View Park, page 18
“You wish.”
When they reached the women, Kimberly was talking Avery into lunch at the country club and Carter didn’t know what to think of that. He loved Kimberly because she was his sister-in-law, but she was on Michael’s side with everything. It was curious she would be so nice to her after Avery had embarrassed her husband.
Avery watched as Michael sat on the sofa behind Kimberly, pulling her onto his lap like she was a little child. He kissed her passionately, completely ignoring Avery’s presence. Honestly, she wanted to get out of there, but Kimberly was making it difficult.
“So you survived.” Carter leaned over the sofa. She still looked a little shell shocked, but was managing a smile. “I’m sure you want to leave now.”
Thank you, Avery screamed inside. “That would be okay, I guess.”
“She’s having fun with me.” Kimberly nudged Michael away as he bit at her shoulder. “You’re over all of that mess at dinner, aren’t you?”
“I’m sure it was just the stress that everyone has been under,” Avery said.
“No,” Kimberly said. “It’s pretty much like that all the time.”
“You mean Haley does that regularly?” she asked.
“What business is that of yours?” Michael asked.
Avery shrugged. “She just seemed very upset.”
“Really?” Michael asked, laughing. “Wow, that’s very intuitive of you. You must have graduated top of your class.”
Carter stood up, crossing his arms over his chest. “Michael.”
“I know what you meant,” Kimberly replied. “You meant beyond what was obvious. She just really wants more attention, but there’s a lot going on.”
“Thank you,” Avery answered. “That is what I meant.”
Steven was standing in the archway to the great room, watching the interaction. If things got bad and Avery decided to take legal action, Steven wondered if he could count on Carter to be on the right side.
“Boys.” He stepped into the room. “I need to talk to you for a few minutes. It’s business. Get into my office.” He turned away, but quickly turned back. His eyes set on Avery. “Good night, Ms. Jackson.” He didn’t wait around for her to respond.
“They’ll be in there forever,” Kimberly said after they were gone.
“Then I should probably be leaving.” Avery stood up. All she needed was to say thank you to Janet and get out of there. Maybe a letter would do.
“Not yet.” Kimberly stood up, grabbing her hand. She knew what Michael told her to do, but she actually liked the woman. “I want you to meet my boys. They’re upstairs.”
Avery was admiring Kimberly’s unreal closet when she thought she heard yelling. Daniel was pulling at her leg, deciding that she was his girlfriend after having met her only ten minutes ago while Kimberly was struggling with a tantrum-throwing Evan who didn’t want to get ready for bed. Avery didn’t consider herself a materialistic woman, but as she looked at the Dolce & Gabbana, Versace, St. John, Burberry, and Armani that flooded the closet, she wanted to burn her own Target collection.
“Did you hear something?” Kimberly asked.
This got Daniel’s attention and the second his screaming stopped, the yelling became much clearer. It was Steven.
Kimberly stood up. “Boys, stay here and I mean it.”
Avery followed Kimberly down the hallway, knowing she probably didn’t want to find out what the yelling was about. She had an eerie feeling it was about her, and when they reached the top of the stairs, that feeling sank into her stomach.
“You can’t do this,” Janet yelled as Chief Jackson placed the cuffs on Carter.
“He’s under arrest, ma’am.” Charlie knew this was going to be hard, which was why he chose to come instead of sending an officer or detective like usual. “I have to take him in.”
“You’re gonna be sorry for this!” Steven was pacing in front of them. Michael tried to still him, but he pushed away. The sight of his son being arrested for attempted murder wasn’t anything he ever expected to see and not anything he would let pass.
Janet ran to Carter. “We’re coming with you. We’ll get you out of there tonight.”
Drawing in a slow steady smile, Carter tried to calm her. She seemed like she was ready to break down. “It’s okay, Mom. It’s nothing. Don’t worry.”
