, "so, any more evidence or word about the attacks in town?"
"Not yet," the Chief replied, "Man and woman he attacked are out of the hospital as of today though. So at least no ones been killed." He left the 'not yet' unspoken.
Louis nodded, "Thank god for that huh?"
"Yep, but something's bugging me about it," the Chief frowned, "you mind if I run something by you? Tell me what you think?"
Louis looked at him in surprise, "Sure, but I don't know what help I'd be, not exactly my field you know?" Hoping the Chief was just fishing he wondered why would he ask a 'dotcom' guy about police work?
"No, but you strike me as a no nonsense kind of guy, sensible," the Chief paused, setting his cup down on the counter, "plus, you're not local. So you don't have any 'ties' that might blind you to someone's suspicious behavior."
"Okay, well if you put it that way," Louis gave a face shrug as he leaned against the counter, "go ahead, shoot. I'll give it my best shot." He reminded himself not to sound like a cop as he listened, if he thought he had an answer for him.
"Well," Chief started out, "he doesn't seem to have a problem with alarms or locks for that matter. At first I though maybe it was someone they knew, but one is a local and the other a vacationer. No ties we know of." Louis nodded, waiting as March continued. "And, he used knives from their own kitchens, didn't bring one of his own. Wipes them down too. No prints," he sipped his coffee.
"Sounds like he's got it down," Louis commented, "and nobody saw a suspicious vehicle in the area?"
"Nope," the Chief replied, "course he could be using a boat which is why I asked about the one seen leaving here this morning, or hell he could even be walking in. Short distance to the mainland across those two bridges."
Nodding, Louis frowned, "Nothing else, no threats, didn't talk to them? I mean did he ask them anything or tell them anything?"
"Well, kind of, he didn't threaten them or ask them anything. But he did tell them 'it was for their own good' whatever the hell that means!" March was shaking his head in disgust, "Own good, how the hell can carving up a beautiful woman's face be for her own good? And the man, he really messed him up. Cut his face some, but mostly his chest and back."
Louis grimaced, but made no reply, his face communicating his thoughts. He'd dealt with enough crazies over the years who liked to use knives, had been cut a few times too. Not a pleasant experience for damn sure, but what the Chief was describing as he went on with detail, was turning his stomach.
"Poor woman, she's going to need years of reconstruction according to the Doc over at Charleston General. Horrible what he did to her. I never saw someone without a lip before..." the Chief stopped as he saw the distress on Lyons face, "Sorry, sometimes I forget not everyone sees this stuff like cops do."
"That's okay," Louis replied rubbing the rim of his cup with his thumb, looking down, "I wasn't always a 'dotcom' guy, I was in the army for awhile, seen a few things, but nothing like that." His lie coming easily since part was true though a few dismembered bodies did cross his memory as he listened to March.
Chief March nodded, "Well, I've always been a cop, but I wasn't always a cop here. I used to work in Charleston, moved here nearly thirteen years ago, decided they needed me here more than Charleston so I quit the force there and joined up here, few years ago I made Chief. Love this island, wouldn't live anywhere else now, but I'll be damned if I'm gonna let some maniac cause people to be afraid to come here."
Louis watched him, the cop in him wanting to get involved, but stopped himself. He couldn't risk being found out. "Well Chief, I'll help however I can, but I'm not sure what good it'll do."
"Thank you Mr. Lyons I appreciate that. Anyhow, I better be going, if you think of anything just call the station, ask for me, I'm not usually far away, kinda small island you know?" he laughed, putting his cup in the sink.
"Sure Chief," Louis followed him to the door, "wish I could of helped. But I haven't really been around much in town. If I see anything though I'll be sure to call."
Walking to his car, Chief March waved, "Thanks for the coffee, Mr. Lyons, and the ear. Come into town sometimes, we don't bite. I'll by you a cup of coffee, or a beer."
Louis smiled, "I'll be sure to take you up on that offer," waving back as he drove off, then turned back walking into the house again. Closing the door, he paused, then locked it before walking back to the kitchen. He paused looking at the bedroom door before he entered the kitchen, wondering if he should check on her. Biting his cheek as he decided to let her be for now and went to put the cups in the dishwasher.
Thinking now about what the chief had told him, he wondered for a split second if he should call Kyle, then realized he couldn't. Angrily snatching the fridge door open, he stood there looking for something to cook for dinner. He had leftovers but he wouldn't ask Jamie to eat those her first night here. Grabbing a couple of steaks from the rack his mood unexpectedly lifted and he grinned as he heard himself thinking, 'first night' when only this morning he was trying to figure out how to get her to leave, and now he was thinking about this only being the 'first' night.
