Always Be a Wolf

by Mima

  The speech that started as if spoken from a docile lamb ended in a roar that filled the room, causing the guilty parties to sit up a bit straighter, almost as if to admit their wrongdoing. Those who hadn’t taken part in the gossip carried a serious expression, if not a hint of fear in their eyes. Benjamin merely nodded in understanding, as if he appreciated Diego’s speech, while Jolene continued to sit in silence.

  “Consider this a warning,” Diego bellowed out, once again ignoring the tears in Gracie’s eyes. “Next time, there will be no fucking warning. Next time I hear gossip in this office, you’ll be asked to leave immediately.”

  The meeting ended on a tense note and after the chatter and joyousness of the surprise lunch, the mood of the office changed as everyone rushed back to their desks, leaving Chase and Jolene behind with Diego. Once they were alone and the door closed, Diego sat back down and cleared his throat.

  “That was a little much, no?” Jolene finally spoke, as she reached for the last piece of pizza. “I mean, did you have to scream and yell at them.”

  “No,” Diego calmly replied. “But you know what, it made them listen.”

  “This is true,” Jolene bit into the pizza. “I have not seen you like this for a long time.”

  Appearing completely spent, Diego rubbed his eyes and didn’t reply.

  “I talked to Hernandez earlier today, he wants to go see Deborah,”

  “No! Oh no, Diego, has it come to that?”

  “It has.”

  Diego made eye contact with Chase and for a moment but didn’t say anything. When he did, it was in a hushed tone. “He wants you to go with him.”

  Chase felt a chill crawl up his spine and although he didn’t know exactly what would take place during this meeting with Deborah, he somehow guessed that it wasn’t something he wanted to take part in. He didn’t reply but nodded in agreement.

  “When will this happen, Diego?” Jolene asked between bites. “And why? Maybe she will go away, no? I mean, the lawyer said that…”

  “It doesn’t matter what the lawyer said,” Diego replied as he took a drink of his coffee. “She keeps threatening to call the government, the police, everyone. We did nothing wrong but do we want to invite trouble?”

  “We could tell them the truth that she’s mad for being fired,” Chase offered. “She clearly has emotional problems if she goes to a shrink, I mean it’s not a stretch.”

  “No no,” Diego shook his head. “We do not want the police here under any circumstances. The three people you never want poking around unless necessary are your doctor, the government, and the police. Otherwise, they start sniffing around, looking for problems that aren’t there. And me, I don’t trust these people we work with to not talk too much.”

  “Yeah, we have to stop her now,” Jolene agreed. “She wants trouble.”

  “She wants revenge,” Diego corrected her. “Hernandez will speak to her.”

  “Should we….be talking about this…” Chase allowed his words to drift off and pointed around the room, knowing that they usually avoided such conversations at the office. Diego merely shrugged.

  It wasn’t until after work when the three of them met Hernandez in his hotel room that things were more openly discussed. Anxiety was at an all-time high while Hernandez merely observed everyone giving their thoughts with a smirk on his face, his eyes shifting from person to person, mostly Diego and Jolene arguing over how to deal with Deborah. Chase remained quiet and noticed Jorge looking his way with a humoured expression.

  “There’s no question,” Jorge finally cut in, appearing relaxed as if they were merely discussing what color to paint the office walls and not whatever he had planned for Deborah; something Chase suspected would be unpleasant. Although he didn’t want to see her get hurt, his loyalty was with Jolene and Diego.

  “No question? I do not understand,” Jolene appeared confused and the two exchanged looks that didn’t suggest they were lovers as Chase had been lead to believe. In fact, he sensed nothing between them, rather than the sexual overtones he had expected.

  “There’s no question,” Jorge replied with a casual shrug. “I have to speak with her. There’s nothing else we can do now and when I’ve finished, she will back off.”

  “What will you say?” Jolene apprehensively asked.