“This is personal!” Steven yelled. “This is about your daughter and you don’t care about the evidence. Charlie, when I’m done with you, you won’t even be able to get a job as a mall security guard.”
Avery held onto the banister, not sure her legs could hold her.
Carter intended to turn to his father to tell him to shut up, but his eyes caught halfway at the figure on the top of the stairs. Avery was looking down at him with her mouth opened wide. He couldn’t look away from her even though he was humiliated.
Everyone followed Carter’s eyes and soon all were staring up at Avery.
Charlie’s grip on Carter loosened as he blinked, thinking he was seeing things. “Avery?”
Avery slowly made her way down the stairs, looking from her father to Carter. She glanced briefly at Steven and Michael and for a second she wasn’t sure she would get out of this house alive. She tried to smile, but her lips made a line then fell.
“Daddy, what are you doing here?”
“What am I doing here?” He was amazed at the sight of her.
Explaining would make no difference.
“Can we get this over with?” Carter asked.
“You’re going to regret this, Chief,” Steven said, calmer now.
“What’s going on?” Haley asked, rushing down the stairs. “Carter’s getting arrested?”
Avery felt ashamed by the way her father was looking at her. He turned away, reclaiming his grip on Carter. She hadn’t told her parents about this, because she knew they wouldn’t approve. Now she felt like a liar.
Steven turned to Michael. “Call Josh Haffley. Have him meet us at the station.”
“I have my own lawyer, Dad.” Carter just wanted to get out of there.
Janet threw her hands in the air. She needed her Valium. “I can’t believe this. You can’t possibly have enough evidence to…”
“We found explosive materials in the garbage dump outside the building where Carter works. The garbage has been tossed, but traces are still there. It’s solid evidence.”
Steven didn’t even blink. “It’s bullshit.”
Carter looked at Avery. “It’s Craig.”
She nodded because she believed him. Carter might be many things, but he wasn’t stupid. It had Craig written all over it.
“Let’s go.” As Charlie led Carter out, he didn’t want to look at Avery. He didn’t know what to say to her, but there would be a conversation. It was unacceptable for her to be here.
“We have to go,” Janet said. “First I have to get my—”
“Don’t, Janet.” Steven couldn’t have her down at this moment. “I mean it. I need you here. Let me find Michael and we’ll go.”
Avery felt a chill run through her at the look Steven gave her as he walked past.
“Well, Avery.” Haley waited for her to turn around and look at her. “You just seem to be the gift that keeps on giving.”
“I…I”
“Ignore her.” Janet wiped her own tears before taking Avery by the shoulders. “This isn’t your fault, dear. Everyone is just upset. You should go home now. We have to go with Carter.”
As she closed the door behind Avery, Janet rushed into the kitchen to grab her stash of Valium. No matter what Steven said, she wouldn’t make it another hour without those pills. Maybe this was her fault. She kept saying things couldn’t get worse and they just kept getting worse.
Avery drove as far as a block away before she pulled over. She sat in her car for almost an hour in a daze. What in the world had just happened?
CHAPTER 10
Carter indulged his mother as long as he could, but enough hugging was enough. “I’m fine, Mom. I was in jail overnight, not ten years.”
Janet touched his cheek, squeezed his arms. He could hide it all he wanted to, but she knew her children. He was rattled.
“Stop it, please.” He pushed away from her.
Carter emptied the envelope of his belongings. His wallet with a couple hundred in cash, titanium credit cards and a twenty thousand dollar watch. “It’s View Park, Mom. Not L.A. I’ve been in jail before.”
“Overnight in a campus jail for being drunk in public doesn’t compare to an attempted murder charge.”
“There aren’t any charges yet,” he reminded her. “Thanks for bailing me out.”
She held on to his arm as they headed out. “Your father called everyone he could think of, even the district attorney. He’s out of control.”
“Where is Dad?” Carter was strangely comforted by the news.
“He’s outside.” Janet stopped. “First, I want to tell you something.”
