Forgotten Chance: Book Three (Forgotten Trilogy)

by Virginia Wine

  “Umm, your father—I mean James Sr.” I corrected. “Hired a hitman to murder my father.”

  “Come again?” he asked, his hands tightening into fist.” I know he’s capable of getting innocent people killed along the way. But what would be his motive?”

  “It’s complicated.”

  “Complicated?”

  “There’s a life insurance policy. He could make a lot of money with my father out of the way.”

  “How?”

  “I don’t have all the answers yet, but it’s who he is, he’s a dangerous man.”

  “I know he is. And yet he’s alive and doing well sitting in a prison cell.”

  This wasn’t going well. His father was behind bars yet he was a man who could be carried away by money and power. He was manipulative and he didn’t have a single attachment, beside Nathan, because he believed he was his biological son. Still it was not entirely black and white, it was still a sensitive situation for the authorities to prove.

  “Nathan, I’m as shocked as you, confused and shaken.”

  “That makes two of us.” He said. “Babe if it’s true I’ll kill him, I’m so sorry I pulled you into this horrendous situation by knowing the man I once knew as my father.”

  “No, stay away from him. Those who cross him will feel his wrath of his revenge.”

  There was a long stillness as silence stretched between us. I recalled the events over the past weeks, we’d been put to the test once more.

  The silence was shattered by a car door slamming outside, the noise cut through the quiet, catching our attention. Followed by a hard knock that was heard at the door and when Nathan opened it, I was surprised to see Steel standing on the stoop.

  “I apologize for coming over unannounced but this is urgent.”

  “No, no please come in.” Steel was even keeled at all times. This wasn’t one of those times. He walked through the door and we followed him as he covered the distance with long strides.

  “Can I get you something to drink?”

  “No. Uh, no thank you.” He said. “I did a lot of digging; it wasn’t easy he likes to stay hidden behind the scenes.”

  “He, who? Care to enlighten us?”

  “I don’t know how to protect you from this news, they only way is to be blunt and to the point.” He said, glanced up at the ceiling he took in a long breath and let it out slowly. “Cash has been accustomed to his indulgent lifestyle, but that meant he had to join forces with your father as a vehicle to power and money.”

  “What’s your point?”

  “Speaking in depth with Detective Moore there was an opportunity created by Bryer father’s death. A life insurance policy.”

  “I know.” I said. “I was just sharing the news with Nathan. But wait a minute, I would be the beneficiary, my husband and I.”

  “Yeah, there’s more.” He said and paused.” There was a wire transfer of fifty grand from Cash to a Mr. Kale’ in Hawaii paying him to stop the marriage license from being recorded.”

  “Hold on.” Nathan said in disbelief. “You’re not making any sense.”

  “Cash had established a plan to manipulate his intended victim, Bryer. Your trip to Austin, the notary, the paper work. You know as well as anyone that the skill set required to pull off a con this big could be set in stone by Cash. He was planning something evil, criminal, immoral. The money was enough to do real damage, Cash secretly originated a legal marriage license on paper, between you, Bryer and himself.”

  “Wait a minute.” Nathan snapped. “What did you say?”

  Terror overtook his face as the words echoed through my head in disbelief. Cash—and I married, not Nathan’s wife. I gasped, holding my hand over my mouth, the news throwing me into a tail spin. Nausea rolled in my gut; I squeezed my eyes shut as pain stabbed at my heart like never before.

  “No way.” I pleaded; it just didn’t fit. “Are you sure about this?”

  “I’m sorry Bryer.”

  I looked around with a sense of loss and pain, Cash had sabotaged our happily ever after, it nearly brought me to my knees.

  “Bryer.” Nathan said, his voice barely audible.

  Nathan glanced at me but the hurt in his voice tore me apart. He had to be feeling betrayed, confused and emotionally drained. And it was all my doing.

