Twenty-one Year Rule

by Alaina Stanford

  Bash frowned at Chet. “So you never attacked the cop?”

  “No, I was on the ground scrambling to get out of the way.” Chet looked up at Bash. “Ask Dave.”

  “I can’t ask Dave,” Bash answered softly, his eyes never leaving Chet’s. “I was lucky to get in to see you. Pete needs to cut his losses, and you need to tell me how to do that. You hid something and Pete wants it back.”

  “I need a guarantee Pete will understand it wasn’t me and that he’ll get me out of here.” Chet’s face turned to stone. “You have to help me. You said this was a quick trip to make a ton of cash. You said all we had to do was transport Pete’s man back to Cleveland. You said, if we introduced him to the buyer we’d get some quick cash for the set up and then we could go our separate ways.”

  “I know,” Bash admitted quietly, “It was a mistake. The whole thing was a mistake.”

  Bash’s stomach churned; he forced down the bile that threatened to rise. He knew the fear inside Chet. He knew what it was like to be afraid to go to sleep at night because you didn’t know who would climb on top of you while you were dreaming. He knew the desperation that consumed your every thought, desperation to escape the horrors that surrounded you.

  He took a deep breath and said, “Chet, I’ll do what I can. This is the first step.” He wanted to tell Chet to turn on Pete, to tell them everything. He wanted to tell him to save himself and fuck the others. He wanted to tell him he was sorry for pulling them all into this mess. Instead, he offered, “Tell your lawyer the truth about that night Chet. You aren’t a cop killer. Dave has always been trouble. If you try to back him up, he’ll pull you down with him. This is serious Chet, don’t go down for something you didn’t do. Listen to your lawyer and do what he tells you. If he says you should turn on Joel, do it. He’s dead, you can’t help him. If he says turn on Dave, then you do it.”

  “What about Pete?” Chet whispered.

  Bash glanced down at the table. “You don’t know anything about Pete, Chet. There’s nothing you can tell the cops that can help them or hurt Pete. So tell them the truth, but leave Pete and me out of it. I’ll see if I can get Pete to bail you out. Now, where do I go to make that happen?”

  Chet leaned forward, “There’s some sort of utility shed in the canyon heading from Ogden up to the reservoir. It’s about half way between a big lodge and the base of the dam. It sits on the left next to the river at the end of a small road the runs along the mountain. We stuck it under the back of the shed.”

  **********

  Josh squeezed the phone hard, “Joanne, it’s important to Jake. He just wants to spend some time with you.”

  Joanne sat in the darkness in her apartment. The shades were drawn, and the window AC unit was blasting cold air across the dark room. “I’m working full-time now Josh. My hours are crazy. I don’t think it’s a good idea. Tell him, I’ll see him next weekend.” She disconnected the phone quickly, before Josh could argue further.

  “You coming?” A deep voice called from Joanne’s bedroom.

  Joanne rose and headed toward the bedroom cradling a bottle of wine in one hand. She wore only the oversized plain white t-shirt that belonged to her new friend. “On my way lover,” She cooed.

  **********

  Amy stared out her bedroom window at the long gravel drive. She glanced at the cell phone in her hand and sighed. She lifted the phone and entered Bash’s number.

  Bash glanced down at the phone as he climbed onto Grace’s bike. He cringed and answered it, “Yeah?”

  “Bash?” Amy sighed with relief. “Where are you? Are you okay?”

  Bash glanced back at the three story brick building holding the county jail and said, “I’m fine, I stayed with Grace last night.”

  “We need to talk.” Amy said quickly.

  “Tell Randy I want my money back?” He wasn’t going to beat around the bush with her. He didn’t have time.

  “He doesn’t have it.” Amy answered confused.

  “What?” Bash snapped, “Where is it?”

  “I have it.” Amy glanced toward the bedroom door. “I’ve always had it.”

  “You took it?” Bash couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Why would you do that? Amy, that was my money?”

  Amy moved quickly to shut the door. “There was so much of it, Bash. I was scared.”

  “You have no right to go into my room and look through my things.” Bash fought to control his anger.