“Can we get out of here first?”
“I know what Steven puts you through,” she said, “but you know he loves you.”
He nodded, but he wasn’t so sure. “I know he’s upset with me. He blames me for all of this.”
“He blames himself. You should have heard him last night, Carter. He’s so upset about this. He regrets ever asking you to do this. He regrets all the things he makes you and Michael do to please him. He’s afraid his need to push you is going to end up costing you everything.”
Carter didn’t have a response. It would be too much to ask for his hard-ass father to say anything like this to him.
“I’m telling you he’s in pain over this. He was the most emotional I’ve seen him in years last night.” She wanted to add that the only time she ever saw Steven cry was when Carter was born, but she had to save that truth for the edge of war. “He gives you a hard time because you’re the only man on this earth who can stand up to him and get your way. You challenge him more than anyone and you’ve been doing it for thirty years.”
Carter was feeling her love, believing her words and feeling ashamed, but he couldn’t let it show. His father wouldn’t respect that. “Have you heard from Avery?”
“No, but I’m going to call her to apologize again and I’ll put in a good word for you.”
“It’s going to take more than that, Mom.” He held the door open for her.
“From the way she looked when Chief Jackson took you away,” she said, “I don’t think so.”
Carter was stopped in his tracks by what he saw outside the station. A gaggle of reporters were listening intently to his father who was speaking with Josh Haffley at his side. Carter believed that somewhere deep down inside, his father loved him, but he knew that his father loved Chase Beauty more and that was what he was saving now. That was why Carter held so much resentment for it.
“Are you ready?” Janet asked.
“Of course I am.” Carter held his head up and headed with powerful strides to his father. The reporters darted for him, swarming him with questions and microphones. This was what being a Chase was all about. Your business was everybody’s business. It was okay. He could handle it.
Sean drove into the strip mall in front of the Carlson Travel Agency. He had been there later the day he followed Armand, but the store was closed. When he followed up later, he was told the only person who had been in the office that day wouldn’t be back until Saturday. He did a background check on Marrissa Donnelly before returning and was eager to meet her because, based on what he knew, there was very little reason for a Scottish immigrant grandmother in her fifties with not even a parking ticket, to know Armand.
Standing at the door to the agency, he saw her sitting at her desk on the phone. He hated having to tell himself to focus, but he did. He was thinking of Haley and what was going on in her mind after Carter’s arrest for the attempted murder of his sister. He wanted to take a club to the brother of the woman he wanted to take to bed. The sick thing was that he assumed she didn’t give a damn either way and he was counting on that.
He had never before had to remind himself the case was his first priority. The pressure Steven was putting on the department was taking its toll on everyone and that all came down on him. Not to mention Steven who had gone against all warnings to use his unlimited resources to get all of Rudio’s businesses, including the club, closed down. The media was combing over Rudio with a fine-tooth comb and at least four private investigators on Steven’s payroll were wearing Rudio’s nerves down. It was only going to lead to disaster and Sean had a bad feeling Haley was going to pay the price.
“Marissa Donnelly?” Sean flashed his badge. She said something he couldn’t understand, but followed it with a welcoming smile.
“Can I help you?”
“Do you know a man by the name of Armand Castaneta?”
“No, I don’t. Is he a customer?”
He observed her reaction to Armand’s picture. She didn’t even blink. She had no idea who this guy was. “Can you check the walk-in customers you had on Monday? You might remember him then.”
“This past Monday?” she asked.
He nodded, noticing her expression change. She was suddenly nervous. “So you do remember him?”
“I wasn’t here Monday,” she whispered.
“Yes, you were. Your manager said you were the only person in the office Monday until two in the afternoon.”
“That’s what she thinks.” She looked around again before gesturing for him to come closer, but he didn’t. “Okay, look. I was supposed to be here Monday, but I couldn’t.”