  Tears filled my eyes, but I couldn’t find my voice. I was suspended in time and I needed time to process. My own reactions were spiraling, my grasp on reality was fading, my shaking intensified as the tears gave way running down my cheeks.

  “Let’s be clear.” Steel said. “Cash used you, manipulated you. We need to focus, construct a plan, and take him down.”

  “You’re right.” Nathan said coldly. “You make a good point, but I’m not sure what the solution is.”

  “Well first, we file for an annulment.” Steel offered.

  “Of course.” I said. “As soon as possible. But I should have paid attention, I should have known not to trust him.”

  “You were in over your head; you were set up. Bryer.” Steel said attempting to offer some comfort. “Listen, I’m deeply sorry for the bad news, we’ll get through this, there’s nothing to fear. I should go, you two should take a moment to talk.” And he headed for the door closing it behind him.

  Our shocked silence was our protective armor as the silence spinned around us. Minutes passed, and finally, the sound of his footsteps walking away brought me back to the present.

  “I won’t try to talk you out of being upset, Nathan.”

  “I don’t blame you—I just—" His voice trailed off and he lowered his head.

  Tears slid from my eyes while emotions ran high it was tough to handle the facts. We were going down the rabbit hole all because of Cash’s destructive plan. With a wave of rage, I was an emotional wreck, not being able to think clearly. Attempting to regain my composure, I gazed over at him, now seated on the couch. He had dropped his head into his hands.

  “I don’t deserve your forgiveness.”

  “What—what did you say?

  He turned his head and gazed at me, but all I could focus on was his eyes so blue. Now laced with endless emptiness. I half expected him to yell at me, shout out how pissed he was. But that wasn’t what he did.

  “Bryer, please.” A sad look slid across his face. “I need a minute.”

  He was pushing me away, shutting down emotionally, and I watched as he turned into a stone wall. Refusing to interact, engage or communicate. I’d never seen Nathan emotionally overwhelmed to this degree.

  “Nathan, it’s not like this isn’t a big shock to me to, you know.”

  But he turned away, stopped making eye contact, didn’t respond. Trying to avoid conflict, or trying to calm himself during such a stressful trauma. I didn’t know what to say, I didn’t know what to do, because of the disconnect, struggling to tolerate the discomfort, the hurt and the pain of betrayal.

  Nathan got up looking furious, muttered something under his breath, grabbed his back pack and stormed out of the house, banging the door behind him.

  “Nathan, please.”

  Not really surprised by his response, I was feeling alone, ignored and just plain hurt. The stir of painful memories came flooding in. The flutter in my stomach was turning against me, nausea was rising up my throat.

  I ran to the bathroom, and dropped to my knees. I was hugging the toilet as my stomach lurched in revulsion, all the while tears consumed me. The last of the dry-heaves subsided, and I willed myself off the floor. I staggered over to the sink, cupping my hands and tossing water on my face, then rinsed my mouth repeatedly. My eyes met the mirror, everything was a blur, the guilt was eating me upside, tearing me apart.

  Dark clouds rolled in and my vision was fading, I was losing my grip on reality. I took a deep breath and wiped everything from my mind in attempt to calm myself, afraid I made an impulsive decision by walking out. The fear of saying the wrong thing or doing something drastic to further worsen the situation was highly
probable and I couldn’t take that chance. Had I crossed the line?

  And now, I just couldn’t breathe; my hand flew to my chest. My heart stopped or felt like it did. How did this happen? We loved each other but when the devil came to our door, she let him in, and there was only one way that would end. I felt lightening crackle through my veins as time slowed down. All that love I’d been carrying around just crumbled, and now our future was on the line.

  I found myself in Clayton’s driveway, I eased out of the car wondering how I got here. And his door flew open.

  “Hey buddy.” I nodded as I walked on the edge of hell. “You look like death warmed over.”

  “Thanks. Can I come in?”

  “What happened to you?”

  I was getting that feeling when you walk into a room and have no idea what you’re doing in there. That was how I was feeling, lost, empty and confused.

