Bittersweet

by Francine Pascal

  “Not a chance,” Liam said, and moved in front of her, blocking her way to the exit.

  Clutching her baby boy, Jessica’s thoughts instantly flew to all those horrible news stories about mothers and their children killed by husbands or ex-boyfriends, men who lost their minds in jealous rages. Were Jessica and Jake about to become another headline?

  She sent up a little prayer as she clutched Jake to her.

  Please, God, no.

  Chapter Nine

  Clutching Jake to her, Jessica took a slow breath as she watched Liam seething on the other side of the kitchen. Jessica’s attempt to end things with Liam had backfired. He was furious and, Jessica realized, very likely dangerous. And she and Jake could be at his mercy.

  Calm him down, she thought. Talk him back from the ledge. You can do this.

  Jessica took three deep breaths and pulled up a calm face, hoping it didn’t look as false as it was. “Liam, let’s talk this through.”

  “I don’t feel like talking,” Liam ground out, his eyes still ablaze with fury.

  “Liam, I’m sorry. Let me just get Jake’s mac and cheese and we’ll work this all out. I promise.” Liam’s face softened a bit. Jessica, still holding Jake on her hip, moved through the kitchen quickly under Liam’s watchful eyes. She popped the instant mac and cheese in the microwave, then tucked Jake into his booster seat at the table. In seconds, he was devouring his lunch.

  Jessica glanced at the front windows, thinking, Where is Liza? Liam had told her to go for lunch more than forty minutes ago. Maybe even close to an hour. Surely, she had to be back soon.

  All I have to do is keep Liam calm until then.

  With Jake happily eating in the dining room, Jessica moved back to the kitchen, where Liam was leaning, arms crossed, against the refrigerator.

  “You can’t break up with me,” he growled. “I won’t let you.”

  “Liam,” Jessica began. “Look, all I need is a little break, okay? Let me organize my life and then…”

  “You had no right to lead me on.” Liam’s voice belied a level of hostility Jessica had never heard before. His eyes were flat and cold, like stone.

  The hairs on the back of Jessica’s neck rose a little as she realized that Liam might be capable of something seriously violent. Liam stood wearing his black T-shirt and dark-wash jeans, his muscles tensed, like a cobra ready to strike.

  But she might still be able to calm him with the right words.

  “I didn’t lead you on, Liam,” Jessica said, trying to soften her words with a soothing voice. “But if you thought I did, I am very sorry. I never wanted to hurt you. I need you.”

  Liam scoffed, a rough, doubting sound at the back of his throat.

  “I just need a little more time, okay?” Jessica offered. She decided she’d say anything to get him to calm down and to leave. She moved a little closer to him. “I’m in the middle of a divorce. I need to work through this before I can really give you what you want. But once I’m free—truly free—then we can be together. Just like you want. There won’t be anything standing in our way then. I can be focused on you and not distracted by the divorce and everything else in my life. Think about that! After this craziness is behind me, we can really be together. Maybe even take a trip. Wouldn’t that be nice?”

  “No.” Liam shook his head slowly. His blue eyes were cold, and the chill reached her, too. She’d almost rather see anger there than this dead nothingness. The eerie calm scared her even more than his show of temper.

  She glanced at the clock. Where was Liza?

  “I want to be together now.” Liam’s voice was monotone and lacking real emotion.

  “Hey, I have an idea,” Jessica said, grasping at another tactic. “As soon as Liza gets back, I’ll head to the office, clean up the loose ends at work, and we can have dinner tonight. You and me. We’ll talk about everything. We can fix this.”

  Liam shook his head slowly. He didn’t buy it for even a second, and the quickness with which he dismissed her idea frightened Jessica a little. He wasn’t budging. Not even an inch.

  “No,” he said. “I told Liza she could take the whole afternoon off.”

  “What! But you said just for lunch.”

  “I lied.”

  Jessica felt anger and indignation bubble up. How dare he? But she quickly swallowed it. Showing her anger was too dangerous now. Jessica felt the room spin. The idea of Liza as her savior quickly vanished. This meant Jessica was truly and completely on her own. No one was coming to save her from Liam. It was just her and Liam and Jake, innocent Jake, happily eating his lunch of mac and cheese in the next room, blissfully unaware of the danger.

