by Sharon Sala
Sam smiled. “With strawberries, right?”
Jade could tell that, for Sam, the connection between them was much stronger. But he had the memories of a father for his child.
“Something else I always ate, right?”
He laughed. “Mostly it was something I always ate. You sat in my lap and picked the strawberries off of my waffle, as well as your own.”
“Uh, I think I’m too big to sit in your lap, but not to steal strawberries,” she added.
“I’ll be on my guard,” Sam said. “Take your time with your shower. You deserve a little pampering.”
He was gone before she could answer, leaving her alone in the room she’d slept in as a child. She started to get up, then impulsively rolled over on her side, curled her knees up toward her chest and pulled the blanket beneath her chin.
There was sunlight coming through a part in the curtains. She closed her eyes and, as she did, imagined she could hear her mother’s footsteps coming down the hall. Jade pulled the blanket over her head just as she’d done the night that Margaret had taken her away. In the haste to escape, the blanket had been left behind. In that moment, Jade wished with every fiber of her being that she’d been left with it.
From the time the woman and the old man had gotten out of the car, Johnny Newton had had the back of her head in the cross-hairs of his rifle. All he would have had to do was pull the trigger and it would be over. But there was no challenge in spilling gray matter onto concrete and grass, at least not until the victim saw his face. He wanted to see their fear and the knowing in their eyes that their time was up. It was why he did what he did, which meant that a quick bullet through Jade Cochrane’s brain wasn’t going to do it for him. Besides, his first target had to be the man. He’d followed them to the hospital yesterday. It had been easy to learn the identity of the man in the quarantine ward, but not so easy to get inside. He’d had to reassess his plans as to how to get rid of the son-of-a-bitch, although it was his personal opinion that if Big Frank would just bide his time, the man would die on his own. But Johnny didn’t get paid for his opinions, only the fruits of his labors.
So he followed Jade’s progress into the house through the telescopic sight on his rifle. When the door closed, he laid down the rifle, then leaned back in his chair and masturbated. The ritual was an old one, related to power and control, and was Johnny Newton’s only weakness. He would never have admitted to having a sexual addiction, but it was true. Every time he played God by toying with the time and date of a person’s demise, he followed it up by giving himself the ultimate high.
Right in the middle of his orgasm, his cell phone began to ring.
Big Frank expected to hear a hello, not some gut-wrenching groan.
“Hello? Hello? Newton, is that you?”
Still trembling from his sexual release, Johnny glanced down at the phone number displayed on the caller ID screen and knew it was Lawson.
Big Frank cursed. “Damn it, Newton, talk to me. Why haven’t I heard from you? I’m not paying you all that money for nothing.”
The rebuke pissed Johnny off. His parents had always yelled at him. He hadn’t liked it then. He didn’t like it now.
“Don’t ever call me again,” Johnny said. “You’ll know what you need to know when it’s over and not before.”
Then he disconnected. As he turned off the phone, it occurred to him that if by chance he should get killed, there would be no way for anyone to know who’d hired him. And Johnny, being the man that he was, was always ready to shift the blame. Still weak from the climax, he crawled to his feet and dug through a desk drawer for a pen and some paper. He wrote down Frank Lawson’s name, then his cell phone number beneath it, and stuck it in his wallet.
Jade had spent longer in her old bedroom than she’d intended, so she hurried back to her room, then went through her shower, suddenly anxious that she’d left Raphael alone too long. She towel-dried quickly, brushed out her hair, then fastened it at the back of her neck with a large tortoiseshell clip. She was stunned by the assortment of new clothes in her closet. It was more than she’d ever had in her life, but lingering over the soft, colorful fabrics and styles was a luxury she didn’t have.
Choosing a blue short-sleeved shirt and a pair of white, cotton pants, she dressed quickly, then stepped into a pair of gold sandals. As she started out the door, she remembered her purse and ran back to the bed, where she’d tossed it earlier. While Sam had given her a half-dozen new ones in various colors, she’d chosen to keep the old beaded one that Raphael had given her years ago. It was her way of reminding herself of where she’d come from and what she’d survived.
