Freedom

by Mary Crawford

  “Still, it was a refreshing change not to have people stare at me when I do odd things. I'm just sad your brother cast a dark shadow over our night.”

  “Relax, Phoenix. You didn’t come across as odd at all. You fit right in with everyone. But, I’m with you about Vincent. I can’t believe we’re clear across the United States and he can still frighten me. He has so much power and I hate how helpless I feel. I can’t imagine what it's like for Katie.”

  Phoenix reaches out and grabs my hands as he rests them between us on the bed. We look like we are about to play some elaborate game of patty cake or cats in the cradle.

  “If this was a computer glitch, I'd know how to fix it. I'm frustrated because I don’t know what the right answer is. I feel like driving over to Eastern Oregon and hiding you in the middle of nowhere so your brother can’t locate us. The idea that no one knows where he’s at keeps me awake at night.”

  My lips curl up in a grim smile. “Welcome to the club. I don’t think I’ve had a great night sleep since before Katie and Vincent were supposed to get married.”

  “So what are you going to do?” Phoenix asks as he reaches out to brush some hair out of my eyes.

  I sigh. “I don’t have any great ideas. If I run away from my job, he wins. I love working at Hope’s Haven. It’s always felt like home — even before it literally became my home.”

  Emotion clouds Phoenix’s face. He swallows hard. “So, do you mean you don’t want me to take the promotion?”

  “No! I didn't mean —” I interrupt.

  Phoenix holds up his hand to stop me from talking. “I didn’t have a chance to tell you — I told Jameson.”

  “Told Jameson what?” I ask with trepidation.

  “I leveled with him about my concerns regarding my Asperger’s syndrome.”

  I squeeze Phoenix’s hands as I ask, “Yeah? Good for you. So … what did he say?”

  “He basically said he would work around my issues. The conversation went far better than I could have ever expected. I never figured he would make me feel so normal after I told him about all the things I struggle with.”

  I shrug. “I know how you feel. I felt the same way when I started working for Jessica and Mitch. The difference was night and day.”

  Phoenix rakes his hand through his hair. “This is so messed up.”

  “Messed up?” I ask feeling stung by his response.

  “Yeah, it seems that way to me. The best thing to ever happen to my career might cost me you. I’m not sure if I’m willing to pay such a high price — even if the job is tailor-made for me.”

  “I don’t want you to sacrifice your promotion to make me happy,” I protest.

  “If I don’t, I would be asking you to give up your job for me. You told me over and over how working for Mitch and Jess has changed your life. Is it fair for me drag you away from your home and friends?”

  “Life is rarely fair. I learned that lesson a long time ago.”

  “I wish we could come up with a solution which would make everyone happy.”

  “I don’t think those kind of endings ever happen in real life. I think people just deal the best they can with what they’ve been given,” I comment as I lean forward and put my arms around his neck. “I wish there were easy answers. I like having you in my life.”

  Phoenix places his arms around me and gives me a tight hug. I marvel about how far we’ve come in a few weeks. When I met him, he didn't feel comfortable shaking my hand. Now we are like two pieces of a very complicated puzzle.

  Breaking off the hug, Phoenix pushes Bruiser off the pillow as he shimmies up the bed and rests against the headboard. He pats the bed beside him. I join him and rest my head against his bare chest. “Just so you know, I like having you in my life. It’s becoming harder to imagine my life without you in it.”

  “I’m glad,” I whisper into his chest. “I hereby give up swearing off men. You are the best man I know. I’m glad we were able to rescue each other while you were rescuing Bruiser.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  PHOENIX

  I HEAR A SIGH OF contentment and then realize it came from me. Bruiser lifts his head off my lap to see if I need something. I stroke his ears and he drifts off to sleep as I continue to work on the crossword puzzle and eat my Cheerios.

  Zoe is sketching us on a pad using a pencil and charcoal. I didn’t know she likes to draw — but she’s great at it. I glance up and smile at her.

