Seams of Destruction

by Alene Anderson

  “What is it?” Jade asked.

  “Lisa.”

  She turned and saw a beautiful blond woman coming toward them.

  “Hello, Mitch,” Lisa said. “It’s been a long time.”

  He would have walked on by without saying a word, but Lisa stopped him with a hand on his arm. “Aren’t you going to introduce me to your friend?” she asked.

  Angrily, he jerked his arm away from her hand.

  “I don’t think you’re anyone she would want to know.” He took Jade’s hand and tried to step around Lisa.

  “Please, Mitch, you don’t know how much I’ve suffered since that night. I’ve paid for what I did.”

  “So did Chase. With his life.”

  “I don’t know how you can blame the war on me.”

  “War or not, he didn’t have to die. But after he caught you with that man, he lost his will to live and he took risks he would never have done otherwise. He was the best thing that ever happened to you, and you blew it. Now get out of my way or I will take great pleasure in removing you from this store. We want to shop here and I don’t want to be in the same building with you.”

  Holding her head high, Lisa stepped around him and exited the store. He stared after her, his whole being filled with hatred. One of the worst memories he had was of the night they had found her in bed with some strange man.

  The recollection of the following days were some of the most devastating he had ever experienced. He had watched his friend sink deeper and deeper into depression. He remembered the following months in Afghanistan when Chase began taking incredible risks. Their assignment to go behind the lines and check out the building where some Taliban were reported to be in hiding. Chase going in alone to check it out before anyone could stop him. The explosion. He flinched as though he still heard the terrible blast. He never saw his friend again.

  He had forgotten about Jade until she said, “Would you rather go home instead of shopping?”

  “No, it doesn’t make any difference now. We’ve already seen her. Let’s find you a dress.” He tried to shake off the memories.

  Jade slipped a hand in his and led him toward the department where she was hoping to find something for the wedding. She started flipping through the racks, slowly looking at each dress.

  “How about this one? It looks like your size,” Mitch said, standing by another rack, holding up a dress that was almost the same color as her eyes. “I love you in green.”

  “Only in green?” she teased.

  He wondered if she was serious.

  Did she know how he felt about her? Did she feel anything for him?

  He wished he dared ask her. But he had a feeling it wasn’t the right time. He couldn’t talk to her while the murder was hanging over her head. It would somehow color any happiness they might find together.

  Jade took the dress and went to try it on. He stood outside the dressing room and in a few minutes she opened the door.

  “What do you think?” she asked, pirouetting in front of him, the full skirt flaring out around her legs.

  “Ravishing,” he said.

  “I love it. I’m going to take it.”

  She stepped back into the dressing room and when she emerged, she was holding the dress over her arm. Walking to a nearby counter, she laid it next to the register.

  “Let me get this,” Mitch said, pulling out his wallet.

  “That’s not necessary.”

  “I know it’s not necessary but you wouldn’t need it if you weren’t going to my brother’s wedding.”

  The clerk took the cash he held out to her, rang up the dress, and handed him back the change. Picking up the bag with the dress inside, Jade stood on tip toe and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

  Startled, Mitch looked down at her. “What was that for?”

  “Just for being you.”

  He didn’t quite know what to say, so he asked, “Need any jewelry or shoes to go with this?”

  “I don’t think so. Since I wear so much of this shade of green, I believe I have everything I need at home.”

  “Shopping has made me hungry. Let’s go find something to eat.”

  “That’s all you think about,” she teased.

  “Hey, I’m a growing boy.”

  She laughed.

  “Where do you want to eat?”

  “Let’s go to the California Pizza Kitchen. You probably don’t want pizza, but you can get a salad.”

  She followed him out of the store. They walked in the direction of the Pizza Kitchen and Mitch prayed they wouldn’t see Lisa again. He hadn’t yet gotten over the nightmares of the building blowing up with Chase in it. Although he had to admit, he hadn’t had one since the night of the fireworks in Italy when Jade had awakened him and then slept beside him for the rest of the night.

  They entered the restaurant and were led to a table. After they had time to look over the menu, the waiter came back to take their order.

  “I’ll have a salad and a bottled water,” Jade said.

  Mitch gave his order of pizza and a Coke.

  “Don’t you get tired of always watching what you eat so you don’t gain weight?” Mitch asked.

  “Sometimes, but it won’t be forever?”

  “How’s that?”

  “Someday I’ll be too old to model?”

  “Does that bother you?”

  “Not particularly. I always wanted to get married and have children. If I ever get pregnant I will give up modeling and eat normally.”

  Mitch said nothing. He didn’t like the thought of her getting married. At least, not to anyone but him.

  Jade was sorry they had run into Lisa. Being reminded of his friend who had died in Afghanistan must have been very painful for Mitch.