  Jorge didn’t reply but lifted his eyebrows, his chocolate-brown eyes falling into a pensive stare as if deep in thought, then he glanced away.

  “Chase, I need you to come with me,” He sat forward in his chair. “She will not see you but I need your help with something.”

  The room fell into an awkward silence and Chase felt his throat grow dry.

  “We are, what day? Thursday?” Jorge calmly glanced at his phone. “I will be in touch with you tomorrow and by then I will have the details worked out. I already have looked into this young woman and I have a pretty good idea how to deal with this situation.”

  Chase nodded in silence.

  “I don’t want Chase in a weird situation, you know?” Jolene’s voice lowered and she tilted her head down, her eyes looking up at Jorge.

  “He won’t even get his hands dirty,” Jorge’s eyes met with Jolene’s before shooting a look back at Chase. Unlike the day they met, he no longer saw the Hollywood smile or the charm that was disarming but instead, there was a darkness in his eyes, a cunning, ruthless stare that challenged Chase’s earlier assumption. There was no question that this was a man who would sink his teeth in until he tasted blood and have no conscience, no regret, and no remorse.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

  Having no conscience would’ve been convenient, especially as they approached the weekend and more specifically, the time when Jorge Hernandez would need Chase’s help with the Deborah situation. The problem was that he wasn’t so sure how they were going to take care of her; he didn’t want to think that Hernandez was planning to kill her but at the same time, he had no doubt that the charming Mexican could slither into anyone’s life and seduce them into thinking he was harmless. Then again, perhaps he would only serve her with a warning to back off Diego and Jolene Inc. He wasn’t sharing details with Chase and if life had taught him anything, it was that it was best to not ask.

  Jorge arranged to pick him up on a late Saturday night and much to Chase’s surprise, he drove a basic SUV; a rental that he obtained for his time in Toronto. Only saying hello, he remained silent, focusing his attention on the GPS until they arrived outside a popular nightclub. There he parked the vehicle nearby and smoked cigarettes, his eyes fixated on the small crowd that waited outside until he spotted Deborah.

  “There she is, in the red coat.”

  Chase immediately recognizing Deborah and nodded. She was alone, her eyes on her phone as she waited to get inside the club.

  “So this is what we are going to do,” Jorge hesitated for a moment as he reached for his coffee and took a drink. “I’m taking you back to the condo but when I text you later, you’ve got to get your ass over to Deborah’s place. Tell Diego to take you and wait outside until we go inside. Then I want you to stay downstairs and keep an eye out for people. If anyone comes along, I want you to distract them if you can and if not, send me a text immediately.”

  “How do I distract them?” Chase nervously asked.

  Jorge turned toward him and gave a casual shrug. “Don’t worry, no one will be around. I’ve already checked out her building and it’s pretty small. Most of the occupants are lights out by ten kind of people. The tenant living beside her works nights and the other side is vacant. I’m not worried.”

  Chase didn’t reply. He recognized a confident man who had been in this kind of situation before and successfully walked away unscathed. He was in a trance-like state as he stared at the nightclub that Deborah was about to enter, finally breaking free, he glanced back in Chase’s direction.

  “Aren’t you going to as
k me what I’m going to do?” He pointedly asked Chase.

  “No.”

  “Good,” Jorge turned the ignition, raised an eyebrow and turned onto the street. “Because I wasn’t going to tell you anyway.”

  Back at the apartment, Diego was sitting on the couch, apparently waiting for Chase to return. Assuming he was expecting a rundown, Chase immediately began to talk but was quickly cut off.

  “I know,”

  “You know?” Chase hesitated, feeling a heaviness fill his chest. “So…”

  “Tell me when you receive the text,” Diego spoke with no emotion as he rose from the couch and walked toward his room.

  “What’s he going to do?” Chase felt reluctant to ask.

  Diego turned around and shrugged. “Just going to talk to her.” His eyes were full of innocence and for a moment, Chase almost believe him.