He seasoned the steaks before putting them in a marinade and setting them back in the fridge then he went out onto the deck at the back of the house to start the barbecue pit. Once he'd got it going, standing looking down at the small dock, he suddenly found himself walking down to see if there were any footprints in the mud or other signs someone had been around the Cop in him taking over even when he swore he'd not get involved.
Jamie watched him from the window seat in her room. She'd finally stopped crying and now was pissed at herself for letting him so far under her skin to begin with. 'Should have left well enough alone, just let him run. If he'd cared to begin with he'd have come back or at least talked to me instead of that nurse Andy.'
Louis had spent the entire time she'd been here telling her to go, first in words, then by leaving the house, then by his reaction to how she looked now, and again by inviting that Police Chief in for coffee, she'd been about to leave the room when she heard him ask him in. While she'd closed the door and not heard what they'd talked about she had heard them laughing before.
She'd in the two hours alone in the room now, decided that his calling the hospital was out of guilt, and that the time she'd spent with him before the shooting was because they were both lonely, not because he needed or loved her. If the scars on her body caused him to be that disgusted, then Moe really was gone, and she had no reason to be here. Feeling like a complete fool, while fighting off a breaking heart, refusing to acknowledge the loss of Moe, she picked up the phone on the bed stand, dialing the number she'd looked up.
"Yes, I'd like a cab at #1, East Ashley Road, Folly Beach," she quietly requested, listening a moment, "yes as soon as possible. Yes there is but don't worry about the gate, I'll be waiting outside of it. Thank you." Jamie put down the phone.
She didn't have to pack, she'd done that already. The lights were not yet on in the room, as it was still light enough for her to see, and she didn't want a 'scene' with him if he saw the lights come on. So getting up from the window seat, she pulled the handles up on the bags and looking out one more time, seeing him walking around in the trees, she left the room, pulling her bags behind her.
Pausing at the entrance table, she hesitated, then decided after all to leave a note. Soon she was dragging the bags across the sand, pausing a couple of times to catch her breath, and to give her back a rest. Finally reaching the road again, she waited for the cab to arrive, having moved even further from the gate down the road so as not to alert him to her leaving. She didn't expect him to follow her, but she didn't want to see him if he did. Her note was clear enough, it was over. Her pride wasn't worth the chasing of a ghost anymore and Jamie realized she had given a lot of her pride up because of trying to make him become Moe, and it would not happen again. Hot tears stung her eyes as she berated herself for doing that to hang on to what she had lost when Moe 'died' because of Vance. She sat down on her suitcase, wiping her tears angrily away. "ENOUGH," she exclaimed looking at the sunset, "NO MORE! He's gone, get over it!"
xxxx
Louis realized that someone had indeed pulled a boat into the trees lined bank. The tides here were extreme in their highs and lows he'd noticed, even in the river. A distinct cut into the bank was visible, as were footprints. He would call the Chief to come out tomorrow morning to see this as small hairs on the back of his neck tingled at the thought that someone might have been around the house last night, even watching him and now Jamie was here. That alone made him concerned, moving back out of the trees, the sunset low and dark red in the sky now, he headed back to the deck to check on the pit. Finding it ready, sooner than he'd anticipated, then laughed as he realized how long he'd been investigating even when he'd said he wouldn't as he headed back inside.
Cutting up a few vegetables to throw on with the steaks, he grabbed some garlic bread from the large freezer. Carrying the bread and vegetables outside on a tray, he quickly put them on the grill. As he turned to go back into the house, he saw a car approaching through an area of trees that was thin, frowning he waited to see if it came all the way to the gate knowing that sometimes people just wanted to see where the road ended and followed it to the gate before turning and heading back to the inner part of the Island, so he didn't give it much thought. The car stopped as he knew it would, its lights on as it was now nearly dark making it more visible, but it didn't turn around right away. Listening he heard faintly the sound of voices, then what sounded like slamming of doors before finally the car backed up, turning around, red tail lights glowed as the car finally moved back down the road. Shrugging, wondering what that had been about, but not really caring as they were leaving and not honking a horn to get in he went back inside to the kitchen.
