Firestone

by Christian, Claudia Hall

  “Or is it something else?” Jeraine asked.

  He swallowed his food and looked at her.

  “It’s me,” Jeraine said. “I screwed up again.”

  Tanesha looked up at him.

  “What?” Jeraine asked. “You know I can’t stand the silent treatment. It makes me crazy.”

  “I don’t know what to say,” Tanesha said. “I really don’t. I feel . . .”

  “Mad.”

  “Defeated,” Tanesha said. “I get it, I do. One night, you were high and doing your idiot thing and you got these women pregnant. One night. One incident and now they are in your life forever. Period.”

  “I shouldn’t have been there,” Jeraine said.

  “No, you shouldn’t have,” Tanesha said. “But you were. And they’re . . .”

  Tanesha scowled and shook her head.

  “And we don’t have any idea if sweet Jabari is going to be our baby boy or if he’s going back to Atlanta with horrible Annette,” Tanesha said. “Have you ever spent any time with Jeraine Junior?”

  “No.” Jeraine shook his head. “We’ve tried. My parents tried, but the courts haven’t allowed it to happen.”

  “Why?” Tanesha asked.

  “He has a whole life in Mississippi,” Jeraine said. “Her father and mother raised him as their own son. His mother is more like a sister. He doesn’t really need a dad or more grandparents. He’s pretty happy as he is. At least that’s what all the social workers and investigators’ reports say. Having me or Mom and Dad intervene would be too much of a disruption to his life.”

  “We don’t know anything about him,” Tanesha said.

  “I get reports. Pictures,” Jeraine said. “Schmidty has set up a way to make sure he’s doing okay and . . .”

  Jeraine threw his silverware down and looked at her.

  “It’s all pretty stupid,” Jeraine said. “I know more about my stock portfolio, or lack thereof, than I do about my own children. Your dad was right.”

  “My dad?”

  “He said I was no kind of father,” Jeraine said. “Or something like that. I’ve been trying to . . . but really he’s right. I’m no kind of father to these boys. I’m just a . . .”

  “Paycheck,” they said together.

  Tanesha nodded, and he looked away. She reached for his hand, and he looked back at her.

  “Why not let her parents adopt Jeraine Junior?” Tanesha asked.

  “And give up my parental rights?” Jeraine asked. “No way.”

  “What parental rights?” Tanesha asked.

  Jeraine scowled at her.

  “You’re talking about a child, a life, a human being,” Tanesha said. “Not a property or a business. If he’s happy where he is, and you’d just mess that up, why not leave him there?”

  “They don’t want that,” Jeraine said. “I’d stop paying then.”

  “Have they asked to adopt him?”

  “A couple times,” Jeraine said. “They want to set up a trust for him. I’d pay into the trust, and he’d get it when he grows up.”

  “Who gets the money now?” Tanesha asked.

  “His mother,” Jeraine said.

  Tanesha nodded. They settled into eating again. Jeraine’s chicken was good. She took a bite of chicken and gave him a smile. He gave her a sly smile in return. She nodded.

  “What?” Jeraine asked.

  “I went to see Sandy today,” Tanesha said. “Today, she’s trying to end this thing in her life. This detective guy killed her mother. The police also think he was behind most of what happened to her as a kid. I mean the guy she thought was her father was a perv, but . . .”

  Tanesha shook her head.

  “Anyway, she’s down there right now, trying to end this thing,” Tanesha said. “Heather took Blane to the hospital about an hour ago. He’s doing everything in his power to get well, to heal, from his horrible traumatic life and this horrible disease. Both.”

  Tanesha nodded.

  “Even Jill’s facing her fear that the twins aren’t right and trying to deal with things so they’ll have a better life,” Tanesha said. “Jake and Aden are working all the time at Lipson to make up for not having state contracts. Everyone’s pitching in. Right now, all of my friends are risking everything to move on in their lives.”

  “I’m doing my brain exercises and treatment and therapy and . . .”

  “Right,” Tanesha said.

  For a moment, their eyes held.