  Every minute he waited for the text was full of anxiety. Chase felt like he shouldn’t become involved in this mess. What if Jorge killed her? Was he being paranoid? Had Hernandez been involved in Luke Prince’s death? So many questions ran through his head and yet, he felt he couldn’t discuss this with anyone. There was an unspoken assumption of silence on everyone’s part. Almost as if you didn’t say it out loud, then nothing happened.

  It was almost midnight when the text arrived and they headed to Deborah’s apartment building. Waiting across the street, he saw Jorge’s rental SUV park alongside her building and the two of them got out. She was clearly drunk as she stumbled on the sidewalk, laughing at herself as if she were an absolute delight. Chase grimaced from his seat. Jorge rushed around with his perfect smile, he made the gentlemanly gesture of reaching for Deborah’s arm to help her inside. Charm was clearly his most disarming feature, as she hooked arms and they walked through the entrance.

  “Go,” Diego quietly instructed. “I will see you at home later.”

  “But aren’t you…”

  “Jorge said he would take you home,” Diego commented as he kept his eyes on the building. “If not, text me.”

  Slowly getting out of the vehicle, his legs were rubbery beneath him and for a moment he wasn’t sure if he could walk toward the building. His heart raced frantically, everything inside of him said to run away; but where would he go? Easing across the street and toward the entrance, he found a business card stuck in the door to keep it from locking and he graciously moved inside, sliding the card into his pocket.

  He could hear the couple as they walked upstairs, Jorge teasing Deborah about not being able to handle her alcohol while she giggled. Their loud whispers were moving farther away and glancing around, Chase edged toward the bottom of the stairs and wondered if he should stay by the entrance or perhaps it would be better to follow them? Reluctant, he decided to do nothing.

  After a few minutes and no sign of anyone attempting to come into the silent building, Chase quietly eased up the stairs, taking each step slowly, making sure to stay alert in case someone opened the front door. As he arrived at the second level, he could barely hear the sound of Deborah’s giggles, softly echoing through the hallway.

  Chase continued to walk carefully, alert to every sound and detail in the small building. He wondered what to do if anyone walked out of their apartment, although that seemed unlikely at that time of night. His heart rate continued to increase and as much as fear absorbed him, there was something else he was feeling; excitement combined with and anxiety that shot adrenaline through his veins. It was shamefully invigorating. A pleasurable high filled him as he made his way up the third flight of stairs and he finally caught sight of Jorge and Deborah from the distance. They were standing beside the steps on the fourth floor, close to her apartment, their voices a flirtatious whisper.

  Her hands were running over his body as he whispered something in Deborah’s ear and she giggled and teased him, acting as if she hadn’t decided if Jorge could join her in the apartment. It was strategic. This was a game to Deborah; the seduction, the trouble she had created at work, it was the thrill of playing people that she thrived on. It disgusted him. She disgusted him.

  Jorge Hernandez knew how to play the game. Rather than begging for her to give into her desires, he suggested that she be a good girl and go to sleep, perhaps she was too drunk to make a respectful decision. He then coyly hinted that he could maybe come with her but he wouldn’t try anything, out of respect, something that made Chase grin to himself as she fell for it. She insisted he come inside.

  Backing off slightly, Hernandez gestured for her to lead the way and it was only then, as she turned her back that his dark eyes shot a quick glance in Chase’s direction. It was a look he would never forget, full of anger and hatred, full of vengeance and fury, full of pure evil. In one quick motion, his hand went around her throat and swiftly pulled her back as she gasped for air, then with one quick move, threw her against the wall next to the stairway. As if trying to catch her breath, a stifled moan escaped, sounding like that of a wounded animal; full of fear, even from the dark corner where she could not see him, Chase recognized the sound of panic.

  Trapping her against the wall with one hand, Jorge continued to hold the other against her throat, as tears flooded her eyes and she struggled for her breath.

  In a voice that started off as calm and rapidly increased in speed and intensity, Jorge could be heard speaking.