  “You wanna’ corona?”

  “Got anything stronger?”

  “Yeah, I got Johnnie, Jack, Jose, Jim or the Captain. What’ll have?”

  “I, ah, Jack, neat.”

  “That bad huh?”

  He crept silently to the kitchen only to return with our drinks. There was something about the silence that soothed me. I needed the calm of the softly hued space to rejuvenate my soul. I guess that made me broken, and I knew with Clayton I wouldn’t have enough time to be reflective.

  “You acting just a little crazy.”

  “That’s why I came.”

  “So, spill.”

  I sighed and told him about the conversation with Steel and Bryer. About Cash always been lurking in the shadows. I shared every detail but it did not allow me to switch it off, my emotional scars were raw, still bleeding. Love was the blood in my veins and it had stop flowing.

  “She’s not responsible Nathan, not really.” Clayton suggested. “They’re both dangerous men, perhaps she got caught up in a well-organized scheme.”

  He stuffed his hands in my pockets. “We should drink more.” As he filled my glass, I shot it back and grimacing as the burn slid down my throat.

  “Nathan, absence does not make the heart grow fonder. It points it in a different direction.”

  I flipped him the bird, for his poetic stupidness.

  “Hey hey, now you’re getting personal.”

  “Save it.”

  I had a score to settle between Cash and my father’s involvement, I wasn’t going to let them weasel out of taking responsibility.

  “I’m going to confront my father.”

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

  “It’s not really up to you, now is it.” “You’re not invited.

  “There’s that sweet temper of yours, of course I’m coming. We’re the dynamic duos.”

  It was a forty-five-minute drive to the prison, which allowed ample time to question if I was doing the right thing. Visiting hours were almost closed for the day. And my emotions were irrational. I could act like there was no cage, wear a mask of coping and normality but he was an evil man, and cunning, I would be smart to remember that.

  We were just pulling to a stop and Clayton twisted in his seat toward me, that got my attention.

  “Justice isn’t always served, Nathan.” He said.

  Some help he was. That just made me apprehensive all over again. Could I trust James to admit the truth? I wouldn’t allow myself to be intimidated again. If there was one thing, I knew it was he always had the upper hand.

  “If you’re coming, let’s go.”

  We crossed the parking lot to the front door and opened it. I was stopped as soon as we stepped into the room. We handed over our driver’s licenses where they were photo copied and kept them.

  “I’m here to see Nathaniel James Sr., where do I sign in?”

  The blood drained from her face, she shared a glance and she turned and exchanged a curious look to another guard.

  Her eyes held mine as she whispered. “Stay here.”

  Voices echoed in the back ground, the last visit I signed in and sat down. Clearly that was no longer the case.

  “What are they doing back there?”

  “Hell, if I know.”

  We waited until I was blue in the face, the small hands on the clock were ticking louder, as I attempted to restrain my impatience.

  “How did I let you talk me into this?” Clayton said as he paced the small area driven by impulses, anxious and concerned.

  Then suddenly a man stepped behind the counter, with the upmost authority, he carefully moved a pile of files from one side of the counter to the other as if mulling something over.

  “Mr. James, we were just about to contact you.” He said in a quiet voice. “Your father had a heart attack.”

  “A heart attack?

  “He didn’t survive, I’m sorry.”

  I stood there dumbfounded, with a thousand question stare. Then the muscle in my eye twitched. A shiver ran down my spine, whatever was going on some part of me knew there was more to it than that.

  “Just like that?”

  “Sir—"

  My pulse picked up speed the room spun. Emotions whirled around like a cyclone all rational thoughts slipped away.

  “No.” I yelled. “Don’t lie to me, foul play was involved, this was murder, I know it.”

  Robbing every ounce of compassion, yet none of that mattered, he was a criminal, but his blood was as red as any other.

  “Mr. James, we have the coronary’s findings, I assure you—"

  “Don.t….Just don’t.”

