by Rhea Wilde
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“We need to find the one responsible. That’s all.”
“I’m not sure I can help you with that,” Tommy said. “I’m not in the business of putting people in hospitals. And I don’t know anybody who would put a young girl in the hospital.”
“Have you heard of Victor Castle?” I interrupted.
Tommy shifted his eyes to me. The smile on his face disappeared. He bit his bottom lip as he looked me up and down. The way his eyes shifted made me feel like I was being examined.
I waited for a response but there was none. Instead, our conversation was interrupted by two employees who placed a couple of plates of food in front of us, some rolls and a plate of noodles.
“So, you have heard of him?” I repeated.
Tommy shifted his eyes to Noah, still not saying a word.
“Please,” Noah said. “You could really help us out.”
Tommy scratched his chin and picked up one of the rolls between his fingers. He took a bite out of it and swallowed it down before sighing a deep breath through his nostrils.
“You know, my brother was smart,” Tommy said suddenly. “He was always looking out for himself. He and I were raised the same way. We were both taught how to run a business. But he did it the proper way. I was just concerned with making money. Thankfully, I got out before it was too late. Something could have happened to me.”
He tossed the rest of the roll back on the plate and cleaned his hands off with a napkin.
“What do you want with Victor Castle?” Tommy asked me directly.
“He’s the one responsible—”
“He’s responsible for a lot of things,” he interrupted me.
“I don’t doubt that. He has to be held accountable.”
“Accountable?” Tommy said. “By who? You? What are you going to do? Are you going to make him turn himself in? What are you going to say to him when the barrel of his gun is pointed right at you? What makes you any different?”
The serious look in Tommy’s eyes made me realize what I was getting into. I hadn’t come to terms with exactly what I was getting involved in and Tommy painted a terrifying picture.
I couldn’t give up though. I refused to just let it end here.
“I have to do something,” I said.
“If you have to do something, do what my brother did,” Tommy replied. “Leave. Find somewhere peaceful and quiet. Get married. Start a family. Start a business. You won’t have a care in the world and you’ll be happy. There’s nothing about New Gardens that’s worth saving.”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
Tommy stared at me but I looked right back at him. There was an undeniable fear swirling in my stomach but I refused to back down. After a few seconds, Tommy turned to Noah and burst into laughter.
“Where did you find this girl?” Tommy said, still laughing.
“She’s not like most women,” Noah said. “She’s got real character.”
“True. Most of the other women you bring in here are just characters. Sheila looks like she’s got a little more substance.”
Other women?
I tried my best not to let the comment get to me. The two men seemed to let the comment pass by as well.
“All right,” Tommy said. “I never let kids do anything stupid because they’re kids. They don’t know any better. But you’re an adult and it looks like you’ve got your mind made up.”
Tommy leaned forward and whispered.
“You didn’t hear this from me. Anybody asks, I have no idea what you’re talking about. This conversation never happened. Is that clear?”
I nodded and he continued.
“I hear Castle does his business on Harbor Drive near the waterfront. I don’t know what he does. Maybe it has something to do with his product. Frankly, I don’t know and I really don’t care. That might be the place you’re looking for. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“I think I’ve gotten enough warnings,” I replied. “I’m an adult.”
“Indeed you are.”
Tommy bounced up out of his seat and turned to his friend.
“Noah, it was good seeing you. Don’t be a stranger.”
“I won’t,” Noah said as the two shook hands. “Have your men bring their cars over and I’ll have a look at them.”
“Of course. Sheila.”
Tommy nodded to me before Noah escorted me out of the restaurant. Just before we exited, I stopped.
“What’s wrong?” Noah asked.
“I… just give me a second.”
I walked back into the restaurant and saw Tommy eating the rest of the food still on the table.
“Hey, Tommy. Can I ask you something?”
“I suppose,” he said with a smile, his mouth half-full.
“You said your brother left this city. Why did you stay? What does this city have for you?”
Tommy stared at me, the smile on his face slowly disappearing.
“New Gardens has its flaws. But there’s no other city quite like it.”
He didn’t say anything more and went back to his food. I slowly made my way out of the restaurant and saw Noah already waiting on his bike.
“Are you ready?” he asked.
“Yeah. I got what I needed.”
“Good. What do you say we head back to my place and plan our next move?”
“Our next move?” I said as I raised an eyebrow.
“Yeah. Tommy’s my friend. That’s my info. I’m gonna be the one to use it. You’re not doing this alone.”
I sighed because I knew there was no stopping him. Against my better judgment, Noah was as deep into this as I was.
“All right, we’ll plan our next move.”
“Good. It won’t take long to get to my place.”
Chapter 9
What exactly is the plan?
As I sat there in Noah’s empty apartment, the next step never presented itself. I was so concerned with finding out who Victor Castle was I never bothered to think how I should approach it.