She stood up, coming around her desk to where she was only a few inches from Sean. “I had a date. You see, www.scottishsingles.com. Ever heard of it?”
Sean just looked at her.
“Of course not,” she said. “Well, it’s true. I wasn’t here.”
“Then who was?”
“I had one of the girls take my place, but we didn’t tell ’cause I’ve been taking a lot of time recently.”
Sean believed her; for now at least. “Can I have her name?”
The name she gave him almost knocked him over.
“I want to play solitaire,” Haley stated as Carly laid the cards out on her bed.
“You can’t play solitaire with two people,” Carly snapped.
“You can watch me.” Haley pushed her cards away and Carly cursed at her. “What’s your problem?”
“You’re acting like a baby.” Carly didn’t look up while gathering the cards. “You wanted to play cards. I wanted to watch videos.”
“I didn’t ask you to come over here, Carly.”
Carly looked at her, her eyes red and tired. “You ask me to come over all the time, Haley.”
“Not today I didn’t. You called me, remember?”
“Fine, play your solitaire.” Carly tossed the entire deck at her and reached for the remote.
Haley knew Carly could be a bitch sometimes, but she was confused. When she called earlier that day, she sounded like she was crying. Haley invited her over. She was dying inside that house and wanted anything to get her mind off Sean.
“You know what’s going on with my brother, Carly. I’m stressed out, okay? I wish you’d be a little more understanding.”
“Nothing is gonna happen to your brother.” Carly’s voice was edged with anger. “Nothing ever happens to anyone in your family.”
“Still,” Haley said.
“You don’t know what it’s like to suffer, Haley. You never have.” Carly turned away, wiping tears from her eyes.
Haley’s mouth dropped open as her arms opened wide. “Hello! Someone tried to kill me! I’m stuck in this prison for the rest of my life because nothing is ever gonna happen to him. I’m falling for a man who probably makes two hundred dollars a week and I’ve had to wash my own hair for the past month!”
Carly rolled her eyes. “You’ve never had your father walk out on you and your mother and leave you desolate.”
“I wish he would get the hell out of here.” Her father hadn’t bothered to say anything except to warn her if she ever saw Sean Jackson again, he would send her to relatives in Paris.
“Yeah, only he would leave you with a million dollars.”
“My mother would get way more than a million dollars,” Haley said. “Don’t blame me because your mother was too stupid to get a good lawyer. Besides, she married that mattress guy and got millions out of him.”
“But what about my life in between?” Carly asked.
“What do you care now?” The more appropriate question was what do I care at all?
“Mom went manic when Dad left us.” Carly was speaking in between choked tears now. “I had to take care of her and my little brother, Alex.”
“My mom says that kind of stuff builds character. You should be grateful.”
Carly’s eyes squinted to slits as she looked at Haley. “You don’t understand. I would do anything for Alex. Anything.”
Haley was at a loss. “Calm down. Besides, Carter doesn’t need me to help him with anything.”
“If anything happened to Alex, I would…” Carly fell flat on her face on the bed, sobbing uncontrollably.
Haley stared at her for a few minutes, wishing to God she would stop. When it was clear she wasn’t going to, she reached over and patted her back. “Look, Carly, I don’t have any weed, but I have a nice bottle of gin in my drawer. I’ll make you some.”
“I can’t do it.” She pushed away and jumped up from the bed.
Carly was quickly turning into a train wreck and it was scaring Haley enough to ignore her ringing cell phone. If this woman had a nervous breakdown in her room, her parents wouldn’t let anyone come over again.
“I can’t!” Carly grabbed her purse, grasping it tight to her stomach. “I’m so sorry, Haley. I…I didn’t want to.”
Haley jumped ten feet high when her bedroom door burst open and two security guards rushed in, guns drawn. They were yelling for Carly to hit the ground and she did, tossing her purse away.
“What’s the matter with you?” Haley screamed at them. “She’s my friend. She’s always over here. Stop it!”