  “Where did you get the money, Bash? Tell me it’s not drug money.” Amy asked boldly, ignoring his comment.

  “It’s mine, dad left it to me.” Bash snapped, “Half of it is yours. I was going to tell you.”

  Amy sat down on the bed and rolled her eyes. “Bash don’t be ridiculous, dad didn’t have any money. The house was worth less than he owed, and there was nothing in the bank.”

  “Look, I don’t have time to go into this, but I need my half of the money back. You’re just going to have to trust me until I have time to explain.” Bash added, “I’m coming by for the money. You don’t have to give me all of it but I need at least a hundred. I’ll see you in about an hour.” He hung up, started the motorcycle and headed to Amy’s house.

  The hot summer air rushed over him as he rode. His mind went back to Chet. Pete wasn’t going to help him even if he got the Meth back. Pete didn’t give a shit about Chet and Dave. Bash wondered if Chet was right about Joel. Did Pete send him to clean house? Were they going to introduce him to Chet’s dealer Mick and die in a hail of gunfire like something out of a gangster movie? Bash forced the thought from his mind.

  He’d made a real mess of things just trying to get a free ride to Utah. Bash knew he was hooking up two drug dealers. He was an idiot to think when they picked up Joel no drugs would be involved. After all he’d been through; he’d acted like a naive kid. Bash clenched his jaw. He’d ignored the drugs. He’d talked himself into thinking it was just a ride across country. He convinced himself that it was all just a means to an end, that the drugs had nothing to do with him. He’d convinced himself it was no big deal as long as he wasn’t involved in the deal to buy or sell. He’d stupidly thought it was all no big deal.

  *********

  “Give it back to him?” Randy answered louder than he intended. “Amy, we don’t know where that money came from. As an officer of the law, I can’t just turn a hunk of mysterious cash over to a twenty-one year old and pretend it never happened.”

  Amy sat Emma in her swing and turned it on. “Randy, Bash said it was our father’s money. It’s not drug money. He has every right to it.”

  Randy gazed at Amy. She was an intelligent woman. She knew better. “Amy you’re allowing your emotions to cloud your judgment. That makes no sense. Your dad has been dead for almost 10 years. If he left anything behind of any worth, it would have come to you when you turned eighteen. It wouldn’t have come to Bash. He killed your father. He wouldn’t get a dime.”

  “I don’t know how it happened.” Amy said calmly coming to sit down on the sofa beside him. “Randy, you don’t have any siblings, but you do have Josh. If Josh told you a wild story and asked you to trust, him wouldn’t you do it?”

  Randy leaned back into the sofa and sighed, “Josh hasn’t been in prison.”

  Amy stared at him. She didn’t speak, didn’t move. Randy locked eyes with her. “Baby, I love you. I want to believe what Bash says, but my gut tells me he’s gotten in over his head in something nasty.”

  Amy’s eyes dropped to stare at her hands folded neatly in her lap. She leaned back into the sofa and covered her face with her hands. “What are we going to do?” She whispered.

  “When he shows up, let me talk to him.” Randy wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him. “If he needs money, I’ll give him fifty bucks out of my wallet, but he’s not touching that money until I am satisfied it wasn’t acquired illegally.”

  By the time Bash arrived, Amy was upstairs putting Emma down for her afternoon nap. Ran
dy walked out onto the porch as Bash pulled up on the bike. Walking slowly down the steps, Randy met Bash at its base and offered him a glass of lemonade saying, “If you’re not used to the dry Utah air, you can get dehydrated pretty fast.”

  Bash accepted the glass and took a long drink. Randy was right. He had a mild headache from the long hot drive. “Thanks,” Bash offered glancing past him toward the house. “Where’s Amy?”

  Randy moved to sit on the steps, “She’s putting Emma down for a nap.” He gazed expectantly up at Bash and said, “Amy told me about the money.”

  Bash clenched his jaw, “You can hold back the lecture. I don’t need it. The money is legally mine. Half of it is Amy’s. I don’t have to explain it to you. You’re not my dad or my lawyer so back off.”