  Jessica realized this situation was spinning out of control quickly. She needed to change the dynamic and quickly. She needed to get Jake safely somewhere.

  “Hey, that was a good idea,” she said brightly, flashing Liam a smile she hoped looked real. “With Liza off, and since we’re all together, why don’t we go to the park after lunch? Just the three of us?”

  The neighborhood park was always overrun with kids—and their parents or nannies—at this time of day. If she could just get out in public, she might be able to diffuse whatever was going on with Liam. And if not, she could get help. Plus, there was a fire station right across from the park. If need be, she could take Jake there to be safe. She doubted Liam could be any match for six or seven firefighters. The thought calmed her.

  “No.” Liam shook his head calmly. “Let’s stay here instead.”

  “But it’s a beautiful day. Jake would love to get out, and so would I!”

  “This is Sweet Valley, California. Every day is a beautiful day.” Liam’s dead calm rattled Jessica more than anything else could. “We’ll do the park another day.”

  Jessica glanced at the clock. She’d been gone from work much longer than a normal lunch. People in the office would notice.

  “Okay, well, while we figure out a plan for this afternoon, I need to call Emily at work, let her know I won’t be back this afternoon.”

  Jessica glanced casually around the kitchen. Where had she left her phone? In the living room, she remembered, where she’d put her purse down by the TV when she’d turned it on for Jake. She needed to get closer to that phone.

  “Let me just get my phone and I’ll call Emily.”

  Liam stepped in front of her, blocking the way to the living room.

  “Emily hates you. Why would you call her?”

  “Tracy, then. My boss.”

  “She hates you, too. Why would she care?”

  “I…” Jessica thought fast. “I have a meeting at three. I need to call and tell them I won’t be there.”

  “They’ll figure it out when you don’t show.” Liam’s face was hard and immovable, like granite.

  “I have to call. I’ll be fired.”

  “From all you’ve told me, you’re probably going to be fired anyway.”

  That last part stung. He was right, but still.

  “I need this job, Liam,” Jessica said.

  “No, you don’t, Jessica. I told you. I have more than enough money for us. And that job is getting in the way of us. We’re more important than any stupid job.”

  Jessica was beginning to feel a little bit clammy. Every new tactic she tried, Liam wasn’t having. He was just twisting everything she said. It all came right back to him possessing her.

  It scared Jessica. Her heart pounded in her chest. Cold sweat broke out at the small of her back. She felt trapped like a rat in a maze, and no matter where she turned, she couldn’t find her way out.

  “Okay, so I won’t call work,” Jessica said. “But Todd’s coming this afternoon to see Jake.”

  “It’s not his day,” Liam said. “I checked.”

  “How do you know that?” Jessica couldn’t hide her suspicion.

  “I called the Tribune. He’s covering basketball practice, checking up on that injured player. He’s probably at the arena right now. And after, there’s
the game to cover.”

  Jessica felt her heart sink. Liam knew far, far too much about her life. He’s a stalker! Elizabeth had said it. And she was right.

  Jessica glanced at Liam’s hands and pockets. Did he have a weapon? Surely not. He put one hand in his pocket and pulled out his cell phone, which he plunked on the counter. Otherwise, his hands were empty and his pockets seemed flat. She glanced over at the carving knives sitting in the wooden block behind him. He could easily get one, she thought.

  Jessica suddenly felt very exposed and very vulnerable. Liam was a big man, tall and broad and nearly all muscle. She probably wouldn’t be able to fight him off, if it came to that. And with Jake here, she had zero chance of winning. She realized the hopelessness of what could happen. She wouldn’t be able to protect herself or Jake.

  She only had one chance: to keep talking.

  “Liam, I know we have issues to work out, and we will, I promise.” Jessica’s hands were trembling. She quickly crossed her arms across her chest, tucking her hands in.

  “Jessica,” Liam began, taking a step closer. Jessica froze. “I don’t want you to be afraid of me.”