  The thought was sobering he never blamed me for his incarceration which helped ease my conscience. Only God knows what truly happened. I had no idea I’d feel remorse, not even close. I’d thought when it was all said and done, I’d feel nothing, numb, emotionless. Every time I thought of him, what he’d done, I felt empty, but this, this wasn’t even on my radar.

  “Nathan, we need to go.”

  “I don’t even know what to say.”

  “Yeah well, let’s get out of here.”

  Clayton grabbed the back of my collar and pulled me out the door the cold air blew through my fabric of my jacket biting my skin and I immediately realized the severity of what had happened and as we reached the car, I heard his voice.

  “Nathan are you listening?” He asked. “Hey, you okay to drive?”

  “Huh? Yeah. I’m fine.”

  I shoved the car into drive, pressed the ignition and the engine roared to life then peeled out of the parking lot.

  I lost sight of what was real, I needed to return to Bryer. There was still a spark of hope, I wanted to reach out and cradle her in my arms like a child, heal her take her far away to safety.

  There were times when I wanted to shut down, tell the world to go to hell. This was one of those times. It was not the wanting that made this so infuriating, it was the sense of power Nathan got by snaring the patents from my fingers.

  And now this, James. The day he was incarcerated was the day he left humanity behind, and all that power was like gasoline on fire, and utterly toxic. Yet it was as simple as the rules of the road, but it never applied to him. His evil to obstruct others or cause difficulties was stronger than ever before. Everyone had to tread lightly in his path if you wanted to ensure your survival.

  He had dirt on everyone including me. He treated every person like they were his soldiers. He must had been born without the faculties to understand or relate to people. It was like his body was no more than a vessel for evil and I felt the invisible blade twisting in my back, he’d stop at nothing to get what he wanted. I was fucking relieved he was dead.

  “Heart attack.” I scoffed. “Screw James, everyone is mysteriously dropping off like flies. And rightly so, greed and revenge catch up to you if you’re not smart.”

  “You win babe.”

  I glanced at Sonja, she froze, her smile was anxious. She was eager to please, how could I fault her for that? I looked at her for a few seconds, her clothes were qui
te provocative as always. She would do what ever I asked, and that was why I stayed with her.

  “Not yet Sonja.”

  “We have a buyer for Tranquility, and once the ink is dry, we’ll have the assets in hand, and we’ll be free to get out of the country.”

  I prided myself on my ability to hit a mark, it was true I stole from the innocent, but so did everyone in some way. And somehow, they’re never the bad guy. Perhaps that should fill me with guilt but it didn’t. I slept just fine.

  My phone buzzed, and I reached for it quickly, I stared down at the screen, Kendrick, then swiped the answer key.

  “It’s about time.”

  “I assume you heard.”

  “Yeah, shit happens, I can’t change that.”

  He was gone, and all his promises died in the wind. He wasn’t an honest man, an honest man would have felt bad after all he had done, but he loved it. It was a thrill for him to fulfill a purpose that never saw a genuine emotion other than greed, or know the man behind his ever-changing disguise.

  “Sympathetic huh?

  “About as much as you. Let’s get down to business.”

  “Power hungry as always Harrison. The deals complete a firm named Storm Enterprises paid cash, the old man loaded and he’s as unscrupulous as you. I transferred the money into your off shore account as instructed, minus my cut.”

  “Right, your cut. And the foundation?”

  I knew Kendrick had washed his hands of the whole mess. “You fucked up when James Sr. bought the company, now it entire process has to go through probate unless he put you in his will, which is unlikely.”

  “Fuck.”

  “You’re better off putting this behind you, take the money and run. I’m done.”

  Then the line went dead. But just beneath the surface the idea of losing started to fester. The roots of bitterness and anger sprang to life. Where was my shrewd business sense? I was cunny, sly and conniving. I needed to gain the advantage it normally worked every time.