  Remembering the story he had told about Chase and him finding Lisa in bed with a strange man, brought back her own memories of finding David in bed with Reannan. She was surprised when she realized the memory didn’t bother her anymore. She no longer felt one bit of anger.

  Had she gotten so use to being with David, her feelings for him were not what they had been originally?

  As she and Mitch sat down to eat their lunch, she tried to analyze her state of mind regarding David.

  “What’s with the serious face?” Mitch asked.

  “Trying to figure something out.”

  “Can I help?”

  “Actually, I was wondering why the thought of catching David in bed with Reannan doesn’t bother me anymore. I’m not even angry. I have no feelings about it, whatsoever. I’ve just about decided, he had become a habit after all those years of being together. I wonder now if I ever really loved him. Maybe it was just that he was comfortable to be with.”

  “Maybe you don’t know what love is. Maybe you’ve never felt it before.”

  “No, I’ve felt it.”

  Mitch gave her a questioning look, but she didn’t respond.

  He began to eat his pizza and didn’t try to question her further. She was glad. She didn’t want to explain her statement to him. Tell him she loved him. That would have to wait until she would be found innocent and the real murderer caught. She gave all her attention to her salad.

  Jade was excited at the thought of flying to Colorado with Mitch to his brother’s wedding. The day they flew in they were going to go directly to her parent’s house where they would have dinner and spend the night with them.

  The wedding would be two days later, which would give them an opportunity to spend a little time with Matt and Amanda and attend the rehearsal dinner the evening before the wedding. She knew Mitch was going to be his best man. Matt had made arrangements for him to rent a tuxedo in Boulder.

  “I’m looking forward to meeting your brother and hi
s fiancé and I’m anxious for you to meet my parents,” she said, as she finished her salad.

  “You’ll like Matt,” Mitch told her.

  “I know you’re going to be the best man, but who’s going to be the maid of honor?”

  “Her name is Charlotte. Everyone calls her Charlie. Her husband is Amanda’s attorney. She owns a store across the mall from Amanda. I believe it’s a women’s dress shop called Bare Threads. Now that’s where you should shop for a dress. I understand from Matt that her taste in clothes is impeccable. In fact, she picked out and ordered Amanda’s wedding dress. She has a service where women come in and consult with her and she helps them select the colors and styles that look best on them.”

  “I’ve got to see her store. Maybe I’ll find a dress that we like better than the one from Nordstrom’s.”

  He took the last bite of his pizza and washed it down with coke.

  “Since you’re in the fashion business, you’ll probably have a lot in common with her.”

  “What kind of store does Amanda have?”

  “A few years ago she started a store which sells the products of local artists. Photography, oil paintings, jewelry, etcetera.”

  “Can we go visit both stores while we’re in Boulder?”

  “I don’t see why not. I’m sure we’ll have time.”

  “I’ll look forward to that. You know how I like to shop, especially for clothes.”

  “Ready to go home?”

  She nodded and picking up her shopping bag from Nordstrom’s, she stood up. They walked through the mall and went to Mitch’s car.

  “Let’s go to Disneyland,” Jade said the next morning after they had eaten breakfast.

  Mitch stared at her. “Are you kidding?”

  “I love Disneyland and if I get thrown into prison, who knows when I’ll get to go again.”

  “You’re not going to be thrown into prison,” he said emphatically.

  “Do you know something I don’t know?”

  He ignored her question as he got up to put the breakfast dishes in the dishwasher. After he started it, he went into his bedroom and began straightening the room. He knew Jade was still worrying about being found guilty and he wish he could tell her Grant Castillo was going to get the charges dropped.

  “Please,” Jade said from the doorway.

  He wished she wouldn’t do that. He could never resist her even when he didn’t want to do what she was asking.

  “All right, I’ll take you,” he said begrudgingly.

  “I’ll love you forever,” she said.

  “Is that a promise?”

  “Of course.” She smiled and went to get her handbag.

  They drove to Anaheim and parked in the Disneyland parking lot. Since it was late in September, it wasn’t crowded because the children were back in school. They walked to the gate and Mitch bought their admission tickets.

  “Where do you want to go first?” Mitch asked as they went through the gate.

  “Let’s go to Frontierland. I want to ride the Thunder Mountain Railroad. You get a few thrills on that ride.”

  “Is thrills what you’re looking for?”

  “But of course, aren’t you?”

  “Disneyland hasn’t been my thing since I was a kid,” Mitch said. “But I have to admit that was what I was looking for when I was young.”

  As they walked to Frontierland, Jade slipped her hand into his and smiled up at him, her eyes shining with excitement.

  “I absolutely love Disneyland,” she said.

  Mitch was glad he could do something with her to make her so happy.

  “When I was young and lived in Denver, we were only able to come twice,” Jade said. “Now I believe they have rides that they didn’t have then.”

  “Do you mean to tell me, you haven’t been here since you were young?”