  Randy glanced at the bike then back at Bash, “You’re right, I’m not your dad. I’m your brother-in-law, the man who loves your sister. Because I love your sister, I’m willing to cut you some slack. However, I’m also a cop. As a cop, I have to wonder how an unemployed twenty-one year old kid managed to get his hands on so much money.”

  “Are you going to arrest me?” Bash snapped at him.

  “I hope not.” Randy answered calmly. “Bash, I can’t help you if you don’t tell me what’s going on?”

  His words, the same words Bash said to Chet shook Bash to his core. Randy noticed his startled expression and added, “You may not believe this, but I’m on your side Bash. If you’re trying to walk away from something, I can help you.”

  Bash shook off the feeling of deja vu and stared intently at Randy. For a brief moment, he was tempted to come clean, but it quickly faded. He’d give him a bone of truth. Moving to sit down beside Randy Bash began, “The money was meant for my dad. An old widow lived next door to us. I remember her. She had white hair and was so tiny and frail. She looked like she was a thousand years old. Dad was always doing odd jobs for her. She didn’t have any kids to help her. Apparently every time he came over and unclogged her toilet or snaked out her plumbing, whatever it was, she would offer to pay him. He always said no. I remember dad laughing about how she was always promising him her husband’s car parked in the garage. He told me when I turned sixteen we’d go over and see what was in there.”

  Bash glanced at Randy. They both knew that day never came. Bash continued, “Apparently she put it in her will. She died a few months ago. The neighbor across the street contacted me. I met the lawyer at her house. It turned out to be a 1969 Dodge Superbee. It was in perfect condition, metallic green with a black leather interior. It was incredible. The lawyer offered me fifty grand for it on the spot, and I took it.”

  Randy stared into the distance listening to Bash’s story. He asked, “What was it like being back home?”

  Bash turned and stared at him for a moment. “I didn’t want to look at the house. I didn’t want to see it.”

  Randy didn’t turn to look at him. “Was someone living there?”

  “Yeah,” Bash answered glancing at Grace’s bike. “It looked good. It had new siding and shutters on the windows. My mom would have liked it.”

  “Was it hard?” Randy asked softly.

  Bash stared hard at the spokes on Grace’s tires. “I came to terms with what happened a long time ago. I did what I had to do to save Amy. Dad got lost after mom died. I think she was the only thing keeping him sober. He wasn’t the same man when he drank. He got mean, real mean. Amy always seemed to be surprised when he came home drunk and started yelling. I think it was because she was so busy trying to fill mom’s shoes. She always seemed to be in his way when he was drunk. I knew, I knew every Friday and Saturday night he’d be drunk. So I made sure I was gone all weekend long. Maybe that was wrong. I don’t know. Maybe I should have stayed home and protected Amy.”

  “You couldn’t protect me, Bash.” Amy’s voice came from behind them. Bash rose and turned to face her as she continued. “You were just a kid. I didn’t want you to see dad like that. He wasn’t the man we knew growing up.” Amy walked down the steps to Bash. Randy rose and backed away to give them space. “Our dad disappeared the day mom died. You did the right thing getting away. I was the one who was wrong. I thought I could change him, bring him back. I thought if I kept the house nice and made dinner for him every night that one day he’d remember how much he loved us, and he’d stop drinking.” Amy’s voice caught in her throat, her eyes filled with tears. “I was wrong. He wasn’t going to change. He was an alcoholic. He was going to kill me that night. If you hadn’t stopped him I’d be dead, and I don’t think he would have stopped with me.”

  Amy rushed into Bash’s arms and clung to him. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly. He wouldn’t let the tears come. They were something from the past. He wasn’t going to cry anymore over what happened that night. “Amy,” he said softly kissing the top of her head. “I know things were hard on you after dad died. I know you tried to get me out of detention. I’m grateful for everything you’ve done for me, including letting me stay with you now.” He released her and looked into her eyes. He knew he had to get free of Pete and start a new life. “I know I’ve made a mess of my life, and I promise you,” He looked beside him at Randy and added, “both of you. I’m going to clean up this mess and never look back.” He looked Amy, “We both need to forget the past. It’s done. It can’t be changed.”