When they reached the women, Kimberly was talking Avery into lunch at the country club and Carter didn’t know what to think of that. He loved Kimberly because she was his sister-in-law, but she was on Michael’s side with everything. It was curious she would be so nice to her after Avery had embarrassed her husband.
Avery watched as Michael sat on the sofa behind Kimberly, pulling her onto his lap like she was a little child. He kissed her passionately, completely ignoring Avery’s presence. Honestly, she wanted to get out of there, but Kimberly was making it difficult.
“So you survived.” Carter leaned over the sofa. She still looked a little shell shocked, but was managing a smile. “I’m sure you want to leave now.”
Thank you, Avery screamed inside. “That would be okay, I guess.”
“She’s having fun with me.” Kimberly nudged Michael away as he bit at her shoulder. “You’re over all of that mess at dinner, aren’t you?”
“I’m sure it was just the stress that everyone has been under,” Avery said.
“No,” Kimberly said. “It’s pretty much like that all the time.”
“You mean Haley does that regularly?” she asked.
“What business is that of yours?” Michael asked.
Avery shrugged. “She just seemed very upset.”
“Really?” Michael asked, laughing. “Wow, that’s very intuitive of you. You must have graduated top of your class.”
Carter stood up, crossing his arms over his chest. “Michael.”
“I know what you meant,” Kimberly replied. “You meant beyond what was obvious. She just really wants more attention, but there’s a lot going on.”
“Thank you,” Avery answered. “That is what I meant.”
Steven was standing in the archway to the great room, watching the interaction. If things got bad and Avery decided to take legal action, Steven wondered if he could count on Carter to be on the right side.
“Boys.” He stepped into the room. “I need to talk to you for a few minutes. It’s business. Get into my office.” He turned away, but quickly turned back. His eyes set on Avery. “Good night, Ms. Jackson.” He didn’t wait around for her to respond.
“They’ll be in there forever,” Kimberly said after they were gone.
“Then I should probably be leaving.” Avery stood up. All she needed was to say thank you to Janet and get out of there. Maybe a letter would do.
“Not yet.” Kimberly stood up, grabbing her hand. She knew what Michael told her to do, but she actually liked the woman. “I want you to meet my boys. They’re upstairs.”
Avery was admiring Kimberly’s unreal closet when she thought she heard yelling. Daniel was pulling at her leg, deciding that she was his girlfriend after having met her only ten minutes ago while Kimberly was struggling with a tantrum-throwing Evan who didn’t want to get ready for bed. Avery didn’t consider herself a materialistic woman, but as she looked at the Dolce & Gabbana, Versace, St. John, Burberry, and Armani that flooded the closet, she wanted to burn her own Target collection.
“Did you hear something?” Kimberly asked.
This got Daniel’s attention and the second his screaming stopped, the yelling became much clearer. It was Steven.
Kimberly stood up. “Boys, stay here and I mean it.”
Avery followed Kimberly down the hallway, knowing she probably didn’t want to find out what the yelling was about. She had an eerie feeling it was about her, and when they reached the top of the stairs, that feeling sank into her stomach.
“You can’t do this,” Janet yelled as Chief Jackson placed the cuffs on Carter.
“He’s under arrest, ma’am.” Charlie knew this was going to be hard, which was why he chose to come instead of sending an officer or detective like usual. “I have to take him in.”
“You’re gonna be sorry for this!” Steven was pacing in front of them. Michael tried to still him, but he pushed away. The sight of his son being arrested for attempted murder wasn’t anything he ever expected to see and not anything he would let pass.
Janet ran to Carter. “We’re coming with you. We’ll get you out of there tonight.”
Drawing in a slow steady smile, Carter tried to calm her. She seemed like she was ready to break down. “It’s okay, Mom. It’s nothing. Don’t worry.”
