#1-3--The O’Connells

by Lorhainne Eckhart

  “So what’s going on?” Luke said.

  Suzanne was coming her way, carrying a beer and a glass of white wine. “For you, my dear,” she said.

  Karen took the wine as everyone made their way into the living room, Marcus and Charlotte, Ryan and Jenny, Owen and their mom. Alison was already sitting on the huge square ottoman across from Luke, with Eva perched on her lap.

  “Yes, what’s going on? Owen said you had something to share with us,” her mom said. She was still smiling, which was good, as it meant she didn’t have a clue what Karen was about to tell her.

  She couldn’t look at Suzanne, who had a big grin on her face. Marcus wasn’t smiling, and neither was Owen. Ryan took them both in as if trying to figure out whether there was something about the news that he wasn’t going to like. This was becoming painful, and she figured the old advice to just rip the damn bandage off applied here.

  “Well, do you all remember when I went to law school in Missoula, like my last year there? I met a guy. His name was Jack Curtis. Long story short, I fell hard for him and thought it was reciprocated. We were all in and took a couple weeks off during the break. Remember when I didn’t come back to Livingston and drove out east, through Georgia, rural Georgia?” She didn’t know why she felt the need to accentuate that point. “We did something really stupid—like, we got married. He was talking it up because of how hot we were for each other, so I said yeah, why not? Then we’re standing in front of a backwoods justice of the peace, saying I do. Two days later, we’re back in Missoula.

  “I walk through the door, so excited because I’ve landed this job clerking for Judge Thompson, moving my things in because we’re married, so goodbye dorms, and I find him just packing up all his things. He lifts this big suitcase of clothes, tells me it’s over, we’re over, that he’d made a mistake marrying me. The way he looked at me like he hated me, told me not to call him, that he never wanted to hear from me again… I said a lot of really bad words.”

  She phrased it that way for the kids, who were taking everything in. Eva watched with big eyes, whereas Alison was looking at her as if she was the coolest thing ever. She noted that everyone else was staring at her as if she’d lost her mind, and Ryan and Marcus both shot Alison a look suggesting that she take Eva elsewhere.

  When the kids had gone, Karen continued. “Anyway, long story short…”

  “Don’t forget the restraining order,” Owen said, jumping in.

  Marcus just shook his head and closed his eyes for a second, touching his face. She didn’t let herself look at anyone else for too long, seeing the shock on their faces. Then there was Luke, who was looking at her so hard that she could feel his scrutiny.

  “Right, there is that,” she said. “Yes, apparently I didn’t handle it well. I called him over and over, like, two hundred or more times, saying some really bad things and demanding he call me back. But he never did, instead letting every one of my calls go to voicemail. Of course, I was angry, furious, because who does that, marries you and then walks out without a reason, without a discussion? I’m pretty sure I threatened him in every way imaginable, saying how his life wasn’t worth shit, and I wanted to track him down and kill him. I likely even described in detail how it could happen.

  “Next thing I knew, I was served a restraining order, and Sheriff Bert paid me a visit, which was beyond humiliating. Basically, he told me to forget about Jack and move on with my life, because if I picked up the phone and called him again, or tried to find him, I could find myself in serious trouble. I was to consider the restraining order as a form of divine intervention to help me, save me. At the same time, Jack had changed his number, anyway. I didn’t think there was a reason to tell the sheriff that, because what was the point? So I agreed, said I’d behave myself, swallowed my heart, and he promised not to tell Marcus, who’d just started working as a deputy.

  “At the time, it couldn’t have been much worse for me, right? Well, in case you hadn’t figured it out, I planned to take this to the grave with me—except my nosy big brother just happened to show up last night when Jack called, because he’s found himself arrested and in jail, and he called me and—”

  “So he wants your help?” Ryan said.

  She wished everyone would just let her finish. She lifted the glass of wine and took a really big swallow. “It seems so,” she replied, thinking about the file she’d only started sorting through, the notes and photos of Bonnie, her things, and a catalogue of the man’s clothing and personal items that had also been found there.

  “And you told him to go fuck himself, right?” Luke jumped in, more of a demand than a question.

  “Not in so many words…”

  Everyone started talking all at once.

  “Hey, hey, hey,” Karen said. “Seriously! Look, I saw him and told him I’ll help him in arraignment, help him get bail, and then that’s it. He has to find himself another lawyer. So, if you don’t mind, I would like to move past this. Now you know. It’s in the past, and just so we’re clear, if you have any questions, ask them now. This is your one and only shot. Then I never want to hear about it again.”

  She took in her family, feeling so much in the spotlight. Generally, that was something she didn’t shy away from, but right now, she’d have given anything to be able to slip into the background.

  “Yeah, well, you can hold that thought,” Marcus said, “because you and I need to have a discussion about the charges, the crime…”

  She only nodded. Everything in his expression reminded her of the brother she used to butt heads with.

  “Well, I honestly didn’t see that coming,” their mom said, jumping in. “You kept him a secret all these years? You should have said something. Well, I guess the only good thing is the quick divorce.”