After hurriedly setting the small kitchen table, he pulled the steaks out and draining the marinade from them he carried them out to the pit. After turning the vegetables, and checking the bread, he slapped the steaks on, listening to them sizzle as the flames hit them. Taking Jamie's off in just a couple of minutes, setting it on a clean plate, he waited only a couple more minutes for his before loading the vegetables onto the plate with the now done steaks. He grabbed the bread, nearly dropping it from the heat, "Damn it," he yelled as he sucked his fingers, "okay, that was stupid!" Managing finally to balance everything on the tray, he went back to the kitchen where preparing the plates Louis placed them on the table anticipation of finally talking things over with Jamie bringing a soft smile to his face he was ready to beg if need be for her to not leave...in case she was thinking about it.
Bare feet slapping the wooden floor as he jogged down the hall, his mood higher than it had been in weeks he knocked on Jamie's door, "You awake?" he called out, "Dinners ready, I figured you'd be hungry so I cooked steaks," pausing waiting for her answer, not hearing one, he knocked again.
When Jamie still didn't answer, Louis opened the door. Not seeing her in the bedroom he went to the bathroom door. It was open with the room dark, flipping the light switch on, he found it empty. Completely emptied of her things, stomach clenching suddenly as he rushed to the closet, flinging the door aside, crying out at the sight of the now empty closet, "NOOO." Running to the front porch, at first thinking to catch her, he slammed to halt at the note propped up against the phone by the door. His throat tight, he picked it up, quickly moving outside onto the porch reading it in numb disbelief in the dim porch lighting:
Louis,
I'm sorry. I tried to make you Moe and that was a mistake, I see that now. You are not him. I mistook loneliness for love, and again, I'm sorry that was not fair of me. I miss Moe so much, but it was wrong of me to try to replace him with you, to make you become someone you're not.
You made it clear I shouldn't follow you when you left and refused to tell me or let me know where you were.
I saw your reaction earlier, I know they are awful to look at but I did expect more than shocked disgust. Again my mistake, and I'm sorry you had to see them. I realized then that you are not who I tried to make you become, I guess though I already knew that.
Denial is a cruel master.
I should have just let you stay hidden, but please, don't worry, I won't give you away. In some small way, you have Moe inside you, and because of that I will protect you from discovery.
Good-bye Louis, and good luck. I hope you find what you seek here. And Please, don't be angry with Faith, I forced her to tell me...I snooped in her purse.
Jamie
Stopping at the top of the steps, feeling like he'd been punched in his gut as he realized the reason for the car, that it hadn't been a 'sightseer' after all. It had been another Taxi. Stunned, his knees giving way, Louis sat down hard on the steps.
She was gone, and as he sat there his head in his hands, the note crumbled in his fist, tears wetting his face as the words in the letter hit him like sharp stones he came to understand she'd seen his reaction as something other than what it had been. Seeing her face in his mindseye again as she grabbed the shirts up embarrassed, hiding, something she'd never done before when he'd seen her without clothing, and remembering his reaction to the scars the note told him he'd made yet another mistake.
"Son-OF-A-BITCH!" looking up he shouted at the dark sky, "How stupid are you Boscorelli? Of course she'd leave! Not like you asked her to stay, hell you told her you didn't want her here, told her with your stupid reaction you didn't want her anymore at all! Why didn't you just punch her again while you were at it. Jesus, I'm turning into my old man anyway only I can do it without using my hands Dad, wow what an improvement huh!"
He sat there staring at the ocean reflecting the moons glow for what seemed like hours, but was in fact only a few short minutes, time slowing as he tried to come to grips with what had happened. She was gone, not coming back, and he had no idea where she was to stop her anyway. As he finally stood, he whispered, "But I am Moe, Jamie, I have been for a long time now. I shouldn't have hidden from you, I should have told you right away." He had told her, in a way back in New York before the shooting, but he'd not been as clear as he should have been. His threats to Vance about not being Moe having been to 'scare' Vance into cooperation. Now it was too late, he knew she'd never believe him. Turning around his tread heavy on the steps, he slowly went back inside.
Avoiding the kitchen, Moe went straight to the bedroom she'd stayed the day in. Standing looking out the window, he noticed the phone book, then it hit him, "SHIT, how stupid can I get today? Okay, don't answer that," to himself, he picked up the phone, pressing redial.
"Folly's cab, how can I help you?" the woman on the other end answered.
"Yeah, I just had a cab pick someone up here, well, a while ago anyway. At #1 East Ashley Road on Folly. Can you tell me where it was dropping her off? She forgot one of her bags," he replied, holding his breath waiting for the answer, praying she would, one, believe the lie, and two, tell him, and three, that he wasn't too late if she did.
TBC...