She found Sam in the dining room, reading the morning paper. He gave her an appreciative smile as she entered the room.
“Darling…you look beautiful. I hope you brought an appetite.”
She glanced at the food on the warming trays on the sideboard and was surprised when her tummy growled.
“Yes, I believe I did,” she said.
“Then help yourself,” he said. “I’m right behind you.”
The doorbell rang just as Jade was spooning an extra helping of strawberries onto her waffle. Sam glanced at his watch and then frowned. It was just after eight-thirty. In his opinion, a little early for callers. A few moments later, Luke entered the dining room with an apology on his lips. Jade’s presence took him by surprise.
“Uh…Jade. I didn’t know you’d be here.”
“I came home to clean up and change clothes.”
Luke nodded, while frantically searching for something else to say. Sam saved him by inviting him to eat.
“Luke, have you had breakfast?” Sam asked.
“Yes, thanks.”
“Then have some coffee with us while we eat.”
Luke poured himself a cup of coffee. Sam was sitting at the head of the table, Jade on his left. Luke took the seat on his right, which was directly across the table from Jade. He didn’t think he’d ever seen such a beautiful sight.
Sam could tell Luke was taken with his daughter. Hiding his delight, he took a couple of bites of his food to give Luke time to remember why he’d come.
Suddenly Jade felt awkward and clumsy. She fiddled with the napkin in her lap and then speared a thin slice of strawberry, hoping it didn’t fall in her lap before she got it to her mouth. The last time she’d shared a meal with Luke Kelly, she’d spilled her guts about the sins of her past. Now she didn’t know whether to be humiliated or relieved.
Luke saw the flush on her cheeks and knew she was embarrassed. Then he sighed. Hell, if the truth were known, he was the one who should be embarrassed for what he was thinking.
Finally he remembered why he was there.
“Hey, Sam, you were right about the Dawson Company.”
Sam’s attention quickly focused from matters of the heart, to business. The Dawson Company made valves. When he’d acquired the company, they’d been operating in the red for two years. Within nine months, he had pulled them from the verge of bankruptcy to showing a profit. And even though they were now running in the black, he didn’t trust the general manager.
“It’s Kilmer, isn’t it?” Sam asked.
Luke nodded. “Yeah, he’s taking kickbacks, but even worse, he’s selling you out. The last two jobs that you lost with NASA were because he tipped off your competition as to the amounts of your bids.”
“The bastard,” Sam muttered, then remembered Jade was at the table. “Sorry, honey. I shouldn’t have used that kind of language in your presence.”
Jade almost laughed. If he only knew what she’d seen and heard in her lifetime, he would have refused to sit at the same table with her.
“Trust me,” she said lightly. “I’ve heard worse.”
Sam looked a bit startled, then nodded. “Of course you have. I just wasn’t thinking, but it doesn’t mean you ever have to hear it again. I’m still sorry, okay?”
“Okay,” Jade said.
Sam glanced at h
is watch. “It’s ten o’clock Eastern Standard Time. I should be able to catch him in the office about now.” Then he turned to Jade. “Dear, will you please excuse me? I need to tend to this now before we lose another bid.”
“Sure. Don’t worry about me. I can always catch a cab back to the hospital.”
“I’m on my way back to the office,” Luke said. “I’d be happy to give you a ride.”
“That’s settled, then,” Sam said, and got up from the table, giving his half-eaten breakfast a regretful look. “I guess you’re going to get my strawberries again after all.” He hurried from the room, anxious to confront the man who was selling him out.
Jade waved a goodbye, then glanced down at her plate. Thanks to Luke’s unexpected arrival, she hadn’t even eaten her own.
“That looks awfully good. Aren’t you hungry?” Luke asked.
“I was,” Jade said.
Luke sighed. “Please don’t.”
“Don’t what?” she asked.
“Don’t put any more walls up between us. Friends aren’t supposed to have to climb walls just to say hello.”