  “Look, little girl, you’re going to let this shit with Diego and Jolene go and I mean now. Drop everything, drop the lawyer and don’t ever go to the CRA or the police because if anyone starts to investigate today, tomorrow, ten years from now, I’m going to fucking kill you. And I’m going to get away with it cause I always do. And if you go to the RCMP, your best friend or anyone else about our conversation, I guarantee it will be the last fucking confession you will ever have, got it?”

  Shivering, Deborah absolutely frantic, as tears poured down her face, her fear unmistakable, as she nodded, attempting to say yes, her voice shook so badly that she was unable to say that one word. Chase felt some compassion creep in for her and had to look away, unable to witness anymore. He could hear Jorge continue to threaten her and she quietly sobbed, gasping for air, Chase decided that it would be best that he start down the third flight of stairs, his legs felt heavy as he walked.

  It was when he heard a loud thud that he stopped, his heart pounding in fear as a sharp spark ran through his veins. He heard a few quiet steps behind him and turned to see Jorge calmly walking past him as if he had done nothing out of the ordinary. His eyes were menacing and yet tranquil at the same time, as he gestured for Chase to follow him. Tempted to go back, feeling as though he should check, he knew better. He didn’t want to make the mistake of being the next person that Jorge Hernandez turned his rage on.

  Feeling shell-shocked, he followed Jorge downstairs and it was only after they were outside in the cold night air, as they headed to his SUV that he finally spoke.

  “Is she…”

  Realizing what he was asking, Jorge gave a self-satisfying grin as he climbed in the SUV and Chase reluctantly did the same.

  “I’m guessing a broken arm, maybe a leg,” He replied casually as he started the vehicle and grabbed a cigarettes from a pack that sat on the dash. He lit it up and inhaled deeply before releasing the smoke into the vehicle. He put on his seatbelt and glanced in the rearview mirror before pulling onto the street. “She’ll be fine but I guarantee, she won’t fucking talk. In fact, I think I just taught her a valuable lesson about talking too much.”

  Relieved that he hadn’t killed her, it took a moment to fully digest everything Chase had just saw. He wanted to talk but wasn’t sure of what to say.

  “Are you sure she’s not…” He couldn’t finish the sentence but instead, glanced toward Jorge who was continuing to puff on a cigarette as if it were his treat after a violent mission.

  “Ha?” He seemed to come out of his daze. “Her? Oh, sh
e’s fine. Trust me. I’ve been doing this a while, I know how to shake people up. She won’t talk and when they find her, they’ll assume she was drunk and tripped. I mean, did you see those shoes she was wearing? Hardly practical.”

  “But what if she does?” Chase couldn’t help but ask.

  Hernandez didn’t reply at first but simply glanced in his direction, an ominous grin on his face. “My friend, you worry too much. You remind me of a woman. I think you’ve been hanging out with Diego too much.”

  Chase felt himself start to calm slightly, a little apprehensive to accept the excitement he felt following this brutal attack. It reminded him of a fight he had been to with Diego months earlier, a boxing match that ended with the opponent being put in an ambulance; he hated it but loved it at the same time. There was a ruthless side of himself that enjoyed watching someone getting hurt and he wasn’t sure why or what that said about him.

  “Now Jolene,” He continued as they glided down the street, heading toward the condo. “She’s nervous but she knows what must be done. When her mind is made, I don’t think anyone would want to get in the way.”

  Feeling calmer as they drove farther away, he felt engulfed in an unexpected bond with Jorge Hernandez. They shared a moment that was almost as intimate as one would with a lover; a shared, dark secret that inflamed the night, a trusted moment that was stronger than Chase had ever felt with anyone before; not a girlfriend, not family, not even Diego. It was unexpected. He felt himself open up and ask a question that had burned on his lips for weeks.

  “Do you know about my son that was shot? About the man who shot him?” His voice filled the otherwise silent vehicle. “Luke Prince, he was killed a few weeks ago?”