  “You think I should talk to her parents about giving them custody,” Jeraine said.

  “I think it’s time to end all this confusion in our lives,” Tanesha said. “Let’s get custody of Jabari and be done with Annette. Let’s sort this out with Jeraine Junior so there’s no confusion. Let’s just end this stuff.”

  Jeraine gave her a slow nod.

  “But not us?” he asked.

  “Don’t be dumb,” Tanesha said.

  He laughed, and she grinned.

  “How ’bout I think about it?” Jeraine asked.

  “We go to court on Monday,” Tanesha said. “Let’s decide by Sunday.”

  “Okay,” Jeraine said.

  “Okay?”

  “Okay,” he said. “I’ll do it. If it’s the right thing for my son, I’ll do it.”

  Tanesha smiled.

  ~~~~~~~~

  Friday night — 7:51 p.m.

  Heather looked up from her 5280 magazine. She glanced at Blane to make sure he was all right. He had settled into his hospital bed, and was reading Master and Commander by Patrick O’Brian. Since everything had to be sterilized before it came into his room, Aden and Sandy had bought him an e-Book reader. Jacob and Jill had bought every book in the Master and Commander series to fill the ereader.

  Heather sat in an armchair near the bed. The private room had a fold out couch for her to sleep on. The chair was more comfortable than the couch. She went back to looking at the magazine.

  A few minutes passed and she looked up again.

  “Are you okay?” Blane asked.

  “I just . . .” Heather scowled and nodded. “You remember how Abi said I wielded the power of love.”

  “I remember thinking she was right.” Blane grinned.

  “I just . . .”

  “What?”

  “I can’t shake the feeling that Sandy needs me,” Heather said.

  “She has all those big guys!” Blane said. “I don’t want to diminish you or your amazing capacity to love, but . . .”

  “No, I know,” Heather said. “I thought the same thing.”

  Heather scowled and looked off into space.

  “I just . . .” Heather shook her head. “But I must be wrong.”

  “I’ve never known you to be wrong,” Blane said.

  “What are you talking about?” Heather asked. “I’m a total worry wart. Every little thing . . .”

  “This is different,” Blane said. “Isn’t it?”

  Heather nodded.

  “If I weren’t in here, what would you do?” Blane asked.

  “I’d go there,” Heather said, and instantly wished she hadn’t. “But I want to be here with you, and . . .”

  “You should go,” Blane said.

  “But . . .”

  “They’re going to put me to sleep in a few minutes,” Blane said. “I’ll be here sleeping. You can go, check things out, and tell me all about it.”

  “But . . .”

  “You have to promise me, though,” Blane said.

  “What?”

  “You have to be safe,” Blane said. “You won’t risk yourself in any way. If you see something, you’ll call the police right away, or better yet, call Alex. You have her number?”

  “On my speed dial,” Heather said.

  “What?” Blane shook his head and looked confused.

  “From when she was so sick,” Heather said. “I just kept it because . . . she’s like the most important person I’ve ever met.”

  “Besides Val the movie
star?” Blane asked.

  “You know what I mean . . .powerful,” Heather said.

  “I do,” Blane said. “You’ll call Alex?”

  “I won’t risk myself or our baby,” Heather said. “I would never risk our child.”

  “Good,” Blane said. He lay back and picked up his book. “See you later.”

  Not fooled by his act, she waited. He looked at her.

  “Why don’t you call me when you get there?” Blane asked. “You can video what’s going on.”

  “We’ll do it together.” Heather smiled.

  “Like everything,” Blane said.

  “I’ll be back tonight,” Heather said.

  “Then I’ll see you later,” Blane said.

  Heather grabbed her bag and ran out of the hospital. She jogged across the street and got into her car. Biting her lip, she focused on two wishes. First, she hoped that she was wrong. And second, she hoped she made it there in time.

  ~~~~~~~~

  Friday night — 8:11 p.m.

  “We haven’t seen or heard him today,” Colin said to Sandy.

  Sandy was gathering her things together to head to Seth’s house. Raz was standing in the doorway to the back alley looking out. Seth was settling Rachel into the baby sling he had over his shoulder.