“I don’t know how to have a friend, let alone be one,” Jade muttered.
“You were doing all right yesterday.”
She glanced up, looking to see if he was being sarcastic. He was not.
“Yesterday was yesterday.”
He shrugged. “And today is today. So, like I said…the waffles look good. Aren’t you hungry?”
“Yes, actually, I am.
“Then dig in,” Luke said.
Jade forked a big bite of waffle, speared a strawberry on the end of the tines, then poked it in her mouth.
“Mmm,” she said.
Luke watched as the tip of her tongue slid across the surface of her lips for the sprinkle of powdered sugar that she’d dropped, then reached for his coffee cup. He had to have somewhere to put his hands besides on her or he might very well lose his mind.
Thirteen
Jade was finishing her breakfast when she remembered something she’d wanted to do.
“The mall is on our way to the hospital, isn’t it?”
Luke nodded as he finished his last drink of coffee.
“Could we stop there on our way? I want to get some warm socks for Raphael. His feet always feel cold.”
“Absolutely,” Luke said.
Then Sam came back into the room. “Shelly Hudson called. She wanted me to tell you that she’s still thinking of you, and that if you need her for anything, you just have to call.”
“She’s a very nice lady,” Jade said.
“Yes, she is. She used to baby-sit for Margaret and me sometimes.”
“With me?” Jade asked.
Sam nodded. “From the time you were born until you disappeared.”
Jade looked startled. “Good grief…she’s changed my diapers.”
Both men burst out laughing as Jade blushed.
“So laugh,” she said. “It’s a bit daunting.”
Then Sam remembered something and pointed at Jade.
“Wait! Don’t leave yet. I have something for you,” he said, and hurried out of the room. He was back moments later with a pad of checks and a debit card. “Here, honey…I’ve been meaning to give these to you and kept forgetting.”
“What are these?” Jade asked.
Sam sat down beside her and put his arm around her shoulders.
“Temporary checks for the checking account I opened for you. Also, this is an extra debit card from my account. Use it until your own card comes in the mail. Five thousand dollars will be deposited each month in your account, so don’t worry about running low.”
Jade’s mouth dropped. Five thousand dollars? Each month? She’d never had that much in one year in her life. She kept looking down at the checkbook, then back up at Sam. Finally she shook her head in disbelief.
“Sam…I don’t know what to say. I still have a little money from the last art show. You must know that I didn’t expect this.”
Sam shook his head and then smiled. “Bless your heart, honey. I know I don’t have to, but I want to, understand?”
She glanced at Luke. He was eating the last bites of waffle that she’d left on her plate.
“Well, you’re no help,” she muttered.
He looked up and then grinned. “What am I supposed to do? Unless Sam wants to adopt me, I’m afraid I’m out of this loop.”
There was a small drop of strawberry juice on the edge of his mouth. Jade stared at it, then at the curve of his bottom lip, until her face felt hot.
Since it was obvious that Luke was full of silliness, she was going to have to face this alone.
“I’ve never taken charity from anyone in my life.”
Sam frowned. “It isn’t charity, darling. You’re my daughter. It’s rightfully yours as much as mine.”
Jade fingered the checkbook cover, then opened it up.
“I’ve never written a check before.” Then she sighed. “Truth is, I’ve never had enough money at one time to even open a checking account. We moved around so much, it didn’t seem wise.”
Sam hoped he didn’t look as startled as he felt.
“I’m sorry. Obviously I wasn’t thinking or I might have realized that. I don’t suppose you have a driver’s license, or any other form of picture identification, like an old school ID or something of the sort?”
“Driver’s license? I can’t drive, Sam. What would I have learned on? As for a school ID, I’m afraid I’ve never been in school…or at least a real school, like other kids.”
“Never?” Luke asked. “Then how did you learn to read or count money or—”
“There was a woman in the People of Joy who’d once been a teacher. Solomon made her hold classes for all the children within the group. It wasn’t constant, and there were lots of times when she was too stoned to come to class, but I learned what I learned. The rest came after we ran away. Raphael is smart…really smart. He taught me a lot—about everything. He can do…I mean he would have been able to do anything.”