  “You seriously threatened him?” Ryan said. “Holy shit, and he has a restraining order against you, yet he suddenly has the balls to call you as if you owe him something…”

  Karen lifted her glass, knowing Suzanne was giving her everything as she took in the white Chablis. She took another swallow, because although she’d suggested questions, she really didn’t intend to answer them.

  “So if you didn’t hear from him again, how is it that you signed the divorce papers?” Luke said.

  Karen closed her eyes. Leave it to Luke…

  “Karen, you did divorce him, right?” Suzanne said.

  As she swirled the wine in her glass and lifted it to down the rest, she was glad for the fact that Owen had the foresight to offer to drive. She had to dig deep for courage to lift her gaze to Luke, who was still leaning forward, his forearms on his knees, dangling a beer. She knew he’d figured out the one thing she’d told no one.

  “Unfortunately,” she said, “we’re still married.”

  Chapter Seven

  Karen pressed her hands to her face and pulled them down, feeling gritty. Her stomach growled from yet another missed dinner as she listened to the clang of metal and footsteps, hearing the echo. As the heavy steel door opened, she took in the concrete gray walls around her, seeing marks and dirt and spots she’d never noticed before.

  “Thanks, Hank,” Marcus said to the deputy who had brought Jack in and uncuffed him. Marcus stayed just off to the side, wearing blue jeans, but with his sheriff’s badge still pinned to his shirt. His arms were crossed as he surveyed the stranger she’d married.

  She had no idea what to say, definitely a first for her, so she simply said, “Jack, this is my brother Marcus,” and gestured toward him.

  The door closed, and Jack seemed to hesitate as he took in the scene, as if this were a polite society gathering. For a minute, she thought he was going to offer Marcus his hand to shake.

  Marcus nodded to him. “I understand you and my sister are still married.”

  So he was getting straight to the point of the freak-out that had made him park her ass in his cruiser and drive all the way out to Sweetwater County jail. Maybe that was better than her trying to explain to eve
ryone how she could still be married to a man who’d basically told her to get lost.

  Karen wasn’t sure what to make of the expression on Jack’s face, but he didn’t pull his gaze from Marcus. “My brother, the sheriff, gave me your file. After reading it, Jack, it doesn’t look good. There were men’s belongings in the hotel room—toiletries, clothes, and receipts with your name on them.” She gestured to the file on the table, which she’d picked up from home after insisting Marcus stop for it. “Open it,” she said. “It’s all there. You’re a lawyer, so take a look. Are those your things? Bonnie wasn’t alone.”

  She could feel her brother staring her down, likely because she wasn’t addressing the fact that she and Jack were still married. That was the last thing she wanted to talk about with her brother there.

  Jack dragged his gaze from her brother to her and then took a step to the table and opened the file. He winced as he fanned out the photos, looked at the reports. Karen knew her brother was giving everything to her. She wished he wouldn’t stay, but she’d never seen him stand his ground the way he was now around Jack.

  “I agree,” Jack said. “I wouldn’t be here now if it looked good. Bonnie, though…she didn’t deserve this. From the photos, yes, those are my things, but not things I would have missed, so that tells me someone got into my house, took them, and planted them.” He tossed everything back on the table. “Honestly, looking at this, if I were my client, I’d be thinking I’d done it and was lying—but I’m not lying. It’s almost perfect.”

  “Except why would someone want to plant evidence against you?” Marcus asked. If her client had been anyone else, she’d have kicked her brother out. Lawyer–client privilege and all, but this was too personal.

  Jack didn’t say anything for a second. When he did, he looked right at Karen. “Because that’s the kind of thing that happens when I don’t do as I’m told, sticking my nose into things I was warned away from. Karen, can we have a minute, alone?” he added.

  Marcus seemed immovable and shook his head. “No, I’m not leaving. You call my sister to come and help you out, yet you filed a restraining order against her after walking out on her after a sham marriage. Now, after how many years of you fucking her around, you want to have a minute? Well, you don’t get a minute. You think she’s supposed to, what, just drop everything for you? No, she’s not talking with you alone, and you’re not messing with her again. I don’t know what kind of games you’re playing, but you’re done. Since my sister doesn’t want to talk about the fact that you’re still married, I’ll do the talking. You wanted her out of your life, so she’s out, and you’re going to end this marriage. Karen, file for divorce. Do up the papers.”

  She found herself taking in her pumps, which added four inches to her short stature, wondering where her voice had disappeared to.

  “And you will sign them,” Marcus continued, “and then you’ll leave my sister be—”

  “It was the only way I could protect her,” Jack snapped, cutting Marcus off.

  Karen found herself staring at him. “What?”

  “What are you talking about? Protect her from what?” Marcus said.

  Jack didn’t pull his gaze from her. “Karen…” he started, then let out a sigh, maybe because he had finally figured out that her brother wasn’t leaving.

  “You know what, Jack?” Karen said. “I never expected to see or hear from you again. My brother is right. I’ll do up papers, and you’ll sign them and end something that should have been ended years ago. I honestly don’t know about getting you out of jail. That case…you’ve seen the file. You’re saying it wasn’t you, that someone planted evidence. Why? Now you’re even tossing out that you were protecting me…from what, from whom?