  “After I moved to LA, I could never seem to find someone who wanted to come with me.”

  “How about David?”

  “He wouldn’t have come here if his life had depended on it.”

  They reached Frontierland and got in the line for Thunder Mountain. It was one of the longer lines they had passed and mostly comprised of adults with a few teenagers.

  When they finally were allowed to step into a car and the ride began, Jade held on to his arm and screamed with excitement. Mitch had to smile. Although it wasn’t one of the higher roller coasters, he could tell Jade enjoyed it.

  The ride ended and Jade pulled him toward another one, Mark Twain Riverboat. This ride was nothing like the previous one, but Mitch enjoyed it. It was a pleasure just to watch Jade’s face. Even with sunglasses on, he saw a lot of people looking at her with admiring glances.

  “After this ride, let’s go to the shooting gallery. With your experience as a cop, I’m sure you’ll be able to win a prize for me.”

  Mitch had to smile to himself. He knew there was no doubt about that. His experience as a cop and his time in the Marines would serve him well. Jade was delighted when he hit every target and won a big stuffed bear. When he handed it to her, she hugged it to her body and reached up and gave him a kiss.

  “Okay, I’ve worked up an appetite, so let’s go find something to eat,” Mitch said.

  Jade led him to the River Belle Terrace. She had a salad with a bottle of water and he had a roast beef sandwich with chips and a Coke.

  They spent the rest of the day riding Peter Pan’s Flight, the Mad Tea Party, Pirates of the Caribbean, and the Haunted Mansion.

  “What a wonderful day this has been,” Jade said as they headed for the gate.

  “Would you like to eat dinner at one of the restaurants before we go home?”

  “You have spent enough money today. Let’s go home and I’ll fix us spaghetti and a salad for dinner.”

  “Yes, we’d better save our money for shopping at Bare Threads in Boulder,” he teased.

  Mitch glanced down at his cell phone as it began to ring. The caller ID said it was Grant Castillo. Not wanting to talk in front of Jade, Mitch went into his bedroom and shut the door.

  “Koehler,” he said.

  “Matt,” Grant said, “I’ve gotten all the charges dismissed against Jade, but as I told you earlier, I want you to continue to stay with her. Only now, it’s for a different reason. It’s for her protection. I’m worried that the person who has been following you is looking for a chance to hurt her, perhaps even kill her.”

  “I’m afraid you’re right. She did pick up today on the fact that someone was following us. So I had to admit to her that they had been doing it since the very first day.”

  “It’s probably good that she found out. It will make her more careful.”

  “Do you still want me to keep quiet about your getting the charges dropped?”

  “Yes, I really think it’s Stephenson’s responsibility to tell her. After all, he’s being paid a big fee. As soon as I get the documentation on the dismissal, I’ll send it over to his office. That way it will be official and he can handle it with Jade the way he wants to.”

  “Okay. I won’t say a word. But Jade is nobody’s fool and she tends to ask a lot of questions. What am I supposed to say when she asks if I can tell her what we’ve discovered?”

  “Just say no.” Castillo laughed, quoting from an advertising campaign used in the War on Drugs back in the eighties and nineties.

  “Easier said than done,” Mitch growled.

  “This should be a piece of cake after all the tough jobs you’ve handled.”

  “You’re right. Don’t worry, I’ll deal with it.”

  “Just remember. Don’t let her out of your sight. Don’t let your guard down for a minute. And last but not least, don’t fall in love with her.” He emphasized the last si
x words.

  Castillo broke the connection and Mitch walked out into the kitchen where Jade was preparing dinner.

  “Who was that?” she asked.

  Mitch noticed Jade always seemed comfortable in asking him any question she wanted.

  “Castillo,” he said and waited for her next question.

  “Anything new?”

  “Not much. Just wanted to talk about my next assignment.”

  In effect, that statement was true. His next assignment after the charges had been dropped was to protect her from whoever was following them.

  “Is this one about over?”

  “The Chief’s working on the information I gave him, so I’m hoping. But there’s still a certain amount of investigation, which only Castillo can do.” He glanced at his watch. “I need to call my brother and get all the details on the wedding.”

  “Good idea. Then I can call my parents.”

  Mitch punched the number that would automatically dial his brother’s phone. It was answered immediately.

  “Matt, do you have the information on the wedding for me?”

  “I do. It’s going to be Saturday, which is five days from today. Are you and Jade going to be able to make it?”

  “Yep. Got permission from the Chief today.”

  “Great, we’ll be looking for you. Amanda has room for you to stay at her house. Did I tell you I’m selling my house and moving to Boulder?”

  “No, you didn’t. Does that mean you’ll also be moving your office?”

  “Yes. Amanda is putting her house up for sell and we’re going to buy one together. Then I’m going to rent some office space in downtown Boulder. The Chief of Police here in town was happy to hear about my relocation. He said he would like to use me more in the future.”