She felt sick to her stomach, guilty that, for a time, she’d almost forgotten Raphael’s fate.
Luke’s expression was somewhere between dismay and anger. Again he thought of what he would like to do to this Solomon character as Sam tried to smooth things over.
“Don’t fret. We’ll tend to all of that another day, so for the time being, don’t worry about writing any checks. Just use your debit card. It’s like cash. Luke will show you how it’s done. You’ll catch on in no time. Oh, yes…there’s a pin number that goes with that. It’s 7373. Luke, do you have time to take her to an ATM and show her how it works?”
“Absolutely,” Luke said.
Jade’s head was spinning as she repeated the pin number. Having money was more complicated than she’d thought.
“7373.” Then she frowned. “But what if I forget it?”
Sam smiled. “It should be easy for you to remember. It’s your birthday.”
“My birthday is in July?”
For Luke, it was the last straw.
“Son-of-a-bitch,” he muttered, and stalked out of the room.
Sam was stunned. “You didn’t know your own birthday?”
“I guess I might have at one time, before Mother died, but if I did, I’ve forgotten it.”
“We used to have the best parties,” Sam said, and then he slapped the table with the flat of his hand. “And, by God, we will again! Go on with you now. Luke’s probably waiting in the car.”
Jade dropped the checkbook and debit card into her purse and got up from the table; then Sam walked her to the door. Just as they reached the foyer, she turned around and gave him a hug. Then, before he could say something that would rattle her even more, she ran out the door.
Luke was sitting on the front steps. He stood as she came out, then held out his hand. To his surprise, she took it and let him lead her down the steps to the car.
“Buckle up,” he said, as he seated
her in the car.
She reached for the seat belt as Luke circled the car and then slid behind the wheel. Even after they were both buckled in and ready to go, Luke still sat, staring blindly out the windshield.
“Luke?”
He jerked, as if coming out of a trance, then started the car but left it in Park.
“Jade, sometimes you just about break my heart. I hope to God that one day you’ll let somebody love you the way you deserved to be loved.”
She couldn’t look at him for fear that he would see how badly she wanted that to happen, but she had to say what she was thinking.
“What if I’m not able to give that kind of love back?”
He looked at her then, his voice thick with emotion.
“It’s in you, honey. You just need to trust enough to let it go.”
“What if that never happens?”
“It will—when you’re ready,” Luke said, then put the car in gear and drove off.
Johnny Newton was dressed and sitting in his car. From where he was parked, he could see who came and went at the Cochrane home, although he could not be seen. He watched as a younger man came out of the house with Jade Cochrane, then waited as they got into a dark red sports car, then waited some more while they had some kind of conversation. He picked up a pair of binoculars from the seat beside him, training it on their faces, and watched as their expressions ran the scale of emotions.
“I think he wants to fuck you, baby,” Johnny said, and made a mental note to learn how to read lips. Then he shifted the view to Jade’s face and whistled softly between his teeth. “Sweet…you’d almost be worth taking the time to do it right.”
As soon as the car started to move, Johnny dropped the binoculars onto the seat beside him and put his car in gear. He counted to three, then started down the driveway just in time to see the red car turning the corner up the block. Taking care not to be noticed, he began to follow. He had made no plans to take Jade Cochrane out today, but he’d figured out how to do Raphael. Trouble was, they never left the poor bastard alone. Someone was with him in that isolation room all the time, and Johnny liked privacy when he worked. But he was also getting bored and figured that if the opportunity presented itself, he would take the chance. It might be interesting to see just how close he could get to her without alerting her that she’d become a target. The more he thought about it, the more excited he became. And because he was thinking about how easily her soft flesh would yield to a knife, he got careless. Had he known that the man with Jade Cochrane was an ex-cop with his own private security business, it might have made him think twice about what he was doing. But he didn’t, and because he liked to play close to the edge, he got himself made.