  “I will never forget the way you looked at me as you walked out that door, the way you cut me off. I begged like a fool, but you were so final. It was over. You hated me, and for the life of me, I had no idea what I had done. Of course I acted badly, but what do you expect? You married me, and two days later you were walking out without an explanation. You cut me off completely. If you had even sat me down and said, ‘Hey, sorry, Karen, but I made a mistake, jumping the gun and marrying you. I was wrong,’ I would have been furious, but it would have been better than you blowing me off like you did.

  “You never answered one of my calls, not one—and then serving me with a restraining order? Like, who does that? It’s not the kind of thing you get over. I still have it, you know, and it’s still very much in force, yet here I am.” She gestured wide with her arms and took a step on the concrete, hearing the click of her heel, still in her skirt and blouse, feeling grungy and sweaty and wanting a shower.

  He looked away as if considering something, then fanned out the photos on the table, tossing the one of Bonnie over to where her brother lingered. “You’re a cop,” he said. “What does that look like to you?”

  Marcus walked over, lifted the photo, and really looked at it. He dragged his gaze over to Karen, then back to the photo, his hand on his belt, just something he did as a cop. “She didn’t see it coming,” he said. “Bullet to the back of the head, professional…”

  “A professional, or a hit?” Jack said. “She’s down on her knees, maybe, with a gun to the back of her head. What did the coroner’s report say? Shot from close range. But why was she there at all? Her cell phone, was it in the list of evidence?” He was looking to Karen, but she just watched as Marcus reached for the file. She already knew the answer.

  “No cell phone was listed among the items recovered at the scene,” she said.

  Marcus said nothing as he read the file, then lifted his blue eyes to her. She could see his question. At the same time, she knew he didn’t want her here.

  “She never went anywhere without her phone,” Jack said. “I told you she called me. Her phone would have shown that, the time. I was at home. From the time frame and when she was shot, there’s no way I could have been there, but you’ll likely find my DNA all over the room. Meanwhile, I’m sitting here in this cell, trying to piece together why. Now this, seeing these photos…I already know why.”

  Marcus took a step closer to Jack. The two were about the same height and build. “Well, you think you’d better tell us?” he said.

  She had to clear her throat, as an awful feeling had settled in her stomach.

  “I never allowed myself to get close to another woman again. You know we all have secrets somewhere. Bonnie was someone who was important to me, but apparently I got careless, just like I did with you.” This time, he gave everything to Karen.

  A shiver slid up her spine. She had to fight the urge to rub her arms.

  “That there…” He gestured to the photo Marcus was holding. “That would have been you, Karen, if I stayed. That restraining order was for your protection, not mine.”

  She wondered if the shock on her brother’s face could come anywhere close to matching the shock she felt. “Excuse me?” Her voice cracked. “What the hell are you talking about?”

  Jack met her stare with his icy eyes as he took a step toward her. “You think I wanted to leave you? I didn’t have a choice. I never expected you to fight the way you did. If it had been any other time…” He shook his head.

  Marcus stared him down but said nothing.

  “You’re telling me the only reason you walked out the door was so I wouldn’t end up with a bullet in my head?” Karen took another step, her legs trembling. “What kind of sick joke is this?”

  “So you know who killed this woman,” Marcus finally said. “Who did this? Is my sister in danger?” He didn’t yell, but he did have a way of speaking with such authority that no one was foolish enough to cross him. Even she could feel the subtle bite in his tone.

  Jack pulled his hand over his face. He looked so tired, and when he looked at her, it was with an expression she didn’t want to see. “I don’t know, but at the same time—”

  Marcus pulled his fist back and hit Jack. It was so fast, the punch to
his face and the way he went down, the crash against the table.

  Karen ran in between them, but for the first time in her life, she just stood there, helpless, horrified, looking down at the man she’d loved and hated for so long in a way she couldn’t make sense of.

  Chapter Eight

  The deputy had given Jack a cloth, which he now held to his split lip, still bleeding. Karen noted that blood had dripped onto his wrinkled white shirt. Marcus was now outside with the deputy, likely getting an earful.

  “Well, I guess I had that coming,” he said.

  She was furious with herself at how rattled she was. This wasn’t like her. “Yeah, well, what can I say? My family’s not handling this too well, considering I never told them I married you. You’re right, though: You had it coming. You won’t make trouble for my brother, will you? Like ask them to press charges?” She held her breath for a second, having never seen Marcus lose it like that. She wasn’t sure what to make of the way Jack was looking up at her from the chair.

  “No, of course not,” he said. “I can understand why he did it. So you never told them about us?”

  She exhaled, her arms crossed in front of her. “I never planned on telling them, considering everything that happened—but you showing up, calling me, you kind of created a situation, and I had to tell my family tonight.”

  “Right, you have a big family. How many brothers, again?” From the way he looked up at her, she thought he was trying to add a bit of lightness to a situation where there wasn’t any.

  “Four, and a sister. So who is it, Jack?” she said. She didn’t miss his confusion. “You didn’t answer my question before my brother settled his fist in your face.” She knelt down to the photos splayed all over the floor and picked them up one by one.