  “Isn’t that a good thing?” Sandy asked. “Maybe he was scared off.”

  Colin nodded, but Sandy could tell that he didn’t think Detective Red Bear was scared off. She glanced at Raz and Seth.

  No, these men thought Detective Red Bear was going to try to take her. Soon.

  Sandy swallowed hard and nodded. She looked at Raz. He didn’t look concerned. She glanced at Colin. He gave her an impish grin as if he lived for this kind of thing.

  “I’m ready,” Sandy said.

  Raz turned and smiled. She stood right behind him and Colin stood right behind her. Seth stood to the side.

  “We’re going across this small parking lot to our vehicle,” Raz said. For some reason, his Queens. New York accent was more pronounced tonight. “You can see that our friend Chris is driving.”

  The large, very white man in the driver’s seat raised his hand to wave at her.

  “Got it?” Raz said.

  “I’m ready,” Sandy said.

  Her voice trembled so much that Raz turned to look at her. She smiled at the handsome man. Raz took a step forward, and Sandy followed him. Colin came out to her left and Seth to her right.

  Her cell phone rang inside the shop.

  “Shit,” Sandy said.

  “What happened?” Seth asked.

  “I left my phone in the shop,” Sandy said. “I don’t really need it, but my kids and Aden and . . .”

  “I’ll get it,” Seth said. “Where is it?”

  “On my station,” Sandy said.

  “I’ll be right back,” Seth said.

  “We’ll hold,” Raz said.

  Seth nodded to Raz and slipped back inside the shop.

  Sandy was looking inside the shop when she heard a sound. Not a quiet sound like you hear on TV, but not quite a gunshot sound. She turned toward where the sound had come from.

  Raz dropped to the ground.

  Colin fell next to her.

  And Sandy knew.

  She was in real trouble.

  Chapter Two Hundred and Ninety-four

  Cream of the Crop

  Sandy stepped back. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of someone dropping down from the roof. Something hard and cold pressed into her back.

  “You’ll do what I say,” a man’s voice said.

  “Yes, detective,” Sandy said.

  “Good girl.” Detective Red Bear put his hand on her shoulder and pressed the handgun further into her back. “Close the door to the salon.”

  Sandy slammed the door.

  “Lock the deadbolt,” the detective said.

  Seth wouldn’t be able to help her if she locked the door. She hesitated just a moment and the detective fired a shot into the wall. The broken plaster sprayed Sandy. She yelped and raised her hands to keep the plaster from hitting her face. She felt blood form from a scratch made by a shard.

  “Do it,” the detective said. “I know all about the O’Malley curse. Lock him in now.”

  Sandy could smell the fear and desperation on the man. She locked the door. He grabbed her arm and yanked her around. The big guy in the SUV held a handgun pointed in their direction.

  “I will not hesitate to kill her,” Detective Red Bear said to the driver of the car. “Her replacement is inside the shop.”

  The big guy didn’t lower his handgun.

  “I don’t care if the baby is raped,” Detective Red Bear said. “We have twenty guys who paid in full to watch it happen. But I bet you care?”

  Horrified, Sandy shook her head at the big guy. The big guy tossed the handgun out of the SUV.

  “Stay there,” the detective said. “If you leave the car, I will kill her. If you press on the accelerator, I will kill her. With her dead, you can guarantee that I will use the baby. The fate of the child rests solely with you.”

  The big guy took the keys out of the SUV and tossed them out with the weapon.

  “Good thinking,” Detective Red Bear said. “I’m going to take this nice young lady down the alley. If you even move an inch, she dies.”

  The big guy didn’t move.

  “I’ve got nothing to lose, and you know it,” the detective yelled.

  The big guy nodded. Sandy gave the big guy a terrified look. As if to say that he’d come get her, the big guy nodded to her.

  The detective pushed her from behind, and Sandy stumbled. The detective fired at the SUV. The big guy ducked as the window rose. The bullet hit the door with a thunk. Another shot hit the window.