“This is personal!” Steven yelled. “This is about your daughter and you don’t care about the evidence. Charlie, when I’m done with you, you won’t even be able to get a job as a mall security guard.”
Avery held onto the banister, not sure her legs could hold her.
Carter intended to turn to his father to tell him to shut up, but his eyes caught halfway at the figure on the top of the stairs. Avery was looking down at him with her mouth opened wide. He couldn’t look away from her even though he was humiliated.
Everyone followed Carter’s eyes and soon all were staring up at Avery.
Charlie’s grip on Carter loosened as he blinked, thinking he was seeing things. “Avery?”
Avery slowly made her way down the stairs, looking from her father to Carter. She glanced briefly at Steven and Michael and for a second she wasn’t sure she would get out of this house alive. She tried to smile, but her lips made a line then fell.
“Daddy, what are you doing here?”
“What am I doing here?” He was amazed at the sight of her.
Explaining would make no difference.
“Can we get this over with?” Carter asked.
“You’re going to regret this, Chief,” Steven said, calmer now.
“What’s going on?” Haley asked, rushing down the stairs. “Carter’s getting arrested?”
Avery felt ashamed by the way her father was looking at her. He turned away, reclaiming his grip on Carter. She hadn’t told her parents about this, because she knew they wouldn’t approve. Now she felt like a liar.
Steven turned to Michael. “Call Josh Haffley. Have him meet us at the station.”
“I have my own lawyer, Dad.” Carter just wanted to get out of there.
Janet threw her hands in the air. She needed her Valium. “I can’t believe this. You can’t possibly have enough evidence to…”
“We found explosive materials in the garbage dump outside the building where Carter works. The garbage has been tossed, but traces are still there. It’s solid evidence.”
Steven didn’t even blink. “It’s bullshit.”
Carter looked at Avery. “It’s Craig.”
She nodded because she believed him. Carter might be many things, but he wasn’t stupid. It had Craig written all over it.
“Let’s go.” As Charlie led Carter out, he didn’t want to look at Avery. He didn’t know what to say to her, but there would be a conversation. It was unacceptable for her to be here.
“We have to go,” Janet said. “First I have to get my—”
“Don’t, Janet.” Steven couldn’t have her down at this moment. “I mean it. I need you here. Let me find Michael and we’ll go.”
Avery felt a chill run through her at the look Steven gave her as he walked past.
“Well, Avery.” Haley waited for her to turn around and look at her. “You just seem to be the gift that keeps on giving.”
“I…I”
“Ignore her.” Janet wiped her own tears before taking Avery by the shoulders. “This isn’t your fault, dear. Everyone is just upset. You should go home now. We have to go with Carter.”
As she closed the door behind Avery, Janet rushed into the kitchen to grab her stash of Valium. No matter what Steven said, she wouldn’t make it another hour without those pills. Maybe this was her fault. She kept saying things couldn’t get worse and they just kept getting worse.
Avery drove as far as a block away before she pulled over. She sat in her car for almost an hour in a daze. What in the world had just happened?
CHAPTER 10
Carter indulged his mother as long as he could, but enough hugging was enough. “I’m fine, Mom. I was in jail overnight, not ten years.”
Janet touched his cheek, squeezed his arms. He could hide it all he wanted to, but she knew her children. He was rattled.
“Stop it, please.” He pushed away from her.
Carter emptied the envelope of his belongings. His wallet with a couple hundred in cash, titanium credit cards and a twenty thousand dollar watch. “It’s View Park, Mom. Not L.A. I’ve been in jail before.”
“Overnight in a campus jail for being drunk in public doesn’t compare to an attempted murder charge.”
“There aren’t any charges yet,” he reminded her. “Thanks for bailing me out.”
She held on to his arm as they headed out. “Your father called everyone he could think of, even the district attorney. He’s out of control.”
“Where is Dad?” Carter was strangely comforted by the news.
“He’s outside.” Janet stopped. “First, I want to tell you something.”