  She grins. “I gotta tell you, Mr. Wolf you are gorgeous when you let loose with a smile.”

  I blush. “I hope I’m still smiling after I meet with Jameson today. I don’t know what I’m going to tell him. I want the job, but I don’t want to lose you in the process.”

  Zoe looks crestfallen. “I know. I thought about this all night. I’m still not sure what the right answer is.”

  “I do know if it’s a question of right or wrong —” I say as my phone rings interrupting the quiet atmosphere of our hotel room.

  I answer the phone, “Phoenix Wolf, can I help you?”

  “Hey Phoenix, this is Jameson. Sorry to interrupt you so early, but I need you to come into Identity Bank West as soon as possible. Bring your luggage and the rest of your belongings.”

  “Can you tell me why?” I ask.

  “There’s been a development in Vincent Hurlington’s case.”

  “Please tell me they found the jerk —”

  “Sorry. As far as I know, there’s nothing new there. But, the news filtered down to us. I guess other people have known for a while — but we just got the message. I’ll tell you more when you get here.” My phone goes dead in my hand.

  I’m still holding it as I try to figure out what the development means. Zoe and Bruiser notice my distress at about the same time. Zoe puts away her tablet and charcoals, brushes off her hands and comes over to me. She climbs in bed and joins me. She is careful not to spill what’s left of the milk in my Cheerios.

  “You gonna tell me what your call was about?”

  “We need to pack up and leave ASAP.”

  “Why? I thought we weren’t leaving for a couple more days.”

  “All I know is that it has something to do with your brother — but not about his escape— and we need to get back to Identity Bank West as soon as possible with all of our stuff.”

  “Oh NO! I wonder what it could be?” Zoe scrambles off the bed and starts to throw things in the suitcase. “You know, I’m really pissed at him. He seems to intrude every time you and I are having a great time.”

  “I know. But hopefully this means it’ll be over soon. Maybe they’re hot on his trail.”

  When we reach the offices of Identity Bank West, Kendall greets us there and takes the bags from our hands. She loads them in Jameson’s rig.

  “What are you doing?” I ask, a little put off by her presumptive move.

  “I’m taking you guys to the airport. Jameson will return your rental car. Trust me you don’t have time to mess with all that.”

  Jameson comes out the door with his keys in his hand. “Sorry about this, but there was a lapse in communication. We need to get you to the airport or you’re going to miss your flight.”

  “Why do we need to take a flight today?” Zoe asks insistently.

  Jameson starts the car up and waits for us to get in. After we have our seatbelts on, he backed out of the driveway. “I’m sorry to have to tell you this on the run, but the judge has ordered a trial in absentia. I guess the case will continue whether your brother is there or not. It starts back up again bright and early tomorrow morning.”

  “Why wouldn’t the prosecutor tell us this?” I ask.

  Jameson shrugs. “If I were to guess, I’d say they probably sent you a letter via snail mail which is likely piling up in your mailbox. Someone obviously forgot to call you. Isaac only found out because he was playing chess with the judge. She mentioned the unusual procedure and Isaac put two and two together. I checked the docket online and your brother
is definitely on the schedule for tomorrow morning.”

  “No one knows where he’s at?” I press again.

  Jameson shakes his head. “He seems to have performed a vanishing act worthy of a magician headlining in Vegas.”

  “Knowing my parents, they’re probably helping him. For some reason, even with all the evidence to the contrary, they believe he can do no wrong.”

  Jameson flips on his blinker to merge into the traffic on the freeway headed toward Portland. “I wish I could say you’re wrong, but I’ve seen it happen. Even when faced with insurmountable evidence, some family members refused to see the obvious.”

  Zoe slumps back against her seat. “It’s weird. None of this was obvious to me until recently. I thought my brother was a normal, conscientious guy.”

  I laced my fingers through hers. “Sometimes, we don’t know the people behind the facade. The important thing is that once you figured it out, you didn’t put blinders on.”