  Randy took a step toward them and nodded, “Bash is right, Amy. You and I have started building a future. It’s time Bash did the same.” Randy looked at Bash and pulled his wallet out of his back pocket. He handed him two fifty dollar bills and added, “Bash, you are not alone. Whatever it is you have to finish I wish you’d let me help you.”

  Bash took the cash from him and said, “Randy, you’re going to have to trust me. It’s better this way.”

  Randy locked eyes with Bash and added, “I understand, but now I need you to understand. If what you’re doing comes to my door, I will deal with it to the full extent of the law and the law doesn’t make exceptions for relatives.”

  Chapter Nine

  Josh gazed across the table at Beth. She smiled at him and then gazed out across the dance floor. Sadie’s on a Sunday night was calm and quiet. The jukebox was playing a lazy county song, and the floor was empty. Beth’s long, dark hair floated across her shoulders as she turned back to face him. Her large green eyes sparkled in the dim light. Josh was amazed at how beautiful she looked in that plain blue t-shirt and jeans. He couldn’t imagine Beth looking more beautiful, even in an evening gown.

  “You want me to ask you to dance?” He said with a smile as their eyes met.

  “Would that be too embarrassing?” She challenged, “I wouldn’t want anyone to think you’d gotten soft.”

  Josh slid out of the seat and offered her his hand, “If dancing to a slow tune with a beautiful, sexy woman is making me soft, then bring it on.”

  Beth allowed him to pull her out onto the dance floor. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he pulled her against him, and they began to sway slowly to the music. The world around them faded slowly away as their eyes met. Beth leaned against Josh allowing her breasts to brush against his chest as they moved. His eyes sparkled with arousal as her hands moved to his shoulders, and she began to kiss his neck.

  “Careful woman or I’ll take you right here on the dance floor.” Josh chuckled and kissed her. He pulled back and reached to caress her bare shoulders when a quick movement caught his eye.

  Josh froze as his eyes shifted toward the door. Joanne dashed toward the exit and slipped quickly through the door. Beth turned to follow Josh’s gaze and saw the door swinging shut behind Joanne. “What is it?” Beth asked gazing at the stone expression on Josh’s face.

  “Joanne,” Josh’s voice was void of emotion.

  **********

  Bash followed Grace into a blue room with padded walls and a three story high ceiling. “Are you sure about this?” He asked glancing down at his ridiculous green nylon jumpsuit that matched Grace
’s.

  “This is going to be awesome.” Grace smiled and let him to a small platform at one side of the room. “Once they turn on the air you jump spread eagle out into the center and off you go.”

  Indoor skydiving sounded crazy, but Grace was into it, so Bash wasn’t about to say no. As they stepped onto the platform, a humming sound turned into a roar and a rush of air burst from the floor in front of them. Grace sprang from the platform. She was quickly caught up in a rush of air and floated up several feet above Bash's head.

  Bash laughed and launched himself beside her. Grace showed him how to open his arms and legs wide to gain height, and then pull them in to dive toward the floor. They rolled and screamed as the air tossed them around. Bash’s only disappointment was that the seventy-dollar experience only lasted a few minutes.

  They stripped off the flight suits and headed deeper into the game center. As Grace pulled Bash from glow in the dark miniature golf to bumper boats and on to the arcade he forgot about Pete and Chet. He forgot about Randy and the money. He forgot about the meth. For the first time since Bash killed his father, he was living in the moment without a care in the world, and it felt good.

  The sky held on to the last trace of sunlight as Grace slipped her hand into Bash’s. The cool night air felt good after the heat of the day. Bash was surprised at how eager he was to get away from the city and back up into the mountains. They walked across the parking lot as cars searched for spots to begin their night at the gaming center. Grace reached up and smoothed back his golden hair. “I like you Bash,” she said softly, “You’re so much fun.”

  Bash pulled her closer and slid his arm about her shoulders. “I like you too Grace. I can relax with you.”

  Grace blushed and added, “About last night…”

  “Grace,” Bash interrupted, “I like spending time with you. Let’s just leave it at that. I won’t force you to do something you’re not ready for.”