“Can we get out of here first?”
“I know what Steven puts you through,” she said, “but you know he loves you.”
He nodded, but he wasn’t so sure. “I know he’s upset with me. He blames me for all of this.”
“He blames himself. You should have heard him last night, Carter. He’s so upset about this. He regrets ever asking you to do this. He regrets all the things he makes you and Michael do to please him. He’s afraid his need to push you is going to end up costing you everything.”
Carter didn’t have a response. It would be too much to ask for his hard-ass father to say anything like this to him.
“I’m telling you he’s in pain over this. He was the most emotional I’ve seen him in years last night.” She wanted to add that the only time she ever saw Steven cry was when Carter was born, but she had to save that truth for the edge of war. “He gives you a hard time because you’re the only man on this earth who can stand up to him and get your way. You challenge him more than anyone and you’ve been doing it for thirty years.”
Carter was feeling her love, believing her words and feeling ashamed, but he couldn’t let it show. His father wouldn’t respect that. “Have you heard from Avery?”
“No, but I’m going to call her to apologize again and I’ll put in a good word for you.”
“It’s going to take more than that, Mom.” He held the door open for her.
“From the way she looked when Chief Jackson took you away,” she said, “I don’t think so.”
Carter was stopped in his tracks by what he saw outside the station. A gaggle of reporters were listening intently to his father who was speaking with Josh Haffley at his side. Carter believed that somewhere deep down inside, his father loved him, but he knew that his father loved Chase Beauty more and that was what he was saving now. That was why Carter held so much resentment for it.
“Are you ready?” Janet asked.
“Of course I am.” Carter held his head up and headed with powerful strides to his father. The reporters darted for him, swarming him with questions and microphones. This was what being a Chase was all about. Your business was everybody’s business. It was okay. He could handle it.
Sean drove into the strip mall in front of the Carlson Travel Agency. He had been there later the day he followed Armand, but the store was closed. When he followed up later, he was told the only person who had been in the office that day wouldn’t be back until Saturday. He did a background check on Marrissa Donnelly before returning and was eager to meet her because, based on what he knew, there was very little reason for a Scottish immigrant grandmother in her fifties with not even a parking ticket, to know Armand.
Standing at the door to the agency, he saw her sitting at her desk on the phone. He hated having to tell himself to focus, but he did. He was thinking of Haley and what was going on in her mind after Carter’s arrest for the attempted murder of his sister. He wanted to take a club to the brother of the woman he wanted to take to bed. The sick thing was that he assumed she didn’t give a damn either way and he was counting on that.
He had never before had to remind himself the case was his first priority. The pressure Steven was putting on the department was taking its toll on everyone and that all came down on him. Not to mention Steven who had gone against all warnings to use his unlimited resources to get all of Rudio’s businesses, including the club, closed down. The media was combing over Rudio with a fine-tooth comb and at least four private investigators on Steven’s payroll were wearing Rudio’s nerves down. It was only going to lead to disaster and Sean had a bad feeling Haley was going to pay the price.
“Marissa Donnelly?” Sean flashed his badge. She said something he couldn’t understand, but followed it with a welcoming smile.
“Can I help you?”
“Do you know a man by the name of Armand Castaneta?”
“No, I don’t. Is he a customer?”
He observed her reaction to Armand’s picture. She didn’t even blink. She had no idea who this guy was. “Can you check the walk-in customers you had on Monday? You might remember him then.”
“This past Monday?” she asked.
He nodded, noticing her expression change. She was suddenly nervous. “So you do remember him?”
“I wasn’t here Monday,” she whispered.
“Yes, you were. Your manager said you were the only person in the office Monday until two in the afternoon.”
“That’s what she thinks.” She looked around again before gesturing for him to come closer, but he didn’t. “Okay, look. I was supposed to be here Monday, but I couldn’t.”