“I’m sorry,” Noah said. “I don’t have anything in my place. I probably should have taken up Tommy’s offer and brought some of that food home.”
“That’s all right,” I said with a laugh. “I’m fine. Chinese takeout never sat well with me.”
“That’s because you’ve never had Tommy’s.”
Noah stood up and closed the refrigerator door after failing to find even the smallest morsel to offer me.
“Maybe we could go out for a bite to eat,” he said.
“I’m fine. Really. I’m… I’m not hungry.”
I sat on Noah’s couch, sipping on a glass of water. I looked around the small living room, my mind wandering at the same time. I could hear the sound of the traffic in the city coming in from the window. A small fan in the corner of the room provided some relief from the heat.
Noah grabbed a chair and took a seat right across from me, next to his coffee table.
“We’re here to talk about the plan,” I said. “So, let’s talk about the plan.”
“All right. Let’s do that. Tommy said Harbor Drive. Have you been there before?”
“I can’t say that I have.”
“It’s near the docks. A lot of ships are coming in and out. I can’t say I’ve had a lot of experience with it.”
“Do you know what kind of ships are there?”
“All types of ships. It’s a bit touristy with all of the cruise ships on one end. There are transport ships, too. You know, people importing and exporting stuff. That sort of thing.”
“Do you know anything else about it?”
“No,” he said, shaking his head. “But it would make some sense. If this Castle guy is involved in a lot of shady business like it seems, then doing it at the docks would be the place to do it. The police don’t patrol there too much.”
“Why not?”
“You’ve seen the rest of the city. New Gardens PD doesn’t have ma
ny resources. And there are enough criminals walking the streets. Police can’t be there for every shady transaction.”
“Maybe we can be there.”
“What?”
I put my glass down and leaned forward. Something dawned on me. It wasn’t much, but it was something more than I had before.
“Maybe we can find something,” I said. “Some evidence to show he’s involved in some shady business.”
“And then what? You’re going to provide that evidence to the police?”
“The police. The newspapers. The DA. I’ll broadcast it for the entire world to hear. Victor Castle won’t have a place to hide.”
“That’s one idea but…”
“What’s wrong?”
“You’re not even sure this is the guy you’re looking for. You said one of the people at the shelter was injured. Don’t you want to make sure it’s the right person getting locked up, if that is the case?”
“She mentioned his name,” I sighed. “She was as high as a kite when she talked about him. The next day I got the phone call from the hospital…”
Thinking about Kimmy ruined my mood. I hadn’t been thinking about her for most of this time. Even if I did manage to bring the ones responsible to justice, it still wouldn’t be enough to erase the memory of what happened to her.
“You should have seen her,” I said. “She was so happy. I’d never seen her smile like that. And she was doing so well, too.”
“Don’t forget that.”
“Forget what?” I said, turning to Noah.
“Forget how happy she was. Don’t forget the way she smiled. You don’t see that too often. Especially in this city. We can’t let that get away from us.”
“Yeah… Sometimes it’s tough.”
“We just… We just have to be there for each other.”
Noah stood up from his chair and held his hand out to me.
“Come here,” he said. “I want to show you something.”
I took his hand, a sudden feeling of anxiousness building inside of my stomach. Noah led me over to the nearby open window.
It was nighttime in New Gardens. The city was lit-up in spots with lights coming from some of the windows in the buildings and the traffic down below. The view from Noah’s apartment was surprising. It seemed like the entire city was out there in front of me. And on the fifth floor, I felt like I could reach out and touch everything.
“What is it?” I asked.
“What do you see?”
“What do you mean?”
“Look out the window. What do you see?”
“Um…”
I wasn’t quite sure how to answer his question. Nothing stood out to me immediately.
Just play along.
“I see a bunch of buildings,” I started. “I see the Taurus building up there. It’s hard to miss it.”
“What else?”
“I see cars on the streets. A lot of brake lights. Traffic really sucks.”
“Don’t stop.”
Noah stood behind me, his hands on my shoulders. His touch made an involuntary shudder shoot through my spine. I swallowed and cleared my throat to maintain my composure.
Now isn’t the time for that.
“I see a clear blue night sky,” I continued. “I see people down there on the sidewalk.”
“What are they doing?”
“Some of them are just hanging out, loitering. Some of the homeless are sleeping on the sidewalk. It looks like a few of those other guys are just drinking.”
“What about in the buildings?”
“What?”
“Inside. What are they doing inside?”
“I can’t see inside—”
“Close your eyes.”
“What?”
“Just do it. Trust me.”
“Okay.”
I was doing my best to keep an open mind. I kept going along with it. My eyes shut and Noah’s hands were on my shoulders, squeezing me softly. His breath caressed my ear as he whispered into it.
“What are they doing?” he asked.
“They’re…”
“They’re doing what?”
“They’re cooking. There are families having dinner with each other. They’re gathered around the TV, arguing about how bad the Sailors are going to be this year. They’re tucking their children into bed. They’re relaxing after a hard day at work.”