  “Phoenix is right,” Jameson asserts. “You’ve done everything in your power to make sure he doesn’t harm anyone else. There’s not much more you can do. We'll have to wait and see how all this plays out.”

  “Waiting is not my thing,” Zoe replies. “What if he hurts someone while he’s on the run? It could be somebody I know. He might go after Katie or her parents. They testified too. What if he goes after the poor teenager who started this whole thing?”

  “I worked with law enforcement types for years. Trust me, they’ve played out all these scenarios and have plans in place.”

  “I hope the plans are more comprehensive than what we were told,” I comment bitterly. “We basically came up with our own plan — the police couldn’t do much.”

  “Sadly, there just aren’t enough resources to go around. I wish there were. Hopefully, whatever is happening with the trial will help bring an end to the drama.”

  “One can only hope. Still, I don’t think I’ll hold my breath.”

  Right before we hit the secure area of the airport, Jameson reaches out to shake my hand. “I’m sorry we didn’t get to talk about things more. But, make no mistake I’d like to have you on my team. I hope you’ll at least think about it. I know it’s complicated. I just did the same move. In my case, it was so worth it and I think it’d be beneficial for you guys too.”

  Zoe throws her arms around Jameson’s neck. “Thank you so much for supporting us through all this craziness. Thank you for believing in Phoenix. It means the world to me.”

  Jameson shoots her an amused smile. “Not a problem. I hope this is not the last time I see you guys in my neck of the woods.”

  Zoe winks at him. “You never know. Oregon is growing on me.”

  Jameson looks over at me. “Regardless of what happens, please let us know how things turn out.”

  “Will do.” I promise solemnly.

  As nearly as I can tell, Vincent Hurlington’s attorneys are making one last frantic effort to prevent the trial from continuing. Most of this legal mumble jumble is over my head but to me it seems like the judge is not overly sympathetic to their plight. If I was a juror, Vincent’s absence is like a red blinking neon sign. Apparently, that’s what his defense team is worried about. One of his defense attorneys actually leaves the courtroom in a huff after their motion was overruled.

  The judge calls for a recess. When we return she pointedly asks the one remaining defense attorney whether they would like to resume presenting their case. He explains the expert witness is no longer available so the defense rests.

  The judge looks at Tori Clarksfield, “Do you have a rebuttal case?”

  The prosecutor shakes her head. “No, Your Honor. In light of the current circumstances, the prosecution has elected to rest as well.

  The judge smiles and addresses the jury, “We need to adjust some paperwork, but closing arguments will start after lunch.”

  As the courtroom empties out, I take a moment to text Zoe. “Good news! It will all be over soon.”

  “Hope so,” she replies. “With Vincent, you never know.”

  Zoe grips my hand tightly as we wait for the attorneys and the judge to enter the courtroom. Frankly, I’m a little surprised she elected to join me in the gallery today. When we had to sit through closing arguments and she heard the case against her brother summarized so succinctly, she was heartbroken. I can’t imagine how she feels right now. While she would like her brother to face the appropriate punishment, she still can’t believe he did the things he’s been accused of. It’s an impossible place to be.

  Tori Clarksfield enters the courtroom. When she sees us sitting behind the victim, she smiles. I suspect she intends her expression to be encouraging, but it doesn’t quiet the flock of butterflies in my stomach.

  A tear slides down Zoe’s face when the defense attorney enters the room and the bailiff asks everyone to stand for the judge. “Oh God, this is it,” Zoe whispers.

  The judge enters the room and calls the courtroom to order. She turns to the foreperson of the jury. “I understand you’ve reached a verdict?”

  The older lady with a serious expression nods. “We have.”

  “Please give your verdict form to the bailiff,” the judge instructs. After the bailiff hands her a piece of paper, she takes a moment to study it. “Everything seems to be in order. “She hands the piece of paper to the court clerk. “Mr. Richmond, please read the verdict of the jury into the record.”

  A slender man with an ill-fitting suit opens the piece of paper. Even from here, I can see his hands shaking.