She stood up, coming around her desk to where she was only a few inches from Sean. “I had a date. You see, www.scottishsingles.com. Ever heard of it?”
Sean just looked at her.
“Of course not,” she said. “Well, it’s true. I wasn’t here.”
“Then who was?”
“I had one of the girls take my place, but we didn’t tell ’cause I’ve been taking a lot of time recently.”
Sean believed her; for now at least. “Can I have her name?”
The name she gave him almost knocked him over.
“I want to play solitaire,” Haley stated as Carly laid the cards out on her bed.
“You can’t play solitaire with two people,” Carly snapped.
“You can watch me.” Haley pushed her cards away and Carly cursed at her. “What’s your problem?”
“You’re acting like a baby.” Carly didn’t look up while gathering the cards. “You wanted to play cards. I wanted to watch videos.”
“I didn’t ask you to come over here, Carly.”
Carly looked at her, her eyes red and tired. “You ask me to come over all the time, Haley.”
“Not today I didn’t. You called me, remember?”
“Fine, play your solitaire.” Carly tossed the entire deck at her and reached for the remote.
Haley knew Carly could be a bitch sometimes, but she was confused. When she called earlier that day, she sounded like she was crying. Haley invited her over. She was dying inside that house and wanted anything to get her mind off Sean.
“You know what’s going on with my brother, Carly. I’m stressed out, okay? I wish you’d be a little more understanding.”
“Nothing is gonna happen to your brother.” Carly’s voice was edged with anger. “Nothing ever happens to anyone in your family.”
“Still,” Haley said.
“You don’t know what it’s like to suffer, Haley. You never have.” Carly turned away, wiping tears from her eyes.
Haley’s mouth dropped open as her arms opened wide. “Hello! Someone tried to kill me! I’m stuck in this prison for the rest of my life because nothing is ever gonna happen to him. I’m falling for a man who probably makes two hundred dollars a week and I’ve had to wash my own hair for the past month!”
Carly rolled her eyes. “You’ve never had your father walk out on you and your mother and leave you desolate.”
“I wish he would get the hell out of here.” Her father hadn’t bothered to say anything except to warn her if she ever saw Sean Jackson again, he would send her to relatives in Paris.
“Yeah, only he would leave you with a million dollars.”
“My mother would get way more than a million dollars,” Haley said. “Don’t blame me because your mother was too stupid to get a good lawyer. Besides, she married that mattress guy and got millions out of him.”
“But what about my life in between?” Carly asked.
“What do you care now?” The more appropriate question was what do I care at all?
“Mom went manic when Dad left us.” Carly was speaking in between choked tears now. “I had to take care of her and my little brother, Alex.”
“My mom says that kind of stuff builds character. You should be grateful.”
Carly’s eyes squinted to slits as she looked at Haley. “You don’t understand. I would do anything for Alex. Anything.”
Haley was at a loss. “Calm down. Besides, Carter doesn’t need me to help him with anything.”
“If anything happened to Alex, I would…” Carly fell flat on her face on the bed, sobbing uncontrollably.
Haley stared at her for a few minutes, wishing to God she would stop. When it was clear she wasn’t going to, she reached over and patted her back. “Look, Carly, I don’t have any weed, but I have a nice bottle of gin in my drawer. I’ll make you some.”
“I can’t do it.” She pushed away and jumped up from the bed.
Carly was quickly turning into a train wreck and it was scaring Haley enough to ignore her ringing cell phone. If this woman had a nervous breakdown in her room, her parents wouldn’t let anyone come over again.
“I can’t!” Carly grabbed her purse, grasping it tight to her stomach. “I’m so sorry, Haley. I…I didn’t want to.”
Haley jumped ten feet high when her bedroom door burst open and two security guards rushed in, guns drawn. They were yelling for Carly to hit the ground and she did, tossing her purse away.
“What’s the matter with you?” Haley screamed at them. “She’s my friend. She’s always over here. Stop it!”