  “I’m not,” Jessica lied quickly. She wasn’t quite able to reach his eyes.

  “Jessica, I love you. You know that.”

  “I know, but, Liam, you’re making me uncomfortable.” Maybe honesty was the best policy at this point. Maybe if he could see that he was scaring her, he’d back off. If he really loved her, he’d not want to hurt her, right? Jessica felt a tiny burst of hope. Maybe this was her way out.

  “Yes, but can’t you see how uncomfortable you made me going out with other guys? Like Cal and Michael?”

  She felt a cold shiver run down the length of her spine. Keep talking, she told herself.

  “Look, Liam, those dates didn’t mean anything.”

  “Don’t lie to me, Jessica.” Menace laced Liam’s voice. “I saw you.”

  “What do you want?” Jessica was desperate. She couldn’t keep the note of fear out of her voice.

  Liam’s mouth settled in a thin line of determination. “I want what we had that night in the hotel room.”

  “What do you mean?” Jessica asked, but she already knew.

  “I want you to make love to me. The way you did in that hotel room. I want to have you again like I did that night.”

  Jessica swallowed, her throat suddenly dry. “It’s not possible,” she whispered. “Jake is here.”

  Liam glanced up at the kitchen clock. “It’s nearly his nap time. I know he naps every day around now.”

  Jessica started. “How do you know that?” her voice was low.

  “You know how.” Liam met Jessica’s eyes, and then she knew for sure. Liam had been stalking her—not just following her, but tracking Jake as well. Did he stake out her house even when she wasn’t there? Had he been watching Liza and Jake? The thought made Jessica nauseous. “I told you I know everything about you. Everything you care about, I know about. Everything.”

  Before this moment, Jessica had been nervous—anxious, even, but now she was scared. She felt the tingling sensation of panic shiver down her spine. Liam was dangerous. He was unbalanced. He was crazy.

  Sane people didn’t stalk their girlfriend’s son and nanny. Sane people didn’t sabotage their girlfriend’s friendships.

  Liam had gone too far.

  Jessica glanced over to the living room, where she thought she’d left her cell phone. She didn’t see it, either on the coffee table or near the DVR. Where was it? She needed that phone. She saw Liam’s on the counter, but he was right by it. No way could she get to it.

  “Okay, you’re right,” Jessica said, trying to be calm. “Let me put Jake down for a nap. Then we can talk.”

  Jessica walked into the dining room, trying not to run. Jake had finished his mac and cheese. At least a third of it was on his shirt and the floor.

  She scooped Jake up, hardly even caring that a smudge of mac and cheese got on her shirt. “Let’s clean you up,” she said, and took him to his room. She wanted to get him as far away from Liam as soon as possible. She climbed the stairs.

  The happy Thomas the Train decal on Jake’s wall met her with its usual smile as she walked into Jake’s room. She grabbed some wet wipes from a container on his shelf and busied herself cleaning his face and hands. Her own fingers shook.

  What am I going to do?

  “Nap time,” she said to Jake.

  “Ap!” Jake repeated.

  “Time to lie down,” she told him. She hoped he wouldn’t fuss. She had no idea how Liam would react if Jake made a scene. It might just push him over the edge. “Time to be quiet, sweetie.”

  Jessica put Jake in his crib. He sat there quietly. He knew the routine. Some days, though, he didn’t like to nap and let her know it. Thankfully, today he didn’t seem to mind. In fact, he seemed to want to play with one of the pockets of his overalls. He probably had a Thomas the Tank Engine stashed there. She decided to let him have whatever it was. Anything to keep the peace, because today his life might just be at stake.

  “Sweet dreams,” Jessica said, backing out of the room. As she went, she noticed the baby nail scissors sitting on the top of the bureau. They weren’t much of a weapon, but something was better than nothing. She grabbed them and put them in her pocket and then closed the door behind her.

  As soon as the door shut, Jake pulled out the toy he’d been hiding in his pocket: Jessica’s phone.

  He knew she was always using it, and therefore, it was his favorite thing to swipe. Whenever she left it anywhere in his reach, he would take it.

  As he held it in his hands, it began to vibrate.