  “Shit,” the detective said, under his breath. “Bulletproof.”

  He rammed the hot metal into Sandy’s back and put his hand on her shoulder again.

  “Get their weapons,” the detective said.

  “Whose weapons?” Sandy said.

  “Theirs!”

  The detective pushed her to where Raz was lying. Sandy took the revolver from Raz’s hand. She gave it to the detective.

  “Check his side holster,” the detective said.

  Sandy pulled Raz’s jacket back. “Nothing.”

  “Do this one,” the detective said.

  Sandy went to Colin. She didn’t see any blood, so she thought Colin might have been faking being knocked out. She took the gun from his hand. The detective searched Raz and found another gun. Then the detective kicked Raz a few times in the ribs. Sandy screamed.

  “Shut up,” the detective said.

  He slapped her across the face, and Sandy fell. She landed on her hip and stayed there to catch her breath. He checked Colin. He found another handgun and a knife. He kicked Colin a few times before he grabbed Sandy and pulled her to standing.

  “Go,” the detective said.

  Sandy was too scared to move.

  “I will not hesitate to kill you,” the detective said. “Thanks to you, I have nothing to lose.”

  “Yes, sir,” Sandy said.

  She took a step, and then another. They started walking down the dark alley.

  ~~~~~~~~

  Friday night — 8:11 p.m.

  “Ok, I found the alley next to Sandy’s salon,” Heather said to Blane. She pulled into the alley. “Wow, it’s really dark.”

  She’d used masking tape to secure her cell phone to the dashboard so that Blane could see what she was seeing. She drove at a snail’s pace up the alley.

  “Someone must have turned out the lights,” Heather said.

  “It looks like they shot them out,” Blane said.

  “Wouldn’t someone hear that and call the police?” Heather asked.

  “Not if he did it earlier,” Blane said.

  “Oh, you mean he planned this all along.” Heather shivered. “Yuck.”

  “Yuck,” Blane agreed.<
br />
  “I’m just passing the garage next to her studio parking lot,” Heather said.

  “Can you see into her back parking lot?” Blane asked.

  “Yeah,” Heather said. “There’s an SUV. It looks like one of those big guys who work for Alex is driving. You know, they were helping Jeraine?”

  “The really white one?” Blane asked. “Or Teddy’s guardian?”

  “The white one,” Heather said.

  “His name is Chris,” Blane said. “Does he see you?”

  “No,” Heather said. “He’s looking at the back door to Sandy’s studio.”

  Heather pulled into a parking spot behind the store across the alley from the salon. On the way over, she and Blane had strategized that this was the best place to park. By parking here, she would be right there to help Sandy, if Sandy needed her. If Sandy didn’t need her, she could just drive away. From where she’d parked, she could see the entire parking lot behind Sandy’s salon.

  “There’s Raz,” Heather said. “Gosh, I feel pretty stupid. Raz looks so serious and professional. I mean, he’s a federal agent and everything. What could I do?”

  “You were pretty sure that Sandy might need you,” Blane said. “Let’s just wait and see. If you’re wrong, you can pick up ice cream.”

  “Hey, that’s a good idea,” Heather said. “Maybe I’ll get some anyway.”

  “Ok, there’s Sandy and Colin,” Heather said. “I think Seth’s there too. Can you see?”

  “No,” Blane said.

  Heather pulled the cell phone from the dash. She scooted down so just her eyes peeked out over the door. She held the phone so just the camera was in the window.

  “Looks like Seth has Rachel,” Blane said. “That makes sense.”

  There was a noise, and suddenly a man got into the front seat of Heather’s car. Heather screamed.

  “What! What’s happening? Heather!” Blane yelled.

  “Sorry,” Aden said. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

  “Aden!” Heather slapped at him. “You nearly gave me a heart attack!”

  “Sorry,” Aden said. “I’m not supposed to be here. Probation and all. But I just couldn’t . . . I saw your car and . . .”

  “Oh shit!” Blane said.

  “What?” Heather turned back to look into at the parking lot.