“That’s right.”
I slowly opened my eyes and Noah turned me around. I looked up at him and saw him staring down right at me. His eyes. His blue eyes never failed to hypnotize me.
“You know this city,” he whispered. “It’s a part of people like Tommy. It’s a part of you. It’s a part of me.”
“Noah… Why are you doing this?”
“Because I’ve never met anybody like you. I’ve never met anybody who cares the way you do. And I want you to know I care about this city, too.”
“You saved my life,” I said as I shifted my eyes to the side, trying to look away from him. “I know you care.”
“I would have saved you regardless of who you are. I didn’t know who you were before I rescued you in the alley that night. Now I do.”
“You really don’t.”
“I do. You’re a kind woman. You’re smart. You’re hard-working. You have heart. I… I’ve never met a woman like you.”
“Noah—”
His fingers caressed my chin. His gentle touch made me turn my face to his. I was like a magnet, drawn to him by a force I couldn’t control. My gaze shifted back to his eyes. But there was something more this time. Something deeper. A sincerity I couldn’t explain was coming out.
“Noah—”
“It’s okay.”
His face slowly drifted to mine. His hands on my shoulders, he held me in place. I wasn’t trying to get away though.
My body was trembling. Blood was rushing through my veins. My knees buckled. But Noah was there to keep me standing. After what felt like an eternity, his lips pressed to mine.
I sighed softly into his mouth. The wet smack of his lips against mine echoed through my ears. His tongue followed and darted into my mouth, searching for something to lick. My tongue pushed forward and met his in a sloppy but slow and sensual dance. I breathed through my nose, trying to catch my breath from everything.
Sheila, don’t do this.
The doubts continued to cloud my mind.
You can’t do this.
My body was moving on its own. My hands pressed against his chest and felt the hardness of his pectorals. His hands moved down from my shoulders, pulling me tighter into his embrace.
Sheila…
I couldn’t stop but I knew I had to. I was the only one who could. His lips were soft but forceful. Rugged but gentle. The perfect combination to keep me in place but give me the freedom to roam. I wanted him to consume me while I did the same to him. I wanted all of him.
Sheila!
I pushed my hands against his chest and pushed him away. My eyes opened and I gasped to catch my breath. Noah didn’t object even though he was strong enough to hold me. He released me from his grip entirely. I took several away from him, turning my back to him.
“What’s wrong?” he asked. “Are you okay?”
“I’m okay. I’m fine.”
I brushed my bangs behind my ear and continued taking deep breaths to regain my composure.
“Then what’s the problem?”
I turned around and saw him standing there. He looked so young, so innocent. I couldn’t help but laugh. It was absurd.
“I…”
I struggled to get it out.
“There’s something you should know about me,” I said.
“All right. I’m listening.”
“I… I don’t do relationships.”
“Okay.”
“Something happened and… I’d just prefer not to get involved.”
“All right.”
Noah seemed to be taking it surprisingly well.
“All right?” I said, somewhat confused.
“I get it. You don’t have to tell me. But this won’t change our relationship. I won’t stop helping you because of a kiss. We both want the same thing. We still have the plan tomorrow, right?”
“Yes, but—”
Before I could continue, he took a step forward and pressed his lips to mine. I lost myself for a moment. It was as if my brain short-circuited. I flipped my switch back to the on-position to regain my senses and pushed myself away from him.
“That’s not all of it,” I said.
“What else is there?”
“Noah.”
“Yeah. Don’t you see?
“See what?”
He looked at me with an innocent confusion that almost made me want to stay quiet but I had to be honest with him. It wouldn’t feel right.
“You’re half my age,” I said.
“You’re not half—”
“I might as well be. I’m… I’m old enough to be your mother.”
“Is that it?” Noah said, laughing suddenly.
“You shouldn’t be doing… this… with someone my age.”
“And why not?”
“Because…”
“Because what?”
“Just because!”
I threw my hands up, slightly frustrated I couldn’t get through to him. He slowly moved toward me. The intention in his eyes was clear and I was running out of time to remove it.
“Maybe you are older than me,” he said. “That doesn’t matter.”
“It does. It should matter to you.”
“Then why doesn’t it? Why can’t I stop?”
“You don’t know what’s good for you.”
“I think I do.”
He rushed forward suddenly and wrapped me in his embrace. My arms at my sides, I didn’t fight him as he kissed me again. I kissed him back, my lips pushing forward to meet his. The loud smack of our lips bounced off the walls of his small apartment.
“No,” I whispered into his mouth. “You don’t… You don’t want this.”
“I don’t want this,” he said.
His hand moved from my back and in front of me, cupping my breast through my shirt. I gasped into his mouth as I felt his powerful grip. Even through my bra I could feel how strong his hand was. He teased me through my shirt while his tongue continued to dance with mine.