  “Mine!” he cried, as he touched the screen, answering the call. He’d seen his mom do this a million times. It was a piece of cake.

  “Hello? Jessica?” Jake heard his father’s voice.

  “Hi!” he squealed. “Hi! Hi! Hi!”

  “Jake?” came Todd’s hesitant voice.

  “Jake! Jake! Jake!” the little boy mimicked. “Jake has a new toy!”

  “Jake, where’s your mom?” Todd asked.

  Jake ignored the question. He was far too excited to have his mother’s phone. “Jake has a new toy! Jake doesn’t like the toy man.”

  “Who?” asked Todd.

  “The toy man! He’s scary. The toy man is scary!”

  “You mean Liam? Is Liam there?”

  “I don’t like the toy man.”

  “Jake, can you put your mom on the phone? Where is she? Is she with Liam?”

  “Bye-bye!” Jake clicked the front of the phone, hanging up.

  “Wait!” Todd cried, but it was too late. The line went dead. Todd tried calling back, but Jake didn’t answer. The call went straight to voice mail.

  At the stadium where he was covering the basketball practice, Todd looked at the phone in his hand. He felt his annoyance rise. He’d specifically asked Jessica not to have Liam over when Jake was there. She was free to see whomever she wanted when Jake was with Liza or him, but he’d warned Jessica that Jake was afraid of Liam. Now here was Jake, clearly unsupervised with Jessica’s phone, while she and Liam were doing God knows what.

  Todd could only imagine them kissing or cuddling or something far worse while Jake, his two-year-old son, was left loose to run through the house. What was Jessica thinking? What if she and Liam were having sex? Right now? In the house with Jake there?

  He tried to call again, but again the phone went straight to voice mail. Todd grabbed his laptop bag. He had a couple of hours before the game started. The new stadium was actually much closer to Sweet Valley than the old one. He could get to the town house and back in plenty of time.

  He only got angrier as he strode out into the bright sunlight of the parking lot. How could she do something so careless? She was about to get the surprise of her life. And Liam, too. He was going to give both of them a piece of his mind.

  Chapter Ten

  “I don’t have anythi
ng to say to you,” Mona said to Elizabeth as she crossed her arms defiantly across her chest.

  “Yes, you do.” Elizabeth shut the door behind her. “Come on, sit down.”

  Mona backed into the living room but didn’t sit down. She glared at Elizabeth.

  “I don’t care what you think, you know. I’m not talking.” Mona shook her head.

  Elizabeth realized she wasn’t going to get the answers she wanted by playing it straight. She had to shock Mona into telling the truth.

  “Well, if you don’t talk to me, you’ll have to talk to the police,” Elizabeth said.

  “I don’t think so.”

  “You’re wrong. The real reason I’m here is that the true Robin Platt, Robert Platt as you know him, has been murdered. And you’re the prime suspect.”

  Shock temporarily silenced Mona. She was genuinely stunned.

  “No! Never! I’d never hurt Robin. I haven’t seen her since I left Richmond, I swear. I’d never hurt her…. She was my friend. I really liked her. She was great. And she was talented and wonderful.” Mona’s knees gave way and she sank into the couch. “I only took her name, I swear.”

  “I don’t believe you. And I doubt the police would, either, with your record of addiction.”

  “But it’s not true! Yes, I have a drug problem, but that doesn’t have anything to do with anything.” Mona sounded desperate, trapped, and then trying to please Elizabeth, to get her on her side. “Look, I’m sorry about Bruce and everything. I didn’t want to hurt anybody. I really didn’t. Rick Warner, it was his fault. I had no choice. He was blackmailing me.”

  “How?”

  “He caught me stealing. He knew about my drug problem. He threatened to send me to jail for embezzlement and for the drugs unless…”

  “Unless what?”

  Mona swallowed, her eyes brimming with tears. “Unless I went along with his plan to accuse Bruce Patman of attempted rape.”

  “Did he say why Bruce?”

  “He said something about a land deal. Something about getting Bruce off the board of his company so the other board members might sell the land to him.”

  “So how did you do it? How did you set up Bruce?”