  “We the jury in the above entitled case find Vincent Garland Hurlington guilty of kidnapping in the first-degree, one count of sexual battery in the first-degree and two counts of sexual battery in the second degree and traveling to meet a minor.”

  Zoe sags against me. “I can’t believe it. I knew it was coming, but still —” she whispers under her breath.

  Bruiser whines softly and places his head on Zoe’s lap.

  “What have you done to my little boy?” Zoe’s mother shrieks as she points her finger at the jury.

  “There will be order in my court. If you cannot contain yourself, you need to leave,” the judge snaps as she bangs her gavel on the bench.

  She turns to the jury and asks, “Is this your unanimous verdict?”

  The foreperson nods. “It is, Your Honor.”

  The judge looks at Vincent’s attorneys. “At this point I would usually order a case evaluation, however, it will be difficult without Mr. Hurlington present. Nonetheless, sentencing will begin a month from today.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  ZOE

  I TRY NOT TO SQUIRM in my seat as Phoenix and I drive down my parents' driveway. I’m almost as anxious about this meeting as I was about the trial. I’ve had several days to stew about it. Coming here without Phoenix was out of the question. But since he’s been busy completing his work at Identity Bank East, today is the first day we’ve had a chance to do this.

  I’d like to say we have everything settled between Phoenix and I; and that we have made some decisions about what to do. Sadly, I can’t. I’m not sure what to do. I can’t leave Mitch and Jessica in the lurch after all they’ve done for me. I don’t know how well a long-distance relationship would work between us. His aversion to talking on the phone is legendary. I’m afraid if he goes to Oregon, our relationship will die a slow, painful death. If I can’t see him in person or talk to him on the phone, I don’t see how there’s any hope.

  I jump when Phoenix cups my face and wipes away a tear with the pad of his thumb. “Why so sad?”

  “I think it’s a bit of everything. I don’t know what to do. I’d rather not even face my parents today because I don’t have any answers.”

  “I know. But, you can’t find answers until you do this.”

  I lean my face into his hand as I say, “True. Even so, it doesn’t mean I’m not scared out of my wits.”

  “I understand. But look on the bright side. After this i
s done we get to go to Jessica’s birthday party.”

  I straighten up and take my seatbelt off as I dab my tears off my face with a stray napkin from our last date at Starbucks. “You’re right. Let’s go face this. I have to warn you, it’ll probably be even uglier than the last time we were at your parent’s house.”

  Phoenix walks around the truck and helps me out. He takes a moment to grip my hands between his. “One thing I’ve learned is the two of us can handle the ugliest of ugly and still come out in one piece.”

  “You have a point. We certainly have faced a bunch of challenges together. I guess I should consider this just one more.”

  Phoenix opens the door to the cab in the truck and calls Bruiser to his side. He bends down to attach Bruiser’s lead. I smile as Bruiser licks the end of Phoenix’s nose.

  “How dare you have the nerve to show up on our doorstep? Do you know what you have done to this family? Are you stupid?”

  I stiffen my spine and level a gaze in the direction of the offensive speech. Before I can speak, Phoenix draws himself up to his full height and confronts my mother, “I’m sorry, I must have misunderstood. Don’t you mean what your son has done to your family? Your daughter did nothing except tell the truth.”

  “What good is the truth if it destroys a good man? She should’ve known better,” my mom counters.

  “Mom, the jury has spoken. If Vincent had any good in him, what he did to that poor young woman should convince you it’s gone.”

  “The whole trial was a sham. If they had been fair to Vinnie, they would have allowed him to tell his side of the story,” my mom huffs.

  “Blythe let it go. Zoelle has clearly chosen someone else over her family,” my father says as he walks up behind my mother and places his hands on her shoulders. He scowls at Phoenix.

  “Sterling, our children have abysmal taste. First, it was Vincent and that Katelyn woman who set out to destroy his reputation.” My mother looks down her nose at Phoenix. “I don’t even know what to make of Zoelle’s judgement. This man looks like he's homeless or some deranged serial killer.”